Iminenke eyayihlala esivandeni sikaNkk Mondliwa yayingajabule neze neze.

“SENGICIKEKILE!” kuvungama uMnenke uSlimy.

“Nami futhi,” kuvuma uSpeedy umngani wakhe omkhulu. “Kungani thina minenke singathandwa kakhulu ngezinye izilwane zasesivandeni?”

“Sengikhathele yikho konke lokhu kuphathwa kabi,” kuqhuba uSlimy.

“Yehheni, yini kodwa engahambi kahle ngathi?” kubuza uSpeedy.

“Nginomcabango othile, masihlanganise ndawonye yonke iminenke bese sikhononda kwezinye izilwanyana,” kuphakamisa uSlimy.

“Wumqondo omuhle lowo,” kuvuma uSpeedy. “Sizozitshela ukuthi kufanele zisithande kakhudlwana kunalokhu.”

Ngosuku olulandelayo, uSpeedy noSlimy kanye neminye iminenke yahlangana ngaphansi kwesihlahla esinameva ukuze ixoxe nezinye izilwanyana zasesivandeni.

“Thina minenke sifuna ukukhonjiswa inhlonipho efanele,” kwasho uSpeedy. “Futhi sifuna ukuthi nonke nisithande kakhudlwana kunalokhu.”

“NGEKE BO!” kumemeza uVemvane. “Iminenke iyenyanyeka.”

“YEBO!” kuvuma uNyosi. “Iminenke kumele isuke lapha.”

“Niyisinengiso,” kwengeza uCimbi.

“Kodwa yini esake sayenza kabi?” kubuza uSlimy.

“INI! Ake ubheke lo mhuzuko emlenzeni wami,” kuqala uNtethe. “Uyazi ukuthi ngawuthola kanjani? Ngenxa yeminenke! Nina minenke nigcoba le minciminci yenu yonke le ndawo nibange ukuthi sishelele bese siyalimala. Niyazi nje ukuthi le nto yenu ishelela kanjani?”

“Thina sibancane kakhulu, sibhajwa kule minciminci yenu,” kwengeza uNdlovukazi Ntuthwane.

“Nkosi yami!” kwasho yonke iminenke imangele. “Besingakwazi lokho.”

“Futhi akupheleli lapho,” kwasho uCimbi. “Ingabe niyazi ukuthi nibanga isiminyaminya esinjani? Nina minenke nihamba nancane kabi.”

“Futhi lokho akuphelele,” kwengeza uVemvane. “Ningeyeke kodwa ukudla zonke izimbali? Nibulala isivande sethu esihle.”

Iminenke yaphatheka kabi. Yayingazi ukuthi idala izinkinga eziningi kangaka. Iminenke emincane yaphatheka kabi yaze yaqala ukukhala.

“Kufanele ngabe kukhona kodwa okuhle ngeminenke?” kuphakamisa uSlimy.

Zonke ezinye izilwanyana zathula du. Zacabanga, zicabanga ngokungahle kube kuhle mayelana neminenke.

Ekugcineni, uVemvane wathi, “LUTHO! Phephisani, kodwa nina minenke nibabi nje kwaphela. Akukho nto neyodwa enhle ngani!”

“Eqinisweni, sicabanga ukuthi yonke iminenke kufanele ihambe esivandeni. Sonke sesanele ngani!” kwengeza uCimbi, nakuba naye wayeyiminciminci.

“IMINENKE MAYIPHUME! IMINENKE MAYIPHUME!” izilwanyana ziqala ukuhaya.

“Yimani, yimani,” kusho uSlimy. “Sinikezeni ithutshana.”

“Yebo,” kwasho uSpeedy. “Sinikezeni ithuba, sizokhombisa ukuthi iminenke ingakwazi ukwenza okuhle.”

Izilwanyana zacabanga okwesikhashana. “Kulungile-ke,” zisho zivuma. “Ninezinsuku ezimbili ukusikhombisa ukuthi ninosizo, ngaphandle kwalokho, nihambe kahle!”

Ngemuva kokuthi izilwanyana sezibuyele ezingxenyeni zazo zesivande, iminenke yahlala yacabanga, yacabanga.

“Kunganjani uma sifunda ukugijima?” kuphakamisa uSpeedy.

“Wumqondo omuhle,” kuvuma uSlimy. “Wozani minenke, masiqinise imizimba!”

Iminenke yachitha usuku lonke izilolonga. Kodwa-ke ngeshwa yakuthola ukugijima kuyinto engeke yenzeke.

“Awu cha!” kwasho umnenke omdala kunayo yonke. “Manje-ke? Kufanele siqhamuke necebo elizokwenza ezinye izilwanyana zisithande.”

“Sengilitholile!” kwasho uSlimy. “Masizame ukudla ukhula esikhundleni sezimbali.”

“Kulungile, singekwenze ngani lokho?” kuvuma eminye. Ngakho, iminenke yazama ukudla ukhula kuphela esivandeni.

“Hhayi cha, lokhu ngeke kulunge. Ukhula lunambitheka KABI BO!” kwasho uSpeedy ngemuva kwesikhashana.

Iminenke yazizwa idangele kakhulu. Eminye yayo yavele yaqalela ukuqoqa emakhaya ayo ukuze ihambe.

“Hhayi bo, kukhona engikucabangayo,” kugigitheka uSimphiwe, umnenke owawumncane kunayo yonke.

“Ngidinga ukuthi nonke nihlangane nami phezu kwesiduli somuhlwa.”

“Uyahlanya yini wena? Kuzosithatha usuku lonke ukugibela lapho,” kwasho uSlimy.

“Ngethembeni,” kwasho uSimphiwe.

Kwedlula izinsuku ezimbili iminenke yagcina ifikile phezu kwesiduli. Ezinye izilwanyana zahlangana ekuqaleni kwesiduli ukuze zibone ukuthi iminenke yenzani.

“Pho, yiliphi leli su lakho elihle?” zibuza ngenkani.

“E, mm …” kwasho uSimphiwe.

“Yebo?” kwasho ezinye izilwane.

“Nizosivumela noma kanjani ukuthi sihlale uma senibona lokho esikwenzile,” kumemezela uSimphiwe.

Ezinye izilwanyana zahlala zathula du, amehlo azo enamathele kuSimphiwe.

“Nakho-ke,” kwasho uSimphiwe ehamba eya endaweni eyehlelayo yesiduli. “Sinenzele UMSHININIZO oyisimanga owedlula yonke sisebenzisa yonke iminciminci yethu thina minenke!”

Kwake kwamiwa isikhathi eside ngenkathi zonke izilwanyana zicabanga ngaleli su. 

“K-U-HL-E-KE!” zasho ngokuvuma. “Make sikuzame lokhu.”

Nempela zakwenza lokho. Zonke izilwanyana zadedelana ngokushibilika zisuka phezulu emshininizweni oshelelelayo. Kwase kumnandi kusho. Zonke izilwanyana zazizifela ngomshininizo ngakho kwanqunywa ukuthi noma kanjani iminenke izoqhubeka ihlale esivandeni!