Ngenye imini uTatomkhulu wayefuna ukusifundisa isifundo sokuthembeka nokuba nombulelo, ngoko ke wasibalisela ibali lengonyama nenkawu…

Ingonyama nenkawu zazihlala kwihlathi elishinyeneyo. Ingonyama yayizula ihlathi lonke phantsi, lo gama inkawu yayihlala phezulu ezincotsheni zemithi. Ngenye imini ingonyama yabona iqatha lenyama libekwe phantsi kwigqabi lomthi webhanana. “Naku ukutya okusimahla nokundizele lula ndingakusebenzelanga,” yacinga njalo.

Ingonyama yasondela embindini wegqabi lebhanana, kodwa yathi nje ukuba ilume ngamazinyo ayo, suka umhlaba wavuleka phantsi kwayo. Yatshona kuloo mngxuma unzulu ingonyama neqatha elo lenyama kunye negqabi lebhanana.

“Yayingayazi njani ingonyama into yokuba ukutya okusimahla akusoloko kusimahla; nokutya okufumaneka lula akufumaneki lula njengokuba kubonakala njalo?” watsho uTatomkhulu. “Wayengakwazi njani ukumkani wasehlathini, ukuba umzingeli womba umngxuma onzulu waza wawugquma ngegqabi lebhanana. Emva koko wabeka inyama esazulwini segqabi lebhanana waza igqabi waligquma ngentlabathi ukuze umgibe ungabonakali.”

Umngxuma wawumxinwa kangangokuba ingonyama yayikwazi ukuma nkqo kuphela, imi ngemilenze yayo yangasemva. Ingonyama yazama ukuphuma kulo mngxuma unzulu, kodwa ngomtsi ngamnye umhlaba obomvu wawudilika udilizwa ziinzipho zayo ize iphinde iyokuwela ezantsi emngxunyeni. Ingonyama ediniweyo yayisahleli apho kuloo mngxuma unzulu ngorhatya ukubona kwayo umsila ugqitha. Loo msila yayingumsila wenkawu eyayiwutsibile yona umngxuma. Ingonyama yakhwaza icela uncedo.

“Kumkani wenza ntoni emngxunyeni onzulu nomnyama kangaka?” yayibuza ngelitshoyo inkawu, ijonge emngxunyeni.

“Ndiwele apha,” yatsho ingonyama ngelizwi elibonakalisa ukuphelelwa ngamandla. “Kudala ndilapha okoko kwakusasa. Nceda undisindise.”

Inkawu yathandabuza yaze yasuka yahamba, kodwa ingonyama yazinga ngokuyicenga. Yathi inkawu engonyameni, “Kuthiwa zonke izilwanyana ezakhe zakunceda, zange ziphile ukuze zikwazi ukubalisa elo bali.”

“Ndiyazi ukuba ukrelekrele ukuba ungakholelwa kubuxoki obuxelelwa ziintshaba zam ngam,” yatsho ingonyama, “Nceda undisindise.”

Ekugqibeleni inkawu yayisizela ingonyama yaza yafaka umsila wayo emngxunyeni ukuze usetyenziswe njengentambo. Ingonyama yabambelela kumsila wenkawu yagwencela, yenyuka yaphuma. Kodwa yathi naxa sele iphumile emngxunyeni yaqhubeka iwubambe nkqi umsila wenkawu.

“Ndiyeke! Andikuncedanga na ndakukhupha emngxunyeni onzulu njengoko ubundicelile?” inkawu yabuza ingonyama.

Kodwa ingonyama yawuqinisa ngakumbi umsila wenkawu. Yathi inkawu xa ijonga ingonyama emehlweni, yabona indlela ingonyama eyayilambe ngayo. “Nceda undiyeke ndihambe!” yakhala inkawu. Kodwa ingonyama yaye iwuqinisa ngakumbi umsila wenkawu.

Ngephanyazo kwathi gqi ixhegokazi. Lalisendleleni eya kwifama yalo ukubona kwalo ezi zilwanyana zibini zixambulisana. Lema labuza ukuba zilwela ntoni na. Inkawu yalichazela indlela ethe yanceda ngayo ingonyama yayikhupha emngxunyeni onzulu. “Kodwa ngoku ibambe nkqi umsila wam ayifuni kundiyeka ndihambe,” yakhalaza.

“Ingaba oku yinyaniso?” ixhegokazi labuza ingonyama. Ingonyama yanqwala ivuma. Ixhegokazi lathi kwinkawu, “Dibanisa iintupha zakho uthi, ‘Ngoku ndiza kufa ndifela inceba yam. Ngoku ndiza kufa ndifela inceba yam.’” Ngokwenene ke, inkawu yenza njalo.

Ixhegokazi laguquka labhekisa kwingonyama lathi, “Dibanisa iintupha zakho uthi, ‘Kukho oza kufa efela inceba yakhe. Kukho oza kufa efela inceba yakhe.’” Ingonyama yanyusa inqina layo elingabambanga nto yaphinda oko yayikuxelelwa lixhegokazi.

“Hayi!” latsho ixhegokazi, “Ndithe dibanisa iintupha zakho, kwaye ndithetha iintupha zakho zamanqina omabini angaphambili, uze uthethe la mazwi.” Lo gama ingonyama ithobela umyalelo wexhegokazi idibanisa iintupha zayo, inkawu yaphuncuka yabaleka yemka. Ingonyama yayileqa inkawu yade yakhwela emthini owawukufutshane. Idakumbile, ingonyama yabheka ijonga kwindawo ababelibone kuyo ixhegokazi, kodwa ixhegokazi lalingasekho apho.

UTatomkhulu wanqumama wasijonga ebusweni,wasifumana sibonakala sichwayitile kuba inkawu isindile kwingonyama ekhohlakeleyo.