Odongo na Apiyo va tshama edorobeni na bava wa vona. Va langutela ku ya eka tiholideyi. Ku nga ri hikuva xikolo xi pfarile, kambe hikuva va lava ku endzela kokwa wa vona wa xisati. U tshama ematikoxikaya laha va phasaka tinhlampfi kusuhi na tiva.
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 na Apiyo a va tsakile hikuva a va endzela kokwa wa vona nakambe. Hi xa tolo, va pakile tibege ta vona kutani va lunghekela rendzo ro leha ku ya eka ndhawu leyi kokwana wa vona a tshamaka kona. A va etlelangi kutani va vulavula hi holideyi vusiku hinkwabyo.
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.
Hi xamundzuku nimixo, va sukile va ya ematikoxikaya hi movha wa bava wa vona. Va fambile va hundza tintshava, swiharhi swa nhova na masimu ya tiya. Va hlayile timovha na ku yimbelela.
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.
Endzhaku ka xinkarhana, vana a va karhele kutani va khomiwa hi vurhongo.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Bava wa vona u pfuxile Odongo na Apiyo loko va fika emalayinini. Va kumile Nyar-Kanyada, kokwa wa vona wa xisati, a wisile ehenhla ka mete ehansi ka murhi. Nyar-Kanyada eLuo, swi vula ‘nhwanyana wa vanhu va Kanyada’.
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 u va amukerile endyangwini kutani a cina a karhi a rhendzeleka hi kamara a yimbelela risimu ra ntsako. Vatukulu a va tsakile ku nyika kokwa wa vona tinyiko leti va nga ta na tona ku suka edorobeni. “Rhanga hi ku pfula nyiko ya mina,” ku vula Odongo. “E-e, ya mina nyiko ku sungula!” ku vula 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.
Endzhaku ka loko a pfurile tinyiko, Nyar-Kanyada u katekisile vatukulu va yena hi ndlela ya xintu.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Endzhaku ka sweswo Odongo na Apiyo va yile ehandle. Va hlongorisile maphaphatani na swinyenyana.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Va khandziyile mirhi na ku tihaxa hi mati ya tiva.
They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.
Loko ku va munyama va tlhelerile endlwini ku ya lalela. Loko va nga si heta ku dya, a va khomiwa hi vurhongo!
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
Hi xa mundzuku, bava wa vana u tlhelerile edorobeni a va siya na Nyar- Kanyada.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Odingo na Apiya va pfunile kokwa wa vona wa xisati hi swintirhwana swa le kaya. Va yile va ya ka mati na ku kuva tihanyi. Va hlengeletile mandza ya tihuku na ku rhwalela tinyawa exirhapeni.
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 u dyondzisile vatukulu va yena ku endla ugali yo olova ku yi dya na xirhidza. U va kombile hilaha va endlaka rhayisi ya khokhonati ya ku yi dya na hlampfi yo oxiwa.
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.
Siku rin’wana nimixo, Odongo u byisile tintswele ta kokwa wa yena wa xisati ku ya eku dyeni. Titsutsumele epurasini ra muakelani. N’wamapurasi a hlundzukele Odongo. U n’wi chavisile hi ku hlayisa tintswele leswaku ti nga dyi swimilana swa yena. Endzhaku ka siku rero, mufana u tiyisisile leswaku tintswele a ta ha ngheni ekhombyeni nakambe.
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.
Hi siku rin’wana, vana va yile emakete na Nyar-Kanyada. U na ndhawu leyi a xavisaka kona matsavu, chukela na xisibi. Apiyo u rhandza ku byela vaxavi nxavo wa swixavisiwa. Odongo u paka swixavisiwa leswi vaxavi va xavaka.
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.
Loko siku ri fika emakumu va nwa tiya ya chayi kun’we. Va pfuna kokwana wa vona wa xisati ku hlayela mali leyi a nga yi kuma.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Kambe hi ku hatlisa tiholideyi ti fikile emakumu kutani vana va fanele ku tlhelela edorobeni. Nyar-Kanyada u nyikile Odongo kepisi ivi Apiyo xinyanganyisi. Kokwana u va pakerile swakudya swa ndlela.
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.
Loko bava wa vona a ta va teka, a va nga lavi ku famba. Va kombele Nyar-Kanyada ku famba na vona edorobeni. Kokwana wa vona u n’wayiterile a ku, “Ndzi kurile ku ya edorobeni. Ndzi lava leswaku mi tlhela mi ta exitandini xa mina.”
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 na Apiyo havumbirhi va n’wi vukarhile hi matimba kutani va n’wi byela ku sala kahle.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Loko Obongo na Apiyo va tlhelela exikolweni va byerile vanghana va vona hi vutomi bya le makaya. Van’wana vana a va tsaka hi vutomi bya le dorobeni. Van’wana a va tsaka hi bya le makaya swinene. Kambe vo tala ka hinkwavo, un’wana na un’wana a amukela leswaku Odongo na Apiyo va na kokwana wa xisati wo hlamarisa.
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!
