Emandulo, kwakhe kwaba nedada elingunina ebelinabantwana abancani, abatjheli abasithandathu. Bebahlala endlwaneni eseplasini, kodwana abantwanaba bazalwa ehlobo elitjhisa bhe, nelomileko. Bekunganazulu ebebangadlalela kilo, kungana madanyana abangaduda kiwo. “Ngifisa ngathana lingana,” kutjho  uNina uDada ebantwaneni bakhe. “Kumnandi ukudlala ezulwini. Ngiyazi bona  nizalithanda izulu. Woke amadada ayalithanda izulu!”

Kwathi nakuphela ihlobo kuba silimela, izulu lathoma ukuna! uNina uDada wavuka nakezwa amathosi wezulu abetha ephahleni. Wabiza abantwana bakhe, “Yizani nibone izulu!” Bekathabe khulu bewabuthelela boke abantwana bakhe msinyana. Napaya balandela uNina uDada kutjhingwa ezulwini.

Kodwana idada elincani elibuphetjhani labuyela ngendlini. “Umraro yini?” kubuza uNina uDada. “Yiza ngaphandle uzokuzwa izulu.”

“Awa, ngiyathokoza,” kwatjho idada elincani. “Angizwani nezulu. Angizwani nokuthamba, begodu izulweli lenza amasibami atjheli la anginamathele.”

UNina uDada khenge azikholwe iindlebe zakhe. Wathintitha iimpiko zakhe wathi, “Wakhe wezwaphi bona kunedada elingazwani nezulu? Kufuze ngize neqhinga.”

Kusasa ekuseni, uNina uDada wakhamba wayokukhuluma noNina oyiMbuzi uMaMbuzi, obekanesitolo eplasini esithengisa yoke into. “MaMbuzi, umntwanyanami akafuni ukuphumela ngaphandle nalinako. Uthi yena akafuni ukuthamba. Wakhe wezwaphi kuthiwa kunedada elingazwani nezulu?

UMaMbuzi wahleka. “Kungebanga lokuthi usesemncani, begodu nezulu akalazi,” kutjho yena. Ngemva kwalokho uMaMbuzi wahlola ekhabodini lakhe, wabuya nejasana ehlaza komkayi yokuvikela izulu. “Thatha,” watjho kuNina uDada. “Mnikele ijasana le ehlaza komkayi, ayimbathe nakuna izulu godu.”

UNina uDada wathokoza uMaMbuzi wabuyela ekhaya nejasana yokuvikela izulu.

Kwadlula amalangana, lana godu izulu. UNina uDada wanikela umntwanakhe omncani kunabo boke ijasana leya. Wathi, “asikhambe-ke, siye ngaphandle siyokuthabela izulu.”

Boke abantwana bamadada balandela uNina uDada ngaphandle ezulwini.Ngemva kwesikhathi, uNina uDada walemuka bona idada elincani besele lingasekho. Walifuna yoke indawo bewalithola lihlezi lodwa ngendlini. “Awu, uhlaleleni la uwedwa? Unejasana angitjho, yiza ngaphandle-ke uzokuthabela izulu,” kwatjho uNina uDada.

“Awa, ngiyathokoza,” kwatjho idada elincani. “Angizwani nezulu. Idaka lenza iinyawo zami zikghakghathele.”

UNina uDada warareka khulu. Wathi, “woke amadada ayalithanda izulu. Awanandaba ukuthi amasibawo ayathamba nokuthi iinyawo zawo ziba nedaka! Nakuliqhinga lona kufuze ngize nalo!”

Ngakusasa ekuseni, uNina uDada wabuyela kuMaMbuzi wayokubawa isizo. “MaMbuzi umntwanami uyabhala, uthi yena akazwani nezulu ngombana iinyawo zakhe zikghakghathela idaka. Ngenzeni nakunje? Kufuze size neqhinga.”

UMaMbuzi wahleka godu. Wathi, “kungebanga lokuthi usesemncani begodu iinyawana zakhezi zincani.” Bese uMambuzi waqalaqala ematjhelifinakhe wabuya namabhudzi ahlaza kotjani wokuvikela izulu.“Bamba la,” atjho kuNina uDada.“Mnikele amabhudzwana la ahlaza kotjani, avikela izulu, awambathe nalinako godu. ”UNina uDada wathokoza uMaMbuzi, wathatha amabhudzwana watjhinga ekhaya.

Nalinako godu, uNina uDada wanikela ubuphetjhani bakhe ijasana namabhudzwana avikela izulu bona awambathe. Wathi, “asiphumeleni ngaphandle sithabele izulu.”

Idada elincani belithabe khudlwana kwanjesi. Iinsiba zalo bezingakathambi, iinyawo zalo bezinganadaka. UNina uDada wamomotheka, wazizwa atjhaphulukile njengombana abona abantwabakhe badlala boke ezulwini.

Kwathi izulu nalithulako kwavela ilanga, kwavela izungu lekosi emkayini. “Qala, mma,” kwatjho idada elincani kunawo woke likhomba izungu lekosi. “Khuyini lokhuya okunemibalabala?”

UNina uDada nabanye abantwana baqala phezulu emkayini. Abantwana boke bebakarekile nababona izungu elihle elimibalabala. 

“Lela lizungu lekosi,” kutjho uNina uDada amomotheka. “Livela ilanga naliphumako nakuthula izulu. Naningaqalisisa kuhle, nizokubona imibala elikhomba ehlukileko.”

“Yo, ngiyalithanda izungu lekosi. Linemibala efana nejasami, amabhudzwami neensiba zami,” kutjho idada elincani lithabile. Amanye amadada amancani amahlanu abetha amaphiko avumelana nalo.

Kwathi ilanga nalitjhingako izungu lekosi lanyamalala, uNina uDada nabantwana bakhe batjhinga ekhaya.

Ngemva kwelangelo, idada elibuphetjhani belihlala lilinde bona kune izulu khona lizokubona izungu lekosi. Eqinisweni, belithabele ukubona izungu lekosi kangangobana belikhohlwa tjhira nokumbatha ijasana namabhudzwalo nalinako.

Nakuvela izungu lekosi, lathi kuNina uDada, “Angisanandaba nokuthi iinsiba zami zithambe nokuthi iinyawo zami zibe nedaka nalinako, ngombana izulu nalithulako, ilanga liyaphuma, ngizokubona into ehle kunazo zoke ephasini – izungu lekosi elitjha elinemibalabala. Ngiyalithanda izulu, kodwana kunakho koke ngithanda izungu lekosi.

UNina uDada wathaba kwamanikelela, watjhaphuluka emmoyeni. Boke abantwana bakhe bathanda izulu njengawo woke amadada.

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