Nhloko ni ncila wa nyoka
La tête et la queue du serpent
Namuntlha hitavulavula hi nyoka, ya nhlarhu, ayini machumi manharhu ya malembe nayihanya. Se yifabi, yifamba, yahanya; ayirhandza kufambela ko kwhatini le. Se kute kuli laho, nayili ndzhutini wa mphama, yitithandha, yitithandha, yiteka nhloko yitlhateka henhla, ancila usala nyana le. Seku lelo, ancila loku utwa kupeka ka ndzhuti, uyovhuthuka, unge:
— He n’wanhloko, he n’wanhloko!
Anhloko yirhangi hikukanakana, lesvaku inxini lexi xivulavulaku namina?!
Hikuva yini machumi manharhu ya malembe nayikoka, ayingayanguliwa hi n’wancila.
— He n’wanhloko!
Yicuvuka seni, yicuvuka seni, xiku:
— Hi mina ndzikuyangulaku, hi mina n’wancila. Hayi! Yidzukile, se yinge:
— Wena ncila wavulavula? Ange:
— Navulavula, nomiyela hinkwawu masiku, hwonikokovisela, unikokovisela, nomiyela.
— Kasi wavulavula wena? Uku:
— Mina, navulavula, ovaku ahimina ndzinganyikiwa kuvulavula, kunyikiwe wena, se kufanela ku… se nyamuntlha noza ninavela kub’ala nchumu.
— B’ala, ulava yini?
— Eh, unikokovisile munghanu, hinghena matini, hinghena ka mintwa, hinghena kwini, kambe ha, mina nini ritu, anikombela ku kusukela ka namuntlha ali mina nikokaku,
— Hewena! Wena?! Ulava kukoka wena? Aku:
— Im, nilava kukoka.
— Pheya mina nikoka nimaha lesvi nini matihlu nakuvona phambheni. Xiku:
— Lesvo asvina problema, nitakoka mina.
— Hwe, hitafamba hidlayiwa hi vanhu hi mhaka ya wena. Aku:
— Hayikhona, nilava kukoka.
— Pheya mina nikoka nimaha lesvi nini nomo, hi mina nidlaka ukuluka upatsa nikumaha wumpula mpula seni ndzhaku, se wena utaga hiyini hiku awuna nomo. Aku:
— Eyi, mina nilava kukoka kusukela ka namuntlha.
— Eyi, alweyi avonaku ndlela himina hiku nini matihlu halenu. Aku:
— Mina kusukela ka namuntlha nilava kukoka.
— Ayi, hisvona, loko hisuka lana, koka mupfowethu, hifamba.
Se antamu uya seni, yisungula, kusukela kolahaya, ancila ukoka uqondha lana kungani svihaha, ayaku pfooo… vatlhaviwa. Se muyisa lwiya akoka nyana, aba marcha atrás, Aku:
— Havavisiwa se, he nduwena makokela yawena matahlupha, hingacuvuka la ka mintwa. Aku:
— Nirivaleli.
Akoka aqondha kun’wani, aya la vangatshivela ndzilu, wa mududumela, oyaku sve…upsha ncila. Anhloko yiku:
— ndzikugwelile nduwena, lesvi se umahetelaku svona, ahisvona, kukoka ka wena kutahiyendla hifa. Aku:
— Nirivaleli.
Se anyoka liya ya koka, hiliya acombeni, loku se yivona svaku hile ka hafu, nikusuhi nikunghena ninhloko,
— He nduwena, lomu unghenaku kona i matini, nyima nikoka hihuma. Aku:
— Nirivaleli.
Se avona svaku he, ala,
— Ih, mina nikukokile mavhumi manharhu ya malembe, awuzanga utwa kutlhaviwa hi mintwa, awuzanga upsha, awuzanga unghena matini, ahoya phuza, kuva utahanya kwhatsi, se eh, amfumu wawena lowu utanikarhata.
Loku ani svikota, anitasuka la ka muzimbha wawena, usala ukokela we wexehinkwaku la.
— Ahidli, ahiphuzi mati, ikufamba ntse! Hopsha, se, eh, nikombela ku unirivalela nitlhela nikoka mina, hiku loku anikoka mina, asviyampsa. Aku:
— Ahim him, nhalava kukoka.
Akoka, kuni vavanuna vafulelaku yindlu, vale ka xichungwa, vaku:
— Anyokô, anyoka yitaka hi ndzhaku, se loku vabula, kolahayana kuni lava vativaku ni ximadji, vaku:
— Anyoka yitaka hi marcha atrás, anyoka yitaka hi marcha atrás, yata… Se amuyisa lweyi aku:
— He n’wancila, n’wancila, seni uyaka kona, nirivaleli hi wena ufumaka, mas aseni uyaka kona, seno, kuni vanhu vafulelaka yindlu, vatahidlaya, avanhu avahirhandzi.
Xokoka, lexiya! I futhi, xiqondha kolahaya ka yindlu, avanhu vani mimesa ni svikomu, vochika, vo ga! Anjombo hilesvaku avayitsemanga kwhati, yitsemeka, atwa kufehla muyisa lwiya, aku:
— Epa! Não, svayampsa nikoka.
— Okoka yena, atlhela aya ka ndzhuti lowu vangatolovela kutshama kawona, aku:
— He n’wancila, indje usvivoni lesvi svingayendleka yamuntlha? Hiyohuluka kutsongo kufa, loku angaliku anikhondlanga muzimba, nkama lowuya, wena nghani usali koseniya.
Se alikona muyisa lwiyana ango:
— Napfumela kukokiwa hiwena, nisvivonile svaku aningekoti kuyendla loku ninganawena, nhloko. Phu, nkaringani.