Marubini na Masakona vha dzula ḓoroboni na khotsi avho. Vho dzula vho lavhelela maḓuvha a u awela. Husi ngauri zwikolo zwi vha zwo vala, fhedzi ngauri vha ḓo ya u dala ha makhulu wavho. Vha dzulaho kushangoni kwa dzikhovhe tsini na dzivha ḽihulu.
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.
Marubini na Masakona vho vha vho takala ngauri tshifhinga tsha u dalela makhulu tsho swika hafhu. Madekwe vho eḓela vho dzudzanya dzibege dzavho vha lugela lwendo lwavho lulapfu lwa uya kushangoni kwa havho. A vhongo kona na u lala vhusiku vha tshi amba nga ha holodeyi.
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.
Matsheloni a ḓuvha ḽi tevhelaho, vha ṱuwa shangoni la havho nga goloi ya khotsi avho. Vha reila vha fhira dzithavha, phukha dza ḓaka na masimuni a dzitie.
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.
Nga murahu, vhana vha vha vho no neta vha farwa nga khofhe.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Baba vha vusa Marubini na Masakona musi vha tshi swika muḓini. Vha wana vho-Mashudu, makhulu vho awela thovhoni fhasi ha muri. Vho vha vha mufumakadzi o khwathaho wa lunako.
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.
Vho-Mashudu vho vha ṱanganedzela nḓuni vha tshina vha tshi mona mona lufherani vha tshi imbelela nga dakalo. Vhaḓuhulu vho vha vho takalela u vha ṋekedza dzimmpho dzi bvaho ḓoroboni. “Kha vha thome nga u vula yanga,” hu amba Masakona. “Hai, nga yanga u thoma!” hu amba Marubini.
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.
Vha tshi fhedza u vula dzimpho, vho-Mashudu vha livhuwa vhaḓuhulu vhavho nga maitele a havho.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Masakona na Marubini vha bvela nnḓa. Vha pandamedza zwisusu na zwiṋoni.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Vha gonya miri vha hashana nga maḓi a dzivhani.
They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.
Li tshi kovhela vha humela hayani u lalela. Vha sa athu fhedza na u ḽa vho vha tshi vho kumedza!
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
Ḓuvha ḽi tevhelaho, khotsi avho vha humela murahu ḓoroboni vha vha sia na vho-Mashudu.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Masakona na Marubini vho thusa makhulu wavho nga mishumo ya nḓuni. Vha ya vha ka maḓi vha reḓa na khuni. Vha dobela na makumba khuhuni vha ka na muroho tsimuni.
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.
Vho-Mashudu vho fundedza vhaḓuhulu u bika ugali musekene wa u la na tshisevho. Vho vha sumbedza maitele a raisi ya khokhonati ya u ḽa na khovhe yo bakiwaho.
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.
Maṅwe matsheloni Masakona o dzhia kholomo dza makhulu a isa pfuloni. Dza gidimela tsimuni ya mudzulatsini. Mulimi uyo o vha o sinyutshela Masakona zwihulu. A ita na uri kholomo a dzi nga ṱuwi nga uri dzo mu ḽela mavhele. Nga murahu ha ilo ḓuvha mutukana o lingedza uri kholomo dzi si mudzhenise khakhathini hafhu.
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.
Nga linwe ḓuvha, vhana vho ya makete na vho-Mashudu. Vho vha vha na kumakete kwa u rengisa miroho, swigiri na zwisibe. Marubini o vha a tshi takalela u vhudza vharengi mitengo ya zwirengwiswa. Masakona a tshi paka zwe vharengi vha renga zwone.
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.
Ḓuvha ḽi tshi kovhela vha ḓo nwa tie ya chai vhoṱhe. Vha thusa makhulu u vhala tshelede ye vha wana.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Hu si kale holodeyi dza vha dzo fhela vhana vha vha vha kho teya u humela ḓoroboni. Vho-Mashudu vha nea Masakona gebisi Marubini dzhasi. Vha vha pakela na mbuvha ya lwendo.
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.
Musi khotsi avho vha tshi ḓa u vha dzhia, vho vha vha si tsha funa na u ṱuwa. Vha luvheledza vho-Mashudu uri vha ṱuwe navho ḓoroboni. Vha sea vhari, “Ndo no aluwesa lune ndi nga si ye ḓoroboni. Ndi do ni lindela uri ni ḓe muḓini wanga hafhu.”
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.”
Masakona na Marubini vha vha kuvhatedza nga u vhanyima vha vha onesa.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Musi Masakona na Marubini vha tshi humela tshikoloni vho ṱalutshedza khonani dzavho nga ha vhutshilo ha mahayani. Vhaṅwe vhana vho pfa uri vhutshilo ḓoroboni vhu khwiṋe. Vhaṅwe vha pfa unga mahayani hu khwiṋevho. Fhedzi tshe vhoṱhe vha tendelana ndi uri Masakona na Marubini vha na makhulu vhavhuḓi!
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!
