Ito si Khalai. Pitong taong gulang siya. Sa Lubukusu, “mabuti” ang kahulugan ng pangalan niya.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Kinakausap ni Khalai ang puno ng dalandan, “Dalandan, pasuyo naman, sana magkaroon ka ng marami at malalaking prutas.”
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Naglalakad si Khalai papunta sa iskul. Nadadaanan niya ang damo, “Sana naman damo, lalo pang tumingkad ang berdeng kulay mo at ‘wag na ‘wag kang matutuyo.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Napapansin din ni Khalai ang mga ligaw na bulaklak, “Tuloy niyo lang ang pamulaklak, para meron akong pampaganda ng buhok.”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Kinakausap din ni Khalai ang puno sa gitna ng iskul, “Plis naman, malaking puno, palaguin mo pa mga sanga para sa lilim mo kami ay makapagbasa.”
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.”
May nasasabi rin si Khalai sa mga halamang-bakod, “Magpakatibay kayo, pigilin ninyong makapasok ang masasamang tao.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Pagkauwi, pinupuntahan agad ni Khalai ang dalandan, “Hinog na ba mga bunga?”
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
“Hay naku, hilaw pa rin pala. Bukas uli ha, dalandan. Pagbibigyan kita at baka meron ng hinog, kahit isa!”
“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!”
