| Description |
Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
My name is Shadau Htang San. Now I am going to tell you a story about how rice grains came to have husks. Once upon a time, there was a man and a woman. They were farmers. In those days, rice grains had no husks as they do now. Vegetables didn't have outer skins either. Cucumbers didn't have skins either. Because the vegetables had no skins, both humans and animals could eat them easily. Birds, squirrels, and other animals ate them frequently. Everyone treated the vegetables without much care. Day after day, the rice plants could no longer endure this treatment. In the end, they thought of running away because they couldn't endure everyone picking them easily all the time. Then all the rice plants ran off in every direction. Some ran into the lake, some ran among the trees, and some ran into streams. The plants that went into the lake still grew there, but they are inedible. Some rice plants ran to the mountains. The rice plants that grow in the mountains produce grains that look like rice, but they are not edible. Other rice plants ran off to various places. There are too many to mention, but they spread to many different areas. Many rice plants went to the Sky Land. They never came back to the Earth. Then humans didn't have anything to eat. Humans didn't know what to do. Then they called every single one who ate rice and said, "Let's go take rice back to the Earth." They held a meeting with the animals and decided to take the rice back. After that, they traveled to Sky Land, with a horse accompanying them to help carry the rice. When they arrived there, the chiefs from the Sky Land asked them, "How did you treat the rice grains? They ran away and said they didn't want to return to the Earth. What will you do about it?" The humans and animals begged them and asked for help. The animals also made a promise and offered themselves as food for humans. U Shing Tek La (a bird) said, "I will help take care of humans. I will also be food for them." The chiefs from the Sun Land and the rice grains said, "You are tiny, just a handful, not even enough for a pounded chili side dish. Humans won't feel full. You can't be the food for them. We will not go back to the Earth." Then the other birds also offered themselves as food. The bulbul bird said, "I will be food for them too." But the rice grains replied, "The bulbul lays only two eggs. If they lay only two eggs at a time, they won't be enough for humans. We can't go back to the Earth." The prawns also said, "We lay lots of eggs at a time. We will be food for humans too." However, the rice grains didn't agree to return to the Earth. In the end, the fish offered themselves as food, saying, "We lay three hundred eggs each. We are enough to feed humans. Come with us to the Earth." Only then did the rice grains agree to go back. They said, "Okay. If you help feed the humans, I will return to the Earth." When they all returned to the Earth, they met many other animals on their way back. The animals were happy because the rice had come back. Soon, they met the chameleon. The chameleon said, "Let me see your rice grain." The chiefs from the Sun Land said to the rice grains and the animals, "Return to the Earth." They placed husks on the rice grains before sending them back. They put skins on vegetables, such as cucumbers, to protect them from danger. The rice grains and the animals were happily going back to the Earth. When they met the chameleon, she said, "Let me see your rice grains." The animals refused because she always said bad things and brought bad omens. She said, "Why am I not allowed to see them? I am also a resident of the Earth. I have every right to see them." Since she kept insisting on seeing them, they had no choice but to allow her. In the past, rice grains were as big as a thumb. When the chameleon looked at the rice grains, she saw that they were big. So she said, "This rice grain is really big. It doesn't need to be this large. It would be enough if it were only as big as my tail." Since then, rice grains have been only as big as the chameleon's tail. Since that day, rice grains have been small. They became smaller because of the chameleon's bad omen. Other seeds and vegetables have their own skins to protect them, so they have been able to live with humans until today. Yams also have skins for protection, which is why they can grow almost anywhere. The rice grains got their husks when they ran away from humans, and they became small because of the chameleon's bad curse.
Transcription (Lu Awng)
Ngai na mying gaw Shadau Htang San nga ma ai. Ya ngai hkai dan na maumwi gabaw gaw mam ni hpyi hpun wa ai lam nga re ai. Moi shawng de shinggyim num sha hte shinggyim la yan lahkawng nga ai. Dai yan lahkawng gaw ginra mi hta shan hkawng mam yi galaw sha nna nga ai. Dai ten hta mam ni gaw ya na zawn nrai shi ai hpyi nkap shi ai. Singku krin sha naw rai taw nga ai. Ndai hkai nli kaga ni yawng hkra hte mung hpa hpyi nkap shi ai. Kumgyin si ni nga jang mung hpyi n kap ai dai hku shinggu krin hkrai sha naw rai taw nga ai. Dai ten hta ndai di sha loi ai re majaw gaw ndai di sha loi ai re majaw gaw lai wa lai sa masha ni yawng hkra hte mung lai wa let dung let sha mat wa ai ni mung nga ai. Kadu hka ni u ni yawng hkra hte mung aloi ali hte mai sha re majaw yawng hkra jawm hpya zingri sha kau ai lam ni inga ai. Dai majaw gaw mam ni gaw lani hte lani shaning na wa ai shaloi nlu hkam wa ai. Nlu hkam wa ai majaw hpang jahtum e gaw mam ni myit ai gaw shanhte gaw hprawng mat na myit mat ai. Ndai zawn re ai yawng yawng lai wa lai sa yawng a zingri zingrat galaw ai kaw na shanhte gaw nlu hkam wa ai majaw hprawng na matu myit mat wa sai. Hpang jahtum e shanhte ndai mam ni gaw kadai mung kadai chye ai hku dumbru dumbra rai hprawng mat wa ai. Ndai hprawng mat wa ai hta nkau mi gaw nawng de hprawng mat wa ai ni nga ai. Nkau mi gaw hpun labra hkan e hpun lapran hkan e hprawng shang mat wa ai ni nga ai. Nkau mi gaw hka de hprawng mat wa ai ni nga ai. Dai majaw ndai nawng hkan e hprawng shang mat wa ai mam ni gaw ya daini du hkra nawng kaw tu taw nga ai ndai mam zawn zawn rai di na tu taw nga ai sha gaw nmai re ndai gaw dai nawng de hprawng shang mat wa ai mam ni rai nga ai. Nkau mi gaw kawng de hprawng mat wa ai. Ndai kawng kaw na ni mung daini mam zawn zawn re tu taw ai raitim ma mam si wa ai ten hta mung mam nsi zawn zawn gaw re raitim mung mam n re. Ndai zawn re ni gaw kawng de hprawng mat ai ni rai nga. Laga laga shi na shi hprawng mat wa ai grai law ai ndai kaw na tsun hpa nga yang i laga de hprawng mat wa ai ni hpe langai hpang langai hpe gaw nlu hkan tsun mat ai raitim mung hprawng mat wa ai shara gaw grai law mat ai. Dai kaw she law malawng gaw mahtum mahta ga de du mat wa ai i. Ndai mahtum mahta ga de du mat wa ai shaloi mam ni gaw bai nyu wa mat ai. Ndai shinggyim masha ni gaw sha hpa nnga mat sai raitim mung ndai mam ni gaw bai n yu wa ai. Dai ten hta gara hku nchye di mat ai majaw ndai shinggyim masha ni gaw ndai dusat dumyeng yawng hkra hte sha lawm ai yawng hkra hte hpe pawng la di na she hkan zinlum la di na she "Mam hpe wa woi la ga" ngu tsun ai shaloi yawng hkra hte mung zuphpawng hpawng ndai dusat dumyeng u ni yawng hkra hte jawm di na zuphpawng hpawng di na she shanhte gaw mam hpe wa woi la na hku daw dan ai. Daw dan di na shanhte lung mat wa ai. Kaja wa shanhte gaw lung mat wa sai. Gumra gaw mam hpe htaw na matu shi mung hkan mat wa ai. Lung mat wa rai yang ndai mahtum mahta ga de du mat wa ai shaloi shanhte mahtum mam madu ni ndai mam jaw dat ai ndai mahtum mahta ga na madu ni gaw hkap san ai "Nanhte hpa majaw mam ndai hku rai hprawng mat wa ai rai, ya nanhte gara hku di na rai, nanhte shinggyim masha ni ndai mam ni mung bai nyu wa hkraw sai gara hku di na rai" ngu Shinggyim masha ni hte ndai dusat dumyeng ndai ni mung dinghta ga na ni mung shanhte hpe atsawm ngu bai wa bawng ban ai, bai wa hpyi nem la di na she shanhte ni dai kaw bawng ban na she rai taw nga ten hta ndai langai hte langai hkam daga ai lam galaw i, ndai hkam daga lam galaw ai kaw she Ndai shawng nnan gaw ndai u shing tek la ngu ai wa shawng hkam daga lam galaw ai " ngai bau na shinggyim masha ni hpe ngai bau lawm na yu wa rit" ngu tsun ai shaloi gaw ndai mam ni hte mahtum mahta ga na ni gaw tsun ai "Nang gaw grai kaji la ai shinggyim masha ni sha nlaw la ai kalang jap htu htu sha kau ram pyi n law ai dai majaw gaw nmai na re nlu hkan lu ai" ngu tsun ai da raitim ndai laga u ni mung bai tsun ai da. Ndai bai hpung ni bai tsun ai u ndai ni mung aw ndai hkutaw u kaw na gaw ndai hkutaw langai mi bai tsun ai shaloi mung, "hkutaw ni gaw u di kalang di yang lahkawng hkawng sha di ai majaw gaw nmai ai" "U yi kalang di yang lahkawng sha ai nga yang gaw shinggyim masha ni sha nlaw ai dai majaw nlu hkan ai" ngu bai tsun ai. Hpang kalang gaw ndai katsu ni bai tsun ai katsu ni mung "Anhte ni gaw kalang mi shangai yang gaw kasha law ga ai dai majaw anhte mung bau lawm na ga ai" ngu bai tsun ai da dai shaloi e mung nhkan hkraw shi ai. Hpang jahtum gaw ndai Nga (fish) ni hku nna hkam ai gaw "Anhte ni gaw di kalang di yang maga mi de masum tsa tsa anhte di na ga ai dai majaw gaw anhte ni gaw shinggyim masha hpe bau law ga ai" dai majaw hkan wa rit ngu ai dai shaloi hpang jahtum gaw ndai mam ni mung myit yu di na she "E nanhte mung bau lawm na rai yang gaw mai sai, ya gaw hkan na" nga di na hkan yu wa sai. Myit hkrum di na hkan yu wa ai aten hta yu wa yu wa rai yang she ndai lam daw mi kaw du yang ndai laga dusat dumyeng ni hte hkrum hkrum re shaloi yawng gaw grai kabu sai grai kabu sai hkap tau la ga ai nga na yu wa lai wa yang she ndai sangen kaw du ai shaloi gaw sangen gaw hkap shaga yu di na "Nanhte na mam yu wa sai nga hkap yu ga" nga shaloi ndai mahtum mahta ga na ni gaw ndai mam ni hpe shanhte hpe tsun ai "Ya gaw ntsang ra sai nanhte yu wa manu" nga rai nyu wa shi yang shanhte ndai hpyi shakap dat ya ai. Kumgyin si hkan mung yawng kaw shi hte shi makawp maga na matu lai wa lai sa ni n dumret sha na matu hpyi shakap dat ya nna shanhte ma kabu gara nga na hkap la na yu wa ai shaloi ndai sanyen hte hkap hkrum ai shaloi gaw sangen wa gaw hkap tsun ai "Nanhte na mam hpe yu ga" nga shaloi nhkraw ai ndai wou yu wa ai ni gaw "ndai wa ga jahten na ra ai nmai ai" nga nna nhkraw ai raitim ma ndai sangen mung "Kaning na nmai yu ai ngai mung shinggyim mungkan ga na langai she re gaw ngai mung mai yu ai" nga di na shanhte mung shi alang lang tsun ai shaloi ndai ni gaw hkap jaw madun ai shaloi mam ndai gaw, mi aten hta gaw ndai ma gaw lata yungnu ram ram kaba ai dai kaw na she shi gaw yu dat ai shaloi mam ndai grai kaba taw rai yang she "Aw nanhte na mam ndai gaw nau kaba sai, dai ram ram kaba nra ai, mam hkyep langai mi gaw ngai na mai tsan mi ram law jang law sai" ngu tsun dat ai. Dai kaw nna she mam gaw shi na mai tsun mi ram sha kaba mat ai i. Dai hpang kaw na gaw mam ni gaw shi na mai tsan mi ram sha kaba mat ai, kaji mat ai. Dai kaw nna she ndai de bai yu wa ai shaloi ya daini du hkra mam mung nkaba ai chyi chyi chyi sha byin mat ai. Ndai gaw sangen a ga jahten kau dat ai majaw mam kaji mat ai. Ndai mam ni mung ndai nli yawng hkra hte mung shi hte shi makawp maga na shanhte hkum kaw shanhte kap mai ai majaw daini du hkra shinggyim masha ni hte rau nga taw nga ai ngu ai. E...ndai..e.. ndai nai ni mung shanhte kaw makawp maga la i rawng mat ai majaw dai hkan i shahte gara kaw hkai yang gara kaw tu dai hku byin mat ai. Dai majaw gaw ndai mam hte ndai shanhte hpyi kap wa ai lam gaw ndai i shanhte shinggyim masha ni kalang hprawng mat ai kaw na bai du wa ai kaw na re ai ngu. Kaji mat ai lam gaw sangen a ga jahten ai majaw re ai ngu. |
