Back to stories list
Khalai talks to plants
Khalai talks to plants
@khalai ˈtɔks ˈtu ˈpɫænts
Ursula Nafula
Jesse Pietersen
Darshan Soni
This is Khalai.
She is seven years old.
Her name means ‘the
good one’ in her
language, Lubukusu.
This is Khalai.
She is seven years old.
Her name means ‘the
good one’ in her
language, Lubukusu.
ˈðɪs ˈɪz @khalai
ˈʃi ˈɪz ˈsɛvən ˈjɪɹz ˈoʊɫd
ˈhɝ ˈneɪm ˈminz ˈðə
ˈɡʊd ˈwən ˈɪn ˈhɝ
ˈɫæŋɡwədʒ @lubukusu
Khalai wakes up and
talks to the orange tree.
“Please orange tree,
grow big and give us
lots of ripe oranges.”
Khalai wakes up and
talks to the orange tree.
“Please orange tree,
grow big and give us
lots of ripe oranges.”
@khalai ˈweɪks ˈəp ˈænd
ˈtɔks ˈtu ˈðə ˈɔɹəndʒ ˈtɹi
ˈpɫiz ˈɔɹəndʒ ˈtɹi
ˈɡɹoʊ ˈbɪɡ ˈænd ˈɡɪv ˈəs
ˈɫɑts ˈəv ˈɹaɪp ˈɔɹəndʒəz
Khalai walks to school.
On the way she talks to
the grass. “Please
grass, grow greener
and don’t dry up.”
Khalai walks to school.
On the way she talks to
the grass. “Please
grass, grow greener
and don’t dry up.”
@khalai ˈwɔks ˈtu ˈskuɫ
ˈɑn ˈðə ˈweɪ ˈʃi ˈtɔks ˈtu
ˈðə ˈɡɹæs ˈpɫiz
ˈɡɹæs ˈɡɹoʊ ˈɡɹinɝ
ˈænd ˈdoʊn ˈdɹaɪ ˈəp
Khalai passes wild
flowers. “Please
flowers, keep blooming
so I can put you in my
hair.”
Khalai passes wild
flowers. “Please
flowers, keep blooming
so I can put you in my
hair.”
@khalai ˈpæsəz ˈwaɪɫd
ˈfɫaʊɝz ˈpɫiz
ˈfɫaʊɝz ˈkip ˈbɫumɪŋ
ˈsoʊ ˈaɪ ˈkæn ˈpʊt ˈju ˈɪn ˈmaɪ
ˈhɛɹ
At school, Khalai talks
to the tree in the
middle of the
compound. “Please
tree, put out big
branches so we can
read under your shade.”
At school, Khalai talks
to the tree in the
middle of the
compound. “Please
tree, put out big
branches so we can
read under your shade.”
ˈæt ˈskuɫ @khalai ˈtɔks
ˈtu ˈðə ˈtɹi ˈɪn ˈðə
ˈmɪdəɫ ˈəv ˈðə
ˈkɑmpaʊnd ˈpɫiz
ˈtɹi ˈpʊt ˈaʊt ˈbɪɡ
ˈbɹæntʃəz ˈsoʊ ˈwi ˈkæn
ˈɹɛd ˈəndɝ ˈjɔɹ ˈʃeɪd
Khalai talks to the
hedge around her school.
“Please grow strong
and stop bad people
from coming in.”
Khalai talks to the
hedge around her school.
“Please grow strong
and stop bad people
from coming in.”
@khalai ˈtɔks ˈtu ˈðə
ˈhɛdʒ ɝˈaʊn ˈhɝ ˈskuɫ
ˈpɫiz ˈɡɹoʊ ˈstɹɔŋ
ˈænd ˈstɑp ˈbæd ˈpipəɫ
ˈfɹəm ˈkəmɪŋ ˈɪn
When Khalai returns
home from school, she
visits the orange tree.
“Are your oranges ripe
yet?” asks Khalai.
When Khalai returns
home from school, she
visits the orange tree.
“Are your oranges ripe
yet?” asks Khalai.
ˈhwɛn @khalai ɹiˈtɝnz
ˈhoʊm ˈfɹəm ˈskuɫ ˈʃi
ˈvɪzɪts ˈðə ˈɔɹəndʒ ˈtɹi
ˈɑɹ ˈjɔɹ ˈɔɹəndʒəz ˈɹaɪp
ˈjɛt ˈæsks @khalai
“The oranges are still
green,” sighs Khalai.
“I will see you tomorrow
orange tree,” says
Khalai. “Perhaps then
you will have a ripe
orange for me!”
“The oranges are still
green,” sighs Khalai.
“I will see you tomorrow
orange tree,” says
Khalai. “Perhaps then
you will have a ripe
orange for me!”
ˈðə ˈɔɹəndʒəz ˈɑɹ ˈstɪɫ
ˈɡɹin ˈsaɪz @khalai
ˈaɪ ˈwɪɫ ˈsi ˈju təˈmɑˌɹoʊ
ˈɔɹəndʒ ˈtɹi ˈsɛz
@khalai pɝˈhæps ˈðɛn
ˈju ˈwɪɫ ˈhæv ˈeɪ ˈɹaɪp
ˈɔɹəndʒ ˈfɔɹ ˈmi
Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Jesse Pietersen
Read by: Darshan Soni
