Item details
Item ID
KK1-0538
Title Magwi masha hpe tam ai lam (The elephant that looked for men) with English translation
Description Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
Now, I am going to tell you about an elephant looking for a man. In the past, humans and animals could understand each other's languages. Humans and animals could understand each other. They had been living like that. We have learned that the cultures of marriage in many Kachin history books. In our history, we have learned that humans and animals can understand each other's languages. In the past, humans and animals could understand each other's languages and live together. One day, the words "humans know how to order animals to do work" were spreading among animals. The words were spreading among the animals. Then the lion king called every animal to a meeting and discussed, "The humans are saying that they are going to slave us. We should go to a farther place from humans in order not to be slaved." The animals agreed with him and said, "Yes, you are right. We don't want to be slaves. We don't want to work for them." Some of them listened to the lion king and ran away. The elephant couple thought for a while without running and said, "We would like to see what humans are. After seeing them, we will run away. So we will look for humans. We won't run away with you together." Then the elephants stayed there without running away. They were so strong that they were a bit stubborn and proud of themselves. The elephants didn't believe that humans could order the animals to work. The elephants doubted, "How can humans order big animals like us to work for them?" They didn't believe it. While other animals were running away from humans, the elephant couple said, "Let's go find humans!" The female elephant was pregnant. They kept walking without giving up, but they didn't see anyone. Then they arrived at a field after walking for a long time. At that time, the female elephant felt back pain and saw signs of labour. She told her husband, "I think I am about to give birth soon. I feel pain. I can't walk for a long time. Let's walk slowly and find humans slowly." He told her, "Endure your pain. Let's keep walking for a while. Don't give birth yet. We don't see any humans yet, so endure your pain." She shouted, "I can't endure it anymore. Let's take some rest here." The male elephant told her, "Okay, then. You should take some rest here. I will keep looking for humans. Follow me when you feel fine." Then he left her there and went out to find humans. The female elephant was hurt and couldn't walk anymore. When she looked at the field, there was a woman who was cleaning the field. So, she asked her, "How long does a human carry the baby in her belly?" The woman answered, "The baby is carried for nine months and born in the tenth month." It seemed like the elephant was a bit far from the woman. She misheard it as ten years. She couldn't believe it and asked her, "Ten years?" The woman thought the elephant was repeating her answer, so she said, "Yes. Yes." The female elephant said to her unborn baby, "Don't come out of my belly yet. You need to stay in my belly for ten years. Let's go find humans. Just stay in my belly now." Then she followed her husband. After walking for some time, she was exhausted and lied down to take a rest. She fell asleep soundly since she was pregnant and felt tired. She felt pain, which was a sign to give birth, but she pulled herself together and said to herself, "I can't give birth yet. She said I had to bear the calf for ten years." After taking a nap, she followed her husband. Meanwhile, the male elephant that even left his pregnant wife thought, "I should find humans. I won't go back until I see a human." After some time, he saw a man working in a field. He asked the man, "Do you know what a human is?" He answered, "Of course, I know. Humans are really intelligent." The elephant told him, "Okay. Please take me to the place where humans live." The man said, "The place where humans live is so far away from here. I can't take you there on foot." Then the elephant said, "Don't worry about that. You can ride on my back." He asked, "Really? Can I?" The elephant said, "Of course. Why not?" The man asked the elephant, "Will you listen to me if I take you there?" The elephant promised to listen to him. Then the man prepared dry rations for one or two months and rode on the back of the male elephant. And they went to the place where people lived. In fact, he lied to the elephant. He didn't tell him that he was a human. He already knew how to slave elephants. He didn't tell the elephant that he was a human. On the way to the village, he made the rope. Somewhere, he told the elephant, "Let's take a rest there. I am tired. Let's take a rest here for a while." The man said, "We still need a long way to get to the place where people live. I am making the rope that will be used to tie people." Just after a while, he tied the elephant to a tree. He made the elephant lie down. And he tied his front right leg and hind leg together, and his front left leg and hind leg together. Then he told him, "Try to kick and free yourself." When the elephant kicked his legs with strength, the rope was cut. The man commented, "The rope is not strong enough yet." The elephant said, "Isn't it strong yet?" Later, the man tried to make a bigger rope than the former one. The elephant also said, "Yes, you should make a bigger and stronger rope to tie the humans. Make a bigger one." After that, he told the elephant, "Okay, let's test how strong this rope is." And he tied the elephant to the tree again. He told him, "My friend elephant, try to kick the rope and free yourself. Let's see how strong it is." This time, the rope couldn't be cut easily. The rope was really strong. The elephant said, "The rope is really strong. It's great. Now, set me free." Then the man said, "I can't untie you. I am a human who you want to see that much." The elephant was upset to hear that. He was in tears. He said, "I will listen to you now. I will listen to what you say. I will work as you order. Please untie the rope and set me free." The man released him and said, "You will have to work for me as you have promised. You will have to work for humans. You need to keep your promise." Since then, elephants have worked for humans. The elephants work for us. They pull the logs and trees, which are too heavy for us. If the elephant listened to his king, the lion, when he was told to run away, he thought he would not be a slave to humans. He decided to look for humans at that time. Therefore, the elephants have to work for humans.

Transcription (La Ring)
Ya ngai tsun na gaw magwi shinggyim masha hpe tam ai lam nga ai lam rai na re. Moi shawng de da shinggyim masha ni gaw e dusat dumyeng ni shada da ga hkrum chye ai da. Dusat dumyeng ni hte shinggyim masha ni ga hkrum ai. E shaga hkat ai e ning rai na nga pra wa ai da. Dai shaloi e ndai shinggyim masha ni gaw num jaw num ya rai na nga pra wa ai lam ni Wunpawng sha ni a labau hta ndai jiwoi jiwa ni hkai ginlen hkrat wa ai anhte a labau e laika buk ni hta i law law mu lu ai i. Dan rai shinggyim masha hte dusat ni ga hkrum ai lam hpe le e ndai hpe e anhte labau ni hta law law mu lu ai. E dai shaloi gara hku byin ai i nga yang kalang mi na hta ndai shinggyim masha ni hte dusat ni gaw ndai zawn shada da ga chye na hkat ai hte e jawm nga jawm hpawng de rai na nga ai aten hta da "Ndai shinggyim masha ngu ai ni gaw ndai dusat amyu ni hpe magam bungli hta mayam shatai shangun sha chye ma ai" ngu ai ga wa she ndai yawng kaw chyam bra mat wa ai da. Shinggyim masha ni ndai dusat dumyeng hpe shangun sha chye ai yam sha chye ai ngu ai ndai ga ni wa dusat dumyeng ni na kaw yawng kaw chyam bra mat wa ai da. Dai shaloi ndai dusat ni na hkaw hkam hkanghkyi wa gaw gai dusat ni hpe zuphpawng la na she "Ndai shinggyim masha ni gaw anhte hpe mayam yam na nga na shangun sha na nga na tsun garu nga ma ai. Dai majaw anhte gaw shanhte kaw mayam n-yam lu na matu anhte gaw shinggyim masha ni hte tsan ai shara de hprawng ga lo" ngu di na tsun ai da. Dai shaloi nkau dusat dumyeng ni gaw "E rai nga ai anhte gaw shinggyim masha ni kaw gaw mayam nkam yam ai. Shanhte shangun ai bungli nkam galaw ai" ngu di na dai hkanghkyi shanhte hkaw hkam wa tsun ai hku rai na dai kaw nkau mi gaw dai kaw hprawng mat ma ai da. Dai shaloi ndai e ndai magwi hkan la gaw "E ngai gaw ndai shinggyim masha ngu ai masha gaw kaning re re kun mu yu na she shanhte hpe mu na she ngai gaw hprawng na. Dai majaw ngai gaw shinggyim masha hpe naw mu yu na matu shinggyim masha naw hkan tam na. Ngai gaw nanhte kaw nhprawng nang ai" ngu di na shi gaw dai hku tsun di na dusat dumyeng ni gaw i shanhte kaw i shi gaw nhprawng nang ai da. Nhprawng nang ai shi gaw hkum hkrang mung kaba ai i n-gun lapyin ja ai re majaw shi gaw loimi rai dum ai myit masin mung rawng ai ga rai nga. Dai majaw "Shinggyim masha ni n-gun ja ai dusat ni hpe e shanhte shangun sha na" nga hpe shi gaw nau wa nkam ai le i. "Shinggyim masha ni kaning san nna wa mi anhte ndai ram ram kaba ai ni hpe me shangun sha na nga gaw" ngu shi gaw ai mi nkam ai myit masin hte shi gaw ndai shinggyim masha hpe hkan tam wa na hku rai nga. Shaloi masha ni yawng hprawng ma ai shaloi gaw shan madu jan hte ndai magwi la wa gaw shan gaw "Gai an lahkawng gaw shinggyim masha ni hpe hkan tam na matu rawt sa wa ga" ngu di na shan lahkawng gaw dai kaw na shanhte wo de hprawng shan la mung ndai kaw na shinggyim masha ni hpe tam na matu rawt mat wa ai da. E shan mung dai de hkawm sa wa re shaloi gaw dai gaw magwi yi wa gaw ma hkum re ai hku rai nga. Ma gun taw re hku rai nga dai shaloi wo hkawm hkrai hkawm rai yang shinggyim masha zawn re hpe mung nmu. Hkawm hkrai tam hkrai tam hkawm tam hkrai tam hkawm re shaloi htaw shara mi kaw yi langai mi kaw du ai da. Yi langai mi kaw du wa ai shaloi gaw dai kaw magwi jan dai magwi yi wa gaw ma shangai machyi wa na hku rai nga. "Ga e la nang e ya ngai gaw kan ma shangai ten du wa sam sai kan ma machyi ai e gau ngwi she hkawm ga ngai nlu hkawm wa sai gau ngwi hkawm na she tam hkawm ga" ngu yang magwi la gaw "E naw sharang u naw hkawm ga" ngu tsun ai da. "Rai hkum shangai shi ma hkum shangai shi naw sharang u shinggyim masha nmu shi ai" ngu na she tsun ai. Dai magwi yi wa gaw "E nlu sharang sai lo grai machyi sai lo" ngu di na she dai kaw "Naw hkring la ga" ngu tsun ai shaloi gaw dai kaw hkring re shaloi gaw magwi la gaw "Gai gai nang kan machyi ai nga yang mung dai kaw jang hkring nga na nang gau ngwi hkan nang rit yaw ngai shawng shawng de hkawm magang na" ngu di na shi gaw hkawm magang mat wa ai da. Magwi yi hpe gaw dai yi makau kaw tawn kau da rai na shi gaw hkawm mat wa ai da. Hkawm mat wa re shaloi gaw e ndai magwi yi wa gaw machyi na she e ma shangai na zawn zawn um machyi na she ndai yi de yu dat yang she shinggyim masha num langai mi dai kaw yi magang taw ai hpe mu dat ai da. Yi magang taw ai kaw mu dat aii shaloi gaw shi gaw dai num hpe she "E ning shinggyim masha ni ma hkum ma gun ai gaw kade ning gun a ta" ngu tsun ai shaloi gaw dai num gaw shata jahku gun na shata shi kaw shangai ai lo" ngu tsun dat ai da. Dai shaloi gaw loi tsan ai re nga yang na shut kau sam ai da dai magwi gaw shata shi ngu ai hpe she shi ning ngu ai na kau dat ai da. "Shi ning da aw ning" ngu tsun ai num wora jan mung nau bai nna na she shi tsun dan dat ai ga hpe she bai nhtang san ai shadu na she "E lo" ngu bai "Re lo" ngu bai marawn tsun dat ai da. Dai shaloi she e magwi yi gaw "Koi shi ning she nga mi gaw ma nang e hkum shangai shi hkum shangai shi e ya shinggyim masha nmu shi ai naw tam hkawm na re hkum shangai shi ya shi ning nga ai gaw" ngu na she dai machyi ai bai sharang nna she e "Shi ning gun ai she nga mi gaw nang kan kata kaw naw rawng u hkum shangai shi" ngu na gaw shi gaw dai kaw na bai madu wa hpang de hkan nang rai na shinggyim masha tam hkawm mat wa ai da. Tam hkawm mat wa re shaloi gaw htaw shara mi kaw du ai shaloi gaw nau ba mat na dai "Jahkring mi" ngu na dai kaw galeng taw ai da magwi yi wa gaw ma hkum hte kan kaba jang gaw e dai shaloi gaw yup malap mat wa ai da. Yup malap mat wa na shi gaw bai hprang wa ai shaloi gaw ndai e dai kan machyi akan machyi gaw machyi taw ai le i raitim shi gaw "Yi ma hkai hkyen sam sai lo" bai ngu na she e raitim sharang nna she "Shi ning she nga mi gaw hkum shangai shi hkum shangai shi" ngu na e dai hku bai tsun na shi gaw yup rawt na bai madu wa hpang de bai hkan nang da. Hkan nang ai shaloi gaw um magwi la wa mung madu jan e pyi tawn da kau hkra rai na gaw "Shinggyim masha hpe e nmu yang mu hkra tam hkawm mat wa na" ngu na htaw hkarang yi langai mi kaw du pru wa ai da. Dai shaloi yi kaw bungli galaw taw ai la langai mi hpe sa mu hkrup ai da. Sa mu hkrup ai shaloi shi gaw san ai "E hkau nang shinggyim masha hpe nang nchye ai i" ngu san ai shaloi gaw la dai wa gaw "Chye ai le" ngu shaloi gaw "E shinggyim masha ni gaw nyan grai kaja ai re lu e bawnu grai kaja ai" ngu na she dai magwi hpe tsun dan ai da. Dai shaloi "E dan nga yang gaw hkau e ngai hpe dai shinggyim masha ni nga ai shara de woi sa rit" ngu na tsun ai da. Dai shaloi gaw "Ah hkau e shinggyim masha ni nga ai shara gaw grai tsan ai gaw grai tsan ai re majaw gaw lam hkawm yang grai ba ai dai majaw ngai nang hpe nlu sa ai law" ngu tsun yang "Ah hkau hpa hkum tsang u nang ya nang nye shingma kaw jawn nna hkan nang u" ngu na tsun ai da. Dai shaloi e "Kaja wa i" ngu shaloi gaw "E kaja wa le" ngu shaloi gaw magwi mung hpa shinggyim masha wa gaw i dai kaw i kaja wa nan nang "Nang ngai tsun ai ga madat na i" ngu yang "Madat na law" ngu tsun ai da. Dai shaloi gaw shinggyim masha wa mung kaja nan dai kaw shi lu sha ni shata mi shata lahkawng ram sha na lu sha ba pa ni htu gun rai na she htu gun na she dai magwi ntsa kaw jawn na shig aw dai shinggyim masha ni kaw woi sa mat wa ai da. Woi sa wa ai shaloi gaw shi gaw dai magwi ntsa kaw jawn let she kaja wa nga yang gaw shi shinggyim masha re ndai magwi hpe shanhte yam sha na ngu hpe gaw shanhte chye chyalu rai sai le i. E dai majaw "Ngai shinggyim masha re" ngu ntsun ai le shi gaw. Um shinggyim masha ni nga ai de shi hpe woi sa wa rai na she ntsa magwi jawn let she shi gaw sumri rit ai da. Sumri rit na she htaw shara mi kaw sa wa re shaloi shara mi kaw du re shaloi gaw ndai magwi ntsa kaw shi gaw jawn na "E hkau e ndai kaw naw hkring sa la ga. E grai ba sai jahkring naw hkring la ga" ngu na she dai kaw jahkring mi hkring ai da. Hkring ai shaloi gaw dai masha wa gaw i shinggyim masha e "Shinggyim masha ni nga ai shara grai tsan ai re da. An lahkawng ndai shinggyim masha ni hpe hkrum jang gyit la na matu ndai sumri rit ngai sumri naw rit n-ga" ngu na shi gaw dai sumri kaba hpe rit. Rit na dai kaw magwi hpe she shan lahkawng hkring ai shaloi she ndai magwi hpe she hpun langai mi kaw she ashawng shawng lagaw hpang lagaw dai hku hpun lapran kaw tawn nna she ndai magwi hpe gyit ai da. Gyit ai shaloi she e "Gai ndai hkindit di yu u le" ngu tsun ai da. Hkindit di yu ai shaloi gaw kaja nan magwi dai da hpran dat yang gaw dai sumri dai di mat ai da. Sumri dai di mat ai shaloi gaw "Aw sumri di mat sai e nngang shi ai" ngu tsun ai da. E dan ngu yang she "Aw nngang ai i" ngu na she kaja wa deng dai la wa gaw grau kaba ai sumri hpe bai rit sai da. Grau kaba ai sumri hpe bai rit rai na she magwi mung "Re dai ya sha ngai hkindit yang di mat ai da hkau e grau kaba ai sumri she rit u. Ndai shinggyim masha ni hpe gyit la na matu sumri kaba she naw rit u" ngu na she kaja nan la dai dai mung sumri kaba bai rit. Rai na she grai ngang ai sumri bai rit na she ndai magwi hpe "Gai ya bai chyam yu ga" ngu na she "Ya bai chyam yu ga" ngu na she shi hpe kalang bai dai hpun kaw she lagaw mali hpe she dai shi rit ai sumri hte bai gyit da re da. Ngang ngang di gyit da na "Gai hkau magwi ya bai da hpran yu u sumri dai ngang sai kun" ngu na she shi hpe bai da hpran sumri hpe gang shangun ai le i. Gang shangun ai shaloi gaw ndai sumri gaw ndi ai da. Grai ngang mat na she shi hpe gyit da ai sumri wa grai ngang taw sai hku rai nga. Dan jang "Koi ndai chyawm me grai ngang sai lo hkau ya shinggyim masha ni hpe gyit la na gaw ndai hkrak rai sai" ngu na tsun re shaloi gaw ndai "Ya ngai hpe raw ya sanit shinggyim masha sa gyit la ga" ngu tsun ai shaloi gaw "Gai hkau magwi nang ya nang hpe ngai nlu raw ya sai yaw. Nang grai mu mayu ai shinggyim masha ngu ai la wa gaw ngai nan rai nga ai le" ngu tsun ai shaloi gaw koi magwi gaw grai yawn ai hte e shi gaw grai myit npyaw mat na dai kaw myi prwi si hte ra rai na shi hpe dai hpun kaw gyit majaw da rai jang she "Ga hkau e ngai nang tsun ai ga madat sana. Nanhte shinggyim masha ni ngu ai hku she madat sana nanhte shangun ai bungli galaw sana ngai hpe sha gaw ndai hpun kaw na naw raw ya rit" ngu tsun na she dai shinggyim masha mung ndai magwi hpe dai sumri bai raw dat ya "E na ga sadi hte maren ya nang gaw ngai shangun ai hku galaw ra ai. Ngai tsun ai hku galaw ra ai yaw anhte shinggyim masha ni hpe magam bungli galaw ya ra ai re lu hkrak na ga sadi grin lu yaw" ngu na dai hku tsun na she ndai magwi hpe dai hpun kaw gyit da ai kaw na raw kau dat ya ai da. Dai majaw ndai magwi gaw daini du hkra anhte shinggyim masha ni kaw mayam ngu ga le i mayam tai mat ai da. Anhte shangun sha ai magwi tai mat ai anhte hpe ra ai lam kaw anhte ndang nla re hpun ni hpe shanhte dun ya ra mat ai. Dai shani kaw na ndai shi gaw kaja wa nga yang shi htaw shi a hkaw hkam rai nga ai hkanghkyi ni hprawng ga ngu shaloi shi hprawng yang gaw shi shinggyim masha ni kaw mayam n-yam ra na re raitim shi gaw "Shinggyim masha hpe she hkan tam mayu ai" nga na shinggyim masha hpe tam ai nhkan e daini na ahkying aten du hkra magwi gaw shinggyim masha kaw mayam yam ra mat ra ai ngu ai lam hpe e tsun dan ai hku re.
Origination date 2017-02-09
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/0538
URL
Collector
Keita Kurabe
Countries To view related information on a country, click its name
Language as given Jinghpaw
Subject language(s) To view related information on a language, click its name
Content language(s) To view related information on a language, click its name
Dialect Standard Jinghpaw
Region / village Northern Myanmar
Originating university Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
Operator
Data Categories primary text
Data Types Sound
Discourse type narrative
Roles Keita Kurabe : depositor
L. Bawk Hkawn : speaker
DOI 10.4225/72/5989e09071f0d
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), L. Bawk Hkawn (speaker), 2017. Magwi masha hpe tam ai lam (The elephant that looked for men) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-0538 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/5989e09071f0d
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-0538-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 65 KB
KK1-0538-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 11.5 MB 00:12:34.520
KK1-0538-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 415 MB 00:12:34.499
3 files -- 426 MB -- --

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Collection Information
Collection ID KK1
Collection title Kachin folktales told in Jinghpaw
Description Recordings of Kachin folktales and related narratives in Jinghpaw. These materials were collected by Keita Kurabe, Gumtung Lu Awng, Sumdu Ja Seng Roi, Hpauhkum Htu Bu, Labang Tu La, Gumtung Htu Nan, and Lashi Seng Nan as part of community-based collaborative fieldwork in northern Myanmar. A total of 2,491 stories with 2,481 ELAN files, 2,481 transcriptions, and 1,369 translations are currently available (March 25, 2024). Transcriptions were contributed by Gumtung Lu Awng, Pausa La Ring, Galang Lu Hkawng, Sumdu Ja Seng Roi, Hpauhkum Htu Bu, and Keita Kurabe. Stories were translated by Nbanpa Rita Seng Mai, Sumlut Gun Mai, Lazing Htoi San, Maran Seng Pan, Dumdaw Mike Tu Awng, Nhkum Htoi Awng, and Keita Kurabe.

Animated stories are available at:

https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/collections/KK3
https://www.youtube.com/@kachinfolktales
https://www.facebook.com/KachinStories

Other Kachin culture and history are available at:

https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/collections/KK2

Our research was made possible under the support of JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP17H04523, JP20K13024, JP20H01256, Linguistic Dynamics Science 3 (LingDy3) from Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS), and JSPS Program for Advancing Strategic International Networks to Accelerate the Circulation of Talented Researchers "A collaborative network for usage-based research on lesser-studied languages."
Countries To view related information on a country, click its name
Languages To view related information on a language, click its name
Access Information
Edit access Nick Thieberger
Keita Kurabe
View/Download access
Data access conditions Open (subject to agreeing to PDSC access conditions)
Data access narrative
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