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Odongo nende Apiyo bali
bamenya mwitokho nende
sabwe.
Bekhoyera amaulukho.
Shiili khubera lisomera liali
lifunjire ta, ilali no khubera
batsitsanga okhuchendera
kukhu wabwe.
Yali yamenya mulukongo lwo
khuluba hambi nende inyanza
ingali.
Odongo and Apiyo lived in the city with their father.
They looked forward to the holidays. Not just because school was closed, but because they went to visit their grandmother. She lived in a fishing village near a large lake.
Odongo nende Apiyo bali no
busangafu khubera bali batsia
okhuchendera khukhu wabwe.
Mushiro, bakasia etsiloloti
tsiabo balinda oluchendo lwo
khutsia mulukongo.
Shibakona tawe ne bakhupa
imbakha ya amaulukho eshiro
shiosi.
Odongo and Apiyo were excited because it was time to visit their grandmother again.
The night before, they packed their bags and got ready for the long journey to her village. They could not sleep and talked the whole night about the holiday.
Istuli mutsuli, barula nende
sabwe mumutoka okhutsia
mulukongo.
Berusia okhubira efikulu, tsisolo
tsimbi nende emikunda chia
amachani.
Babala emitoka nende
okhwimba tsinyimbo.
Early the next morning, they left for the village in their father’s car.
They drove past mountains, wild animals and tea plantations. They counted cars and sang songs.
Mufise fitutu, abaana bachonya
ne bakona.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Samwana Odongo nende Opiyo
yabenyosia lwo boola
mulukongo.
Banyoola Nyar-Kanyada, kukhu
wabwe, naulukhanga khu
liyambo hasi wo musala.
Nyar-Kanyada mulunyolo, ne
‘omukhana wa abandu ba
Kanyada’.
Yali omukhaye wa amani khandi
we eshifwani.
Father woke up Odongo and Apiyo as they arrived in the village.
They found Nyar-Kanyada, their grandmother, resting on a mat under a tree.
Nyar-Kanyada in Luo, means ‘daughter of the people of Kanyada’. She was a strong and beautiful woman.
Nyar-Kanyada welcomed them into the house and danced around the room singing with joy.
Her grandchildren were excited to give her the presents they brought from the city.
“First open my gift,” said Odongo.
“No, my gift first!” said Apiyo.
Namalire okhubolola efihanwa,
Nyar-Kanyada yaana tsikhabi
khu betsukhulu baye
okhulondana ne milukha
chiabo.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Odongo nende Apiyo barula
erwanyi.
Balonda amapurupru nende
amanyonyi.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Baniina khumisala khandi
besoka mumatsi ke inyanza.
They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
Mutsuli, sabwe yakalukaha
mwitokho nabalekha wa kukhu
wabwe Nyar-Kanyada.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Odongo nende Apiyo bakhonya
kukhu wabwe emirimo chio
munzu.
Basomba amatsi no okhurenya
tsikhwi.
Batola amabuyu ke efitakho
nende okhwaya tsifwa
mushirundu.
Odongo and Apiyo helped their grandmother with household chores. They fetched water and firewood. They collected eggs from the chickens and picked greens from the garden.
One morning, Odongo took his grandmother’s cows to graze. They ran onto a neighbour’s farm.
The farmer was angry with Odongo. He threatened to keep the cows for eating his crops. After that day, the boy made sure that the cows did not get into trouble again.
Inyanga yindi, abaana batsia
khushiro nende Nyar-Kanyada.
Yali ne shitalataliro shio
khukusiriao eliani, esukari
nende esabuni.
Apiyo yekhoera okhubolera
abakuli obukusi bwe ebindu.
On another day, the children went to the marketplace with Nyar-Kanyada. She had a stall selling vegetables, sugar and soap.
Apiyo liked to tell customers the price of items. Odongo would pack the items that customers bought.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Mufise fitutu, amaulukho kawa
ne abaana baba bakalukhe
mwitokho.
Nyar-Kanyada ymanusia
Odongo ikofia ne Apiyo
omuchosi.
But too soon the holidays were over and the children had to go back to the city.
Nyar-Kanyada gave Odongo a cap and Apiyo a sweater. She packed food for their journey.
When their father came to fetch them, they did not want to leave. The children begged Nyar-Kanyada to go with them to the city.
She smiled and said, “I am too old for the city. I will be waiting for you to come to my village again.”
Odongo nende Apiyo
bamufumberera hambi no
okhumusebula.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Olwa Odongo nende Apiyo
bakalukha mwisomero,
bakanira abetsa babo obumenyi
mulukongo.
Balala baboola obumenyi bwo
mwitokho nobulayi.
Abandi baboola obumenyi bwo
mulukongo bushira.
Ilali, boosi beyama mbu Odongo
nende Apiyo basangalira
amaulukho nende kukhu
wabwe!
When Odongo and Apiyo went back to school they told their friends about life in the village. Some children felt that life in the city was good. Others felt that the village was better.
But most of all, everyone agreed that Odongo and Apiyo had a wonderful grandmother!
