Sakima te rete kay paran li yo ak yon ti sè ki gen katran. Yo te rete sou tè yon mesye rich. Ti ajoupa yo te nan fon yon ranje pyebwa.
Sakima lived with his parents and his four year old sister.
They lived on a rich man’s land.
Their grass-thatched hut was at the end of a row of trees.
Lè Sakima te gen twa zan, li tonbe malad epi li pèdi je li. Sakima te yon ti gason ki te gen anpil talan.
When Sakima was three years old, he fell sick and lost his sight.
Sakima was a talented boy.
Sakima te fè anpil bagay ke lòt ti gason sizan pa te kapab fè tankou chita ak sis granmoun nan kominote a enpi pale sou gwo bagay ak yo.
Sakima did many things that other six year old boys did not do.
For example, he could sit with older members of the village and discuss important matters.
Paran Sakima tap travay kay moun rich sa a. Yo te kite lakay bonè nan maten enpi yo te tounen byen ta nan aswè. Yo te kite Sakima ak ti sè li.
The parents of Sakima worked at the rich man’s house.
They left home early in the morning and returned late in the evening.
Sakima was left with his little sister.
Sakima te renmen chante. Yon jou, manman’l mande li, “Ki kote ou aprann chante sa yo Sakima?”
Sakima loved to sing songs.
One day his mother asked him, “Where do you learn these songs from, Sakima?”
Sakima reponn li “Yo vin konsa nan tèt mwen, manman. Mwen tande yo nan tèt mwen enpi mwen chante yo.”
Sakima answered, “They just come, mother. I hear them in my head and then I sing.”
Sakima te renmen chante pou ti sè li sitou lè li te grangou. Sè li te konn koute lap chante chante li te pi renmen yo. Li te chante bèl ti mòso dous.
Sakima liked to sing for his little sister, especially, if she felt hungry.
His sister would listen to him singing his favourite song.
She would sway to the soothing tune.
Ti sè li te konn siplye’l « chante’l ankò, ankò, ankò, Sakima,” Sakima te aksepte enpi chante menm chante ankò, ankò, ankò.
“Can you sing it again and again, Sakima,” his sister would beg him.
Sakima would accept and sing it over and over again.
Yon swa, lè paran Sakima tounen lakay yo yo pate pale menm. Sakima santi te gen yon pwoblèm.
One evening when his parents returned home, they were very quiet.
Sakima knew that there was something wrong.
” Manman, papa kisa kap pase » Sakima mande. Yo di Sakima ke pitit gason mesye rich la te disparèt. Mesye an te santi’l sèl ak tris anpil.
“What is wrong, mother, father?” Sakima asked.
Sakima learned that the rich man’s son was missing.
The man was very sad and lonely.
Sakima di paran li « Mwen ta ka chante pou li …petèt kè’l ta kontan ankò,”. Men, paran li di li “Mesye sa a rich. Ou se sèlman yon ti gason avèg ou ye. Èske ou kwè ke chante ou yo kapab ede’l?”
“I can sing for him. He might be happy again,” Sakima told his parents.
But his parents dismissed him.
“He is very rich. You are only a blind boy. Do you think your song will help him?”
Men, Sakima pa kite sa kraze’l. Ti sè li te dakò avèk li “Chante Sakima fè’m vin pi kalm lè mwen grangou. Yo kapab ede mesye rich sa a tou.”
However, Sakima did not give up.
His little sister supported him.
She said, “Sakima’s songs soothe me when I am hungry. They will soothe the rich man too.”
Nan demen, Sakima mande ti sè li pou li mennen’l kay mesye rich la.
The following day, Sakima asked his little sister to lead him to the rich man’s house.
Li kanpe anba yon gwo fenèt enpi li kòmanse chante chante mesye a renmen. Tèt mesye an kòmanse parèt tou dousman nan fenèt la.
He stood below one big window and began to sing his favourite song.
Slowly, the head of the rich man began to show through the big window.
Travayè yo sispann sa yo tap fè. Yo tap koute bèl chante Sakima yo. Men yonn nan yo di « Okenn moun pa ka console boss la. Eske ti gason avèg sa a kwè ke lap console li?”
The workers stopped what they were doing. They listened to Sakima’s beautiful song.
But one man said, “Nobody has been able to console the boss. Does this blind boy think he will console him?”
Lè Sakima fin chante li vire pou’l tounen lakay li. Men, mesye rich la kouri sòti dèyè li, li di li “Tanpri chante ankò.”
Sakima finished singing his song and turned to leave.
But the rich man rushed out and said, “Please sing again.”
Menm lè sa a, de mesye tap pote yon moun sou yon kad. Yo te jwenn ti gason an ke moun te kale enpi lage lòt bò wout la.
At that very moment, two men came carrying someone on a stretcher.
They had found the rich man’s son beaten up and left on the side of the road.
Mesye rich la te kontan anpil ke li wè ti gason’l lan ankò. Li rekonpanse Sakima pou tèt li te vin konsole li. Li menmen pitit gason li ak Sakima lopital pou yo geri je Sakima.
The rich man was so happy to see his son again.
He rewarded Sakima for consoling him.
He took his son and Sakima to hospital so Sakima could regain his sight.
Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Peris Wachuka
Translated by: ACE Haiti-University of Notre Dame USA
