Ghuba ya Napoli

Polly aliruka juu ya Ghuba ya Napoli. Maji yalikuwa ya kijani. Mlima Vesuvius ulikuwa upande wa pili wa ghuba. Hewa ilinukia chumvi na dizeli.

Polly flew over the Bay of Naples. The water was green. Mount Vesuvius was across the bay. The air smelled of salt and diesel.

Alifuata ufukwe. Aliona nguo zikining'inia kwenye mabalkoni na pikipiki mitaani.

She followed the shore. She saw laundry on balconies and scooters in the streets.

Lengo lake lilikuwa jengo la zamani karibu na maji. Kibao kidogo kilisomeka: STAZIONE ZOOLOGICA ANTON DOHRN, 1872.

Her destination was an old building by the water. A small sign read: STAZIONE ZOOLOGICA ANTON DOHRN, 1872.

Hii ni taasisi ya zamani zaidi ya biolojia ya baharini duniani. Imefanya utafiti wa pweza tangu 1873.

This is the oldest marine biology institute in the world. It has studied octopuses since 1873.

Polly alikaa juu ya reli. Mtafiti kijana aliyevaa koti la maabara alifungua mlango wa nyuma. Alitabasamu. "Karibu."

Polly perched on the railing. A young researcher in a lab coat opened the back door. She smiled. "Come in."

Jengo lilinukia kama bahari. Korido ndefu zilikuwa na matanki ya kioo pande zote mbili. Polly aliona sardin na pweza mdogo.

The building smelled like the sea. Long corridors had glass tanks on both sides. Polly saw sardines and a small octopus.

Jina la mtafiti lilikuwa Chiara. "Pweza ni wanyama werevu zaidi hapa," alisema.

The researcher's name was Chiara. "The octopuses are the smartest animals here," she said.

Walifika kwenye tanki refu. Kibao kilisomeka PASTA, 2.3KG, GPO. Ndani kulikuwa na pweza mkubwa wa Pasifiki. Ulijikunja kwenye bomba. Jicho moja la dhahabu lilitazama.

They came to a tall tank. The sign said PASTA, 2.3KG, GPO. Inside was a giant Pacific octopus. It folded itself into a pipe. One golden eye watched.

"Pasta," Chiara alisema, "kutana na Polly."

"Pasta," Chiara said, "meet Polly."

Pweza hakusogea. Lakini lilitazama.

The octopus did not move. But it watched.

"Unaweza kukaa kwenye ukingo," Chiara alisema. "Hatakumwagia maji."

"You can perch on the rim," Chiara said. "She will not splash you."