Kwakukhona umfana owayengenamndeni futhi engenayo nendawo yokuhlala, ngakho abantu basemuzini oseduze bambiza ngokuthi uMolahlehi, okuchaza ukuthi “olahlekile”. Umfana wayengenandaba negama ababemqambe lona ngoba wayeqinisekile ukuthi ngelinye ilanga uyoba nekhaya kanye nomndeni.

Nsuku zonke uMolahlehi wayehla ayodoba izinhlanzi emfuleni ukuze abe nento azoyidla. Ngezinye izinsuku wayehlala amahora amaningi enethemba lokuthi kukhona azokubamba ngodobo lwakhe. Ngezinye izinsuku wayengabambi lutho. Wayabe esebheka izithelo kanye namajikijolo angakudla. Uma engatholanga lutho, wayelala ngendlala.

Ngelinye ilanga ehleli enethemba lokuthi angabamba inhlanzi ezoba yisidlo sakusihlwa, kwafika abesifazane abambalwa ababezowasha izingubo zabo emfuleni. Babuka ngaphesheya lapho ayehleli khona.

“Ake nibheke lowaya mfana,” kusho omunye wabesifazane. “Uzace ucishe alingane nothi aluphethe.” Waya kuMolahlehi wase ehlala eduze kwakhe.

“Ubukeka ulambile,” kusho yena. “Ngicela udle lolu phuthu olusendishini.”

Kwamjabulisa kakhulu uMolahlehi ukuthola ukudla. “Ngiyabonga,” kusho yena.

Ngemva kwalolo suku, njalo nje uma lo wesifazane ezowasha izingubo zakhe, lapho ebona uMolahlehi, wayeya kuye ayomnika indishi yophuthu.

“Ngiyabonga,” kusho uMolahlehi. “Ngelinye ilanga ngiyoyithola indlela yokukukhokhela ngalo musa wakho.”

Lwafika usuku lapho uMolahlehi eseyibhungu. Wayazi ukuthi manje wayesenamandla futhi ekhule ngokwanele ukuthi angahamba ayozifunela ikhaya lakhe. Manje, ekugcineni, kwase kuyisikhathi sokuthi ashiye le ndawo ayozitholela ikhaya lakhe. Ukuphela komuntu akhuluma naye ngaphambi kokuba ahambe, kwaba owesifazane owayehlale emnika ukudla.

Wavalelisa waphinde wathi futhi, “Ngiyethembisa ukuthi ngelinye ilanga ngizothola indlela yokukukhokhela ngokungenzela kwakho umusa ongaka.”

UMolahlehi wapakisha konke okuncane ayenakho esikhwameni sakhe wase ethatha nomkhonto omude ayezenzele wona. Wayesehamba ngendledlana eyayomfaka ehlathini lase-Afrika.

Kwamthatha izinyanga eziningi ehamba uMolahlehi, ecinga indawo azoyibiza ngekhaya lakhe. Wahamba izinyanga eziningi kakhulu, kwaze kwafika usuku lapho ayecabanga khona ukuthi angeke aphinde ayithole indawo. Wayekhathele, elambile, kodwa wase ebona amadoda ayehleli emthunzini wesihlahla esikhulu. Amadoda ambingelela ngomoya wobungani. Umolahlehi wawabingelela wase emamatheka. Kwathi lapho esethi uyahamba nje, wamiswa ngenye yalawa madoda.

“Yima! Ungubani igama lakho?” kubuza yona.

“Angazi,” kuphendula yena. “Abantu bangibiza ngoMolahlehi, umuntu olahlekile.”

“Buyela nathi emuzini wakithi,” kusho indoda. “Ubukeka udinga ukudla okumnandi kanye nendawo yokuphumula.”

UMolahlehi wahamba namadoda, kanti wemukelwa kahle yiwo wonke umuntu emuzini. UMolahlehi wavele wazi ukuthi ekugcineni wayezothola ikhaya kanye nabangani kulo muzi. Wasebenza ngokuzikhandla. Wayesiza wonke umuntu owayedinga usizo. Wayenomusa, futhi wayehlale enento enhle angayisho. Wayethandwa umuntu wonke emuzini ngisho nayinkosi endala eyayingenamadodana. Lapho seyikhotheme inkosi endala, bonke abantu basemuzini bancenga uMolahlehi ukuthi abe yinkosi yabo. Kwaba nedili elikhulu, abantu basemuzini banikeza inkosi yabo igama elisha, elithi yiNkosi uLebohang, okuchaza ukuthi “bongani”.

Into yokuqala eyenziwa iNkosi uLebohang, kwaba ukuthumela ithimba lamadoda ukuthi liyofuna owesifazane owayenomusa kuye esengumfana. Lapho amadoda ebuya, abuya nesalukazi. Sasesaba, saze saguqa phambi kwenkosi siqhaqhazela. Inkosi yavele yasazi ukuthi singubani. Yasukuma yaya kuso. Inkosi uLebohang yaguqa iphethe indishi. Yayinika owesifazane.

Isalukazi sathatha indishi, sethuka uma sibona ukuthi yayigcwele igolide. Saphakamisela amehlo aso enkosini.

“Molahlehi,” kunyenyeza sona.

“Yebo,” kusho inkosi. “Ngakwethembisa ukuthi ngiyokukhokhela ngelinye ilanga. Wonke umuntu kumele akhumbule lokho akwethembisile, futhi wonke umuntu kumele abonge uma kukhona umuntu omenzele umusa.”