Ilanga lalithe qhakra kwakusasa njengoko uLulu wayehleli kwigqabi lengca kwibala lemidlalo lesikolo sakhe. Namhlanje yayilusuku lweembaleki kwiSikolo Samabanga Aphantsi Sezinambuzane. ULulu wayenemincili nyhani. Wayeza kuthatha inxaxheba kwi-high jump. “Iintakumba zikwazi ukutsibela phezulu!” wakhwaza esitsho njengoko wayetsibela elityeni, emva koko waya kutsho kwisetyana waza waya kutsho kwisebe lomthi okufutshane. ULulu wajonga phantsi esemthini waza wabona ezinye izinambuzane zilungiselela iziganeko zolo suku. Zonke izinambuzane zazizithembile kuba zaziye zazilolonga kakhulu zilungiselela olu suku.

Intethe yayisolula imilenze yayo engasemva. “Imilenze yam yomelele kakhulu. Ndicinga ukuba ndiza kuqhuba kakuhle kumdlalo wemitsi namhlanje,” watsho. “Mna ndicinga ukuba ndiza kuluphumelela ugqatso lwam,” latsho iphela njengoko lalisitya ithamo lokugqibela leqebengwana laza losula umlomo walo ngephiko lalo. UHlabamanzi, uNgcongconi, uNyosi noMpukane babephaphazelisa amaphiko njengoko babephikisana ngokuba ngubani oza kubhabhela phezulu abogqithe bonke. “Ukubhabhela phezulu sisiganeko esikhetheke kakhulu,” watsho uHlabamanzi. “Asizizo zonke izinambuzane ezinamaphiko, kodwa thina abanawo, siyakwazi ukubhabhela phezulu kakhulu.

Ndicinga ukuba ndim oza kubuya nendebe namhlanje.” UNkubabulongo yena wayesazi ukuba wayeza kukwazi ukubogqitha bonke ngokutyhala ibhola iye kude ngalo milenze yakhe yomeleleyo. UMbovane wayesazi ukuba iqela lakhe laliza kuphumelela ugqatso lwe-relay kuba babezilolongele ukudlulisa uluthi kangangeenyanga. Ibe uBhabhathane wayesazi ukuba uza kukwazi ukubhabha agqithe yonke imiqobo kwi-steeplechase. NoLulu wayezithembile oku kwakhe. “Ndiza kutsiba ndibogqithe bonke namhlanje,” watsho. “UZara ucinga ukuba angandogqitha, kodwa ndim oza kubuya nendebe!” Uthe akutsho uLulu watsho ngomkhulu wona umtsi esuka kwisebe lomthi waye kuthi gxidi ... kwinto enoboya. “Ndiphi ngoku?” wakhala uLulu edidekile. ULulu wayephupha ibe wayengambonanga uNkawu enyuka kwisiqu somthi. Ngoku wayebambeke kuboya bakhe!

Emva koko uLulu weva uNkszn Qongqothwane esenza isaziso esithi, “Molweni, molweni. Ndamkela zonke iimbaleki, iintsapho zazo kunye nababukeli! Zilungiseni ke kuba sesiza kuqalisa. Ndicela zonke iimbaleki zidibane embindini webala, torho.” ULulu wayeyiva intswahla yababukeli behleka, beqhwaba kwaye bephaphazelisa amaphiko. Lonke elo xesha uLulu nezihlwele babengazi ukuba kwakukho amasele awayezifihle phantsi kwamagqabi awe emithini. Ayelinde nje ixesha elifanelekileyo ukuze atsibe aze azibethe zibe bomvu izisu ngokutya ezo zinambuzane zimnandi! Ngelo xesha, uLulu wayezama ukuphuma kuboya bukaNkawu, kodwa kwakubonakala ngathi izinto ziya zisiba mbi. Emva koko wakhwaza kakhulu kangangoko anako, “Ncedani! Ncedani! Khanindincede torho!” Kodwa akukho nomnye owalivayo elo lizwi lakhe lincinane kulo ntswahla yezinambuzane.

Emva koko uLulu weva uNkszn Qongqothwane esithi, “I-high jump yamantombazana iza kuqala kungekudala. Ndicela wonke umntu ofuna ukuthatha inxaxheba, aye kwindawo ekuza kwenziwa kuyo i-high jump.” “Owu yini,” wakhwaza uLulu. “Ndiza kuphoswa lukhuphiswano lwam!” Wazama ukuzikhupha kuboya bukaNkawu, kodwa babushinyene kakhulu. ULulu waqalisa ukulila. Wayezilolonge kakhulu elungiselela le mini ngoku akazukulifumana ithuba lokukhuphisana nabanye. Emva kwethuba, uLulu weva uNkszn Qongqothwane esithi, “I-high jump yamantombazana ihamba kakuhle. Ngoku uZara uza kutsiba okokugqibela. Intonga iphezulu kakhulu.

Masibone ukuba uza kuyitsiba na.” Kulelo xesha kanye apho uLulu wakhumbula amazwi kanina, “Kwanaxa kubonakala ngathi akukho themba, ungakwazi ukuzama icebo, Lulu.” Ngoko uLulu weza necebo elihle kakhulu. “Ndiyintakumba,” wazixelela loo nto. “Ndiyakwazi ukuluma. Xa ndiluma, kuye kurhawuzele kakhulu.” Yiloo nto kanye ke awayenzayo uLulu – waluma uNkawu kaninzi kangangoko kunokwenzeka. “Iiiiiwu!” wakhwaza watsho uNkawu. “Kukho into endilumileyo! Kuyarhawuzela.” Wazonwaya kakhulu kule ndawo irhawuzelayo kangangokuba wamkhupha uLulu kuboya bakhe, waza wabhabha emoyeni. “Wuuuuu!” wakhwaza uLulu njengoko wayebhabha etsiba ngaphaya kwentonga ye-high jump!

UZara wayengayikholelwa into ayibona ngamehlo akhe. “Uvela phi, Lulu?” wabuza othukile. Ngaphambi kokuba uLulu aphendule, uNkawu watyibilika waza wawa emthini. Wawela phezu kwamasele aza othuka kangangokuba atsiba aza athi saa ebaleka. Izibawu zathi bhuu zangqonga ezinye izinambuzane ukuze zizikhusele zingatyiwa. Emva koko zawaleqa lo masele emka.

Yenza ibali linike umdla! 

•  Yenza uludwe lwazo zonke izinambuzane ezikweli bali. (INTLUVA: Zili-12 izinambuzane.) 
• Zoba isinambuzane osithandayo uze ubhale NDIYASITHANDA ngezantsi komzobo
• Ngoku zoba isinambuzane ongasithandiyo uze ubhale ANDISITHANDI ngezantsi komzobo. 
• Khetha nasiphi isinambuzane. Sebenzisa udongwe, iPrestik okanye intlama yokudlala ukuze wenze imodeli yeso sinambuzane.