Indawo yeSinyayire ibhodwe mibundu. Iinyoka ezinengi zihlala ngehlathini ngemibundwini leyo.

Inyoka ekulu khulu abahlali bebayibiza uMagilo. Inyoka le beyithusa abantu abanengi ngombana beyiginya iimbuzi nezimvu zisaphelele.

Ngelinye ilanga uVangile, uSphenge noNomhlekhabo bebayokutheza iinkuni ngehlathini.

Ugogo labantazana uyabayelelisa, "Nitjheje uMagilo inyoka ekulu. Ningathathi nanyana yini ngehlathini ngaphandle kweenkuni." NguSphenge kwaphela ongazange alalele ugogo wakhe.

Abentazana bathatha ibisi, amabhanana, amabhutata namanzi. Bathatha iinkatha zokubopha naboqelemba bokukapa iingodo.

Basuka batjhinga ngehlathini.

Endleleni bebakhamba bacoca bebahleke.

Msinyazna nje, uVangile umntazana ongomkhulu wathi, "Thulani. Sesitjhidela lapho kuhlalamkhona
uMagilo."

UNomhlekhabo warhuwelela abanye, "Qalani, naka amazinyo wegolide kaMagilo. Asiwathatheni."

UVangile wabakhumbuza, "Ningakhohlwa isiyeleliso sakagogo sokuthi singathathi litho ngehlathini ngaphandle kweenkuni."

USphenge wathi, "Angimthembi ugogo. Ngicabanga bonyana utjho ngombana afuna ukusivimbela bonyana sithole izinto esizithandako. Uyasimonakalela. Ngiyawathatha amazinyo wegolide."

Abodadwabo bebatshwenyekile. "Sphenge, siyakukhalima," batjho njalo. USphenge azange abe nendaba.

Ngaleso isikhathi uMagilo weza azokuqala amazinyo wakhe. Bekasilingekile ngombana azange athole amazinyo wakhe wegolide.

Khona lokho uMagilo wezwa abentazana bacoca bahleka. Wabhaqa ngaphasi kwelitje eduze nendlela lapho abentazana bazokudlula khona.

Abentazana bebathwele iinyanda zeenkuni eenhloko zabo. Msinyazana nje, bezwa "Hzzzzzzzz!" Bathukwa balinga ukubhaqa.

Bekungu Magilo akhamise khulu, alindele ukuluma.

UMagilo wabuza abentazana, "Ngubani othethe amazinyo wami?" Akekho owaphendulako. Inyoka yathatha isqunto sokuhlola abentazana.

"Nanyana ngubani onganamlandu, uzakwazi ukuvuma ngaphandle kokutjhapha. Uzokuya ekhaya nenyanda yakhe yeenkuni. Kodwana onomlandu uzokwenza ubutjhapha. Uzokuba kukudla kwami kwamalanga amathathu ezako!"

UVangile wathoma ukuvuma ngephimbo elicwengileko. Ngemva kwalokho noNomhlekhabo wavuma ingoma.

Kokugcina, kwaba lithuba lakaSphenge. Bekathukiwe. Watjhidela phambili wathoma ukuvuma. Kodwana ukuvuma kwakhe kwezwakala kukumbi khulu namagama kungasiwo.

UMagilo warhuwelela, "Awukwazi ukuvuma kuhle njengabanye laba?" Inyoka beyisazi bonyana nguSphenge othethe amazinyo wegolide.

UMagilo waginya uSphenge. Abodadwabo bagijimela emzini bayokutjela abantu ngendaba le.

You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way: Joseph Sanchez Nadimo Author - Joseph Sanchez Nadimo
Translation - Phephelaphi Mnguni and Sponono Mahlangu
Illustration - Rob Owen
Language - isiNdebele
Level - Longer paragraphs © African Storybook Initiative 2015
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Source www.africanstorybook.org