Sũsũ aĩ vakuvĩ mĩaka mĩongo
mwonza. Aĩ mũthangaau. Mũũndanĩ
kwake avandaa mũvya, mwee,
manga na maiũ. Sũsũ akethaa maiũ
kĩla ĩvinda ya mwaka.
Grandma’s garden was wonderful full of sorghum, millet, and cassava.
But best of all were the bananas.
Although Grandma had many
grandchildren, I secretly knew that I
was her favourite. She invited me
often to her house. She also told me
little secrets. But there was one
secret she did not share with me:
where she ripened bananas.
Grandma’s garden was wonderful, full of sorghum, millet, and cassava.
But best of all were the bananas.
Although Grandma had many grandchildren, I secretly knew that I was her favourite. She invited me often to her house. She also told me little secrets.
But there was one secret she did not share with me: where she ripened bananas.
Sũsũ aĩna syana mbingĩ. Ĩndĩ katĩka
onthe, nyie na aamwaiya na
eetwiya kwa kĩmbithĩ nĩtwesĩ sũsũ
nũtwendete kũvĩta ala angĩ.
Nau nĩwe waĩ ĩlumaita ya sũsũ kwou
sũsũ atũkua kwa nzĩa ya mwanya.
Kwa ngelekany’o nĩwokaa mũsyĩ
kwitũ mavinda maingĩ. Ĩla ena nau
na mwaitũ nĩmathekaa mũno. Na
kĩngĩ nowatwĩtaa nyũmba kwake
mavinda maingĩ. Ĩũlũ wa syĩndũ
syonthe sũsũ nĩwatũtavasyaa
syĩmbithĩ syake ĩndĩ ve kĩmbithĩ
kĩmwe ũtatũtavya: vala waindĩa
maiũ make.
Mũthenya ũmwe nĩnonie kĩkavũ kya
malala kiĩtwe suanĩ nza wa nyũmba
ya sũsũ. Ĩla nakũlilye nĩ kyakĩ
nanengiwe ũsũngĩo ũmwe kana nĩ
kĩkavũ kya syama. Sũsũ anzũngĩa
ou nĩwendee kũalyũla kĩtembe kya
One day I saw a big straw basket placed in the sun outside Grandma’s house. When I asked what it was for, the only answer I got was, “It’s my magic basket.”
Next to the basket, there were several banana leaves that Grandma turned from time to time. I was curious. “What are the leaves for, Grandma?” I asked. The only answer I got was, “They are my magic leaves.”
Vakuvĩ na kĩkavũ vaĩna mathangũ
ma maiũ wekalaa akwalyũla ĩvinda
kwa ĩvinda. “Mathangũ asu nĩmakĩ
sũsũ?” nĩnamũkũlilye na anzũngĩa
“aa nĩ mathangũ makwa ma kwĩka
syama.” Mũminũkĩlyo, sũsũ
nĩwombĩanĩe maiũ onthe ala maĩ
nyekinĩ.
Kyaĩ kĩndũ kya kwendeesya kwona
sũsũ, ĩiũ ĩnene matũ ma maiũ na
kĩkavũ kya malala kĩnene. Onew’a
nĩnendaa kwĩloela nĩmanye ũndũ
sũsũ ũkũtũmĩa syĩndũ isu syonthe,
sũsũ nĩwandũmie ngeete kĩndũ
kuma vala ve mwaitũ.
It was so interesting watching Grandma, the bananas, the banana leaves and the big straw basket. But Grandma sent me off to my mother on an errand.
“Grandma, please, let me watch as you prepare…”
“Don’t be stubborn, child, do as you are told,” she insisted. I took off running.
Ndililikana kĩndũ kĩu kyaĩ kyaũ.
Nĩnamwĩsũvie ngũmwĩa, “Sũsũ naku
eka nambe kwona wĩsovya....” “Eke
kwĩthĩwa kana keemu, ĩka ũndũ
watavwa.” Sũsũ nĩwasũngĩie.
Nĩnaumie nĩsembete.
Nasyokethya nethĩie sũsũ ailye nza
wa nyũmba. “Sũsũ, kĩkavũ kĩva na
maiũ na…?” ĩndĩ ũsũngĩo ũla
nakwatie nĩkana, “Syĩvandũnĩ
vakwa va syama.” Nĩnendaa
kũmanya vandũ vau va syama ĩndĩ
namũkũlya sũsũ nĩwendee
kwĩtwĩkĩthya kana ndakwĩw’a na
aendea kw’ina wathi. Nĩnakwie
ngoo.
When I returned, Grandma was sitting outside but with neither the basket nor the bananas.
“Grandma, where is the basket, where are all the bananas, and where…”
But the only answer I got was, “They are in my magic place.” It was so disappointing!
Matukũ elĩ mathela sũsũ aĩna mĩtũkĩ
ya kũthi mũkutano ndũanĩ.
Nĩwandũmie ngamwosee ndata
yake lumunĩ ya kũkoma. Ĩla
navingũie mwango wa lumu ĩsu
nĩnathokiswe nĩ muuke wa maiũ
makwĩw’a.
Two days later, Grandma sent me to fetch her walking stick from her bedroom.
As soon as I opened the door, I was welcomed by the strong smell of ripening bananas. In the inner room was grandma’s big magic straw basket. It was well hidden by an old blanket. I lifted it and sniffed that glorious smell.
Lumunĩ ya nzĩnĩ ĩũsũĩte syĩndũ sya
sũsũ nĩvo vaĩna kĩla kĩkavũ kya sũsũ
kya syama kĩvĩthĩtwe nĩ ĩvula ĩkũũ.
Nĩnavwĩkũie ĩvula na muuke wa
maiũ wongelekela. Wasya wa sũsũ
nĩwandelemilye akwasya, “wĩka ata
we? Ngalatĩle ndata yakwa.”
Nĩnamũsembeesye ndata na
angũlya, “nĩ kyaũ ukwetye kwenyea
kũtheka?” Ĩkũlyo yake nĩyatumiswe
ngũmanya kana nonendee
kwenyeea ĩtheka nũndũ wa
kũmanya vala vandũ va syama.
Grandma’s voice startled me when she called, “What are you doing? Hurry up and bring me the stick.”
I hurried out with her walking stick. “What are you smiling about?” Grandma asked.
Her question made me realise that I was still smiling at the discovery of her magic place.
Mũthenya ũla watĩĩe sũsũ ooka
kũnena na mwaitũ nĩnosie
kamwanya ka kũsemba nyũmbanĩ
kwake ngasisye maiũ ĩngĩ. Vaĩ
kĩtembe kĩmwe kyew’ĩte vyũ.
Nĩnaumisye ĩiũ ĩmwe na navitha
ĩlindanĩ. Natũngĩa kĩla kĩndũ
nĩnasyokie nyũmba na naya ĩiũ
yakwa na mĩtũkĩ. Ndyaya ĩiũ yany’a
mũyo ũu ĩngĩ!
The following day when grandma came to visit my mother, I rushed to her house to check the bananas once more.
There was a bunch of very ripe ones. I picked one and hid it in my dress. After covering the basket again, I went behind the house and quickly ate it. It was the sweetest banana I had ever tasted.
Mũthenya ũla watĩĩe nĩnetelile sũsũ
athi kuuna mboka nasemba kũsisya
ala maiũ. Vakuvĩ onthe nĩmew’ĩte.
Ndyenamba kũmĩĩsya kũlea kwosa.
Nĩnosie ana na nekalata kuumala
nolwa kũvwĩka kĩkavũ.
The following day, when grandma was in the garden picking vegetables, I sneaked in and peered at the bananas.
Nearly all were ripe. I couldn’t help taking a bunch of four.
As I tiptoed towards the door, I heard grandma coughing outside. I just managed to hide the bananas under my dress and walked past her.
Nuumalĩte kavola na mĩthya ya
syaa sya maaũ Nĩnew’ie sũsũ
akũkoa vu nza. Nĩnatatie kũvitha
maiũ asu ĩlindanĩ. Namina kũya
nĩnasyokie na wethĩa sũsũ
ndanamanya mĩvango yakwa.
Mũthenya ũla watĩĩe waĩ wa
ndũnyũ. Sũsũ nĩwokĩlile tene nũndũ
kĩla wa ndũnyũ nĩwatwaa maiũ meu
na manga kũta. Ndyekalata kũthi
kũmũkethya mũthenya ũsu. Ĩndĩ
ndyenamba kũmwĩvitha kĩlungu
kyaasa.
The following day was market day. Grandma woke up early. She always took ripe bananas and cassava to sell at the market.
I did not hurry to visit her that day. But I could not avoid her for long.
Masaa ma wĩyoo ĩla netiwe nĩ
mwaitũ na nau na sũsũ nĩneesĩ kĩla
ngwĩtĩwa. Ũtukũ ngũkoma nĩneesĩ
kana ndikang’ea kĩndũ kya sũsũ
kana kya asyai makwa kana kya
mũndũ ũngĩ.
Later that evening I was called by my mother and father, and Grandma. I knew why.
That night as I lay down to sleep, I knew I could never steal again, not from grandma, not from my parents, and certainly not from anyone else.
