Ukukhangela umoya wentwasahlobo

Ingqele yasebusika yayisele igqithile. Intwasahlobo yayisele ifikile kwilali yakuNdlovu. Kungekudala kwakulindeleke ukuba abahlali belali le bahlangane, babhiyozele ixesha elitsha lonyaka. UNkanyezi wayewulindele ngamehlo abomvu umsitho wokubhiyozela iNtwasahlobo, nangaphezulu kwalo naluphi na usuku enyakeni.

Ngenye intsasa efudumeleyo, uNkanyezi weva abantu abadala ababini belali bencokola malunga nalo msitho. “Abantu bakuNdlovu baphelelwa ngumdla wokubhiyoza,” watsho omnye wabo ngesingqala. “Singanawo njani umsitho wokubhiyozela iNtwasahlobo kwilali elibele nendlela le yokubhiyoza?” wabuza omnye.

UNkanyezi wayexhalabile. “Liza kuvela njani ilanga kwakhona ngaphandle kokuba sicule silivuse kubuthongo balo basebusika?” wazibuza lowo. Uthe ke ngoko uNkanyezi wathi nqumama, waze wacinga ixesha elide. “Kufuneka ndifumanise ukuba yintoni na kanye le isilahlekeleyo,” wagqiba kwelo. “Kufuneka ndihambe ndiye kukhangela izinto eziza kubuyisela umoya nomdla wokubhiyoza elalini yam.”

Abantu abakhulu bayipha iintsikelelo kuhambo lwayo le ntombazana incinane. Kananjalo bayinika nengxowa eyayiza kufaka kuyo izinto eyakuthi izifumane. Nje ukuba aluqalise uhambo lwakhe, uNkanyezi waziva efikelwa luloyikwana oluncinane, kodwa wayefuna ukunceda ilali yakhe.

UNkanyezi wahamba imini yonke. Wenyuka iinduli, waza wehlisa iintlambo. Wadada, ewela imilambo emikhulu, egwencela phakathi kwamawa athambekileyo nanamatye ahlabayo. Wanqumla amathafakazi wade wafika kwisithunzi seentaba ezibomvu.

Njengokuba ubusuku babusondela, uNkanyezi wafika kwilali eneephateni kunye nemibala angazange wayibona ngaphambili. Wabalisela abantu abadala belali leyo malunga nohambo lwakhe lokubuyisela umoya nomdla wokubhiyoza kwabo bantu asuka kubo. Umama wesi sizwe wanika uNkanyezi isipho waze wathi kuye, “Sikupha le peyinti siphuphuma luthando ukuze ubuyisele umbala kwilali leyo usuka kuyo imbatshileyo.” UNkanyezi wababulela abantu abadala waze wayifaka ipeyinti engxoweni yakhe. Kwakusasa ngosuku olulandelayo waqhubeka nohambo lwakhe, echulumancile kwaye evuselelekile sisipho sombala.

UNkanyezi wahamba imini yonke, enqumla kwihlathi elikhulu nelinemithi emikhulu kakhulu. Njengokuba isibhakabhaka sasisiba mnyama engaboni, weva isandi sokubethwa kwamagubu. Wakhawuleza ukuya kwelo cala kubethwa kulo amagubu, esiva umoya wokudanisa umfikela ezinyaweni zakhe ezidiniweyo.

UNkanyezi wazifumanisa eselalini yaseBhubesi. Abantu apho babehleli bengqonge umlilo, bebetha amagubu kwaye becula. Wayengazange wawuva umculo omnandi kangako ngaphambili. Wabalisela abantu abadala belali leyo malunga nohambo lwakhe lokubuyisela umoya nomdla wokubhiyoza kwabo bantu asuka kubo. Abantu belali yaseBhubesi bammema ukuba aphumle, alale nabo ngobo busuku.

Ekuseni inkosi yabiza uNkanyezi. “Mntwana wam,” yatsho, “thatha nali igubu elikhethekileyo. Lidlala ingoma entsha ngalo lonke ixesha ulibetha.” UNkanyezi wayibulela inkosi leyo waze walifaka engxoweni yakhe igubu elo. Waqhubeka nohambo lwakhe kwakhona, evuyela esi sipho somculo nokudanisa.

Ngosuku lwesithathu lohambo lwakhe, njengokuba uNkanyezi wayedlula kwithafa elineenkomo ezityebileyo, impumlo yakhe yaqalisa ukuntlontlozela. Kwakukho ivumba elintlontlozelisa izivi zakhe zencasa waze umlomo wakhe wavuza izinkcwe. Walandela elo vumba, wade wafika elalini apho wafumana abantu bemi phezu kweembiza ezinephunga lesityu esimnandi. Le lali yayidumile ngemisitho yayo. UNkanyezi wayengazange akutye ukutya okunencasa emangalisa njengoko kutya. Emva kokuba etyile, wabalisela abantu abadala belali leyo malunga nohambo lwakhe lokubuyisela umoya nomdla wokubhiyoza kwabo bantu asuka kubo.

Ngosuku olulandelayo, ibhunga labapheki lamnika umxube wezinongo oyimfihlo. “Ntombi yethu,” batsho, “ngezi zinongo, izisu ezixolileyo ziqinisekisiwe! Sikupha isipho sokutya okumnandi.” UNkanyezi walibulela ibhunga labapheki waze wazifaka izinongo engxoweni yakhe. Wayesazi ngoku ukuba wayeyifumene yonke into awayeyikhangela. Evuselelekile enamandla amatsha, waqalisa uhambo lwakhe olude olubuyela elalini yakhe yakuNdlovu.

Wathi akufika uNkanyezi ekhaya, abantu belali baqokelelana, bamngqonga befuna ukuva ngamahlandinyuka akhe. Wababalisela amabali ngezinto azibonileyo, azivileyo nazityileyo. Waze ke emva koko wavula ingxowa yakhe eza kwabelana nabo ngezipho aziphiweyo. Abantu belali yakhe bavuyiswa kakhulu kukufumana obo butyebi. Ngenxa yobubele babanye kunye nokuba nesibindi kukaNkanyezi, abantu belali baphinda bafumana umbala, umculo kunye nomdaniso, kwakunye nokutya okumnandi ebomini babo. Kuthe ke ngoko umoya nomdla wokubhiyoza wabuyela elalini yakuNdlovu kwakhona.