This is Khalai.
O ke Molemo. O
dingwaga di le supa. O
molemo go tshwana le
leina la gagwe.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Molemo fa a tsoga o
bua le setlhare sa
dinamune. “Ka kopo
setlhare sa dinamune,
gola o gogobe mme o
re fe dinamune tse di
monate.”
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Molemo o ya sekolong.
Mo tseleng o bua le
bojang. “Ka kopo
bojang, nna talana
mme o se omelele.”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Molemo o feta
ditšheshe tsa naga. “Ka
kopo ditšheshe ,
tswelela go ntlafala
gore ke kgabise moriri
wa me ka wena.”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Kwa sekolong, Molemo
o bua le setlhare se se
mo gare ga tshimo ya
sekolo. “Ka kopo
setlhare, mela dikala
tse dikgolo gore re
kgone go balela mo
tlase ga moriti wa
gago.”
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.”
Molemo o bua le
ditlhare tse di potapotileng legora la
sekolo. “Ka kopo gola o
tie, o thibele disenyi go
tsena mo.”
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Fa Molemo a fitlha kwa
gae o ile a tswelela go
bua le setlhare sa
dinamune.”A dinamune
tsa gago ga ise di
butswe?”
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
Molemo o ne a bua ka
go swaba a re,
“dinamune ga ise di
butswe. Ke tla go bona
kamoso setlhare sa
dinamune.” “ Ka
gongwe o tla be o
ntiretse namune e e
butswileng!”
“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!”
