<Uhlamvu lukaphizi>>

Kwake kwaba khona lapho kwakukhona inkosana eyayifuna ukushada nenkosazana; kodwa kwakuzodingeka abe yinkosazana yangempela. Wahamba emhlabeni wonke ukuthola eyodwa, kepha akukho lapho angakuthola khona akufunayo. Kwakukhona amakhosazana anele, kodwa kwakunzima ukuthola ukuthi ngabe bangokoqobo yini. Kwakukhona njalo okuthile ngabo okwakungenjalo njengoba kufanele kube. Ngakho-ke wafika ekhaya futhi wadabukisa, ngoba wayezobe ethanda kakhulu ukuba nenkosazana yangempela.

Ngobunye ubusuku kwaqhamuka isivunguvungu esibi; kwakukhona ukuduma nombani, imvula yathululela ezifundeni. Ngokuphazima kweso kwakuzwakala ukungqongqoza esangweni ledolobha, futhi inkosi endala yaya ukuyivula.

Kwakuyinkosazana eyami lapho phambi kwesango. Kepha, unomusa omuhle! Umbono wemvula nomoya wawumkhethile. Amanzi aqala phansi ezinweleni zakhe nezingubo; kwehlela ezinzwaneni zezicathulo zakhe futhi kuphinde kwaphuma ezithendeni. Futhi nokho wathi uyinkosazana yangempela.

"Ngokushesha, kungekudala sizothola lokho," kucabanga ukuthi indlovukazi endala. Kepha akazange asho lutho, wangena egumbini lokulala, wathatha yonke imfucumfucu embhedeni, wabeka phansi ithanga phansi; wabe esewabeka ethangeni, wabe esenemibhede emibi eshumini namashumi amabili nambili ngaphezulu omatilasi.

Kule nkosazana kwakumelwelele ubusuku bonke. Ekuseni wabuzwa ukuthi wayelele kanjani.

"O, kubi kakhulu!" Kusho yena. "Angivali kahle amehlo ami ubusuku bonke. Izulu liyazi kuphela ukuthi lalisembhedeni, kodwa ngangilele entweni enzima, ukuze ngibe mnyama futhi ngiluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka kuwo wonke umzimba wami. Kuyesabeka! "

Manje babazi ukuthi wayeyinkosazana yangempela ngoba wayeyizwe epena ngqo kumatilasi angamashumi amabili nemibhede emibi engamashumi amabili nambili.

Akekho umuntu kepha inkosazana yangempela ingazwela njengaleyo.

Ngakho-ke isikhulu samthatha ukuba abe ngumkakhe, ngoba manje wayazi ukuthi unenkosazana yangempela; futhi ipea yafakwa emnyuziyamu, lapho kungabonakala khona, uma kungekho muntu ontyenzile.

Lapho, leyo yindaba eyiqiniso.