Item details
Item ID
KK1-0924
Title Lak Lai Ai Ja Nga A Lam (The Magical Golden Fish) with English translation
Description Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
Once upon a time, there was an old couple in a village. They hadn't got any children. They were so poor that they couldn't even afford to buy pots. They had only one old pot. They lived in a shanty house. The old man loved his wife so much. Although he was getting older day by day, his love for her was never ending. He knew everything his wife loved. The old lady loved eating fish. The old man always caught some fish for his wife, even though she didn't tell him to catch fish for her. He told her, "Since you love eating fish, I will go catch some fish for you." Luckily, he had caught a golden fish. There was a golden fish among many fish he caught. The golden fish asked him, "What do you want, an old man?" He said, "My life is perfect. I have a wife whom I love so much. So, I don't need anything." It begged him, "Then, please let me go. If you let me go, you will get a lot of fish. Set me free." Then, he put the fish into the water. He had got lots of fish. When he arrived home, he told his wife about that golden fish. He said, "I had caught a special fish when I fished. But I put it back into the water." The old lady was greedy and asked her husband, "What did the fish say to you?" He explained, "The fish asked me what I wanted. I told it that I needed nothing and my life was already perfect. It told me to set it free and I would get whatever I wanted if I did that. That's why I get lots of fish today. You like eating fish, right? Eat a lot, my love." She was angry after hearing what her husband said. She told him, "You are such a fool! You are just telling me how foolish you are!" He was surprised and asked her, "Why?" She said, "Think about it. We have got only one old pot! Go back there and call that fish. You tell it that we need many beautiful pots. Tell it that we need many dishes too." Since he loved his wife so much, he listened to her and went to the place where he caught the golden fish. He shouted by the river, "The golden fish, come out again! Come out, please!" Later, the golden fish appeared and asked him, "What do you want?" He said, "There is only one old pot in my house. My wife says she wants many pots and dishes. So, give me those, please." The fish said, "Okay, go back home then. When you arrive home, there will be many pots and dishes as you wish." Then, he went back home and saw that there were really pots and dishes in his house. His wife asked him, "Didn't you ask it to give us other things?" He said, "No, I didn't. You told me that you wanted the dishes and pots, so I just asked for those." She blamed him, "You are such a stupid man. Don't you see our house is very old? Why don't you ask it to give us a new house?" He said, "No, I didn't ask it to give us a big house." She told him, "Go back there again and ask for the house." Then, he went to the river and called the fish. When the fish came out of the water, he told it, "My wife wants a big house." It told him, "Go back home. You will get a big house." When he went back home, he saw a big beautiful house instead of a shanty house they used to live. His wife asked him as soon as he arrived home, "Didn't you ask it to give us more?" He answered, "No, I didn't." She scolded him, "Don't be so stupid! Don't you know that we haven't got any money? Go and ask to give us money!" The old man went there and asked the fish to give them money. The fish said, "Go back home. You will get a lot of money. You will get a house full of money." When he arrived home, his wife asked him, "Why don't you ask more?" He said, "I didn't ask anything anymore. We have already got a lot." She said, "I am too old now, my husband. I want to be a really beautiful young lady. So, go and ask it to make me beautiful." Then, he went to the fish and said, "My wife wants to be a really beautiful lady. So, make her pretty and young lady." It told him, "Go back home. Your wife will be very beautiful." When he arrived home, he saw a gorgeous lady. The wife said, "Did you ask anything more?" He said, "No, I didn't." She told him, "Go to the fish again! Ask it to make this house into a gold house." When he went to the fish again, he asked it what his wife said. Then, the fish got angry. It said, "I have fulfilled many of your wife's wishes. But your wife is too greedy. She doesn't know how to be contented. So, your house will be the same as before. I will not fulfill your wife's wishes anymore. All of your belongings that I have done will be the same as before! Go back home now!" He went back home sadly. When he arrived home, he saw his old wife. His wife became older than before. All of the pots were gone. They got their old pot back. The golden fish disliked the fact that the old lady was too greedy. So, it took all back.

Transcription (La Ring)
Kalang mi ndai dinghku langai mi hta e da kashu kasha ma nnga sai asak grai kaba ai asak grai ugut gu mat sai dinggai yan dingla shan la lahkawng sha nga ai dinghkau langai mi nga ai da. Dai dinghku hta e yu dat ai shaloi shan lahkawng gaw matsan mung matsan ai da. Nta ting rai yang she ndai di bu kasha ni di nyawp nyawp ni shat di ni nyawp nyawp re ni dai zawn re sha lu ma ai da. Nta mung nyawp nyawp re nta dan re sha rawng ai da. Dai rai she ndai madu wa gaw da madu jan hpe grai tsawra ai da. Matsan ai raitim mung yak hkak ai raitim mung madu jan hpe grai tsawra ai re da. Shan lahkawng gaw asak mung ugut gu asak mung grai dingla wa sai raitim mung shi na tsawra myit gaw dai dinggai jan hpe grai tsawra ai. Shi dinggai jan hpaaw sha ra ai ngu hpe shi chye ai da. Dinggai jan gaw nga grai sha ra ai da nga grai sha ra jang she ndai e dingla wa gaw dinggai jan nshangun tim mung da ndai nga sa myek ya ai da. "Dinggai jan e nang nga grai sha ra ai majaw ngai nang na matu nga naw sa myek na yaw ngai nga naw sa hkwi wa na yaw" ngu na dan ngu tsun ai da. E sa mat wa sai da htaw nga sa hkwi yang she nga sa hkwi yang she shi gaw nga sa hkwi nga sa myek sa myek nga yang she ja nga wa pru wa ai da. Ja nga wa ning rai na she dai dingla wa na nga myek kaw wa she lawm pru wa ai da. Lawm pru wa rai she ndai ja nga gaw tsun ai da "E nang i nang hpabaw ra ai rai" ngu dingla wa hpe san ai da. Dingla wa gaw "E ja nga e nye prat hta grai hkum tsup sai" ngu tsun ai da "Ngai grai tsawra ai madu jan mung lu ai majaw ngai grai hkum tsup ai ngai hpa kaga nra nngai" ngu tsun ai da. Dan ngu tsun yang she "Dai hku nga yang gaw nang ngai hpe e chyeju hte dat dat ya rit. Nang dat dat ya jang nang ra ai nga ni lu na re" ngu na tsun ai da. "Ngai hpe sha gaw na a nga myek kaw na dat dat ya rit lo" nga na tsun jang she dai dingla wa dai ja nga hpe nga myek kaw na dat dat ya ai da. Rai jang she shi gaw dai nga sha mai ai baw nga ni grai law hkra la wa ai da. Nta du yang she dai dingla wa gaw madu jan dinggai wa hpe shi dai ja nga hte hkrum ai lam wa tsun dan ai da. "Ngai daini nga sa myek ai wa grai laklai ai ja nga lu ai i raitim mung ngai dai ja nga dai hpe nla wa ai" nga hte e dinggai jan gaw law h pa ai le law hpa myit marin rai jang she "E dingla wa tsun yu u shi nang hpe kaning nga tsun ai rai" nga jang she "E shi ngai hpe tsun dat ai nang hpabaw ra ai rai" nga tsun ai. "Ngai gaw tsun ai shi hpe ngai hpa nra ai ngai yawng hkum tsup sai ngai hta hpa nra sai" ngu tsun dat ai da. "Nre nang ra ai lam tsun u nang ra ai lam tsun jang ngai hpe chyeju hte sha dat dat jang nang ra ai lam hpe ngai shabyin ya na nga tsun dat ai" ngu jang she "Ngai shi hpe dat dat ai majaw ya na zawn ngai nga law law lu wa ai re dinggai jan e. Nang nga grai sha ra ai sha u yaw" ngu na dinggai jan hpe tsun dat ai da. Dai dinggai jan gaw pawt wa ai da "Dai ram ram anya ai dingla wa" ngu tsun dat ai da. "Nang gaw anya shakawng ai she rai nga ai" ngu tsun dat ai da. "Hpabaw re ta" ngu dingla wa san jang she "Taw nang myit dat yu u le an lahkawng hta nta ting hta di bu ga di bu ngu nyawp nyawp rai matsan mayan rai ga di bu langai sha lu ai le sa su kalang bai sa su dai ja nga hte nang bai hkrum na re sa su e tsun dat u di bu grai tsawm ai di bu ni ra ai ngu sa tsun dat u. Yek yek re di bu sha lu ai re majaw gaw n-yek ai grai tsawm ai di bu ra ai ngu sa tsun su di ni mung di hka wan ni mung grai ra ai sa tsun su" ngu dan ngu tsun ai da. Kaja sha dingla wa mung madu jan hpe grai tsawra ai nga yang she sa mat wa sai da. Sa mat yang she "Ja nga e ngai bai sa sai yaw" ngu dan ngu na hka hkinggau kaw na sa marawna dat yang she ja nga bai sa wa ai da. "Nang hpabaw ra ai rai" ngu tsun yang she "E nta kaw na nye madu jan tsun ai nye dinggai jan tsun yang nta kaw na ga di bu gaw da di bu shachyen ni achyen achya re sha re majaw da di bu kaja ra ai da. Di hka wan ni mung kaja ra ai da lo. E dai majaw gaw um di bu e di hka wan nnan ni hpe jaw dat rit da" nga jang she "E nang nta wa su nang nta du ai hte gaw nang ra ai di bu ni di hka wan ni nga taw na ra ai yaw na madu jan ra ai ni nga taw na ra ai" ngu na she dai hku tsun na wa yang she kaja sha nta du jang she di bu kaja ni di hka wan kaja ni sha nga taw ai da. Nga taw jang she e "Hpabaw naw ra ai nsan ai i" ngu na she dinggai jan bai tsun ai da. Rai jang she e dinggai jan wa dai hku san ai she um dingla wa gaw bai tsun ai "E ngai kaga ra ai ngu ngai ntsun sai. Taw nang she dai di bu ni di hka wan ni nga sha tsun ai gaw" ngu yang "Dai ram ram a-nya ai dingla gaw nang nta an lahkawng na nta nyawp nyawp rai na shaje shamya re sha rawng nga ai wa mi nang kaning rai na nta nta kaba law ai nta grai tsawm ai grai htap ai nta jaw rit ngu na nang ntsun ai ngu" nga yang she "Ntsun ai" ngu da. "Sa su kalang bai sa su" ngu bai tsun ai da. Hka hkinggau kaw na she "Ja nga e ngai bai sa wa sai lo nye dinggai tsun ai nta tsawm tsawm re nta grai tsawm ai grai ngang ai kaba ai nta ra ai da" ngu bai sa tsun ai da. Ja nga bai pru wa na she "Wa su nang na madu jan ra ai hte nang ra ai nang hpyi ai lam ni nang nta du ai hte byin taw na ra ai" ngu yang she nta du yang kaja sha nta wa grai hkyik hkam ai nta grai tsawm ai nta wa ngai rai taw ai da. Madu jan bai tsun sai da "Dingla wa nang kaga bai nhpyi jat ai i" ngu yang she "Nhpyi jat ai" nga jang "Nau hkum anya yu u dingla wa an lahkawng ja gumhpraw nlu ai re le e ja gumhpraw mung sa hpyi u le" ngu "Ja gumhpraw sutdek ra ai da ngu sa tsun su" ngu bai sa tsun shangun ai. Bai sa tsun shangun yang she ja nga hpe dai hku bai sa tsun. Ja nga mung "E wa su nang nta du ai hte gaw nang na ja i nta kaw e nang ja gumhpraw sut gan ni grai hpring grai law hkra nanhte ra ai daram nga taw na ra ai yaw" ngu dai hku tsun dat ai shaloi she e nta du yang gaw kaja wa sha byin taw ai da. Dai shaloi dinggai jan bai tsun ai da "Dingla wa e nang kaga bai nhpyi ai i" ngu dai hku bai tsun yang she "Ngai kaga nhpyi sai law nang hpyi ai nau law sai i ngai kaga nhpyi sai" ngu dan ngu tsun ai da. Dan ngu tsun jang she e dan ngu tsun jang she "Ngai grai asak kaba sai le dingla wa e i dai majaw ngai grai mahkawn ai mahkawn kasha byin mayu ai. Dai majaw ngai hpe mahkawn kasha byin na matu bai sa hpyi su" ngu bai tsun dat ai da. "Ja nga e nye madu jan tsun dat ai shi asak grai kaba mat sai da dai majaw grai tsawm ai mahkawn kasha naw tai mayu ai da lo" ngu jang she "Wa su nang wa yang na madu jan dai hku tai na ra ai" ngu na ja nga gaw bai dat dat ai da. Dat dat ai shaloi gaw kaja wa sha dai shi dinggai jan wa gaw grai tsawm htap taw ai da grai hkalung tsawm taw ai da. Rai jang she madu jan bai tsun ai da "Dingla wa nang ya kaga nhpyi jat wa ai i" ngu jang she "Nhpyi jat wa ai" ngu da. "Sa su an lahkawng i ndai kun dinghku hta grai ndai nta ting gaw ja tai mat na hkra ndai nta ting ja tai mat na hku naw sa hpyi su" ngu bai sa ai shaloi gaw da ja nga gaw pawt sai da. "Na na nta kaw na madu jan gaw i shi hpyi ai lam hpe e ngai shadik ya sai. Raitim mung shi hta e kade jaw tim myit dik myit tup ai lam ngu nnga ai. Na a dinggai jan gaw law hpa myit marin ai lam ni nga ai. Shi hta e marin marit ai myit ni hte hpring taw nga ai re. Dai majaw shi hta e myit dik ai lam nnga sai. Wa u na nta gaw mi na hte raw sha bai na dinggai jan hpe ngai hpa nlu jaw sai e daini kaw na gaw na dinggai jan hpyi ai hpe ma ngai nlu shatup sai. Lai sai ten hta jaw ai lam ni yawng mung mi na raw sha tai mat sana re nang nta wa su" ngu tsun dat yang gaw wa yu yang gaw dinggai jan gaw da myi na hta grau dinggai nyawp nyawp rai i nta ni mung shep ashin anyawp anyap rai di hka wan mung di bu ni mung achyen achya rai mi na hta pyi grau sawng mat ai lam byin mat wa ai da. Dai ja nga gaw i dai dinggai jan na myit masin law hpa ai hpe nra sharawng ai majaw dai hku galaw dat ya ai re da.
Origination date 2017-02-13
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/0924
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 Hpang : speaker
DOI 10.4225/72/5989e6cf82d5b
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), L. Hkawn Hpang (speaker), 2017. Lak Lai Ai Ja Nga A Lam (The Magical Golden Fish) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-0924 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/5989e6cf82d5b
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-0924-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 49.6 KB
KK1-0924-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 6.98 MB 00:07:38.213
KK1-0924-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 252 MB 00:07:38.187
3 files -- 259 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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