Item details
Item ID
KK1-0570
Title Manawn ai dinggai a lam (The fish and the greedy old woman) with English translation
Description Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
The story I'm going to tell now is about a greedy woman. Once upon a time, there was a poor old couple. The old man was a fisherman. He went fishing for a living. One night, he went fishing. However, he couldn't catch any fish. In the end, he could catch only one fish. Surprisingly, the fish could speak. It said, "Grandpa, don't kill me. Please, don't eat me. I will give you everything you want and need. Please, let me go." The grandpa agreed with the fish and let it go. He just took his fishing rod and went back home. When he was at home, his wife asked him, "My husband, did you get any fish?" He replied, "I couldn't catch any fish today. However, I found a fish that could speak! I was so surprised that it could speak. So I let it go." He continued, "The fish told me not to eat it, and it would give us everything we wanted. The fish promised me that it would give me everything." His wife scolded him, "You idiot! We don't have anything to eat now! Why didn't you take that fish home? We can pound the fish and make it paste. Anyway, let it be. It seems like the fish is really powerful. Go and ask it to give us anything." Then, the old grandpa went there again. He called the fish, "The little fish! The little fish!" The fish appeared and asked him, "Grandpa, why are you calling me? What's the matter?" He said, "We don't have a nice, big house. We live in a small, shanty house. Therefore, give us a big, beautiful house." The fish said, "Okay, grandpa. Go back home. You will see a big house when you arrive home." Then, he went back home. He saw a shiny, beautiful house there. His wife was really happy and said, "My husband, why did you only ask for a house? We use old plates and pots. Go and ask for new plates and pots too." The old grandpa went to the fish again, although he didn't want to. He called the fish again. The fish appeared and asked him, "What's the matter, grandpa?" He told it, "My wife told me to ask you for new plates and pots. We are using only old plates and pots, so give us something new." It said, "Okay, go back home." When the grandpa arrived home, he saw new plates and pots. His wife was really happy and said, "My husband, we have the new house and new plates and pots. Now, we need some cash. So, go ask for some money." Then, he had to go to the fish again, even though he didn't want to. He thought, "We have already got the beautiful new house, but my wife is really greedy." When he arrived at the stream, he called the fish again. It asked him, "What's the matter? What do you need?" He said, "We have a beautiful house. And we have new plates and pots too. However, we still need some cash to spend. My wife told me to ask for money." It said, "Okay. Grandpa, you can go back home." When he arrived home, he saw that the boxes were full of gold and money. But his wife never knew to be content. She was a greedy woman. She had wrinkles and loose skin. She knew that they got everything they wanted when they asked the fish. Therefore, she told him, "Now, we have the big house, new pots and plates, and money. However, I want to be a young lady now. Go to the fish and ask it to fulfill our wish." The grandpa said, "Oh, my wife." She said, "Just go! Just go and ask." He really didn't want to go there, but he had to. He called, "The little fish! The little fish!" The fish appeared and asked him, "What's the matter, grandpa?" He said, "My wife is as old as me. She has wrinkles and loose skin. Now, she wants to be as beautiful as a young lady." The fish said, "Okay, you can go back home." When he arrived home, he saw that his wife had become young and beautiful. She had become a young lady exactly the same way when he got married to her. The wife became arrogant because she had the house, money, and beauty. She was overwhelmed with happiness because she had become a young lady. She told her husband, "My husband, I have become a beautiful young lady now. However, I want to be the richest person in the world. Go tell the fish!" He asked her, "You have everything now. Why are you so greedy?" She told him, "Just go and ask it to fulfill our wish. It will fulfill our wish." The grandpa went there, although he didn't want to, and called, "The little fish! The little fish!" The fish appeared and asked him, "What do you need now, grandpa?" He told it, "My wife is still asking for many things, although she has a lot now. She said she wanted to be the richest person in the world." The fish thought, "I gave them a lot, but they still wish to have many things. They are so greedy." It didn't reply to the grandpa. It pretended it didn't hear anything and swam away. The grandpa said quietly, "The fish doesn't reply to me this time. Did I make any mistakes?" Then he went back home. When he arrived home, he saw only a shanty house. Their plates and pots turned into old ones, and the wife became an old lady again. She had wrinkles and loose skin again. The grandpa said, "It's good now! You are very greedy, although you already have a lot. You deserve it." Therefore, we shouldn't be greedy.

Transcription (La Ring)
Ya tsun na gaw grai myit hpe grai ra marin ai myit rawng ai dinggai a lam. Moi kalang mi da ndai dinggai yan dingla nga ai. Shan lahkawng gaw grai matsan ai. Grai matsan ai re majaw shan hkawng ndai dingla wa nga sha dawn sha ai da. Nga sha dawn sha rai na nga ai she nga sha dawn sha na nga ai she lana mi gaw dai shana gaw shi gaw nga wa dawn re she dai shani gaw nga mung nlu da. Nga mung nlu na she shi gaw grai myit npyaw rai nga wa she langai mi sha lu ai da. Langai mi sha lu rai yang she dai nga dai wa gaw ga shaga wa na hku rai nga "E ji dwi dingla wa e ngai hpe hkum sha yaw ngai hpe gaw sha ai hpan ma nre ai. Ngai ji dwi dingla nang hpyi ai ra mara gaw yawng jaw na ngai hpe i hkum sha ngu na she ngai hpe bai dat ya rit" ngu na nga dai wa tsun ai da. Nga dai wa tsun re shaloi she shi ndai dingla wa mung "E mai ai" ngu na she "Mai ai" ngu na she shi hpe dat kau ya ai da. Dat kau ya na she e nga dawn ai shingna dai sha lang rai na nta de wa sai da. Nta de wa re shaloi she dinggai jan wa gaw yu taw sai hku nga. "E dingla nang nga nla wa ai ngu" ngu dai hku ngu san ai da. "Ngai daini nga sa hkwi ai wa le i nga langai mi mung nlu ai e nga langai mi mung nlu ai dai re majaw nga wa langai mi sha lu ai yaw. Dai wa she dai nga dai wa ga shaga wa na she ngai wa shi wa shi ga shaga wa ai majaw ngai mung grai kajawng ai majaw hka de bai bang kau sai" ngu dai hku ngu tsun ai hku nga. Dai hku ngu tsun re shaloi she um "Raitim mung ndai nga ndai wa tsun ai nang ji dwi dingla nang ngai hpe sha hkum sha nang ra ai ngai ma hkra jaw na" nga dai hku nga tsun ai rai sa" ngu tsun ai shaloi she ndai dinggai jan gaw "E na bai e ya sha na pyi nnga nga yang dai nga langai sha lu tim la wa u le jap htu htu sha na rai nga le" ngu dai hku ngu tsun ai hku nga. "E rai sai dai nga tsun ai hku rai yang gaw ndai nga gaw atsam grai nga na zawn nga nga. Rai yang nang wa hpyi yu su" ngu dai hku na tsun ai da. "Wa hpyi yu su" ngu tsun ai shaloi she shi gaw ndai dingla wa gaw sa sai da. E dingla wa sa nna she wa shaga sai da "Nga kasha e nga kasha nga kasha" ngu aging wa shaga ai da. Wa shaga ai shaloi she nga kasha wa mung sa wa na she "E hpabaw rai ta ji dwi nang ngai hpe grai shaga nga le hpabaw majaw shaga ai rai" ngu dai hku ngu tsun ai da. Dai hku ngu tsun ai shaloi she "Nga kasha nang hpe le i anhte le nta mung nlu ai nta mung nyawp nyawp re kaw sha rawng taw ai. Dai re majaw gaw nta grai tsawm ai nta langai m jaw rit" ngu na dai hku na wa tsun ai da. Wa tsun re shaloi she dai hku ngu wa tsun na shi gaw wa mat sai da. Wa mat re shaloi she ndai e "E ji dwi e nang wa sanu. Nang wa yang kaja wa na nta grai tsawm ai byin taw na ra ai wa sanu yaw" ngu tsun dat ai shaloi she wa mat ai shaloi she kaja wa sha shi wa shaloi gaw nta ni wa kwi she kabrim ai da. She kabrim ai nta langai wa nga taw ai da. Dai she dinggai jan gaw grai pyaw sai hku nga. Grai pyaw re shaloi she "E dingla wa nang le ndai nta langai sha hpyi wa ai ngu nang anhte bang sha taw ai hka wan di hka wan ni mung shaje re nchye i ndai shaje shamya ni hpe mung nang nnan ni bai byin hkra bai wa hpyi su" ngu ai da. E ding rai she dingla wa gaw grai nkam let sha bai sa mat sai da. Bai sa mat na she "Nga kasha e nga kasha e" ngu bai wa shaga taw sai da. Wa shaga taw rai yang she nga kasha wa bai le wa na "Ji dwi hpabaw re ta" ngu tsun ai shaloi she "E nye dinggai jan gaw tsun ai nta kaw lang ai di hkawan ni gai je mya taw sai. Dai re majaw nta lang ai arung arai ni nnan sing sing bai jaw rit" ngu bai wa hpyi ai da. Dai shaloi she "E mai ai ji dwi nang nta bai wa su" ngu na bai wa shangun dat ai wa kaja wa sha nta kaw du yang di hkawan ni mung nnan sing sing bai rai taw sai da. Nnan sing sing bai rai taw rai yang gaw shi gaw grai kabu sai hku nga. Ndai dinggai jan wa gaw grai kabu nna she "Dingla nang ya gaw nta mung atsawm re lu sai di hkawan ni mung grai kaja ai lu sai dai re majaw nang i an lahkawng gaw ya jai sha na ja gumhpraw ni sha ra sai. Dai re majaw ja gumhpraw bai wa hpyi su" ngu tsun ai da. Bai wa hpyi su ngu tsun shaloi she ndai dingla wa mung bai sa mat sai da grai nkam tim. "Dinggai ndai gaw nta lu timung grai ra marin ai myit grai rawng ai" ngu na she grai nkam tim sa mat sai da. Sa mat na she "Nga kasha e nga kasha e" ngu na bai wa shaga jang she nga kasha mung bai le wa "Ji dwi hpabaw bai ra ai rai" ngu bai tsun yang "Ya anhte nta kaw nta mung grai tsawm ai lu sai. Di hkawan ni mung grai nnan sing ni bai lu sai dai re majaw ya an lahkawng kaw jai sha na ja gumhpraw nnga taw re majaw nye dinggai jan wa ja gumhpraw bai hpyi shangun dat ai" ngu tsun ai shaloi she "E mai sai mai sai ji dwi nang nta wa sanu" ngu bai tsun dat ai shaloi nta wa shaloi kaja wa shanhte na nga ai ngai ai sutdek ni ma hkra hkan kaw she ja rai ni wa she hpring nga nga taw ai da. Hpring nga nga taw yang she ndai dinggai wa gaw kwi mi na lu ai hta grai ra marit wa. Grai ra marit wa na she shi gaw e dinggai re nga yang gaw hpyi ni mung nyip nyip rai taw sai i. Raitim mung shi wa she hpa hpyi tim hpa lu ai re majaw shi gaw e "Dingla nang e ya anhte ni gaw i nta mung grai hkrak ai nga sai di hkawan mung grai nnan sing ni nga sai ya ja gumhpraw ni mung grai lu sai. Dai re majaw ya ngai gaw i ngai gaw moi na zawn zawn i mahkawn kasha bai byin mayu ai" ngu bai wa tsun su ngu tsun ai. "Wa tsun yang lu na re wa tsun su" ngu tsun na dingla wa gaw "Gaw mai na i dinggai nang e" ngu yang "Mai na re wa tsun su" ngu she bai wa tsun shangun sai hku nga. Bai wa tsun shangun rai yang gaw kaja wa dingla wa gaw grai nkam wa tsun timung bai wa tsun sai da. "Nga kasha e nga kasha e" ngu bai wa shaga dat jang nga kasha mung le wa na she "Hpa rai ta ji dwi" ngu yang "E nye dinggai jan tsun ai le i nye dinggai jan gaw ngai zawn zawn sha rai sai hpyi mung nyip nyip rai mat sai grai ntsawm mat sai raitim mung shi gaw moi shi ma prat mahkawn nnan byin ai mahkawn zawn zawn bai byin mayu ai da" ngu tsun ai shaloi she ndai nga kasha wa gaw i "E mai ai mai ai ji dwi nang nta bai wa su" ngu bai tsun dat ai da. Kaja wa nta du shaloi she shi dinggai wa gaw kaja wa mahkawn raw bai byin taw ai da moi na shi shi la yang na zawn zawn mahkawn bai byin taw rai jang she dinggai jan wa gaw grai gumrawng wa sai da shi gaw. Ja gumhpraw mung grai lu nta ni mung nnan sing lu rai na she shi gaw grai gumrawng shi hkum hkrang mung moi na mahkawn zawn zawn nat shayi zawn zawn byin na she shi gaw grai pyaw dum sai da. Grai pyaw dum na she "Dingla wa e ya gaw ngai mung mahkawn tai sai dai re majaw ndai mare ndai mung mungkan kaw nga ai yawng hta na ngai gaw grau na lu su mayu ai ngu na bai wa tsun su" ngu tsun ai hku nga. "Bai wa tsun su" ngu tsun ai shaloi she dingla wa gaw "Aga ya nang ja gumhpraw ni mung grai lu sai. Dai ram lu tim nang hpabaw naw ra marit taw ai ma" ngu na dai hku ngu na tsun timung dinggai jan wa gaw "Hpyi yang gaw lu na re sa hpyi su sha wa hpyi su" ngu tsun dat ai da. Tsun dat ai shaloi she dingla wa mung kaja wa grai nkam tim sa na she "Nga kasha e nga kasha e" ngu na bai wa shaga taw shaloi she ndai nga kasha wa mung le wa na she "Ya hpabaw ra a ta ji dwi" ngu bai wa tsun ai shaloi she "Nye dinggai jan wa nre i dai ram lu taw tim shi wa le hpa ni hpyi taw kun nchye ai. Ndai mungkan ting hta grau lu su ai e mungkan ting hta lu su ai byin mayu ai da" ngu bai wa tsun ai da. Dai shaloi she ndai nga gaw i "Aga a dai ram jaw tim mung kaning re ra marit ai rawng ai" ngu she ngai nga kasha wa ndai ji dwi hpe gaw hpa mung ntsun ai she madat mung nmadat ya sai sha wo nna masu su let she yawng mat wa sai da. Yawng mat wa rai na she i yawng mat wa na she shi wa ndai dingla wa gaw "Koi ndai kalang gaw nga kasha mung hpa mung ntsun dat ai hpabaw wa tsun shut sai kun" ngu na she nta wa yu ai da. Nta wa yu shaloi she mi yat shan hkawng nga ai nta raw rai na nta mung nyawp nyawp je je rai dan re kaw she di hkawan ni mung shabaw ja rai mung nnga dan re dinggai jan mung mi yat gaw grai rai na grai tsawm ai nat shayi zawn byin taw ai wa shi mi yat na dinggai hpyi nyip nyip re dinggai bai byin taw na she e dingla wa tsun sai "E rai sai ga rai nga ya gaw dai ram lu tim naw ra marit rawng ai gaw nang zawn zawn re gaw e hkrup sha u nang zawn zawn re gaw hkrup sha u" ngu na she dingla wa gaw dinggai hpe she tsun jaw tawn da ai da. Dai majaw i anhte shinggyim masha ni mung i dan re kachyi mi lu yang ra marit ai ngu myit gaw nmai rawng ai nmai rawng ai da.
Origination date 2017-02-09
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/0570
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 10.4225/72/5989e11b5134b
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), L. Hkawn (speaker), 2017. Manawn ai dinggai a lam (The fish and the greedy old woman) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-0570 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/5989e11b5134b
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-0570-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 52.5 KB
KK1-0570-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 8.55 MB 00:09:21.684
KK1-0570-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 309 MB 00:09:21.678
3 files -- 317 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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