Item details
Item ID
KK1-0564
Title Matsan ai hpun hta ai wa a lam (The Woodcutter and the Bird-Wife) with English translation
Description Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
The story is about a woodcutter. Once upon a time, there was a poor man. He lived alone. He owned only an axe. He cut the trees every day and night to earn a living. One day, his leg was injured when he cut the tree because he accidentally hit it with the axe. His leg was bleeding seriously, and he couldn't walk. The crow saw him and felt pity for him. It felt so pitiful for him. It had three kinds of medicine. It took one kind of medicine to cure the man. He was cured completely. The next day, he went there again to cut the trees. There was a girl there. He talked to her. He asked her, "Why are you here?" He was bleeding a lot, so he was unconscious. At that time, the bird brought the medicine and cured him. And that bird took another medicine. Then, surprisingly, it turned into a girl. The girl was waiting for the man to come to cut the trees. When she met him, he asked her, "Why are you standing there?" She answered, "I am the one who cured you yesterday. It's me." He believed her when she said that his injury was completely cured. Then he took her home. She told him, "You don't have to cut the trees anymore, okay?" At midnight, when the man was sleeping soundly, she whistled. At that time, her bird friends came to her and helped her sew clothes. They helped her sew blankets and clothes every night. She ordered her husband to sell those clothes at the market in the morning. She didn't let him cut the trees to make a living. They could save a lot of money by selling the clothes. They built a new house for them too. They had servants to help them and lived their lives happily. The wife told him, "Don't travel for a long time when you have to." Then, he went out to sell the clothes. His wife always woke up at night and sewed the clothes with her bird friends. And she told her husband to sell those clothes. One day, the man found out that his wife was a bird. He said angrily, "Such a bird like you!" He showed a dislike for her. And he travelled for a long time with the reason of selling clothes. When he came back, he took another woman home. The wife saw him taking another woman home. She was watching them and said, "Why did you take a woman to our home?" He said, "I can't live with a bird! I have almost everything now. You can go back to your own place." The wife was upset after hearing what he said. She ran into the forest because she was embarrassed and upset at the same time. She had three pills. She cured her husband's injury with one pill. And she took another pill and turned into a girl. Then she only had the last pill left. When she took it, she turned into a bird again. The wife turned into a bird. Then the man had to go back to his poor old life. He became as poor as usual. His house became old again. He was really surprised and shocked to witness it. He went to the place where he used to cut the trees and cried there. His wife, who turned into a crow, came to him and said, "Why are you crying?" He answered while crying, "I was really rich. When I got injured at this place, my wife, who is a bird now, cured me. When we got rich, I took another woman home. My wife always told me not to bring a woman home, but I didn't listen to her. I was wrong. I am crying here because I am so upset." The crow said, "You are late. Everything had already happened. Yes, I'm your wife. But you didn't listen to me. Now I don't have any pills to help you. I just had three pills. I used one to cure you, and I took another to turn into a girl. I took the last one and turned into the bird again because you didn't listen to me. Now I don't have any power or pills to help you. So, just go back! Work as a woodcutter as before." Then she made him go back.

Transcription (La Ring)
Ya tsun na gaw hpun kran sha ai la a lam. Moi kalang mi da ndai la ndai wa gaw grai matsan ai. Matsan ai re majaw shi gaw nta kaw ma shi hkrai sha nga ai. Shi hkrai sha nga na shi gaw wo nam de sa ningwa langai sha lu ai da. Dai ningwa rau she shi gaw hpun ni kran sha na dai hku shi kan bau magam bungli galaw. Galaw na she shi gaw shani shagu e shana mung e dai hku hpun kran na hpun ni hpe htaw shalai na dut sha sha re da. Dai shaloi shi gaw lani mi gaw hpun kran hpun kran nga yang wa she shi dai hku hpun kran nga yang she ningwa rau she shi lagaw wa kahtam kau kahtam yek kau ai da. Kahtam yek kau na lam mung nmai hkawm mat rai dai hku na sai mung tsawmra pru rai na dai hku rai na wa nga taw re shaloi she ndai u hka wa she wa mu ai da. Wa mu rai na she ndai u hka wa gaw grai matsan dum sai da. La dai hpe grai matsan dum grai matsan dum rai na she shi gaw e ashe num gara hku ngu na i shi kaw gaw ndai u byin ai kaw na tsi masum nga ai. Tsi masum nga re she dai tsi hpe shi gaw ndai u tsi langai hpe la na she i u ndai gaw shi hpe she tsi wa tsi ya ai. Tsi wa tsi ya rai na she mai mat ai. Mai mat rai yang gaw shi gaw mai mat rai yang gaw i hpang shani bai shi gaw bai sa na she bai sa na hpun bai wa kran ai shaloi she dai kaw she num kasha langai mi nga taw ai da. Num sha langai mi nga taw rai yang gaw shi gaw wa shaga sai da. Wa shaga na she "Nang hpabaw na dai kaw nga taw rai" dai hku ngu san rai yang gaw i ngai gaw i nang hpe ndai la wa gaw shi hpe dai lagaw kran la ai shaloi gaw shi gaw sai nau htaw na she dai kaw yup malap mat ai. Yup malap mat ai shaloi ndai u wa gaw i tsi hpe hpai na wa tsi da ya na mai mat ai. Mai mat rai yang hpang kalang bai sa re shaloi gaw ndai num sha wa gaw i dai tsi langai hpe bai sha dat ai. Langai hpe bai sha dat re shaloi gaw shi gaw num byin mat ai. Num byin mat ai shaloi she shi gaw dai kaw wa tsap taw ai da ndai la wa hpun wa kran na shara kaw wa tsap taw re shaloi she shi hpe tsun ai hku nga "E nang hpabaw na nang kaw wa tsap taw rai" ngu tsun shaloi she ndai num sha gaw "E nang hpe ngai i mani nang ndai kaw lagaw kran la ai shaloi nang hpe ngai tsi wa tsi la tawn da ai ngai re ai" ngu dai hku na tsun dan ai shaloi she shi mung shi na myit hta mung ndan re ningma katsing wa kalang ta mai mat ai ngu ai shi mung kam na she num sha dai hpe she woi wa na she shi gaw nta kaw woi nga sai da. Woi nga re shaloi she ndai la wa hpe gaw i "Nang hpun hkum sa kran sanu yaw" ngu na she dai hku ngu tsun na nta kaw woi nga ai da. Nta kaw woi nga rai na ndai num wa gaw i shana hkying shi lahkawng rai jang she la wa mung yup a taw ai aten hta she shi gaw wo lahpyaw hpyaw dat ai da. Lahpyaw hpyaw dat ai shaloi she e shi na manang ni le i ndai u manang ni le dai ni wa she yawng sa wa na she shi hpe she rai ni chywi karum ai da. Rai ni chywi nba ni chywi karum rai na she ndai nba ni hpe she shana shagu wa chywi karum ai da. Wa chywi karum na jahpawt rai yang ndai madu wa hpe gaw hpun nkran sha shangun ai sha ndai shi chywi da ai nba ni hpe she wo myu de wa dut shangun ngun re da. Wa dut shangun rai na she shan lahkawng gaw gumhpraw ni mung tsawmra mi lu sai da. Gumhpraw ni mugn grai lu wa rai na she i shi gaw ndai nta ni mung atsawm rai grak gap la na she shangun ma ni hte rai na she nga mat sai da. Nga mat re shaloi she ndai num wa gaw i num wa gaw tsun ai da la wa hpe she "Nang kalang mi hkawm yang grai na mat hkra hkum hkawm hkawm rai yaw" ngu dai hku ngu tsun kau da ai da. Tsun kau da rai ai shaloi she ndai la wa gaw e sa mat wa sa. Shi na madu jan gaw shana rai sai i nga jang ndai shi na manang u ni hpe shaga na she rawt nba ni chywi nba ni chywi rai ni galaw la rai na she shi gaw e wa dut shangun ngun rai ai. Dai shaloi she lani mi na aten hta ndai la kasha wa gaw i shi wa she shi madu jan wa u re nga ma chye mat ai. Chye mat yang gaw e madu jan hpe she i "Nang zawn zawn re u" hpa law nya law nga na she shi gaw e grai na hkra hkawm mat ai. "Ndai nba sa dut ai" ngu na she shi gaw grai na hkra hkawm mat rai na dai shaloi she shi wa num langai dai rai wa dut ai kaw na she num langai hpe woi wa ai. Num langai hpe woi wa rai na she dai shaloi she madu jan gaw nta kaw na yu taw sai da. Yu taw re shaloi she num langai woi wa ai hku nga. Woi wa na she madu jan gaw shi hpe tsun ai "Nang hpabaw majaw num woi wa ai rai" ngu na shi hpe san ai shaloi she madu wa gaw tsun ai da "Nang zawn zawn re u rau gaw ngai nkam nga ai ya ngai kaw gaw i grai ma hpring tsup taw sai. Dai re majaw nang ma na na shara de nang wa mat sanu" ngu na she dai hku ngu tsun ai da. Tsun ai shaloi she ndai num wa gaw num wa gaw shi num wa gaw grai yawn mat na she grai yawn mat na she i shi gaw htaw nam de kagat na she shi gaw e grai yawn mat ai grai ma yawn gaya mung grai gaya mat ai re majaw shi gaw i mi yat shi kaw tsi masum nga ai langai mi gaw dai la hpe tsi tsi ya na mai mat sai langai mi gaw shi sha dat na masha byin mat ai hpang langai mi bai shi sha dat yang gaw shi gaw dai tsi langai sha ngam mat sai. Dai tsi langai sha ngam mat ai hpe sha dat ai shaloi gaw shi gaw kalang ta u byin mat ai. U byin mat re shaloi she shi hpe gaw u byin mat ai shaloi she wo ra shi na madu wa mung i mi na shi grai matsan wo ra num wa mung nnga mat sai le. Num wa mung nnga mat na she mi na raw shi gaw grai matsan ai dai hku mi na i nta shaje shamya re dan re ni sha nga na she shi mung shi mung grai mau mat sai da. Grai mau mat ai re majaw i ndai la wa gaw shi gaw mi na hpun kran ai dai shara de sa nna she shi gaw dai hpun kran ai dai kaw she wa gum dagup na she aging wa hkrap taw ai da. Wa hkrap taw re shaloi she ndai num kasha gaw i ndai tsi langai bai sha dat ai shaloi gaw u tai mat ai le. U tai mat ai shaloi she u rau bai sa u hka hku na bai sa wa na she "Nang gaw hpabaw na nang kaw wa hkrap taw ai rai" ngu tsun yang she "E ngai i ndan rai grai lu su ngai ndai shara kaw ning rai lagaw chye la shaloi i ngai hpe karum la na ngai ning rai grai lu su wa na ngai nding rai num bai woi wa. Ngai na madu jan gaw i u re raitim mung ngai hpe num hkum woi wa kaga num hkum la yaw nga tsun ai raitim ngai gaw bai na na ndan rai shut mat ai. Dai re majaw i ngai grai yawn nna wa hkrap taw ai re" ngu dai hku ngu wa tsun dan ai da. Wa tsun dan ai shaloi she ndai u hka gaw i "Nang gaw myit malai hpang hkrat mat sai dai re majaw i nang myit malai hpang hkrat mat sai re majaw ngai kaw gaw ngai gaw i nang nang myit malai ai ngai gaw na na num jan re raitim mung nang gaw i ngai tsun ai ga sadi nang nhkap la ai. Dai re majaw nang nding re bai byin mat ai ya ngai kaw nang hpe karum na tsi mung nnga sai. Ngai kaw tsi masum sha nga ai raitim mung langai mi gaw na na ningma kaw bang ya na mai mat sai langai mi gaw ngai sha na masha byin ai langai mi gaw nang ngai hpe i nding rai nyet kau ai re majaw ngai ndai tsi hpe bai wa sha na ya ngai ning rai u bai byin sai. Ya ngai nang hpe karum la na atsam ma nnga sai. Dai re majaw nang gaw na na nang bai wa mat nu. Na na nang moi na nang hpun kran sha ai bungli sha galaw sanu yaw" ngu na she shi hpe dai hku ngu tsun na tsun kau dat ai da.
Origination date 2017-02-09
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/0564
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. Hkawn : speaker
DOI 10.4225/72/5989e10177e4f
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), L. Hkawn (speaker), 2017. Matsan ai hpun hta ai wa a lam (The Woodcutter and the Bird-Wife) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-0564 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/5989e10177e4f
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-0564-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 43.6 KB
KK1-0564-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 7.37 MB 00:08:03.630
KK1-0564-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 266 MB 00:08:03.617
3 files -- 273 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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