USipho uhlala eGoli. Idolobha likhulu kakhulu. Linomsindo omkhulu. USipho usebenza efemini. Umsebenzi unzima. Uvuka ekuseni kakhulu. Ubuyela ekhaya ebusuku.

Kodwa uSipho akakhali. Unesizathu. Ucabanga ngoLindiwe. ULindiwe yintombi yakhe. Uhlala kude, emakhaya. Bayakhuluma ocingweni njalo. Izwi lakhe limnika amandla.

USipho wonga imali eningi. Ufuna ukuthenga inkomo. Inkomo ngeyelobolo. Lokhu kuyisiko elibalulekile. Kubonisa inhlonipho emndenini kaLindiwe. Ufuna ukwenza konke kahle.

Njalo ngenyanga, uthola umholo wakhe. Akathengi izingubo ezintsha. Akadli ezindaweni zokudlela ezibizayo. Uya ebhange. Ufaka imali yakhe. Ubona ibhuku lakhe lasebhange likhula. Lokhu kumjabulisa kakhulu.

Ngemva kwezinyanga eziningi, imali yanele. USipho uthatha ilivu emsebenzini. Uhamba aye emakethe yezinkomo. Ubuka izinkomo eziningi. Zikhona ezimnyama nezibomvu. Ekugcineni, ukhetha eyodwa. Inkomo inhle, imhlophe qwa. Inempilo.

Ukuhamba nenkomo kuya emakhaya kuyinselele. Kodwa inhliziyo yakhe igcwele injabulo. Ucabanga ngomshado wabo. Ucabanga ngekhaya labo. Ucabanga ngezingane zabo. La maphupho amenza aqine.

Ufika kwaLindiwe ntambama. Ilanga liyashona. Umndeni wakhe uyaphuma uzombingelela. Babona inkomo enhle. Bayamamatheka. Bahalalisela uSipho. Kodwa uLindiwe ubheka uSipho, hhayi inkomo. Amehlo akhe agcwele uthando.

ULindiwe uthi, "Sipho, ngiyabonga. Inkomo inhle kakhulu. Kodwa imali yiyo into ebalulekile." USipho udidekile. ULindiwe uyamomotheka. Uthi, "Bengisebenzisa enye imali oyithumelayo. Ngivule isitolo esincane. Manje singasebenza ndawonye. Asidingi ukwehlukana futhi." USipho wabona uthando lweqiniso. Lwalungekho enkomweni, kodwa ekusaseni labo.

Uhlu Lwamagama (Vocabulary)

• Ukuhlala: To live, to stay

• Idolobha: City

• Umsindo: Noise

• Ukusebenza: To work

• Ifemu: Factory

• Unzima: Difficult, hard

• Ukuvuka: To wake up

• Ekuseni: In the morning

• Ukukhala: To cry, to complain

• Isizathu: A reason

• Intombi: Girlfriend

• Emakhaya: At home, rural home

• Ucingo: Telephone

• Amandla: Strength, power

• Ukonga imali: To save money

• Ukuthenga: To buy

• Inkomo: Cow

• Ilobolo: Bride price

• Isiko: Custom, tradition

• Inhlonipho: Respect

• Umndeni: Family

• Umholo: Salary

• Ukujabulisa: To make happy

• Kwanele: It is enough

• Imakethe: Market

• Ukukhetha: To choose

• Inselele: A challenge

• Injabulo: Happiness

• Ikusasa: Future

Imibuzo Yokuqonda (Comprehension Questions)

1- Kungani uSipho ayonga imali eningi?

2- Yini uSipho ayeyenza ngemali yakhe njalo ngenyanga?

3- Uthando lweqiniso, ngokwalendaba, lwalukuphi?

English Translation

The Cow of Love

Sipho lives in Johannesburg. The city is very big. It has a lot of noise. Sipho works in a factory. The work is hard. He wakes up very early. He returns home late at night.

But Sipho does not complain. He has a reason. He thinks about Lindiwe. Lindiwe is his girlfriend. She lives far away, in the rural areas. They talk on the phone often. Her voice gives him strength.

Sipho saves a lot of his money. He wants to buy a cow. The cow is for the bride price. This is an important tradition. It shows respect to Lindiwe's family. He wants to do everything correctly.

Every month, he gets his salary. He doesn't buy new clothes. He doesn't eat at expensive restaurants. He goes to the bank. He deposits his money. He sees his bank book grow. This makes him very happy.

After many months, the money is enough. Sipho takes leave from work. He goes to the cattle market. He looks at many cows. There are black ones and red ones. Finally, he chooses one. The cow is beautiful, pure white. It is healthy.

Traveling with the cow to the rural home is a challenge. But his heart is full of joy. He thinks about their wedding. He thinks about their home. He thinks about their children. These dreams make him strong.

He arrives at Lindiwe's home in the afternoon. The sun is setting. Her family comes out to greet him. They see the beautiful cow. They smile. They congratulate Sipho. But Lindiwe looks at Sipho, not the cow. Her eyes are full of love.

Lindiwe says, "Sipho, thank you. The cow is very beautiful. But money is the important thing." Sipho is confused. Lindiwe smiles. She says, "I was using the other money you were sending. I opened a small shop. Now we can work together. We don't need to be apart anymore." Sipho saw true love. It was not in the cow, but in their future.