<Ubhontshisi>>

KWAKE kwaba khona inkosana eyayifuna ukushada nenkosazana; kodwa kwakufanele ibe yinkosazana yangempela. Yahamba umhlaba wonke ukuze ithole eyodwa, kodwa akukho lapho yayingakuthola khona lokho eyayikufuna. Kwakukhona amakhosazana anele, kodwa kwakunzima ukuthola ukuthi ayengokoqobo yini. Kwakuhlale kukhona okuthile ngabo okwakungenjalo. Ngakho wabuya ekhaya futhi edabukile, ngoba wayengathanda kakhulu ukuba nenkosazana yangempela.

Ngolunye usuku kusihlwa kwafika isiphepho esikhulu; kwaba nokuduma nombani, kwathi imvula yana ngamandla amakhulu. Ngokungazelelwe kwezwakala ukungqongqoza esangweni lomuzi, inkosi endala yahamba yayolivula.

Kwakuyinkosazana emi lapho phambi kwesango. Kodwa, muhle kakhulu! Yeka umbono imvula nomoya okwakumenze wabheka. Amanzi ehla ezinweleni zakhe nasezingutsheni zakhe; ehla ehlela ezinzwaneni zezicathulo zakhe futhi aphuma futhi ezithendeni. Kodwa-ke wathi uyinkosazana yangempela.

“Kulungile, sizokuthola lokho maduze,” kucabanga indlovukazi endala. Kodwa ayishongo lutho, yangena ekamelweni lokulala, yathatha yonke imibhede embhedeni, yabeka uphizi phansi; yabe isithatha omatilasi abangamashumi amabili yawabeka phezu kophizi, yabe isithatha imibhede engamashumi amabili ehla phezulu komatilasi.

Kulokhu inkosazana kwadingeka ilale ubusuku bonke. Ekuseni yabuzwa ukuthi ilale kanjani.

“O, kubi kakhulu!” kusho yena. “Angikaze ngivale amehlo ubusuku bonke. Izulu kuphela elazi ukuthi yini eyayisembhedeni, kodwa ngangilele entweni eqinile, kangangokuthi ngimnyama futhi ngiluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka umzimba wonke. Kubi kakhulu!”

Manje base bazi ukuthi uyinkosazana yangempela ngoba wayezwe ubhontshisi ngqo phakathi komatrasi abangamashumi amabili kanye nemibhede engamashumi amabili ephansi.

Akekho ngaphandle kwenkosazana yangempela ongaba nozwela olunjalo.

Ngakho inkosana yamthatha njengomkakhe, ngoba manje yayazi ukuthi inenkosazana yangempela; futhi ubhontshisi wafakwa emnyuziyamu, lapho ungabonakala khona, uma kungekho muntu owuntshontshile.

Nansi, leyo indaba eyiqiniso.