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Kwesukesukela! Kwakukhona indoda eyahamba yayowuzingela ngoba ezweni kwakukhona indlala enkulu. Yahamba yahamba lendoda, yehla yenyuka, ingavusi neyodwa inyamazane laze lashona ilanga. Lapho isiphindela ekhaya eduze nje nedlela yabona inyoni enhle enemibalabala eminingi: obomvu esifubeni, ophuzi kanye noluhlaza okotshani ezimpikweni, omnyama kanye noluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka esiswini, omhlophe nomnyama ekhanda, kanti futhi nesisila eside esimbala omhlophe nokumnyama. Umlomo [wawo] wayo wawumuhle umncane ubomvu kakhulu. Kwathi lapho indoda ifuna ukushaya inyoni leyo ngesagila sayo sokuzingela [yez] yezwakwala isikhala okwengane inyoni, ikhuluma, "Hawu muntu wenkosi, ungangibulali bo. Ngiyazi ulambile ngoba nina bantu niphethwe yindlala enkulu. Uma ungangibulali ngizokwenzela isimanga ongeke uze usikhohlwe uze uyokufa. Ngizokupha amasi kanye nomlaza. Uma nje ungitshela ukuthi ufunani mina ngizokunika phakathi kwamasi nomlaza." Indoda yethuka kakhulu kwaze kwawaphansi isagila sayo. "Usho njalo nyoni enhle uthi ungangipha amasi nomlaza?" kubuza indoda selokhu imangele. "Yebo. Kodwa kumele ucele ngendlela ethile. Uma ufuna amasi awothi; ënyoni yami wothi khihli!í Uma ufuna umlaza awothi ënyoni yami wothi ntsha!íMina-ke ngizokhihliza futhi ngintshazise njengokucela kwakho." Indoda yacala khona lapho yacela, "Nyoni yami wothi khihli!" Khona lapho inyoni yakhihliza amasi. [Yahlala i...] Yahlala phansi indoda yadla yesutha isisu saba laphaya kuhle okomfazi okhulelwe. Yezwa ukuthi seyomile futhi yase icela umlaza, "Nyoni yami wothi ntsha!" Ngokuphazima kweso inyoni yantshazisa umlaza, yaphuza indoda. Indoda yajabula kakhulu yaphuthuma ekhaya layo nenyoni yezimamangaliso. Uma ifika ekhaya yavele yacela ukuthi inyoni ikhihlize futhi intshazise yikhona umndeni wayo uzodla futhi uphuze. Inkosikazi yendonda kanye nabantwana bajabula kakhulu. Badla besutha izisu zaba laphaya njengomfazi okhulelwe. Indoda yalaya abantwana bayo ukuthi bangakhulumi ngalendaba yenyoni yezimanga kubangani babo. Omakhelwane balendoda bamangala sebebona indoda nomndeni wayo belokhu becwebezela nje kubonakala ukuthi indlala ephethe izwe lonke abayizwa nokuyizwa bona. Ngolunye usuku indoda nenkosikazi yayo bahamba uhambo olude bezobuya ntambama sekushone nelanga. Kwathi besithela nje ngale kwentaba abantwana bagijima bayotshela omakhelwane babo ukuthi phela bona badla amasi nomlaza ophuma enyonini yakubo. Omakhelwane babaphikisa bathi akukho nyoni enamasi nomlaza. Izingane zabatshela ukuthi uma bengakholwa kungcono beze bazobona lenyoni. Omakhelwane beza, nebala bacala abantwana bakhuluma nenyoni, "Nyoni yami wothi khihli!" Yakhihliza amasi inyoni. Baphinda abantwana "nyoni yami wothi ntsha!" Yantshazisa inyoni. Hawu omakhelwane bagijima sebelande izinkamba nezimbiza zokufaka amasi nomlaza. Bavele bema udwende olude belokhu bethi enyonini ayikhihlize iphinde intshazise. Yakhihliza inyoni yaphinde yatshazisa yaze yaphelelwa ngamandla selokhu bememeze njalo omakhelwane. Abanye babeyithethisa bethi ayisheshise kugcwale ezinkambeni nasezimbizeni. Kwathi nje bengazelele bayibona inyoni ithi dansa, dansa kwaye kanye yathi bhalakaca phansi isifile! Wemame! Asazi bazothini obaba nomama! Cosu cosu: iyaphela! |
