| Description |
Translation (Nbanpa Rita Seng Mai & Keita Kurabe)
This is the story of Punghkum Naw Ja. Long ago, in the land of Danai, there was a village called Punghkum. There lived a widow and her son, Punghkum Naw Ja. Many women lived in the village, and they made their living by weaving. One day, a very beautiful girl came to the village. She wandered through the village, speaking to everyone she met. When the villagers saw her, they wondered, “Where could this girl be from?” No matter how much they asked around, no one could find out who she was or where she had come from. Just then, Punghkum Naw Ja returned from working in the fields. The girl fell in love, and the two soon grew close. “Come to my village,” she said. Punghkum Naw Ja replied, “I need to tell my mother first.” His mother reminded him to be careful wherever he went. When they left the village together, the girl said to Punghkum Naw Ja, “Please close your eyes.” In the brief moment he closed them, they had already arrived at her home. Her parents lived there as well, and the place was filled with joy. “What village is this?” Punghkum Naw Ja asked. But the girl did not answer. She only said, “This is our home.” After two or three days had passed, Punghkum Naw Ja came down with a fever and grew weak. “I'm worried about my mother. I need to go home,” he told the girl. She gently laid him down to rest. When he opened his eyes, he was already back in his own home. Some time later, the girl stopped coming to the village altogether. Punghkum Naw Ja missed her deeply, and sorrow weighed heavily on his heart. Then one day, he threw himself into the Danai River and never returned. Soon after he sank beneath the water, a lake appeared beside Punghkum village. This happened because, the girl who loved him was actually the daughter of a dragon, and when Punghkum Naw Ja entered the river, she transformed him into a dragon as well. Together, the two created a lake near the village and made it their home. Afterward, Punghkum Naw Ja appeared in his mother's dream and told her that he had become a dragon. He said he was living happily with the dragon maiden by the lake, so she need not worry about him anymore. And from that time on, the lake by the Danai River has been known as Punghkum Lake.
Transcription (Lu Awng & Sumlut Gun Mai)
Ya hkai dan na maumwi gaw "Punghkum Naw Ja A Lam" nga ai re. Moi shawng de, Danai maga de na Punghkum mare ngu ai hta gaida kasha Punghkum Naw Ja ngu ai nga ai da. Dai mare kaw gaw num kasha ni, hpaw mi ni mung law law nga ai hte shani shagu da da sha nna nga ai. Lani mi na nhtoi hta gaw shanhte na mare de num kasha grai tsawm ai langai mi du wa nna mare kaw gawan hkawm, mare masha ni hte shaga hkawm re ai. Dai num sha hpe mu ai shaloi gaw dai mare na num ni gaw kadai re ai kun ngu kade sagawn yu tim gara kaw na sa wa ai re kun mung n chye ma ai. Dai zawn rai nna nga nga yang she, gaida kasha Punghkum Naw Ja hkauna kaw na wa ai hpe mu nna dai num kasha gaw ra mat ai hte dai gaida kasha Punghkum Naw Ja hpe hkau hkra galaw la nna "Anhte na mare de wa ga," ngu shaga ai da. Dai shaloi Punghkum Naw Ja gaw "Nye kanu hpe naw tsun kau da na," ngu tsun nna kanu mung shi hpe gara de hkawm sa tim sadi let hkawm sa na matu htet dat ai. Dai zawn rai nna pru mat wa ai shaloi dai num kasha gaw Punghkum Naw Ja hpe "Myi di dat u," ngu dat nna, myi grip mi sha di dat ai hte dai num kasha na nta de du mat wa ai da. Dai kaw gaw num kasha na kanu yan kawa mung nga ai hte grai pyaw na zawn re ai re da. "Ndai gaw gara mare nga ai re kun?" ngu Punghkum Naw Ja gaw dai num kasha hpe san tim dai num kasha mung hpa n tsun dan ai sha, "Anhte nta re," sha ngu ai. Dai zawn rai nna lahkawng ya masum ya na wa ai shaloi gaw Punghkum Naw Ja gaw kahtet ai zawn nga wa nna n chye nga wa ai hte "Kanu hpe naw wa galaw jaw ra ai," ngu tsun nna nta de wa na lam tsun ai shaloi, dai num kasha mung shi hpe bai yup shangun dat ai hte shi yup ai kaw na hprang wa ai shaloi gaw shi kanu nta kaw bai du taw ai. Dai zawn rai nna nga ai shaloi, dai num sha mung Punghkum Naw Ja a mare de bai n sa mat ai majaw, Punghkum Naw Ja gaw mana zawn zawn rai nna mau chyu mau mat ai hte loi na ai hpang e gaw shi gaw Danai hka de shang mat wa ai hte n pru mat wa ai da. Dai zawn Punghkum Naw Ja hka de shang mat wa ai kade n na ai hte dai shanhte Punghkum mare makau kaw gaw Hka Nawng tai wa ai. Dai gaw hpa majaw na i nga yang Punghkum Naw Ja hte ra hkat ai shayi sha gaw baren shayi sha rai taw ai hte Punghkum Naw Ja hka de shang mat wa ai shaloi, shi hpe mung baren shatai la kau nna shan lahkawng gaw dai mare makau kaw nawng wa galaw la nna nga ai majaw re da. Kanu hpe mung yup mang hku nna she, shi gaw hka de shang mat wa nna baren tai mat sai hte baren shayi sha hte rau ndai mare makau kaw na hka nawng kaw grai pyaw let nga nga ai lam hte shi hpe hpa mung n tsang na matu mung tsun dan ai. Dai aten kaw na Danai Hka makau kaw Punghkum Nawng ngu nna shaga mat wa ai re da. |
