Kudaladala, uHlalanyathi wayenomlomo ophuzi. Wayehlala eqhugwaneni elincane eduze kwesiqinti sotshani obude.

Usuku ngalunye wayeshanela iqhugwana lakhengaphambi kokubabela otshanini lapho wayethola khona ukudla kwakhe ayekukhonzile.

Ebusuku wayecaca angene esidlekeni sakhe, isisu sakhe sigcwele izintethe, izimpukane, kanye nezibungu eziyaluzayo. 

Uma kufika noma ngubani esiqeshini sotshani obude, uHlalanyathi wayendiza aphakame bese emthethisa lowo.

Wayebangqofoza futhi enze umsindo kuze kube bayahamba. Wayethanda ukuphila yedwana, futhi engathandi ukwabelana nanoma ngubani. 

Langa limbe, ngesikhathi uHlalanyathi ephumile ecinga izinambuzane, wezwa ukundindizela okusholo phansi,

njengomsindo wokuduma kwezulu lisho ezintabeni, kwase kuba nokuthile okusitha ilanga. 

“Yini manje?” kuklewula uHlalanyathi, endiza ephakama phezu kotshani obude ukuze akwazi ukubona kangcono. 

Isilwane esikhulu, esimnyama esinezimpondo ezisindayo sasihamba sidabula otshanini obude. 

“Sawubona,” kwasho uNyathi. “Angikaze ngidle lutho kula masonto. Lobu tshani obude yibona ngqo engibudingayo. Ngicela obuncane nje?” 

“Lutho! Hamba uye kude!” kumemeza uHlalanyathi. “Kulungile, ngizokufa uma ngingadli okuthile. Bekungekho mvula futhi sekuyizinyanga.

Lesi yisona siqephu sotshani obude esikhona lapha. Ungemane ungivumele ngidle ingxenyana, ngiyakucela?” 

“Awungizwanga yini? Hamba uyoshona!” kwasho uHlalanyathi endizandiza ezungeza ikhanda likaNyathi. 

“Kodwa awubudli ngisho ukubudla utshani,” kwasho uNyathi. Emva kwalokho waphinda wazama, “Singabelana nje ngotshani.” 

“Angabelani mina nabanye! Lokhu ngokwami! Okwami! Okwami! Manje-ke suka lapha!” kumemeza uHlalanyathi. 

Isiphongo sikaNyathi sabuya izinhlonze namehlo akhe ancipha aba yimidwana nje. Wathukuthela kakhulu ngendlela yokuthi umsila wakhe wawehla wenyuka,

wenza umsindo omkhulu osankwahla ngesikhathi ushaya izinhlangothi zezinqe zakhe. “Kulungile uma uzokwedelela, ngizobuthatha ngihambe nabo.

Ngidla utshani mina, yilokho engikwenzayo, futhi ngilambile, ngakho-ke UZONGITHOLA KAHLE, nyoni eyedelelayo,” 

kwasho uNyathi sekusele ukuthi abunqampune obunye utshani. “Ngeke ulokothe!” kububula uHlalanyathi. “Uzongivimba kanjani?

Awungibheke ukuthi ngimkhulu kangakanani. Futhi ngoba uyedelela, senginqume ukuthi ngizokudla, ngidle, ngidle ngize ngisuthe.”

Ngomsindo omkhulu WOBUHLAFUHLAFU! NOBUKLESHEKLESHE! uNyathi waqala ukudla. 

Lokhu kwathukuthelisa uHlalanyathi ngendlela yokuthi isiphetho somlomo wakhe saphenduka saba bomvu ngokugqamile.

UHlalanyathi wandiza wazungeza ikhanda likaNyathi ethetha, ekhala, eklabalasa, kodwa uNyathi wavele waqhubeka nokudla.

Ngokushesha bonke utshani obude base buphelile. Ukwenza izinto zibe zimbi nakakhulu, uNyathi wabeka inselo yakhe enkulu ophahleni lweqhugwane

likaHlalanyathi. UHlalanyathi wandizela emhlane kaNyathi waqala ukuqhofoza isikhumba sakhe. 

“Lokho ngeke kukusize ngalutho,” kwasho uNyathi. “Isikhumba sami silugqinsi kabi.

Ngisho noBhubesi uke wazama ukungiluma ngamazinyo akhe abukhali kodwa ngaphunyula. Wena umncane kakhulu, Hlalanyathi. 

Futhi kukufanele lokhu okutholile. Mina bengizimisele ukuthi sabelane.”  “Kulungile, sekuphelile manje,”

kwasho uHlalanyathi khona manjalo esehlisa umoya. “Bengicasukile futhi ngedelela kuphela ngoba bekuyikhaya lami.

Manje angisenakhaya futhi anginakudla – zonke lezi zintethe ezimnandi, izimpukane, nezinhlava ebezihlala otshanini obude sezihambile! Konke sekuhambile.” 

UNyathi wabheka emuva kuHlalanyathi, owayekhala, wase ebheka isiqeshana esasingasenatshani kanye neqhugwana elihlephukile. 

“Ngiyaxolisa ukuthi ngibhidlize ikhaya lakho,” kwasho yena, “kodwa mhlawumbe ngingakwazi ukukukhokhela. Nginenkinga ngezinambuzane, uyabona.

Ngisho ukuthi, awubheke nje umhlane wami. Kuhlale kukhona izinambuzane eziningi ezilengayo nezihamba emzimbeni wami.

Ungazidla, futhi kungaba kuhle uma ungakwazi ukungiqedela zona.” 

UHlalanyathi wawubuka phansi naphezulu umzimba kaNyathi maqede waqaphela zonke izinambuzane ezinamathele esikhumbeni sikaNyathi.

Isisu senyoni savele sakhala, kodwa umcabango wokwenzela uNyathi umusa ngemuva kwayo yonke into eyayiyenzile,

wenza uHlalanyathi athukuthele kakhudlwana futhi. Umlomo wakhe waphenduka waba bomvu, waphinde wabomvu kakhulu. 

“Okokuqala udle bonke utshani bami obuthandekayo!” kuthetha uHlalanyathi. 

“Emva kwalokho uhliphize indlu yami. Eqinisweni ufake inselo yakho enkulu ophahleni lwayo!

Manje usufuna ngidle zonke lezi zinambuzane ukukwenzela umusa!” Wahamba wehla wenyuka emhlane kaNyathi, enqofoza ngesikhathi ekhuluma.

“Umubi ngokwedlulele ngempela, Nyathi! Ungafunga ukuthi ngizokusiza,” washo nomlonyana wakhe ugcwele izinambuzane. 

UNyathi wamane wazithintitha wase esuka ehamba noHlalanyathi egibele emhlane wakhe, ethetha, edla izinambuzane.

Basenza lokho kuze kube yinamuhla, kodwa uHlalanyathi akazange amxolele uNyathi, nomlomo wakhe sewuyolokhu wahlala ubomvu naphakade.