Loyi i Wavhudi. U na malembe ya nkombo. Vito ra yena i ra Xivhenda. To vula leswaku ‘wa kahle’.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Wavhudi u pfuka a vulavula na mulamula. “Ndza ku kombela wena mulamula, kula u ta hi nyika malamula yo vupfa.”
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Wavhidi u ya exikolweni. Endleleni u vulavula na byanyi. “Ndza ku kombela wena byanyi, kula u va wa rihlaza, u nga omi.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Wavhudi a hundza swiluva swa nkova. “Ndza mi kombela n’wina swiluva, kulani swinene ndzi ta hamba ndzi tikhavisa hi n’wina enhlokweni.”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Exikolweni Wavhudi u vulavula na murhi lowu nga endzeni ka xikolo. “Ndza ku kombela wena murhi, huma marhavi leswaku hi ta hamba hi hlaya ehansi ka wena.”
At school, Khalai talks to the tree in the middle of the compound. “Please tree, put out big branches so we can read under your shade.”
Wavhudi u vulavula na mirhi ya mitwa leyi nga endla darata ya xikolo. Ndza ku kombela leswaku u kulak u sivela makhamba ku nghena exikolweni.
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Loko Wavhudi a vuya hi le xikolweni u vhakerile mulamula. Kutani a wu vutisa a ku: “Xana malamula ya wena ya vupfile ke?”
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
“Malamula a ya si vupfa. Ndzi ta ku vona mundzuku. Kumbe ndzi nga kuma u ri na malamula yo vupfa.” Ku vula Wavhudi.
“The oranges are still green,” sighs Khalai. “I will see you tomorrow orange tree,” says Khalai. “Perhaps then you will have a ripe orange for me!”
