| Description |
Translation (Gun Mai)
It is a story about Nang Bya. In the past, a person called Nang Bya lied very much to others. He was a man who lied very much. He was only a man. The person called Nang Bya was only a man. There were also seven brothers. When they met with Nang Bya, Nang Bya was sitting on a beehive that was hanging in a forest. So, the seven brothers asked Nang Bya that "Hi Nang Bya, what are you doing there?" Nang Bya then said that "Please don't talk and be quiet. I have here a gong that no one could play since a long time ago." "It can not be played?" the seven brothers asked. "Yes, it cannot be played," Nang Bya answered. The seven brothers said again that "Let's try to play one time." Nang Bya said that "No, it cannot be played." "Let's play," the seven brothers kept saying. Nang Bya then said that "If you want to play, I leave from here first and when I get to another mountain and make a sound, play it." Then, Nang Bya went to another mountain and when he got there, he made a sound with his hand. When the seven brothers heard the sound, they play the beehive as they thought it was a gong. Thus, the seven brothers were stung by the bees and said that "Nang Bya has lied us. It was a beehive. He lied us that it was a gong. Let's do something to him." So, the seven brothers chased Nang Bya and Nang Bya was sitting on a hill. Nang Bya was sitting on a big snake there. Then, the seven brothers said that "Nang Bya, you lied to us. You said that it was a gong. But, when we played it, it was a beehive and the bees came out. They stung us a lot. We will do something to you." Nang Bya then said that "Don't talk, don't talk. I will tell you something." "What is it? Tell us," the seven brothers said. Nang Bya said again that "The chair that I am sitting now is made with gold." "If it is a gold chair, let's try to sit," the seven brothers said. "No, you can't sit," Nang Bya said. "No, let us try," the seven brothers said. Nang Bya said that "OK, you can sit when I get another mountain and after I make whistle sound" So, Nang Bya went to another mountain and made a whistling sound. Then, the seven brothers sat on the snake as they thought it was a gold chair and the snake bit them. Thus, the seven brothers said again that "Ah... Nang Bya lied us again. He said it is a gold chair but when we sit on it, it is moving." So, they chased Nang Bya again. When the seven brothers were chasing, Nang Bya met with a man who was carrying roof grasses. Nang Bya asked the man that "Hi man, what are you carrying?" "I am carrying the roof grasses," the man answered. Since Nang Bya knew that he was being chased by the seven brothers, he took a bundle of the roof grass and walk together with the man. Then, Nang Bya lied to the man that "Go quickly, go quickly. An enemy is chasing you." Nang Bya lied again and again like that. One day, Nang Bya said that "I will go and look the farmland to clear the farm." The seven brothers said that "OK, go and look and tell us when you back." So, Nang Bya went to the forest and touched the soil, and returned home. "You said that you went to look the farm to clear. Did you see the farm?" the seven brothers asked. "Yes, I found it," Nang Bya answerd. "How big the farm is it?" the seven brothers said. "I see this big," Nang Bya said. He lied like that. Thus, the seven brothers chased and tried to kill Nang Bya. Even though they tried, Nang Bya kept lying again and again. Nang Bya lied a king again. The king called Nang Bya and said that "Nang Bya, you lied very much. People said you lied a lot to others." "No, I don't lie," Nang Bya said. the king said that "They said that you lied. You lied a lot." Nang Bya then said that "I left my container that lies others. The container that I used to put lied words." The king then said that "Go home and get it. Go and get the container. Let me see it." "King, it is impossible," Nang Bya said. "Go and get it," the king said. Nang Bya then said that "OK, I will go and take it. But, the king, you have to run one round of your house." So, the king ran one round of his palace house. "I have finished running one round the palace house. You go and get the container that lies," the king said. Nang Bya said that "King, what I just asked you to run one round of your house is my container that lies." "Oh... you are such a lier," the king said. Nang Bya lied to the king one time. Next time, the men of the king captured Nang Bya. Nang Bya was captured and was put into an underground hole. Then, they covered the hole with dried woods and leaves and set the fire. But, Nang Bya escaped from there and ran away. He lied again and again like that. Finally, people tried to capture him but did not succeed. Since no one could capture Nang Bya successfully, Nang Bya was asked to drink poison. When it was time to drink, Nang Bya said to his wife and children that "I have run out all my lies. It is getting end my lies. Thus, if I die, lay down my dead body and make it as playing the flute. Put a bee inside the flute and make it as the flute is being played." So, the people gave him the poison to drink. As he could not deny, he drank it. He drank and died. After he died, his family members made his dead body as he was still alive. The legs were made like that and also made like he was playing the flute with a bee inside. Then, people came and looked at Nang Bya and said that "We gave him the poison to die. Let's go and see whether he dies or not." People who came and looked at Nang Bya said that "No, he doesn't die. He is laying at his house and playing the flute." In fact, Nang Bya was dead. The flute was making a sound because of the bee. When the people said that Nang Bya was still alive and was playing the flute, the people who gave poison Nang Bya said that "This poison usually can kill people. Why it doesn't work with Nang Bya? What happens? Let's drink ourselves." So, they drank the poison themselves. Then, the seven brothers also died after they drank the poison. Nang Bya also died. When the lie ends, it happens like that. That's why there is a Jinghpaw proverb that if the lie ends, the lier can die. People can lie about various things but when it ends, they can die. Thus, it was a story about Nang Bya who lied a lot.
Transcription (Lu Awng)
Nang bya maumwi i. Nangbya ngu wa gaw moi grai masu sha ai da. Grai masu sha ai la langai mi re. Re yang gaw oh ra shi gaw la langai sha re. Nangbya ngu ai dai wa gaw la langai sha. La shan nau ni marai 7 le la yen nau re maria 7 dai wa nga ai da. Dai wa she shanhte hkrum ai shaloi she dai nangbya gaw nangbya ngu wa gaw oh ra nam kaw na lagat i. Lagat nam kaw na lagat ning re na noi ai dai kaw she dung nga ai da. Dai kaw dung nga, dai lalaw la marai 7 shan nau ni gaw e nangbya nang dai kaw hpa sa galaw ai ngu she e hkum shaga yu mu, ngai ningkaw moi kaw na kadai mung n mia dum ai bau langai mi ngai lu ai ngu da. Nmai dum ai, nmai dum ai i nga jang she nmai dum ai ngu. Dai lalaw shan nau ni gaw kalang mi dum yu ga nga. Nmai ai law, nmai dum ai law ngu, dum ya ga law nga, re jang gaw ngai hto bum de hto ra bum kaw naw wa du jang e ndai lahpyaw shi,,, nga lahpyaw dum jang dum u ngu da. Shaloi she nangbya wa hto bum kaw na she lahpyaw hpe lata hte hpyi,,,nga dum dat jang she dai lagat pa wa she dum dat ai da. Dai gawa gawa she dai lalaw yen nau ni a nangbya ndai lagat wa mi she re hka. Anhte hpe bau re nga na masu ai. Ya shi e shi e mung lama mi naw di na re ngu shachyut nang ai, shachyut nang she dai kaw kawng kaw she dung nga la ai da. Re yang gaw lapu kaba re dai wa gawan nna lapu ntsa kaw dung nga. Hay nangbya nang anhte e masu ai. A bau re nga na masu ai. Ya bau dum dat jang lagat she mawng pru wa ai. Anhte e grai gawa sai. Nang e yaw na ngu she, Hkum shaga yu, hkum shaga yu, ngai lama mi tsun na, hpa baw rai tsun yu ngu she, ndai ngai dung ai lahkum gaw ja hte ja hte galaw ai lahkum re ngu da. Ja hte galaw ai lahkum re ngu, gai dung yu ga le, ja lahkum nga yang gaw. Nmai dung ai, nmai dung ai, dung yu ga law, chyam yu ga nga. Dai she shi mung ngai hto bum kaw du jang lahpyaw dum jang e dung u ngu. Kaja wa nangbya shi gaw hto bum kaw sa dung lahpyaw hpyaw,,, nga di re shaloi she oh ra ni gaw lapu ai kaw dung dat jang lapu wa kawa wa ai da. E ndai nangbya grai masu ai. Ya mung ja tingnyang re nga wa gawa wa ai, shamu wa ai nga na bai shachyut. Shachyut yang she oh la langai mi she shangu nam kaw na shangu htat gun na wa ai. Dai she e hpa baw re na hkau nang hpa rai na hpa baw gun ta ngu she, ngai gaw shangu gun ai ngu. E shi hpe gaw le masha ni manawn na shachyut ai re chye jang dai la kaw na shangu la gun na shi gaw hkawm. Dai she nang chyang chyang nanhte e ahpyen hkan nang nga ai ngu masu. Rai jang she dai hku htawt masu htawt masu rai nangbya ngu ai dai nga ai da. Re yang she lani mi re jang gaw ngai ayi ayi hkyen na matu ayi sa yu nga ai da. Sa yu su, sa yu tawn na anhte hpe bai wa tsun ngu. Le nam de sa wa na she ga kaw ning masawp la ai ga kaw masawp la na she wa ai da. Ngai ya yi hkyen na matu sa yu ai gaw mu sai ngu i, mu sai da. Kade wa kade pa ai yi kade kaba ai mu sa nga, ndai daram rai yi ndai daram re mu ai. E ndai hku masu sha ai. Nangbya dai hpe shi e gaw masha ni dai lalaw yen nau ni gaw shi hpe e sat kau na matu shachyut ai. Re yang gaw kade masu yu timmung, aw kade htawt masu ai masu sha ai dai wa hpe gaw nangbya ngu ai dai hkawhkam langai hpe bai masu ai da. Hkawhkam wa gaw nangbya hpe shaga la na she nangbya nang grai masu sha ai da. Masha ni tsun ai nang grai masu ai da, e nmasu ai nmasu ai. Ngai n masu ai, masu ai da. Ngai hpe nang gaw grai masu ai da ngu. Ngai na masu ai ndum gaw oh nta de tawn da sai da. Masu ai ga bang ai ndum dai, dai she hkawhkam wa gaw wa la su. Ndum dai wa la su ngai yu yu na ngu da. Madu hkawhkam e nmai ai nmai ai. Wa la su law ngu, ngai wa la na, hkawhkam nang na ndai nta grup hkra kalang mi na nta grup hkra kagat yu ngu da. Hkawhkam wa gaw dai shi a hkaw nta grup hkra kagat ai da. Gai ya ngai nta shinggrup na gat ngut sai. Dai masu ai ndum la su ngu. E madu hkawhkam nang dai nta shinggrup na kagat ai gaw ai re nga le masu n dum gaw dai re nga le. A ga nang shade wa masu chye ai gaw ngu, dai she bai dai kaw mung shi masu kalang mi masu, bai kalang mi shi hpe hkawhkam wa a ma ni gaw shi hpe rim. Rim la na ga kaw ga nhkun htu re na dai kaw kanawng bang. Kanawng bang na namlap ni hpa ni hpun jahkraw ni kabai bang na wan nat dat ai da, re jang gaw dai kaw na nangbya dai kaw na pru wa na she oh bai hprawng mat wa. Dai hku htawt masu htawt masu rai masu, hpang jahtum gaw shi e rim na hku rim na hku galaw nmai. Oh ra a she shi e gara hku rim tim n byin re jang she shi hpe n dai gung si wa ai baw dai baw i jaw lu ai da. Shi gaw dai lu na ten du jang she shi a madu jan kasha ni hpe she ya ngai masu ai grai masu ma sai. Ya gaw masu ai htum wa sai. Dai majaw ngai lama si jang e ngai hpe nye a mang hpe lagaw ning di mara kau galeng nga sumpyi dum ai hku galaw tawn u, dai sumhpyi kata kaw lagat rim bang na lagat tali tali nga jang sumpyi dum ai hku re u ga ngu, re na she oh ra kaga ni gaw shi hpe nang ai baw tsi gung i (asik) rawng ai dai jaw lu ai da. Jaw lu jang shi gaw nlu nmai lu sai. Lu jang gaw si wa sai da. Si jang gaw dai shi nta masha ni gaw shi hpe nsi ai hku she yup ra kaw lagaw ning di tawn na jinghpaw ga hku gaw lagaw taw hkya ai nga le. Lagaw ning di taw hkya ai nga, dai hku di na she sumpyi dum ai hku sumpyi kata kaw lagat rim bang rai tali tali tali nga masha yawng ni sa yu hto ra nangbya ya dai ni si na hku tsi jaw da ai. Si kun nsi kun sa yu mu, kaja ni e sa yu shangun ai da. E nsi ai loh, shi nta kaw yup ra kaw sumpyi dum na galeng nga ai ngu da. Hkrak nga gaw si sai i. Si nna dai sumpyi kaw pyi gaw lagat rawng na ngoi ai she re. Nsi nna nsi nna sumpyi dum taw nga ai ngu jang dai shi e gung asik jaw ai shangun masha ni gaw har atsi ndai shawoi pyi masha hpe jaw yang jaw si wa wa re wa, ya anhte nangbya hpe jaw yang nsi ai gaw ngu, gara hku re kun ngu na shanhte ma lu yu ai da. Lu jang gaw hkanhte mung lalaw ai masha ni mung si mat. Nangbya mung si mat ai hku re nga. Masu ai wa htum jang she, dai majaw jinghpaw ga malai gaw masu ai htum jang gaw si ai nga. masu ai gaw amyu myu mai masu ai, masu htum jang gaw si wa ai. Dan na nangbya gaw dai hku masu sha chye ai nga maumwi nga ai le.
Notes:
1. Nang Bya is a popular trickster in Kachin folktales, who are a person or an animal that always lies and teases others. It is known by the names of Nang Bya, Mang Bya, Mawng Byaw, and others depending on dialects and languages.
2. For more stories about Nang Bya, see:
KK1-0027
KK1-0028
KK1-0072
KK1-0233
KK1-0234
KK1-0296
KK1-0297
KK1-0326
KK1-0339
KK1-0364
KK1-0475
KK1-0549
KK1-0640
KK1-0709
KK1-0735
KK1-0973
KK1-1209
KK1-1210
KK1-1286
KK1-1379
KK1-1462
KK1-1711
KK1-1785
KK1-1786
KK1-1788
KK1-1789
KK1-1790
KK1-1791
KK1-1792
KK1-1793
KK1-1794
KK1-1795
KK1-1798
KK1-1855
3. See Kurabe (2018) for a story of Mang Bya.
References
Kurabe, Keita. 2018. A Jinghpaw folktale text: A liar Mang Bya. Journal of Kijutsuken 10: 69-80. |
