Kwesukasukela, kwakukhona umlimi owayenamadodana amathathu. Kwahamba iminyaka washona umlimi, akashiyanga lutho ngaphandle komshini wakhe wokugaya ummbila, imbongolo kanye nekati. Indodana endala yathatha umshini, indodana yesibili yathatha imbongolo yahamba nayo, kwase kuthi umagcino wathatha ikati.
“Ayikho into engizoyenza,” kubalisa umagcino, “Ngizovele ngidle leli kati bese ngenza amagilavu ngesikhumba salo. Emuva kwalokho ngingasenalutho kulo mhlaba, ngizofa ngibulawe yindlala.” Ikati lalimlalele umagcino ebalisa kanjena, kodwa lenza sengathi alizwanga lutho. Ikati lathi, “Ungaphatheki kabi mnumzane wami. Nginikeze isikhwama kanye namabhuzu, ngizokukhombisa ukuthi ngokuthatha mina awutholanga ifa elingeke likusize.”
Indodana engumagcino lena yayijwayele ukulibona ikati libamba amagundwane ngamacebo alo amangazayo. Ikati lalivamise ukucasha emahlangeni ommbila, noma lilale phansi kube ngathi lifile. Indodana yakucabanga lokhu kaninginingi, yabona ukuthi mhlampe kungenzeka ngempela ikati leli limsize. Umagcino walinikeza ikati isikhwama namabhuzu. Lawa kwakungamabhuzu ayenzelwe ikati nje kuphela.
Ikati lalibukeka njengeqhawe seligqoke amabhuzu alo, seliphethe nesikhwama salo sigaxwe emqaleni. Ikati lazibambela isikhwama salo ngezidladla zangaphambili, lahamba laya lapho lalazi khona ukuthi kunokugcwala khona onogwaja. Lafaka ummbila esikhwameni, lase lilala phansi sengathi lifile. Lalinda, lilinde izingane zonogwaja. Lalinda licabanga ukuthi hleze bakhona onogwaja abazoza bazobheka okusesikhwameni sakhe.
Akuphelanga sikhathi lilele lapho ikati, kwenzeka lokhu elalikufuna. Wafika unogwaja omncane owawungahlakaniphile, ugxumagxuma wafika esikhwameni sekati. Ngokuphazima kweso, ikati lavala isikhwama selizibambele unogwaja. Ngenkulu injabulo, lahamba ikati laya kumagcino liyomnika ukudla. Njalo umagcino wayedla kamnandi kunabafowabo.
Cosu cosu yaphela.