Ekucaleni tilwane betingenayo imilente. Betihuma phasi emhlabatsini.

Bantfu kuphela lebebanemilente ngobe Mveli wabanika imilente.

Ngalelinye lilanga Mveli wancuma kupha tonkhe tilwane imilente. Wajikeleta lidolobha lonkhe amemetela ngembhobho. Bekafuna silwane ngasinye sikwati kuhamba njengemuntfu.

Tajabula tonkhe tilwane nativa kutsi titawuphiwa imilente. Silwane ngasinye besidzinga imilente kute sikwati kuhamba nekugijima. Tacula tantjikitisa imisila yato, tabhakutisa netimphiko ngenca yenjabulo.

Tilwane tahlangana tadzingidza bumatima bekuhuma phasi ngetisu,phela betihubuka tisu uma tikhasa. Imilente beyitatisita tikwati kuma futsi tibone le khashane njengebantfu.

Lwatsi nalufika lusuku, tonkhe tilwane talibhekisa emtini waMveli kuyokwamukela imilente. Kwevika tindlulamitsi, emabhubesi, tindlovu, bonogwaja, tingwenya netinyoni tonkhe tema emgceni tilindze kuphiwa imilente.

Silwane ngasinye satfola imilente lemine. Kwatsi inyoni ngayinye yatfola imilente lemibili.

Tilwane taba nemehluko setinemilente yato.Letinye tagidza ngenca yekujabula. Letinye betihamba tiwa ngenca yekuhluleka kusebentisa tinyawo.

Tajikeleta lidolobha, tibukisa ngetinyawo tato ebantfwini. Tonkhe tilwane tatsi, "Angete siphindze sihume ngetisu."

Silwane sekugcina emgceni kwaba lishongololo. "Kukhona yini lolandzelako?" kubuta Mveli. "Cha, ngimi wekugcina," kuphendvula lishongololo.

Mveli wacabanga, "Pho nangabe kungasekho muntfu, ngitayentani yonkhe lemilente lesele?" Mveli wanika lishongololo yonkhe imilente leyayisele.

Lishongololo lahamba lijabule kakhulu ngobe litfole imilente leminyenti. "Sengitawushesa kunabo bonkhe labanye," kucabanga lishongololo.

Emva kwekuhamba kwelishongololo, kwachamuka inyoka emtini waMveli. "Mveli, ngicela ungiphe imilente, ngimi ngedvwa longenayo," kusho inyoka itincengela.

"Seyiphelile yonkhe imilente. Wena bewukuphi nanginika letinye tilwane?" kubuta Mveli. "Ngilele kakhulu ngaselwa," kuphendvula inyoka.

Mveli wabuka indlu yonkhe, kodvwa bekute imilente lesele.

Mveli wachamuka wayilandvulela inyoka. Yayingasekho imilente lesele. Inyoka yahuma ngesisu ibuyela ekhaya ingenayo imilente.

Kusukela ngalelolanga inyoka yafundza sifundvo sekutsi ingalali kakhulu. Nanamuhla isalindzele lusuku leyotfola ngalo imilente.