Lokha ekadeni kwakhe kwaba nomndeni okhabe utlhaga. Bebanomtwana oyedwa kwaphela, ibizo lakhe kunguNonkungu. Bebamthanda khulu. Kwathi lokha nakakhulileko, bakhetha bona uNonkungu ayokuhlala nomalume wakhe onjingileko uMtonyama.

Unina kaNonkungu wamenzela izambatho ezikhethekileko ngamaribhoni, iinkunubhe nangemincamo. Wabe wamenzela nomncamo wentanyeni. UNonkungu wakhamba waya endaweni lapho kwakuhlala khona umalume wakhe.

Ekhambeni lakhe, uNokungu wafika emlanjaneni. Wawuyama umlanjana wabese uhlangana nomntazanyana ombethe amaratha. Umntazanyana wabuza, "Uya kuphi?" "Ngiyokuvakatjhela umalume wami uMtonyama," kuphendula uNonkungu.

"Awa-ke, uMtonyama nami ungumalume wami! Nami ngisendleni ngiyokuvakatjhela yena," kwatjho umntazanyana. Bayakhambisana. Ngemuva kwesikhatjhana, umntazanyana wathi kuNonkungu, "Izambatho nomncamo wakho kuhle. Ngibawa ukuzilinganisa."

UNonkungu wahlubula izambatho zakhe wazinikela umntazanyana. Lokha umntazanyana nakahlubula amaratha wakhe, uNonkungu walimuka bona umntazanyana lo unomsila!

UNonkungu wathukwa. Wabona bona umntazanyana lo uyimbulu. Bakhambakhamba, uNonkungu wabawa, "Ngibawa ubuyise izambatho zami nomncamo wami."

Imbulu yaphendula, "Ngibawa ukuzembatha besifike emthini olandelako loya." Wabese ukhomba umuthi obewuphezulu entatjaneni ebeyiseduze. Nabafika emthini loyo, uNonkungu wabawa imbulu, "Ngiyabawa buyisa izambatho zami nomncamo wami."

"Ngivumela ngizembathe besifike emmangweni lapha," kwatjho imbulu. Bekakhomba ummango oseduze nentatjana elandelako. UNonkungu bekathukiwe, ngalokho wavuma.

Ekugcineni, bafika ekundleni. UNonkungu wabawa imbulu godu, "Ngibawa ubuyise izambatho zami nomncamo wami."

"Ngivumela ngizembathe besifike endlini lapha kuhlezi khona abomma ngaphandle," kwatjho imbulu. Wakhomba indlu elibangana. Baragela phambili nekhambo. Nabatjhidela eduze nendlu, imbulu yatjhovela uNonkungu ngemuva yona yagijimela phambili.

Imbulu yathi kibomma abangendlini, "Qalani umntazana lo ombethe amaratha. Bekasoloko angilandela imini yoke. Ngifisa kwangathi angakhamba la."

Abafazi baphenduka baqala uNonkungu. Wathukwa khulu wabaleka wayokubhaqa ngesibayeni. Imbulu yakhamba yaya ngendlini yakamalume uMtonyana. Yathi, "Ngimi umzukulu wakho, uNonkungu. Ababelethi bami bangithumele bona ngizokuhlala nawe."

UMtonyama nomndeni wakhe bamamukela umntazanyana. Bebalungile emntazanyaneni lo. UNonkungu wabantu wafanelwa kulala ngesibayeni abe abelane ukudla nezinja. Emini bekabhaqa emasimini abe avume ingoma le:

"Maye mina ngatlhaga, ngatlhaga mina. Bengithunyelwe ngubaba nomma ukuyokuhlala nomalume uMtonyana.  Endleleni ngahlangana nembulu yathatha isikerde sami nomncamo wami. Maye mina ngatlhaga, ngatlhaga mina."

Ngelinye ilanga, indodana ekulu yakaMtonyana beyikhamba emasimini. Yezwa ingoma emangazako begodu itlhuwisa. Beyingazi bona ngubani ovumako, kodwana ithe nayifika ekhaya, yatjela uyise amagama wengoma.

UMtonyana waya emasimini. Wezwa ingoma, wazuma bewathola uNonkungu.

UNonkungu watjela umalume wakhe koke okwenzekileko. UMtonyana wamthatha wambuyisela emzini wamfihla ngendlini. Bekasazi bona uzokwenza ini ukubamba imbulu.

UMtonyana wezwa kuthiwa umsila wembulu uthanda ibisi begodu ayikwazi ukudlula ibisi ngaphande kokulisela. Watjela amadoda wakhe kobana embe umgodi awuzalise ngebisi elijiyileko.

UMtonyana wabese ubiza boke abentazanyana kobana bazibandakanye ephaliswaneni lokweqa umgodi. Imbulu beyitshwenyekile. Beyingafuni ukweqa emgodini.

Imbulu beyisazi bona umsila wayo uzokomela ukusela ibisi elijiyileko. Yangena ngendlini yayokubophelela umsila wayo emzimbeni yawuqinisa khulu ngendlela ebeyingakghona ngayo. Yakhamba yayokuhlala nabanye abantazanyana.

Umntazana ngemuva komntazana baseqa umgodi onebisi elijiyileko. Ekugqineni kwaba lithuba lembulu lokweqa. Yazama ukweqela phezulu emgodini, kodwana umsila wayo watjhaphuluka emzimbeni.

Umsila wembulu wayidosela phasi, phasi, phasi ngaphakathi kwebisi elijiyileko.

Ngesikhathi imbulu itlhaga ngebisini, msinyazana amadoda azalisa umgodi ngehlabathi ayingcwaba lapho. Kwaba kuphela ngembulu.

UNonkungu wahlala ngethabo isikhathi eside kwamalume wakhe.

You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way: Alan Kenyon and Viv Kenyon Author - Alan Kenyon and Viv Kenyon
Translation - Phephelaphi Mnguni and Sponono Mahlangu
Illustration - Wiehan de Jager
Language - isiNdebele
Level - Read aloud © African Storybook Initiative 2014
Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0
Source www.africanstorybook.org