Kukhona izwe elikude, kude le, elibizwa ngeChina. Kwasukasukela, kule ndawo ekude kwakuhlala umfanyana obizwa ngoHo. UHo wayempofu, kodwa enenhliziyo enhle. Wayesebenza kanzima ukuze athole imali eyanele yokuthenga ukudla.

Noma uHo wayempofu, wayesiza abanye abantu lapho engakwazi khona. Wayekuthanda nokupenda futhi wayependa noma inini uma enesikhathi.

Ngobunye ubusuku, waphupha kukhona ikhehla elimnika ibhulashi lokupenda lomlingo.

“Unenhliziyo enhle,” kusho ikhehla ephusheni. “Ngiyabona ukuthi uyakuthanda ukupenda. Nanti ibhulashi lokupenda lomlingo. Ngifuna ungethembise ukuthi uzolisebenzisela ukusiza abantu.”

Ngesikhathi esephaphama wathola ibhulashi lokupenda lomlingo liseceleni kwakhe.

“O,” kusho yena, “Bengicabanga ukuthi yiphupho nje.”

Kusukela ngalelo langa, wayesebenzisa ibhulashi lokupenda noma yinini uma abantu bedinga usizo.

“Ho,” kumemeza abantu emasimini. “Akusekho manzi emthonjeni wethu. Sidinga amanzi ukuze sichelele izitshalo zethu.”

Ngakho uHo wabapendela umfula. Ngesikhathi ependa, kwenzeka umlingo wokuvela komfula abantu base bekwazi ukuchelela izitshalo zabo.

UHo wabe esebona ukuthi abantu babenenkinga yokulima umhlaba, wase ebapendela inkomo negeja elikhulu ukuze abasize. Njalo nje uma ebona ukuthi kukhona odinga usizo, wayesebenzisa ibhulashi lakhe lokupenda. Masinyane nje abantu abaningi base bazi ngoHo nebhulashi lokupenda lomlingo.

Ekuhambeni kwesikhathi, indoda enothile yezwa ngebhulashi lokupenda. “Lizoba elami lelo bhulashi lokupenda,” kusho yona ihlela nendlela yokuthi izolintshontsha kanjani. “Ngizokwenza imali eningi kangangokuthi ngizoba indoda enothe kakhulu ezweni lonke.” Ngosuku olulandelayo yathumela ukuthi kuyobizwa uHo.

“Ngicela uzongelusela izinkomo zami namhlanje,” kusho yona. “Ngizokukhokhela kahle namhlanje kusihlwa.”

UHo wayejabule kakhulu wase elusa izinkomo zesicebi. Kodwa kusihlwa kunokuthi akhokhelwe, waphonswa etilongweni waphucwa bebhulashi lakhe lokupenda lomlingo.

“Untshontshe enye yezinkomo zami,” siqamba amanga isicebi. “Leli bhulashi lizokhokhela lokho akwenzile.” Ekugcineni, kucabanga sona, ibhulashi lokupenda lomlingo sekungelami.

Isicebi sabiza bonke abangani baso ukuthi beze kwaso. “Hlalani phansi nibheke lokhu,” kusho sona. Sabe sesipenda izithombe eziningi ngebhulashi lokupenda lomlingo. Bonke abantu balinda balinda …. balinda, kodwa asikho nesisodwa isithombe esaphenduka saphila.

“Kwenzenjani?” kumemeza isicebi. “Hambani niyolanda uHo nimlethe la!”

Baletha uHo endodeni enothile. Kodwa manje uHo wayesazi ukuthi le ndoda yayizicabangela yona nje futhi inonya.

“Uma ungipendela izithombe ezithile,” kusho isicebi, “bese ziyavela, ziphile, ngizokukhokhela bese ngikukhulula.”

Ekuqaleni uHo akazanga ukuthi kumele enze njani. Wase eqhamuka nesu. “Yebo, ngingakwenza lokho,” kusho uHo.

“Into yokuqala engifuna uyipende intaba ENKULU eyenziwe ngegolide,” kusho isicebi. “Ngifuna ukuthatha lonke igolide.”

Wabe esethatha ibhulashi lakhe lokupenda lomlingo wapenda ulwandle. Lokhu kwasithukuthelisa isicebi.

“Ulupendeleni ulwandle? Angilufuni ulwandle. Ngifuna intaba yegolide. Shesha-ke uyipende manje.”

Wabe esependa intaba yegolide ngakolunye uhlangothi lolwandle. “Kuzomele uwele ulwandle ukuze uyofika khona,” kusho yena.

“Penda ngokushesha umkhumbi omkhulu khona ngizowela ulwandle,” kusho isicebi.

UHo wamamatheka wase ependa umkhumbi omkhulu. Wayengakawuqedi ngesikhathi isicebi sisho phakathi emkhunjini. Ngokushesha kwalandela umndeni nabangani baso, bahamba.

UHo wababuka ngokucophelela. Walinda umkhumbi waze wafika phakathi nolwandle, wase ependa igagasi elikhulu. Igagasi laqonda emkhunjini. Lathi seliseduze – PHIHLI! − lamboza umkhumbi lawuhlakaza waba izicucu eziyinkulungwane.

Ngemva kwalokho, uHo waphila kamnandi. Wayenokudla okwanele ayengakudla. Wayesiza abantu abaningi uma bedinga usizo futhi wayedweba izithombe eziningi ngendlela ayethanda ngayo.

Wayeke abuke intaba eyenziwe ngegolide phesheya kolwandle. Akekho umuntu owake waya laphaya ngoba kwakungekho lutho ngaphandle kwegolide. Empeleni … kwakungekho lutho ngaphandle kwegolide, izingcezu zomkhumbi nesicebi esithukuthele sigane unwabu, nomndeni nabangani baso bonke.