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Sakima het saam met sy ouers en vierjarige suster gewoon. Hulle het op ‘n ryk man se grond gewoon. Hulle grasbedekte hut was aan die einde van ‘n ry bome.
Sakima lived with his parents and his four year old sister.
They lived on a rich man’s land.
Their grass-thatched hut was at the end of a row of trees.
Toe Sakima drie jaar oud was, het hy siek geword en sy sig verloor. Sakima was ‘n begaafde seun.
When Sakima was three years old, he fell sick and lost his sight.
Sakima was a talented boy.
Sakima het baie dinge gedoen wat ander sesjarige seuns nie gedoen het nie. Hy kon byvoorbeeld saam met ouer mense van die dorpie sit en belangrike sake bespreek.
Sakima did many things that other six year old boys did not do.
For example, he could sit with older members of the village and discuss important matters.
Sakima se ouers het by die ryk man se huis gewerk. Hulle het vroegoggend van die huis af weggegaan en laataand teruggekom. Sakima het by sy sussie gebly.
The parents of Sakima worked at the rich man’s house.
They left home early in the morning and returned late in the evening.
Sakima was left with his little sister.
Sakima het gehou van sing. Eendag het sy ma hom gevra, “Waar leer jy die liedjies, Sakima?”
Sakima loved to sing songs.
One day his mother asked him, “Where do you learn these songs from, Sakima?”
Sakima het geantwoord, ” Hulle kom net, Mamma. Ek hoor hulle in my kop en dan sing ek.”
Sakima answered, “They just come, mother. I hear them in my head and then I sing.”
Sakima het daarvan gehou om vir sy sussie te sing, veral as sy honger was. Sy sussie sou luister hoe hy sy geliefkoosde lied sing. Sy sou wieg op die maat van die strelende musiek.
Sakima liked to sing for his little sister, especially, if she felt hungry.
His sister would listen to him singing his favourite song.
She would sway to the soothing tune.
“Sal jy dit weer en weer sing, Sakima,” het sy sussie hom gesmeek. Sakima sou instem en dit oor en oor sing.
“Can you sing it again and again, Sakima,” his sister would beg him.
Sakima would accept and sing it over and over again.
Een aand toe sy ouers huis toe kom, was hulle baie stil. Sakima het geweet dat iets verkeerd was.
One evening when his parents returned home, they were very quiet.
Sakima knew that there was something wrong.
“Wat is verkeerd, Mamma, Pappa?” het Sakima gevra. Hy moes hoor dat die ryk man se seun vermis was. Die man was baie hartseer en eensaam.
“What is wrong, mother, father?” Sakima asked.
Sakima learned that the rich man’s son was missing.
The man was very sad and lonely.
“Ek kan vir hom sing. Miskien kan hy weer gelukkig wees,” het Sakima vir sy ouers gesê. Sy ouers het nee gesê. “Hy is baie ryk. Jy is net ‘n blinde seuntjie. Dink jy jou lied sal hom help?”
“I can sing for him. He might be happy again,” Sakima told his parents.
But his parents dismissed him.
“He is very rich. You are only a blind boy. Do you think your song will help him?”
Sakima het nie opgegee nie. Sy sussie het hom ondersteun. Sy het gesê, “Sakima se liedjies troos my as ek honger is. Hulle sal die ryk man ook troos.”
However, Sakima did not give up.
His little sister supported him.
She said, “Sakima’s songs soothe me when I am hungry. They will soothe the rich man too.”
Die volgende dag het Sakima sy sussie gevra om hom na die ryk man se huis toe te lei.
The following day, Sakima asked his little sister to lead him to the rich man’s house.
Hy het onder die een groot venster gaan staan en begin om sy geliefkoosde lied te sing. Stadig het die ryk man se kop deur die groot venster begin wys.
He stood below one big window and began to sing his favourite song.
Slowly, the head of the rich man began to show through the big window.
Die werkers het hul werk gestaak. Hulle het na Sakima se pragtige lied geluister. Een van die mans het egter gesê, “Niemand kon die baas vertroos nie. Dink hierdie blinde seun hy kan hom vertroos?”
The workers stopped what they were doing. They listened to Sakima’s beautiful song.
But one man said, “Nobody has been able to console the boss. Does this blind boy think he will console him?”
Sakima het sy lied klaar gesing en omgedraai om weg te gaan. Maar die ryk man het buitentoe gehardloop en gesê, “Sing asseblief weer.”
Sakima finished singing his song and turned to leave.
But the rich man rushed out and said, “Please sing again.”
Op daardie oomblik het twee mans met iets op ‘n draagbaar aangekom. Hulle het die ryk man se seun gekry. Hy was geslaan en langs die pad gelos.
At that very moment, two men came carrying someone on a stretcher.
They had found the rich man’s son beaten up and left on the side of the road.
Die ryk man was so bly om sy seun weer te sien. Hy het Sakima beloon omdat hy hom vertroos het. Hy het sy seun en Sakima hospitaal toe geneem, sodat Sakima sy sig kon herwin.
The rich man was so happy to see his son again.
He rewarded Sakima for consoling him.
He took his son and Sakima to hospital so Sakima could regain his sight.
