Kudala kakhulu, kwisixekwana esiseluxolweni saseMudavula, kwakuhlala ulovane olonqena kakhulu. Ngelo xesha, zonke izilwanyana zazilima ukuze zizondle zona neentsapho zazo. Zonke ngaphandle koLovane. Ngenxa yokonqena kwakhe, wayengafuni ukusebenza njengabo bonke abanye. Endaweni yoko, wacinga icebo eligwenxa ukuze aboleke kwabanye aphile kakuhle.
Ngentsasa yomnye uMvulo, uLovane waya kuMvundla eyokuboleka umgubo wombona. Phambi kokuba afike kwindlu kaMvundla, watshintsha ibala lesikhumba sakhe ukusuka kwelimdaka ukuya kweliluhlaza.
“Nceda undiboleke umgubo wombona ,” wacela uLovane.
“Uza kundihlawula nini?” wabuza uMvundla.
“Ekupheleni kwenyanga!” wathembisa uLovane.
UMvundla wazalisa iemere engenanto eyayize noLovane. ULovane wathatha umgubo wombona wagoduka nawo, encumile njengoko wayehamba. Wayecinga ngecebo lakhe eligwenxa ukuqhatha ezinye izilwanyana. Waqamba ingonyana ukumkhumbuza icebo lakhe.
‘Ndiza kutshintsha imibala yam
Kodwa akukho mntu uya kuze azi.
Bendiluhlaza ngokuya uMvundla ubendibona,
KuCilikishe ndiza kuba tyheli.
USelesele uza kubona uLovane olumnyama
KuFudwazana, ndakuba mdaka ngombala.
Ndawuyitshintsha-tshintsha imibala yam.
Soze bazi ukuba ndim!’
NgoLwesibini, uLovane wavuka elambile. “Andinakutya isidudu yonke imihla. Ndifuna irayisi!” ULovane wacinga. “Ndiza kulitshintsha ibala lam libe tyheli ndize ndiye kuCilikishe. Ukuba ndingaqhatha wonke umntu andiyi kubhatala mntu nto!”
ULovane waya kuCilikishe ne-emere yakhe engenanto, owayizalisa ngobubele ngerayisi. ULovane wathembisa ukuhlawula uCilikishe ekupheleni kwenyanga.
NgoLwesithathu, emva kokupheka irayisi, uLovane wajonga ipleyiti yakhe engonwabanga. “Hayi! Irayisi engenanto ayimnandanga. Ndifuna inyama!” ULovane wacinga umzuzwana. “USelesele uza kundinika inyama!” wagqiba.
ULovane watshintsha ibala lakhe lamnyama wabaleka waya endlwini kaSelesele ne-emere yakhe engenanto. USele wayizalisa iemere yakhe ngenyama. Kwakhona uLovane wathembisa ukuhlawula uSelesele ekupheleni kwenyanga.
“Ndirhalela iziqhamo. Ndiyazifuna!” ULovane wacinga ngoLwesine. “Ngubani oneziqhamo?” ULovane wacinga esonwaya intloko yakhe. “UFudwazana! Ewe, uFudwazana!”
