June 18, 2025

Vanished Botanicals: A Youth Day Mystery in Kirstenbosch

15 minutes

Fluent Fiction - Afrikaans: Vanished Botanicals: A Youth Day Mystery in Kirstenbosch
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/af/episode/2025-06-18-22-34-02-af

Story Transcript:

Af: Die koel mist van die winter het oor Kirstenbosch se groen tuine gehang.
En: The cool mist of winter hung over Kirstenbosch's green gardens.

Af: Dit was Jeugdag, en hoewel die weer koud was, was die tuin lewendig met die fluister van wind tussen die blaartjies.
En: It was Youth Day, and although the weather was cold, the garden was alive with the whisper of wind among the leaves.

Af: Pieter stap stadig oor die klam grond.
En: Pieter walked slowly over the damp ground.

Af: Hy soek vrede en inspirasie in die kleure en patrone van die plante om hom.
En: He sought peace and inspiration in the colors and patterns of the plants around him.

Af: Maar vandag is anders.
En: But today was different.

Af: Vandag is daar 'n probleem.
En: Today there was a problem.

Af: “Pieter!” roep Elise, haas opgewonde en benoud.
En: “Pieter!” called Elise, almost excited and anxious.

Af: Sy loop haastig na hom toe, 'n dun laag van koue kondens op haar bril.
En: She hurried towards him, a thin layer of cold condensation on her glasses.

Af: “Daar is 'n plant weg. 'n Baie seldsame een!”
En: “A plant is missing. A very rare one!”

Af: Daai skrikbarende nuus stuur 'n yslike rilling oor Pieter se rug.
En: That alarming news sent a huge shiver down Pieter's spine.

Af: Die plant was belangrik, die een ding wat dalk sy werk meer aansien kon gee.
En: The plant was important, the one thing that might give his work more recognition.

Af: Hy het nie veel tyd voor sy volgende vergadering nie, waar hy verslag moes gee oor sy navorsing.
En: He didn't have much time before his next meeting, where he had to report on his research.

Af: “Hulle sê dit is êrens in die tuin,” sê Elise, haar stem drup van kommer.
En: “They say it is somewhere in the garden,” Elise said, her voice dripping with concern.

Af: “Maar ons weet nie waar nie.”
En: “But we don’t know where.”

Af: Pieter kyk na haar, vasbeslote en met 'n nuwe energie.
En: Pieter looked at her, determined and with new energy.

Af: “Kom ons soek met Johan se hulp.
En: “Let's search with Johan's help.

Af: Hy ken die tuin beter as enigiemand anders.”
En: He knows the garden better than anyone else.”

Af: Johan, die sekuriteitswag, was altyd 'n betroubare bondgenoot wanneer dinge in die tuin verlore raak.
En: Johan, the security guard, was always a reliable ally when things went missing in the garden.

Af: Sy kennis van die plaaslike grond en die plante was onverbeterlik.
En: His knowledge of the local terrain and the plants was impeccable.

Af: Hulle drie het deur die wasige tuin gestap, die koue wat in hul klere kruip.
En: The three of them walked through the misty garden, the cold creeping into their clothes.

Af: Stilbly was nie 'n opsie vir soeken nie.
En: Silence was not an option for searching.

Af: "Waar kan dit heen gaan?" mompel Johan.
En: "Where could it have gone?" muttered Johan.

Af: Hy kyk al in die verdagte rigtings, sy oë al jare lank opgelei vir die kleinste veranderinge.
En: He looked in the suspicious directions, his eyes trained for years to notice the smallest changes.

Af: “Elke pad,” sê Pieter, “elke hoek om, ons moet versigtig wees.”
En: “Every path,” Pieter said, “every corner around, we must be careful.”

Af: 'N uur se soek later, wanneer hoop amper gedoof is, ontdek Elise iets vreemd.
En: An hour of searching later, when hope was almost extinguished, Elise discovered something strange.

Af: Onder 'n groot, beskermende blaar van 'n ander plant, het die seldsame plant verskuif en verberg gelê.
En: Under a large, protective leaf of another plant, the rare plant lay shifted and hidden.

Af: Dit was duidelik met opset hierheen gebring.
En: It was clearly brought here on purpose.

Af: Iemand wou Pieter saboteer.
En: Someone wanted to sabotage Pieter.

Af: Sy vingerpunte tril oor die blink blare, opgelug maar verontwaardig.
En: Her fingertips trembled over the shiny leaves, relieved but indignant.

Af: “Hier is dit!” roep sy.
En: “Here it is!” she exclaimed.

Af: “Maar wie kan dit gedoen het?”
En: “But who could have done this?”

Af: Pieter kyk na Johan en sien die ou man se sag glimlag.
En: Pieter looked at Johan and saw the old man smiling softly.

Af: “Nie almal wil hê jy moet misluk nie,” sê Johan, terwyl hy sy skouer teen Pieter s'n druk.
En: “Not everyone wants you to fail,” said Johan, as he pressed his shoulder against Pieter's.

Af: Met die plant veilig terug, stap Pieter selfversekerd na die vergadering.
En: With the plant safely back, Pieter walked confidently to the meeting.

Af: Hy het meer as net sy werk gered; hy het waarde in samewerking gevind.
En: He had saved more than just his work; he found value in collaboration.

Af: Sy kollegas is beïndruk, sy prestasie prysenswaardig.
En: His colleagues were impressed, his achievement commendable.

Af: Pieter het geweet dat mens alleen kan loop, maar soms is 'n drieparty reis die pad na sukses.
En: Pieter knew that one can walk alone, but sometimes a three-party journey is the path to success.

Af: Die winterlug kon hulle nie keer nie; hulle het 'n oorwinning gevind in die hart van die tuin.
En: The winter air could not stop them; they found a victory in the heart of the garden.

Vocabulary Words: