“There is a folk-tale about a shoemaker and his wife 
who were so poor that they had to send their many children out into the world to make a living. The lads went through many a perilous adventure but came home in the end, unscathed, to help their mother. They had always remembered their mother's advice and wise words; they often quoted them when they were in trouble, and in fact they recognized one another by them in foreign lands.

“The countless peoples of the world may be looked upon as so many children sent out into the world. They have gone through many adventures and hardships. They have drifted apart and fallen out with one another, on many occasions. They have failed to realize soon enough that they are brothers.

“But now it seems that they are beginning to realize this―at least to the extent that they are able to get acquainted with each other's fundamental natures―through their stories and songs.”

―Gyula Illyés, Once Upon a Time: Forty Hungarian Folk-Tales
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Contents

1     Funga Wari – An Introduction - by Sanatombi Angomcha
2     Taming ‘Keibu Keioiba’: Translation as Recovery - by Sumitra Thoidingjam
3     Mapu-Maben Amasung Mashu Tenwagi Waari - by Sanatombi Angomcha
4     Keigi Makonda Lamhuina Macha Poksinba - Anonymous
5     Pebet and the King's Elephant - Anonymous
6     Apanba the Godson - by Yumnam Vedajit Singh
7     Numit Kappa (Shooting the Sun) - Anonymous
8     Leithak Leikharol - Anonymous
9     Hanubi Hanuba Paan Thaaba - Anonymous
10   Lukhrabigi Lousing - Anonymous
11   Ita Thaomei - The Clever Old Woman [from a High-school text book]

       Eeta thaomei - Anonymous
12   Renchang Changte - Anonymous
13   Ningol mawa uyan uppa - Anonymous
14   Tapta (Version 1)- Anonymous 

       Tapta (Version 2)- Anonymous
15   Awa Shongri Loungakpi - Anonymous
16   Sanjenaha Keina Chabagi Wari - Anonymous 

       Sanjenaha - Anonymous
17   Uchek Langmei - Anonymous
18   Konthoujam Tampha Lairembi - by Tayenjam Bijoykumar Singh
19   Kabui Keioiba : the Tigerman - by S Bhabendra Longjamba 

       Keibu Kayoiba - by Sanjoy Mutum
20   Sandrembi and Chaishra - by Victoria Aheibam
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Courtesy:
http://siroy.info
http://www.e-pao.net
http://www.manipurresearchforum.org
http://impfo.org

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“Funga Waari telling is a more of a legacy which has been passed on from our forefathers since time immemorial. This legacy is still observed in various typical Meitei families in contemporary Manipuri society. However, comparing with the other districts in the state, residents particularly in Imphal area seem to have lost interest in this wonderful tradition. Gone are the days when after a hard day’s work members of the family gather up together near the fire-hearth to listen Funga Waaris from the elder members in the family (mostly Grandpas and Grandmas).”

Funga Wari – An Introduction
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Sandrembi and Chaishra

Narrated by Victoria Aheibam

One upon a time there was a man with two wives and two daughters. Sandrembi, his daughter from his first wife, was pretty and kind hearted like her mother. Chaishra, his daughter from the second wife was ugly as she was wicked, much like her mother. When the man passed away, Chaishra and her mother started finding ways to get rid of Sandrembi and her mother. Kind hearted as they always were, Sandrembi and her mother would never think of conspiring against the other two.

One day the two mothers went fishing to the river. As luck would have it, Sandrembi’s mother had a windfall and caught so many fishes in no time. She put them all in her tungol. But Chaishra’s mother would not get even a single fish to catch. She was destined to have only snakes to catch that day. She put all of them in her tungol. When evening came, they were very tired. So, they packed up for the day and set out to return home. On their way back, they decided to take some rest beneath a large fig tree laden with ripe and enticing fruits. Chaishra’s mother climbed up on the tree and started plucking the fruits. She shouted down, “Sister, open up your mouth and I’ll drop this ripe fig for you.” Sandrembi’s mother opened her mouth and was greeted by a ripe fruit. She found it very delicious. Chaishra’s mother again shouted down, “Sister, open up your mouth again, close your eyes and I’ll drop a more delicious one this time.” Sandrembi’s mother closed her eyes and waited for the more delicious fruit with an open mouth without an ounce of doubt. Chaishra’s mother had other plans. The next moment what came down the throat of Sandrembi’s mother was not the ripe fruit but the snakes that Chaishra’s mother had in her tungol. Sandrembi’s mother was severely bitten and died there. Chaishra’s mother took her dead body and threw it into the river and went back home alone with all the catch of Sandrembi’s mother.

When Sandrembi saw Chaishra’s mother coming back alone, she was very worried. She inquired about her mother to her step mother who bluntly replied, “Your mother is still fishing under the fig tree and didn’t want to return home with me.” As the evening turned into night Sandrembi cried for her mother in her helplessness. After crying till very late into the night, Sandrembi fell asleep. Sandrembi’s mother visited her in her dreams and revealed, “My dear Sandrembi, Chaishra’s mother killed me today and threw me in the river. Now I have become a turtle. Tomorrow early morning go to the river and take me out from the river and put me in a mud-pot. After five days in the pot, I shall resurrect as your mother again.”

The next morning before sunrise, Sandrembi hurried to the river to catch the turtle. In the beginning she caught only fishes which she let go and after a long time she caught the turtle. She took it home with great care. Chaishra’s mother saw her coming home and asked, “How many fishes have you caught?” Sandrembi was frightened to see her and answered slowly, “None”. Chaishra’s mother was furious to hear that and shouted angrily, “Then go to the kitchen and cook the food.”

Sandrembi walked into the kitchen and with great care put the turtle in a mud-pot and filled it with water. Chaishra saw it all and she was quick to report the whole turtle episode to her mother. The wicked mother-daughter duo got down to business to come up with a plan to kill the turtle.

As if on cue, Chaishra started crying insisting she must have turtle for lunch. Chaishra’s mother ordered Sandrembi to cook the turtle that she had very carefully kept hiding in the kitchen. A hapless Sandrembi did not have any choice but to cook the turtle that would have reincarnated into her mother in five days. She started cooking it. She could do nothing but watch in painful despair. As the fire started burning vigorously she heard a voice from inside the cooking pot.

“Sandrembi, it’s up to my legs now!”

Heart broken, Sandrembi could not bear it and pull out the firewood from under the boiling pot with tear drops rolling down her cheeks. When Chaishra’s mother saw what she was doing, she shouted angrily, “What are you doing? Your step-sister is crying. Chaishra, come and slap her face.” Chaishra so obediently came and slapped her and she pushed the firewood under the pot. Sandrembi could hear the tearful voice of the turtle from inside the pot.

“Sandrembi, it’s up to my waist now!” Then after a while, “Sandrembi, it’s up to my chest … Sandrembi it’s engulfing my throat.” At last the turtle died. The wicked mother and daughter ate up the cooked turtle and threw away the bones and the shell at the backyard. Poor Sandrembi cried and cried.

That night Sandrembi saw her mother again in her dreams. Her mother told her, “Dear daughter, collect all the bones and the shell from the backyard, wrap it up in a piece of cloth and put it in a basket. After seven days I shall come back to life again.”

Sandrembi did exactly as her mother told her in the dream. But Sandrembi was so very eager to see her mother that she could not wait until the seventh day. So, on the sixth day she opened the cloth and a sparrow came flying out of it. What could poor Sandrembi do, but cry.

Months and years passed. Sandrembi and Chaishra were now fully grown up young woman. One day the two sisters went to fetch water from the river. Sandrembi who was in torn and shabby clothes was carrying a poon on her head. Chaishra on the other hand was attired in neat and clean clothes and was carrying a sanaboon. That very day the king happened to pass through their village and crossed ways with them. When he saw Sandrembi, he was awestruck. His heart was filled with love for the beautiful young lady.

The king started teasing, “I prefer the one carrying the poon. I don’t like the one carrying the sanaboon.”

Then the king came up to Sandrembi and said, “Beautiful lady, I am very thirsty. Will you give me some water to drink from your poon?”

Sandrembi was afraid of her stepmother, so she politely declined, “Forgive me, my King, I cannot give you water. Please drink as much as you want from my sister’s sanaboon.”

“I don’t want to drink from the sanaboon, I want to drink from your poon,” saying this, the king climbed up on his horse and galloped away. When they reached home, Chaishra told the whole story to her mother.

The next day, the two sisters again went to fetch water. This time Chaishra was wearing Sandrembi’s old and torn clothes and was carrying the poon. Sandrembi was made to wear Chaishra’s clean and new clothes and carry the Sanaboon. When they came up from the river, the king was waiting for them on the horseback. He started teasing again in the same fashion as he did the previous day. “I prefer the one carrying the sanaboon. I don’t like the one carrying the poon.”

The king came closer to Sandrembi and said, “Pretty lady, I am very thirsty.” The next moment the king took hold of Sandrembi’s hand, pulled her up on his horseback and away he rode off towards the palace. The next day, Sandrembi and the king got married with much fanfare. The following year, Sandrembi the beautiful queen gave birth to a lovely prince.

All the while, the mother-daughter duo was burning with jealousy for Sandrembi’s good fortune. They spent most of their time either dreaming about the lives they would have been living had Chaishra been in Sandrembi’s place or thinking of a plan to kill Sandrembi. So, one fine day they went to the palace and invited Sandrembi to have lunch with them at their place. The king gave Sandrembi the permission to go but told her not to take their son along with her.

After lunch, when it was time to go back to the palace, Sandrembi saw that her sister had put on all her clothes. Sandrembi said, “Sister, it is getting late, I must go now. My baby must be crying of hunger.”

Chaishra took off the clothes and instead of handing them over to Sandrembi threw them under the bed. When Sandrembi knelt down to take out the clothes from under the bed, the duo poured boiling water over her and poor Sandrembi had an instant and dreadful death. Her soul turned into a pigeon and flew away. Chaishra immediately put on her sister’s clothes and hurried to the palace. The king was surprised to see the undesirable change on his queen’s face. He inquired, “What has happened to you? Why is your face so dark around the eyes? And why are your heels all cracked?”

“Oh my king, I cried the whole day remembering my beloved parents who are no more. That’s why my face is dark around the eyes. I was worried that my baby must be crying so I came running all the way. That’s why my heels are cracked.”

A few days later, a pigeon came flying over the palace garden. When the gardener was cutting the grass, the pigeon perched on a tree branch and started crooning in a strange manner:

O Royal Gardener!
Let it be reported to your Queen
Let it be reported to your King
His Majesty be blessed
Sandrembi on a tree branch
Chaishra on the throne
O Humble King
No clue on your Queen!

The gardener was surprised and frightened at the same time to hear a bird talking like a human being. He immediately went and informed the king about the talking pigeon. The king came to the garden and saw the lovely pigeon sitting on the tree branch. The king said, “Oh lovely pigeon! If you are truly my sweetheart Sandrembi, then fly down here and pick up the rice grains from my palm.”

The pigeon flew down and picked up the grains from the king’s palm. The king carried the pigeon into the palace and kept it in a golden cage. The king dreamt of Sandrembi that night. In the dream she said “My king, please keep me in the palace for seven days. At the end of the seventh day, I will spring back to life as your sweetheart Sandrembi.”

Before the completion of the seven days, the king went for hunting. When he returned to the palace his anger knew no bounds to see the golden cage empty. Chaishra tried her best to calm down the furious king, “My king the pigeon tried to bite our son. It was a very dangerous pigeon. So, I had to kill it and cook it. Here it is. Please relish it.”

The king became even angrier when he saw the bowl of cooked pigeon. He shouted furiously at Chaishra, “You evil lady, throw that away right now!”

Chaishra threw away the pigeon dish near the palace. Within a few days, a mango sapling sprang up from that very area where the dish was thrown. After a few months the sapling grew into a huge mango tree bearing a single mango fruit. The king took good care of the mango. But one day the gardener plucked off the mango and took it home. The next day the gardener searched for a knife to cut the mango but he could not find the knife. Again the next day he got a knife but could not find the mango. It went on like that for seven days.

On the eighth day the mango turned into a beautiful woman. When the gardener returned home he was surprised to see a variety of cooked dishes in his kitchen. He searched his house to find out who had cooked the food. As the beautiful woman was hiding in a dark corner the gardener could not see her. For about a week whenever the gardener returned home he would find his dinner ready. One day the gardener hid near his house to find out who was behind the dinner magic. When the woman started cooking in the kitchen the gardener caught her from behind. He was surprised and happy to see that the woman was none other than his queen Sandrembi. She then told her whole story to the gardener who went immediately to the palace and reported everything to the king. The king sent his royal guards to fetch Sandrembi from the gardener’s house.

The very next day Sandrembi and Chaishra were each given a sword by the king and were asked to fight in front of the whole public. When Chaishra brought down the sword on Sandrembi, it didn’t hurt her an inch! But when Sandrembi struck Chaishra with the sword, she died instantly. Everybody praised their beloved queen. Sandrembi was once again united with her king and son. And happily they lived ever after.

Keibu Keioiba

in two versions

Version 1 Narrated by S Bhabendra Longjamba

Kabui Keioiba was an ogre who had the head of a tiger 
and the body of a man. He was like Narasimha, 
the lion –man (werewolf) as occurred in the Hindu mythology.

Kabui Keioiba was very strong and cruel. He lived in the jungle or the hill, but sometimes he came to the village in search of food. He was a carnivore and lived on animal or human flesh.

One day he came to a village at an odd hour and went to a solitary hut.

He felt the smell of human flesh and said ``I get the smell of a human body, so I am dying of eating human flesh”. There he found an old woman in the hut. She was the only resident of the hut and she was alone. He caught her and was at the point of devouring her. The old woman trembled with terror but said, ``What is the use of eating me? I am very old, thin and skinny. My flesh is so little that it will not satisfy your hunger. Moreover my flesh will be tasteless and fibery as I am very aged. Look, there is a young girl in the house yonder. She is very young and plump. She will serve your purpose well and better. She is alone in the house now and no one will stand in your way.” The tiger-man was glad at the good suggestion and let the woman free.

The name of the girl was Thabaton and she was the youngest and lone sister of seven brothers. She was in the prime of her girlhood and was very beautiful and hale. The brothers loved her dearly as she was their only sister. They treated her very affectionately and tenderly, and they tried to fulfill all her demands. When the brothers were away she would keep the doors of the house bolted fast and tight. She would not open the door until and unless told by her brothers. The house was a strong and secured one and nobody could break open into it.

Kabui Keioiba came to the house but the doors were shut and he could not break them open. So he came back angrily to the old woman and said, ``I cannot open the door. I am very hungry, so I’ll eat you up.” She replied, `` Call her by the name of Thabaton and tell her that her brother has returned and open the door. She will open then.”

The tiger-man again went there and said, ``My dear sister Thabaton, your brother has come. So open the door.” The voice of the ogre was hoarse and growling. It was unlike her brothers’. She heard it and said,``It does not sound like the voice of my brother; so I will not open the door. Be off.”

Disappointed, he returned to the old woman and reported what Thabaton had replied. Then the old woman went with the ogre and stood before Thabaton’s door. The old woman could imitate the voice of the brothers and she called Thabaton and told to open the door. Thabaton could be deceived. On hearing the call, she without any suspicion, opened the door. Kabui Keioiba quickly entered into the house and the old woman ran to her home. He caught Thabaton and carried her away. She could not cry for help because she was gagged and the captor was very powerful. He brought her to his home. Thabaton was now a poor helpless victim at the mercy of the ogre. She needed no cry for help. She remained calm and looking meekly at the ogre. He intently looked at her and was captivated by her beauty. He thought her to be too valuable to be a food. He desired to keep her as his wife. So he begun to console and endear her. He begged her to become his wife and assured her that he could fulfill all her desires and demands. And that he would also remain a faithful husband. Thabaton had no other way but to yield. So she remained as his wife under his close watch as his ward. He never left her alone and she did not find any chance for escape.

When the brothers returned home they found their beloved sister missing. Their hearts broke and wept. They searched her everywhere but failed to find her. But they never ceased and went on looking for their lost sister. After some time they happened to come near the home of Kabui Keioiba. They surveyed the area and had some suspicion about the place. They hid themselves and watched closely. By good luck they caught sight of their sister and looked for a slack and unguarded moment of the ogre. They found a chance and one of them sneaked into and had a short contact and communication with the sister. It was so decided and arranged that the brothers should come stealthily and hid in the bush. She should send the loyal husband on an errand in such a way that he could not return quickly. In the meanwhile she should escape with her brothers without having a fight with the mighty monster. It was thought to be the wisest and safest way. The plan was settled, only to be executed in practice. Kabui Keioiba did not get any scent of it and he remained calm and unsuspecting.

The brothers came next day and hid themselves in a bush near Kabui Keioiba’s house. She knew the arrival of her brothers. She brought out a big piece of hollow bamboo open at both ends and giving it to her husband, requested him to fetch water from the river which was flowing at a distance from their home. Without hesitation he obeyed the command of his beloved wife. He reached the river and tried to fill the bamboo cylinder with both ends open. He dipped it into the water to fill it. But when raised he found it empty. He tried it again and again but the hollow cylinder could not be filled. Unaware of the impossibility of his attempt, he devoted a good length of time in it without accomplishing it.

In the meantime Thabaton escaped with her brothers and they left the place very quickly and reached their home safely.

Kabui Keioiba was trying to fill the bottomless hollow bamboo cylinder without still knowing he could not do it. A crow saw his foolish endeavor and said, ``O Kabui Keioiba, your top and bottom are both hollow. Your beautiful wife also is lost”. The crow repeated it many times jeering at him. He could not get at the meaning of the crow’s saying easily and continued his attempt. Unable to carry out the work and cursing the crow he returned home. And on reaching home he knew that his wife had left him and he was frustrated at the trick played on him by his clever wife.


Version 2 Narrated by Sanjoy Mutum

Thaina mamangeida khungang amamda keibu keiyoiba nungthilgi matamda mee oiba aduga ahingdana kei oiba nupa ama leiramboire.magini haibada kanashu leiramda aduna chakthong foushu toubinaba leitabadagi ahing ahing kei onduna oina machinjak tanba chatpoire.

nongmadi machinjak thiba lakpada keibu kayoibana hanubi amagi mayumda changduna hanubi adubu chage houdoklure,keibu keiyoiba ubada thakatkhiduna hanubi aduna”eidi ahal oire,eeun gashe eekhui khuire,chaba haoraroi,eikhoigi yumthangnaba awanggi yumdonpok ashidaleisha mathon karakpi thabaton koubimabung taretki amata ngaijabi ama leibani,mashak matou yamna fajei,mabu faraga chao,tagat tagat tekpani haokhradoupotni!mabung taretshu mayumda leite,lallonba chatkhi.hanubigi wadu tabada keibu kayoiba thabatonbu uningbana khoro khoro khotlammi amadi thong karamna hanghangadge hanglakpada hanubina “eebungi eebemma nabung taret laklethong hangu haiyoo” hairammi.hanubigi wahei matung eena keibu keiyoibana thabatonda thong hangoo hairubada thabatonnna eebung makhon mande haiduna thong hanglaktare .shaoraduna hanubigi mayumda amuk laklaga thabaton chaba fangdrabanina hanubi nang chaba tare haiduna hairammi.maduda hanubina shiningdaba koubanina “ei hangdokhange haiduna keibu kayoibaga lakminnarammi amadi mabungi makhol sharaga”eebunggi eebemmataret shenja tannaba lallonbabu chatluba nabung taret lakle,thonggi natei kanglo,pouron taret shatlo.”

handakti thabatonna mabung taretki makhol malli haidunathong hangle,hanubi adudi tanja aduda nanthoktuna chenkhre amadi keibu keiyoibana thabatonbu namduna faraga mayumda pukhre.

lallonba chatluba mabung taretna hallakpada thabaton leiramdaba ubada nungsha thiraduna thangnaba yumlonnaba hanubiduda hangbada keibu keiyoibana fadan pukhre hairaklammi.

madu tabada mei houraduna mabung taret adu thangshang amamam pairaga machan thiba thorakle.adubu fana thidunashu machangi khongulliba fangdare.

ashomdana keibu keiyoibana thabatonbu chathokpagi mahutta shuklaba umang amada puraga khangpokshang amada magi nupi oina thamlaboire.

mabung taretna thabatonbu chingnung manung umang wamang shittan thirakpada nongmadi umangi khangpokshang amada machan nupi leibadu ure.manak nakshinna yengbada nupa amaga loinana angang amashu leiba ure.eengit touduna thabatonda mabung taret lakle haiba khanghalle,amadi mathanggi ayukta keibu keiyoiba chathokhringeida,thabaton mabung taret unnaduna kapminnare aduga mafamdudagi thuna yangna chennaba thourang shinnare.

keibu keiyoibana mayumda hallakpada thabatonna utong makhul animak hoba ama pairaduna hairakpoire “nupa chak thongnaba eeshing amata leite aduna utongshi puraga khongdagi eeshing khara shokpiraku” keibu keiyoiba utong ahobadu paiduna eeshing shokpa chatkhre.

mahakna eeshing shokpa chatkhringei,habung amagi marumda lumduna leiramba mabung taret thoklaklaga keibu keiyoibagi mayumdu mei thadokle,machadushu hatokle amadi thabatonbu puduna thuna yangna mayum tamna lakle.

amaromdana keibu keiyoiba maning mamang hotrong hoba utongduda eeshing shokpaga kakhatpaga yubaga toudana eeshing shokpa ngamdraboire.nakalda yenduna leiramba kwak amana magi matoudu uraga toina toina khonglaklammi

“ho keibu keiyoiba naning namang hotrong ho,natu leima kang kok”

kwakna hanjin hanjin khonglakpa ashida chingnaraduna utongdu hundoklamlaga keibu keiyoiba mayum tamna parap parap lakle.mayum youbada ashiba macha adu taduna leiramle amadi mayumdushu mei thadoklamle.shaoban mei houraduna”accha lakcheida: leirammudo ngashidi khanggani haiduna thabatongi yumlomda lakedo.

keibu keiyoiba lakkani haina khangduna thourang touraga leiramba mabung taretna makhut chaba khutlai amamam pairaduna lumduna leirammi .keibu keiyoibana thabatongi thongal hek lanshillakpaga mabung taretna chongthoraktuna keibu keiyoibado thangna yanduna,utupna thomduna hatokedo.

keibu keiyoibana shikhraba matungda thabaton mabung taretka loinana nungai yaifana pankhiboire.

namja namthek haibashi afaba thabak natte.thabatongi mafamda namja namtheknaba shajat chatluba keibu keiyoiba maralgi mathwai thakhi.

Konthoujam Tampha Lairembi

Narrated by Tayenjam Bijoykumar Singh

Konthoujam, a very picturesque place, lies in the west of Imphal. Once there live a very pious couple, Konthoujamba and Konthoujambi. They were well off in every respect except that they had no child. It became their greatest worry. They consulted shamans and availed of their advice but it was of no use. They delved deeper into the matter and prayed to Salairen Shidaba Mapu, the immortal supreme progenitor, Lord of the sky, to fulfil their wish. He heard their heartfelt prayer and instructed Imoinu, the goddess of prosperity, one of the manifestations of Leimaren Shidabi, the Great Immortal Female Divinity, to help them with the hope of continuing the cycle of life in which he too could take part.

Imoinu implanted herself into the body of Konthoujambi. In due course, a baby girl was born to the couple, Konthoujamba and Konthoujambi. On getting a child of their own, their joy knew no bounds. They named their precious child Tampha, meaning jewel and brought her up with extreme care and love. When she came of age she was known for her beauty and gentle manners. She would never sit idle for a single moment though she could easily pass her days in comfort without doing anything as her parents were well off. She would go to forests, lakes, open grounds and meadows to gather fire-wood, catch fish and collect wild edible plants.

Salairen Shidaba Mapu thought it was high time he performed his part in the play. One day while Tampha was out in an open field collecting wild edible plants with her friends, the sky suddenly darkened and strong wind started blowing with loud howling sound. Right in front of her terrified friends a whirlwind lifted her up. Before her stunned friends could do anything she was carried away and soon vanished from their sight. The wind took her to the abode of Salairen Shidaba Mapu. He was waiting to receive and welcome her.

Tampha did not pay any attention to his hospitality. Separation from her parents and friends totally engrossed her and made her very unhappy. Salairen Shidaba Mapu tried to console her saying, he had brought her up so that she could reside in heaven and rule both heaven and earth as his companion. But she would not listen to him. She was sulking over the departure from her native place. To lessen her worry he promised her, he would see to that her people never suffered the loss of their near and dear ones, and no calamity visited her parental land.

Meanwhile, her friends ran and related the astonishing incident to her parents. They wailed and cried their hearts out at the loss of their daughter, their only child. Salairen Shidaba Mapu heard their pensive cry in anguish and appeared before them. He tried to comfort them saying Tampha was safe with him. She was destined to rule both heaven and earth. But, his words could not lessen their agony. At last he was able to pacify them when he said that they had never to worry about the death of any person in their land. He would also see to that no catastrophic incident ever visited their land. Tampha’s friends were relieved to hear his words and left one after another. In the course of time she had become a faint memory in their minds.

Tampha spent her time remembering her parents and friends left behind in her native place. A year had passed thus and a son was born to her. She and Salairen Shidaba Mapu named their son Khoriphaba. For some time her son kept her mind occupied. However, she could not completely forget her people.

Back home, her people were happy as deaths and natural calamities never visited their land after her departure. Nevertheless her parents were restless to see their daughter. Their eagerness to see her increased with the passing of each day. They devised a plan to call her back and requested others to help them. Everyone readily agreed to help them.

To put the plan into action all the able bodied men went on a hunting expedition accompanied by hunting dogs. They went far and wide, covering the whole of Thangjing hill range but they could neither catch nor kill a single animal. Tired from walking in forests in difficult terrain, the men rested under the shade of a tree. While they were resting, one of the dogs wandered away. It went to a deep gorge. There an enormous python was basking in sun. On seeing the python the dog started barking. The python was angry at the dog for disturbing its rest. It killed the dog and slithered away. Suspicious at not hearing the dog’s bark, the men got up and started searching for it. They found the dead dog and carried it home.

They lit a funeral pyre and placed the dead dog on it. Smoke rose up skywards. Up in the sky, Tampha saw the smoke rising from her homeland. She became worried that someone might have died in spite of Salairen Shidaba Mapu’s promise. She went to him to inquire about the cause. He said it was only a dead dog being cremated. Still, she insisted that she wanted to go and meet her parents. Her persuasion bore fruit at last. Reluctantly, Salairen Shidaba Mapu gave his consent to allow her to meet her parents on the condition she left after Khoriphaba had gone to sleep. She should come back before he got up.

He placed a ladder made of gold for her to climb down. With the help of it she got down at the top of Thangjing hill. From there she went to Konthoujam, her parental land. He friends saw her coming down on the gold ladder and informed her parents. All of them came out to receive her. Her mother offered her the choicest fruits for her to eat and the choicest flowers to adorn her ears.

After a while Tampha got up ready to go back saying that she had to return before her son Khoriphaba woke up. Her mother caught hold of her wrist saying how could she leave without taking at least a morsel of food and mouthful of home brew. Tampha told her mother of the condition that since she was married to a divinity she would not be able to eat food cooked by mortals and drink brew prepared by them. If she did she would be ex-communicated by the divinities. Her mother informed her that she had made arrangements so that no one would be able to see her eating.

Knowing fully well Tampha would refuse to take human food openly, her mother had already constructed a shade with seven layers of false ceiling, enclosed by seven layers of drapery. Inside she spread out delicious preparations for Tampha to eat. Home brew was also kept ready in a gourd bottle for her to drink. Holding her daughter’s wrist, she dragged her to the shed.

Poor Tampha could not help but eat what her mother had so lovingly prepared. She sat down and lifted her hand to eat. Before she could put the food in her mouth, she heard Salairen Shidaba Mapu’s voice saying since she had chosen to eat human food she could not come back to his abode. He spat and a blob of spit landed on her hand. He then lifted up the gold ladder. Now she would not be able to return husband’s house. Nor would she be able to stay at her parental house since she was a married woman. She chose to stay at segregated place at the outskirts of Konthoujam village. She passed her days thinking about her son.

Meanwhile, Khoriphaba woke up and started looking for his mother. Not finding her anywhere, he started crying. No one could console him and make him stop crying. He continued to cry for three days and nights. Salairen Shidaba Mapu was worried his son was sure to die if he cried any longer. He requested Leimaren Shidabi for help. She changed herself into an exact copy of Tampha and went to pacify Khoriphaba. He stopped crying the moment he saw her.

Taking the role of a real mother, Leimaren Shidabi brought up Khoriphaba. After twelve years, she revealed the truth to Khoriphaba one day. She was not her real mother. Tampha, his real mother resided at Konthoujam. Leimaren Shidabi bade farewell saying that since he was no longer a child she would leave to perform her destined duty of looking after of all the living beings and supervising their well-being.

Khoriphaba became restless to meet his real mother. He requested his father to allow him to go to Konthoujam and meet his mother. His father let him go after extracting a promise from him that he would meet her and return before daybreak. If he failed he would never meet her. His father placed a gold ladder for him to climb down. Before his departure his father gave him a Kanjei to protect himself.

Khoriphaba climbed down to the top of Thangjing hill. There Ayang Ningthou ambushed him and tried to kill him with a nine headed long. With the help of his father’s Kanjei Khoriphaba finished him off and went on his journey to Konthoujam. During the journey he had to cross a river. A kind fisherwoman ferried him across the river and showed him the direction to Konthoujam. When he reached Nambol, he climbed up the Phoijing hill to look for the path leading to Konthoujam. Alas, when he reached the top of the hill, first rays of the morning sun streaked across the sky. Now, he could neither meet his mother nor go back to his father. He stood dumbfounded. Helpless Khoriphaba sat down and wailed.

Every night when all the living beings had gone to sleep and tranquillity prevailed everywhere, Tampha could hear Khoriphaba’s wail feebly in the distance. She could not recognize the voice as she had neither met nor heard his son’s voice for twelve years. However, the wail seemed to strike a strange note in her mind. On inquiry she learnt that it was her son Khoriphba wailing. The mother’s heart in her was eager to meet her long lost son. But, she learnt of the promised he had made to his father – he would never meet her again if he failed to do so during the stipulated time. Nevertheless, she made it a point to send him food. She thought that if he recognised her as his real mother he would accept the food. She was relieved when he accepted the food. The mother and son stayed at their respective places never meeting each other.

A temple dedicated to Tampha now stands at Konthoujam surrounded lust growth of threes. Another temple dedicated to Khoriphaba also stands on the top of Phoijing hill at Nambol.

Uchek Langmei

by Anonymous

Thaina mamangngeida lalonba nupa amagi nongdangpPnu koubi machanupi ama leirammi.Piklingeida mama liekhidbana,atombi mama amana yoklakammi.Nongdangnuna piklingeida mama atombi aduna machagum luna tourammi adubu mahakna leishabi punkak pharakpa matamdadi mapana machanupi bu luna touba ubada kallak yengthibagi wakhal laklammi amadi,mapa leitaba matamda thina thina cheiduna akanba thabak kaya ama leppa leitana shunba hourakkhi.nonganbadagi nummitaba faoba kollik wairam shengba,chakthong foushu toubada ngaihak faoba shanghallamde.

Nongmadi leishing kaapon puthoktunamachanupina lashing kappada nungshit shillakpa tanja thoktuna lashingdu khara chaithoklammi.mama tombina cheirani khandana kanna khomjillingeida mamaton thoklaktuna mashamdu laktunachinglaga pangfuta fubire.nongdangnuna “eema nungshit shitlakpadagi toubani eishu khungatnaba hotnajaridana”haibadagi mamana” hai nangbu nathibong pandro! nungshit shitli haiba khangdro! mama oktabagi macha ,nungshit mairam lashing kappi! haina thina cheiraboire.nongdangnuna “Oh eehakthakki nongakhrabi eemabu oktabi haina cheikhredako!” khanduna mamitta mapi tana khangduna lenkhiboire.

nongmadi mamatonna chak thonglaga mapa macha makhoi ahum chak chaminnabada ,nongdangnu fuk hougatlaga machin tengba thokhare,karigino haina mapana yenglubada machada hapliba enshang adudi chaba yadaba oiramle.heibong ashubada eeshing heijillaga enshang shaduna haplamle.nongdangnungi mapana madu ubada shaoraduna magi nupi atombida cheirakpore”hai nupi karino nangna touribashe heibong ashubabu enshangni haina mathanta pokpi eecha nupishida pijaba! nang matoinara! eecha ashi maraibak thirabi mama nouringeida kainakhrabi angangni,kari gumba tathi tawoina tourabadi nang khanggadabani haina cheiraklammi.adubu cheringeda khara hek fei,mapa leitaba matamda mamatonbina machanupi otpashi hainingai leitaba makhei otli.

nongma numit ama leikaigi mamannabi mayam laktuna chak channaba yaonaba hourare.mamatongi mawaong khangbanina nongdangnungna khoutakchana hoi eeta haina khumlammi.mamanabi shingna”eeta nafi narol aru ahen shet chaduna laku” hairaga mayam chatkhre. mamatombina ngangnakhiba waridu taraduna madadi chak chanaba chathallaroi haina shillammi amadi chak chanaba numit adugi ayuk nganta machana chak chanabada shetna innaba firol amadi likkol loina shijil inshillaga nongdangnu khanghandana mapamda chatkhirammi.mamanabi shingna chak chanaba houba lakpada fi shetningai leitabadagi lakpa ngammaroi haina haidokhre.mahakki matoududa nungaitraduna fajaraba chak chakluk ama shembiraga thillaktuna harao chaminnaraga mayamdu hannakhre.

numidangwairam mamshillakpa matamni,nongdangnuna mathwai nungaitana atiyadauchek wayana mahum maikei tamna pairibadu yengi.thapna tamna maning tamna pairiba uchekshingdu uraga hairakpoire” korou thakta pairiba eeta!ha uchek langmei o !laibak thiba nata eidi charei fishu leijade feijup maitha oinaba natu pumbum amamamdadi thadabirammuba! uchekshingduna matu amamam thadabiramboire. nongdangnuna uchek matu mayamdu khomjillaga feijup maitha shemduna ahing adu lelle. nongallaga nganta hougatlakpada uchek langmei shangu ama pairakpa ubada kouduna hairakpoire “ha uchek langmei o eidi palem eema kainarabi charei fijet tamlabi nuja laibak thirabini .taibang khongao naramlaga eetalakta tillage natu amamamtang thadabirammu! uchek langmeishing aduna matu amamam thadabiramboire.matu mayamdu langna kanna kanna kishillaga mashada yetshille ,uchek masha ani amashu shemle.

mathang ayuk anganbada nongdangnu uchek olladuna eengkhol maningda houba heinou pambida tongduna mapa lakpa ngaikhiboire.mama poktabishu mapamdagi hallaklaga nongdangnu leiramdabaduda fanaduk fare khuya tushitna pallage khanduna thabak inkhang loishinduna leire .mapana mayum yourakpada nongdangu udabadagi ,ashum ashum kourakpada machana”eepa eebungo namomdi eema poktabagi michei khangba ngamdre mee oina hingjararoi chekla langmei oiduna koina tamna paikhrage” hairakalammi.mapana”eechagi eebemma karigi thamoi aduk kanbage,eepa leiri lao,eechagi fijet firol ahan ahanba leirakle,athum ahaoshu yaorakee,lao louro lao charo lao!

mapana khamjaba yakhidre nongdangnu,mamitta mapi shinthaduna mapabu bidai touramlaga masha shagal ani khaptuna lapna tamna paikhre,chekla shangulakta tinkhre.mapana thamoi chakna,awabana fumbangnanamachana paikhiba maikei yengdunaleihouee.amadi khudakta nupi atombi adubu mayumdagi tanthokhi.

minungshi khangdaba mahaktudi shadagishu henna tolli.machana uchek langmei onduna paikhibada karishu nachungdaba,meeot minai touraga nungaijaba mamatombi konathangda mayumdagi tanthoktuna awaba nangkhi.

Sanjenaha

Anonymous

Dear readers, the tale I am going to relate dates back to many hundreds of thousands years ago during a period, not yet definitely determinable, of mankind’s history known to us all, most likely towards the end of it. In a land far, far away God created a valley which God shaped with His own Hands to perfection. The valley was one of the most beautiful lush green valleys that ever existed on earth. Surrounded as it was by lush green hills on all sides it was a cornucopia of all imaginable floras and faunas.

The land was blessed with fertile soil, abundant rainfall and thus the valley was flushed with greenery, rich paddy fields, green grasslands, green jungles and wild lives. In the jungle there inhabited all varieties of wild animals among which there were rumors of a man-eating tiger which preyed on domestic animals as well as human beings. Though it was hard to say whether any of the villagers in the valley had actually seen the man-eating tiger or not, the nerve-wrecking tales of the tiger’s deeds were sufficient enough to keep the villagers on tenterhooks and far away from the jungle.

The people inhabiting the valley were honest, simple folks who went about their daily chores with not a thought of deceit or cunningness. They were a happy contented folks. Their livelihood depended mainly on agriculture and its allied activities such as breeding of cows, sheep, goats, etc which we now term as domestic activities. Rearing of domestic animal was their main occupation. There was grazing grounds in the valley where herds of cows could graze from sunrise to sunset. These cows were taken care of by boys from the village. The villagers had devised a roster system for looking after the cows. One boy from each of the households in the village was assigned the task of looking after the cows for a day. Every household in the village had to contribute towards the duty of looking after the village community cows.

It so happened that there lived in the valley a boy named Tomal who was such a delinquent and irresponsible boy as ever known to the villagers. Such was Tomal’s character that it was second nature for him to fib and make up tales to fool the innocent villagers. He got into a lot of troubles over this habit of his but alas! The boy never learnt his lesson. His parents who themselves had been frequently at the receiving end of his lies and deceit had given up on him as a lost cause. This tale is about how Tomal’s lie costs him his life and what we can learn from his story.

As I had mentioned before, the village had a roster system of looking after the cows. On one occasion it was Tomal’s turn at looking after the cows. He went to the grazing ground with a big herd of cows at a time when the sun was just rising in the clear blue sky. As it was a bright sunny day, Tomal wanted to laze around and while away his time. He was not at all interested in his task of taking care of the strayed cows. He found his assigned task boring and tedious and wanted to avoid his duty. He thought of an idea to make some mischief in order to while away his time and have fun at the expense of the innocent simple-minded villagers. Nearby the grazing field he saw people from the village working hard on the paddy rice fields and he conceived of an idea as to how to have some fun at these people’s expense. He climbed high on the top of a tree and raised a false alarm. He cried out loud and clearly “Tiger! Tiger! Help! Help! ” . He wanted to cause excitement and alarm among the villagers and to have a good laugh at their reactions. As he shouted at the top of the voice, the people working in the nearby paddy fields heard his cry of alarm and were taken aback. Everybody with their weapons in hand came rushing to the grazing ground where the cowherd was shouting and crying for help.

When they reached the spot, they enquired to the boy “My dear boy! What happened?! Why are you shouting? What sort of help do you need?!”. But to their surprise they could not see any difficulty or impending danger. Hearing the cowherd’s cry of alarm they had expected to see a fierce man-eating tiger lurking around to attack the cows and the cowherd. So they had come ready to tackle the tiger with their weapons. But what do they see! No sign of a tiger nearby, no tiger coming out from the nearby jungle to threaten the cows or the boy himself.

Tomal when he saw the villagers come rushing to his help with their weapons in hand burst out laughing and confessed “My dear village folks, I was just playing a prank on you! There is no tiger and I don’t need any help!” The villagers were shocked and felt themselves as being cheated by the cowherd’s lie of a tiger approaching the grazing ground and threatening lives. The villagers returned home feeling cheated by the false alarm of the cowherd boy. They felt that they could not ever trust the words of this cowherd again.

Many days passed and then came a day when it was yet again Tomal’s turn to look after the cows. As usual Tomal was busy scheming of a means to while away his time when looking around what does he see! A tiger with bright burning eyes as fierce and bold as one can imagine comes rushing out from the jungle. The poor cowherd frightened out of his wits cried at the top of his voice “Tiger! Tiger! Help! Help!” as had often been his wont when he had played a prank on others. But this time Tomal saw no villagers coming to his rescue with weapons on hand. All long he kept shouting for help and yet not a single soul came in response to his cry for help. All of a sudden the tiger jumped and felled upon the cowherd boy. The cowherd was killed instantly.

Thus when at last a tiger did come and threatened the cowherd’s life and he cried out “Tiger! Tiger! Help! Help!” the voice though heard by the villagers working near the paddy rice fields, they took it to be a prank yet again of Tomal’s and so no one took it seriously or paid much attention to his words..

Such was the ill fate of the cowherd boy whose own lies recoiled on him to death. So my dear readers, this story teaches us a valuable lesson as to how lies can cost even one’s own life and how we should restrain from making up tales and lies to fool others and try to lead an honest upright life as befits a good human being.


Sanjenaha (Meiteilol-da)

by Anonymous

Thaina mamangeida sanjennaha kouba pakhang macha ama leirammi.
Mahak leikaiduda kak kaak touba heishingbata nattana oidaba ngangba 
amada shemjin shajinnaba wari touba da expert oirammi.

Leikai gi ahallaman na wari watai shaba sana khotnabada shu chayet chayet touduna angang ahan oina shu tourammi.

ahan mayamna shatrang shannare kharra yao,horai khaiba khara yao,kei yen shannaba khara yao nonganbadagi numit taba phaoba yumgi makhada leiramde.lairik laishugi waadi makokta kari amata changlamde.Karigumbada magi longgaa mayamga pullabashu afa nungai thabak amata touramde,Naorina uchek khara kaap migi hei khara huran,karan turan touduna matam chuppa lellammi.

nongmadi mamana magi matoududa shaoduna haigattana cheirammi amadi magi lamchatta ahongba purakoidaba oirabadi eema ga amata koubirakkanu hairammi.

waadu tabada mathawai nungaitraduna,phare adudi ei yumda hanjaklakaroi haiduna chatkhirammi.Nongma nini mamannabagi mayumda lekaba matungda upai leiraktaduna aroibadadi ahan kangbu ama sha taanba chatpaduda yaoge haina kanna takshillammi amadi magini haibada yumda kana amata leite ,eema shu eepashu leitre ka haiduna aroibida haijinba duda ,ahan kangbu adu khangba ngamdaduna phare phare haiduna mahakpushu pubirammi.

ashumna mahak sha taanba kangbu ga loinana sha taanba chatlammi.

jungle youraba matungdashu oidaba nganga ba leplamde amadi nongmei kappa shu hei haina haijillammi.Adudagidi mangonda nongmei ashubi ama shinnarammi.Ashum asum jungla manungda changshallaklabada kei yamna leiba jaga ama your haina ahan kangbu adugi luchingbana hairammi.

Madu tabada sanjen nahagi kokta karan gi wakhal ama laklammi amadi nongllakpaga mayamdagi khara laapna,mayaamna udaba mapham amada chatlaga ....ho eibu amukta kanbiyu ...ei keina chagadoure ,keina laakle ...ka haiduna hanjan hanjan laoraklammi.Madu tabada ahan mayam adu pakhatladuna mahakki makhona lakpa maikeiromda pakhat pakhatna chenshillaklammi....manaak yourakpadadi .......houna houna khigatladuna sanjennahana laoraklammi....eina nakhoi mayam apangshiba....ahanni haidan makok yaodeda haiduna karemnarammi..

Shaoraduna ahan mayamdu mahakpu maphamduda thanamlaga halaklammi..

ngaihak leirga sanjennahadu ashengba kei amana attack tuorakpa kandadi nongmei ama yaojarabashu kappadi heitabanina ,mahakna kanna kanna laorabashu ...faagi touribani haiduna ahan mayamdu manakta lak khide....

kana amata kanba laktrabada sanjen naha adu keina chakhirammi

oidaba ngangbana sanjen naha keigi chinjaak oikhi.

houjik phaobada sanjen naha keina chaba hairaga oida ba ngangba mayambu warning tounari..

Awa Shongri Loungakpi

Anonymous

Thaina mamangeida kobru ningthougi mashu yukokthong yaimaba kouba nupa ama leiramboire.mahakshi lou shinguba,thabak shu nombashi kaya heinadaduna lallon itik touduna hinnaba hotnajaboire.mana ashum lakpada kabo lamdam yourakpadagi haoningshang paodongnu koubi amagida yaong induna leiboire.

matamgi khonglei matung inna poudongnu macha nupi ama pokchare.mapa yukokthong yaimabadi macha nupi adu poktringeigi mamangda chatkhibaduna shukhan hallakhride.ashomda,poudongnugi machanupi adu khara khara chaoraktuna leisha mathon farakpa mashak matou lamyouba matangdu youraboire.madu faobada mapadu hallakpa kouba leikhidre.mamana machagi maming shongri haina thonbire.mapa yaodana yoklakpa oibana mamana machabu piklingeidagi houna yumthong khuding chakni finiduna wana thakcharaki.houjikti macha adu chaoraklabanina pam yanba ,shing chanba,loushubanachingba heiraduna mamashu migida chakni finibakadu tokthokle.mama macha lou shingu touduna nongma nongmagi hingnabagi lanfam mayoknarammi.

magi shum thoku haiduna mama machana uriba lou adu onthokna fana thokhre.maru changba fougi charongna tektha tektha pallakpa ubada uchek waya shangu shangu pairaktuna arembada khikthaduna manghanbadu ubada mamana shongrida “ebemma ngashidi emagi mahut shinduna nang uchek mayamshe khara ngaku” hairammi maduda shongrishu hoi eema haiduna achapotnachingba puraduna loubuk tamna laklammi.

shongrina ashumna lou ngaktuna leiringeishida chahi 14 romgi mamangda lallonba chatkhiba mapa yukokthong yaimaba mayum thadokpa kuire haiduna loubuk shamna lakpada shongribu hak urure.matam kuina nupi naha uraktabaga,chiklaba loushangduda ningthijarabi nuja ama ubaduda yokokthong apam meichakna chaktuna leirang leiheknarure.madugi matungda mayumda chattuna potharammi.

shongrina kari matouno ngashishibo haiduna yamna nungaitana mayum hallakpada ngashai onthokpa matoubu oikhiba nupa adu fammenda famduna hidak fu thaktuna leiramba ubada ikaimankhraduna mamai khumjanduna emungda changlaga mamada hangboire “famenda famliba hidak thakliba nupa ashi kanano” mamana “ebemma napani nehe! nangdi khanglaroi.nangna poktringeida leia laira koknaba haiduna lallon itik touba chatkhibani” tabada shongridi shock chatkhiduna ei mayam mamanga mai puba ngamjararoi kahalladun ningthi turelda chongthaduna thawai tharurage khanduna shongri mamai nongpok pangna chatkhre.

amaromdana mamana chak ishing thongba loiraga langfeidagi thunglabata nagairiba magi nupabu chak pija pithak loiraba matungda faoba macha nupi shongribu udabaduda poudungnu machabu thiba thorakle.machabu hanna hanna kouduna koithi thirabada thiba khangdredo. leikaigi mamannabashingda hangubashu “khangde ,ude” ngakta hairakpadagi poudongnu chada thaktaba makhei machabu kouduna ahingdu kaptuna lellaboire.nongallamdai uitharakpa aduwaida mamangda machana laktuna hairakpoire”ha eema apokpi,eema nangna nacha eibu amuk hanna thiba fanglaroi.eidi ningthi turends chongthaduna thawai ashi tharaga thoudu nunga macha onduna leire.eemana eibu long khonduna loukhatpiraga firol 6na khumduna numit 6ni thambirabadi nacha eihak taibang mee amuk ollakkani .eema nachabu loubiro,eema eecha amuk hanna leiminnashi.

poudongnu mikap khangthok thoktuna machana hairamba mangtak adugi matunginna nong nganfung nganfung toubada khutta long paiduna nga khonba lakle.adubu akhonba khudinggi ngakha khara lak,ngaching khara lak, ngamhai khara lak touduna ningba kaire.mangtakta taklakpa machana nunga macha ollaga leiramge haibadu punkao kaothokhidana,long khonbada yaorakpa nunga macha khara adu leiraigi leingoi mathakta hek hek hungatpoire .ashumna shum khollakpada machabu fangdrabada poudongnu kapna kapna mayumda hallakle.mathangi manglanda machana”eema nangdi eibu khollaga leiraigi nung mathakta hundoktuna thambire.”eihakpu louburo” haibadagi mikap thokpada puodongnu chenduna mana hundokhiba nung machashingi marakta thoudu nungacha adubu thengnaraboire..poudongnuna haraona nungacha dubu figaonungda yomlaga yum youna purakle.mayum youraga firol taruk shemlaga nungachadubu manungda hapchille amadi lukrakna mathakta kuplaga leena chetna punshinduna laplen kada thamle.numit thamgadabada mangani shurakpada yengningmankhraduna yenglubada machana taibang meegi shaktam oifattana uchet machin yotna konba manna ,uchekkum masha panna,mamit tampha higok thinba manna leiramle.uchek ollaba machana hairakpoire”eema eidi eemana matam shudana kaithoklabanina taibang mee onba ngamdana uchek onduna leire,eema eecha tinnaba yararoi,eidu chingnung manunglakta paikhrage”wa ashi tabada mamana “eebemma,eema eecha leiminnou tamamdramalle.fare eeyum kabo lamdamda te te khongduna nongalle takpa chekla oina leiruro” haina mamitta pirang shinthaduna mama macha kainakhiboire.

wakhal khanthadana touruba thabakti afaba oigande.khandana touruba thabakki maheina awa shongri loungakpi tenwa kouba chekla onduna chingnung manungda koipai paiduna mapunshi lenkhi.

Tapta

(in two versions)

Anonymous - Version 1

One rainy night, a baby was uncontrollably crying. 
The mother was trying hard to console the baby. 
But the baby will not stop her crying. The more she 
tried to console the more the baby started to cry.

The mother told the baby scary things so that he might stop crying. She told him that if he doesn’t stop crying the jackal would come and take him away to the jungle. But the baby continued to cry. The mother then said if he continues to cry, the ghost would surely come and take him away. This time also the baby showed no response and continued crying.

Meanwhile a tiger was listening to what the mother was telling the baby. The tiger had come to the house to steal a cow for dinner. The baby continued to cry.

The mother was at her wits end to stop the baby from crying. She then said. “If you don’t stop crying this time, the tiger will surely come and take you away and eat you up.” But instead the baby started to cry more loudly as if he wasn’t afraid of the tiger coming and eating him. The mother paused for a while and thought of ways to quieten the baby.

She heard the rain fall outside and the sound it made when it fell from the rooftops to ground…tap-tap-tap. She suddenly said, “If you don’t stop crying now, *Tapta will come and take you away.” By share coincidence, the baby stopped crying. The tiger who had been listening carefully to the whole thing was intrigued and scared by what he just heard. He thought to himself, “The baby didn’t stop crying when his mother told that the jackal would come and take him to the jungle. He didn’t stop crying when he was told that the ghost would take him away. Moreover, he didn’t also stop when he was told that the tiger would take him away. He wasn’t scared of anything. He wasn’t even scared of me! But when the mother said that Tapta would come and take him away, he instantly stopped crying.” The tiger wondered what kind of a beast could Tapta possibly be.

In the meantime, a thief came to the same cowshed where the tiger was to steal a cow. Due to darkness he couldn’t see anything. And the tiger was so engrossed in his own thoughts trying to figure out what Tapta could possibly be, that he missed the late entry of the thief in the cowshed.

The thief began to check out the cows by touching them. He wanted to make sure that he stole the best cow. And so he was touching the cows one by one with his hand, trying to figure out which was the fattest. By chance his hand fell on the back of the tiger. The tiger was frozen with fear. He thought that Tapta caught him. And the thief was satisfied that the cow he was touching was the fattest and healthiest. So he grabbed it hard and jumped on it.

The poor tiger was startled. He thought that it was best to run away and forget about the cow. So the tiger made a jump start and fled from the place. The thief thought it was indeed a healthy cow and tightly held on the neck of the tiger. The tiger made a dash but the thief managed to mount on top of him. The tiger ran for his life but the thief was still holding him tightly sitting on top of the tiger. The tiger didn’t even dare look up at what was on top of him. The thief was unable to see that he was riding a tiger, and not a cow due to the darkness. After some time, at the break of down the thief saw the stripes of the tiger, and suddenly it dawned upon him that he was riding a tiger and not a cow!

He was very scared. They were now approaching the jungle. The thief started to think of ways to get away from the tiger. When they approached the jungle, the thief managed to get hold of a low lying branch and managed to get off from the tiger. The tiger felt the sudden weightlessness. But he didn’t dare to look back and headed straightway to the jungle.

After some distance, a bear saw the tiger running. He called out the tiger. The tiger stopped when he heard the bear calling him. He thought it was safe now to stop running. The bear inquired of the tiger why he was running. The tiger narrated the whole story and told the bear that there was a terrible beat called Tapta, the most ferocious beast on earth.

The bear was skeptical. He said he has never heard of Tapta in his entire life. But the tiger was still shaking and said that it was the truth. The bear became very curious to see Tapta. So he asked the tiger to take him where Tapta had gotten off from him. But the tiger was too afraid to go back. The bear kept on insisting that the tiger take him to the place. Finally the tiger said, “If you really want to go, you go, I will tell you the place but I won’t accompany you.” He told the bear that Tapta got off near a banyan tree at the approach of the jungle.

The bear came looking for Tapta. The thief saw from a distant the approaching bear. He was still shocked from his earlier experience. He hurriedly hid himself in the hollow trunk of the banyan tree which was large enough for him to hide. The bear approached the banyan tree, but could not see the thief. He looked here and there and finally saw the hollow trunk. He was now certain that Tapta was hiding inside the hole. He sneaked his head to see but it was too dark inside to see anything. The thief was really scared. He didn’t know what to do, he held his breath. But the bear was not giving up. He sneaked further inside. This time the thief lit a matchstick and burned the bear’s face with it. The sudden flash of light and accompanying heat and pain scared the bear so much that he also fled from there without even looking back. The tiger saw the bear coming his way screaming that he joined the bear and they both ran for their lives.

It was only after some time that the thief came out of the hole and headed back to the village. The whole incident scared him so much that he vowed never to steal again.


Tapta Anonymous Version 2 

Tapta is a fictious evil spirit. Troubled mothers used to mention his name to calm their children when they cry or troublesome babies. He is a bug-ear to most children. Once upon a time it was in the advanced time of the night. A baby in a house was crying and would not stop. The mother tried all she could to pacify it but failed. She had said the names of many fearful things like, thief, lion, tiger, fox, ghost etc. But the baby went on crying still.

The family had a stable near the house. And there were many beautiful horses inside the stable. They were talked for having the most beautiful collection of horses in the neighbourhood. Not only human but also even animals wanted to have a piece of the beautiful horses. That very same moment when the baby was crying inconsolably, a tiger came to steal a horse. Suddenly he heard the talk of the mother coming from the house. He understood that the mother was trying to quite her baby from crying and was taking all kinds of names to scare the baby so that the baby will stop crying. Failing all means to the crying baby, the mother at last said to the baby, “ if you do not stop crying now Tapta is coming.” At it the baby suddenly stopped crying. Meanwhile the tiger was listening to all the talks going on inside the house and also heard it and thought, “what a being this tapta would be? He started imagining many ferocious things, but still he is also a tiger he thought. There cannot be any more ferocious animal than him. He failed to imagine a face, which can be so dangerous enough to stop a child from crying immediately. The child is not afraid of any other things. But he fears tapta very much? That he means he should also be careful while running away from this house with the booty, maybe the tapta might run after him. So thinking and wondering he went into the stable and begun to choose the horse to take. At the very same moment a cattle lifter also came to steal a horse. He entered into the stable and begun to select the fattest horse. He started feeling the hips of the horse one after another. In so choosing instead of touching hips of the horse in the darkness, he touched the hip of the tiger in the dark stable. That moment the tiger got startled and was very afraid. The touch was unusual he started imagining. The tiger thought;” this must surely be tapta’s touch”. He was seized with fear and stood still. At the other side the thief thought okay a healthy horse with log tail and put a bridle to the tiger and drew it out of the stable. He was in a hurry as he was afraid of the owners might wake up so he mounted on it and rode away. All this while the tiger took the rider to be tapta an obeyed him in utter fear.

 It was dawning and twilight. In the faint light the thief to his horror came to know that the animal he was riding was not a horse but a tiger. He was also terror-stricken. He began to think out a way to dismount and get rid of the man-eater before the tiger finds out that the rider is a human being. Thus thinking he rode into the jungle. There he found a bough of a tree extending downwards low. He caught hold of the branch and got rid of the tiger, knowing that the rider had dismounted; the tiger ran at fast canter for life. When he came after he shook off the bridle. He thought he was out of danger and began to walk slowly and leisurely still imagining all kind of faces of the rider and also surprised why the rider did not do any harm. He was panting and sweating. There he met a bear, the bear stopped him and asked the cause of his weariness and fear. He narrated the incident to his friend; the bear was quite surprised, as he also has not heard of such name. So he told the tiger to take him to the place where the rider dismounted so that they both can search and try to find out the real identity of the rider.

The tiger was reluctant but followed the bear out of modesty, otherwise the bear will get to know that the tiger is not as brave as they are said to be. After sometime they reached the spot and looked around, they could not see any one. Afterwards they found a big tree with large hole in it. They doubted if tapta was hiding inside it, the bear said, “let us have a look into it.” But the tiger would not go near it out of sheer fright. He told his friend to do it himself alone. The bear chided him for being cowardice and started looking. He could not see anyone, as the hole was deep. He inserted his tail into the hole to feel the presence of the man with his tail. The man seized the tail with a strong grip and pulled it very hard inwards. The bear was taken by surprise and followed the pull. He felt it like the grip of death. The man would not let it off. The bear thought that he would surely be killed by tapta. As a last effort to free himself, he gave a might kick on the trunk of the tree with his hind legs and a powerful thrust foreword, and the man was also strong and his grip was vice like. In the tug-o-war between the mighty powers, the tail snapped at the root, at the sudden release the bear fell headlong and rolled over. He did not dare to look back, he got to his feet and fled away leaving the tiger behind, and thenceforth the bear lost its tail. Before that they had tails.

Ningol Mawa Uyan Uppa

by Anonymous

Thaina mamangeida ningol mawa ama nupi mayumda yaong induna 
leiramboire.manem makuna yamna luna touduna chaningbata cha,
shetningbada shettuna kena nanna tonanna leiboire.

nongma numidangwairam manemna keithel karubada mayanupa pijanaba haiduna chaokhraba shareng ama leirakpoire.machanupina shareng adu shemlaga thao namna ngouduna maru maranga fajana haptuna nap nap laona thomge.thongba loiraga chak pukham pukham thidokle,enshang shareng thongbadushu tengot thankok thankok haple.ngadushu chaobanina hayeng ayuk ngarel chanaba haiduna uyanda fana yamna amshu khakchinduna thamle.chak pukhamshingdu chakshangda pareng pareng shana thamlaga mapa mama amadi ningol mawa mathang mathang famnare.ningol mawa adudi minouga oibane,ningol mawaniko haibagi khallubada kharaga ikaibane chak adu khubiga khudombigana chaptuna khara chare. manembokna”ibungo nagbu keidourabage,yamna chashillune,hanggoinunehe,chak chak inshangga yamna leiri, haphange” hairakpada ningol mawana yamna liri khoirina,”ngajao lakchaoshida kayabu heinajade” hairaga icha chadana mayam loiba ngaiduna leiraboire.madu ubada manemduna hairaki”einadi pijaningduna leirubashai, heinadraboidako!.mayam chaba loinaraduna machil maya shengnaraga magi magi kada changnakhre.

ahing thengjillakle,mi pumnamak tumnakhre.ningol mawadudi ikaikhangdagi mapuk thanna chakhidabana tumba yakhidraboire.haona nap nap laona thongba shareng thongbadu mamitta uduna leire,makhut manam namlubadagi henna henna chaninglaktuna ngashai magi nupina uyanda ngarengidamak khakhouba shareng thongbadu tuminna hougatlaga chage haina khallaboire.

mi pumnamak tumkhre khangladuna ningol mawado tuminna hougatlaga makholga amatta thokhandana chakshangda changkhre.amambada uyandu koima mabada thengnaraduna tapna thangthare.aduga yaoriba shareng adu loina kottuna chathokle.ningol mawana “hayeng nongallaga houdong changduna chakhraboi ningnaba haiduna karimata pakhandana loina lektuna chathoklage” khalladuna uyan adu thangattuna makokta upshillaga lei leiduna mareina lektuna chathoklaboire.tanjaduda ningol mawana leng otpago makhol adu manemna mikap thorakpagi matangga chanarudaa taredo.”heima houdongshe uyanda thamba ngathongbadu chara mallenehe,” haiduna tanthoknaba hougatlakpada mei mamlamduna funggada changduna mei kamnaba kumtharakpagi nashondu ningol mawaduna tabadagi uyandu makoktagi shattoknaba hotnabada yadraboire.

fana hotnadunashu mayadrabada “kanararoi khanglakpana hallani” haiduna magi ka younaba ma -maduna lakpada houdong chakthafam ukhongda thengjinduna makoktagi uyandu “bop “kaire.mangak adumakheina mangakta hukchinduna leihoure.uyal kaibagi makhol ashi tabada manemna “ishh mashidi houdong nattena,huranba changla malle khalladana thuna mei kamkhatle amadi podon chukhatle.podon hek chukhatpaga manembokna kanano nupa ama leirishe haina yengkhatlubada maya nupana uyan mangak adu magi mangakta ikoi koina yallaga kiruk kiruk yengduna chatpadu ubada “khangba ngamdraduna aroibi thagattuna nongkhairaklammi.ikaimankhraduna maningthonglomdagi mapallomda chenkhiduna mayumlomda adum chenkhre,amuk hanna hallakhride.

macha nupi adushu marang marang tounarishi taraduna hougatlakle.mamana warol pumba tambadagi mashu yamna ikaire,matomta shonjei,”onthokpa laibak haibadunida!nganna nupa kainou haina tamkhraboidako.” haiduna ikaibane awabane ani punduna famungda firung firang khumjinduna anabadouna hiptuna leikhuboire.

nongallaga manemna maya nupadubu kouba lake,manembok lake hek tabadagi maningthonglomda faodoktuna chenkhibana manemdu mayanupagi mashak shuku udana mayumda adum hallakle.akonbadadi nupa adu ikaiduna langfeida chenduna lotkhibadagi mareibakta amuk hallakhidre.maraibak thihourabi nupi adudi mapuroiba kainarabi mou naha oina mapunshichuppa leikhiboire.

shajinnaba haibashi ifat fatte.icha chaningna chaningdab sharubadagi nouna mayum pallakliba nupa nupi anido punshi chuppa kainakhi.

Renchang Changte

by Anonymous

This is a story of the time when the Purum Chothes lived at Leimatak. Among them was a happy and a loving couple. Unfortunately, happiness was not to be theirs for long. The wife died while giving birth to their first child. The baby, however, survived the ordeal. The man raised his baby with all he could do. But to look after a young life whose eyes the colours of the world had just entered was not an easy task for him. So, he married again. His new wife was a good woman and a good mother.

By the end of the first year of their marriage, the second wife gave birth to a baby boy. The man loved his two children equally. But as soon as the boy was born she became a bad stepmother for the girl. She pretended to be as loving to the girl as her own boy as long as her husband was at home. But from the moment he went away, she treated the girl badly. The little girl was not fed properly so that she became thinner and thinner until at last it seemed like she was suffering from a terrible disease. The girl never complained to her father. So he knew nothing about it although he was very worried about her.

Some years had passed and the little girl became big enough to go out and play with her friends, and sometimes to go with his father to the farm.

In the neighbourhood there was another girl who was of the same age as her. They were good friends. But this girl’s family was very poor. They could barely make ends meet. The girl was always at home weaving to help her parents.

She saw and knew how her best friend was being treated badly by her stepmother. She called her often and shared whatever little she had to eat. Sometimes they told about each other’s fate and cried over them.

It was the month of Mera and the hillslopes were golden yellow with ripe paddy. The man left for his farm and left his two children to the care of his wife. He spent days and nights at his farm-hut preparing for the harvest. Everyday his wife brought him food. One day he caught a bird and gave it to his wife to feed their children. At home she cooked the bird and ate all of it by herself with her son. She cooked a cycas fruit with heiboong and gave it to the girl saying that it was the bird. It was so sour that she couldn’t eat it. But since she didn’t know how a bird tasted like, she simply said, “The bird is very sour, I won’t eat it.”

The next day the girl brought food for her father. At the farm she heard the cry of a bird which, incidentally, was the same type as the one caught the other day by her father. Looking towards the bird she said, “Oh bird! Your meat is sour, I won’t eat you.” Hearing this, her father asked why she was saying like that. “The bird that appa gave yesterday was very sour,” she answered. He had heard people say about the maltreatment towards his daughter by his wife. He couldn’t but believe them now after listening to what his daughter just said.

He took his daughter on his back and with tears in his eyes he sang:

Oh hairy cycas of Leimatak,
So alike you are with the bird’s flesh,
What powerful hand had shaped you?

That day he caught another bird and it was cooked at the farm and the girl ate to her full. “It was sour when ima cooked, but it’s tasty when appa cooked,” said the girl. The father was pleased to see her daughter happy. After that day he cooked every bird that he caught at the farm and fed his daughter whenever she came to there.

The sun drifted more towards the southern hemisphere and all harvest was done. He filled his granary with sufficient grains for the whole year and set off to sell whatever was left. He would then buy clothes and other things with the money. Before he went, he called his daughter and said, “This year you will have the best clothes for the festivals. I am going to buy them for you. Till then you stay with your mother. After this, I’ll always be with you.” She was very happy to hear about the new cloths that she was going to have. But, again she thought of her poor friend next door. How was she going to wear that in front of her?

Once her father was gone, her stepmother started scolding and beating her everyday. She made her do strenuous works and she wasn’t given enough to eat. The little girl couldn’t bear the maltreatment anymore. Every now and then she went to her friend and cried. Her poor friend would share her food, but every time she said that she had taken her food and ran away. Few more days passed. The little girl became thinner and thinner again.

One day she came to her poor friend and said, “Eeta, please let me hide in your place until my father comes back. I will not eat anything till then. You tell all my story to him when he returns, but don’t tell anything to anybody.”

Her poor friend could not do anything but agree with her. Having thus taken a promise from her trusted friend, she stayed without eating or drinking. On the fifth day of her hiding she turned into a cicada. She told her friend, “Eeta, I don’t want to be a human anymore. I’m flying away to freedom as a cicada. I’ll be living in the nearby trees till the time my father comes back. Tell him to call me when he wants to see me and I’ll come.” Saying these she flew away. Her friend looked at her direction and was left standing there for a long time crying.

Few more days passed and the father returned with clothes and jewels for his children. When he couldn’t find his daughter, the stepmother told him many lies to save herself. “Your daughter was never at home since you went. She has not returned for the last six-seven days. No one knows with whom she has ran away,” and she pretended to cry.

He didn’t believe her story. But when he saw her crying he couldn’t stop thinking if there was any truth in what she said. He went out alone and asked the villagers about his daughter. No one knew, although some said that they saw her few days back. She didn’t have any close friend that he knew of to whom he could ask. At last he came to the poor girl next door who was always weaving. She told him all about his daughter. Then he started crying loudly. The girl said, “If you want to see her, call her by saying that you have returned. She must be waiting for you in the nearby trees.”

The father cried and called out her daughter’s name and ran around the nearby bushes and trees like a mad man. His daughter came flying in the form of a cicada and sat on his palm, and said, “Appa, I don’t want to live among humans any more. I’ll live freely and fly wherever I like. Please give the clothes and the jewels you bought for me to my eeta who has been there for me during my time of sorrow. Every year I’ll come to your farm and call you during the months of Mera and Langban.”

The man gave away the new clothes to his daughter’s friend. He then said, “My dear, since your don’t want to live with us, go where your heart takes you. Take this chain so that I can know you are my daughter.” He put a thread with a small iron ball around the neck of the cicada.

He continued, “I will be waiting for you to hear your voice every year.”

Then he let her fly away.

It is still believed that the cicada comes every year in the months of Mera and Langban and calls for her father.

Ita Thaomei - The Clever Old Woman

Version 1: From a High School Textbook

Once upon a time, there lived an old widow in a village. She lived alone. She worked hard. She used to weave on the loom during daytime and spin at night. In addition to her hard work, she was wise and witty.

One dark night, a thief entered her house silently. The old widow was spinning by the fireside.

There was a thaomei burning nearby.

The thief hid himself in a dark corner. He was waiting for the old woman to fall asleep.

A little later the woman realized that there was someone hiding in the corner behind the thaomei. She was scared but she did not shout.

Instead, she pretended as if she were not aware of the presence of the thief.

She went on spinning.

But she thought of a plan to catch the thief.

Suddenly she called out, “Ita-thaomei! Ita-thaomei!”.

Since there was no reply from the thaomei, she went on, “It is strange that you have not replied today. Everyday we talk to each other. What has happened today? Are you not responding because you are feeling sleepy? Or is there a stranger in the house tonight?”

The thief was surprised. The woman talked loudly, “Ita-thaomei, if you don’t reply, it means that there is a stranger in the house.” thief thought deeply, “A wonderful thing! A thaomei responding to a human call. Perhaps it is not responding tonight because of my presence. I cannot let the woman know of my presence. I will answer her call this time. She will think that every thing is all right.”

Soon, the old woman called again, “Ita-thaomei, can you hear me?” The thief replied, “Yes Ita, I can hear you.”

The widow felt quite certain now. She knew that she could catch the thief easily.

She asked, “Were you asleep a little while ago?” “Yes, I felt so sleepy; I slept for some time,” replied the thief. The widow continued, “As usual, let me tell you a story. Listen to it carefully.” “I am listening, please go on,” replied the thief.

The old widow began her story:

“Once upon a time, there lived an old woman in a village. She lived alone. One night, while spinning, she fell asleep. In her dream, she saw a thief breaking into her house. Actually a thief had already broken into her house and was trying to steal the utensils in the house.

The old woman woke up and saw it. Immediately, she began to shout, “Thief, thief. There is ‘a thief in my house.”

The old widow actually kept shouting at the top of her voice. Finally, her neighbours woke up and rushed to her house. The old widow told them of the thief hiding in the corner. The thief who was listening to the story of the old woman was caught by the villagers.

Thus, her wit and wisdom saved her. The villagers thanked the clever widow. She helped them catch the thief so easily.

Eeta thaomei

Manipuri da, Anonymous na 

Thaina mamangeida budhi loushing yaamna leiba hanubi ama leirammi.mahakki pairakki loushing leibagi warikaya ama leikai shinba thungna shallammi.leikai aduda hei shinglaba huraanba amashu leirammi amadi thabak inkhang amata toudana huranbatana mahakki hingnabagi lambi oirammi

mahakshu huranbagi lamdadi mangondagi pang hen heba leitre kaina khanjarammi amadi,leikai aduda mahakna hudriba yum eeyam yamlamde.hanubi adushu mathanta leijarabashu huranba changle kahaiduna kigadaba nattaba jatni

nongma mana nungdangi chak enshang thongba loiraduna chaba loiraga ngaihak pothaba oina houkhiba punshigi wari kaya ningshing duna wakhalda taoringeida ,huraanba adu tuminna changlaga purdah marumda lumduna hanubi adu tumkhiba ngairammi.

Khanghoudana laakpa nungshit amana purdah adu humdoklakpada mitkup amagidamak huraanba adugi makhongdu hanubi aduna ukhirammi.khudakta mashidi huraanba changle khangladuna karamhaina huraanba phashige haina wakhal khanba hourakkhi.

khanghoudana wakhal ama lakkhi amada mahakki thaalliba thaomei aduda hanna hanna kouraduna hairakkhi “ eeta thaomei eeta thaomei-------” khumlaktrabada --- hai! eigi eeta thaomeishi ngashidi kari touraba jaatno eina koubashi khummakteda haidana ,huranba adubu apangba shinaba laang thaaklammi.Waheidu taabada huraanba duna khallaklammi maagi thaomeishi nahaan makhei waa nganglamba taarabadi,ngashi ei lakpadagi kiduna wa ngangdaba taare ,adu oirabadi hanubi ashina ei lakle haiba eerai laina khangkhrani khanduna,mathanga kouraklabadi “hao” haina khumlage khankhi.

mathangda amuk eeta thaomei haina kourakpada huraanba aduna hao haina khumlakkhi,laangda thure khangladuna hanubi aduna maagi huraanba phanaba lou adu makha taarakkhi.eeta thaomei eeta thaomi ngashidi ei waari ama leege haiduna waari hourakkhi.thaina mamanngeida hanubi amma leirammi mahakki hotnajamanna mahak peishashu yaamna pairammi... ashum touduna mahaakki thoumei duda wari leeba shaaraga hanubiduna loushing toudunanumit adugi thoudok ,haibadi maagi mayumda huraanba changba du hurranbaduda leerammi amadi waari leeba shaduna,amadi waarigi makhaa chatharakpa oina leikai taanab huraanba changle huraanba changle haina kanna kanna laoraklammi amadi madu tabada leikai meeyam hoopchalaktuna huranba adu phakhirammi.....loushingna shamu phai haibadunipangan shonjarabshu hanubi adugi buidhi loushingna huraanba adu phaba ngamkhi..

Lukhrabigi Lousing

Anonymous

Once upon a time there was a beautiful young widow name Yaipharembi and her young son, malemangba who were very poor. In their colony a wicked wealthy man called Enakkhunba, lived, who had seven wives. He always kept an eye on the beautiful widow and kept thinking how to marry her. He had tried all the tricks to coax her in to marrying him but she never paid any heed to him and lives with dignity.

Since every plan he made didn’t work so, he left a bag full of money in front of the widow’s gate and the widow little boy found it and told her mother. Instantly the witty widow knew that it was a trick and she told her son to keep it in a safe place. Yaipharembi made a plan so that she could keep the money and free from any allegation too. That day she went to the market and bought some “kabok”, a pop rice and threw in front of their house and on the thatch roof and called out her son and told malemangba it was raining pop rice as God is very happy with them. Later that night Yaipharembi told her son that she found some pieces of Elephant way back and she is cooking it, her son liked it a lot and Malemangba believe whatever her mother told him.

The wicked man confronted the widow and accused her of stealing his bag full of money. She denied his claims. He brought the matter to the Emperor court. The Emperor sent his minister (Angam Athouba) in disguise to the widow’s place to check if the matter was true or not. When the minister returned he said to the Emperor that it won’t be possible as they were very poor and didn’t have enough cloth to wear and their hut was very shabby but they have well secured gate and fence.

Next day the Emperor called upon the widow, her son and the wealthy man to the court. The widow and her son came in tattered clothes. The Emperor asked the widow if she had found a bag full of money and the widow replied “NO” then the Emperor ask the same question to her son and the boy replied “YES” he had found a bag full of money. The mother cried to her son “Malemangba” if you didn’t tell the truth to the Emperor your mother will die and the boy replied, “I will always tell the truth and nothing else”. Then the Emperor asked the boy, “when you found the bag what happen that day?” the boy replied, “That day it was raining pop rice” and the Emperor again asked, “That day you must have had good dinner?” and the boy replied “YES, we had Elephant curry”. After that the Emperor said we can’t believe what a little boy says and the widow is free from allegations. Then the widow told the Emperor, “Eningthou, how could I have that money and don’t dress well to come in your presence. I am very sorry to tell you that it is all Enakkhunba trick to take revenge from me as I did not consider his offer to marry him”.

After that the Emperor put Enakkhunba to prison and gave Yaipharembi a ring to compensate her wage for that day.

As time went on Yaipharembi and her son started living with better conditions and she didn’t have to work anymore. Nevertheless she never used the money extravagantly as that would have invited curiosity. Therefore, the witty widow and her son lived happily ever after.

Hanubi Hanuba Paan Thaaba

Anonymous

Thaina Thaina Mamangeida Hanuba Amaga Hanuba Amaga Leirambore,Matei Manao Yaamna Ingna Tapna Nungai Yaiphana Chiklaba Yum Amada Nungaina Palambore.Nong Phadok Nga Khara Pukhridagi Pha,Lou Khara U Pot Chei Kaya Matam Matamgi Chana Chanaba Thaduna ,Keithel Da Yonduna Peisa Su Khara Adum Paijaba Jatni

Manak Nakpa Jungle Aduda Yong Khutpu Amashu Makhoigi Khun Ama Oina Leirammi,Marak Marakta Makhoishu Meegi Khun Thiduna Acha Athak Thiba Humba Laklammi.

Maagi Shum Thoku Haiduna ,Yonggi Ningthoududi Mee Ga Yong Gagi Marak Oina Touduna Meeron Ngangbashu Ngamlammi.Nongma Makhoigi Mahoushagum Lamhauidorakpada Hanubiga Hanubaga Makhigi Mamangi Hingolduda Leipak Touduna Pot Chei Thagadabagi Shem Shaaba Urammi.Madu Ubada Yong Ningthou Gi Kok Tuda Anouba Waakhal Amma Khudakta Laklammi.Tapna Tapna Mong Haadan Yong Ningthouduna Mathanta Hanuba Hanubi Dugi Manakta Changlaklammi Amashung Yaamna Icham Chamjaba Yong Ama Oina Hanuba Duda Hanglammi “Ibupok Nanaina Nolukchar,Ipuga Iben Gana Thwai Aduk Yaona Leibak Toubiribadubo Kari Thabiga Douribano? Waadu Tabada Hanubaduna Ngakladuna...Hanubida Hairammi “Eeesh Karamno Shidi Juk Shidi Jukta Amma Touredana..Yongna Meerol Nganglaba....Karino Shidi,Waridu Tabada Yong Ningthouduna Pakhtkhre Kahnduna Makhoi Gi Khundagi Porak Pa Laphoi Laphang Ama Hanubi Du Da Piraduna Hairima Ibempok Laphoishi Ipu Ga Iben Gagi Damak Hekchrakpani,Eina Meerol Ngangba Shida Ngakpiba Touganu,Ei Eeshamak Mee Marak Yong Marak Haibaduni ,Eshwar Na Eikhoibushu Taibangpal Gi Sharuk Oiruro Haina Thabirakpa Jatni,Karimta Pakhatpa Toubigano.Wadu Taabada Pungning Petharduna Hanibi Duna Hairammi “Ishushidi Jibagi Jibagi Amha Amhaani Mee Haiba Leite Yong Haiba Leite Eshwargi Thouinshin Ngaktani Hairaduna Laphidu Taram Taram Loushillaga Yum Lomda Yong Ningthoudu Koushillammi.

Adudagidi Yong Ningthoudu Tanja Chaare Khangladuna Amukka Hanglammi.Ipu-Ibenna Leibak Toubiribadu Kari Thaabidoino.Tabada Hanubaduna Hai Ishuibungo Paan Thage Toubani,Yongna Paamba Paan Shida Kanada Hangugani! Tin Kut Yotladuna Yong Aduna Hairammi Ipu Panshidi Yaamna Thuna Chaohange ,Maru Tahange Hairabadi Pandu Phajana Maku Khoktokpiraga Phutokpiraga ,La Latonda Phajana Yomshinbiraga Mamli Mamli Laorakpa Matamda Laigi Ming Phajan Shonbiraga Thabiyoo.Waheidu Hairamlaga Yongjao Du Magi Khutpushinggi Manakta Harao Harao Chatkhirammi.

Chamjaraba Hanubiga Hanubagaduna Yonggi Waadu Thajaraduna Nungdang Hek Youbaga Thagadaba Paandu Maku Phajana Phajana Khetoklaga,Phajan Phutoklaga La Latonda Phajana Yomlaga Ka Khun Kakhun Touraga Phajana Thajilammi.

Tanjaa Ngaiduna Leramba Yong Khutpu Aduna Hanuba Hanuba Anidu Tumkhiba Ngairaga ,Tumkhre Hek Khangbaga ,Khutpu Oina Thomjinduna Phuttoklaba Paandu Phajana Louthoklaga Mabuk Penna Chathok Lammi.Adudagi Paat Mayada Houba Pankhok Mayam Ama Phukuraga Paan Gi Kankhunduda Yungshile.Madu Hek Loibaga Makhoigi Khunlomda Pangkhirammi.

Nongallakpada Makhoina Thakhiba Paan Du Lek Muk Wangna Houdina Leirambaduda Haraomankhraduna Hanuba Hanubi Anidu Yongningthou Du Swarga Youna Thagatkhi Amadi Paanni Kahanduna Pankhok Khara Phukluraga Ayukki Enshang Oina Thongba Houkhi.Thongba Hek Loibaga Hanuba Hanubi Anido Paan Thongbadu Haona Chaba Hourakkhi Adubu Paandi Nattabanina Yammna Sathina Lengba Hourakkhi.Matang Aduda Khangba Ngamdadduna,Hanuba Hentaak...Hanubi Hentak Haina Hanjan Hanjan Amana Amada Laonaraduna ....Yaamna Waana Khangkhi.Hentaak Charaba Matungda Gyan Khara Taraklabada Yong Shingduna Touriba Mathong Chadaba Thabaktu Gyan Tarakhi.

Adudagi Makhoi Ani Kok Chungshinanraba Matungda...Hanuba Du Shijinaraga Yong Mayam Kouna Ba Khanarammi.

Numidangwai Yourakpada Hanubi Aduna Laona Laona Kaplakkhi Madu Tabada Keidourage Haiduna Yong Ningthoudu Amuk Lakkhi .Mahak Hek Lakpaga Hanuba Do Shikhre ,Mahakna Nakhoi Yong Mayamgidamak Yamna Mamal Yamlaba Amadi Houraba Achapot Kaya Shinarammi,Nakhoigi Yong Khutoudo Kouraku Haina Yong Ningthoududa Hairammi.

Madu Tabada Yong Ningthoudu Khutpudu Puraga Kumatharakammi Amdadi Makhoina Hanubagi Manak Hek Youbaga Cheitup Paikhatlagayong Shingdu Shanthaba Hourakhi...

Numit Adudagi Hanuba Hanubigi Punshida Yong Shingduna Amuk Hana Awaaba Pikhidre.

Leithak Leikharol

Anonymous

The eternity called time is made up of identical cycles. Each cycle is divided into four chaks or ages, Hayi Chak, Haya Chak, Khunung Chak and Langba Chak. The wheel of time rolls on. The chaks come one after another to complete a cycle only to be followed by a similar cycle of four chaks. At the end of a cycle, total annihilation takes place. Everything vanishes to leave a total void.

The people of the last Langba Chak, before present cycle of chaks, were very short, not much taller than a few inches. To pluck egg-fruits they had to climb on ladders. The sun, the moon and the stars hung very low in the sky. As a result, the sun was thousand times hotter. Cracks developed all over the earth and all the living beings perished in the intolerable heat.

Terrible cyclonic storms lashed across the earth. The hills and mountains crumbled. The lakes, rivers and seas dried up. Fires razed the earth. The inferno did not spare even the gods. The three great gods found it difficult to escape the annihilation. The fire burnt one of them. The second one stumbled and fell. The third one picked him up and carried him to safety on his back. The Almighty, Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba, saw them and saved them but the nine layers of heaven and nine netherworlds vanished. Ultimately, even the sun, the moon and the stars vanished. Emptiness prevailed everywhere. There was absolute darkness – a complete void.

Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba wished to create the Universe afresh. At his wish, a halo of seven colours appeared out of nowhere. He broke the halo into two arcs. From the arcs sprang the seed of the Universe. Sensing that he cannot complete the creation of the Universe, he brought forth Leimarel Shidabi, the mother goddess, from his intestines. She gave birth to three sons, Atingkok Shidaba, Atiya Shidaba and Konjil Tingthokpa

Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba instructed his eldest son, Atingkok Shidaba to take along his brother, Atiya Shidaba and create the earth. From then onwards Atingkok Shidaba had been known as Ashiba.

Ashiba did not know where to start. He was at a loss and prayed his father to show him what he was to create. Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba opened his mouth and showed his son a model of the whole Universe with the sun, the moon and the earth.

Having seen the model, Ashiba started creating the earth. But before he could complete, his youngest brother Konjil Tingthokpa destroyed it. Because his destructive nature Konjil Tingthokpa was called Haraba Leithing-gai or Haraba in short. Ashiba again started creating the earth afresh. This time also Haraba destroyed it. But he could not completely dissuade Ashiba from creating the earth. Filled with anger, Ashiba created a flying horse from the dirt sticking on his feet. Sensing danger, Leimarel Shidabi told Haraba to turn into a serpent. Haraba did as he was told but could not escape from flying horse Ashiba had created. It trampled on the serpent and crushed it with its hooves over and over again. But the serpent survived the onslaught by turning into a thousand headed one and slithered all over the place.

Leimarel Shidabi came to Haraba’s rescue. She brought forth seven celestial nymphs and instructed them to catch the flying horse. Holding each other’s hands, they encircled the flying horse. Haraba once again turned into his original form and caught the flying horse.

A helpless, Ashiba complained to his father, about Haraba’s misdeeds. Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba was determined to stop Haraba from hindering Ashiba’s work of creation. He looked at his navel and cried, “Dear”. Instantly a beautiful damsel, Nongthang Leima, in flame-coloured dress sprang out from his eye. She was the goddess of lighting. Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba commanded her to stop Haraba from destroying Ashiba’s creation.

She flashed across the sky and manifested her dazzling beauty. She was able to draw Haraba’s attention. He was captivated by her exquisite form and enquired about her identity. She simply smiled to entice him but never disclosed her true identity. Drunk with her intoxicating smile, powerful Haraba became a prisoner of her love. He followed her around wherever she went. But he could never catch up with her. One moment she was here, another moment she was gone. His heart ached for a glimpse of her. He had completely forgotten about destroying Ashiba’s creation.

In the meantime, Ashiba started creating the earth afresh. First he created water and brought out the earth from under the water. He thus completed the creation of the earth. Four gods were placed at the vulnerable points to protect the newly created earth. When Haraba came to know of the completion of the creation of the earth, he tried to destroy it once more but he was helpless. It was beyond his power to face to the gods guarding the earth. He confessed his defeat.

Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba heard about the completion of the creation of the earth. He went for inspection. The earth was covered with water all over. At one place he found land. Ashiba then brought forth nine Laibungthous, celestial brothers, from his body and sculptured the landmass into hills and plains. They were helped by seven celestial nymphs who too were brought forth by Ashiba from his body.

Satisfied with Ashiba’s work, Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba then instructed him to create the living beings. An overjoyed Ashiba immediately set to task. He created the plants and trees. But he was never successful in creating the human beings. An ogress ate up whatever he created. Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba sent the ogress to a far off place beyond the seas and kept her imprisoned there. With all the hindrances cleared Ashiba sat down peacefully to complete his creation of human beings. But, he had trouble in creating the human beings. His first creation did not have any likeliness to a human. He released it in a pond. It turned into a frog. He kept trying but was successful in creating all sorts of animals other than the human beings.

Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba came to know of Ashiba’s difficulties. He appeared before him and instructed him to create the human beings to the likeliness of his image. This time Ashiba was successful.

After the creation was completed, Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba informed his three sons about his wish to retire in heaven and leave one of them to rule the newly created earth. He wanted to test their knowledge and strength. Only the winner could rule the earth in his place.

Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba told his sons to circumvent the earth. The one who completed first could rule in his place. Ashiba and his younger brother Atiya Shidaba immediately left to circumvent the earth. But a pensive Konjil Thingthokpa was left behind. He knew he could not compete with two his elder brothers. He felt very unhappy and wailed at his sure defeat in the test. His mother Leimaren Shidabi, felt pity and disclosed him, “When your father asked you to circumvent the earth, he was really testing whether you can recognise his true self. All you have to do is to go around your father’s throne, the symbolic representation of the earth, seven times. It is as good as going around the earth.”

Konjil Thingthokpa did as he was told. After going around his father’s throne seven times, Konjil Thingthokpa bowed and paid obeisance to his father. He was pleased and said, “Since you have been able to recognise my true self, I shall call you Pakhangba, the one who recognises his father.” Then Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba put Konjil Thingthokpa on the throne.

When Ashiba and Atiya Shidaba returned after completing their journey around the earth, they saw Konjil Thingthokpa already sitting on the throne. Ashiba flew into a rage and lifted the earth up to destroy it. Leimaren Shidabi tried to pacify him. She said, “O Ashiba! O brilliant one endowed with liquid gold complexion! I shall call you Sanamahi. You are the mightier one who has actually gone round the earth. Your youngest brother is sitting on the throne only but he does not rule each and every family on the earth. You can still rule the households.” On hearing it, Ashiba slowly lowered the earth and placed it in its place. But he had already disturbed the original position of the earth, making it tilt on one side.

Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba also pacified Atiya Shidaba by telling him to come with him to the heavenly abode and stay there. After, making sure all are in their right places, Khoiyum Yaibirel Shidaba left for heaven along with Atiya Shidaba. Pakhangba was left behind to stay in the palace and rule the earth. Sanamahi ruled every household. Leimaren Shidabi also stayed behind with Sanamahi. To this day in very household, there is a corner reserved for Sanamahi. He is worshipped as the household deity. A place is also reserved for Leimaren Shidabiin every house.