Ukhanka Lo Mpisi
Woza Uzokuzwa Mngane…
Indaba yethu yethiwa nguGOGO uBARBARA NKALA
INGANEKWANE
Bangane bakaGogo, inganekwane yethu yalamhla imayelana loKhanka loMpisi. Eguswini lapha kudaladala, izinyamazana zazilenkosi yeguswini. Siyayazi sonke. NguSilwane. Izinyamazana zonke ezinye zazikhothamela uSilwane, zingafisi ukumphambanisa. Ezinye izinyamazana zazithandana, zisizana, zivikelana. Ezinye njalo zazizondana, zisenzelana umhawu, zicebana, zisonelana. Ezinye zazihlakaniphile, ikanti ezinye zaziyiziwula zokucina. Ezinye izinyamazana ezazihlala zinyundiselana, zihlala zixabana, nguKhanka loMpisi. UKhanka yena wayengusomaqidlana. Wayekuthanda ukuqila izithutha zenyamazana, ngakho wayecina ezondakala kakhulu. Enye inyamazana eyayihlala imsongela izama ukuphindisela ububi nguMpisi. Ngakho laba bobabili babevele bengabonani.
Kuthiwa uSilwane, iNkosi yegusu, wayesegugile kakhulu engasenelisi ukuphuma ayezingela. Wayetshona ethe kho endlini yakhe, lephango lalo lisuka lizithathele. Kuthiwa wamema izinyamazana enxusa ukuba angathokoza ukuba zize izinyamazana, zinikane amathuba okumvakatshela njalo zimphathela izipho. Wathi kuzo,
“Ngingathokoza kakhulu nxa lingeza munye ngamunye lizongivakatshela, njalo lingiphathele okumnandi.”
Zavuma zonke izinyamazana zanikana amazopa okuthi ziyefika enkosini ziyilibazise. Ngakho, zazibonakala ziyisa emzini wenkosi, inye ngayinye. Lafika ithuba lokuthi uMpisi ayefika enkosini. Endleleni, ngqwa loKhanka, owayehlala sengathi uyamhleka. Wayezilalele ngaphansi kwesihlahla.
“Hawu, ndoda! Wakhanya upholile nje lapho emthunzini, awuyi ukuyabona iNkosi Khanka?
“Hm, angikafuni ukufa ngitshiye izihlobo zami Mpisi mfowethu.”
“Hawu, Khanka, inkosi uSilwane igulela ukufa. Kungcono siyefika silunguze.”
“Hatshi, Mpisi. Uduba ngokungasebenzisi lapha,” esitsho eqoqoda ikhanda lakhe ngenkomba uKhanka. “Usuke wananzelela nje ukubana wonke amasondo ezinyamazana aya khonale koMkhulu, inkosi uSilwane, kodwa malutshwana aphendukayo?”
“Ulamanga wena Khanka! Uhlutshwa yinhliziyo yakho leyo etshona igaya izibozi,” esitsho uMpisi kungathi uyalimuka, kodwa engafuni ukukukholwa lokho akutshoyo.
“Wo-o-o-o! Hamba juba, bazakucutha phambili!” uKhanka esitsho emjonge ngamehlo akhangele isithutha sokucina. Lamcaphula lelo uMpisi kwathi atshiye emwakale ngempama ujaha lo odelelayo. Kodwa wabona ukuba akulandlela yokulwisana loKhanka. Waqhubeka, watshitsha ngamandla uMpisi ukuthi ayekwazisa komkhulu ngokugula. Wafika wabingelela ngokuzithoba okukhulu, USilwane waze wamoyizela ngenjabulo enkulu. Uthe esathokoza ngokubona uthando olungaka uMpisi wagiqa ilitshe elikhulu wathi,
“O, Nkosi! Kulabanye abantu abangelandaba lokugula kwakho. Ngihlangane loKhanka lapha endleleni ngamcela ukuba sibambisane indlela eza lapha, kodwa yena wangitshila wathi kalaso isikhathi sokudlalisa.”
“Ungaphi umthakathi wezigodo onguKhanka?” uSilwane esecunuke engani angadlithiza konke okuphambi kwakhe. “Ngimfuna lapha khathekhathesi ngizwe ukubana kungani edelela kangaka engangihloniphi!”
UMpisi wahle waphanga wayamdinga weza laye. Bathi befika bathola uSilwane ehwaqe emubi.
“Wena Khanka, ake uphinde amazwi akho owatsho kuMpisi.”
UKhanka akuzange kumethuse lokho. Wakwazi ukuthi uMpisi uhle wafika wamthengisa.
“Hawu, nkosi yami Silwane, ngonile na ngokugijimela enyangeni yeguswini lapha ukuyabuza ngokuthi kanti umkhulu wethu ubulawa yini?”
Esizwa lelo uSilwani, wathi khwimilili, indlebe zakhe zaqapha ukuthi alalelisise. “Itheni inyanga enkulu wena Khanka? Kuyini okungangisilisisa?”
“Ithe kumele udle inhliziyo yempisi.”
“Wo-o! Impela?”
“Nang’ uMpisi phambi kwakho!”
UMpisi wayevele esegedezela esejuluka. USilwane wabe emeqela emdlithiza ekhupha inhliziyo, eyinqotshela.
Hm, bangane bakaGogo, qaphelani abantu elikhulumisana labo. Njalo linanzelele ukunyundisela abanye funa baphindisele kakubi. Libe leviki elihle kakhulu. Sesiyahlangana kuviki elizayo bangane. Yimi olithanda kakhulu uGogo Barbara Nkala.
