Play time: 33:00 minutes. Recorded in Shiru, Kenya, April 7, 2014.

Vakeere Vavaga Mu Lidala

Hellen Makungu

Ku mita vananga Hellen Makungu.

Mbeye nu lugano lwa vakana vavaga vatsia kotenya. kwaliho na vakere vavaga vivula avana vavo vavaga. Vali vamenya lidala lilala na mukere mulala yivula mwana mukana kandi undi ndio kandi undi ndio. na vakana yavo vaviluka vatanga likola tsigasi tsia hango; kutsia mu kidaho, kweya hango, kwogitsa vindu. Lwa vakana yavo vatsitsagilila kuviluka vatanga kutsia kotenya. Na vakana yavo vali vayanzana sana. Tsigasi tsia hango vavugulana vakola hala. Kutsia mu kidaho valomba tsi-duty. Mula atsili ku uyu kandi mugamba gundi natsili uyu kandi gundi uyu natsili ku uyu. Ni venya kweya veyela hala; vatsie kweya iyi kandi iyi kandi iyi. Vakaviluka vatanga kutsia kotenya na gwaliho mugamba mula vatula vatsia kotenya. Lwa vatsia kotenya vanyola tsingu vatenya valeta tsingu. Na imbura yali niveye ku sana; tsingu tsiavo vatenya vagulitse, tsinde vadekere. Lidiku lilala valomba vwiyangu vwu kutsia kotenyera mula; vatenya valeta tsingu yitsio vashira hango hu mukana mula yatura. Lidiku lilonda ku lia kavili kandi vatsia kotenyela uyu kandi vamuletela, kandi lia kavaga ndio. Ku liali ho lidiku vavola kutsie kotenya. Lwa vatsia kotenya venya tsingu vanyola dave tsiali tsiafwa ho; venya sana vanyola ku dave. Vamanya vilana vere yengo. Vivuli vavateva "vaya lelo tsingu tsia mutsiyi kotenya tsiveyo dave?" Vavola tsingu tsivula. Kandi vagona vaganaganyia liduka lidiku linde kandi vatsia kotenya. Lwa vatsia kotenya mukana mula navola lelokutatsi vupande yivu mba kutsie vundi yivu. Vatsia vanyola tsingu vatenya vatenya na lwa vali ni vavoha ni vahenza igulu na inzala yali ni veye ku sana. Lwa mukana mula yahenza igulu nalola tsinzagayaga. Navavola lwa kovoha ndi tsingu muhenzi ku igulu? Na vandi vala vavola "ah ah, kohenzi ku igulu ku musala dave" Navavola muhenze ku musala igulu mulole ni ki kiveye ku. Lwa vahenza igulu vanyola tsinzagayaga tsiveye ku. vatevana kumanya kokole ndi? Kovohe tsingu kunine ku musala. vavoha tsingu vasingilitsa yaho ma vosi vanina ku musala. Vatanga vavolana, lwa kutsia ku musala yiku kutange kulia halafu kwenye kwaguli tsia kutsia natsio kwenye kulie hamugorova. Vamanya vanina ku musala vosi ni valia valia viguta. vavola kwenya kumwalitse tsimoni kwaguli tsia kutsia natsio yengo. na lwa kumwalitsa ndi kwenya kwaguli tsinyengu na mundu wagula tsingingi amanya atigale yagula tsinyengu. Vakana vavili vamwalitsa tsimoni dave na mula namwalitsa. yavo vagula tsinyengu na wamwalitsa tsimoni uyu yagula tsingingi. Lwa vavili yava vagula tsinyengu na mula yavola sasa kohenze na lwa vahenza vavola kwenya kolole ni vwaha yaguyi tsingingi. vanyola mukana mulala wa mwalitsa tsimoni yaguyi tsingingi navo vaguyi tsinyengu. Vamanya vavola wagula tsingingi uyu yivi ulatigala ni wagula tsinyengu na vavili yava vika ni vidwika tsingu tsiavo. Navavola aki muninda ni vavola awa yive utigale na munzila mwa kutsitsa kumanya kugendange koktonyia ksagate umanye ha kolondeye. Vamanya vavugula masagati na lwa vavolana ndio gunani gwali goveye mmulitu yimwo guhulitsa ga vakana yavo vavola. Lwa gwali guhulitsanga ni guchiling'ana. Lwa vakana yava valeka uyu yagula tsinzagayaga na vavugula matu vatanga litonyia ni vagenda. Na gunani yigwo lwa gwalola gwavalonda inyuma galaha nagwo godora guviga mu inzila yindi itsitsa mu nyumba ya gwo. Vatonyia matu yago lwa vaduka yengo mukana oyo atigaye ni yagula. Lwa vaduka yengo vatula tsingu tsiavo. Lwa mukana oyo yika ku musala ni yidwika tsingu tsitsye natanga lilonda matu yago. Nalonda matu na vakana vatsiyi yava ndi vaduchi yengo vavetvi mukana undi wa mwali naye mmulechi hayi na yavo vavoye aveye tsa mu inzila yimu yatsa. Kulechi oyo nagenda galaha avoshi tsingu tsinyinge yatsa. Mukana oyo nalonda matu naduka mu iynumba yindi na imbura ikuba inyinge. Matu yago gaduka hamuliango yingila munyumba yi linani. Mukana oyo navugula tsingu navika hachova atsie kwigama. Lwa yahenza mu navola mbo matu yaga gaduchi vakana va kwali navo vafwana vigami mmba yimu. Niyingila mmba yimu naghenza yalola mu mundu dave. Galoleka imbura yitsi inynge ya magina galoleka mukana oyo mbaka yigame. Ma nasingila mu yigama. Lwa yigama imbura itsie kugaduka sasa isa yakamwama. Vwakagwa vudiku. Gunani gutula yila gwingila na gonyola mukana oyo aveye mu. Gutanga kwimba:

Tindeee tinde tinde na ndole

Imbura yu lujere tinde tinde nandole

Indeteye mukana tinde tinde na ndole

Mukana oyo nachiling'ana na lwa yalola gunani nasingila. Gunani gohenza mukana oyo govola "mukana uyu ndi ninzita si manya ndie inyama mali inze wengine dave, nzie kwenya manani gandi." Gunani yigwo gwamanya gutula gutsia kwenya manani kandi. Lwa gwatsia mukana oyo yamanya nanyagula natsia nanina kwilungu nachiling'ana. Lwa yachiling'ana kwilungu yikwo minani yijio jitsa jihenza na jialola mukana oyo dave. Vavolana "kuhambitse mulu nare yivisi havundu amanye aturi ho tsa ni ku gwa ku ma kusinzi tsinyama kysambe." Vahambitsa mulu mmba na mukana oyo yikaye tsa kwilungu achiling'ani ni tsinzagayaga tsitsie tsia yali yaguyi amanya atsie natsio yengo. Mukana oyo yalinda tsa vakahambitsa mulu navugula tsinzagayaga tsia yali natsio narasa mmahiga. tsitulikana mmba mugwa mulu mwosi, tsisese tsitumila manani yaga giluka. Linani liatsia kolanga gandi yaga vasienela hasi linani yilio likutsa nago giluka ni gatsia. Mukana oyo yamanya yika kwilungu yikwo, yidwika tsingu tsitsie natsia naduka yengo. Lwa yaduka yengo vivuli valola yatsa vamuteva "ae, vandi vatrsi mugorova yive ugoni hayi?" Navola "imbura yali inyinge na manyi ni nzigama. Mu nyumba mwanzigami nimwo mwangoni." Na vakana vali navo vala vachiling'ani vahera ku dave. Nya namuteva ku kandi navola agoneye tsa mmbutende imbura yali inyinge. Vakana yavo vamanya vachiling'ana kandi vivuli vachiling'ana. Lugano lwange lufwere hene yaho.

Mbeye kandi ni lundi:

Yali ho mukere mulala vamuranganga Kadesa na yali nu mwana weve vamuranganga Ashiamunda. Mukere oyo yali ni mulimi munene na valimanga nu mwana weve oyo gwosi gufwa. Ku gwali ho mugamba gundi mukere oyo ni vatula vatsia kulima nu mukana weve oyo. vatsia valima valima na mulimi gwavo yigwo vataga tsinjugu. Ku gwali ho mugamba mula mukere oyo vatura nu muyayi weve vatsia valima vamala ni vataga tsinjugu tsiavo. Lwa vataga tsinjugu tsiavo, tsiakola vulahi sana, vasembera vatsivasina. Tsinjugu yitsio vagulitsila vandu; vatsitsa natsio vuminya vakuvura vagulitsila vandu. Lidiku lilala mukere oyo yalwala kabisa navola mukana oyo "wa, madiku gaduchi gu kutaga tsinjugu na vandu kalunu valima, nakokolendi?" Mukaka oyo namuvolela "inze ndatsia kulima." Naye namuvolela "ae, oleke mbenze ku vandi vatsie ku kokonya kwanguhi kulima." namugaya tsa awa inze ndalima tsa mwene ndamala. Lidiku lilala mukana oyo navuka asubui nadeka ichai na anwa mukere oyo namuvolela yive katsie ulimi. Mukana oyo navugula ligembe natsia naduka mmulimi yigwo navugula ligembe navika yaho. Navugula malova niyibura virenge yivi, makono nagunza yo natsia mmbukinu nakina ni yibura malova ma natura yo hamurova. Mama weve lwa yamulola malova gaveye ku virenge navola "ae mwanange ulimi kutula asubui mpaga isinu?" Naye navola "eh, nimi sana." mama weve namuvolela minaji vosela mmba yimu yingila unwe. Mukana oyo navika hasi ligembe natsia niyisinga ma navaho, ma nagona. Kandi vuchia mugamba navola nya kandi nya nzie kurima. Namuvolela ulimi vandi vaveye shimbe kutaga kali yive utage. Natsia kandi mmulimi niyibura malova natsia nakina na vandi kabisa kandi natsia navola mama weve ndakulima hatigaye tsa hadi ha nanzie kumalitsa mugamba. Mama weve namuvolela "tsisendi tsia ndali ndungi muyinziri leka nanzie kukugula tsinguvu." Mukana oyo nayanza. Kandi vuchia mugamba kandi mukana oyo natsia kandi navika ha amanya avika ligembe kandi natsia nakina. Niyatsa navola nya nimi lelo ndakumala kabisa; mugamba nanzie tsa kutaga. Mukere namuvolela vulahi. Lwa vwachia mugamba mukana oyo nya navugula tsinjugu namuha namuvolela "mwanange nyenya tsinjugu yitsi ustie kutaga tsa sa kuli kumanya kutaga kijira kwabima ho tsa kuli tsinjugu tsiakumanya klutaga. ndakuha mugorogoro mula kalunu kandi mugamba gundi." Navugula tsinjugu mugorogoro mula naha mukana oyo. Lwa yavwachia navuka nadeka ichai nanwa ma navola "ka mbe tsinjugu mama nzie kutaga." Navugula tsinjugu namuha. Lwa mukana oyo yaduka mmulimi yigwo navugula tsinjugu yitsio nalia tsiosi na navugula malova niyibura virenge na makono gosi kandi niyilana navola mama ndakutaga mulimi tsinjugu; gutigaye tsa gwa nanzie kumalitsa tsa mugamba. Mukere oyo naseka tsa nayanza navola mwanange okoli vulahi. Lwa vwachia mugamba navugula tsiatigala namuvolela utsie kumalitsa. Lwa yatsia kandi nalia tsinjugu yitsio tsiosi namala navugula malova niyibura virenge na makono namuvolela mama lelo maliyi kutaga. Vamenya vamala mieli sita na vandu vatanga tsisinya tsinjugu. Lwa vandu vatanga lisinya tsinjugu, mukere namuvololela "woi mwanange vandu vatanji kusinya tsinjugu na kuli ndalwala mbeye ni tsinguru dave nyanji mbuguri ku vakere vavili vatsie ku kokonya kusinya tsinjugu." Mukana oyo yamanya nagaya "ah ah, nyenya ku ombe mundu utsia kongonya tsinjugu dave, manya sinyange tsa garaha garaha nindeta paga lwa namale inze mwene. na kandi tsisendi yitsio tsia uha vandu yitsio nyenya na utsie kungula virato. na muvolela mbe ligunia. Mukere namuha ligunia, namudekera ichai na muvolela kutura kalunu nyenya ngodekerange ichai indahi ku onyola tsinguru tsia utsia kusinyila tsinjugu. Mukere oyo yagulatsa mmbere adeka ichai, agura mugadi ma amuha alia. Lwa yamuhetsanga avugula ligembe ma atsia. Natsia naduka mmulimi gwavo yali yataga ku tsinjugu dave. nahenza mulimi gwali gwu mulina wa mama weve, nahenza iyi ni iyi natsia nasinya tsinjugu navika mwigunia nashila nya navola nya "mama, tsinjugu tsiandataga haa yitsi ndakuleta." Nya nayanza navugula tsinjugu tsitsie nalomba navagala navika yaho namuvolela kandi vuchie mugamba utsie kusinya tsinde. Vuchia mugamba kandi mukere oyo namudekera ichai na muvolela mwanange nyenya utsie kusinya tsinjugu. Mukana oyo natsia nasinya mmulimi gwa mulina wa mama weve kandi naleta. kandi nya nayanza navola "mwanange okoli vulahi ondeteye tsinjugu." navola mugamba ndatsia kumalitsa hatigala ngoletele. Mukana oyo yavuka asubui kale nadeka ichai kama kawaida vamuha. Lwa vamuha natula natsia. Lwa ystai naduka mmulimi nahenza iyi kandi natsia mu gundi. Na vandu kalunu vamanyi mundu utsa kusinya tsinjugu tsyitu yitsi paga kummanye. Natsia nahenza iyi ni iyi natanga lisinya tsinjugu mmulimi gwu undi. Nasinya nasinya; vandu yavo vahenza vanyola yakutula mu yakutsia. Nashila yengo tsinjugu navola "ae, mama lelo ndakumala ho, tsifweye ho kabisa." Nya nayanza namuvolela "ae, mwanange ngani walima mulimi wataga tsinjugu tsiakola vulahi sana. namuvolela "hii, mama sindakovola inze mbeye nu vuguru vunynge sana ndataga tsinjugu tsiakola vulahi. Nya nasanditsa. Gwaliho kandi muhiga gundi kandi mukana oyo navola tsa nutsitsange kutaga tsinjugu dave ninze watsa utsitsange tsa kutaga. Gwaliho muhiga gundi kandoi nya namuvolela utsie kulomba mwa wataga tsinjugu mula ndio kandi nutage mu tsinde. Mukana oyo natsia naduka yo kandi nakola tsa kuli yakola; avgula malova avika ku virenge ma yatsa amuvolela "mama, ndakulima." Ma nya amuha cha yali nadechi mwana oyo alia. Kandi navuchgie mugamba kandi namuvolele nyenya na utsie kundagila tsinjugu. Kandi atsia kandi amuvolela niva umali kulima nyenya na utsie mugamba kutaga tsinjugu. Kandi mukana oyo akola tsa kuli yakola muhiga gundi gula. Gwaliho mugamba gundi yenya atsie kokola kuli yivila valina va mama weve. Lwa mukana lelo yatsia namuvolela tsinjugu tsikomeye nyenya utsie kusinya. Mukana yalola uh, mbo vandu yava vayinga ndatsitsa tsa kuvivira tsinjugu yitsio nindetera mama na mama nayanza. lelo valina veve vahigila na lwa vahigila vivisa havundu. Mukana oyo navugula ligembe ni ligunia natsia na lwa yali yakavugula ligembe yakatanga kusinya, vakere yavo na vasakuru vatura yila vagwa ku mukana oyo vamukuba vamuvolela ngani mama wovo akutuma hano utsi kwiva tsinjugu tsyitu. Ngani nive wamala tsinjugu tsyitu mwiga gwali. Vamukuba vandu vatsia vaginga naveye mahututi vahila yengo. Lwa nya yatula ichova nanyola ngani yali mwana wange. nateva "paya, chala kindiki?" Ni vamuvolela "mukere, yive utaga tsinjugu dave wa yikala hano watuma mwana wovo yatse ku kwivila tsinjugu. Vagumila nya kandi vakuba. Vamanya vakuba mwana oyo vavugula masagti vavika ko ye vasamba nashia. Lugano lwange lufwera yaho.

Kandi mbeye n vidandawili:

Kidendawili?

Mbeye nu mwana wange arila mmulitu: mundu natema musara

Kidendawili?

Ludanga indangu: muloji

Kidendawili?

Mbeye ni inyumba yange inene na iveye na kaliango kadi: ijuba

Kidendawili?

Mbeye ni mulina wange hanzia hosi anonda: chiriri

Inze ndivulwa na mama wange ni mba kana kadi kadoto na mama yayanza yandera vulahi. Ndalelwa vulahi kijira ndali mwana wa kavili. Ndalelwa vulahi na ndaviluka ni ndanga kwikala, nimoola alafu ninduka munene. Lwa ndaduka ni mihiga kuli komi na mbili ndi ndatanga likola tsigasi hango. Ndatsitsa mu kidaho, ndatenya na vivuli vange si vali ku ni kabarua dave; vali ku ni igasi dave; valimila tsa vandu hango mmbandu ku vambe cha ndia. Ndaviluka ni tsishida sana kijira paga vatsie valimili vandu ku nangwa vambe chandia. Ndaduka genyeka mbe ni nzitsa musukru. ndatsia munasari na vivuli vange vatsitsa kulima na mama kandi yalonga tsinyingu. Baba oyo yakola tsigasi tsia hango. Mama yalonga tsinyingu ku atsie agulitse ku andungili ifisi ya inasari. Ndamanya ni soma munasari muhiga mula ninzia class 1. Lwa ndatsia class 1 kandi mama tsa mulala mwere alonge tsinyingu yitsio. Lwa ndaduka mundu unyala kuginga tsinyingu yitsio ndavuka asubui kale sakumi na moja na mama andage ma nguletere vitabu, inguvu yu musukuru. Andeve kindiki kindi cha nyenya niva ni musigo gwu kugingira mu vitabu mbole. Na ndavugulanga tsinyingu kutula yengo na kunzila wa kwashila yali ihale; ndavuka sakumi na moja ni inusu ku ngingi inyingu ndala mama agingi tsinyinge, tsinde avohe tsiviri anoho tsivaga kushile paga kunzila. Ndakashila kunzila ku nyaguli tsimbiru paga musukuru. Isaa yindi manya nduki nasukuru ni njelevi; mwigitsi ku anguyi kevogo na ndikutsilanga. Paga ninzia class 2, 3, kandi 4 na mama nalonga tsinyingu. Niyaduka tsisaa kuli mama yakashila tsinyingu musogoni, ndakatula nasukuru hamugorova nyenya mbenze mu nzila paga lwa mama yatsa. Lwa amanya yatse amanya alete vitu via aguli vila na lwa amanya yatse manya nyaguri nzie kumwaganila, mbuguli kikabo cha yali nangacho kila mbenze mu nyole anguliyi vitabu, ipenzo ni vindu viandevi vila viosi anguliyi. Ma aguli ni chukulia cha kulia; ndali ni vuyanzi sana. Kandi vuchie mugamba mama natsie niyenye lidoshi linde alonge tsinyingu tsinde na inze ninzia tsa nadukuru; tsiatigara atsie andungili ifisi. Inze ningitsia nasukuru na mama nalonga tsinyingu kijira baba si yali ni kibarua da. Ma ndamenya tsa ndio paga ninduka class 8 nimala class 8 mama nalonga tsinyingu na nandungila ifisi nisoma. Na ndaduka mu class 8 nengola ligela lia class 8 nigaloleka si nyala kwendelea ni sukuru dave kijira tsisendi si tsiali ho tsia nyala kuhilwa mu secondary dave. Kwalange tsa hango sasa; inze ndigale hango na mama atsie kwenya idoshi alonge tsinyingu nashila musogoni na ni komenya. Na naleta cha kutumila na komenya. Ku kwamanya komenya yilwo lwa ndakaduka mundu muhindila genyeka mbe nenyola inyumba yange. Yilwo lwa ndakavaira ninzitsa mu lukali. Ndavaira 1989 nimbeye ni mihiga 25. Ni nzitsa u lukali lwange na kalunu yilwo lwa mbeye mu. Mwana wange wu kutanga ndanyola 1990 na ndamenya mu kijira tsishida tsia ndali ndazoea; tsishida tsiali hango hitu ndali ndazoea ndamanya keveye ho kulalia na kivula ho kulalia. Na ndatsa mu lukali lwange na ndanyola musatsa wange yali ni igasi dave. Kwatulanga kutsie kulima ku konyole cha mwana oyo alia; kumuguli mmbere ku alie. Yilow lwa ndakamala muhiga mula kandi nimeda ku undi, kwakamenya naye yilwo lwa nyasaye ya kamwigula imiliango natsia Nairobi kwenya igasi. lakini inze ndamenya mu lukali lwange, nima, ndatuga tsing'ombe, yimwo mwanyolanga chukulia cha ndihitsilanga vana vange. Kali nachereva koleta manya tsa ndaitsa tsing'ombe tsiange, ndakera mu mavere, ndalima, ndataga viukulia na lidiku litsia na kutumila. Yigo ga mbeye nago.

Three women in a village

My name is Helen Makungu.

I have a story of three girls who went to look for firewood. We had three women who gave birth to three children. They were staying in the same village and one woman was giving birth to one child and the other one does that again. Those girls grew up and began doing work at home. Going to the river, sweeping home and washing utensils. When those girls grew up they went to gather firewood. And those girls loved one another. They did home duties together; going to the river and they had made duties. One would go to the river on behalf of one and then the following day the other one will also go. Whenever they wanted to sweep they would do it together and they grew up. One day they went to gather firewood, they gathered and brought them home. It had rained heavily and they gathered their firewood to sell and also use the others to cook. One day they organized to go and gather firewood, they gathered and kept them at the homestead of one girl. The following day they went, gathered the firewood and gave another girl and the other day they did the same to the other girl. Now there was a day they went to look for the firewood. When they went to look for the firewood they didn't find because they had finished the place.

They returned home when they were sad and the parents asked them, "the firewood that you went to gather is not there" they said that the firewood was not there. They spent one night and they went again to gather firewood, one of the girls suggested that they go on the other side. They went gathered the firewood and when they had finished they looked up and there was hunger during that season. When one girl looked up and saw fruits and then she asked the others while they are tying their firewood together if they had looked up and they said that they had not. She asked them to look up and see what was on the tree. When they looked up they saw the fruits and they asked themselves what to do and they tied their firewood, kept it aside and they all climbed on the tree. They suggested that they eat first then they pluck the ones that they will use in the evening. They ate the fruits and then they said that they close their eyes and pluck the ones that they will go with at home and they were to pluck the ripe ones, whoever pluck the unripe ones will remain plucking the ripe ones.

Two girls didn't close the eyes and one closed the eyes. They plucked the ripe fruits and the other one-plucked unripe fruits and now when they had finished plucking the ripe fruits they said that they open their eyes and see who had not plucked the ripe fruits. They found that the girl who had closed the eyes had plucked the unripe fruits and they told her that she will remain and the two who had plucked ripe fruits went down and they took their firewood and began going home. She asked them to wait for her but they refused and told her that they will drop leaves on the route that they will use, and while they were telling her that the ogre was nearby listening to it. And it kept quiet. When they left the girl plucking the ripe fruits they took the leaves and began dropping them as they walked and when the ogre saw that, it took the leaves and began dropping it to the route that was going towards its home. When they arrived home they kept their firewood down and the other girl when she had finished she took her firewood and started following the route with the leaves and the other girls when they got home they were asked where she had remained and they said that she was behind walking slowly since she had more firewood but she was coming. That girl followed the route with the leaves and she reached at a certain home and it had rained heavily. She entered the ogre's house. She kept her firewood outside and she got into the house and believed that it was the end of the leaves and the girls were inside. She looked around but she didn't see anyone. It continued to rain heavily with hailstones and she decided to shelter inside the house. When it had stopped raining it was late in the evening. It was now dark and the ogre came in and found that she was inside and it started singing:

Tindeee tinde tinde I will see

Rain of lujere tinde tinde I will see

It has brought me a girl tinde tinde I will see

That girl kept quiet and when she saw the ogre she stood up. The ogre looked at her and said that hunger was killing it and it would not finish the meat alone hence it went to look for other ogres to come and help it. When the ogre went to call other ogres the girl climbed on top of the sealing in the house and she kept quiet. When the ogres came they didn't see the girl, and they decided to light up fire so that when the girl will come from there they jump on her slaughter and roast her. They light up the fire and the girl was up on the roof with the fruits that she had plucked. She waited when they had just finished lighting up the fire she took the fruits and dropped them on the fire. The sparks entered the ogres' eyes and they ran away. The ogre that had gone to call others was stepped down and it died and the others ran away. The girl took her firewood and she went home. When she arrived at home the parents asked her where she had slept while the others came home. She told them that it had rained heavily and she sheltered and inside the house that she was sheltering in is where she slept. And the girls kept quiet and the parents asked her again and she said that she had slept in the neighborhood and the other girls were still silent. That is the end of my story.

I have another story:

There was a woman called Kadesia and she had a child called Ashiamunda. That woman had a big land and they were digging the whole of it together with the son. There was a day that woman went with the son to dig the farm and they planted their groundnuts. When they planted their groundnuts they did well and they went to weed them. They used to sell the groundnuts. They used to fry, pill the groundnuts and then they sell them. There was one day the woman became very sick and she asked her girl what to do since the season of planting groundnuts had come. And the people were digging. "What shall we do?" that girl told her that she will go and dig. And she asked her to wait she look for other people to help her do the work. She told her that she would just dig and finish it alone. One day the girl prepared tea, she took it and the woman asked her to go and dig. She went there and she kept the digging tool aside.

She took mud and applied on her feet, she stayed there. She went and played and she came in the evening and when her mother saw her she said that the child had really done a lot of digging and she said that she had dug a lot. The mother told her that she had prepared for her porridge and she asked her to enter in the house and take the porridge. The girl got inside, she kept the digging tool aside, she bathed and she slept. The following morning she told her mother that she was going to dig and the mother told her to dig and plant since others were almost planting. She went and applied mud on and she went and played with others. Then she came home and told the mother that she had dug and a smell part was remaining that she would finish the following day. The mother told her that the money that she would have spent on paying the workers she would use it to buy her clothes. The girl went and kept the digging tool where she normally keeps and she went to play. She came and told the mother that she had dug and finished. She would go the following day to plant. The woman said that it was well. The following morning the mother took the groundnuts and told her, " My child here are the groundnuts, you go and plant because we measured the way the groundnuts are to be planted. I will give you one tin of groundnuts today and the other one tomorrow"

She took one tin of the groundnuts and she gave that girl. When it was dawn the girl prepared tea and she took then she asked the mother to give her the groundnuts to go and plant. When the girl reached at the farm she ate all the groundnuts then she applied mud on the feet and hand s and then she came home and told the mother that she had planted the groundnuts on the farm. And the remaining one she would go and finish it the following day. The woman became happy and she said that the child had done well. The following morning she took the remaining ones and asked her to go and finish planting. When she went, she ate the groundnuts and then she applied mud on the feet and hand and then she came and told the mother that she had finished planting. They stayed for six months and people began to uproot the groundnuts and the mother told her that people had started to harvest the groundnuts and she suggested giving her two ladies to go and help her harvest the groundnuts. The girl refused and said that she doesn't want her to give her someone to go and help her harvest groundnuts. I will be harvesting little by little and bringing them home myself. She told her that she want her to use the money to buy for her shoes and she asked her to give her the sack.

The woman gave her the sack and she prepared for her tea and told her that she was going to be preparing for her good tea so that she gets the energy to go and harvest the groundnuts. That woman used to take milk and prepare tea for her and she buys bread and gives her to eat. After giving her she used to take the digging tool and then she goes. When she gets there she had not planted any groundnuts and when she looked at the farm of her mother's friend she saw the groundnut and then she goes and harvest. She brings it home and tells the mother, "Mother I have planted the groundnuts and they are here I have brought" the mother was happy. She took the groundnuts prepared then she dried them and kept them aside. She asked her the following morning to go and uproot others. That girl went to the farm that belonged to the mother's friend and she brought it. The mother was very happy, "my child has done well she has brought me groundnuts" she told her that the following morning she will go and harvest the remaining ones and then she brings her. That girl woke up in the morning and prepared tea as usual. When they gave her she went.

When she got to the farm she looked in one direction and the other one. And that day people were curious to know who was stealing their groundnuts. She looked left and right and she began harvesting the groundnuts of others. She uprooted. Those people looked and they found that she had gone. She took them home and she told her mother that she had finished harvesting the groundnuts. The mother said that the child had planted more groundnuts and they did very well. And she told her, "Mother I told you that I have the ability. I have planted the groundnuts and they have done well. " The mother was grateful. There was another year and the girl told her mother that she would not be planting the groundnuts she is the one who will do that. There was a year the mother asked her to go and dig the farm and plant. The girl went and did the way she was doing. She takes the mud and applies on the feet then she tells the mother that she has dug the land. Then the mother gives her what she had cooked then she asks her the following morning to go and plant for her groundnuts. Then she asked her if she had finished to dig the farm she go and plant the groundnuts.

The girl repeated what she used to do the previous year. There was a day she wanted to go and steal from her mother's friend. When the girl came back she told her that the groundnuts were ready and she wanted to go and harvest the groundnuts and bring to her mother, as she likes. This time the friends trapped her and they hid themselves somewhere. That girl took the digging tool and the sack. And when she had taken the digging tool and started to uproot women and men came out of the hiding place and they jumped on that girl. They punished her and asked her if the mother had sent her to come and steal the groundnuts from them. "You are the one who finished our groundnuts the previous year" the beat her and then they carried her home in unconscious condition. When the mother came out she found that it was her girl and she asked, "what is it?" they told her, "Woman you are not planting groundnuts you are just sitting here you have sent your child to be stealing groundnuts from us" they hold the mother and beat her too. They beat the child and took dry leaves kept on her and they burned her. My story has ended there.

I also have riddles:

Riddle?

I have my child who is crying in the forest: when someone is cutting a tree

Riddle?

Ludanga down: witch

Riddle?

I have my big house and it has a small door: bottle

Riddle?

I have my friend wherever I go she follows me: shadow

I was born by mother and I was a small child my mother loved me and cared after me. I was carried well because I was the second born. I grew and sat down then I began walking and grew up to a grown up. When I was twelve years I began doing home duties. I used to go to the river and my parents didn't have work they used to dig for people in order to give me something to eat. I grew up with problems. They had to go and dig for people in order to give me something to eat. When I grew up I was supposed to go to school. I went to nursery and my parent used to go and dig and my mother was molding pots. Father was doing home duties. My mother used to mold pots and sell them in order to pay for my nursery school fees. I read nursery for one year and then I went to class one. When I went to class one the same mother was molding pots. When I was a person who can carry those pots, I used to wake up at 5AM and my mother could promise to bring me books. And school uniform. She used to ask me what I wanted if it was a bag for carrying books I say.

I used to take the pots from home and where we were taking was far. I used to wake at 5.30AM and carry one pot while my mother carried many. She could tie two or three and take to the road. After taking it to the road then I run to school. Sometime I used to get to school late. The teacher could punish me with a stick and I used to persevere. I went class 2, 3 and four as mother molded the pots. When it reached times when mum had taken the pots to the market, after coming from school I could wait on the road until mother comes I could run and welcome her. I could take the bag that she had and see the books that she had bought for me a pencil and everything that I had asked she had bought for me.

She had bought the food to eat with happiness. The following morning she could look for clay and mold other pots while I have gone to school. She could pay my school fees using the remaining money. When I was at school mother was molding pots because my father didn't have a job. I stayed like that until I reached class eight I finished and mother was molding pots and paying my school fees. I reached class eight and did the final exam in class eight and it happened that I couldn't continue with education because there was no money to go to secondary school. We were just at home, I could stay at home while mother could go and look for clay and mold pots and take to the market while we stay. She used to bring what we use as we stay. We were staying like that until I matured and was ready to have my own house. That is when I got married. I got married in 1989 when I was 25 years old. I went to my marriage that I am still in.

I got my first child in 1990 and I stayed there because of the problems that I was used to. There were problems at my home, I knew whether we have or not we shall eat. I got married and I found my husband without work. We used to go out and dig so that we find what that child will eat. We buy for her milk so that he eats. That is when I spent one year then I added another one. We have stayed together that is when God opened the doors and he went to look for work in Nairobi. I have stayed in my marriage I am farming; I have kept a cow that is where I get the food that I feed on my children. Even if he delays to bring food I normally graze my cows. I milk, I plant food and the day moves on as we use them. That is what I have.