Kwabe kuwusuku oluhle oluvilaphisayo nje uma ugudla osebeni lomfula. Yonke into yayithule ithe cwaka. Uwodwa umsindo owawuzwakala okwakungokaNyonencane owayetshiloza kancane ngesikhathi ehlanza amazinyo amakhulu ayisicaba kaMvubu.
UMvubu wayekuthokozela ukuhlanzwa amazinyo akhe. Wayelele ekhiphele ikhanda lakhe ngaphandle kwamanzi, umlomo wakhe ewukhamise uvuleke nge. Ilanga lalimfudumeza kwathi engazelele nje wayesezunywe ubuthongo. Waphupha ngesiqephu esikhulu sotshani obuconsisa amathe obabuntanta eduze nje kwakhe, kanti khona ephusheni lakhe, wabuluma utshani wabugwinya.
“Udle uNyonencane wena!” Izwi lavusa uMvubu ngokumethusa. Kwakungenye yezinyoni, okuthiwa ngomakholwase. Yayibukeka ithukuthele kakhulu! Ubuso bayo obuphinki base buphenduka buba bomvu!
“Udle uNyonencane,” imemeza futhi, ikhomba ngephiko layo kuMvubu.
“Angisoze!” kwasho uMvubu ezivikela. “Ngidla utshani, hhayi izinyoni ezincane! Ngaphandle kwalokho nje, uNyonencane wumngani wami! Angeke nje ngamudla!”
“Ngikubonile! Ubehlanza amazinyo akho, wena wase umgwinya!”
UMvubu walikhumbula iphupho lakhe. Manje wayeseshaywa wuvalo! Ingabe wayegwinye umngani wakhe ngephutha? Emva kwalokho, ngesikhathi etabuluka ephuma emfuleni, wezwa umsindo wokutshiloza ojwayelekile. Lowo kwabe kunguNyonencane!
UMvubu waqalaza yonke indawo ebheka ukuthi uNyonencane wayengakuphi. Ekugcineni, wezwa ukuthi lowo msindo wawuvela ngaphakathi esiswini sakhe. Wabe egwinye umngani wakhe!
“Uyabona-ke? Ngikutshelile!” kwasho uMkholwase. “Udle uNyonencane!”
“Be- … bengingaqondile uku- …” kwasho uMvubu ekhala, “Sidinga ukumkhipha otakwini. Kumele simkhiphe esiswini sami!”
Manje zonke izilwane ezihlala ngasosebeni lomfula zase zisondele ukuze zizothola ukuthi kwabe kwenzekani. Zaqala ukuza namasu athile.
“Masithumele izinhlanzi ezincane phakathi esiswini sakho. Zingahola uNyonencane ukuba abhukude aphume,” kwasho uNkawu. Kodwa zathi zingezwa lokhu, zonke izinhlanzi ezincane zavele zabhukuda zabaleka.
“Singasebenzisa elinye lamazinyo ami ukusika sivule isisu sakho bese siphephisa uNyonencane,” kwakuphakamisa uBhubesi. UMvubu wakubona kungelona isu elihle lokho!
