Kwasukelasukela, uSikhukhukazi namadzinyanakhe amathathu, bebahlala noKomo eplasini.

UKomo bekathanda ukuzidlela utjani njengombana bekazikhambela emasimini ayokuvakatjhela umnganakhe uSikhukhukazi. Kodwana bekusikhathi esibudisi. Izulu line lada umnyaka lo begodu notjani bebuyindlala. UKomo bekalambe khulu njengombana atjhidela ewogweni kaSikhukhukazi. Umlimi bekakhohliwe ukuthenga amabhala.

USikhukhukazi wathaba kwamambala nakabona uKomo. “Lotjhani mnganami,” kulotjhisa uSikhukhukazi. “Ithi ngikulethela amanzi amakhaza. Kungenzeka womile ngemva kwekhambo elide kangaka.” USikhukhukazi warhaba wayokukhelela uKomo amanzokusela.

Njengombana uKomo alele emthunzini ngaphasi komuthi wameva omkhulu omdala, amadzinyani amathathu bekadlala eduze kwakhe. Bewanonile begodu atjheli njengamabhulomu womuthi i-tabebuia uKomo ebekajayele ukuwabona etwasahlobo.

Amathumbu kaKomo ababuhlungu begodu alila njengombana abukele amadzinyani adlala. Waphakamisa ihloko waqala ngehla kwamahlombakhe, adliwa ngunembeza. Wathoma ngakwesokudla, waya ngakwesobuncele wabuyela ngakwesokudla godu. USikhukhukazi akabonakali.

Ngokujayelekileko iinkomo aziyidli inyama kodwana khumbula, nanyana yini ingenzeka! UKomo bekalambe khulu kangangobana angakatjheji, weqa wathoma ukugijimisa amadzinyani amahle atjheli!

Amadzinyani amathathu arhatjheka phambi kwakaKomo, amqala phezulu athi: “Sigijima njengombani begodu sijika khona la. Angekhe wasibamba nanyana ungenzani, sigijima njengombani begodu sijika khona la. Angekhe wasibamba nanyana ungenzani.” Abetha amaphikwana amhleka.

Kusesenjalo uSikhukhukazi wabuya aphathele uKomo amanzi. Wabona ithuli ligubuzese amadzinyanakhe.

“Kwenzekani?” Kubuza uSikhukhukazi, aqale amadzinyanakhe amomotheka.

“UKomo udlala nathi ulinga ukusibamba,” amadzinyani abetha amaphiko azigeda phasi iinyawo zaqala phezulu.

“Kodwana ubuthaka,” ayatsiyoza. Bekeqa yeqa agijigijima eenyaweni zakaKomo ukutjengisa bona bekamsinyana kangangani.

“Lisani ukutshwenya umnganethu,” uSikhukhukazi uyakekeza ukhuluma namadzinyanakhe ngaphambi kobana ayokwenzela uKomo okuya ngethunjini.

Kuthe uSikhukhukazi angasithela, uKomo wathoma ukugijimisa amadzinyani godu, walinga ngamandla bona abambe okungenani linye. Kodwana amtjhiya, avuma nengoma athi: “Sigijima njengombani begodu sijika khona la. Angekhe wasibamba nanyana ungenzani, sigijima njengombani begodu sijika khona la. Angekhe wasibamba nanyana ungenzani.”

Kuthe uSikhukhukazi nakabuyako, wafumana ilimu lakaKomo selilenga ngaphandle wasela woke namanzi uSikhukhukazi ebekamkhelele wona.

“Ahlala angaphasi kweenyazo zabanye. Athanda ukudlala,” kutjho uSikhukhukazi. “Kodwana ngiyazi bona aphephile ekhozini elikghona ukubona likude.” USikhukhukazi uqala phezulu athukiwe bese uqala uKomo uyamomotheka. “Ngiyathokoza ngokuthi ungigadele bona nangisakhambileko,” utjela umnganakhe.

UKomo bekazi kuhle bona akusingilokho okwenzekileko, nanyana bekazizwa kabuhlungu wavuma ngehloko ngebanga lokudinwa. Nje, besele afile yindlala. Ukugijimisa amadzinyani kuqede woke amandla abekanawo.

Ngemva kwesikhathi esithileko, uKomo wasikima walayelisa uSikhukhukazi, uyazibuza bona uzolikghona ikhambo elide lokubuyela endawenakhe na.

UKomo wafika endawenakhe sele kuthoma ukurhwaqela. Wathaba khulu nakabona intundu yamabhala athengwe mlimi. Wathi nakathoma ukudla kwangavuma bona alise. Wadla, wadla, wadla kangangobana waba rondo njengebhaloni elikhulu elinemibalabala, waphaphela phezulu bewayokufika enyangeni. Ngombana khumbula nanyana yini ingenzeka!

Yenza indaba le ibemnandi!

• Yini into engakajayeleki okhe wayidla? Dweba isithombe sento leyo. Ngaphasi kwesithombe hlathulula bona beyinuka njani begodu beyinjani nawuyidlako.

• Tlola isiphetho esitjha sendaba le. Khuyini ebeyingenzeka ngathana uKomo akhange afumane utjani ebekazobudla nakabuyako? Khumbula, nanyana yini ingenzeka!