UKhalai lona. Uneminyaka eyisikhombisa. Igama lakhe lichaza ‘olungile’ ngolimi lwakubo, isi Lubukusu.
Khalai ni msichana mwenye umri wa miaka saba. Jina lake lina maana ya ‘aliye mzuri’ katika lugha yake ya Lubukusu.
UKhalai uvuka ekuseni akhulume nesihlahla samawolintshi. “Ngiyacela sihlahla samawolintshi, khula ubemkhulu usiphe amawolintshi amaningi avuthiwe.”
Khalai anaamka na kuongea na mmea mchanga wa Mchungwa, “Tafadhali mti wa Mchungwa, kua mkubwa uzae machungwa mengi mabivu.”
UKhalai uya esikoleni. Endleleni ukhuluma notshani. “Ngiyakucela tshani, yiba luhlaza kakhulu ungomi.”
Khalai anaenda shuleni na njiani anaongea na Nyasi, “Tafadhali Nyasi, kua kijani zaidi na zaidi na wala usikauke.”
UKhalai wedlula izimbali zasendle, “Ngiyanicela zimbali, hlalani niqhakaza ukuze nginihlome ezinweleni zami.”
Khalai anayapita Maua ya mwituni na kusema, “Tafadhali Maua, endelea kunawiri ili niweze kukuweka kwenye nywele zangu.”
Esikoleni, uKhalai ukhuluma nesihlahla esimila phakathi nezakhiwo, “Ngiyakucela sihlahla, khipha amahlamvu amade ukuze sifunde siphansi komthunzi wakho.”
Akiwa shuleni, Khalai anazunguumza na Mti ulioko katikati ya shule, “Tafadhali Mti, toa matawi makubwa ili tusome chini ya kivuli chako.”
UKhalai ukhuluma nothango oluzungeze isikole, “Ngicela ukhule uqine ukuze uvimbe abantu ababi bangangeni.”
Khalai anazunguumza na ua unaoizingira shule yake, “Tafadhali ua, kuwa mwenye nguvu ili uzuie shule yetu kutokana na watu wabaya.”
Lapho uKhalai ebuya esikoleni uvakashela isihlahla samawolintshi. “Asevuthiwe kodwa amawolintshi akho?” kubuza uKhalai.
Anaporudi nyumbani alasiri, Khalai anautembelea mti wa Mchungwa kuangalia kama machungwa yameiva.
“Amawolintshi aseluhlaza,” uKhalai edonsa umoya.” Ngiyokubona kusasa sihlahla samawolintshi,” kusho uKhalai. “Mhlawumbe uzobe usunalo iwolintshi lami elivuthiwe!”
“Machungwa bado mabichi,” Khalai anashusha pumzi. “Nitakuona kesho, we mti wa machungwa. Labda utanipa chungwa bivu wakati huo.”
