Ilanga lalikhangeleka njengevatala evuthiweyo esibhakabhakeni esasiphezulu, kude lee kwintloko kaPhindulo. Wayekuthanda ukuhambahamba ehlathini amamele iintaka zicula emithini. Kodwa usuku lwanamhlanje lwalahlukile. Kwakukho ingxolokazi eyayivela phakathi ehlathini. Kwakuvakala ngathi kukho ingxwabangxwaba.

UPhindulo walandlela isandi sengxolo leyo wade wafika kwindawo elibala elingenamithi. Embindini weli bala wabona uMfene esilwa ngamazwi kunye noNkawu. Kananjalo wabona ithanga E-L-I-K-H-U-L-U. UMfene wayemi kwelinye icala lethanga noNkawu emi kwelinye icala. UMfene wayesineke ngamazinyo akhe amakhulu wabe uNkawu yena ekhankquza, enikina intloko.

“Molweni,” wabulisa uPhindulo. “Kwenzeka ntoni?”

“Phindulo,” watsho uNkawu, “uMfene unyolukile kwaye unomgrunu.”

“Owu, hayi suka ndincedeni,” watsho uMfene. “NguNkawu onyolukileyo.”

“Ndilibone kuqala eli thanga,” watsho uNkawu. Waphakamisela phezulu inqindana lakhe elincinane, ejolise kweli thanga.

“Hanewu,” watsho uPhindulo. “Yimani! Bendicinga ukuba nobabini ningabahlobo?”

“E-e-e-e mmm,” yatsho iNkawu. “Khangela apha, besizihambela kunye njee suka ndabona eli thanga. Sobabini sibaleke saya kulo waze uMfene wafika kuqala. Ngoku uthi lithanga lakhe.”

“Kakade lithanga lam!” watsho uMfene. “Ndilibambe kuqala, ngoko ke lelam.”

“Kodwa ke, ndilibone kuqala. Ubuza kuhamba udlule kulo ukuba bendingalibonanga!” watsho uNkawu.

“Owu, hayi suka ngumoya lowo,” watsho uMfene.

“Ngoku ke niza kuthini?” wabuza uPhindulo. Wahlala phantsi engceni phambi kwabo. Emva kwethuba elide wathi, “Owu Nkosi! Alilikhulu nje neli thanga.”

“Kowu uthetha into esiyaziyo,” kwatsho uMfene noNkawu ngaxeshanye, begungquzisa amehlo abo.

“Lindikhumbuza umthi wethu wama-apile,” watsho uPhindulo.

“Umthi wenu wama-apile? kwabuza uNkawu. “Uthetha ngantoni na, Phindulo?”

“Kaloku,” watsho uPhindulo, “kulo nyaka uphelileyo, umthi wama-apile osesitiyeni sethu wathwala ama-apile amaninzi kangangokuba ikhabhathi nengobozi nganye endlwini zagcwala ngama-apile. Kangangokuba nokuba ayemangaphi esasinokuwatya, okanye senze nangawo neepayi zama-apile, ayemaninzi kakhulu ukuba angangawam, nomama notata kuphela. Ingathi yinto efanayo nje neli thanga.”

“Ewe Phindulo, kodwa siza kwenza njani ngeli thanga?” wabuza uNkawu.

“Andazi,” utshilo uPhindulo. “Kodwa ndinganixelela ukuba senza ntoni thina ngama-apile.”

“Nenza ntoni?” wabuza uNkawu.

“Sazenzela itheko,” watsho uPhindulo.

“Itheko?” wabuza uMfene.

“Ewe kunjalo,” watsho uPhindulo. “Sabanetheko elikhulu. Samema wonke umntu. Kwakukho abahlobo kunye nabamelwane, oomakhulu nootatomkhulu, ookanina nookabawo, nabatshana. Sahombisa indlu yethu ngamaphepha okuhombisa ayimicwana emabala-bala kunye neebhaloni. UMama wenza iipayi zakhe zama-apile ezikhethekileyo waze utata wacudisa wakhama ama-apile amadala wenza ijusi emnandi nebandayo yama-apile. Sadlala imidlalo sonke sadanisa. Kwakumnandi kakhulu. Wonke umntu watya wahlutha kwaye wonke umntu wayonwabile.”

“Ndiyawathanda amatheko,” watsho uNkawu.

“Ke, kutheni singenzi itheko nje?” wacebisa watsho uMfene.

“Licebo elihle elo,” watsho uNkawu. “Singabelana ngeli thanga size silitye sonke!”

“Yinto entle leyo!” watsho uPhindulo, ehleka.

UMfene wamanga ngobubele uNkawu.

“Uza kuza nawe kwitheko lethu?” uNkawu wabuza uPhindulo.

“Ndingakuthanda kakhulu ukuza ethekweni lenu,” watsho uPhindulo.

UMfene noNkawu bancuma ngolonwabo. Saze esi sithathu sabahlobo sapheka eli thanga likhulu kakhulu. Bobathathu beza neentlobo ezingafaniyo zokutya. UNkawu wabhaka ipayi ebugolide ngaphandle nomphakathi onencindi emnandi. UMfene wenza isuphu enongiweyo. UPhindulo waqhotsa ithanga walinonga ngeswekile nesinamoni!

Babengenawo amaphepha akuhombisa ayimicwana kunye neebhaloni, kodwa badlala imidlalo bacula neengoma baze batya nethanga elininzi kangangoko befuna.

Kungekudala, kwafika nezinye izilwanyana. UNdlovu weza neemarula eziswiti namandongomane. UNdlulamthi weza neebhotile zamanzi omthombo ahlwahlwazayo ukwehlisa oko kutya kumnandi. Nditsho noNxagu wayelapho ephethe iibhatata ezimnandi.

Wonke umntu wazinika kangangoko koku kutya neziselo. Bonke babehleka becula baze batya kwade kwatshona ilanga, lehla langathi yivatala evuthiweyo enkulu.