Inkumba ezazihlala kwisitiya sikaNkosikazi uMondliwa zazingonwabanga kwaphela.

“NDANELE!” wambombozela watsho uSlimy.

“Nam ngokunjalo,” wavumelana naye uSpeedy, umhlobo wakhe osenyongweni.

“Kutheni thina zinkumba singathandwa ngakumbi zezinye izinambuzane zasesitiyeni?”

“Ndikruquke kwade kwathi pheza koku kuphatheka kakubi,” waqhubeka watsho uSlimy.

“Ewe, yintoni le ingalunganga ngathi?” wabuza uSpeedy.

“Ndinecebo, masiqokelelane sonke siziinkumba size sikhalaze kwezinye izinambuzane,” wacebisa uSlimy.

“Ngumbono omhle kakhulu lowo,” wavuma uSpeedy. “Siza kuzixelela ukuba kufuneka zisithande nathi.”

Ngosuku olulandelayo, uSpeedy noSlimy nazo zonke ezinye iinkumba zahlangana phantsi komthi onameva ukuzokuncokola nezinye izinambuzane zasesitiyeni.

“Thina zinkumba sifuna ukuboniswa intlonipho,” watsho uSpeedy. “Kwakhona sifuna nonke nisithande nathi.”

“SOZE!” wakhwaza uBhabhathane. “Iinkumba ziyonyanyeka.”

“EWE!” wavumelana naye uNyosi. “Iinkumba mazimke.”

“Niyinkathazo,” wongeza uMbungu.

“Kodwa sakha sona ntoni?” wabuza uSlimy.

“INTONI! Jonga nje lo mgruzuko usemlenzeni wam,” waqalisa uNtethe. “Niyazi ukuba ndawufumana njani? Kwiinkumba! Nina zinkumba nidyobha yonke le ndawo ngodaka lwenu nisenze sityibilike size sizonzakalise. Niyazi ukuba laa nto ityibilikisa njani?”

“Sibancinane thina, siyaxinga kudaka lwenu,” wongeza uKumkanikazi uMbovane.

“Hayibo!” zatsho iinkumba zimangalisekile. “Besingazi.”

“Yaye akukuphela koko,” watsho uMbungu. “Niyayazi ingxinano eniyenzayo endleleni? Nina zinkumba niyacoooootha.”

“Yaye akuphelelanga futhi koko,” wongeza uBhabhathane. “Ninganceda nipheze ukutya zonke iintyatyambo? Niyasitshabalalisa isitiya sethu esihle.”

Iinkumba zeva kakubi. Zazingazi ukuba zazisenza iingxaki ezininzi kangako.

Iinkumba ezincinane zaziva kabuhlungu kangangokuba zaqalisa ukulila.

“Inokuba ingakhona into elungileyo ngeenkumba?” wafana watsho uSlimy ngelicengayo.

Ezinye izinambuzane zazithe cwaka. Zacinga, zacinga ngento enokuba ilungile ngeenkumba.

Ekugqibeleni uBhabhathane wathi, “HAYI! Uxolo, kodwa nina zinkumba anithandeki niyonyanyeka. Akukho nenye into elungileyo ngani!”

“Eneneni, sicinga ukuba zonke iinkumba kufanele ukuba zimke esitiyeni. Thina sanele!” wongeza uMsundululu, nakuba nje naye wayenolwakhe udaka.

“IINKUMBA MAZIPHUME! IINKUMBA MAZIPHUME!” izinambuzane zaqalisa ukucula.

“Khanime, khanime,” watsho uSlimy. “Khanisinike ithuba.”

“Ewe,” watsho uSpeedy. “Khanisinike ithuba, siza kubonisa ukuba iinkumba zingakwenza okulungileyo.”

Izinambuzane zacinga okomzuzwana. “Kulungile ke,” zavuma. “Nineentsuku ezimbini ukusibonisa ukuba niluncedo, okanye, nihambe kakuhle!”

Emva kokuba izinambuzane zibuyele kwindawo yazo esitiyeni, iinkumba zahlala zacinga, zacinga.

“Kunganjani ukuba sifunda ukubaleka?” wacebisa uSpeedy.

“Ngumbono omhle lowo,” wavuma uSlimy. “Yizani zinkumba, masizomeleze!” Iinkumba zachitha usuku lonke zizilolonga. Kodwa ngelishwa, zafumanisa ukuba akukwazeki ukubaleka.

“Owu bethuna!” yatsho eyona nkumba indala. “Ngoku ithini into? Kufuneka size necebo eliza kwenza ezinye izinambuzane zisithande.”

“Ndilifumene!” watsho uSlimy. “Masizame ukutya ukhula endaweni yeentyatyambo.”

“Kulungile, singazami nje?” zavuma ezinye. Ngoko ke, iinkumba zazama ukutya ukhula kuphela esitiyeni.

“Owu ngekhe, ayizukusebenza le nto. Ukhula luvakala LULUBI” watsho uSpeedy emva kwexeshana.

Iinkumba zaziva zilusizi kakhulu. Ezinye zaseziqalisile ukupakisha amakhaya azo ukuze zihambe.

“Yheyi, ndinecebo,” wagigitheka uSimphiwe, eyona nkumba incinane. “Ndifuna nonke nidibane nam phezu kwesiduli.”

“Uyagula? Kwakusithatha imini yonke ukunyuka siye apho,” watsho uSlimy.

“Ndithembeni,” watsho uSimphiwe.

Zadlula iintsuku ezimbini zada ekugqibeleni iinkumba zaya kufikelela phezulu esidulini. Ezinye izinambuzane zaqokelelana enyeleni yesiduli ukuyobona ukuba iinkumba zazize nantoni na.

“Ngoku ke, cebo lini eli lihle ninalo?” zafuna ukwazi.

“Eeeee … mm …” watsho uSimphiwe.

“Yheeeee?” zatsho ezinye izinambuzane.

“Ngokuqinisekileyo nakusiyeka sihlale xa nibona ukuba senze ntoni,” wabhengeza uSimphiwe.

Ezinye izinambuzane zema ngxi, amehlo azo ethe ntsho kuSimphiwe.

“Tha-da,” watsho uSimphiwe esiya ngakwithambeka lesiduli. “Sinenzele owakha wamangalisa UMTYIBILIZI ngalo lonke udaka lwethu!”

Kwabakho ukuthi nqumama ixeshana njengoko izinambuzane zonke zazicinga ngale mbono.

“KWAKUHLE KE!” bavumelana. “Masiwulinge.”

Baze benjenjalo. Izinambuzane zonke zabolekisana ukutshibiliza ukuhla kuloo mtyibilizi. Yayilulonwabo olungathethekiyo. Zonke zawuthanda umtyibilizi kwaza kwagqitywa kwelokuba iinkumba ngokuqinisekileyo zazinokuhlala esitiyeni!