3 nabeva umsindvo wetinselo temahhashi akhe, nebukhehlekhehle betincola takhe temphi, nemsindvo wemasondvo ato. Boyise bangeke baphendvuke babasite bantfwababo, ngobe tandla tabo tiyawulenga.
imicibisholo yabo iyakhalipha, bonkhe butjoki babo sebugotjiwe, tinselo temahhashi abo tilukhuni njengematje, emasondvo etincola tabo temphi afanana nesiwunguwungwana semoya.
Awu, subatsani, mahhashi! Nani bagibeli betincola, tigijimiseni, kube shangatsi senitinhlanya! Hlaselani, nani tingwazi: Nine madvodza aseKushe newasePhuthi, lenibambe emahawu, nani madvodza aseLidiya lajijimeta ngebutjoki.
Bahlome ngebutjoki nangetikhali; bavutsa lulaka, abanamusa. Bevakala njengekudvuma kwelwandle sebagibele emahhashini abo; beta ngeticheme temabutfo emphi, bete kutawuhlasela wena, Ndvodzakati yaseBhabhulona.
Kuthimula kwemahhashi etitsa kuyevakala kuvela kulakaDani, kukhala kwetinjomane tabo kutfutfumelisa lonkhe live. Tifikele kutawushwabudzela live nako konkhe lokukulo, lidolobha kanye nabo bonkhe labahlala kulo.”
Bayakuta batekumelana nawe ngetikhali, nangetincola temphi, nangetinkalishi, nesicumbi sebantfu; bayawutsatsa tindzawo tabo bamelane nawe yonkhe indzawo ngemahawu lamakhulu nalamancane, bafake timphantitje enhloko. Ngiyawukunikela kubo kutsi bakujezise, futsi bayakukujezisa njengekwehlulela kwabo.
Tincola tawo temphi tijubalata etitaladini, tehla tiyenyuka nelidolobha. Tifanana netidlwane letivutsako, tigijime, tiklwebhe njengembane.
Njengesitiba semanti, injalo neNineve; bantfu bayo bayabaleka kuyo, banjengemanti lageleta esuka esitibeni sawo. Bamemeta batsi: “Manini! Manini!” Kodvwa kute ngisho namunye lobanakako.
Esifubeni sasinetivikelo tesifuba tensimbi, imisindvo yetimphiko taso yayifanana nemdvumo wetincola temphi letinyenti tidvonswa ngemahhashi, lagijimela ekulweni.
“Kwadvuma tigi tetinselo temahhashi. Gidzidzidzi! Gidzidzidzi! Aholobha emahhashi akhe lanemandla!