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A boy singing in front of a woman.

Dimbo dyaSakima Sakima's song

Written by Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Peris Wachuka

Translated by Ruthgela Shawanga

Language Thimbukushu

Level Level 3

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A man, a woman, a boy and a girl standing outside a hut and some trees.

Sakima ghatungire nawakuru wendi na minendi ghomukamadi. Awo hatungire padyango dyakatughuru gho mutungi. Ndhuwo dhawo dhomuhonyi ne dhakarere kughuhura ghomiyira dhoyitondo.

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.

A boy thinking about when he was ill in bed.

Apa gha karire Sakima no myaka dhihatu, ghakorwire no gha fire meho. Sakima ne mwanuke oyu ghakarire noghudimuki.

When Sakima was three years old, he fell sick and lost his sight. Sakima was a talented boy.

A boy talking to three women.

Sakima nga tendanga yinu yoyingi eyi nga hapiranga kutenda hanuke ho myaka dhokwokofotji. Thitamenedhi, aye ngahungamananga nohakuru homumukunda no kukuvureka yinu yomudyo.

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.

A boy and girl waving to a man and woman leaving.

Hakuru waSakima nga ha rughananga mudimbo dya mutungi. Nga hatundanga mudimbo mathikuthiku no kahuka ghuthiku. Sakima nga thiyaranga na minendi ghomukamadighana.

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.

A boy singing to a woman.

Sakima gha hakire kwimba membo. Diyuwa dimweya nyina ghamwipure, “Kupi wa kuhongera membo gha, Sakima?”

Sakima loved to sing songs. One day his mother asked him, “Where do you learn these songs from, Sakima?”

A boy talking with a woman.

Sakima gha huthire, “Kughaneyanga vene, nawe. Ame kughayuva mumutwi wange no kughemba.”

Sakima answered, “They just come, mother. I hear them in my head and then I sing.”

A boy singing to a girl smiling.

Sakima gha hakire kwimbera minendi gho mukamadi, thikumapo, apa nga yuvanga ndhara. Minendi yu nga mu teghereranga gha kwimba dimbo dyendi edi gha hakire thikuma. Aye nga kunyunganyunganga kudimbo di dyo kuhengaghura.

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.

A boy sitting and a girl standing next to him.

“Kukona ghudimbe karo Sakima,” minendi nga mukanderanga. Sakima nga tawanga no kumwimbera karo rorwingi.

“Can you sing it again and again, Sakima,” his sister would beg him. Sakima would accept and sing it over and over again.

A sad-looking man and woman sitting with their heads in their hands and a boy and girl next them.

Runguro rumweya apa ha kahukire hakuru wendi kudimbo, mbadi ha ghambaghurire. Sakima gha dimukire eshi poyidi yina hokoka.

One evening when his parents returned home, they were very quiet. Sakima knew that there was something wrong.

A boy talking to a man and woman and a girl standing next to them.

“Ghukutu munye ghu di po, nawe, tate?” ghepure Sakima. Sakima gha yuvire eshi mwana mutungi gho mungaghu ne ghana yongara. Mutungi yu gha gha yuvire dingungwa no gha tokotire.

“What is wrong, mother, father?” Sakima asked. Sakima learned that the rich man’s son was missing. The man was very sad and lonely.

A boy talking to a woman with her arms crossed and a man.

“Kukona ni ka mwimberepo. Pamweya ṅanyi gha shamberere karo,”Sakima gha tongwere hakuru wendi. Ene hakuru wendi ha mukanane. “Ayene mutungi thikuma. Owene gho mungaghu gho mukunga vene. Kughayara shi dimbo dyoye ne ṅanyi di ka mughamwene?”

“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?”

A girl with her hand on her tummy talking to a man, a woman and a boy.

Ngambikemo, Sakima mbadi gha kuhupwere. Minendi gha mukwatithireko. “Membo gha Sakima ne kunihengaghura me ngeshi ndhara. Naye mutungi ṅanyi gha kamuhengaghure.”

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.”

A girl leading a blind boy with a stick through a forest.

Diyuwa dyokurandako, Sakima ghepure minendi gha mutware kudimbo dyamutungi.

The following day, Sakima asked his little sister to lead him to the rich man’s house.

A boy standing outside a building singing to a man looking out of the window, and a girl standing next to him.

Ghemanine pamuve dho dikende dyodikuru no ghatangire kwimba dimbo dyendi edi gha hakire thikuma. Munyima dhoruvedhe, mutungi gha shwayithire mutwi wendi padikende dyodikuru.

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.

A boy singing outside a building singing to a man looking out of the window, and a girl and some workers standing next to him.

Haruwani hashayekire eyi hatendire. Hategherere kudimbo dyaSakima dyoditowi. Ene katughuru yofotji gha ghambire,”Noyofotji temba gha kukona kuhengaghura muhona. Oyu mungaghu gho mukunga kughayara shi ṅanyi gha muhengaghure?”

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?”

A man standing outside a building calling a boy and girl walking away.

Sakima gha manine kwimba dimbo dyendi no gha pirukire gha kayende. Ene mutungi yu ghashwayire wangu no kuninga eshi, “Nakandera wimbe karo.”

Sakima finished singing his song and turned to leave. But the rich man rushed out and said, “Please sing again.”

Two men carrying a boy on a stretcher towards a man standing next to a boy and girl.

Poro ruvedhe, hatutughuru hawadi heyire hana dhamuna munu pathirongo. Awo hawanine mwana mutungi hana mupumura no kumuthiya kuthitavura.

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.

A man standing between two boys in hospital beds and a girl standing in front of him.

Mutungi yu gha shamberire thikuma mukumona mwanendi karo. Ghafutire Sakima ko yi gha muhengaghurire. Ghatwarire mwanendi na Sakima kuthipatera podiyo shi gha kukone kumona karo.

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.

Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Peris Wachuka
Translated by: Ruthgela Shawanga
Language: Thimbukushu
Level: Level 3
Source: Sakima's song from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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