| Description |
Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
The story I am going to tell you now is about how the water gushes out each year. This is how it starts. A long time ago, all the animals, including the ants and the crickets held a meeting. The sun was shining so brightly that it dried up all the water. All the animals were suffering, their tongues hanging out. They said, "We need to fetch some water. Who will go fetch it?" In the end, the crab was assigned. They told the crab to fetch some water for all of them. Then he went there because he had no choice. However, he couldn't guarantee that he would definitely bring back any water. Soon, he went to fetch some water. He had been gone for a long time, and he still hadn't come back. Then the animals held another meeting and decided to follow the crab to fetch water because they were so thirsty. They chose someone else to follow the crab. It was the cicada who had to follow the crab. They ordered the cicada to go to the crab. The cicada was shocked that she was assigned to go to the crab. She didn't know where the crab went at all. She flew from one tree to another, shouting, 'Goi e! Goi e!' The crab didn't hear the sound of the cicada, either. The crab was about to come onto the land; he was among the stones and rocks. Soon, he got to hear the sound of the cicada. He thought, "While I was on the land, I didn't know who made that sound. Who could it be? Let me see who it is." He crawled out from the rocks to listen to the cicada's sound. At that time, water gushed out from the spot between the rocks where the crab crawled out. Then the animals got the water. When the cicadas buzz in July, water also gushes out. It still happens even today. Our elders usually say that it is water following the crab. This is the end of the story.
Transcription (Htu Bu)
Rai sai ya ngai hkai na maumwi gaw, Shining Shagu Hka Hpawk Pru Wa Ai Lam hpe hkai dan na re. Ya ndai, ndai lam hte seng na gaw, Moi ndai mungkan ga kaw nga ai Dusat Dumyeng, Kagyin Kadawn kaw na hkawt Shanhte zuphpawng hpawng ma ai da. Ndai hka, hka, mungkan ga kaw hka n nga hkra, Jan grai ja ai da. Ja ja na she, shinglet she shaw, yawng dai hku hkam sha ma ai da. Rai yang gaw, "Hka wa la ra ai." ngu na "Anhte hka wa la ga. Kadai wa la na?" ngu na tsun hkat yang gaw, hpang jahtum gaw, Chyahkan na ale ang wa ai hku re da. Chyahkan hpe hka la shangun ma ai da. Rai yang gaw, Chyahkan kaning n di sa mat wa sai da. Wa la da, wa lu la kun n lu wa la na gaw shi ama n hkam ai hku nga. Rai yang she, shi gaw sa mat wa sai. Chyahkan sa mat sai. Rai yang, grai na ai hku nga. Grai na ai da. Grai na tim n du wa rai yang gaw, ndai Chyahkan hpang de, wa tau la ra ai lam bai kalang mi bai hpawng wa, shanhte hka nau hpang gara wa na dai, grai lawan na hka lu mayu sai le. Rai yang gaw, masha bai lata shanhte sa u, sa na wa hpe Chyahkan hpang hkan na masha bai lata yang gaw, ndai Kaw Yeng hpe lu lata ai da. Ya gaw Kaw Yeng hpe sa shangun ai da. Hkan shangun ai Chyahkan hpang de hkang shangun ai. Rai yang, Chyahkan, hpang de hkan na mantu ndai Kaw Yang mung mau mat. Shi na ale kaw re yang gaw mau na gara hku hka sa ai baw, gara lam mung n nga. Shi sa wa lam mung n mu rai yang gaw, "Ngai e...goi e... goi e...." ngu na, ndai hpun langai hpang langai oh ra de pyen kap ndai hpun de pyen kap na dai hku ngoi hkawm ai da. Rai yang she dai shi dai "Goi e..." ngu ngoi hkawm ai wa, Chyahkan naw nga ten hta gaw Chyahkan gaw n mu kau da ai hku nga. Dai Chyahkan gaw pru wa na ri ri sha rai sai hku nga. Dai nlung lapran, nlung lahkawng lapran kaw du sai hku re da. Dai, Kaw Yeng, ngoi ai nsen na lu sai hku nga, Rai yang gaw, "Koi...ngai." Chyahkan gaw "Ngai mungkan ga naw nga ai ten hta dan nga ngoi ai kadai nga re wa? Ya kadai wa nga, kadai wa ngoi hkawm wa sata?" ngu na she "Dai shawng lawan le naw wa yu na re." ngu hka gaw tawn kau da ai da. Tawn kau da ai ngu hku na shi gaw ndai nlung lapran hku na kazawt pru wa ai da. Dai, Kaw Yeng ngoi ai hpe wa madat na hku. Rai yang she, hka mung e dai shi pru wa ai nlung lahkawng lapran hku na hkan lung, hkan pru wa ai hku nga. E, dai shaloi kaw na hka, shanhte hka mung lu sai hku nga, lu la. Rai yang gaw, ndai Kaw Yeng, ya du hkra ndai Kaw Yeng ngoi ai ten hta ndai, Englisha shata rai yang gaw shata man (7), July shata hkan e galoi mung Hka Hpawk dai shaloi pru ai rai nga. Ra majaw ya du hkra dai hku re nga, Chyahkan a hpang hkan wa ai hka re nga moi na ni dai hku tsun ma ai. Ndai maumwi gaw ndai, ndai hku, ndai kaw ngut sai hku re. |
