BoPalesa naBongani bebahlala edolobheni nababe wabo. Bebabukelele kutsi bahambe bayovakashela gogo wabo ngemaholide, ngobe tikolo betivaliwe.

Gogo bekahlala esigodzini lapho kudotjwa khona tinhlanti dvute nelichibi lelikhulu.

BoPalesa naBongani bebajabule kakhulu ngobe bekufike sikhatsi sekutsi baphindze bavakashele gogo wabo.

Ngebusuku kutawusa bahambe, bapakisha tikhwama tabo balungela luhambo loludze labebatawuba nalo. Abazange balale, bakhuluma busuku bonkhe ngeluhambo lwabo.

Ekuseni ngelilanga lelilandzelako, bahamba ngemoto yababe wabo sebaya lapho kuhlala khona gogo wabo.

Endleleni bendlula tintsaba, tilwane tasendle nemasimu elitiya. Bebabala timoto lebatendlulako babuye bacule.

Ngemuva nje kwesikhashana, bantfwana bese badziniwe base bayalala.

Babe wabavusa boPalesa naBongani ngalesikhatsi bafika esigodzini lapho kuhlala khona gogo wabo.

Batfola gogo wabo, LaHlophe atiphumulele ecansini ngaphasi kwesihlahla.

Gogo LaHlophe wabemukela emtini wakhe ngekudansa nangemculo ngenca yenjabulo. Batukulu bakhe bebajabule kakhulu ngalesikhatsi bambona base bamupha tipho lebamphatsele tona letibuya edolobheni.

"Cala ngekuvula sakami sipho gogo," kusho Palesa. "Cha, cala ngekuvula sakami!" kusho Bongani.

Ngemuva kwekuvula tipho, gogo LaHlophe wababusisa batukulu bakhe ngendlela yesintfu.

BoPalesa naBongani baphumela ngephandle. Badlala ngekucoshisa timvimvane netinyoni.

Bagibela etihlahleni babuye badlala ngemanti echibini.

Kwatsi nalishona lilanga babuyela endlini sebayodla sidlo sakusihlwa. Batsi bangakacedzi nokudla, babe sebatela!

Ngelilanga lelilandzelako, babe wabo wabashiya nagogo wabo wabuyela edolobheni.

BoPalesa naBongani balekelela gogo wabo ngemisebenti yasekhaya.

Bakha emanti, batfote netinkhuni, balandze emacandza, bakhe tibhidvo engadzini.

Gogo LaHlophe wafundzisa batukulu bakhe kwenta umngcongcotfo longawudla neliphalishi.

Wabakhombisa kutsi sentiwa njani sidvudvu longasidla nelubisi.

Ngalelinye lilanga ekuseni, Bongani watsatsa tinkhomo tagogo wakhe watiyisa emadlelweni. Tabalekela epulazini lakamakhelwane. Umlimi wamtfukutselela Bongani. Wamesabisa ngekutsi utotibamba angatidedeli tinkhomo ngekudla titjalo takhe.

Ngemuva kwangalelolanga, umfana wenta siciniseko sekutsi tinkhomo ngete tiphindze tingene epulazini lakhe.

Kwatsi ngalelinye lilanga, bantfwana nagogo LaHlophe bavashela emakethe. Bekunesitolo lesitsengisa tibhidvo, shukela kanye nensipho.

Palesa bekakutsandza kucocisana nebatsengi abatjele nekutsi tibita malini. Bongani yena bekapakisha tintfo letitsengwe batsengi emaplastikini.

Ekupheleni kwelusuku, gogo bekabentela litiya lelimnandzi. Babuye bamelekelele ekubaleni imali letfolakale ngalolosuku.

Kodvwa masinyane nje aphela emaholide kwadzingeka kutsi bantfwana babuyele edolobheni.

Gogo LaHlophe wapha batukulu bakhe tipho, Bongani watfola ikepisi kantsi Palesa watfola lijezi. Wabalungisela kudla labatawuhamba nako njengobe bebatawutsatsa luhambo.

Watsi nakefika babe wabo atewubalandza, bebangasafuni kubuyela emuva. Bantfwana bancenga gogo wabo kutsi ahambe nabo edolobheni.

Wamoyitela watsi, "Sengimdzala kutsi ngingaya edolobheni. Ngitanilindza kutsi niphindze nivakashe esigodzini setfu."

Bobabili boPalesa naBongani bavalelisa gogo wabo ngekumanga. Bebeva buhlungu kakhulu kutsi sebayahamba.

Ngalesikhatsi boPalesa naBongani babuyela emuva esikolweni, bacocela bangani babo ngemphilo yasemakhaya lapho kuhlala khona gogo wabo.

Labanye bantfwana babona ngatsi imphilo yasedolobheni ingcono kunale yasemakhaya. Kodvwa kunakokonkhe, bonkhe bavuma kutsi boPalesa naBongani banagogo lolungile.

You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way: Violet Otieno Author - Violet Otieno
Translation - Fakazile Armooh
Illustration - Catherine Groenewald
Language - Siswati
Level - Longer paragraphs © African Storybook Initiative 2015
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Source www.africanstorybook.org