Zonke izilwane zabe zazi ukuthi uNgwenya unegolide eliyinqwaba emzini wakhe, kodwa asikho esasike salibona ngoba uNgwenya wayenonya futhi eziqhenya. Wayezixosha, azilume ngamazinyo akhe acijile. Ngelinye ihlobo elishisayo, uNkawu wayehamba eduze komfula ngenkathi ebona uNgwenya elele elangeni. UNkawu owayegangile, wathatha indukwana wahlokoloza uNgwenya ohlangothini lomzimba wakhe. UNgwenya akazange anyakaze, ngakho uNkawu wamhlokoloza futhi.
“Okusho ukuthi ufile,” kwasho uNkawu. Wagijima wayotshela ezinye izilwane. Zonke izilwane zafika ukuze zizokwenza umngcwabo kaNgwenya. Zama zazungeza isidumbu sakhe zakhuluma. Zazifuna ukwazi ukuthi ngubani ozothola inqwaba enkulu yegolide likaNgwenya. Zonke zazifuna igolide, phela, kodwa umthetho wasehlanzeni wawuthi igolide lingelezihlobo zikaNgwenya. Kanti-ke lokho kwakuyinkinga – akekho owayazi izihlobo eziphilayo zikaNgwenya. Ngakho uFudu ohlakaniphileyo wabiza umhlangano omkhulu ngasosebeni lomfula ukuze athole okuthile ngalokhu.
Zisuka amadaka nje, izinyoni, nezimpaphe zazo ezinemibalabala kanye namazwi amtoti, zasukuma ukuze zikhulume. “Siyizihlobo eziphilayo zikamama wethu uNgwenya,” zacula ngokuhlanganyela. “Nakuba uNgwenya ebengemuhle njengathi, ubezalela amaqanda amakhulu esihlabathini. Sikufanele ukuthola inqwaba enkulu yegolide lakhe.” Ezinye izilwane zamemeza, “CHAAA!” izinyoni zase zihlala phansi. “Kuyiqiniso elingephikwe lokho,” kwasho uFudu. “UNgwenya ubezalela amaqanda amakhulu esihlabathini. Kukhona omunye ofuna ukusho okuthile?” Sasukuma isizwe sezibankwa. “Wumbhedo lowo,” kwasho umholi wezibankwa. “Ngazi izibankwa eziningi nazo ezizalela amaqanda, kodwa kasizona nhlobo izinyoni. UNgwenya ubeyilunga lesizwe sakithi ngenxa yesikhumba sakhe esinamazekecela. Sikufanele-ke ukuthola izindimbane zegolide.” Ezinye izilwane zamemeza, “CHAAA!” izibankwa nazo zase zihlala phansi.
“Kuyiqiniso elingephikwe nalelo,” kwasho uFudu. “UNgwenya ubenesikhumba esinamazekecela. Ngabe ukhona omunye onokuthile afuna ukukusho ngalokhu?” Kwezwakala ukukhala kwamanzi, kwase kuvela amakhanda aluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka khona emanzini. “Asinandaba ukuthi ubezalela amaqanda, noma ubenesikhumba esinamazekecela,” kwasho izinhlanzi. “Nathi sinawo amazekecela, futhi besihlale simbona njalo uNgwenya ebhukuda ngaphansi kwamanzi zonke izinsuku. Ubeyinhlanzi, njengathi nje. Ngakho sikufanele ukuthatha inqwaba yegolide.” “Awu, ngeke, akulona iqiniso lokho,” kwasho umholi wezibankwa. “Mbheke njengoba elele laphaya. Unemilenze emine. Ngikhombise inhlanzi enemilenze emine.” “Kodwa ubebhukuda,” kwasho inhlanzi.
“Kahleni bo!” kwasho uNsephe. “UNgwenya unemilenze emine. Zonke izinyamazane esizweni sezinyamazane zinemilenze emine, okusho ukuthi naye ubeyinyamazane phela. Sikufanele nathi ukuthola le nqwaba yegolide.” “Kodwa nina aniwazaleli amaqanda,” kucula izinyoni. Inhlanzi yaphuma iqhasha emfuleni yathela izinyoni ngamanzi. Izinyoni zasuka zandiza zaya esibhakabhakeni zibhakuza. “Ukwenzeleni lokho?” kwabuza enye yezinyoni. “Uma ngabe niyizihlobo zikaNgwenya ngempela, kumele ngabe niyawathanda phela amanzi,” kwasho inhlanzi. “Ngaphandle kwalokho, nake nambona yini uNgwenya endiza?” Ngokushesha izilwane zehlanze zase zilwa zodwa, zithethisana. “Yimani, nonke! Yimani!” kwasho uFudu, kodwa akekho owamlalela. Khona manjalo uFudu wezwa kukhona omthintayo ehlombe wase ephenduka ebheka emuva. Kwakukhona into embi embuka kabi ingenhla. Yayinamehlo amakhulu namazinyo acijile. KwakunguNgwenya! “Bengicabanga ukuthi ufile,” kwasho uFudu, eqhaqhazela egobolondweni lakhe. “Bengilele,” kwasho uNgwenya ngezwi lakhe elikhulu. “Kodwa umsindo wenu ungivusile.” UFudu wavungama exolisa, ebaleka eseqonde ehlanzeni. UNgwenya waphendukela kwezinye izilwane. “Hheyi nina!” esho ethetha. Zonke izilwane zayeka ukulwa zase zithula du. Zabuka uNgwenya ziwaqwebulile amehlo.
“Kungcono-ke lokho,” kwasho uNgwenya. “Okusho ukuthi nonke nifuna igolide lami, akunjalo? Kulungile, okokuqala, ngizothanda ukuba nesidlo nezihlobo zami eziphilayo. Ngubani ofuna ukuhlala adle okumnandi?” kwabuza uNgwenya ekhotha izindebe zakhe. “Izinyoni ziyizihlobo zakho,” kwasho izinhlanzi, zibaleka zitshuza emanzini ngokushesha. “Awu, lutho, yizinyamazane eziyizihlobo zakho,” kwasho izinyoni zindiza ziyothi chwa phezulu ezihlahleni. “Zinemilenze emine.” Kodwa isizwe sezinyamazane sase sinyamalale kudala sangena ezihlahleni. “Kulungile-ke,” kwasho izibankwa, “sekusele thina kuphela manje. Siyacela, ungasigwinyi phela, Ngwenya.” “Ngigwinye nina?” kwasho uNgwenya emoyizela. “Ngingazidlelani kodwa izihlobo zami? Wozani, zibankwa. Masihambeni siyodla isidlo.”
Nebala izibankwa zalandela uNgwenya kwaqondwa endlini yakhe, lapho lezi zilwane ezafika zadla khona ikhekhe lamaganu zase ziphuza amanzi amnandi esiphethu, zaxoxelana izindaba zahleka kwaze kwaqala ukuba mnyama phandle. Ukusukela ngalelo langa, zonke izilwane zazi ukuthi izibankwa ziyizihlobo eziphilayo ngempela zikaNgwenya, nokuthi kuyothi mhla esefa ngempela, yizibankwa eziyothola inqwaba yegolide.
