Ilanga lalibukeka njengekhabe elincane elivuthiwe ezulwini phezu kwekhanda likaPhindulo. Wayethanda ukuhamba ehlathini nokulalela izinyoni zicula ezihlahleni. Kodwa kwakuwusuku olwehlukile lolu. Kwakunomsindo omkhulu oqhamuka phakathi ehlathini. Wawuzwakala njengowabantu abaphikisanayo.

UPhindulo walandela umsindo waze wafika eshashalazini elivulekile. Phakathi neshashalazi, wabona uMfene noNkawu bethethisana. Wabona nethanga E-L-I-K-H-U-L-U futhi. UMfene noNkawu babemi ngapha nangapha kwethanga. UMfene wayeveze amazinyo akhe amakhulu kanti uNkawu yena wayevulela emlonyeni enikina nekhanda lakhe. Bobabili babebukeka bethukuthele kakhulu.

“Sanibonani,” kusho uPhindulo. “Kwenzakalani la?”

“Phindulo,” kusho uNkawu, “uMfene ubulawa ukuba igovu.”

“Kahle-ke,” kusho uMfene. “UNkawu oyigovu.”

“Ngilibone kuqala,” kusho uNkawu. Waphakamisa inqinjana yakhe ekhomba ithanga.

“Ake nithule,” kusho uPhindulo. “Yimani! Bengithi nina nobabili ningabangani nje?”

“Empeleni, e e,” kusho uNkawu. “Bheka, besizihambela nje ngesikhathi ngibona leli thanga elikhulu la. Sagijima sobabili siqonde kulo, kwaba uMfene ofika kuqala kulo. Manje uthi yithanga lakhe.”

“Yithanga lami!” kusho uMfene. “Ngilithinte kuqala, ngakho elami.”

“Empeleni, yimina olibone kuqala. Ngabe uledlulile ukuba angilibonanga!” kusho uNkawu.

“Kahle-ke,” kusho uMfene.

“Into ezothiwani kodwa le?” kubuza uPhindulo. Wahlala phansi otshanini phambi kwabo. Emva kwesikhathi eside wathi, “Yehheni we bantu! Laze lalikhulu ithanga.”

“Sesiyakwazi lokho,” kusho uMfene noNkawu begingqa amehlo abo.

“Lingikhumbuza isihlahla sethu samahhabhula,” kusho uPhindulo.

“Isihlahla senu samahhabhula?” kubuza uNkawu. “Usho ukuthini, Phindulo?”

“Empeleni,” kusho uPhindulo, “nyakenye, isihlahla samahhabhula esisegcekeni lakithi sathela kakhulu kangangokuthi kwagcwala amahhabhula kuwo wonke amakhabethe kanye nobhasikidi abakhona endlini. Kanti akuzange kwenze mehluko ukuthi sasidla amangaki, senze amanye abe wuphaya wamahhabhula, aye maningi kakhulu ukuthi angadliwa umama, ubaba kanye nami. Lokhu kufuze indaba yaleli thanga.”

“Yebo, Phindulo, kodwa sizokwenzenjani ngethanga?” kubuza uNkawu.

“Angazi,” kusho uPhindulo. “Kodwa nginganitshela ukuthi sawenzenjani amahhabhula.”

“Ini?” kubuza uNkawu.

“Senza idili,” kusho uPhindulo.

“Idili?” kubuza uMfene.

“Kunjalo,” kusho uPhindulo. “Saba nedili elikhulu. Samema wonke umuntu. Kwakukhona abangani kanye nomakhelwane, ogogo kanye nomkhulu, abazala kanye nabashana. Sahlobisa indlwana yethu ngezinsiza zokuhlobisa kanye namabhelunde. UMama wenza uphaya wakhe wamahhabhula okhethekile kanti ubaba yena wakhama amahhabhula wenza ujuzi wamahhabhula omnandi, obandayo. Sadlala imidlalo ndawonye sadansa futhi. Kwaba mnandi kakhulu. Kanti wonke umuntu wadla waze wasutha futhi wajabula.”

“Ngiyawathanda amadili,” kusho uNkawu.

“Empeleni, yini singabi nedili?” kusho uMfene.

“Umqondo omuhle lowo,” kusho uNkawu. “Singabelana ngethanga bese silidla ndawonye!”

“Nazo-ke!” kusho uPhindulo, ehleka.

UMfene wawola, wasingatha uNkawu kakhulu.

“Ngabe uzoza kodwa edilini lethu?” kubuza uNkawu kuPhindulo.

“Ngingathanda impela,” kusho yena.

UMfene noNkawu bamamatheka ngenjabulo. Kanti-ke abangani abathathu bapheka ithanga elikhulu kakhulu. Lowo nalowo wenza into eyehlukile ezodliwa. UNkawu wabhaka uphaya onoqweqwe olusagolide, othambe kamnandi ngaphakathi. UMfene wenza isobho elinezinongo. UPhindulo wenza amagwinya amnandi anesinamoni noshukela!

Babengenayo imidweshu yokuhlobisa noma amabhelunde, kodwa badlala imidlalo, bacula namaculo, badla nethanga kakhulu ngendlela ababefuna ngayo.

Kusenjalo, kwafika ezinye izilwane. UNdlovu weza namaganu amnandi kanye nezinhlamvu zemithi ezidliwayo. UNdlulanithi weza namabhodlela amanzi esiphethu ahlwahlwazayo ukuze behlise ukudla okumnandi. NoNtibane wayelapho naye imbala nobhatata omnandi.

Yilowo nalowo wabelana nabanye ngokudla neziphuzo. Bonke bahleka, bacula baphinde badla ilanga laze lehla esibhakabhakeni, lanjengekhabe elikhulu elivuthiwe.