Endulo – ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukamkhulu wakho kanye nomkhulu wakhe nomkhulu walowo mkhulu futhi – uMini noBusuku babengenawo amahloni. Babehamba emhlabeni njengawe nje.

Njalo ekuseni, uMini wayevuka ebuthongweni. Wayegeza ubuso bakhe esizibeni esingaphansi kweSihlahla seBhomelaki. Bese ehamba edabula umhlaba, alethe ukukhanya nokufudumala konke lapho ayehamba khona.

Izilwane zaziyeka ezikwenzayo zimgqolozele. Zazihlebelana zithi, “Nanguya uMini. Ake nibheke ukuthi muhle kangakanani.”

Njalo kusihlwa, uBusuku wayevuka. Wayegeza izinwele zakhe esizibeni esingaphansi kweSihlahla seBhomelaki . Bese ehamba edabula umhlaba alethe ukuphola nokuphumula konke lapho ayehamba khona.

Izilwane zaziyeka ezikwenzayo zimgqolozele. Zazihlebelana zithi, “Nanguya uBusuku. Ake

nibheke ukuthi muhle kangakanani.”

Zonke izilwane zazimthanda uMini noBusuku. Sasisodwa kuphela isilwane esasingabathandi

kanti igama laso kwakunguNtathu. Wayeshaya amaphiko akhe uma ezwa ezinye izilwane

zihlebelana zithi, “Ake nibheke ukuthi bahle kanjani.”

Kunokuthi avumelane nazo, uNtathu wathi, “Empeleni, nithini ngami? Ake nibheke ukuthi

ngimuhle kanjani. Ayikho into enhle ukudlula mina.”

Kodwa ezinye izilwane zavela zahleka nje kuphela. “Ntathu,” kusho zona, “ake uthule – nyoni ndini eyisiwula. Awumuhle njengoMini noBusuku.”

Lokhu kwenza uNtathu wathukuthela kakhulu. “Nginentamo engcono kuneyakho, Ndlulamithi,” kusho yena. “Futhi nginekhala elingcono kunelakho, Ndlovu. Kanti namehlo ami angcono kunawakho, Mvukuzane.”

Lokhu kwayicasula imvukuzane encane ngoba yayingafuni lutho ngamehlo ayo, kodwa oNdlulamithi noNdlovu bavele bamhleka uNtathu. “Uyabheda wena Ntathu.”

UNtathu wabe esethi, “Ubuso bami buhle kunobukaMini futhi nezimpaphe zami zinhle kunezinwele zikaBusuku.” Wase endiza esuka lapho.

Ngokulandelayo lapho izilwane sezibuye zibona uNtathu, wayekame izimpaphe zakhe futhi epende nobuso bakhe. “Ake nibheke nje,” kusho yena, “ngabe ubuso bami abubuhle ukudlula ubuso bukaMini? Ngabe izimpaphe zami azizinhle ukudlula izinwele zikaBusuku?”

Kodwa zonke izilwane zavele zamhleka. Imvukuzane encane yathi, “Ntathu, ayikho into ongayenza engenza ukuthi ubuso bakho bube buhle bunobukaMini noma ukuthi izimpaphe zakho zibe zinhle kunezinwele zikaBusuku.”

UNtathu wathukuthela kakhulu.

Kusihlwa ngalelo langa uNtathu wacasha ngemva kwehlokozi walinda. Lapho uBusuku evuka ebuthongweni, uNtathu wamlandela. Wambuka ngesikhathi egeza izinwele zakhe esizibeni esingaphansi kweSihlahla seBhomelaki.

UNtathu walinda ubusuku bonke kwaze kwaba sekuseni. Wabuka uMini egeza ubuso bakhe esizibeni esingaphansi kweSihlahla seBhomelaki. “Manje sengiyayazi imfihlo yabo!” kucabanga uNtathu. “Uma ngigeza ubuso bami esizibeni esingaphansi kweSihlahla seBhomelaki, ngizoba muhle njengobuso bukaMini. Kanti uma ngigeza izimpaphe zami esizibeni esingaphansi kweSihlahla seBhomelaki, zizoba zinhle njengezinwele zikaBusuku.”

Kodwa lapho uNtathu esathi uziphonsa esizibeni, kwaba khona umsindo omkhulu owamvimbela ukuthi enze lokhu.

ISihlahla seBhomelaki sanyakazisa amagatsha aso. “Ntathu,” kusho sona, “akekho omunye ovunyelwe ukugeza kulesi siziba ngaphandle kukaMini noBusuku. Uma wena wenza kanjalo, ngizokuqalekisa. Manje-ke suka la bese uthokozela lokho oyikho!”

UNtathu waveva uvalo, kodwa wathi, “Konje uwubani-ke wena ukuthi ungangitshela ukuthi ngenzeni, Sihlahla? Ngizoba muhle njengoMini noBusuku. Ayikho into ongayenza ukungivimba.”

Kanti ngemva kokusho lokho, uNtathu wabhula amaphiko akhe waziphonsa esizibeni esingaphansi kweSihlahla seBhomelaki.

Kodwa akazange awele emanzini esiziba apholile. Wawela emgodini onezintuli. UNtathu wayejabule kakhulu kangangokuthi akazange akubone nalokhu. Wabhula amaphiko akhe othulini wahlikihla ubuso bakhe kulo – wase ezizwa esemuhle kakhulu.

“Nakho-ke, Ntathu,” kusho iSihlahla seBhomelaki, “kusukela manje, angeke uphinde ugeze ubuso bakho emanzini futhi. Uqalekiswe unomphela, uzohlale ugeza othulini. Manje-ke suka la bese uyothokozela lokho oyikho!”

 Zasheshe zafiphala izimpaphe zikaNtathu ezinemibala. Ubuso bakhe baba mpunga futhi bangcola. Ashwabana amaphiko akhe kanti nemilenze yakhe yaba mifishane.

Futhi njalo nje izilwane zibuka uMini noBusuku bedlula, uNtathu wayebheka phansi angasho lutho.

Kodwa imvukuzane encane yahlebeza yathi, “Ake nibheke ukuthi muhle kanjani uMini. Ake nibheke ukuthi muhle kanjani uBusuku. Bese nibheka ukuthi umpunga kanjani uNtathu, ijuba!”