Indzawo yaseMjindini itungeletelwe ngemagcuma, emahlatsi netintsaba. Tatitinyenti tinyoka
letitfolakala kulamahlatsi lakuleto tintsaba.

Kulelinye lemahlatsi kwakukhona inyoka lenkhulu kunato tonkhe lebeyibitwa bantfu besigodzi ngekutsi nguMambakati. Bantfu labanyenti bebayesaba lenyoka ngobe beyigwinyana, igwinya wena mbuti, wena mvu.

Ngalelinye lilanga boKhanyi, Khula naKhosi bahamba baya ehlatsini bayewutfota tinkhuni. Gogo walamantfombatana wabadvonsa ngendlebe, "Nicaphele Mambakati, inyoka lenkhulu. Ningacali nitsatse noma ngabe yini ehlatsini ngaphandle kwetinkhuni." NguKhula kuphela longazange alelisise nakakhuluma gogo wakhe.

Emantfombatana aphatsa lubisi, emabhanana, bhatata nemanti. Babuye batsatsa tintsambo tekubopha tinkhuni nelizenjana lelikhaliphile lekukabha tinkhuni. Nabaya sebalibhekise ehlatsini.

Endleleni, bebahamba baticocela babuye bahleke. Basaticocela, kwevakala Khanyi, lobekamdzala kunabo bonkhe, atsi, "Sh! Asenithule! Sesiyasondzela lapho kuhlala Mambakati.

Khosi uyamemeta, "Bukani, nankha ematinyo amambakati egolide. Asititsatseleni wona."

Khanyi wabakhumbuta, "Niyashesha kukhohlwa. Utseni gogo kitsi? Akakasho yini kutsi singatsatsi lutfo lapha ehlatsini ngaphandle kwetinkhuni?"

Khula watsi, "Hhayi mine angikholwa ngiloko. Ngicabanga kutsi bekamane atikhulumela nje gogo, asivimbela kutsi singabi nako loko lesikufunako. Mine ngiyawafuna, ngitatitsatsela lamatinyo. Pho egolide!"

Bodzadzewabo bakhatsateka kakhulu ngaye. "Ungasho kutsi asikakukhuti," kusho lomunye wabo. Khula akazange afune kubanaka.

Ngaleso sikhatsi Mambakati wefika atewubuka ematinyo akhe. Watfukutsela kakhulu nakangawatfoli yonkhe indzawo ematinyo akhe egolide. Kusasenjalo, Mambakati weva umsindvo wemantfombatana acoca futsi ahleka. Wabhaca ngaphasi kwelidvwala lelaliseceleni lapho abetawedlula khona emantfombatana.

Batfwala tinkhuni tabo bodzadze. Ngekuphangisa, beva umsindvo "Ssssss!" Baba nekwesaba base betama kubhaca. Nanguya Mambakati nemlomo wakhe sewuvuleke nge! Ulindze langamgwinya.

"Ngitjeleni kahle, ngubani lotsatse ematinyo ami egolide?" kubuta Mambakati ngekucansuka. Kute lowaphendvula. Inyoka yabona kuncono iwetfuse lamantfombatana. "Loyo lowatsatsile ngitamtfola masinyane. Lalelani la! Nitangiculela-ke, loyo lotawucula ngaphandle kwekwenta liphutsa, nguye longenacala. Futsi loyo nguye lotawuchubeka nenyandza yakhe yetinkhuni aye ekhaya. Kodvwa loyo lotawubhimba, ngiyamvela!"

Kwacaca kutsi kumele acule emantfombatana. Kwacala Khanyi kucula.

Ekugcineni, kwacula Khula ngekwesaba. Kodvwa kucula kwakhe kwaba kubi kakhulu futsi nemagama bekungasiwo. "Awukwati nje kucula kahle njengalaba labanye?" kumemeta Mambakati. Inyoka beyati kutsi nguKhula lotsatse ematinyo ayo egolide.

Mambakati akazange acitse sikhatsi wavula umlomo wakhe wagwinya Khula. Bodzadzewabo babaleka baya ekhaya bafike bacoca ngako konkhe lokwentekile.