ULilitha noLuniko babehlala esixekweni notata wabo. Babekulangazelela kakhulu ukuya eholideyini. Babengafuni nje ukuba izikolo zivalwe kodwa babefuna ukuya kutyelela umakhulu wabo. Wayehlala elalini enechibi elikhulu ekulotywayo kulo.

ULilitha noLuniko bachulumanca lakufika ixesha lokuyokutyelela umakhulu kwakhona. Phezolo, ngobusuku obungaphambili bapakisha iibhegi zabo belungiselela uhambo olude oluya elalini. Babengakwazi ukulala yimincili baze bahlala bancokola ngeholide yabo ubusuku bonke.

Ekuseni ngemini elandelayo, bahamba ngemoto katata wabo ukuya ezilalini. Yahamba imoto igqitha iintaba, izilwanyana zasendle kunye namahlathi.

Emva kwexesha elide behamba, abantwana badinwa baze balala.

Utata wabo wabavusa besakufika elalini. Bafika umakhulu wabo uNobuntu ephumle phantsi komthi. Igama elithi 'Nobuntu' ngesiXhosa lithetha umntu oxabise abanye abantu nozaziyo ukuba ungumntu ngabanye abantu. Wayelinina elihle elisele liqinile.

UNobuntu wabamkela emzini wakhe waze wadanisa ngaphakathi luvuyo. Abazukulwana bakhe bona babechumancile ngelixa babemnika izipho ababemthengele zona esixekweni. "Vula isipho sam kuqala," watsho uLilitha. "Hayi makhulu, vula esam kuqala!" watsho uLuniko.

Emveni kokuba ezivulile izipho, uNobuntu wabasikelela abazukulwana bakhe ngokwesithethe.

Emva koko uLilitha noLuniko baphuma baya phandle. Baqalisa ukuleqa amabhabhathane neentaka.

Bakhwela emithini, batshizana nangamanzi echibini.

Ngokuhlwa babuyela endlwini bayokutya isopholo. Kodwa basuka bozela phambi kokuba bagqibe ukutya kwabo.

Ngemini elandelayo utata wabantwana wabuyela esixekweni ebashiya nomakhulu wabo uNobuntu.

ULilitha noLuniko bancedisa umakhulu wabo ukwenza imisebenzi yasekhaya. Bayokukha amanzi futhi baya kutheza. Baqokelela amaqanda eenkukhu bakha nemifuno egadini.

Umakhulu uNobuntu wabafundisa abantwana bakhe ukupheka ipapa ababeza kuyitya nonqweme. Wababonisa nendlela yokupheka umngqusho oneembotyi.

Ngenye intsasa, uLilitha wakhaphela iinkomo zikamakhulu emadlelweni. Ngelishwa zangena entsimini yommelwane. Ummelwane waba nomsindo kakhulu yinto kaLilitha yokuyeka iinkomo zingene entsimini yakhe. Wamothusa ngokuba uza kuzibamba iinkomo ezitya izityalo zakhe. Emva kwaloo mini, uLilitha waqinisekisa ukuba iinkomo aziphindi zimfake engxakini kwakhona.

Ngenye imini abantwana baya emarikeni noNobuntu. Wayenestendi athengisa imifuno, amagwinya kunye nenyama kuso. ULuniko wayekuthanda ukuchazela abantu ngamaxabiso ezinto. ULilitha ekuthanda ukupakisha izinto ezithengiweyo.

Emva kwemini babeye baphunge ibholani kunye. Babencedisa umakhulu nokubala ingeniso ayenzileyo.

Kodwa iintsuku zeholide zafikelela ekupheleni ngokukhawuleza kwaye abantwana kwafuneka ukuba babuyele esixekweni kwakhona. UMakhulu wanika uLilitha ikepusi, waze wanika uLuniko isikipa. Wabapakishela umphako elungiselela uhambo lwabo.

Wathi xa utata wabo ebuya ezokubalanda, abantwana abafuna ukuhamba. Bamcenga, bambongoza uNobuntu ukuba ahambe nabo ukuya esixekweni. Umakhulu yena wancuma waze wathi, "Ndimdala kakhulu ukuba ndingahlala esixekweni. Ndiza kunilinda ukuba nizokundityelela apha elalini kwakhona."

ULilitha noLuniko bamqinisa ukumwola oku baze bamsalisa kakuhle.

Bakufika esikolweni uLilitha noLuniko bababalisela bonke abahlobo babo ngobomi baselalini. Abanye abantwana babecinga ukuba ubomi basesixekweni bobona bulungileyo. Abanye bona babecinga ukuba obaselalini bobona bungcono. Kodwa, ngaphezu kwento yonke, wonke umntu wavumelana noLilitha noLuniko ukuba banomakhulu othandekayo!