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                                   A
                               COLLECTION
                                   OF
                     KACHÁRI FOLK-TALES AND RHYMES,

                      INTENDED AS A SUPPLEMENT TO
                          REVEREND S. ENDLE'S
                            KACHÁRI GRAMMAR.


                                   BY
                            J. D. ANDERSON,
                         INDIAN CIVIL SERVICE.

                               SHILLONG:
           PRINTED AT THE ASSAM SECRETARIAT PRINTING OFFICE.
                                 1895.








TRANSLITERATION.


I am sorry to find that in transcribing I have wandered away from
Mr. Endle's system of marking the values of the vowels. But the
differences are, in essence, very small.

The circumflex accent indicates a long vowel.

"å" is as in Mr. Endle's Grammar.

"ù" is the guttural "u" printed in Mr. Endle's Grammar as "u."


J. D. A.








PREFACE.


This little collection of Kachári folk-stories and rhymes is intended
as a supplement to the Reverend Mr. Endle's Grammar of the language,
and as a reading-book for those who have acquired an elementary
knowledge of Kachári. I have added a rough translation, thinking
that these specimens of the folk-lore of a very simple and primitive
people may be of interest to some who do not care to learn Kachári,
and that it may stimulate others to make fuller and more successful
excursions into an unexplored field. These stories were collected
during a tour of only six weeks' duration in the Kachári mauzas of
Mangaldai, and cost only the effort of taking down the tales as they
were dictated. Not only the Kacháris, but the other hill tribes of
Assam have doubtless their stores of folk legends which have never
been exploited; and it pleases me to hope that others may find it
as pleasant as I have found it, to collect these fictions of the
savage mind over the camp fire. The text of the stories suggests a
problem which it may amuse some one with better opportunities or more
perseverance than myself to solve. It will be noticed that while the
words are for the most part Kachári words, the syntax is curiously
like the Assamese syntax. As an instance of this I have taken down
(see page 1) an accused person's statement in both Assamese and
Kachári. The Kachári version is, literally, a word-for-word translation
of the Assamese. I can think of no other two languages in which it
would be possible to translate a long statement word for word out
of one into the other and yet be idiomatic. The most characteristic
idioms are exactly reproduced. The Assamese says mor bapáy, but tor
báper. The Kachári similarly says Ângnî âfâ, but nangnî namfâ. The
Assamese says e dâl láthi; the Kachári translates gongse lauthi. The
Assamese says gai-pelay kalon; the Kachári khithâ-hùi-man. And many
more instances will occur to any one with a knowledge of Assamese
who reads these stories. Briefly, it may be said that Kachári,
as it is spoken in Darrang, has a vocabulary mostly of the Bodo
type, though it contains many words borrowed from the Assamese. Its
syntax, on the other hand, is nearly identical with the Assamese,
almost the only exception being the use of the agglutinate verb
(see page 26 of Mr. Endle's Grammar). Even the agglutinate verb is
more or less reproduced in Assamese in the use of such expressions
as gai pelay. Now it is quite possible that the Kacháris, from long
association with their Hindu neighbours, have learnt their syntax,
while retaining their own vocabulary. A more tempting theory is that
Assamese and Kachári are both survivals of the vanished speech of the
great Koch race, who, we know, ruled where Assamese and Kachári are
now spoken side by side; that Assamese has retained the Koch syntax,
while it has adopted the Hindu vocabulary of Bengal; that Kachári
has preserved both vocabulary and syntax. This theory, if it can be
defended, would at last give Assamese a valid claim to be considered
a separate tongue, and not a mere dialect of Bengali. It would also
give an explanation of the vexed question of the origin of the word
Kachári. Ârúi is a common patronymic in the Kachári speech. As Mr. Gait
has noted in his Census Report, the Kacháris have totemistic clans,
calling themselves Bâg-ârùi, sons of the tiger, and so on. What more
simple than that the Koch-ârùi are the sons of the Koches? So far,
the problem is one of mere guesswork and theory. But there are other
branches of the Bodo tongue in the Tipperah and Gáro Hills and in
North Cachar, where men of the Bodo race do not come into contact with
Assamese. Do the same idioms and the same syntax exist there? If not,
they were probably borrowed from Hindu sources. If they do, it seems
probable that these idioms and this syntax have survived not only in
them, but in the Hinduised Assamese.

I had intended to draw up a list of the agglutinate verbs found in
this little collection of stories to supplement that given at page
26 of Mr. Endle's Grammar. But anyone interested in the subject will
find them for himself in the stories, and will learn more easily
from the context than from any vocabulary what the precise shades of
meaning of the interpolated particles are. They are a very curious and
interesting feature of the language, and are probably found in richer
abundance where the well of Bodo undefiled has not been contaminated
by a mixture with other tongues.

I must not conclude without offering my hearty thanks to the Reverend
Mr. Endle for his advice and help in collecting these stories, and
to Samson, my tutor, who was in truth "the only begetter of these
ensuing" fictions. He told me most of them and corrected all. I have
no doubt he has many other primitive legends, if any one will take
the trouble to write them down.


J. D. ANDERSON.

The 21st September 1894.





P.S.--There can be no doubt that the Kachári of Darrang is greatly
influenced by the surrounding Assamese, though, even now, many
Kacháris, and especially women, do not speak Assamese at all. There
is an anecdote among the Kacháris showing the inconveniences of the
bilingual state. A Kachári lad married an Assamese girl, and going to
his mother-in-law's house was given food. His hospitable mother-in-law
cried to him "Khâ! Khâ!" so he bound her hand and foot. Then she
laughed, seeing that he supposed her to be talking Kachári. So she
said to him (in Kachári) "Zâ! Zâ!" on which he went away. I am afraid
the Kachári syntax is borrowed from Assamese.








KACHÁRI FOLK-TALES AND RHYMES.


AN ACCUSED PERSON'S STATEMENT IN ASSAMESE AND KACHÁRI.


Question.--Tumi ki  kaba    khujá?
           Nang mâ bungnù nâmaidang?

Answer.--Mangalbár diná may ishkulalai  gaichhilon.   Âmár  parikshár
         Mangalbár diná âng  ishkulau  thângdangman. Zangnî parikhâ-nî

din haichhile. Mástore   ámáre    ghar  âhibalai  du bájit chuti dile.
din zâdangman. Mâstorâ zangfùrkhô  nå  fainù-lâgi du bâzit chuti hùnai.

Gharat   áhi,    khai-dai-kari, Nandir tát    paribalai     galon.
  Nå   fainânai,  zâùi lùngùi,  Nandi-nî-au sùlungnù lâgi thângnaise.

Nandiye   mot-kai   beshi pare.  Tin  bájit  may gaichhilon. Tát
 Nandi  âng-nùkhri sùlùng-sî-nù. Tini baziau âng  thângnai.  Bean

  derh ghanta    parichhon.  Sáre  chári bájit   pari    thakár pará
ghantâ-se-khaise sùlùngnai. Ghantâ brùi-khaise sulungbai  thânai-au

 mar  Paramesvari bhanir   mát   sunilon;   "Maharánir  dohai,
ângnî Paramesvari âgùi-nî mâthù khnânaise; "Mahârâni-nî dohai,

 Kampanir  dohai,  mar    garbbhabati    baiek  chulit  dhariba
Kampani-nî dohai, ângnî modom-au thânai âgùi-nî kheneau  homnù

ne pai." E  rakam  buli     sunáte     may ulai áhilon.   Dekhon ji
 manâ."  Be baidî bungnai khnânai-au âng onkhât-bù-naise.  Nunaise

 Kuntiye    Gilásiye     chulia-chuli-kai      pariyáchhe,     áru
Kunti-zang Gilâsi-zang kheneau hom-lai-nânai goglainânai dang, ârù

 Paramesvariye   o Ilásiye.  Mosai   e  dál rul ánipelai  Gilásik
Paramesvari zang Ilâsi-zang. Mosaiâ rul gong-se lânânai  Gilâsikhô

 erwai dile,     Kuntik    ágar mári dharichhe. Bám háte   Kuntir
sågå-hù-naise, Khhunthikhô   hom-khiùp-naise.   Âkhsîzang Khunti-nî

 hátat  dharichhe, hon   hátat rulir  ághát karichhe Kunti tatkhânât
âkhâiau  homdang,  âgdâ zang rul zang    bu dang     Khhuntiâ obânù

 pari gaichhe.  Tár  sheshe Madhu áhichhe.   Âhi     Kuntik   chulit
gaglai-nângnai. Bînî  unau  Madhu fainai.  Fainânai Khuntikhô kheneau

dhari e   char   márichhe.    May galon;    gay pelay    kalon:
homnânai sùbâ-se sùbânaise. Âng thângnaise; thângnânai khithânaise:

"Apo  e sab bar anyáy  kathá.  He  ke janie  tomár  jiyar,  e
"Brai befùr   hâmâ    khorâng. Be sâne-sùâbù nangnî fisâzù, be

 ke janie  tomár  jiyar.  Tomár   jiyar-hatak  ji ne márilá,  mor
sâne-sùâbù nangnî fisâzù. Nangnî fisâzù-fùrkhô zi buâ-khùise, ângnî

bhani-hatak  kio  márilá? Tomár   jiyar-hatak   o   máriba puá,   mor
âgùi-fùr-khô mânù bunai?  Nangnî fisâzù-fùr-khô bù bu-nângauman, ângnî

 bhanihatak  o   máriba puá.  Âru ran bhángi     diba puá."      E
âgùi-fùr-khô bù bu-nângauman. Ârù nânglai-nai sefai-nângauman." Erùi

buli kawáte    mok     bukate   Bângâli-ghusâ [1]  marile.  He
khithánai-au âng-khô zerbâ-i-au Bângâli-ghusâ     saunaise. Be

ghusá khai,  may  jijir-muá    khálon.  Tenekwâte  mar  bapair  mât
sau-zâ-nânai âng zingri-mutdâ maunaise.  Ereaunù  ângnî  âtâr  mâthù

sunichhon. Bapay-e  kaichhe:    "Mor    garbha-bati     cháwálik
khnânaise.  Âfâiâ  khithâdang: "Ângnî modom-au thânai hingzausâkhô

ne máribí."     Kawate      Mosai   ahile;    mor  bapaik  e már
  dâ bu."   Khithânai-au-nù Mosâiâ fainaise; ângnî âfâkhô phongse

márichhe. Bapáye bágari parichhe. Tár  pichhat  Madhue    e már
 budang.   Âfâ     gaglainaise.   Bînî  unau   Madhuâ-bù phongse

márichhe. Tár  pichhat Kámesvar bar báns  e dal  lai áhichhe.
 budang.  Bînî  unau   Kâmesvar wâ  gedet gongse  lâbodang.

Mar manat sandeha hal.  Mor  bapáy burha  mánu.  E     du
   Ang      gînaise.   Ângnî  âfâ  brai  mânsùi. Be phong-ne

   mârate    bapay  kápi   áchhe.  Tenekwáte  Kámesvare marichhe
bu-nai-au-nù âfâiâ maubai thâdang. Bebaidî-nù Kamesvarâ  fongse

e már.  Tenekwáte Madhu o  e dal  báns    lai   mariba-lai áhichhe.
budang. Bebaidînù Madhu bù  wâ   gongse lânanai   bunù     faidang.

Pránar bhay dekhí, ji thait sangrám haichhe, he thait e dál   báns
Thoinu  gînânai,    zerau   nânglaidangman,  beau nù  wâ-gon gongse

 pálon.   Mor  bapaik mâre    buli,   mai o e bár   Madhuk  márilon.
man-nai. Ângnî âfâkhô bugan hannánai, ângbù fongse Madhukhô bunaise.

   Murat     parichhe,   na kót    parichhe,  mor gát yád  nai.
khårå-au-sù gaglai-khù, na mau-sù gaglai-khù, âng khithânù bâiâ.

Tetia Madhu   mátit  pari gaichhe.  Mor  bapaik may toli laichhon.
Obânu Madhuâ hâ-i-au gaglainaise.  Ângnî âfâkho âng dikhângnaise.

Tenekwát  mor  kakai áhi paichhe. Kokai-e  may-e   ámár bapaik
Ereaunù  ângnî  âdâ  så fainaise. Âdâzang ângzang zang-nî âfâkhô

lai áhichhon, ârû  Madhu­dale   Madhuk  lai gaichhe.
 lâbônaise,   ârû Madhu­ni-frâ Madhukhô lângnaise.





DÙIMÂ DÙISÂ NI KHORÂNG.

Sânùi brai burui man. Phâre unau bîsur gothai brai-buruî zâlângbâ,
buruiâ zingâsînânai brainu khithânaise "Brai, zang­fùrhâ zî dânai
fisâfur dang, bîsùr mâ zânânai thânggan?" Erui bungbâ braia mai hu
khâmnu lâgi Khubernîau thângnânai, mai sobai bîsor ârù lai-megong
lâfâ megong bîfùr mânî-nî bîgot-zului bînânai nå-i-au lâbônânai
sânsnî sânzât lâmâiau hor thânânai, nå man-fai-nânai buruinù
khitha­naise: "Ang gasenù bigot-zului lâbobai." Phâre nå-i-au sân-ne-sù
thânânai, khet khâmnù lâgi sorai fithâ-gundui lânânai hâ, nainù lâgi
thângnaise. Phâre gahâm hâ, dåtse nai-ui frâbui fâtbrùi-thing-bù zurâ
khânânai dinnanai nå fainaise. Unau sânse­ni-khâli khodal sekhâ,
bifùr-mâni lânânai thângnânai hâgrâ eonânai ârù bî hâgrâtùrkhô
saunânai hâkhô mazâng khâmnaise. Bînî­frai, sanzâ sanâp ârù sâ khùlâ
fâtbrùi-thing khulumnânai khonâ brùithing phongse phongse zaunaise.

Biaunù hâ gasenù mannaise. Phâre baidî baidî mai ârù fîfâng
megon-thaigong boikhôbù fùnânai hùnaise. Phâre hâbâ zapbâ braiâ nåi-au
thângnânai zirai nânai thânaise. Obâsù âzîbù dang khâlibù dang sânse
buruiâ mai nainù lâgi braikhô lùgù homnaise. Khintu braia bungnaise
"Lâmâ­iau dùi gùiâ. Nanghâ dùi gâng-bâ âng maunîfrai hùnù?" Theo­bù
bî brai-nî khorâng khnâsongâ­lâbâ embrâbrâ braikhô homnai­khai
lâng-gnâng-naise. Phâre thân­gùi thângùi mainî hâ man-sî man-sî zâbâ,
buruihâ dùi gângnânai brainù khithâbâ, braiâ bung­naise "Âng nangnù
dùhùi-nù khithâ-dangman, nonggâ? lâmâ-i au gùia hannânai? Theo­bù
ângnî khorâng khnâ-i-âlâbâ fainânai ângkhô dukhu hùíù. Ereùi bungbâ,
buruiâ bungnaise. Dinî âng dùi man-lâng-âbâ, thoi-sî-gan. Nang âng-nù
dùi hùnù­nânggô." Phâre unau braiâ mung­bù upai mane zânânai, dùi
namai-nâng-naise. Nâmaie nâ­maie fukurimanse nubâ, bî buruinî megonkhô
hî zang khânânai be fukuri-hâ-lâgi lângnaise. Ârù braiâ bungnaise
"Nang be fukuri khô naiâlâbâ dùi lâng." Khintu dùi lângbâ-rù mâbâ
mâbâ dùi nî dau ârù hângsùfrâ birlai-bâ, bîkhô khnânânai, bîkhô nainù
lubuinânai nainaise. Beaunù daufùrnî gele­nai ârù rong zâlainai nunânai
bîhâbù brai zang rong zâlainù mon zânaise. Obâsù braiâ khâ­mâ, buruiâ
âgârâ. Phâre braiâ buruinî khorâng lânù gnâng zâ­naise. Obâsù bîsùrhâ
âji-bù-thâiù khâli-bù-thâiù gåthå gåthai zânaise. Zâbâ, bîsùrkhô
fisînù hâekhai braiâ bîsùrkhô buruinî khorângzang Hem-nî hâzô-au
lângnânai beaunù fukuri manse khâmnânai baidî baidî nâ khâm­nânai
dùiau hogârnânai dinbù-naise.

Phâre unau Srî braiâ sùimâ fudrun mâse lânanai, mùi sessâ ârù
khusung nâmaibaie nâmaibaie dùi gângsù dangman. Ereau-nù Srî braiâ
be fukuriau thâng-fnâng-naise. Beaunù dùi nunâ­nai lângnù nâmaibâ,
nâfrâ bîkhô raidaunaise. "Afâ, nang bení dùi lângbâ, zangfùrkhô
gahâm khâmnânggan." Beaunù bî sùmai lânânai, dùikhô lângbâ, náfrâ
bungnaise. "Dâ nang zangfùr­khô Loitho hâlâgî lâng." Beaunù Srî
braiâ gaigainù lauthî zang dru-dru bù-bù-bâ khîthû khîthû dùi bùhùi
bùnai, ârù nâfrâ bù fai­naise. Bîbaidînù dùisâ zânaise. Obâsù unau
nâfrâ Srî brai-nù lao thaise ârù khumrâ thaise hotaaise. Phrâ bîkhônù
lâbônanai sâse khurmâ-nî nå-i-au hâpfaibâ bînù zô mîkhâm ârù ômâ mâse
buthât­nânai hùnaise. Phâre okhà nai­bâ Srî braiâ be khumrâ-khô bînî
khurmânù hunaise. Hùbâ bi khumrâkhô dânkhaubâ thâkâ gazâ mannânai
ârù bâtî-se khâm zâhùnù lâgi omâ buthâtnaise. Ârù omâ bikhau [2]
man-se dinnaise. Zâkhâng-ùi frâbùi fainù nâmaibâ omâ bikhaukhô Srî
brainù hùnaise. Hùbâ ârù braiâ laukhôbù khurmânù hùnaise. Bî lau-au
darbî gazâ dangman. Khintu be khorângkhô braiâ mi-thiâ. Ârù bînî
khurmâ­iâ-bù bî-nù khithâ-i-â-khùise. Unau braiâ nåi-au fainaise. Ârù
bîhâ nå-i-au bînî fisâzù-khô zâbrâ zânânai thânai nunaise. Bî lao ârù
khumrâ-khô bînî khurmâ-khô hùlângnaikhai bîbaidî zâbrâ zânai ârù bînî
khurmâiâ-bù be lao ârù khumrâ-khô lâkhmânaikhai zâbrâ gabrâp zânânai
thânaise. Obâsù bînî unau nâ-frâ ozâ zâ-thî-nânai bîsùr-nî nå-i-au
thângnânai gadân nai-hùi-nânai [3] khithânaise "Nang-sùr zùsâ mairong
ârù goe zorâse fâthùi zorâse ârù dau mâse lânânai dùisâ-i-au hùnânai
khu­lumbâ, nang-sùr-hâ zâbrâ gâgan." Besùr bibaidi-nù khâmnânai zâbrâ
gânaise. Bînîkhai dâ Bå­råfrâ dùisâ dùimâ fùrkhô khulumù. Zapbai!





SÂSE OLSIÂ GÅTHÅ NÊ KHORÂNG.

Sâse olsiâ gåthå dangman. Bî mâlai hâli oinânai mai gai zap-bâ,
obâsù bî mâmâr dublîau hâli oi-hùi-dang. Phâre Bùthùr braiâ olsia
gåthåkhô hâli oinai nunânai bî thângnù hâekhai, bungnaise. "Helùi
gåthå, nanglai dâ mâ hâlî oidang-hùi, bùthùrâ mobâbânù thângbai. Dâ
mai gaibâ, mâ zâ­bâu-nù?" Theobù bî bîkhô nai­finâ, mosôkhô bùâ dhum
dhum dhâm dhâm [4] bunânai, nâtzret nât­flet bâli oibai thâiù. Unau
braiâ khonle khonle sùngnaikhai gåthåâ brâp-nânai nai-gedau-nânai
bung­naise "Nanglai maunî brai lùi? Âng khô hâli oinaiau be baidî
sùngbai thâiù? Anghâ mâ zâdang, âng sù mithîdang." Beaunù braiâ
bungnaise "Nonggâ, lùi âfâ, âng nangkhô gahâm khorâng-sù khithânù
nâmaidang!" Beaunù gåthåâ bungnaise "Mâ khorâng dang? Mâmâr
khithâ! Ânghâ hâli oinù sân zolângbai!" Obâsù braiâ bungnaise "Då
hâli oinânai mâ zânù? Bùthùr thângbai," hanbâ, gåthåâ bungnaise
"Bî bobething thângkhù? Mau thângkhù nang ângnù khithânanai hù. Âng
mai gainù manâbâ, mâ zânânai thâng-gan?" Obâsù braiâ bungnaise
"Nang âglânu mâlai zang lùgùse hâli oinânai mai gaibâ hâmgauman,
dâlai bùthùr-khô sùr nunù hâgo, ârù mâbrùi bîkhô laifin-nù?" Beaunù
gåthåâ bungnaise "Nang khithînânai hùnù hâbâ, âng bîkhô zerùïbâbù
lâbônù hâgan." Hanbâ, bîkhô braiâ bùlù hâekhai khithânaise "Nang
bething thângùi thâbâ khårå phut-thru-thru brai sâse thokon thunânai
dubli gezer gezer thangnai nugan. Obâniâ nang bîkhônù hom. Ârù
bî zere khithâ-i-ù nang bebaidînù khâmdùi" hannânai, bùthùr braiâ
thângnaise. Obâsù gåthåâ hâli hogârnânai nåiau fainânai bîmâ buruikhô
mâmâr khâm songnù hùnânai, zâùi lângùi bîmânù khithânaise "Ai, nang
gâbun fungzâ­nî khâm songnânai hù, ârù, mairong khothâse bùnnânai
hù. Âng bùthùr braikhô hùs-ù-lâng-nù. nânggô. "Manâthù dinî âng hâli
oinaiau brai sâse fainânai mai gainainî Bùthùrâ thangbai hannâ­nai
khithânai, ârù bikhô hùsù lângbâ mangan, ârù bîzere khâmnù thinù,
bebaidî-nù khâm hannânai khithâlângnai." Obâsù buruia okhâ naibâ
khâm songnânai gåth­åkhô zâ-hù-ùi lâng-hù-ùi mairong khothâse
bùnnânai hùnânai gåthå­khô hogârnaise. Gåthåâ thângùi thângùi
zaikhônù lùgù manù, bîkh-ônù sùngù, bîsùr bungù: "Bùthùr thângbai
hannânai mithigô. Bî mâbrùi ârù bobething thâng-khù, bîkhô zangfùr
khithânù hâiâ." Beaunù gåthåâ gadau-srau zânânai bobething thângan
hannânai zerenù manù erenù dubli gezer gezer thâbai baibâ gazânau brai
sâse nuhotnaise Nuhotbâ bînù bù-thùr zânù nânggô nungnânai, bî-khô
bungnaise "Âfâ, råthå! dåse råthå! Ang nang-ni-au manse khorâng sùngnù
nâmaidang." Theobù braiâ khnâsongâlâbâ thângùi thâiù. Gåthåâ-bù khithù
khîthù thângùi thângùi khithâ-lângù. Gabauzang braiâ nai fâfin-nanai
bungnaise "Mâ hekhong-hekhong sùr gåthålùi maunî lùi nanglai?" hannânai
sùngbâ gåthåâ bungnaise "Âfâ brai, da brâp-lùi! ang manse dukhuau
gaglâi-nânai, nangnî khâthiau faidang." Hanbâ, braiâ "Mâmâr khithâ
mâmâr khitha âng thângnù nânggô, ânghâ nåâ gazân, hor-thô hùi-gan;"
hannaise. Obâsù gåthåâ khithânaise "Âfâ âng nangkhô bùthùr brai baidî
nùiù. Bînîkhai nang ângkhô dâ buthât. Mâlaiâ boibù mai gaithrå-bai
âng un zânanai daise bù gainù hâ-e khùise. Bînîkhai nang dåse
thâng-fâfin-bâ ângha mai zagan" bungnaikhai, braia bînù khithâ-naise
"Âng dâ faibai, thâng fâ-finnù hâlia, nang benîfrai mâmâr thângnânai,
zese hâiù gathâng-gabrâm hâli oinânai mai gaihùithâng." Obâsù gåthåâ
fainânai zerenù manù, erenù khothiâ [5] khinî-khô gai-brop-nânai
dinnaise. Zapbai!





GÅTHÅ MÂMRA NÎ KHORÂNG.

Sânùi brai bùrùihâ gåthå sâse dangman. Braiâ gåthå uduibâ-nù
thoi-lâng-naise. Obâsù bîmâ bù­rùiâ bîbai-nânai gåthåkhô bângai
fidit-bâ gåthåâ bungnaise "Ai, âng dâ mosô gumnù hâ-sî-gô. Nå-se-au
murkhiâ hâpnù nâmaiù." Bînî bîmâ bungnaise "Âfâ fisâtlaiâ, nang âng
thoiâgo mâni dukhu zânù nânggâ." Khintu fisâ­tlaiâ bînî dukhu mon
hùâlâbâ sâse nî nåiau murkhiâ hâpnaise. Phâre bîkhô murkhiâ-frâ
mosô gum-zâp-nù hùâ. Obâsù sâse gurkhiâ braiâ bîkhô onnânai
gum zâp-hù-naise. Phâre gurkhiâfrâ bîkhô nunù hâiâ, ârù boibù
bu-i-ù. Bînîkhai unau bî thânù hâekhai, monau dukhu khâmnânai,
bùidâkh-sâri lângnaise.

Phâre thângùi thângùi bî nâmâ-i-au Simlî Bîr khô lùgù mannaise. Phâre
bîkhô bungnaise "Dau, nanglai mâ bîr lùi? Simlî bîfâng fângse mâni
bân-bù-dang!" Obânù bî bungnaise; ângnù mâ bîr, lùi, âdâ? Zekhô
bungù Gilâ Charan bîr, bîsù bîr!" Obâ gåthåâ bungnaise, "Bî bîrâ
ângnù!" Bungbâ, obâ, "Âng nang zang thângfâgan lùi, âdâ." Erui
hannânai, bî zang thângnaise. Bebaidînù thângùi thângùi ârù Dhop Bîr
khô lùgù manbâ, bîkhô bù bungnaise "Dau, be lai mâ bîr lùi? Dhop
bîtâng fângse mâni hâtsingnù bân-bù-gâr-dang!" Obâsù bî bungnaise
"Ang-lai mâ bîr lùi, âdâfùr. Zi Gilâ Charan bîr bî, sù!" Obâ Gilâ
Charan bungnaise, "E gùi, bî lai ângnù nanggâ lùi?" Erùi hanbâ,
"O âdâ, obâ âng-bù nang sùr zang thângfâgan," hannânai bisùr zang
thângnaise. Bebaidinù Bîsor Bîr, Bândor Bîr, Hâgor Bîr, ârù Ot Bîr
boi zang bîsùr sârå bîr zânaise. Bebaidînu lùgùse thângùi thângùi
sâse. Raikhô burui-nî nå man-hùi-bâ, beaunù khâm song-zâ-nù lâgi
sâse bîr Raikhônî-au ot bainù thângnaise. Thângbâ, Raikhô bùrùiâ
mânsùi nunânai zânù lubuinânai lomzâ-thî-nânai udunânai thânaise,
ârù bî bîrkhô bungnaise "Âbo, ângni khâthi-au-nù ot dang, sukhângnânai
lângfai!" Hanbâ, bî fainânai sukhângdangman. Ereaunù khathiau thânai
hâkhorau zùnânai khùkhlainaise. Bîbaidi-nù gabâu zâbâ, boibo sâse sâse
thângnânai, beaunù gaglai-thrå-naise. Obâsù Gilâ Charan bîrâ manse
khorâng zâbai nungnânai bîau thângnânai, Raikhô buruikhô nunaise. Obâsù
bî Raikhô burui khô sùbâ-khrâng hot-naise. Beaunù bùrùiâ dukhu mannânai
"Abo, nang ângkhô dâ buthât!" hanbâ; "Obâ ângni âgùifùr khô dîhonnânai
hù." Ereui bungnai-au-nù bùrùi zâkhlâ gongse lâbo­nânai besurkhô
hâkhor-nîfrai dîkhângnaise. Phâre unau bî Raikho bùrùikhô bùthât-naise.

Arù bîzang thângùi thângùi sâne Raikhô thânai thauni
man-hùi-naise. Man-hùi-bâ, beaunù simlî-Bîr-khô mikhâm song-nù
thin-nânai, bîsùr shikâr khâmnù thângnaise. Phâre bî khâm songnânai
dinnaise. Khintu Raikho sânùiâ fainânai khâmkhô zâfainaise. Phâre
bîsùr fainânai, "khâmâ hùrù?" hannânai bungbâ "E âdâfur, âng
mikhâm songnù baugârbai lîfùr, manâthu âng gumâ mazâng mâse
nunânai bîkhô naibai thâdangman." Khintu Gilâ Charan bî khorângkho
mithîdangman. Bînîkhai bî thâ­nânai khâm songnaise. Phâre khâm
zânù lâgi Raikhô sânùiâ fainânai; "Ùi gåthå! zangfùrnù khâmâ hù
lùi!" Hanbâ, bung­naise "Zangfùrnù ukhùinânai dang, nangsùrnù mâbrùi
hùgan!" bungbâ "Gådå-i-au set-bâ gâkhir onkhâtnai gåthå-â-nù [6]
zangfurkhô ereùi khithâiù nâ?" bungbâ, sânùikhô-bù gådå homnânai Gilâ
Charanâ dubli dotse nî gazân khubui-hot-naise. Obâsù bîsûr bînîfrai
bekhô zânù hannânai, brâpnânai hârau-hurau hù-sù-lai-bù-naise. Obâ
bîsùr-khô-bù dân-thât-naise. Bebaidînù sâ-thâm-nî-frai sârå-hâ-lâgi
Raikhô bùthâtnânai, Raikhôfurnî mikhâm songnai sârå hânthî hingzau
lâbonânai, nå khâmnânai zâbai thânaise. Zapbai!





SÁSE PHÂLÂNGI GÅTHÅNI KHORÂNG. [7]

Sâse uduiau-nù bîfâ thoizânai gåthå dangman. Phâre âzi âzi khâli khâli
bî gedet zâbâ sânse bîmânî-au sùngnaise "Ai, âglâ zangfùrhâ âfâ-i-â
lai mâ maunânai zâdangman?" hanbâ, bîmâiâ hâmâ sunânai khithânaise
"Namfâiâ desù desù fâlângî khâmnânai zâdangman. Bî thâ­blâ, dâ
zangfrâ esebù dukhu zâiâman" hanbâ, bî bungnaise. "Uh! obâ bî hâbâ-khô
âng hâiâ nâ! Bese thâkâ dang, ângnù dîh­onnânai hù!" Hanbâ, bîmâiâ
bungnaise "Âfâ nang bîbaidî khâmnù nânggâ. Âng bîùi gâpùi nangnù
zâhùgan. Nang mâlainî dekhuau thângnânai mâbruibâ thoibâ betbâ âng
mâbrùi thâgan?" Theobù gåthå â khnâsongâlâbâ embrâ-brâ bîmâ-nî-au
thâkâ bînâ-nai lânânai bastu bainaise, ârù nau gongse nâmainânai
lânaise, ârù gâsenù zå zâbâ, mânsùi sânùi-sù homnânai bîmâ buruikhô
khulumnânai mâlainî dekhu-au nau zang thângnaise. Bebaidînù thângùi
thângùi gâmî dåtse dùi-gâthan-au naukhô khânânai, gâmî gâmi bastu
phân-hù-naise. Bî gâgai nau ne-ù. Bebaidînù thâùi thâùi beau-nù
sùrbâ brai burui sâ-nùi-hâ hângsù gufut mâse dangman. Bînù bîsùrnù
dùi laiùi mikham songùi hùgrâ-man. Bîkhônù sânse bî gåthåâ dùi
ga­thânau gagainî hângsù-bîgur-khô khùnanai din-nânai ârù mazâng
sikhlâ-sâ zânânai duguinai nunaise. Bînîfrainù boi hângsù-nî girimâ
brai-bùrùi-khô on-sù-nânai thau ârù bînî nau-au zî zî bastu dang,
ozâinù bângai bângai hùnù homnaise. Bîbaidînù bas­tufùrkhô fânùi
fânùi fân-zap-bâ nåiau fainai so-nai-khai bî brai buruinî nå-iau
thângnânai thâkâ zâbrâ hùnânai, hângsù khô bîbâ, brai bùrùiâ
"Erenù lâng" hannâ­nai bungdangman, khintu bî fâfù- [8]nâng zânù
gînânai, brai-nî-gnâng bastu-khai embrâ-brâ thâkâ hùnânai hângsùkhô
lâbônaise. Bînîfrai nau lânânai fai-ùi faiùi nå man-fai-nânai, âzibù
thâiù khâli-bù thâiù bî hângsù mânsùi zâ-i-e nunânai, sânfrimbù
hâmlângnaise. Bîkhônù nunânai bîmâ buruiâ mâlainîau sùngbai baibâ
raubù mungbù khithânù hâiâ Khintu biaunù bùrùi sâse dangman. Bînîau
sùngbâ, bî bungnaise "Âgùi, nang bîkhônù mithiâ­khùi nâ? Bî fâlângi
khâmnai thângnai-au bîhâ mâbâ manse zâdang. Nang bîkhô buddî khâmbâ,
mithînù hâgan." Hanbâ, bîmâ bùrùiâ bungnaise "Khithâ-hor-hai,
ai bùrùi, dhorom mangan." Hanbâ, bî khithânaise "Nang sânse sâse
sikhlâsa lâbônânai nangnî gåthånî themâ nainù thin. Arù themâ
naibai thânai-au-nù gâpthînânai sùng-thâng. "Nang mânù sânfrimbù
hâm-lâng-dang?" Obânù bî bîkhô on-khâng-nânai bînî monau zî khorâng
dang, bî khithâgan." Hanbâ, bimâ bîbai­dînù khâmnaise. Hingzausâ-iâ
themâ nainaiau-nù gâpthînânai gongrai surukhù surukhù [9] sùng­naise
"Adâ-lùi, nang-hâ-lai mâ zâdang? Nang bekhô khi­thâiâbâ, âng bù khâm
dùi zâiâ," hannaikhai gåthåâ hâmâ sunânai, bînù lâse lâse khithânaise
"Ang fâlângî khâmnù thângnai-i-au dâ ângnî nå-iau zî hângsù gufut
mâse dang, bîkhô mânsùi zânai nudangman. Khintu bî dâ baidî-sùi-ùi-nù
thâbai. Bînîkhai âng erebaidî zâdang." Themâ nai-khângbâ be gâsenù
khorâng hingzausâiâ bînî bîmâ-nù khithâ­naise. Bekhô bîmâiâ khnânânai
boi bùrùinù khithâ hùi-naise lâiù. Buruiâ bîkhô khnânânai buddî
hùnaise lâiu: "Nang dinî boi hingzausâkhô lâbonânai khithâ­nânai
hù, bî dinî horau udu-lâng-thî-nânai thâthang. Hor gezerbâ hângsùâ
mânsùi zânânai gagainî modaifùrkhô khulumbai thâiù. Beaunù bî hângsù
bîgurkhô zuzai-mù-au sùnânai hùbâ, obâniâ mânsùi-i-nù thâ-sî-gan." Be
buddi hùnai-baidînù bîmâiâ hingzausâ-nù khithânaise, ârù hingzausâiâ
bù gåthånù khi­thânânai hùnaikhai, sânse gå­thåâ khurui gongseau
khârezang thauzang golainânai dinnai, ârù songor manse dinnaise. Hor
zâbâ bî udui-thî-lâng-nânai thâbâ, hângsùâ horau sikhângnânai âkhaiau
âthengau modom au-bù khepthu-bai-dang. [10] Theobù bî khet-khut
khâmâ-khuise. Bînî­khai bî udu-lângmâtbai nungnâ­nai, gagainî
hângsù bîgùr khô lâsehai khunânai dinnânai gâgainî modai-fùr-khô mon
hùnânai khulumbâi thâdangman. Ere-au-nù srî-srî lâsehai sikhângnânai
boi hângsù bîgùrkhô thâpnehai zuzai-mù-au efopnânai dinnaise. Unau
bigurâ khâmnânai manâm-khang-bâ, bîkhô manâmnânai mannânai "Ângkhô mâ
khâmkhù, mâ khâmkhù?" hannânai, fâtdrâp-dô gaglainánai khânggrâng-nânai
thoi-hâp-nânai thânaise. Obâsù gåthåâ mâmâr fainânai khuruinî thaukhô
khårå-modom-âtheng-âkhai-au hùnânai, songor zang sîpbai thânaise,
ârù bîbaidînu sîpùi sîpùi thâblâ, gabâu-zang hâmâ sukhângnaise,
ârù thâng-khâng-naise. Bîbaidî-nù mânsùi zânânai, sânùi-zang hâbâ
khâm-lai-nânai zâbrâ dinhâ lâgi fisâ fisù zang rozo-rù-man zâlai-bai
thânai-se. Zapbai!





BÎDÂ BÎNÂNAUNÎ KHORÂNG.

Sâse razâ ârù rânî dangman. Bîsùr hâ hoâiâ thoi-grù-naise. Bî
thoibâ hingzauâ modomau dangman. Sânne-sù thânanai hingzausâ sâse
zânaise. Ârù bîsùrhâ hoâsâ bù sâse dangman. Phâre sân-ne-sù thânânai,
bîsùrnî bîmâiâ thoinaise. Thoibâ hingzausâ nî bidâiâ bîkhô gâkhîr
daunânai fidet-naise. Phâ unau bîsùr zânù-gùie zâlângnânai unau
gâmi gâmi bîbainânai zânânaise. Bîbaidînu thâbai-ùi thabai-ùi sâse
râzâ nî nå-î-au hâp-hùi-naise. Beaunù Razâiâ onnânai bîsùrkhô bînî
nå-î-au dinnai.

Be dekhu-au sikhau sâ-snî dangman. Bîsùrnù râzâiâ ozainù dau, omâ,
mosô, phâreo hùnânggô. Be khorângkhô gåthå-mâmrâiâ khnânânai, bîsùr-khô
dânthâtnu lâgi razâ-nî-au sùngnaise. Khintu razâhâ bikhô thinnù mon
gùiâman. Theobù bînî mon zang-nù thin-naise. Obâ gorai mâse emfui
gongse razânîau bînânai lânânai, be sikhaufur-nî nåiau thângnânai
goraikhô dâpseau khânânai dinnânai, bî emfui lânânai dor-mukhângâu
srî srî zombai thâ-naise. Unau be sikhau gedetsinâ onkhârbùbâ
bîkhô dân-naise. Ârù boikhôbù sâse sâse bepaidi-nù dânnaise. Khintù
boinùkhrî uduisuiâ monau bângai gînânai, lâse lâse fainaiau bîkhô
gahâmùi dânnù manâkhuise. Beaunù thoi-e-khai bî bîsùrnî nå gongseau
bîkhô sùnânai tâlâ mârînânai din­naise. Manâthu âglâ bînî bîmâiâ bîkhô
zî dânbâ-bù phongse bùâ dânnù thinlângdangman. Bînîk­hai bî bîkhô
ârù dânnù hâiâ-khuise. Unau be khorângkhô razânî sigâng-au gâsenù
khithâ-naise. Beaunù razâiâ sikhaufùrnî nåkhô bîsùr sânekhô girimâ
khâmnaise. Beaunù bîsùr thânânai bîdâiâ binânau-khô khîthânaise "Âgùi,
nang be gâsenú nå gongse gongse-ùi nainù lubuibâ, nainù hâgo. Khintu
be tâlâ-mârinai-khô nang dâ kheo." Bîdâiâ shikâr khâm­grâ-man. Phâre
shikâr khâmnu thângbâ, bînânaunu sobai zang mairang zang golainânai,
khurui gongseau hùlângnaiman. Bî bîk­hônu sânse mâni bâsîbai
thâdang­man. Unau sân-ne-sù thânânai, bi gâsenù nå-fùr-khô kheo-e
kheo-e nainaise. Khaise-au mosô, khaise-au gorai, khaise-au dau,
bebaidînù nåfrimbù bî nainaise, Khintu bî kheonu hù-i-e nåkhô mon
khâmnânai naiâlâbâ thânù hâiâkhùise.

"Mânâthù beaubù mâ dang âng nunù nânggô;" erùi hannânai bî kheonânai
naibâ, thoi-hâng thoi-hâng mânsùi sâse nunaise. Beaunù bî khulumbâ,
onnânai, bî zî khithâiù, bîkhônù lânânai, muli hùnaise. Beaunù
sân ne sù thâ­nânai mânsùiâ gahâm zânaise. Phâ bîbaidînù ozainù
railainù ârù bînù khâm dùi hùnù homnaise. Bebaidinù thaie thaie
bîsùr kho­ràng zâlainaise. Phâ unau bîdâ­khô buthâtnù lâgi sikhauâ,
hing­zaukhô buddi hùnaise "Nang dînî zobrâ zâ-thî-nânai thâ, ârù
khithâ: ângnù mosâ-gâkhir zâhùbâ, âng gahâm zâgan." Bibaidi-nù bidâ­nù
khithânaise. Bidaiâ khnânânai hâgrâ-bâre-au mosâ nâmai-lâng-naise. Bînî
khâfâlùi [11] mosâ bîmâ mâse hâthâi-au mosô begeng nâng-phthânânai
thânai lùgù man-naise. Beaunù mosâkhô sùmai lâhùnânai hâthai-nîfrai
begeng-khô dîhon­naise. Unau bî mosânî gâkhir-nî khorâng khithânaikhai
bî gaigai nî gâkhir ârù fisâ bù mâse hùnaise. Bekhô lâbonânai
binâ­naunù hùfainaise. Phâre okhâ naibâ, sikhauâ, bî hingzaukhô
sùng­naise. "Nangnù mosâ gâkhir hùfai-nù nâ?" Bî khithânaise, gâkhir
ârù bînî fisâ bù mâse âdâiâ lâbodang." Biau bî hamâ man-naise. Ârù
sân­se fukuri manse-nî dùi lâbonù khithânai. Bî fukuri-nî dùikhô
lâbobâ mânsùiâ thoiù. Beaunù binânauâ bidânù khithânaise, "Nang be
fukuri-nî dùi ângnù lâbonânai hùbâ, âng gahâm zâgan Bebaidînù bidaiâ
gorai mâse emfui gongse sùimâ mâse ârù mosâ-fisâ-khô bù lânânai
thâng­naise. Thângùi thângùi bongfâng gedet fângse man-hùinânai,
be bongfâng singau-nù bî zirainânai dang. Ereaunù zibaù gedet
mâse bî bongfangau mânnânai gâkhùlâng-dâng, nunânai, bîkhô emfui
zang dân-so-naise. Ârù dåse thânânai, ârù mâse zibaû bîbai­dînù
gâkhùlângnai-au bîkhô-bù dânnaise. Bîbaidînù bî beaunù dang, obânù
dau gedet mâse be bongfângau bîrbùnânai fisâ-fur-nù âdhâr hùbâ,
fisâfrâ zâiâkhùise. Obâ bîmâ bungnaise; "nangfùr dinî mânù âdhâr
zâiâ?" Obâ fisâfrâ khithânaise "Bongfang singau thânai mânsùikhô
nang on-bâ, zangfùr âdhâr zâgan." Hanbâ, bimâiâ "ongan" hannânai
sumai lânaise. Fisâfrâ âdhâr zâkhângùi-frâ-bùi, bîmâiâ mânsùi-khô
sùng-naise "Nangkhô mâ nânggô?" Sùngbâ, bî khithânaise "Ângnù bî
fukuri-ni dùi nânggô." Be dauâ fukuri-nî khorâng boikhô-bù mithînânai
bînù khithânânai hùnânai bîkhô be fukuri khâthiau dinhùinaise. Be
fukuri khathiau-nù fukuri-nî girimâ khunguri [12] sâse dangman. Gâthå
mâmrâiâ bînî nå-i-au hâpnânai khungari zang gâsenù khorâng-bâthrâ
zâlai-nâise. Obâ khunguriâ "Nang-nî khorâng-khô âng boikhôbù
mithî-bai. Nang ângkhô hâbâ khâm. Be fukuri-nî dùikhô nang lâng-nù
hâiâ: thoigan. Ârù nang-khô buthât-nù lâgi-sù nangnî nang-nânauâ, upai
khâmdang. Nang zî mânsùi dân thârâ-lâbâ dindang-man; bî sikhâua-nù be
gâsenù khôrang khâmdang." Erùi han-nânai bisùr sânebù failainaise,
ârù bînî bînânau ârù sikhaukhô dân-thât-nâise. Dânthât-nânai, bîsùr
sânezang beaunù girimâ zânânai thânaise. Zapbai!





EMBU BONGLÂ NÎ KHORÂNG. [13]

Brai bùrùi sânùi dangman. Bîsùrhâ zânù lùngnù gùiâman. Bînîhai
sen-khokhâ sananai, zî nâ manù, bîzangnu mai slailânai mikhâm
zâiù. Bebaidînù khâmùi khâmùi sânse senau nâ mâsebù nângâlâbâ,
embu bonglâ gazâ senau thîp nângânai thâdang. Obâsù braiâ dâulâ
gesîpbâ sâünù thângnânai, sen nai-hùinaise, ârù sen khô dikhângnânai
ilit mannai­khai rong zânânai, mâmâr bîbân khânânai, nå-hâ-lâgi
bât-zret-bât-thet bân-bù-naise. Ârù bùrùi-khô phuzâ-nânai bungnaise
"Bùrùi, bùrùi, mâ dâbù uthiâ-lùi? Sân-zåbai!" Hannânai, phùzâbâ
bùrùiâ mâmâr sikhângnânai ot sunânai sâne-zang ot sailainaise. Ârù
braiâ bungnaise "Zangfùrhâ dinî khaphâl gâham! Senau nâ thîp-bungnânai
thâdang!" Obâsù bùrùiâ bungnaise "Hùrù, hùrù! nai-nî, lâbonai!" hanbâ,
braiâ mâmâr khithîfainaise. Ârù brai bùrùiâ sânùizang orau
gahâmùi nainânai nunaise gâsenù embu­bonglâ gazâ. Obâsù bùrùiâ
braikhô bungnaise "Dinî nanghâ khaphâlâ gahâm zâdang! Ga­hâmùînù
khâm manzâsîgan!" hannânai bungbâ braiâ senkhô dåkhånaise, ârù
buruikhô buthât­nù thin-bâ, bùrùiâ gon gongse lânânai thå thå
bù-thât-hù-lâng-naise. Emphâre bùthât-zap-bâ mâse âtheng bainânai
thoifrâmnâ­nai bùrùi-nî khâmflai singau thâdangman. Unau gâsenù
embu-fùr-khô sâi-khâng-nânai, brai bùrùiâ bînîfrai uthîbâ ârù
khâmflai dikhângbâ, be thoifrâm­nai embukhô nunânai, braiâ, "Bùrùi,
mâse embu thâbai, bùthât! bùthât!" Hanbâ, embuâ rai-dau-naise
"Âfâ lùi âng-khô dâ bùthât: âng nangnù hâli oinâ­nai, khodâl
zaunânai, mai gainâ­nai hùgan." Obâsù braiâ bung­naise: "Mobâthù
embu-bonglaia hâbâ maunânai hùnai nudang-lùi? Nang hâbâ maunânai
hùnaia gakhâ! Buthâtzânù gînânai nang bekhônù khithâdang." Bungbâ,
embu bonglâiâ gahâmùi khulum-bai-nai-khai, ârù sumai lâ-nai-khai,
braiâ bùrùiâ onnânai bîkhô buthârâlâbâ nå-i-au dinnaise. Obâsù âjibù
thâiù kâlibùthâiû dùilâng bùthùr såbâ, embu-bonglâiâ nângal lânânai
du­bliau hâli oinù thângnaise. Ârù bî nângal-mothiau gâ-khù-nânai
hâli oibai thâbâ, bînî dubli thing sùrba rajâ sâse hâthi gânânai
fainai nubâ embubonglâ raihotnaise "Helùi, helùi, nang maunî mânsùi
lùi? Âng nî âli-fùr-khô gâphle-gâsi khâmdang!" Hanbâ râzâiâ, "Âng khô
bebaidî rainaiâ sùr?" Hannânai, mânsùi hotbâ, sâfrâ singau hâkhmânânai
thâiù. Bînîkhai mânsùiâ nunù hâekhai thâng-phâ-phinse. Be­baidînù
khonle khonle raiù, khon-frimbù bîkhô nunù hâekhai râzaiâ mosôkhônù
lânù thinnânai nå-hâ-lâgi lângnaise. Obâsù bî bù khîthu khîthu
thângnânai gogrâ nî nå sâïau thurui singau hâpsù-nânai thânânai
rajâ khô baidî baidî raibai thâ-sùnaise. Râjâiâ bîkhô khnânânai,
naibâbù nuekhai brâpnânai gogrâkhônù sefainù thinnaise. Khintu
bî bînîfrai thângkhmânânai saurâ nå sâ-i-au thânânâi ârù rainaise
Bebaidînù gâsenù nå sephainù gnâng zânaikhai, râzâiâ unau gînânai
bîkhô gahâmùi sùngnaise, "Helùi âfâ, nanglai modai nâ mânsùi? Âng
nangkhô mungbù khâmliâ." Hanbâ, bî bungnaise "Âng modai nunggâ,
mânsùi-sù. Ârù nang ângnî mosâ lâbonai-khai âng nângkhô raidang. Ârù
nang dâ nangnî phisazùkhô âng zang hâbâ khâmnânai hùgan hannânai sumai
lâiâ gô mâni, âng nangkhô bebaidînù nue zânânai raibai thâgan." Hanbâ,
râzaiâ sumai lânângnaise. Obânia bî nånîfrai onkhâtnaise. Onkhâtbâ
râzâiâ sumai lânaikhai, ârù mâbâ modai-fùr zânù hâgô nungnânai, hâbâ
khâmnânai hùnaise, ârù dolâ, hâthi, gorai gâ-khù-hù-lainânai nåhâlâgi
hotbâ ârù brai bùrùinî nå khâthî man-fai-ba, brai bùrùia gînânai,
nå-nîfrai khâtlângdang-man. Bîkhô embu-bongla fisât­lâiâ nunânai
"Gînù nânggâ" hannânai, mânsùi hotnânai lâbo-finnaise. Obâsù brai
bùrùi fisâtlâ ârù bîhâmzù boibù zå zânânai rong zâ-lainânai mânsùi
fùrkhô khâm-dùi zâhùnai lùng­hùnaise. Bebaidînù thâùi dang, sânse
bîhâmzùâ embu-bonglâ-khô nainù bânânai embu-bongla-khô duguinù
thinnaise. Embu bong­laiâ bungnaise "Âng udui-nî-frai dùi-au-nù
thâiù. Dâ dùgùibâ ânghâ mâ zânù?" Obâsù hing­zauâ bungnaise "Nang dui
gusu-au thânai-khô âng mithî­dang. Khintu nangnî bîkhong-nî gâdi-mâlâ
nunânai-sù âng nangkhô thukuinù nâmaidang," hanba, embu bonglâiâ mânthi
zânaise. Zâbâ dùi glopglop phû­dung-nânai hoâkhô linghotnaise. "Mâmâr
faidù! Âng thukuinù nânggo." Bî mâmâr fainânai, sùngbâ; "Nang âglâ
dùiau bât-sùm grù. Âng unau bîkhong hùnânai hùgan," hanbâ, bî bîau
bât-sùm-nânai khâng-grâng-nânai thoinânai thânaise. Zapbai!





MÙI ÂRÙ DAUKHÂ DANDÂ NÎ KHORÂNG.

Bîsùr sâne zang âglânîfrai fisikhî man. Ârù bîsùr bong­fâng fângseau
ozainù lùgùse thâ­naiman. Phâre sânse mùikhô sel mâseâ nunânai
bîkhô gufûng ârù zânù lâgi gahâm nunânai selâ rai­daunaise "Helùi
khurmâ! Nang beau mâ nâmaidang? Âng nang khô nunânai on-sùdang ârù
nanghâ khusi dangbâ, âng nang­zang khurmâ khâmgan." Beaunù mùiâ
bungnaise: "Nangzang ângzang mâbrùi khurmâ zânù hâgô? Nang ângni
hothru. Nang ângkhô manbâ, nang âng­khô zâgô. Âng nangnî bîdot." Be
khorang khnânânai selâ monau dukhu mannânai bung­naise "Nang zî
khorâng khithâ­dang, gâsenù nunggô. Ârù bînî­khâi ânghâ raubô
gùiliâ, thoithro-bai. Bînikhai âng dâ monau gunî­nânai gokhainî
[14] haran lâbai. Ârù nang boidî raunîbù mungbù khâ­me, omâzang
khurmâ khâmnù mon zâdang. Nang ângkhô beau mungbù dâ bung." Be
khorâng-au-nù mùiâ mânthî zânaise. Obâ bîsùr sâne zang bongfâng guriau
thâng-lai-naise. Beaunù daukhâ-dandâ-î-â sel-khô nunânai, bîkhô âgâr-nù
lâgi mùinù zâbrânù gahâm khorâng khithâdangman. Khintu be khorâng-khô
mùiâ khnâ-song-hiâ-khai, daukhâ dandâiâ sâkhthar manse khithânaise:
"Sâne fisikhî dangman-nù. Bîsùr sâne zang khorâng khâlainaise zî
"Zangfùr zebù dukhuau gârlainù nânggâ." Phâre sânse bîsùr maubâ
thâng­naiau hâgrâ gezer gezer thâng­dangman. Beaunù lâmâ gezerau
mâfur mâse lùgù man-naise. Phâ bîsùr sânùi nî gezerau sâse bong­fâng
gâkhùnù hâgoman, sâse hai­âman. Zeblâ mâfurâ hù-sù-bù-dang, sâse
khâtnânai bongfângau gâkhùhùinaise. Sâseâ mungbô upai mane zânânai
hâiau khug­lupnânai, hâng lâiabâ thânaise. Unau mâfurâ fainânai bikhô
manâm-su-nânai hâng gùie nunâ­nai, gârlângnaise. Phâ bong­fângnî
mânsùiâ sùngnaise "Helùi sikhî, nangkhô mâfurâ manâm-su-nânai mâ
khithânai?" Beaunù bî bungnaise "Bebaidî mânsùi-zang nang khurmâ
dâ khâm," erùi hannânai bungnai." Daukhâ dandâ bungnaise "Besùr
sânùi-nî baidi nang-hâ-bù zânù hâgô. Theobù mùiâ bînî khorâng khô
lâiâkhùise. Phâre âzi-bù-dang kâli-bù-dang sânse selâ phân nunânai
mùikhô bî thauni-hâ lâgi bîkhô phânau khùkhlainaise. Phâre bî phân-nî
deoling-khô ot-sonù thinbâ-bù, otnù manâ hannânai otsoâkhùise. Unau
daukhâiâ bîsùrnî khorângkhô mithînânai nâmai-lâng-nânai mùikhô
phânau nângnânai thânai nunaise. Nubâ, bîkhô gahâm khâmnù lâge upai
khâmnaise. Phâre, okhâ naise naise zâdang­man, ereaunù bî bungnaise
"Sikhî nung uduikhô dukhrâng hùnânai hâng laiâlâbâ thâ. Ârù âng gâp-bâ,
nang khât. Be upai-au goâbâ, ârù gùiliâ-se." Bî khitha­nai-baidi-nù
mùiâ khâmnânai dang. Ereau-nù phân-nî girimaiâ fainânai mùi-khô
thoinai mon khâmnânai, zongkhô hâiau thunâ­nai dinnânai phânnî
deoling khô kheonânai fahâm-dang-man. Ereau-nù daukhâiå gâpnânai
hùbâ, mùiâ sikhângnânai dophong khâtbâ, mânsùiâ zongkhô lânâ­nai,
khubui hot-naise: khintu mùinî modomau nângâlâbâ selnî modomau
nâng-hùi-naise. Beau­nù selâ thoinaise. Zapbai!





BRAI SÁSE NI KHORÂNG.

Sâse brai dangman. Bî sân-se hâgrâiau thâthî dân-nù thângbâ, mosa
mâse sùgùmnai khnânaise. Ârù obânù bînî khâthî nî frai dau mâse
bîr-lâng-bâ, braiâ gîkhrong­nânai bung-nâise "Âng nangkhô manbâ,
khugubân phurungauman." Bî be khorâng-khô-nù bungùi thâdang, mosâ
khnânânai "Be braiâ mâ khithâdang? Ang bekhô mithinù nângbai, ârù
bekhô âng zâ-liâ-bù. Erùi nungnânai brai­khô mâthù [15] hùnaise "Helùi
brai, nanglai mâthù [16] khithâdang?" Theobù braiâ khnâsongâlâbâ
bî khorângkhônù bungù ârù thâthi dânù. Obâsù mosâiâ khâthî-åse-au
fainânai, brai-khô bungnaise "Nang mâ khorâng bungdang, ângnù
khithâiâbâ âng nangkhô zâgan." Ereùi hanbâ brai gînâ­nai "Nang
gabun ângnî nåiau thâng. Oba âng nang-nù khithâ­gan." Hanbâ, bî
thângnaise. Okha naibâ, mosâiâ sùngùi sùngùi brai-nî nåiau phungaunù
okhar fainaise. Phâre braiâ nunânai "Apâ, nang mau-nù thângnu lùi"
hanbâ "Âng buro­bu thângâ. Nang-nî-au-sù mîa-nî khorâng sùlùngnù
faidang. Oba­sù braiâ bungnâise "Âng nang hât-sing-bâ be khorâng-khô
khi­thânu hâiâ. Ârù mâ-ne-sù lai-bau." Ereùi bungbâ, bî thâng­nânai
mâne mâthâm bîzang lâbo­naise. Obâsù braiâ mai dângrî set-lâi-au
dîhonnaise. Dîhonnânai bî ghai mithînai mosôkhô uthumai khamnânai
mosôfùrkhô khânânai mai-mâran hùnaise. Hùbâ, boi uthumai zânai mosâiâ
bungnaise "Abô, âng-hâ khårå megem-sù dang." Phâ braiâ khithâ­naise;
"rå-dåse, âbô, rå thå, dânù zâsîsù," hannânai, hù-ùi thânaise. Phâre
unau mosâiâ khårå megemnânai gaglai-sù-nânai thâbâ, phânsân gnâng
lauthî lânâ­nai gahâmùi thunânai hùnaise. Obâ mosâiâ "Abô! ângkhô mâ
khâmù? Âng dinî thoisîgan!" Hanbâ, braiâ bungnaise "Nang mîâ ghugubân
sùlùngnù nâmai­dangman bebaidî dukhu zânù hâiâbâ, âng nangkhô mâbrui
fùrùngan?" Hannânai, ârù thù-khrâng thùsi khâmse. Obâsù mosâiâ
bungnaise "Âng dukhu zâdang, be nunggo; nangnî kho­râng khô âng
mithiâkhui." Hanbâ, braiâ bungnaise "Bî­khônù ghughubân hannânai
bungu." Obânù mosâ bungnaise "Âng mithîbai, zang-fùrkhô hogar
dù!" Braiâ bungnaise "Rå, âru bângai mithî-zap-si-gan." Hannânai,
ârù hunaise. Unau mosâiâ brai-khô khulum-bai-nù homnaise. Phâre maiâ
gâbâ bîsùr-khô hogâr-hot-naise. Hog­âr-slâp-nù manâlâbâ, uthumai ârù
bîsùrbù khâtlângnaise. Khât lângbâ, mengnânai, bîsûr dâpse au boibo
zå zânânai zirainaise. Obâ­nù bîsùr boi didungkhô nunânai brainù
hùnùlâgi railainaise "Be dîdungkhô hùâbâ, bî mobâbâ zang-fùr-khô
sinai mangan." Bungnânai, bîbù bungù "nang­thâng." Brainî sinnainai
mosâiâ thâng-nâng-naise.

Obâsù bî thùrthùr bùrbùr gînânai thângdang, âru brai-nî nå
man-hùi-nânai, brainù didung-khô zâsi [17] hubâ, braiâ bungnaise:
"Manâbai; âng udubai. Âng onkhâtliâ. Inzur-goblong-thing
hot." Han-bâ, mosâiâ lânzâiâ zang didung-khô hotnaise. Obânù,
braiâ sekhâ lânânai lânzaikhô dân-so-naise. Beaunù mosâiâ gâp-khrau
gâpsî khâtlângbâ, braiâ bungnaise "Ârù ânghâ sâse âgùi sing-sing
hù-siù-lâng-dang! Nang khâtnânai mâu-thu gonù?" Be bîbaidinù khârùi
khârùi naifinnâ­nai raukhôbù nuekhai, zirainaise, ârù khânkhrai
gurungau dùi nunânai, khândâ lânzai-khô sunânai zånaise. Phâre
khânkhraiâ on­khâtrânai lânzaiau khepnaise. Obânia mosâiâ "Gomâ
gomânu brainî bîgúiâ fai-mât-dang;" hannânai, bînîfrai khîbù
khîsât khât­lângnaise. Obâsù zesenù khârù khânkhraiâ gaglaigan
nungnânai, gahâmùi khep-sin-lângù. Bebai­dînù khârùi khârùi mosâiâ
thoi­frâmnai zânaise. Unau bongfâng-fùr-au nângnânai âgârbâ, obâsù
mosâiâ gahâm zânaise, ârù brai-bi-gùi-khô thângbai nunânai, khâm dùi
zânaise. Zapbai!





MÙKHRÂ ÂRÙ SESSÂ NÎ KHORÂNG.

Mâse sessâ ârù mùkhrâ zang fisikhî man. Bîsùr sânùi zang ozainù
lùgùse thâiù, lùgùse zâiù, ârù lùgùse thâbaibaiù. Obâsù sânse sâse
Darrangârùi mânsùi goe thâlit lânânai, âlâsî zânù thâng­nai nâmau
lùgù mannânai, bîsùr railainaise "Be mânsùi-nî goe thâlit-fùr-khô
zânù lâgî zangfùr buddî manse khâmnù nânggô," hannânai, sessâ-khô
nâmau-nù thânù thinnânai mùkhrâia hâgrâ-iaù hâkhmânai thânaise. Phâre
mânsùiâ manfaibâ, sessakhô nunânai, bîbân dinnânai, hùsùnaise. Hùsùbâ,
mùkhraia hâgrânîfrai mâmâr onkhâtnânai thâlitfùrkhô lânânai bongfângau
gâ-khù-hùi-naise. Ârù "sessâ-faigan" hannânai, thâlit goe-fùrkhô
mâmâr zâ-grù-naise. Ârù thâlit bigùr buâ sessânù dinnaise.

Emphâre unau sessâkhô mân­sùiâ homnù hâiâkhùise ârù unau nåiau
thâng-phâ-phin-naise. Obâsù sessaiâ gâbzrî-ùi gâbzrî-ùi thângnânai,
fisikhîkhô lùgù man-hùi-nânai, gur thâlit bîbâ, thâlit bigùr bùa
hùnaise. Bînîkhai sessâiâ brâpnânai "Bekhô bângai dukhu hùgan," monau
nungnânai, thâsobâre singau thâhùnaise. Unau mukhrâiâ bongfângnîfrai
on­khâtnânai: "Sikhî lùi! sikhî lùi! hanùi hanùi gâbzrî gâbzrî
thângbâ, sessâiâ brâpnânai bungnaise "Mâthù sikhî-sikhî lùi! Âng
beaunù razânî khuser ne-fai-dang. Nangnù ângkhô mânu nânggô?" Obâsù
mukhrâiâ nu­zâhùinânai bungnaise "He sikhî! khuserkhô ângnù thåse ù,
herâ! Bese gathâu âng zâ-nai-nî;" hanbâ, sessâ bungnaise; "Âng nang-nù
hùnù hâiâ. Razâ khnâbâ ângkhô bugan." Theobù bî embrâ-brâ-bînaikhai
"Zâ lùi zâ, âng nangzang hâ-liâ" hannânai, zânù hùnaise. Phâre bî
zânânai, sâlâiau mânbâ "Sikhî âng thoinaise" hannânai, bâbrâp­baibâ,
sessâ bungnaise "Nang gagainù dukhu mandang. Âng dâ nangkhô mâ
khâmgan?" hannânai, bere jåthâ nî bâhâ sing­au thâ-hùi-naise. Mùkhrâ
bù un un gâbzrînânai thângnânai ârù nu-zâ-hùi-nai-sui-lâiù "Sikhî
nang mâ khâmdang, herâ" bung­bâ, sessâ khithânaise "âng razâ nî
zåthâ nedang" hanbâ "Sikhî, ângnù bângai dâmnai-nù hù, herâ!" Sessâiâ
bungnaise "Uh âng hâiâ, herâ; râzâ khnâbâ âng­khô buthâtgân," bungbâ
bù, em­brâbrâ "Âng lâsui-sù dâmgan, herâ," hannânai, bere bâhâkhô
âkhâi-phât-ne zang bu-zâp-naise. Obânu berefrâ mukhâng, megon, modom
gasenú ot phop-bâ mù­khrâiâ gâp-khrau gâp-sî bâbrâp-bai naise. Obâniâ
sessâiâ bung­naise: Âng dù-hùi-nù nang-nù khithâ-dangman, theobû nang
kho­râng lâia. Âng mâ khâmgan?" hannânai, ârù dâpseau zîbô-gowâl-nî
khâthîau thâ-hûi-naise. Azùnghâ mùkhrâ bù khîthû khîthû thângnânai
bungnaise "Ârù beau lai nang mâ khâmdang, herâ?" Sessâ bungnaise
"Âng razâ-lùnghâ-nî [18] sâmâ-lauthî nedang, herâ." Bungbâ "Sikhî,
âng-nù bù hù, herâ! âng bângai dângnai-nî!" Bî "hùâ" hanbâbú,
embrâ-brâ, dangnainânai, beaubù bî zîbô-zang ot-zâ-naise. Bînîfrai
sessâ thângnânai photobâreau thâ-hui-naise. Mùkhrâ bù gâbzrî gâbzri
thângnânai, ârù lùgù lâ-hùi-nânai sessâ-khô súngbâ, bi bungnaise:
Bekhônù razânî dolâ hannânai bungù. Mùkhrâ bung­naise: "Sikhî, âng
bângai uthî-nai nî, herâ!" bungbâ "Uh! âng hùnù haiâ. Razâ khnâbâ,
âng-khô mâ bunggan? Nang mâbâ âbrâ mânsùi, herâ! Khorâng khithâbâ-bù
khnâsonggâ," bungbâbù, mù­khraiâ "Nonggâ, herâ, sikhî dåse buâ uthîgan"
hannânai, phåtåbâ­reau bât-drumbâ, gådåhâ lâgi thrùp thângnaise. Obâsù
sessâ khithânaise "Duhui thâlit zâ­nânai bîgur hùnaiâ, benù,
herâ­sikhî, nang beaunù thâ-dù! Âng nangkhô khulumbai! âng thâng­naise"
hannânai, bî mu-khrâ-khô beaunù gâr-lai-naise.

Obâsù unâù bîthîng gândâ mâse fainai nubâ, bîkhô mukhraiâ
dikhâng-nù thing-dangman. Gândâiâ bungnaise "Âng-hâ ukhui-sù-dang
ârù dùi-gâng-sùi-dang: âng nangkhô dikhângnù hâiâ," hannânai,
bî thângnaise.

Bînî unau ârù moesù mâse fai­nai-au bîkhô bù khithâdangman Bîbù
khnâsongâlâbâ blot thâng­naise. Boinùkhrî khî-zap-au mosâ mâse
ukhui-sù-nânai bîthîng thângdangman. Mùkhrâ nunânai bungnaise
"He âfâ, nang âng­khô be dukhu nî frai dikhângâbâ, ârù raubô
dikhângliâ." Hannânai gahâmùi khulumnù homnaise. Theobú bî "Âng
nangkhô dikhângnânai mâ mangan?" hannânai, khozo-ne-sù [19] thângbâ,
mukhrâiâ bungnaise "Âfâ, nang ângkhô be photobâre-nî-frai di­khângnânai
hâbrùfùrkhô sù-srâ-nânai ângkhô nang zâ!" hanbâ, bî ukhui-sû-nai-khai,
be khorâng-au khnâ-song-nânai, bîkhô bung­naise "Âng nangkhô zânû mon
gúiâ, manâthù, bebaidî dukhuau gaglainaikhô dikhângbâ, ânghâ gahâm
zâgan. Theobù nang gai­gainù zâsinânai hùnai-i-au, âng zânù hâgo,"
hannânai, bînî lân­zai-khô pholau hotbâ, mùkhrâiâ bînî lânzâiau
hombâ, dikhâng-bù-naise, mù-khrâ khîthânaise "Âfâ nang ângkhô dâniâ
modom-fùr-khô gahâmui susrâ, emphâre rânbâ zâ," hannânai sândungau
dåse zåbai thâdangman. Ereaunu mosâ-iâ phâtsething naineau, bî
bongfângau fât-drâp gâ-khù-naise. Mosâ bekhô nunânai, brâp-nânai,
bongfâng guriaunù sânne sânthâm nebai thânaise. Bebaidî thânânai,
unau khugâ sînânai, hâthai hâzîzî khâmnânai, thoithî-nânai, thânaise,
ârù thâmfaifrâ khugâ-i-au brûng-brûng han-lai-nù homnaise. Beaunù
mu­khrâiâ ose ose thoi-mâtbai nung­nânai bongfâng bîzô nî frai lâse
lâse onkhâtbùnânai âglâ lâse-i-hai lânzai khugau sù-nai-grù-bâ-bù mosâ
mungbô khâmâkhuise. Ârù unau âtheng thângse sùnânai hùnai, beaubù
mungbô khâmâkhùise. Obâsù mùkhrâ bungnaise "Nang ângnî âthengfùrkhô
khrem-khrem otnânai zâgauman, lanzai-khô khrem khrem otnânai zâgauman,"
hannânai, rong zânânai: "Dâniâ ângnî khårokhô-nù zâ," hannâ­nai, khugau
sùnânai hùbâ, obânù mosâiâ khrem ot-khrep-naise. Thoibai! Zapbai!





KHUSUNG ÂRÙ MÙKHRÂ.

Besur sâne zang fisikhî man. Sânse lâmâiau thâbâ, sâse mânsùi
gur thâli mairang bânnânai lâ­bonai nùnaise. Bîkhô nunânai
mùkhraiâ fisikhînù khithânai-sùi: "Helùi sikhî, nang beaunù
zåbai thâ. Be fainai mânsùia bîbân dinnânai nangthângkhô hùsùbâ,
nangthâng khât." Erùi hannânai khusungkhô bî lâmâ-au-nù dinnânai
mùkhrâiâ hâgrâ singau hâpnânai ânda zânânai hâkhmâ­nânai thânaisui
obâ be mân­sùiâ khâthi zâbâ, khusungkhô nunânai, bîbân dinânai,
húsúnaise. Obânú mùkhrâiâ hâgrâ nî frai onkhâtnânai be thâli ârù gur
khô lângnânai bongfângau gâkhùhùi­naise. Unau be mânsùiâ khu­sung-khô
manekhai, gaigainî nå-i-au thâng-fâ-fin-naise. Benî unau, khusungâ
hâgrâ-nî-frai onkhâtnânai fisîkhô nâmainânai man-nânai, thâlit ârù
gur bînaise. Khintu mùkhrâiâ thâlit zânânai bigur gazâ, gur zânânai,
thinkli gazâ khusungnù hùnaise. Beau­nù khusungâ brâp-naikhai,
bîkhô bongfângau dikhâng-lâng-naise. "Nang âng-khô gur ârù thâlit
zânai nudang-man. Beau mâ dang, nang gagainù nai." Bebaidî bungnânai
mùkhrâiâ bongfâng-nî-frai onkhatnânai thângnaise Phâre khusungâ beaunù
thânânai onkhâtnù haiâkhùise. Be bong­fângnî sing-thing baidî baidî omâ
thângdangman. Khintu raubô bîkhô on-â-khùise. Unau, gândâ brai mâse be
thing thângbâ bî bîkhô khulumnânai bungnaise "Âfâ, nang ângkhô onbâ
âng nangnî bîkhung sâïau bât-drùm-nù nâmâiù." Beaunù gândaiâ bîkhô
onnânai thinnaise. Thin-bâ, bî bât-drùm-naise. Obânù gândâ-hâ zânzi
bai-naise! Obâ­niâ, bîkhô khusungâ hâgrâ zang khupnânai dinnânai,
razânî nåau thângnânai razâ zånai khâmflai sing-au thâ-hùi-naise. Phâ
zeblâ mel khun khun zâdangman, obâ khusungâ khîphînâise. Razâ bîkhô
khnânânai "Sùr khîphî­dang? Khîthù dân!" Beaunù boibô "Âng khîphîâkhùi"
hannâ­nai bungnaise. Ârù bebaidînù khonnesùi khîphîni-au, sâse mân­sùiâ
bîkhô razâ nî khâmflai singau nuhotnaise. Nunânai razâni sigângau
bung-naise "Âfâ, nang­thâng âng-khô dân lâgi-bù, âng manse khorâng
khithânù nâmâiù. Nangthângnî khâmflai singau-nù mâbâ mâse dang. Âng
mithîgo bînù khîphîdang." Phâre razâiâ nainânai, bîkhô nunânai, khîthù
dânnù thinnaise. Obâniâ khu­sungâ bungnaise "Âfâ nang ângnî khîthû
dâ dân! Âng nangthâng-nù gândâ mâse hùgan." Beaunù razâiâ brâpnâ­nai,
bîbînai-baidi-nù mânsùi zâbrâ bî zang hùnânai hotnaise. Bî thângnânai,
gândâ-khô boi bong­fang guriau khithî-hui-naise. Mânsùifur gândâkhô
lâbonânai, razânî singau hùbâ, razâ hontoh zânânai bînù gorai mâse
hùnaise.

Be gorâiau uthînânai khâtbaibâ, mùkhrâiâ nunânai sùng-bâ, bî bungnaise
"Be goraikhô ângnù razâiâ hunai." Obânù bî sùng­naise "Mâbrùi razâiâ
nangnù hùnai?" Beaunù bî khithânaise, "Nang ângkhô zî bangfâng
sâiau gâr-bu-dangman; âng beaunù thânânai, lâmâkhândâ mâse-nî sâiau
bongfâng-nî-frai bât-drûm­bâ, bî thoinaise. Unau âng bînî sâiau zâbrâ
zigâp hung-nânai hùsinnânai bîkhô dinnânai razânî sigâng-au gândâ nî
khorâng khithânaise. Beaunù razâiâ ângnù hontoh zânânai, be gorai­khô
hùdang." Beaunù mùkhrâiâ bî khithânai baidî khamnaise. Râjâiâ bîkhô
nunânai brâpnânai khîthû dânnaise. Zapbai!





BÂMUN DEÂRU BÎNÎ SÂKOR NÎ KHORÂNG.

Sâse Bâmun dangman, ârù bî­bâ sâkor sâse dangman. Sân-se sâne
zang Bâmun nî bîhau-bikhunzù-nî nåiau thâng-nù-lâgi thâlit gur
gâkhir sorai lânanai sâkhor-khô bân hùnânai, bîkhô khithânaise
"Nang be thâlit-fùr­khô dâ zâ. Zâbâ ânghâ khîthù fâtse bù megon
dang." Erùi hannânai thângùi thânaise. Phâre unau boi sâkhorhâ
mikhâm ukhui-bâ, thâlit-khô lânânai, thaise thaise bînù un-phât-si
khithînânai, be­baidînù boibo-khô-bù zâ-thro-lâng-naise. Phâre
unau bîsur dâpseau zirai-hùiba, Bâmun bîbânkhô nueâkhâi, sâkhor-nî
sigâng-au sùngnaise "Bibânâ mâ zâkhù?" Obâ sâkhorâ bung­naise,
âng dùkhùi-nù nangnù khithînânai bî thâlit-fùrkhô zâbai. Ârù dâ
nang mânù sùng-dang?" Bebaidînù Bâmunâ bolo [20] hâe­khai srî srî
thânaise. Phâre besùr beaunù khâm song-zâ-nù-lâgi zothon khâmnaise,
ârù beaunù nâ khâwai mâ-ne-sù mandangman. Bînî sâkhornù mâse bùa
hùnânai, gâsenù Bâmunâ lânaise. Phâre zeblâ khâm man-naise, sâne-bù
zânù lâgi zodangman. Ereaunù sâkhorâ sùngnaise "Bâmun gohain,
nâ khâwâiâ mâse bùâ daugâiù, nâ dùlù dùlù daugâiù?" Beaunù Bâmunâ
bungnaise "Dùlù dùlù daugâiù." Obâ bî bînî nâ mâsekhô bînî khâm-au
khubui-hot-detnaise "Manâthù be hâtsing daugânù hâiâ, nang-ni zang
dùlùse zâthang." Beaubù gaigai-nî khorâng-zâng-nù zennâ­nai bîkhô
mungbâ bung-nù hâiâ khùise. Unau khâmkhô sâkhorâ hâtsing manzânaise.

Phâre bînifrai thângùi thângùi simli bîfâng dùlùse nunânai, Bâmun-khô
sùngnaise "Bâmun gohain! be nunai bongfâng-frâ mâ bongfâng?" Bamunâ
khi­thânaise "sirmolu." Sâkhorâ bungnaise: "Sirmolu nunggâ. Bîkhô
hirmolu hanù." Phâ obâsù phong-bâ phong-bâ sônù lâgi khorâng
khâlainaise. Phâre gur­khiâ dùlùse lùgù mannânai, bîsùrkhô sungbâ,
"himulu" hannânai bîsùr bungnaise. Obânù sùngâ-hoâ-lâbâ Bâmunkhô
phong-bâ sônaise.

Ârù bebaidi thângùi thângùi burmâ dùlùse nunânai sâkhorâ Bâmunkhô
sùngnaise "Bâmùn gohain, boi gângsù zâbai thânai zanthu-fùr mâ
bungô?" Bâmunâ khithânaise "Bîfur sâg." Sâ­khorâ bungnaise "Nunggâ,
bîfùr sâgoli." Beaubù bîbaidinù Bâmunâ phongbâ sô-zâ-naise. Ârù
bînîfrai thângnânai dau-bå dùlùse nunânai sùngnaise" "Bâmun gohain,
befùr mâ dau?" Bâmunâ bungnaise "Nang bîfùrkhô mithiâ? Bîfurkhô bog
hanù." Bî bungnaise "Mâ bog hanù? Nunggâ. Bîkhô boguli hanù." Beaubù
bebaidinù Bâmunâ phongbâ sôzânaise. Unau bî manse slok hannaise:


           "Sâg sirmolu bog ba-káran
            Tinî pânch panra kîl sudâ akâran."


Phâ bînîfrai thângnânai bihai-bikhunzù nî nå khâthî manbâ, sâkhorkhô
thin-hot-grù-nânai khithânaise "Nang thângnànai mâmâr khâm songnù thin;
ma­nâthù ânghâ mikhâm ukhui-sù-dang." Phâre bîbaidî-nù bî thângnânai,
Bâmun-nî bikhunzù-nù hângsù bûthâtnânai sobai khâre zang mikhâm
songnânai dinnù khithânaise, ârù bungnaise "Nangnî nangzâ-mâdùiâ
megong-au gabâp nunggâbâ zâiâ." Obâsù bî songnânai dinnaise. Phâre
unau bizâmâdùiâ so-fai-bânù, mâmârùi khâm khutnânai hunaise. Bizâmâdùiâ
ukhui-sù-nai-khai, khâm megong mungbo bâsiâlâbâ zânù gnâng zânaise.

Obâsù unau bebaidînù baidî baidî lâzi mannai zânaikhai, Bâmunâ
bidânùlâgi sitti gângse lit-nânai sakhornî âkhâi-au hù­nânai
nå-i-au hotnaise. Lâmâ såse thângbâ, beaunù litnù-grang sâse mânsùi
lùgù mannânai, bînù sitti khithînaise. "Beau mâ litdang, âng-nù
khithâ." Obâsù, mânsùiâ sitti-khô nainânai, "Nangkhô dânnù lâgi
Bâmun nî bidâ-khô thindang" erui bungbâ, bî sittî-khô phisînânai
bungnaise "Afâ nang ângnù gubun sitti gângse litnânai hù." Ârù
be sitti-au erehai lit: "âdâ, nangnî fisâ-hingzau zang be sâkhorâ
man-hùi-bâ-nù hâbâ khâmnânai hù. Âng benifrai thângnânai bîsùr-nî
hâbâ nunù nânggâ." Bebaidinù be sitti-khô lângnânai Bâmun-nî bidânù
hùnaise. Khintù bî sitti-khô nunânai, monau dukhu man­sù-naise. Theobù,
bigùi-nî khorâng gârnù hâekhai, fisâzù zang mâmâr hâbâ khâmnânai
hùnângnaise.

Phâre sânse thânânai bî fainâ­nai bidâ khô sùngbâ gâsenù khorâng
khnânânai, bî sâkhor khô dânnùlâgi srî srî upai khâmnaise. Be upaikhô
sakhornî hingzauâ mithînânai, bekhô onnânai bînù khithânaise. Khithâbâ,
hingzau zang horau udunîau mosôfisâ mâse khâ-khrop-nânai futhunânai
din­naise. Phâre Bâmunâ fisâzù zang udubai thâdang mon khâmnânai, srî
srî thângnânai mosôfisâ-khô dânnaise. Phâre sân-sô-bâ mosâ­fisâkhô
dânfnâng-nai nunânai mâ­mârùi bizâmadui sâkhorkhô gâr­hùinù lâgi
thinnaise. Khintu bizâ­mâduiâ bîsùrnî bâriâu lângnânai, lânzâi
dîhonnânai, fopnânai din­naise. Unau Bâmunâ mosâ bùthâtnai-nî
nungge srî srî uddhâr zânu lâgi gaminî mânsùifùrkhô lingnânai phozù
hùdangman. Phâre mânsuifùr zânu zobâ, sâkhorâ bâriau thângnânai mosô
lânzai-khô bunânai bungnaise "Bamunâ mosobù bùthârâ-khùi phozù-bù hùâ
khùi, hùi-sù!" Bebaidî bungbai-thâbâ, phozùnî mansùifrâ khnânânai,
phozù zâiâ­khùise. Bebaidînù bîsùr uddhâr manâkhùise. Zapbâi!





ÂBRÂ NÎ KHORÂNG.

Sâse brai bùrùi dangman. Bi-sùr-hâ sâse gåthå dangman. Bî sânse
brai-bùrùi-ni-au mosô bainu lâgi thâkâ bînaise. Khintu brai bùrùi
gåthåkhô âzlâ nunànai thâkâ hùâman. Gåthåâ embrâ-brâ bînai-khai thâkâ
zakhai-brùi hùnaise. Phâre gåthåâ mosô bainù lâgi thângùi thângùi
man­thâm âlî-nî khâthi-au gahâm mosô mâse nunânai, be âlî-au thâkâ
dinnânai mosôkhô khânânai lâbo­naise. Thângùi thângùi bîhâ khînù
on-khâtnânai mosôkhô hâgra daise-au khânanai dinnânai khîhùibâ mosoâ
bething khâtlâng­naise, Phâre be khînainîfrai fainânai mosôkhô nuekhai
hâgrâ hâgrâ nâmaibainaise.

Ârù bî mùi zonthrâ mâse nunâ­nai, bîkhônù bînî mosô hannânai, hùsùbaie
hùsùbaie unau mùiâ hâgrâ zethap-au gongâ nângnânai thâpthânânai
thânaise. Obâsù bî mùikhô gådåiau dîdungzang khânânai nå hâ lâgi didung
zorai zorai nå manfai-naise. Beaunù bîmâ bifâiâ sùngnaise "Nang mosô
bainù thângnaia, hù­rù?" Obâsù bî bungnaise "Be dîdungkhô bùbânù,
zangfùr mosô mangan." Erù hannânai sâthâm zang dîdungau homnânai
bù­naise. Bùî bùî mùiâ nå man-fai-bâ, boibù gî-khrongnaise. Phâre
bîmâ bîfâiâ mùi-khô buthâtnânai mai salai-nù lâgi gâmînîmânsùinù
bângan hùnaise.

Beaunù gåthå âbrâiâ ai âfâiâ mosô buthâtnai zâbai hannânai mâlainî
gâme gâme khithâbainaise. Khintu bîkhô âbrâ nunânai man­sùifrâ bînî
khorâng khô fathiâ-khùise.

Bînî unau, âjî-bù thâiù kâli-bù-thâiù, âbrâiâ bângai detbùnânai gâgainî
hingzau namainù lâgi ârú brai bùrùi-nî-au thâkâ bînaise. Beaubù
hùâ gârâ, thâkâ zokhai-brùi brainîfrai lânânai hingzau ânmainânai
thângnaise. Thângùi thângùi gâmî mânsùi-nî dùi gathân-au zombai
thânaise. Phâre unau sâse mazâng hingzausâ dùi lângnù fainai nunânai,
dùi gâthan-au bi lângnai hingzausâkhô homnânai lâbonaise.

Phâre fai-ùi fai-ùi nâmâ-i-au mengnânai bongfâng fângse nî singau
zirainaise, ârù mosô halwâ mâse lânânai mânsùi sâse bù beaunù
ziraidangman. Bîbaidî bîsùr ziraibâ thâbâ homnai lâng-zâ-nai
hingzausâiâ zingâsi-nânai gâbùi gâbùi megon-dùiâ hâ-hâlâgi
bùhi-lâng-naise. Bîkhô nunânai mosô lânai mânsùia âbrâ-nù khithânaise
"Nang be hingzau-sâ-khô mau mannai? ârù nang bîkhô nainânai lâbodang,
na naiâ­labâ lâbodang?" Obâ âbrâiâ bungnaise "Ang bîkhô mazâng nunânai
bîsurnî dùi-gathân-nî-frai thâkâ zokhai-brui dinnânai lâbo­dang." Obânú
bî buddi grângâ bungnaise "Nang khânâ dang: be hingzausâ mazâng-bâ-bù,
bînî megon thaine-â betnai. Nang nuakhùi nù? Honùi, dùiâ so so
bùhîlângdang. Bîbaidi hingzausâkhô nang mâ khâmnù?" Be khorâng
khnânânai âbrâiâ bînî mosô zang slainù nâmainaise. Khintu bî mânsùiâ
misainù hùnù nâmâiâ. Theobù embrâbrâ bînaikhai: "lâ, le, lâ!" hannânai,
mosôzang mânsùisang slainânai, gâgai gâgai monau gahâm mannânai azang
sâse azang sâse mâmâr thânglainaise. Be­baidînù thângùi thângùi âbrâiâ
bongfâng fângse singau burmâ lânai mânsùi sâse zåbai thânai nunânai,
bîbù beau-nù zånaise. Bebaidî zåbai thâbâ, mosoâ hâ-sudangman. Phâre
bî burmâ lânai mânsùiâ bungnaise "Be mosô nî uduiâ goblongbai,
ârù sân sese thâbâ be thoisigan. Beaubù bî âbrâiâ gomâ nungnânai,
mosôkhô bînî burmâzang slainaise. Bebaidî thângùi, ârù sâse thâlit
lânai mânsùi bebaidî-nù bongfang singau zånai mânsùi lùgù man­nânai,
âbrâiâ bú zådangman. Khintu burmâiâ gângsu ukhuinâ­nai bâbrâp bainaiau
bî zånu sukhu man-e-khai, burmâ khô bubâ, burmâ bâ bâ hannaise. Obânu;
"Ese mengnaiu âng nangkhô mâbrui bâgan?" hannânai, brâp­nânai, gârnu
lubuibâ, be thâlit lânai mânsùiâ, thâlit khô âbrânù hùnânai bî burmâ
khô lângnaise. Bîbaidî nù bîsùr bînîfrai thâng­lainaise. Ereaunù sâse
mânsùi bînî sigâng-thing âsî khrep-khrep [21] dâmnânai faidang. Obâsu
khâ­thiau lùgù manbâ âbrâiâ bung­naise "Âng burmâ mâse mânî
hùnânai be thâlit-khô, lâbo­dang. Theobù ângnîau thâlit bîù?" Erùi
hannânai "nang thâlit zânù lubuidang-bâ nang-nî bidyâkhô ângnù hù;"
hannânai, bî biaunù hurâsemâni sùlùngnânai, zenthe-nùi hânânai,
thâlit-khô bînù hùnânai âsî khrep khrep dâmnâ­nai thângnaise. Thângùi
thân­gui, mai gezer dâpseau khînù onkhâtnânai khînaiau bînî bidyâkhô
baugârnaise. Ârù be mai gezeraunù gamâbai hannânai, maikhô themâ
nainaibaidî nainaise. Beaunù mainî girimaiâ mai hâbai thâdangman,
nunânai, bîkhô sùngnaise "Nanghâ beau mâ gamâdang? Ângnî mai-fùrâ
hâmâ zâthrobai!" Âbrâ bung­naise "Anghâ thâkâ zokhai-brùi nî bidyâ
manse beaunù gamâbai. Nang bù âng zang namai-phâ-bâ, âng nangkhô
gahâm mangan," hannaikhai, bî bù nâmaiùi nâmaiùi, manekhai brâpnânai:
"nang nî khorângâ misâ," hannâ­nai, âsi dâmbâ: "Âfâ, dâ âng manbâi;"
hannânai âbrâiâ khât­lângnaise.

Ârù bebaidî thângùi thângùi fukuri manse manhùibâ beaubù bî khînânai
bînî bidyâ khô baugâr­naise. Phâre bî nâmaie nâmaie manâkhùi. Ereaunù
sâse mânsùi lùgù mannânai sùngnaise: "Nanghâ beau ma gamâdang?" hanbâ;
"Âfâ, ânghâ beau gahâm basthu manse gamâbai, nangbù namaibâ, âng
gahâm mangô;" bungnai-au bîbù bîzang namaifânaise, ârù unau nâmaiùi
nâmaiùi hâbru zang musunlâ-musunlî zânânai, theobù mane­khai,
bî mânsùiâ brâpnânai âsi dâmnaise. Obâ bî "o âfâ, dâsù âng bekhô
manbai!" hannânai, rong zânânai, nå-hâ-lâgi khrep-khrep dâmnânai nå
manhúinaise. Bikhô nunânai brai bùrùiâ minî-sù-naise. Agla bîkhô
sinai manâ­khùiman, unau sùngnânai mithînaise. "Ârù thâkâfurâ mâ
khâm-khù?" hanbâ, bungnaise "Âng hingzau sâse lâbodangman, Behâ
megon thaine bù betnai. Bînîkhai ârù mosô slainaise, Bihâ bù udui
goblong zânai, ârù burmâ mâse zang bîkhô slainaise. Bîbù ângkhô bânù
thinnaikhai brâp­nânai, thâlit slainaise. Thâlit khô nunânai, sâse
mânsùiâ bînai­khai, be mânsùinîfrai be bidyâ khô sùlùngnânai thâlit
hùnani lâbodang. Ârù âng mâ khâmnù nânggò?" Zapbai!





SÂ-SNÎ ÂBRÂ NÎ KHORÂNG.

Sùrbâ âbrâ sâsnî dangman. Bîsùr sân se dâpseau onkhâtlâng-nai-au
nâmâ-au-nù dùi-slùng bângai mannânai bîkhônù mâbrùi bâtgan hannânai
khorâng zâlai-naise. Beaunù bîdâ gederâ bung­naise "Boibù zânzî
khâphrâ-nânai bâtnù nângbai;" hannânai, boinùkhri bî âglâ zânânai,
bînî khithîau sâse hom-hù-naise. Bebaidî-nù bînî zânziau bî,
bînî zânziau bî homlainânai dùislungau sânsrilainaise. Beaunù
âtheng-mani zerbâ-mâni sânsrinai-au thoi onkhâtlainaise. Phâre
bebaidînù zenthen ùi bâtkhângnânai bîdâ gederâ sâse-se lângkhâtbai
nung­nânai sân-naise. Sânânai sârå bùâ mannaise. Ârù unau bînî
godâiâ sânnaise. Bî bù sâ-rå bùâ mannaikhai, sâfrimbù khonse khonse
sânnânai sârå bùâ man­nai. Bînîkhai boibù sâse lâng­khâtbai hannânai
zingâsî-nânai khorâng zâzlaibai thâdangman. Ereaunù bething Bâmun
sâse thângnânai besùrkhô nunânai sùngnaise: "Gotho-fùr nung-sùrhâ mâ
zâdang?" Bîsùr bung­naise "Âfâ, zangfùr bîdâ bîfong sâsnî man. Dâ be
dùisâ bât-naiau zangfùrhâ sâse lângkhâtbai. Bînîkhai beaunù zangfùr
zingâsi-lai-bai thâdang," hannaikhai Bâmunâ srî srî sânnânai sâsnî
khôbù nudang. Bînîkhai bî "Besùr âbrâ zânù nânggô" nungnânai,
besùrkho khithânaise, "Gåthåfùr, nangsùr ângnî nåi-au bùibâ, âng
nangsùrnî mânsùikhô dîhonnânai hùnù hâgan," han­naikhai, bîsur mânthî
zânaise. Unau Bâmun goe khândisnî khaunânai bîdâ gedernî âkhâiau
hùnânai "Be goe-â-khândi bese dang, nang sân." Hanbâ, bî sânnanai
khândî snî mannâise. Beaunù Bamunâ bungnaise: "Nangsùr be goekhô
rânlainânai zâ," hanbâ, rânnai-au gâgai gâgai grup-gaglai-naise. Beaunù
bîsur rong zânânai Bâmun-nî nåiau bùinò-lâgi Bâmun zang thâng-fâ-naise.

Phâre bebaidînù sânnesù thâ­nânai sânse bîsùrkhô bâriau megong dângnù
lâgi thin-nâise. Âru Bâmun-hâ sâse fisâtlâ dang­man. Bîkhôbu bîsùrzang
hùnânai khithânaise, "ângnî fisâ­tlâ-iâ bù nangsùr zang megong
dâng-thang, ârù un zâ-lâng-bâ bîkhô thutlun-thutlân lângfâ." Erùi
bungbâ bîsùr bâriau thâng­nânai megong dânghùidang. Phâre unau Bâmun-nî
fisâtlâiâ un zâlâng-naise. Beaunù bîkhô nunânai bîsùr railainaise
"Dùhùi bîfâ khithâ-dangman "gåthå un zâlângbâ bîkhô thutlun thutlân
lâng," hannânai, dâ-nî-au zang­fùr mâ khâmgan?" Beaunù bîdâ gederâ
"Bebaidînù khâmnù nânggô," hannânai, sâfrimbu bî khonse, bî khonse,
megong dâng­nai sekhâr zang thunânai hùnânai. Bamun-nî gåthåkhô
bùthâtnânai dinnaise. Phâre unau megong dângkhângnânai nåiau faibâ
Bamunâ sùngnaiau khithânaise "nang khithânaibaidi zangfùr bîkhô sekhâr
zang thunai-au bî thoinânai thâbai." Phâre Bamu­nâ srî srî thânaise.

Ârù sânse hâli oinù thinnânai bungnaise "Nangsùr gâbun simli sâ-i-au
hâli oinù thângnù nânggan." Phâre unau bîsùr fungzâni sikhângnânai
nângal mosô fâgâ lânanai simlifâng guriau thângnânai, simli sâ-i-au
khaise gâkhùnaise, ârú khaise hâ-i-au thânânai mosôkhô fâgâ zang
khâ­nânai hùbâ, sâ-i-au thânaifrâ bù-khù-lâng-naise. Beaunù dîdung zå-i
zå-i hâli snî mosô [22] gâsenù thoi-thrå-naise. Unåu nå-i-au fainânai
bîsùr Bâmunnù khithâ­naise "Zangfùr simlî sâ-i-au mosô dî-khâng-nù
hâekai hâli oinù hâiakhuise." Bamunâ "mosôfrâ mâ zâkhù?" Hanbâ,
"thoi-thrâ-bai," khithânaise. Bâmunâ unau mung-bô upai mane zânânai
ârù mosô bainânai bîsùrkhô hâli oi-hù-naise.

Phâre mai mannai-au mai hâ­nânai unau Bâmunâ dângri khaie khaie hùnânai
bîsùrkhô rùgânù thinnaise. Beaunù bîsùr mai­khô mau dinnù hannânai
sùng­bâ, Bâmunâ bungnaise "Bùrùiâ zerùi din-nù thin-ù, beau-nù din,"
hanbâ, bîsùr thângnânai, bùrùi-khô sùng-hùi-naise. Bùrùiâ nå-nî
hâbâfùr khâmnai-i-au monau brâpnânai thâdangman. Beaunù bî bungnaise
"Mai din-nù thaùni manâbâ, ângnî khoro-au-nù dinfai!" hanbâ, bîsùr
boibo mai bibân zang bùrùi-khô hù-sin-thrå-naise. Bîbaidî-nù gâsenù
mai rùgânânai bînî sâiau dinnaise.

Phâre manâbâ Bâmun dublî nî frai fainânai bùrùi khô nâmaibâ bîsùr
khithânaise "Ângnî khårå-au-nù mai din han-nai-khai zang­fur mai
zang hu-sin-nânai din­dang." Biaubù braiâ mungbô upai mane zânanai,
bùrùi khô fopnù lâgi bîsurnù hotnaise. Phâre bîsùr bùrùi-khô khânânai
oâ sing sing bageding-bagedâ bân-lâng-nai-au bùrùiâ oâ thânai-au
nângnânai siri-lângnaise.

Phâre besùr bâkor-bâreau [23] thângnânai bîbânkhô dinnânai
hâkhor zaunânai bùrùikhô fopnù lâgi naibâ, manekhai, bùrùi-khô
nâmaibainaise. Sùrbâ bùrùi sâse khâthi-au-nù mai nebai
thâdang­man. Bîkhônù nunânai bîsùr railainaise "Bâmun bùrùiâ
bud­digrang fop-zânù gînânai, beaunù mai nebai thâ-thî-dang," hannânai
bîkhô homnânai lângnânai fopnâ­nai dinnânai fainaise. Bînî unau Bâmunâ
monau bîsùrkhô gînânai bùthâtnù lâgi mon khâmnânai bîsùrnù khithânaise
"Gåthåfùr, dinî zangfùr simlifâng gederkhô dân-hùi-nù nânggô,"
hannânai, ruâ lânânai simlîfâng ni guriau thânglainaise. Thâng-nânai
ruâ zang bongfâng khô såùi såùi bong­fâng gaglai-sî gaglai-sî zâbâ,
Bâmunâ bîsurkhô bungnaise "Bongfâng gaglai-sî-sù gau-gan, nang-sùr
boibù hom-thânu nânggô." Khithânânai Bâmunâ saunânai hùnaise. Unau
bong­fâng gaglai-sin-nânai sâsnî âbrâ thoinaise. Zapbai!





KHÂNÂ KHUZÂ NÎ KHORÂNG.

Sânùi khânâ khuzâ zang phisi­khî man. Phâre bîsùr sânse railainaise
"Zang-fùr mâlâi-nî gâmiau bîbaibâ zang-nî gâmî-nî-khrî bângsin
mangan." Hanlainâ­nai khuzaiâ khânâkhô lauthiau homnânai,
bùlângnaise. Thângùi thângùi nâmâ gezerau dîdung sorûi manse
gâ-fnâng-nânai phisikhî-nû khithânaise "Sikhî, be lai mâ, herâ? Mâbâ
galâu zibô baidi gâfnângdang." Khuzâiâ bungnaise "Be hâthî khânai
dîdung sorûi." Hanbâ, khanâiâ, "Obâ bekhô lâ, herâ, sikhî"; hannânai
bungnaise, Khintu bî lâê-khai "Ângnù dîkhângnânûi hu;" hannânai,
khânaia didung-khô lânaise.

Phâre bînîfrai thângùi dûisâ manse man-hûi-nî-au bâtlangbâ khûsûng
mâse khânâiâ gâfnâng-naise, ârù bungnaise "Sikhî, ne ne! Âng mâbâ
mâse gâfnâng­dang." Hanbâ, khuzâiâ "Onthai-frâ-khô-nù mâthù bungbai
thâiù, herâ, sikhî, nang-lâi?" Khânâiâ bungnaise "Nonggâ, nonggâ,
sikhî, nang gùgrùmnai." Hanbâ bî gùgrùmnânai khusum-khô mannânai,
khânâ-nù khithâbâ, bungnaise "O sikhî, obâ bekhô lâ herâ: zangfurnù
bekhô nâng­gan." Khuzaiâ "Ilit ilit lâiâ, herâ" han-nai-khai,
khânâiâ bîkhô-bù gagai-nù lânaise. Bînî­frai bibaidî-nù thângùi
thângùi dâpse-au dol dâmnai khnânânai khânaiâ khuzânîau sùngnaise
"Sikhî bî dolâ-lai sùr thù? Mau thù dâmdang, herâ?" Hanbâ khuzaiâ
khithânaise; Beaunù sùrbâ gurkhiâ gåthåfùr dâm­dang" hanbâ, khânâiâ
bîkhô lânù lâgi thin-naise.

Khintù bî, "âng mâbrùi lâbogan? Bîsùr-khô âng bùlù hâiâ zâgan,
manâthù bîsur gabâng dang," hanbâ, khânâiâ manse buddhi khâmnânai
phisikhî-nù khithanaise "Sikhî, nang hâgrâ sing sing thâng-khmâ-nanai,
bîsùr nî khâthî manbâ, mosâ baidî sùgùmnânai hù! Obânù bîsùr
gînanai khâtgan," hanbâ, bîbai­dînù khuzâiâ khâmnai-au, gåthå-frâ
gînanai dol khô zrâpzrup gâr-lâng-bâ, khuzâiâ dol khô lâbona­nai
khânânù hor-hù-naise. Obasù bînîfrai sânùi zang hâgrâ gezer gezer
thângùi thângùi nå nunanai, khuzâiâ bungnaise "Sikhî, dâ sân hâpbai,
manâ faibai, Dâlai ârù mâu thâng-bâu-nù? Beau-nù nå danga. Zangfùr
beau-nù thâ-dù-nî," hanbâ, khânâiâ bung­naise "Hagra gezernî nåkhô âng
gabâng gahâm man-srâiâ, herâ, sikhî," hannânai mâ mâ nå dang gahâmùi
nainù thinbâ khuzâiâ khithânaise "Nåiâ gâng-ne gâng-thâm. Bândâr
bù gong-se dang," hanbâ khânâiâ "Bî bândârau-nù thâgan," hannânai,
phisikhî-nù khithâbâ, bândâr-sing-hà bùlângnaise, ârù dor-fur-khô
gahâmùi khâ-fthâ-nù thinnânai, beaunù thânaise. Unau beau thânai
Râikhô-frâ fainânai, bungnâise--


            "Zùsâ zùsâ manâmdang;
            "Zânù zânù lubuidang." [24]


hannânai, nå gong frùm-bù namâi-giding-bai-bâ, khânâiâ
rai-dau-hot-naise "Âng beaunù dâng." Hanbâ, raikhoâ bungnaise "Nang
lai sùr?" Khânâ bù bung­naise "Nang lai sùr?" Raikho khithânaise "Âng
Raikhô!" Khâ­naiâ bungnaise "Âng Zâkhô! Bebaîdînù be-sùr brâp-lai-naise
Unâu khânâiâ bung-naise "Brâp-nù bù nânggâ, munù bù nânggâ Nangkhô bù
âng nuâ­khùi, ângkhô bù nang nuâ­khùi. Bînîkhai manse buddi khâmbâ,
zanghâ gahâm zâgan," hannânai khânâiâ raikhônî khenai bîhot-bâ,
Raikhoâ gaigainî khù-mùn daise phunânai khithîhot-naise. Obâsù khânâiâ
bungnaise "Dâniâ ângnî khenai-khô nai." Hannânai, hâthî dîdung khô
dî­honnânai hùnaise. Bîkhô nunâ­nai Raikhoâ gîkhrongbâ, khânâiâ
ârù themâ bî-hot-naise Raikhoâ bù gaigainî themâ khô khithî-hot-bâ,
bî khusung khô khithîhot-naise. Obâsù Raikhoâ be Zâkhoâ-nù nunggô
nungnânai, gî-sin-bai. Khanâiâ ârù bînî udui dâmnù thinnânai,
dâmbâ, bungnâise, "Dindù dindù hâmbai, âng khnâbai. Dâniâ ângnî khô
khnâsong!" hannânai, dol khô dùm dùm dâmnânai hùbâ, Rai­khofrâ gînanai,
khât-thro-lâng-naise.

Unao, khânâiâ phisikhîkhô bungnaise "Sikhî mâ mâ gahâm bastù dang,
bifurkhô khâ ârù nang bâse, ângnù bù bâse hù, ârù mâmâr thângdù-nî
thù" hannâ­nai bîsùr bînîfrai mâmâr failainaise. Ârù dâpse gazân
thâni-au thâng­nânai khuzâiâ be bastufarkhô rânnù nâmainânai
rânnaise, Rân-khângbâ khânâ-khô bungnaise "Sikhî nangthâng
bobekhô lâiu lâ," Hanbâ bî dângnainanânai khuzâ thing-nî bhâgù-khô
bângsin man-dâng-nânai, rânnâiâ hâmâ khùise hannânai, golaigothai
khâmnaise. Phâre khuzâiâ "Nang-thâng-lai nuâ-labâ mâbrùi mithînai,
herâ? Khonle khonle rânnù gnâng khâm-hùiù!" Hannânai ârù rân-phâphinbâ,
obâbù bâng­sin man-dâng-nânai, ârù "Hamâ-khùise, hamâ-khùise," hannânai
golai-gothai khâmnaise. Bîbaidî nù khonbrùi khon-bâ khâmbâ khuzâiâ
brâpnânai, âkhâiau bâli lânânai "Nanglai gomâ khânâ nâ misâ khânâ
lùi?" hannânai gahâmùinù megonau bâlizang hùnânai hùnaise. Ârù obânù bî
nunai zânaise. Ârù bî bù brâpnânai; "nunglai" mâ sâbâ dângâ lùi, nunù
hâma hannânai godo-au zo-sin-nânai lânânai, khuzâ bikhung-au gomâgom
sobai thâbâ bîbù gahâm zânaise. Unau sânùi zang gahâm zâ-lai-nâise, ârù
bastù-fùr-khô gahâmùi rân­lainânai, nå-i-au thâng-lai-naise. Zapbai!





SÂSE ÂBRÂ BRAI NÎ KHORÂNG.

Brai bùrùi dangman. Braiâ hâgrâ gezerau dubli dotse lânanai
hâbâ maubai thâdangman. Phâre sânse shikâri sâse hâgrâiau mùi
gaunânai thoi-frâm-nânai khârùi khârùi brainî dubli gezer thing
thângdangman. Beaunù braiâ nunânai bîkhô khudâl zang khårå-au-nù
denânai mùikhô bùthâtnaise. Buthâtnânai hâgrâ singau hakhmânânai
dinnaise. Emphâre unau mùi gaunai giri­maia khîthù khîthù thoi
sirîlâng­nai naie naie nâmai-lângùi-lângùi brainî dubliaunù sin
gamânaise. Obâsù braikhô sùngnaise: "Helùi brai! Nang bething mùi mâse
fainai nunâi nâ?" Braiâ bung­naise "Ânghâ dublî-nî shimâiâ khùlâthing
boinîfrai sâthing boinîfrai" hannânai bungbâ bî bung­naise "Nonggâ
nonggâ! âng mùinî khorâng-sù nang-nî-au sùngdang," Braiâ khithânaise
"Zânun! be dubliau mai zâiù nâ zâiâ âng khîthânù hâiâ." "Nang­ga-lùi,
brai, bî khorâng-khô âng sùngâkhui." Brai bung­naise "Dâ sânzôfûbai,
ânghâ mikhâm ukhui-sù-dang. Âng thâng-nù-sùi;" hannânai, nåiau
khâtlângnaise. Obâsù unau braiâ mikhâm dùi zâkhângnânai bùrùi-khô
bungnaise; Bùrùi, âng-nù gâbun phungau-nù mikhâm song­nânai
hù. Ang mùi mâse buthât­nânai zangnî dubliau dinbùdang. Bîkhô
mâmâr gadânù nânggô." Obâsù okhâ naibâ, bùrùi mâmâr khâm dùi brainù
hùnânai bîkhô hogârnaise. Bî dubliau thângnâ­nai mùikhô gadânânai
rânnaise. Aglâ gaigai-nî bhâgù khâmnaise. "Phânse mùkhâng sunai-nî,
phânse thânkhu zânai-nî, phânse dubliau mosô hùlângnai-nî, phânse
hâli oinai-nî." Bebaidînù huâfùrhâ zese hâbâ dang, gâsenù bhâgù
khâm-thrå-naise. Dâ unau bùrùi-nî bhâgù khâmdang "Phânse mukhâng
sunai-nî, phânse thânkù zânai-nî, phânse khundung lùnainî, phanse khun
pheretnai-nî, phânse hî dânai-nî, phânse khâm songnai-nî, phânse dùi
lainai-nî." Bibaidînù bînî bù zese hâbâ dang, esenù bhâgù khâmnânai
sân-naise. Sânnânai bùrùi nî bhâgùâ bângsin man­naise. Obâsù braiâ
brâp-nânai. "Ângsù bùrùinîkhrî hâbâ bângai bùâ mau-ù nâ? hannâ-nai,
golaigothai khâmnânai, ârù rân-phâphin-naise. Dâniâ âglâ bùrùi­nù
bhâgù khâmgru-nai, ârù unau bînî bhâgù khâm-nai. Dâbîhâ bângsin
zânaise. Theobù braiâ bîau mon phatiâ khùise. Bîbaidî­nù bî
golai-gothai khâmùi khâmùi rânbâbù hamân zâiâ. Bîbaidînù sânse mâni
zânaikhai, bùrùiâ; "Brâiâ-lai mâ khâm-khù?" hannânai, dhinkî thorâ
manse lânanai, dublîau thângnânai, brai-khô-nuhùi-dang, gaigainù
bidot zang nânglaibâ thâdang. Bîdot-frâ-bù khonle khonle dâng-phlebai
thâ-naikhai, gebletheble zâlâng­bai. Obâsù bùrùiâ dhinkî thorâ zang
srî srî khîthû-au khubui-hot-bâ, braiâ mâbâ imfu hotbai hannâ­nai,
bîdot-khô gârnânai nåhâ khâtlâng-naise. Emphâre, bùrùiâ bîdot khô
hî zang ban-nânai bâ­nânai nå-au lâbonânai, songnânai, brai-zang
zâ-lai-bâ, braiâ sùngnaise "Bùrùi, belai mâ-nî bîdot?" hanbâ,
bùrùiâ khithânaise "Âng dausâ fisâ mâse buthâtnânai, nanghâ manâ
lâng-nai-khai, bekhônù song-dop-nânai dindang. Nangnî bî mùi-bîdot-khô
nebai thâbâ, zangfur dâ khâm man-zâ-gla-gauman." Zapbai!





BRAI BÙRÙINI KHORÂNG.

Sâne brai bùrùi dangman. Bîsurhâ nå-â-bù gongne man. Phâre sikhau
sâbrùi be brai bùrùi nî nåi-au mâbâ mâbî khaunù lâgi fainai. Faibâ brai
bùrùiâ boi si­khaurùrkhô khùikhâ [25] khâmnù lâgi buddi manse khâmnânai
dinnai. Zerehai gôbar-khî ârù zùzai ârù gâzri-dùi hâsong-se bîfùrkhô
thoplâ zunânai dhinki sâli nî mâroliau khâ-sai-nânai dinnaise. Phâre
unau manâblâ sikhau-frâ fainânai brai bùrùînî nå injurau mânsùiâ srî
mandang na manâ­khùi bannânai khnâsongbâ, brai bùrùiâ bîsùrnî khorâng
khnânânai, braiâ bùrùikhô bungnaise "Bùrùi, nang zangnî sorai ârù
gur-gâkhirâ mau dinkhù?" Beaunù bùrùiâ bungnaise "Hâm srâ-bai de,
brai! Bîfùrkhô dhinki-sâli-aù-nù khâ-sai-nânai dinnai zâbai." Be
khorâng-khô sikhau-frâ khnânânai dhinkî-sâliau thângnânai, bîkhô
man-hùi-nânai bâri-nî-frai thâlit-lai lâbônânai rânnânai zânùlâgi
zånaise. Obânù bîsùr mâbâ manâmnai mannânai sùng-lai-naise "Bîbù bângù
mâ manâmdang? Bîbù bângù mâ manâmdang?" Phâre sâseâ boikhô âkhâiau
lânânai manâm-sù-naise. Obânia mithînù hâna­nai, boibô minîlaibâ, braiâ
sikhângnânai thokon-thorâ lâna­nai hù-sù-bù-bâ, bîsùr khátlâng­naise.

Ârù sânse brai bùrùiâ boi sikhau-fùrkhô fainai khnânânai brai bùrùi-khô
sùngnaise; "Zangfùr-hâ songkhrùi thoplâ mau dinkhù?" Obâsu bùrùiâ
bungnaise "Dâsù gahâm zâbai, brai! Songkhrùi thoplaiâ zang udunai
nå-nî khùlâ-fât-sî inzurau senânai dindang! Sikhaufrâ maubâ lâng-nù
hâgô." Bîsùr railainai-fùr-khô sikhau-frâ khnâ­nânai inzùr dân-sî-nânai
âkhai sùnânai songkhrùi-thoplâ-khô dâng-grùm-baibâ braiâ khâthrùi-lângô
lânânai thângnânai âkhâi dân-hùi-naise. Obâ bî "Âng manâ khùise"
hannânai thângbâ, ârù sâse sikhauâ bîbaidînù dâng-grùm-bâ, bîkhô-bù
âsî-au dân-fnâng-naise. Phâre bebaidî-nù sâse sikhau-nî khùmâ dânnai,
ârù sâse-nî gonthong dân-fnâng-naise.

Phâre unau bîsùr gârai gahâm man-nu lâgi dùi nâmai-bai-nai-e-aù
sethlau-nù thâlit khârùi sâmnai megongdù-au dùi mannâ­nai âkhai
hù-sùm-naise. Beaunù bângsin âlunai manbâbù, lùgù-nî mânsùifùr-nù
khithâiâlâbâ "Gahâm manbai," hannânai bungnaise. Bebaidînù sâbrùi-hâ-bù
zâbâ, brâplainaise. Obânù braiâ nå-nî frai onkhâtnânai thokon lânanai
bîsùrkhô hu-hot-naise.

Bînîfrai ârù sânse brai-bùrùi-nî bâriau thâlit bîfong dangman,
ârù bînî khâthiau phânlù bîfong fângse dangman. Beaunù bere-thinklî
bâhâ lâdang. Phâre horau be sikhau sâbrùiâ brai bùrùinî nåiau faibâ,
braiâ bùrùi-khô sùngnaise "Bùrùi, nang zang-fùr-nî thâkâ-thinkhlî-khô
mau fopnânai dinkhu?" hanbâ bùrùiâ khithânaise "Dinîbù gahâm zâbai,
de, brai! zangnî thâka-thinkliâ thâlit-guriau fop­nânai dinnai-au-nù
thâbai. Bînî khâthi-au-nù fânlù-fîfâng-bù fângse dang. Dâ sikhaufrâ
manù-khî-mâ-sù!" Bekhô si­khau frâ khnânânai, be thâlit guri-hâ
thângnânai nâmai-lai-hùi-bâ bere-bâhâ-khô man-naise. Phare bîkhô
besùr dikhângnânai lâbobâ, bâhâiâ gùbrùnânai berefrâ sikhau-fùr-khô
otbâ, besùr "Aiâ! aiâ!" hannânai, khâtnaise, ârù braiâ thokon lânânai
hùsùnaise.

Bînîfrai ârù sânse braiâ thâthî dânnù lâgi sekhâr lânânai hâgrâiau
thângbâ, boi sikhau sâbrùi-khô thaigrit guruiau udulângbâ thânai
nunânai thai­grit bong-fângau uthînânai thâri gnâng thaigrit
thaibrùi khânânai lâbô-nânai be sikhau sâbrùi nî kheneau thaise
thaise khâ-khmâ-naise. Phâre unau "Sikhau! sikhau!" hannânai braiâ
gâpzrî-khâu-bâ bîsùr srî mannânai sik­hângnânai khâtlângnaise. Khâtbâ,
zesenu khârù, esenù thaigrit fithâiâ bikhungau dup dup
bulângnaise. Bîsùr braia khîthù khîthù fainânai zang-fùr khô sodang
nungnânai khâre-thâng-naise. Phâre unau gazân thângnânai zirai-hùi-bâ,
thaigrit khô nunânai gârnaise.

Bînîfrai ârù sânse braiâ mai duliau thânânai bùrùikhô fùrùng­naise
"Bùrùi, nang horau sikhau faibâ gaigainù sùngnânai, gaigainù
khithâ de, ereùi hannâ­nai "Brai, brai hùn! nang thurse khurui mau
dindang?" "Dhinkhî-sâliaunu maiduli-au bîfùr khô dinnai zâbai. Dâ
sikhau faibâ, man-lâng-sî-gan dâ! Mâ khâmkhù!"

Be khorâng-khô sikhau khnâ­nânai, mâmâr dhinkhi saliau thângnânai
naihùibâ be dulikhô dikhângnânai "O! beaunù thorse khurui-fùr dang
le! Ilit mâthù!" Obâsù bîsùr khânânai bânnânai lâng-lâi-naise.

Phâre unau thângùi thângùi dùisâ gathau manse man-hùi-naise. Beaunù
bâtbâ braia; "Sî­hâng sihâng zâbai, um, um, di­khâng!" hanbâ bîsùr
"Mauhâ sùr raidang lùi." Khaise bungnaise, "Be duliau rainai
baidî khnâ-i-ù." Ârù sâseâ "Beau mungbô gùiâ; nangsùr erenùsù
khnâdang!" Obâsù thângùi thângùi zâbrâ gathau mannânai, braiâ
sî-sam-bâ khithânaise "Phutu-khoâ, golâm-bundî-fur! Mânù gahâmùi
dikhângâlùi? Nangsùr kânâ nâ? nunù hâïâ-khùi?" Ereau bung­bâ sikhau-frâ
bikhô dùi-au gârnâ­nai khât-lâng-naise. Zapbai!






HOW THE RIVERS WERE MADE.

Once upon a time there lived an old man and an old woman. And when they
were quite old, the old woman said to her husband "How shall these our
children get food when we are gone?" So the old man travelled afar to
the great god Kuvera, [26] the god of riches, and, taking from him
seedlings of paddy, pulse, mustard, and gourds, journeyed for eight
days and so reached his home. And after staying a couple of days,
he set forth to cultivate, taking dry food with him. And first he
marked out a piece of rich land by placing boundaries on all four
sides of it, and so came home. And again he set out another day with
hoe and axe, and cut and burned the jungle, and cleaned the soil,
and after worshipping on each side of his field--on the east and on
the west, on the north and on the south--he struck one blow with his
hoe on each side.

And when all was ready, the old man planted his seedlings of various
sorts, and finally went home and rested. And so, as time went by,
the old woman desired vehemently to see how the crops were getting
on. But the old man said "There is no water on the road, and if you
grow athirst, you will get no relief." But she persisted and prevailed,
and made her husband take her along. And as they went, and were now
quite close to her husband's field, behold, the old woman began to
be very thirsty. And the old man, being enraged, cried "What did I
tell you? There is no water, and yet you would come." But she, being
a woman, said "If you do not give me to drink, I shall die. So, water
you must procure as best you can." So the old man, seeing no other
way, went to seek for water. And after long search, seeing a tank,
he bound the old woman's eyes with a cloth and dragged her to the
water's edge and said to her "Drink if you will, but look not upon
the tank." Now the ducks and other water fowls were playing in the
water, and were making a merry noise, clacking and quacking. And,
the old woman, being curious, like all her sex, peeped at them. And,
seeing them at their play, she too desired to be happy in her husband's
society, and, though he was very loth, prevailed with him. And so in
due course there were born to them many sons and daughters. And then,
in order to provide for their food, he journeyed to the Himalayas
and digged a great tank, stocked with many kinds of fishes.

Now, one day the god Sri, the god of good luck, came that way with
his white dog, ahunting for deer and hares and tortoises. And when
he came to the margin of the tank, behold he was very thirsty. But
when he stooped to drink, the fishes said to him eagerly that he must
grant them a boon in return for their water. To which he assented,
and when he had satisfied his thirst, the fishes said "Take us to the
great river, the Brahmaputra (or Lohit)." So the god Sri tied them
to his staff, and drew them after him, making runnels of water. And
that is how the rivers were made. And the fishes in return gave him a
pumpkin and a gourd. And, taking these with him to a friend's house,
his friend regaled him with rice beer and pig's flesh, and in the
morning he gave his friend the pumpkin. But when his friend cut open
the pumpkin, it contained nothing but pure silver. So he bade the
god Sri stay another day, and brewed fresh beer and killed another
pig, and when he was going away gave him a flitch of bacon to take
with him. So the god Sri gave him also the gourd. But when he cut
open the gourd, it contained nothing but pure gold. And so the god
Sri journeyed to his home. And when he got there, he found that his
little daughter was very ill. And that was because he had given away
the presents which the fishes had made him. But the fishes took pity
on him, and came to him in the guise of physicians, and told him
that if he would worship and do sacrifice on the banks of rivers,
then his daughter would be healed, which he did. And that is why we
Kacharis worship rivers. And that is all.





THE STORY OF THE LAZY BOY.

There was once a very lazy boy. And when everybody else had planted
out his paddy, he was only setting forth to plough. But the old man of
the season, [27] seeing him, said "The season has gone; what are you
ploughing for now? The paddy is all planted out, and it is late." But
the boy would not listen to him, and ploughed sturdily ahead, beating
his cattle soundly as he went. And when the old man again and again
questioned him, he cried "What sort of an old man is this? Can he not
see that I am busy? I know very well what I am about." But the old man
said gently "Nay, my son: but it is for your good that I would speak
to you." And the boy said "Speak quickly then, and have done with
it." And the old man said "My son, the season is gone, what avails
it to plough now?" And then the boy cried "Where has it gone? And
when has it gone? And why has it gone? And how shall I find it?" But
the old man of the season said "You should have ploughed when others
did. The season has gone, and no man can bring it back." But the boy
said "I must bring it back, else, how shall I eat, and how shall I
live? Do tell me where it is gone." And as he would not let the god go,
finally, losing patience, he said "You go over there, and you will find
an old man with a snow-white head ploughing in a field. You get hold
of him and do as he tells you." So saying, he made his escape. Then
the lad hastened home to his mother and bade her cook supper quickly,
and tie him up some rice to take with him on the morrow, for he was
going to bring back the departed season for ploughing.

"For" said he "when I was ploughing today, an old man told me that
the season was gone, and that if I went after him and pursued him I
would find him, and that I must do as he would tell me." So she rose
very early in the morning, and giving him to eat and drink, set him on
his way. And as he went, he asked all he met "Can you tell me where
the old man of the season has gone?" But they said "Every one knows
that the season is gone, but where it has gone, or why it has gone,
who can say?" At last, when he was nearly in despair, he saw an old
man ploughing afar off, and shouted to him "Stay a moment, father,
stay; I want to ask you a question." But the old man was busy, and went
his ways. But the lad pursued him and never ceased calling after him
till at last the old man, losing patience, turned upon him, and said
"What pertinacious noisy lad is this, who won't leave me alone?" But
the lad said "Be not angry, my father, I am fallen into great trouble,
and it behoves you to help me." "Speak quickly, then," said the old
man. And the boy said "I take you to be the old man of the season,
and I pray you not to slay me. All the others have planted out their
paddy, and I have fallen behind, and have planted nothing. Therefore,
unless you turn back, I cannot hope to get any harvest." But the old
man said "It is too late for me to return. Go you back, and plant your
paddy as best you can." And so the lad hastened back and planted out
his seedlings in such heedless haste as became him. And that's all!





THE SEVEN CHAMPIONS.

An old man and an old woman had a son. But the father died while his
son was yet a child, and the mother brought up her boy by begging
from house to house. When he was big enough he begged his mother to
let him engage himself as a cowherd. But she said "As long as I live,
I must not let you undergo any trouble." But the gallant boy would not
listen, and went and took service as a cowherd. But the other cowherd
boys would not let him go out herding with them, and hated him, and
beat him, in spite of the help of a good old man who took him into
his house, so, being unable to stay any longer for grief and vexation,
he went away into foreign lands.

And as he went his ways, he met Simli Bîr, the hero of the simul tree,
and when he saw him he said "Ah! here is a hero indeed, seeing that
you bear a whole silk-cotton tree on your shoulder." But the other
replied "Whom do you call a hero? I am no hero at all. If you want a
real hero, look out for Gilâ Charan." But the lad said "As for Gilâ
Charan, why, I am Gilâ Charan." On which Simli Bîr got leave to go with
him. And as they went they met Dhop Bîr, and to him they said "You are
something like a hero. Why, you are carrying a whole dhop tree all by
yourself." But the other said "My brothers, of what account am I? The
man they call Gilâ Charan, he is a hero if you like." Then Gilâ Charan
said "But I am he." On which Dhop Bîr said "Let me come with you too."

And, so saying, he too joined the party. And in like manner they
were joined by other four champions, namely, Mustard, Monkey, Ocean,
and Fire, six in all, besides Gilâ Charan.

And when they had gone some way, one of them went into the house
of a Râkshashani to beg fire for cooking. But when the old wretch
saw that it was a man, she desired to devour him, and to that end
lay still, pretending to be ill, and said to him in a weak voice
"The fire is quite close to me. Come and blow it up!" and when he
came close, she gave him a kick and sent him flying into a pit;
and, seeing that he did not come, another champion went on the same
quest and was treated in like fashion. Then Gilâ Charan guessed that
something out of the way had happened, and went there himself; and,
perceiving that the old woman was a vampire, took her by the throat
and shook her well. But she cried "Do not kill me, and I will show
you where your friends are." Then the old woman got a ladder and
released the two champions from the pit. Whereupon they killed her,
and went on their way rejoicing.

And presently they came to a place where Rakshashas dwelt. But,
not knowing this, they left Simli Bîr to cook rice and the rest went
hunting. And when the rice was ready, two Rakshashas came and gobbled
it up, so when the rest returned, hungry, for food, Simlî Bîr said
he was very sorry. He had quite forgotten to cook, being very busy
watching a beautiful white butterfly. But Gilâ Charan at once saw
that was only a pretext. So he bid the rest go, and, staying behind,
himself cooked rice afresh. On which the two Rakshashas came up
roaring, and said "Here, my son, hand over that rice." "But," said
Gilâ Charan, undaunted, "we are hungry ourselves and have no rice to
spare!" "What!" cried they "shall a scarcely weaned child speak to
us like this?" and they ran at him to eat him. But he seized them by
their necks and threw them a field's length. And when they attacked
him afresh, he slew them with his sword. And in like manner each
of the Bîrs slew each his Rakshasha, and then each married a fair
Rakshasha girl, and lived happily ever afterwards. And that's all!





THE STORY OF THE MERCHANT'S SON.

There was a lad whose father died while he was a child. And when, by
slow degrees, he came to man's estate, he asked his mother one day how
his father got a living. But she heaved a long sigh, and at last said
"Your father traded in foreign countries, my dear; and if he were alive
now, we would not be in such distress now." But he said "Ah! mother,
may not I work at the same trade? Give me all the money there is, and
let me too go trading." But his mother said "Nay! my son, do not say
that. While I live, even if I have to beg, you shall not want. And if
you die in strange lands, what is to become of me?" But her son would
not hearken to her, and, begging money from her, bought merchandise,
and hired a boat, and took two men with him; and, after doing obeisance
to his mother, set forth into strange lands. And at last he moored
his boat at the ghat of a certain village, and sent his men out to
hawk his goods. But he himself stayed with the boat. And at that ghat
dwelt an aged couple, who possessed a white and beautiful swan which
they cherished as their own child, and fed with their own food. And
one day at midday, when men were enjoying their siesta, the merchant
lad saw the white swan remove her swan dress and bathe in the river,
a lovely slim maiden. Whereupon he began to pay great regard to the
old couple, and gave them of his store without money. But as time
went by, all his goods were disposed of, and then he went to the old
people and offered them a great price for their swan. Nor when they
would give it to him for nothing would he accept it, seeing that it
were a sin to take a wife as a gift. So, finally he made them take
much money and went away home, taking his swan with him. But when he
reached home, behold the swan remained a swan, and the lad was sore
vexed and lost his sleep and his food, so that his mother was in fear,
and asked sundry of the villagers what might be the matter.

And, finally, one of them, who was a wise woman, said to her:
"Something has happened to him while he was away trading, and now
you must find out what it was. And the way to do it is this: You must
get a fair girl to comb his hair; and let her pretend to grieve that
he is so ill, and let her cry into his hair, and to a fair maiden he
will tell what he would never say to his mother." So a girl came and
combed his hair, and wept silently till the tears fell on his head, and
when he asked what ailed her, said she could not bear to see him pine
away. So at last he told her of the white swan, which turned before
his very eyes into a lovely maiden, but that now it remained ever a
white swan, though he was pining away for very love of her. So she went
and told the mother, and the mother told the wise woman, who bade them
get the lad to lie awake till midnight and then the swan-maiden would
arise, and, assuming her maiden form, would worship her own country's
gods. And then he was to leap up suddenly and cast her swan skin on the
hearth and burn it; and then of a surety she would remain a maiden. So
the lad prepared a basin of oil and ashes and a yak's tail, and did
as the wise woman bade. And in the depth of night, the swan came and
felt him all over with her beak. But he never stirred a whit. And then,
believing him to be asleep, she stripped off her swan's skin slowly,
and prayed aloud to the gods of her own country. Then the lad got
out of bed very silently, and seizing the swan's skin thrust it in
the ashes. And when she smelled the burning feathers, she cried aloud
"Ah! what have you done? what have you done?" and fell senseless on
the floor. But he anointed her with the oil, and fanned her with the
yak's tail, till presently her great eyes opened and he saw that she
loved him. And then they lived happily ever afterwards. And that's all!





BROTHER AND SISTER.

A certain king died, and soon after his death his wife bare him a
daughter, as she had heretofore borne him a son. And then she too
died. But before she died, she bade her son "Strike hard, but once
only!" And she committed her daughter to his care. And, though they
lost their kingdom and were forced to beg their bread, the brother
was a good brother, and took care of his sister until they came to
a certain kingdom, the king of which took pity on them and kept them
in his own palace.

Now, in that kingdom dwelt seven thieves, who oppressed the king,
so that he was compelled to send them fowls, pigs, cattle, and
pigeons every day. And when the brother heard of this, he begged
the king to let him go and kill the thieves. And when the king was
unwilling to let him undertake the enterprise, the brother insisted,
and, borrowing a horse and a sword from the king, went to the thieves'
house, and there tied up his horse and waited with drawn sword at the
door. And when the eldest thief came out, he cut him down, and so in
turn he cut down each of them. But the youngest of all was suspicious
and came out cautiously, so that the brother was not able to kill
him at one blow. So, mindful of his mother's saying, he shut him up
in one of the thieves' houses, and put a lock upon the door. And then
he went and told all that had happened to the king; who, as a reward
made the brother and sister custodians of the thieves' houses. And
so they went and stayed there, and the brother said to his sister
"You can go into and examine all the houses except the one that is
locked." And the brother was a mighty hunter. But before he went out
a hunting, he mixed pulse and grain, and, filling a plate with the
mixture, bade his sister separate the seeds while he was away. And
this occupied her a whole day. And then she went and examined all the
rooms in the thieves' houses. And in some were cattle, and in some
fowls, and in some horses, and so forth. But her mind was ill at ease,
because she might not examine the house that was locked. "For," she
said to herself, "if I do not see what is in that house, I cannot be
happy." So she went and saw, and there she found a man half dead with
his wound; and when he besought her, she pitied him, and fetched him
such medicines as he required of her. So that at the end of some days
he was healed, and in course of time they two fell in love with one
another. And the wicked thief began to teach the girl how she should
bring about the destruction of her brother. And he bade her, when her
brother returned, to pretend to be ill, and to say that nothing would
cure her save a drink of tigress' milk. And when her brother heard
this, he set out in search of a she-tiger. And, as luck would have it,
he found a she-tiger with a bone stuck in her teeth. So, after binding
her with a vow, he extracted the bone from her teeth, and then he told
her what he required. So she gave him of her milk, and also one of her
whelps. And then he returned home. And at dawn the thief asked the
sister "Did he bring you the tigress's milk?" And she replied "That
he did, and he brought a tiger's whelp also." On which the thief was
much discomfited. Then he bade her ask her brother fetch some water
from a certain tank, well knowing that to fetch water from that tank,
was certain death. On which she said to her brother "If you can only
get me water from that tank, I shall certainly be well." So the brother
took his horse and a sword, and a hound, and also the tiger's whelp,
and set out. And on the way he came to a great tree and stopped to
rest in the shade; and while he was resting, a huge snake came and
began climbing up the tree. And, seeing it, the brother cut the snake
in two with his sword; and when a second snake came, he slew that,
too. And while he was still resting, a bird came flying to the tree
with food for her nestlings. But they refused to eat. And when their
mother asked them why they would not eat, they said "Unless you take
pity on the man who is resting under the tree, we cannot eat." So the
mother bird promised; and, having fed her nestlings, flew down to the
brother and asked him what he desired. And he said that he desired
water from a certain tank. But the bird knew all about the properties
of the tank, and told the brother. Now, near the tank dwelt a maiden,
the guardian of the tank; and he entered into her house, and told her
his heart's desire. But she said to him "You must not go near the tank,
for you will die. You must marry me. And as for your sister, she has
disobeyed your word, and has married the thief you nearly killed, and
their desire is only to be rid of you." So they two were married, and,
going to the thief's house, slew the thief and the wicked sister. And
then they lived happily ever afterwards. And that's all!





THE STORY OF THE TOAD. [13]

There was an aged couple, who were very poor. But they had a fish trap,
which they set at night; and the fish they caught they exchanged for
rice. And one night it happened that no fish got into the trap, but
only toads, so that the trap was brimfull. And at early dawn, when
the cock crowed, the old man came, and finding the trap very heavy
was rejoiced, and hoisting it on to his back waddled away. And when
he got home he woke up his wife, crying "Old woman, old woman, not up
yet? The day has dawned." So the old woman jumped up, and blew up the
fire, and the old couple squatted over it, warming themselves. And
the old man said "We are in luck to-day! The trap is brimfull." Then
the old woman said "Let's see, let's see." So the old man tumbled
out the contents of the trap, and, behold, they were all toads. So
the old woman said "We are in luck to-day! We shall have lots to
eat to-day!" And the old man bid her kill the toads without further
words. And the old woman, taking her stick, ran about after the
toads and slew them one by one. But one alone, half dead with fear,
crawled under the old woman's stool. But the rest she skinned and
cleaned. Then, removing the stool, the old man saw the survivor, and
said to the old woman "There is one left; kill that, too!" But the
toad called out "Ah! father, do not kill me. I will plough for you,
and hoe for you, and plant out paddy for you!" But the old man replied
"How shall a toad do all these things? Your ploughing and hoeing would
be a bitter business! You only want to get off being killed." But he
pleaded so sore, and begged so hard, that they took pity on him and
let him stay in their house. And so the days went by till the rainy
season came round, and the toad went off to plough in the field. And
as he was sitting on the handle of the plough urging on his cattle,
a king came by that way riding on his elephant, and the toad called
out to him "What fellow is that? You are knocking down all the balks
of my field!" To which the king replied "Who dares speak to me thus,"
and sent men to fetch him. But he hid behind a clod, so that they could
not find him. And when he continued to abuse them without their finding
him, the king bade them take away the plough cattle to his house. And
the toad, followed secretly behind, and, hiding himself in the thatch
of the cowshed, began to abuse the king afresh. And the king searched
for him in vain; and at last ordered the cowshed to be pulled down and
the cattle to be put elsewhere. And the toad went and hid there, too,
and abused the king again. Finally, the king was frightened and called
to him: "Oh! father, are you god or mortal? And what harm have I done
you?" And he said "I am mortal of a sooth. And I abuse you because you
have carried off my cattle. And if you do not give me your daughter
in marriage, I shall remain invisible and abuse you daily." So the
king swore that the toad should have his daughter, and the toad came
forth. And the king, for his oath's sake, and lest the toad should be
in some sort a god, gave him his daughter, and sent him home with a
sedan-chair and elephants and horses. And when he got near his home,
the old man and old woman ran clean away. But the toad, their adopted
son, seeing their terror, bade them not be afraid, and sent men after
them to fetch them. And then they sat down with their son-in-law and
daughter-in-law and feasted the men who had come with them. And one
day the girl, finding her husband very loathsome to look upon, told
him to take a bath. "But," said her husband, "what is the good of my
taking a bath? I am a frog and always bathing." But his wife replied
"I know very well that you live in cold water. But I want to get rid
of those nasty protuberances on your back, and want to bathe you." So,
finally, her husband agreed. So she heated some water to boiling,
and called out "Come quick, I must bathe you!" And when the toad
came, and asked what he was to do, she said "You jump straight in,
and I will bathe you afterwards." So he jumped in, and, turning over
on his back, died. And that's all!





THE STORY OF THE DOE AND THE RAVEN.

The doe and the raven were great friends, and lived together in the
shade of the same tree. And one day a jackal, seeing the doe, and
finding her to be fat and good to eat, said to her "Oh friend, what
are you doing there? I am charmed to see you, and, if you permit,
would like to swear eternal friendship." But the doe said "How can
there be friendship between the likes of us? we are sworn foes. If
you get hold of me, you will eat me. I am your food." But the jackal,
on hearing this, pretended to be mightily grieved, and said "What
you observe is true enough, and that is just why all my family are
dead and I alone am left. And, considering these things, I, for my
part, am turned Hindu, eat no flesh, and have vowed friendship to all
animals. So you need be in no fear of me." To which the doe attached
implicit credence, and so they two walked together under the trees. But
the raven came up and said all he could to induce the doe to abandon
the fellowship of the jackal. But, as he could not prevail with her,
he told her the following story: "Once upon a time there were two
friends. And they vowed that if ever they fell into danger, they
should on no account leave one another. And one day they were going
through the jungle together, when they met a bear. Now, one of them
could climb trees, and the other could not. And when the bear pursued
them, the one scrambled up into the first tree he met. But the other,
not knowing what else to do, lay on the ground, and, pretending to
be dead, held his breath. And the bear, coming and sniffing at him,
and finding him apparently dead, left him. Then his friend, shouting
to him from the tree, said "What was it that the bear whispered
to you?" And he replied "The bear said to me 'never make friends
with men like that fellow in the tree.'" "And so," said the raven,
"will it be with you and your friend the jackal." For all that, the
doe refused to listen, and after some days the jackal, when walking
out with the doe, spied a snare, and thrust her into it. And when she
bade him bite the cords and loose her, he reminded her of his vows and
of the fact that the cords were of hide. Then the raven, after long
searching, came up and found the doe in the toils, and set to work
to devise a remedy. And when the day was dawning he said to the doe
"You swell out your belly, and hold your breath, and when I give the
word, run for your life." Presently, the owner of the snare came up,
spear in hand, and, seeing his quarry seemingly dead, loosed her
bonds. Upon which the raven cawed loudly, and the doe, jumping up,
ran for her life. But the hunter, seizing his spear, threw it after
her. And the spear missed the doe, and pierced the wicked jackal,
who died. And that's all!





THE OLD MAN AND THE TIGER.

There was once an old man, who, when he was cutting reeds for his
fence in the jungle, heard a tiger growling close to him; and it
happened that at that moment a bird also flew away. On which the old
man, though he was in truth very frightened, called after the bird
"Ah! if you had only stopped, I would have taught you the secret
of the ghughu ban." And this saying he kept on repeating, so that
the tiger said to himself "What is it that the old man is saying? I
must get him to tell me; and in that case I won't even eat him." So
he called to the old man. "Look here, old man, what is that about
the ghughu ban?" But the old man, answering not a word, kept on
chopping his reeds. Then the tiger crept up quite close to him,
and said to the old man "If you don't tell me what you are talking
about, I will eat you!" But the old man, for all his fear, only said
"You come to my house tomorrow, and I will tell you." Very early
the next morning the tiger asked his way to the old man's house,
and when he got there, it being still early morning, the old man said
"And what may your honour be pleased to want?" And the tiger replied
"I want to know what you were talking about yesterday." But the old
man replied "I cannot possibly teach you alone. You had better go
and get two or three other tigers." And so the tiger went away and
returned with two or three of his brethren. In the meanwhile the
old man had spread his unthreshed paddy in the yard. And, putting
his earliest acquaintance first, he tied all the tigers to the post,
round which the cattle revolve when they are treading out the grain,
and set them to work to tread.

But the one in the middle, who was unaccustomed to such labour, cried
out in a piteous voice that his head ached, and that he was getting
very giddy. But the old man said "Wait a bit, my friend; you haven't
learned yet." And when the tiger complained again, the old man fetched
his goad and pricked him sore, so that, giddy and stumbling, he had to
go round and round, and when the tiger said "I shall die at this rate,"
the old man replied "You wanted to learn the ghughu ban yesterday,
and unless you endure this trouble, you cannot possibly learn;" and,
so saying, pricked him the more cruelly. Finally, the tiger said
"If so be, I must be in pain, I must be. But I don't see what it is
all about." Then the old man replied "This is precisely what they
called the ghughu ban." Then the tiger said "I see, I see, now let us
go. We have learned our lesson." But the old man said "Wait a bit,
the paddy is nearly trodden out," and would not stop pricking the
tigers for all their entreaties. And when the paddy was all threshed,
the old man began untying their bonds. But before he had finished,
the tigers were in such pain that they tore the rope out of his hands
and ran away. When they stopped to rest, they saw the old man's rope,
and said to one another "If we do not give the old man his rope again,
we shall get into further trouble." So, after much debate, the first
tiger was deputed to take it back.

So back he went, trembling with fear in every limb, and, getting close
to the old man's house, offered him his rope. But the old man said
"It is night, and I am in bed. I can't come out. Put the rope in at
the window." So the tiger put it on his tail and thrust it in at the
window. But the old man had his knife ready and cut the tiger's tail
off. On which the tiger once more fled, howling with pain. But the old
man shouted after him "You may run as far as you like, but my brother
is after you, and will catch you." On which the tiger ran faster than
ever. At last, however, he stopped to rest near a cool pool of water,
and, not seeing the old man's brother, dipped the wounded stump of
his tail into the pool for refreshment. But a crab, which dwelt in
that pool, nipped the stump of his tail; and the tiger crying "The
old man's brother has caught me!" again fled through the jungle,
and it was not till the crab was knocked off against the trees that
he at last rested. And that's all!





THE TALE OF THE MONKEY AND THE HARE.

A monkey and a hare were great friends. They lived together, ate
together, and walked about together. One day they saw a man from
Darrang going to a feast and bearing plantains and betel-nuts, and
they said to one another that they must contrive some plan to get
hold of his load. So the monkey sent the hare to wait on the road,
but himself hid in the jungle. And when the man came up and saw
the hare sitting on the road, he put down his load, and ran after
him. No sooner had he done so, than the monkey came and carried off
the plantains and betel-nuts into a tree, and, for fear the hare
should return, ate them all up in a great hurry, keeping only the
skins of the plantains for his friend.

But when the man found that he could not catch the hare, he gave up
the chase, and went home disconsolate; and so the hare went back,
searching for his friend, and shouting his name. But when he found him
and demanded his share of the spoil, the monkey offered only the skins
of the plantains, and the hare, in his rage, said that he would have
his revenge. So, first of all, he went and sat very quietly under
some kachu plants. Then the monkey climbed down from the tree and
began crying "My friend! my friend!" and the hare replied "Who are you
calling friend? I am watching the king's sugarcane field. What do you
want?" Then the monkey came forth and said "Ah, my friend, give me
a little of the cane to suck." But the hare said "I cannot give you
any. If the Raja were to hear, he would beat me." But as the monkey
grew importunate, he said "Eat, then, if you will, and don't blame
me." But when he ate, the acrid juice of the kachu caught his tongue,
and he rolled on the ground howling. But the hare only said "It's your
own fault. I told you not to." Then he went and sat beneath a wasps'
nest. And the monkey, moaning and complaining, followed him and asked
him what he was doing there, and the hare replied that he was watching
the king's cymbals. "Let me play on them, only a little!" entreated
the monkey. But the hare said "I daren't do it. The Raja would kill
me." "I will only play very gently," said the monkey, and, prevailing
by means of his importunity, clapped his hands on the wasps' nest and
broke it, and straightway the wasps stung his mouth and face and body
all over, so that he rolled on the ground crying out in agony. But
the hare only said "I told you not to, and you would not listen, what
could I do?" And then he went away to where a gowal snake lay. And
again the monkey followed him, and asked what he was doing there. And
the hare said that he was watching the king's sceptre. "Ah! let me
brandish it, do," said the monkey, and for all the hare's warnings
would seize the sceptre. Whereby he got bitten, and was in greater
pain than ever. Then the rabbit went away and sat down on a marsh,
and the monkey followed him once more, crying as he went, and when
he again questioned his friend, the hare said: "This is what they
call the king's litter." "Let me sit on it for a moment," said the
monkey. "I can't do it," said the hare, "what would the king say? I
think you are a fool, my friend. I tell you not to do things and you
will persist." But the monkey did not listen to him and jumped on
to the marsh and stuck miserably in the mud. And then the hare said
"Now, my friend, you give me plantain skins to eat, do you? You can
stay where you are. I wish you good-day. I am off." And, so saying,
he left the monkey and went his ways.

And first of all a rhinoceros came. But when the monkey begged for
help, he said that he was hungry and thirsty, and really could not
stop; he was very sorry; and, so saying, he too went away.

And when a buffalo presently came, the monkey addressed him, but he,
too, had other business, and went away. Last of all there came a tiger,
who was extremely hungry, and to him the monkey said, "My father, if
you do not help me out of this scrape, I have no help left," and with
such and such like words the monkey entreated him. But the tiger said
"What good will it do me if I help you?" and was going away, when the
monkey cried out "Father, father, take me out of the dreadful marsh,
and then, if you like, clean me and eat me." And the tiger was so
hungry that he said: "It is not so much that I want to eat you, but
if I rescue one fallen into such calamity, it will be well with me
hereafter. However, as you yourself have offered yourself to be eaten,
I see no harm." So saying, he stretched out his tail into the marsh,
and the monkey, grasping it, was drawn out. Then the monkey said:
"Let me get dry in the sun, and when I am a bit cleaner, you can
eat me." And so saying he sat him down in the sun and waited. But
presently the tiger looked another way, and the monkey slipped up a
tall tree. But the tiger, being in a great rage, waited two or three
days at the foot of the tree. But, as the monkey would not descend,
he lay at the tree's root as one dead, and opened his mouth with
his teeth grinning, and the flies came and buzzed in his mouth,
so that at last the monkey thought that of a verity he was dead. So
finally he crawled down, and slowly inserted his tail in the tiger's
mouth. But the tiger never stirred. Then he felt one of the tiger's
great paws. But the tiger never stirred. Then the monkey said "Ah, you
would scrunch my bones to make your bread, would you?" and danced about
gaily, and cried "See if you can eat my head now," and, so saying,
he put his head in the tiger's jaws. And then the jaws closed with
a scrunch, and that was the end of the monkey. And that's all!





THE TORTOISE AND MONKEY.

A tortoise and a monkey were great friends, and as they were on the
road one day, a man passed laden with plantains. And the monkey, seeing
him, said "You go and wait on the road, and when the man pursues you,
run away. And so the man put down his load (the monkey having hid in
the jungle), and ran after the tortoise. Then the monkey came out of
the jungle and took the plantains and molasses that the man bare,
and climbed with them into a tree. Then the man, not being able
to catch the tortoise, returned, and, not getting his things, went
home. Then the tortoise returned and asked his friend for his share
of the plantains and molasses. And the monkey offered him for molasses
potsherds, and for plantains their skins only; and, when the tortoise
insisted, the monkey got angry and hoisted his friend into the tree,
saying "See for yourself, if any plantains or molasses be left." And
so he went away and left him. And he could not get down, and one by
one various animals came under the tree, but could not help him. And
last of these came a very aged rhinoceros, and the tortoise begged
leave to jump down on his back. And to this the rhinoceros consented,
and so the tortoise leapt down, with such force that he broke the
old rhinoceros' back. Then he covered up the corpse with leaves, and
going to the king's court, sat him down under the king's throne; and,
when the royal council was assembled, the tortoise sneezed loudly,
"Who dared to sneeze?" said the king. "Cut off his nose!" But they all
with one accord declared that they had not sneezed, and, after he had
sneezed once or twice again, some one saw the tortoise under the king's
throne. So he said respectfully "If your Majesty wishes, you can kill
me, but I have something to say: There is some living thing under your
Majesty's throne. Without doubt, it was that which sneezed." On which
the king, looking under his throne, saw the tortoise, and ordered them
to cut off his nose. But the tortoise said "Do not cut off my nose,
and in return I will give your Majesty a rhinoceros." And at first
the king was angry, but for his entreating gave him men with him to
fetch his rhinoceros, and when the men returned with the body of the
rhinoceros, the king was very pleased, and gave the tortoise a horse.

And as he was riding off, he met the monkey and told him that the
king had given him the horse. And when the monkey asked him why,
he said that he had jumped on to a common lizard from the tree, on
which the monkey had left him and had killed it. And that then he had
covered it up with leaves and told the king it was a rhinoceros. And
the king was pleased and gave him a horse. So the monkey killed a
lizard, and went and told the king it was a rhinoceros, and got his
nose cut off for his pains. And that's all!





THE BRAHMIN AND HIS SERVANT.

There was once a Brahmin who had a servant. And one day when they
were going to the house of the Brahmin's mother-in-law, the Brahmin
gave his servant a bunch of plantains and other things to carry, and
said to him "Now, mind you don't eat those plantains, for I can see
just as well behind as I can in front." And, so saying, he marched
ahead. And presently the servant, getting hungry, plucked one of the
plantains from the bunch, and, holding it out to his master's back,
ate it. And this he did again and again till all the plantains were
gone. And when the Brahmin presently asked what had become of the
load, the servant said "You told me you could see behind as well
as in front. So I showed you each plantain before I ate it. And you
never said anything."

So the Brahmin went his ways speechless. Presently they stopped
to cook their midday meal, and they had got with them a few khawai
fish. But the Brahmin gave only one to his servant, and kept the rest
himself. And when he was about to eat, the servant asked innocently:
"Oh! Brahmin, do khawai fish swim about singly or in shoals?" To which
the Brahmin said: "Why, in shoals, of course." So the servant said
"Then my fish had better go with yours." And, so saying, he threw his
fish on the Brahmin's mess, which was defiled. So the Brahmin got no
dinner, and the servant ate the whole.

A little later they came across a number of simul trees. Seeing them,
the servant asked his master "And what do they call these trees,
master?" And the Brahmin (being an educated man) said "These are
sirmolu." But the servant said "Not so, not so! These are himulu," and
offered to bet five blows that it was so. And, meeting some cowherd
boys, he asked them what the trees were. And when they said "himulu"
he gave the Brahmin five blows without further question.

Next they met a drove of goats. "And what may these be, Brahmin,
these animals that are grazing?" And the Brahmin said "These be called
châg." But the servant cried "Not so, not so! These are châgali." And
the result, as before, was that the Brahmin was worsted and got
five blows.

And next they came across a flock of paddy-birds, which the Brahmin
called "Bog," but the servant "Boguli." And again he was worsted
and got his five blows. On which he consoled himself by reciting an
Assamese saying, to the effect that it is ill arguing with a fool:


           "Sâg sirmolu bog ba-káran
            Tinî pânch panra kîl sudâ akâran."


And when they were now come near the Brahmin's mother-in-law's house,
and the Brahmin was become very hungry, he sent his servant on ahead
to beg them to get supper ready. So the servant went on ahead and
bade the Brahmin's mother-in-law cook a duck and put lots of plantain
ashes, which the Kacháris use for salt, well knowing that his master
disliked its acrid taste. So the duck was cooked with plenty of alkali.

And when the Brahmin arrived, his meal was set before him, and he
was so hungry that he had to eat it whether he liked its savour or no.

And so in various ways the Brahmin was put to shame by his servant. So
he wrote a long letter to his brother, and, putting it in his servant's
hand, bade him deliver it. But he went a little way, until he met
a man who could read and write, and he bade him tell him what was
written in the letter. And the man read him the letter, which was to
the effect that the brother was to kill the servant. On this, the
servant tore up the letter and bade his friend write another one,
saying "Dear brother, on receipt of this letter marry my servant to
my niece without delay. I shall not be able to come to the wedding."

Taking this letter, the servant went to his master's brother, who was
much vexed, but dared not disobey. Accordingly, though reluctantly,
he married the servant to his daughter.

And, when the master came to see if his servant had been disposed
of, and heard what had happened, he set about to kill him. But his
niece got to know of the matter and told her husband, who got a calf,
and, binding it hand and foot, put it by her in her bed. And in the
night the Brahmin came, and thinking the calf was his niece's husband
sleeping by her side, killed it. And when he found out his mistake in
the morning, and learned that he was guilty of cow-killing, he bade
his niece's husband go and bury the calf in all haste. And the servant
dragged the calf into the garden and buried it with its tail sticking
out of the ground. Meanwhile, the Brahmin set to work to get himself
purged of the offence of cow-killing, and summoned the villagers
to a feast without telling them why. And when they were all seated,
the servant ran out into the garden and hauling at the calf's tail,
called out "The Brahmin didn't kill a cow, Oh, no! and





THE STORY OF THE SIMPLETON.

There was once an aged couple, who had a foolish son, who one day
begged them to give him money to buy an ox with. And, owing to his
persistence, though they knew him to be simple, they gave him sixteen
rupees and let him go. And, as he went, he found a fine ox grazing
where three roads meet; and, putting his rupees down on the road,
he bound the ox and drove it away. Presently, he stopped to rest,
and while he was dozing, his ox ran away. So he began searching all
through the jungle for the missing animal.

At last he found a fine stag, and thinking that to be his ox, chased it
through the forest till by chance its horns got caught in a thicket. So
he tied a rope round its horns, and to that tied another rope, and
so on till he got home. And when his old mother asked him if he had
bought his ox "Havn't I, just," said he, "just help me to pull and
see!" On this, the three of them pulled at the rope, hand over hand,
and presently the stag made his appearance kicking and struggling,
at which they were mightily afraid. However, they killed the stag,
and gave of its flesh to the neighbours to eat.

On which the simpleton went about and told the villagers that they had
eaten of cow's flesh. But, fortunately, knowing he was a simpleton,
no one believed a word he said.

Another time, when the simpleton was grown a bit bigger, he again
begged money of his parents: this time that he might get him
a wife. And since he would not take a refusal, he got his sixteen
rupees and set out afresh in search of a wife. Finally, he went and
sat at a place where the village women drew water. And when a pretty
maiden came down with her vessel on her hip to draw water, he seized
her and carried her off.

And when he got tired, he stopped to rest under a tree. And it
happened that a man driving a plough ox was also resting there, and
the maiden sat there crying her very eyes out for grief at having been
carried off. So the man with the ox asked the simpleton "Where did
you get that girl? Did you have a look at her before you took her,
or didn't you?" To which the simpleton replied "She seemed a pretty
girl, so I put down sixteen rupees at the bathing place and carried
her off." On which the wise man said: "You must be blind. The girl's
pretty enough, but don't you see that both her eyes are burst. You
clearly don't see straight. Just see how the water is flowing from
both her eyes." On hearing this, the simpleton offered to exchange
the girl for the ox. But the other pretended to be unwilling, till,
after much persistence on the part of the simpleton, he cried:
"There, take it, take it!" So the exchange was effected, and each
went on his way mightily satisfied.

And, as the simpleton went his ways, he found a man seated under a tree
having a goat with him. So he too stayed to rest. And when they stopped
to rest, the ox lay down to rest. On this, the man with the goat said:
"That ox is not a good bargain. It will die in a day or two." And the
simpleton, believing this, exchanged the ox for the goat. And when he
set forth again, he met a man carrying a big bunch of plantains. So
the two sat down. And as the goat was restless and gave him no peace,
the simpleton began beating it, so that it cried Ba! ba! (now Ba in the
Kachári speech means "carry"). So he said "Do you suppose a tired man
like me is going to carry you?" And he was so angry that in disgust
he exchanged the goat for the bunch of plantains; and went on. And
as he went, he met a man cracking his fingers, and, thinking he did
it in scorn of his plantains, explained at what price he had got them.

However, he offered to give him the plantains if he would teach him
the art of cracking his fingers. So the two stayed there a long time
till the simpleton had more or less acquired the art he coveted. Then
as he went on, he suddenly forgot what he had learned. And because
he forgot it in a paddy field, he thought he must have lost it in
the paddy, and began examining the ears of paddy as a woman searches
another woman's hair for lice. And when the owner of the field came
up and asked what he was about, he said: "I have lost a thing which
cost me sixteen rupees. Come and help me to look." So the two looked
together, and when, after much search, they found nothing, the other
man, in pure vexation, cracked his fingers. On which the simpleton,
crying "I've found it! I've found it!" went dancing away.

Presently, he stopped by a tank, and again forgot his new
acquisition. So he plunged into the mud to look for it. And a man came
up and asked what he was searching for? To which he replied "My friend,
my friend! I have lost something very valuable. Do come and help me to
look." On which, the two searched until they were covered with mud; and
when they found nothing, the new-comer cracked his fingers in vexation,
and the simpleton, crying "I've found it! I've found it!" went gaily
cracking his fingers all the way home. And when his father and mother
saw him, they smiled at his state, and till they spoke to him did not
know who he was. And then they asked him what he had done with his
money. "Oh!" said he, "first of all I bought a lovely maiden, and,
because her eyes were bad, I exchanged her for an ox; and because
there was something wrong with the ox, I got a goat in exchange;
and because the goat wanted me to carry him, I got angry and changed
him for plantains. And the plantains I gave to a man who taught me to
crack my fingers, and what else would you have me do?" And that's all!





THE STORY OF THE SEVEN SIMPLETONS.

There were, once upon a time, seven simpletons. And once they were
going down the road, and meeting a puddle, were in great distress as
to how they should cross it. And the eldest said "I will go first,
and you all follow, holding one another's loin cloths." So they
held one another's cloths and crawled through the puddle on their
hands and knees, getting very muddy and dirty in doing so. But when
they had fairly got across, the elder set to work to count; and,
as he failed to count himself, behold, there was one missing. Then
the next brother counted; and, as he, too, found one missing, they
each in turn counted. And so it became clear that one was lost;
and there they stood debating this deplorable business. Just then a
wily Brahmin came up, and asked what was the matter. And they told
him that they had been seven, but that in crossing the puddle, one
of them had been lost. On which, the Brahmin, quickly counting them,
found that they were still seven, and, judging them to be simpletons,
said to them "My sons, if you will come to my house and work for me,
I will find you the missing man." To which with one accord they agreed.

Then the Brahmin split a betelnut into seven pieces and put them into
the hand of the eldest. "Now count them," said he, "and tell me how
many there be." And he counted and found that there were seven. "Now
take each man a piece," said the Brahmin, and, behold, to each piece
there was a man. So in great joy and peace of mind they went to the
Brahmin's house to work.

And then, one day, he sent the seven simpletons out into the garden
to weed the vegetables, and with them he sent his only son, saying "If
the lad is lazy and falls behind, shove him along and make him work."

So they all went into the garden and began cutting the weeds with
their knives; and presently the boy fell into the rear. On which they
said "There is that Brahmin boy fallen behind. Did not his father
say that we were to push him along? What is to be done now? But the
elder brother said, "Do? Why, do as we were told." On which each of
them hit him with his weeding knife, so that presently he died. And
when the weeding was quite finished, they went and told the Brahmin,
saying "You told us to shove him along, and as we had our knives in our
hands, we hurt him so that he died." But the Brahmin was speechless,
for they had but done as they were told.

Another day he told them to go and plough. "Take your ploughs up above
the great simul tree," he said. So they rose in the early morning, and,
taking ploughs, cattle and ropes, went to the great simul tree. And
some stayed below and bound the ploughs and cattle with the ropes,
and others climbed the tree and hauled. But the ropes broke and the
cattle were killed and the ploughs were smashed. And then they went
and told the Brahmin that they had tried to plough above the simul
tree and had failed. "And what of the cattle?" said he, "Oh! they
fell down and were killed," they replied. So, in despair, he bought
other cattle and sent them out to plough afresh.

And when the harvest was ripe, they reaped the paddy, and, tying it in
sheaves, brought it home and asked where they were to put it. And the
Brahmin said "Put it where my old woman tells you to put it." So they
went and asked the Brahmin's wife. But she was very busy, and only
cried "Oh, bother you and your paddy! Put it on my head!" On this,
they all took their sheaves, and heaped them on the old woman, so that
she died. And when the Brahmin came from his work and asked for his
old woman, they said they had buried her in the paddy, as she told
them to. On which, being at his wit's end, he bade them go and bury
her. On this, they tied the corpse on a bamboo sledge and bumped it
along through the bamboo-clump, so that it got knocked off by the way.

And when they came to some fallow land, they dug a grave, and then
began looking about for the corpse. Now there was an old woman hard
by herding cattle. "Cunning old wretch!" said they, "she is afraid
of being buried, and is pretending to be somebody else." So they got
hold of her, and, in spite of her struggles, buried her.

And the Brahmin, in fear of what they might do next, began to contrive
means to get rid of them. So he said "Today, my sons, we will go and
cut down the great simul tree." So they took their axes and, going
to the simul tree, began hewing with a will, and when the tree was
tottering to its fall, the Brahmin said to them "If the tree falls
down, it will be broken. Run under it and catch it!" And when they
did so, the Brahmin gave the last strokes, and the tree fell on the
seven simpletons and killed them. And that's all!





THE STORY OF THE BLIND MAN AND THE HUNCHBACK.

There sprang up a friendship between a blind man and a hunchback. And
one day they said to one another "We shall get more if we beg in
some other village than our own." The hunchback made the blind man
hold his stick, and so dragged him along. And as they went, the
blind man trod upon an old elephant rope which lay upon the road,
and said to his friend "Ah! friend, what is this thing like a long
snake which I am treading upon?" The hunchback said "Why, it is only
an old elephant-rope." But the blind man said "Take it, my friend,
take it." But, as the hunchback refused, the blind man bid his friend
hand it to him, and so they went their ways thence.

And presently they came to a river; and as they were wading across
it, the blind man trod upon a tortoise and told his friend that he
had trod upon something living; but the hunchback said it was only a
stone, and asked what was the use of standing there talking. But the
blind man begged him to feel and see. And when the hunchback announced
that it was a tortoise, the blind man begged his friend to take that,
too; and on the hunchback declaring that it was too heavy, he finally
carried it himself.

Then they went their ways and came to a meadow, and heard a drum
being beaten. And the blind man asked what that was, and where the
drumming was going on. On which the hunchback said it was only cowherds
drumming. On which the blind man was for sending the hunchback to
fetch the drum.

But the hunchback said "How shall I fetch it? They will be too strong
for me, for they are many." Then the blind man devised a plan, and bade
the hunchback crawl through the jungle and roar like a tiger. Which
the hunchback did; and the cowherd boys, on hearing his roaring, ran
away headlong and left the drum, which the hunchback gave, as before,
to the blind man to carry.

Then the friends went through the forest, until they came to some
houses. On which the hunchback said "My friend, the sun has set,
and evening has come. How much further are we to go? Here are houses,
let's stop here." But the blind man said he did not think very well of
houses in the jungle, and sent his friend to have a good look at them.

Presently the hunchback returned and said "There are two or three
houses and a granary." On this, the blind man decided that they would
stay in the granary, and so was dragged into the granary, where they
carefully fastened the doors and prepared to stay for the night. And
while they were there, Rakshashas came and said--


            "Fine rice, fine rice, I can smell;
            "And better things to eat as well."


And while they were gliding round the house, the blind man shouted
loudly "Here am I!" "Who are you?" said the Rakshashas. "Who are
you?" shouted the blind man. "I am a Rakshasha," said one of them. "And
I am a Zakshasha!" [28] said the blind man. Whereupon they all got
very angry. Then the blind man said "You need not get angry and
you need not get noisy. I can't see you and you can't see me. Let
us make an expedient by which you can be satisfied." So saying,
the blind man bade the Rakshasha show him a lock of his hair. On
this a Rakshasha tore out a bunch of hair and showed it to him. On
which the blind man said "Now see mine!" And so saying, thrust out
of a chink the elephant rope. And on seeing it, the Rakshasha became
very afraid. Then the blind man demanded to see a flea (from his
body). And when the Rakshasha had shown him one, the blind man put
forth his tortoise. Then the Rakshasha thought "This must indeed be
a Zakshasha," and was greatly afraid. Then the blind man bade him
beat his breast. And, on his doing so, cried "Well done, well done! I
have heard you. Now hear me!" and straightway began to beat his drum
"rub-a-dub-dub." On which the Rakshashas were greatly frightened and
ran right away.

Then the blind man said to his friend "Take any good things that there
are, and tie them up. You take some and give me some, and let us go;"
and, so saying, they went away together. And when they were come to
a far place, the hunchback began dividing the spoil. And, when that
was done, he bade his friend take which share he would. But the blind
man groped about and found that the share nearest to the hunchback
was the biggest. So the hunchback said "How did you, without seeing,
find that out? Now I have got to divide it all over again!" So he
made a fresh division.

And the same thing happened again, and the blind man turned everything
topsy-turvy. And, when this had occurred four or five times, the
hunchback became angry, and taking sand in his hand rubbed it into the
blind man's eyes, saying "Now we shall see if you are really blind or
not;" whereby the blind man recovered his sight. But he, too, was angry
and said "What a hideous thing you are, and hateful to look upon." And
he jumped on the hunchback's back and belaboured his hump till he
made him straight and well. And when the two were hale and well,
they divided their spoil fairly and went home happily. And that's all!





THE STORY OF A SILLY OLD MAN.

There was an old man and his wife. One day, when the old man was
clearing jungle, a half-dead deer that had been shot by a huntsman,
came limping that way and crossed the old man's field. On which the
old man killed it by hitting it on the head with his hoe, and hid
it away in the jungle. Presently, the man who shot the deer made
his appearance, having tracked its blood as far as the old man's
field. "Here, old man!" said he, "have you seen a wounded deer pass
this way?" The old man replied "The boundaries of my field? Well,
the east boundary is here and the west over there!" But the other
said "Not so, not so, I am asking about a wounded deer." To which
the old man replied "I know what you mean; but whether it will be a
good crop or not, how shall I say?" "Not so, not so," said the other;
that isn't what I want to know." But the old man said "I cannot stop
any longer. The dark is falling, and I am hungry for my supper. I'm
off." So saying, he went away home, and when he had had his supper, he
said to his old woman "You must give me my breakfast early tomorrow,
for I have killed a deer, and I must go early and cut it up." So
the old woman gave him his breakfast very early and sent him about
his business. And he went to his field, and, having chopped up the
carcase began dividing the pieces. And first he put apart his own
share, "One piece for washing my face in the morning; one piece for
chewing tobacco; one piece for driving the cattle afield; one piece
for ploughing"; and so on, for all his daily avocations. Then he
made out his old woman's share: "One piece for washing her face in
the morning; one piece for chewing tobacco; one piece for spinning
cotton; one piece for fretting cotton; one piece for weaving cloth;
one piece for cooking rice; one piece for drawing water;" and so on,
with all her occupations. But, on counting up, he found that the old
woman's share was much the biggest. On which he cried angrily that
it was not to be believed that a woman's share could be bigger than
his, and, mixing up all the pieces of flesh on the ground, he began a
fresh division. This time he set apart the old woman's share first,
and his own afterwards. This time his share became the largest. But
still he was not satisfied, and, mixing all the gobbets up again,
he divided them again and again, but never got them equal. Meanwhile,
the day had slipped by and evening was come. So the old woman, taking
the pestle of the dhenki, went to look for her husband, and there she
found him in the midst of the lumps of flesh, which had become covered
with dust and dirt through much mixing. Then the old woman let fly the
dhenki stump at his back. On which he cried that a snake had bitten
him and ran home, on which the old woman tied up the meat in a cloth
and carried it to her house, and cooked some hastily for supper. And
when her husband asked where the meat came from, she said that he had
been such a long time in coming, that she had killed a chicken and
cooked it for him. "And if you had stopped dividing that deer's flesh,
we should never have got any supper at all," said she. And that's all!





THE STORY OF THE FOUR THIEVES.

There was an aged couple who lived in a pair of houses. And four
thieves used to prowl round their houses, seeking to steal. And the old
man set to work to contrive devices to disappoint them. And first he
filled a joint of bamboo with cowdung and dirty water and rice-chaff,
and hung it up in the rafters of the dhenki-shed. And when at nightfall
the thieves began prowling round and listening to hear if the inmates
were asleep, the old people overheard them, and the old man said to his
wife "Old woman, old woman; where have you hung up the molasses and
milk and chira?" And the old woman replied "A nice business! I have
been and gone and hung them up in the dhenki-shed, where the thieves
can get at them." And the thieves, hearing this, slipped off to the
shed, and, getting the bamboo-joint, gathered plantain leaves for
plates, and divided the spoil and sat down to eat. And one of them,
smelling at the stuff, said to the others "Smells rather strong,
doesn't it?" Then one of them took his mess in his hand and smelled
it, and, seeing what had happened, they all burst out laughing. Then
the old man came out with his big stick, and the four thieves ran
away. Another day, the old man, hearing the thieves prowling about,
said to his wife "Where have you hung the packet of salt?" And the
old woman replied "A fine affair! I have hung it up on south wall of
our sleeping-house, where the thieves can easily get it." And so one
of the thieves thrust his hand in, and began feeling about for the
bundle, on which the old man took his knife and cut his hand. But he
only said "I can't find it," and went away.

On which the other three felt about, and one got his finger cut,
and another his ear, and the fourth his nose. Then they looked
about in the yard for something to ease the pain, and the first,
finding a cooking pot in which acrid plantain ashes had been steeped,
plunged his hand in, and, getting more pain than before, only said
"Ah! that's good." On which the others followed his example. And,
while they were hopping about in pain, the old man came out and took
his stick, and drove them away.

Another day, the old people found a wasps' nest on a chili plant
under a plantain tree. And when the thieves came, the old man said to
his wife "Old woman, old woman, where have you put the lota with our
money in it?" And the old woman answered "To-day's luck is the worst
of all. I have left the lota under the plantain tree in the garden,
by the chili bush, and no doubt the thieves will get it." Hearing
this, the thieves went and disturbed the wasps' nest, and the wasps
flew out and stung them. And when they cried in pain and ran away,
the old man ran after them with his stick and beat them soundly.

Again, another day, when the old man went out to cut reeds for his
fence, he found the four thieves asleep under an O tree (the fruit of
which is hard and heavy), and the old man, climbing quietly into the
tree, cut four of the fruits, with the stalks attached, and tied them
to the thieves' hair. Then he suddenly cried out "Thief! thief!" And
the more they ran, the more the heavy fruit bumped on their backs,
so that they thought the old man was running after them and beating
them. And they ran a very long way before they discovered their
mistake, and unloosed the fruit from their hair.

And, again, the old man climbed into the mat receptacle in which
the paddy was stored; but, before doing so, he instructed his wife to
imitate his voice and ask where the brass plates and cups had been put;
and to answer in her own voice that they had been put into the paddy
receptacle in the dhenki-shed. And when the thieves heard all this,
they hurried to the dhenki-shed, and, lifting up the paddy receptacle,
said with one accord: "My! isn't it heavy?" And so they tied it to
poles and carried it away on their shoulders.

Presently, they came to a deep river, and as they were wading across,
the old man cried "Look here! I am getting wet, carry it higher." On
which they said to one another "Surely, some one spoke?" But, thinking
it was a mistake, they went on, and came to deeper water. On this the
old man called out again "Stupid brutes! Sons of slaves! Can't you see
your way? I am getting wet through." And the thieves were frightened,
and, dropping the old man in the water, ran clean away. That's all!








FOLK SONGS AND NURSERY RHYMES.


Addressed to a spoiled Child.

    Derâ   lù,   derâ    lù,   Âfâ   Fanzâlù.
    Build house, build house, Father Fanzalu.

       Dai nâng,       fùdù nâng,     Âfâ zuzînâng.
    If trouble come, or worry come, Father will help.


To a conceited Child.

    Âng gùrùng, gùrùng,      Dainâ gùrùng.
    I am wise,  am wise, And the witch is wise.

         Dau khîthù,       khîthù,     Ângnî khîthù.
    And the bird's behind, behind, The bird's behind me.


Of Woman.

    Dau-thep, dau-thep, dau golondî.
    Wag-tail! wag-tail! bird with the goitre,
    Hâbâ rangâ, hukhâ rangâ, fisâ bâflundî.
    Work you can't, and toil you can't, bearing baby on your back.


A Nursery Rhyme.

     Bongfâng dô,     bongfâng dô,        bongfâng nârengâ.
    Beat the tree, and beat the tree, and beat the orange tree.

       Fitsiu-siu       firingâ;        bidùi zåkhaibâ!
    Chirrup, chirrup, bhimraj bird; give twenty eggs to me.


What Women sing at Weddings.

        Zô sit sit,      Gogorleng;  Zô sit sit.
    Pour, pour the beer, Gogorleng; pour the beer.

    Dângnai dângnai sit, Gogorleng;  dângnai dângnai sit.
     Pour in torrents,   Gogorleng; pour in torrents, pour.


Then you substitute other festive occupations, for instance:

    Goe khau khau (cut, cut the betelnut).
    Zô lù lù (pass round the beer).
    Khurui sù sù (wash the plates), &c., &c.

"Gogorleng" is the traditional name for the bâru or bohua, who plays
the buffoon at weddings.


A Woman to her Lover.

    Sô mâlîbai, sôbaî.
    Come, my lover, come.

    Gangâ zâliâ.
    O! Ganges fisherman.

    Thâkânî kheru manâbâ.
    If I don't get silver earrings.

    Âng-bù thângliâ.
    I, too, cannot go.


In the following verses the woman substitutes other ornaments or
presents:

An exchange of Compliments.

A girl sings--

    Silâkhonârùi gåthåfùr,
    Chinakona boys,

    Moisù hùnù fai!
    Come and drive buffaloes.


Boy answers (derisively)--

    Hunù rangâ, munù rangâ.
    I cannot drive, I cannot wive.

    Ângkhô dâ ling, fai.
    Don't cry to me to come.

    Engkhut khârùi khùrù khùrù.
    The mess of rice goes bubble-bubble.

    Ângnî fâtse fùrù fùrù.
    My share is but trouble trouble.

    Khuru khusuli.
    You've got the itch.

    Bidot zâsuli.
    Eater of meat.


What Women sing when the Bride is taken away.

    Dâ gâpse, ai--dâ gapse.
    Don't weep, dear, don't weep.

    Khânu lai lângâ.
    Not to bind thee do they take thee;

    Sunu lai lângâ
    Not to wound thee do they take thee;

    Bângâl Simsânù lângâ.
    Not for Bengali or Bhutia do they, &c.

    Ehe! hai! hùi!--
    Oh! ho! ho!


The second, third and fourth lines may of course be varied ad
infinitum.


The lament of a Mother.

    Thokon srong srong.
    With multitudes of clubs.

    Thângdangman, âfâ Sokhai, nanglai.
    Thou wentest, son Sokhai, thou.

    Emfu blî blâ thângdangman, &c.
    Flashing thy sword, thou wentest, &c.

    Khaukhâ dumâ dumî, &c.
    With great turban bound, &c.

    Nang dangbâ omâ bidot zang zâdangman, &c.
    Whilst thou lived'st I ate pig's flesh, &c.

and so on.


"Buffalo Girls come out to play."

    Ùi! Silakhonârùi hingzau-fùr,
    Oh! Chinakona women.

    Nâ gutnù fai.
    Come and catch fish.

    Nâ gutnù rangâbâ,
    If you cannot catch fish,

    Lùgùse dâlâ fai!
    Don't come with us at all!


In other verses substitute "megong khânù," or other things man and
maid may do together.


A Love Song.

    Âgùi Boisâgi,
    O! sister wanderer,

    Âng khô dâ bâsi!
    Do not spurn me!

    Sikhlâ sipnù hâiâbâ,
    If you cannot sweep the yard,

    Âng-bu sipfâgan.
    I will help you sweep.


In the next verse, for the last two lines, substitute--"Dùi lainù
hâiâbâ âng bù lai-fâ-gan," and so on, with other female occupations. If
a woman sings, the first line will be "Âdâ Bùidâsi," and she will
select men's work, as, e.g., "Hâthi hunù hâiâbâ, ângbù thâng-fâ-gan."


A Mother-in-law scolds her Daughter-in-law.

    Wâ bîzô nî gândeolâ!
    On bamboo top, Oh! dragon fly,

    Bîrdau, bîrdau, bîrdang,
    Flutter, flutter, fly,

    Bauharî godai zô zongnaiâ,
    My youngest daughter-in-law's brewing beer.

    Khùiram-dùiram zâdang.
    Is bitter-sweet.

or

    Bauhâri godai khâm songnaia sigram-zethram zâdang, &c., &c.
    My youngest daughter-in-law's cooking rice is only hugger-mugger.


A Woman to her Husband.

    Hî dai dai hùbâbâ,
    If I weave him cloth.

    Zimnù rangeâ.
    He can't put it on.

    Mâ huâ zang gorop-khù!
    What a husband have I got!

    Zangnî khâfâlâ!
    Ah! my evil luck!

    Sûnî khâfâlâ.
    My dreadful luck.


For the first two lines substitute--

    Gâmsâ dai dai hùbâ-bù.
    Gânnù rangeâ.

or

    Phâli dai dai hùbâ-bù.
    Khaukhânù (or khâsônù) rangeâ.


Courtship.

Man says--

    "Ùi bâze, ùi bâze!
    Oh! sister-in-law!

    Em bonânai hù.
    Spread a mat for me.


Woman answers--

    Nangnî hingzausù nonggâ hai! [29]
    I am not your wife!

    Em-sù bobai-nù.
    To spread a mat for you.


Substitute other occupations in subsequent verses.


A Love Song.

    Dui lainaiâ sùrù man?
    Who was it used to draw water?

    Âgùi Banbâhi sikhlâ man.
    It was the maid, my sister Banbâhi.


In following verses substitute "Mikhâm songnaiâ, megong khâwâiâ,
hî dânâiâ," &c., &c. If a woman sings, she sings "Hâthi hunaiâ sura
man. Âdâ bùidîsi zålåman," and goes on with male occupations.


Women's work.

    Dudugur, [30] dudugur, mâlâ-ùi.
    Fisâ bânai-nî fâlâ-ùi.


In other verses substitute other work for "fisâ bânai-nî."


Reproach of Women. [31]

    Boisâgi, âsâgî, rå-rå,
    Megong mikhâm songblâ, dùilau, dùi-sau!
    Hoâ sâse nù-bù-lâ,
    Gadau gâsi!








NOTES


[1] A "Bengali ghusâ" is said to be a blow inflicted with the fist,
the thumbnail protruding between the first and second finger so as
to give a scratch!

[2] = a "side" of pork.

[3] "gadân rai-hùi-nânai" = observing omens.

[4] Onomatopoeic.

[5] Assamese.

[6] A child from whose mouth milk oozes if you squeeze its throat.

[7] The Kachári version of the "Swan-maiden."

[8] Assamese "páp."

[9] Snuffling.

[10] "Felt with its beak."

[11] Assamese "kapál."

[12] "Kumari," the attendant nymph of the pool.

[13] The Kachári version of "Beauty and the Beast."

[14] Goshain.

[15] The Assamese "mat."

[16] "mâ-thù," interrogative.

[17] Yâcite

[18] Assamese râjâ hantar

[19] About two paces.

[20] Assamese bala.

[21] It was not true of him that "dígiti crepantis signa novit." The
coincidence of sound is curious.

[22] Seven "plough" of cattle.

[23] Assamese bâkayanî.

[24] This exactly corresponds to our own "Fee faw fum; I smell
the blood of an Englishman!" and the Bengali "Aù maù khaù, mánsher
gandha paù!"

[25] Query--Assamese "hingsha."

[26] The hideous Kuvera, god of wealth. He was a white man with three
legs and eight teeth. Apparently, the same as the Hindu Pluto; and
lord of the shades as well as of wealth.

[27] I.e., the season personified.

[28] A burlesque word from "zânù" = to eat.

[29] A man speaking to a woman says "lùi" (cf. "he-lùi"); a woman
speaking says "hai", and a man, speaking to his wife or other woman
with whom he is on familiar terms, says "ùi".

[30] "Dudugur" is the little drum on a handle, with a bead tied
to it. The drum is shaken from side to side, and the bead beats
it,--onomatopoeically, "dudugur, dudugur!"

[31] Not easily to be translated word for word. But the meaning is
that a woman cannot think of her work if a man passes by.