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.
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.
“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!”
