Kumahlathi ashiyeneyo akude, kwakuhlala uJoja ingwenya. Le ngwenya yayisoloko ilila ezo nyembezi zininzi zeengwenya okanye ijoje isezela umoya. Umama kaJoja wayedinwa kukulila nokujoja kwalengwenya. Wayedla ngokuyingxolisa athi: "Khawuyeke le nto yokusoloko ulila ujoja usezela, ziphathe njengezinye iingwenya. Hamba uyokuzingela ukutya." Kodwa uJoja wayesuka asitsho isikhalo zithi waxa iinyembezi xa ecinga ngokuba kufuneka atye ezinye izilwanyana. Kwakuye kunyanzeleke ukuba umama notata kaJoja basoloko bempha ukutya yonke imihla.

UJoja wayengakuthandi kwaphela ukuba yingwenya. "Ndimbi kakhulu," wayecinga kuthi kusenjalo zithi waxa iinyembezi. Wayengafuni nokuphila njengezinye iingwenya. Umhlobo wakhe omkhulu yayinguNogolide, ibhabhathane elalilihle limbala ubugolide butyheli. UNogolide lo wayefuna ukubamkhulu kwaye omelele. Ngoko ke, uNogolide wayesoloko efinga uphiko lwakhe elwenza inqindi athi: "Lumka! Ndiyakukubetha emlonyeni." Esi sibini sasihlekisa ngenene. UJoja wayekuthanda nokuqubha lo gama uNogolide ethe ngcu apha entloko kuye. Ezinye iingwenya zazibahleka zibagezele. Yayingamkhathazi nakancinane uJoja loo nto. Waqhubekeka esezela umoya engumhlobo kaNogolide.

Ngenye imvakwemini ilanga lalitshisa kakhulu. UNogolide wahlala wathi ngcu apha ecaleni kwendlebe kaJoja wamsebezela wathi: "Ndibona amadododa amabini aphethe imipu esiza kweli cala. Afuna ukubulala iingwenya kuba afuna ukuthatha izikhumba zazo." "Ingaba la madoda awanazo ezawo izikhumba?" wabuza uJoja emangalisiwe. "Andazi Joja," waphendula watsho uNogolide. "Nceda uxelele nezinye iingwenya ukuze nizimele." "Kodwa nawe mhlobo wam Nogolide angakudubula la madoda.  Yho! Ndingayintoni ngaphandle kwakho mhlobo wam?" walila uNgwenya sele enesingqala esikhulu."Abantu bayawabamba amabhabhathane ngeminatha bawabethelele ebhodini, oko ndakuxelelwa ngumakazi wam owayengumakhulu," watsho uNogolide wabe sele ebhabha esimka.

Ezinye iingwenya zeva uJoja ekhala ekhwaza, "Amadoda ayeza azakusibulala. ZimelaniKhawulezani Zimelani." Kuqala iingwenya azizange zimkholelwe uJoja, kodwa zeva izingqi zamadoda. Iingwenya zangena nzulu emlanjeni zashiya iziqobo zemithi ebolileyo idada phezu kwamanzi. Amadoda adubula ezo ziqobo zemithi kuba zazijongeka zifana neengwenya xa uzibonela kude. Emva koko, la madoda awazange aphinde azibone iingwenya. Abona sele kubhabha amakhulu ngamakhulu amabhabhathane ebhabha ebusweni nasezinweleni zawo.

Anikina iintloko ezama ukususa loo mabhabhathane esithi: "Akukho zingwenya apha, masize neminatha ukuze sibambe la mabhabhathane." Atsho ehamba la madoda. Zadibana zonke iingwenya zabulela zathi: "Enkosi, Nogolide." "Enkosi mabhabhathane."

Ngemini elandelayo uJoja wabona amadoda aphethe iminatha. Wakhumbula awayekuxelelwe nguNogolide ngeminatha. "Nogolide, iminatha! Khawuleza uze apha! Amadoda aneminatha ayeza." Zonke iingwenya zaya elunxwemeni lomlambo. Amabhabhathane athi ngcu emiqolweni nakwiintloko zeengwenya.

Ezinye iingwenya zarhangqela amadoda ngokuye esondela. Ingwenya zavesa loo mazinyo azo abukhali anemihlathi emide. UJoja wayephambili kuzo zonke iingwenya eveza amazinyo wakhe ejiwuza nomsila wakhe. Loo madoda ooyika azibeleka iinyawo zawo ukubaleka ephuma kwelo hlathi. Ezinye iingwenya zazinebhongo nguJoja kuba waziphatha njengengwenya yokwenene. Ngoku uJoja naye wayenebhongo ngokuba yingwenya.

Wonke amabhabhathane abhabha phezu kweengwenya eqhwaba amaphiko awo. "Enkosi Joja, "Enkosi zingwenya." "Kulungile," watsho uJoja eneentloni. "Kakade abahlobo bayancedana, kwaye bayakhathalelana.