Kumyezo othile kwidolophukazi enkulu kwakukho umthi omkhulu. Izilwanyana ezininzi zazihlala kunye kulomthi mkhulu. Kwakuhlala nosapho lwamagala kulo mthi. UViki wayelelinye lamagala awayethanda ukuthetha kakhulu. Umzala wakhe uKato wayesuka kwihlathi elikude ezekumndwendwela.

Ngobunye ubusuku izilwanyana ezazihlala kulomyezo zazilungiselela ukuya kulala. Zeva ingxolo enkulu isuka kwipaki ekufutshane apho kulomyezo.

UKato namanye amagala babona oomatshini abakhulu abamthubi. Kwakukho namadoda anxibe iminqwazi emthubi eqinileyo. La madoda ayekhomba kulomyezo nakwizindlu ezazikwisitalato esikufutshane apho emyezweni. Babezakudiliza zonke ezo zindlu baze bakhe ibala lokukisa iimoto.

Abantu ababehlala apho kwakufuneka bayekuhlala kwezinye izindlu, kodwa akuzange kubekho namnye owayecinga ngezilwanyana, iintaka kunye nezinambuzane ezazihlala apho emyezweni.

Ezi matshini zaqala zabonwa lusapho lweentuku. Oyena wazibona kuqala yaba ngumnumzana uPopisi owayemdala waza waxelela umnumzana uMopisi owathi yena waxelela umninawa wabo uPopisi omncinane.

Ngokuya babebancini babebizwa Popi, Mopi kunye noPipo.

Umnumzana uPopisi waxelela amagala, amagala axelela iintaka, iintothoviyane, amabhahathane, izigcwawu ezincinane kunye nabo bonke ababehlala apho kulomyezo. Kwabakho ukuxhalaba okukhulu abanye bebaleka, abanye bebhabha abanye betsibatsiba kungekho nomnye owaziyo ukuma makathini na okanye aye phi na. Iintothoviyane zathi: "Masikhangeleni amagqabi." Amabhabhathane athi, "Thina sifuna iintyatyambo." Iimpuku zafuna imingxunya. Iintuku zafuna ukuzigrumbela eyazo imingxuma. Amagala, iintaka, izinambuzane zafuna imithi, amahlahla kunye nengca. Zonke izilwanyana zazifuna umhlaba othambileyo zingayifuni isamente okanye ikokriti. "Sizakuyifumana phi yonke le nto?" zakhala zibuza. "Inene sizakufa," zatsho zilila iinyembezi ziphokoka.

Umalume noninakazi kaKato's babethule bethe cwaka. Wonke amagala akhasela ngakoomama bawo. UKato wathinta umqala wathetha eneentloni, "Ndihlala kwihlathi elikude, mhlawumbi sonke singaya khona?" Kwaba ngumndilili wemincili abanye bathi, "Njani?" UKato wakrwempa intloko ecinga nzulu, "Kulungile ke, amagala, amabhabhathane, izigcawu, iintothoviyane nazo zonke izinambuzane zingakhwela kuloliwe wamagala. Iintaka zingabhabha okanye zikhwele kunye nathi. Iintuku, iimouku kunye neenyoka zingakhwela kuloliwe ohamba phantsi komhlaba."

Bonke bacinga ukuba licebo elihle eli. Umnumzana uPopisi wakhawuleza waya kumnumzana uGolozayo owayengumqhubi kaloliwe ohamba phantsi komhlaba. Wambuza ukuba angabathatha bonke ukubasa kwihlathi elikude kusini na. Umnumzana uGolozayo wampampatha, wafifithekisa wagusugushuza phambi kokuba ambombozele, "Kulungile." Hayi ke, kwaba lithuba likamnumzana uPopisi ukuba abe nguchwephetsha. "Ningaxhalabi zihlobo, umzukulwana katatomkhulu wam... Ongumtshana wesithathu kusapho lomtshanakazi wesibini unosapho lwakhe oluhlala kweli hlathi likude."

Kwangentseni uloliwe wamagala kunye nololiwe weentuku ohamba phantsi komhlaba wawugcwele uthe ntli ngabakhweli. Wahamba uqhuqha ujongise kwelo hlathi likude uthwele nemithi, iintyatyambo, amachibi kunye nomhlaba othambileyo.