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They Became Baboons
Ursula Nafula
Benjamin Mitchley
English
In one village, animals ate all the food. The people were unhappy.
One family moved to the hills to find enough food.
Other families joined them when they saw them looking better.
The children learned different ways of survival. They climbed trees like monkeys did.
They also spoke less and less. The noses and the teeth of the parents became longer.
With time, they forgot how to talk. Their noses became wider. They laughed at each other.
They had become baboons. They could not live together any more. They went in different directions.
You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way:
They Became Baboons
Author - Southern African Folktale
Adaptation - Ursula Nafula
Illustration - Benjamin Mitchley
Language - English
Level - First sentences
© African Storybook Initiative 2014
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Source www.africanstorybook.org
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  • Translations and adaptations
    • The baboons that went this way and that
      English (Original)
    • The baboons that went this way and that
      English (Adaptation)
    • Les babouins qui vont çà et là
      French (Adaptation)
    • Izimfene ezaziya le na le
      isiZulu (Translation)
    • Nyani walioenda huku na huko
      Kiswahili (Translation)
    • Tsingukye Tsitsakyeendaana Eyi Ni Neeyi
      Lumasaaba (Translation)
    • Enguge Ejerwenga Eno Ni Neera
      Lunyole (Translation)
    • Enguge Ejerwenga Eno Ni Neera
      Lunyole (Adaptation)
    • Ditšhwene tšeo di be go di e ya kua le kua
      Sepedi (Translation)
    • Ditshwene tse ileng tsa hasahana
      Sesotho (South Africa) (Translation)
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