Ono ni Khalai. Awithe myaka musangyu. Erina liwe omwalhulimi lwiwe, o’Lubukusu, limanyisaya “omubuya”.
Khalai ni msichana mwenye umri wa miaka saba. Jina lake lina maana ya ‘aliye mzuri’ katika lugha yake ya Lubukusu.
Khalai akabuka omwathulho neryo inyakania nomuthi we mintsungwe athi, “kyisi muthi wemitsungwe, kulha lhubalhuba wangathuhererya ebighuma by’emitsungwe”.
Khalai anaamka na kuongea na mmea mchanga wa Mchungwa, “Tafadhali mti wa Mchungwa, kua mkubwa uzae machungwa mengi mabivu.”
Khalai akaghenda omwabisando akayasoma. Neryo akabugha nebithi athi, “kyisi bithi, mukule, kandi muleke eryuma”
Khalai anaenda shuleni na njiani anaongea na Nyasi, “Tafadhali Nyasi, kua kijani zaidi na zaidi na wala usikauke.”
Khalai akalhaba okwa bimole “kyisi bimole, musanzulhaye neryo nangabahira omwa muthwe waghe”
Khalai anayapita Maua ya mwituni na kusema, “Tafadhali Maua, endelea kunawiri ili niweze kukuweka kwenye nywele zangu.”
Okw’Isomero, Khalai akabwira omuthi athi, “kyisi muthi iwe kulhaya emithahi minene thwangatunga ekitsutsu”
Akiwa shuleni, Khalai anazunguumza na Mti ulioko katikati ya shule, “Tafadhali Mti, toa matawi makubwa ili tusome chini ya kivuli chako.”
Khalai akabwira olhughuthu lw’okwisomero athi, “kyisi lhughuthu ubye namani wangaleka abandu babi erithendithwingirira.
Khalai anazunguumza na ua unaoizingira shule yake, “Tafadhali ua, kuwa mwenye nguvu ili uzuie shule yetu kutokana na watu wabaya.”
Neryo Khalai akabya akalhwa okw’isomero akayalebaya omuthi wemitsungwe. “emitsungwe yaghu siyiriyanera kwehi?”
Anaporudi nyumbani alasiri, Khalai anautembelea mti wa Mchungwa kuangalia kama machungwa yameiva.
“Emitsungwe yikine makuke” uhmm… “ngendisyakulebya omungya muthi w’emitsungwe”. Khalai akabugha athia. “Obundi lero ukendisyabya n’omutsungwe owerire.”
“Machungwa bado mabichi,” Khalai anashusha pumzi. “Nitakuona kesho, we mti wa machungwa. Labda utanipa chungwa bivu wakati huo.”
