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This is Khalai.
She is seven years old.
Her name means ‘the
good one’ in her
language, Lubukusu.
UKhalai lona. Uneminyaka eyisikhombisa. Igama lakhe lichaza ‘olungile’ ngolimi lwakubo, isi Lubukusu.
Lo nguPalesa. Uneminyaka esixhenxe ubudala. Igama lakhe lithetha ukuthi ‘intyatyambo’ kulwimi lwakhe iSetswana.
This is Khalai.
She is seven years old.
Her name means ‘the
good one’ in her
language, Lubukusu.
Khalai wakes up and
talks to the orange tree.
“Please orange tree,
grow big and give us
lots of ripe oranges.”
UKhalai uvuka ekuseni akhulume nesihlahla samawolintshi. “Ngiyacela sihlahla samawolintshi, khula ubemkhulu usiphe amawolintshi amaningi avuthiwe.”
UPalesa uyavuka athethe nomthi weeorenji. “Nceda mthi weeorenji, khula ube mkhulu usinike amaorenji amaninzi avuthiweyo.”
Khalai wakes up and
talks to the orange tree.
“Please orange tree,
grow big and give us
lots of ripe oranges.”
Khalai walks to school.
On the way she talks to
the grass. “Please
grass, grow greener
and don’t dry up.”
UKhalai uya esikoleni. Endleleni ukhuluma notshani. “Ngiyakucela tshani, yiba luhlaza kakhulu ungomi.”
UPalesa uhamba ngeenyawo ukuya esikolweni. Endleleni uthetha nengca. “Nceda ngca, yiba luhlaza kakhulu ungomi.”
Khalai walks to school.
On the way she talks to
the grass. “Please
grass, grow greener
and don’t dry up.”
Khalai passes wild
flowers. “Please
flowers, keep blooming
so I can put you in my
hair.”
UKhalai wedlula izimbali zasendle, “Ngiyanicela zimbali, hlalani niqhakaza ukuze nginihlome ezinweleni zami.”
UPalesa udlula kwiintyatyambo zasendle. “Ncedani zintyatyambo, qhamani ukuze ndihombise ngani iinwele zam.”
Khalai passes wild
flowers. “Please
flowers, keep blooming
so I can put you in my
hair.”
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.”
Esikoleni, uKhalai ukhuluma nesihlahla esimila phakathi nezakhiwo, “Ngiyakucela sihlahla, khipha amahlamvu amade ukuze sifunde siphansi komthunzi wakho.”
Esikolweni uPalesa uthetha nomthi osembindini wesakhiwo. “Nceda mthi, khupha amasebe amakhulu ukwenzela sifundele phantsi komthunzi.”
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.”
Khalai talks to the
hedge around her school.
“Please grow strong
and stop bad people
from coming in.”
UKhalai ukhuluma nothango oluzungeze isikole, “Ngicela ukhule uqine ukuze uvimbe abantu ababi bangangeni.”
UPalesa uthetha nemithi yokubiyela ejikeleze isikolo sakhe. “Nceda ukhule womelele, unqande abantu abakhohlakeleyo bangangeni.”
Khalai talks to the
hedge around her school.
“Please grow strong
and stop bad people
from coming in.”
When Khalai returns
home from school, she
visits the orange tree.
“Are your oranges ripe
yet?” asks Khalai.
Lapho uKhalai ebuya esikoleni uvakashela isihlahla samawolintshi. “Asevuthiwe kodwa amawolintshi akho?” kubuza uKhalai.
Xa uPalesa ebuyela ekhaya esuka esikolweni, undwendwela umthi weeorenji. “Ingaba awakavuthwa amaorenji wakho?” uyabuza uPalesa.
When Khalai returns
home from school, she
visits the orange tree.
“Are your oranges ripe
yet?” asks 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!”
“Amawolintshi aseluhlaza,” uKhalai edonsa umoya.” Ngiyokubona kusasa sihlahla samawolintshi,” kusho uKhalai. “Mhlawumbe uzobe usunalo iwolintshi lami elivuthiwe!”
“Amaorenji aseluhlaza,” wanesingqala uPalesa. “Ndiyakukubona ngomso mthi weeorenji,” watsho uPalesa. “Mhlawumbi uyakube sele unalo iorenji elivuthiweyo lam.”
“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!”
Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Jesse Pietersen
Read by: Darshan Soni
