Kwakukhona umuzi owawusekugcineni kwehlathi. Phakathi naleli hlathi, emagatsheni aphezulu esihlahleni esikhulu kakhulu, kwakuhlala inyoni yekhethelo ngempela – inyoni eyayikwazi ukunisa imvula. Abantu babehlala benesikhathi sokugcina inyoni ithokozile. Babethatha izingcezu zezinkwa, izithelo nobisi olusha lukakhukhunathi masonto onke bakubeke phansi kwesihlahla. Omunye wabo wayedlala upiyano oludlalwa ngezithupha, inyoni yayindiza yehlele phansi ukuze idle iphuze. Uma isiqedile, yayiphakamisa amaphiko ayo aluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka akhazimulayo bese icula iculo elimnandi. Kungakapheli namizuzu emingaki, yayiqala ukuna imvula.

Imvula yayina njalo iminyaka eminingi, izitshalo zazikhula kakhulu, futhi kunokudla okuningi emzini. Kodwa izinto zaqala ukushintsha kancane kancane … abantu basemzini baqala ukungayinaki inyoni enisa imvula. “Kuzonetha vele,” kunquma bona.

Imvula nayo yayeka ukuna. Izitshalo zaqala ukufa, nezilwane zazaca futhi zababuthakathaka. Noma kunjalo akekho umuntu emzini owaya ehlathini ukuyopha ukudla inyoni eyayinisa imvula – babematasatasa bonke bezama ukuthola imali yokuthenga ukudla edolobhaneni eliseduze.

Ngelinye ilanga, uKetti waya ehlathini. Wahamba, wahamba, waze wafika esihlahleni eside okwakuhlala kusona inyoni enisa imvula. UKetti wabuka phezulu esihlahleni, ekhumbula ukuthi ugogo wakhe wayaye ahambe kanjani naye beze ehlathini bezopha inyoni ukudla. Wakhipha ucezu lwesinkwa esikhwameni sakhe walubeka phansi kwesihlahla. Njengoba wayengenalo upiyano oludlalwa ngezithupha, wacula iculo.

Kwezwakala umsindo omkhulu inyoni enisa imvula yehlela phansi yase iqala ukudla isinkwa. Uma seyiqedile, yacula amanothi ayingcwenga ambalwa yase iphakamisa amaphiko ayo akhazimulayo. UKetti wezwa ukuduma kwezulu, ngesikhathi efika ekhaya kwase kuqalile ukuna kwamathonsi amakhulu emvula.

UKetti watshela abazali bakhe ukuthi kwenzekeni, “Akusekho muntu okholelwa kuleya nyoni! Ungamosi isinkwa sakho upha leya nyoni!” kuthetha uMama.

“Ukuba uGogo ubesaphila,” kucabanga uKetti, “ubezongikholwa!” Kodwa ugogo kaKetti wayeshone eminyakeni embalwa eyedlule, emshiyele upiyano lwakhe oludala oludlalwa ngezithupha.

Kwadlula amasonto amabili kungekho mvula. “Anginandaba nokuthi bathini!” kucabanga uKetti. “Sidinga imvula. Ngizopha inyoni ukudla futhi kusasa!”

Ngakho ekuseni kakhulu osukwini olulandelayo, uKetti wathatha ucezu lwesinkwa kanye nenkeshezana yamajikijolo abomvu ekhishini, waphuma endlini engabonwa muntu waya phakathi nehlathi. Akazanga ukuthi noyise wayevukile naye. Wabona ukuthi yini eyayizokwenziwa indodakazi yakhe. “Ngizofundisa le ngane engezwa isifundo!” ekhuluma yedwa ngokuthukuthela. Wahlwitha umnsalo nomcibisholo wakhe walandela uKetti ngokuthula ukuya ehlathini.

Ngesikhathi inyoni indizela phansi ukuze idle ukudla uKetti ayeyibekele kona, ubaba wakhe wamisa umnsalo wakhe wase ededela umcibisholo wawo obulalayo. Umcibisholo wandiza waqonda ngqo enhliziyweni yenyoni, inyoni yakliwula ukukliwula okuvala izindlebe. Ethukile, uKetti waphenduka wabona uyise ewela phansi – eseshonile. Uthe uma ephenduka wobona umcibisholo uwa emzimbeni wenyoni ungayilimazanga. Inyoni yandizela phezulu esihlahleni.

UKetti waphuthuma ekhaya, inhliziyo yakhe ishaya ngamandla. Zonke izilwane nabo bonke abantu ayebabona endleleni babelele phansi beshonile. Ekhaya, wafika wathola ngokushesha upiyano oludlalwa ngezithupha oludala lukaninakhulu. “Leli ukuphela kwethemba enginalo!” ecabanga. “Idiniwe inyoni enisa imvula. Kumelengiyijabulise futhi!”

UKetti wagijima wabuyela phansi kwesihlahla esikhulu. Ngeminwe evevezelayo, waqala ukudlala upiyano oludlalwa ngezithupha. Wadlala, wadlala, kwaze kwaba buhlungu iminwe yakhe. Ekugcineni, inyoni yehlela phansi, yadla amajikijolo yase icula amanothi ambalwa. Kwathi ngesikhathi uKetti eqhubeka nokudlala, yaphakamisa amaphiko ayo … UKetti wezwa okuhwashazayo ngemuva kwakhe – uyise wayesevukile! “Ngiyaxolisa!”washo ephindelela enyonini enkulu eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. Welulela isandla indodakazi yakhe base behamba bebuyela emzini, lapho kwase kuvuke bonke abantu nezilwane.

Izakhamuzi zasemuzini zaba nomhlangano ngalobo busuku. Zavumelana ukuthi zifunde isifundo esibaluleke kakhulu. Kanti kusukela ngalolo suku, kuba khona omunye wabo othatha uhambo olukhethekile lokuyopha ukudla inyoni enisa imvula ehlathini, masonto onke.