Odongo iyo Apiyo waxay kula noolaayeen magaalada aabahood. Waxay sugayeen fasaxyada. Ma aha sababti la iskuulka la xidhay, laakiin waxay u doonayeen in ay soo booqdaan ayeeyadood. Waxay ku nooleed tuulo kalluumeysi oo u dhaw laag ballaaran.
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 iyo Apiyo way faraxsanayeen sababtoo ah waxa ay ahayd wakhtigii ay soo booqan lahayeen ayeeyadood. Habeen ka hor, ayay xidhxidheen waxayna u diyaar garoobeen safarka dheer ee tuuladeeda. Way seexan kari waayeen, waxayne ka shekeysten habeenkii oo dhan fasaxa.
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.
Aroortii hore ee subixii xigay, waxay ka tageen tuulada wxayne raaceen baabuurki aabbahood. Waxay sii mareen buuro, xayawaanka duurjoogta ah iyo beeraha caleen shaaha. Waxay tiriyeen baabuurta iyagoo ku heesayo heeso.
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.
Muddo ka dib, carruurtii way daaleen hudo ayayna la dhaceen.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Aabahood ayaa toosiyey Odongo iyo Apiyo markii ay yimaadeen tuulada. Waxay heleen Nyar-Kanyada, ayeeyadood, iyadoo ku fadhida darin geed hoostiisa. Nyar-Kanyada Luo ahaan, waxaa loola jeedaa “gabadhii reer Kanyada”. Waxay ahayd haweeneey xoog leh oo qurux badan.
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.
Nyar-Kanyada waxay ku soo dhaweeysay guriga waxayna ku niikiyen qolka iyagoo ku wareegayo oo u heysayo si farxad leh. Carruurta ay ayeeyada u tahay waxa ay ahaayeen kuwo ku faraxsan in ay iyada siiyaan hadiyayd ay kasoo gadeen caasimada. “Marka hore fur hadiyaddayda,” ayuu yidhi Odongo. “Maya, hadiyaddayda marka hore!” ayeey tiri Apiyo.
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.
Ka dib markii ay furtay hadiyadaha, Nyar-Kanyada ayaa u ducaysay caruurti ayeeyada u aheyd si hab dhaqameed ah.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Odongo iyo Apiyo waxay ka caawiyeen ayeeydood shaqada guriga. Waxay u soo dhaamiyeen biyo waxayne u soo gureen xaabo. Waxay soo uruureen ukumo iyo caws ooy kasoo aruuriyeen digaaga iyo beerta.
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.
Nyar-Kanyada waxay bartay caruurtay ayeeyada u tahay sida loo kariyo soor jilicsan si ay ugu cunaan fuudka. Waxay tustay sida loo sameeyo bariiska qumbaha si ay ugu cunaan kalluunka duban.
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.
Hal Subax, Odongo waxuu kaxeeyay sicihii ayeeydiis si ay u soo daaqaan. Waxay ku ordeen beertii deriska. Beeraalihii wuxuu u xanaaqay Odongo. Waxa uu ku hanjabay in uu ilaaliyo lo’da cunaayo dalagiisa. Maalintii ka dib, wiilku wuxuu ku dadaalay in lo’du aanay mar kale dhibaato ka soo gaarin.
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.
Maalin kale, carruurtu waxay suuqa u raaceen Nyar-Kanyada. Waxay laheyd sandaqad ay ku iibiso khudaarta, sonkorta iyo saabuunta. Apiyo waxay jeclayd in ay u sheegto macaamiisha qiimaha alaabta. Odongo wuxuu u soo hagaajiyaa alaabta ay macaamiisha iibsadeen.
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.
Dhammaadkii maalinta waxay wada cabbeen shaah. Waxay ka caawiyeen ayeeyadood tirinta lacagta ay heshay.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Laakiin si dhakhso ah ba fasaxyada waa ay dhammaadeen caruurtana waxa ay ahayd iney ku laabtaan magaalada. Nyar-Kanyada waxay siiyey Odongo koofiyad Apiyo na funaanad dhaxameed. Waxay u diyaarisay cunto safarkooda.
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.
Markii aabbahood u yimid in uu wado, ma aysan doonayn in ay baxaan. Carruurta waxa ay baryeen Nyar-Kanyada in ay u raacdo magaalada. Way dhoola cadaysay oo waxay tiri: “Aad ayaan u weynahay in aan magaalada aado. Waxaan sugayaa in aad mar kale iigu imaataan tuuladayda.”
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.”
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Markii Odongo iyo Apiyo ay dib ugu noqdeen iskuulki waxay u sheegeen saaxiibadood nolosha tuulada. Carruurta qaarkood waxay dareemeen in nolosha magaalada ay wanaagsantahay. Qaar kale waxay dareemeen in tuuladu ay ka fiicantahay. Laakiin badankood, waxay isku raaceen in Odongo iyo Apiyo ay lahaayeen ayeeyo wanaagsan!
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!
