Lokwa emandvulo, tinyoni tabamba umhlangano. Betifuna kuba nenkhosi njengebantfu netilwane. Nguyiphi inyoni lengaba yinkhosi?

"Lukhoti, lunemandla futsi lunesakhiwo sebukhosi!" Kusho lenye yetinyoni. "Cha, Lukhoti alunawo umchele, futsi nalumemeta aluvakali kahle."

"Kuncono Inshe, ngobe inkhulu kwengca letinye tinyoni futsi ibhodla kuvakale njengelibhubesi," kusho lenye yetinyoni. "Cha angeke, ayikwati kundiza. Inkhosi yetinyoni kumele ikwati kundiza."

"Mine ngicabanga kutsi ngingaba yinkhosi," kusho iPhigogo, idlalisa umsila wayo. "Ngimuhle kabi mine." "Hhayi suka, uyatigcabha wena," kusho Sikhova. "Nginemehlo lamakhulu kwengca letinye tinyoni. Ngimi lekumele abe yinkhosi."

"Cha, angeke ube yinkhosi wena Sikhova," kumemeta letinye tinyoni. "Angitsi ulala emini!"

Tatsi tisachubeka nenkhulumo yato, lenye yetinyoni yeta nembono wekutsi kuncono kundizwe.

Kutawutsi loyo lotawundizela etulu kakhulu kube nguye loyoba yinkhosi yetinyoni. Tonkhe tinyoni tavumelana tatsi, "Siyavuma." Tabese tonkhe tiyandiza tinyoni.

Lihansi landiza lilanga linye vo laya etulu kwetintsaba. Lukhoti lona lwandiza tinsuku letimbili, lwaya etulu lwendlula tintsaba.

Kodvwa lingce lona landizela etulu esibhakabhakeni ngaphandle kwekuphumula. Lisandizela etulu lingce levakala selimemeta litsi, "Ngisetulu, ngimi inkhosi!"

Ngaso leso sikhatsi, Lingce leva livi lelincane, "Tswi! Tswi, tswi! Ngisetulu, kunani nonkhe, ngiyinkhosi." Kwasho ncedze lomhlophe, inyoni lencane kunato tonkhe.

Phela Ncedze bekabhace ngaphasi kweliphiko lwengce ngalesikhatsi lindizela etulu esibhakabhakeni!

"Angeke usangehlula," kusho Lingce lindizela etulu futsi. Landiza laze laphelelwa ngemandla. Laphindza lamemeta latsi, "Ngisetulu! Ngiyinkhosi yenu!"

Ngaphasi kweliphiko Lwengce, naku lokunguncedze kutifihlile. Waphuma Ncedze, "Tswi! Tswi, tswi, tswi! Ngimi inkhosi."

Ngaleso sikhatsi Lingce lase likhatsele kakhulu kundizela etulu.

Lingce lase lindizela phasi kantsi naNcedze bekabhace ngaphasi kweliphiko lalo.

Letinye tinyoni betimtfukutselele kabi Ncedze. Betimlindzele kutsi nakefika nje titamncutsa tonkhe tinsiba.

Kodvwa masinyane Ncedze ngekubona kutsi letinye tinyoni timtfukutselele kangakanani, washobela emgodzini wenyoka.

Tinyoni letatilindzile tatjela sikhova tatsi, "Wena Sikhova, ngobe unemehlo lamakhulu, gadza Ncedze, umbambe, nakaphuma." Nembala Sikhova sahlala phambi kwemgodzi sagadza.

Emini lilanga selifutfumele, Sikhova safikelwa butfongo salala. Ncedze wahlola wabona Sikhova silele. Waphuma wanyonyoba wabaleka.

Sikhova saba nemahloni ngalokwentekile, ngekudedela Ncedze.

Kusukela ngalelo langa sacala kutingela ebusuku. Emini siyalala, sibhace kute singabonwa nguletinye tinyoni.

You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way: South African Folktale Author - South African Folktale
Translation - Fakazile Armooh
Illustration - Wiehan de Jager
Language - Siswati
Level - Longer paragraphs © African Storybook Initiative 2014
Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0
Source www.africanstorybook.org