Kwasukasukela, kwakukhona umuzi owabe unezinkomo eziningi. Lapha kulomuzi kwakuhlala ubaba nendodana yakhe bobabili kuphela. Igama lendodana kwakungu Manqinenyathi, ubaba wayo wayeyiteketisa ngokuthi uManqina. Lapha ekhaya babeziphilisa ngokusenga izinkomo, bedle amasi. Umnumzane walapha ekhaya wayebuye ahlabe khona nje noma kungonakele lutho, kubuswe. Wayengabazi ukuhlaba noma nini wazise sasigcwele phama isibaya sakhe. Izinkomo zalapha ekhaya zazeluswa indodana yakhona uManqinenyathi, yayiphuma nazo ekuseni iziyise edlelweni lapho eyayizelusela khona ize ibuye nazo ntambama. UManqinenyathi wayenetshe lakhe elikhethekile, ayehlala kulo aqhwakele phezulu abuke yonke imfuyo kayise.
UManqinenyathi wayekwazi ukuphumula etsheni futhi yayibonakala kahle yonke imfuyo. Kwathi ngelinye ilanga esaqhwakele etsheni lakhe, kwathi qhamu thushu, kwavela amazimuzimu esondela ngasetsheni lomfana. Umfana lwamshaya lwameqa uvalo akangazi ukuthi uzomemeza bani njengoba kwakukude nasekhaya ngisho engamemeza ngeke kuzwe muntu. Asondela amazimuzimu aze afike etsheni. Umfana wabakaza kuhle kwegwimsi libanjwe unoxhaka, kungasekho ukuya emuva naphambili.
Wezwa izimu elilodwa lithi, “Ugibele kanjani lapho wemfana?”, umfana wathula du, udlala ingebhe. Esethukile kanjalo liphinde libuze lithi, “Khuluma mfana singaze sikudle!” Izimuzimu lalikhuluma ngesankahlu. Umfana wabona ukuthi ukungakhulumi kwakhe kuzokwenza amazimuzimu amudle. Waphendula ngezwi eliqhaqhazelayo elinokwethuka wathi, “Ngigibele ngokugxuma”. Lathi elinye lamazimuzimu, “Sifundise ukugibela lapho angeke sikudle.” Wabona nje umfana ukuthi uzoba ukudla kwamazimu uma engabasiza ukigibela etsheni.
Amazimuzimu acabanga isu lokuthi kungcono athathe izinkomo ayodla inyama eningi amuyeke umfana njengoba ayehluleka ukugibela etsheni, efinyelele kuye. Umfana kwakumele acabange isu lokugudluza amazimuzimu endleleni yakhe kanye nemfuyo yakubo. Ngokushesha umfana wacabanga ukugibeza amazimuzimu kwelinye itshe elinewa elikhulu. Wathi awasondele egibelise kulo. Nangempela asondela kanyekanye agibela. Ashelela angena eweni, wasala ngokuthula nezinkomo zakubo umfana.
Cosu cosu yaphela.