Odongo naApiyo hatungire muñurumbara na wihagho. Hatatere maturumuthero. Mbadi yoyishi shure ne dha yandhere, ene yoyishi hayendire ha kadhingure nyakudyagho ghomukamadi. Aye gha tungire mumukunda gho pepi no rware omu nga ha roveranga thi.
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 na Apiyo hashamberere yoyishi rwa karire ruvedhe ro kudhingura nyakudyagho karo. Ghuthiku ghu ngaghupu, harongere mandjato ghawo nokukuroyithera ruyendo ru rorure ro kumukunda. Mbadi ha rarire no ha kuvurekire ghuthiku ghoghuhe yo kuhatera ku maturumuthero.
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.
Murughura diyuwa dyo kurandako, hafungurukire muthihaghuto tha wihagho hayende kumukunda. Hahingire kupita marundu, yiyama no yikwinino. Awo ha tarire yihaghuto no hembire membo.
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.
Kapupi kamanana, hanuke wa ha ghayire no hakothire.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
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 gha watambure mundhugho wimba no yishamberera. Hekurwendi ha hafire mukumupa ghushwi oghu ha mupitwere. “Tange kuyandhura thange,” gha ghambire Odongo.” Ca, thange sho tangere!” gha ghambire Apiyo.
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.
Opa gha manine kuyandhura maghushwi, Nyar-Kanyada gha fiyere no kutungeka hekurwendi mundhira dho pa thitjo.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Munyima Odongo naApiyo ha yendire panunda. Hatjidhatjidhire mambimbidhi no yinyunyi.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Awo ha dhinine kuyitondo no kutjavatjava meyu gho murware.
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!
Diyuwa dyo kurandako, wihagho gha hingire gha huke kuñurumbara no ghawa thiyire na Nyar-Kanyada.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Odongo naApiyo ha ghamwene nyakudyagho no yirughana yo padimbo. Awo nga havetanga meyu no kutja yikunyi. Nga ha shimbanga mahonyi gho shushwa no kughamwena muthinyamo.
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 taught her grandchildren to make soft ugali to eat with stew. She showed them how to make coconut rice to eat with roast fish.
Mathikuthiku ghamweya, Odongo gha shwayire ngombe dha nyakudyendi gha kadithe. Ngombe dha ngenine mudipya dyo maparaghumbo. Ndjimi yu gha patire thikuma no gha himine kukwata ngombe dhi. Kutunda diyuwa di, mungaghu yu nga konekanga no mbadi gha karire karo mumurandu.
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.
Diyuwa karo dimweya, hanuke hayendire kudyango dyo mughuro na Nyar-Kanyada.
Gha ghurithire yiwarwidhi, shuka no murora. Apiyo gha hakire kutongwera haghuri maparo gho yinu. Odongo ye ne kurongera yinu eyi hana ghuru hanu.
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.
Ene, muruvedhe rorufupi maturumuthero gheyire kughuhura no hanuke ha hukire ku ñuru mbara. Nyar-Kanyada gha pire Odongo hutji no Apiyo djeshi. Gha wa rongere yidya yo muruyendo.
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.
Apa ghana kumine wihagho nawashimbe, mbadi hashanine kuhuka. Hanuke ha kandere Nyar-Kanyada gha yende nawo kuñurumbara. Gha hekire nokughamba eshi ” Nomukuru keho me, ñanyi ni mutaterange mwa kwiye kokuno kudimbo karo.
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 naApiyo waheya ha ndhondhere nyakudyagho no kumuragha.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Apa hahukire ha Odongo naApiyo hakathimwetwedhire kwawaghendhawo yo kuhutera kuyipara yokumukunda. Hanuke hamweya ha kuyuvire eshi yipara yo muñurumbara ne yiwa. Hamweya hakuyuvire eshi yipara yo kumukunda ne hasha ya piterera. Ene tho mudyo po thikuma waheya hatawire eshi Odongo naApiyo ha kara no nyakudyagho gho muwa.
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!
Violet Otieno
Catherine Groenewald
Ruthgela Shawanga
Thimbukushu
Level 4
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