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Children of wax
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
English
Once upon a time, there lived a happy family.
The children never fought with each other.

They helped their parents at home and in the fields.
But they were not allowed to go near a fire.
They had to do all their work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
But one of the boys longed to go out in the sunlight.
One day the longing was too strong.

His brother and sister warned him.
But it was too late!

He melted in the hot sun.
The wax children cried to see their brother melting away.
But they made a plan.

They shaped the lump of melted wax into a bird.
They took their bird brother up to a high mountain.
And as the sun rose, he flew away, singing in the morning light.
You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way:
Children of wax
Author - Southern African Folktale
Illustration - Wiehan de Jager
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
    • Die kerswaskinders
      Afrikaans (Translation)
    • أطفال الشمع
      Arabic (Translation)
    • Abana Ba’Mana
      Ekegusii (Translation)
    • Children of wax (Colour-in)
      English (Adaptation)
    • Ɓikkoy ɓellere
      Fulfulde (Translation)
    • 'Ya'yan kitse
      Hausa (Nigeria) (Translation)
    • Abantwana bamafutha
      isiNdebele (Translation)
    • Abantwana bekhandlela
      isiXhosa (Translation)
    • Abantwana abenziwe ngamakhandlela
      isiZulu (Translation)
    • I bambini di cera
      Italian (Translation)
    • Syana Sya Mũvũa
      Kikamba (Translation)
    • Abana b'ibishashara
      Kinyarwanda (Translation)
    • Watoto walioumbwa kwa nta
      Kiswahili (Translation)
    • Wón Veé Ghàm Vilù
      Lámnsoʼ (Translation)
    • Abaana Abaava Mu Nvumbo
      Luganda (Translation)
    • Abaana b'ebisasalala
      Luganda (Translation)
    • Anji Afa Akazavile Ri
      Lugbarati (Translation)
    • Anzɨ Òdirì Rʉ́ Dɨ̀yɨ
      Lugbarati (Official) (Translation)
    • Babaana Be Buwuula
      Lumasaaba (Translation)
    • Abaana Bomu Bulimbo
      Lunyole (Translation)
    • Abaana abaatondebwa munvumbo
      Lusoga (Translation)
    • Inkera E Emanoo
      Maa (Translation)
    • Ng’Ide a Ng’Amonok
      Ng’aturkana (Translation)
    • Abaana be iula
      Oluwanga (Translation)
    • Bana ba kerese
      Sesotho (South Africa) (Translation)
    • Bana ba kerese
      Setswana (Translation)
    • Bantfwana bemtfwebeba
      Siswati (Translation)
    • Vhana vha phula
      Tshivenḓa (Translation)
    • Vana va swihlenge
      Xitsonga (Translation)
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