Kubata kwa Maliya nekufelile. Nekutaha silimo mwa hae mwana pila Nkanyezi. Mwanako yenyani batu nebayitukiseza zamukiti wa Silimo senisitaha. Nkanyezi nalibeleze mukiti ho wa Silimo kufita mazazi kaufeela amwasilimo.

Lizazi leling'wi la kakusasani autwa babahulu bamunzi bababeli nge baikambota za mukiti. "Batu bamunzi wa Tou abasana nimilimu yakulata kubina mukiti wa Silimo," anahana alimung'wi. "Lukona kuba cwani nimukiti mwa hae batu mwasaba libezi mwakuseyelela?" abuza alimung'wi wamanduna ba.

Nkanyezi nakomokile. "Cwale lizazi likabenya cwani konji alukabina kuli zusa mwabuloko la Maliya?" aipuza Nkanyezi. Nkanyezi anahana kwanako yetelele. "Niswanela kubata zelutokwa zelateyili," aikatulela. "Niswanela kuyobata lika zetokwahala kuli batu bakale kukutela mwalinako zamilimu yakuseyelela mukiti ho mwamunzi waluna."

Manduana bamupaelela mwamusipili ho nilikezo zabona. Bamufa mukotana mwakushimbela lika zanakafumana. Nkanyezi nasabile, kono nana ni sepo kuli ukazwelela mwatato yahae.

Nkanyezi azamaya lizazi kaufeela, apahama malundu nimwasana lizazi kaufeela. Asila nuka yetuna maswe, nikufita mwamacwe ashengile, Achaula fahali amabala mane konji ayofita kwa miluti yamalundu amafubelu.

Basihu asebufitile, Nkanyezi mwamunzi wamibala yebanya hande yanasikabona kale. Abulelela manduna bamunzi ho kaza musipili ho wakukutisa milimu yakuli batu bakale kuseyelela mukiti wa mbumbi. Maye wamushobo wa munzi ho afa mpo ku Nkanyezi. Abulelela musizani, "Kalilato lwakufa mubala ho kuli ukutisize lilato mwamunzi osina lilato la kuseyelela mukiti wa mbumbi." Nkanyezi aitumela kwa Manduna bamunzi ho nikulonga mubala wana filwe. Aselipazula kakusasani akala musipili wahae hape, inge atabile ni mpo yamubala ho.

Nkanyezi azamaya lizazi kaufeela mwamishitu yetibani maswe yalikota zetuna, Bunsu asebusutelize kuli mane asabona hande, ahutwa lingoma inge lilila. Anyangufela kwa milupa yeo, inge aba nimilimu yakubina kwamautu ahae anakatezi.

Nkanyezi aipumuna mwamunzi wa Bhubezi. Batu nebatingulukile mulilo, inge baliza ngomalume nikuhopela. Nasikahutwa kale lipina zende zetabusa cwalo mwabupilo bwahae. Ataluseza manduna ba munzi ho kazamusipili wahae wakuyokutisa milimu yakuseyelela mukiti wambumbi kwabatu bahaboyena. Batu bamunzi wa Bhube bamutambula kuli alobale nikupumula busihu bo.

In the morning the chief called on Nkanyezi. "My child," he said, "here is a special drum. It plays a new song every time you beat it." Nkanyezi thanked the elders and put the drum in her bag. She went on her way again, delighted with this gift of music and dance.

Mwalizazi labulalu mwamusipili wahae, atofita mwasimu yalikomu zenunile, nilingo zahae zakala kununkela. Kununkela kwatikinya mwahanu yahae nikulotisa lwenge. Alatelela kununkela, nikutokena mwamunzi nikufumana batu bayemelezi lipoto zamilo yehalikiwa hande. Hape Nkanyezi nasikaitamuna kale kwa milo yecwalo mwabupilo bwahae. Asachile zanasulwezi, ataluseza manduna ba munzi kaza musipili wahae wakuyotisa milimu yakukutisa tabo mwamunzi wahae kuli bakale kubinanga mukiti wambumbi.

Lizazi lelitatama, mulongwanji kappa bakuta yabahapei bamufa kunutu yakwapeya hande. "Mwanaaluna," babulela, "kusebelisa twakutateisa busunsu to lumisepisa lico zende ahulu mwahae yamina! Lukufa mpo yakwapeya lico zemunati zende." Nkanyezi aitumela nikulonga azkwapeyisa mwamukotana. Naziba kuli zanabata kaufeela nana nizona. Nimaata amanca anafumani akala musipili wahae kukutela kwa munzi wa Tou.

Asafitile mwahae yabona, bamunzi kaufela bakopana kuli bateleze kaza makandauko ahae. Ababulelela zamakande ahae, kana zaboni, kuhutwa nikuca.    Kono asakwaulula mukotani kuli baikabele limpo zanafumane mwakupota kwa hae. Munzi waba nimukiti kakuseyelela bufumu bo. Bunde bwabatu nibundume Nkanyezi bwatisa mubala, lipina nikubina kwabatu ba munzi wa Tou. Nimilimu yakulata kubina mukiti wa Mbumbi wakutela.