Kade, kwakunomma owabe ahlala nomndenakhe ethresteni le-Kingdom of Zululand. Qobe ngoSondarha umndeni lo bewuya elwandle elikhulu. Abentwana bebemba esandeni badlale nangamagagasi. Umma apheke ukudla emlilweni lokha umyenakhe nakayokufuna iinkuni ezikhafulwe lilwandle azokubaza izinto ezihle: iinyoni, abantu nayo yoke imihlobo yeenlwana.

Phakathi kweveke umndeni woke bewusebenza ngamandla bese entambama bahlale bothe umlilo. Bekubamnyama khulu kobana bangasebenza namkha badlale namkha bangabaza begodu bekuba frurhu khulu kobana bangayokulala. Lesi kwaba sikhathi lapho abentwana babawa khona unina kobana abacocele indatjana.

1

“Mama,” kutjho abentwana bazincengela, “sibawa usicocele indatjana. Sibawa usicocele eyodwa.”

Nanyana bekazama ngamandla ukucabanga indatjana, wabhalelwa. Akekho phakathi kwakhe nomyenakhe owaba nendatjana angayicoca.

Ngelinye ilanga, umfazi wacabanga ukubawa abomakhelwana bakhe kobana amsize.

“Ingabe ninazo iindatjana?” wababuza.

“Awa-a-aa,” bathintitha iinhloko, “asinazo.”

Bezingekho iindatjana. Bekunganamabhudango …. begodu bezingekho neenolwana.

Umyeni wakhe wabeka umbono, “Mkami, ngicabanga bonyana kufanele uyokufuna iindatjana. Ngizakutlhogomela abentwana bethu kunye nendlu. Thola iindatjana bese ubuya nazo.”