Umama Kheswa ubevuna ikhabishi engadini yakhe iviki lonke. Ngemigqibelo ekuseni, uDudu noZipho noNeli bebesiza uMama Kheswa ukuvuna engadini yakhe yemifino.

Namhlanje amantombazanyana azomsiza ukubala nokupakisha ikhabishi emabhokisini. Ubaba Kheswa yena, uzothatha amabhokisi ekhabishi ayothengisa emakethe.

Nali itekisi lidiliza amantombazane esangweni lengadi. Athi ayabheka, nayi inqwabakazi yamakhanda ekhabishi eduze neloli elidala likababa Kheswa.

"Wemame! Ikhabishi elingaka, angikaze ngiyibone le nto," kusho uZipho esho ewakhomba. "Ngicabanga inkulungwane yekhabishi leya," kunsinsitheka uNeli.

"Hhayi suka! Akukwazi, mhlawumbe amakhulu amabili," kuphikisa uDudu.

Nangu umama Kheswa ubalindile esangweni. "Sanibonani bo! Ngaze ngajabula ukunibona!" esho ewamukela amantombazane. "Masiyosebenza bantakwethu. Kufanele nibale amakhanda ekhabishi niwafake emabhokisini, ebhokisini ngalinye nifake amakhabishi ayi-12.

Kunamabhokisi angama-20. Ababili benu bangapakisha amabhokisi ayisikhombisa bese kuthi oyedwa wenu apakishe amabhokisi ayisithupha."

Amantombazane ake ama eduze nenqwaba yekhabishi. Babonisana ngezindlela ezahlukene zokubala leli khabishi. "Mina, ngicabanga ukuthi ngizobala ngakubili," kusho uZipho.

"Mina ngithanda ukubala ngakune ngoba kuyashesha kanjalo," kusho uNeli.

"Mina ngizobala ngakuthathu, ngizokwehluka kini nobabili!" kumemeza uDudu.

Ngokushesha amantombazane ayesewagcwalisile amabhokisi angama-20.

"Awubonike! Wamuhle umsebenzi!" kubabaza umama Kheswa. "Bhekani lapha, kunamakhabishi asele. Izingulube zami ziyalithanda ikhabishi, masishiyele zona," kuqhubeka umama Kheswa.

"Nipakishe amakhanda ekhabishi amangaki ebhokisini ngalinye? Mangaki amakhanda asele?" kubuza umama Kheswa.

Okulandelayo ke manje ukuthi kubhalwe ukuthi ibhokisi malini, bese kusizwa ubaba Kheswa ukuthi amabhokisi alayishwe elolini.

Kumele babhalansise umthwalo balayishe uhhafu wamabhokisi ngapha nangapha elolini.

"Sesiyaqeda. Ake sibone-ke, mangaki amabhokisi okumele siwabeke ngaphezulu icala necala ukuze umthwalo uhlale kahle?" kusho ubaba Kheswa.

Ngokushesha, wonke amabhokisi angama-20 ayeselayishiwe elolini. Ubaba Kheswa waqala ukufudumeza imoto nanguya eqonde emakethe.

"Uma ngingawathengisa wonke la mabhokisi, ngizoba nemali eyanele ukulungisa ihhoko lezingulube, ngimangaze nabantwana," ezicabangela.

Emuva epulazini, umama Kheswa nabantwana bachelela izitshalo basusa namacembe awele phansi. Kushaya ihora leshumi nambili befile ukukhathala. Sekuzwakala umama Kheswa esethi,

"Sekuyisikhathi sokuzijabulisa ke manje. Ningaqagela nginilungiseleni namhlanje?"

Nanguya engena endlini eyolanda loko azobamangaza ngako. Bahlala bamlinda abantwana ngesineke, bebheke ngabomvu ukuthi ubaphatheleni.

Uthe eza ngendledlana, bayambona izikhwama zephinifa lakhe ziqumbile. Kazi uphetheni?

"Ake sibone ke ukuthi niqagele ngakho na?" Nangu umama Kheswa ephendulela izikhwama zakhe zephinifa lakhe, kuphume kuqinqika amahhabhula aphuzi ewela etafuleni.

Uyabona, ngishaye khona!" kumemeza uNeli. Khona lapho umama Kheswa bese ethi, "Lalelani ke bantabami, khumbulani umthetho. Yabelanani ngokulinganayo! Kungabikho othola amaningi noma ambalwa kunabanye.

Baqala abantwana. Baqala ngokubala ngakubili: kubili, kune, yisithupha, yisishiyagalombili, yishumi, yishumi nambili, yishumi nane, yishumi nesithupha, kwaba nehhabhula elilodwa ngaphezulu, kusho ukuthi amahhabhula esewonke ayi-17.

Okulandela lapho, babelana amahhabhula ngokulinganayo. Manje sekunamahhabhula amabili ngaphezulu asele.

Emva kwaloko, abantwana bafaka amahhabhula abo ezikhwameni zabo ukuze baye nawo emakhaya. Umntwana ngamunye uthola amangaki?

Masisikeni la mahhabhula amabili sabelaneni futhi," kuchaza uNeli. Masinyane waphonsa umbuzo uZipho, "Sizothola izingcezu ezingaki umuntu emunye?"

Waphendula ngokushesha uDudu, "Ngiyayazi impendulo!"

Kuthe kusenjalo, Vumvum! Sekufika ubaba Kheswa ngeloli lakhe. Iloli alilayishile, ubaba Kheswa uhleka yedwa.

"Ngithengise wonke amabhokisi. Manje sengingakwazi ukulungisa ihhoko lezingulube futhi nginithengele nebhola ebenilifuna."

"Halala!" kumemeza abantwana ngenjabulo.