“Wow! Your mama is right,” said Sindi. “Your hair really IS magical! It looks so short, but it’s longer than you think!”

“It’s true,” said Zongi. “It’s a big surprise!”

Zinhle smiled at them happily. When Gogo had finished braiding Zinhle’s hair, the cornrows looked just like a map to guide the children to kwaNtuli! As they walked along the narrow paths through the veld, Zongi and Sindi often stopped and studied Zinhle’s hair to make sure that they were still going in the right direction. While they walked, they sang a song they had made up:

“Gogo’s not well, Gogo’s not well. We’re going to kwaNtuli, we’re going to fetch herbs – herbs to make Gogo well!” The children finally arrived at kwaNtuli. There Baba Ntuli gave them two packets of herbs for Gogo. On their way home the girls again used Zinhle’s cornrow map to guide them. When they arrived safely at Gogo’s house, they gave her the medicine. The next morning, Zinhle, Zongi and Sindi went to Gogo’s house to see if she was better. When they arrived, they found her watering her garden.

“Good morning, my children,” said Gogo with a big smile.

“I’m feeling much stronger today, all thanks to you!” The girls were happy to hear that they had helped Gogo, but they were thinking about something else too. “Gogo, would you please braid my hair the same way you did Zinhle’s hair?” asked Sindi.

“Mine too, please!” said Zongi.

“Of course,” said Gogo. “Come inside.”

During news time at school the next morning, the three friends told their class all about their magic hairstyles. At break, they had just started skipping when some children asked to see their cornrows that made a map to kwaNtuli.

“It really is magic,” said someone, and everyone else agreed.