Umvundla okrele-krele
Xa ndandimncinci umama wayedla ngokundibalisela amabali amaninzi amnandi. Eli bali lithetha ngomvundla.
Ngenye imini izilwanyana ezimbini, ihagu kunye nebhokhwe, zadibana nomvundla. Zathi zakubona umvundla zayihleka.
Umvundla yacaphuka yafuna ukuba ezi zilwanyana ziyeke ukuyihleka. Zithe xa zigqithayo, umvundla yakhwaza yathi, “Heyi wena hagu, ndifuna ukukuxelela into ebaluleke kakhulu.”
Kodwa umvundla zange ithethe nto ebalulekileyo. Inye nje into eyayithethayo kukuba ilanga liyatshisa.
Ke ihagu yabuyela ebhokhweni, ibhokhwe yabuza ukuba ebesithini na umvundla. Ihagu yathi, “Hayi, umvundla khange uthethe nto.”
“Owu,” yatsho ibhokhwe, “uzama ukundiqhatha.” Zaqala ke ukulwa ezi zilwanyana.
Umvundla waphumela.
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Umakhulu kunye nodyakalashe
Elinye ibali lelomakhulu owayehlala nentombi yakhe kunye nomkhwenyana wakhe. Eli bali lenzeka mandulo xa aba bantu babehlala kooronta ngase- Ladysmith.
Yonke imihla ke intombi nomyeni wayo bebesiya emasimini baye kutyala umbona.
Xa ebuya umkhwenyana ebusuku ebethanda ukutya amasi esityeni esingquthu. Umakhulu ebedla ngokumjonga umkhwenyana kuba naye ebethanda ukutya amasi.
Emini, ngeli xesha umkhwenyana esemasimini, umakhulu ebewatya la masi omkhwenyana wakhe.
Ebedla ngokuchopha esitulweni, yayingesositulo sokwenyani, yayisisigodo somthi, ebesitya ke, acule ngokonwaba. Xa egqibile ebegalela amanzi kwesi sitya samasi.
Ngenye imini umkhwenyana wabuya msinyane emasimini. Uthe xa esiya endlwini wambona umakhulu esitya amasi. Wakhwaza, “Yha, Yha, ndikubhaqile. Namhlanje yimini yakho. Kudala usitya amasi am. Ubumane ugalela amanzi kwesi sitya. Ngoku ndifuna uyokukha amanzi abandayo emlanjeni. Kufuneka kungabikho masele, kungabikho krebe kwaye kungabikho zinyoka kulo mlambo.”
Ke umakhulu wathabatha isitya ukuze agalele amanzi.
Uthe akufika kumlambo wokuqala wathi, “Zikhona iinyoka? Bakhona ookrebe?”
Iinyoka zenza iculo lazo, “Sssss, sikhona.” Umakhulu waya komnye umlambo, nalapho izilwanyana zamphendula.
Ngoku umakhulu wayekude nekhaya kwaye wayedinwe kakhulu. Wahlala phantsi ukuze aphumle. Ngelo xesha kweza kuye imbila yathi, “Ngubani othe uyokukha amanzi? Uzakubona esinye isilwanyana, isilwanyana esikhulu esingathi sisigebenga siyeza?”
Umakhulu waqala ke ukuhlupheka, wayezoyika izigebenga. Emva koko weva ilizwi elikhulu nezingqi ezinkulu. Kwakukho into ezayo, into ethetha ngelizwi elikhulu.
Yayililizwi lesigebenga. “Makhulu ndijonge ukuba ndingubani. Phakama sihambe.”
Isigebenga sahamba nomakhulu saya naye apho kwakukho ezinye izilwanyana. Wathi kwezi zilwanyana, “Kufuneka nindiphathele iinkuni kuba umakhulu yinyama yam. Uzakuba sisidlo sam esimnandi ngomso.”
Ngobo busuku xa izilwanyana zazilele, udyakalashe weza kumakhulu. Wamsebezela endlebeni wathi, “Makhulu vuka, kuba uzakufa. Ndizakusondeza ndikubeke kufutshane nasemzini wakho.”
Umakhulu nodyakalashe babaleka, babaleka.
Uthe xa ebuya udyakalashe wabe egcwele bubumanzi bengca. Obu bumanzi babonisa ukuba nguye omke nomakhulu. Ngoko ke wavuthululela ubumanzi embileni.
Sithe xa sivuka kusasa isigebenga sabuza, “Uphi umakhulu? Iphi inyama yam?” Zonke izilwanyana zathi azazi ukuba uphina umakhulu.
Sahleka isigebenga, “Aha, lowo uthathe umakhulu uzakubamanzi.” Ingonyama yayingamanzanga, indlovu yayingamanzanga. Kodwa yona imbila yayimanzi.
Isigebenga saqala ke ukoja imbila.
