The Writers' Circle

Granny Yaya's Goat (Mama Yaya's Goat)


"Shoo, shoo, leave those alone, I say away" Shouted Granny Yaya at the goat calmly eating in front of her mud house. "Stupid goat"
 "A really stupid goat", agreed Bola from across the street watching the old woman everyone in the area call "Mama Yaya" . Mama Yaya  was the oldest woman living on the street for which she got the honorary title.. She stood watching the old woman and her goat fascinated by the antics of the two.
Mama Yaya struck the goat with a broom screaming "leave it alone, are you deaf stupid goat?" at the goat which completely ignored her as it kept on eating.
"Don't stand there with your mouth open, girl, go and give a hand to Mama Yaya before that goat eats up all her food!" shouted Bola's mother, who was standing at the entrance of their house.
"Yes mother," answered the girl turning to her mother before crossing the street to the old woman and the stubborn goat that was eating the sliced pieces of plantain spread on the earth to dry in front of Mama Yaya's house.
Bola tried to pull the goat  from the plantain by its collar strap, with as much force as she could. It made no difference. The goat was too big and heavy for girl. It turned it head and looked at the eight years old girl as if to ask "who are you to disturb my meal?" The goat then turned and calmly continued eating.
"Shoo, shoo, horrible goat. You are going into a pot of pepper soup, stupid goat!!" shouted Mama Yaya angrily at the goat.
"But Mama, I thought that you said that this goat is a friend and not for the cooking pot" Bola asked Mama Yaya surprised at the woman's statement.
"Since she has decided to act the stupid goat, she is my enemy and this goat is now fit only for the pot, better roasted I will say" replied Mama Yaya.
"But it was only yesterday evening you said that she was not for cooking" Said the girl trying to pull the goat by its horns whilst Mama Yaya continued to strike the goat with her broom.
"Yesterday evening this goat has not eaten all my food!" Mama Yaya stated angry. "That's enough, chatterbox. Give me a hand here; let's push together from the same side"
 "Mama, she ate Ahmed English textbook yesterday!" answered Bola laughingly as she moved to position herself behind the goat with Mama Yaya.
"You speak too much girl" Mama Yaya told her before saying "Ahmed was careless with his school books. He left them on the ground to play football, what do expect? The goat thought that they were some old newspapers. And she only ate one book. Go away, roasted goat meat!" Said Mama Yaya pushing the goat as Bola grabbed its horns.
It may have been the name calling. Or that the goat had finally understood that it has made its beloved owner angry. Maybe it was because it has eaten it filled too. But it suddenly stopped eating and turned to look at the two, the old woman and the young girl. It then gave a long "baa" and walked off down the street leaving them staring after it with amazement.
"Mad goat" called Mama Yaya after it.
"Good morning, ma" Bola greeted Mama Yaya with a smile. "I am off to prepare for school now"
"Not yet girl, I have not seen you use that broom outside this morning. Are you not doing your housework today, Bola" asked the old woman.
"You are right, Mama. I swept the front of our house early this morning, that is why you missed seeing me" 
"Well then, you can sweep my pavement, please, and thank you" She turned away before Bola could answer and entered her house.
Bola knelt down to pick the broom that Mama Yaya has used on the goat. She swept  between the House and the  pieces of  pieces of plaintain spread to dry on a mat on the ground.
"Finished Granny," She called. "I am off to get ready for school"
 "Thanks Bola, you are one good girl!"  Shouted the old woman from inside her house.
"Thanks, Grandmother"




 Chapter 2 

Bolus was in the bath....



La Capra di Nonna Yaya (Italian original)

"Shoo, shoo, via, ho ditto via" grida nonna Yaya. "Stupida capra"
"Che stupida capra" pensa Bola guardando la anziana donna che tutti chiamano "nonna", perche é la piu anziana donna che abitava la viale chiamata Oke Ado.
Nona Yaya batte la capra con una scopa fatta di ramme della palma gridando "via, non senti via" alla capra che sembra di non sentirla.
"Ragazza non stare li con la bocca aperta, vai a dare una mano alla nonna Yaya!" grida la voce della madre di Bola.
















"Si mama," risposse la ragazza prima di correre verso l'anziana donna é la testanda capra che stava mangiando gli pezzi di piantaggine stessi a terra ad asscuigare di fronte alla casa dell'anziana donna.
Bola con tutta la forza dei suoi otto anni si getta dietro la capra per spostarla, la capra gira la testa come per chiedere chi sei? Poi si gira continuando a mangare con calma.
"Shoo, shoo...e tempo che vai nella pentola di peperoncino, capra!!" grida nonna Yaya arrabbiata.
"Ma nonna,  pensavo che hai detto che questa capra non era da mangare perche é un' amica?" Chiesse Bola alla nonna Yaya.
"Si, era prima che questa diventase la mia nemica." Si sente replicare.
"Ma nonna Yaya, hai detto questa solo ieri sera"  far notare la ragazza.
"Si, perche ieri sera non ha mangiata tutti i miei cibo come fa adesso!" Disse la nonna provando ancora a spostare la capra. " Stai zitta e darmi la mano, chiacchierona"
" Ma ieri ha mangiata il libro di scuola di Ahmed!" risposta Bola ridendo. Bola si sposta per tirare la capra con la nonna Yaya.
"Parli troppo ragazza, Ahmed ha lasciato i suoi libri per terra per giocare a pallone, cosa aspetti? La capra pensava che eranno dei vecchi giornali.  Shoo, ho detto, carne di sugo!"
Sembra che la capra capisce che finalmente la sua adorata padrona era proprio stufa. Si e girata a guardare la anziana padrona e la ragazza faticandosi a spostala dalla sua colazione, poi si e messa a caminare via.
"É proprio matta, quella capra!" grida la nonno Yaya.
Bola con un sorriso, saluta la donna, " Boun giorno, nonna Yaya. Devo andare a scuola adesso"
"No, non ti ho ancora visto spassare la fuori , non la fai oggi Bola?" chiesse la anziana.
"Si nonna Yaya, hai ragione non mi hai visto perche l'ho fatta presto stamattina".
"Allora, puoi spazzarre il pavimento la, per favore, grazie" Si gira entrando in casa prima che la ragazza rispondesse.
Bola si inginocchia per prendere  la scopa che la nonna Yaya ha usata per la capra e si e messa a spazzare tra la casa ed i pezzi di piantaggine stessi per terra.
"Finito nonna, a dopo"
"Grazie Bola, sei una brava ragazza!" Grida la donna da dentro casa sua.
"Grazie, nonna"


Capitolo 2 
Bola era in bagno che la sua famiglia condivide con altre due famiglie che abitano nelle altre quattro camere della casa, quando sente la voce di sua madre.
"Bola, Bola dove sei? Non vai a scuola oggi?" 
" Si, Mama, arrivo! La capra era ancora piu testarda oggi!" Disse Bola uscendo dal bagno. 
La sua madre stava girando la padella di "Akara" per la colazione della famiglia.
"Un giorno finisce come arrosto, quella capra", disse la madre ridendo.
Bola rise. " Cosi ha detto anche la Nonna Yaya. Spero che accada presto"   
La mama ride guardando intorno "Non dirlo di fronte alla Nonna Yaya o sara guerra!"
" Lo so, Mama, ma ieri ha mangiata li libro di Inglese di Ahmed, ed il mio due settimana fa! L'altro ieri era la nuova camicetta della mama di Ahmed"

(this a snippet, this story has been completed ...)