Odongo ni Apiyo nebapila hamoho ni bo ndataa bona mwa tolopo. Kabaka la kuziba kuli nebaswanela kuyopumula ni kukwabona, balibelela nako yapumulo kuli ifite. Bo kukwaa bona nebapila mwamunzi oli kwatuko a lisa lelituna mone kuyambiwa litapi.
Odongo and Apiyo lived in the city with their father.
They looked forward to the holidays. Not just because school was closed, but because they went to visit their grandmother. She lived in a fishing village near a large lake.
Odongo na Apiyo baaleikala na bawishi ku kalaale. Lyonse baaleekabila saana ukuba pa cuuti. Tepamulandufye wakuti baaleisala isukulu lelo nico baalefwaisha ukuya mu kutandala kuli banakulu. Banakulu baaleikala mu mushi uwabalondo besabi uwali mupepi na cibeemba icikulu.
Odongo ni Apiyo nebatabile aifita nako yakupumula kakuli nebaswanela kuya kubo kukwaa bona hape. Lizazi lisikafita kale, baitukiseza musipili omutelele ka kulonga libyana zabona mwamikotana. Bapalelwa kulobala kapa kunopa buloko busihu bo mi baambola kaza musipili wabona wa kwa pumulo.
Odongo and Apiyo were excited because it was time to visit their grandmother again.
The night before, they packed their bags and got ready for the long journey to her village. They could not sleep and talked the whole night about the holiday.
Odongo na Apiyo baalisansamwike saana ilyo inshita yakuya mu kutandalila banakulu yafikile na kabili. Ubushiku balaliile ubulendo, baalongele ifipe fyabo ukupekanya ubulendo ubutali ubwakuya ku mushi. Ubo bushiku, tabaaleele iyo, baaceseshefye ukulanda pali cuuti.
Kakusasani lizazi lelitama bakala musipili wabona ka kuitusisa mota yabo ndatabona. Bafita mwa malundu, mwahalaa lifolofolo ni mwa masimu mokucezwi licalo za tii. Nebasweli kubala limota zenelibafitelela nikushelana nibona mwa mukwakwa ni kuopela lipina inge baliba kubo kukwaa bona.
Early the next morning, they left for the village in their father’s car.
They drove past mountains, wild animals and tea plantations. They counted cars and sang songs.
Ubushiku bwakonkelopo uluceeloceelo, baimine ubulendo bwakuya ku mushi muli motoka yaba wishi. Mu nshila, bapitile mumpili, bakumenye ne nama shampanga kabili baapitile na mumabala ya tii. Mu nshila balepeenda bamotoka no kwiimba inyimbo.
Asekufitile nakonyana, banana bakatala mi balobala.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Ilyo paapitile nshita, abaana baalinakile bapona na mutulo.
Bo ndataa bona babazusa bo Udongo ni Apiyo asebafitile mwahae yabo kukwaa bona. Nebafumani bo kukwaa bona bo Nyar-Kanyada inge baipumulisa fa museme mwatasa kota. Libizo le la Nyar-Kanyada mwamushobo wa siLuo litalusa kuli, ‘mwana wa musali wabatu bakwa Kanyada’. Neli mucembele yanasa ikutwa nikutiya hape nibunde.
Father woke up Odongo and Apiyo as they arrived in the village.
They found Nyar-Kanyada, their grandmother, resting on a mat under a tree.
Nyar-Kanyada in Luo, means ‘daughter of the people of Kanyada’. She was a strong and beautiful woman.
Ilyo baafikile ku mushi, bawishi bashibwishe Odongo na Apiyo. Baasangile banakulu ba Nyar-Kanyada naabasendama pa mpasa mwisamba lya cimuti. Ishina lya Nyar-Kanyada mu ci Luo lipilibula ukuti, umwana wa beena Kanyanda. Ba Nyar-Kanyada baali abayemba saana kabili abakosa.
Nyar-Kanyada welcomed them into the house and danced around the room singing with joy.
Her grandchildren were excited to give her the presents they brought from the city.
“First open my gift,” said Odongo.
“No, my gift first!” said Apiyo.
Ba Nyar-Kanyada balibapokeleele mu ŋanda no kutampa ukushana no kwimba ne nsaansa ishiingi saana. Abeshikulu balisansamwike saana no kupeela banakulu ifyabupe babaleeteele ukufuma ku kalaale. Odongo aasosele ati, “Balileenipo ukwisula icabupe imuleteele.” “Awe, balileenipo icabupe imuleteele!” efyasosele Apiyo.
Bo kukwaa bona asebafelize kukwaulula limpo zabona, bafuyola baikulyabo ka sizo.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Panuma yakwisula ifyabupe, ba Nyar-Kanyada baapaalile abeshikulu babo ukulingana ne ntambi.
Abafeza zeo Odongo ni Apiyo bazwela fande nikukala kumatisa lipulumuki ni linyunywani.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Panuma ya ifi fyonse, Odongo na Apiyo baile panse. Baatampile ukupepeka fipelebesha ne fyuni.
Bapahama kwa likota hape nikuhasanya mezi mwa lisa.
They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.
Baaleniina ku fimuti elyo no kusansana ameenshi ayamuli beemba.
Aselilikezi lizazi bakutela kwa hae kuli bayoca mulalelo. Basikafeza kale kuca bakala kuozela!
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
Ilyo pafiitile, balibwelelemo ku ŋanda mu kulya icakulya ca cungulo-bushiku. Ilyo baali tabalapwisha no kulya, baponeene umutulo!
Lizazi lelitama, bo ndataa bona basiya banana kubo kukwaa bona bo Nyar-Kanyada.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Ubushiku bwakonkelepo, bawishi balibwelelemo ku kalaale. Baashile Odongo na Apiyo kuli ba Nyar-Kanyada.
Odongo ni Apiyo batusa bo kukwaa bona kwamisebezi yamwandu. Babakela mezi nikulwalela likota. Neba nopanga mai alikuhu nikuyanga muloho wamwa simu.
Odongo and Apiyo helped their grandmother with household chores. They fetched water and firewood. They collected eggs from the chickens and picked greens from the garden.
Odongo na Apiyo baaleafwa banakulu imilimo yonse iyapaŋanda. Baaletapa ameenshi no kuteeba inkuni. Baaleetoola na mani ya nkoko no kusaba umusaalu ukufuma mwibala.
Nyar-Kanyada aluta baikulu bahae mwakusokela buhobe bwakucisa ni mulo. Nimwakutatehela buloto bwakucisa nilitapi za kubesa.
Nyar-Kanyada taught her grandchildren to make soft ugali to eat with stew. She showed them how to make coconut rice to eat with roast fish.
Lizazi leling’wi, Odongo aisa likomo zabo kukwaa hae kwa kufula. Zakena mwasimu ya muuna yabapani nibo kukwaa bona. Mulimi yo anyemela Odongo. Amusabisa kuli likomu ze ukalikwalela mwamulaka wahae kabakala kuli licile licalo zahae. Kuzwa lizazi leo, Odongo akala kumamelanga likomu aya kwakulisa.
One morning, Odongo took his grandmother’s cows to graze. They ran onto a neighbour’s farm.
The farmer was angry with Odongo. He threatened to keep the cows for eating his crops. After that day, the boy made sure that the cows did not get into trouble again.
Lizazi leling’wi banana baya kwa musika hamoho ni Nyar-Kanyada. Bo kukwaa bona nebanani sintolo monebalekiseza muloho, swikili ni mulola. Apiyo natabela kubulelela batu liteko zalika zamwasintolo. Odongo yena nalongelanga batu benabaleka lika.
On another day, the children went to the marketplace with Nyar-Kanyada. She had a stall selling vegetables, sugar and soap.
Apiyo liked to tell customers the price of items. Odongo would pack the items that customers bought.
Ubushiku bumbi, abaana baile naba Nyar-Kanyada ku maliketi. Baalikwete incende apo aleshitiisha umusaalu, shuga elyo na sopo. Apiyo aatemenwe ukweba abantu umutengo wa fintu baaleshitisha. Odongo aatemenwe ukulonga ifintu ifyo abantu baaleeshita.
Asebakotokile, lizazi inge lilikezi, banwa tii hamoho. Batusa bo kukwabona kubala masheleng’i enebafumani mwalizazi leo lakulekisa.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Kono kanakonyana mazazi apumulo afeela mi nebanani nikukutela kwa tolopo. Bo Nyar-Kanyada bafa mpo ya komoki ku Odongo, Apiyo yena bamufa sweta. Kukwaa bona abalongela niza kucela mwa nzila.
But too soon the holidays were over and the children had to go back to the city.
Nyar-Kanyada gave Odongo a cap and Apiyo a sweater. She packed food for their journey.
Lelo tacaposele ne nshita iitali cuuti alipwile na baana baali no kubwelelamo ku tauni. Ba Nyar-Kanyada baapeele Odongo akasote elyo Apiyo baamupeele sweeta. Baabalongeele ne filyo ifyakulya pa buleendo.
Bo ndataa bona abatobanga, banana nebasalati kukutela kwa tolopo. Bakupa bo kukwaa bona kuli bafunduke nibona kuya kwa tolopo. Bamenya ni kuli, “Nihulile hahulu kupila mwabukuwa hanikoni. Nikana ni milibelela kufitela mukatopota hape mwapumulo yetaha.”
When their father came to fetch them, they did not want to leave. The children begged Nyar-Kanyada to go with them to the city.
She smiled and said, “I am too old for the city. I will be waiting for you to come to my village again.”
Ilyo bawishi baishile mu kubasenda, tabaaleefwaya ukubwelelamo. Abaana bapaapaata ba Nyar-Kanyada ukuti baye nabo ku kalaale. Banakulu baamwentwilefye no kusosa ati, “Nalikota saana uwakwikala ku kalaale. Nkalamuloleelafye mpaka ilyo mukeesa kuno mushi na kabili.”
Odongo ni Apiyo bakumbatela bo kukwaa bona niku batubeta nikubalaeza.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Odongo na Apiyo bakumbatiile banakulu no kubashalikapo.
Anebafitile kwasilolo, Odongo ni Apiyo bakandekela balikani babona za bupilo bwa kwahae. Babang’wi banana banahana kuli bupilo bwamwa tolopo kibobunde kufita bwa mwahae. Babang’wi banahana kuli bupilo bwamwa hae bwafita bwa mwa tolopo. Kono zetabisa kikuli kaufela bona balumela kuli Odongo ni Apiyo nebanani bo kukwabona babamakaza.
When Odongo and Apiyo went back to school they told their friends about life in the village. Some children felt that life in the city was good. Others felt that the village was better.
But most of all, everyone agreed that Odongo and Apiyo had a wonderful grandmother!
Ilyo Odongo na Apiyo baabweleelemo ku sukulu bashimikileko abanaabo pa mikalile yaku mushi. Abaana bamo baamwene ukuti ubwikashi bwamukalaale bwawamapo ukucila ku mushi. Bambi nabo baamwene kwati ubwikashi bwakumushi bwawamapo. Nomba panuma, abaana bonse basumiine ukuti Odongo na Apiyo baalikwete nakulu uwa mutima uusuma.
