Endvulo bekunemfana lobekahlala emakhaya libito lakhe nguThemba.Themba bekayindvodzana lenemusa futsi lekhutsele, bekatsandza kudlala nebangani bakhe futsi atsandza kuhamba. Ngalelinye lilanga Themba abebuya esikolweni, wabona inja ilele ngephansi kwesihlahla.

"Sawubona, inja lencane", Themba wamemeta lenja ngekumamatseka.

Lenja yaphakamisa inhloko yayo yaze yagicita umsila wayo nayiva Themba ayibingelela. "Sawubona, Themba", washo ngekuhhewula. "Ngijabulela nje kuba semtfuntini walendzawo. Imphilo imnandzi nje uma ungahlala ungcebelekile njengami ungenti lutfo.

Themba wajabha, ngobe abeyivela buhlungu lenja levilaphako. Kodvwa kunetintfo letinyenti letijabulisako longatenta. Kungani ungeti utewudlala nami kanye nebangani bami? Singakwati kuhlola emahlatsini futsi sicoshe nemagundvwane".

Lenja levilaphako ayizange ifike esiphetfweni sayo, kodvwa Themba bekakhutsele kakhulu. Ngesibindzi, yasukuma yalandzela Themba kuloluhambo lwasehlatsini.

Njengobe bebahambahamba ehlatsini, Themba wakhombisa lenja levilaphako tonkhe timangaliso tendalo. Bebabuka tinyoni takha tidleke tato, balalele umsindvo wemacembe, baphindze bagijimisane etjanini lobudze.

Ngesikhatsi bafika emfuleni, lenja lenemahloni beseyijabule kakhulu. Beyivele idlale nje emantini, ingasacabangi ngebuvila bayo.

Ngekushesha nje, beva umsindvo lomncane uphuma esihlahleni lesisedvute. Themba kanye nalenja lelivila bagijima bayophenya etihlahleni kutsite basaphenya batfola inyoni lencane ibambeke emagajeni esihlahla.

Ngaphandle kwekucitsa sikhatsi, Themba wakhulula lenyoni esihlahleni ngesikhatsi lenja levilaphako ikhonkhotsa ngenjabulo, lokukhonkhotsa kwalenja bekukhutsata Themba.

Lenyoni yasho ngekubonga, yasuka yacondza esibhakabhakeni, yase ishiya Themba nenja yakhe lenemahloni bajabulile.

Kusukela ngalelolanga, lenja lebeyivilapha yase ayisavilapha. Belitfole injabulo yekwakha bungani nekwenetiseka ngekusita labanye.

Themba nenja yakhe bebangahlukaniseki, bebahlala babobabili futsi loko kwenta lenja kutsi iyekele buvila.