Ngenye imini ekwakugqatse ubhobhoyi uSikhukukazana waphuma esiya kufunaukutya. Wathi esahamba phantsi kwemithi yemarula embalwa neshinyeneyo, weva ngephanyazo kusithi SWAHLA! – isiqhamo esisuka komnye wemthi leyosawela phezu kwentloko yakhe.
“Owu! Kukho into ewe phezu kwentloko yam!” wakokoza uSikhukukazana. Wajonga phezulu kodwa akabona nto ngaphandle kwesibhakabhaka. “Yho nasoke isimanga,” watsho uSikhukukazana. “Nakanjani sisibhakabhaka. Isibhakabhakasiyawa. Mandiye kukuxelela inkosi oku.” Nanko ke ehamba ekokoza, kokokoko, kokokoko, waze wadibana noMqhagi uxhola-xhola apho ethafeni.
UMqhagi waphakamisa intloko ekuxholeni kwawo. “Iyaphi na indlela, Sikhukukazana?” wabuza.
“Ndiya kuxelela inkosi ukuba isibhakabhaka siyawa,” wacacisanjalo uSikhukukazana.
“Yho iyothusa loo nto! Ndingakukhapha siye kubika ezi ndaba enkosini?” wabuza uMqhagi.
“Ewe,” watsho uSikhukukazana, “yiza sihambe.”
Bahamba ke ngoko uSikhukukazana noMqhagi besiya kuxelela inkosi ukubaisibhakabhaka siyawa. Bahamba kunye bekokoza, bexhola-xhola, baze badibananoDada enyeleni yedama lefama le.
“Niyaphi na, Sikhukukazana noMqhagi?” wabuza uDada.
“Siya kuxelela inkosi ukuba isibhakabhaka siyawa,” wachaza uSikhukukazana.
“Yho iyothusa loo nto! Ndinganikhapha siye kubika ezi ndaba enkosini?” wabuza uDada.
“Ngokuqinisekileyo,” kwatsho uSikhukukazana noMqhagi. “Yiza sihambe.”
Bahamba ke ngoko uSikhukukazana, uMqhagi noDada besiya kuxelela inkosiukuba isibhakabhaka siyawa. Bahamba kunye bekokoza, bexhola-xhola, bekwikwiza, baza badibana noRhanisi.
“Iyaphi na indlela?” wabuza uRhanisi.
“Siya kuxelela inkosi ukuba isibhakabhaka siyawa,” wachaza uSikhukukazana.
“Ndinganikhapha?” wabuza uRhanisi.
“Ewe,” watsho uSikhukukazana, uMqhagi noDada.
Bahamba ke uSikhukukazana, uMqhagi, uDada noRhanisi besiya kuxelelainkosi ukuba isibhakabhaka siyawa. Bahamba kunye bekokoza, bexhola-xhola, bekwikwiza kwaye behoki-hokiza ngokunjalo, baza badibana noKarikuni.
“Niyaphi na nina nonke?” wabuza uKarikuni.
“Siya kuxelela inkosi ukuba isibhakabhaka siyawa,” wachaza uSikhukukazana.
“Ndinganikhapha?” wabuza uKarikuni.
“Owu ewe, ungahamba nathi,” kwatsho uSikhukukazana, uMqhagi, uDada kunye noRhanisi.
Bahamba ke uSikhukukazana, uMqhagi, uDada, uRhanisi noKarikuni, bonke besiya kuxelela inkosi ukuba isibhakabhaka siyawa. Bahamba kunyebekokoza, bexhola-xhola, bekwikwiza, behoki-hokiza kwaye begwityi-gwityizangokunjalo, baza ke badibana noDyakalashe.
UDyakalashe wabuza wenjenje, “Iya phi na indlela, Sikhukukazana, Mqhagi, Dada, Rhanisi nawe Karikuni?”
“Dyakalashe,” batsho bonke, “siya kuxelela inkosi ukuba isibhakabhaka siyawa.”
“Owu! Kodwa niyalahleka nje, le asiyondlela eya enkosini,” watshouDyakalashe. “Ndiyayazi indlela echanekileyo. Ndinganibonisa?”
“Ewe, sincede torho, Dyakalashe,” baphendula.
“Ndilandeleni ke,” watsho uDyakalashe. “Nantsi indlela, khawulezani!”
Bahamba ke ngoko uSikhukukazana, uMqhagi, uDada, uRhanisi, uKarikuninoDyakalashe, besiya kuxelela inkosi ukuba isibhakabhaka siyawa. Bahamba, bahamba bade baya kufika emngxunyeni omxinwa nomnyama. Lowo ke, yayingumnyango womqolomba kaDyakalashe. Kodwa uDyakalashe wathi, “Leke yindlela enqumlayo eya kwinkundla yenkosi. Niya kukhawuleza nifike aphoxa nithe nandilandela. Ndiza kungena kuqala nize ke nina nindilandele.”
“Siyabulela,” watsho uSikhukukazana, uMqhagi, uDada, uRhanisi noKarikuni.
Ngoko ke, uDyakalashe wangena emqolombeni wakhe. Zange angene adeafike esiphelweni. Wangena nje, wema emva kocango, wazimela khona, walinda. Ekugqibeleni wabona uKarikuni engena ngomngxuma omnyamaemqolombeni. UKarikuni wayengekayi kude xa uDyakalashe emxhakamfulade wasiphula isipha seentsiba apho kuye.
“Yhu hayi!” wakhala uKarikuni. “Hayi, hayi, hayi!” Wajika ebalekaukuphuma emqolombeni, waza wangqubeka kuRhanisi. URhanisi nayewajika, waza wangqubeka kuDada. UDada naye wajika, waza wangqubekakuMqhagi. UMqhagi naye wajika, waza wangqubeka kuSikhukukazana. Wathini ke yena uSikhukukazana? USikhukukazana wathi QUKULU! wawaphantsi engalindelanga.
Ngokukhawuleza waxhuma wema ngeenyawo, yaza ingulowo nalowo wathingqe ukuphuma buphuthuphuthu kuloo mqolomba! Babaleka, babaleka badeekugqibeleni bekhefuza futhi bedinwe benjalo, uSikhukukazana, uMqhagi, uDada, uRhanisi noKarikuni, bafika ekhaya bekhuselekile. Kulapho ke bathibahlala khona.
Zange baphinde bamthembe uDyakalashe. Phofu ke, akuzange kubekhonamnye kubo owaya kufikelela enkundleni yenkosi futhi akakho kubo owakhewaxelela inkosi ukuba isibhakabhaka sasisiwa.
Kwaye kananjalo … qashisela? Kude kube nanamhla oku, asizange siwe.
