Dede ma amvu ndra onyiru tu –
ondu pie, anya pie, vini ola pie. Te
afa ala ndeni ri ndra a’bu yi. Tro
Dede ma anzi ma anzi ni ovuzu tre,
ani ra ma mva eri ni le tu ri.
Dede ni ndra ma omve emu ivile
akua saa woro si. Nze mani e’yo
ziza ‘dii tre. Te e’yo eri ni zi mani te
ri alu: pari eri ni a’bua yi ‘bazu nizu
ri.
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.
O’du alu, ane ‘ba ‘ba oge ambooni
etua Dede vile akua. Maka eri zi oge
‘da si eri a’di afa ‘ye, omvi ma kini,
“Eri oge mani tali ru ri.”
Oge ‘da ma ageia ‘ba a’bua bi
karakara ru, eri eyi kala oja sawa
were vutia.
E’yo ‘di ca ma asia ku. Azi eri dika,
“A’bua bi ‘dii a’du afa ‘yezu ya?”
Omvi ma kini, “Eyi ebibi mani tali ru
ri.”
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.”
Eri ndra mani osuta ru Dede ni
nezu, a’bua bi ‘dayi nezu, dika oge
tali ni ‘da nezu. Te Dede asi mati pe
ma adri vu.
“Dede, kirikiri ite ma ne afa mini
ede ‘dii…”
“Ale ni dri onzi ku, mva ‘di. Mima ‘ye
e’yo ‘bani ‘yo mini ri,” nga ‘yo mani.
Anga nzu ongu si.
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.
Maka mu ago ‘bo, ma esu Dede ri
amve, te oge pi a’bua bi be yo.
“Dede, Oge ta ri ngole, a’bua biyi
ngole, afa…”
Omvita mani esu ri kini, “Eyi pari
mani tali ru ri ma alia.”
Omvita ‘da fe mani ayiko ku!
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!
O’du iri ma vutia, Dede pe mati jua
‘i vile tuke acizu ri iji.
Maka mu jotile njii ‘bo, oli nguupi
a’bua niza ru ni za ma omvu. Jo alia
ndra Dede ma oge ambo tali ni ri,
‘ba aku dri ni batania oku ni si.
Ma engra tini dika angu nguza ala
efupi ania ri.
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.
Ma aya Dede ma o’duko eri ni ma
omvezu ri si, “Mi ‘dile a’du afa ‘ye
ya? Mi iji mani tuke mbele.”
Ma efu eri ma tuke be mbele. “Mi
gu munzii ‘dini a’du e’yo si ya?”
Dede zi ma.
Eri ma zita fe ani ra ma nga kiri gu
mani eri ma pari tali ni ri nizu ri si.
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.
Drusi ni si, Dede emu ma andri nee.
Anzu mbele erivile joa a’bua ‘dayi
nee dika.
A’bua ma kiago alu nipi ra ni ‘daa
ci. Ma eti alu azi mavile bongo alia.
Maka oge ma ti opi ‘bo, afu jo tala,
‘da ma vutia anya eri mbele ru. Ma
esu a’bua ‘da alu nde ndra mani
nya oko ‘dii ra.
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.
Drusi ni si, Dede ni ovu amvua
nyaka okuria, anze ma e’yere joa
mu a’bua ‘dii luu. Eyi ndra woro ‘ye
ni.
Asikolo si, ma e’du a’bua su. Ma efu
pa drile si jotileale ru, ma eri Dede
ni okele ga amve. Azi a’bua ‘dii
mbele bongo alia, ‘da ma vutia ma
ali eri ma ageia si.
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.
Drusi ni ndra o’du cu ni ri. Dede
enga o’biti drio. Eri saa woro si
a’bua niza ‘dii ji ozi cua ola be.
A’ye asikolo eri nezu o’du ‘da si ku.
Te ani ra ma eco ni apa eri si sawa
ezu ku.
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.
O’du ‘da si ondre si, ma ati pi ma
andri be, dika Dede be, ‘ba ‘dii
omve ma. Ani ‘ba omve ma a’du
e’yo si ri ra.
Ini ‘da si, ala ma o’du ko. Ani ra
engazu o’du ‘da si, ma eco ogu
oguu dika ku, ma eco Dede ma afa
ogu ku, ma ti’ba ma afa ogu ku,
dika ‘ba ci ri ma afa ogu ku.
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.
