Item details
Item ID
KK1-0858
Title Baw Tau a lam (The fool Baw Tau) with English translation
Description Translation (Gun Mai)
A long time ago, there was a man called Baw Tau. He was very stupid but his wife was very clever and smart. Thus, he could not do any work properly if his wife did not guide him. One day, the wife said to her husband that "Husband, I heard that other peoples will go to cut and clear the fields. So, you also should go and find a field for us". The husband asked his wife that "How large the field should I find to cut and clear?" The wife replied that "About the size of a palm". The husband said OK and went to the field. When he reached the field, he just drew with his palm on the ground and returned home. When he went to the field together with his wife, the wife asked "Where is the field that you found for us?" The husband surpringly said, "Ah!, you almost step on it!". The wife frustratingly responded that "Ah Baw Tau! What I meant the size of a palm is the field that not to too big and also not to too small". Then, they both looked the field to cut and clear. And, they cut and cleared their field. After they cut and cleared, they also burned the field when it was time to set fire the field. Then, the wife said that "Husband, you go and build field hut today. I don't want to go the field if there is no field hut." The husband asked that "How big the field hut should build?" The wife answered that "It should be about the size of the shell of a crab". Then, the husband went to the field to build a field hut. But, instead of building the field hut, he was looking for crab the whole day and he caught a big crab. And, he cooked and ate the flesh inside of the crab without damaing the shell. Then, he put the shell of the crab on a tree. On the next day, the wife asked that "Have you built the field hut?". The husband answered that "Yes, I have done about the size of a crab's shell as you said". And, they went together to the field. When they got to the field, the wife asked "Where is the field hut that you built?". The husband answered, "I just put on the tree. May be the crow had eaten and gone." The wife frustratingly said again that "Ah Baw Tau! What I meant the size of the shell of a crab is the field hut that should not be very big and it should be a medium size. Damm-It! Let's go home". One morning, the wife was going to the field. On the way to the field, the wife met with a bear. She was scared a lot and did not know what to do. So, she just covered the bear with the basket that she brought on her back. Then, she chopped the bear with her knife to death and brought it home. And, she thought to herself that "This has to be a good reputation for my husband. My husband needs to be a good man so that I will also be the wife of a good man". So, she said to her husband that "Husband, tell the villagers that you killed this bear". The husband also told the villagers that he killed the bear. Thus, the whole villagers praised him that Baw Tau was a very good and brave man. This news was spread to the other villages, and a village that had been attacked by a tiger also heard the news about Baw Tau. "We heard that there is a brave man called Baw Tau" said the villagers. "Because our village is being attacked by the tiger, we can't grow any of our livestock. What we are going to do? Should we ask help Baw Tau?" discussed by the villagers. They all thought it was a good idea and agreed. So, they went to Baw Tau and said that, "Our village has been being attacked by a tiger and we don't know what to do. We come here to ask you to kill the tiger because we heard that you killed the bear". Since his news was spread once and he was popular, people were praising him and he also liked to hear such praise althought he was scared too. But, he accepted their request. "Where the tiger usually comes?" asked Baw Tau. The villagers answered that "There is a clump of bamboo over there. The tiger comes from that side when sunset time arrives". Thus, Baw Tau was preparing for that. As the villagers said, there was a big clump of bamboo. In advance, he dug a hole inside the clump of bamboo with the size that his body fitted in. And, he was secretly hiding inside the hole. Actually, it was not to kill the tiger. It was to secretly hide from the tiger because he was extremely scared the tiger. So, he started to tremble. The more it got darker, the more he trembled. While he was staying in such a tremble condition, the tiger actually came to him. Because of the human smell, the tiger was looking for Baw Tau. The tiger was surrounding by the lump of bamboo because it got more human smell when the tiger closed to the clump of bamboo. Even though the tiger was getting a sense of human smell, it saw no one. So, the tiger inserted its tail into the holes around the clump of bamboo. Because of the tiger's action, Baw Tau was extremely scared. So, he aggressively pulled the tail of the tiger and tied its tail again and again in the clump of bamboo. He just grabbed whatever the roots that he saw in front of him and tied them with the tiger's tail. So, the tiger could not move any more because its tail was tied. The tiger could not move anymore and it was just sitting on the clump of bamboo. Then, Baw Tau just quietly went out from the hole and told the villagers that "Villagers, I have tied up the tiger. You can come and kill it now. Bring the rifle and shoot the tiger to death". The villagers brought the rifle and easily shot the tiger that had been already tied up. And, there was no more tiger attack in the village from that day. Therefore, Baw Tau got a good reputation and his wife also got a good reputation, and they became a very happy couple. It was because of the good and clever wife.

Transcription (Lu Hkawng)
Moi da bautau ngu ai wa nga ai da. Tsawm ra anya ai hku re nga, retim madu jan gaw grai myit su na grai zen ai lu ai da. Re na she bungli galaw yang mung madu jan sha ntsun tsun gaw hpa n chye galaw da. Madu jan gaw lani mi gaw madu wa hpe n wa e dai ni gaw masha ni mung yi hkyen na nga, nang mung yi sa tam da u ngu yang kade wa kaba ai hkyen na ngu yang ta lahpan daram mi, e e sa wa sai da, shi gaw ta lahpan ning di na sa soi kau da na wa mat sai da. Hpang shani madu jan hte bai sa wa yang gaw hka nang tam da ai yi gara rai ngu yang dai nang kabye wa nga le ngu, yi buta nang nang gaw ta lahpan mi ngu gaw ga shadawn she re goi grai wa mung n kaba grai wa mung n kaji re ai, yu da u she ngu yang mi nga madu jan dan nga, shing ngu na she shan hkyen ni yi ni bai yu da da. Yu da na yi dai hkyen sai da, hkyen na nat ten du na bai nat kau re yang dai ni gaw yi wa sa galaw sanu yaw ngai gaw yi wa ngalaw yang gaw yi nkam sa ai nga na kaja wa sa wa sai da, kade ram law ai galaw na ngu yang jahkan hkan kawp daram law le ngu jang bai sa wa sai da. Shani ting yi wa kaw n galaw na jahkan hkwi na jahkan kaba law langai mi mu na dai wa she shadu sha na she akawp n hten ai sha kata na shan gaw shaw sha re na hkindu kaw mara kau da da. Hpang shani gaw ya yi wa galaw da sai i nga galaw da sai nang tsun ai jahkan hkan kawp daram law ai galaw da sai ngu, madu jan hte sa wa, dai yi de sa wa yang gara rai, nang galaw da ai yi wa, dai hpun du kaw mara da ai u hka n sha kau sadawng n hpai sha kau sadawng e butau e nang nang gaw hkan kawp daram ngu ai gaw nau mung n kaba, ram ram sha re yi wa galaw she ngu yang me dan re gaw chye sa sa wa mat gaw ngu na dai butau e lam gaw grai gumhkawng wa ai da. Lahpawt mi she madu jan yi de bai sa wa ai da. Madu jan yi de sa wa yang tsap hte hkrum ai da madu jan gaw nau hkrit na kaning n chye di na shi gun ai htingga hte dagraw tawn na kahtam sat la ai da, kahtam sat la na nta de la wa na she madu a mying gaw kaja ai gaw pru ra sai, nye madu wa reng yang she ngai mung grai reng ai madu jan tai lu na re nga na madu wa e ning ngu ai da, madu wa gaw ngai kahtam ai re ngu yaw mare masha ni hpe shing ngu na kaja wa sha tsap kahtam lu ai ngu tsun yang she masha ni gaw grai shakawn sai da loh, butau grai ram ai, grai ram ai, magrau mung grai grang ai nga na kahtawng ting chyam bra wa na oh kahtawng langai mi kaw sharaw grai ju, sharaw grai ju ai kahtawng ni gaw na na she e grai ram ai butau ngu ai wa nga ai da. Anhte ndai kahtawng gaw sharaw nau ju na hpa mung nmai rem sha re gaw kaning wa di sa na kun dai butau e shaga na kun ngu da. Mai ai myit hkum ai nga na butau e she sa tsun ai da. Anhte grai sharaw grai ju ai majaw aw kaning n chye di ai ndai sharaw ju ai kahtam sat kau ya rit, nang gaw tsap pyi lu kahtam ai re gaw ngu jang shi gaw e kalang mi gumhkawng shabawng tawn sai re majaw wat nang galaw ai re ngu yaw nga madu jan mung, masha ni shakawn she shakawn ai grai na ra mat rai hkrit gaw hkrit ai da. Retim mung hkam la ai da. Nanhte sharaw gaw gara maga hku wa sa wa ai ngu yang oh ra wa hpang langai mi nga ai dai ohra maga hku nsin sin wa re hte rim rim nga wa hte dai hku sa wa wa re nga da. Kaja wa sha shi gaw yaw sai da, yaw yang she wa hpang kaba langai mi nga ai, jau jau kaw na i jau jau nga ai kaw na she dai wa hpang kata de e hpya, kata na shi shang rawng daram kata de na shang ahpya kau na dai wa hpang kaw sumri ni malawk, sumri nre dai kaw sa makoi rawng nga da. Shi gaw dai sharaw sa wa wa re hkrit nna le dai wa hpang kaw makoi rawng na hku, makoi rawng na hku (siman) taw she, hpa kahtam na hku mung nrai, makoi rawng na hku re wa she shi gaw nau hkrit nna gari she gari, jan du wa magang gari magang, rai nna nga nga yang sharaw gaw kaja wa sa wa sai da. Sharaw sa wa yang gaw oh shinggyin masha bat manam jang she tam ai hku re nga shi gaw. Shinggyin masha shan manam na kaga de sa wa yang n manam na, dai wa hpang makau de bai re yang gaw bai manam rai, wa hpang hpe shinggrup sai da, shinggrup yang gaw hpa kaw n mu rai jang she sharaw dai gaw masha shan gaw manam re jang shi na mai hte wa hku kaw shalut na achyaw achyaw oh ra hku kaw e ah chyaw yu, ndai hku kaw achyaw yu re jang she butau gaw nau hkrit gari mat na wat sharaw mai e ma ja gang la na she dai wa hpang hkan e ahkyen hkrai ahkyen, dun hkrai dun, gyit hkrai gyit mu ma mu ningru ni hta la na wat gyit hkrai gyit dun tawn na sharaw gaw dai ningmai dun kau ya jang gaw nlu shamu mat sai gaw. Nlu shamu mat na wa hpang shinggan e dung nga re sai gaw. Sharaw gaw shaloi jang she shi gaw hto wa hpang ntsa hku na yet sha mayun wa mat na mare masha ni e mare masha ni e sharaw dun da sai loh, sa sat sanu loh sanat hte gap sat mu loh ngu na wa, kaja wa sha mare masha ni sanat hpai na sa wa nna dun gyit nga chyalu sha sa gap sat la na dai mare kaw e mare n ju mat ai da. Dai majaw butau mung mying kaja lu, madu jan mung mying kaja lu re dai kaw na grai pyaw ai kun dinghku ni tai mat ai da. Madu jan kaja lu ai majaw le.
Origination date 2017-02-12
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/0858
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
M. Lu Htoi : speaker
DOI 10.4225/72/5989e5c2bacb2
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), M. Lu Htoi (speaker), 2017. Baw Tau a lam (The fool Baw Tau) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-0858 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/5989e5c2bacb2
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-0858-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 26.9 KB
KK1-0858-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 6.24 MB 00:06:49.548
KK1-0858-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 225 MB 00:06:49.519
3 files -- 231 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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