Ko ha Lēsoni ʻi he Loto Apasiá

Naʻá ku kei siʻi ʻi he lolotonga ʻo e Tō Lalo Fakaʻekonōmika Lahí. ʻOku ou manatuʻi hono tui ʻe he fānaú ʻa e sū pelepelá (galoshes) koeʻuhí ko e ʻikai ke ʻi ai hanau suú pea mo ʻenau ō fiekaia koeʻuhí ko e ʻikai haʻanau meʻakai. Ko ha taimi faingataʻa moʻoni ʻeni.

Naʻe hoko ʻa e Palaimelí ko ha maama ʻo e ʻamanaki ne ulo ʻi he lotolotonga ʻo e pulongá. Naʻá ku kei taʻu 10. Naʻe ʻi ai haʻaku faiako lelei moʻoni. ʻI heʻeku vakai atu ki he ngaahi taʻu ko iá, ko hoku ngaahi taʻu lelei taha ia ʻi he Palaimelí, pea kuo pau ke u pehē naʻe makatuʻunga ia koeʻuhí ko ʻeku faiako leleí. Naʻe ʻikai ʻuhinga ia ʻo pehē naʻe fuʻu poto ʻa e fānau tangata ʻi he kalasí pe fuʻu ʻulungāanga lelei; naʻe ʻikai pehē ia.

ʻOku pau pē mahalo ne fakaheleleu e kakata ʻa e tamaiki tangatá mo e valelau ʻa e tamaiki fefiné he taimi ʻe niʻihi ki he kau taki ʻo e Palaimelí.

ʻI heʻemau mavahe ʻi ha ʻaho ʻe taha mei he fale lotú ki heʻemau ngaahi kalasí, naʻá ku fakatokangaʻi naʻe kei nofo pē ʻemau palesiteni Palaimelí ʻamautolu. Naʻá ku kiʻi tuʻu ʻo siofi. Naʻe tangutu toko taha pē he sea papa ʻi he ʻotu muʻá, toʻo siʻono holoholó, pea kamata ke tangi. Naʻá ku luelue atu leva ʻo pehē ange, “Sisitā Sioseli (Georgell), ʻoua te ke tangí.”

Naʻá ne pehē mai, “ ʻOku ou loto mamahi.”

Ne u ʻeke ange leva, “Ko e hā e meʻa ʻoku hokó?”

Naʻá ne tali mai, “ ʻOku ʻikai ke u lava ʻo mapuleʻi ʻa e kau Faʻu Halá.* Te ke lava ʻo tokoni mai?”

Naʻá ku tala ange leva, “ʻIo.”

Tala mai leva ʻe ia, “Tomi, saiʻaupito ia, kapau te ke tokoni.”

Ko e meʻa naʻe ʻikai ke u ʻilo he taimi ko iá ko e taha au ʻo kinautolu naʻe tupu ai siʻene tangí. Naʻá ne kole fakalelei mai ke u tokoni ke maʻu ʻa e ʻapasiá ʻi heʻemau Palaimelí. Pea naʻe hoko ia. ◼