Ilanga laligqats' ubhobhoyi kwihlathi elomileyo.

Kwakusele kuziintsuku ezininzi imbovane encinane ingawaseli amanzi.

"Ndidinga ithontsi lamanzi nokuba liwa egqabini."

Kodwa nombethe wawusele womile.

"Ukuba andiseli manzi ngoku, ndiza kufa," yatsho imbovane encinane inyembezana. "Kufuneka ndiye kula mlambo bendive ngawo."

"Umlambo uza kumka nawe," watsho unomatse okrelekrele eyilumkisa.

Kodwa yayomile lunxano imbovane encinane. "Ndiza kufa ukuba andiseli manzi ngoku."

Imbovane encinane yahamba isiya kukhangela loo mlambo.

Yahamba yahamba idlula kwingca eyomileyo nakumahlahla awomileyo.

Yahamba yade yeva ukugwinkciza kwamanzi omlambo.

Imbovane encinane yathatha ithamo lamanzi ixesha elide.

Ngendlela eyayivuya ngayo ayizange ilibone iliza elikhulu lamanzi elalisiza.

Imbovane yazama ukubambelela emcingeni wengca owawudlula ngakuyo. Kodwa yemka namanzi.

"Ndincedeni bantu. Khanindincede."

"Khawuleza, bambelela apha," latsho ihobe elimhlophe liphethe ikhuni ngomlomo.

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"Andinakuhamba ndingekalibuleli ihobe. Ndiza kulinda lide lize kusela amanzi."

Ngenye imini isalindile njalo, kwafika amakhwenkwe amabini emlanjeni ephethe iiketi zawo.

"Kukho ihobe elikhulu elimhlophe elidla ngokuza kusela amanzi apha," yatsho enye inkwenkwe. "Siza kutya lona ngokuhlwa."

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"Andinakuwavumela la makhwenkwe alibulale eli hobe limhlophe. Kodwa njengokuba ndimncinane kangaka nje, ndingenza ntoni?"

Kanye ngelo xesha ihobe elimhlophe labhabha lisuka emthini lisiya kusela.

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Imbovane encinane yavela necebo.

Yatsibela unyawo lwenye yala makhwenkwe, yaza yalithi nkxii kanobom.

Le nkwenkwe yaxhuma. "Yhoo!" yakhwaza isitsho.

Ihobe elimhlophe lothuka laza labhabha lisiya kwindawo ekhuselekileyo.

Yaba ke ngolo hlobo imbovane encinane ibulela ihobe elimhlophe ngokuyihlangula.