Kungakabi kudzala kakhulu, ecinisweni ngesikhatsi khokho wakhokho wami aseyintfombatana lencane, inkhukhu nenkhomo bekubangani.

Ngalelinye lilanga, kuhamba ensimini, iNkhukhu yashaya timphiko tayo futsi yanyakatisa tinsiba temsila wayo. Beyingakakhululeki. INkhomo yakubona loko njengoba yayihlafuna kancane kancane.

“YeNkhukhu, yini inkinga?” Kubuta iNkhomo ijikitisa umsila.

“Uyakuva loko?” INkhukhu icalata kulensimi, bese ibuka iNkhomo.

“Angikuva” kusho iNkhomo. “Kukhona yini lokufanele ngikuve?” INkhomo yajikisa inhloko yayo yabuka ngalapha nangalapha kangangekutsi insimbi lenkhulu lendzala lesentsanyeni yayo yakhala futsi yaklabalasa. Yabanga umsindvo lomkhulu lowevakala kuletinsimu letinematolo.

“Ngisho loko kanye,” kusho iNkhukhu. “Kute lomunye umsindvo wetilwane kulelipulazi. Ucabanga kutsi yini lena?”

INkhomo yachubeka ihlwabula njengoba icabanga ngalombuto.

“Ngoba umlimi uhambise bonkhe bangani kanye nemndeni wetfu wabayisa endlini yekuhlatjwa,” iNkhukhu ngekwedzelela iphatamisa kucabanga kweNkhomo.

INkhomo yashaywa luvalo kangangekutsi yavele yamita konkhe loku beyikuhlafuna. Loku kwayenta yabhodla kakhulu futsi ngendlela lengatsandzeki!

“Kufanele sibaleke ngoba munye wetfu utawulandzela! Kudzingeka kutsi sihambe ngaphambi kwekutsi loko kwenteke,” kusho iNkhukhu.

“Sibaleke?” INkhomo ibuta iNkhukhu njengoba iyibuke ngemehlo lamakhulu.

“Yebo, kufanele sibaleke lamuhla ebusuku! Kodvwa kufanele sicaphele umlimi. Kufanele siciniseke kutsi akasiva futsi akasiboni nasihamba,” kusho iNkhukhu. INkhomo yavuma ngenhloko.

Ngalobo busuku, ngemuva nje kwekucinywa kwemalambu kulendlu yalelipulazi futsi setiva nekutsi umlimi soyahona, iNkhukhu neNkhomo babaleka.

INkhukhu yasebentisa umlomo wayo lomudze kuze ibambe lensimbi lesentsanyeni yeNkhomo. Kwakufanele babindze batsi dvu nabafuna kubaleka ngalokuphumelelako.

Batsi nasebaseHlatsini Lelikhulu Leliluhlata, iNkhukhu yayekela lensimbi lesentsanyeni yeNkhomo bema bathula sikhashana balalela. Bebangati kutsi bayakuphi futsi bebesaba kancane.

Egaleni lebelingetulu kwabo, kwevakala livi lenkonjane.

“Yeyi nine! Ngilana! Ngilana ngetulu kwenu! Nilahlekile yini …?” INkonjane beyifuna kwati.

“Cha asikalahleki. Sibaleke epulazini ngoba umlimi uhambise bonkhe bangani kanye nemndeni wetfu wabayisa endlini yekuhlatjwa. Munye wetfu, nakungasitsi sobabili, bekaladzela, ngako sibone kuncono kutsi sibaleke,” kuphendvula iNkhukhu.

“Akusiko kuhlakanipha,” kusho iNkonjani etulu. “Lihlatsi Lelikhulu Leliluhlata ligcwele tilwane tesiganga futsi lesi sikhatsi lapho emakati lamakhulu ehla enyuka khona afuna kudla lokumnandzi – njengenkhomo noma inkhukhu lenambitsekako. Ngingatsi nje nibalekela simo lesibi niya kulesibi nakakhulu.”

“Kahle, angeke sibuyele emuva …” kusho iNkhomo, icalata ngekukhatsateka.

“Kungani ningabuyeli?” kubuta iNkhonjane. “Lokufanele nikwente, kukhombisa umlimi kutsi kunendlela lencono.”

“Indlela lencono?” kubuta iNkhukhu ngelivi leliphasi. Yayingakukholwa loko beyikuva.

“Yebo,” kusho iNkhonjane. “Khumbula kutsi ngimi loweluleka iNkhosi. Ngiyatati letintfo. Kufanele nikhombise umlimi kubaluleka kwenu.”

Busuku bonkhe laba bobatsatfu bahlala ndzawonye bacabanga futsi bakhuluma bachamuka nelicebo

Nyalo, ngenhlahla Lelihlatsi Lelikhulu Leliluhlata beliyindzawo yetimanga lapho bekwenteka khona noma yini, ngako iNkonjane yahambisa tonkhe tinyoni telihlatsi kutsi tiyobutsa tinhlanyelo tetibhidvo letinyenti.

Nasekubutfwe tonkhe letinhlanyelo ngekucophelela, leNkonjane yabuka labangani lababili.

“Kufanele nitsatse tonkhe letinhlanyelo nibuyele nato epulazini nitihlanyele emasimini lalungiswe ngumlimi. Kodvwa inhlanyelo ngayinye kufanele niyifake emhlabatsini ngaphambi kweli-awa lemlingo.” INkonjane yabuka leNkhukhu naleNkhomo yabuka nasenyangeni. “Kufanele nisheshise. Kunetinhlanyelo letinyenti lapha futsi sikhatsi asikho.” INkhukhu neNkhomo bakutfola kumatima kwetfwala tonkhe letinhlanyelo bobabili, kodvwa ngekushesha besebasemasimini bahlanyela letinhlanyelo masinyane.

Yatsi nje iNkhukhu nayimbonya inhlanyelo yekugcina ngemhlabatsi, li-awa lemlingo lefika Nkulunkulu wavula sibhakabhaka. Imvula lelula yanetsa lamasimi lasandza kuhlanyelwa futsi tonkhe letinhlanyelo letehlukene tacala kuchuma futsi takhula. Ngekushesha besekumila tibhidvo lebetikhula kuyoyonkhe indzawo. Emasimu alomlimi bekabukeka amahle.

Umlimi nakahamba aya emasimini ekuseni, akakukholwanga lakubona. Bekungasiwo nje emabhasikidi lanetibhidvo letinsha labelayine kahle lapho kuphela, kodvwa bekuphindze kunemacandza lamanyenti nemabhakede elubisi lolusha. INkhukhu neNkhomo kwema dvutane kubonakala kutigcabha, futsi umlimi bekati kutsi loku kubangelwe ngumsebenti lomkhulu weNkhukhu neNkhomo.

Umlimi bekajabule kakhulu futsi kusukela ngalelo langa, umlimi, iNkhukhu kanye neNkhomo kwahlala ngekujabula ndzawonye kulelipulazi.

[Get story active!] Yenta indzaba isebente!

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