Ngolunye usuku, kudala, uBhubesi wakhethwa ukuba abe yinkosi yehlathi. Ngalolo suku, uDube waqoqa zonke izilwane wabe esethi, “Masibe nomcimbi wokubungaza inkosi yethu entsha.” “Kwaze kwaba umbono omuhle,” kusho uNgwe. “Ngicabanga ukuthi uNgwenya kufanele adanse nenkosi ngosuku lomcimbi.” “Ngiyavuma,” kusho uSibankwa. “Kodwa uma uNgwenya ezodansa nenkosi, kufanele ageze emfuleni ukuze isikhumba sakhe sihlanzeke futhi sicwebezele, njengesami.” Zonke izilwane zavumelana noSibankwa. Isikhumba sikaNgwenya sasimaholo futhi sigqunqile kakhulu. Kwakudingeka ageze emfuleni ukuze isikhumba sakhe sihlanzeke futhi sicwebezele ukuze alungele ukudansa nenkosi entsha. Kodwa uNgwenya wabantu akavumanga. “Angeke ngigeze emfuleni!” uNgwenya ezikhalela. “Angikaze ngibe semfuleni ngaphambili. Angazi ngisho nokuthi ngingakwazi yini ukubhukuda!” Kodwa asikho ezilwaneni esamlalela uNgwenya. Zonke zaphuma emhlanganweni, zaya ekhaya.

UNgwenya wasala yedwa. Wayekhathazeke kakhulu ngokuthi bonke babezomhleka uma ehluleka ukubhukuda. Isikhumba sakhe sasizohlanzeka kanjani futhi sicwebezele uma ayengenakugeza emfuleni? Wabe esecabanga isu. “Ngizoya ebusuku emfuleni lapho bonke belele. Khona-ke akekho ozongibona ngizama ukubhukuda.” Ngalobo busuku, lapho zonke izilwane zilele, uNgwenya wehla waya emfuleni. Wayecabanga ukuthi akekho obonayo, kodwa wayekhohliwe ukuthi uSikhova wayevukile ebusuku!

USikhova wabukela njengoba uNgwenya ayengena ngobunono emfuleni futhi wafunda ukubhukuda. Kodwa uSikhova akazange abange umsindo. Ekugcineni lwafika usuku lomcimbi. Zonke izilwane zabuthana endaweni yokuhlangana. “Kukhona owaziyo ukuthi uphi uNgwenya?” kubuza uSibankwa eqalaza. “Ngithemba ukuthi uhlanzekile futhi uyacwebezela elungele ukudansa nenkosi.”

Kodwa akekho owayazi ukuthi uphi uNgwenya. Khona-ke uSikhova wathi, “Ngicabanga ukuthi ngiyazi ukuthi ukuphi. Ngilandeleni!” Zonke izilwane zalandela uSikhova njengoba endiza eya ngasemfuleni. Emfuleni, zathola uNgwenya ebukeka ecasukile futhi edangele. Kwase kuyizinsuku esemfuleni, kodwa isikhumba sakhe sasisemaholo, futhi singahlanzekile futhi singacwebezeli nhlobo. “Sicela uphume emfuleni,” kumemeza zonke izilwane. “Umcimbi usuzoqala futhi kudingeka udanse nenkosi!” 

“Cha, angiphumi!” kuphendula uNgwenya. “Uma kuba khona osondela ngasemfuleni, ngizomudla. Nonke ningicasule kakhulu.” Yingakho, kuze kube namuhla, uNgwenya uhlala emfuleni. Isikhumba sakhe sisemaholo futhi usacasuke kakhulu. Akukho silwane esisondela kuye. Zonke zisaba ukuthi uNgwenya angase azidle!

Yenza indaba ihlabe umxhwele!

• UNgwenya wayesaba ukuthi ezinye izilwane zazizomhleka, ngakho waya emfuleni yedwa. Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi kungumqondo omuhle ukuya endaweni ethile uwedwa ungatshelanga umngane noma ilungu lomndeni ukuthi uzoba kuphi?
• Kungani uNgwenya ayezithukuthelele ezinye izilwane? Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi wayenesizathu esihle ngokuba athukuthele? Kungani kungekuhle ukuhlala ubacasukele abanye isikhathi eside?