Ndima 1
Katsi yangu chena inorara pachoto,
My little white cat dozes happily by the hearth fire,
Inoti ‘mnyawu’ ichidziya moto.
Purring ‘meow’ as it bathes in the warm glow.
Mbeva ikabuda ichinonga tsanga mudura,
When a little mouse creeps out to nibble grain in the granary,
Katsi yodongorera meso oita marangangwa!
Cat peeps up wide-eyed, ears perked like saucers!
Ndima 2
Mbeva yakamuka yakadzika mugomba,
The nimble mouse darts into its bolt hole in a flash,
Katsi yasara ichinanzva muromo.
Leaving lazy cat blinking and licking its whiskers.
Usazvidze mudiki ane unyanzvi hwake,
Never despise the small one who possesses quick wits,
Mbeva yakapona nokuti yakangwara!
For the tiny mouse survived because it was alert and clever!
💡 Mashoko Anokosha (Key Vocabulary):
| ChiShona |
How to say it (Pronunciation) |
English Meaning |
| Pachoto |
pah-CHOH-toh |
Beside the hearth fire / cooking fire |
| Tsanga |
TSAH-ngah |
Grains, corn kernels, seeds |
| Marangangwa |
mah-rah-NGAH-ngwah |
Wide open, highly alert round eyes |
| Unyanzvi |
oo-nyahn-ZVEE |
Clever skill, dexterity, ingenuity |
🌱 Chidzidzo cheHupenyu (Moral / Reflection):
ChiShona: Kuve mudiki hazvirevi kushaya simba; pfungwa nekungwara zvinoponesa.
English: Being small is no handicap; alertness, agility, and wit outsmart raw brawn.