Toe Simbegwire se ma doodgegaan het, was sy baie hartseer. Simbegwire se pa het sy bes gedoen om vir sy dogter te sorg. Stadig, het hulle geleer om weer gelukkig te wees, sonder Simbegwire se moeder. Hulle het elke oggend gesit en praat oor die dag wat voorlê. Hulle het elke aand saam geëet. Nadat hulle die skottelgoed gewas het, het Simbegwire se pa haar met huiswerk gehelp.
When Simbegwire’s mother died,
she was very sad. Simbegwire’s
father did his best to take care of
his daughter. Slowly, they learned
to feel happy again, without
Simbegwire’s mother.
Every morning they sat and talked
about the day ahead. Every evening
they made dinner together. After
they washed the dishes,
Simbegwire’s father helped her with
homework.
Lintu banyina Simbegwire baafwile, aali uwabulanda saana. Bawishi balyesesha na maka yonse ukumusunga bwino no kumusansamusha. Panoono-panoono, baatampile ukusansamuka na kabili, nangu banyina Simbegwire bashalipo. Cila lucelo baleikala pamo no kulanda pafya ubo bushiku buleba. Cila cungulo baaleepekanya umulalilo bonse. Panuma ya kusamfya imbale, bawishi Simbegwire baaleafwako umwana imilimo yaku sukulu.
Eendag het Simbegwire se pa later tuis gekom as normaalweg. “Waar is jy, my kind?” het hy geroep. Simbegwire het na haar pa toe gehardloop. Sy het gaan stilstaan toe sy sien dat hy ‘n vrou se hand vashou. “Ek wil hê jy moet iemand spesiaal ontmoet, my kind. Dit is Anita,” het hy glimlaggend gesê.
One day, Simbegwire’s father came
home later than usual. “Where are
you my child?” he called.
Simbegwire ran to her father. She
stopped still when she saw that he
was holding a woman’s hand. “I
want you to meet someone special,
my child. This is Anita,” he said
smiling.
“Hallo Simbegwire, jou pa het my baie van jou vertel”: het Anita gesê. Maar sy het nie geglimlag of die meisie se hand gevat nie. Simbegwire se pa was gelukkig en opgewonde. Hy het gepraat oor die drie van hulle wat saam gaan woon, en hoe goed hul lewe sal wees. “My kind, ek hoop jy sal Anita aanvaar as jou ma,” het hy gesê.
“Hello Simbegwire, your father told
me a lot about you,” said Anita. But
she did not smile or take the girl’s
hand.
Simbegwire’s father was happy and
excited. He talked about the three
of them living together, and how
good their life would be. “My child, I
hope you will accept Anita as your
mother,” he said.
Ba Anita abati, “Mwapola Simbegwire, bawiso balinshimikila ifintu ifingi pali iwe.” Nomba tabamwentwile nangu ukutambika ukuboka ku mwana. Ba wishi Simbegwire baali temwa na ukusansamuka saana. Balandile pafyo bonse batatu bakalaikala pamo, na pafyo imikalile yabo ikawama. Abati, “We mwana wandi, ndesubila ukasumina ba Anita ukuba banoko.”
Simbegwire se lewe het verander. Sy het nie meer tyd gehad om saam met haar pa soggens te sit nie. Anita het haar so baie huispligte gegee dat sy te moeg was om haar skoolwerk in die aande te doen. Sy het reguit bed toe gegaan na ete. Haar enigste troos was die kleurvolle kombers wat haar ma haar gegee het. Simbegwire se pa het nie eers agtergekom dat sy dogter ongelukkig was nie.
Simbegwire’s life changed. She no
longer had time to sit with her
father in the mornings. Anita gave
her so many household chores that
she was too tired to do her school
work in the evenings. She went
straight to bed after dinner.
Her only comfort was the colourful
blanket her mother gave her.
Simbegwire’s father did not seem to
notice that his daughter was
unhappy.
Ubwikashi bwakwa Simbegwire bwalicinjishe. Taakwete inshita yakuba na bawishi ulucelo. Ba Anita baaleemupeela incito shapa ŋanda ishingi saana icakuti aaleenaka aaleefilwa no kubomba imilimo yaku sukulu icungulo. Aaleeyafye mu kusendama panuma ya kulya icakulya ca mulalilo. Icaleemusansamushafye buulangeti bwamalangi ubwamupeele banyina. Calemoneka kwati bawishi Simbegwire tabaishibe kuti umwana wabo taasansamwike.
‘n Paar maande later, het Simbegwire se pa vir hulle gesê dat hy vir ‘n rukkie weg van die huis af gaan wees. “Ek moet weggaan vir my werk,” het hy gesê. “Maar ek weet julle sal mooi na mekaar kyk.” Simbegwire se gesig het geval, maar haar pa het dit nie agtergekom nie. Anita het niks gesê nie. Sy was nie gelukkig nie.
After a few months, Simbegwire’s
father told them that he would be
away from home for a while. “I have
to travel for my job,” he said. “But I
know you will look after each other.”
Simbegwire’s face fell, but her
father did not notice. Anita did not
say anything. She was not happy
either.
Panumafye ya myeshi inoono, bawishi Simbegwire balilaile pa ŋanda ukuti baleefumapo panshita inoono. Abati, “Mfwile ukuya ku ncito. Nomba ninjishiba ukuti mwakulasunganafye bwino.” Simbegwire taasansamwike, nomba bawishi taabaishibe. Ba Anita taabalandile nangu cimo. Nabo tabaatemenwe iyoo.
Dinge het erger geraak vir Simbegwire. As sy nie haar huispligte klaargemaak het nie, of as sy gekla het, het Anita haar geslaan. Etenstye, het die vrou die meeste van die kos geëet, en vir Simbegwire slegs ‘n paar stukkies oorskiet gelos. Simbegwire het haarself elke aand aan die slaap gehuil, terwyl sy haar ma se kombers vasgehou het.
Things got worse for Simbegwire. If
she didn’t finish her chores, or she
complained, Anita hit her. And at
dinner, the woman ate most of the
food, leaving Simbegwire with only
a few scraps.
Each night Simbegwire cried herself
to sleep, hugging her mother’s
blanket.
Imikalile yakwa Simbegwire yalibiipiileko. Nga tapwishishe incito isha mu ŋganda, nangu nga ailishanya, ba Anita baaleemuuma. Pa mulalilo, Ba Anita eebaaleelya ifyakulya ifingi, baashilakofye Simbegwire utunoono. Cila bushiku Simbegwire aaleelaala alelila ninshi nakumbatila no bulangeti bwaba nyina.
Een oggend, het Simbegwire laat uit die bed geklim. “Jou lui meisie!” het Anita op haar geskree. Sy het Simbegwire uit die bed gepluk. Die kosbare kombers het aan ‘n spyker vasgehaak en het in twee geskeur.
One morning, Simbegwire was late
getting out of bed. “You lazy girl!”
Anita shouted. She pulled
Simbegwire out of bed. The
precious blanket caught on a nail,
and tore in two.
Ubushiku bumo ulucelo, Simbegwire alicelelwe ukubuuka. Ba Anita baapatile ati, “We munaŋani wamwanawe!” Efyo baakulwile Simbegwire ukumufunya pa busanshi. Ubulangeti atemwishishe bwaiketwe ku musomali no kulepuka ukwakanika pabili.
Simbegwire was baie ontsteld. Sy het besluit om weg te loop. Sy het die stukke van haar ma se kombers, asook kos gevat en die huis verlaat. Sy het die pad wat haar pa gevat het, gevolg.
Simbegwire was very upset. She
decided to run away from home.
She took the pieces of her mother’s
blanket, packed some food, and left
the house. She followed the road
her father had taken.
Simbegwire alifulilwe saana. Aasalilepo ukufyuka pa ŋanda. Aasendele utupimfya twa bulangeti bwaba nyina, alonga no twakulya, no kufuma pa ŋanda. Aakonkele umusebo mwapitile bawishi.
Toe dit laat geraak het, het sy in ‘n boom naby ‘n stroom geklim en vir haarself ‘n bed in die takke gemaak. Terwyl sy aan die slaap raak, het sy gesing: “Mamma, mamma, mamma, jy het my verlaat. Jy het my verlaat en nooit weer teruggekom nie. Pappa het my nie meer lief nie. Mamma, wanneer kom jy terug? Jy het my verlaat.”
When it came to evening, she
climbed a tall tree near a stream
and made a bed for herself in the
branches.
As she went to sleep, she sang:
“Maama, maama, maama, you left
me.
You left me and never came back.
Father doesn’t love me anymore.
Mother, when are you coming back?
You left me.”
Cilya bwaila, aniina ku cimuti icitali mupeepi na kamana no kupanga ubusanshi mu misambo. Pa kulaala, alaimba ati: “Maayo, maayo, maayo, mwalinsha ine. Mwalinsha ukwabula ukubwela. Bataata tabatemwa nomba. Maayo ni lilali mukabwela? Mwalinsha ine.”
Die volgende oggend, het Simbegwire die liedjie weer gesing. Toe die vroue by die stroom hul klere was, het hulle diehartseer liedjie gehoor vanuit die groot boom. Hulle het gedink dit was net die wind wat die blare ritsel, en het met hul werk voortgegaan. Maar een van die vroue het baie aandagtig na die liedjie geluister.
The next morning, Simbegwire sang
the song again. When the women
came to wash their clothes at the
stream, they heard the sad song
coming from the tall tree.
They thought it was only the wind
rustling the leaves, and carried on
with their work. But one of the
women listened very carefully to
the song.
Ubushiku bwakonkelepo ulucelo, Simbegwire aimbile ulwimbo na kabili. Ilyo banamaayo baishile mu kucapa ifyakufwala mu mumana, baumfwile ulwimbo lwacililishi lulefumina ku cimuti icitali. Mu maano abati mwela uleelisha amabuula, awe bakonkenyepo ne milimo yabo. Nomba umo pali beena akutikishe ku lwimbo.
Hierdie vrou het na die boom toe opgekyk. Toe sy die meisie en die stukke van die kleurvolle kombers sien, het sy geskree: “Simbegwire, my broer se kind!” Die ander vroue het opgehou met klere was en vir Simbegwire gehelp om van die groot boom af te klim. Haar tannie het haar omhels en haar probeer troos.
This woman looked up into the tree.
When she saw the girl and the
pieces of colourful blanket, she
cried, “Simbegwire, my brother’s
child!”
The other women stopped washing
and helped Simbegwire to climb
down from the tree. Her aunt
hugged the little girl and tried to
comfort her.
Uyu namaayo aalooleshe ku muulu wa cimuti. Lintu aamwene akakashana no tupimfya twa bulangeti ubwamalangi, aapundile ati, “Simbegwire, umwana wakwa ndume yandi!” Banamaayo bambi baaleekele ukucapa bayafwilishako Simbegwire ukwikila ku cimuti. Banyina-senge bakumbatile akakashana no kwesha ukukatalalika.
Simbegwire se tannie het die kind na haar huis toe gevat. Sy het vir Simbegwire warm kos gegee, en in die bed gesit met haar ma se kombers. Simbegwire het haarself aan die slaap gehuil daardie aand. Maar dit was trane van verligting. Sy het geweet haar tannie sal na haar kyk.
Simbegwire’s aunt took the child to
her own house. She gave
Simbegwire warm food, and tucked
her in bed with her mother’s
blanket.
That night, Simbegwire cried as she
went to sleep. But they were tears
of relief. She knew her aunt would
look after her.
Banyina-senge baasendele Simbegwire ku ŋanda ku mwabo. Panuma, baamupeele icakulya icakaba, no kumufimbilisha no bulangeti bwaba nyina pa busanshi. Bulya bushiku, Simbegwire aalililile pa kulaala. Nomba fyali fiilamba fyansansa. Aalishibe ukuti banyina-senge bakamusunga bwino.
Toe Simbegwire se pa teruggekom het, het hy gesien haar kamer is leeg. “Wat het gebeur, Anita?”: het hy met ‘n swaar hart gevra. Die vrou het verduidelik dat Simbegwire weggehardloop het. “Ek wou gehad het sy moet my respekteer,” het sy gesê. “Maar miskien was ek te streng.” Simbegwire se pa het die huis verlaat en het die rigting van die stroom gevolg. Hy het na sy suster se dorp toe gegaan om te gaan uitvind of een van hulle haar nie dalk gesien het nie.
When Simbegwire’s father returned
home, he found her room empty.
“What happened, Anita?” he asked
with a heavy heart. The woman
explained that Simbegwire had run
away. “I wanted her to respect me,”
she said. “But perhaps I was too
strict.”
Simbegwire’s father left the house
and went in the direction of the
stream. He continued to his sister’s
village to find out if she had seen
Simbegwire.
Ilyo bawishi Simbegwire baabwelele pa ŋanda, baasangile Simbegwire talimo mu muputule wakwe. Baipwishe bulanda-bulanda abati, “Anita, finshi fyacitike?” Namaayo alondolwele ukuti Simbegwire aalifyukile. Ati “Naalefwaya ancindike. Nomba limbi caalicilamo.” Bawishi Simbegwire baafumine pa ŋanda no kulola ku mumana. Bakonkeyepo ukuya ku mushi ukwaleikala bankashi yabo mu kuyaipusha nga cakuti baalimweneko Simbegwire.
Simbegwire het met haar nefies gespeel toe sy haar pa van ver af sien aankom. Sy was bang dat hy dalk kwaad gaan wees, toe het sy in die huis in gehardloop om weg te kruip. Maar haar pa het vir haar gesê: “Simbegwire jy het die perfekte ma vir jouself gevind. Een wat jou liefhet en jou verstaan. Ek is trots op jou en ek is lief vir jou. “Hulle het ooreengekom dat Simbegwire by haar tannie gaan bly, vir solank as wat sy wil.
Simbegwire was playing with her
cousins when she saw her father
from far away. She was scared he
might be angry, so she ran inside
the house to hide.
But her father went to her and said,
“Simbegwire, you have found a
perfect mother for yourself. One
who loves you and understands
you. I am proud of you and I love
you.”
They agreed that Simbegwire would
stay with her aunt as long as she
wanted to.
Simbegwire aaleyangala na bafyala bakwe ilyo aamwene bawishi akatalamukila. Aalitinine ukuti limbi balikalipe, icalengele ukuti abutukile mu ŋanda mu kubelama. Nomba bawishi baile kuli ena elyo balanda ati, “Simbegwire, nausanga banoko abalingile. Banoko abakutemwa kabili abakwishiba ifyo waba. Naucitafye bwino elyo kabili naalikutemwa.” Baasuminishenye ukuti Simbegwire kuti aikala na banasenge apo aleefwaila.
Haar pa het elke dag by haar gaan kuier. Op die ou end het Anita saam gegaan. Sy het na Simbegwire se hand uitgereik. “Ek is so jammer kleintjie, ek was verkeerd,” het sy gehuil. “Sal jy my weer laat probeer?” Simbegwire het na haar pa se bekommerde gesig gekyk. Toe tree sy stadig vorentoe en sit haar arms om Anita.
Her father visited her every day.
Eventually, he came with Anita. She
reached out for Simbegwire’s hand.
“I’m so sorry little one, I was
wrong,” she cried. “Will you let me
try again?”
Simbegwire looked at her father
and his worried face. Then she
stepped forward slowly and put her
arms around Anita.
Bawishi baalemutandalila cila bushiku. Mpaka pakulekelesha, baishile naba Anita. Ba Anita baikete Simbegwire pa kuboko. Abati, “Unjeleleko we mwana, nalilufyenye. Bushe kuti wansuminisha ukuti njesheko na kabili?” Simbegwire aaloleshe bawishi abaaleemoneka ukusakamana. Simbegwire aendele panoono-panoono no kukumbatila ba Anita.
Die volgende week, het Anita vir Simbegwire, haar nefies en haar tannie genooi om by hulle te kom eet. Wat ‘n fees! Anita het al Simbegwire se gunsteling geregte voorberei, en almal het geëet totdat hulle versadig was. Toe het die kinders speletjies begin speel, terwyl die volwassenes gesels het. Simbegwire het gelukkig en dapper gevoel. Sy het besluit dat sy binnekort weer sal terugkeer huis toe om saam met haar pa en haar stiefma te lewe.
The next week, Anita invited
Simbegwire, with her cousins and
aunt, to the house for a meal. What
a feast! Anita prepared all of
Simbegwire’s favourite foods, and
everyone ate until they were full.
Then the children played while the
adults talked.
Simbegwire felt happy and brave.
She decided that soon, very soon,
she would return home to live with
her father and her stepmother.
Umulungu wakonkelepo, ba Anita baitile Simbegwire ukwisa ku ŋanda ku maliila pamo na bafyala bakwe na banasenge. Yaali maaliila! Ba Anita baapekenye fyonse ifyakulya Simbegwire atemwishishe, na bonse baaliliile mpaka baikuta. Panuma, abaice baile mukwangala elyo abakalamba baashele baleeshimika ilyashi. Simbegwire aumfwile insansa kabili taakwete no mwenso. Aatontonkenye ukuti tacali na kupoosa inshita, aali no kubwelela pa ŋanda mu kwikala na bawishi na banyina ba Anita.
