SimbegwireSimbegwire

SimbegwireSimbegwire

Rukia Nantale Benjamin Mitchley Abdi Muse Somali / English Level 5

Markay Simbegwire hooyadeed dhimatay waxay ahayd midaad u murugaysan. Simbegwire aabaheed waxuu sameeyaysida ugu fiican oo daryeelka gabadhiisa. Si tartiib ah waxaybarteen in ay darreemaan farxad markale, la aantasimbegwire hooyadeed. Subax kasta waa ay fadhiistan kanawada hadli jireen wax ku saabsan malinta ka horayso. Fiidkasto waxay wada samayn jirreen cashada. Kadib waa aydhaqaan maacuunta, aabaha Simbegwire waxuu ka caawinjiray shaqada guriga.

•••

When Simbegwire’s mother died, she was very sad.Simbegwire’s father did his best to take care of hisdaughter. Slowly, they learned to feel happy again, withoutSimbegwire’s mother. Every morning they sat and talkedabout the day ahead. Every evening they made dinnertogether. After they washed the dishes, Simbegwire’s fatherhelped her with homework.

2

Halmaalin aabihii Simbegwire waxuu yimid guriga si kadibdhacsan sidii caadada u ahayd. “Xagee baad joogtaailmahayga” wuu u wacay. Simbegwire waxa ay ku oradayaabaheed. Waa ay istagtay si dhaqaaq la’aan ah markayaragtay in uu haysto gacanta haweeney. “Waxaan rabaa inaad lakulanto qof khaas ah, ilmahaygow. Tani waa Aniita,”ayuu yidhi asagoo dhoolacadaynayo.

•••

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

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“Halloo Simbegwire, aabahaa aya ii sheegay waxyaabobadan oo kugu saabsan.” Ayay tidhii Anita. Laakiin maaynan dhoolacadaynin mana ay qaadin gacanta gabadha.Simbegwire aabaheed waxuu ahaa mid aad u faraxsan ooxiiseynaya. Waxuu ka hadlay sida sedexdooda ay u wadanoolaan doonan, iyo sida wanaagsanaan ay noloshoodaahaan doonto. “Ilmahayga, waxaan rajaynayaa in aadaqbali doonto Anita sidii hooyadaa o kale,” ayuu yidhi.

•••

“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 talkedabout the three of them living together, and how good theirlife would be. “My child, I hope you will accept Anita as yourmother,” he said.

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Nolosha Simbegwire way isbadashay. Dambe uma aysanhellin waqti si ay arroorti ula fadhiisato aabaheed. Anitaayaa siisay shaqooyin badan oo guriga kamid ah, taas oo kadhigtay mid aad uga daallisa ka shaqaynta shaqadaiskuulka xilliga fidkii. Waxay si toos ah u aaday sarriirtacashada kadib. Raaxada kali ah ay haysatay waxuu ahabustihii midabaysnaa ooy hooyadeed siissay. Simbegwireaabaheed uma uusan muuqan mid ogaaday in gabadhiisaaysan faraxsanayn.

•••

Simbegwire’s life changed. She no longer had time to sitwith her father in the mornings. Anita gave her so manyhousehold chores that she was too tired to do her schoolwork in the evenings. She went straight to bed after dinner.Her only comfort was the colourful blanket her mother gaveher. Simbegwire’s father did not seem to notice that hisdaughter was unhappy.

5

Dhowr bilood ka dib, Simbegwire aabaheed ayaa u sheegayayaga in uu ahaan doono mid ka maqan guriga cabaar.“Waa inaan u safraa shaqadeyda,” ayuu yiri. “Laakiin waanogahay in aad is illaalin doontaan.” Wajiga Simbegwire ayaaqushuucay, laakiin aabaheed ma ogaanin. Anita ma sheeginwaxbo. Mana aysan faraxsaneyn.

•••

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

6

Arrimaha way ku sii xumaadeen Simbegwire. Hadaysandhamaynin shaqada ama aay cabato, Anita ayaa kudhufan.Xilliga cashada, haweenayda aya cuntay inta badancuntada, ayadoo ureebayso Simbegwire waxyaabahaharaaga ah. Habbeen kasto Simbegwire ooyinta ayay kuseexan jirtay, ayaddoo bustihii hooyadeed hab siineyso.

•••

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

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Hal subax, Simbegwire ayaa ku daahday kasoo kiicidasariirta. “Gabadhaadan caajislayda ah!” Anita kudhawaaqday. Waxaay simbegwire kasoo jiiday sariirtii.Bustihii qaaliga ahaa waxaa qabsaday musbaar, labo ayuuna u kala jeexay.

•••

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

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Simbegwire aad bay u xanaaqday. Waxay go’aansatay inayka cararto guriga. Waxay qaadatay gogi’ii bustahahooyadeed, waxay xiratay xogaa cunto ah, waxayna katagtay guriga. Waxay raacday wadadii aabaheed maray.

•••

Simbegwire was very upset. She decided to run away fromhome. She took the pieces of her mother’s blanket, packedsome food, and left the house. She followed the road herfather had taken.

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Markii ay fiidkii tahay, waxay kortay geed dheer oo u dhowdooxada waxayna nafteeda sariir uga samaysay laamaha.Sidaasey u seexatay, way heestay: “Hooyo, Hooyo, Hooyo,waad iga tagtay, waad iga tagtay oo mana aadan soolaaban, Aabbo ima jeclo. Hooyo,goormad dib u soo noqon,waad iga tagtay.”

•••

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

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Subbaxdii xigtay, Simbegwire waxay heetsay heestimarkale. Markay dumarku yimaadeen dooxada si ay ugudhaqdaan dharkooda, waxay maqleen hees murugo ah ooka imaanayso geedka dheer. Waxay u maleeyeen in ayahayd dabeysha oo kaliya oo lulaayso caleemaha, waxaynasii wateen shaqadoodi. Laakiin mid ka mid ah haweenkaayaa si taxaddar leh u dhegaystay heesta.

•••

The next morning, Simbegwire sang the song again. Whenthe women came to wash their clothes at the stream, theyheard the sad song coming from the tall tree. They thoughtit was only the wind rustling the leaves, and carried on withtheir work. But one of the women listened very carefully tothe song.

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Naagtan waxay kor u eegtey geedkii gudihiisa. Markayaragtay gabadha iyo gogi’i bustaha midabka leh, waxay kuooyday “Simbegwire, ilmihii walaalkay!” Dumarkii kalewaxay joojiyeen dhaqistii waxayna caawiyeen Simbegwire siay uga soo dagato geedka. Eedadeed ayaa hab siisaygabadhii yarayd, waxayna isku dayday inay dajiso.

•••

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

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Simbegwire eedadeed ayaa u qaaday ilmihi gurigeeda.Waxay siisay simbegwire cunto diiran, waxa ayna ku jiifisaysariir ayadoo haysata bustihii hooyadeeda. Habeenkaas,Simbegwire waa ay ooyday sideey ugu seexatay sariirta.Laakiin waxa ay ahayd ilin farxadeed. Waxay ogaatay ineedadeed illaalin doonto ayada.

•••

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

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Markii Simbegwire aabaheed ku soo laabtay guriga, wuxuuarkay qolkeedii oo madhan. “Maxaa dhacay, Anita?” wuxuuu waydiiyay si adag. Haweenaydi waxay u sharaxday inSimbegwire ay carrartay. “Waxaan rabay in ay i ixtiraamto,”ayay tidhi. “Laakiin malaha waxaan ahaa mid aad ugu adadag.” Simbegwire aabaheed ayaa ka tagay gurigawaxuuna aaday jahadii dooxada. Wuxuu socday illaa iyotuuladii walaashii bal si uu u ogaado haddii ay aragtaySimbegwire

•••

When Simbegwire’s father returned home, he found herroom empty. “What happened, Anita?” he asked with aheavy heart. The woman explained that Simbegwire hadrun away. “I wanted her to respect me,” she said. “Butperhaps I was too strict.” Simbegwire’s father left the houseand went in the direction of the stream. He continued to hissister’s village to find out if she had seen Simbegwire.

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Simbegwire waxay la ciyaaraysay ilma eedadeed markii ayka aragtay aabaheed meel fog. Waxay ka cabsatay inuuxanaaqsanyahay, sidaa darteed waxay ku oraday gurigadhexdiisa si ay isku qariso. Laakiin aabbeheed baa u yimidwaxuuna ku yidhi, “Simbegwire, waxaad u heshay naftaadahooyo kaamil ah. Taasoo ku jecel kuna fahmayso. Waankugu faanaa waana ku jeclahay.” Waxay ku heshiiyeen inSimbegwire ay la joogi doonto eedadeed inta ay rabto.

•••

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

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Aabaheed ayaa maalin walba soo booqan jiray. Ugudambeyntii, wuxuu la yimid Anita. Waxay laacdaySimbegwire gacanteedi. “Aad ayaan uga xumahay yariisey,waan qaldamay,” ayay ku ooyday. “Ma ii ogolaaneysaa inaan mar kale isku daydo?” Simbegwire waxay eegtayaabaheed iyo wajigiisa welwelsan. Kadibna si tartiib ah ayayhoray u socotay waxayna gacmaheeda ku wareejisay Anita.

•••

Her father visited her every day. Eventually, he came withAnita. She reached out for Simbegwire’s hand. “I’m so sorrylittle one, I was wrong,” she cried. “Will you let me tryagain?” Simbegwire looked at her father and his worriedface. Then she stepped forward slowly and put her armsaround Anita.

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Toddobaadkii kuxigay, Anita ayaa ku martiqaadaySimbegwire, ilmo eedadeed iyo eedadeed ba guriga iyocunto. Maxay cunto ahayd! Anita waxay diyaarisaydhamaan cuntooyinki ay ugu jeclayd Simbegwire, qofkastana wuu cunay ilaa ay ka dhargaan. Kadibna carruurtuwaa ay ciyaarayeen halka dadka waawayna sheekaysteen.Simbegwire waxay dareentay farxad iyo geesinimo. Waxaygo’aansatay in si dhakhso, oo dhakhso ah, ay ku noqondoonto guriga si ay ula noolaato aabaheed iyoeedadeed/aayadeed.

•••

The next week, Anita invited Simbegwire, with her cousinsand aunt, to the house for a meal. What a feast! Anitaprepared all of Simbegwire’s favourite foods, and everyoneate until they were full. Then the children played while theadults talked. Simbegwire felt happy and brave. Shedecided that soon, very soon, she would return home to livewith her father and her stepmother.

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Storybooks CanadaStorybooks Canadastorybookscanada.ca

SimbegwireSimbegwire

SimbegwireSimbegwireWritten by: Rukia Nantale

Illustrated by: Benjamin MitchleyTranslated by: (so) Abdi Muse

This story originates from the African Storybook (africanstorybook.org) andis brought to you by Storybooks Canada in an effort to provide children’sstories in Canada’s many languages.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.