Kwathi ke kaloku ngantsomi.
Kwakukho utata nomama benabantwana ababini abangamantombazana. Aba bantwana abazange bakhe baye kulo nina kuba kwakukude kakhulu. Bathe besakukhula baman’ ukucela kunina ukuba bakhe bandwendwele kowabo. Kodwa njalo xa becela wayengavumi uyise. Kuthe ngelingeni xa unina emane ukubacelela, wade wavuma uyise. Mhla benduluka unina wabachazela indlela abazakuyithatha ukuya kowabo. Uthe, “Nizakuhamba ngale ndlela ningajiki ndawo de nifike ekwahlukaneni kweendlela. Kukho ezakuvela ngasentshonalanga, ze kubekho ezakuvela ngasempumalanga. Nina ke nize nilumke ningathathi le izakube ivela ngasentshonalanga ngoba inobungozi kakhulu. Nize nithathe le ivela ngasempumalanga. Yona ke iyakunifikisa ekhaya. Njengokuba niza kuhamba ngale ndlela nje, niza kubona umthi omkhuuulu. Kude kufuphi nawo nizakubona umzi omkhulu. Kusekhaya ke apho. Nizakufika kukho umntakwethu khona, umalume wenu ke ukutsho oko.”
Unina ke wabenzela umphako abaza kuwutya endleleni ngenxa yobude bendlela abazakuyihamba. Zahamba ke iintombi ezindala, zinqwenelelwe ihambo entle ngabazali. Unina wabayaleza ukuba bangayilibali imiyalelo yendlela emaze bayithathe. Zihambe, zahamba, zade zayokufika kwantlangana-ndlela. Zehlukana ke izimvo zeentombi xa zifika kwintlangana-ndlela. UNolakhe wathi bekuthiwe ze bathathe le ivela entshonalanga. “Hayi sisi uyaphazama, umama uthe ze singayithathi le ivela ngasentshonalanga, koko sithathe evela empumalanga,” kutsho uNoncinci.
“Noncinci, ndimdala kunawe. Ndimdala nje uyayazi ukuba andiyithandi into yokuphikiswa, kungoko kuthiwa ndinguNolizwilakhe. Ndithi masihambe ngale ndlela ivela ngasentshonalanga, qha, qwaba. Kwaye ke uzakwenza le nto itshiwo ndim,” watsho esithi gwiji ehamba uNolakhe. UNoncinci uthe, “Hayi mna sisi ndiza kuhamba ngale athe umama masihambe ngayo, le ivela ngasempumalanga. Wena ke ungahamba ngaleyo yakho. Kodwa uze ulumke ungazifaki engxakini.” Bahambe ke ingulowo ethabatha eyakhe indlela.
Kuthe xa ephiphiphi uNoncinci wabon’ ukuba le ndlela yakhe izakumdlulisa ehlathini elibonakala ngathi lishinyene. Wavela woyika kakhulu ecingela ukutyiwa zizilwanyana zehlathi. Kwakhona uye wacinga ukuba unina akakhange athethe ngehlathi xa ebebaxelela indlela eya kowabo. Wajika ke uNoncinci waya kula ndlela ibikhethwe ngudade wabo, uNolakhe. Wakhawuleza wade wamfumana. Bahamba, bahamba, bahamba, bade babona umzi ecaleni kwendlela. Baphambuka baya kuloo mzi ngelokuqinisekisa ukuba basahamba ngendlela eyiyo na ukuya kulo nina.
Bafike apho kukho intombazana eyavela yothuka yakubabona. “Nibekwa yini apha nizizisa engozini nje?” Ibuze yatsho ngokothuka. “Siya kulo mama, qha sibone lo mzi sacinga ukuba sizokucela amanzi, sibuze nokuba sisahamba ngendlela eyiyo na,” kuphendule uNolakhe. “Hay’ ke, nizifake engxakini. Umama lizim. Ndinivela usizi kuba ukhe wanibona nakuba sisidlo sakhe. Nangoku nisethamsanqeni nje kuba nifike engekho. Kodwa usendleleni ebuyayo ngoku,” itshilo le ntombi.
Bawakhupha onke amehlo abo, lungongoza uvalo. “Thathani apha naku ukutya. Nikhawulezise nitye ndiza kunifihla ngaphambi kokuba umama afike,” itshilo le ntwazana. Bakhawulezisa batya. Bakugqiba wabasa kwelinye igumbi, waze wabafaka emgqomeni wavala ngesiciko somgqomo. Kuthe kungekudala le ntombazana yeva ilizwi likanina likhwaza, “Wheena Nomahamle! Ukhwaze watsho unina. “Mama!” Uphendule uNomahamle kuba ibiligama lale ntombazana elo. “Undithezele na!” Ubuze watsho unina. “Ewe, mama!”Uphendule uNomahamle. “Hay’ kekhona uNomahamle, umntwan’ am uNomahamle,” utshilo unina encoma. Emva komzuzwana wabuya wakhwaza unina esithi, “Wheena Nomahamle!”
“Mama!” Kusabela uNomahamle. “Undibasele na?” Kubuza unina sel’ ekhwazela kufutshane. “Ewe mama!” Kuphendula uNomahamle. “Hay’ ke khona uNomahamle, umntwan’ am uNomahamle,” untyontyele ngalawo unina kubonakala ukuba wonwabile. Ude wazokufika endlwini unina etyathe umzimba womntu aza kumtya njengesidlo sangokuhlwa. Lafika lothula loo mzimba laza laya egumbini lalo liyokungqengqa, lisithi liyaphumla kuba lidiniwe. Lithe xa lisiya kunina kwafika umnakwabo Nomahamle ephethe isipha seentaka azizingeleyo. Bazoja ke ezo ntaka kula mlilo ebewubasile.
Bathe besahleli njalo besitya inyama yezo ntaka, suka uNomahamle wabalisela umnakwabo ngala mantombazanana mabini. Batya inyama yabo nezonka, waza uNomahamle waphakela neendwendwe zakhe, zatya zahlutha. Wabuya wazivalela emgqomeni egumbini lakhe. Bathe besahleli njalo, suka lo mfanyana wachwechwa waya kunina. Ufike wamxelela ngala mantombazana esithi, “Mama, phaya kwela gumbi lethu kukho amaqumqumana amantombazana amabini afihlwe nguNomahamle ukuze abavulele bagoduke xa ungekho. Ngekhe akuphose mama lawa.”
Wafutha buvungama uNomehlomancinane. Elo yayiligama lelo zim. “Ina!” Watsho enika inkwenkwana leyo amaqatha enyama, “banike loo nyama babe besitya. Ndiza kubuya ngabo ngexesha lam.” Yahamba le nkwenkwana yaya kwela gumbi babehleli kulo. Ifike yabhekisa kuNomahamle, yabe imnika inyama isithi, “Sisi, uthi umama manditsho unike ezi ntombi le nyama”. “Lophozandini!” Wabhavumla watsho uNomahamle. “Bendingatshongo ukuba uze ungamxeleli umama? Hamb’ apha nalo nyama yakho, ntondini enomlomo omkhulu,” wagqibela ngelo uNomahamle.
Yaphuma kwangoko le nkwenkwe ibashiya kwelo gumbi. Yayakulala endlwini enkulu. UNomahamle waqonda ukuba ilizwe lifile, unina uza kubabulala bobathathu, kuquka yena. Walungisa umphako wenyama nesonka kuba babezakuqhwesha xa uNomehlomancinci elele.
Uthe akuva ukuba unina uyarhona, wabaleka wayakulanda amatye amathathu wawabeka kula mandlalo bebezakulala kuwo. Ezinzulwini zobusuku sachwechwa isigebenga siphethe izembe laso elizakubaxabela aba bantwana ngalo. Sithe xa sifika emnyango wale ndlu balele kuyo kwabe kukho inja elele phambi komnyango. Uthe xa esondela uNomehlomancinci yagragrama inja isinekile, iveze la mazinyo ayo. Wazama ukuyigxotha esithi, “Suka Toki! Mayisuk’ inja!” Kwaba kungona igragrama ngakumbi seyimsinekele, iphakama kucaca ukuba ingamtsibela nokumtsibela. Sabuya umva isigebenga. Sithe xa siphinda sisiza isigebenga, yaphinda yagragrama inja. Sabuya umva, salala ecaleni kwendlu. Bathe bakusiva ukuba siyarhona, bachwechwa ooNomahamle badlula kuso sikobude. Bagqotsa ukulanda indlela eya kulo mama wooNolakhe.
Ngelingeni savuka isigebenga sangqala emnyango kuba yayingasekho inja. Salikhaba lavuleka ucango sonda ngomandlalo. Sathi ‘hele’ kwintloko yomntwana wokuqala suka labetheka laphuncuka lantinga phezulu izembe, labuya layakuthi phaxa phantsi.“Yintlok’ etheni le ilukhuni kangaka ithundubeze izembe lam!” Lakhuza limangalisiwe izim. Lithe xa lityhila umondlalo, lee mandla ngembokotho. Xa lityhila nowesibini nowesithathu umndlalo, ‘tyhini le!’ ziimbokotho zodwa.
Sacaphuka isigebenga saza sajoja emhlabeni sifuna ukuva umkhondo. Sithe sakuwuva umkhondo, sav’ endleleni sileqisa, sifunga ngelithi, “Bazakundazi ke namhlanje ukuba ndibhinqe ngantoni na. Apho ndibabambe khona ndiza kubathi nqwam, nqwam, nqwam bobathathu”. Nabo ooNomahamle babengayekanga ukubeleka abasicatyana. Kuthe xa kuthi qheke ukusa bawubona ooNolakhe laa mthi babexelelwe ngawo ngunina. Kodwa wawusemgama kubo. Uthe xa ejonga ngemva uNomahamle wabona ngothuli lubekekile kule ndlela yabo. Waqonda ukuba ngunina uNomehlomancinane lowo. “Yhoo! Safa ke namhlanje, sibulawa lizim,” watsho exhwitha unwele entlokweni yakhe waluphosa endleleni.
Naye uNomehlomancinane wayebekekile ezithendeni zabo. Uthe xa afika kulaa ndawo uNomahamle ebelahle unwele kuyo, suka unwele olo lwavuma ingoma lusithi, “Sambon’ uNomehlomancinane, sambon’ uNomehlomancinane. Ebeza kusixabela ngezembe, ebeza kusixabela ngezembe.” Luthe lwakuvuma le ngoma olu nwele, wema uNomehlomancinane, akaxhentsa, yehaa! Uthe xa eqabuka koko kuxhentsa wazibona sel’ ehleli kwakhe, esotha umlilo eziko kwakhe. Ngelingeni ubuye wakhumbula ukuba kanene ebesukela amaxhoba. Wathi thwasu kwangoko waphinda wathathisa ekhondweni lamaxhoba akhe.
Uthe xa sel’ ekude kufuphi, sekusele kancinci ukuba afike kubo, bagqotsa baya kukhwela kulaa mthi ungekude kulo mama wooNolakhe noNoncinci. Wafika uNomehlomancinane wema phantsi kwalo mthi wathi, “Namhla kunamhla! Lawukuthi litshona elanamhlanje nibe nina nibhadl’ embizeni”. Bakhwaza uninalume ooNolakhe. Bathe bakukhwaza sanga sifakwe amandla isigebenga. Sawutsho ngezembe umthi, siwugawula.
Uthe xa usithi, ‘kri, kri, kri’, uza kuwa kwavakala isandi sentaka icula isithi, “Ntengu, ntengu macetyana, yaz’ba abantwana babantu aba benze ntoni na? Ima mthi uthi gomomo”. Ithe yakutsho, waphinda umthi wamila, wema nkqo.
Sayisukela loo ntengu isigebenga, sayibamba sayithi lontshi emlonyeni, sayinqwamza. Asibonanga ukuba kuwe usiba lwale ntaka ngeli xesha siyibambayo. Saphinda sagawula isigebenga. Kwakhona kuthe xa ukrikriza kuba uzakuwa umthi, yabuya yatsh’ ingoma, “Ntengu, ntengu macetyana, yaz’ba abantwana babantu aba benze ntoni na? Yima mthi uthi gomomo” Wabuya wema gomomo umthi. Xa sithi siyajonga isigebenga, kanti lolwa siba lwentengu. Salusukela salubamba ze salunkwamla. Saphinda sagawula.
Kwala xa ukrikriza kwakhona, yabuya yatsho ingoma, wabuya wamila umthi. Kwathi kanti ngumvungulo wala nyama yolwa siba lwentengu. Sithe sisamangaliswe yileyo isigebenga, wee gqi umalume nezinja zakhe. Sazilalisa phantsi kwalo mthi isigebenga, sangathi sife isiqaqa. Umalume wathi mabehle emthini, kodwa bangasondeli kufutshane nelo zim. Behla bonke emthini bahamba nomalume. Kuthe xa bethe qelele emthini, wavuka uNomehlomancinane wakhwaza esithi, “Khawundishiyele abemnye kuloo maqumqumana akho!” Wasabela umalume, kodwa izim lathi belincoma ukufaneleka kwakhe ehamba nabantwana bakhe.
Bathi xa bephinda behamba, waphinda wakhwaza uNomehlomancinane esithi, “Khawundishiyele libelinye kuloo maqumqumana akho!” Akazange abuye abuze umalume, koko usuke wafunza ngezinja. Yeka ke ukubeleka abasicatyana kukaNomehlomancinane, kodwa amendu akhe akazange awodlule awezinja. Zambamba zamqwenga. Kwaba kukulandulela kwakhe elamazimba uNomehlomancinane. Bathe bakufika kulonina ooNolakhe, bachazela umalume ukuba bangobani na, kwaye bazokuthini kwelo lizwe. Akazange azibambe yimincili uninalume, wabaxhelela etyetyisiweyo imvu. Babalisa nangehambo yabo ukuze bayokufika emzini wezim. Batsho bebabaza uncedo lukaNomahamle ebasindisa ekufeni, nokude ancame nobakhe ubom kunye nekhaya lakhe.
Bahlala ixesha elide kulo nina uNolakhe noNoncinci, bephetheke kakuhle, betefiswa nokutefiswa nguninalume. Babuyela kowabo sebezizidudla kukutyeba. UNomahamle yena wagqibela engumalumekazi wooNolakhe, kuba wasele etshata noninalume.
Phela, phela ngantsomi.
Imfundiso: Kuhle ukumamelisisa xa unikwa imiyalelo, ngakumbi engabhalwanga phantsi, ngoba ukuba uphose into enye kuyo uyakube uwuphose wonke umyalelo. Xa kuxoxwa umcimbi makuboniswane kude kufikelelwe esigqibeni, kungabikho ubani ongafuni kumamela omnye, koko afune ukwenza isigqibo esicalanye nesivela kuye yedwa kuba enewonga elithile. Kwakhona, kunomvuzo omhle nobungalindelekanga xa usipha abanye abantu isandla ube ubungenanjongo zambuyekezo.