Tihumba leti a ti tshama exirhapeni xa Man Mondliwa a ti nga tsakanga na switsongo.

“MINA NDZI SWI TWILE!” ku gungula Slimy.

“Na mina,” ku pfumela Speedy, munghana wa yena. “Hikwalahokayini hina tihumba hi nga fani na switsotswana leswin’wana laha xirhapeni?”

“Mina ndzi karhele hi makhomele layo biha lama va hi khomisaka xiswona,” Slimy a yisa emahlweni.

“Ina, i yini lexi nga hoxeka hi hina?” ku vutisa Speedy.

“Ndzi na mianakanyo, a hi hlanganiseni tihumba hinkwato kutani hi rhumela xivilelo eka switsotswana leswin’wana,” ku ringanyeta Slimy.

“Yaleyo i mianakanyo ya kahle,” ku pfumela Speedy. “Hi ta va byela leswaku va fanele va hi rhandza swinene.”

Hi siku leri landzelaka, Speedy na Slimy na tihumba letin’wana va hlanganile ehansi ka xihlahla xa mitwa ku vulavula na switsotswana leswin’wana.

“Hina tihumba hi fanele ku kombiwa nhlonipho,” ku vula Speedy. “Nakambe hi lava leswaku n’wina hinkwenu mi hi rhandza swinene,”

“SWI NGE KOTEKI!” ku huwelela N’waphaphatani. “Tihumba ta nyangatsa.”

“INA!” ku pfumela N’wanyoxi. “Tihumba a ti fambeli ekule.”

“Mi na hansahansa,” ku engetela N’waxivungu.

“Kambe hi tshama hi endla yini xo biha?” ku vutisa Slimy.

“YINI! Vona mbanga leyi ndzi nga na yona laha nengeni wa mina,” ku sungula N’wanjiya.

“Xana wa swi tiva leswaku ndzi yi kume njhani? Kusuka eka tihumba! N’wina tihumba mi rhetisa hinkwakonkwako hi marhekerheke ya n’wina leswi endlaka leswaku hi rheta hi tivavisa. Xana ma swi tiva leswaku swilo leswiya swa n’wina swi rhetisa njhani?”

“Hina hi vatsongo, ha khwekela eka marhekerheke ya n’wina,” ku engetela Nkosikasi N’warisokoti.

“Ohoo varhandziwa!” ku vula tihumba hi ku hlamala. “A hi nga swi anakanyi.”

“A hi sweswo ntsena,” ku vula N’waxivungu. “Xana ma swi tiva leswaku mi wu vanga njhani ntlimbano wa mfambafambo? N’wina tihumba ma nonooooka swinene.”

“A hi sweswo ntsena,” ku engetela N’waphaphatani. “Xana ndzi nga kombela leswaku mi yima ku dya swiluva hinkwaswo? Mi le ku onheni ka xirhapa xa hina lexo saseka.”

Tihumba titwe timbilu ku vava. A ti nga swi tivi leswaku ti le ku vangeni ka swiphiqo swo tala. Swihumbani swi twe timbilu ta swona ti vava kutani swi sungula ku rila.

“Ku fanele ku ri na swin’wana swa kahle hi hina tihumba?” ku ringanyeta Slimy.

Switsotswana leswin’wana a swi miyerile. Swi anakanyile lero na anakanya hi mayelana na swilo swa kahle hi tihumba.

Eku heteleleni, N’waphaphatani a ku, “KU HAVA! Mi ta hi khomela, n’wina tihumba ma nyangatsa. Ku hava na xilo na xin’we xa kahle hi n’wina!”

“Hi ntiyiso, hi anakanya leswaku tihumba hinkwato ti fanele ku suka laha xirhapeni. Hina van’wana hi karhele swi ringene! ku engetela N’waxivungu, hambileswi na yena a ri na ku rhetarheta.

“TIHUMBA HUMANI, TIHUMBA HUMANI!” switsotswana swi sungula ku yowetela.

“Yimani, yimani,” ku vula Slimy. “Hi nyikeni nkarhi.”

“Ina,” ku vula Speedy. “Hi nyikeni nkarhi, hi ta mi komba leswaku tihumba ti nga endla swo karhi swa kahle.”

Switsotswana swi anakanya nkarhinyana. “Swi kahle ke,” va pfumelelana. “Mi na masiku mambirhi ku hi khorwisa leswaku ma pfuna, loko swi nga ri tano, ma hi lomba!”

Endzhaku kaloko switsotswana swi tlhelerile eka tindhawu ta swona exirhapeni, tihumba ti tshamile ti anakanya lero na anakanya.

“Swi nga va njhani loko ho dyondza ku tsutsuma?” ku ringanyeta Speedy.

“I mianakanyo ya kahle,” ku pfumelela Slimy. “A hi yeni tihumba, a hi tiololeni!” Tihumba ti tekile siku hinkwaro ti ri nkarhi ti tiolola, kambe xo biha, va kume leswaku ku tsutsuma a swi koteki.

“Hay’khona e-e!” ku vula humba leyikulu. “Sweswi hi endla yini? Hi fanele hi ta na kungu leri nga ta endla leswaku switsotswana leswin’wana swi hi rhandza.”

“Ndzi ri kumile!” ku vula Slimy. “A hi ringeteni ku dya nhova ku nga ri swiluva.”

“Ina, a hi endleni,” ku pfumelela lavan’wana. Kwalaho, tihumba ti ringeta ku dya nhova ntsena exirhapeni. 

“Hay’khona e-e, leswi swi nge tirhi. Nhova ya BAVA!” ku vula Speedy endzhaku

ka nkarhinyana.

Tihumba ti teriwe hi gome. Tin’wana a ti sungula na ku phutsaphutsa ti lava ku rhurha.

“Heyo, ndzi na mano,” ku hlekelela Simphiwe, humba leyitsongo. “Ndzi lava n’wina hinkwenu mi hlangana na mina le henhla ka xitshuka.”

“Xana ti teka kahle? Swi ta hi tekela siku hinkwaro ku gonya le henhla,” ku vula Slimy.

“Ndzi tshembeni,” ku vula Simphiwe.

Masiku mambrihi ya hundzile naswona tihumba ti swi kotile ku fikelela ehenhla ka xitshuka. Swiaharhi leswin’wana swi hlengeletanile ehansi ka xitshuka ku vona leswi tihumba a ti lava ku endla swona.

“Se, hi yihi mianakanyo ya kahle?” va koxa.

“Yimani, mmm ...” ku vula Simphiwe.

“Ina?” ku vula switsotswana leswin’wana.

“Mi ta hi pfumelela hi tshama loko mi vone leswi hi nga swi endla,” ku tivisa Simphiwe.

Switsotswana leswin’wana swi yima swi nga tshukunyuki, mahlo ya swona ya honokele Simphiwe.

“Tha-ra,” ku vula Simphiwe a ri karhi a kongome enhlohlorhini ya xitshuka. “Hi mi endlele XIBANTSHEKA xo hlamarisa swinene hi marhikirhiki hinkwawo ya tihumba!”

Ku vile na ku miyela nkarhi wo leha loko switsotswana hinkwaswo swi ri karhi swi anakanya hi mianakanyo leyi.

“SWI KAHLEEE SWINENE!” va pfumelelana. “A hi swi ringeteni.”

Kutani va ringeta. Switsotswana hinkwaswo swi cincanile ku rhetarheta eka xibantsheka lexi xo olova no namarhela. A swi tsakisa swinene. Un’wana na un’wana a rhandza xibantsheka kutani ku tekiwa xiboho xa leswaku tihumba ti tshama exirhapeni hilaha ku nga heriki!