Odongo ek Apiyo ti res anvil avek zot papa. Zot ti pe atann vakans avek inpasians. Pa parski lekol ti pou ferme me parski zot ti ti pou al promne kot zot granmer. Li ti res dan enn vilaz peser akote enn gran lak.
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 ek Apiyo ti exsite parski ti finn ariv ler pou rerann zot granmer enn vizit. Lavey, zot finn fer zot valiz ek finn prepar zot pou sa long vwayaz-la ziska so vilaz. Zot pa ti pe kapav dormi e zot finn pas lanwit koz vakans/zot finn koze enn lanwit lor vakans.
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.
Landemin gramatin, bien boner, zot finn al dan vilaz-la dan loto zot papa. Zot finn trouv montagn, zanimo sovaz ek plantasion dite. Zot finn kont loto ek finn sant-sante.
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.
Apre enn sertenn letan, bann zanfan finn dormi sek.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Papa finn lev Odongo ek Apiyo kan zot ti finn ariv dan vilaz. Zot finn zwenn avek zot granmer Nyar-Kanyada ki ti pe asize anba enn pie. Dan Luo, Nyar-Kanyada vedir « tifi pep Kanyada ». Li ti enn zoli madam, ek li ti bien for.
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 finn akeyir bann-la dan so lakaz e dan avek enn leker ranpli ar lazwa. Li ti li ti pe sante-danse anmemtan dan lasam. So bann ti-zanfan ti pe prese pou donn li bann kado ki zot ti’nn amene depi lavil. « Ouver mo kado avan », Odongo dir. « Non, ouver pou mwa an premie ! » Apiyo dir.
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.
Letan li’nn fini ouver so bann kado, Nyar-Kanyada finn donn so bann tizanfan enn benediksion tradisionel.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Lerla, Odongo ek Apiyo finn sorti deor. Zot finn galoup deryer papiyon ek zwazo.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Zot finn grinp lor pie e finn sot-sot dan delo lak.
They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.
Ler ariv aswar, zot finn retourn lakaz pou manze. Zot finn gagn somey avan mem ki zot ti’nn reisi fini zot repa !
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
Landemin, papa bann zanfan-la finn retourn anvil e finn kit zot avek Nyar-Kanyada.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Odongo ek Apiyo finn donn zot granmer enn koudme fer louvraz. Zot finn al rod delo ek dibwa pou pou sofaz. Zot finn ramas dizef poul ek lever dan zardin.
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.
Nyar-Kanyada finn montre so bann ti-zanfan kouma fer Ugali mou pou manz avek rougay. Li finn montre zot kouma fer diri koko pou manz ar pwason griye.
Nyar-Kanyada taught her grandchildren to make soft ugali to eat with stew. She showed them how to make coconut rice to eat with roast fish.
Enn gramatin, Odongo finn amenn vas so granmer manz lerb. Zot finn al dan laferm enn vwazin. Fermie-la ti ankoler avek Odongo. Li finn menas zot : li’nn dir ki li pou ramas bann vas-la akoz zot finn manz so bann rekolt. Depi sa zour-la, ti garson la finn fer an-sort ki bann vas-la pa koz okenn problem.
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.
Enn lot zour, bann zanfan finn al bazar avek Nyar-Kanyada. Li ti ena enn stenn pou vann legim, disik ek savon. Apiyo ti kontan donn bann kliyan pri lartik.
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.
Ler ariv lafin lazourne, zot finn bwar dite ansam. Zot finn ed zot granmer kont kas ki li finn gagne.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Vakans finn terminn tro vit e bann zanfan ti pe bizin retourn anvil. Nyar-Kanyada finn donn Odongo enn kasket ek Apiyo enn palto. Li finn ramas manze pou zot vwayaz retour.
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.
Kan zot papa finn vinn sers zot, bann-la pa ti pe le ale. Bann zanfan finn sipliy Nyar-Kanyada vinn avek zot anvil. Li fer enn sourir ek li dir, « Mo tro vie pou al anvil. Mo pou atann zot kan zot pou retourn dan mo vilaz. »
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 ek Apiyo finn anbras li for ek finn dir li orevwar.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Kan Odongo ek Apiyo finn retourn lekol, zot finn rakont zot bann kamarad kouma lavi dan vilaz ete. Ena zanfan ti pe krwar ki lavi anvil ti bon. Bann lezot ti dan lopinion ki lavi vilaz meyer. Me sirtou, zot tou ti tom dakor pou dir ki Odongo ek Apiyo ti ena enn granmer extraordiner !
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!
Written by: Violet Otieno
Illustrated by: Catherine Groenewald
Translated by: Shameem Oozeerally & MIE French Students
Violet Otieno
Catherine Groenewald
Shameem Oozeerally & MIE French Students
Mauritian Creole
Level 4
The audio for this story is currently not available.
