Kukho ilizwe elikude kakhulu elibizwa ngokuthi yiTshayina. Kudaladala, kweli lizwe kwakuhlala inkwenkwana egama linguHo. UHo lo wayehluphekile, kodwa wayenobubele kakhulu. Wayesebenza nzima ukuze afumane imali eyoneleyo yokuthenga ukutya.

Nangona uHo lo wayehlupheka, kodwa wayebanceda abanye abantu ngalo lonke ixesha enako. UHo wayekuthanda nokupeyinta kwaye wayepeyinta rhoqo xa athe wanexesha.

Ngabusukwazana buthile, waphupha ngathi kukho ixhego elimnika ibrashi yokupeyinta yomlingo.

“Unentliziyo elungileyo kwaye unobubele,” latsho ixhego ephupheni. “Ndiyabona ukuba uyakuthanda nokupeyinta. Nantsi ibrashi yokupeyinta yomlingo. Ndifuna undithembise ukuba uza kuyisebenzisa ukunceda abantu.”

Wathi ukuvuka kwakhe uHo, wafumana ibrashi yokupeyinta yomlingo ecaleni kwakhe.

“Yho,” watsho, “Bendicinga ukuba ibiliphupha nje eli.”

Ukususela ngaloo mini, wayisebenzisa ibrashi yakhe yokupeyinta nanini na kukho umntu ofuna uncedo.

“Ho,” babemkhwaza batsho abantu emasimini. Aphelile amanzi equleni lethu. Sifuna amanzi ukuze sinkcenkceshele izityalo zethu.”

Ngoko nangoko, uHo wabapeyintela umlambo. Njengokuba ewupeyinta nje umlambo kwasuka kwehla ummangaliso wokuvela komlambo wokwenyani, baze abantu bakwazi ukunkcenkceshela izityalo zabo.

UHo wabona ukuba abantu bayasokola ukulima umhlaba, ngoko ke wapeyinta inkomo itsala ikhuba. Ngalo lonke ixesha ebona umntu ofuna uncedo, wayesebenzisa ibrashi yakhe yokupeyinta yomlingo. Ngokukhawuleza kwaduma ukuba uHo unebrashi yokupeyinta yomlingo.

UHo wabona ukuba abantu bayasokola ukulima umhlaba, ngoko ke wapeyinta inkomo itsala ikhuba. Ngalo lonke ixesha ebona umntu ofuna uncedo, wayesebenzisa ibrashi yakhe yokupeyinta yomlingo. Ngokukhawuleza kwaduma ukuba uHo unebrashi yokupeyinta yomlingo.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, isityebi sendoda esithile seva ngale brashi yokupeyinta yomlingo. “La brashi yokupeyinta iza kuba yeyam,” satsho saze sacwangcisa indlela esasiza kuyiba ngayo ibrashi. “Ndiza kwenza imali eninzi kakhulu kangangokuba ndiza kuba yeyona ndoda isisityebi ehlabathini liphela.” Ngosuku olulandelayo wathumelisa ukuba kubizwe uHo.

“Ndifuna waluse iinkomo zam namhlanje,” satsho. “Ngorhatya lwanamhlanje ndiza kukuhlawula umvuzo oncumisayo.”

UHo wayonwabe kakhulu waza wazolusa iinkomo zesityebi eso. Kodwa, endaweni yokuba ahlawulwe ngokuhlwa, waphoswa entolongweni yaze nebrashi yakhe yokupeyinta yomlingo yoxuthwa kuye.

“Ube enye yeenkomo zam,” saxoka satsho isityebi. “Le brashi iza kuhlawula oku akwenzileyo.” Ekugqibeleni, sazicingela satsho isityebi, ibrashi yokupeyinta yomlingo ide yayeyam.

Isityebi sendoda samema bonke abahlobo baso ukuba beze ekhayeni lakhe. “Hlalani phantsi nibukele,” satsho. Sapeyinta imifanekiso emininzi ngebrashi yokupeyinta yomlingo. Wonke umntu walinda, walinda … waze walinda, kodwa akwabikho namnye umfanekiso oguqukayo kwenzeke into yokwenyani.

“Kwenzeka ntoni kanye?” sangxola satsho isityebi. “Hambani niyokuthatha uHo nize naye apha!”

UHo waziswa phambi kwendoda esisityebi. Kodwa ngoku uHo wayesele eqonda ukuba esi sityebi yindoda ekhohlakeleyo nengamcingeliyo omnye umntu.

“Ukuba uthe wandipeyintela imifanekiso,” satsho isityebi, ize loo mifanekiso iguquke ibe yinyani, ndiza kukuhlawula kwaye ndiza kukukhulula.”

Ekuqaleni uHo wayengazi ukuba enze ntoni na. Kodwa emva komzuzwana wafikelwa yingcinga ethile. “Ewe ndingakwenza oko,” watsho uHo.

“Kuqala ndifuna upeyinte intaba ENDE eyenziwe ngegolide,” satsho isityebi. “Ndifuna ukuyiqokelela yonke loo golide.”

UHo wathatha ibrashi yakhe yepeyinti yomlingo wapeyinta ulwandle. Oko kwasicaphukisa isityebi.

“Kutheni upeyinte ulwandle? Andifuni lwandle. Ndifuna intaba eyenziwe ngegolide. Khawulezisa uyipeyinte.”

Ngoko ke uHo wapeyinta intaba eyenziwe ngegolide kwelinye icala lolwandle. “Kufuneka uwele ulwandle ukuze ufikelele kuyo intaba yegolide,” watsho.

“Khawulezisa ke upeyinte inqanawe enkulu ukuze ndikwazi ukuwela ulwandle ngayo,” satsho isityebi.

UHo wancuma waza wapeyinta inqanawe enkulu. Wathi engekayigqibi nokuyigqiba inqanawe, suka isityebi sakhwela ngokungxama. Ngokukhawuleza usapho lwaso kunye nabahlobo baso bakhwela enqanaweni banduluka ngayo.

UHo wababukela ngobunono. Walinda ukuba inqanawe ingene ibe sesazulwini solwandle, waza wapeyinta ilizakazi elikhulu. Iliza lalwatyuza ukuya enqanaweni. Lathi lakuba kufutshane – PHIHLI! – layibetha inqanawe yazizicwili ezingamawakawaka.

Emva koko, uHo wahlala ngokonwaba. Wayenokutya okoneleyo. Wayenceda abantu xa bathe bafuna uncedo kwaye wayepeyinta imifanekiso emininzi kangangoko efuna.

Ngamanye amaxesha wayekhe ajonge ngaphesheya kolwandle, abone intaba yegolide. Akukho namnye owakhe waya kuyo kuba kwakungekho nto kuyo ngaphandle kwegolide. Gxebe … kwakungekho nto ngaphandle kwegolide, iingceba zenqanawe eyophukayo kunye nesityebi sendoda enomsindo, usapho lwayo kunye nabahlobo bayo.