Fluent Fiction - Afrikaans: The Shearer’s Challenge: A Village Bet Transformed
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Story Transcript:

Af: Pieter stap deur die koue, stil strate van die bergdorpie.
En: Pieter walks through the cold, quiet streets of the mountain village.

Af: Sy asem vorm wolkies in die yskoue lug.
En: His breath forms little clouds in the icy air.

Af: Hy sien 'n bordjie: "Skaapskeerkompetisie Vandag!
En: He sees a sign: "Sheep Shearing Competition Today!"

Af: ""Nooit geskeer nie, maar hoe moeilik kan dit wees?
En: "Never sheared before, but how hard can it be?"

Af: " flits die gedagte by hom op.
En: the thought flashes through his mind.

Af: Hy het onlangs met 'n vriend gewed hy kan enigiets doen.
En: He recently bet a friend that he could do anything.

Af: Hierdie was sy kans om te wys hy is reg.
En: This was his chance to prove he was right.

Af: Pieter stap na die dorpsplein.
En: Pieter heads to the town square.

Af: Dit is bedrywig met mense.
En: It’s bustling with people.

Af: Daar is 'n groot omheining vol blêrende skape.
En: There’s a large enclosure full of bleating sheep.

Af: Hy sien plaaslike skapeerders met hul skerp skêre en kyk hoe hulle vlot werk.
En: He watches local shearers with their sharp shears and sees how efficiently they work.

Af: 'N Inspekteur sien Pieter kom aangestap.
En: An inspector sees Pieter approaching.

Af: "Wil jy deelneem?
En: "Want to participate?"

Af: " vra hy vriendelik.
En: he asks kindly.

Af: "Pieter aanvaar, probeer selfversekerd lyk.
En: Pieter accepts, trying to look confident.

Af: "Reg," sê hy met ‘n glimlag, maar binne voel hy angstig.
En: "Sure," he says with a smile, but inside he feels anxious.

Af: Hy het nog nooit 'n skaap geskeer nie.
En: He has never sheared a sheep before.

Af: Hy besluit om raad by die plaaslike mense te vra.
En: He decides to seek advice from the locals.

Af: Hy kyk om hom rond, op soek na iemand wat kan help.
En: He looks around, searching for someone who can help.

Af: Hy sien 'n ouer boer, met ‘n vriendelike gesig.
En: He sees an older farmer with a friendly face.

Af: "Jou eerste keer?
En: "Your first time?"

Af: " vra die boer.
En: the farmer asks.

Af: "Ja," antwoord Pieter skaam.
En: "Yes," Pieter responds shyly.

Af: "En ek weet nie eintlik hoe nie.
En: "And I don't really know how."

Af: "Die boer lag, "Dis nie maklik nie, maar ek sal jou help.
En: The farmer laughs, "It’s not easy, but I'll help you."

Af: " Hy wys hom hoe om die skêr reg te hou en hoe om die skaap stil te maak.
En: He shows him how to hold the shears properly and how to calm the sheep.

Af: Pieter voel effens meer op sy gemak.
En: Pieter feels slightly more at ease.

Af: Pieter se naam word geroep.
En: Pieter's name is called.

Af: Hy stap nader, vat 'n skêr en kies 'n skaap.
En: He steps forward, grabs a pair of shears, and chooses a sheep.

Af: Die skaap kyk hom aan, lyk glad nie gelukkig nie.
En: The sheep looks at him, clearly not pleased.

Af: Pieter probeer die skaap stil maak, maar die skaap spring weg.
En: Pieter tries to calm the sheep, but it jumps away.

Af: Hy verloor sy balans en val op die grond.
En: He loses his balance and falls to the ground.

Af: Die skare lag, maar Pieter staan op en probeer weer.
En: The crowd laughs, but Pieter stands up and tries again.

Af: Hy begin skeer, maar die skaap beweeg onrustig.
En: He starts shearing, but the sheep moves restlessly.

Af: Stukkies wol vlieg rond.
En: Bits of wool fly around.

Af: Pieter se hande bewe, maar hy hou aan probeer.
En: Pieter's hands tremble, but he keeps trying.

Af: Dan kom 'n groot, hardkoppige skaap voor Pieter staan.
En: Then a large, stubborn sheep stands in front of Pieter.

Af: Hy kyk na die ondier, voel sy hart vinniger klop.
En: He looks at the animal, feeling his heart race.

Af: Hy weet die skaap gaan moeilik wees.
En: He knows this sheep will be difficult.

Af: Hy vat die skêr en probeer weer, maar die skaap spring weg en hardloop deur die skare.
En: He grabs the shears and tries again, but the sheep jumps away and runs through the crowd.

Af: Mense skree en lag.
En: People shout and laugh.

Af: Die skaap stamp kratte om en wol is oraloor.
En: The sheep knocks over crates and wool is everywhere.

Af: Pieter hardloop agter die skaap aan, probeer hom vang.
En: Pieter runs after the sheep, trying to catch it.

Af: Uiteindelik help die boer hom om die skaap stil te maak.
En: Eventually, the farmer helps him calm the sheep down.

Af: Hy hou die skaap vas terwyl Pieter eindelik die laaste stukke wol afskeer.
En: He holds the sheep while Pieter finally finishes shearing the last bits of wool.

Af: Die kompetisie eindig, en daar is gelag en applous.
En: The competition ends, and there is laughter and applause.

Af: Pieter het laas gekom, maar hy glimlag.
En: Pieter came in last, but he smiles.

Af: Hy het probeer en nie moed opgegee nie.
En: He tried and didn't give up.

Af: Die boer klop hom op die rug.
En: The farmer pats him on the back.

Af: "Jy het goed gedoen, seun.
En: "You did well, son.

Af: Dit verg moed.
En: It takes courage."

Af: "Pieter voel trots.
En: Pieter feels proud.

Af: Hy besef hy hoef nie alles perfek te doen nie.
En: He realizes he doesn't have to do everything perfectly.

Af: Dit is belangrik om jou beste te gee.
En: It’s important to give your best.

Af: Die dorpenaars het hom met vriendelikheid ontmoet.
En: The villagers met him with kindness.

Af: Hy voel gelukkig en aanvaar die bêtering met 'n nuwe perspektief.
En: He feels happy and embraces the experience with a new perspective.

Af: Hy ontmoet sy vriend aan die einde van die dag.
En: He meets his friend at the end of the day.

Af: "Jy was reg," sê Pieter, "maar ek het iets anders gewen.
En: "You were right," Pieter says, "but I won something else."

Af: " En met daardie woorde, lag hulle saam in die helder koue lug van die bergdorpie.
En: And with those words, they laugh together in the bright, cold air of the mountain village.


Vocabulary Words:

• mountain: berg
• village: dorpie
• breath: asem
• clouds: wolkies
• icy: yskoue
• competition: kompetisie
• recently: onlangs
• bet: gewed
• square: dorpsplein
• bustling: bedrywig
• enclosure: omheining
• bleating: blêrende
• shearers: skapeerders
• inspector: inspekteur
• participate: deelneem
• confident: selfversekerd
• advice: raad
• anxious: angstig
• tremble: bewe
• perspective: perspektief
• shears: skêr
• tremble: bewe
• stance: posisie
• stubborn: hardkoppig
• fall: val
• crates: kratte
• wool: wol
• calm: stil
• grab: vat
• crowd: skare