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KUDALA kwakukho inkosana eyayifuna ukutshata nenkosazana; kodwa yona kwakufuneka ibe yinkosazana yokwenene. Yayihambahamba kwihlabathi lonke ukuze ifumane enye, kodwa akukho ndawo yayinokufumana into eyayiyifuna. Kwakukho iinkosazana ezaneleyo, kodwa kwakunzima ukufumanisa ukuba zezokwenene na. Kwakukho into ethile ngazo eyayingekho njengoko kufanele ukuba njalo. Ngoko wabuyela ekhaya kwakhona kwaye wayebuhlungu, kuba wayengathanda kakhulu ukuba nenkosazana yokwenene.

Ngolunye usuku ngokuhlwa kwafika isivuthuvuthu esikhulu; kwaduma iindudumo nemibane, yaza imvula yana ngamandla amakhulu. Ngequbuliso kwavakala ukunkqonkqoza esangweni lesixeko, waza ukumkani omdala waya kulivula.

Yayiyinkosazana emi apho phambi kwesango. Kodwa, mhle kakhulu! Hayi indlela eyayibonakala ngayo imvula nomoya. Amanzi ayehla ezinweleni zakhe nasezimpahleni zakhe; ehla esiya ezinzwaneni zezihlangu zakhe aze aphume kwakhona ezithendeni. Kodwa ke wathi uyinkosazana yokwenene.

“Kulungile, siza kuyifumana loo nto kungekudala,” wacinga ukumkanikazi omdala. Kodwa akathethanga nto, wangena kwigumbi lokulala, wathabatha zonke izinto zokulala ebhedini, wabeka i-pea ezantsi; emva koko wathabatha oomatrasi abangamashumi amabini waza wabeka phezu kwe-pea, waza wathabatha neebhedi ezingamashumi amabini ezisezantsi phezu koomatrasi.

Kuloo nto inkosazana kwafuneka ilale ubusuku bonke. Ekuseni yabuzwa ukuba ilale njani.

“Owu, kubi kakhulu!” watsho. “Ndizivale amehlo ubusuku bonke. Izulu kuphela elaziyo ukuba yintoni ebhedini, kodwa bendilele phezu kwento eqinileyo, kangangokuba ndimnyama kwaye ndiluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka umzimba wonke. Kubi kakhulu!”

Ngoku babesazi ukuba wayeyinkosazana yokwenene kuba wayeyiva incasa ngqo kwiimatrasi ezingamashumi amabini kunye neebhedi ezingamashumi amabini ezisezantsi.

Akukho mntu ngaphandle kwenkosazana yokwenene onokuba novelwano olunjalo.

Ngoko ke inkosana yamthatha njengomfazi wayo, kuba ngoku wayesazi ukuba unenkosazana yokwenene; kwaye ipea yafakwa kwimyuziyam, apho isenokubonakala khona, ukuba akukho mntu uyibileyo.

Nantso ke, ibali eliyinyani elo.