Khale ka khaleni a ku ri na N’wanhutlwa na N’wamhungubye wa tindleve ta ximangadyani lava a va ri vanghana vo twanana swinene. Ha vumbirhi a va swi kota swinene ku yiva naswona a va tshama ngopfu swin’we va ri karhi va endla leswo biha.

Siku rin’wana N’wamhungubye a twa ndlala. “Tana, mghana,” a byela N’wanhutlwa. “Tana hi pela nambu hi ya yiva swakudya ensin’wini liya yi nga lee.”

“Ya leyo i mianakanyo ya kahle!” ku vula N’wanhutlwa, a ri karhi tinatswela milomo. “Ndzi twa ndzi navele khalavatla ro tsokombela.”

N’wanhutlwa na N’wamhungubye va perile nambu. N’wamhungubye a khomelele swinene eka nhamu ya N’wanhutlwa leyo leha hikuva yena a nga koti ku hlambela.

Hi tlhelo lerin’wana ra nambu, N’wamhungubye lowo tlhariha u cerile mbovo ehansi ka darata ya nsimu ya murimii hi meno ya yena lamo tontswa. Kutani N’wamhungubye na N’wanhutlwa va manyukuta edarateni va miyerile leswaku va ya yiva swakudya eka tlhelo lerin’wana. N’wamhungubye u yivile mandza ya ntlhanu exilawini xa mbhaha lowu a wu fukamerile naswona N’wanhutlwa yena a ncakunya matluka ya lethasi, naswona a ha ku sungula khalavatla lero tala murhu loko N’wamhungubye a tlakusela nhompfu ya yena ehenhla a sungula ku vukula.

“Xiiiiii,” ku miyeta N’wanhutlwa loko a ri karhi tshutela swiphemu swa swikampfu swa khalavatla ehenhla ka N’wamuhungubye.

“Xana u vula yini loko u ku, ‘xiiiiiii’?” ku vutisa N’wamhungubye a ri karhi a tisula malebvu. “Mikarhi hinkwayo ndza yimbelela loko ndzi heta swakudya swa mina. I ntolovelo wa mina.”

“Lokoswiritano, ndzi yimeli ndzi hetisa khalavatla ra mina,” ku hlamula N’wanhutlwa. “Lokoswiritano murimi u ta ku twa naswona u ta ta laha ku ta hi hlongola.”

N’wamhungubye a karhele ku rindzela. U tlakusele nhompfu ya yena ehenhla emapapeni nakambe kutani a sungula ku yimbelela, “Owoooooooo!”

Murimi a ri karhi a dya swakudya swa ninhlekani loko a twa N’wamhungubye a ri eku vukuleni. U tsutsumele ehandle na nhonga ya yena leyikulu. N’wamhungubye u n’wi vonile loko a ri eku teni, hikuva u na xihatla, u hatlisile a nghena egojini ra darata kutani a nyamala na murimi a nga si n’wi vona.

Mbuya N’wanhutlwa, hi tlhelo, a yimile a hangalasile na milenge ya le mahlweni a ri ringeta ku tiphina hi mahetelelo ya khalavatla ra yena. Loko a vona murimi a ri karhi a ta, a ringeta ku yima na ku tsutsuma, kambe milenge ya yena yi hakana kutani a wa.

“Nakan’we, nakan’we u nge he pfuki u ndzi yiverile nakambe!” ku vula murimi, a ri karhi a bukutela N’wanhutlwa hi nhonga ya yena.

Endzhaku ka loko N’wanhutlwa a kotile ku baleka, a ri na swilondzo miri wakwe hinkwawo naswona a hlundzukele N’wamhungubye. U khwitile ku kondza a ya fika enambyeni laha N’wamhungubye a pavalale kona hi vurhongo ehansi ka xihlahla.

“Xana i munghana wa njhani!” ku bokoloka N’wanhutlwa, a pfuxa N’wamhungubye. “Ndzi khensa ku yimbelela ka wena ndzi biwile swinene ndzi wa ntima na wasi.”

“U nga hlundzuki,” ku hlamula N’wamhungubye. “Ndzi ku byerile leswaku ndza yimbelela loko ndzi heta ku dya swakudya swa mina. Sweswi a hi peli nambu hi vuyela ekaya.”

N’wamhungubye u khomelele nhamu ya N’wanhutlwa kutani va hlambela va ya eka tlhelo lerin’wana ra nambu. Loko N’wanhutlwa a fika exikarhi ka nambu laha ku nga enta kona, a ku eka N’wamhungubye, “Sweswi ndzi lava ku hlamba. Ndzi twa ku hisa na ku karhateka endzhaku ka loko ndzi biwile.”

“U nga swi endli sweswo!” ku vula N’wamhungubye, a langute N’wanhutlwa hi mahlo lamakulu. “Loko wo nghena endzeni ka mati ndzi ta nwela! A ndzi swi koti ku hlambela!”

“Kambe ndzi fanele ndzi hlamba,” ku vula N’wanhutlwa. “I ntolovelo wa mina.” Loko a heta ku vula tano, N’wanhutlwa o nghena endzeni ka mati. N’wamhunubye u kukutlerile mati na ku ringeta ku hlambela hi mikondzo yakwe.

“Pfunani! Pfunani! Ndza nwela!” ku kalakala N’wamahunbye.

N’wanhutlwa a hlundzukile hi ku biwa ka yena, kambe a twa ku vava ku vona N’wamhungubye xi ri karhi xi phaphamala ematini. Eka hinkwaswo N’wamhungubye a ri munghana wa yena. N’wanhutlwa u nghenisile nhloko yakwe endzeni ka mati a yi tirhisa ku tlakula N’wamhungubye hi nhamu yakwe. N’wamhungubye u khohlorile na ku tlimbeka kambe a khomelela ya N’wanhutlwa ku ponisa vutomi bya yena.

Loko va fika eka tlhelo lerin’wana ra nambu, N’wamhungubye a ehleketa hileswi a nga swi endlela munghana wa yena. “N’wanhutlwa?” a vula hi xiritwana.

“Ahee, N’wamhungubye,” ku hlamula N’wanhutlwa.

“Ndzi kombela u ndzi khomela eka tihanyi leti ndzi ti endleke. Ndza swi vona leswaku leswi u swi endleke eka mina i mhaka ya ndlela ya tihanyi leyi ndzi ku khomeke ha yona ekusunguleni,” ku vula N’wamhungubye.

N’wanhutlwa a pfumela hi nhloko. “Hi swona,” a hlamula. “A ndzo rihisela eka leswi u nga ndzi endla swona.”

“Ndzi khomeli,” ku vula N’wamhungubye.

Hi ndlela ya leyo, N’wamhungubye na N’wanhutlwa va dyondze leswaku swi na nkoka ku khoma van’wana hi ndlela leyi hi rhandzaka ku khomisiwa xiswona, ku suka siku rero ku ya emahlweni, a va endla tano. Nakambe, na namuntlha, va ha ri vanghana lavakulu swinene.

Sungulani ku va ni vutumbuluxi!

Endzhaku ka ku hlaya N’wanhutlwa na N’wamhungubye, vulavula na vana va wena hilaha va rhandzaka leswaku vanghana va vona va va khomisa xiswona kutani u tirhisa swiringanyeto swa vona ku tsala nxaxamelo lowu vuriwaka, tindlela ta 10 ta ku va munghana wa kahle.