Kadzeni umhlaba usemusha, tintsaba letinkhulu timbonye umhlaba njengengubo, kanye netihlahla letindze letifinyelela esibhakabhakeni.

Kulomhlaba, bekunelichibi lelishonako lelimnyama, litfulile libuye libandza.

Ngaphantsi kwalelichibi bekunetinyoka lembili. Lenye yato beyihlotjiswe ngemakhekhevu kantsi lelenye beyiseyincane futsi itilungele.

Ngalilenye lilanga, bekunemvula lenemandla. Kukhanya kwembani kwafinyelela ekujuleni kwelichibi. Tinyoka tabona lingetulu lemhlaba lelimibalabala, timo kanye netidalwa letinetinsiba. Ngalesikhatsi emanti avaleka futsi, tinyoka atizange tikhohlwe ngebuhle letibubonile.

"Angeke sikhone kuhlala kulelichibi lelimnyama lelibandzako sikhatsi lesidze", bakhuluma bobabili. "Asambe ngetulu siyobona umhlaba." "Sitawuphila njani emhlabeni?" kwasho inyoka lencane. "Sitawuhula ngetisu tetfu."

"Tinyoni tasemoyeni angeke tisihleke ngekutsi siphansi", kusho umngani wakhe. "Angeke sitahume, sitawuhamba!" Kancane kancane tinyoka tatihluba. Tacala tahlanganyela totimbili tabhukusha taphumela ngetulu ekukhanyeni.

Ngalesikhatsi bafika lapho ekugcineni kwemanti, kwenteka intfo lengakavami. Imisila yabo yehlukana kabili. Tamila tandla, tinyawo netintwane. Ngaphansi kwetinhloko tabo kwamila imikhono lenetandla neminwe.

Besebangasito tinyoka, kodvwa bese kuyindvodza nemfati.

"Sitokwakha umuti wetfu etintsabeni," kwasho umfati. "Njalo ekuseni sitawubona kuphuma kwelilanga sive kufutfumala emihlane yetfu." "Sitawunakekela tihlahla netjani, "Kwasho indvodza. "Bese siba bangani netinyoni kanye netilwane letitidalwa letesabekako."

" Wota." Kwasho indvodza yekucala. "Ngiyeta," kwasho umfati wekucala. Babese bahamba bobabili emhlabeni wabo lomusha.