Lelapa la gaabo Moipone le ne le
tletse boitumelo. Moipone o ne a
nna le batsadi ba gagwe. Ba ne ba
tlhokafala fa Moipone a le dingwaga
di le lesome.
Khayanga lived with her parents
happily until they died when she
was ten years old.
Mosadimogolo Rosa o ne a tsaya
Moipone go nna le ene.
O ne a siametse Moipone, fela o ne
a tsofetse thata ebile e le modidi.
Khayanga was taken in by Rosa, a
distant relative.
Rosa was kind to Khayanga, but she
was old, frail and poor.
Moipone o ne rata go etela mabitla
a batsadi ba gagwe. O ne a lela
mme a ba bolelela tshotlego ya
gagwe.
Khayanga often visited her parents’
graves to tell them of her misery.
Ka letsatsi lengwe fa a ba etetse, o
ne a amogela mpho. Sego se se ntle
se ne sa tlhagelela go tswa mo
mabitleng a batsadi ba gagwe.
One day when she visited, she
received a gift. It was a very special
Gourd which appeared from her
parents’ graves.
Sego se ne sa opela pina e e
monate e e namatsang e re…
Moipone we, Moipone!
Ngwana wa rona o o rategang!
Ga o khutsana, moratiwa!
Tsaya sego se, moratiwa!
Se rwale gongwe le gongwe ko o
yang, moratiwa!
A se go babatse, moratiwa!
Moipone o ile a lemoga lentswe la
ga moswi mmagwe.
The Gourd sang a beautiful and
soothing song. Khayanga
recognised the voice as that of her
late mother.
It went like this…
Khayanga, ee, Khayanga!
Our child the loved one!
You’re not alone, loved one!
Have this gourd, loved one!
Carry it everywhere you go, loved one!
Let it console you loved one!
Moipone o ne a tsamaya kasego sa
gangwe gongwe le gongwe.
Se ne se mo sireletsa fa a ya
nokeng go ya go ga metsi.
Ka sego se, Moipone o ne a utlwa e
kete batsadi ba gagwe ba sa tshela.
Khayanga carried her special Gourd
everywhere.
With her Gourd, Khayanga felt her
parents’ presence and protection.
Ka letsatsi lengwe ga diragala
matlhotlhapelo ka sego sa ga
Moipone Se ile sa thubega fa
Moipone a ga metsi kwa nokeng.
Pelo ya ga Moipone le yone e ne ya
thubega ka kutlobotlhoko.
One day, something bad happened
to her special Gourd. It broke when
she was fetching water in the river.
Khayanga’s heart broke as well.
Moipone o ile a tshwara
manathwana a sego sa gagwe mme
a opela:
Mme le rre,
Bonang sego se thubegile.
Sego se lo mphileng sone.
Ke dire eng batsadi ba me?
A molemo wa lona o mpontsheng
sengwe…
Gore lo santse lo na le nna.
Khayanga held the pieces of the
broken Gourd in her small hands
and sang:
Father and Mother,
See the gourd is broken.
The gourd you gave me.
What do I do, Mother and Father?
Be kind and show me a sign…
That you are still with me.
Moipone o ile a utlwa lentswe la ga
mmagwe le re:
Ngwana wa rona,
Sela manathwana a a setseng.
Gelela metsi ka ona mme o tlhape
maoto a gago.
Fa o fetsa go tlhapa, o tswale
matlho.
Moipone o ile a dumela mme ka
ponyo ya leitlho, sego se se
thubegileng se ile sa siama gape.
Khayanga heard her mother’s voice
saying to her:
“Our child, pick up the pieces that
are left.
Fetch water with them and wash
your feet.
When you finish washing, close your
eyes.”
Khayanga obeyed and suddenly,
the broken Gourd became whole
once again.
Moipone o ile a tswelela go tsamaya
gotlhe ka sego sa gagwe.
Kwa a neng a feta teng, batho ba
ne ba sebaseba ba re, “Ke sego sa
mofuta ofe se?”
Ka sego se sa gagwe, Moipone o ne
a amogela tshotlhe tse a di
tlhokang.
Khayanga continued to carry her
Gourd everywhere she went.
Wherever she passed, people
whispered to each other, “What
type of gourd is this?”
With her special Gourd, Khayanga
received everything she needed.
Ka sego se, Moipone o ne a itse gore batsadi ba
gagwe ba mo sireleditse. Go ne go sena bosula bo bo
neng bo ka mo diragalela.
With the special Gourd, Khayanga
knew that her parents were
watching over her.
Nothing bad could happen to her.
