mpivarotra saribao = charcoal seller

MPIVAROTRA SARIBAO

Nanatsafa ireo mpiasa mpandoro arina ingahy mpamory fandrao mba misy lahy kely hiaraka aminy

hampidina arina any Antananarivo fa marary ilay mpanampy azy.

-Izaho, hoy aho, nisambotra ny valin-teny sy nanolotena avy hatrany.

-Kely loatra ise, hoy izy tsy rototra.

-Matanjaka be aho, hoy aho, nikiry.

-Batao ary itony hozahana raha zakan’ise, hoy izy nanondro ny kitapon’arina.

Kitapo madinika ireny ka nobataiko mora foana.

-Hitanao, hoy aho, nitora-tsiky azy, na ny gony aza zakako!

-Andao ary, hoy izy tsy taitra, fa roa andro ihany no hilàko an’ise, dimy ambin’ny folo ariary isan’andro ny karama, sa… mbola hiera?

-Lasa amin’izao! Hoy aho vonona.

Clarisse Ratsifandriamanana. Lavankombarika, 2005, p.56.

Vocabulary

Arina: charcoal

Mpandoro arina: charcoal makers

Mpivarotra: vendor

Mpamory: collector

Mpanampy: assistant

Kitapon’arina/gony: jute bag

Tsy rototra/tsy taitra: not convinced

Marary= ill

Matanjaka: strong

Karama: wages

Remember:

Malagasy pronouns:

Izaho or aho= I

Izaho no hiaraka aminao: I will come with you.

Izy= he or she

Hoy izy: he/she said

Possessive pronouns azy= his/her

Ny mpanampy azy= his assistant

Indirect objects pronouns:

Ahy = me lazao ahy: tell me.

(azy) ireo= them

nanatsafa ireo mpiasa izy: he asks questions to the workers.

Comprehension questions

Say wrong or right. Justify.

1-The story is about a young boy who is looking for a job.

2-The story is about how to make charcoal.

3-The boy is not hired.

Answers:

1-Right: misy lahy kely hampidina arina: if whether there is a little boy who would follow him to load/unload a charcoal lorry (from a city to another city)

2-Wrong. nanatsafa ireo mpandoro arina ingahy mpamory: The collector is asking questions to the charcoal makers: the collector is trying to hire someone.

3-Wrong: andao ary: let's go/ lasa amin'izao: let's go without asking for permission/ 15 ariary isan'andro ny karama= 15 francs per day wages