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Odongo na Apiyo wekekaa mjinyi na ndee yawo. Walewera ifunga shule ko msia wairime enda irikira kekuye yao. Naleke kaa kufui ziwenyi handu waleke wara samaki.
Odongo na Apiyo waliishi mjini na baba yao. Walisubiri likizo kwa hamu. Siyo tu kwa shule kufungwa, bali ni kwa sababu walienda kumtembelea bibi yao. Aliishi katika kijiji cha uvuvi karibu na ziwa kubwa.
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 waletauka nye keri keenda irikira kekuye yao ko keri kingi. Kio kyoikyo walesanyia nzora zawo ko yenda kyaro keenda kanyi. Wale irima lala vo walekapa sumu tarara ko kyaro kyawo.
Odongo na Apiyo walichangamka kwani ulikuwa wakati wa kumtembelea bibi kwa mara nyingine. Usiku huo, walipanga mizigo yao na kujiandaa kwa safari ndefu ya kwenda kijijini. Hawakuweza kulala ila waliongea usiku kucha juu ya likizo yao.
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.
Mapema asubuhi iliyofuata, waliondoka katika gari la baba yao kuelekea kijijini. Walipita milima, wanyama pori na mashamba ya majani ya chai. Walihesabu magari na kuimba nyimbo.
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.
Keri kifui wana walechoka wakarengera.
Baada ya muda, watoto walichoka na kusinzia.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Auye nalewaamza Odongo na Apiyo lilya waleshika kanyi. Walekoya kekuye yao, Nyar-Kanyada, naomoiye wanda ya ikiri itakawenyi. Ko Dholuo, Nyar-Kanyada maana o waka o wanda wa Kanyada. Nekeri mrumka mcha na mbanzi.
Baba aliwaamsha Odongo na Apiyo walipofika kijijini. Walimkuta bibi yao, Nyar-Kanyada, akipumzika kwenye mkeka chini ya mti. Kwa Dholuo, Nyar-Kanyada maana yake ni ‘binti wa watu wa Kanyada’. Alikuwa ni mwanamke mrembo na imara.
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 nalewaiza mba kashina na kawaimbia ko mkundo.Wachukuu weore msia fo mringa kirimira wacha nakyo mrinyi. “Ambilia yako kuoka,” Odongo aleamba. “Ote, okia yako,” Apiyo aliemba.
Nyar-Kanyada aliwakaribisha ndani kwa kucheza na kuimba kwa furaha. Wajukuu wake walikuwa na shauku ya kumpa zawadi walizomletea kutoka mjini. “Fungua yangu kwanza,” Odongo alisema. “Hapana, yangu kwanza!” Apiyo akasema.
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.
Giza Iilipoingia, walirudi nyumbani kwa ajili ya chakula cha jioni. Kabla hata ya kumaliza kula, walikuwa wanasinzia!
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
Lya ngama auye yao naleuya kulya kiaro kawaraa wana ko Nyar-Kanyada.
Siku iliyofuata, baba yao alirudi mjini na kuwaacha na Nyar-Kanyada.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Odongo na Apiyo waletarama kekue yao shitundio sha kanyi. Waleraia mringa na lenda tolanguu. Walesanya mapore ha nguku na haa mboka za mare bustanyinyi.
Odongo na Apiyo walimsaidia bibi yao na kazi za nyumbani. Walichota maji na kuokota kuni. Walikusanya mayai ya kuku na kuchuma mboga za majani kutoka kwenye bustani.
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 nalewalosha wachuku cha sandu waikora ukari ulamuomu wela na supu.
Nalewalora mbare ye kora mchele fo nasi fo lya na samaki zikaange.
Nyar-Kanyada aliwafundisha wajukuu wake jinsi ya kupika ugali mwepesi wa kula na mchuzi. Aliwaonesha namna ya kupika wali wa nazi wa kuliwa na samaki wa kukaanga.
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.
Ngamenyi imu, Odongo naleenda lisa mbe za kekuye. Zikarichia mremenyi for wamrasa.
Odongo nalemsuira menyi o mrasa.
Menyi o mrema nekundi warilya mle kiva zilelya mremenyi koke.
Wokia mkonu fo Odongo alihakikisha mbe zikeende se ukiwa vo.
Asubuhi moja, Odongo aliwapeleka ng’ombe wa bibi yake malishoni. Wakakimbilia ndani ya shamba la jirani. Mwenye shamba alikasirishwa sana na Odongo. Akatishia kuwazuia ng’ombe kula mimea yake. Tangu siku hiyo, Odongo alihakikisha kwamba ng’ombe hawaingii matatani tena.
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.
Mkonu fungi wakoku waleenda kinyange kimu na Nyar-Kanyada.
Nyar-Kanyada newore kibanda kekumba mboka za mare, sukari na sabunyi.
Apiyo nelekekundi wawia wandu uru wo shindo wakekumba.
Odongo nalewafungia wandu shindo waleshiura.
Siku nyingine watoto walikwenda sokoni pamoja na Nyar-Kanyada. Nyar-Kanyada alikuwa na kibanda cha kuuza mboga, sukari na sabuni. Apiyo alipenda kuwatajia wateja bei za bidhaa. Odongo aliwafungia wateja bidhaa walizonunua.
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.
Kiukwanyi walenyo chai kimu.
Waletarama kekuye yao itala eleri aleziwaliria.
Mwisho wa siku walikunywa chai pamoja. Walimsaidia bibi yao kuhesabu pesa alizozipata.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Iomoya ileshikia isia na wakoku wekeri iuyakyoro.
Nyar-Kanyada nalemnenga Odongo kofia na Apiyo sweta.
Nalewafungia kichau ke lya njienyi.
Likizo ilikaribia kuisha na watoto walitakiwa kurudi mjini. Nyar-Kanyada alimpa Odongo kofia na Apiyo sweta. Aliwafungia chakula cha kula safarini.
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.
Ndee yao lilya alecha waonduo wekundi enda vo.
Wakaterewa waende na Nyar-Kanyada kyaro.
Nalekeneruo kaamba, “Ngamakuo, njiechiirima cha kyaro vo. Nkewere mche kanyi koko se.”
Baba yao alipokuja kuwachukua, hawakutaka kuondoka. Walimuomba Nyar-Kanyada aende nao mjini. Alitabasamu na kusema, “Nimezeeka, siyawezi ya mjini. Nitasubiri mje kijijini kwangu tena.”
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 walekumbatiana kimu wakambia nakovo.
Odongo na Apiyo walimkumbatia kwa pamoja na kumuaga.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Odongo na Apiyo wakimauya shule, waleongoya woroe wawo cha sandu maisha ya kanyi ekere.
Wakoku wengi weichi maisha ha mrinyi hamecha.
Wengi waichi maisha ha kanyi hamecha kota ha kyaro.
Ki nganyi, kila umu naleirikia oka Odongo na Apiyo wewore kekue yawo o mbare zingi!
Odongo na Apiyo waliporudi shuleni, waliwasimulia marafiki zao kuhusu maisha ya kijijini. Baadhi ya watoto waliamini kuwa maisha ya mjini ni mazuri. Wengine waliamini kijijini ni bora zaidi. Lakini zaidi ya yote, kila mmoja alikubali kwamba Odongo na Apiyo walikuwa na bibi wa kipekee.
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!
