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Muhwana ni Mulongo ba menya mu hibuga ni saawe. Baali besunga ohuŋumula.
Si huba ti abaana abamasemero baali baja mu huŋumula aye olw’ohuba baali baja huhyalira nguhwa waawe .
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.
Muhwana ni Mulongo baali basangafu o’lwohuba baali baja ohyalira nguha waawe.
Ehiire ko buhye batiine, bategeha emigugu jaawe eji baali ni baja hutiina ni najo.
Si baŋenyuha hwiro olw’ohuba owiire woosi baali baŋaya hu bija ohuba mu luŋumulo.
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.
Mu mawiiwi,batagiha olugendo lwawe era bagendera mu motoka ya saawe.
Ba fuga babita mu sosi, musolo ekambwe no mundimiro j’amajaani.
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.
Ehiseera ni hyabitaŋo, abaana batagiha ohuŋenyuha olw’omudembo.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Saawe gabasisimusa ni benda ohwoleresa ewa nguhwa waawe.
Baagaanaa nguhwa waawe Namulwa naŋumulira mu musaala.
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.
Nguuhu gabakalimbusa mu nyumba era esangalo eri gaali ni n’alyo ng’olibonera hu hwemba n’mahina aga gaahina.
Abejuhulu babe bamuŋambya ebirabo ebi baali ni nibamuleteaye ohuŋwa mu hibuga.
Era hino bahihola n’esangaalo.
Nga Muhwana amuloma ati, “Sooka wigule ehirabo hyange!”
Ne eno Mulongo yeesi ati, “Ehirabo ehyange nje hyobe osooka!”
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.
Nguhwa yawe ni gahena ohwigula ebirabo, gahena gasaaya hu bejuhulu babe nga olu obuwangwa waawe waali.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Nga Muhwana ni Mulongo batula mu nyumba, batagiha ohuŋiima epuluguti n’enyuni.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Banina emisaala era bebbomba mu maaji genyanja.
They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.
Aherema aŋa haŋambira, bagama ewa nguhwa waawe ohulya ehyegulo, ero silya baganya huhena ohulya ni litabaŋangula.
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
Ni wahya,semwana w’abaana gafuga emotoka yiye gagama mu hibuga.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Muhwana ni Mulongo ba yeeda nguhwa waawe emirimo eja ŋango. Bajanga amaaji era, batenya n’ekwi. Basolosanga amagi gengoho era baaŋa eryani.
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.
Guhuu gegeresa abejuhulu babe ohunyiya ebiryo.
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.
Lulala, mu mugamba Muhwana gaŋira eŋombe ja nguhwa wuwe ohwaya.
Jaduluma jengira mu ndimiro ya muliranwa wawe.
Omwene nimiro ganyiigira Muhwana luhulu lwene. Era gatisa tiisa ati gaali aja husigasa eŋombe olw’ohulya ebirime bibye.
Ohuŋwa hu ludaalo olwo Muhwana gegenderesa ebigosi bitoola hu ŋombe nindi.
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.
Lulala nga nindi abaana batiina mu katale ni Nguhwa wawe.
Gaali n’omudaala ohu gatundiranga eryani, sukaali ni sabbuni.
Muhwana ganyumirwanga luhulu lwene ohulomera abagusi omuŋendo gw’ebiitu.
Mulongo nga aboŋaga ebibagulire.
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.
Ni bahenanga ohutunda nga behala banywa caayi. Nga bahena bayeeda nguhwa waawe ohubala ebbesa eji bafunire.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Ne oluŋuumulo silwalwa huŋwaho ng’abaana bagamayo mu hibuga.
Nguhuu gaŋa Muhwana e kofiira nga aŋa Mulongo esweta.
Gabategehera n’ebiryo eby’ohulira mu ngira ni batiina mu lugendo.
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.
Saaawe ni gaberuhira, sibenda hu tiina ni naye.
Abaana begayirira Nguhwa wawe atiine nabo.
Gamwenya galoma ati, “Ndi musahulu sisobola mu hibuga nja husigala mbalinde ohwola nindi olu muli galuha.”
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.”
Muhwana ni mulongo bamugwa muhifuba nibamusebula.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Muhwana ni Mulongo ni bagama hu somero, baŋayiraho abahyawe ebifa mu hyalo.
Abaana abandi beŋeega ti obulamu mu hibuga buba bulaŋi n’abandi bahibona ti ohuba mu hyalo hihira ohuba mu hibuga.
Ne mu hyosi, hiisi muutu gehirisa ti Muhwana ni Mulongo baali ni nguhwa waawe omulaŋi!
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!
