Kwakumtjhado wokuthoma emndenini wakwaTenane, begodu uRefiloe bekangazange athabe kangaka epilweni yakhe. "Ngizokuba yipelesi kaPalesa, ngembethe irogo namanyathelo amatjha!" utjela iinkukhu zakhe.

URefiloe watjela iinkukhu zakhe koke. Ubabakhe wamupha iinkukhu njengesipho selanga lamabeletho, begodu bekazithanda khulu.

"Susa iinkukhu zakho ezizele iinsila lapha Refiloe!" kurhuwelela unina, " Angizifuni eduze netende yomtjhado le."

URefiloe waqotha iinkukhu zakhe ngetendeni. " Khambani lapha nina." uyaziqotha, " Angifuni bona nidliwe emtjhadweni kaPalesa!"

"UMma uthi lo kuzokuba mtjhado ophuma phambili owakhe wabonwa eMalealea," uRefiloe utjele iinkukhu zakhe, "begodu uthi ngizokwazi ukusiza abanye abantazana ngokupheka."

Iinkukhu bezingakamlaleli nokumlalela.

"Refiloe!" kubiza unina angendlini, " lisa iinkukhu zakhwezo uze uzongisiza ngeempotwezi ngiyakurabhela!"

Unina kaRefiloe bekazikhakhazisa khulu ngendlu yakhe, begodu bekafuna bona ibeyihle ngomtjhado. Wayihlwengisa bewahlanza koke bewaphoritjha zoke izinto ezingaphakathi.

Nasele aqedile, bekungasenathuli nelincani. Iinkukhu zafaka iinhloko zazo emnyango wangaphambili. "Phumani!" kurhuwelela unina kaRefiloe, "phumani lapha, nenyawokazi nemilomo esilapheleko!"

URefiloe walandela iinkukhu zakhe ezingaphandle ebaleni. "Umma uqinisile, nilihlazo," ukhalima iinkukhu zakhe.

Njeke uRefiloe wacanga kancani. Khonapho wamomotheka bese wathi, "Ngineqhinga elihle." Usuke lapho wayokuzalisa ithunga amanzi aphuma emthonjeni.

URefiloe waba nomraro omkhulu wokubamba iinkukhu zakhe. Bezingacabangi bona ukuhlamba mbona omuhle.

URefiloe wafaka ikukhu yokuthoma ngethungeni lamanzi. Yakokoza ngamandla beyabetha neensiba zayo khulu. "Hlala ungasikinyeki wena," kurasa uRefiloe, "lokhu angekhe kuthathe isikhathi!"

Lokha uRefiloe nakasula ikukhu ipumulo namehlo wayo, ivele yaphelelwa mamandla yawela phasi eqadi kwethunga.

"Lesi akusiso isikhathi sokulala," kutjho uRefiloe. Uyibambile walinga ukuyithintitha woke amanzi. "Nawungazokuvuka nje, kuzokufanela ngikubeke lapho uzokoma khona kuhle," uyatjho.

Ubeke ikukhu phasi etjanini ukobana yome. Ikukhu ilele yangasikinyeka.

URefiloe wahlambisa iinkukhu zakhe zoke. Zoke zivele ziphelelwe mamandla ziwele eqadi kwethunga ngaphambi kokuthi aqede ukuzihlambisa. Uzithethe zoke zobunane wazibeka ngereyi etjanini ukobana zome. Ayikho nayinye eyasikinyekako.

"Ngizozilisa ukobana zilale kancani," uRefiloe uyacabanga, usuke lapho wakhamba wayokuhlola umrorho.

Umma uNgwe noMma uPedi bokghariyakhe kaRefiloe. Bebangathandani nakancani.

Abokghari nabo baneenyanga balungiselela umtjhado kaPalesa, kodwana bebangacabangi nokuthi bakhwele iteksi yinye.

Umma uNgwe wabona iinkukhu zakaRefiloe zilele ukobana zome. "Ngizokuba nomqabulo omnandi engizokukhamba nawo ekhaya!" ukhuluma yedwa.

Wathatha ingutjanakhe waphuthela iinkukhu zoke ngayo. Ayikho nayinye ikukhu eyasikinyekako.

"Kuhle khulu!" wamomotheka, "njeke ngizokuthola indawo yokuzibeka lapho uMma uPedi angeze azithola khona," wabeka umthwadlana ehugwini hlangana namathanga.

Umma uPedi waqunta ukupheka isidlo sethanga asithandako. Uthethe isikotlelo esikhulu waya esivandeni semirorho.

Uthe nakasesivandeni, wabona umthwadlana kaMma uNgwe ngaphasi kwalapho kubekwe amathanga khona. Uphuthulule umthwadlana. Kwavele kwaphuma iinkukhu ezibunane.

"Maye!" weqela emuva athukile. "Wu, niziinkukhu ezihlanzekileko nezihle khulu! Nilungele ipotwami," uyaratharatha. "Njeke, ngizonifihla kuphi?" Umma uPedi uhlekela ngaphakathi, "Kuzokufuneka ngithole indawana ehle, " watjho akhamba khamba ngendlini.

Ekugcineni wathi, "Ngiyazi. Ngizonibeka phezulu emfulelweni!"

Umma uPedi wakhwela phezu komthangala wabeka iinkukhu ngereyi phezu komfulelo wotjani.

Lafika ilanga ekade lilindelwe, ilanga lomtjhado.

URefiloe wavuka qangi wayokuhlola iinkukhu zakhe. Wabona bona bezingasekho etjanini lapha bezillele khona.

"Kufanele ukuthi sezomile nje. Ngiyabona zisayokufuna isidlo sazo sekuseni," uyatjho.

Umtjhado kaPalesa bewumuhle khulu. Iinkukhu azange zivuke phezu komfulelo ukobana ziyokuhlanganyela nabantazana ebabaziimpelesi ebebajida ebaleni.

Ayikho nayinye ikukhu ebona ikhwayere yesonto nayivuma ngamaphimbo aphezulu namnandi. Iinkukhu bezisalele phezu komfulelo ngesikhathi umfundisi ethula itjumayelo yakhe.

Azange zisikinye ngitjho nesiba nalokha iimfarigi nobamkhulwakhe kaRefiloe barhona khulu ngesikhathi setjumayelo.

Alikho nalinye inyawo leenkukhu elisikinyekileko lokha izimvu nagade zikhambakhamba ngetendeni, bezipheze ziwise ikhekhe lomtjhado.

Kuthe ngesikhathi ubaba kamkhwenyana aphakathi nekulumo yakhe, kwaba kulapho kuthoma ukutjhuguluka khona izinto emfulelweni.

Ikukhu yokuthoma ithabulule iimpiko zayo yaphaphela esifubeni kakaMma uNgwe. Umma uPedi ebekahlezi eduze kwakhe wafa ngeenhleko.

Enye ikukhu yaphaphela edugwini kaMma uNgwe etja. Abantu ebebahlezi etafuleni eseduze balinge ukuzibamba bangahleki.

Udade obekahlezi eduze noMma uNgwe wabeka ihlokwakhe etafuleni, " Ai, aai, aaaai, he, he, heeeeeeee!" wahleka.

Zoke ezinye iinkukhu ziqunte ukujoyina ezimbili zokuthoma.

Besela angabonakali uMma uNgwe ngebanga leenkukhu!

Abayeni bafa ngeehleko. Amadoda kwafanele bona azibambe amathumbu. Abomma bona bahleka bagedeka eentulweni.

Abesana nabentazana begade bakakarelene. Abogogo besele bangasakghoni nokuphefumula ngebanga lokuhleka. Abobamkhulu bona begade babethabetha amadondolo wabo phasi.

Abokghari ababili baqalana bathoma ukuhleka.

UMma uPedi wakhamisa khulu ahleka.

UMma uNgwe wasamisa ihlokwakhe emuva wahleka iimhlathakhe beyachachazela.

URefiloe azange akholwe.

Boke abayeni bavumelana ngokuthi lokhu kube kuthatjiswa kweemtjhadweni okungazange khekubonwe eMalealea.

"Wu ninetjhudu!" kutjho uRefiloe ngesikhathi avalela iinkukhu zakhe ngehogweni ngombana besele kusebusuku, "uMma batjho angeze asanipheka kobana nibe sisidlo sentambana."

"Kodwana qalani bona sele nizele iinsila kangangani godi," utjela iinkukhu zakhe, "Ngicabanga bona kuzokufanela bona nginihlambise kusasa!"