Today is the first day of the school holiday! It is also market day, and Mme wa Afrika is taking Afrika and Dintle to the market to buy a toy or treat. “There is only one condition before you can get your toy or treat,” Mme wa Afrika says, smiling. “You must know its name in both Sesotho and English!” Afrika wants the small, colourful windmill he saw at the market the last time they were there. It reminds him of the windmills they always see on the nearby farms. “Look how colourful it is! You can see it from far away,” he tells Dintle, pointing out a windmill on the way to the taxi.

Afrika knows what he wants but doesn’t yet know the name for it in Sesotho. His plan is to ask everyone he meets if they know the Sesotho word. “Hello, Uncle,” Afrika greets the taxi driver as he climbs into the front seat. On the way to the market, Afrika sees his favourite bright blue windmill on a nearby farm and points to it. “Uncle, what is that thing called?” he asks. “I-Windmill, my boy?” the driver asks, laughing.

“I mean, what is it called in Sesotho?” Afrika whispers. “I-Windmill yi windmill,” the driver says, turning up the volume on the taxi’s radio. This is not the answer Afrika needs. When they arrive at the market, Afrika sees his friend Maduo and her mom. In a hushed tone, he asks Maduo’s mom, “What is the word for i-windmill in Sesotho?”

“Ke windy milly,” says Mme wa Maduo. Afrika doesn’t think that this is the real Sesotho name for a windmill, but he thanks Mme wa Maduo before rejoining his family. Mme wa Afrika takes the children to the fruit stalls. The red apples are so shiny. “Would you like some apples?” Mme asks. “No, thank you,” says Afrika.

On their way to buy vegetables, they see small, brown wood carvings of people and animals. “Mme, see Gogo,” Dintle says excitedly, pointing to a statue of an old woman. “Would you like a statue, Afrika?” Mme asks. “No, thank you,” says Afrika, smiling and shaking his head. Afrika goes to speak to the woman sitting by the carved statues. “Hello, Mama, can you make one of those?” Afrika asks, pointing to a black and white windmill in the distance. “I can make anything out of wood, my boy,” she answers proudly.

“Yes!” Afrika thinks to himself and does a little dance. “Can you please tell me what that is called in Sesotho?” he asks. “Eee, kids these days! Their questions,” the woman says without answering. As Afrika, his mom and Dintle continue walking through the market, they see a boy playing with a toy tin car. The wheels are made of recycled bottle caps. “Would you like a toy car, Afrika?” Mme asks. 

“No, thank you,” says Afrika. Then Afrika sees it! A small windmill on top of a table, its colourful blades turning in the breeze. “That is beautiful,” Mme says to Afrika, admiring the windmill too. “That’s exactly what I want,” Afrika says and runs towards the table.

“Well, you know the deal,” Mme says as she joins him. Afrika realises that he still doesn’t know the word for windmill in Sesotho. “Dumela, Mme,” Afrika greets the saleswoman. “All your toys are beautiful!” “Thanks! We make them from recycled materials,” the woman says, handing Afrika the windmill he is looking at. “But what is this thing?” Mme wa Afrika asks, looking at Afrika.

“It’s a sefefo sa moea. Do you want something else?” the woman says, thinking that Mme wa Afrika is talking to her. A big smile lights up Afrika’s face. “May I have this one, please?” he says. “This what?” Mme wa Afrika asks, as she pays for the windmill. “This sefefo sa moea,” Afrika says triumphantly. Then he holds the windmill above his head like a trophy and watches its blades turn in the wind. “That was a very clever way of learning a new word, wasn’t it, Dintle!” he says happily.

Get story active!

• After reading the story together, talk about what happened in the story. Ask open-ended questions to encourage your children to think and talk about ideas linked to the story, for example, “What is your favourite part of the story?”
• If you have older children, encourage them to find out what “windmill” is in at least two other languages. 
• Draw a picture of your favourite toy or treat.
• Make a list of your 10 favourite toys or treats in your home language. Now find out and write down the names of those toys and treats in at least one other language.
• Together with your family, make a toy windmill using sticks, wool or string, paper and glue