Ngoko laliselitsha ihlabathi, uNja wayeyinto yasendle. Wayechitha iintsuku zakhe ezulazula ethafeni yedwa. Ebusuku wayebebeka intloko phezu kwamathupha akhe afipheleyo aze agade umqolomba wakhe.UNobantu, umfazi wokuqala, wayehlala kungquphantsi omncinane kufuphi nomqolomba kaNja. Ngenye injikalanga wathi esahamba egoduka, uNobantu wabona uNja ebeke intloko yakhe phezu kwamathupha akhe afipheleyo, elele kodwa elinye iliso elivulile, wasuka wamsizela.
“Ingaba yintoni endinokuyenza ukuze ndincede uNja?” wacinga. “Ubukeka enesithukuthezi kakhulu.”Uthe uNobantu esacinga icebo, wasuka wavuka uNja wamkhonkothela.“Nja,” wakhwaza, “ungumlindi ogqibeleleyo.” “Ewe,” wagragrama uNja, “Ndingoyena mlindi ubalaseleyo kulo lonke eli thafa lamatyholo liphelele. Iindlebe zam zibukhali kangangokuba ndiva nengxolwana encinane, amehlo am ayabona ebumnyameni, kanti ndisoloko ndilala ndilivulile elinye iliso.”
“Kuyamangalisa oko,” watsho uNobantu. “Ungandinceda undifundise ukuba ngumlindi olungileyo? Yiza kungquphantsi wam ngenjikalanga yangomso. Ukuba uyakwenza oko, ndiya kukunika isidlo esishushu utye sona.”UNja wayengazange akhe atye ukutya okushushu ngaphambili, kodwa kwakuvakala kulungile oko.
Ukutshona kwelanga ngosuku olulandelayo, uNja wazula-zula ethafeni elinamatyholo esiya ngakungquphantsi kaNobantu. Wambulisa waza wagragrama, “Ngoku kufuneka ujonge endikwenzayo. Ndiza kukufundisa ukuba ngumlindi olungileyo.”UNja wangqengqa phandle ngakungquphantsi kaNobantu, ebeke intloko yakhe phezu kwamathupha akhe amfiliba. Wozela walala evule elinye iliso.
Ngobo busuku wagxotha izilwanyana ezimbalwa zasendle. Kusasa uNobantu wamnika isidlo esishushu ngesitya esidala.“Thatha,” watsho uNobantu.UNja wasilwabiza eso sidlo.“Ndikufundisile ke ukuba ngumlindi olungileyo?” wakhonkotha.
“Ndicinga ukuba ndiphantse ndakufunda oko,” waphendula ngoncumo uNobantu, “kodwa mhlawumbi ungaphinda undibonise nangobusuku banamhlanje. Ukuba wenza njalo, ndiya kukunika isidlo esishushu FUTHI ndiza kukwandlalela ibhedi encinane ukuze ulale kuyo ndikonwaye umhlana wakho.”
UNja wakhotha imilebe yakhe. Isidlo esishushu sasimnandi kakhulu, futhi wayengazange akhe alale ebhedini encinane ngaphambili.
Ukutshona kwelanga, uNja wazula-zula ethafeni elinamatyholo esiya ngakungquphantsi kaNobantu. Njengoko wayethembisile, kwakukho ibhedi encinane eyayimlindile. Yayitofotofo isonwabisa – yayisonwabisa ngaphezulu kakhulu kunomgangatho womqolomba – waza uNja walala kwangoko kodwa elivulile elinye iliso.Ngobo busuku wagxotha izilwanyana zasendle ezimbalwa. Kusasa uNobantu wampha isidlo esishushu ngesitya esidala senkcenkce.
“Khawufumane,” watsho uNobantu.UNja wasilwabiza eso sidlo.“Ingaba ndikufundisile ke ukuba ngumlindi olungileyo?” wakhonkotha.
“Ndicinga ukuba sendifundile noko,” waphendula ngoncumo uNobantu, “kodwa mhlawumbi ungaphinda undifundise ngobu busuku banamhlanje. Ukuba wenza njalo, ndiya kukunika isidlo esishushu, ungaphinda ulale kwibhedi encinane kwakhona, FUTHI ndiza kukonwaya umhlana wakho.”
UNja wakhotha imilebe yakhe. Isidlo esishushu sasimnandi kakhulu, futhi yayitofotofo kamnandi ibhedi encinane – ngaphezulu kakhulu kunomgangatho womqolomba – kanti zange akhe afumane mntu omonwaya umhlana ngaphambili.
Ukutshona kwelanga, uNja wazula-zula ethafeni elinamatyholo esiya ngakungquphantsi kaNobantu. Wangqengqa ebhedini encinane. UNobantu wahlala ecaleni kwakhe wamonwaya umhlana. Kuvakala kamnandi kakhulu oko! UNja wakhonkotha ngenxa yovuyo, waza walala ebhedini encinane kodwa elivulile elinye iliso.
Ngobo busuku wagxotha izilwanyana zasendle ezimbalwa. Kusasa uNobantu wampha isidlo esishushu ngesitya esidala senkcenkce. UNja wasilwabiza eso sidlo.
“Uyazi, Nobantu,” uNja wakhonkotha, “sezintathu iintsuku zobusuku ezilandelelanayo ndizama kangangoko ukukufundisa ukuba ngumlindi olungileyo, kodwa akude ufunde nakancinane. Phofu andiqondi ukuba uya kuze ufunde ukukwenza oku.”“Andinakukwazi?” wabuza ngoncumo uNobantu.
“Hayi, andiqondi,” waphendula uNja. “Ingxaki kukuba ulala ngaphakathi kungquphantsi, iindlebe zakho zincinane kakhulu, kwaye akuboni ebumnyameni. Ngoko ke, ndinecebo eliphucukileyo. Endaweni yokuba mna ndifundise WENA indlela yokuba ngumlindi olungileyo, ndingangumlindi kangquphantsi wakho. Ungandibulela ngokundondla, undinike ibhedi yokulala nangokonwaya umhlana wam.”
“Uthini ngokudlala?” wabuza uNobantu.“Ukudlala?” wafinga iintshiyi uNja.UNobantu wabonisa uNja indlela yokudlala ngenduku. Kwaba mnandi kakhulu!
Bakuba begqibile, bavumelana ngokuthi uNja makahlale abe yinja engumlindi kaNobantu.Lathi litshona elaloo mini, uNja wabe elala ebhedini yakhe encinane enoncumo ebusweni bakhe, futhi ecimele ngawo omabini amehlo akhe.
Kwenzeka ngaloo Ndlela ke ukuze yena nabantwana bakhe, nabantwana babantwana babo baze kuhlala nabantu, futhi kungenxa yoko izinja zingasezozidalwa zasendle ezizula-zula ematyholweni nezilala zodwa emiqolombeni.
