Umlimi owayedubeka, wayelenkabi eyayingathandi ukusebenza. Inkabi le yayingafuni ukulima emasimini alomlimi. Yayifuna ukuhlala ngekhaya idle utshani, inathe amanzi njalo iphumule.

Lomlimi wayefuye lobabhemi. Ubabhemi lenkabi babengabangane. Ekutshoneni kwelanga, inkabi lobabhemi babethanda ukuxoxa bobabili. "Ngidiniwe," kutsho inkabi. "Ngisebenze kanzima ilanga lonke. Ikhuba likhulu njalo linzima. Umlimi akangivumeli ukuphumula."

Ubabhemi uyacabanga, "Inkabi ilivila. Ayithandi ukusebenza. "Uyakhala ubabhemi, "Ucabanga ukuthi ikhuba linzima? Ngikholwe, mngane wami, lilula! Ngithwale amasaka amabele emhlane namhlanje. Bekunzima ukwedlula ikhuba, ngiyethemba."

Ngelanga elilandelayo, izifuyo zombili lezi zadibana njalo. "Ngibelosuku olubi namhlanje," Inkabi iyatsho. "Insimu yomlimi wami ikhatshana njalo ibigcwele amatshe. Ngisebenze kanzima ilanga lonke. Angizange ngithole isikhathi sokuphumula."

"Usebenze kanzima?" kubuza ubabhemi. "Namhlanje ngihambe ummango omude ngisiya emkambo osedolobheni. Ngiyakholwa ngisebenze kanzima kulawe."

Ngosuku olulandelayo, inkabi yaphuza ukuza ekhaya. "Yheyi, mngane wami," ekhuluma lobabhemi. "Lamuhla kubelusuku olubi kimi." Kodwa ubabhemi akathandanga ukulalela inkabi ukuthi ithini.

Ubabhemi wathi, "Uhlala nje udiniwe. Umlimi nxa esiza, tshona phansi ubongolele uthi, "Muu! Muu!" Umlimi uzacabanga ukuthi uyagula. Uzakuvumela ukuthi uphumule." Inkabo yalithanda lelicebo likababhemi. "Ngiyabonga, babhemi othandekayo, licebo elihle lelo," iphawula inkabi.

Ekuseni, inkabi yalala phansi yavala amehlo ayo yabongolela yathi, "Muu! Muu!"

Umlimi wayikhangela inkabi wathi, "Inkabi yami iyagula. Kodwa nomakanjani, kumele insimu yami ilinywe. Ngubani ozanginceda? Engxenye ubabhemi enganceda. Namhlanje lizadonswa nguye ikhuba."

Umlimi wabophela ikhuba kubabhemi, waqala ukumtshaya ngomchilo wakhe. "Asambe! Phakamisa amasondo! Donsa!" Umlimi esitsho kubabhemi.

Ubabhemi wasebenza kanzima ilanga lonke, ebusuku wayesekhathele okwamagama.

Ubabhemi wahamba kancane esiya ekhaya. Inkabi yathi, "Babhemi othandekayo, ngibe losuku oluhle kakhulu namhlanje. Ngidle utshani, nganatha amanzi njalo ngaphumula. Ngifuna ukuphumula futhi kusasa. Nginika elinye icebo."

Ubabhemi uyacabanga, "Umsebenzi wenkabi unzima kulowami. Angifuni futhi ukwenza lomsebenzi kusasa," Wasesithi ubabhemi, "Qaphela. Umlimi uthe, 'Inkabi yami ihlala idiniwe njalo iyagula. Nxa ingazange ibengcono kusasa okusayo, ngizayibulala ngidle inyama yayo.'"

Inkabi yethuka. Yakhala yathi, "Ngempela ukutshilo na lokho? Ngizasebenza kusasa. Ngizizwa sengingcono khathesi njalo angidinwanga!"