Lalishisa ngelinye ilanga ehlobo, ehlathini elomile.

Kwase kuyizinsuku eziningi uTsheketshe omncane engenamanzi.

Ngidinga iconsi lamanzi, noma ngabe kungathiwa liconsa eqabungeni nje.

Kodwa akusekho ngisho amazolo lawa.

''Uma ngingaphuzi ngizofa, kuzomele ngiye kulomfula engake ngezwa ngawo, '' kusho uTsheketshe omncane.

''Uzomuka nomfula, '' kuxwayisa uNgwejeje ohlakaniphile.

Kodwa uTsheketshe omncane wayenxanwe kakhulu. "Ngizofa uma ngingaphuzi," kusho yena.

UTsheketsheke omncane wahamba wayofuna umfula.

Wayenqamula otshanini obomile, nasemagatsheni omile.

Kwaze kwaba uzwa umsindo wamagagasi echaphaka lapha nalaphaya.

UTsheketshe omncane wahabula amanzi engaphezi.

Wayejabule kangangoba akalibonanga igagasi elikhulu elabe liza lizomemboza.

UTsheketshe wazama ukubambelela otshanini obomile eduze kwakhe. Kodwa wathathwa amanzi amphonsa kude.

''Ngisizeni bo! Ngisizeni bo!''.

''Shesha gibela lana, '' kusho uJuba omhlophe ebambe ukhuni ngomlomo wakhe.

''Angizukuhamba ngize ngibonge kujuba. Ngizolinda aze abuye azophuza futhi, '' kusho Utsheketshe.

Ngelinye ilanga esaloku alinda njalo uTsheketshe, kwaqhamuka abafana ababili bephethe izihlilingi.

''Kunejuba elikhulu elimhlophe eliphuza kulomfula, lizoba ukudla kwethu kwasebusuku, '' kusho omunye umfana.

''Angeke ngavumela labafana babulale uJuba omhlophe. Kodwa ngimncane kakhulu, yini nje engingayenza?''.

Ngawo lowo mzuzu uJuba omhlophe wandiza wehlela phansi ukuzophuza.

UTsheketshe omncane waba nesu.

Wagxumela onyaweni lomfana wamluma ngamandla akhe wonke.

Umfana wagxuma. ''Ishuuu!'' wakhala.

UJuba omhlophe wethuka wandizela kude. Kwaba ukuphepha kwakhe.

Kwaba ikona kubonga kwakhe uTsheketsheke kuJuba omhlophe.