My Zulu Myself

John Lockley ran his fingers through his hair and laughed, a wonderful laugh full of the exultation of life, and Darlengi laughed in kind: and at that perfect moment, their souls met.

In Natal, South Africa in 1853, fourteen-year-old John Lockley Harrison, the English boy living in Durban with his Aunt and Uncle, saves Darlengi, the Zulu, from drowning.  The two become close across the startling cultural devide and they feel as if they are true brothers when they realise there are similarities about them and their mothers etc. 

When John Lockley falls in love with the gentle Zulu, Jettama it is a union which is an impossible dream in those days of old.  In contrast the young Darlengi is drawn to his 'Ice Princess' - Ellen, John Lockley's sister - but in her eyes he sees only disdain and rejection.  Her antipathy continues until, ultimatley, on the eve of Ellen's wedding, they finally admit the startling shocking truth to each other.

Through all these catastrophes a missionaries' daughter, Phoebe McLean has been a constant friend to both men and while she is platonically close to Darlengi, she has loved and adored John Lockley since being a tiny child.

In this tale history comes to life as Joy weaves numerous real people including Brevet Colonel Anthony Durnford, Bishop Colenso, Shaka and Cetshwayo into her story of old Natal which ends in the calamity of the Zulu War of 1879.