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Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
The title of the story is 'A poor orphan.' Once upon a time, there were four rich families in a village. They were stingy and always tried to take advantage of others. When they needed help with work, they didn't want to pay the workers and only wanted them to work for free. One day, all four rich families asked the orphan boy to help them herd the cows and buffaloes. Since he was poor, he decided to work for all four families. He herded the cattle, but the four families didn't want to pay him. Each family remained silent, expecting the others to pay the orphan boy. No one even bought him clothes, though his own were torn and worn. They didn't feed him as they ate as well. They fed him only their leftovers. The orphan boy had to work early every morning, no matter how cold it was. He had to milk the cows, clean the dung, fetch water, and collect firewood. However, he couldn't eat well. He worked hard even though he was hungry. He endured the hunger. There was a big banyan tree at the village entrance. One day, while he went out to herd the cattle, he saw bees nesting in the banyan tree. He was hungry, so he thought of eating the honeycomb. But he didn't have a knife to cut it. He tried to borrow one from his bosses, but no one would lend him a knife. They even shouted at him. Then the orphan boy walked away. However, he couldn't suppress his desire to eat the honeycomb. He thought of asking his bosses to lend him a knife one more time. It seemed that one of his bosses lent him an old, dull knife that they had kept for a long time. The orphan boy looked for the whetstone to sharpen the dull knife, but he couldn't find one. Then he walked to the front of the house and saw a fieldstone, so he sharpened the knife on it. After sharpening for some time, the stone became smooth and round. The knife had become sharp as well. It had become sharp. At that moment, the stone spoke to him, "Orphan boy, thank you so much. I have suffered my whole life because of this ulcer. Now that you have removed it, I feel much better than before." The orphan boy was happy, too. Then he went to the banyan tree to eat the honeycomb. The banyan tree said to him, "Kid, thank you so much. They were nesting in my wound. Thank you for removing them. Now I feel much better." It continued saying, "You have suffered a lot while herding cattle. No matter how cold it is, you have to work, and you don't even have proper clothes. You must be very tired. Don't herd cattle anymore. Build houses instead." The orphan boy listened to the advice of the banyan tree and the stone and decided to build houses. But he didn't have a knife to use for building houses, so he went to his bosses to borrow one. No one lent him a knife. They didn't give him any wages for herding cattle either. It was difficult for him to build houses without a knife. He told the banyan tree all that had happened to him. The banyan tree said, "Don't worry. There will come a time when they will give it to you willingly." Later, the orphan boy borrowed a knife from people as poor as him and started to build houses. After some time, he had almost finished building a house. He thought of asking others for help so he could finish building the house in one day. Then he asked others to help him. Then some rich people said to him, "You are very poor. How could you ask others for help? How will you feed them?" Some people who pitied him said, "What's the problem? We can go home and eat when it's mealtime." Then they helped him. When it was lunchtime, he took them to the banyan tree. There was a lot of delicious food behind the tree. He treated them to tasty food until they were full. He treated them to three meals a day. Soon, they finished building the house. Later, the orphan boy invited others to come and visit his house. The rich people said, "How can you ask us to visit your house when you don't even have any blankets for the night?" Those who pitied him said, "When it's time to sleep, we can go back to our houses to get some blankets, or we can light a fire and sit around it." They came to visit the orphan boy's house. The banyan tree and the stone filled his house with furniture, blankets, and lots of money. The villagers were surprised to witness everything. The orphan boy became rich since that day. He thought he was old enough to get married, so he asked for a girl's hand in marriage. All the families criticized and mocked him, saying, "Who would let a poor man like you marry our daughters?" Then he thought, "Should I try asking for the kind princess's hand in marriage?" He went to ask for the princess's hand in marriage. The king thought the orphan boy was poor, so he said, "Give two visses of gold as bride wealth. Then I will let you marry my daughter." The orphan boy was very happy and went back home. He told the stone what the king had said. Then the stone said, "Orphan boy, I am only worried that you might not ask me for a favor. Do you need only two visses of gold? I can even give you three or four." The banyan tree and the stone helped him out a lot. He could marry the beautiful princess. The king also gave them some of his property. Then they could start a happy family. There is a Jinghpaw saying: "Don't cry just because you are poor, and don't be arrogant just because you are rich." The orphan boy lived exactly according to this saying.
Transcription (Lu Hkawng)
Ya ngai hkai na maumwi gabaw gaw matsan jahkrai ma ngu ai re Moi da mare langai mi kaw e ndai lusu sahti htinggaw mali nga ai da. Dai sahti htinggaw mali gaw nchyang saw hpa re yang mung masha hpe nchyang jahpu mung n kam jaw majoi mi shangun sha na sha myit re lusu sahti htinggaw mali nga ai da. Lani mi na aten hta e dai lusu sahti htinggaw mali gaw shanhte htinggaw mali tup jahkrai ma hpe e nga rem nchyang saw ai da. Matsan jahkrai ma mung shi mung grai yak ai re majaw gaw htinggaw mali saw timung shi gaw htinggaw mali ting na nga sa rem ya sai da. Sa rem ya re yang ndai lusu sahti htinggaw mali gaw jahkrai ma hpe e nga rem nchyang n kam jaw nna ndai dinghku mi re jang gaw awra dinghku ni jaw mu ga law nga, awra dinghku ni mung lera dinghku ni jaw mu ga law nga nna shada da manawng nna e jahkrai ma hpe e nga rem nchyang mung n jaw ndai labu hpun palawng mung kade je wa tim shanhte htinggaw mali kaw nna gara htinggaw mung bu hpun palawng mung n kam mari ya da dan re nna shat lu sha mung shanhte sha hku mung n jaw re nna jahkrai ma gaw shanhte sha ai lusha ngam angaw angam sha jaw sha dan re nna e jahkrai ma gaw matsan shayan re nna bu hpun palawng mung je je rai jahpawt mung kade katsi timung jahpawt jau jau rawt na nga hkyi ni chyu hte ra jahpawt shana hpun hta hka ja dan re bungli chyu chyu galaw shangun bungli gaw grai galaw shangun tim lusha mung atsawm n jaw sha re majaw jahkrai ma gaw kawsi shat kan sha kyu kyu nga sharang na nga rem shakut ai re da. Rai yang lani mi hta shi nga bai rem sa wa na nga nna pru sa wa shaloi e ndai mare makau na numshang kaw e lagat hpun langai mi tu ai da. Dai lagat hpun dai gaw loi hpun krawng hpun krawng re dai kaw e gat neng rawng ai hpe ndai jahkrai ma gaw sa mu ai da. Sa mu nna shi gaw shat ni mung galoi n hkru sha rai shat sha kan si kan si nga re majaw ndai lagat gat neng rawng ai mu nna ndai krau sha na re ngu nna myit ai raitim n-htu n lu ai majaw shi a nchyang madu ni kaw e n-htu wa shap ai shaloi kadai mung n shap ya ai da chyawm mi hkap a kre dat dai hku re yang gaw bai sa mat wa raitim jahkrai ma gaw e shi mung grai sha mayu sai da law re nna raitim myit bai awai la re nna she e kalang mi bai wa hpyi lajin yu na re ngu nna she kalang mi bai nhtu bai wa shap sai da. N-htu wa shap yang gaw dai htinggaw ni gaw shawng e masha ni hte aga rawng htim hkat re nna makoi da ai n-htu jagang kade na sai mung n chye nhkan hkrai hkrai puk puk re n-htu jagang langai mi shap ya ai da. Jahkrai ma gaw n-htu dai n dai mat sai majaw n-htu garang la na re ngu nna nhkrut tam yu yang nhkrut mung n mu re ndaw de bai pru wa yu yang e ndaw kaw e nlung langai mi gaw marung kung kung re nna ga kaw e daw mi lup re nna lup taw nga ai nlung dai hpe mu dat ai majaw shi gaw nlung dai kaw n-htu garang ai da. N-htu garang re yang gaw dai nlung mi gaw kung kung re dai wa she shi n-htu garang garang re jang gaw loi mi tsawm ra mi ra mat wa ai da. Ra mat wa nlung tsawm ra mi ra hkra garang re jang gaw n-htu mung dai sai da. N-htu dai wa shaloi she dai nlung gaw ga shag wa ai da. "Jahkrai ma e grai chyeju kaba sai law, ngai prat ting shakrwi machyi nna grai nga jam jau re wa daini chyawm mi nang garang shabaw kau ya nna grai nga pyaw mat sai law" ngu nna tsun ai da. Jahkrai ma gaw grai kabu ai hte ndai shi mu da ai lagat hpun kaw e lagat gat neng bai sa krau sha sai da. Sa krau sha yang e dai lagat hpun mung shi hpe bai tsun ai da. "Ma e grai chyeju kaba sai law, grai kabu sai law nye a ana lashing kaw e sa matsut gawa rawng nga ai ana kanu hpe nang alai shaw kau ya majaw ngai grai nga pyaw mat sai law" ngu na tsun re nna dai lagat hpun gaw bai matut tsun ai da "Ma e nang mung masha ni a nga chyu chyu rem matsan shayan re nna kaw si hpang gara hkrum bu hpun palawng gaw n lu gade katsi timung nga hkyi ni sha hte re nna nang grai ba nga ndai ya kaw na nang nga hkum rem sa nta she galaw na di u" ngu nna she dai hku tsun re yang gaw jahkrai ma gaw kaja wa lagat hpun hte e nlung shi hpe e hpaji jaw shadum la ai ga hpe madat nna shi gaw kaja wa nta galaw na hkyen sai da. Retim nta galaw na n-htu mung n lu re nna shi a nchyang madu ni kaw n-htu bai wa shap ai shaloi gaw n-htu mung kadai mung n shap ya da. N shap ya shi hpe e nga rem nchyang jahpu mung n jaw dan re nna she nta galaw wa na matu mung yak re majaw shi gaw lagat hpun hpe e dai lam ni bai n-htu mung n lu shi hpe nchyang jahpu mung n jaw re lam ni lagat hpun hpe bai wa tsun dan re yang gaw lagat hpun gaw"E hkum tsang u lani mi ya shanhte na shanhte myit wa nna jaw wa ai ten nga wa na ra ai gaw e nang hpa hkum myit kaji u" ngu nna daihku tsun jang gaw jahkrai ma gaw aw shi zawn zawn re nna matsan ai ni kaw n-htu shap la re nna she nta galaw wa sai da. Nta galaw yang gaw kade n na yang nta galaw ngut wa sai da ngut na sha re wa sai da. Shi gaw ya ngut hkyen sai majaw gaw ga saw la nna lani mi hte nta ngut hkra galaw kau na re ngu nna shangut la na re ngu nna ga saw sai da. Ga saw re yang gaw aw lusu ai ni gaw shi hpe e "Nang gumhpraw pyi n lu ai wa mi ga saw ai gaw shat pyi n lu wa mi hpa baw jaw sha na" ngu nna tsun ai da. Shi hpe matsan dum ai ni re jang gaw"Hpa ra ai law e shat sha ten re jang gaw kadai mung kadai a nta de she wa sha le" ngu nna dai hku sa galaw garum ai da. Sa galaw garum re jang gaw shani shat sha ten re jang e dai shi saw da ai ga ni hpe e lagat hpun nhpang de woi sa wa jang she lagat hpun nhpang hku gaw lusha ngu gaw mu mu mai mai akahtet hpoi hpoi re taw wa sai da. Re nna she shi ga ni hpe woi sha hkru hkru mu mu mai mai hkru hkru hpring hpring re nna sha ma masum dai hku daw jaw nna woi galaw ai da. Re jang gaw nta galaw ngut sai da nta galaw ngut jang gaw jahkrai ma gaw e nta nnan hpe e hkalum sa pyaw chyai na matu bai saw sai da. Deng she lusu ai ni bai re jang gaw"Nang hpun nba pyi n lu ai wa mi shana nta hkalum sa pyaw chyai na nga gaw" ngu na tsun,shi hpe matsan dum ai ni bai re jang gaw bai"Yup ten du jang maw kadai mung kadai na nta na hpun nba she wa la gaw e, nrai yang mung wan she wut kra gaw e" ngu nna shi hpe matsan dum ai ni gaw dia hku tsun re nna she nta sa kabu sa pyaw chyai lawm na re ngu nna sa wa yang she jahkrai ma na nta nnan kaw gaw nhku tup hkra hpun nba ni dunghkum saboi ni dinghku rai ni ja gumhpraw ni manu mana ndai lagat hpun hte nlung sagya num ni gaw yawng daihku sa shachyip bang da ya tawn da ya hpe sa mu ai da dai nna dai gahtawng mare masha ni gaw grai mau mat ai da. Dan re yang gaw ndai jahkrai ma gaw dai shani kaw nna gaw grai lusu nga mai wa sai da. Dan re nna she e ya dinghku de aten mung re sai gaw ngu nna she shi gaw num bai hpyi hkawm wa sai da, num hpyi hkawm wa yang gaw " E nang zawn re matsan jahkrai ma hpe wa kadai wa num ya kam na ta" ngu nna dai hku tsun na kadai mung num n ya ai da, re jang she shi gaw "E matsan chye dum ai hkawhkam shayi sha sa hpyi chyam yu na re" ngu nna sa hpyi sai da, sa hpyi chyam yu jang gaw dai hkawhkam wa mung shi hpe gaw matsan jahkrai ma re majaw hpa n lu bang na re ngu hku loi mi jahpoi asawng agoi ai hku na she "Ja joi lahkawng wa bang u law e, re jang gaw num nye kasha jaw sha na" ngu nna tsun jang she jahkrai ma gaw grai kabu hte wa nna she nlung hpe wa tsun ai da. Wa tsun jang she nlung gaw"E e jahkrai ma e ngai gaw nang n hpyi na she tsang nga ai,joi lahkawng sha wa i joi masum mali retim jaw na ngu su" ngu nna she dai hku dai hku ngu dat re nna nlung hte lagat hpun gaw shi hpe grai karum la nna dai shani gaw tsawm dik ai hkawhkam shayi mung lu hpyi la re nna e dai hkawhkam wang mung shan lahkawng hpe ndai ja gumhpraw sut gan ni garan ya di nna grai pyaw ai dinghku hpe e de la lu sai da. Dai majaw ndai jinghpaw ga malai gaw"Matsan ai nga nna hkum hkrap da, lu su ai nga nna hkum kadap" nga ndai jahkrai ma gaw dai jinghpaw ga malai hta e dik wa ai lam re sai da. |
