Kadzeni, bekungekho busuku endzaweni yakhabo Opio.

Bantfu bebatsi bangakhatsala balale kantsi bebatsi bangavuka basebente.

Ngalelinye lilanga Opio waya kuyotingela netinja takhe. Ngemuva kwesikhatsi lesifishane, tinja takhe tagijimisa inyamatane. Opio watilandzela.

Wagijima ema awa lamanyenti. Ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi nangabe asakhatsele, bekaphumula. Ngemuva kwaloko aphindze agijime. Kepha akazange atitfole tinja takhe.

Ngemuva kwemalanga lamanyenti, wefika endzaweni letsite. Waya kulomunye wemiti lapho, wase utsi kumnikati wemuti, "Sengigijimise inyamatane sikhatsi lesidze futsi sengikhatsele kakhulu. Ngifuna kuphumula."

Lendvodza yatsi, "Hlala phasi bese uyaphumula.
Ungatsandza ngikuphe tjwala?" Opio bekome kakhulu ngako wabunatsa. Ngemuva kwaloko wabanjwa butfongo.

Nakavuka, bekangasakwati kubona. Wavula futsi wavala emehlo akhe tikhatsi letinyenti. "Unginatsise intfo lembi kakhulu," atjela lendvodza. "Angisakwati kubona kahle!"

"Akukho lutfo lokubi ngawe," kuphendvula indvodza. "Nyalo sekusebusuku. Awukaze ububone yini busuku? Nakuhamba imini, kufika busuku."

Opio wabuta imibuto leminyenti mayelana nebusuku. Wacala kubutsandza kakhulu. Yena kanye nemngani wakhe lomusha bacoca kwaze kwaba sekuseni.

Wahlala lelinye lilanga kute atewuphindze abone busuku nabufika.

Ngakusasa ekuseni wabuta umngani wakhe, "Ngingabutsatsa kanjani busuku ngiye nabo endzaweni yakitsi? Ngifuna bantfu bakitsi babubone."

Lendvodza yachaza, "Nakucala kuba mnyama namuhla kusihlwa, hamba uye endzaweni yakini. Nangabe ubuka embili, busuku butokulandzela. Nangabe ubuka emuva, busuku butonyamalala."

Opio wenta njengobe atjeliwe. Ngalelo langa Kusihlwa, wacala luhambo lwekubuyela endzaweni yakubo.

Bekabuva busuku lobumnyama ngemuva kwakhe njengobe ahamba. Walingeka kutsi abuke emuva, kepha akazange.

Nakefika endzaweni yakubo, bonkhe bantfu besaba. Babuta Opio, "Sifo sini lesi losiletsele sona? Kuyini loku lokumnyama lokukulandzelako?"

Opio watsi, "Bangani bami, lentfo lemnyama ibitwa ngekutsi busuku. Niyakwesaba futsi nami bengikwesaba."

Opio wachubeka nekuchaza, "Nitawufundza kubutsandza busuku. Nakufika kukhanya singacala sisebente kantsi nakufika busuku, singaphumula."

Befika kanjalo busuku endzaweni yakhabo Opio.