Mali enjoys playing by
himself.
He likes to be a pilot,
swooshing around the
house with his paper
plane.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Then a taxi driver, hooting around
the yard with his wire car.
Beep! Beep!
Beeeeeeeeeeep!
Mali never goes out
to play with others.
Gogo says,
“Mali go out and play
ibhola with the others.” But Mali does not
enjoy himself.
Gogo says,
“Mali, look, the children
are playing ibhathi.
Go out and play.”
Mali tries again. But he
does not enjoy himself.
Gogo tries one more time.
“Mali, go out and
play maphonselana
with the others.”
Once again, Mali tries.
He does not enjoy himself.
There is a knock on the door.
Ko! Ko! Ko!
It’s Lesedi from next door.
She has come to play.
Mali is shy. He does not
know how to play with
Lesedi.
Lesedi asks him if he
would like to make mud
pies and cakes.
They make mud pies
and cakes and even
pancakes and biscuits.
Mali enjoys
himself very
much.
Lesedi comes
back again.
She shows Mali
how to play
ingedo.
Mali has trouble throwing, moving
and catching the stones. But he gets
better at the game.
Mali enjoys himself
very much.
Mali then shows Lesedi how to
make a paper plane.
They go all around the house
swooshing their planes.
Oh! They laugh a lot!
Mali asks Lesedi,
“Can I
come to
your house
to play
tomorrow?”
“Of course
you can!” she laughs.
The next morning, after gobbling down his
porridge, Mali takes out his wire car.
“Where are you
going, Mali?” asks Gogo.
“I am going out to
play with Lesedi!”
he laughs.
Mali's Friend
