Mandulo, kumahlathi ashinyeneyo aseAfrika, kwakukho indawo ekwakuhlala kuyo izilwanyana.

Ingonyama yayisesona silwanyana somelele kunazo zonke izilwanyana. Yayisoyikwa zizo zonke ezinye izilwanyana kuba yayizitya.

Ngaminazana ithile, ingonyama yathi izingela yabambeka emgibeni womzingeli.

Ingonyama yaxhuzula yatsala igquma ibambekile. Yayizama ukuzikhulula kulo mgibe eyayibopheleleke kuwo.

Yatsho yancama kodwa ayizange ikwazi ukuzikhulula. Wasuka wabopheleleka ngamandla lo mgibe wawuqinisa ngakumbi umlenze wayo.

Kwadlula iintsuku itshiswa lilanga ilambile ingonyama. Yayibilile, ityhafile, ixwebe nomlomo lo kukulamba.

Ebusuku yayifunyanwa yingqele kuba yayingakhuselekanga emqolombeni apho ilala khona.

Yayisiya ityhafa ngokutyhafa iphelelwe nalithemba. "Kwowu, yhini ukuba ndifele kulo mgibe liphango nonxano?" yatsho ingonyama ilusizi.

Ngenye intsasa, ingonyama yeva ingxolo kude kufutshane. Yaphakama. Yamamela. Yaqwalasela.

Yabona ingulube yasendle embi kakhulu ihamba nomhlobo wayo. Babesiya kuseza abantwana babo amanzi kumthombo okufutshane apho. "Sizakuqubha eludakeni phambi kokuba litshise ilanga," babencokola bonwabile.

"Ngulube! Ndincede! Ngulube! Ndincede!" yakhala ikhwaza ingonyama. "Ndikhulule ndibambeke emgibeni," yacenga ingonyama.

"Soze ndikuncede ukhohlakele kangaka. Ngubani owaziyo ukuba awuyi kunditya nabantwana bam xa ndikukhulule?" yabuza ingulube.

"Ndiyathembisa andinakho ukwenza into embi ngolo hlobo. Siya kuba ngabahlobo xa unokundikhulula," yatsho ingonyama.

Ingulube yayisizela ingonyama. Yakhalipha yakhulula ingonyama isebenzisa amabamba wayo amade nawomeleleyo.

Yayingathandi ukubona ingonyama isezintlungwini, inxaniwe isifa naliphango. Yaba nobuhlobo ingulube.

"Enkosi kakhulu mhlobo wam omtsha. Ndiyahamba ngoku ndiya kusapho lwam. Usale kakuhle," yatsho ingonyama ibulela.

"Kulungile, uhambe kakuhle," yatsho ingulube ivuyela ukwakha ubuhlobo nesona silo someleleyo.

Kaloku ngoku yayizakuphumla ingoyiki ukuhlaselwa yingonyama.

Ingonyama yahamba iqhwalela ityhafile. Yayiphelelwe ngamandla kwaye unyawo lwayo lwalubuhlungu. Yayilambe kakhulu ingonyama.

Yabona abantwana bengulube bedlala eludakeni. "Ndibonwa yintoni kweli phango?" yatsho ivuza izinkcwe ingonyama. Yacinga icebo lokuqhatha ingulube.

"Hhe mhlobo wam omtsha!" yakhwaza ingonyama. "Ndilambile, ndityhafile kwaye andinamandla okuzingela. Kudala ndibambeke emgibeni ndingakwazi ukuzingela. Khawundiphe umntwana omnye kwaba bantwana bakho baninzi ndimtye ukuze ndomelele."

Yamangaliswa ingulube yathi, "Ngonyama! Yhini inkohlakalo engaka? Ungumhlobo onjani lo ofuna ukutya omnye wabantwana bam?"

"Ndenziwa yindlala mhlobo wam," yatsho ingonyama. "Ukuba awundiniki omnye wabantwana bakho ndiyakuzithathela abemnye. Ndingabe ndityhafile okwangoku, kodwa ndisenamendu kwaye ndomelele kunawe. Ndinamazinyo neenzipho ezibukhali," yatsho ingonyama.

Yaveza loo mabamba wayo made nezo nzipho zayo zibukhali.

Ingulube yothuka isoyika. Yayingenawo amandla okukhusela abantwana bayo kwingonyama.

Yacinga icebo lokuyiqhatha ingonyama ukuze isindise abantwana bayo. "Kulungile ke mhlobo wam," yatsho ingulube.

"Ndiyakukunika omnye wabantwana bam. Phambi kokuba ndikunike umntwana, qala undibonise indlela obubambeke ngayo emgibeni.

Kaloku ngekhe wazi, mhlawumbi kungafuneka ndisindise nezinye iingonyama zosapho lwakho ezinokubambeka kulo mgibe zingacingelanga."

Ingonyama yavumela phezulu seyinethemba lesidlo esimnandi. Noko yayilula le nto icelwa ngumhlobo wakhe omncede kakhulu kangaka.

Yakhawuleza yaphindela emgibeni ingonyama. Yafaka unyawo lwayo emgibeni ibonisa umhlobo wayo indlela ebibambeke ngayo.

"Awuuuuu!" yatsho ngesikhalo esikhulu ingonyama. Ithe isothuka wabe uvaleka umgibe.

Kaloku ingulube iyiqhathile ingonyama.

Ingulube yawuvala ngephanyazo umgibe, yayibambisela ingonyama.

"He ke! Ndikufumene sikhohlakali ndini! Hlala emgibeni sibone amendu wakho azakunceda kusini na. Nezo nzipho zakho zibukhali sokuze zikuncede. Nditsho naloo mabamba wakho abukhali awanakho ukukunceda," yatsho ingulube ibhekela kude ibaleka.

"Baleka, baleka!" yakhwaza ingulube, isitsho kumhlobo wayo. Waphethuka wakhwaza nabantwana.

"Balekani niphakamise imisila yenu xa nibaleka. Utata wenu kufuneka abone ngemisila yenu apho nibaleka khona," yayalela abantwana ingulube.

Nabo bebaleka abantwana bengulube besinda engozini.

"Ngulube ndincede!" yacenga yatsho kwakhona ingonyama isiva iintlungu zokutshona komgibe elunyaweni lwayo. "Ndakukwenzela yonke into oyifunayo xa nje unokundikhulula."

"Owu xoki ndini, ucinga ndingaphinda ndikukholelwe?" yabuza ingulube ibaleka isiya ebantwaneni bayo. "Ndiyakuzilumkisa nezinye izilwanyana ngamaqhinga wakho."

Ingulube yabona imisila yengulube engumhlobo wayo naleyo yamantshontsho wayo ingumngcelele ibonakala ngaphezu kwengca.

Yakhawuleza yaya kufika ebantwaneni bayo kuba kwakulula ukubabona apho bakhoyo.

Kunanamhla, iingulube nabantwana bazo zibaleka ziphakamise imisila ukuze kubonakale ukuba zikhuselelike kwiingonyama.