Khale ka khaleni, a ku ri na sekwa leri a ri ri na swisekwana swa tsevu swa xitshopani. A swi tshama exiyindlwanini xin’wana epurasini, kambe swisekwana leswi a swi tlhotlhorhiwe hi ximumu, laha a ku hisa naswona ku omile. A ku nga ri na mpfula yo tlangatlangela eka yona, hambi ku ri maqhivi yo khidela eka wona. “Loko mpfula a yo na,” Manana N’wasekwa a byela swisekwana swakwe. “Swi tsakisa njhani ku tlanga empfuleni. Ndza swi tiva mi ta yi tsakela mpfula. Masekwa hinkwawo ma rhandza mpfula!”

Kutani, loko ximumu xi hela ku nghena xixikana, mpfula yi hetelele yi ku vuyavuyani! Manana N’wasekwa u te bulumuku, loko a twa mathonsi ya mpfula elwangwini. U vitane swisekwana swakwe, “Tanani mi ta vona mpfula!” A a tsake na tincondzo, ivi a hatlisa a hlengeleta swisekwana swakwe hinkwaswo. Hiloko hinkwaswo swi sala Manana N’wasekwa endzhaku swi ya mpfuleni.

Kambe xisekwana lexa rikotse xi hatle xi tlhelela endlwini. “Kasi swi lo yini?” ku vutisa Manana N’wasekwa. “Tana haleno u ta tiphina hi mpfula.”

“Doo, a ndzi nge ti mina,” ku vula xisekwana lexa rikotse. “Mpfula a ndzi yi rhandzi. A ndzi lavi ku tsakama, naswona mpfula leyi yi endla leswaku tinsiva ta mina ta xitshopani ti ndzi namarhela.”

Manana N’wasekwa u ahlamise nomu hi ku hlamala. U kavatele timpiku a ku, “U tshame u swi twa kwihi leswaku ku na sekwa leri nga rhandziki mpfula? Ndzi fanele ndzi endla swin’wana.”

Hi xamundzuku wa kona loko ri xa, Manana N’wasekwa u ye a ya vulavula na Manana N’wambuti, loyi a a ri na vhengele epurasini, leri a ri ri na swilo hinkwaswo. “Manana N’wambuti, xisekwana xa mina lexa rikotse a xi lavi ku huma loko ku na mpfula. Xi vula leswaku a xi lavi ku tsakama. Wena u tshame u swi twa kwihi leswaku ku na sekwa leri nga rhandziki mpfula? Hi fanele hi endla swin’wana!” ku vula Manana N’wasekwa.

Manana N’wambuti u lo hleka. “Phela xa ha ri xitsongo naswona a xi si tshama xi vona mpfula,” ku vula yena. Hiloko Manana N’wambuti a ngundzuvanya etikhabodweni takwe ivi a kuma rhenikhoti yitsongo ya wasi. “Ahaa,” a vula a langute Manana N’wasekwa. “Xi nyike rhenikhoti leyi xi yi ambala hi siku leri mpfula yi nga ta tlhela yi na.” Manana N’wasekwa u nkhense Manana N’wambuti ivi a muka na rhenikhoti liya.

Ku lo hundza masikunyana, ivi mpfula yi ku vuyavuyani. Manana N’wasekwa u nyike xisekwana xakwe xa rikotse rhenikhoti leswaku xi yi ambala. “A hi humeni hi ya tiphina hi mpfula,” ku vula yena.

Swisekwana hinkwaswo swi sale Manana N’wasekwa endzhaku swi ya empfuleni swi tsakile. Kambe swi nga si ya kwihi, Manana N’wasekwa u xiye leswaku xisekwana lexa rikotse a xi nga ha ri kona. U lavalave hinkwako ivi a hetelela a xi kuma xi lo kukununu, endzeni ka yindlu. “Kasi swi lo yini u ngo titshamela laha u ri wexe? Se u na rhenikhoti musi, tana u ta tiphina hi mpfula,” ku vula Manana N’wasekwa.

“Doo, u ta ndzi khomela,” ku vula xisekwana lexa rikotse. “A ndzi yi rhandzi mpfula mina. Ridaka ri ndzi namarhela milenge.”

Manana N’wasekwa a a nga ha tivi ta yena. “Masekwa hinkwawo ma rhandza mpfula,” ku vula yena. “A swi ma karhati loko ma tsakama tinsiva ni loko milenge ya wona yi tala ridaka! Ndzi fanele ndzi endla swin’wana!”

Loko ri xa hi xamundzuku, Manana N’wasekwa u tlhelele eka Manana N’wambuti a ya kombela ku pfuniwa. “Manana N’wambuti, xisekwana lexiya xa mina xa rikotse xi vula leswaku a xi rhandzi mpfula hikuva swinengana swa xona swi khoma ridaka. Se ndzi fanele ndzi endla yini? Hi fanele hi ta na pulani.”

Manana N’wambuti u lo tlhela a hleka. “Phela xa ha ri xitsongo naswona xi ni swinengani,” ku vula yena. Hiloko Manana N’wambuti a langutalanguta etixelufini takwe ivi a kuma magambutsu lamatsongo ya rihlaza. “Ahaa,” a vula a langute Manana N’wasekwa. “Xi nyike magambutsu lawa xi ambala wona loko ku na mpfula.” Manana N’wasekwa u nkhense Manana N’wambuti ivi a khoma ndlela a muka na magambutsu.

Siku yi nga tlhela yi na, Manana N’wasekwa u nyike xisekwana lexa rikotse rhenikhoti na magambutsu leswaku xi ambala swona. “Kutani a hi yeni hi ya tiphina hi mpfula,” ku vula yena.

Xisekwana lexa rikotse se a xi nga ha tikoti hi ku tsaka. Tinsiva ta xona a ti nga tsakami naswona swinengana a swi nga tali ridaka. Manana N’wasekwa u lo n’wayitela kunene, ivi a wa mbilu loko a vona swisekwana swakwe hinkwaswo swi tlangatlanga swin’we empfuleni.

Loko mpfula yi xa ivi ku huma dyambu, ku ve na kwangalatilo lowukulu exibakabakeni. “Vona, Mama,” ku vula xisekwana lexa rikotse xi kombetele kwangalatilo. “I yini dyilo ledyiya dyi nga na mihlovo yo tala?”

Manana N’wasekwa na swisekwana leswin’wana va langute ehenhla. Swisekwana hinkwaswo swi sale swi hlamarisiwe hi rhiboni yo saseka ya mivalavala leyi a swi yi langutile.

“I kwangalatilo,” ku vula Manana N’wasekwa hi ku n’wayitela. “Wu humelela loko mpfula yi xa, ivi ku huma dyambu. Loko wo wu nyangisisa, u ta vona leswaku wu na mivala ya nkombo.”

“Oh, ndzi wu rhandza njhani kwangalatilo lowu. Wu na mivala yo fana na rhenikhoti ya mina, magambutsu na tinsiva,” ku vula xisekwana lexa rikotse xi nyanyukile. Swisekwana leswin’wana swa ntlhanu swi pfumelelane na xona hi ku kavata timpiku.

Loko dyambu ri tlomuta ivi kwangalatilo wu nyamalala, Manana N’wasekwa na swisekwana swakwe va timukerile.

Ku sukela siku rero, xisekwana lexa rikotse a xi tshama xi rindzele mpfula leswaku xi ta tlhela xi vona kwangalatilo. Phela siku leri mpfula yi nga tlhela yi na ha rona, a xi tsake na swicondzwana hi ku vona kwangalatilo, xi kala xi rivala na ku ambala rhenikhoti na magambutsu ya xona.

Loko ku humelela kwangalatilo, xi byele Manana N’wasekwa xi ku, “A ndza ha ri na mhaka loko tinsiva ta mina ti tsakama na swinengana swa mina swi tala ridaka loko ku na mpfula, hikuva loko yi xa, dyambu ri ta huma ivi ndzi vona nchumu wo xonga swinene emisaveni – kwangalatilo lowuntshwa wa mivalavala. Mpfula yona ndza yi rhandza, kambe ndzi rhandza ngopfu kwangalatilo!”

Manana N’wasekwa u tsake ngopfu, naswona u we mbilu. Se swisekwana swa yena hinkwaswo a swi rhandza mpfula, ku fana na masekwa man’wana!

Endla ntsheketo wu nyanyula!

Dirowa xifaniso xa leswi u rhandzaka ku swi endla loko ku na mpfula. Ehansi ka xifaniso, tsala xiga u hlamusela leswi endlekaka.
Tsala nxaxamelo wa leswi mpfula yi ku tsakisaka ha swona, ni nxaxamelo wa leswi endlaka u nga yi tsakeli.
Xana u tiva risimu leri yimbelelaka hi mpfula kumbe kwangalatilo? Qambha risimu ra wena kumbe xiphato u ri tlangela ndyangu wa ka n’wina.