A SNAKE IS CRUSHED BENEATH A ROCK

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A youth releases a snake from beneath a rock, and the snake then wishes to kill him. The youth asks a horse and a cow for help, but they refuse. Finally Hlanganyani, a trickster, tricks the snake and it is again trapped under the rock.

Kwathi...ke kaloku...ngantsomi...yangamadoda...alilo iqela aya kufuna umsebenzi...ngeengxwaleko zawo...abon' okokuba ayofuna umsebenzi...athi ke loo madoda ahamba...aze awufumana umsebenzi lowo...asebenza ke amadoda...umsebenzi ngokuqeshwa...ebhatalwa...ekupheleni kwenyanga...kula madoda kwakukho indoda...elinqena...edangeleyo...evuswa ngamanye ukuze ivuke...ixesha lokuvuka yona ilele...inobuthongo...kuthe ekuhambeni kwexesha...besebenza njalo...yanamini^[848] ishiyekayo athi amanye amadoda hayi sidiniwe thina kukuvusa umnyatheli ongavukiyo xa kulelwe kanti yena akalazi ixesha lokuvuka...loo nto ke avuka amanye amadoda...ahamba aya emsebenzini...eyishiyile loo ndoda ilele...ivuke indoda le amanye 's'^[849] emkile yathi yakuvuka yabona ukuba ixesh' eli 'se limkile...yahamba ke...ihamba ngokungxama...yaye indawo abasebenza kuyo...imgama ukuba mgama kukuba kude...isithuba abaya kuso...ngokuya kusebenza...yafuna indlela eya kuthi ibe yiyo indlela...enqumlayo...ukwenzela ukuba iyokufika kusalungile...ihamba ngokubaleka ingahambi ngandlela ihamba kundawo etyhobatyhobekayo kuzo ifuna ukuba iyokufika phaya ixesh' eli lisafunek' okokuba isebenze...ihambile ke...le ndoda...yahamba yahamba ikubona kona okokuba ayihambi ngandlela...kodwa isenzela okokuba indlela mayibe mfitshane...ithe ihamba njalo yeva kukho into ethi vityi vityi^[850] ...yabhekabheka ayabona mntu^[851] ...yaye ke nxa ingaboni mntu hee! yintoni le...itshoyo...yaphinda le ndoda yamamela...ngeendlebe...yathi e nto vityi vityi...jonga jonga phantsi kwelitye...yema le ndoda...yathi le nto jonga phantsi kwelitye...yanokuhamba kancinci yaphinda le nto yathi vityi...yayiva ub' itsholo ngemvana kancinci yabuya umva indoda leyo yathi le nto jonga phantsi kwelitye...ithe yakufuna ijonga ngamehlo yayibona le nto...le nto iphantsi kwelitye...yathi le nto phakamisa phakamisa eli litye...yathi le ndoda yakujonga yabona okokuba le nto itshoyo yinyoka...yathi ukuba inosizi yile nto ithi phakamisa eli litye yayijonga yayibona okokuba iyakhamisa ishicilelwe leli litye...isuke ke indoda le yaliphakamisa ilitye yathi yakuliphakamisa eli litye yaphuma le nyoka ithe yakuphuma inyoka yathi ndilambile...ndalambayo ndilapha nje kudala ndalamba ndiza kukutya...ithe indoda oo! ungathini ukuthi kanti wena ngoku uthi mandiphakamise eli litye kanti uza kuphinda ngoku unditye ndakuba ndenze ubulungisa kuwe...yathi inyoka ndithi kuwe ndilambile ndiza kukutya...yema indoda inqatyelwe yinto enjalo isukile inyoka yayitsibela indoda leyo...iyitsibele yatsho kuyo emaqatheni ezantsi elunyaweni...yayixhiphula ngamazinyo...yaphindaphinda yaye indoda isithi undityelani na ndakugqiba ukukulungisa yahamba indoda^[852] ...yahamba indoda ihamba ilandelwa yile nyoka ihambe iyixhwitha iyitya yahamba ihambe yahamba yabona into emiyo yathi yakuyibona le nto tyhini le nto lihashi^[853] limile lungxangile eli hashi libhityile lihleli nje esithubeni yaya kulo yafika yathi molo hashi khawukhe undincede nantsi into inditya ngobulungisa endibenzileyo...endithe mna ngoku ndihamba...ndabona kukho into ethi vityi jonga phantsi kwelitye ndithe ke mna ndayijonga le nto 'aze^[854] ke ndafika iyile nyoka ishicilelwe lilitye...ndaze ke ndathi ndithini na yathi yona liphakamise ndiliphakamisile ke yase^[855] ke ngoku yona yaphuma yeza kum yathi ilambile iza kunditya...kwa oko ke isuke yanditya...njengoba ndidumbe ndinjenjenje iyanditya into yale mini...khawundincede...kule nto...lisuke ke lona...lathi ihashi ukuphendula uyabona 's'^[856] ukundixelela ngobulungisa...undibona ndimangondongondo ndilapha nje...nje ngob' undibona 'se ndiyinto ehamba yodwa ndandiyinto eyayilihashi elalibongwa ekhayeni lineengoma zokugcoba kuba mna ndandibalekiswa kusamkelwa ngam ndineemali watyeba umzi wakowethu ngenxa yokubaleka kwam ndinendlu endihlaliswa kuyo esitalini^[857] ngoko ndathi ndakuphelelwa ngamandla kwaqala kwathiwa ndingumqoro onyelisa lo mzi...waye umzi wenziwe ndim...kwathiwa ngoku unyelekile umzi ondandikuwo ngenxa yokokuba ndiboqokile...ndiphelelwe ngamandla...ndaze ngoku kwathiwa ndifanelwe kukuqhutyelwa emagageni ndibulawe ndibe yinto yoba ndiqengqeleke...ndemka ke apho ubulungisa bam bajika nam suka wethu 's' ukuyibalisa kum into yobulungisa hambani nityana ngobo bulungisa bakho...wathi umfo lo x' akuva le nkcaza ithethwayo leli hashi wesuka wahamba ebuhlungu enjalo yaye inyoka le imngcangcela ifuna yena umxhwitha imtya imjikeleza uhambile kanjalo oko ehamba exakene naloo nto...kwalile nxa kuphiphiphi wabiye^[858] wabona imazi yenkomo...umboqoka went e'se ibulongwe bunyelwa emsileni...into e'se iphelelwe nangamazinyo ingakwazi nakutya ngca into e'se inkulu ngamadolo isinqe sayo 'se sitsolo kukubhitya le nto waya kuyo lo mfo...kuba uyatyiwa yile nyoka...uthe akufika kuloo mazi yaloo nkomo wafika wabulisa kuyo inkomo ivuma wathi khawundincede ndiyaphela apha waye lo mfo 'se ejacekile...akanayo nento etyiwayo umphako o'b' ewuphethe xa e'b' esiya emsebenzini uhambe ewutya kuba ezi zinto zinje azimtyhilizeli^[859] emsebenzini uthi ehamba ebaleka njalo ab' esitya kulo mphako wakhe waba 'se ephethe ibhekile^[860] yodwa...ngoku ke yathi inkomo yintoni na kanye e--- ndikuncede kuyo...wathi umfo into endiyithetha kuwe mhlobo wam...ndithe ndihamba mna ndisiya emsebenzini...ndeva kusithi vityi...le nto andayibona apho itsho khona...ndithe ngoko ndahamba yaphinda le nto yathi vityi...ndanokubheka nxa ndibhekileyo ndiyibonile inyoka iphantsi kwelitye yaye isithi yona jonga phantsi kwelitye...jonga phantsi kwelitye...ndayibona ke yathi kum phakamisa eli litye ndafa lindishicilele...ndisuke ke ndaliphakamisa ilitye elo endithe ndakuliphakamisa yaphuma inyoka le ithe yakuphuma yanotha^[861] kum yanditya ndinjenjenje ndityiwa yile nyoka ngobulungisa endithe mna nxa ifayo ndayisusela ilitye e'be liyishicilele...isuke yathi imazi yenkomo ebhityileyo yathi oo! mhlobo wam undibona ndilapha nje ndandinguye uy--- umnikazi-mzi kuba indoda eyayindifuyile...indoda eyayindifuyile ndandisengwa kakhulu ii-emele zobisi zibe mbini kwakujijwa kukho amaderi^[862] ...loo nto ke kwakungabaqeshwa^[863] ngenxa yam kuthuthwa oozibhotolo^[864] kuyimali kuyintoni...kwakhiwa umzi wamkhulu^[865] ndithandwa ndityiswa ukutya ngaphandle kwengca kuba ndiza 'ba^[866] yiyo into ethi yakufika ekhayeni kusengwe...ndandisithi nxa ndeza kusengwa kubekwe isitya kugrayiwe umbona waphekwa ndithi umnt' esenga nje ndibe mna ndisitya ndiyinkomo yodidi kumzi wakuthi elinene umfo ngenxa yam...loo nto ke kwalile okokuba mna mandaluphale kuphele ukuzala kuphele ubisi ndaluphale ndibe lilo ixhegwazana lenkomo...ndaqalisa okokuba ndiye ngoku entweni yokokuba liphele ibhongo ngam balityalwa ubulungisa o'se ndibenzile obungako kwathiwa akungetyiwa nanyama kum kuba ndilingondo amathambo la wam 'se egqunywe ngofele...kwathiwa mandihambe ndokulahlwa ndingabonakali kulo mzi kuba lo mzi ngoku ndiyawunyelisa ndiyawuphoxa kuba ndiyinto embi elugodo apha ese ikhuthuke noboya esikhumbeni...ndaqhutywa ke ndaza kubekwa apha undibona ndilapha nje yindima yobulungisa...ubulungisa 's' ukundixelela ngabo hayi mfo hambani nityana...andinanto naloo nto nam ndilapha nje bobo bulungisa...uhambile ke umfo wemka apho esukelana kwa nayo inyoka le kuba le nyoka ith' nxa suba^[867] ethetha lo mfo ime ikhe imamele okokuba kuza kugqitywa phi na...ize kuthi kwakugqitywa ukuthethwa ibe 'se itsiba ke ngoku kuye imtya ahambe ke eqhashambula etyiwa yiyo...uhambile ke ngoku ukuncama kumazwi waloo nkomo...uhambe wahamba wahamba lo mfo waphinda wabona into eyalusayo isalusa impahla...wathi akujonga oo ngathi ngumntu le nto ngathi ntoni...waya ebona okokuba ngumnt' owalusayo...ufikile apho wafika kunto egama linguHlanganyani...wathi akufika w--- wabulisa kuyo yema wathi uHlanganyani yintoni...uthe lo mfo ndiza kuwe...ke apha ndisukelwa yile nyoka ndinjenjenje...yile nyoka ndiyatyiwa yile nyoka...oko indixheshile inditya imilenze le iyitya kwade kwama ngamadolo...kuba njengoko lo mfo ehamba ayimyekanga iyaxhuma ixhwitha kuye udumbile uyopha ungamanxeba enjalo eqaqanjelwa kukutyiwa yile nyoka...uthi uHlanganyani waze waba udibana nayo phi na...athi umfo ndithe nxa 'be sisiya emsebenzini ndashiywa ngabanye ke mna 'be ndisalele ndothuke 'se bengekho ndaze ndathi ndakothuka...ndabona okokuba ixesha eli lindishiyile ndathabatha ke mna iindlela e'se zifuna ukunqumla...ukubheka apho emsebenzini...ke namiphako 'be ndiyiphethe ndiyityile kuba naxa ndityiwa yile nto ndithi ngokubalek' oku ndimane ndisitya^[868] ...ndithe ke ngoko kunqumla kwam loo ndlela...ndahamba kundawo engenandlela...ndalile nxa ndikwanti ndahamba ndeva kukho into ethi vityi...ithe yakuthi vityi ndabhekabheka andayibona le nto itshoyo ndanga ndiyahamba yaphinda le nto yathi vityi vityi ndayiqwalasela ndaqonda okokuba itsho ngemvana kum ndibe nokubuya umva nxana ndibuye umva kanti ngoku ndibuya umva 'se ndimalunga nayo ithe yona le nto yathetha ndingayiboni mna ngamehlo...yathi ukuthetha kwayo jonga jonga phantsi kwelitye...ndithi jonga phantsi kwelitye ndithe nxa itshoyo ndajonga phantsi kwelitye ndiyibonile okokuba yinyoka ikhamisile...yathi yona phakamisa ilitye eli ndafa...ndaze ke ndanosizi ndev' int' embi ndaliphakamisa ilitye ndakugqiba ke ukuliphakamisa ilitye ithe yona oo ndilambile undincedile ndiza kukutya...ndathi ndakuthi oo ndingathini na ukukuthi^[869] ndakukunceda uze ngoku wena uth' uza kunditya...ithe inyoka kudala ndilambile ndiza kukutya yatsho itsiba kum...yanditya ke konke ukuqalela eqatheni...oko ndihamba inditya undibona ndinjenjenje...uthe uHlanganyani ukuphendula yho! uyabona ubulungisa bulungile kakhulu kufuneka kaloku ikutye isaza kukutya kakhulu kufuneka ikutye ihluthe iza kukugqiba namhlanje...kodwa ke ma'khe sihambe...'khe siyokubona...laa ndawo^[870] ...ke...sibone ke indawo leyo uhlobo lokuma kwayo ukulungiselela okokuba ikutye kakuhle ngesiko lasebulungisen'...ngoko ke inyoka nayo yatsho ke ngoku yavuya ukuba kuyiwa endaweni yokokuba ngoku mayibe nokunikelwa...uba itye le ndoda iyigqibe...uhambile ke uHlanganyani nendoda leyo kunye nenyoka leyo...aze iimpahla ezo wazishiya apho esiya kuyo loo ndawo yayishicilelwe kuyo lilitye bafikile apho yathi indoda le nali ke elo litye...oo watsho uHlanganyani oo kwakutheni^[871] le khawulinganise...e--- nawe nyoka khawulinganise indlela owawuhleli^[872] ngayo...ndifun' uba ude utye ungalambi kakhulu...usukile ke umfo walinqika ilitye uthe akulinqika yathi indodana enguHIanganyani ngena nyoka uhlale ngolaa hlobo wawuhleli ngalo le nto ndifuna ukuyilungisa kuba ndiyayibon' uba akunatyala wena kulungelelene nokokuba utye kakuhle le ndoda...yangena inyoka...y--- wathi uHlanganyani hlala ngolaa hlobo...wawuhleli ngalo ukuze yena aphakamise ilitye kuwe lo mfo...yazisonga inyoka kakuhle izisonga ngolaa hlobo yayibek' intloko ngolaa hlobo wathi uHlanganyani yakugqiba wena ke e--- khawubeke ility' eli ngolaa hlobo lalubekwe^[873] ngalo...yaze indoda le yalibeka ilitye e--- phezu kwenyoka...yaze inyoka yakhamisa yathi ngha umlomo njengolaa hlobo yayishicilelwe...ithe ke indodana enguHlanganyani hee uyabona ke nabo ke ubulungisa...ke uyabona ke ngoku hlala apha...e--- kule ndawo...phantsi kweli litye uze niyazi le nto yokuthi umntu akulungisa aphendulwe kakubi khawuhlale ke endaweni yakho wena mfo hamba uye kumsebenzi wakho o'b' usiya kuwo...ngoko ke isukile indoda leyo i--- yathabatha ibhekile yayo wathi uHlanganyani kodwana ke nga'khe 'yihlabe^[874] aph' emehlweni yasuka indoda yawaqhofuza amehlo wayo inyoka omabini yahamba ke yabheka emsebenzini apho...uhleli ke emsebenzini esebenza njalo wayisebenza ke ngoku yonke imihla yakhe wathi ukususela kule mini yanamhlanje lasoloko uvalo luphakamile wayiyeka into yokuthi nxa kuyiwa emsebenzini alale yena angavuki kumkiwe uze ngonj' azokudibana neendlela ezingaphandle kweendlela ekuhanjwa ngazo yaba ke loo nto iyaphela kuloo ndawo.