Kudala eLimpopo, kwakukhona umlimi owayehlala nomndeni wakhe – imbongoloyakhe, ingulube yakhe, inja yakhe, ikati lakhe kanye neqhude lakhe. Babehlala bonke bethokozile epulazini. Ngelinye ilanga yanqamuka ukuna imvula, awaba bikho amanzi. Imifino yayingasakwazi ukuniselwa, kungasekho namanzi anele okuphuza asele.

Umlimi wabiza imbongolo, ingulube, inja, ikati neqhude lakhe. “Kumele sithuthe siye kwenye indawo lapho kunamanzi khona,” kusho yena. Ngakho bahamba bonke. Umlimi wathatha izinto zakhe ezimbalwa ngesikhwama. Babehamba ndawonye emgwaqweni wobhuqu belandelana. Qhwa-qhwa! Ngqabashingqabashi! Phaqa-phaqa! Hhu-hhu! Mnyawu-mnyawu! Kikilikigi!

Endleleni yabo eya endaweni enamanzi, umlimi nezilwane zakhe bahlangana negwababa. Igwababa lababuka bonke behamba lase lihleka umlimi.

“Kwaaa! Kwaaa! Kungani uhamba ngezinyawo kodwa unembongolo? Ukuba benginguwe, bengizogibela imbongolo,” kwasho igwababa lisuka lindiza lihleka. “Kwaaaa! Kwaaaa!”

Umlimi wacabanga ngalokhu isikhashana. Wase enquma ukugibela embongolweni. Wahamba ngembongolo yakhe ngenkathi ezinye izilwane zihamba emva kwakhe. Ngqabashi-ngqabashi! Phaqa-phaqa! Hhu-hhu! Mnyawu-mnyawu! Kikilikigi!

Kungekudala bahlangana nobubhibhi.

“Wahaha! Wahaha! Awunamahloni,” kusho ububhibhi kumlimi ngesikhathi buhleli bubheke phezulu bubagqolozele. “Ungagibela kanjani embongolweni wedwa? Bheka ukuthi ingulube yakho ikhathele kangakani! Ikhala layo liconsa umjuluko.” Ngaphambi kokunyamalalela endlini yabo, baphinde bahleka, “Wahaha! Wahaha!”

Umlimi wama wase ecabanga ngalokho okushiwo ububhibhi. Wabheka phansi wabheka engulubeni yakhe wase enquma ukuthi ayigibelise nayo embongolweni.

“Gxuma ukhuphuke, Ngulube! Gxuma ugibele embongolweni,” kusho umlimi. Ngakho-ke ingulube yagxuma yahlala ngemva komlimi embongolweni. Base beqhubeka nokuhamba. Ngqabashi-ngqabashi! Hhu-hhu! Mnyawu-mnyawu! Kikilikigi!

Ekugcineni umlimi wabona umfula, kodwa wawusekude.

“Sizoya laphaya,” washo ekhomba. Zavumelana zonke izilwane zase ziqhubeka nohambo zaze zahlangana nempungushe.

“Haauauaua! Haauauaua!” kukhala impungushe. “Ungumlimi omubi. Kungani kunguwe kanye nengulube kuphela enigibele imbongolo? Awubheke ukuthi inja yakho ikhathele kangakanani! Iyahefuzela. Kanti ikati lakho selihudula izinyawo nje. Futhi awubheke izimpaphe zeqhude lakho, ziyethele phansi zonke,” kusho impungushe isithela esihlahleni isahleka, “Haauauaua! Haauauaua!”

Umlimi waphatheka kabi wase enquma ukuthi kumele bonke bagibele embongolweni. Wase esondela ngasentanyeni yembongolo.

“Gxuma ukhuphuke, wena Nja! Gibela phezu kwengulube,” kusho umlimi. Ngakho inja yagxumela phezu kwengulube eyayihleli emhlane wembongolo, ngemva komlimi.

“Gxuma ukhuphuke, wena Kati! Gibela phezu kwenja,” kusho umlimi. Ngakho-ke ikati lagxumela phezu kwenja eyayihleli phezu kwengulube eyayihleli emhlane wembongolo, ngemva komlimi.

“Gxuma ukhuphuke, wena Qhude! Gibela phezu kwekati,” kusho umlimi. Ngakhoke iqhude lagxumela phezu kwekati, elalihleli phezu kwenja, eyayihleli phezu kwengulube, eyayihleli phezu kwembongolo, ngemva komlimi.

Baqhubeka nohambo lwabo. Ngqabashi-ngqabashi, ngqabashi … ngqabashi, ngqabashi … ngqabashi! Base beseduze nomfula, kodwa manje imbongolo yayisikhathele kakhulu.

Masinyane, phambi kwabo kwase kumi unogwaja.

Unogwaja wababuka wase uthi, “Greeeeee! Greeeeee! Ungumlimi omubi. Yenzeni imbongolo yakho ukuba ingaze ijeziswe ngalolu hlobo? Lapho ngivela khona, wonke umuntu uphathwa kahle.” Wase uthi, “Greeeeee! Greeeeee!” kusho wona unyamalalela esihlahleni.

Umlimi wama wase ecabanga ngalokho okushiwo unogwaja. Waphatheka kabi kakhulu. Umlimi wayefuna ukusho okuthile kunogwaja mayelana nazo zonke izinto ezase zishiwo kuye endleleni, kodwa-ke unogwaja wawusunyamalele.

Ngemva kwezinyathelo ezimbalwa, imbongolo yathi khimilili, yase iguqa ngamadolo. Iqhude lakhala lase lindiza lisuka lapho. Ikati lakhala lagxumela phansi. Inja yakhonkotha yase ibaleka. Kwakhala ingulube yazigingqa phansi.

Umlimi wehla embongolweni yakhe wase ema enwaya ikhanda. Wabuka imbongolo yakhe ekhathele wase eyoyilandela amanzi. Umlimi wakhumbula zonke izinto ezazishiwo kuye ngesikhathi yena kanye nezilwane zakhe behamba. Wacabanga wacabanga wase enquma ukuthi ngeke aphinde, nanini avele enze noma yini nje ayitshelwayo. Useyokucabanga ngokucophelela kuqala ukuze abone ukuthi ngabe kuyinto okufanele ukuthi ayenze. Futhi uzozitshela nezilwane zakhe lokho okushiwoyo bese benquma bonke ukuthi kumele benzeni.

Umlimi wabiza imbongolo, ingulube, inja, ikati kanye neqhude lakhe base behlala bonke ngaphansi kwesihlahla esikhulu samaganu. Ngenkathi behleli lapho, umlimi wacela uxolo embongolweni yakhe.

Kusukela ngalolo suku, bonke baba abangani abakhulu. Futhi kusukela ngalolo suku, umlimi waziphatha kahle izilwane zakhe.

Veza ubuciko bakho!

Khuthaza izingane zakho ukuthi zenze umlimi kanye nezilwane zakhe ngeplastisini noma ngenhlama yokudlala. Bese ufunda indaba kakhulu futhi ngesikhathi izingane zakho zisebenzisa futhi abalingiswa bazo beplastisini noma benhlama yokudlala ukuze zilingise indaba.