Majimi aba nkambo awamine, ajinga na mebele, luku ne makamba. Byawamine pa byonse ke makonde. Nangwa ba nkambo bajinga na bankana bavula, nayukile namba yami batemwesheshe. Bangitanga kimye kyonse ku nzubo yabo. Kabiji ba mbujileko ne bintu bikwaabo bya fyamika. Pano kwajinga kintu kimo kya fyamika kyo babujile kushilang’ena ne amiwa. Koba fukikanga makonde.
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.
Juuba jimo, namwene musansa yebatula pamute pangye ya nzubo yaba nkambo. Byo nashikizhe pa musansa, mukumbu yeba mpele ke, “Musansa wami wa mijiki.” Kwipi na musansa, kwajinga mabula avula amakonde ao ba nkambo oba alululanga pakimye ne pakimye. najinga na kizaku. “Mabula aka aee nkambo?” Naipwizhe. Mukumbu yena tambwile ke, “Mabula ami a mijiki.”
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.”
Kyajinga kyawama kumona ba nkambo, makonde, mabula a makonde ne musansa. Ba nkambo ba ntumine ku ba maama. “Nkambo, kine lekayi mboneko byo muna kunengezha.....” “Kukosama ne mwanyike, uba byo nakubula,” baambile. Nanyamukile lubilo.
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.
Byonabwelele, Ba nkambo baikele pangye kwakubula musansa nangwa makonde. “Nkambo, musansa uji pi, makonde onse aji pi…” Pano mukumbu ye natambwile ke, “Aji mu mpuzha yami ya majiki.” Kyajinga kya kuzhingijisha biingi.
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!
Pakupita mooba abiji, ba nkambo bantumine kuya na kwiba kebela mukombo ku kibamba kya kulalako. Byona shinkwiletu kibelo, nanunshishe bweema bwa makonde apya. Mukibamba kya mukachi mwajinga musansa waba nkambo wa majiki. Beifile bulongo ku mweemba wakala. Namunyamwile ne ku nunkula bwema bwawama.
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.
Jiiwi ja ba nkambo jambazhimwine byoba ngichile. “Ubena kuuba ka? pelawizha, leta mukombo kuno.” Na pelawizhe ne kutwala mukombo. “Ubena kumwemwesela ka?” Ba nkambo baipwizhe. Jipuzho jabo ja ndengejile amba kimwemwensela pa byonatana mu mpuzha yabo ya majiki.
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.
Juuba jalondejilepo, ba nkambo byo baishile na ku pempula ba maama, naile ku nzubo yabo lubilo nakumona makonde jikwabo. Kwajinga kizanze kya makonde apya. Natoleko jimo ne kwijifya mu ndeleshi. Panyuma yaku tana musansa jikwabo, naile kunyuma ya nzubo ne kuja lubilo. Jajinga jikonde ja tobala kyakine kine jo nkyangye kujapo kala.
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.
Juba ja londejilepo, ba nkambo byo bajinga mu majimi, nabombokele ne kuya na kutala pa makonde. Onse ajinga apya. Natolelemo makonde ana. Byonaendejilenga kumana na kuya ku kibelo, naumvwine ba nkambo ba kopola pangye. Nafile makonde mu ndeleshi ne kwiba pitaila.
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.
Juuba jalondejilepo jajinga juuba ja kisankanyi. Ba nkambo babukile biingi lukelo. Batwalanga makonde ne makamba kupotesha ku kisankanyi. Kechi na pelawizhe kuya na kwiba pempula pajoja juuba ine. Kechi na konsheshe kwiba fyama kimye kyalepa ne.
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.
Joonka ja juuba mabanga ba ngichile kwiba maama ne ba taata ne ba nkambo. Nayukile kine kintu. Abwa bufuku byo nalajile , nayukile amba kabwezhapo jibiji kwiba, kuba nkambo, nangwa bansemi yami kabiji nangwa kubantu bakwabotu.
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.
