Tsiku lina, amayi amaphika. Iwo anayitana, "Temwa, Talu, Bena, Khumbo, chakudya chapsa! Bweretsani mbale zanu!"

Amayi anapatsa aliyense nsima. Anawapatsanso ndiwo ya nyama. Anawauza kuti, "Pitani mukakhale pansi mudye."

Khumbo anayang'ana nsima yake. Anayang'ananso ndiwo yake. Anayika mbale yake pansi mokwiya ndikuyamba kulira. Amayi ake anafunsa, "Khumbo, chavuta ndi chiyani?"

"Nyama yanga ndi yaying'ono kwambiri," Khumbo analira. "Koma ndiwe wamng'ono pa nonsenu," anatero amayi.

Khumbo analira kwambiri. Iye anadzigwetsa pansi. Amayi sanafune kuti Khumbo azilira. Anaitana mokweza, "Temwa, Talu, Bena, bweretsani zakudya zanu msanga."

Anawo anabweretsa zakudya zawo. "Tsopano Khumbo, tenga nyama imene wayikonda," anatero amayi.

Khumbo anamwetulira. Anayang'ana nyama ya Bena ndi kuganiza, "Nyama ya Bena ndi yayikulu."
Anayang'ananso nyama ya Talu, "Nyama ya Talu ndi yayikulupo," anaganiza choncho.

Anayang'ananso nyama ya Temwa ndi kuganiza, "nyama ya Temwa ndi yayikulu kwambiri." Anawauza mayi aja, "ndikufuna nyama ya Temwa."

"Temwa, mpatse nyama yako Khumbo iwe utenge yake," anatero amayi. Temwa ananyinyilika koma sanafune kusamvera amayi. Ndipo anamupatsa Khumbo nyama yake.

"Mmmm, nyama iyi ikoma," Khumbo anatero. Anakhala pa mpando ndi kudya mosangalala.

Pii! Pii! Kunafika abambo wogulitsa ayisikirimu. Bamboyo anakwera njinga yayikulu ya hutala yaying'ono.

Khumbo amakonda ayisikirimu. "Temwa, ndipatsire chikwama," anatero amayi. "Ndikufuna kukugulirani ayisikirimu nonse," Temwa anabweretsa chikwamacho.

"Tipatseni ayisikirimu mnayi chonde," amayi anauza bambo wa ayisikirimu. Analipira ndi kumugaira mwana aliyense ayisikirimu.

"Woyamba, wachiwiri, wachitatu, wachinayi," anawerenga Khumbo. Anayang'ana ayisikirimu wake. Anali wamng'ono. Anayang'anitsitsa ayisikirimu wa Bena. Anali wamng'ono kuposa wake.

Anayang'anitsitsa ayisikirimu wa Talu. Anali wochepetsetsa. Anasangalala. "Ayisikirimu wanga ndi wamkulu," anaganiza.

"Dikira," anaganiza. "Ndionenso ayisikirimu wa Temwa," anamuyandikira Temwa. Kenako anatsekula pakamwa pake ndikuyamba kulira.

"Vuto ndi chiyani, Khumbo?" amayi anafunsa

"Ayisikirimu wa Temwa ndi wamkulu kuposa wanga," analira. Amayi anati, "Khumbo ndiwe mtsikana wadyera!"

Khumbo analira kwambiri. Anadzigwetsa pansi. Amayi anadandaula. Sanafune Khumbo kuti azilira.

Amayi anati kwa Temwa, "Chonde mpatse ayisikirimu wako Khumbo iwe utenge wake."

Temwa sanasangalale koma sanafune kusamvera amayi. Anampatsa ayisikirimu Khumbo. Maso a Khumbo anawala ndi chimwemwe. Anayang'ana ayisikirimu wamkuluyo ndikumwetulira.

"Mmmmm, ayisikirimu uyu akuoneka bwino," Khumbo anatero. Anatsekula pakamwa pake natema mbali yayikulu.

"Ashi!" anakuwa mwa dzidzidzi ndi kulavula ayisikirimu.

"Vuto ndi chiyani tsopano?" amayi anafunsa. "Ayisikirimu uyu ndi wowawa," Khumbo analira.

Amayi anatenga ayisikirimu wa Kumbo ndi kumulawa. Anapanga tsinya. "Ayisikirimu uyu salibwino. Ndiwowonongeka," anatero.

Kenako amayi anati, "Pepa Khumbo, sindingakupatseso wina. Tsopano waona kuti sibwino kukhala wadyera?"