Kudala-dala – phambi kotatomkhulu wakho nokhokho wakhe nditsho notatomkhulu kakhokho wakhe – uMini noBusuku babengenantloni. Babehamba emhlabeni njengawe lo.
Yonke imihla kusasa, uMini wayevuka ebuthongweni. Wayehlamba ubuso bakhe kwiqula eliphantsi komthi weBommelak. Emva koko wayehamba acande umhlaba wonke kwaye naphi na apho ahamba khona wayesizisa ukukhanya nobushushu.
Izilwanyana zazisima zimjonge. Zazisebezelana zisithi, “Nanko uMini. Khawumjonge indlela amhle ngayo.”
Yonke imihla ngokuhlwa, uBusuku wayevuka. Naye wayehlamba iinwele zakhe kwiqula eliphantsi komthi weBommelak. Emva koko wayehamba acande umhlaba kwaye apho ahamba khona, wayesizisa ukuphola nokuphumla.
Izilwanyana zazisima zimjonge. Zazisebezelana zisithi “Nanko uBusuku. Khawumjonge indlela amhle ngayo.”
Zonke izilwanyana zazimthanda uMini noBusuku. Sasisinye kuphela isilwanyana esasingabathandi kwaye igama laso yayinguNtatu. Wayevuthulula iintsiba zakhe xa esiva abanye besebeza besithi, “Khawujonge indlela ababahle ngayo.”
Endaweni yokuvuma, uNtatu wayesithi, “Kanti nithini ngam? Jongani indlela endimhle ngayo. Akukho nto intle ukogqitha mna.”
Kodwa ezinye izilwanyana zazimhleka. “Ntatu,” zazisitsho, “khawuthule – sidengendini sentaka. Awumhlanga njengoMini noBusuku.”
Oku kwamenza umsindo kakhulu uNtatu. “Ndinentamo engcono
kunawe, Ndlulamthi,” wayesitsho “Kwaye ndinempumlo engcono kunawe, Ndlovu. Kwaye amehlo am angcono kunawakho, Ntuku.”
Oku kwakuyikhathaza intuku encinane kuba amehlo ayo ayenochuku, kodwa iNdlulamthi neNdlovu zona zazimhleka kuphela uNtatu. “Bubuvuvu obo, Ntatu.”
UNtatu wathi, “Ubuso bam buhle kunobukaMini kwaye iintsiba zam zintle kuneenwele zikaBusuku.” Waza ke wabhabha wemka.
Xa ziphinda zimbona uNtatu izilwanyana, wayezikamile iintsiba zakhe wabupeyinta ubuso bakhe. “Jongani,” watsho, “ingaba ubuso bam abukho buhle kunobukaMini kusini na? Iintsiba zam zona ingaba azikho ntle kuneenwele zikaBusuku kusini na?”
Kodwa izilwanyana zavela zamhleka zonke. Intuku encinane yathi, “Ntatu, akukho nanye into onokuyenza eyakwenza ubuso bakho bubebuhle kunobukaMini okanye iintsiba zakho zibentle kuneenwele zikaBusuku.”
UNtatu waba nomsindo kakhulu.
Ngalo njikalanga, uNtatu wazimela ngaphaya kwetyholo, walinda. Bathi xa uBusuku buvuka, uNtatu wabulandela. Wabubukela buhlamba iinwele zabo equleni eliphantsi komthi weBommelak.
UNtatu walinda ubusuku bonke kwade kwayintsasa elandelayo. Wabukela uMini ehlamba ubuso bakhe kwiqula eliphantsi komthi weBommelak. “Ngoku ke ndiyayazi imfihlo yabo!” wacinga njalo uNtatu. “Ukuba ndihlamba ubuso bam kweli qula liphantsi komthi weBommelak, buza kuba buhle njengobukaMini. Kwaye ukuba ndihlambe iintsiba zam kwiqula eliphantsi komthi weBommelak ziza kuba ntle njengeenwele zikaBusuku.”
Kuthe kanye xa uNtatu eza kutsibela equleni, kwakho isandi esikhulu nesivakala kakubi esabangela ukuba ame ayeke yonke loo nto wayeza kuyenza.
Umthi weBommelak wawushukumisa onke amasebe awo. “Ntatu,” watsho
umthi, “akukho namnye ngaphandle kukaMini noBusuku abanokuzihlamba kweli qula. Ukuba uhlamba apha, ndiya kukuqalekisa. Hamba ke ngoko wonwabele ukuba nguwe!”
UNtatu wangcangcazela kukoyika, kodwa wathi, “Ungubani ke wena ukuba uxelele mna into emandiyenze, Mthi? Ndiza kuba mhle njengoMini noBusuku. Akukho nantoni na onokuthi uyenze, ukundithintela koko.”
Ngaloo mazwi, uNtatu waphaphazelisa iimpiko zakhe waza watsibela equleni eliphantsi komthi weBommelak.
Kodwa zange angene emanzini apholileyo equla. Wangena emngxunyeni onentlabathi. UNtatu wayevuya kakhulu kangangokuba zange aqonde nokuba akangenanga equleni. Waphaphazelisa iimpiko zakhe wabhuqabhuqa ubuso bakhe entlabathini – waza waziva emhle kakhulu.
“Nantso ke, Ntatu,” watsho uMthi weBommelak, “ukususela namhlanje, soze uphinde ubuhlambe ngamanzi obakho ubuso. Uqalekiswe ngonaphakade ukuba uya kuhlamba entlabathini. Hamba ke ngoko wonwabele ukuba nguwe!”
Kungekudala iintsiba ezimibala-bala zikaNtatu zafiphala, azabi nambala. Ubuso bakhe babangwevu, bamdaka. Iimpiko zakhe zashwabana nemilenze yakhe yamifutshane.
Ngalo lonke ixesha izilwanyana zibona uMini noBusuku begqitha, uNtatu wayejonga phantsi emhlabeni angathethi.
Kodwa intuku encinane yayisebeza ithi, “Khanijonge indlela amhle ngayo uMini. Jongani indlela amhle ngayo uBusuku. Niphinde nijonge indlela elingwevu ngayo ihobe elinguNtatu!”
