Umutoni na Hirwa babanaga na se mu mugi. Bifuzaga ko ibiruhuko bigera vuba. Ibyo ntibyari ukubera ko bashaka kuruhuka amasomo gusa, ahubwo bashakaga no kujya gusura Nyirakuru. Nyirakuru yari atuye hafi y’ikiyaga kinini hakaba harakorerwaga imirimo y’uburobyi cyane.
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 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 gitondo kare kare, bafashe inzira bajya mu cyaro kwa nyirakuru. Se yari abatwaye mu modoka ye. Baragiye barenga imisozi bafata iyindi, banyura ku nyamaswa zo mu gasozi, baca ku mirima y’icyayi barakomeza. Bagendaga babara imodoka banyuzeho ndetse bakanaririmba uturirimbo.
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.
Byageze aho abana barananirwa barasinzira.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Bagezeyo se arabakangura. Basanze nyirakuru Nyirakamana yiryamiye ku musambi munsi y’igiti. Nyirakamana yari umukecuru mwiza kandi ugifite imbaraga.
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.
Nyirakuru yabahaye ikaze abinjira mu ruganiriro. Ibyishimo byinshi biramusaba arabaririmbira ari nako azenguruka icyumba acinya akadiho. Abana nabo bari bishimiye kumushyikiriza impano bari bamuzaniye. Umutoni ati: “Fungura impano yange nyogoku!” Hirwa na we ati: “Oya ndanze, banza iyange nyogoku!”
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.
Amaze gufungura izo mpano, Nyirakamana yabahaye umugisha wa kibyeyi.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Hashize akanya, Umutoni na Hirwa barasohoka bajya gukina n’utunyoni n’utunyugunyugu.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Buriye ibiti bakidumbura mu mazi y’ikiyaga.
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!
Bukeye bw’aho, se yafashe urugendo yisubirira mu mugi abasiga kwa Nyirakamana.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Umutoni na Hirwa bafashaga nyirakuru gukora imirimo yo mu rugo. Bavomaga amazi bakanatashya inkwi. Bajyaga no gutora amagi mu nzu y’inkoko, bakanasoroma imboga mu karima k’igikoni.
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.
Nyirakamana yigishaga abuzukuru be gukora umutsima wo kurisha isosi. Yanaberekaga uko bateka umuceri wo kurisha ifi yokeje.
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.
Umunsi umwe Hirwa yahuye inka za nyirakuru, zijya mu murima w’umuturanyi. Uwo muturanyi byaramubabaje, atera ubwoba Hirwa ko atwara izo nka kuko zamwoneye. Bukeye bw’aho Hirwa yaritwararitse ngo inka zitongera kumuteza ibibazo.
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.
Undi munsi, abana bajyanye na nyirakuru ku isoko. Yacuruzaga imboga, isukari n’isabuni. Umutoni yakundaga kubwira abakiriya ibiciro by’ibicuruzwa, Hirwa na we akabapyunyikira ibyo baguze.
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.
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.
Se agarutse kubafata, ntibifuzaga gutaha. Binginga Nyirakamana ngo bajyane mu mugi. Aramwenyura ati: “Bana banjye ndashaje sinaba mu mugi. Nzajya ntegereza ko muza kunsura.”
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.”
Umutoni na Hirwa baramuhobera cyane bamusezeraho.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Umutoni na Hirwa basubiye ku ishuri babwira inshuti zabo iby’ubuzima bwo mu cyaro. Abana bamwe bumva ubuzima bwo mu mugi ari bwo bwiza. Abandi bumva kuba mu cyaro ari byiza kurusha kuba mu mugi. Icyo bose bahurijeho ni uko Umutoni na Hirwa bafite nyirakuru mwiza.
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
Aloysie Uwizeyemariya
Kinyarwanda
Level 4
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