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Kwesukesukela! Kwakukhona inkosana eyayikhulile impela kodwa ilokhu ingathathi inkosikazi. Inkosi yakhathazeka kakhulu ngalesimo sendodana yayo, yase ikhipha isimemezelo esizweni sonke ukuthi izintombi zize esigodlweni zizozama inhlanhla yokuthandwa yinkosana. Izintombi zaqhamuka emagumbini omane omhlaba. Kukhona ezaqhamuka enyakatho, ezinye zaqhamuka eningizimu, ezinye zaqhamuka empumalanga, kanti ezinye zaqhamuka entshonalanga. Kwakuthi lapho izintombi sezizofika eduze nesigodlo zihlangane nesalukazi esidala kakhulu. Isalukazi sasingabukeki kahle ebusweni ngoba sasinobhici. "Sawubona mntanomntanami," kusho isalukazi sikhuluma ngezwi elivevezelayo ngendaba yokuguga. "Angiyena umntanomntanakho mina wesalukazi ndini!" Kusho intombi enhle ecisha ilanga. Saqhubeka isalukazi singanaki nokunaka ukuthi intombi ayithandi ukukhuluma naso, "Aw awungisize mntanomntanami umane ungisuse nantu ubhici emehlweni ami bo." Intombi enhle esho ngezitho ezinhle kanye namazinyo amhlophe njengeqhwa yavele yafulathela nje yahamba ngokukhulu ukushesha ingafuni ukubhekana nesalukazi sobhici. Isalukazi sase sikwejwayele ukukhulunyiswa [kwab] kabi yizintombi ezaziya esigodlweni ziyozama inhlanhla yokuthandwa yinkosana. Indaba ebuhlungu yikho ukuthi zonke izintombi ezazinonya esalukazini sobhici zazithi nje lapho zivela ngaphambi kwenkosana ivele iphimise amathe ithi, "Susa, susa! Susa phambi kwami lesi sibozi sekhiwane elihle ngaphandle kanti ngaphakathi ligcwele izimpethu." Abahlala esigodlweni nabo base bekwejwayele ukubona izintombi zihamba sezijabhile ngoba inkosana izibize ngezibozi zamakhiwane. Ngolunye usuku, uNtombinkulu, owayekade ehlala nogogo wakhe ngoba abazali bakhe bashona esemncane kakhulu naye wahamba waya khona esigodlweni eyozama inhlanhla njengezinye izintombi. Wayengafuni nokuhamba uNtombinkulu ngoba wayezazi ukuthi akayena umuntu omuhle acishe ilanga njengezinye izintombi zakuleyondawo, kodwa ugogo wakhe wamkhuthaza wathi makahambe. Njengenhlalayenza isalukazi sobhici saqhamuka lapho nje uNtombinkulu esezofika esigodlweni. Kwathi lapho esibona isalukazi wavele wasibingelela kuqala uNtombunkulu. "Sawubona gogo," sekusho uNtombunkulu ngezwi elinenhlonipho [ngesizo...] nesizotha. Isalukazi sethuka kabi sizwa umuntu esibiza ngogogo. "Hawu mntanomntanami uvelaphi wena owazi mina?" UNtombinkulu wavele wamamatheka nje. Kwathi lapho ebheka isalukazi ebusweni wabona ukuthi sinobhici, wayesekhipha iduku lakhe lokufinya wathi, "Hawu wegogo, ake ngikwesule ubhici ebusweni bo," washo esevele eselula, eselula isandla esesula amehlo isalukazi. Isalukazi senkosi savele sazibongela ngezwi elivevezelayo, "Inkosi ikubusise mntanomntanami!" Naye uNtombinkulu wabonga esalukazini, elokhu emamatheka nje. Kwathi lapho eseseduze nesango lesigodlo senkosi uNtombinkulu kwezwakala icilongo, kwabonakala namasotsha eseshaya isaluthi. Kuso lesosiphithiphithi kwabonakala inkosana ihamba kancane phakathi kodwendwe lwamasotsha iqonde khona esangweni. Amasotsha amabili ayehamba ngaphambi kwenkosana ehlangabeza uNtombinkulu. Esephambi kwakhe amasotsha avele ashaya isaluthi. "Ndlovukazi! Siyakwemukela!" Leyo yinkosana ilokhu imamatheke njalo kuhle kwesinkwa sibona ibhotela. Cosu cosu: iyaphela! |
