JOSEFA abefuna kubabona kutsi bomnakabo labangu-10 basenayo yini inhlitiyo lembi. Ngako watsi: ‘Nine nitinhloli, nitewuhlola tikhala leningalingenela ngato live letfu.’

Baphendvula batsi: ‘Cha! nkhosi asisito, singemadvodza letsembekile. Singemadvodzana langu-12, sitalwa yindvodza yinye, lomncane kunatsi sonkhe usele nababe ekhaya, kantsi lona lomunye-ke akasekho.’

Josefa wenta shengatsi akabakholwa. Watsatsa umnakabo Simeyoni wamvalela ejele, watsi laba labanye abamikise kudla ekhaya. Watsi kubo: ‘Naniphindze nibuya kufanele nite naye umnakenu lomcane.’

Batsi nabefika ekhaya eveni laseKhenani, batjela babe wabo Jakobe ngako konkhe lobekwentekile. Kwamvisa buhlungu kakhulu loko Jakobe, waze watsi: ‘Josefa akasekho, naSimeyoni naye akasekho. Angeke nginivumele kutsi nitsatse nendvodzana yami lencane, Bhenjamini.’ Kodvwa kwatsi lapho sebete kudla, wabavumela kutsi bamtsatse Bhenjamini baye naye eGibhithe, kuze bayotfola kudla.

Utsite Josefa asehleti wababona bomnakabo beta. Wajabula kakhulu nakabona umnakabo lomncane Bhenjamini. Kodvwa kubo akekho lowabona kutsi lendvodza lesesikhundleni nguJosefa. Manje Josefa wenta lokutsite kuze avivinye bomnakabo labangu-10.

Watjela tinceku takhe kutsi atigcwalise emasaka abo ngekudla. Bangati ngaloku bomnakabo, watsi akufakwe nendzebe yakhe yesiliva esakeni laBhenjamini. Kutsite sebahambe libangana, Josefa watfumela tinceku takhe kutsi tibalandze. Natibatfola endleni tafike tatsi: ‘Niyebeleni indzebe yesiliva yenkhosi yami?’

Babaphendvula batsi: ‘Asizange siyebe indzebe yesiliva kodvwa nakwenteka uyitfola kulomunye wetfu, lowo utakufa.’

Ngako letinceku tasesha kuwo onkhe emasaka, kodvwa indzebe tayitfola esakeni laBhenjamini, njengoba ubona lana esitfombeni. Tinceku tabese titsi: ‘Nonkhe nine labanye ningahamba, kodvwa Bhenjamini utawusala.’ Bebatawenta njani-ke nyalo laba labanye?

Bakhetsa kubuyela emuva naBhenjamini. Josefa watsi kubomnakabo: ‘Nonkhe nine labanye ningahamba nibuyele ekhaya, kodvwa Bhenjamini utawusala abesigcili sami.’

Kepha Juda watsi: ‘Nasingabuyela ekhaya singeti naye umfana, babe angafa ngoba umtsandza kakhulu. Ngako ngiyakuncenga kutsi kumane kusale mine ngibe sigcili sakho, ukhulule lomfana abuyele ekhaya.’

Josefa wabona kutsi bomnakabo sebashintjile, sebete inhlitiyo lembi. Ase sibone kutsi yini layentako ngemuva kwaloko.