Kudaladala, izilwanyana zazingenamisila. Zazingonwabanga kakhulu yile nto, zaza zabiza intlanganiso ngakumngxuma ezisela kuwo.

UMbila wabukela njengoko izilwanyana zazigqitha endleleni eya entlanganisweni.

“Khawuleza! Kufuneka siye kufika entlanganisweni,” wamemeza uMvundla etsibatsiba edlula.

“Ungakhathazeki, ndiza kukulandela!” waphendula uMbila waza waguqukela ngakwimitha yelanga elifudumeleyo.

“Awuzi kuzibandakanya nathi?” wabuza uNkawu njengoko wayedlula.

“Ungakhathazeki, ndiza kuba ndisendleleni ngokukhawuleza,” waphendula uMbila engqengqa ngomqolo ukufudumeza isisu sakhe.

Isilwanyana sokugqibela ukudlula yayingumhlobo osenyongweni kaMbila, uFudwazana. “Awuyi entlanganisweni?” wabuza.

“Ukuba nje umhlobo wam angandibeleka,” waphendula uMbila.

“Kodwa iqokobhe lam selinzima nje,” watsho uFudwazana.

“Ukuba kunjalo, mna andinzimanga. Sobe uve mahluko xa ndikhwele ngaphezulu,” watsho uMbila ngoncumokazi.

“Kodwa iqokobhe lam liqinile yaye akungebi mnandi ukuhlala kulo,” wacacisa uFudwazana.

“Ndiyimbila! Ndikuqhelile ukuhlala ematyeni aqinileyo!” waphendula uMbila, etsibela kumqolo kaFudwazana. UMbila wayenzima, kodwa wayenokwenza ntoni uFudwazana? UMbila wayengumhlobo wakhe osenyongweni.

Entlanganisweni, izilwanyana zathetha ngemisila.

“Ndikhangeleka mbi ngaphandle komsila,” wakhalaza uNgcuka.

Xa ndizama ukujika xa ndibaleka, ndiyawa kuba andinamsila,” watsho uNgwenkala.

“Ndidinga ilungu elongezelelekileyo ukuze ndikhulule izandla zam xa ndijiwuza emithini ndisikha iziqhamo,” watsho uNkawu.

“Masicele uMdali asinike imisila,” wacebisa uNgonyama.

Ngoko ke, izilwanyana zaguquka zajonga phezulu esibhakabhakeni. “Owu, Mdali, sincede siphe imisila!” zacenga.

Ilizwi elikhulu latsho esibhakabhakeni. “Ngomso kusasa, maze nihambe niye emlanjeni kulapho nawufumana khona imisila emthini omkhulu.”

Izilwanyana zagoduka ziziva zinethemba zaye zonwabile.

“Andisangxame ngako ukude ndifumane umsila. Ngomso, masihambe kunye ukuyothatha imisila yethu,” watsho uMbila njengoko uFudwazana wayembeka kwilitye awayelibiza ngokuba ‘likhaya.’

Esazi ukuba wayehamba ngokucotha, uFudwazana wavuka kwangethuba ngentsasa elandelayo. Kwakusemnyama xa wayeshiya ikhaya lakhe yaye ezinye izilwanyana zazisalele.

Njengoko uFudwazana wayedlula kwikhaya likaMbila, wakhwaza, “Yiza! Masihambe siyokuthatha imisila yethu!”

“Hayi namhlanje. Ndiziva ndisonqena. Ndiza kuvele nje ndihlale kweli litye ndonwabele ilanga. Nceda undithathele umsila uze uwushiye apha endleleni egodukayo,” watsho uMbila ngoncumokazi. “Ndingathanda omde ofukufuku.”

UFudwazana wayemangele ukuba uMbila wayengayi. “Ndakwenjenjalo,” watsho ngokonwaba, eqonda ukuba okuncinane wayengazukunyanzeleka abeleke uMbila emqolo wakhe.

Xa kumpondo zankomo, ezinye izilwanyana zahamba ziliqela elikhulu zaya emlanjeni. Zazikhawuleza kunoFudwazana, ngoko ke zamdlula endleleni. Kodwa uFudwazana wayezimisele ukuya kufika emthini ukuyokuzifumanela umsila kwakunye nomhlobo wakhe, ngoko ke waqhubeka warhubuluza.

Njengoko izilwanyana zazisondela emlanjeni, zabona umthi uzele yimisila. Kwakukho imisila emifutshane, imisila emide, imisila efukufuku nemisila ebhityileyo. Kwakukho imisila emihle nemisila emibi.

Izilwanyana zaqalisa ukuya ngasemthini. Kwakucacile ukuba lowo ufike kuwo kuqala wayeza kukhetha owona mhle umsila. UNkawu watsiba ukusuka komnye umthi aye komnye. UNgonyama, uNgwenkala noQwarhashe babaleka ngesantya esikhulu. UNdlovu noMkhombe bagxadazela betsiba. UDyakalashe waqabadula ngokukhawuleza ngokufana noHagu, kodwa uHagu wema apha naphaya ukuba atye imibungu neengcambu ezinencasa. UFudwazana walandela ngasemva.

UNkawu waba ngowokuqala ukufika emthini. Waxhakamfula owona msila mde. UNgwenkala waba ngowesibini waza wathatha omnye umsila omde. Izilwanyana ezilandelayo zakhetha imisila kuleyo yayishiywe ijinga emthini.

Xa uHagu noFudwazana befika ekugqibeleni, kwakusele imisila emibini kuphela. Omnye umsila wawumfutshane usisinqindi, yaye omnye ubhityile ujikojiko. UHagu wakhetha umsila ojikojiko, ngoko ke uFudwazana wafumana osisinqindi.

Kwakungekho nto iseleyo emthini, yaye kwakungekho mntu wayekhumbula ukuba uMbila naye wayefune umsila.

Eselityeni lakhe, uMbila wayebona izilwanyana zibuya zigoduka. Zazihamba ngokuqhayisa yaye zijiwuzisa imisila yazo ngapha nangapha. “Andisangxame ngako ukude ndifumane owam umsila!” wacinga uMbila.

UMbila wabona uFudwazana noHagu besiza. “Undiphathele umsila wam, Fudwazana?” wabuza uMbila ngokuya besondela.

“Hayi, ndiyaxolisa mhlobo wam, kodwa iye yaphela! UHagu nam sifumene emibini yokugqibela. Jonga umsila wam,” wachaza uFudwazana, ekhomba umsila wakhe osisinqindi. “Kuphela kwento endibe nokuyifumana le.”

“Bekumelwe ukuba ndiziyele ngokwam!” watsho uMbila ezisola. “Ndinamendu ngaphezu kwenu nobabini. Ndinge ndizifumanele umsila omhle nyhani ukuba nje bendingonqenanga kangaka.” UFudwazana noHagu bemka bethe cwaka.

Yaye kungeso sizathu ukuba iimbila zingabi namisila – kodwa zisachopha ematyeni ukonwabela ubushushu belanga!

Yenza ibali linike umdla!

• Yiba nomfanekiso ngqondweni wokuba izilwanyana zazikhethe imisila eyohlukeneyo emthini. Zoba umfanekiso waso nasiphi na isilwanyana esinomsila owahlukileyo, ofana noFudwazana enomsila wengonyama okanye iqwarhashe elinomsila wehagu.
• Yiba ngumcuphi wamagama! Khangela ibali ngenyameko. Ungakwazi ukufumana: amagama ezilwanyana ezine – amagama amanani amabini – amagama amahlanu achaza imisila?
• Yenza ngathi unguMbila. Bhalela uMdali incwadi ucele elinye ithuba lokuba ufumane umsila.