Ukwelusa kukaChakijana
Umxoxi: Kwesukasukela!
Abalaleli: Cosu!
Kwakukhona uchakijana. Kwathi ngelinye ilanga ezihambela nje emadlelweni,
wahlangana namadoda eluse izinkomo zenkosi. Wawabuza ngokukhulu ukumangala
wathi: “amadoda anjani lawa elusa izinkomo na? Abekho yini abafana kuleli zwe no?
Ambhekisisa amadoda lo mfanyana anamehlo enhloko. Ambuze ukuthi ungubani nje
ngempela. Aphendule uchakijana: “Wo! Nisho mina? Mina nginguChakijana boGcololo;
umphephethi wezinduku zabafo. Nokho ngiyazihambela nje, ngibuka izwe. Kodwa
umsebenzi wami engiwazi ngempela wukwelusa izinkomo.”
Pho-ke, nawo amadoda ayazibonela ukuthi cha, yingqwele ngempela lena. Ahamba naye
eseyomthula enkosini. Inkosi ithokoze kakhulu ibona umfana ohlakaniphile wayisomane
kangaka. Imcele ukuba ayelusele izinkomo zayo. Nebala avume uChakijana. Kwabe kuthi
njalo ekuseni anikwe inyama nokunye ukudla azokudla emadlelweni ngenkathi elusile.
uChakijana wayezelusa kahle izinkomo ezikhothisa utshani obuthambile, ubabe
nensinde. Kwakuthi lapho sezisengwa, onondlini bagcwalise amathunga. Bonke lapha
komkhulu base bemejwayele futhi bemthanda.
Ngeshwa kwenzeka ukuba inciphe inyama. UChakijana waqala ukubulawa indlala. Suku
lumbe walithola isu. Kwathi lapho amabutho akomkhulu eselele, yena wavuka,
wanyonyoba kancane waya lapho kulele khona elinye ibutho. Wafike wahosha umkhonto
walo. Waphuma nawo waya esibayeni. Wafika khona wagwaza enkulu inkabi
ngomkhonto lowo. Wabe esephindela endlini wafike wabeka umkhonto endaweni yawo.
Ekuseni ngomuso inkosi yamangala lapho ifumana inkabi yayo idindilizile. Ybuza kubo
bonke ekhaya ukuthi ngabe inkomo ibulawe yini. Namabutho avuswa, abuzwa. Kodwa
akukho noyedwa owayenempendulo ngalo mhlola. Khona kwakubonakala ukuthi
igwazwe ngomkhonto, kepha babengazi ukuthi igwazwe ngubani wakwabani.
Yathukuthela yathelwa ngamanzi inkosi ngaleli cala ngoba futhi le nkabi yabe iyithanda
kakhulu. Yanquma ukuthi makubizwe umhlahlo. Kuthe kusaboniswana ngokuthi
kuzoyiwa kusiphi isangoma, uChakijana wavela nowakhe umbono. “Kodwa mina ngisola
sengathi umuntu omubi ukhona lapha phakathi kwethu. Mina ngithi ake kuhlolisiswe
zonke izinto, kubhekwe nemikhonto yamabutho”. Nebala kwenziwe lokho. Inkosi ijube
induna yayo ukuba kube yiyo ehlola imikhonto yamabutho. Kuthe lapho elinye ibutho
lihosha umkhonto walo, lamangala selifica unegazi. Kodwa ukumangala kwalo akubange
kusasiza. Wonke umuntu wamane wathi yilona elibulele inkabi yenkosi. Hhawu!
Langualwa ibutho, libulawelwa icala elingalazi. Yahlinzwa inkabi enkulu. Inyama yafakwa
ezimbizeni yonke, yaphekwa. Uchakijana wezwa ubuhlungu esebona ukuthi inyamazane
yakhe izodliwa ngabantu abaningi yena athole amaqashana ambalwa nje. Wazimisela
ukuba athole isu lokuba ayidle yedwa yonke leyo nyama. Wakhipha izinkomowazisa
ekhaphelweni. Uthe esuka wabe eseziqhuba indawo ende eyozifihla ehlathini elikhulu
elimnyama. Wabuya masishane esezobika ekhaya ukuthi izinkomo zenkosi zilahlekile
zonke, akazi ukuthi zintshontshwe ngubani. Washo impela esekhala ezimathonsi. Bonke
bahle babona nje ukuthi bala, mikhulu imihlola lapha komkhulu.
Inkosi yakhipha bonke abantu ekhaya yathi abalekelele kufunwe izinkomo.
Akuphumanga mabutho wodwa, kwaphuma wonke umuntu , ngisho nesinedolo imbala.
UChakijana wahamba nabo eyobakhombisa phela lapho ebezelusele khona izinkomo.
Emva kwalokho wanyenya benganakile, wanyomuka esephindela emuva. Wathi angafika
ekhaya wayikhipha yonke inyama ezimbizeni. Wayifaka ezitsheni nasezingqokweni
wayithutha yonke wayoyifihla ehlathini eliseduze kwalapho elusela khona izinkomo.
Izimbiza zona wazigcwalisa ngobulongwe. Wasuka-ke eseyolanda izinkomo lapho
ayezifihle khona ehlathini.
Abantu benkosi bambona nje eseqhamuka nazo bona belokhu belibele ukufuna kodwa
bengazifumani. Bajabula kakhulu base bemhlangabeza. Baziqhuba bonke izinkomo
baphindela komkhulu. UChakijana wakhuluma wathi, “ Kazi singathini uma sesifica yonke
inyama isiphenduke ubulongwe. Mina ngake ngawubona lowo mhlola. Abantu bahamba
bonke ekhaya abangashiya muntu ozolinda inyama eyayiphekiwe. Bathi bebuya yabe
isiphenduke ubulongwe inyama leyo”. Abantu bethuka kabi ukuzwa lokho. Baphakamisa
izinyawo befuna ukuyozibonela ukuthi basayoyifica yini inyama. Bathe bethi bayavula
ezimbizeni! Mamoshane! Nangempela inyama isiphenduke ubulongwe.
Uchakijana kwakuthi njalo nxa eyokwelusa, azitike ngenyama.
Cosu, cosu!
Iyaphela-ke