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Iculo lika Sakima
Sakima's song
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USakima wayehlala nabazali bakhe kunye nosisi wakhe oneminyaka emini. Babehlala kumhlaba wendoda esisityebi. Uronta wabo ofulelwe ngengca wawusekupheleni kokelo lwemithi.
Sakima lived with his parents and his four year old sister.
They lived on a rich man’s land.
Their grass-thatched hut was at the end of a row of trees.
Xa wayeneminyaka emithathu uSakima, wagula waze waba yimfama. USakima wayeyinkwenkwe enekhono.
When Sakima was three years old, he fell sick and lost his sight.
Sakima was a talented boy.
USakima wayesenza izinto ezininzi amanye amakhwenkwe aneminyaka esithupha ayengazenzi. Umzekelo, wayekwazi ukuhlala nabantu abadala belali yakhe baze baxoxe ngemiba ebalulekileyo.
Sakima did many things that other six year old boys did not do.
For example, he could sit with older members of the village and discuss important matters.
Abazali baSakima babesebenza kumzi wendoda esisityebi. Babehamba ekhayangentsasa baze babuye emalanga. USakima wayesala kunye nosisi wakhe omncani.
The parents of Sakima worked at the rich man’s house.
They left home early in the morning and returned late in the evening.
Sakima was left with his little sister.
USakima wayethanda ukucula amaculo. Ngenye imini umama wakhe wambuza, “Uwafunda phi la maculo, Sakima?”
Sakima loved to sing songs.
One day his mother asked him, “Where do you learn these songs from, Sakima?”
Waphendula uSakima, “Ayeza nje mama. Ndiyaweva kwintloko yam ndibe sendicula.”
Sakima answered, “They just come, mother. I hear them in my head and then I sing.”
USakima wayethanda ukuculela usisi wakhe omncani, ikakhulukazi, xa eziva elambile. Usisi wakhe wayemphulaphula ecula elona culo lakhe alithandayo.
Sakima liked to sing for his little sister, especially, if she felt hungry.
His sister would listen to him singing his favourite song.
She would sway to the soothing tune.
“Cela uphinde ulicule kwakhona Sakima,” usisi wakhe wayemcenga. USakima wayevuma kwaye acule futhi ngokuphinda-phinda.
“Can you sing it again and again, Sakima,” his sister would beg him.
Sakima would accept and sing it over and over again.
Ngenye imalanga xa abazali babo babebuyile ekhaya, babethule kakhulu. USakima wayesazi ukuba kukhona into engalunganga.
One evening when his parents returned home, they were very quiet.
Sakima knew that there was something wrong.
“Yintoni engakunganga, mama, tata?” USakima wafunda ukuba unyana wendoda esisityebi wayelahlekile. Indoda yayiphatheke kabi kwaye ililolo.
“What is wrong, mother, father?” Sakima asked.
Sakima learned that the rich man’s son was missing.
The man was very sad and lonely.
“Ndingamculela. Angaphinda onwabe futhi,” uSakima waxelela abazali bakhe. “Unendyebo enkulu. Ungumfana nje oyimfama. Ucinga ukuba iculo lakho liza kumnceda?”
“I can sing for him. He might be happy again,” Sakima told his parents.
But his parents dismissed him.
“He is very rich. You are only a blind boy. Do you think your song will help him?”
Nangona kunjalo, uSakima akazange anikezele. Usisi wakhe omcinane wayemxhasa. Wathi, ” Amacula kaSakima ayandithuthuzela xa ndilambile. Azakuyithuthuzela nayo indoda esisityebi.”
However, Sakima did not give up.
His little sister supported him.
She said, “Sakima’s songs soothe me when I am hungry. They will soothe the rich man too.”
Ngemini elandelayo, uSakima wacela usisi wakhe omcinane ukuba amkhokele kumzi wendoda esisityebi.
The following day, Sakima asked his little sister to lead him to the rich man’s house.
Wema ngezantsi kwefesitile enkulu waze waqala wacula elona culo lakhe alithandayo. Kancani kancani, intloko yendoda esisistyebi yaqala ukuvela kulo fesitile inkulu.
He stood below one big window and began to sing his favourite song.
Slowly, the head of the rich man began to show through the big window.
Abasebenzi bayeka lonto babeyenza. Bamamela iculo lika Sakima elimnandi. Kodwa yathi enye indoda, “Alekho umntu okhe akwazi ukuthuthuzela umphathi. Ingaba le nkwenkwe iyimfama icinga ukuba ingamthuthuzela?”
The workers stopped what they were doing. They listened to Sakima’s beautiful song.
But one man said, “Nobody has been able to console the boss. Does this blind boy think he will console him?”
USakima wagqiba ukuculq iculo lakhe waze wajika ehamba. Kodwa indoda esisityebi yakhawuleza yaphuma yaze yathi, ” Cela ucule kwakhona.”
Sakima finished singing his song and turned to leave.
But the rich man rushed out and said, “Please sing again.”
Kwangelo Xesha, amadoda amabini aphuma ephethe umntu ngepele. Babesele bemfumene unyana wendoda esisityebi ebethiwe waze washiywa ecaleni komgaqo.
At that very moment, two men came carrying someone on a stretcher.
They had found the rich man’s son beaten up and left on the side of the road.
Indoda esisityebi yayivuya kakhulu ukubona unyana wayo kwakhona. Wahomba uSakima ngokumduduza. Wathatha unyana wakhe kunye noSakima waya esibhedlele ukwenzela uSakima ezophonda abone futhi.
The rich man was so happy to see his son again.
He rewarded Sakima for consoling him.
He took his son and Sakima to hospital so Sakima could regain his sight.
Written by: Ursula NafulaIllustrated by: Peris WachukaTranslated by: Mqakama Aza
