| Description |
Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
The title of the story is "How the Chinese People Started Worshipping the Zau Nat." Once upon a time, there lived a rich old couple. They had nine daughters. They had so many properties that they couldn't even use them all in their lifetime. They never thought that all of their properties would be used up. One day, they called all of their daughters, as they were all grown up. They called their daughters and asked them a question. They asked the eldest daughter, Ma Kaw, "My daughter, how do you plan to spend your life after you get married?" She said, "Mom and Dad, you are very wealthy. I will spend my life enjoying your wealth." They said, "Very well." Then they asked Ma Lu the same question. Ma Lu also gave the same answer. When the parents asked Ma Roi, she gave the same answer. Ma Htu and Ma Kai also gave the same answer. Ma Hka also gave a similar answer. Then they asked the youngest daughter. The father asked her the same question, and she answered, "Dad, we have many siblings. If all of us get married, live with you, and spend your money, all of your wealth will be gone one day. So I will try hard to earn money with my own strength and stand on my own feet." The parents said, "We have many children, but you, the youngest daughter, don't believe us. We have plenty of property, yet you disrespect us. Go and live far away from us." They drove her out of the house. They gave her a horse. And they made her ride the horse backwards. They covered her face with a piece of cloth. They told her, "You must uncover the cloth covering your face only when the horse stops. Whether the house is rich or poor, that will be the house you stay in. Stay there and work to make a living." They gave her back the gold and money they had gifted her when she was young. They said, "Use this money for food and to start your own family." They gave her some money and gold. She rode the horse backwards, as her parents had ordered, and began her journey. The horse went really far. Only when it became dark, the horse stopped somewhere. The horse stopped somewhere when it was dark. The girl thought, "This might be my place to stay." She took the fabric off her head. She saw that the horse had stopped at a very poor, old house. It didn't even look like a house. She thought, "Whatever, this will be my house, as my parents said." And she walked into the house. Only a widow and her son lived in that house. There was a widow and her son living in that house. Only two of them lived in that house. The widow asked the girl, "Oh, girl, where are you heading? If you plan to stay here as a guest, please don't. We are very poor, and we can't serve a fine lady like you. We don't have a room to let you sleep. We don't have any food to offer you, either. We are penniless. Please, go to another house and be the guest there." The girl said, "No, I won't." She told the widow everything that her parents had said. She said, "This will be my house. No matter whether you are poor or rich, I will stay here. I have decided to stay here, no matter what." The old widow said, "Fine. My son will be home very soon. You can talk to him then." At night, the widow's son came home from work. The widow didn't cook anything because they had nothing to eat. When the boy arrived home, the girl gave him three silver coins and asked him to buy some rice. The boy was amazed to see the money, saying "Wow! Is this money?" She said, "That's right. Go buy some rice with it. You can buy whatever you need with it." He said, "Let me go buy it then." He was fascinated by the silver coins because they looked shiny and beautiful to him. He held them up and touched them repeatedly all the way to the place where he would buy the rice. Unfortunately, he lost two silver coins on his way. He had only one silver coin left when he arrived at the grocery store. When he gave the money to the owner, the owner gave him a large amount of rice. The owner also gave him plenty of vegetables. The boy was happy and went back home. When he arrived home, he said to the girl, "I just realized we can buy food with this. If this is money, I know a place in the forest where there is a lot of it. I found that place. Let's go take that money." Then they went there, took as much as they could, and carried it on the horse. They kept the money safely in their house. They always cooked food on brick stoves. They searched for a person skilled at making brick stoves. Wherever they went, they looked for a skilled person who could make stoves well, but they weren't satisfied with anyone. They wanted the best-quality stoves, so they asked others to help find a skilled brick stove builder. The young couple said, "Please find a skilled stove builder. We will give you some money if you do." Then the other people also helped them find a skilled person. They found an old couple in a village and brought them to the young couple. They said, "This old couple builds brick stoves very well. They earn their living by making them." They brought the old couple. Then the old couple built stoves while staying at the young couple's house. One day, they finished building stoves. That night, all of them ate dinner together because the old couple would go back the next morning. While they were eating dinner, the old couple said, "You are very rich." They said to the young couple, "You are wealthy. We used to be rich like you. But now, we have become poor. We always thought that our property would never be used up. We called our children and asked them a question. They all said they would live with us and use our money. Only our youngest said that she would earn her own money and stand on her own feet. She said that if all the children depended on their parents financially, all the money would be used up quickly. Since she said she would stand on her own feet, we drove her out of our house. We made her ride the horse backwards and sent her away. We don't know where she is now." Then the girl realized that they were her parents. She burst into tears and said, "Mom and Dad, it's me. I am the one you sent away, riding backward on a horse." The old couple was deeply saddened and shocked, and they died of a heart attack. The girl buried her parents in the brick stoves they had built with their own hands. She called her parents' souls the Zau Nat (the Stove Nat) and then worshipped them. In Chinese weddings, the bride's face is covered. The bride's face is covered, and she rides the horse backward. It becomes a tradition. This is done during weddings to show what the parents have done for the bride as she joins her new family. During the wedding, the bride rides the horse to the groom's house with her face covered.
Transcription (Htu Bu)
Maumwi ga baw gaw Miwa Ni Zau Nat Gara Hku Na Jaw Wa Ai? ngu ai maumwi re. Moi kalang mi hta grai lu su na, grai sahti ai, dinggai yan dingla nga ma ai da. Dai dinggai yan dingla kaw gaw, num kasha hkrai hkrai sha 9 tup lu ai da. Shan lahkawng a prat hta sha gaw, gara hku tim dai shan lahkawng a sut gan ni hpe, sha ma na n shadu mat ai da. Grai lu ai majaw shan lahkawng gaw, gara hku tim shan lahkawng a sut dan dai ni chye ma na ma n shadu mat ai da. Dan rai na, lani mi na n'htoi hta gaw shi kasha ni mung yawng hkra hte kaba sai re majaw, kasha yan nau ni hpe shi shaga la ai. Shan gumgai yan dingla shaga la rai na she, dingla wa gaw kasha ni hpe san ai da, langai hpang langai. Ma Kaw wa hpe mung shi gaw shaga la na san ai da. "Ma e, nang, nang dinghku de yang nang gara hku nga na rai?" ngu san ai da. Dai shaloi gaw, ma Kaw wa, "Nu yan wa sut gan dai ram she lu ai me, nu yan wa na sut gan ni sha na nga na rai nga ai." ngu tsun ai da. "E, rai sai." ngu da. Ma Lu wa hpe mung, dai hku san ai. Ma lu wa mung dai hku sha bai htai ai da. Ma Roi wa mung, hpe bai san ai shaloi mung, ma Roi wa mung dai hku sha bai htai ai da. Ma Htu mung dai hku sha htai ai. Ma Kai mung dai hku sha htai. Ma Hka mung dai hku sha htai. Re shaloi gaw, hpang jahtum hpung dim wa hpe hpang jahtum hpung dim wa hpe bai san ai da. Kawa gaw san ai shaloi gaw hpung dim wa gaw tsun ai da, "A wa e, annau ni mung grai law ga ai. Annau ni yawng hkra hte wa dinghku de na, a wa nan yan, nu nan a sut gan sha sha na, nan yan lahkawng hte sha rau nga na nga nang gaw nu yan wa a sut gan mung ma wa na re. Dai majaw ngai gaw, nye n'gun atsam hte e, ngai tam na, ngai shakut na she, ngai sha na ngu na tsun ai da. Dai shaloi gaw gumgai yan dingla gaw myit ai da, "Aw, an lahkawng kasha ndai daram ting lu ai kaw na, kaji htum ai nang langai sha wa mi, kanu yan kawa hpe n kam ai. Kanu kawa ndai ram lu ai hpe nang n kaw ai, n kawng ai. Nang gaw kanu yan kawa hte tsan ai shara de sa wa su." ngu na shi gaw, kanu yan kawa gaw shi hpe gawt ai da. Gara hku gawt dat a i, nga yang, shanhte gaw Gumra langai mi jaw dat ai da. Dai ma kaji htum num sha wa hpe, Gumra langai mi jaw dat ai da. Gumra kaw nhtang hku jawn shangun ai da. Dan rai na, shi myi man, baw kaw ma sumpan dagup dat ya ai. "Nang, Gumra ndai hkring ai shara kaw she, na, nang, na baw kaw dagup da ai, na myi man magap tawn da ai sumpan dai hpaw la u." ngu tsun ai da. Dai, Gumra dai shang wa ai nta gaw hkyik ai nta mi rai yang rai, matsan ai nta mi rai yang rai na na nta rai sai." ngu na tsun ai da. "Dai kaw nang chye ai hku wa nga mat u. Nang chye ai hku galaw sha mat u." ngu na tsun ai da. Dan rai na shi lu ai, shi hte, Ja, Gumhpraw ni, num sha dai hpe jaw da ai, Ja, Gumhpraw, moi kaji ten hta kanu yan kawa, na matu re ai, nga na jaw da ai Ja kachyi mi hte Gumhpraw kachyi mi ma, jaw dat ai da. Dai lam kaw e, sha sa wa u. Na dinghku hpe hpang la u." ngu na, dai Gumhpraw kachyi mi hte Ja kachyi mi ma shi hpe jaw dat ai da. Dai shaloi gaw num sha dai mung kanu yan kawa tsun ai hte maren teng sha shi Gumra hpe e Gumra kaw nhtang hku jawn na shi dai, dai hku hkawm mat wa ai da. Gumra mung grai tsan hkra hkawm mat wa ai. Shana de maga jan du ai shaloi gaw, shana de jan du ai shaloi gaw, Gumra ma hkring mat sai da. Jan du na, Gumra shara mi kaw hkring mat ai shaloi gaw, shara mi kaw du ai shaloi gaw Gumra mung hkring mat ai. Dai shaloi shi mung, "Aw, ndai kaw gaw nye shara rai sam ai." ngu na shi, shi hpe magap tawn da ya ai sumpan dai hpe shi hpaw dat ai da. Dai shaloi gaw Gumra dai wa grai shep shep shin shin re nta, masha rawng na zawn pyi n re ai nta kaw Gumra dai wa hkring ai da. Dai majaw, num sha dai mung, "Kaning mi raitim, nu yan wa tsun da ai hte maren, ndai gaw nye nta rai sai." ngu na myit na shi nta de shang wa ai da. Dai nta kaw gaw, dai nta kaw gaw, gaida yan nu sha nga ma ai da. Gaida dinggai langai mi hte e, ma la kasha langai mi, shabrang kasha langai mi sha nga ma ai da. Shan lahkawng, shan nu hkrai sha nga ma ai da. Shan nu hkrai sha nga rai na she, dai kanu gaw san ai da, "A ga, num kasha e, nang gara de sa nni?" ngu na tsun ai da. "Nang an nu kaw manam na myit yang mung, hkum manam law. An nu gaw grai matsan ai, nang, nang zawn re hkyik hkyik hkam hkam re num kasha hpe yup shangun na shara ma n lu ga ai. Nang hpe jaw sha na shat ma n lu ga ai. An nu gaw mala la matsan mayen re, yan nu she rai ga ai. Dai majaw nang an nu a nta n re ai, kaga nta kaw nang sa hkring sa na, sa manam na hku she di u." ngu na tsun ai da. Dai shaloi gaw, num kasha dai gaw tsun ai da, "N re ai." ngu na she shi mung dai dinggai hpe e, kamoi ngu na wa hpe shi mung atsawm sha kanu yan kawa tsun dan dat ai, lam yawng hkra hte hpe tsun dat ai, htet dat ai lam yawng hkra hte hpe shi, tsun dan re shaloi gaw, "Ndai nye nta rai sai. Dai majaw ngai, kaning mi raitim, matsan tim, yak tim ngai, ndai kaw ngai nga na ngu na myit daw dan na ngai shang wa ai she re." ngu tsun ai da. Dai shaloi gaw, dinggai wa mung, "E e, dai hku nga yang mung chyahkring mi re yang, nye kasha wa na re. Nan lahkawng shaga yu mu le." ngu na, "Hkrum shaga yu mu." ngu na tsun ai da. Teng sha, la kasha dai mung, shana de gaw wa sai da, bungli kaw na wa ai da. Dai shaloi, sha na n'gu n lu ai majaw, la, gumgai wa gaw shat hpa mung shat n shadu da ai da. Kasha wa ai shaloi gaw, num kasha wa gaw dai la wa hpe, Gumhpraw masum, pyeksan masum jaw dat ai da. Dai masum hte n'gu sa mari wa rit ngu na jaw dat ai da. Dai shaloi gaw la kasha dai mung grai mau ai da. "A ga, ndai wa Gumhpraw ngu, ndan re re ngu?" ngu san ai da. "Re, ndai Gumhpraw re. Ndai hte n'gu mung lu mari ai. Sha nang sha mayu ai, nang ra ai ni yawng hkra ndai hte mai mari ai." ngu tsun ai da. Dai shaloi gaw, la kasha dai gaw tsun ai da, "Aw, naw sa mari yu ga le." ngu ai da. Dan na dai shi mung lam kaw shachyai chyai ai da dai, atsawm sha grai din tsawm ai re majaw shi gaw shachyai chyai na lung mat wa ai da. Dai hku dut ai shara de n'gu dut ai shara de dai Gumhpraw hpe shachyai chyai na lung mat wa ai shaloi gaw, lam kaw lahkawng shachyai shamat kau ai da, shi. Langai mi sha dai seng de du wa ai shaloi gaw dai seng kaw Gumhpraw dai wa jaw ai shaloi gaw shi hpe n'gu ni grai law hkra jaw dat ai da. Ngut jang shat maw shat mai ni mung dai seng ni gaw, shi hpe gat, gat seng madu ni gaw shi hpe jaw dat ai da. Dai shaloi shi, grai kabu na yu wa ai da. Dai shi madu jan kaw bai du ai shaloi gaw, "Aw.. ndai zawn re ai hte wa, n'gu mai mari sha ai i. Ngai n chye ai majaw re. ndai zawn zawn re hte she, ndai she Gumhpraw re nga yang gaw ngai, ndai zawn re Gumhpraw, nam kaw e, ndai zawn re Gumhpraw grai law hkra bum zawn zawn rai na bum nga ai shara ngai mu da ai. Sa htaw la ga." ngu tsun ai da. Dai shaloi num wa mung, hkraw ai hte maren shan lahkawng gaw dai lu ai Gumra hte dai Gumhpraw hpe shan lahkawng htaw mahkawng tawn da ma ai da. Gumhpraw dai grai law hkra shan lahkawng nta kaw htaw mahkawng tawn da ai shaloi gaw, shanhte gaw Zau kaw shat shadu sha ma ai da. Zau hpe galaw na matu Zau grai chye galaw ai dinggai, Zau grai chye galaw ai dingla hpe e shan lahkawng tam ma ai da. Dai zawn re dingla hpe tam hkawm re shaloi gaw, gara, gara mare kaw du yang mung, nau shan lahkawng ra ai, ra ai hku na dai ni atsawm n chye galaw ai da. Dai shaloi gaw shan lahkawng gaw, grai hkrak ai hpe ra ai re majaw gaw, shan lahkawng masha ni hpe sagawn shangun ai da. Atsawm sha chye galaw ai masha hpe sagawn ya marit, Gumhpraw jaw na ngu ai shaloi gaw, dai ni mung sagawan ya ai da. Sagawn ai shaloi gaw mare langai mi kaw na gumgai yan dingla hpe shaga wa ma ai da. Dai yan gaw grai chye galaw ai Zau sha galaw sha na nga ai re, nga na tsun dan ai da. Dai shaloi gaw dai dinggai yan dingla hpe shaga re shaloi gaw, dinggai yan dingla mung Zau galaw, dai nta kaw na let sha let, Zau hpe galaw ai da. Lani mi na n'htoi hta gaw dai Zau ma galaw ngut sai. Dai shana gaw shanhte man hkrum shat sha ai. Shat sha ngut ai hpang jahpawt gaw bra na re da. Dai majaw shanhte man hkrum shat sha ai shaloi gaw "Yi, nan lahkawng grai lu ai i. Dingai yan dingla gaw tsun sai da, dai la sha yan num sha hpe, "Nan lahkawng grai lu ai i, an mung moi ndai zawn rai na grai lu su ai rai ga ai wa. An lahkawng ya gaw ndai zawn rai na matsan mat ai. An a prat hta, An a sut gan ni sha n ma na re ngu shadu ai. Dai majaw an a kasha ni hpe yawng hkra hte hpe shaga la na, langai hpang langai hpe ga san san ai. Yawng hkra gaw an a sut gan hpe sha na, an hte rau nga na nga hkrai hkai re. Raitim, lahkawng a kasha kaji htum wa gaw, shi lagaw hta shi tsap na shi, tam sha na nga na. An a sut gan ma wa na re, shanhte yawng yawng jawm sha yang gaw ma wa na re. Dai majaw shi na shi tam na shi sha na nga na tsun ai majaw shi hpe, gawt kau dat ai. Shi hpe Gumra nhtang hku jawn na shi hpe hkawm mat wa shangun ai ya daini gaw gara kaw du taw nga ai kun mung n chye mat sai." ngu na tsun ai da. Dai shaloi gaw num sha dai gaw bai dum wa ai da shi, shi kanu yan kawa re hpe shi atsawm sha chye mat sai majaw shi hkrap na shi kanu wan kawa hpe, "A nu yan a wa e, nan lahkawng Gumra nhtang hku jawn na pru mat wa shangun ai gaw, ngai rai nngai." ngu na tsun ai da. Dai kaw nna gumgai yan dingla mung kajawng na si mat wa ai da. Dai hpe e, shan lahkawng galaw da ai dai Zau kaw sha atsawm sha rai na dai kaw sha makoi mayang na she dai Zau Nat ngu na shanhte gaw dai hku na shamying na dai dinggai yan dingla, kanu yan kawa a numla hpe jaw jau ma ai da. Dai majaw Miwa ni gaw Hkung-ran ai shaloi ma, myi man magap ai da. Myi man magap na Gumra shajawn ai ngu gaw dai num sha hpe, nnan pru mat wa ai shaloi kanu yan kawa galaw dat ya ai majaw dai hku na, shanhte Hkung-ran poi galaw ai shaloi dai la nnan wa a nta du hkra shanhte, num nnan wa gaw myi man magap na sa wa ai re da. |
