Item details
Item ID
KK1-0753
Title Magaw ai hte malang ai lam (The straight and the bent) with English translation
Description Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
The story I am going to tell you is about straight and twisted. Once upon a time, there were two friends in a village. One day, both of them travelled somewhere and met on the way. One friend asked the other one, "Where are you going?" He answered, "To work. What about you?" The first one said, "Me too. Let's go together." They were chatting on the way. One friend said, "Do you think straight is good or twist is good? Which is better?" The second man said, "Of course, straight is good." The first man said, "No, my friend. The twist is good." Then the second man said, "No, straight is better." The first man didn't agree, "Twist is better." They were arguing over it. It was gradually getting dark. On their way, they met a man who was cutting thatch. They discussed, "We are arguing over which is better. We need a judge to decide for us. Let's find a judge who will decide which is better." Then they met the man who was cutting the thatch. They asked him, "My friend, which is better on this earth: twist or straight?" The man answered, "My friends, twist is better. I am also using a curved sickle to cut the thatch. Of course, twisting or curving is better." They had promised, "I will poke your eyes till they pop out if you lose. You can poke my eyes if I lose." When the man told them that curved was better because he even used a curved sickle to cut the thatch, the traveller who believed twist was good was happy with the thought of winning. He said, "See. I told you! The twist is good, definitely. Now, I will poke your eyes out." His friend stopped him and said, "Please wait. Don't do it yet. Let's ask another one." Then they kept moving and saw a man who was scraping the field. They asked him, "Which is better in this world: straight or curved?" He answered, "Curved is good. That's why I am using this rake to scrape the field." The friend who believed curved was good said, "See. I told you! Let me poke your eyes now." The other friend said, "Please wait. Don't do it yet. This is not true. Let's find a judge to decide for us." Then the first friend agreed with him, "Okay. Let's find someone." They kept moving forward. They met a fisherman on their way. They asked him, "Which is better: straight or curved?" He said, "Curved is better, of course. I catch fish with this little curved pin and make a living." The friend who believed curved was better said, "I told you, my friend. Curved is better than straight. No matter how many times you asked others, they gave the same answer. Now, I will poke your eyes." The other one said, "Please don't pop my eyes out yet. Let's find another person and ask him." Without being noticed, a tiger was secretly following them to attack them. As soon as they saw the tiger, the man who believed twisting was good ran in S shape. The man who thought straight was good ran straight. He was running straight to escape the danger. The man who believed twisting was better ran in S shape, and the tiger kept chasing him. The tiger could attack him to death in one turn. This is the end of the story. The man who was alive said, "See. I told you that straight was better. But you didn't agree with me. Now, you face death. Being straight (righteous) is definitely better. I will live as a righteous man starting now. I will be honest and righteous." He made a promise to himself.

Transcription (La Ring)
Ya ngai tsun na lam gaw magaw ai hte malang ai lam malang ai a lam re. Shawng de da kahtawng langai mi kaw e manang la lahkawng nga ai da. Dai la yan gaw lani mi na nhtoi hta shan lahkawng gaw hkrun lam hkawm na matu pru sa wa na lam kaw hkrum ma ai da. Lam kaw hkrum ai shaloi gaw shan lahkawng gaw htaw "Hkau nang gara de sa na" nga yang "Gumhpraw tam sa na" nga na shan lahkawng gaw dai hku "Nang mung gara sa na" nga yang "Gumhpraw tam sa na" nga majaw shan lahkawng gaw dai hku hkrum hkat na she "E ding yang gaw nang mung gumhpraw tam sa na ngai mung gumhpraw tam sa na rai yang gaw an lahkawng rau sa mat ga" ngu di na dai hku na shan lahkawng gaw rau sa mat wa ai da. Rau sa mat wa re shaloi gaw htaw lam kaw du re shaloi gaw shan gaw jahta rai na dai hku jahta rai na lam hkawm wa. Dai shaloi manang langai mi wa shawng san ai da "E hkau nang gaw mungkan ga ntsa nga yang magaw ai grau kaja ai i malang ai grau kaja ai i" ngu na san ai da. San ai shaloi gaw dai langai mi wa gaw "Hkau e malang ai she kaja goi" ngu na tsun ai da. "Malang ai she grau kaja ai" ngu tsun ai shaloi "E nre law hkau e magaw ai she grau kaja ai" ngu na tsun ai da. "Nre law hkau e malang ai she grau kaja ai law" ngu na tsun ai "Nre law hkau e magaw ai she grau kaja ai law" ngu na dai hku dang rang hkat ai da. Dai shaloi shan lahkawng gaw e dang rang dang rang hkat rai na shana jan du wa ai da. Dai hpang e jan du wa re hpang e she shan lahkawng gaw dai kaw e hkawm sa wa ai shaloi she e dai shan lahkawng hkrun lam kaw hkauna wora mam dan wora mam nrai hkindu dan taw ai la langai mi hpe mu ai da. Hkindu dan taw ai la langai mi hpe mu ai. Dai shaloi shan gaw "E an hkawng ndai ram dang rang hkat ai gaw an hkawng gaw tara agyi she san ga e ndai magaw ai kaja ai i malang ai kaja ai i ngu ndai gaw tara agyi tam na an hkawng ndai hpe mahtai hpe tam la ga" ngu na dai hku tsun hkat da ai. Dai hku tsun hkat na shang hkawng gaw sa wa re shaloi gaw da shingngu dan taw ai la langai mi hpe sa mu ai da. Shingngu dan taw ai la langai mi hpe sa mu rai na shan gaw "E hkau mungkan ga ntsa hta magaw ai kaja ai i malang ai kaja ai i" ngu tsun ai da. Dai shaloi dai la wa gaw "Ga hkau nan wa mung nang magaw ai kaja na she ngai nang ndai nhkyau magaw ai hte hkindu dan nna ngai ndai hkundu sha dan dut sha na kan bau nga ai le magaw ai she kaja ai gaw" ngu tsun ai da. Dai kaw na bai hkawm da ding yang gaw aw ndai hku "Nang sum jang gaw myi malawk nang sum jang mung na myi ngai malawk kau na ngai sum jang mung nye myi hpe nang malawk kau u" ngu na shan lahkawng gaw ga sadi tawn da ai da. Ga sadi tawn da hkat ma ai da law. Dai shaloi ndai magaw ai ngu tsun ai wa gaw dai kaw nhkyau hte hkindu dan taw ai hpe mu jang she "Shi dang sai" ngu na "Gai ya na myi malawk kau ya sana ngai tsun ai jaw ai nre i magaw ai she kaja ai ngu yang" ngu tsun yang she "E nre law hkau e naw san yu ga ya marai langai mi ya naw san yu ga myi sha gaw hkum malawk ya shi" ngu na shan gaw bai hkawm sa wa. Hkawm sa wa re shaloi hkauna shawt taw ai la langai mi hpe bai mu ai da. Hkauna shawt taw ai la langai hpe bai mu ai shaloi gaw "E hkau mungkan ga ntsa hta magaw ai kaja ai i malang ai kaja ai i" ngu na bai san ai da. San ai shaloi gaw dai la wa mung "Ga nan hkawng mung ndai magaw ai kaja na she ndai magaw ai na jawn hte ngai hkauna galau sha na kan bau nga ai le magaw ai she kaja goi" ngu na hkap tsun ai da. Dai shaloi rai jang mung ndai magaw ai ngu tsun ai wa gaw "Gai ngai tsun sai nrai i magaw ai she kaja ai ngu yang ya na myi malawk kau ya sana" ngu na myi bai malawk kau ya hkyen rai yang "E hkum rai shi lo grai hpyi nyem ai lo myi sha gaw hkum malawk kau ya tara agyi naw tam yu ga ndai gaw njaw na she rai nga ai" ngu tsun ai shaloi gaw "E e mai ai nang tsun ai hku rai sai" ngu na she dai hku tsun na shan lahkawng gaw bai hkawm sa wa ai da. Hkawm sa wa re shaloi e nga myek taw ai la langai hte bai hkrum ai da. Nga myek taw ai la langai hte bai hkrum re shaloi gaw "E hkau mungkan ga ntsa e magaw ai kaja ai i malang ai kaja ai i" ngu na bai san ai da. Dai shaloi she "Magaw ai kaja na she nang ndai ngai nga myek na ndai magaw ai hte she nga myek na nga lu na ndai nga dut sha na ngai kan bau taw nga ai le" ngu na bai tsun ai da. Dai shaloi she ndai magaw ai ngu jaw dum ai la wa gaw "Gai hkau ngai tsun ai nre i nang hpe magaw ai she kaja ai ngu na tsun sai le ya na myi malawk kau ya sana nang kade lang lang mung san tim magaw ai hkrai kaja ai re malang ai nkaja ai" ngu na bai tsun ai da. Shaloi she "E myi sha gaw hkum malawk kau ya shi ya naw tara agyi langai naw tam na she naw san yu ga gara grau kaja nkaja gaw ngai hpe myi sha gaw hkum malawk kau ya shi" ngu na shan lahkawng gaw hkrun lam bai matut hkawm ai da. Dai shaloi hkrun lam hkawm nga ai shaloi da hpang kaw na sharaw langai mi gaw shan hpe hkan gawa sha na matu shan kaw mayun nang ai da. Dai shaloi sharaw sa wa ai hpe mu dat ai shaloi gaw da dai magaw ai ngu tsun ai la wa gaw lam magyi magaw re lam hku hprawng mat wa ai da. Malang ai ngu tsun ai la wa gaw malang ai hku na hprawng kagat mat wa ai da. Dai shaloi ndai malang ai ngu tsun ai la wa gaw htaw lam ding yang hprawng hkrai hprawng mat wa magaw ai ngu tsun ai la dai wa gaw dai magyi magaw re hku na hprawng ai shaloi gaw da dai sharaw gaw dai magaw ai la wa hprawng ai hku hkan nang nna shi bai pru wa na hpunggaw kaw dai sharaw gaw la dung taw rai na dai magaw ai jaw dum ai la wa hpe dai kaw e rim sha kau ai da. Maumwi gaw dai kaw htum mat sai dai majaw mungkan ga ntsa hta ndai la wa gaw "Gai ngai tsun ai mungkan ntsa e malang ai she kaja ai ngu yang ndai hkau nkam ai ya shi magaw ai kaja ai ngu tsun ai majaw ya shi daini shi sat hkrum sai si hkrum sai sharaw sha kau hkrum sai. Dai majaw mungkan ga ntsa gaw malang ai she grau kaja ai myit malang ai she grau kaja ai. Ngai mung daini kaw na gaw ding ding man man ai hku na she e myit malang ai hku na yawng a ntsa sadi sahka ai hku na ading aman rai na she nga sana. Malang ai hpe sha e myit malang ai hku na sha nga mat sana" ngu na shi gaw dai ga sadi da na shi gaw dai hku na kaja hku na sak hkrung mat ai da.
Origination date 2017-02-11
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/0753
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
lashi bawk hkawn : speaker
DOI 10.4225/72/5989e4003acd0
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), lashi bawk hkawn (speaker), 2017. Magaw ai hte malang ai lam (The straight and the bent) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-0753 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/5989e4003acd0
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-0753-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 24 KB
KK1-0753-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 5.61 MB 00:06:08.64
KK1-0753-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 202 MB 00:06:08.38
3 files -- 208 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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