Ekadeni iimbandana bezinganayo imisila. Bezingakathabi nakancani ngendaba le, yeke zabizela umhlangano emlanjeni.

IMbila beyibukele njengombana ezinye iinbandana zidlula ziya emhlanganweni.

“Khambisani! Kufuze sifike emhlanganweni,” kurhuwelela uMqasa utjho weqa yeqa udlula.

“Ungatshwenyeki, ngizonilandela!” Kuphendula uMbila ngemva kwalokho wafulathela imisebe yelanga elifuthumeleko.

“Kanti awukhambi nathi?” Kubuza iKawu njengombana adlula.

“Ungatshwenyeki, ngizonilandela khona nje,” kuphendula uMbila alele ngomhlana afuthumeza amathumbakhe.

Isibandana samaswaphela esadlula kuMbila bekumnganakhe omkhulu, uKghuru. “Kanti awuyi emhlanganweni?” Uyabuza.

“Nange umnganami angangibhebhula,” kuphendula uMbila.

“Kodwana iqephe lami liyangidisela,” kutjho uKghuru.

“Mara, mina angisibudisi. Angekhe uzwe nokuthi ngikhwele phezulu,” kutjho uMbila amomotheka.

 “Kodwana iqephe lami liyaguguna angekhe uhlale kamnandi,” kuhlathulula uKghuru.

“Ngiyimbila! Ngikujayele ukuhlala ematjeni aqinileko!” Kuphendula uMbila, weqela emhlana kaKghuru. UMbila bekabudisi kodwana uKghuru ayikho into ebekangayenza. UMbila bekamnganakhe omkhulu.

Emhlanganweni iimbandana zakhuluma ngemisila.

“Ngimumbi njengombana nginganamsila,” kunghonghoyila uPisi.

“Nangilinga ukujika ngigijima, ngiyawa ngombana anginamsila,” kutjho uNgwe.

“Ngitlhoga isitho esinye ukwenzela bona ngitjhaphulule izandla zami nangilenga emithini ngikha iinthelo,” kutjho uKawu.

“Asibaweni umDali asiphe imisila,” kutjho uBhubezi abeka umbono.

Yeke, iimbandana zaqala ezulwini. “Maye, mDali, sibawa usiphe imisila!” Kubawa iimbandana.

Kwezwakala ilizwi elikhulu livela ezulwini. “Kusasa ekuseni kufuze nikhambe niye emlanjeni nizokufumana imisila emuthini omkhulu.”

Iimbandana zabuyela emakhaya zinethemba begodu zithabile.

“Ngiphela ihliziyo bona ngiwufumana nini umsila. Kusasa kuzokufuze sikhambe sobabili siyokuthatha imisilethu,” kutjho uMbila njengombana uKghuru amhlisa edwaleni alibiza ‘ngekhaya.’

Ngebanga lokuthi uyazi bona ukhamba kabuthaka, uKghuru wavuka ngamasa ngelanga elilandelako. Begade kusesenzima nakasuka emzinakhe, ezinye iimbandana bezisalele.

Njengombana uKghuru adlula kwaMbila, warhuwelela, “Yewize! Asikhambe siyokuthatha imisilethu!”

“Ingasi namhlanjesi. Ngiyadonda. Ngiyokothela ilanga. Ngibawa ungiphathele umsila udlule unginikela wona nawuya kwakho,” kutjho uMbila amomotheka kamnandi. “Ngifuna omude omafuthufuthu.”

UKghuru kwamrara khulu ukuthi uMbila akezi. “Ngizakwenza njalo,” waphendula athabile, bekabona ukuthi angekhe kutlhogeke abhebhule uMbila emhlane.

Nakusako, ezinye iimbandana zatjhinga emlanjeni zisiqhema esikhulu. Bezikhambisa ukudlula uKghuru, yeke zamdlula endleleni. Kodwana uKghuru bekazimisele bona ayokufika emuthini ayokuthatha umsilakhe newomnganakhe yeke waragela phambili.

Kwathi iimbandana nazitjhidela emlanjeni zabona umuthi uzele imisila. Bekunemisila emifitjhani, imisila emide, imisila emafuthufuthu nemisila eyondileko. Bekunemisila emihle memimbi.

Iimbandana zathoma ukutjhidela emuthini. Bekubonakala ukuthi nanyana ngubani ozokufika qangi uzozithathela umsila omuhle. UKawu bekeqa asuka emuthini aye komunye. UBhubezi, uNgwe noDube bagijima ngendlela erarako. UNdlovu noBhejani bagijima kwangathi bayazidosa. UJakalasi wagijima khulu njengoFarigi, kodwana uFarigi bekanande ajama lapha nalapha adla iimbungwana nemirabho emnandi. UKghuru bekabalandele ngemuva.

UKawu waba ngewokuthoma ukufika emuthini. Wazithathela umsila omude. Ungwe waba ngowesibili naye wazithathela umsila omude. Ezinye iimbandana zazithathela imisila ebeyisele ilenga emuthini.

Kwathi uFarigi noKghuru nabafikako, besele kusele imisila emibili kwaphela. Omunye bewumfitjhani usiquntwana, omunye wondile begodu usongene. uFarigi wakhetha osongeneko, uKghuru wathatha osiquntwana.

Kwasala kungasanalitho emuthini akekho noyedwa owakhumbulako bona uMbila naye ufuna umsila.

Njengombana asedwaleni lakhe, uMbila bekazibona ezinye iimbandana zibuyela emakhaya. Bezikhamba ngokuziqhenya begodu zijuguja imisila yazo ziyisa ngapha nangapha. “Sengiphela ihliziyo bona ngiwufumana nini umsilami omutjha!” kucabanga uMbila.

UMbila wabona uFarigi noKghuru bakhamba ndawonye. “Ungiphathele umsilami, Kghuru?” kubuza uMbila njengombana batjhidela.

“Awa, ungilibalele mnganami iphelile! Mina noFarigi sifumene imisila emibili yamaswaphela. Qala wami unjani,” kuhlathulula uKghuru, utjho akhomba umsilakhe osiquntu. “Ngilokhu kwaphela engikufumeneko.”

“Yazi ngathana ngiziyele!” Kutjho uMbila azisola.  “Nobabili ngiyanidlula ngokukhambisa. Bengizozifumanela umsila omuhle ngathana bengingadongi kangaka.” UKghuru noFarigi bazithulela bakhamba.

Kungebangelo iimbila zinganayo imisila – kodwana zisahlala emadwaleni zithabele ukutjhisa kwelanga!

Yenza indaba le ibe mnandi!

* Khewucabange iimbandana zithatha imisila ehlukileko emuthini. Dweba isithombe sesibandana sinomsila ohlukileko, njengokuthi iKghuru ibe nomsila weBhubezi namkha iDube libe nomsila weFarigi.

• Funa amagama! Qalisisa endabeni. Linga ukufumana: amagama weembandana ezine – amagama amabili weenomboro – amagama amahlanu ahlathulula imisila?
• Yenza kwangathi unguMbila. Tlolela umDali incwadi umbawe akuphe elinye ithuba lokufumana umsila.