Baamaama Ke baleesombola bakabici uno mulungu oonse. Doobie, Maya na Duksie balaafwilisha baamaama Ke ukusombola kabici mwibala pacibelushi. Buno bushiku abaana balaafwilishako ukupenda nookulonga bakabici. Panuma, baa Baba Ke baalatwala ifibokoshi fyakabici kumaliketi mukushitisha.

Motoka yaikisha abaana apakwingilila mwibala. Baamona ifibokoshi fyaba kabici nabafitulika mupepi namootoka ya baababa Ke iyakale. "Iyee! Kweena kabici iyi yingi!" Maya alanda. "Pafwile pali ikana limo ilyabakabici palya!" Duksie aaseka. "Nakalya! Paleemoneka kwati pali imyanda ibili fye!" efyo Doobie ataalika.

Baamama Ke baleelolela apakwingilila. "Muli shani bonse? Ndi uwasansa pakumimona!" abaposha abana. "Aleni natubombe. Mulefwaika ukupenda bakabici nookubabiika mumabokoshi. Icibokoshi cimo mulefwaika bakabici ikumi na fibili. Nkwete amabokoshi amakumi yabili. Babili pali imwe cilamuntu kuti aalonga mumabokoshi cinelubali. Elyo umo kuti aalonga mumabokoshi mutanda.

Abaana baaiminina apo batuulike bakabici. Baleelanda panshila ishapusana ishakupenda bakabici. "Ndetontonkanya kwati nalaapenda ibili-ibili," efyo Maya asosa. "Natemwa ukupenda ine-ine," Duksie alanda, "Cilangukako." Doobie alundapo. "Ine nalaapenda itatu-itatu ukutila mpusaneko!"

Ukwabula ukuposa inshita, abana baisusha ifibokoshi amakumi yabili. "Mwabomba bwino!" efyo baamama Ke basosa. "Moneeni, pashalapo bakabici. Inkumba shandi shaalitemwa kabici. Twalashakanyako," efyo baasosa. "Nibanga bakabici mulongele mufibokoshi? Nibanga bashelepo?" baamama Ke baipusha abaana.

Incito iileekonkapo yakubika imitengo pafibokoshi elyo nookwafwa baaBaba Ke ukufilonga pali motoka. Bafwile babiika ifibokoshi isela limo kulubali lumo, elyo isela limbi nalyo, kulubali lumbi pakuti fifinina kumo.

"Twalapwisha ili liine!" efyo baaBaba Ke balanda. "Katumone nga nifinga nafimbi ifibokoshi twalalundapo ukutila fifinina kumo?"

Ukwabula kuposa nshita, ifibokoshi fyonse amakumi yabili fyalongwa pali motoka. BaaBaba Ke bakafya injini wamotoka nookwensha ukuya kumaliketi. "Nga kuti nashitisha ifibokoshi fyonse," efyo batontonkanya, "Nalakwata indalama ishingi ishakulungisha ing'anda yankumba nookushitilako abana akantu akaakubapusha!"

Pa famu baamama Ke na baana baleetapilila ifimenwa nookupyanga amabuula. Lilya cileefika akasuba, ninshi bonse nabanaka. Baamama Ke babeeba abati, "Inshita yakumilambula yafika. Bushe kuti mwalanda ifyo mikwatile pabushiku bwelelo?"

Baingila mukati mukusenda ifyakubalambula. Abaana bateekanya nookuloleela baamama Ke babwele nookuleeta ifyo baile mukubaleetela. Lilya baleebwela amatumba ya apuloni ninshi nayeesula.

"Katumone nga namulotela bwino! Fintu nshi muleepokelela lelo?" Baamama Ke efyo baiswile itumba lya apuloni. Efyo umwina wa ma apele waponene patebulo. "Moneni, nine nacilungika!" Duksie apunda. Baamama Ke baeba abaana abati, "Aleeni nomba mwibukishe amafunde. Kulinganya pakwakana. Takuli uwakubuula ayeengi nangu ayanoono pabanankwe!"

Pakubala abana bapeenda ama apele yabili-yabili. Balapeenda: yabili, yane, mutanda, ikumi, ikumi na yabili, ikumi na yataatu, ikumi na yane, ikumi na mutanda. Elyo pashala na limo. Yonse pamo yali ikumi na cinelubali.

Panuma yaifyo, baalinganya pa kwakana ama apele. Kwashala ama apele yabili. Abaana balonga ama apele mufyola ayakutwala kung'anda. Niyanga cila mwana alasenda?

"Katuyaputule ama apele aya yabili twakane," Duksie aeba abanankwe. "Nifinga ifipande fya ma apele ifyo cila muntu alasenda?" Maya aipusha. "Ninjishiba icasuko!" Doobie amwentula.

Apopene, Baababa Ke nabo bafika ukufuma kumaliketi. Mumotoka tamuli icilimo. Baababa Ke baleemwentula. "Ninshitisha bakabici bonse. Nomba kuti nalungisha ing'anda yankumba nookumishitila ilya bola yamupila wakumakasa iyo mwaleefwaya." "Yee!" efyo abaana bapuunda.