Ezinsukwini zakudala, uNkomazi noKati babehlala eToutswemogala Hill. Babehlala nazo zonke ezinye izilwane kuleli gquma. Esikhathini esiningi, zonke izilwane zazihlala ndawonye ngokuthula nokuzwana.

UNkomazi wayekhetheke kakhulu phakathi kwezilwane ngoba kwakunguyena yedwa isilwane esinomogogolwane. Njalo ekuseni wayethatha umogogolwane wakhe, awugaxe emahlombe bese ebamba umhlangano.

Emi lapho ngengubo yakhe kanokusho, uNkomazi wayebukeka njengonkulunkulukazi woqobo. Wayegcwele ukuhlakanipha futhi wayenikeza iseluleko ngazo zonke izindaba ezincane nezinkulu.

Manje, ngokudabukisayo, akekho owayemthanda uKati. Ezinye izilwane zazikholelwa ukuthi uKati wayenobuqili futhi zazingamthembi. Kungani ayehambahamba ebusuku bese alale ngokwenqena elangeni usuku lonke? Zaziqiniseka ukuthi uKati kunento engalungile ayenzayo.

Ngolunye usuku uKati weza kuNkomazi ukuze athole iseluleko. UKati wabuza, “Nkomazi, kungani wena nezinye izilwane ningangithandi?”

UNkomazi wamane wabhonga nje, wazisonga waziqinisa ngemogogolwane yakhe emahlombe futhi wasuka wahamba engaphendulanga.

“Nkomazi,” kukhala uKati, “Ngifuna ukwazi ukuthi kungani ungangithandi? Bekumele ngabe usinakekela sonke futhi, nakuba uhlale uzisiza zonke ezinye izilwane, awukaze ungibonise umusa mina.”

Nsuku zonke uKati wayebuyela kuNkomazi nezipho, efuna ukwazi ukuthi kungani kungekho owayemthanda. Wayeza izidladla zigcwele utshani obumnandi, obusha obuvela esigangeni kanye namanzi amtoti apholile avela emfuleni. Kodwa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini uKati ayeyizama, uNkomazi nezinye izilwane babengamfuni nje kwaphela. Baqhubeka bemshaya indiva uKati, futhi lokhu kwenza uKati wazizwa edumele.

Lento yaqhubeka kwaze kwathi ngolunye usuku uKati wathi kuNkomazi, “Sekwanele,” futhi wasuka wahamba.

Kwathatha isikhashana ngaphambi kokuba amagundwane athi chithi saka yonke indawo. Yilapho-ke ezinye izilwane zeza khona kuNkomazi zizokhononda. Zazicasuke kakhulu. “Nkomazi Omuhle!” zikhala njengoba zihonqa futhi zigquma ezinye zibhonga futhi zikhala, zinswininiza.

“Kudingeka wenze okuthile, Nkomazi,” kubhonga uBhubesi.

“Kugcwele amagundwane yonke indawo – lapho silala khona, lapho sidlela khona, ngisho nalapho siphuzela khona,” kugquma uMvubu.

Kulapho-ke kuphela lapho uNkomazi nezinye izilwane baqala khona ukubona umsebenzi obalulekile owawenziwa nguKati ebusuku kuyilapho bonke belele.

Njengomholi waseToutswemogala, uNkomazi wabiza umcimbi wokuba kuyofunwa uKati. Bonke bahamba behla benyuka bemcinga, phansi naphezulu. Izinsuku eziyisikhombisa bafuna lapha nalaphaya nakuyo yonke indawo.

Lapho ekugcineni bemthola uKati, uNdlulamithi – owambona kuqala – weza phambili. “Kati,” kusho uNdlulamithi, “Zonke izilwane ziyakukhumbula. Asisacabangi ukuthi uyiqili nokuthi kunento engalungile oyenzayo. Lapho amagundwane eqhubeka esihlukumeza, sikukhumbula nakakhulu. Siyakudinga futhi siyakuthanda. Sicela ubuyele nathi eToutswemogala.”

UKati wazizwa ejabule kakhulu njengoba ayebuyela emuva eToutswemogala ekanye nezinye izilwane. Njalo ebusuku wayedla amagundwane futhi wawaxosha aphuma aphela yonke indawo. Zonke izilwane zajabula kakhulu, kodwa uNkomazi wajabula ukuzedlula zonke ngoba manje, kwaphinda kwaba nokuthula futhi kwathi cwaka eToutswemogala. Kusukela ngalolo suku kuqhubeke uNkomazi noKati baba abangane abakhulu ngoba uNkomazi wayebekela uKati ingcosana yobisi nsuku zonke.

Yenza indaba ihlabe umxhwele!

• Dweba umfanekiso wegundwane.
• Sebenzisa ubumba noma inhlama yokudlala wenze inkomo, ikati nendlulamithi ezincane. Ngalezo zilwane zobumba, dlala indaba.
• Bhala esakho isiphetho sale ndaba. Cabanga uKati enqaba ukubuyela             eToutswemogala. Ucabanga ukuthi kwakuyokwenzekani?