Kwahlala, kwahlala kwayintsomi.
Kudala-dala ilizwe lalilihle, imvula isina, kuluhlaza yaka, endle phaya, ilizwe liyintombazana. Umvundla wacinga ukuba ukuze ungabinangxaki xa libuye labalela kufuneka elimile. Kodwa wacinga ukuba akazukuba namandla okulima umhlaba okumlinge wentsimi. Wacinga, wacinga, wacinga, wagqiba kwelokuba makayokudibana nendlovu ayicele ukuze bancedisane ekulimeni umbona. Ngenene wahlangana nendlovu, nayo yabona ingumbono omhle lo uza nomvundla. Bahamba ke bayokubona lo mhlaba uqatshelwe ngumvundla.
Kwakhuu! Yayingumhlaba omhle, othe dwedwelele phakathi kwezihlahlana zemithi yomnga neentlolokotshane kunye nemibhongisa. Kangangobude baloo mhlaba wawungakwazi ukubona kwelinye icala xa ukwelinye icala. Kodwa wawubonaka ingumhlaba ochumileyo nonokuvelisa isivuno esisemngangathweni. Bevana ke ukuba bazakulima bobabini, kodwa ngamaxesha awahlukeneyo. Indlovu yona izakulima emini, ze wona umvundla ulime ebusuku. Kwaviwanwa ke nokuba kuza kuqaliswa kusuku olulandelayo, kwabuya kwavunyelwana ukuba njengokuba indlovu izakusebenza emini kumele ukuba ishiye ikhuba endimeni xa liqala ukurhatyela. Ize ingamlindi umvundla. Malithi nje lakutshona iyishiye indawo, ibuye ngengomso xa kuthi qheke ukusa. Loo nkqubo ke mayibanjwe ngalo lonke ixesha de kugqitywe ukulima. Kanti ke nawo umvundla awuzukuyilinda ide ifike indlovu. Uzakulishiya ikhuba zingekakhali iintaka. Bohlukana phantsi kwezo zivumelwano.
Besakube bohlukene wenjenjeya umvundla ukuya kwimvubu. Nalapho wafika waneka iingcinga zawo zokulima. Bahamba bayokulondla ela thafa kuzakulinywa kulo, ikwa lela thafa ubulibonise indlovu. Kodwa imvubu yona yayingenalwazi lwaloo ndibano yomvundla nendlovu. Nayo imvubu yavuma ukuba kuncediswane kulinywe. Isivumelwano yaba sesokuba yona imvubu izakulima ebusuku ukusukela ngorhatya ukuyakutsho ukuphuma kwekhwezi lokusa, zingekakhali iintaka, ze wona umvundla ulime ngexesha lasemini ukusukela ukuwa kweenkukhu ukuyakutsho xa iintaka sezibuyela ezindlwaneni zazo. Nayo ke ize ingamlindi umvundla. Xa kufike ixesha layo ize ihambe, ishiye ikhuba endimeni.
Kwasa okungaliyo. Yaqalisa indlovu yalima lada laya kunina. Lithe lakutshona yalibeka phantsi ikhuba kuba izakubuya kusuku olulandelayo. Lithe xa lirhatyela yagaleleka imvubu. Ithe yakuthi! “Yhoo! Umvundla ulime indima enkulu kangaka! Ngekhe ndohlulwe ngumvundla mna. Ndizakumbonisa!” Yatsho itsibela ikhuba, yaqhumis’ uthuli yatsho ngesithonga esinye de kwakhala iityiphu zokugqibela. Ithe yakujonga indima yayo yathi, “Yini le! Sewude ufune ukuzilinganisa nam nje umvundla, uthi ndingubani? Ndingubani kuwo?” Yahamba yanelisekile ngumsebenzi wayo imvubu kuba izakuphinda ibuye marhatya.
Ifikile nayo indlovu ngelayo ixesha. Ayizange iwuvale umlomo ngumbono eyawalamayo. Indima engaka eyenziwe ngumvundla, engaphezulu lelele kule ibiyenzile ngezolo. Yafunga yamunc’ iintupha isithi, “Mmmngci! Mha dadethu! Angekhe ndodlulwe ngumvundla ngamandla mna. Yinile! Yazi bendimjongele phantsi lo mvundlana, kanti uphopho ufuy’ amandla angaka. Kodwa ndisatsho, ndizakumbonis’ ukuba akukho silo sinamandla ngaphezu kwethu zingonyama.” Yatsho sel’ ingena endimeni, yakha, yakha, yakha, ilima. Lithe lingekatshoni elaloo mini yabe inkulu kanobom indima eyenziwe yindlovu. Phofu yayilima yonke indawo eyayisele efanele ukulinywa. Yancuma yodwa indlovu isithi, “Ndimfumene ke lo mvundlana. Ebecing’ ukuba angodlula mna ngamandla? Inene ndimbeke endaweni yakhe emfaneleyo.”
Ithe isacinga njalo indlovu wee gqi umvundla uxhabashile. “Molo ndlovu, molo mhlob’ am.” Watsho umvundla, yavuma nayo indlovu. “Hayi mhlob’ am, ungathi nqa ukuba kwathini ze ndifike ngeli xesha. Kaloku ndazile ukuba awungekhe ungayigqibi la mihlathi ibisele. Naxa ibimikhulu kangaka nje, ndibone kwasekuqaleni ukuba, hayi, uze kakubi. Jonga nangoku uyibethe yayokuxela. Mna bandingekhe ndayigqiba kwanamhlanje la ndima ibingaka. Hayi, ndiyakuvuma uwaphiwe amandla, umona phantsi. Ndikothulel’ umnqwazi.” Uthe ewagqiba umvundla yabe iphelile kukubobotheka indlovu, igcwele yimincili zizincomo ezingaka. Yayide ijiwulizise nomboko emoyeni. Yaphendula ngelithi, “Enkosi mhlob’ am. Ndiyabulela. Kodwa ke nawe ulenzile elakho igalelo. Kanene ubuthe sithini isizathu sokuba ufike phambi kwexesha?”
“Kaloku nditshilo mhlob’ am ukuba ndiqondile ukuba ngehle uyigqibe la ndima ibisele lingekafiki ixesha lokukhululeka. Lilonke, ukukuphendula ndingathi ndizele izinto ezintathu. Eyokuqala ke mhlob’ am yile sendiyitshilo, kukukuncoma ngomsebenzi omhle nomkhulu kangaka owenzileyo. Iphinde yatsho ngelikaBhankethi indlovu. “Kwakhona, ndiyabulela. Kodwa nawe usebenzile. Andinabhongo lakho. Khange ndicinge ukuba umncinci kangaka unganamandla angaka. Inene undosul’ ukubila,” itshilo indlovu.
“Nam ndiyabulela, mhlob’ am,” kutsho umvundla. “Bendisatsho ke mhlob’ am, isizathu sesibini sesokuba ndizele ukuba sicwangcisele ukuya phambili. Bendicinga ukuba ndikhe ndikuphumze kuba noko ngoku owona msebenzi ubudingeka kuwo ngulo uwugqibileyo. Ngoku kusele nje ukuhlakula kuphela. Yinto endinokuyenza ngokwam ndindodwa leyo. Kuyakuthi ke xa sekufanele ukuba kuvunwe sibuye sidibane, sikwazi ukohlula njengoko besigqibe njalo. Okokugqibela ke mhlob’ am ndizele ukuzakukukhulula. Noko awunakude ulinde kutshone ilanga ekubeni sewuwugqibile umsebenzi. Ungakhululeka ke ngoku mhlob’ am.”
“Kwekhuuu! Akusukuba noba ndiyabulela tshom’ am. Inkulu into oze nayo. Mandingabi sawagxobha, mahle. Manditsho ndisiya ke. Sakubonana ngela xesha lokuvuna,” yatsho sel’ induluka indlovu. Akubanga kudala ihambile indlovu, yafika imvubu.“Yho! Yho! Yho! Ngumhlola wantoni na lo ndiwubonayo,” ikhuze yatsho imvubu. “Yintoni na ngoku mhlob’ am? Sekunzima nokubulis’ oku na ngoku?” Uxhokonxe ngelo umvundla. “Yintoni le ikwenz’ ukuba ude uphelwe nabubuntu obu bokubulisa?”
“Ndiza kukukhumbula njani na ukubulisa usakugqib’ ukundihlaza kangaka? Andikhange ndilindele ukuba ungakwazi ukulima yonke le ndawo bendiyishiyile. Hayi inene unamandla, bendikudelele,” itshilo imvubu. “Hayi wena mhlob’ am, mandibulele ngokundincoma. Kodwa oyena usebenzileyo nguwe lo,” utshilo umvundla. “Ukuhlabela mgama ke mhlob’ am, ubona ndikulindile nje ndicing’ ukuba sikhe sicebisane ngomkhombandlela kuba sigqibile ukulima. Elam icebo lelokuba ukhe uphumle de kufike ixesha lokuvuna, ze sibonane kwakhona xa sivunayo sikwazi ukohlulelana ngesivuno ngokwezigqibo zethu,” watsho umvundla.
“Hey! Bendingakwazi ukuba ulumnke kangaka mvundla,” itshilo imvubu. “Lihle eli cebo lakho.” Kuba kungasekho msebenzi wakulima ngoku, ndicing’ ukuba ungakhululeka mvubu, sibonane ngexesha lokuvuna.” Watsho umvundla uzivonyavonya uselul’ amathambo. “Nam sendifuna ukuya kuphumla emva kwalo msebenzi ungaka wosuku,” ulebele ngelo umvundla. Behlukana ke umvundla nemvubu. Zaqengqeleka iinyanga kwade kwafika ixesha lokuvuna.
Lithe lakufika elo xesha wenjenjeya umvundla ukuya kuhlangana nendlovu. Wafika wayazisa ukuba lifikile ixesha lokuvuna. Kumele ukuba kuqaliswe ukuvuna kusuku olulandelayo. Ikhombe ingxaki kumlinge wesivuno esonakaliswe ziintaka ekukudala ezibhebhetha, kodwa ziquqa zibuyelela. Ngoko ke ufumanisa ukuba isivuno esikhoyo sizakonela umntu omnye, mhlawumbi ibenguye ndlovu okanye yena mvundla. Umvundla uqhubeke wathi, ukuze kungaqhathwana okanye kungabikho dolo ekukhetheni ukuba siye kubani isivuno, yena ucinga into yokuba kutsalwa-tsalwane ngentambo ukuze owoyisiweyo asincame isivuno eso koko siye kulo ugqwesileyo kukhuphiswano lokutsalatsalana. Yahleka yaqikileka indlovu yile ntetho yomvundla. “Hahahahaaaaa. Sukundicubhula ngentsini apha mvundla. Uyaziva phofu le nto uyithethayo? Sekucacile nasesidengeni ukuba eso sivuno siza kuza kum. Ke ngoku kutheni ungavele usinikezele?” Itsho iqinisekile indlovu.
“Masiwavalele de kufike ixesha lokwenza,” utshilo umvundla. Siza kwenza ngolu hlobo, omnye uzakuma kwelakhe icala lentsimi, ze omnye ame kwelinye. Ze kungabikho mntu uya kwicala lomnye. Wena uzakuba seNode, mna ndibeseSude. Siza kufika incam yentambo isilindile. Uza kufika ubambe eyakho incam, nam ndibambe eyam. Sakulinda ukukhala kwempempe ze siqalise ukutsalana. Sakutsalana ke de iphinde ikhale impempe ngentsimbi yesihlanu malanga, ukuba akubangakho woyiswayo. Xa kwenzekile ke ukuba angabikho owoyiswayo, siyabuya kwakhona ngentlazane yosuku olulandelyo. Kodwa ke ukuba kwenzekile siye kusuku lwesithathu, sakuyeka ukutsalana emin’ emaqanda ngolo suku. Nalapho izakutsho impempe esichazelayo ukuba siyeke. Kulapho ke siyakuthi sahlulelane ngesivuno. Bohlukana indlovu isabuhleka ubudenge obungaka obenziwa ngumvundla.
Nanko umvundla usiya kudibana nemvubu. Nakuyo ufike wachaza le nkqubo yokutsalatsalana. Nayo imvubu yaqiniseka ukuba le nto iza nomvundla yinyam’ ethole. Kwabangathi akusasi. Yona imvubu ke izakuma eSude, wona umvundla ube seNode. Umvundla wayigxininisa yonke imiqathango eyayithetha kwindlovu. Kwasa kona okungaliyo. Iyileyo yangxama ukuya entsimini, isiya kwicala layo. Ngenene zifike ikho incam yentambo, zabamba, zalinda ukukhala kwempempe. Ngelingeni yatsho impempe. Itsho kobani! Izinto ebekukade zilinde ukuqala, ze ziwuqoshelise ngephanyazo umsebenzi wazo.
Yaba nguhintsi, hintsi, kungekho ide imtsalele ngakuyo umvundla. Yapetsula imvubu ikhupha nakuvimba, kwathi nkqi. Nakwelayo icala indlovu yaba nganyusa umboko ibhonga, iphathe kungqisha, kwalilize. Yaba sesezolo nakusuku lwesibini, nolwesithathu. Ngosuku lwasithathu yalindwa yancanwa impempe. Zithe zakubon’ ukuba liyathambeka kungade kukhale mpempe, iyileyo yagqiba kwelokuba mawachithw’ amanzi ityiphu ibalekile.
Zayeka ukutsala,yayileyo yagqiba kwelokuba mayiye kweli cala linomvundla, phofu zisazibambile iincam zentambo. Nako ziyokudibana embindini wentsimi, iyileyo yothuka yabanda ukubon’ ukuba asingomvundla okwelinye icala. “Kwenzeka ntoni kanti apha?” Kubuza indlovu. “Yile ndifun’ ukuyazi nam. Kanti kwenzeka ni? Hlenje ndisithi nditsalana nomvundla nje kanti nguwe!” Itsho seyibibitheka ngumsindo imvubu. “Yini le! Lo mvundla ucing’ ukuba unengqondo! Masivune wonke lo mbona afike kungamadiza nje,” kutsho indlovu.
Mbona wawuphi! Umvundla uvune kwambona lowo waphel’ emehlweni. Zaba ngumsindo lo, zangena ethafeni zisiya kuzingela umvundla.
Phela, phela ngantsomi.
Imfundiso: Akuyiyo yonke into eyenziwayo edinga amandla. Ezinye izinto zidinga ukusetyenziswa kwengqondo nengqiqo. Kwakhona, balumnkele abahlobo abeza kuwe ngokunga bafuna intsebenziswano, kanti bancwase ukuba bonyuke ngawe suka bakushiy’ enyanyeni. Yintoni ecingwa ngumntu ngaphaya kwale akwazisa yona?