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A girl sitting in a tree singing.

Simbegwire Simbegwire

Written by Rukia Nantale

Illustrated by Benjamin Mitchley

Translated by Erwina N. Kanyenge

Language Rumanyo

Level Level 5

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.


A girl sitting on a man's lap.

Opo va dohorokire vawina Simbegwire,a guvire shiri. Vasha vaSimbegwire kwa kondjire mpopo va vhulira mukupakera mbiri monavo wamukadona. Kadidi-kadidi,ava vareke nka kuyuvha ruhafo va hana kukara kumwe navawina vaSimbegwire. Kehe yino ngurangura kava shungiranga mukutimwitira kuhamena liyuva lyakuuto.Kehe yino ngurova kava wapayikanga murarero kumwe. Nange vana mana kukusha visha,vasha vaSimbegwire kava muvateranga navirughanatapo vyendi vyakumundi.

When Simbegwire’s mother died, she was very sad. Simbegwire’s father did his best to take care of his daughter. Slowly, they learned to feel happy again, without Simbegwire’s mother. Every morning they sat and talked about the day ahead. Every evening they made dinner together. After they washed the dishes, Simbegwire’s father helped her with homework.


A girl looking at a man holding hands with a woman.

Liyuva limwe vasha vaSimbegwire ava huliliri kuya tika kumundi ene ngoli kapishi mo vyashwa kushoroka.”Kuni una kara monande?”ava yita. Simbegwire a duka a shamberere vashe. A yimana teghete opo a dimburulire ashi vashe kuna kwaterere livoko lyamukamali.”Nashana uya morore umwe washikoda, monande. Ghuye ndje Anita,”ava ghamba vavo kuno kuna kumenyamenya.

One day, Simbegwire’s father came home later than usual. “Where are you my child?” he called. Simbegwire ran to her father. She stopped still when she saw that he was holding a woman’s hand. “I want you to meet someone special, my child. This is Anita,” he said smiling.


A girl looking at a woman holding hands with a man.

“Moro Simbegwire,vasho va ntantera vyavingi vyakuhamena kukoye,a ghamba Anita. Ene ngoli kapi a menyunine ndi nampiri ndi a kwate mukadona unya mulivoko. Vasha vaSimbagwire kwa kalire vana hafa. Ava timwitiri ngoli vyakuhamena kukwavo vatatu mukutunga kumwe, ntani weni omo ngali va wapa liparu.”Monande,na huguvara ashi ngaghu mutambura Anita ashi vanyoko,”ava ghamba vasha vaSimbegwire.

“Hello Simbegwire, your father told me a lot about you,” said Anita. But she did not smile or take the girl’s hand. Simbegwire’s father was happy and excited. He talked about the three of them living together, and how good their life would be. “My child, I hope you will accept Anita as your mother,” he said.


A sad-looking girl in bed cuddling up to a blanket.

Liparu lyaSimbigwire ali kutjindji. Kapi nka kawananga ruvede rwa kushungira navashe ngurangura. Anita kamu panga virughana vyamumundi vyavingi ngudu ovyo kavi murororango ngudu nange dogoro a pire kuwana ruvede rwa kurughana virughanatapo vyendi vyashure kungurova. A vyukiliri aka rare munyima yamurarero. Shininke ashi huru ti shamuyitiliro likuyuvho nawa nguvo yendi yaruvara rwakumoneka shiwa oyo vamu shuvilire vanakufa vawina. Vasha vaSimbegwire kapi va monekire ashi vana vi dimburura ashi monavo kapi ana hafa.

Simbegwire’s life changed. She no longer had time to sit with her father in the mornings. Anita gave her so many household chores that she was too tired to do her school work in the evenings. She went straight to bed after dinner. Her only comfort was the colourful blanket her mother gave her. Simbegwire’s father did not seem to notice that his daughter was unhappy.


A sad-looking girl and woman waving to a man leaving home.

Munyima yamwedi tupu dadisheshu,vasha vaSimbegwire, ava va tantere ashi vavo ngava tunda mo tanko mumundi karugho kangandi.”Na kona kukara naruyendo rwakuvirughana vyande,” ava ghamba.”Ene ngoli ame navi yiva ashi ngamu kufera mbiri.” Simbegwire a negheda shipara sharuguvo ene ngoli vashe kapi vavi dimburulire. Anita uye pore yendi nankumbu shi. Naye kapi a hafire.

After a few months, Simbegwire’s father told them that he would be away from home for a while. “I have to travel for my job,” he said. “But I know you will look after each other.” Simbegwire’s face fell, but her father did not notice. Anita did not say anything. She was not happy either.


A woman holding a stick pointing at a frightened-looking girl.

Vininke avi kumana mo ngoli mwamudona kwaSimbegwire. Nange kapi ana mana virughana ovyo vana mupa ndi a tape rushivano rwendi,Anita kumu toghona. Ntani pashirugho shamurarero,mugholikadi uno kalyanga shingi shandya,Simbegwire kumu shuvira po tupu tughu vhughunyunu twa ngandi. Kehe ghano matiku Simbegwire kaliranga a kushengawide a rare,okuno uye ana mamatere nguvo yavawina.

Things got worse for Simbegwire. If she didn’t finish her chores, or she complained, Anita hit her. And at dinner, the woman ate most of the food, leaving Simbegwire with only a few scraps. Each night Simbegwire cried herself to sleep, hugging her mother’s blanket.


A woman pointing at a girl kneeling on the floor holding a blanket.

Ngurangura yimwe,Simbegwire a huliliri kurambuka.”Ove mukadona waudwa!” a haruka Anita. Anita a koko Simbegwire a tunde pambete. Nguvo yinya yashikoda ayi haka mumboha makura ayi papuka mukatji mapapi maviri.

One morning, Simbegwire was late getting out of bed. “You lazy girl!” Anita shouted. She pulled Simbegwire out of bed. The precious blanket caught on a nail, and tore in two.


A sad-looking girl walking carrying a bag.

Simbegwire a guvu shiri ngudu. A tokora kutjwayuka mo mumundi. A upu mapapi ghanya ghanguvo yavawina,a rongere ko ndya dangandi,a tundu mo mumundi. A kwama shitavura osho va pitire vashe.

Simbegwire was very upset. She decided to run away from home. She took the pieces of her mother’s blanket, packed some food, and left the house. She followed the road her father had taken.


A girl sitting in a tree singing.

Opo lya tokire liyuva,a rondo kushitondo shashire shapepi nashidiva makura a yara mukatji kadimutavi dashitondo shinya di kare cegca yendi. Kughuto wakurara a yimbi:”Yiina,yiina,yiina mwa ntjuva. Mwa ntjuva anwe nka kapi mwa kavyuka. Vavava kapi vana horo nka. Yina,shirugho munke ngamu ka vyuka. Mwa ntjuva.”

When it came to evening, she climbed a tall tree near a stream and made a bed for herself in the branches. As she went to sleep, she sang: “Maama, maama, maama, you left me. You left me and never came back. Father doesn’t love me anymore. Mother, when are you coming back? You left me.”


A girl sitting in a tree singing and a woman and a girl nearby listening.

Ngurangura yakukwama ko,Simbegwire a yimbi rushumo ndorunya nka. Vagholikadi opo va yire vaya kushe vyuma vyavo kushidiva shinya,ava yuvhu rushumo rwaruguvo runa kutundiliro kushitondo shinya shashire. Vavo kwa ghayalire ashi walye mpepo yina kupepo ngudu dogoro mahako gha shitondo gha tape mushagharo wantjiva, ene ngoli vavo ava twikiri navirughana vyavo. Umwe wavagholikadi vanya a tegherere nawa kurushumo runya.

The next morning, Simbegwire sang the song again. When the women came to wash their clothes at the stream, they heard the sad song coming from the tall tree. They thought it was only the wind rustling the leaves, and carried on with their work. But one of the women listened very carefully to the song.


A woman kneeling hugging a little girl.

Mugholikadi uno a kenge kushitondo. Opo a monine mukadona namaruvambi ghanguvo yayiwa ngudu,a liri,”Simbegwire,mona mukurwande wamukafumu!”Vagholikadi vamweya navo ava shagheke kukusha makura ava vatere Simbegwire a gcumpuke kushitondo. Vawinaghona ava mumamatere ava shetekere ko kumu shengawida.

This woman looked up into the tree. When she saw the girl and the pieces of colourful blanket, she cried, “Simbegwire, my brother’s child!” The other women stopped washing and helped Simbegwire to climb down from the tree. Her aunt hugged the little girl and tried to comfort her.


A girl in bed cuddling up to a blanket.

Vananeghona vaSimbegwire ava mutwara kumundi wavo. Opo vaka tikire kumundi vananeghona vendi ava kamu yumbura ndya dauyenyu,ava mufuku nakuyweka nguvo yavawina mumbete. Matiku ghanya Simbegwire a liri kuuto wakurara. Ene ngoli kwa kalire maruntjodi ghalipwiyumuko kwa navintje ovinya a monine kuuto wakutjwayuka mumundi. Avi yivire ashi vawinaghona ngava mupakera mbiri.

Simbegwire’s aunt took the child to her own house. She gave Simbegwire warm food, and tucked her in bed with her mother’s blanket. That night, Simbegwire cried as she went to sleep. But they were tears of relief. She knew her aunt would look after her.


An empty room.

Vasha vaSimbegwire opo vaka vyukire kumundi, ava ya wana nkonda yendi yakurara muporongwa.”Vinke vya shoroko,Anita?” ava pura namutjima wakundundumana. Mugholikadi Anita a fwaturura ashi Simbegwire a tjwayuka mumundi.”Na shanine a mfumadeke,”a ghamba.”Nani ngoli nakalire nyanya naye.”Vasha vaSimbegwire ava tundu mumundi va pirukire kuruha rwashidiva. Ava katwikira kumukunda a kalire muunyavo wamukamali mukapulida nange vamu mona ko Simbegwire.

When Simbegwire’s father returned home, he found her room empty. “What happened, Anita?” he asked with a heavy heart. The woman explained that Simbegwire had run away. “I wanted her to respect me,” she said. “But perhaps I was too strict.” Simbegwire’s father left the house and went in the direction of the stream. He continued to his sister’s village to find out if she had seen Simbegwire.


A man kneeling down talking to a girl.

Simbegwire kwa danaukire navaviro vyendi opo a monine vashe vavo shimpe ure vana kuyendera vaye. A kara naghoma ashi walye kuvhura va kare ashi vana garapa,makura a dukiri mundjugho aka vande. Nampiri ndi ngoweyo vashe ava mushupura mundjugho makura ava ghamba ashi,”Simbegwire,waya wana nyokwa wakuwapera. Ogho a kuhoro ntani uye nka kukutegherera. Una hafita ntani nakuhora.” Ava kughu maghano ashi Simbegwire nga kare navawinaghona shirugho ntjosho a shanine mwene.

Simbegwire was playing with her cousins when she saw her father from far away. She was scared he might be angry, so she ran inside the house to hide. But her father went to her and said, “Simbegwire, you have found a perfect mother for yourself. One who loves you and understands you. I am proud of you and I love you.” They agreed that Simbegwire would stay with her aunt as long as she wanted to.


A woman kneeling hugging a girl.

Vashe kava mudinguranga kehe liyuva. Va hana kuvi taterera,ava ya naAnita. A kwata livoko lyaSimbigwire. Ngupire po yaya,nakupukire,”a liri.”Kuvhura nka umpe ko mpito ni shetekere ko nka?”Simbegwire a kenge kushipara shavashe sha kaliro naruguvo.Makura a tampura mpadi kadidi-kadidi a yende kumeho makura aka mamata Anita.

Her father visited her every day. Eventually, he came with Anita. She reached out for Simbegwire’s hand. “I’m so sorry little one, I was wrong,” she cried. “Will you let me try again?” Simbegwire looked at her father and his worried face. Then she stepped forward slowly and put her arms around Anita.


A family standing around a table full of food smiling.

Shivike shakukwama ko,Anita a rekere Simbegwire,navaviro vyendi kumwe navawinaghona,vaye kumundi mposhi vaya kare namuyusha. Ashi ndya kughungi!Anita kwa wapayikire marudi ghandya nadintje odo a hora Simbigwire ano navantje ava li nange dogoro ava kuta. Vanuke ava danauka okuno vakurona vavo kuna kutimwitira. Simbegwire a kara naruhafo a hana kuyuvha ghoma. A tokora ashi ntantani-ntantani nga vyuke kumundi wavo nga katunge kumwe navashe navawina vashitumbwena.

The next week, Anita invited Simbegwire, with her cousins and aunt, to the house for a meal. What a feast! Anita prepared all of Simbegwire’s favourite foods, and everyone ate until they were full. Then the children played while the adults talked. Simbegwire felt happy and brave. She decided that soon, very soon, she would return home to live with her father and her stepmother.


Written by: Rukia Nantale
Illustrated by: Benjamin Mitchley
Translated by: Erwina N. Kanyenge
Language: Rumanyo
Level: Level 5
Source: Simbegwire from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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