Ilikuwa ni msichana mdogo aliyekuwa wa kwanza kuona umbo la ajabu kwa mbali.
It was a little girl who first saw the mysterious shape in the distance.
Kadiri umbo lilipokaribia, aliona kwamba lilikuwa ni mwanamke mwenye ujauzito mkubwa.
As the shape moved closer, she saw that it was a heavily pregnant woman.
Kwa upole na ujasiri, msichana alimsogelea mwanamke yule. “Lazima tumhifadhi,” watu wa msichana yule walisema. “Tutawaweka yeye na mtoto wake salama.”
Shy but brave, the little girl moved nearer to the woman.
“We must keep her with us,” the little girl’s people decided. “We’ll keep her and her child safe.”
Mtoto alikuwa njiani kuzaliwa si muda mrefu. “Sukuma!” “Leteni mablanketi!” “Maji!” “Suuukuuumaaaa!!!”
The child was soon on its way.
“Push!”
“Bring blankets!”
“Water!”
“Puuuuussssshhh!!!”
Lakini walipomwona mtoto, wote waliruka kwa mshtuko. “Punda?!”
But when they saw the baby, everyone jumped back in shock.
“A donkey?!”
Wakaanza kubishana. “Tulisema tutawaweka mama na mtoto salama, na hivyo ndivyo tutakavyofanya,” baadhi wakasema. “Lakini watatuletea mkosi!” wengine wakadai.
Everyone began to argue.
“We said we would keep mother and child safe, and that’s what we’ll do,” said some.
“But they will bring us bad luck!” said others.
Kwa hiyo mwanamke yule alijikuta yuko peke yake kwa mara nyingine tena. Akajiuliza atafanya nini na mtoto huyo wa ajabu. Akajiuliza atafanya nini na yeye mwenyewe.
And so the woman found herself alone again.
She wondered what to do with this awkward child.
She wondered what to do with herself.
Lakini hatimaye alikubali kwamba huyo ni mwanaye na yeye ni mama yake.
But finally she had to accept that he was her child and she was his mother.
Endapo mtoto huyo angebaki kuwa vilevile, na umbo dogo, labda kila kitu kingekuwa tofauti. Lakini mtoto Punda aliendelea kukua na kukua mpaka hakuweza kutoshea tena mgongoni mwa mama yake. Pamoja na kujaribu kwa bidii, hakuweza kuwa na tabia za kibinadamu. Mara nyingi mama yake alichoka na kuvunjika moyo. Wakati mwingine alimlazimisha kufanya kazi walizostahili wanyama.
Now, if the child had stayed that same, small size, everything might have been different. But the donkey child grew and grew until he could no longer fit on his mother’s back.
And no matter how hard he tried, he could not behave like a human being. His mother was often tired and frustrated. Sometimes she made him do work meant for animals.
Kuchanganyikiwa na hasira vilianza kujengeka ndani mwa Punda. Alishindwa kufanya hivi wala vile. Alishindwa kuwa hivi wala vile. Alipatwa na hasira sana kiasi kwamba, siku moja, alimpiga teke mama yake mpaka akaanguka chini.
Confusion and anger built up inside Donkey. He couldn’t do this and he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t be like this and he couldn’t be like that.
He became so angry that, one day, he kicked his mother to the ground.
Punda alijawa na aibu. Akaanza kukimbilia mbali kwa haraka kadiri awezavyo.
Donkey was filled with shame. He started to run away as far and fast as he could.
Wakati aliposimama, ilikuwa ni usiku, na alikuwa amepotea. “Hii hoo?” alinong’ona gizani. “Hii hoo?” giza likatoa mwangwi. Alikuwa mwenyewe. Alijikunyata katika umbo dogo, akalala fofofo usingizi wa mang’amung’amu.
By the time he stopped running, it was night, and Donkey was lost.
“Hee haw?” he whispered to the darkness.
“Hee Haw?” it echoed back. He was alone.
Curling himself into a tight ball, he fell into a deep and troubled sleep.
Punda aliamka na kumkuta mzee mmoja wa ajabu akimtazama. Akamwangalia mzee yule machoni na akaanza kuhisi ishara ya matumaini.
Donkey woke up to find a strange old man staring down at him. He looked into the old man’s eyes and started to feel a twinkle of hope.
Punda alienda kuishi na mzee yule, na mzee alimfundisha mbinu nyingi za kuishi. Punda alisikiliza na kujifunza, na mzee vivyo hivyo pia. Walisaidiana na kucheka pamoja.
Donkey went to stay with the old man, who taught him many different ways to survive.
Donkey listened and learned, and so did the old man. They helped each other, and they laughed together.
Asubuhi moja, mzee alimwomba Punda ambebe hadi kwenye kilele cha mlima.
One morning, the old man asked Donkey to carry him to the top of a mountain.
Walipofika juu kwenye mawingu, walipatwa na usingizi. Punda akaota kuwa mama yake alikuwa mgonjwa na alimhitaji. Na alipoamka…
High up amongst the clouds they fell asleep.
Donkey dreamed that his mother was sick and calling to him.
And when he woke up…
…mawingu yalikuwa yametoweka pamoja na rafiki yake, yule mzee.
… the clouds had disappeared along with his friend, the old man.
Hatimaye, Punda alijua alichotakiwa kufanya.
Donkey finally knew what to do.
Punda alimkuta mama yake akiwa peke yake huku akimwomboleza mwanaye aliyepotea. Wakaangaliana kwa muda mrefu. Na kisha wakakumbatiana kwa hisia.
Donkey found his mother, alone and mourning her lost child. They stared at each other for a long time.
And then hugged each other very hard.
Mtoto Punda na mama yake wamekuwa kitu kimoja na kuishi kwa ushirikiano. Taratibu, familia nyingine zimeanza kuhamia na kuishi miongoni mwao.
The donkey child and his mother have grown together and found many ways of living side by side.
Slowly, all around them, other families have started to settle.
