Kudala, izilwane zasendle zaphelelwa amanzi.Zawafuna yonke indawo kepha aziwatholanga.

Zahlangana ukuze zithole isisombululo sale nkinga. Zonke izilwane zeza emhlanganweni ngaphandle kwempungushe.UMpungushe wathi, “Ngingaya kanjani kulo mhlangano ngiyohlangana nezimfudu ezinukayo?”Lokho kwazithukuthelisa ezinye izilwane.

Kulo mhlangano, izilwane zavumelana ngokuthi zizomba umthombo.Inyamazane eyangumholi yathi, “Umthombo wethu kufanele ujule futhi ube banzi. Uma usugcwele ngeke siphinde seswele amanzi.”

Bebecula bedansa ngesikhathi beshintshana ngokumba.Ekugcineni, amanzi avela ngaphansi komhlaba agcwalisa umthombo.Babejabule kakhulu. Babengakaze bawezwe amanzi ayemnandi ngale ndlela.

Ngelinye ilanga, izilwane zabona ukuthi kukhona ongcolisa amanzi azo.Zashintshana ngokugada umthombo.

Ngesikhathi sekuyithuba likaNogwaja lokugada umthombo, uMpungushe wafika ephethe intambo.“Wenzani lapha?” kubuza uMpungushe.“Ngigade amanzi ethu,” kuphendula uNogwaja.

UMpungushe wacela uNogwaja ukuba badlale.Badlala umdlalo wokushintshana ngokubophana ngentambo.Kulo mdlalo, oboshwayo kwakufanele avale amehlo ngesikhathi eboshwa, abale aze afike kuyinkulungwane ngaphambi kokuwavula.UNogwaja wavuma.

UNogwaja waqala wabopha uMpungushe. Umpungushe wabala wafika kuyinkulungwane. UNogwaja wamqaqa.Emva kwalokho uMpungushe wabopha uNogwaja, owavala amehlo wase eqala ukubala.UMpungushe waphuza amanzi emthonjeni wase ebhukuda. Emva kwalokho, uMpungushe wathatha amanzi wahamba.

UNogwaja waqeda ukubala wafika kuyinkulungwane wase uvula amehlo.UMpungushe wayengasekho lapho.UNogwaja wamemeza ezinye izilwane ukuthizize zizomqaqa.

Izilwane zaqhubeka ngokushintshana ekugadeni isiziba kodwa zazehluleka ukubamba uMpungushe.UFudu wathi, “Ngizogada mina.”“UFudu akasona isilwane esihlakaniphile futhi esisheshayo,” kucabanga ezinye izilwane.UFudu waziphosa emanzini walinda uMpungushe.

Kwathi uMpungushe efika, wacabanga, “Akukho muntu ogadile!”Uthe esaphuza, wezwa ngento imluma ikhala. Lento yamdonsela ngaphansi kwamanzi.UMpungushe wazama ukuphunyuka kodwa uFudu wabamba waqinisa.“Wozani ngimbambile!” kwamemeza uFudu.

Izilwane zafika zabopha uMpungushe.UFudu wathi kuMpungushe, “Wonile kithi sonke. Isijeziso sakho ukuba usigeze izinyawo.”Zonke izilwane zancoma uFudu njengeqhawe lazo.Kusukela ngalelo langa, zaphuza amanzi azo kamnandi ngaphandle kokuhlushwa.