Indawo yaseNsingweni izungezwe amagquma, amahlathi nezintaba. Zaziziningi izinyoka ezazitholakala kula mahlathi akulezi zintaba. Kwelinye lamahlathi, kwakukhona inyoka enkulu, inhlwathi, eyaze yanikwa igama kwathiwa nguMagilogilo. Le nyoka, akekho owayengayesabi, ngemikhuba yayo. Yayigwinya wena mvu, wena mbuzi.

Langa limbe, uNono, uSanele noNtonjana bahamba bayotheza kuleli hlathi. Ugogo wabo wayebadonse ngendlebe wathi, "Anibobhasobha uMagilogilo. Ningathathi lutho olunye ehlathini ngaphandle kwezinkuni." Kodwa uNtonjana akalalelanga isiyalo sikagogo wabo.

Amantombazane ayeziphathele umphako wobisi, wena bhanana, bhatata kanye namanzi. Bathatha nezibopho kanye nembazwana yokugawula izinkuni. Nabaya belibhekise ehlathini.

Endleleni amantombazane ayehamba ezixoxela futhi ehleka. Besazixoxela kanjalo kwezwakala uNono okunguyena omdala esesithi, "Sh! Sh! Sesisondele endaweni kaMagilogilo manje."

USanele waphendula ngelokuthi, "Hhayi bo! Bhekani! Sengathi amazinyo kaMagilogilo egolide nje lawa abantu abahlale bexoxa ngawo. Asizithatheleni wona." uNono washeshe wabakhumbuza, "Niyashesha ukukhohlwa. Utheni ugogo kithi? Akashongo ukuthi singathathi noma singacoshi lutho olunye ngaphandle kwezinkuni?"

"Ogogo! Angikholwa mina yiloko. Ubezikhulumela nje ugogo. Mina ngiyawafuna, ngizozithathela la mazinyo. Awegolide pho! Hhayisuka! Ngiyawathatha," kuphendula iqhalaqhala elinguNtonjana. Odadewabo bakhathazeka ngesenzo sikaNtonjana, mncane kodwa akakhuzeki. Omunye wabo wezwakala esegcizelela inkulumo yabo wathi, "Ungasho njalo ukuthi asikukhuzanga." Yize odadewabo babemkhuza, akalalelanga.

Ngaso leso sikhathi, memfu uMagilogilo ezobheka amazinyo akhe. Yacasuka yafa inyoka ingasawatholi amazinyo ayo. Kusenjalo, yezwa umsindo wamazwi amantombazane exoxa, egegetheka. Yacabanga ikhuluma yodwa, "Ngizobathola, bacabanga bahlakaniphile, nami-ke, ngihlakaniphile. "Yahuqazela inyoka yahamba yayocasha ngaphansi kwetshe elikhulu elaliseduze nendlela lapho amantombazane ayezodlula khona.

Aqhamuka amantombazane ethwele iminyaba yezinkuni. Bezwa ngomsindo ohazayo, bathuka bazama ukucasha. Waloku uqhubekile umsindo sengathi usondela kubo. "Ssssss!" Besalalele loko, memfu! UMagilogilo phambi kwabo. Wayesephakamise ikhanda lakhe, evule umlomo elindele ukugadla.

"Ngitsheleni kahle, ngubani othathe amazinyo ami egolide?" kubuza uMagilogilo ngokucasuka. Waqhubeka wathi, "Owathathile ngizomthola masinya nje. Lalelani la, nizongiculela-ke. Loyo oyocula ngaphandle kokwenza iphutha, nguye ongenacala. Futhi loyo, nguye oyoqhubeka nomyaba wakhe aye ekhaya. Kodwa-ke, loyo oyobhimba ngiyamzwela."

Kwacaca ukuthi kumele acule amantombazane ukuze kubonakale onecala. Kwaqala uNono, kwalandela uSanele.

Kwagcina isalakutshelwa esingu Ntonjana. Wayevevezela ukwethuka. Wathi uyaqala, izwi alangaphuma kahle, wahoshozela, namagama eyengezwakali nokuthi uthini. Kwezwakala uMagilogilo esethi, "Uyabhimba, awuzizwa?" Kwacaca enyokeni ukuthi nguye othathe amazinyo ayo.

Akazange achithe isikhathi uMagilogilo, mimiliti uNtonjana. Bathathela ngejubane odadewabo bebheke ekhaya, beyobikela abadala ngokwenzekekile.