Umqhagi nehlosi
Kholeka Mabeta
Mango Tree
Kudala-dala, izilwanyana zazihlala zonke ehlathini.
Umqhagi wawuyinkosi yezilwanyana.
Umqhagi waxelela izilwanyana ukuba isingci esiphezu kwentloko yakhe sasingumlilo.
Le nto yenza ukuba zonke izilwanyana ziwoyike umqhagi.
Ngalo mihla, umlilo wawusenziwa ngesiloli somkhonto.
Ngaminazana ithile eyayisina imvula, isiloli somkhonto sehlosi saba manzi.
Wayengakwazi ukubasa umlilo afudumeze usapho lwakhe.
Ihlosi lathumela amantshontsho alo ukuba aye kucela umlilo kumqhagi kwisingci sakhe.
Umqhagi wawungonwabanga kwaphela ngaloo mini. Wawaphindisela emva loo mantshontsho ungawanikanga mlilo.
Lwakhathazeka uhlosi xa amantshontsho ebuya engaphethanga nto.
Ebusuku kakhulu xa umqhagi wawusele ulele, ihlosi namantshontsho alo baya kuba umlilo kwisingci somqhagi.
Ihlosi lathatha ingca eyomileyo ngaphandle kwendlu yomqhagi.
Uhlosi lwabeka le ngca yomileyo ecaleni kwesingci somqhagi. Kodwa ingca zange iwubambe umlilo.
Ngononophelo, uhlosi lwabamba isingci somqhagi. Sasibanda nkce!
Amantshontso wehlosi nawo asibamba isingci somqhagi. Hayi akukho mlilo!
Usapho lohlosi lwaqalisa ukuhleka, baphela yintsini.
Intsini yala mahlosi yavusa umqhagi nezikhukukazi ebuthongweni.
Umqhagi wajongisa isingci sakhe kuloo mahlosi uwagrogrisa ngokuwatshisa, ekhwaza, "Kumele nibaleke. Anoyiki?"
Uhlosi lwaphendula lwathi, "Sisibambile isingci sakho kwaye siyalazi iqhinga lakho!
Siya hamba ke ngoku siya kuxelela zonke izilwanyana. Zizakuba nomsindo kuwe."
Izikhukukazi zoyika. Zabaleka waze umqhagi wazilandela.
Iinkukhu zalibaleka ihlathi zaya kuhlala nabantu.
Ukususela ngoko, iinkukhu zawoyika amahlosi zahlala nabantu ukuze bazikhusele.
You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way:
Umqhagi nehlosi
Author - Yikii Kubbi Emmanuel
Translation - Kholeka Mabeta
Illustration - Mango Tree
Language - isiXhosa
Level - First paragraphs
© African Storybook Initiative 2015
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Source www.africanstorybook.org
