Ngaminazana ithile, uSikhukukazi, kunye namantshontsho akhe amathathu amancinci, babekunye noNkomo edlelweni.

UNkomo wayethanda ukutya ingca njengoko ehamba enqumla idlelo esiya kumhlobo wakhe, uSikhukukazi. Kodwa kwakunzima ngelo xesha. Imvula yayine emva kwexesha ngalo nyaka, ibe ingca yayincinci kakhulu. UNkomo wayelambe nyhani njengoko wayehamba etyhafile esiya kwihoko kaSikhukhukazi. Umfama wayelibele ukumthengela ingca ethengwayo yeenkomo.

USikhukukazi wavuya akubona uNkomo. “Molo, tshomi yam,” watsho uSikhukukazi. “Mandikuphathele amanzi apholileyo, athob’ unxano ukuze usele. Umele ukuba unxaniwe kuba kudala uhamba.” Emva koko uSikhukukazi wabaleka wayokulanda amanzi ewaphathela uNkomo ukuze asele.

Njengoko uNkomo wayengqengqe kumthunzi womthi onameva omkhulu, nomdala, amantshontshwana ayedlala kufutshane naye. Ayetyebile kwaye etyheli, ngathi ngumthi ekuthiwa yi-tabebuia uNkomo awayedla ngokuwubona ngamanye amaxesha entwasahlobo.

Isisu sikaNkomo senza ingxolo njengoko wayebukele la mantshontsho edlala. Waphakamisa intloko yakhe waza wathi krwaqu ngasemva ezisola. Waqala wajonga ekunene, wajonga ekhohlo waza waphinda ekunene. Wayengamboni uSikhukukazi.

Kodwa ke, iinkomo azidli ngakuyitya inyama, kodwa khumbula, nantoni na ingenzeka! UNkomo wayelambe kakhulu kangangokuba wazibhaqa sele ephakamile, waza waqalisa ukuleqa ezo bholana zincinci zityheli!

La mantshontshwana mathathu athi saa phambi kukaNkomo, eman’ ukutswitsiza engazi nto: “Singoophuncuka bemphethe thina. Soze usibambe noba sele ufuna. Singoophuncuka bemphethe thina. Soze usibambe noba sele ufuna.” Ayemane ukutswitswiza aze aphele yintsini.

Kuthe kusenjalo, wabuya uSikhukukazi ephathele uNkomo amanzi. Wajonga uthuli olwalujikeleze amantshontshwana akhe.

“Kwenzeka ntoni?” wabuza uSikhukukazi, encumele amantshontsho akhe amathathu.

“UNkomo udlala nathi,” atswitswiza atsho amantshontsho, aqikileka, imilenze isemoyeni.

“Kodwa uyacotha,” atsho. Emva koko axhuma aza abaleka ephuma phantsi kwemilenze kaNkomo ukuze abonise indlela abaleka ngayo.

“Sanukuduba umhlobo wethu kaloku,” uSikhukukazi watsho kumantshontsho akhe ngaphambi kokuba aye kulanda ezinye izinto eziphathela uNkomo.

Uthe nje akusithela uSikhukukazi, uNkomo waphinda waleqa amantshontsho, ezama kangangoko ukubamba nokuba linye nje. Kodwa aqhubeka embaleka, ecula esithi: “Singoophuncuka bemphethe thina. Soze usibambe noba sele ufuna. Singoophuncuka bemphethe thina. Soze usibambe noba sele ufuna.”

Uthe ebuya uSikhukukazi, lwabe ulwimi lukaNkomo sele luphumile emlonyeni wakhe, ibe wawaginya ngethamo elinye amanzi awayebekwe nguSikhukukazi phambi kwakhe.

“Basoloko bephazamisa aba. Bathanda gqith’ ukudlala,” watsho uSikhukukazi. “Kodwa ke ndiyazi ukuba bakhuselekile kukhetshe, osoloko ebagxeleshile ekude.” USikhukukazi wajonga phezulu esibhakabhakeni enexhala wancumela uNkomo. “Enkosi ngokundijongela bona ngokuya bendimkile,” watsho kwitshomi yakhe.

UNkomo wayesazi ukuba yayingenjalo, ibe nangona waziva ebuhlungu, wanqwala nje ediniwe. Ngeli xesha wayeziva ephelelwa ngamandla ngenxa yendlala. Ukuleqa amantshontsho kwakuwagqibile onke amandla akhe.

Ethubeni, uNkomo waphakama waza wabhabhayisa uSikhukukazi, ezibuza ukuba uza kukwazi na ukuhamba umgama omde obuyela eshedini yakhe.

UNkomo wagxadazela waya kungena eshedini kanye xa kunaba amathunzi. Wavuya akubona imfumba yokutya kweenkomo okwakuziswe ngumfama. Wathi akuqalisa ukutya, akayeka. Watya watya watya de wahlutha kangangokuba abhabhe aye enyangeni njengebhaluni enkulu, enamabalabala. Kuba khumbula kaloku, nantoni na ingenzeka!

Yenza ibali linike umdla!

• Yintoni eyona nto ingaqhelekanga owakha wayitya? Zoba umfanekiso woko kutya. Ngezantsi komfanekiso, chaza ivumba nencasa yoko kutya.
• Bhala umqukumbela omtsha weli bali. Ngekwakwenzeke ntoni ukuba kwakungekho ukutya kweenkombo okwakuza kutyiwa nguNkomo xa efika ekhaya? Khumbula, nantoni na ingenzeka!