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IYAWA


DP SIDAYIYA








VIA AFRIKA












Iziqulatho


1.	UVayedwa namakhwenkwe 1
2.	Usizi lwemfama esisiqhwala 10
3.	UMayedwa nobhuntseka emdlalweni weceya 14
4.	Ompi ndincazele 19
5.	Indim, inguwe, inene akwaziwa 24
6.	UMayedwa uqeshwe  evenkileni  29
7.	Ndakuze ndiziphindezele 37
8.	UMayedwa nonomhle 40
9.	Wayethembe amasele 46
10.	Kumhla ndiyivayo into enje 53
11.	Ukwenzeka kwesimanga 59
12.	Imfuyo yomfazi 64
13. lyawa ngumayedwa 76

1. UVayedwa namakhwenkwe

Yonke into ijongwe ngohlobo olunye yinkwenkwe.  Yonke into yeyokuba mayizonwabise ngayo.  Nokuba imbi nokuba intle, nokuba ilungile nokuba ayilunganga, nokuba inkulu nokuba incinci.  Nokuba iyahlekisa nokuba iyalilisa, ebomini bayo bobukhwenkwe yonke into entlalweni ingumceli - mngeni, ekufuneka ukuba mayiyikhawulele iyokufika kuyo.  Akufuneki ukuba mayijike ingoyiswanga okanye ingoyisanga.
Yiyo le nto amadoda athi xa onwabileyo encokola ngelona xesha limnandi ebomini bawo afikelele kwisigqibo esinye, esokuba alikho ixesha elidlula ixesha lobukhwenkwe ngokuba mnandi.  Indoda inezinto ezininzi zasebudodeni ethi xa seyilixego izilibale.  Kodwa izinto ezaziyolisa ubomi ngexesha lobukhwenkwe bayo, zikhumbuleka lula.
Ewe kunjalo.  Ixesha lobukhwenkwe lelona xesha elirnnandi ebomini bomntu oyindoda.  Leyo yinyaniso epheleleyo.  Nokuba inkwenkwe yeyasesikolweni nokuba yeyasesiqabeni, inkwenkwe yinkwenkwe.
Phofu ke, yintoni le yenza ukuba intlalo yobukhwenkwe mayibe mnandi kangaka?  Yintoni le yenza ukuba indoda mayizibone seyincumile yakufikelwa zezinye iinkumbulo zezinto zobumnandi bobumnandi bobukhwenkwe?  Ngokutsho kwamanye amadoda, intlalo yenkwenkwe ikhululekile, yeyokonwaba.  Yaye inkwenkwe inezinto ezimbini engacingiyo ukwahlukana nazo, akukhathaliseki nokuba sekutheni na: amaqhinga nokuxoka.  Ezo zinto zombini ayikho inkwenkwe engcwele kuzo.
Ayikho inkwenkwe eyithandayo into yokuba makuthiwe inokoyiswa yinto eyilingeneyo, ingakhange iyilinge yoyiswe yiyo.  Kanti ngelinye ixesha ikhe izibhakaxe entweni nokuba inkulu kunayo, yoyiswe ikhe yaya kufika kuyo.  Yintlalo yobukhwenkwe yonke leyo.
Njengoko ke amakhwenkwe ehleli intlalo ekhululekileyo neyonwabileyo, akafuni kuphazanyiswa kolo lonwabo

lwawo. (2) Umntu ongumphazamisi wolo lonwabo lwawo uzifumana engemsulwa ekuzondweni ngamakhwenkwe.
Ayehleli intlalo emnandi eyonwabileyo amakhwenkwe aseNcemerha.  Phofu kwakumnandi kuye wonke umntu, omncinci nomkhulu.  Kaloku iNcemerha yenye yeendawo ezimnandi kakhulu apha kweli laseKoloni.  Abantu bakhona baphucukile, banobuntu, banobubele, abayithandi into embi.  Kusuka ibe ngulowo osuka aphume ecaleni, enze izinto ezingatshongo khona, ezingalunganga ukutsho oko.  Onjalo umntu ebeyekwa, ajongwe nje xa abantu badiniweyo kukumnqanda.  Omnye umntu owayenjalo yaynguVayedwa, indoda eyayiwacaphukela amakhwenkwe.
Wayesithi xa athethayo uVayedwa akafuni ukuba amakhwenkwe makonwabe xa akhoyo.  Ukuba kukho isisusa emzini, xa kutyiwa inyama ebuhlanti ngamadoda, amakhwenkwe emile ejamile, ejonge ukusikelwa, uVayedwa wayengacingi ukusikela nokuba ibenye inkwenkwe.  Into awayesuka ayenze yayikukuthi akugqiba ukutya achwechwele enye inkwenkwe ingamboni, ayibambe asulele amafutha asezandleni zakhe ezinweleni zayo.  Ubesithi akugqiba ukuyenza loo nto, ithi loo nkwenkwe ukusuka kwayo kuye isuke icinge yonke into embi ngaye.
Wayesithi uVayedwa ukuba ufike amakhwenkwe edlala umdlalo wawo onjengeceya, okanye nokuba ngowuphina umdlalo, awadlakazelise awachitha-chithe, ngamanye amaxesha ade afune nokuwabetha.
Wayesoloko ethethiswa qho ngamanye amadoda ngalo mkhwa wokuhlalisa kakubi abantwana.  Wayexelelwa nokuxelelwa ukuba amakhwenkwe anenzondo, abe futhi ngaphezulu anentlondi, makayilumkele into ayenzayo kuwo.
Apho ke wayesuka athi ukuphendula yena akasiso isinyabi sendoda, akukho nkwenkwe inokuze imenze nto nokuba seyiqine kangakanani na.  Kodwa wathi mhla wafunyanwa ngamakhwenkwe yaphela yonke loo nto yoko kuzingca kwakhe.
Yonke imihla ngokuhlwa, xa lizolileyo, amakhwenkwe ayenendawo awayehlangana abuthe kuyo.  Ayesithi ukuyibiza loo ndawo kuselityeni.  Imbangi yokuba bayibize ngolo hlobo kungokuba kwakukho kuyo ilitye elikhulu ehbanzi.

(3)Lalithe thabalala lisicaba elo litye, kangangokuba phezu kwalo kwakunokuhlala abantu abaliqela.  Le ndawo ke yayineli litye yayisesiphambukeni sendlela evela ngasentla eKei Road, apho zahlukana khona eya eMonti neya eQonce.
Amakhwenkwe aseMngqalasini nawasesixekweni ayesithi akuyigqiba yonke imisebenzi ekufuneka eyenzile emakhayeni awo aye kudibana kwelo litye.  Kwakuhlaliwa apho kude kube sebusuku.  Kwakusonwatywa apho ke ngamakhwenkwe, amakhulu kwakunye needyongo zawo.  Kwakuncokolwa kuxokiswana kuphikiswana kube yinto emnandi.  Iintombi nazo zazibakho kule ndawo yembutho.  Zona zazizihlalela zodwa, zithe qelele zingadibaniselani namakhwenkwe.  Kwakuba mnandi nakuzo, kuba zazizincokolela ezazo iindaba ezimandi kuzo.  Kwakubakho nemidlalo edlalwayo ngamanye amaxesha.  Kwakusithi ke ukuba yimidlalo eyenza ukuba makudityanwe amakhwenkwe neentombi kubemnandi ngakumbi.
"Hi bafondini, sakuyinyamezela kude kube nini into yokuhlaliswa kakubi ngulo mfo unguVayedwa?" yabuza isitsho ngobunye ubusuku inkwenkwe ekwakusithiwa nguNtozini ukubizwa kwayo.
"Kwekhu, kanti inene ke khona isihlalise kakubi yona le ndoda," yaphendula ngelitshoyo enye inkwenkwe ekwakusithiwa nguVakele.  Waqhuba esithi: "Ayinabantwana na yona kakade, njengokuba iwahlalise kakubi ngolu hlobo nje amakhwenkwe?"
"Uthetha ngabantwana wena," yavakala isitsho inkwenkwe ekwakusithiwa ukubizwa kwayo nguNtsizi.  "Ekwazini kwam mna ayinaye nomfazi, ndingazange ndive nokuba wayekhe waba naye."
"Ukuba ebeyenye inkwenkwe ngesiyazi into emasimenze yona," yatsho inkwenkwe yaseMaGiqweni ekwakusithiwa nguNzimeni, yaqokela ngokuthi: "Kodwa ke siyaxakwa kuba yindoda.  Naxa kunjalo kuyafuneka ukuba sizame ukucinga into emasiyenze.  Ukuba akukho nto siyenzayo asisokuze sonwabe yile ndoda.  Isidlisa ubomi bentshontsho ngolu hlobo."
UMayedwa naye ngaloo mini wazifumana exakiwe, engazi ukuba kungenziwa ntoni na ngento elolu hlobo.

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Wayeqhele ukuzisombulula izinto eziziingxaki zamakhwenkwe, elithemba lawo kwizinto eziwaxakileyo.  Yayiqavile loo nkwenkwe ingumayedwa.  Wayenamaqhinga, enentlondi.  Wayenesibindi sokuyenza into nokuba injani na.  Wayemncinci ngesithomo, ngenxa yaloo nto edelekile.  Amakhwenkwe awayengamazi, awayeqala ukumbona, ayesuka amangaliswe luhlobo ekwakuthethwa ngalo ngale nkwenkwe.  Eyona nto eyayiwamangalisa kukunconywa kwakhe kakhulu ngezinto azenzayo zobukhwenkwe, abe ngenkangeleko elibakwana elincinci ngolu hlobo.
Phezu kwento yokuba isithomo sakhe sasisincinci ngolo hlobo, wayekhangeleka ngokonintu ocubhukileyo umayedwa.  Xa ahambayo wayehamba umzimba ewuyekelele.  Olu hlobo lokuziphatha lwaluwakhohlisa kakhulu amakhwenkwe amaninzi.  Ayecinga ukuthi njengokuba esoloko ehleli ecubhuke eyile nto nje akunakubakho nto anokuyenza ngeentonga.  Kuyo yonke loo nto ubesithi akucaphuka umayedwa abonakale ukuba ucaphukile.
"Noko kwanele ngoku," wavakala esitsho umayedwa kwakubonakala ukuba amakhwenkwe axakiwe.  "Kufuneka ngoku sicinge ukuthi kungenziwa ntoni na ukuze le ndoda iyeke ukusihlalisa kakubi.  Kufuneka sizilungiselele ngokwethu into esixakileyo.  Kufuneka ukuba masiyenze into yokuba mayiyeke ukusihlalisa kakubi.
"Ukuya kukhalaza kwasibonda akuncedi lutho, kuba kusuka kungenziwa nto ngaloo nto.  Xa kunjalo ke masizilungisele ngokwethu izinto zethu.  Into eya kuvela emva koko sakuyibona ngelo xesha.
Nantsi ke mna into endithi masenze yona: Ngokuhlwa ngomso kufuneka ukuba inkwenkwe nganye ize nelayo icebo, nokuba linjanina, lento emayenziwe." Kwavunyelwana ngamakhwenkwe onke ngesi sigqibo, kwachithakalwa.

Akuzange kubekho nkwenkwe ifika nacebo lamkelekayo ngobusuku obulandelayo.  Icebo lasuka lazivelela ngokwalo emva koko.

Kwakukho amakhwenkwe awayefika evela emsebenzini erhawutini, kwaza kwafuneka ukuba makenze itheko lesifiko sawo.  Eli theko lalingummiselo owenziwayo ngawo onke amakhwenkwe afikayo avela emsebenzini kwiindawo

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(5)ezikude.  Kwakusithiwa ukubizwa kwelo theko kukhutshwa uswazi.
Amakhwenkwe asesikolweni ayengaliqhubi eli theko ngokwelamakhwenkwe amaqaba.  Kwelamakhwenkwe amaqaba kwakusilwa utywala, kuselwe kunxilwe kube yiloo nto.  Ngamanye amaxesha kwakubakho nokuba yibhotile inye yerhangqa.  Hayi ke elinjalo itheko laliba litheko ekuya kusoloko kuthethwa ngalo.  Lalikhunjulwa naxa loo makhwenkwe selengamadoda amakhulu.
Amakhwenkwe asesikolweni wona kwelawo itheko kwakubakho iziselo ezibandayo namarhewu; kwakubakho nezinto eziphungwayo namaqebengwana.  Kwakusonwatywa ngolo hlobo ke ngamakhwenkwe, kungekho mntu mkhulu uza kuwakhathaza.
Ngale mini, amakhwenkwe asesikolweni eli theko lawo ayeliqhubela kulontozini, apho ayeboleke indlu khona.  Kwakusemva kwemini ngecawa.  Ayelapho amakhwenkwe asemngqalasini, awasesixekweni nawakwatyelibomvu.  Ayekho nawasethambo, kodwa engemaninzi, emabini mathathu.
"Kwekhu!  Inene kuyacaca ukuba asisokuze sonwabe yile ndoda," watsho untsizi ukungena kwakhe emnyango ekhawulezile evela phandle.
"Awu, wangena uthetha ngolo hlobo mfondini, kutheni?" kwabuza enye inkwenkwe isitsho.  Kwabakho nenye ebuza umbuzo othi: "Yindoda engubani yona leyo eza kusikhathaza sizonwabele?"
"Ndixela uVayedwa.  Nanku esiza.  Kunjalo nje kucacile ukuba uza ngqo apha."
'Uthi kutheni na Ntsizi?  Uthi le ndoda iza apha?" le mibuzo yabuzwa ngumayedwa, esukuma kwindawo ahleli kuyo esiza emnyango.  Waqhuba esithi: "Niyabona ke bafondini, seyiqhelile le ndoda ukuza kusikhathaza singayenzanga nto.  Namhlanje kufuneka siyibonise ukuba iwaphosile amacebo.  Zenithule nithi tu, ningayiphenduli.  Zeniyiyekele kum ndiyiphendule."
Wathi egqiba ukuthetha umayedwa wabe selevakala uVayedwa phandle, ethethela phezulu ebuza kwenye inkwenkwe esithi: "Kwenziwa ntoni apha kwedini?  Niqokelelene


(6) ngantoni apha kulo mzi kamandleni?  Angathini umandleni ukuwuyeka umzi wakhe ube sisigqubo sezinja?  Kukho bani apha ngaphakathi endlwini?" Lo wokugqibela umbuzo wawubuza esiya kungena emnyango.  Ungene endlwini loo nkwenkwe ingekaphenduli nomnye kuloo mibuzo.
Wathi akungena ngaphakathi endlwini uvayedlwa wema ezantsi kweziko.  Into yokuqala awayibonayo yitafile eyayimi esazulwini somgangatho, kanye phezu kweziko.  Phezu kwetafile leyo kwakuzele zizinto ezityiwayo ezinmandi, izimuncumuncu kwakunye neebhotile ezineziselo.  Enye into awayiphawulayo yayiyeyokuba wathi akungena emnyango yathi nqum incoko, akwabikho mntu uthethayo.  Wathi akuphosa amehlo ngapha nangapha wabona ukuba indlu izele ngamakhwenkwe neentombi.
Apha etafileni kwakuhleli amantombazana amathathu ezitulweni, kucaca ukuba angabaququzeleli ngokuphathelele kwizinto ezityiwayo neziselwayo.  Ezinye iintombi zazihleli ezitulweni ezayame udonga, kodwa ezininzi zazihleli phantsi emakhukweni.  Amakhwenkwe wona amanye ayemi ngeenyawo, amanye ehleli phantsi.  Ngangohlobo ekwakuthe cwaka ngalo ingxolo eyayisenzeka phandle yayivakala kakhulu ngaphakathi endlwini.
Ukuthi zole kwala makhwenkwe kwamenza ukuba makabe budideka uvayedwa.  Wazifumana exakiwe kukuthi makaqale ngokuthini na ukuwangxolisa.  Kuyo yonke loo nto waziva selesithi: "Nenza ntoni apha makwedini, niqukene ngantoni apha?"
"Akukho nto igoso siyenzayo apha ompi" waphendula esitsho umayedwa.  "Sizonwabele nje kuphela."
"Uthi nizonwabele nje kuphela?" wabuza ngelizwi eliphakamileyo uvayedwa.  "Yindawo yokuzonwabisa kwenu le? Yona le ndlu nivunyelwe ngubani ukuba ningayisebenzisa?  Ukuba aniyigqibi kamsinyane into eniyenzayo, nikhawuleze nimke, ndiza kudibana nomandleni aze kunikhupha kakubi."
Kwavakala ukuhlokoma kwamakhwenkwe akuthetha ngolu hlobo uvayedwa.  Nazo iintombi zavakala zihumzela.  Kwathi kuselixhaphetshu kunjalo wavakala umayedwa
esithi:	"Ompi, apha kule ndlu akukho nomnye umntu

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osisithulu.  Ngako oko musa ukukhwaza xa uthe thayo ngokungathi uthetha nezithulu.  Indlu le ... "
"U-uthi kutheni kwedini?" wamnqumlela ngelitshoyo uvayedwa, kubonakala ukuba ungxamele ukuba nomsindo.  "Uthetha nabani ngolo hlobo?"
UMayedwa wabonakalisa ukungayikhathaleli loo mibuzo.  Waqhubela phambili ngokungathi akamvanga esithi: "Indlu le siyibolekile kutata umandleni, wasikhululela.  Kwakhona sigqibe notata umandleni ekubeni sakumka ukutshona kwelanga.
"Ngako oko asimki apha lingaphelanga ixesha lethu, okanye singawugqibanga umcimbi wethu." Unqumamile umzuzwana umayedwa.  Ubonakele amehlo akhe ewajikelezisa indlu yonke phambi kokuba aqhubele phambili esithi: "Unmtu ofanele ukumka apha nguwe.  Ngako oko sithi sincede usikhwelele sizonwabele."
"U-u-uthini kwedini?" watsho uVayedwa ebininika ngumsindo yile nto ithethwa yile nkwenkwe.  "Uyaqonda nje ukuthi ngubani lo uthetha kuye ngolu hlobo?"
"Ndimqonda kakuhle umntu endiyibhekisa kuye le ntetho ompi.  Ndiyibhekisa kuwe kanye." Watsho esuka umayedwa kwindawo abemi kuyo ngaphaya kwetafile entla kweziko, weza kweli cala uvayedwa emi kulo.  "Asiyondlu yakho le.  Ube futhi sewuqhelile ukusoloko wasihlalisa kakubi na xa singazange sikwenze nto imbi.  Ngokunje sidiniwe kukuhlaliswa kakubi nguwe.  Ndisatsho nangoku ukuthi sikhwelele sizonwabele."
Nangeli xesha umayedwa selede weza kufika wagqiba ukuthetha selemi phambi kwakhe, yayingekafiki engqondweni kavayedwa into yokuba la makhwenkwe anento ajonge ukuyenza kuye.  Yena wayewajonge ngendelelo.  Emva kokunikina intloko wavakala esithi: "Tyhini uyageza kwedini.  Uthetha kum ngolo hlobo?"
"Nditsho kuwe kanye ompi," yaba yimpendulo kaMayedwa leyo, eyivonya intonga ayiphetheyo.  Naxa yayingeyontonga ayithembileyo, kodwa wathi akuyiva esandleni waqonda ukuba inokuwenza umsebenzi wayo.  Waqhuba umayedwa esithi: "Uza kusikhwelela okanye ufuna sikukhuphe ngokwethu apha?"

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Akazange abe sayiphendula leyo into uvayedwa.  Wabona ukuba ayisafuni mpendulo, ifuna ukuba makwenziwe into qha.  Intonga awayeyiphethe wayeyithembile.  Wayesithi xa athethayo angaba uligwala ukuba unokoyiswa esilwa ephethe yona.  Wayiphakamisa esithi makatsho egxalabeni kumayedwa, loo nto egalela ngamandla ngenxa yomsindo.  Into yokuba kanene lo mntu agalela kuye ngolu hlobo uselula kanaye, ngumntwana, akazange ayicinge nokuyicinga.
UMayedwa akazange ahlanganise nokuhlanganisa.  Into awasuka wayenza kukuphepha ngokusuka anqwile, aze koko kunqwila athi cebu aphume ecaleni.  Yaba ke loo ntonga kavayedwa isika umoya.  Naye uvayedwa uye wagxadazela eyilandela, kuba ebegalele ngamandla.
Wakhawuleza waphakama umayedwa.  Ngokukhawuleza kwengalo intonga yakhe yamthi qhokro uvayedwa embandeni ezantsi kwedolo.  Leyo ke yenye yeendawo ezibuhlungu kakhulu xa umntu abethwe kuyo.
Wathi ebesathi makaphakamise ingalo aphinde agalele uva  yedwa, akabi nakho ukuyenza loo nto.  Kwafuneka ukuba makayilahle loo ntonga yebhongo, abambelele ngezandla zozibini embandeni apho abethwe khona, ewuphakamisile loo mlenze.
Uphindile umayedwa watsho ngentonga yakhe kakhulu edolweni lalo umlenze uvayedwa axhumaxhuma ngawo.  Hayi ke ngoku waba uyoyisakala uvayedwa, kuba uthe folokohlo phantsi ukuwa kwakhe.  Waziva exakiwe, engazi nokuba makawuyeke na lo umlenze awubambileyo, abambelele kulo abethwe edolweni kuwo, kuba lowo umlenze wasuka wanyela.
Wafane wasineka ke uvayedwa, emana ukuwajonga ngamanye loo makhwenkwe.  Ngelo xesha ayesele esukumile onke, asondela kufuphi kuye.  Ngokwenza njalo ayesenzela ukuba aze athi akubona ukuba umayedwa usengxakini amwele onke uvayedwa ngeentonga, ambethe.  Ngangohlobo amakhwenkwe awayemjonge ngalo nawayebonakala elulo waqonda uvayedwa ukuba uza kubethwa apha.
Wavakala ethetha ngelizwi elinkenenkene esithi: "Hayi noko mna bendidlala nani makwedini.  Bendingazi ukuba

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niza kusuka nixabane kangaka." Uguquke wajonga kuMayedwa, owayeni engekashenxi ecaleni lakhe, wabhekisa kuye esithi: "Andikuqhelanga nokukuqhela wena kwedini.  Kunjalo nje uyakwazi ukukhetha iindawo onokumosela xa umbethe kuzo umntu.  Uyinkwenkwe kabani?"
Akazange aphendule le ibuzwayo umayedwa, waphendula ngolunye uhlobo esithi: "Uyabona ompi, into embi asithandi ukuyenza, kuba sithi xa sesiyenza siyenze igqithise ngobubi.  Kudala siyinyamezele into yokuhlaliswa kakubi nguwe lo apha encemerha.  Namhlanje ke siza kukubetha kakhulu, ukwenzela ukuba uze ungaze ubuye uphinde uwasukele amakhwenkwe engakwenzanga nto.  Andazi nangoku ukuba la makhwenkwe alinde ntoni na engakubethi nje." Ebhekisa emakhwenkweni uthe: "Nilinde ntoni kakade bafondini?  Ngenani kuye ngeentonga."
Wabethwa uvayedwa apho, ebethwa ngenzondo ngamakhwenkwe.  Wathi ukuze ayekwe asuka amantombazana asitsho isikhalo.
Amakhwenkwe amtatamisa amkhuphela phandle, kunzima ukuba makazihambele.
Wathi akuya kumangala enkundleni kwasibonda lamlahla ityala, kuba inkundla yafuna ukwazi ukuthi la makhwenkwe ambethe xa bekutheni na?  Wathi akuyixela into abethelwa yona, phofu ikakhulu eyixuba nokuyixuba nobuxoki, yasuka yajikela yena inkundla.  Wakhe wazama ukuma ngamandla kwinto yokuba isiko lakwaxhosa aliyivumeli into yokuba inkwenkwe mayilwe endodeni, akukhathaliseki nokuba iqine kangakanani na.  Kodwa ayizange imncede nto loo nto; kuba inkundla yamngxolisa imxelela ukuthi yena ebengayanga kugezela inkwenkwe enye, ebeye kugezela amakhwenkwe ezonwabele esemgcobeni wawo.
Amxelela amadoda ukuthi kudala exelelwa ukuthi makayeke ukuchukelana nabantwana, makayeke ukusoloko exhokonxana namakhwenkwe.
Phofu amanye amadoda ayesele eyivile inyaniso ngokupheleleyo eyimbangi yokuba, amakhwenkwe makambethe abenje.



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2. Usizi lwemfama esisiqhwala


Ayikho into eyoyikwayo okanye ehlonelweyo yinkwenkwe.  Nokuba into ilisikizi kangakanani na inkwenkwe ayiyijonganga ngokuthi iya kuba lihlazo okanye iphoxeke xa iyenzileyo.  Yona ijonge into enye kuphela, eyokuba iyazonwabisa xa iyenzayo.
Bavuya kakhulu uMayedwa noSonwabo mhla kwathiwa kubo baza kuthunywa edolophini eqonce ngengomso.  Babeza kuthunywa nguzingi uninalume kamayedwa.
Into yokuya kwamakhwenkwe asezilalini edolophini yayiba yinto enkulu kuwo.  Kaloku ayesithi amakhwenkwe akugqiba ukuyenza loo nto abezokwenza yona apho edolophini afumane ixesha lokuba akhe ajikeleze, abuke izinto ezintle ezifestileni zeevenkile.
Bakuba bewugqibile umcimbi ababezokuwenza apho edolophini umayedwa nosonwabo, kwabakho into angayiqondiyo uSonwabo.  Waphawula ukuba ikho into engamonwabisanga umayedwa.
"Awu mfondini, wakhangeleka ngokungathi kukho into enkulu oyicingayo kutheni?" wabuza watsho uSonwabo.  "Kutheni ubonakala ngokungathi akonwabanga nje?"
"Hayi noko asikokuthi andonwabanga," watsho ukuphendula umayedwa.  "Into nje ndizama ukucinga icebo lokuba singenza ntoni na ukuze sifumane imali.  Nawe khawutsho ukuba ngaba unalo."
"Kwekhu, noko inzima le nto uyithethayo mfondini," waphendula ngelitshoyo uSonwabo.  "Kaloku umntu uyayisebenzela imali ukuze ayifumane.  Ngaphandle kokwenza njalo ayikho enye indlela onokuyifumana ngayo.  Ukusuka apho kukusuka ube lisela uyibe."
Cwaka umzuzwana emva koku.
"Sonwabo ntang'am."
'Hi.
"Ukuba ngaba usebenzisa ingqondo unakho ukuyifumana imali ungakhange uqeshwe uphangele.  Zininzi

10

iindlela ezilula zokuyifumana imali.  Nangoku siza kuyifumana."
"Uthi kutheni na mfondini, wathetha ngokungathi uqinisekile, sewunalo icebo?
"Ewe, ikho into endifuna ukuba masikhe sizame yona, kunjalo nje ikhaphukhaphu."
"Khawutsho mfondini, ndikumamele."
"Yiyo le into endifuna ukuba masikhe sizame yona,if watsho umayedwa, umlomo ewubhekise ecaleni luncumo olugoso.  "Mamela kakuhle ke.  Wena uza kukhokela imfama eza kuhamba icela imali ebalungwini."
Bathe bebesahamba kakuhle, uSonwabo akuyiva le nto ithethwa ngumayedwa ume xhwenene wamjonga ebusweni umayedwa esithi: "Uthi kutheni na mfondini apha kum?  Uthetha ukuthi mna ndiza kukhokela ndirhuqe imfama ngesandla? lphi yona loo mfama?"
Wahleka kancinci umayedwa phambi kokuba aphendule
esithi: "Imfama yiyo le imi phambi kwakho ngoku, ithetha nawe."
Wathi ebexakiwe uSonwabo kukuthi makaphendule athini na, wasuka wazifumana seleyithula phezulu intsini ehleka.  Wahleka kakhulu zada iinyembezi zazihlela nje ezidleleni.
"Uthini na apha kum?  Uthi wena uza kuba yimfama engaboniyo ngamehlo, ukuze mna ndikuthi chu ngesandla ndikukhokele?  Siza kuhamba ngolo hlobo ke, sihambe singena nasemizini yabelungu sicela imali khona, kunjalo?"
"Injalo kaaye loo nto," wavuma ngokuthakazela uMayedwa.  "Yaye ukwenzela ukuba abelungu babe nosizi kakhulu ndim, basiphe kakhulu imali, ndiza kuba yimfama esisiqhwala."
"He man," wat sho uSonwabo akugqiba ukusula iinyembezi.  "Akuyicingi into yokuba le nto uthi masiyenze kusenokwenzeka ukuthi kanti inento eyihlolayo?  Kufuneka silumke singafane senze, kuba ezinye izinto azffane zenziwe nje."
Le into yayithethwa nguSonwabo akazange ayiphendule ngokuthe ngqo umayedwa, ' wayiphendula ngethi: "Andithi kanene lo unyaka ngowokugqibela singamakhwenkwe?  Andithi kanene kushiyeke iivekana ezimbalwa nje saluke, sibushiye ubukhwenkwe nezinto zabo ezimnandi?"
(12)
"Kunjalo kanye," waphendula ngokufutshane esitsho uSonwabo "Heke-e.  Ithi intetho: 'Amakhwenkwe amadala zizidenge.' Uyabona ke, kulo unyaka kufuneka sibudle ubukhwenkwe side sibukhothe nan olwimi.  Nditsho ke nina ndin Mayedwa." 
"Inene kudala ndiwabona amakhwenkwe anesibindi, kodwa andikayiboni efana nawe," watsho uSonwabo enikima intloko.  "Kodwa ke kulungile xa iza kuba nguwe imfama, ingabi ndim."

Emva kokubonisana ixesha elide ngale nto, bagqiba ekubeni mabangayenzi kwiindawo ezineevenkile, kuba abantu abaphithizela kwezo ndawo baninzi.  Bayiqonda into yokuthi ukuba bayenze kwezo ndawo le nto kunokwenzeka ukuba mababonwe ngabantu ababaziyo basekhaya encemerha.  Naxa babengayikhathalelanga kakhulu nje leyo into kodwa babenganqweneli ukuba mayenzeke.  Bathi bakubonisana bagqiba kwelokuba mabangazuli nje ezitalatweni mabahambe bengena emizini yabelungu.
Babesazi ukuthi ngexesha lasemini amadoda abelungu akakho emizini yawo, asemisebenzini, ngamakhosikazi odwa akhoyo emakhaya.  Kaloku ezi nkewu zazisezisazi ukuba amakhosikazi abelungu ngabona bantu banemfesane kunamadoda.
UMayedwa wabonakala eyileya yokwenyani imfama.  Nokuqhwalela oku kwakhe wayeqhwalela kanye ngokomntu owakhula esisiqhwala.  Njengokuba esinye isandla sakhe sithiwe chu nguSonwabo nje, esinye siphethe intonga asimelela ngayo.  Le ntonga wayekwafunisela ngayo apho myathelo lakhe makalibeke khona.
Yayiba ngumbono olusizi lowo kubafazi babelungu ukubona imfama esisiqhwala.  Bayifumana kakhulu imali ngenxa yaloo nto.  Kuyo yonke imizi ababengena kuyo babengaphumi bengafumananga nto.  Kanti nasesitalatweni  abantu bakulubona olu sizi lulolu hlobo babengagqithi bengabanikanga nto.
Bawuqhuba ke loo msebenzi wabo kakuhle ngolo hlobo, bada baza kufika kumzi othile.  Bangena esangweni leyadi yalo mzi, bahamba baya kujikela ngasemva kwicala elinga-sekhitshini.  Badlula kwifestile ekwakuhleli ngaphakathi kuyo umlungukazi.  Bathi nje ukuba bavele ngasekhitshini wavakala ekhuza uSonwabo esithi: "I-iyu!  Engaka ukuba nkulu yona inja." Wathi esitsho wabe esithi swe esilahla isandla semfama, ebaleka ebuya umva esiya esangweni.
Nayo imfama ayizange ishiyeke imi apho.  Kunjalo nje ayizange ithi yakushiywa ihambe ityhobeka iphampatha intlitheka nasemadongeni kuba ingazi apho iya khona.  Yayingasayifuniseli ngoku indlela nangaloo ntonga iyiphetheyo.  Ukudlula kwabo bebaleka ngakuloo festile awayehleli ngakuyo umlungukazi yaba nguwashiywa ukuya esangweni.  Into eyaba sisimanga ngoku yaba kukubona uSonwabo engasemva, iyimfama em ' khokelayo ngokubaleka.  Ngelo xesha ke nayo ngokwayo imfama yayise ilibona ngawayo amehlo isango.
Ngelo xesha lokudlula kwabo efestileni bebaleka kwakuxa umlungukazi asukumayo, eza kuya ngasekhitshini, esiya kubonana nabo.  Kodwa wathi akubabona bebuya bebaleka bedlula ifestile kwakhona, iibhatyi zithe na, wakhe wema.  Wamangaliswa yinto yokuthi makube kwenzeka ntoni na ngoku.  Emva komzuzwana uyile ekhitshini, wafika kungekho rrmtu, waphuma phandle.  Apho phandle wabona intombi emsebenzelayo imi ekujikeleni kodonga ijonge esangweni, ingasayihleki ngako intsini seyixakwe nakukuthetha.  Naye umlungukazi uthe akuyiqonda into eyenzekileyo wayihleka kakhulu.
Into eyayibahlekisa yayikukuba yathi imfama yakuva uSonwabo ethetha ngenja, akusithi jwi eso sandla sayo ukujika kwakhe ebaleka, nayo yayibona indlela eya esangweni.
Babaleka umayedwa nosonwabo ababheka nokubheka ngasemva, bada baya kujikela kwesinye isitalato.  Bathi bakuqonda ukuba bakude ngokwaneleyo bahlala phantsi baphumla.  Bathi bakuyibala imali abayifumeneyo bamangaliswa bubuninzi bayo.  Babona ukuthi ngokunje banganakho ukwahlulelana ngokulinganayo, bahambe bagoduke.
Into eyakhe yabamangalisa yaba yeyokuba kutheni inja bengayivanga nje ibakhonkotha ibasukela.  Babengazi ukuba ibotshelelwe.

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3.	UMayedwa nobhuntseka emdlalweni weceya

Iceya ngomnye wemidlalo ethandwa kakhulu ngamakhwenkwe, ngakumbi xa esalusa iinkomo.  Lo mdlalo umnandi kuba awunaluchuku, ungenazo nezinto ezixabanisayo xa udlalwa kakuhle kungenzelwana maqhinga.  Kodwa kuyenzeka ngamanye amaxesha ukuba kubekho amakhwenkwe anobuqhinga.  Kwakuba njalo ke kuxatyanwa kude kuyiwe ezintongeni.
Njengoko lo mdlalo udlalwa ikakhulu ngamakhwenkwe awalusa iinkomo, inkwenkwe etyiweyo, eyoyisiweyo ukutsho oko, kuye kufuneke ukuba mayiye kujika iinkomo zingajongi emasimini zingene zitye izinto ezilinyiweyo.
Ngaphandle konmtu ozalelwe wakhulela elokishini yasedolophini, akakho unmtu ongumxhosa onokuthi akawazi umdlalo weceya.  Ngako oko akukho mfuneko yokuba mawuchazwe apha ukuthi udlalwa njani na.  Kangangokuba mnandi kwawo lo mdlalo kuyenzeka ngamanye amaxesha ukuba amakhwenkwe azilibale iinkomo zide ziye kungena emasimini.  Ngelo xesha ke sukuba iingqondo zawo zithiwe swi zemka nalo mdlalo.
UMayedwa wayibona into yokuba ikho into egoso emdlalweni kabhuntseka.  Wayewagqwesa onke amakhwenkwe ubhuntseka emdlalweni weceya, into leyo angazange ayiqonde kakuhle umayedwa.  Yammangalisa loo nto, wazama ukufuna ukuthi uyenza njani ubhuntseka.  Kaloku kumdlalo weceya inqabile into yokuba usoloko ugqwesa lonke ixesha xa nidlalayo, ngakumbi xa abadlali beliqela.  Wazin-iisela ke umayedwa ukuthi uza kumqwalasela ubhuntseka xa badlalayo.
UBhuntseka wayeyinkwenkwe yasesikolweni.  Wayemde kodwa engenasiqu sikhulu.  Wayesithi xa emi phakathi kwamanye amakhwenkwe abonakale kumntu ozayo esekude.  Ayesithi amanye amakhwenkwe xa amqhulayo washiywa   ngamabutho ngenxa yokoyika ukwaluka.  Kodwa ke kwakungekho nkwenkwe yayisazi kakhulu ngaye, kuba wafika encemerha seleyinkwenkw'enkulu kakade.  Wayekhulele kuyise omncinci emgwali, kumhlaba wasecumakala.
Ngenxa yobu bude bakhe ubhuntseka wayenqenwa ngamanye amakhwenkwe xa kudityenwe emidlalweni yeentonga.  Amakhwenkwe ayemoyika ngenxa yokuba kwakukho athi ufanele ukuthi akuyibetha enye inkwenkwe iwe ingavuki.  Kaloku naxa wayengenasiqu sikhulu nje ubhuntseka wayenaso noko esimlingeneyo.
Into yokuqala awayiphawulayo umayedwa ngalo mdlalo mbi kabhuntseka yaba yile: Ngalo lonke ixesha xa kugquzwayo ubhuntseka wasoloko elihlanga.  Eyesibini yayiyeyokuba qho xa aphayo usoloko esipha ngesandla esmeceya.  Eyesithathu, wayelinda ukuba ide ibe yile nkwenkwe adlala nayo empha kuqala.  Le yesibini nale yesithathu yaba zezona zinto ezamkrokrisa kakhulu akuzibona umayedwa.  Kaloku umntu opha ngesandla esineceya loo nto ibonise ukuba umdlalo wakhe awumsulwanga.  Ngako oko wathi ubhuntseka eza kufika kuye wabe umayedwa selemlindile.
Baphakamisa kunye ngexesha elinye, bephakamisela inqaku lokuqala, kodwa akuzange kubekho uphayo.  Bajamelana bobabini, ingulowo ejonge ukuba mayibe ngomnye ophayo.  "Kutheni ungandiphi nje Bhuntseka?  Nguwe odlala thina ayisithi esidlala wena.  Ndiwazi unjalo nma umdlalo weceya."
Waphendula ngokudelela ubhuntseka esithi: "Umdlalo weceya awunamthetho wokuba ngubani na omakaphe kuqala.  Andazi ukuba yinto oyithatha phi le uyithethayo."
"Bhuntseka, into endiyilindileyo kuwe kukuba mawundiphe, umdlalo uqhubele phambili," watsho umayedwa ngelizwi elavakala ngokungathi lidiniwe.  "Ukuba akuyazi iceya yiyeke, ungayidlali."
Naxa ubhuntseka engazange aluthande olu hlobo aphendulwa ngalo yile nkwenkwe kodwa wabona ukuba makayekele kuyo, baqhubele umdlalo phambili.  Waqonda ukuthi ukuba baphikisene ixesha elide nomayedwa amakhwenkwe aza kude angqinele umayedwa ngokuthi nene-nene akawazi umdlalo weceya.  Leyo ke yenye yezinto ezingafunwayo nayeyiphi na inkwenkwe, into yokuba kuthiwe ayiyazi into yasebukhwenkweni.
UBhuntseka wasuka waphendula ngelithi: "Kulungile ke.  Kodwa masesinyuka okutsha, iceya yam iwile." Uvumile umayedwa, banyuka kwakhona.  Uthe akupha ubhuntseka wamvumela umayedwa ukuthi lelakhe elo nqaku.
Bathe bakunyuka okwesibini, xa izandla zabo zihlayo kuba beza kuphana, wasukuma ngokukhawuleza okukhulu umayedwa, waya ekhawulezile kubhuntseka.  Umthe xhakamfu ukumbamba ezihlahleni zozibini.  Ujonge phakathi kukabhontsi nomnwe wokwalatha, apho iceya ihlala khona, kwizandla zozibini zikabhuntseka.  "Benditshilo ndathi ndakuwubhaqa lo mdlalo wakho umdaka.  Bhuntseka, kutheni udlala ngeeceya ezimbini nje?" Watsho umayedwa enqwala ngentloko emalathisa iceya ekwisandla ngasinye.
Kungelo xesha kanye awayiyeka ngalo iceya kwesinye isandla yawa phantsi.  Kodwa wathi kanti umayedwa uyayibona ukwenzeka kwaloo nto.  Wavakalisa ukucaphuka ubhuntseka ukubuza kwakhe kumayedwa esithi: "Into ebangela ukuba mawundibambe ngezandla kakubi ngolu hlobo yintoni Mayedwa? lphi yona loo ceya yesibini uthetha ngayo, kuba nasi isandla sam esinye asinaceya?"
Wathoba umayedwa wachola loo ceyawayeyiwisile uBhuntseka, eyayiliqhekeza lelitye elingangokhozo lombona.  Wambonisa yona esithi: "Yiyo le iceya yakho yesibini.  Ndiyayibona ngoku uyinyengezayo ukuyiwisa.
"Kudala umdlalo wakho ndiwujongile, kuba ndawukrokrela kwakuqala ukuba awumhle.  Kulungile ukuba umntu abe nawo amaqhinga, kodwa akufuneki ukuba makawasebenzise nakanjani na.  Kaloku nam ndinawo awam amaqhinga, kunjalonje la am amaqhinga maninzi, angaphezulu kwawabanye abantu.  Yiyo ke le nto eyenza ukuba mandikhawuleze ndiwabone awomnye umntu."
Ngelo xesha onke amanye amakhwenkwe ayesejonge kubo bobabini, eyimamele yonke into abayithethayo.  Amanye ayesukumile ema ngeenyawo, ekhuza le nto yalo mdlalo mbi kabhuntseka.
"Ndisoloko ndithe nqa ukuthi ngumntu otheni lo usoloko egqwesa lonke ixesha xa sidlala iceya," yatsho enye inkwenkwe.  Yavakala enye isaleka ngelithi: "Naxa ndithe cwaka nje kungekho nto ndiyithethayo, kodwa ndisoloko ndimangalisiwe yile nto yokuba yena engazange akhe abe ngumntu otyiweyo."
"Ebecinga yena ukuba akasokuze abhaqwe kakade?  Inene uyavuya," watsho uvakele esinekile.  Enye inkwenkwe yamjonga ebusweni ubhuntseka isithi: "Thina sisoloko sisiya kuguqala iinkomo, kodwa wena akuzange uye nosuku olunye ngenxa yala mamenemene uwenzayo.  Ugqibelisile kodwa namhlanje ukuyenza loo nto."
Ayikho inkwenkwe engazange ibe nalizwi ligxekayo okanye ligxibhayo elibhekisayo kuBhuntseka ngaloo rnini.  Naye wathi akuwajonga wabona ukuba imeko imbi.  Kodwa endaweni yokuba makazame ukuthi kubekho uxolo wasuka wathi, ebhekisa kumayedwa: "Ucinga ukuba undwebile wena Mayedwa.  Ube futhi ngaphezulu ndiyabona ukuba uzithembile.  Kodwa uz'uthi kanti uzithembile nje uqinile.  Mandikuxelele le nto ke, mhla sakuze sihlangane kakuhle ngeentonga ndakuze ndikubethe ndikusukele. Mna andingawo la matatasholwana uqhele ukuwabetha."
Wathi nje ukuba agqibe ukuthetha ngolu hlobo avakala ehlokoma onke amakhwenkwe esithi: "Kuphela kwento engasokuze yenzeke leyo.  Ubuwudlala nathi sonke lo mdlalo wakho umdaka, uzuyiqonde kakuhle loo nto." Enye inkwenkwe yavakala ithetha ngelizwi elikhulu elatsho lawagquma amanye, isithi: "Bhuntseka, namhlanje uwaphosile amacebo.  Ukuba unento ofuna ukuyenza kumayedwa kulungile nguye lo, yenze ngoku siyibone."

Ayenza amakhwenkwe loo ntswahla yokumnxwala uBhuntseka, amanye selemana ukumalatha ngeentonga.  Yaba kwangumayedwa oyinqandayo loo nto, ngokubona ukuba kuza kuba kubi.

Ngelo xesha ke wayemile ubhuntseka ephunguza, selenayo nendawo eyoyikayo.  Nawo ngokwawo amakhwenkwe ayesele ebonakalisa ukuthi ajonge nje ilizwi libe linye anokuthi aphazame ngalo alithethe ubhuntseka, ukuze amwele ambethe.

"Khanenze kuhle zinto zakuthi," wasuka ngokutsho uMayedwa.  "Indawo yokuqala yile, makhe ndiphendule la mazwi okugqibela awathethileyo ubhuntseka.  Unyanisile xa athi yena akangawo la matatasholo endimana ndiwabetha.  Ewe akakabi lilo ngokwangoku.  Kodwa mhla sakuze sihlangane ngeentonga, emva koko uya kuze abe lelinye lawo.
"Nantsi ke into endiza kuyo nto zakowethu, ayisokuze yenzeke yona le nto ayithethayo ubhuntseka.  Loo nto ndiyithetha kuye apha phambi kwakhe, andimhlebi.  Ngokwangoku andikafuni kulwa naye, kodwa ndiyaqonda ukuba siza kudibana kungabanga kudala.  Into emandikuxelele yona yile," lawo okugqibela amazwi wawabhekisa kubhuntseka.  "Ngaloo mini esiya kuze sihlangane ngayo ngeentonga, ukuba imizuzu emibini iya kuze idlule wena usemi phambi kwam uzuze ulikhulule iqulo lakho.  Nam ndakuze ndenze njalo, kuba uya kuze ube undoyisile."
"Ehe-e," yavakala ikhuza kakhulu iqhwaba izandla enye inkwenkwe.  "Inene naso ke isimanga."








18

4. Ompi Ndincazele

Wagqiba iveki yonke umayedwa ecinga into amakayenze.  Into awayeyicinga yayiyeyokuba makenze ntoni na yokugqibela yobukhwenkwe phambi kokuba aluke.  Yayisisithandathu sonke amakhwenkwe awayeza kwaluka nawo.  Kwakusele iiveki ezimbini kuphela phambi kokuba baluke, laye ifuthe laloo msebenzi wabo lalishushu emoyeni.
Waba ngazama ukucinga amaxesha ngamaxesha umayedwa, akwabikho nto ithi tha engqondweni yakhe.
Wayefuna ukwenza into yokugqibela yobukhwenkwe, nokuba injanina, into aya kukhunjulwa ngayo: into eya kuthi yahluke kwizinto ezenziwa ngamanye amakhwenkwe.  Wathi akucinga kakhulu wakhumbula ukuba kunyaka ongaphambili kwalo aza kwaluka ngawo, kunyaka ophelileyo ukutsho oko, zonke izinto ezimbi nezimasikizi zobukhwenkwe wazenza wazigqiba, wazenza kwamnandi kuye ku-
njalo nje.

Kaloku unyaka wokugqibela wobukhwenkwe emakhwenkweni uba - ngunyaka odlula yonke eminye iminyaka ngobumnandi.  Ngunyaka ethi inkwenkwe xa iyenzayo into embi, emdaka, emasikizi iyenze- ingenaxhala.  Ithi xa ithethayo iyenza okokugqibela kakade, ayisokuze iyenze kwakhona.
Nokuba ingamangalelwa ngentlondi eyenzileyo, yasiwa enkundleni kwasibonda, yagwetywa yohlwaywa ngokubethwa, ayiyikhathalele loo nto. Iyazi ukuthi bekumnandi kuyo ngelaa xesha ebiyenza loo nto.
UMayedwa wayenganqeni ukuyenza intlondi.  Wayengayicingi into yokuthi into ayenzileyo embi isenokumjikela okanye ibe nobungozi kuye.  Wayedla ngokuthi leyo into uya kuyibona ngelo xesha eya kwenzeka ngalo.
Imini yayintle, izolile.  Ilanga lalishushu, kodwa kukho impepho evela ezantsi emlanjeni, eyayivakala kamnandi kumntu ohamba ngendlela.  UMayedwa wayesiya  evenkileni  engaphesheya kwebhulorho xa uvela kwicala elingasencemerha.  Wayethe chu kancinci ukuhamba engangxamanga, ezicingela izinto zakhe ezirnnandi kuye.
Emva kokuba eyiwelileibhulorho umayedwa wathi akungena esingeni wabona indoda eyayikhangeleka ngokungathi seyiqinile, isiza ngaphambili ikhawulelana naye.

Wayijongisisa le ndoda ukuza kwayo umayedwa, wabonakala evonya intonga yakhe.

Indoda leyo yona ayizange imnake nokumnaka.  Yayijonge nkwenkwe nje eza phambi kwayo.  Yakhe yayicinga phofu nento yokuthi makabe ngumntwana ngokwenkangeleko yakhe.
"Mholo ompi," kwabulisa umayedwa esathe qelele.
"Ewe molo mfo wam," yavuma indoda, egama layo lalingujamangile.

Wathi akuba kufutshane ujamangile wema umayedwa, wavakalisa ilizwi eliqohleyo esithi: "Khawundincazele ompi."
Wathi nqumana ujamangile wema, akuva lo mntwana uncaza icuba kuye.  Iingqondo zakhe zikhe zaphikisana kuqala, ibekho ethi makamnike eli cuba, yathi enye hayi makangamniki.
Kwathi qatha engqondweni yakhe enye into.  Kufike kuye ingcinga ethi kanene la makhwenkwe abetha abantu ezindleleni aqala ngokuncaza ukuvula kwawo imilomo.  Kodwa uthe akuyijonga le imi phambi kwakhe wayifumana ingeyiyo nenkwenkwe, ingumthanyana nje omncinci.
"Uyinkwenkwe kabani, yaphi, kwedini?"
"Uza kuyenza ntoni loo nto?"
Uqondile ke ngoku ujamangile, akuva impendulo elolu hlobo, ukuthi namnhlanje uhlangene nento ehlala ithethwa.  Ugqibe ekubeni le nkwenkwe makayise kule nto ifuna yona.
'O-o, hayi ke mfo wam kulungile.  Mna bendicinga ukuba uyanqanqatheka xa ubusithi mandikuncazele.  Kodwa xa isimilo sakho simdaka ngolu hlobo ndithi akuzukuliva."
"Ompi, ndithi kuwe ndincazele.  Ukuba uthi mandizithathele yitsho," waqupha ngolo hlobo umayedwa ngelizwi eliqolileyo, isilevu esityhalele phambili, intonga yakhe emana ukuyivonya.
"Ehe-e, hayi ke namhla," wavakala ekhuza esitsho ujamangile, phofu ethetha yedwa.  "Kukhangeleka ngokungathi ndiyifumene into ehlal'ithethwa." Uthe akuyijongisisa le nkwenkwe wamangaliswa yinto yokuba esi sibindi isithathe phi njengokuba ingulo mthanyana nje.  "Hi bafondini!  Ndingathini ukuhlala ndihlale ndizibone sendikhonkothwa yingqeqe kwanti nje?  Ufuna ntoni kanye kwedini, okanye uzama ukuba makuthini?"
"Uya ndinika eli cuba okanye akundiniki?"
"Uqinile hi mfo wam?  Kulungile ke, besendithe akuzukuliva.  Ndisatsho nangoku.  Lithathe ngale ndlela uzimisel ukulithatha ngayo."
"Uwagqibile ompi," watsho umayedwa.  Bakhawulelana.
Ujamangile wayephethe intonga yoninquma eqoqiweyo.  UMayedwa yena wayephethe intonga yomsimbithi enesikhanda esiyilingeneyo nje kakuhle.
Ukuhlangana kwabo baphakamisa kunye, kodwa yaba yintonga yenkwenkwe ehlala kuqala enyameni.  Yathi zaphu ethangeni, waqonda nomayedwa ukuba ufike kakuhle, kuba indoda ibonakele isineka.  Wathi xa akhamulukayo kwakhona umayedwa wathi kanti ujamangile umjongile.  Wabetha kuqala ngomqoqwa wakhe, wathi nkaphu ezimbanjeni zasekhohlo kumayedwa.  Uphindile ngokukhawuleza
watsho esiqulubeni.
Uthe jaju umva umayedwa ngokungathi uyaphozisa.  Uphindile wabuya watsibela edabini, intonga yakhe yalathile.
Bagalele kunye, intonga kamayedwa yatsho ebeleni kuJamangile.  Ekajamangile intonga ihle kakuhle, yaluchwetha kakuhle uzipho lukabhontsi wonyawo lwasekunene lukamayedwa.  Ukuntinga kwalo luye kuwa kude apho kungaziwayo.
Alizange liqhubeke xesha lide elo dabi.  UJamangile wakhawuleza wayibonisa inkwenkwe ukuba ayimlingananga, isengumntwana.  Naxa kunjalo, emva kwezithonga zokuqala yavakala isithi inkwenkwe: "Ompi, inene uyahamba phambi kwam." Wathi esitsho umayedwa wabe egalela ngentonga yakhe, watsho entlafunweni endodeni.
Wabonakala ejijitheka ujamangile, kucaca ukuba ubethwe kabuhlungu.  Ngokuthakazela okukhulu umayedwa wavakala ephinda ethetha kwakhona esithi: "Ompi, inenendithi uyahamba.  Ukuba akuhambanga andisokutya namhlanje ekhaya."

Ngokukhawuleza okukhulu ujamangile uyikhuphe macala omabini ezimbanjeni zikamayedwa intonga yakhe.  Ukuyihlisa kwakhe utsho ngomtyabulo ombi ethangeni lenkwenkwe.
"Mfo wam," yavakala isitsho indoda, "kutheni le nto ngathi ungxamele ukundikhumbuza into ebesendingxamele ukuyilibala nje?  Khawungathi uyaqinisa kwedini akukenzi nto."
Uthe esitsho uJamangile yabe inkwenkwe ibona ithuba elivulekileyo ekuhlanganiseni kwendoda. lbonakele ikhamuluka yada yangcotsha.  Itsho edolweni likajamangile.  Ukhawuleze waqokela kwakhona umayedwa, watsho entloko, watsho ngenkenkebula yoduma.  Ubonakele egxadazela ujamangile, kodwa akawanga.  Ukubethwa edolweni kuko okubangele oko kugxadazela, akubangwanga luduma olusentloko.
Naxa kunjalo, uJamangile akayikhathalelanga loo nto, kuba uvakele esithi: "Uyigqibile eyakho imivumbo ngoku.  Ukuba bendinguwe ngendizibeleka izithende ngoku."
"Uqhel'ukutsh'ulungelwe," waphendula ngolo hlobo umayedwa, esondela ngokukhawuleza kujamangile.  Ube nengqondo yokuba uza kuyigqiba ngoku le ndoda.  Uthe akukhamuluka wathi kanti ujamangile umjonge wamthelekelela kakuhle.  Uyithe zwi-i intonga yakhe, waba buyirhuqa ngokukhawuleza okungalandelekiyo.  Ukuyibuyisa kwakhe uyibuyise ngohlobo lokun athi ngunmntu xa abetha omnye ngomva wempama.  Uyinyuse ngamandla, walichana kakuhle ithambo lentlantsi lengqiniba yasekhohlo kamayedwa.  Ngeso sithonga sodwa itsho loo ngalo yavakala ineentlantsi ukusuka entla kwesihlahla ukuya kungena egxalabeni.  Ukuyibuyisa kwakhe intonga ujamangile uyibuyise ngomtyabulo esifubeni senkwenkwe.

Ivakele ikhohlela inkwenkwe.  Uthe akuzama ukuyiphakamisa ingalo umayedwa ayakhe ivume ukuphakama.
Uthe xa athi makaqokele kwakhona ujamangile wabona ngentonga kamayedwa isithi qithi isiwa, esinye isandla sakhe sibambe loo ngalo abethwe kuyo engqinibeni.

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UJamangile uyithobile intonga yakhe engagalelanga.  Ubuzile kumayedwa ngeliphoxayo esithi: "Usalifuna icuba mfo wam?"
Impendulo kamayedwa yaba kukundumzela ethetha into eyavakala kujamangile ngokungathi uthi: "Bendingafuni cuba lakho kakade mna."
"Nangenye imini uzuthi sakuhlangana endleleni uncaze, uya kuze ulifumane icuba," watsho ujamangile ukumshiya kwakhe.  Walandelisa ngokuthi: "Kunjalonje andisokuze ndiye kumangalela inkwenkwe kwasibonda ngenxa yokuba isuke yancaza kum, ndaza ndathi ndakwala necuba yazama ukulwa kum.  Ingaba ligwala lendoda enokuze yenze loo nto.  Elam icuba endinokulinika inkwenkwe linye qha, lilweli," watsho eyivonya intonga yakhe.  Wamshiya apho umayedwa waya kutshonela ezindongeni zomlambo, esiya kuhlamba igazi ebusweni bakhe.
UMayedwa wafane wema apho emjongile umzuzwana, wada waya kutshonela.  Emva koko wathetha yedwa esithi" "Akusokuze utsho mhla sihlangeneyo kwakhona."








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5. Indim, Inguwe, Inene Akwaziwa


UMayedwa akazange aluthande uhlobo umphinumi awayemdlakazelisa ngalo unomhle.  UMphinumi wayeyinkwenkwe yeqaba, unomhle eyintombi yasesikolweni.  Kwakusoloko kubakho udushe phakathi kwamakhwenkwe asesikolweni nawamaqaba.

Amakhwenkwe amaqaba ayefuna ukuzenza ngenkani izinto ezizezamakhwenkwe asesikolweni, ekwakungafuneki ukuba wona makazenze.

Eyona nto ekwakusoloko kuxatyanwa ngayo ikakhulu yayiziintombi.  Amakhwenkwe amaqaba ayezifuna kakhulu iintombi zasesikolweni, inkwenkwe yeqaba iyinqwenela into yokuba kuthiwe ivunywe yintombi yasesikofweni.  Ibisithi ke intombi yasesikolweni ukuba ikhe yavuma inkwenkwe yeqaba ngempazamo, inxwalwe ngamakhwenkwe naziintombi zasesikolweni kunyanzeleke ukuba mayiyale loo nkwenkwe ngokukhawuleza.
Wayelilandele igama lakhe unomhle.  Yayintle intombi yasemabambeni. lbala lakhe lalilubhelu kanye ngokwamanzi omsinga weendonga zomlambo.  Ufele lwakhe lwalugudile lucocekile.  Amehlo akhe ayeqavile emakhulu, amhlophe emhlophe qhwa, amnyama emnyama tsu.  Wayesithi akuhleka kuvele loo mazinyo akhe mahle amhlophe qhashi.
Wayenesiqu esimlingeneyo, singesikhulu singesincinci,
siphakathi nje; silufanele olo hlobo lwesiqu sakhe.  Xa ahlambayo wayenyathela ngokungathi akafuni ukuba maziviwe izingqi zakhe; kangangokuba abanye abantu babesithi xa bembiza kamnandi nguchulukunyathela.  Ilizwi lakhe lalikhenkceza kamnandi, ethetha kamnandi engazekeleli xa athetha nomntu.  Ngeliphandle kwakungekho nto ikrokrisayo nephazamisa iliso akuyijonga umntu le ntombi.
UMayedwa wayesesitishini sikaloliwe encemerha, eyokuphuthuma umntu owayeza kuhla kuloliwe.  UMphinumi naye wayelapho, ehleli encokola namanye amakhwenkwe amaqaba awayekunye nawo.  UMayedwa yena wayeyedwa,

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uzulazula kubonakala ukuba unesithukuthezi.  Uthe esazulazula njalo wathi akujonga ngasezantsi, ngaphandle esitishini, wabona ukuba zikho ezi ntombi zihamba ngendlela, ekwakubonakala ukuba ziya  evenkileni , eyayikufuphi  esitishini.
Kuqala umayedwa wabonakalisa ukungathi akazikhathalele ezi ntombi.  Kodwa zathi ukudlula kwazo wazijongisisa, kuba kwabonakala ukungathi ikho ayinakanayo kuzo.  "Ehe-e, hi bafondini!  Inene imini inye yile yanamhlanje, wavakala ethetha yedwa ephumelisa akuyiqonda loo ntombi.  "Nomhle, namhlanje indim, inguwe inene akwaziwa."
Siphele ngoko nangoko isithukuthezi kumayedwa.  Wayesoloko eyinqwenela into yokuba unga angakhe afumane ithuba lokukhe ahlangane nayo le ntombi.  Wayefuna ukuba naye makakhe azibike kule nzwakazi.  Kaloku wathi kwamhla waqala ukuyibona le nzwakazi wadumba intloko ngangohlobo awayithanda ngalo.  Ngaloo mini yokuqala kwakhe ukumbona wayehamba nodadebonina unomhle, waza ke akabi nakho umayedwa ukuthetha naye.  Kodwa wafunga esithi mhla aya kuze ahlangane naye kungekho mntu mkhulu akasokuze amyeke engamvumanga.
Naye umphinumi wabonakalisa uvuyo akuyibona le ntombi.  Naye wayenon-Lnqweno wokuba akhe azibike kuyo.  Phofu yena kwakungekho nanto ingako imqhubayo.  Wayeqhutywa ngurrmqweno nje wokuthi kusenokwenzeka ukuba uNon-Lhle amvume, ukuze ke kuthiwe unentombi yasesikolweni.  Enye into eyayimqhuba, ngokutsho kwakhe, wayefuna ukukhe aphoxe intombi yasesikolweni.
Wayehamba nezinye iintombi ezimbini unomhle.  Bangena evenkileni bathenga bagqiba.  Ukuphuma kwabo bafika umphinumi ebalinde emnyango ngaphandle.  Kwakungelo xesha lokuphuma kwazo ezo ntombi  evenkileni  awasuka ngalo umayedwa esiya kuzo.  Wayengambonanga ukuthi usuke nini na yena umphinumi kwindawo abemgqibele emi kuyo encokola namanye amakhwenkwe.  Wambona selemi phambi kwazo ezo ntombi ethetha nazo xa yena ezayo.
"Heyi wena mntwanandini ndifuna ukuthetha nawe," wangqokosa ilizwi esitsho umplununu.  "Ndithetha nawe mntwanandini, wena unelokhwe enamabala abomvu namhlophe."

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Uyijongile le nkwenkwe imbizayo uNomhle, akayazi.  Naxa wayengayithandi imbonakalo le yayo kodwa wayiphendula kakuhle esithi: "Ndingakwazi nokukwazi nje wena undazela phi, njengokuba sewufuna ukuthetha nam nje?"
"Ndithi kuwe mntwanandini ndifuna ukuthetha nawe," wahambisa esitsho umphinumi.  "Ukundazi nokungandazi kwakho ayinamsebenzi leyo into.  Kodwa ukuba ufuna ukundazi kulungile.  Igama lam ndingumphinumi, umQocwa.  NdingowakwaKontile apha kule lali yakwandlambe."
UNomhle waqala ukuyijongisisa le nkwenkwe yakuba izichazile.  Wakhumbula ukuthi kanene ilali yakwandlambe yeyabantu ababomvu.  Akuba eyigqibile ukuyijongisisa le nkwenkwe wabona kwangohlobo olu enxibe ngalo ukuba liqaba.
"Tyhini zizwe zamabamba," wakhuzela ngaphakathi ngolo hlobo unomhle.  "Ndingathini ukuzibona sendimiswa nangamakhwenkwe amaqaba esithi afuna ukuthetha nam?  Hayi noko sisimanga esi." Ephumelisa ukuthetha wathi; "Kulungile ndikumamele.  Thetha le nto ufuna ukuyithetha kamsinyane.  Singxamile sithunyiwe."
"Uthetha ukuthi akuyikhathalele le into endifuna ukuyithetha kuwe?" ngumbuzo kamphinumi lowo ebucaphuka.
Leyo into akazange ayiphendule uNomhle.  Wasuka wabhekisa kwezi ntombi ahamba nazo esithi: "Masihambe zintombi zasekhaya.  Andinaxesha lokumamela le mfitshimfitshi."
Bathe xa baqalayo ukusuka behamba uMphinumi watsibela uNomhle, wamthi xhakamfu ngengalo yasekunene wamdlikidla esithi: "Uthi ndithetha imfitshimfitshi?  Uyandazi nje kodwa?  Ndingakuqhwaba ngoku ngempama iphele loo nkanana unayo."
"Hayi suka ndiyeke mna, unantoni kakade?" wakhala esitsho unomhle ezama ukuphuncula.  "Nditsho nangoku, ndithi andizokumamela loo mfitshimfitshi undibizela yona."
"Tyhini uyageza mntwanandini," watsho uMphinumi ebonakala ukuba imcaphukisile le nto ithethwa yile ntombi.  Uthe xa athi makatsho ngempama kunomhle weva ngelizwi kufuphi emva kwakhe lisithi: "Heyi wena, yeka loo nmtwana kwedini.  Uyintwana yaphi kakade le izokugezela abantwana apha  evenkileni ?"

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Ukudelelwa okungako.  Amakhwenkwe antanganye ayengayenzi into yokuthi 'kwedini' kwenye inkwenkwe eyintanga yayo.  Yayisithi ukuba enye ikhe yathi 'kwedini' kwenye ivukwe lilunda leyo kutshiwo kuyo.  Amaxesha amaninzi kwakude kuliwe ngenxa yaloo nto.
Yayiba ngaphezulu yona into yokuba inkwenkwe ithi kwenye 'yintwana'.  Yayiyindelelo yokugqibela leyo.  Yayiba iyoyike kakhulu inkwenkwe xa inokungalwi naleyo eyibize ngokuthi'yintwana'.
Phofu ke, nanamhla oku isenjalo loo nto emakhwenkweni  jikelele.
Waziva ebininika ngumsindo umphinumi.  Wabona ukuba makakhe ayiyeke le into yokuba efuna le ntombi intle kangaka, makakhe ajonge le into yokudelwa kangaka yile nkwenkwe.  Ukuze nokwenzeka kwayo le nto yenzeke phambi kweentombi.
UMphinumi wayengazange akhe ahlangane nomayedwa ngeentonga, engazange akhe ambone nasemidlalweni yeentonga ukuthi umdlalo wakhe unjani na.  Wayekhe eve nje ukuthi amakhwenkwe akakhawulezi ukumqulela, ayamnqena.
"Ngubani intwana kuwe Mayedwa?" wabuza umphinumi.
Waphendula engangxamanga umayedwa esithi" "Ngenxa yokusuka ube yinkwenkw'enkulu sewucinga ukuba uyintanga yam?  Uyabona ke, ndiza kuxelela into ibenye kwedini yeqaba," wahambisa esitsho umayedwa.  "Nokuba ungade ube yiyo inkwenkw'enkulu, uyiyo endaweni yakho nasezintangeni zakho.  Kum uyintwana, kunjalonje uya kuhlalauyintwana naninina."
"Uyabona Mayedwa, njengokuba usoyikwa nje ngamanye amakhwenkwe mna andikoyiki tu.  Nangoku ukuba bendiphethe intonga yam endiyithembileyo ngewungakhange uyigqibe le nto uyithethayo."
"Enye into emandikuxelele yona," waqhuba watsho uMayedwa, ngokungathi akayiva le ayithethayo umphinumi.  "Uz'ube ugqibelisile namhlanje ukuthetha nonomhle.  Mhl a ndakuze ndikubone uthetha naye kwakhona kuya kuze kufuneke ukuba ubaleke kakhulu ndisathi gqi.  Uhlobo endiyakuze ndikubethe ngalo luya kuze lube lubi kakhulu.

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Ndiya kuze ndikubethele okokuba ungaze ubuye uphinde uthethe nayo nayiphina intombi yasesikolweni, uyoyike xa yibonayo."

Si-i, uyageza Mayedwa," watsho umphinumi esemsindweni omkhulu.  "Kunjalonje  ngohlobo ozithembe  ngalo ndiyabona ukuba bakuncoma usiva."

UMayedwa wabona ukuba makayiqhubele phambili le nto yoku kucaphuka kwale nkwenkwe ngokuthi" "Andinamsebenzi nayo yonke le nto uyibhudayo.  Into endikuxelela
yona yileyo qha."

Wabibitheka ngumsindo umphinumi akakwazi nokuthetha.  Into yona eyathi yacaca yaba kukuba uyamoyika umayedwa.  Nangeli xesha bamana bephendulana umi kude kuye.  Kwakungekho nento le ebonakalisa ukuba njengomntu onomsindo angakhawuleza enze into.
UMayedwa wamshiya ejwaqeka njalo ngumsindo, wabona ukuba makalandele iintombi eziya.  Phofu uthe akuzijonga wakhuzela ngaphakathi, ekhuziswa kukudana, kuba unomhle wayesele ekufuphi kokwabo.  Umzi wakokwabo wawukufuphi kwizindlu zokugqibela kwezo zisezantsi kwesipolo sikaloliwe xa usuka esitishini usiya emngqalasini.  Ngako oko waqonda UMayedwa ukuthi nokuba angabaleka amsukele akanakumfumana.
Naxa kunjalo, umayedwa wafane wabekeka emva kwabo ebalandela.  Ngokwenjenjalo wayesenzela okokuba mhlawumbi ngethamsanqa usenokuthi xa agqithayo ngakokwabo apho ambone unomhle, atyebise nje oku kwamehlo.








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6. UMayedwa Uqeshwe  evenkileni 

Ngobunye ubusuku amakhwenkwe ayehleli endaweni yawo aqhele ukubutha kuyo.  Kwakuhlaliwa apha kule ndawo, awayesithi ukuyibiza kwawo kuselityeni.  Ayikhetha emakhwenkwe le ndawo ngenxa yokuba esithi isesazulwini seendawo ezintathu: lwalungele amakhwenkwe asesixekweni, iwalungele awasemngqalasini, kanti nawasethambo iwalungele.  Ngamanye amaxesha kwakubakho nawakwaTyelibomvu.
Kwakuhlaliwa apha ke ngamakwenkwe ebusuku, kuncokolwa kuxokiswana nokuxokiswana.  Kaloku le ntetho ithi 'zimnandi ngokuxutywa' kudala ikho, yaye ikho nakuluphi udidi lwabantu. Iyagqithisa emakhwenkweni.  Yiyekeni inkwenkwe ngokuxoka.  Inkwenkwe izikhulula engxakini ngokuxoka.
"Hi bafondini," yavakala isitsho enye inkwenkwe ekwakusithiwa ngu stompi, ngobunye ubusuku.  "Nikhe nayiva into yokuba untozini uwulahlile umsebenzi phaya  evenkileni ?  Onjani wona ukuba khaphukhaphu nokuba rrmandi umsebenzi."
"Uthetha ukuthini xa utshoyo?" Loo mbuzo wavela kuvakele.  "Uthetha ukuthi uwulahlile ngokusuka angaphangeli okanye ugxothiwe?"
"Usuke wahlala akaphangela iintsuku ezintathu," waphendula ngokutsho u stompi.  "Ukuphangela kwakhe ufike sekusithiwa umsebenzi uphelile kuye, kuba akaqali ukuyenza loo nto."
"Kwowu, onjani wona ukuba mnandi umsebenzi," ungqinele u stompi ngokutsho uvakele.  "Abe futhi ungena emsebenzini sekusemini.  Into yokuqala akufika kukubopha ihashe egigini, ahambe ngayo aye kuthabatha izonka ebhakini edonqaba.  Akubuya apho akukho nto inzima ayenzayo, kuphela kukuveyisha iiswekile neekofu nezinye izinto ezifuna ukuveyishwa.  Ukuba ibindim bendingasokuze ndidlalise ngawo umsebenzi onjalo.  Bendiya

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kuhlala kuwo ndide ndibe lixhego elitotobayo," ugqibele ngelitshoyo uvakele.

"Yiyiphi le venkile abesebenza kuyo untozini?" kubuze umayedwa ebonakalisa umdla, naxa kuqala ebebonakala ngokungathi akahoyanga nto.

"Yilaa venkile ingaphesheya phaya kwandange," yatsho enye inkwenkwe ukuphendula.

Uphindile kwakhona umayedwa wabuza esithi: "Uthi yintoni ebangele ukuba makaphuncukane nalo msebenzi xa ukhaphukhaphu ngolu hlobo niluxelayo?"
"Xa bendimbuza mna," yaphendula isitsho inkwenkwe ekwakusithiwa nguvabonke, "usuke wandixelela into engenamsebenzi.  Undixelele ukuba woyiswa kukuvuka kusasa.  Enye into, undixelele ukuba laa msebenzi ufanele unmtu ohlala phaya kwamdange, angabi ngumntu ohlala apha emngqalasini."
"Awu bafondini!" kwakhuza amakhwenkwe amabini kunye ngexesha elinye.  Yaqhuba enye isithi: "Makabe untozini sisibhanxa senkwenkwe elivila.  Angathini ukuthi engena emini emsebenzini, sekungene nezikolo, athi yena woyiswa kukuvuka kusasa?  Hayi mna ndin-mncamile.  Usesokugqibela kwendakhe ndazibona izidenge."
"Ukuba kunjalo, nam ndiyangqina ukuba wenze obukhulu ubudenge," wavakala esitsho umayedwa.  "Phofu ke, ingaba selekhona umntu oseleqeshiwe endaweni yakhe?"
"Ngokokwam ukwazi hayi, akukabikho mntu uqeshiweyo endaweni yakhe," waphendula esitsho uvabonke.  "Bendikhe ndadlula phaya  evenkileni  emini.  Ngelo xesha bekusithiwa akukaqeshwa; kwaye bekusithiwa uyafuneka umntu wokuvala eso sithuba."
"Xa kunjalo ke bafondini," uphendule ngelitshoyo umayedwa, "ndiza kuya kucela ukuqeshwa  venkile.  Ukuba bandiqeshile lo unyaka wokugqibela wobukhwenkwe bam andizokuya kuwusebenza erhawutini, ndiza kuwusebenza apha kule venkile."
"Heke ntang'am," watsho uSonwabo ngokuthakazela, eyona nkwenkwe wayevana nayo kakhulu umayedwa.  Yena uSonwabo wayesebenza kwenye ivenkile eyayisezantsi kwesitishi sikaloliwe.  "Sinokuba sikhulu isithukuthezi xa

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unokungabikho apha ntang'am. Kaloku la makhwenkwe akhoyo ngokuu anyabe ngokungathi ayekhe atya umqha; ubomi bube sithukuthezi naxa akhoyo.
Kwathi kuchithakalwa kulo mbutho ngobo busuku wabe umayedwa selezimisele ukuba uza kuzama ukuba esi sithuba salo msebenzi makasifumane.
Ngentsasa elandelayo ilanga laphuma umayedwa esendleleni esiya kuloo venkile wayesiya kufuna umsebenzi kuyo.  Wafika kungekavulwa, walinda.  Baya befika ngokufika nabanye, ekwakubonakala ukuba nabo baze kufuna esi sithuba.  Emva kwexesha elide, sekukudala liphakamile nelanga emva kweenduli, yada yavulwa ivenkile.
Kuloo makhwenkwe ayelapho umayedwa yaba nguye yedwa inkwenkwe eyayikhangeleka kakuhle.  Wayevuke kwasekuseni wahlamba umzimba kunye nentloko nobuso, wazichaza kakuhle iinwele zakhe.  Nempahla awayeyinxibile yayikhangeleka kakuhle.  Yonke loo nto yenza ukuba nomnini-venkile makathi akuphosa amehlo emakhwenkweni anamathele kumayedwa.
Umnini venkile wabonakala ehleka akujonga kwamanye amakhwenkwe, kuba ayemdaka, futhi amanye ayembethe iingubo, kucaca ukuba ngawamaqaba.  "Nina makwedini nicinga ukuba kusentweni apha?  Nivuke nje kwezo ndawo benilele kuzo anahlamba nokuhlamba, abanye besuka emitshotshweni naza kufuna umsebenzi apha.  Hambani nisuk'apha, nithi ngubani onokuqesha abantu abamdaka ngolu hlobo enilulo?"
Uwajikile , amehlo wajonga kumayedwa kwakhona, wathi: "Nawe kwedini uze kufuna umsebenzi?" Akuba evumile umayedwa, uthe: "Hambani nonke ke nina, kuba isithuba endinaso somsebenzi sinye kuphela.  Nantsi ke inkwenkwe endiyiqeshayo kweso sithuba.  Yiza kwedini, masingene ngaphakathi ndikubonise umsebenzi wakho." La okugqibela amazwi uwabhekise kumayedwa.
Zihambile jintsuku umayedwa eboniswa izinto amakazenze.  Ekuhambeni kwexesha ude waba nakho ukuwazi wonke umsebenzi awufundisiweyo.  Ube nakho ukuwenza wonke loo msebenzi kungekho mntu umxelelayo okanye umbonisa nto.

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Into yona angazange akhawuleze ukuyenza yile eyayibangela ukuba amakhwenkwe amaninzi makangahlali kulo msebenzi, into yokuzithathela enganikwanga kwizinto zevenkile.  Amakhwenkwe amaninzi ayegxothwa kulo msebenzi ngenxa yale ntlondi; amanye kwakuba nzima nokugqiba iveki le engakrwempanga ezintweni zevenkile.  NoNtozini waphuncukana nawo ngenxa yale ntlondi, naxa wayeyifihla loo nto koontanga bakhe.
UMayedwa yena akazange angxame ngokuzibawela izinto zevenkile.  Wakhe wahlala ixesha elide esebenza kakuhle, kungekho nencinci into ekrokrelekayo ngakuye.  Nomnini-venkile wayekholwa nguye, esaneliswa luhlobo asebenza ngalo.
Kodwa ke inkwenkwe yinkwenkwe.  Nokuba bekumnandi kangakananina kuqala, ekuhambeni kwexesha iyafika ingqondo yebukhwenkwe yokwenza intlondi.  Ngokungakumbi inkwenkwe enemikhwa enjengomayedwa.  Njengokuba amanye amakhwenkwe ayegxothelwa ukucuntsula izinto apha phakathi  evenkileni , umayedwa wagxothelwa ukucuntsula ngolunye uhlobo.
UMayedwa wayiqaphela into yokuba ukufika kwakhe nezonka namaqebengwana, evela ebhakini edonqaba, ngamanye amaxesha azibalwa nokubalwa ezo zinto eze nazo.  Into eyayisuka yenziwe yayikukuthathwa kwazo zibekwe ngeendawo zazo. Iphetshana awayelinikwa ebhakini elalixela ukuthi zizinto ezilinani elithile azinikiweyo wayengalijongeli ntweni umayedwa.
Ngenye imini wazifumana iingcinga zakhe zingesuki kumaqebengwana awayekhangeleka emnandi.  Waphakamisa isondo lesiziba awayegqunywe ngaso, wawakroba.  Wathi kanti ngokwenza njalo wenze into ange engayenzanga.  Wathi akuwabona, ekhanukeka ngangokujongeka kwawo, wathi ukuwabawela oku waziva engathi uza kuvuza izinkcwe.
Akazange abe nakuzibamba emva koko.  Wathabatha lalinye iqebengwana, wathi akuliva uhlobo elimnandi ngalo wathabatha elinye.  Wathi esiya kufika  evenkileni  wabe sele etye amaqebengwana amane.
Ngangohlobo awayesele ethenjwe ngalo umayedwa ngumnini-venkile ayizange iphawuleke kwangoko loo lahleko.

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Wavuya uMayedwa kwakuba njalo.  Wagqiba kwelokuba akasokube aphinde alambe endleleni ende yokuya nokubuya edonqaba.  Kaloku ngezinye iimini wayesimka engatyanga nokutya.  Kwakusenzeka futhi ngezinye iimini ukuba makathi akufika ebhakini akhe alinde xa afike izonka okanye amaqebengwana engekalungi.
Uphindile kwakhona umayedwa ngolunye usuku wazithathela kula maqebengwana.  Kodwa ngale imini kwabakho ukurhaneleka ngasemalini emva kokuba ethengisiwe onke yaza imali yawo ayangqinelana nenani elibhaliweyo lawo, yaba nganeno.  Naleyo into ayizange ikhathalelwe kakhulu.  Kwacingwa ukuba mayibe yimpazamo nje encinci eyenzeke ekuthengiseni.
Wayefanele phofu umayedwa ukungakhawulezi abhaqwe kule ntlondi wayeyenza.  Wayesithi akuyenza ngosuku oluthile akhe ayeke emva koko athi yabalala, kudlule nokuba ziintsuku ezine ubuncinci phambi kokuba aphinde.  Kwathi mhla wakrokrelwa kwathi kanti eso sisandulela sokuba eza kubhaqwa agxothwe emsebenzini kuloo venkile.
Wathi akufika nawo amaqebengwana nezonka ngaloo mini wakhawuleza umnini-venkile wawabala, nezonka wazibala.  Akugqiba ukuyenza loo nto wabiza umayedwa, wathi kuye: "Mayedwa, ndifumana kukho amaqebengwana amabini angekhoyo.  Makube yenzeke njani loo nto?"
"Hayi andiyazi nkosi," watsho umayedwa ukuphendula.  "Mna ndithe kwakugqitywa ukulayishwa ndahamba.  Kaloku ezi zinto azilayishwa ndim phaya ebhakini.  Kodwa ke nkosi uqonda njani ukuba kukho amaqebengwana angekhoyo?"
"Hayi tyhini kaloku ilula loo nto," watsho ukuphendula umnini venkile.  Uvelise ela phetshana umayedwa abelinikwe ebhakini, wathi: "Ezi zonke nala maqebengwana ngawo la abhalwe apha kweli phepha.  Ndizibalile zonke ezi zinto.  Ndifumana ukuba izonka ziyangqinelana neli nani elibhalwe apha.  Kodwa amaqebengwana akangqinelani, mabini angekhoyo.
"Andazi ke ukuba makube kutheni na ukuze kube njalo.  Mhlawumbi makube ubulibalekisa kakhulu ihashe, aza atakela ngaphandle awa loo maqebengwana." Unmini-

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venkile wayithetha le ntetho ngokungathi uyancokola nomayedwa, akamngxolisi.  Wagqiba ngelithi: "Ukususela ngoku yonke into elayishwa egigini kufuneka uyijonge, uyibale.  Kusenokwenzeka ukuba mabathi kuwe balayishe inani elithile, kanti akunjalo."
Wavuya okwenene umayedwa umva koko, ecinga yena ukuthi usindile.  Kodwa wakhe wayicingisisa le nto ithethwe yinkosi yakhe, kwabakho indawo engamonwabisiyo kuyo.  Wayengazi ukuba kanti eli phepha alinikwa ebhakini linento eliyithethayo, wazifumana esengxakini ke ngoku.  Wayecinga icebo lokuba angalithini na eli phepha ukuze lingamxeli xa azithatheleyo kula maqebengwana.
Wathi mhla walifumana icebo lale nto, ngokokwakhe ukucinga, wavakala ekhuza esithi: "Yhini ukuba ndifane ndixakwe yinto engenamsebenzi ngolu hlobo?  Licinga ukuba linengqondo kunam eli phepha?  Yhini le, liyaxoka ndiza kulibonisa ukuba nina ndindwebe ngaphezu kwalo.  Ndibe ngaphezu kwayo yonke loo nto mna ndinamaqhinga amaninzi kunalo."
Zahamba iintsuku emva koko umayedwa kungekho nto ayenzayo.  Wayefuna ukuba makalenze eli cebo lakhe mhla alambe kakhulu, ukuze acuntsule abe mbalwa amaqebengwana.  Ngolo hlobo ke, ngokucinga kwakhe, wayeza kuthelekisa amaqhinga, ukundweba kwakhe, neli phepha limxelayo.
Yada yafika ke imini yokuthelekisa ehliqhinga lakhe nento ebhalwe ephepheni.  Wayelambe kakhulu ngale mini, engakhange atye imini yonke yangezolo.  Indlela awayehamba ngayo yayiwela umfula ukuze icande phakathi kwamatyholo.  Naxa kwakungafane kubekho bantu bahamba kule ndlela, kodwa wathi umayedwa akufika phakathi kwamatyholo wayimisa igigi, wakhe wabhekabheka.
Akuba anelisekile ukuba akukho mntu uzayo wehlikile egigini, elaa phepha lezonka abelinikwe ebhakini eliphethe ngesandla.  Uhambe nalo waya kujikela emva kwetyholo elishinyeneyo.  Apho ufike wathabatha ilitye elisixwexwe, walibeka phantsi iphepha elo, waza waligquma walishicilela ngelo litye.
Washiya kunjalo ke apho umfo omkhulu wabuyela egigini. 34
Ukubuya kwakhe wayehamba ethetha yedwa esithi: "Ndakukhe ndibone ukuthi lakuxela ntoni na namhlanje eli phepha. Mhlawumbi lakuxela ukuthi bendilishicilele ngelitye.  Kuya kuba kulungile xa kunjalo." Wawathetha la okugqibela xa akhwelayo egigini.
Waqala ngokuthatha amaqebengwana amabini wawatya wawagqiba.  Emva koko uthathe elinye, nalo walitya waligqiba.  Wathi rhoqo ngokumana ethatha ngalinye.  Wayenza loo nto ada aya esithandathwini amaqebengwana awatyileyo.
Emva koko waziva ukuthi hayi ngoku uhluthi isisu sithe mpu.
Ngalo lonke eli xesha ayenzayo le nto uhleli apha egigini, nayo imile okoko abelimisile ihashe.  Wathi akuva ukuba uhluthi wehlika egigini, wahamba kancinci ukuya kujikela emva kwela tyholo iphepha aligqume emva kwalo, ehamba emana ephulula isisu.  Ufike walinqika ilitye, walithatha iphepha walivuthulula umhlaba, walifaka engxoweni yebhatyi.  Ubuyele egigini, wakhwela waqhuba wahamba.
Wasisebenzisa kakhulu Isiwephu ehashini ukusuka apho, esenzela ukuba makakhawuleze ukuya kufika evenkileni.  Wayezama ukusukela elaa xesha wayelichithile ngokutya amaqebengwana abesihla karnnandi etyibilika ukuhla emqaleni.
Ngelishwa wafika ngale mini ingumnini-venkile ngokwakhe  evenkileni .  Wawabala ngokwakhe kwangoko amaqebengwana nezonka.  Waziphinda kathathu ukuzibala ezo zinto, athi akujonga ephepheni ethelekisa anganeli.
Ngeli xesha kubalwa ezi zinto umayedwa wayesakhulula ihashe egigini.  Weva yena ekhwazwa kusithiwa uyafunwa  evenkileni .  "Khawutsho ke Mayedwa aphi amanye amaqebengwana?" wambuza ngokutsho umnini venkile.
"Awu, uthetha ukuthini nkosi, ingawo lawo nje amaqebengwana endiwanikiweyo ebhakini?" waziphendulela ngokutsho umayedwa.
"Hayi kwedini, mus'ukuxok'apha, amaqebengwana amathandathu akakho apha. Iphepjia eli olinikwe ebhakini lixela loo nto.  Uwatyile..."
"Hayi nkosi andityanga maqebengwana mna," umnqumlele ngokutsho umayedwa, waqhuba esithi: "Liyaxoka elo

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phepha alikhange lindibone ndisitya nto.  Tyhini, linantoni kakade le nto lixoka kangaka?"

"Ayincedi nto yonke loo nto uyithethayo kwedini," watsho umnini-venkile ethatha imali kwindawo ehlala kuyo.  "Ina nantsi imali yakho.
Ndiyitsalile imali yala maqebengwana uwatyileyo.
Uphelelwe wena ngumsebenzi ngoku apha kule ivenkile."








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7. Ndakuze Ndiziphindezele

Emva kokuba amakhwenkwe ayembethile uvayedwa kwabakho angayinqweneliyo into yokudibana naye xa inkwenkwe ihamba yodwa.  Ayeyicinga into yokuba kusenokwenzeka ukuba uvayedwa awanqolobe ngamanye.  Oko kukuthi adibene nayo inkwenkwe ihamba yodwa, ayibethe.  Kaloku wathi akulahlwa lityala enkundleni kasibonda, akuwamangalela amakhwenkwe awayembethile, kwavakala ukuba unelizwi elithi uya kuze aziphindezele kula makhwenkwe, nokuba kungaluphina uhlobo.
Inkwenkwe engazange iyikhathalele yonke loo nto yaba ngumayedwa.  "Bafondini," watsho ngobunye ubusuku umayedwa, xa babencokola bonwabile.  Babencokola ngesi sisongelo sikavayedwa.  "Ewe ndiyamoyika laa ompi.  Kodwa ndiyayinqwenela into yokuba azaze azame ukuziphindezela apha kum.  Inene ndiya kuze ndimlungise."
"Awu mfondini," kwaphendula untsizi ehleka.  "Uya kuze umenze ntoni njengokuba usitsho nje nawe usithi uyamoyika?  Ukuze ube nawe uyambona laa ompi ukuthi ungakanani na ukuba mkhulu... "
"Ukulwa naye yena andisokuze ndilwe naye kuba kaloku uyindoda yena mna ndiyinkwenkwe," utshilo ukuphendula umayedwa.  Uqhubile esithi" "Kanti nokuba bendiyindoda nam bendingenakufana nayo laa ndoda.  Niyalubona kodwa uhlobo eyondleke neyomelele ngalo?" ubhekise kwamanye amakhwenkwe umayedwa, ebonakalisa umdla kule nto ayithethayo.  "Kaloku sasikho sibonele ngala mini wayesilwa noskapeyu, uyise kavabonke.  Heyi wena, wabethwa uSkapeyu nguvayedwa.  Kunjalonje..."
Kwangenela uSonwabo ngokumqumlela umayedwa esithi: "Ndandingazi ukuba unmntu oyindoda uyakwazi ukubaleka.  Yabaleka loo ndoda yamshiya kude lee uvayedwa.  Uthi sayihleka intsini ngaloo mini."
Kwangenelela nontsizi esithi: "Ndiyamangala nangoku ukuthi wayetheni uvayedwa ukuze angasibethi asiqushe

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ngalaa mini.  Makubekwakutheni bethu ukuze asiyeke side simbethe ngolwaa hlobo?"
Enye inkwenkwe ekwakusithiwa nguthemba, eyayisandul'kungenela ebukhwenkweni obukhulu, neyayikholwa kakhulu ngumayedwa, yavakala isithi" "Kaloku oluyaa uhlobo awakhawulezelwa wabethwa ngalo ngumayedwa, nabanina owayechanwe ngolo hlobo, wayengenakube abe nawo umoya wokulwa.  Wamkhawulezela umayedwa wamqhokra kwezona ndawo athi unintu akubethwa kuzo aphelelwe ngamandla."
"Ewe yonke loo nto injalo, iyinyaniso," watsho ukuphendula umayedwa.  "Nam ndaba nethamsanqa ngokuthi ndikhawuleze ndimqhokraqhokre kuqala.  Ukuze ibe enye into thina sasibaninzi, sasingenakungamoyisi.
"Kodwa ndisatsho nangoku ukuthi naxa ndiyoyikayo nje laa ndoda, namhla siya kuze sidibane ndiya kuze ndiyilungise.  Ndiya kuze ndibe andiyibonanga ukuze kwayo, indibhidile, ukuze indifumane.  Kanti ke nakuleyo into ndakuze ndibaleke ndiyishiye incame.  Kaloku ndizithembile ngamendu, abe awam angaphezulu kwakaskapeyu."
Ngobo busuku la makhwenkewe ahlala ebuthile kule ndawo yawo kwada kwaba sezinzulwini zobusuku.  Ngaphandle kwale ncoko ababeqale ngayo yokusongelwa kwabo nguVayedwa, kwakungekho nanto iyiyo ekwakuncokolwa ngayo.  Ikakhulu iindaba ekwakuncokolwa ngazo yayizezokuxokisana.
Kwakukho amakhwenkwe amathathu akwalapha encemerha kuloo mbutho ngobo busuku.  Loo makhwenkwe ayesebenza emizini emikhulu yabelungu edolophini eqonce.  La makhwenkwe ayethanda ukugoduka aye kulala emakhaya ngezinye iintsuku, xa irnisebenzi yawo eyigqibe ngexesha.  Ayeneebhayisekile omathathu la makhwenkwe, ehamba ngazo xa agodukayo.  Ayethanda ukuthi xa akhoyo eze kwezi mbutho zamakhwenkwe ebusuku.  Amagama awo yayingunzimeni, enye inguthembile enye ingustembiso.
"Hi bafondini," wavakala esitsho unzimeni, "nihlalele ntoni apha emakhaya kobu bunzima bunje?  Kutheni ningayi edolophini nje nifune imisebenzi nisebenze?  Nichitha ixesha lenu nje ngokuhlala apha emakhaya kungekho nto niyenzayo."

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"Kunjalo nje anisokuze niyeke ukudlakazela," wavakala esitsho usthembiso.  "Khangela nangoku, ngulowo nalowo onxibe ibhulukhwe engalatshwanga apha kuni.  Khanitsho ke, nihlalele ntoni kakade apha emaxhoseni?"
"Nifane nisitsho nje nina," waqala ngokutsho uvakele ukuwaphendula la makhwenkwe.  "Khanindixelele le nto, liliphi ixesha elimnandi ebukhwenkweni?  Andithi ubukhwenkwe obukhulu baziwa nalixhego ukuthi akukho xesha limnandi njengabo?  Nisixelela into yokuba masiye kufuna imisebenzi siphangele.  Aniphazami kodwa?
"Ngubani onqwenela ukushiya ubukhwenkwe ngelona xesha kanye bumnandi ngalo?  Ngubani ofuna ukuya kuzixakekisa ngokuqeshwa aphoswe zizisusa ezininzi ezimnandi zamakhwenkwe?  Hayi, thina sithi isilungele le ntlalo siyihleliyo."
"Nam ndikwelo ulithethayo Vakele, ndithi isilungele le ntlalo, asigxeki nto kuyo," yaba ngamazwi athethwa nguMayedwa lawo, waqhuba esithi: "Kunjalo nje akukho nanto esinikhalazela ngayo.  Hlalani loo ntlalo yenu, siza kuhlala le yethu nathi.
"Le niyithethayo yokudlakazela kwethu, mandinixelele le nto, nibona nje thina siyazidla ngezi bhulukhwe zilatshiweyo.  Nxibani ezo zenu zintle iimpahla, thina siza kunxiba ezi zethu zidlakadlaka.  Asazi ukuba nizikhathazela ntoni na ngathi, kuba thina asizikhathazi ngani.  Asikhathazi mntu sizonwabele; sizidlalela imidlalo yethu ngokungakhathazi mntu, sizityela ubukhwenkwe bethu ngohlobo olungaphazamisi mntu.  Ngokunje nina nizokusixelela ngokudlakazela kwethu.  Into endingasuka ndinixelele yona mna yeyokuba niyadelela, naye futhi ngaphezulu nina nizicingela bhetele kunathi."
Ngelo xesha athethayo umayedwa amanye amakhwenkwe ayesele emana embombozela, amanye esithi kakade ebebizwe ngubani la makhwenkwe aze kugeza apha?  Amanye ayesithi nokuba akaphindanga eze ezimbuthweni zawo iya kuba yeyona nto ilungileyo leyo.
Kwachithakalwa kuloo mbutho sekungasavanwa naloo makhwenkwe asedolophini.  Nawo emka engaqondi ukuthi anokubuya aphinde eze kuloo mbutho yaloo makhwenkwe.


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8. UMayedwa nonomhle


UMayedwa akazange ayazi eyona nto amakayenze akubona unomhle efika kokwabo.  Kwakusekurhatyele, nomayedwa kungekho nto ayenzayo ngaphandle kokujikeleza nje apha ekhaya, phambi kokuba aye embuthweni yamakhwenkwe.  Wayengazange umayedwa ayicinge into yokuba unokuze ambone unomhle apha kokwabo.
UNomhle wayezise impahla awayeyithunywe kokwabo ukuba makayizise apha kulomayedwa.  Wathi akugqiba ukuyenza loo nto wayethunywe yona wakhe wahlala bencokola nonomakhaya, intombi kazingi, umalume kaMayedwa.  Ezi ntombi zazisithi xa zihlangeneyo kube nzima ukwahlukana kuba zazivana kakhulu.  Zazibukana, zithwesane nangamacebo ezithambiso ezenza ukuba intombi mayisoloko ibukeka, ikhangeleke intle.
Ngelo xesha ezi ntombi zazincokola zibukana ngalo, umayedwa wayengqengqe ngesisu ecaleni lobuhlanti elinde ukuphuma kukanomhle xa agodukayo.  Le ndawo wayengqengqe kuyo yayimlungele kakuhle, kuba wayenokumbona esaphuma enmyango xa ahambayo.  Yayilungcwalasi oluhle, olufudumeleyo, oluzohleyo; inyanga nayo iyonke, iphelele imhlophe qhwa.  Wayezimisele ke umayedwa ukuba ingamphosi ukuhamba kwayo le ntombi.
Naxa yena umayedwa wayengxamele ukuba mazide zahlukane ezi ntombi, yena azokukhapha unomhle, kwakungekho nto ezazingxamele yona zona, zazincokola nje zonwabile.
"He ntombi," wavakala esitsho unomhle, "kanti laa nkwenkwe yayindinqandela ndigezelwa yinkwenkwe yeqaba phaya ngas evenkileni  ngenye imini yeyalapha kokwenu?"
"Hayi suka ntombi, yinkwenkwe yeqaba eyayikugezela ikubangisa ntoni leyo?" watsho ukuphendula unomakhaya.  "Uthi yayisenzeka phi le nto Hlehle?" watsho unomakhaya, embiza ngegama awayeteketiswa ngalo.

40

"He wethu, inene yiyeke into ukuba akuyazi, ngokwentetho yale mihla," waphendula ngelitshoyo uNomhle.  "Andisaqondi ukuthi kwakunini na ngoko, kodwa akukudalanga, kukwezi veki zidlulileyo.  Hayi tyhini, ukuba yayingekho le nkwenkwe yalapha ngewandiqhwaba ngempama Khayile," watsho unomhle naye embiza ngegama lesiteketiso unomakhaya.
Waqhuba ke uNomhle echaza ngohlobo awadlakazeliswa ngalo ngumphinumi ngas evenkileni , watsho egqibela ngokuthi: "Inene ukuba wayengekho u-u, nithi ngubani na igama lale nkwenkwe yasekhay'apha?"
"Uxela umayedwa?"
"Heke-e, umayedwa.  Ukuba wayengekho umayedwa andiyazi into engeyandenza yona laa nkwenkwe yeqaba.  Kunjalo nje Khayile akukho nentwana encinci endandimenze yona, wafane wandisukela nje ngokundichukela.  Kwewu!  Ayageza kanene amakhwenkwe amaqaba xa selegeza.  Loo nto isixhosa esikrwada abasithethayo!  Kodwa waxeleliswa nguMayedwa.  Ndandingamazi mna ukuthi ngulo Mayedw' endisoloko ndisiva kuthethwa ngaye lo."
"Uthetha ukuthi Hlehle wawungamazi ngaphambili umayedwa?"
"Hayi Khayile.  Kaloku ukufika kwakhe apha wafika ngelaa xesha endandihlala kusisi ekomani ndifunda khona.  Ndandiqala ukumbona ndimondele ngalaa mini ndandigezelwa yilaa nkwenkwe."
"Kanti umayedwa ngumza wam.  Umama wakhe walekela utata wam, akukho uza phakathi kwabo.  Ukuba ngaba nje yayikhe yaphazamela ekufuneni ukulwa naye loo nkwenkwe yayiyakuba iwaphosile amacebo.  Ndiyamazi umza wam xa selebetha enye inkwenkwe."
Wathi qhuzuqhuzu ukuhleka unonihle esithi: "Uyithetha nje loo nto Khayile uhlobo endandisoyika ngalo, ndisoyikisela ukuthi njengokuba umayedwa ekhangeleka errmcinci kangaka nje kule nkwenkwe isenokumqhwaba nje
ngempama kube kwanele."
"Wawufane usoyika nje wena kuba wawungamazi," watsho ukuphendula unomakhaya.  "Ngumza wam lowo, ndiyamazi xa abetha umntu.  Ayikho inkwenkwe engamaziyo

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kuzo zonke ezi lali zalapha encemerha.  Abe ambalwa amakhwenkwe akhe aphazamele ekufuneni ukulwa naye."
"Ndiyayikholelwa ukuba injalo loo nto Khayile, kuba ndayibona ngokwam, Ndithi mna uhlobo awayeyifutshanisela ngalo loo nkwenkwe wayefuna ukuba mayenze into ukuba iyafuna."
Zayiqhuba ke loo ncoko ezo ntombi kwada kwafika ixesha lokuba makahambe agoduke unomhle.  UNomakhaya wamkhapha umganyana nje ongephi, wajika wabuya.  Wathi akujika wakhawuleza umayedwa wamsukela unomhle.  Wathi esemganyana engekafiki kuye wakhohlela, esenzela ukuba ave ukuba kukho umntu ozayo emva kwakhe, angothuki.  "Mholo wethu ntombi yaseMaBambeni," wabulisa esitsho umayedwa akufika kuye.
"Tyhini mholo wethu Mayedwa," yaphendula ngolo hlobo intombi.  "Kanti nguwe lo uza emva kwam?  Besele ndinendawo engxamele ukoyika."
"Awu, yintoni obuza koyika yona kungekabikho nasebusuku nje, yaye nenyanga imhlophe kangaka?"
"Kaloku izinto ezenzekayo zininzi, yaye ngokutsho kwabantu abakhulu ilizwe libi lingcolile ngoku," yaphendula ngelitshoyo intombi yaseMaBambeni."
"Hayi noko nokuba kunjalo akukabi sebusuku noko ngoku," watsho ukuphendula umayedwa.  "Ukuze ibe futhi inyanga itsho kwamhlophe qhwa.  Lwaye futhi nolu ngcwalazi luzolile, luyazifudumeza iingcamango zomntu.  Kanene ubuze kwenza ntoni apha ekhaya ndingazange ndikubone nje apha?"
"Bendithunywe ngumama ukuba mandizise impahla apha kumama kanomakhaya.  Ndithe ndakugqiba ukumnika loo mpahla sakhe sahlala phaya ekhitshini sincokola nonomakhaya.  Sibe nezinto ezininzi esincokola ngazo, kuba sekulithuba singasabonani."
Emva kwexeshana engathethi umayedwa, uvakele esithi: "Nomhle, uze uncede ungandihleki torhwana ngale nto ndiza kuyibuza kuwe."
Wayiqonda kwangoko unomhle ukuthi makube yinto ehlekisayo le aza kuyithetha umayedwa, wabona ke ukuba makasele eqalisa kwangoku ukuyihleka, kodwa ke aka-

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phumelisa ukuhleka kwakhe.  "Uya kundixolela torho Mayedwa," utshilo unomhle ephumelisa ukuhleka ngenxa yokungakwazi ukuzibamba, "le into uyithethayo isuke yandenza ndanentsini endingakwaziyo ukuzibamba ngayo, naxa ndingayaziyo ukuthi ingaba yintoni na.  Kakade ke, ingaba yintoni kanye le ufuna ukundibuza, le ekucacayo ukuba iyahlekisa?"
Kwakhona akazange akhawuleze ukuphendula umayedwa.  Wakhe wabonakalisa ukungathi uyaxakwa kukuthi makaphendule njani na, kodwa emva komzuzwana wavakala esithi: "Njengokuba sewuyihleke ungekayiva nokuyiva nje kucacile ukuba uya kuthi wakuyiva ikucubhule ngentsini.  Ngako oko andizokuba sayibuza, ndiza kuyibeka ngolunye uhlobo.  Ke wena uzungandinqandi, okanye ungandiphenduli, undiyeke ndide ndigqibe ukuthetha.  Ndakugqiba ndakukuxelela ukuthi ungaphendula ngoku.
Nomhle ntombi yaseMaBambeni,
Ntomb'elubhelu ngokungath'ihlamba ngobisi, Ndiyakuthanda.
Ntombindini enomkhitha ngathi yinkab'yehashe lombalekiso,
Ndiyakuthanda.
Ntombindini enelizwi elikhenkceza kamnandi ezindlebeni,
Ngokungathi ndiyaqala ukuba nazo iindlebe zokuva, ndiyakuthanda.
Nomhle, nzwakazindini yakwathangane,
Enoncumo oluhle ngokungathi yimitha yokuqala
Ukubonakala xa ilanga liphumayo,
Ndiyakuthanda.
Masithandane Nonmhle
Sifanelene sobabini ngokwamantshontsho ehobe,
Sifanelene sobabini ngokwamatakane ebhokhwe,
Sifanelene sobabini ngokwamawele asephewuleni."

Wathi akuyeka ukuthetha umayedwa kwathi cwaka, akwabikho uthethayo.  Umayedwa wamjonga ebusweni unomhle, wabona ukuba intombi ixakiwe kukuthi mayiphendule ithini na. Kwakucacile ukuba iintetho ezilolu hlobo, zibhekiswa kuyo, yayingazange izive ngaphambili.

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Ebona obo bunjalo umayedwa waqonda ukuthi umhlaba ubonakala ngathi uyehla, waselesithi: "Kungawe ke ngoku Nomhle.  Kungawe ukundenza ndibe ngumphefumlo owonwabileyo.  Kungawe ukundenza ndibe ngoyena mntu uzidlayo apha encemerha ngokuba nawe.  Ndiyekela kuwe ke ngoku uphendule."
Ngelo xesha babesebekufuphi ekubeni bayiwele indlela yenqwelo phambi kokuba baye kufika kulonomhle esixekweni.  Bakhe bema ke apho, unomhle ejonge phantsi kubonakala ukuba uxakiwe kukuba makathini na ukuphendula.  Emva kokumana evakalisa isingqala wavakala esithi: "Le nto uyithethayo Mayedwa indixakile.  Andazi ukuba uthi masithandane njani na.  Ngokokwam ukwazi andiqondi ukuba siyacaphukelana.  Abantu abangacaphukelaniyo loo nto ithetha ukuthi bayavana, okanye bayathandana.  Olu uhlobo lokuthandana ocela lona andilwazi, lwaziwa nguwe.  Khawulucacise kakuhle." UNomhle wayikhupha le ntetho ngelizwi elikhululekileyo, ngokomntu kanye ekuqondakalayo ukuba uyithetha emva kokuba ethe, naxa ebethandabuza exakiwe kuqala, kodwa ngoku ufikelele esigqibeni esisiso.
Wathi qhuzuqhuzu ukuhleka kancinci umayedwa, wathi: "Yintoni undihlekisa nje Nomhle.  Uya kuthini ukuzenza umntwana omncinci wakugqiba ukukhula wada wafikelela ebudaleni bokuba ube ungakanana ngoku?  Ndikuthanda nje Nomhle ndiyakuthanda, andiphindi ndithethe into eyenye.  Mandenjenje ukuze uqonde ukuba ndikuthanda kangakanani na, khawubhekabheke ujonge ngapha nangapha, ujonge ukuba inyanga ikhanya kangakanani na."
Wayihleka unomhle le nto, kodwa ke wayenza loo nto yokujonga ngapha nangapha, wada wajonga nakude.  Akugqiba uthe: "Inyanga yona iqaqambe kangangokuba umsonto omnyama ndingawufaka enmgxunyeni wenaliti ngangohlobo ekhanya ngalo.  Nezaa zindlu zingaphesheya phaya kwamdange zibonakala nje kakuhle, kangangokuba mhlophe kwale nyanga."
"Uyabona ke nmtwan'asekhaya," watsho umayedwa akuthi nqumama uNomhle, "uhlobo ekusuka kukhanye ngalo entliziyweni yam qho ndakucinga ngawe lufana nqwa nokukhanya kwale nyanga yangokuhlwanje."

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UNomhle wabonakalisa ukuba intetho elolu hlobo akazange ayive ngaphambili, ayizange ikhe ithethwe kuye, kuba wabonakala ngokothuka kwakhe esithi: "Ehe-e-e!  Yeyokugqibela noko le ndiyivayo namhlanje.  Into embi inye, yeyokuba ixesha limkile, kudala ndimkile ekhaya.  Ngako oko sendingxamele ukugoduka.  Ukuba bekungenjalo besiza kukhe sixoxe sobabini kwedini yaseMaZangweni.  Kodwa ke naxa kunjalo ndiza kukuphendula."
Wancumela ecaleni umayedwa akuthetha ngolu hlobo unomhle.  Wagqiba yena ngokwakhe ekuthini hayi uyigqibile le ntombi, izinto ziza kulunga ngoku.  Kodwa amazwi alandelayo kaNomhle amtsho waba ngathi unencilikithi, kuba unomhle wathi kuye: "Kodwa ke phambi kokuba ndikuphendule uze undiphathele iqhiya yokusula uboso enamasondo amahlanu."








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9. Wayethembe amasele


Amakhwenkwe amahlanu awayesomba intsenge ayemana eyixexebula enye yawo ukuyijonga, inkwenkwe ekwakusithiwa ukubizwa kwayo ngumbokotho.  Wayekhathazwa sisisu umbokotho esasim'enza ukuba makasoloko ekhupha umoya weempundu.  Lo moya weempundu kwakusithiwa ngokwesiko awuvani nentsenge.  Zininzi izizathu ezazidla ngokubekwa, kusithiwa ukuba loo ntsenge ikhe yafunyanwa nguloo moya weempundu iya kuphelelwa yincasa ibe javujavu, ingabi nakutyiwa.  Abanye abantu babesithi isuka ingabi namanzi, yome ibe yinkatshunkatshu.  Abanye babesithi isuka ithi kanye ngelo xesha lokufunyanwa kwayo nguloo moya weempundu ibole ngoko nangoko, itsho ngefuqasi elinuka kangangokuba abantu bangabi nakunyamezela.
Makube kunjalo ke okanye akunjalo, umbokotho kwathiwa makahlale kwindawo ethe qelele, kwicala umoya oya ngakulo.  Amanye amakhwenkwe awayelapho yayinguMayedwa, uvakele, untozini novabonke.
Yakuba igqityiwe ukumbiwa intsenge yaxotyulwa yalungela ukuba mayityiwe, wabizwa umbokotho kwathiwa angasondela ngoku ngoba akukho nto inokwenzeka kuyo ngoku xa seyikhutshiwe emhlabeni yaxotyulwa nokuxotyulwa.
Kwatyiwa apho ke ngoonkabi kuncokolwa kuyinto emnandi, kuxokiswana nokuxokiswana.
Le ndawo kwakutyelwa kuyo le ntsenge kwakuphakathi kwamatyholo ngaphesheya kwebhulorho xa uvela ngaseNcemerha usiya edolophini eqonce.  Ayeyithanda amakhwenkwe loo ndawo, kuba yayiyindawo awayesithi xa anqena ukusetyenziswa okanye ukuthunywa emakhaya emini aze kuzimela kuyo. Kwakungekho nomntu ofane ahambe kuloo ndawo.

Athi akugqiba ukuyitya intsenge amakhwenkwe adlalala iceya.  Babehleli phantsi komgompunzi omkhulu owawu-

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nomthunzi opholileyo.  Bathe besadlala njalo wavakala esithi uvakele: "Ukho laa mntu ngathi uza nganeno apha.  Kodwa usekude, akakabi nakuqondakala kakuhle.  Kodwa ukubonakala kwakhe usuka abe ngathi ngumntu oyindoda.
Kanye ngelo xesha umayedwa wavakala esithi usaya kusithela ezindongeni.  Yaba lixesha elide elapho ezindongeni.  Ukubuya kwakhe kuvakele ekhuzwa nguntozini esithi: "Awu mfondini!  Wahlala kangaka ezindongeni, wenza ntoni khona eli xesha lide kangaka?  Okanye mawube mhlawumbi ubutye itolofiya?"
Ayihlekile amanye amakhwenkwe le ndawo yetolofiya.  UMayedwa yena uphendule ngokuthi: "Hayi man, andazi ukuba isisu sam sitheni na, kuba sifane sakhululeka nje.  Andazi nokuba ndisulelwe ngumbokotho na," watsho eyihleka naye umayodwa loo nto.
Uphindile kwakhona untozini wathi: "Ndikubone ungathi kukho into oyigibiselayo ngamatye. lbiyintoni ke leyo obuyigibisela ngamatye?"
"Ibiyinyoka.  Ndithe xa ndithi ndiyesuka ukubuya kwafane kwakho into ethi mandikhe ndijonge phantsi phambi kwam.  Tyhini, nali irhamba lamanzi lisonda kanye ngam.  Ndibe nethamsanqa, kuba amatye maninzi kulaa ndawo.  Nibe ke niyawazi ukuba maninzi kwawo amarhamba amanzi apha kulo mlambo, ngokungakumbi ebusuku.  Akuhambi mntu apha ebusuku ngenxa yawo."
"Linjani kakade irhamba lamanzi?  Lingaba liyafana nerhamba eli silaziyo?" Le mibuzo yabuzwa nguvabonke, waqhuba esithi: "Uthe wakugqiba ukuyibulala loo nyoka wayithini?  Ndinqwenela ukuyibona.  Andizange ndikhe ndilibone irhamba lamanzi.  Makhe siye kulikhangela."
"Asinakulifumana ngoku," waphendula esitsho umayedwa.  "Kaloku ndithe ndakulibulala ndaliphindisela kowalo ngokuthi ndilithathe ndiligibisele kwasemanzini." lhlekiwe le nto ithethwa ngumayedwa ngamanye amakhwenkwe, kusithiwa uliciko waye ekwalichule.
"Ehe-e-e!" Wavakala esitsho uvakele ebundweba.  "Uphi na laa mntu besimbona esiza phaya-a!  Khanijonge nani bafondini, akukho mntu ubonakalayo endleleni ukusuka kulaa ndawo besimbona ekuyo kuqala ukuza kufika apha

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ebhulorhweni.  Yaye indlela ithe tyaba, akukho ndawo ekunokuthiwa utshonele kuyo."
UMbokotho wamphendula ngokumhesha esithi: "Hayi suka man, ngumntu obezihambela iindawo zakhe lowo.  Mhlawumbi ujikile, kuba mhlawumbi ebengezi apha kakade."
Uthe akuthetha ngolu hlobo umbokotho amakhwenkwe afane ayekelela kunjalo, naxa ayengakholwa ngokupheleleyo.  Ade akhe awakha nomkhanyo ngokwabantu abasinga iinyosi.  Kodwa kuyo yonke loo nto abazange babone nmtu.
"Kwekhu, ibimnandi ke khona la ntsenge, kunjalo nje ibibanda kamnandi," wavakala esitsho untozini esukuma esima ngeenyawo ephulula isisu.  Uthe gqi uvabonke ngombuzo othi: "Kakade bafondini yiyiphi eyona nto imnandi kakhulu kwiziqhamo ezityiwayo zasehlathini?  Ndithetha mna ngeziqhamo ezingalinywanga emakhaya, ezizikhulele nje endle okanye ehlathini?"
Akuzange kubekho nkwenkwe ingxamayo ukuwuphendula lo mbuzo kavabonke.  Inkwenkwe nganye yabonakala iziziliza ingazi ukuba mayithini na ukuwuphendula.  Ide yaba ngumayedwa ozive selesithi: "Le nto uyibuzayo Vabonke inqabile.  Yaye ndiyaqiniseka ukuba nawe ngokwakho akungeze ube nakho ukuwuphendula lo mbuzo xa unokubhekiswa kuwe."
"Kungokuba kutheni le nto uthi lo mbuzo unqabile?" ubuze watsho uvabonke.  "Unqabe ngaluphi uhlobo okanye njani?"
"Inje kaloku Vabonke le nto," watsho umayedwa eyekelele umzimba.  "Zhininzi iintlobo ngeentlobo zemithi eneziqhamo ehlathini.  Naxa kunjalo, asizazi zonke iziqhamo zehlathi.  Okanye mandithi, asiyazi yonke imithi yehlathi ethwala iziqhamo.  Ezinye iziqhamo siziva nje ngeendlebe, asizazi ukuzibona ngamehlo.  Ezinye siyazibona ngamehlo, zaye ziyabaweleka emehlweni, kodwa asizange sikhe sizifake nokuzifaka emilonyeni yethu, ngoba kusithiwa azityiwa."
Wangqinelwa ngumbokotho umayedwa ngale ndawo esithi" "Unyanisile kwedini yaseMaZam gweni, mna ndiyakungqinela kuloo nto.  Into nje esingasuka sithethele kuyo zezi sizaziyo siziqhelileyo iziqhamo."

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"Heke-e!  Utsho apho bendithethela khona nam," ukhawuleze watsho uvabonke ngokuthakazela.  "Luhlobo lokuwubeka umbuzo olu ndiluphazamileyo."
"Xa kunjalo ke, esona siqhamo simnandi kum kwezasendle yitolofiya," utshilo untozini, Athe gquzu ukuhleka amakhwenkwe akuthetha ngetolofiya untozini.  Kaloku amakhwenkwe ayazi kakhulu inkathazo yetolofiya.
uVakele uzivakalise ngokuthi: "Andiyiboni mna into emnandi ukudlula umnyushulube."
Kukhuze umayedwa esithi: "Awu mfondini!  Wathi sithetha ngeziqhamo wena wathetha ngamaqunube.  Kaloku umnyushulube..."
Akazange abe nakuyigqiba loo nto wayeza kuyicacisa ngonmyushulube.  Amakhwenkwe ewonke eva ngomntu owathi gqi ekhawulezile emva kwetyholo elalisemva kwawo, intonga seleyithe qhiwu elungele ukubetha ngayo, esithi: "Ndanditshilo ndathi iya kuze ibe nye imini sigagane.  Namhlanje nindilingene makwedini."
"lyo-o, nguvayedwa. bafondini," yatsho inkwenkwe ekungazange kube nakuqondakala nokuthi ngubani  na.  Yatsho isukuma ibaleka, loo nto igquduzela imana ikhubeka koko kubaleka kwayo, ide ngelinye ixesha iye kubambelela ngezandla phantsi, kodwa ukuphakama kwayo iphakame igqotse.
Wawaleqa uvayedwa loo makhwenkwe, nawo ebaleka kungekho nebhekayo ngasemva.  Wayenomsindo ukuwaleqa kwakhe uvayedwa loo makhwenkwe, kuba ngelaa xesha lokuwachwechwela kwakhe akazange afumane nokuba ibenye ngentonga, -ambhaqa asukuma abaleka engekezi kufika kuwo.
Kodwa kwabakho into ewamangalisayo la makhwenkwe, angazange abe nakuyiqonda ukuba yenzeka njani na.  Emva kokubaleka umgama omde yaba yileyo inkwenkwe yacinga ukuba mayikhe ibheke ikhangele ukuba uvayedwa ukude kangakanani na ngasemva.
UMayedwa wayesaziwa kakhulu ngokubaleka, amendu awayenawo kwakungekho nmtu wayenakho ukumbona nokumbona apho atshone khona, iyekwe ihlale phantsi yodwa yona eyokumfumana.

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Kodwa ngale mini umayedwa wayengabaleki ngokomntu ofuna ukumshiya uvayedwa.  Kanti kwakuloo nto iyonke wayethe chu-u ngohlobo lokuba uvayedwa makasoloko enethemba lokungathi uza kumfumana.
Wayengaphethanga nto ekungathiwa yintonga eqinileyo uvayedwa.  Wayephethe intongana nje eyayikhangeleka ngokungathi luswazi.  Wathi akuyivonya wayiva ukuba hayi noko iwulungele lo msebenzi wokubetha la makhwenkwe.  Nasemakhwenkweni le intsadabane ayileqayo ngoku uza kuyibamba, ayibethe ayiqushe ngale ntongana idelekileyo.
Njengokuba uvayedwa eleqa nje, uyathetha nokuthetha apha emva komayedwa.  "Ingaba nguwe lo kwedini, lo onguyena wayendigezela kakhulu ngalaa mini nanindihlanganyele kulaa mzi kamandleni?  Inene namhlanje asidibananga yimbali."
Uthe akuva ezi ntetho umayedwa waziva efuna ukuhleka, kodwa wazibamba.  Into asuke wayenza kukubheka, waba nento ayithethayo ayibhekise kuvayedwa, into evakele ngokungathi uthi: "Kutheni ngathi sewukhefuza nje ompi, uthi uya kube undifumane nje kodwa?"
Imcaphukise kakhulu le ntetho uvayedwa, waselekhupha nesokugqibela isichenene samendu anawo.  Leyo ke ibe yile nto kanye umayedwa abefuna ukuba makenze yona.  Yena ube ngathi uyaqinisa ekubalekeni okomganyana.  Ngohlotyana olungaqondakalanga ube ngathi uyakhubeka umayedwa, waya kubambelela phantsi ngezandla.  Ukuphakama kwakhe uphakame waguquka wajonga kuvayedwa, loo nto ngokomntu ophelelwe ngamandla' ozinikelayo.  Izandla zakhe uzixwesise phambi kobuso bakhe, esenzela ukuba aze athi ukuba ngaba uyagalela ngale ntonga ayiphetheyo uvayedwa, akwazi ukuhlanganisa ngokukhawuleza.
Kuthe kusenjalo umayedwa kwakhona wenza into abengakhange ayicinge uvayedwa, netsho yambhida ingqondo okomzuzwana.  UMayedwa ucele uxolo kuvayedwa, wamcenga esithi: "Ompi, ndixolele ungabi sandibetha kuba ndiyakoyika, uya kundenzakalisa ukuba ukhe wandibetha, kuba nawe uyandibona ukuba ndimncinci kangaka.

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"Ndinento endiyiphathele umalume, kodwa ndiza kusendiyinika wena ukuba unokundixolela ungandibethi." Uthe esitsho wabe efaka isandla sakhe engxoweni yebhatyi, ekhupha ipasilana elingana nesandla, isongelwe kwiphepha-
ndaba elidala.
UVayedwa uthe ebezimisele ukuba akhe ayifike kanobom le nkwenkwe ngentonga phambi kokuba abe nento yokuthetha nayo, wakhe wazibamba akubona le nto angayaziyo acengwa ngayo.  Uthe: "Kuthe kanti uyakoyika nokubethwa njengokuba ugeza kangaka nje?  Yintoni yona leyo ondicenga ngayo?"
"Ndifuna ukuba uyivule ngokwakho ompi.  Ndifuna ukubona uncumo lwakho lovuyo wakuyibona ukuba yintoni na.  Ndibe ndiqinisekile ukuba uya kuyithandaompi," ungcangcazelise ilizwi esitsho umayedwa.
UVayedwa ukhe wema wayijonga le nkwenkwe umzuzwana, wavakala esithi: "Phofu nokuba ndiza kuyithanda na okanye hayi ayinamsebenzi loo nto, kuba ukukubetha oku khona ndiza kukubetha.  Uphelile ngoku, akukwazi nokubaleka.  Ngako oko akunakundishiya nokuba ungajika ucinge enye into.  Ndinike loo nto uyiphetheyo ndiyibone."
Usondele kuye umayedwa, wamnika loo pasile abeyiphethe.  Ukuyithatha kwakhe uvayedwa ukhe wayicofa ngeminwe, weva ukuba into engaphathi ithambile.  Kodwa ukhe waba naso isikrokro, kuba isuke yangathi le nto ingaphakathi kule pasile iyashukuma.  Ngenxa yomnqweno wokufuna ukuyibona ngamehlo ukuba yintoni na, uyivulile uvayedwa loo pasile abecengwa ngayo ngumayedwa ukuba angambethi.  Ngelo xesha ayivulayo umayedwa yena ujonge ecaleni.  Umntu owayenokumondela ukumjonga ngewayembonile ukuba uphelile yintsini, koko uzibambile.
Akuzange kube kuhle apho akuyibona into ephakathi kuloo pasile uvayedwa.  Wathi nje ukuba ayibone wavakalisa u'Mhm-m-m' omde.  Wayigibisela kumayedwa loo pasile. Iphepha elalisongele elo sele lona laphaphatheka lemka lodwa nomoya.  Isele lona lathi na-a imilenze, lisiza ngqo ebusweni kumayedwa.  Waliganga umayedwa.  Ekuligangeni kwakhe uligibisele kwakuvayedwa, obengekaqondi nokuba makaqinise isibindi na ayingene le

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nkwenkwe ngentonga, okanye makajike abaleke.  Kodwa uthe akulibona ligityiselwa kuye isele, kwaye kubonakala ukuba-liza kumchana ebusweni, waqonda ukuthi ubugagu mabushiywe bubulumko.  Uliphephile elo sele, kodwa uthe xa ajikayo, efikelele kwisigqibo esinye ngoku, esokuba makabaleke, wanakana ukuba umayedwa ukhupha elinye isele engxoweni yebhatyi, wamgibisela ngalo nalo elo.  Akabanga nakuliphepha elo.  Lize kuye ngqo ebusweni, lafika lamthi thwaxa esidleleni.  Uthe selesukile ukubaleka weva kukho into ethi phaxu emqolo, waqonda ukuba lelinye elo agityiselwa ngalo yile nkwenkwe.  Hayi ke emva koko akazange abe nakunyamezela.  Wabaleka esukelwa ngumayedwa ngamasele, athi akubheka umayedwa amgibisele ngesele ebusweni.
Ngelaa xesha umayedwa wayekhe wemka waya kusithela ezindongeni wayeyokuzingela amasele.  Wayicinga into yokuba kunokwenzeka ukuthi kanti laa mntu bebembona esiza ngendlela nguvayedwa.  Wayicinga nento yokuthi kunokwenzeka ukuthi kanti engabonakali nje ukuza kwakhe uyabachwechwela, uhamba esithela ngamatyholo ukuze bangamboni.
Wayeyazi umayedwa into yokuba ayikho indoda yomntu orrmyama engaloyikiyo isele, akukhathaliseki nokuba ingade ibe iqine kangakanani na, okanye ilikroti kangakanani na.  Kunjalo nje ayiloyiki xa lihleliyo kuphela, iloyika naxa lifileyo; amanye amadoda aloyika naxa selomile.  Yiyo ke le nto awathi umayedwa emakhwenkweni, ngobunye ubusuku, naxa amoyikayo uvayedwa kodwa uya kuze abe nento ayenzayo mhla bahlangana waza wafuna ukumbetha.  Wayethembe amasele.






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10.  Kumhla ndiyivayo into enje

Wayeqala umayedwa ukuva intombi ethetha ngolu hlobo awayethetha ngalo uNomhle kuye.  Wayengazange akhe ayive ngaphambili nakwabanye abantu.  Wayengazange ayibone nqu ukuyibona iqhiya enamasondo amahlanu.  Ewe, ukuba wayekhumbula kakuhle, wayekhe wayibona enamasondo amathathu.  Kodwa wazama ukucingisisa ukuthi ngenyani wayekhe wayibona na, eyibona phi, xa kwakutheni. 0-o-o, wakhumbula ukuthi wayeyibona phi, kunjalo nje akazange ayibone ixesha elinye, wayibona amaxesha amaninzi.  Wayekhe ayibone kubantu abangamanene xa benxibe kakuhle.  Ezi qhiya ke ezinamasondo amathathu zazidla ngokubhijelwa entanyeni ngaphakathi emqaleni wehempe xa inene linxibe ihempe emhlophe, ukwenzela ukuthintela ukubila kungangcolisi intamo yehempe.
Waziva ehleka yedwa umayedwa akucinga ngezi qhiya zombini.  Le iqhiya inamasondo amathathu wawuqondakala owayo umsebenzi.  Kodwa le inamasondo amahlanu owayo umsebenzi wawuyintoni?  Okanye mhlawumbi yayikukuhomba nje ngayo, kodwa njani, kuba akazange akhe ayibone mntwini?
Naxa umayedwa wayeyithanda kakhulu le ntombi unomhle kodwa wazimisela ekubeni akukho nkwenkwe aya kuyibuza kuyo le nto yale qhiya.  Wayiqonda kakuhle into yokuthi ukuba amanye amakhwenkwe ayivile into yokuba akazi nto ngeqhiya enamasondo amahlanu wayeza kuba yintlekisa kuwo engasokuze yonwabe kude kugqityelwe ngokuliwa.  Wazimisela ke ekubeni uza kuzibhutyela into yakhe ngokwakhe.  Mhlawumbi ngolo hlobo wayeza kude ayichane inyaniso.
Emva kokucinga kakhulu wafikelela kwisigqibo sokuba makancamele kumzala wakhe unomakhaya.  Yena unomakhaya, njengomzala wakhe, wayengazokumhleka kakubi njengohlobo awayeza kuhlekwa ngalo ngabanye abantu.

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Wamangala unomakhaya xa abona umayedwa efika kuye ephethe  ilaphu  elihle lesilika elinamabala abomvu namhlophe aqaqambileyo.  Wayecinga yena unomakhaya ukuthi lisisipho ampha sona.  Wathi xa aqalayo ukuthi uyabulela wanmnqumlela umayedwa ngokuthi: "Hayi mzala, musukungxama ngokubulela ungekeva ukuthi ndiza kuthini na. Andikuphi eli laphu.  Ndifuna undenzele into ngalo."
"Awu mzala!  Uthi kutheni na?" Wakhuza watsho unomakhaya, "Yintoni le ufuna ndikwenzele yona ngelatshana elingakanana ukuba lincinci?" Wawubuza lo mbuzo unomakhaya esithi qhuzuqhuzu ukuhleka.  "Andazi mhlawumbi lingalingana iqhiya yokusula ubuso."
Uthe akutsho unomakhaya wajonga ecaleni umayedwa encumile.  Ubonakele ngokushukushukuma ukuthi uxakiwe kukuthi makathini na ukuphendula.  Into yona ethe yacaca ibe yeyokuba le nto ithethwa ngunomakhaya ayikude enyanisweni.  Uqhube wathi unomakhaya: "Kutheni na mzala wam, yiyiphi le ntombi ekuthe swi-i kangangokuba ufune ukuyipha isipho esisodwa?"
"Kanti wena mzala ukuba ubulwazi uhlobo endimthanda ngalo lo mntwana," utshilo ukuphendula umayedwa.
"Uthini na apha kum mzala!  Kodwa ke mzala ingaba le ntombi ikuthanda ngolu hlobo uyithanda ngalo wena?"
Ubonakele ebuxakeka kukuwuphendula lo mbuzo uMayedwa, wafane wathi: "Hayi kaloku mzala, leyo into andikabi nakuyiqonda."
"Uthetha ukuthi le ntombi udumbe intloko yiyo osowude wayithengela nesipho esingayiwayo, akukayiqondi ukuthi iyakuthanda na okanye hayi, okanye ikuthanda kangakanani na?
"Mzala, uyayazi le ntombi," utshilo umayedwa.  "Kunjalonje ndizakuthi ndakukuxelela ukuthi ngubani ubone nawe ukuthi andifananga ndadumba intloko nj'e ngulo mntwana, ndenziwa yinto."
"Hayi ke xa utshoyo mzala wam ndiza kulindela kuwe," ngeliyekelelayo utshilo unomakhaya, waqhuba esithi: "Kodwa ndiyafuna ukuba mandide ndiyazi into ekuyiyo."
Ukhe wadidiza umayedwa phambi kokuba aphendule
esithi:	"Ndifuna ukuba ngeli laphu mawundenzele iqhiya."

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Emva kwaloo mazwi umayedwa ukhe wanqumama.  Ulindile uNomakhaya, elindele ukuthi uza kuqhubela phambili.  Ngokubona ukuthi umayedwa akagqithi kule ntetho, unomakhaya uthe: "Andazi nokuba ndikuva kakuhle na mzala.  Ukuba kunjalo, usuke ube ngathi uthi mandikwenzele iqhiya ngeli laphu.  Kunjalo?"
Unqwale intloko ukuvuma kwakhe umayedwa esithi" "Kunjalo mzala."
"Mhm-m-m," uvakalise isingqala eside esitshoyo uNomakhaya.  "Hayi ke noko kumhla ndiyivayo le into yanamhlanje.  Andizange ndiyive okanye ndiyibone into yokuthi ibe yinkwenkwe ethengela intombi isipho sesivumo, ingabi yintombi ethengela inkwenkwe."
Le nto yayithethwa ngunomakhaya yamenza umayedwa ukuba makazive esisishwayimbana.  Kodwa ke naxa kunjalo, uthe naxa ebexakiwe kukuthi makaphendule athini na, waziva selesithi: "Kanti nizala asindim oyinunuse ngokuyinika le qhiya le ntombi, yiyo ngokwayo eyibizileyo."
"Simangandini!" wakhuza waqhwaba izandla unomakhaya akutsho umayedwa.  "Kungokuba kutheni ukuba mayide izibizele ngokwayo iqhiya, ingabi yiyo ekuthembisa ngokukuthengela wena siqu?  Nantsi eyesibini into, kutheni le nto uthenga  ilaphu  emayenziwe ngalo le qhiya, ungayithengeli iqhiya eseyenziwe  evenkileni , zingakanana ukuba ninzi kwazo nje khona?"
"Inje wena mzala le nto," ususe ngokutsho ukuphendula umayedwa, ezimisele ekubeni makayiphalaze yonke inyaniso ngoku.  "Igama lale ntombi ndakulixela mva, ndakugqiba ukukuchazela.  Ndathetha nayo ixesha elide le ntombi, sihlisana sinyusana ngokuphendulana.  Ide emva kwexesha yandithembisa ngokuthi iza kundiphendula.  Kodwa ayindinikanga loo mpendulo kwangoko.  Amazwi ayo okugqibela ngawo la: "Kodwa ke phambi kokuba ndikuphendule uze undiphathele iqhiya yokusula ubuso enamasondo amahlanu."
Wathi egqiba ukuthetha umayedwa wabe unomakhaya engasayihleki ngako intsini.  Wayihleka ixesha elide, zada neenyembezi zazihlela ezidleleni, wada nomayedwa waphantse wacaphuka.  Akugqiba ukuhleka unomakhaya uthe:

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"Inene mzala bendingazi ukuba usengumntwana ngolu hlobo.  Uthetha ukuthi akwazi ukuthi ithetha ukuthini intombi xa ithetha ngeqhiya enamasondo amahlanu?"
"Inene mzala kum kumnyama tu," watsho ukuphendula umayedwa.  "Yiyo nale nto endithe mandize apha kuwe, kungokuba ayisokuba yinto yale lali yonke into yokungayazi kwam loo nto."
"Khawume kancinci ke mzala, ndikhe ndibuze le ndawana," watsho uNomakhaya.  "Kanene uthi igama lale ntombi ngubani?  Kufanelekile noko ngoku ukuba ungandixelela."
UMayedwa uchole umcinga phantsi, wawucanda phakathi ngozipho lukabhontsi wesandla sasekunene.  Akugqiba ulilahlile elinye icala, elinye waqalisa ngalo umsebenzi wokuvungula iinzipho zeminwe yesandla sakhe sasekhohlo phambi kokuba aphendule esithi: "Ukuqala kwethu ukuthetha mzala ndithe kuwe uyayazi le ntombi, kunjalonje uyiqhelile.  Igama layo ke ngunomhle, ohlala phaya esixekweni.  Isiduko sakhe..."
Wakhuza wabambelela emlonyeni unomakhaya esithi: "Tyhini zizwe zaMaZangwa, uthini na ngoku mzala?" Wabonakala unomakhaya ukuba wothuke nyhani, ebengakhange ayicinge into yokuba ngunomhle lo umayedwa athetha ngaye.  Emva komzuzu wabonakala ehleka, oko kuhleka okwabonakalisa ukungathi kokokuvuyela into.  "Kaloku mzala into endothusayo kule nto kukubona ukuba sisobabini sithe kanti sijonge endaweni enye.  Kaloku..."
"Uthini na wena ngoku mzala?" Yaba ngumbuzo kaMayedwa lowo.  "Qhuba ndikumamele.  Andikuva kakuhle ukuthi uthini na."
"Ndithetha ukuthi mzala," uqhube esitsho unomakhaya' "Kwamhla ndaqala ukumbona unomhle ndamthanda kakhulu, ndamnqwenelela wena; kangangokuba ndakhe ndade ndathetha naye ngenye imini ndithethela wena naxa ndingazange ndikuvelise.  Ndasuka ndathi nje kuye ndinomzala wam omthanda kakhulu, ofuna ukuba makabe yi'switi' yakhe.  Into nje yena loo nto wayithatha lula, kuba akazange ayiphendule; wasuka wathi uya kundinika impendulo xa ndize negama likamzala lowo."

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"Hayi suka mzala, unyanisile kodwa?" Wambuza enemihlali umayedwa, eqhwaba nezandla kukuvuya.  "Phofu kutheni mzala ungandixeleli nje ukuba unento enkulu kangaka oyizamayo?"
"Into ebangele ukuba ndingakuxeleli kukunqena ukukuphoxa.  Kaloku unomhle usenokungakufuni, udane ke nawe xa engakuvumanga.  Yiyo le nto ibangele ukuba mandithandabuze ukukuxelela."
"Hayi phofu ayisenanto noko ngoku loo nto," watsho ukuphendula umayedwa.  "Kodwa ke mzala uza kuthini ngale into yale qhiya yobuso endifuna undenzele yona?"
Waphinda wayihleka kwakhona unomakhaya le nto, kodwa akayihlekanga kakhulu njengakuqala.  "Kodwa mzala noko ukuba ubungomnye umntu ngendiba ndithi undidanisile.  Uyabona ke, jong'apha ndikuxelele into, eli laphu liyekele kum ngoku, selilelam.  Uthi ubuse uthethile nonomhle?"
"Ewe mzala."
"Waza yena elokugqibela lakhe laba kukuthi uzumphathele iqhiya yokusula ubuso enamasondo amahlanu phambi kokube akunike impendulo?"
"Kunjalo kanye mzala."
"Ke usafuna ntoni ngoku mzala?"
Cwaka.
Uhleke kancinci unomakhaya, wathi: "Xa ubulisa, okanye mandithi xa uxhawula umntu usebenzisa siphi isandla?"
Naxa umayedwa lo mbuzo wawujonga ngokuthi awungeni ndawo kule nto, kodwa wawuphendula ngokuthi usebenzisa isandla sasekunene.
"Khawundibonise eso sandla." Akuba embonisile eso sandla umayedwa, unomakhaya uthe: "Sijongisise kakuhle esi sandla, undixelele ukuba ubona ntoni kuso."
Usibhenca-bhencile ukusijonga isandla sakhe umayedwa, esijongisisa nangasemva.  Hayi bo, akwabikho nto ingaqhelekanga ayibonayo.  Ngalo lonke elo xesha unomakhaya uphelile yintsini ngaphakathi.  Uthe akuqonda ukuthi umzala wakhe imnzirnele le nto wabuza esithi: "Akukho nto uyibonayo konke konke kweso sandla sakho mzala?"

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Ukuphendula kwakhe uMayedwa waphendula ngokon-tntu oxakiweyo ngokwenene esithi: "Mzala, akukho nto ndiyibonayo igoso kwesi sandla sam.  Ndibona nj'e iminwe nemigca neenzipho kuphela."
"Heke-e, uthi ubona ntoni?"
"Ndibona iminwe nemigca neenzipho."
Waphumelisa ukuhleka unomakhaya kwakuba lapha esithi: "Mingaphi iminwe kweso sandla?"
"Mihlanu."
"Mihlanu, nawe uyavuma ukuthi mihlanu?"
"Ewe mzala.  Yintoni egoso kuloo nto?"
Waphendula uNomakhaya ebuningxolisa esithi: "Into egoso kuloo nto nguwe.  Iminwe kweso sandla sakho mihlanu.  Wawukhe wayibona phi ke wena iqhiya yokusula ubuso enamasondo amahlanu?
"Uyabona ke, iqhiya leyo sisandla eso sakho.  Amasondo amahlanu yiminwe leyo mihlanu yeso sandla sakho.  Hamb'usuk'apha.  Hamba uye kunomhle, ufike umnike isandla sakho sasekunene, ubize esakhe usixhawule.  Xa uyenzayo loo nto umxelele ukuthi nantso loo qhiya inamasondo amahlanu abethe uze umphathele yona.
"Uyabona ke mzala, ngokunje engaphaya koku ayifuni mna.  Yeyakho."








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Ukwenzeka kwesimanga

Kwakusemphumeni wamakhwenkwe apho intlekele yehla khona, eyabangela ukuba kubekho umlo owathi emva koko amakhwenkwe awubiza ngokuthi lidabi lemizuzu emibini.  Into eyayibangela ukuba eli dabi libizwe ngolu hlobo ngamakhwenkwe yayikukukhumbula into eyathethwa nguMayedwa kubhuntseka namhla umayedwa wabhaqa ubhuntseka edlala ngeeceya ezimbini -emdlalweni weceya.  Wathi akuba ediziwe ubhuntseka wathetha izinto ezamenza ukuba umayedwa makaphume kwintetho ethi mhla baya kuze badibane ngeentonga uya kuze amgqibe ingaphelanga imizuzu emibini.
Njengesiqhelo amakhwenkwe, okanye mandithi amakrwala xa aphuma esuthwini, esuka kwezo ndawo abehlala kuzo egoduka esiya kwasosuthu akhokelwa ngabafana abahamba begqwakraza bedlala iintonga. Iba yinto emnandi nebukekayo, kuba sukuba kungaliwa, kudlalwa.  Udla ngokusuka uye uqina lo mdlalo xa kusondelwayo kwasosuthu, kangangokuba umntu ongawaziyo angagqiba athi kuyaliwa.  Abakho namakhwenkwe, nawo esenza eyawo
imidlalo phaya emva okanye emacaleni.
Apho ayesuka khona la makrwala kwakukwezo ntili eziphakathi kwemilambo emibini ebizwa ngokuthi kukwaGana nakwankwebu.  Kwakusiyiwa kwasosuthu emngqalasini.  Phakathi kwamakhwenkwe awayekho apha wayekho umayedwa nobhuntseka.
Umayedwa wayezihambela nje yena engacingi nto iyenye ngaphandle kokuzonwabisa ngohlobo azonwabisa ngalo namanye amakhwenkwe.  Kwakumnandi kakhulu kumayedwa ngale mini, echwayitile, ezimisele ukuzonwabisa kanganzoko anakho.  Loo nto yayibangelwa kukuba yayingumgidi wokugqibela lowo kuloo nyaka, kwakune asokube kubekho makhwenkwe alukayo, alandelayo ayeya kwaluka kunyaka olandelayo.  UMayedwa ke wayezimisele ukuba loo nyaka ngowokugqibela nakuye

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eyinkwenkwe; kumakhwenkwe okuqala ukwaluka kunyaka olandelayo wayeyakuba ngomnye wawo.
Imini yayintle izolile, ilanga naxa lalishushu kodwa lalingelilo elinokude kuthiwe likhupha orhoqotyeni phantsi kwamatye.
Bathi xa basezantsi kwendlela yenqwelo evela ngasentla eya eqonce umayedwa wothuswa ngubhuntseka selephambi kwakhe, loo nto sequle waligangatha, esithi: "Khawurhabul'apha kwedini yaseMaZangweni, kodw'ungafinci." Wathi esitsho wabe ekhamuluka, ezimisele ekubeni uza kuyibetha izifise le ntsadabane.  Enyanisweni kwakungasokufuneka nokuba makazifise umayedwa ukuba loo ntonga kabhuntseka yayimchanile, ilanga ngelatshona ngoko nangoko kuye.
UMayedwa wathi akumjonga ebusweni ubhuntseka ngelo xesha akhamulukela ukugalela wabona ukuba bubuso borrmtu olwayo.  Wabona ukuba asibobuso bomntu onemihlali yokuvuyisana nabanye abantu kwinto entle eyenziwayo.
Wathi egalela ubhuntseka watsho apho ebekhona umayedwa, ngoba wataka ngokwentakumba ukusuka apho.  Ngaphezu koko, ngangohlobo awayegalela ngamandla ngalo ubhuntseka, yakungahlali ntweni intonga yakhe wayilandela waya kuthi vovololo phantsi waxhathisa ngedolo nangequlo lakhe.  Ngelo xesha ke umayedwa umi qelele kuye umjongile.  Ukusuka apho umayedwa uthe: "Ndiza kubuya Bhuntseka.  Uyabona nawe ukuba andinantonga, luswazi olu ndiluphetheyo.  Ndisaya kuthatha iintonga zam.  Ndiyabona ukuba imini yethu sobabini ifikile." Uthe akugqiba ukutsho wee guququ ebaleka esiya kunqumla indlela.  Akazange alive nelo qhina ukunyuka kwakhe ukudlula kwezo zindlu zisentla kwendlela.  Wabaleka wada waya kufika kolo ludwe lwezindlu lusekugqibeleni phezulu apho kokwabo kwakukhona.
Akufika khona waya kungena ebuhlanti, wehla waya ezantsi emthonyameni.  Wafika apho wavumbulula ngesandla emgqubeni, wakhupha apho intonga eseyide yaba lubhelu ngebala kukuhlala emgqubeni.  Uthe akuyijonga le ntonga, akuyivonya, akuyiva ukuthi ubunzima bayo bumlingene kakuhle, wancuma yedwa esithi: "Spotoshe,

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yiyo le imini ebendikade ndikubekele yona.  Masihambe siye kuyibonisa umlo la ngqundululu itsho ngamagxa ngathi yimvubu."
Uphindile wavumbulula wakhupha enye intonga kwalapho emgqubeni, -ekwafana nale yokuqala, naxa yona le yayinobudana kunaleya yokuqala.  Le yamva yayilikhohlo lakhe, intonga awayeyithembile ukuthi nokuba enye inkwenkwe ingaze ibe namandla angakanani na, ayinakuze yaphuke.
Ukusuka kwakhe umayedwa apho kokwabo wayengabaleki ngoku, wayenkcunkca.  Wayesele equle wagqiba, igalelo lakhe, uspotoshe, elithe khatha phantsi kwekhwapha lasekhohlo.
UMayedwa wafika kubo sebeyiwelile indlela.  Wathi esiza kufika kubo wabe ubhuntseka selemjongile kakade, selemgcad'apha, kuba wabonakalisa ngokuzikhetha esiqhwini, wahamba yedwa ethe qelele ecaleni.
Akazange adidizele nokudidizela umayedwa, engazange athandabuze nokuthandabuza.  Okoko wayesuke kokwabo enkcunkca wada weza kufika phambi kobhuntseka esankcunkca, into leyo eyamphazamisayo ubhuntseka; kangangokuba isiphumo saloo mlo kwathiwa nga . Danye abantu sabangelwa lolo hlobo aweza ngalo umayedwa, naxa kungazange kubekho nmtu uyixelayo into yokuba njani na; ngaphandle nje kokuthi ubhuntseka wabhidwa ngumayedwa.
Kaloku amakhwenkwe xa adibanayo esilwa akhe ajikelezane kuqala, ejongene ukuthi kubekho ithuba elivulekileyo lokuthi enye igalele, okanye ihlanganisele olo hlobo enye igalela ngalo.
Naxa ubhuntseka wayemjongile ukuza kwakhe uMayedwa, kodwa olu hlobo wayesiza ngalo lamxaka.  Wada umayedwa waza kufika phambi kwakhe intonga yakhe esayibambe ngekhwapha.  Wathi akufika phambi koBhuntseka umayedwa wakhe wangqisha kwakabini ngonyawo lwasekhohlo.  Kwangelo xesha linye uyithe rhutyu intonga yakhe ekhwapheni.  Uthe xa aphakamisayo ubhuntseka esithi uyagalela wee cebu ngasekunene kancinci umayedwa.  Kwangelo xesha ube ngathi kukho

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into ayibethayo ngasemva konyawo lwakhe lwasekunene, ngokuthi intonga yakhe ukuyikhupha kwakhe ngasemva abe buyirhuqa.  Uyiphakamisile yaza kudlula phezu kwegxalaba lakhe.  Ukuyihlisa kwakhe uyihlise ngamandla amakhulu, wasibetha eso sandla esiphethe intonga agalela ngayo ubhuntseka satsho asabi namandla okuyibamba loo ntonga.  Abantu babona ngentonga leyo yakhe isiwa, xa kanye umayedwa azenzelayo ukumbetha oku entloko, ezimbanjeni, nasemathangeni.  Wayesele ebhutyuza nasekuhlanganiseni ngoku ubhuntseka, engasayazi into ayenzayo.  Uthe ngexesha acinge ukuthi makachole intonga yakhe ewileyo wathi kanti wenze eyona mpazamo inkulu.
Wathoba wayichola intonga leyo.  Ukuphakama kwakhe wayengaqondi ukuthi akahlanganisanga ngasentla, uvulile.  Into enjalo nihlawumbi enye inkwenkwe yayinokuyiphosa ingayiboni.  Kodwa hayi umayedwa.
Ngelo xesha lokuphakama kwakhe ubhuntseka umayedwa wathabatha inyathelo lalinye ukubuya umva, esenzela ukuba kubekho isithuba phakathi kwabo bobabini, isithuba esiya kwenza ukuba aze athi xa agalelayo angamgabangxi, ambethe kakuhle intonga yakhe inamandla akhe onke.
Wema ngomlenze o=ye umayedwa ukugalela kwakhe, wasineka wada waba ngathi umlomo uwubhekise ecaleni ngabom, nenye impundu wayiminca yaba ngathi ayikho.  Ugalele ngamandla akhe onke anawo, watsho entanyeni kwicala lasekhohlo kanye ezantsi kwendlebe.
Wabonakala esoluka ubhuntseka, wathi kuba intonga kaMayedwa imfumene esaphakama ekucholeni intonga yakhe, waba ngathi uyaxhuma ubheka phezulu, kuba iinyawo zakhe zibonakele ngokungathi ziyawushiya umhlaba kancinci.  Ukuwa kwakhe akathanga folokohlo, uwe walala ngomqolo ejonge phezulu.
Into eyamsindisayo ukuba makangenzakali koko kuwa yaba kukuba babesilwela engceni, babengalweli ebaleni.  Ukuba babesilwela ebaleni ngewayenzakele kuba wabetheka ngenqentsu ukuwa kwakhe.
Yaba lixesha elide phambi kokuba avuke ubhuntseka.  Yayingasengomakhwenkwe odwa awayelapho ngoku, awayezama ukumvusa ubhuntseka, kwakuse kukho nabafana

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ababesebewuyekile owabo umdlalo weentonga wokuphuma kwamakhwenkwe, beza kubona esi simanga senkwenkwe enkulu kangaka egqitywe ngexeshana elingephi yintwana encinci kangaka ngesithomo.  Umlo wona wakhawuleziswa ngumayedwa, kangangokuba awuzange uthathe nomzuzu opheleleyo.
Laa nkwenkwe eyakhuza isithi 'Ehe-e, naso ke isimanga' ngalaa mini umayedwa wayesongela ubhuntseka esithi akasokuze athathe nemizuzu emibini engamoyisanga mhla baya kuze bahlangane ngeentonga, yavakala isithi ngale imini: "Ukuba umayedwa umbetha ngolu hlobo unmtu xa ebemsongele, kungasuke kuthiwe ndiligwala endaweni yokuba ndiye kuzibulalisa okanye ndiye kuzenzakalisisa ngesigebenga esinje senkwenkwe."








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12.  Imfuyo yomfazi


Abafazi bayafana namadoda.  Xa ancokolayo amadoda akholisa ngokuncokola ngezidla wona.  Ephambili neshiya ezinye yimfuyo yayo esebuhlanti.  Elandela leyo zizilimo zayo emasimini.  Engaphezu kwezo zinto zombini ayikho kunintu oyindoda wasezilalini.
Kanti nakumntu ongumfazi into ephambili nakuye yimfuyo yakhe esezihokweni.  Ngeliphandle ke ziinkuku neehagu eyomfazi imfuyo.  Uyixabise kakhulu naye le yakhe imfuyo umfazi, njengohlobo nayo indoda eyixabise ngalo eyayo.
Bayithanda kakhulu abafazi into yokuqhayiselana ngeenkuku neehagu zabo.  Abafazi abane babehleli emthunzini ecaleni lendlu bencokola ngezimnandi kubo.  Izisu zabo zaziphohle kuba babesand'ukugqiba ukutya into apha ekuthiwa iyasipholisa isisu xa utye yona.  Yintyabontyi ke leyo.
"Hi wethu Nondim, ntombi yaseMaNtlaneni, ndiva kusithiwa ihagu yakho inamantshontsho," watsho omnye umfazi onguMamGiqwa, ogama lakhe lalingunontsapho.  "Uz'undincede ke ungandiphoxi kwakhona."
"Utsho njani ukuthi ze ndingakuphoxi kwakhona wethu MamGiqwa?" watsho ukuphendula unondim.  "Andikhumbuli kukho into endikuphoxa ngayo ngaphambili."
"Hayi makube ulibele," waphendula ngelitshoyo unontsapho.  "Kaloku ayiqali ukuzala le hagu yakho.  Kulawa amantshontsho ayo okuqala ndandiziyalezile kuwe ndathi uzundinike elinye elilithokazi.  Kodwa ndathi ndidibana nawe emva koko wandixelela ukuba akusekho nokuba libe linye, aphele onke."
"Hayi kaloku mfazi, ndandikuxelele kakuhle nje ukuthi yathi isand'ukuzala le hagu ndafikelwa ngumphanga kasisi emkhubiso, kwafuneka, ndisukele loo msebenzi.  Ndahlala iveki yonke apho.  Ukubuya kwam ndafika uyise kamvulem' ewathengise onke loo mantshontsho.  Umsindo endandinawo ndandifana negeza eli."

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IV

Kwavakala kuphendula onmye umfazi ekwakusithiwa ngunonguye umamqocwa esithi: "Kambe ke amadoda ayasimosha.  Ungathi wena ukhe wayenza into enjalo ungathwaliswa isitya esizele luthuthu, kuthiwe hamba ugoduke, akuzanga kuwakhe lo mzi, uze kuwuchitha."
"Kanti yitsh'ub'uphinde ntombi yaseMaQocweni," wangenelela ngokutsho lo mfazi wesine, ogama lakhe kwakusithiwa ngunokoloni.  "Andazi nokuba amadoda enziwa kukungasixabisi na le nto angayihloneliyo eyethu imfuyo.  Abanye abafazi kunzima nokuba mabafuye nqu inkuku le, kuba qho le ndoda yakhe xa ifika inxilile ifuna inyama, ithi makunqunyulwe inkuku, loo nto ingayiceli nokuyicela."
"Bendisatsho ke ntombi yaseMaNtlaneni," watsho unontsapho kwakhona.  "Kudala ndizama ukufumana intshontsho lehagu, ndingalifumani.  Kaloku ithi izala ihagu abe umnikazi wayo selethembise ilali yonke ngamantshontsho ayo ingekazali.  Uz'undincede ke Nondirn wethu.  Ukuba ngaba uyafuna uze uthumele unomawethu aze kuthatha imali yalo phaya ekhaya ukutshona kwelanga."
"Hi wethu MaMntlane, mangaphi la mantshontsho ale hagu yakho?" Lo mbuzo wavela kunonguye, waqhuba esithi: "Ndibuza lo mbuzo nje ndenziwa kukuba nam ngekuba ndinqwenele ukuba ndifumane elinye ukuba ndinakho."
"Ulungisile ukuba uthethe kwangoku Nonguye," wamkhawulezela ngaloo mpendulo unondim.  "Baninzi abanta abawafunayo.  Kufuneka nangoku ukufika kwam ekhaya ndizibhale ezi odolo zenu ngokuzifumana kwam.  Kodwa wona asekho ngokwangoku, alakapheli." Watsho eguquka ebajonga ngabanye aba bafazi.  "Inene andizange ndiyibone into enje.  Le hagu itsho ngowasalala lwamantshontsho alishumi elinambini.  Nakhe nayibona into enialo bafazindini?"
"I-iyu!" Bakhuze bonke ngexesha elinye ngolo hlobo.  Omnye uvakele esithi: "Uthi kutheni na Nondim?  Yakhe yenzeka kakade into enjalo?  Inene ebomini bam andizange ndiyibone.  Yaye andikholwa ukuba aya kuphila onke loo mantshontsho."
"Hayi nam andizange ndiyibone into enjalo," waleke ngelitshoyo nomnye.  "Luhlobo lokufuywa olo, uhlobo olusuka lugalele kangako ngexesha elinye.  Ukuba ibingumntu ngekuba sithi ufuna ukukhawuleza agqibe."

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Bayihlekile abanye le nto ithethwa ngulo mfazi.  UNokoloni wayijika le ncoko ngokuvakala esithi: "Kwowu!  Asikuko nokuba lusisimanga uhlobo iinkuku zam ezibiwa ngalo.  Kule veki yodwa kumke zantathu."
"Uthi ziyebiwa ezi nkuku zakho Nokoloni, zibiwa njani?" unonguye wambuza esitsho.
"Andazi ukuthi zibiwa njani Nonguye," waphendula esitsho unokoloni.  "Into nje thina sisuka sibone ukuba kukho engekhoyo.  Ngezinye iimini ziyemka nokuba zimbini ngosuku olunye."
Waphinda wabuza unonguye esithi: "Uthetha ukuthi zibiwa emini?"
"Manditsho ukuthi zibiwa nangeliphi na ixesha, emini okanye ebusuku," waphendula ngolo hlobo unokoloni.  "Into nje thina esisuka siyibone kukuthi xa sizipha ukutya ngokuhlwa phambi kokuba zingeniswe ehokweni, sithi sakuzibala sifumanise ukuba aziphelelanga.  Kanti ke ngezinye iimini sizibala kusasa xa sizivulelayo."
"Hayi ntombi inzima le nto uyithethayo," kwaphendula unondim ngelitshoyo, waqhuba esithi: "Lo mntu uzibayo ezi nkuku zakho kunjalonje lichule, kuba nani ngokwenu anikwazi ukumlalela nimbambe, ngoba anazi ukuba uzithatha ngeliphi na ixesha.  Yaye enye into exakayo yeyokuba akwazeki nokuba uyazithengisa okanye uyazitya na."
"Kusenokwenzeka ukuthi kanti ngamakhwenkwe la anale ntlondi," watsho unonguye esalatha ngomnwe esithubeni nje.  "Amakhwenkwe akhoyo ngoku akayoyiki ukuyenza into nokuba imbi ngaluphi na uhlobo.  Ingqondo yam ayisuki kuwo."
Bayiphicotha ixesha elide abo bafazi le nto yokubiwa kweenkuku.  Emva koko kwachithakalwa kwagodukwa.
UNontsapho nonokoloni bahamba indlela enye bona, kuba babehlala ndaweninye emngqalasini.  Endleleni unontsapho uvakele esithi: "Hi wethu Nokoloni, uz'ukhe uyijonge laa nto ebitlhethwa ngunonguye malunga nokubiwa kwezi nkuku zakho.  Laa nto abeyithetha esithi kunokwenzeka ukuthi kanti ngamakhwenkwe la enza le ntlondi, kunokwenzeka ukuthi kanti kunjalo."

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'Owu, watsho ntombi!" Wakhwaza watsho uNokoloni.  "Kungokuba kutheni le nto utshoyo?"

"Anditsho ukuthi kukho into ebambekayo endiyibonileyo.  Kodwa ke kukho laa mzi wakwamqokozo.  Akukho mntu mkhulu uhlala kuwo, andazi nokuba ukhe uyiphawule na loo nto.  Into esuka ibonakale ngamakhwenkwe asoloko ephaya, ngakumbi ngexesha lasebusuku."
"Tyhini Nontsapho wethu!" Wakhuza wabambelela entloko ngezandla zozibini unokoloni.  "Kwatsho kwasa ke kum ngoku.  Uyazi, le nto yala makhwenkwe kulaa mzi bendikade ndingayikhathalele, kodwa njengokuba uyithetha nje kutsho kwakhanya kum."
"Kanti ke mna ndithi fanukuba uyayiqonda, kuba nangoku uthe wakuthetha ngayo kulaa ncoko yethu kwathi tyaba kweyam ingqondo le nto yala makhwenkwe," watsho unontsapho.
'Yintoni kakade le bayenzayo aba bantwana phaya, ephi yena umnini walaa mzi?" wayibuza yomibini le mibuzo unokoloni.  Wathi engekaphenduli unontsapho waqhuba unokoloni esithi: "Hayi inene kuya kusithi qwenge kum, kuba ngezinye iintsuku ndiye ndithi xa ndigqithayo phaya ndigqithe la makhwenkwe ephekile.  Sukuba epheke ntoni ngelo xesha ebusuku, xa kungekho mntu mkhulu ukhoyo?  Ndakukhe ndiyijonge kakuhle le nto Nontsapho."
Ukwahlukana kwabo unokoloni ukhe wazibala ngentliziyo iinkuku zakhe ezibiweyo ukuza kufikelela ngoku, wazifumana zilishumi elinambini.  "Tyhini le!" Wakhuza watsho, ephumelisa ukuthetha.  "Ishumi lonke leenkuku elineenkuku ezimbini ngeevekana nje ezimbini kuphela!  Ziya kuthi ziphela iinyanga ezimbini kube kusekho nkuku ikhoyo nje xa kunje?  Hayi andikholwa."
UVakele wayethanda ukuya kubutha azonwabise namanye amakhwenkwe ebusuku.  Wayengunyana kanokoloni.  Wayethandwa ngabazali bakhe kuba wayelulamile, ekhuthele futhi ngexesha lemisebenzi yasekhaya.
Ngobunye ubusuku unokoloni wayegoduka, esuka kwilali ekuthiwa kusethambo, Indlela awayehamba ngayo yayigqitha kufuphi emnyango kulo mzi wakwamqokozo, apho kwakuhleliwe khona ngala makhwenkwe.  Wathi xa

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asondelayo kule ndlu unokoloni weva ingxolo engaphakathi yamakhwenkwe kuba ayethethela phezulu.  UNokoloni akazange ayihoye incoko leyo, kuba into awayiphawulayo xa adlulayo emnyango, kuba ucango lwaluvuliwe, yaba kukuba wathi akujonga ngaphakathi wabona ukuba kukho imbiza ephekiweyo eziko.  Kwabakho nevumba elathi rham ngokungathi lelenyama.
Lamhlala eli vumba lenyama unokoloni wada waya kufika ekhayeni lakhe.  Ukufika kwakhe wabiza unyana wakhe uvakele.  "Kutheni na mntwanam namhlanje, akuyanga kubutha kwamanye amakhwenkwe?" wasuka ngokutsho ukuthetha unokoloni.
"Hayi andiyanga namhlanje mama," watsho ukuphendula uvakele.  "Ndisuke ndaziva ndinqena, ndingafuni ukuya naphina ngokuhlwa nje."
"O-o, ndiyakuva ke mntwanam.  Kodwa nantsi into endifuna ukuba mandikhe ndiyibuze apha kuwe, mhlawumbi ungaba nolwazi lwayo.  Kukho umntu omkhulu ongaba ukhona ngoku, ohlala phaya kulombokotho?"
Emva komzuzu uvakele ecinga waphendula esithi: "Andikhe ndibone mntu mkhulu uhlala phaya mama, nguMbokotho nale nkwenkwana incinci yakokwabo abahlala khona.  Ewe phofu ukho ubhuti wabo okhe abekho ngezinye iintsuku, ade alale nokulala ngezinye iimini.  Kodwa akayenzi qho loo nto.  Ubuzela entwenini Cethekazi?"
"Khawume kancinci, ndiza kuyiphendula le nto uyibuzayo.  Nantsi,enye into endifuna ukuyiqonda, umama notata wabo baphi?"
Wonwaya intloko phambi kokuba aphendule uvakele esithi: "Kwewu, leyo into uyibuzayo mama andinakuyazi.  Kukhe kuvakale ukuba basemonti, bayasebenza khona.  Abafane babuye ukuza apha ekhaya, nombokotho akafane athethe ngabo."
"Ndiyakuva ke mntwanam.  Nantsi ke into endifuna uyenze," watsho unokoloni ethethela phantsi.  "Ndifuna uye phaya kulombokotho ngoku.  Kukho into ephekiweyo ngalaa makhwenkwe phaya.  Ukuba ufike ingekophulwa loo mbiza uze uhlale ide yophulwe kuphakwe.  Into endifuna ukuba uze uyijongisise kakuhle kukuba yinyama

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na leyo iphekiweyo, iyinyama yantoni na.  Khawuleza ke mntwanam, hamba kwangoku.  Ndifuna ukuba ufike laa mbiza ingekophulwa.  Kuya kubanzima ukuba mawuyiqonde loo nto ndiyifunayo ukuba ufike sekophulwe yatyiwa loo nto ebiphekiwe."
Wayihleka kakhulu uvakele le nto ithethwa ngunina, wavakala ethetha yedwa esithi: "Unjani na umama, yinto ayikhathalele ngantoni into yenyama aziphekele yona amakhwenkwe?" Wayengayazi yena into yokuba unina wayefuna ukuthelekisa into yeenkuku zakhe ezilahleka qho nale nto yale nyama iphekwe ngala makhwenkwe.
UVakele wayengafane aye kulombokotho.  Eyona ndawo awayethanda ukuya kuzonwabisa kuyo kwakusesigqubeni' samakhwenkwe asemngqalasini nawasesixekweni.  Ngamanye amaxesha ayebakho nawasethambo, kodwa angabi maninzi, abe mbalwa.  La makhwenkwe awayekholisa ngokuya kuzonwabisa phaya kulombokotho ayeba mbalwa kakhulu.
Ukufika kukavakele apho kulombokotho ngobo busuku akuzange kuphazamise nto eyayisenziwa ngaloo makhwenkwe awayehleli apho.  Yena wafika kakuhle xa kuqalwayo ukophulwa kwayo loo mbiza eyayiphekiwe.  Akazange ayiqonde kuqala le nto ikhutshwa embizeni.  Ukuqala kwakhe ukuyijonga yayibonakala ngokungathi liswili elinganqunqwanga, okanye lihlamvu ebelithiwe nxu emanzini ladityaniswe nodaka, naxa lona ivumba yayilelenyama.  Wayexakiwe phofu kukuba uza kuthi lihlamvu lomthi onjani eli liloluhlobo.
Wothuka wahleka yedwa uvakele akubona ukuba yinkuku le ephekwe apha, koko iphekwe neentsiba, ingaxhwithwanga.  Ukhumbule futhi ukuba unina ebethe ufuna ukuyazi ukuthi yinyama yantoni leyo iphekwe apho.  Ngoko nangoko wathi nyebelele ukuphuma kwakhe, wakhawuleza ukugoduka.
"Iyo mama!  Inene andizange ndiyibone into efana naleya," wafika ekhaya watsho kunina uvakele.  "Andizange ndiyibone inkuku iphekwa neentsiba, ingaxhwithwanga.  Loo nto isuke yaba yinto engaqondakaliyo xa ungayiqwalaselanga ukuyijonga."

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"Uthi kutheni na Vakele?" Lo mbuzo wawubuza ebambelele emlonyeni unokoloni.  "Uthi le nkuku iphekwe njani?"
"Mama," utshilo ukuphendula uvakele ngokukhawuleza, "le nkuku inqunyulwe nje intloko yafakwa embizeni ingaxhwithwanga injalo, inganqunqwanga nokunqunqwa."
"U-uwowu!  Ndaza ndawuva umhlola," wakhuza waqhwaba izandla unokoloni.  "Yinto enakhe nayiva phi into yokuphekwa kwenkuku ingaxhwithwanga?  Ngokwenene ngokwenene yinkuku ebiweyo leyo.  Tyhini zizwe zakwachizama, kanti silele nje thina ebusuku aba bantwana batya iinkuku zethu?  Inene ndifung'ubhuti efile baza kundazi namhlanje.  UMagqadaza nompokompoko baphi?  Khawuleza undibizele bona mntwan'am.  Ndifuna bafike phaya engekemki la makhwenkwe, esekho onke."
UMagqadaza nompokompoko yayingabafana ababengabakhuluwa bakavakele.  Wathi akubaxelela unokoloni ukuthi mabaye kulombokotho baye kukhangela le nto yale nkuku iphekwe ingaxhwithwanga bathabatha iimvubu basukela phezulu.  Bathi phofu iimvubu ezo baziphathela ukoyikisa loo makhwenkwe ukuze axele inyaniso; abasokuzisebenzisa ngaphandle kwemfuneko.
Bafika kanye xa igqityezelwayo ukutyiwa inyama, iintsiba zixhwithwe zagalelwa engxoweni.  Yayingamakhwenkwe amahlanu awayelapho, kukho neentombi ezimbini.  Bafika abanqonqoza nokunqonqoza oomagqadaza, kuba ucango lwalungavalwanga, lwalubuyiswe nje.
Bathi bakungena ngaphakathi omnye wema kwelinye icala, nomnye wema kwelinye icala apha errmyango.  UMagqadaza waqala ngokuthi, evonya imvubu yakhe: "Nenza ntoni apha makwedini?  Niyithathe phi le nkuku niyityayo?"
Kwaphendula enye inkwenkwe ngelizwi elalivakala ukuba izama ukuliqolisa isithi: "Sitya inyama yempangele esiyibulele emini kulaa ntsimi yakulontozini."
UMagqadaza ulaqaze ngapha nangapha, ada amehlo akhe atsalwa yilaa ngxowa ezigalelwe kuyo iintsiba zenkuku.  Uyithathile wayivula wabona ukuba ziintsiba zenkuku ezi, kuba naxa zimdaka ngenxa yokuba inkuku iphekwe nazo zingaxhwithwanga, kodwa zacaca ukuba

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ezimhlophe zimhlophe, ezibomvu zibomvu.  Uyitsalile le ngxowa inezi ntsiba, eyitsalela kule ndawo emi kuyo ngasemnyango.  Uchophe kakuhle phezu kwezithende zakhe waziqwalasela kakuhle ezo ntsiba.  Akugqiba ukuziqwalasela wabona ukuba zezenkuku erhwexu, oko kukuthi zezenkuku emhlophe enamabala abomvu.  Ucele noMpokompoko ukuba naye makakhe ajonge ukuba zezantoni na.  Naye umpokompoko uvakalise ubungqina bokuba ziintsiba zenkuku.  Uthe qhuzuqhuzu ukuhleka umagqadaza, wathi ukusukuma kwakhe: "Nina makwedini nicinga ukuba nihlakaniphile, kanti nizizidenge.  Nithi yimpangele le niyityayo apha, kodwa ke khanindixelele ukuba ikhona na impangele ebomvu, kuba nina andizange ndiyibone.  Into endiyibonayo apha ziintsiba zenkuku erhwexu."
Athe akuyana ngamehlo amakhwenkwe engaphenduli umagqadaza wabhekisa kwenye inkwenkwe eyayisaphethe inyama ngesandla esithi: "Heyi wena kwedini, ikhangeleka ngokungathi yinyama yesifuba leyo uyiphetheyo.  Khawusondele nayo apha ndiyibone."
Ithe yakusondela loo nkwenkwe naloo nyama, akuyijonga umagqadaza, wathi: "Nabu ubungqina besibini obubonisa ukuba yinkuku le, asiyompangele," utsho eyithatha loo nyama kuloo nkwenkwe.  "Akusokuze uyibone impangele enenyama emhlophe xa iphekiweyo.  Inyama yempangele imdaka xa ivuthiweyo.  Makwedini, niyibile le nkuku.  Niyibe phi?"
Cwaka.
"Ndithi makwedini niyibe phi le nkuku?"
TU.
"Kulungile ke xa nizizimumu ezingakwaziyo ukuthetha. limvubu ezi siziphetheyo ziza kuyivula loo milomo yenu.  Mpokompoko, masisondele kubo."
Bathe bengekayenzi loo nto kwaxhuma enye intwana yema ngeenyawo.  Inkangeleko yayo ibonakele ukuba yeyona ilula kuwo onke loo makhwenkwe alapho.  "Hayi bhuti, asiyazi thina le nkuku apho ivela khona. lbize nosthembiso esithi uyithengile, wathi mayiphekwe siyitye."

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"Uphi yena usthembiso lowo?"
"Nankuya," itshilo le ntwana isalatha.
"Sukuma S'thembiso."
Kusukume inkwenkwe ethe ukusukuma kwayo yayithi krwaqu ngeliso elibi le ntwana, iliso elibonakele ngokungathi liyasongela.  Uthe akuyijonga umagqadaza, wathi naxa angengonmtu ukwaziyo ukubufunda ubuso bomntu, kodwa wabubona obale nkwenkwe ukuba buzele amaqhinga.
"Khawutsho kwedini le nkuku uyibe phi, kuba ukuyiba oku uyibile."
Cwaka uS'thembiso.  Into asuke wayenza kakumana eshixiza ngeenyawo ngokungathi uxakwe kukuma.  "Hayi bhuti le-le nkuku ndi-ndiyi..."
"Thetha kwedini, mus'ukulibala kukundindiza.  Uyibe phi le nkuku?"
"Uxolo torwana bhuti.  Ndiza kukuxelela inyaniso ngoku.  Ndiyibe phaya kulovakele."
"0! Ngathi uza nayo inyaniso.  Kuphela kwale inkuku oyibileyo?"
"Ewe bhuti."
"Uyaxoka kwedini.  Asikokuphela kwayo le."
"Ndithetha ngale yanamhla mna, andithethi ngezinye zezinye iintsuku."
"Tyhini le!  Kanti kukho nezinye iinkuku zezinye iintsuku?  Nazo ezo zibiwa kwanguwe lo?"
"Hayi, azibiwa ndim ndedwa.  Siyabalisana namanye amakhwenkwe.  Aba mabini amakhwenkwe aya khona, ukwenzela ukuba ize ithi enye xa ivula 	ihoko enye igade umntu oza kuphuma phaya endlwini aze abonakale ngokungathi uza apha ngasehokweni."
"Aphi amanye amakhwenkwe eniyenza nawo le nto, akho akhoyo apha?"
USthembiso uwaphose ngapha nangapha amehlo ekhangela, wanikina intloko esithi: "Inye endiyibonayo, amanye akakho namhlanje."
"Uyabona ke S'thembiso," utshilo umagqadaza, "ndifuna akuba undixelele yonke into, ukususela ekuqaleni kwenu ukuziba iinkuku zabantu, nokuthi yiyiphi imizi enizibe

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kuyo.  Enye into endifuna ukuyiqonda yeyokuba nenzela ukuthini ngokuyipheka inkuku ineentsiba, ingaxhwithwanga? Iba yinyama enjani yona leyo emlonyeni xa uyityayo?"
Ukhe wee nqumama usthembiso akaphendula umzuzwana, ebonakala ngathi uyacinga.  Ukususa kwakhe ukuthetha uthe: "Inyama yona akukho nto imbi ivakalayo emlonyeni xa uyityayo, iyafana nje neyenkuku exhwithiweyo.  Yona into yokuyipheka ngolu hlobo senzela ukuba mayikhawuleze ukuvuthwa."
"lkhawuleze ukuvuthwa?" Kukhuze umpokompoko ngolo hlobo, wabuza esithi" "Yinto enaniyiva ngabani leyo?"
"Eyiphi ke bhuti?"
"Le yokuba inkuku ephekwe neentsiba iyakhawuleza ukuvuthwa?"
. "O-o, ndiyakuva ke ngoku bhuti.  Kaloku loo nto sayiva ngomayedwa."
"Nayiva ngabani?" Babuza kunye ngexesha elinye umagqadaza nompokompoko.  Wathi engekaphenduli uSthembiso wavakala ehleka kakhulu umpokompoko esithi: "Nayiva ngomayedwa? lyawa ngumayedwa.  Hayi ke ngoku mna ndincamile.  Kuyacaca ukuba le nkwenkwe ayisokuze iphume ephungulelweni.  Yonke into engalunganga neyintlondi ayicingi ukungabikho kuyo.  Hayi mfo kabawo Magqadaza into ebesithunywe yona siyifumene.  Ngako oko masigoduke siye kunika ingxelo.  Yiz'apha Sthembiso."
Ukuya kwakhe usthembiso kumpokompoko wayengazi nokuba ingaba le ndoda imbizela ukumbetha na okanye iza kumenza ntoni na.  Kodwa uthe akufika kubo wasuka umpokompoko wakhulula ibhanti yakhe abhinqe ngayo, wamdibanisa izandla zozibini ngaloo bhanti.  "Asinakho ukukushiya," watsho umpokompoko xa baphumayo emnyango.  "Ukuba sinokuyenza loo nto singaba senze impazamo enkulu kakhulu."
Endleleni, umpokompoko wabhekisa kumagqadaza esithi: "Uyayazi le nkwenkwe ingumayedwa ithetha ngaye le nkwenkwe?"

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Waphendula esithi umagqadaza:- "Naxa ndingazange ndikhe ndiyibone kakuhle andinakutsho ukuthi andiyazi, ngoba ndikhe ndive xa kuncokolwa ngayo ngamanye amakhwenkwe."
"Sukuba bencokola ngayo besithini?" Wabuza uMpokompoko.
"Sukuba beyincoma ukundweba nokukhalipha kwayo.  The mfondini," waqhuba esitsho umagqadaza, kubonakala ukuba uya efudumala yile ncoko, "uhlobo abayincoma ngalo ngezinto ezninzi ezenzayo le nkwenkwe ungasuka unqwenele ukuyibona xa uzivayo izinto abazithethayo ngayo."
"Uthini na mfondini!" wakhuza wajonga kumagqadaza ebusweni umpokompoko.  "Kucaca ukuba uva lukhulu ngale nkwenkwe, nokuba ngaba akuyazi kakuhle ngokuyibona.  Phofu ke noko nam andazi nto kakhulu ngayo, kuba andizange ndizibone xa izenzayo ezi zinto ekuthiwa iyazenza.  Kodwa uhlobo ekuthethwa ngalo ngayo ungacinga ukuba sisiphompothela senkwenkwe enomzimba omkhulu namehlo alaqazayo."
"Kwakunjalo nakum," watsho ukuphendula umagqadaza.  "Ndasuka ndamangala mhla ndayibona le ntwana ithunywe phaya ekhaya.  Ndayixelelwa zezi zasekhaya zisithi nguye lo ke lo Mayedwa bahlala bethetha ngaye.  Uthi ndayothuka loo nto.  Ndaphika, ndaphika ndade ndancama xa bandixelela ukuba ngulo Mayedwa lo obesand'ukugqiba ubhuntseke ngesiquphe esingazange sibonwe ngamakhwenkwe asencemerha."
Ngeli xesha bancokolayo babehamba usthembiso bemgcine apha phakathi kwabo.  Naye ngokwakhe usthembiso wayecinga njengokuba behamba nje, ecinga ukuthi angad-dni na ukuze aphuncuke kula madoda.  Wayeyicinga nento ethi ukuba bebehamba phakathi kwamatyholo ebengawaphambayo abaleke, ebhoyiwe enjalo, angene phakathi kwamatyholo alahleke kuphele.
Onke loo makhwenkwe ayebe iinkulu zikanokoloni afumana ithamsanqa - lokungabanjwa.  Wathi akuwaxela amanye amakhwenkwe usthembiso unokoloni wathi akazokuwabamba, into nje ayifunayo yeyokuba abazali bawo mabahlawule iinkuku zakhe.  Nabo ke abazali bawo

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loo makhwenkwe bavuma lula ukuyenza loo nto, kuba kwakungekho mzali wayefuna ukuba unintwana wakhe makaye entolongweni.








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13.  Iyawa ngumayedwa

Yayingomnye wemidlalo ebalulekileyo weentonga.  Ayedibaniselene amakhwenkwe asesikolweni nawamaqaba.  Wawubaluleke kuwo omabini amacala lo mdlalo, emakhwenkweni asesikolweni nawasemaqabeni.
Amakhwenkwe amaqaba ayesithi akazazi iintonga awasesikolweni, into ayaziyo kukufunda incwadi, zibe iintonga zingafundwa ncwadini.
Awasesikolweni wona ayemi kwinto enye, eyokuba afane ezithetha nje ezo zinto la makhwenkwe amaqaba, kodwa icacile yona into yokuba akukho nto ibhetele ayaziyo ngeentonga, ngoba akukho nokuba ibenye inkwenkwe yasesikolweni eyakhe yoyiswa yinkwenkwe yeqaba besilwa ngeentonga, Ngako oko makangafane azingce ngokuthi azazi ngaphezu kwawo iintonga.
Kula makhwenkwe amaqaba kwakukho inkwenkwe eyayizidla ngokuthi yona iyazazi iintonga.  Igama layo lalinguzekuthi, eMaMpingeni.  UZekuthi wayenqenwa yinkoliso yamakhwenkwe, kangangokuba ayeba mbalwa amqulelayo.  Phofu ke yayingekokuthi wayezazi ukudlula amanye amakhwenkwe iintonga, hayi; eyona nto awayenqenwa ngayo yayingumlomo wakhe, into ephuma kuwo xa ahlangene nenye inkwenkwe.  Wayethetha kanene ngomlomo wakhe.  Wayeyixelela inkwenkwe adibene nayo ukuthi uza kuyibetha ayisukele aye kuyingenisa kokwayo eyihleli ngentonga ezimpundwini.  Okanye ngelinye ixesha ayixelele ukuba uza kuyibetha itsho yenze into ethile.
Wayewabhida ngolo hlobo uzekuthi amanye amakhwenkwe.  Yayisuka inkwenkwe iyeke le into bahlangene ngayo, iintonga, isuke imamele le ntshwaqane iphuma emlonyeni wakhe.  Kwakuba njalo ke uzekuthi wayefumana ithuba lokuba ayenze le nto athi uza kuyenza.
Ngale mini yalo mdlalo mkhulu umayedwa wafika mva sewuqhutywa; naxa ngelo xesha wayefika ngalo kwakungekho makhwenkwe adlalayo.  Wafika ephethe iintonga zakhe azithembileyo zombini, uspotoshe igalelo lakhe, nosangweni ikhohlo lakhe okanye intonga yakhe yokuhlanganisa.  Ezo yayiziintonga zakhe ezazingazange zingene endlwini, zibethwe zizithunzi zabafazi.
Wafumana ulunqa umayedwa akufika kungekho makhwenkwe asestikini adlalayo.  Into awasuka wayibona yaba ngamakhwenkwe ahleli nje ebonakala ebuthile encokola.  Yammangalisa loo nto, wathi nqa kukuthi makube kutheni na, okanye makube mhlawumbi umdlalo sewuphelile?  Kodwa wona amakhwenkwe ayesemaninzi.
Ukufika kwakhe umayedwa akazange aye kulaa ndawo ayehleli kuyo amakhwenkwe, wafika wema estikini wawajonga, kungekho nto ayithethayo umzuzu omde.  Nawo amakhwenkwe akhe ahlala engathethi, kungekho nto ayibhekisayo kuye emjonge nje kuphela.  Emva kwexesha bejongene enye inkwenkwe ivakele ibuza isithi: "Kutheni na mfondini, wafika wema nje ungathethi, ngokungathi kukho into enkulu oyicingayo?"
'Hayi, indawo yokuqala yeyokuba bendingekafuni kuthetha.  Eyesibini yeyokuba andizanga kuhlala phantsi, ndize emdlalweni weentonga," watsho ukuphendula umayedwa, waqhuba esithi, "Nangoku ndimangaliswe yinto yokuba ndifike nihleli nincokola kungekho nto niyenzayo.  Kunjalo nje nikhangeleka nityhafile ngokungathi nigqiba ukutya inyama yomqha.  Benisitya inyama yomqha?"
Akuzange kubekho nkwenkwe imphendulayo, asuka ayana ngamehlo, kwabakho namsinekelayo.  Kwabakho nenye eyavakala isithi, phofu ingabhekisi rrmtwini; "Kwekhu!  Kodwa noko uyadelela umayedwa lo.  Kutheni le nto athanda ukuthetha into ayithandayo xa athetha namanye amakhwenkwe?"
Yaba nguzekuthi owaphendula esithi" "Wenziwa kukuba niyamoyika, ndibe mna ndingayiboni nale nto nimoyika yona.  Kutheni ningambethi nje?  Kaloku nakuye ibuhlungu intonga yakuhlala enyameni.  Mna nihla aya kuze adibane nam uya kuze akuyeke oku kugeza anako."
Enye inkwenkwe yakhawule2a yamphendula uzekuthi isithi, "Eyona nto njengokuba ulibele kukuthetha nje

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nankuya uMayedwa emi estikini, elinde inkwenkwe equlayo iye kuye.  Khangela nangoku.  Nankuya equla."
Akazange ayinanze yonke loo nto yayithethwa ngaloo makhwenkwe umayedwa.  Yena wabopha iqulo lakhe kakuhle, walitsho laqina, walimbambatha eliva ukuba liqine kakuhle na.  Akugqiba loo nto uthathe intonga yakhe yokugalela, uspotoshe, wayithi khatha ekhwapheni lakhe lasekhohlo.  Iqulo lakhe ulihlabe phantsi wasimelela ngalo, wavova ngalo mlenze wasekhohlo wema phezu kweenzwane nedolo lawo, wanyathela kakuhle phantsi ngolu lwasekunene unyawo.  Uthe ke ethobe ngolo hlobo wathetha ebhekisa emakhwenkweni esithi: "Makwedini, mandiphinde ndithi makwedini, ndilindile, ndilinde inkwenkwe ibenye eza kuza kum.  Ndilinde inkwenkwe enesibindi sokuza kuma phambi kwam sigqebhane ngeentonga.  Yona inkwenkwe esakhe sadibana ngazo ize ingazikhathazi nokuzikhathaza ngokuza, kuba ndandiyoyisile nje kuqala nangoku ndakuyoyisa.  Ndibe namhlanje ndakuyiqongqotha ngeli xesha seyoyisakele isithi masiyeke."
Ngokuva ukundumzela kwamakhwenkwe, esazi ukuba andumzela ngaye, uthe, "Njengokuba nilapho nje ndinazi nonke, ndinigqibe kudala nokunibala.  Nilishumi elinesihlanu ninonke, ngunmqakathi ke lowo, ndibe namhlanje ndiza kusebenza ngonmqakathi lo.  Ishumi elinesithathu ke apho kuni ndaloyisa kudala, aye amanye andiwoyisanga kwaba kanye, ndiwaphindile.  Amakhwenkwe endingazange ndikhe ndihlangane nawo apho kuni ngoku mabini qha.  Ndilinde enye yawo ke ngoku."
Ngokubona uzekuthi esukuma ethatha iintonga zakhe, usukumile naye umayedwa akugqiba ukuthetha wema ngeenyawo.  Uyithe rhutyu intonga yakhe ekhwapheni, wayithi jwi wayigibisela phezulu.  Ukuhla kwayo uyijongisise kakuhle, wathi ukuyiganga kwakhe wayibamba ngesiphatho sayo.  Ngokubona ukuba uzekuthi akakagqibi ukuqula, ukhe wayivonya umayedwa le ntonga yakhe, ephatha kukhamuluka agalele emoyeni ngokungathi ubetha emntwini.
Uthe ebesegqibe ekubeni makayikhawulele le nkwenkwe umayedwa wabuya waqonda ukuba kuya kuthiwa

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uyiqubule, mabadibane apha estikini.  Ukhe watshayinta nokutshayinta, wakhe waya kujika kude, kanye xa uzekuthi aphumayo emakhwenkweni esiza estikini.  Ukuza kwakhe uze ethwethwa umayedwa, intonga yakhe eyirhuqa.  Ukufika kwakhe kuzekuthi ufike xa uzekuthi agqibela amazwi athi "...inene ndiza kukubetha uzifise mtsulwanandini."
Kuyo yonke loo nto uzekuthi akazange amazi ukuba umayedwa uze kufika nini na phambi kwakhe.  Akuzange kuvakale nokugqwakaza kweentonga ukuhlangana kwabo.  Wathi akufika phambi kwayo le nkwenkwe umayedwa intonga yakhe yenza isaqhwithi esatsho wadideka uzekuthi zatsho zaphelela esithubeni nezo ntetho zezisongelo.  Intonga kamayedwa yahlala kakhulu emzimbeni wakhe uzekuthi, engafuni ukumbetha entloko, kuba esithi uMayedwa ufuna ukuyibetha le nkwenkwe ive ukuba iyabethwa.
Ayikho indawo angazange abethwe kuyo emzimbeni wakhe uzekuthi ngumayedwa, iimbambo, kusemathangeni nasezintsuleni.
Kungabanga kudala waqondakala icala lo mdlalo okekelela ngakulo.  Ngokukhawuleza okungalandelekiyo umayedwa wayikhupha ezimbanjeni kuzekuthi macala omabini intonga yakhe.  Kwangelo xesha hnye usondele ngokukhawuleza kuzekuthi.  Uthe ebengayiqondanga uzekuthi loo nto waqabuka selekufuphi phambi kwakhe umayedwa.
Unge ubuya umva uMayedwa, wazinika nje umhlaba owaneleyo xa agalelayo.  Utsho kakhulu ngentonga yakhe umayedwa esifubeni kuzekuthi, yavakala incwina inkwenkwe yeqaba.  Uphindile kwakhona umayedwa watsho ngomvumbo oshushu ebeleni, watsho uzekuthi waba ngathi udidekile.
Akaphumlanga umayedwa ngelo xesha.  Usineke umlomo wawubhekisa ecaleni, watsho kakhulu ngentonga yakhe ecaleni lasekhohlo entanyeni kuzekuthi.
Ukuwa kukazekuthi kwaqala kwawa intonga yakhe, waza yena waziphakamisa iingalo zakhe ngokungathi uza kwamkela ufefe, phofu zona izandla zityokotyoko neminwe yalathe phantsi ngokungathi ngamasebe omngcunube.

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Ukuwa kwakhe waba ngathi ngumntu lo obezama ukuhlala ngeempundu kodwa imilenze ayabi nakho ukumxhasa, waza wee folokohlo walala ngecala.
Ngalo lonke elo xesha umayedwa umi phezu kwakhe umjongile.  Into angazange afune ukuyenza umayedwa kukumqusha ngoku selephantsi.  Wayedla ngokuthi xa athethayo loo nto yenziwa ngamagwala into yokuthi ngoku umntu sewumoyisile umgqibile ube usamhleli ngentonga.
UMayedwa umyekile uzekuthi, waguquka wajonga emakhwenkweni esithi: "Ndisatsho nangoku, ndithi inkwenkwe ezivayo ukuba ingamelana nam mayiqule ngoku ize sidibane ngoku.  Ndiyagqibelisa namhlanje ukuza emdlalweni weentonga, kuba siza kwaluka kule veki ingaphaya kwale izayo.  Andifuni ukuba ze kubekho inkwenkwe exokayo isithi yakhe yadibana nam emdlalweni weentonga, yandoyisa.
"Apha encemerha iyonke inkunzi emakhwenkweni ndim.  Kunjalo nje ndiyiyo nje ndiyiyo." Wathetha ngoku umayedwa ebhekisa kuleya inkwenkwe abesithi akazange akhe adibane nayo ngeentonga esithi: "Nditsho kuwe kwedini yeqaba.  Ndithi yiza ngoku sidibane.  Kutheni, waphunguza uyoyika?  Kutheni le nto ngathi ungxamele ukubaleka?" Watsho umayedwa ngokubona ukuba ukusukuma kwayo le nkwenkwe, endaweni yokuba isukume iqula, iyaphunguza.
Wathi umayedwa akubona ukuba nene nene le nkwenkwe izimisele ukubaleka, waya kuyo ekhawulezile.  Yathi kanti naxa isenza loo migudu yokufuna ukubaleka nje le nkwenkwe kodwa imgxeleshile umayedwa.  Yatsiba owenkawu umtsi ukusuka apho emakhwenkweni ibaleka, kodwa ayizange incede lutho loo nto, kuba yathabatha nje amanyathelo ambalwa ibaleka waba selefikile kuyo umayedwa.
Naleyo inkwenkwe umayedwa akazange afune ukuyibetha entloko.  Nayo wayihlalela lo mzimba ungezantsi, wayibethisisa kakuhle, izama ukuhlanganisa ngeengalo, kuba kaloku iintonga zayo yayizishiye phaya esiqhwl'-M' samakhwenkwe ngelaa xesha ibizama ukubaleka.  Wathi ukuze ayeke ukuyibetha umayedwa yasuka yalila

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okomntwana, seyimcenga nokumcenga imthombisa nangezmto eza kumpha zona.
Wathi akugqiba ukuyibetha loo nkwenkwe umayedwa wabuyela emakhwenkweni, phofu akeza kufika kuwo.  Wathi esathe qelele wathetha ebhekisa kuwo onke esithi" "Ukuba ikho inkwenkwe enesikrokro ndim lo ndisekho, mayize ngoku ndingekalikhululi iqulo." Wathi akubona ukuba akukho nkwenkwe isukumayo okanye ithethayo waqhuba esithi; "Kulungile ke magwalandini, ndiza kunibethela le nto yokuba ningamagwala." Wathi esitsho wabe esiya kuwo ngokukhawuleza, intonga eyithe qhiwu, elungiselele ukugalela ngayo.
Yeka ke amakhwenkwe ukubaleka kwawo akuyibona loo nto.  Akuzange kubekho ithi masithini na.  Yaba yileyo yathi zinyawo zam, khanindincede oku kwanan-Lhlanje.  Akazange awaleqe umayedwa loo makhwenkwe akubona uhlobo awayebaleka ngalo.  Wasuka wanikina intloko wawahleka.  Yaba nguskhotsholo yedwa inkwenkwe eyasala apho, ngoba yena wayesazi ukuba umayedwa wayengenakumenza nto yena.  Nawo loo makhwenkwe athi akubheka, akubona umayedwa emile ehleka engawaleqi akhwazana, esithi makubuywe, kuba ebewothusa nje edlala nawo umayedwa.
Kungelo xesha ke awavakala ngalo uskhotsholo esithi:
Hoyi-i-ni makwedin'asekhay'eNcemerha,
Mamela-a-ni makhwenkw'azizidenge ngenxa yobudala,
Zintondini ezingasweli qhinga ngenxa yobuciko,
Zintondin'ezityabuk'iilwimi ngenxa yokuxoka,
Nditsho n-Lna Skhotsholo wasemngqalasini,
Nditsho mna Skhotsholo oya kuhlal'engujingxa,
Kub'andikafun'ukubushiya ubukhwenkwe,
Kub'andikadikwa ngamacongwan'eenkab'zeenkomo,
Kub'andikadikwa ziintam'ezityebileyo zeegusha
nezeebhokhwe
Andikaneli kukuya kwanothanda ngexa endifuna ngalo.
Khanindimamele kancinci ndikhe ndithethe,
Kulusizi kakhulu kwinkwenkwe elilolo,
Engazang'ikh'iphume ihamba hambe,
Ikhe idibane nezimanga ngezimanga,

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Ikhe inyathele kwimihlaba ngemihlaba,
Ikhe idibane namakhwenkw'ezinye iindawo.  Inkwenkw'ayizaz'aph'iya khona,
Kuba nay'ayizaz'aph'iya khona,
Inkwenkw'ayibuzw'aph'ivela khona,
Kub'iza kukuxokisa kakade. lv'intwemb'inkwenkwe ethi yakujanyelwa, Izive seyiphulukiwe yathetha inyaniso, lv'intwemb'inkwenkw'ethi yakulamba,
Yoyik'ukuya kungen'entsimin'izikhelel'umbona yoje.
Makhwenkwe asencemerha ndiyaxakwa nini,
Kuba ndithi ndakunijonga xa ninonke,
Ndinibone ninyolukele ukuba ngamadoda.
Kulungile, hambani ke niye kubungcamla ubudoda obo,
Hambani ke nilandel'iminqweno yenu,
Kuba nizinyulele ngokwenu apho niya khona,
Kuba nithe nifun'ukuba ngamadoda.
Hambani niye kuba ngawo ke, kulungile.
Kodwa ndinosizi lwenu nina makwedini,
Nina makwedini abushiyayo ubukhwenkwe,
Nakuzikhumbula iintsuku zakudala,
Mhla sabeth'uvayedwa watsho wacel'uxolo,
Sajika samsukela ngamasele emva koko.
Kodwa kulungile hambani,
Kuba ke bethu yindlel'engaphetshwayo leyo,
Kuba nathi siza kuyihamba ngenye imini,
Ewe ke bethu ngenye imini.
Mpofololo-mpofo-mpofo-mpofololo.

Isiphelo
