Kudala kwakukhona umfana igama lakhe kungu Demane. Wayeno dadewabo oyiwele okungu Demazane.

Ngenkathi abazali babo beshona, bahamba bayohlala kwamalume wabo. Kodwa abazange baphatheke kahle kwamalume. Babeshaywa bephiwa iphalishi elincane kanye ngosuku. Babaleka kwamalume.

Bathola umgede ababezohlala kuwo. Babesaba ngoba bake bezwa kuthiwa kukhona amazimu ahlala entabeni. Bacanga icebo lokwenza isivalo esiqinile, sokuvimba emnyango onezimbobo ezimbili kuphela zokufaka umoya nokukhanya. Kusho uDemane kudadewabo, "Hlala la ngaphakathi ngisayozingela ungalinge upheke inyama. Amazimu ayalithanda iphunga lenyama ephekiwe."

Usuku nosuku uDemane wayebuya nokuthile akuzingelile; onogwaja, izinyoni kanye nezinyamazane ezincane. Uma esesondele ngasemgedeni wayecula athi, "Demazane, Demazane, mntaka mama, ngivulele. Izinkonjane zizongena. Umnyango unezimbobo ezimbili."

UDemazane wayengathandi ukuhlala emgedeni usuku lonke. Ngelinye ilanga, ngesikhathi umfowabo esahambile, waphumela ngaphandle, wathola isihlahla angasigibela. Wazizwa ekhululekile futhi ejabulile. "Akukho mazimu la. Kungenzeka umalume wayethi kunamazimu ngoba enzela ukusethusa nje", kusho yena ecabanga.

Ngosuku olulandelayo wazizwa enesibindi sokubasa umlilo ukuze afudumale. Kodwa wawubasa ngaphakathi emgedeni waqinisekisa ukuthi umnyango uvalekile ukuze aphephe. "Ngiyacabanga ngeke kube nankinga uma ngosa inyamana encane la emlilweni kungaba mnandi ukudla inyama."

Ngesikhathi umfowabo efika wacula njengenjwayelo, "Demazane, Demazane, mntaka mama, ngivulele. Izinkonjane zizongena. Umnyango unezimbobo ezimbili." Wavula umnyango wangena. Ngesikhathi umfowabo ebona inyama evuthiwe wabuza wathi, "Uyipheke kanjani inyama umlilo ungekho?" Waphendula ngokushesha wathi, "Ngiyomise elangeni ngaphandle." UDemane wayekhathele kakhulu ukuba wayengalokhu ephikisana naye, bahlala phansi badla inyama.

Ngosuku olulandelayo waphinda wabasa umlilo wapheka inyama futhi. Wabe eseqedile ngesikhathi ezwa izwi eliculayo ngaphandle lithi, "Demazane, Demazane, mntaka mama, ngivulele. Izinkonjane zizongena. Umnyango unezimbobo ezimbili." Kodwa izwi lalingafani nelikamfowabo. UDemazane waphendula wathi, "Angeke awusiye umfowethu. Wena izwi lakho alifani nelikamfowethu." uDemazane wazizwa ekhuselekile emgedeni.

Emva kwesikhashana futhi wezwa oculayo ngaphandle komgede "Ngivulele dadewethu. Demazane, Demazane, mntaka mama, ngivulele. Izinkonjane zizongena. Umnyango unezimbobo ezimbili." Walizwa ilizwi ukuthi liyafana nelika mfowabo wase evula umnyango.

Kwaqhamuka indoda enkulu esabekayo okwakuyizimu emgedeni. Labamba uDemazane ngaphambi kokuba azame ukubaleka. UDemazane wathatha umlotha oshisayo emlilweni. Ngesikhathi ewuphethe wayewuchitha la kwakuzonyathela khona lendoda.

Ngalona lolosuku uDemane wazama ukucupha ngedlanzana izinyosi - phela wayezilayishe esikhwameni esiqinile esixwaye emahlombe akhe. Ngenkathi efika emgedeni, wathola umnyango uvuliwe nodadewabo engekho. Wabona umlotha. Walandela umlotha waze wabona umlilo buqamama.

Eduze komlilo wabona kuhlezi indoda enkulu embi kukhona nesikhwama esikhulu eduze kwayo. UDemane wasondela endodeni ngokushesha enza sengathi uyaxhuga, "Baba ngicela ungisize. Ngilimele emlenzeni. Ngidinga amanzi." Izimu laphendula lathi, "Ngizokutholela amanzi uma ungathembisa ukungathinti isikhwama sami lisho lisibeka ngobunono isikhwama salo phansi."

Ngesikhathi lisahambile, uDemane wasala wasika intambo eyayifase isikhwama wakhipha udadewabo phakathi esikhwameni. Wathatha izinyosi ayeziphethe walayisha zona esikhwameni base bacasha balinda ukubona ukuthi kuzokwenzakalani.

Ngesikhathi izimu libuya namanzi labuya nendodana kanye nendodakazi yalo. Lathi endodakazini, "Kukhona into emnandi esikhwameni sithathe usondele naso la!" Indodakazi yavula isikhwama kancane ukubona ukuthi kukhonani, eshuuu! "Ziyangincinza." "Hamba uyomusiza." Kkusho izimu kwindodana yalo, kodwa nakwindodana kwaba njalo.

"Musani ukungenza isiphukuphuku nina," limemeza lishaya izinyawo phansi ukucasuka. Lavala umnyango lase liyozivulela lona isikhwama. Izinyosi ezase zidiniwe zaphuma ngobuningi bazo zalitinyela ekhanda, ekhaleni, nasemehlweni. Lagxumagxuma lizigingqa phansi ngenxa yezinhlungu.

Laphuma ligijima lizama ukuyofaka ikhanda lalo phakathi odakeni. Labona isiphunzi sokhuni oludala, lafaka ikhanda phakathi kanti yilapho kuhlala khona izinyosi futhi. Lapho uDemane noDemazane babetape khona uju olumnandi lwezinyosi.