| Description |
Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
This is the last day of Nangbya. Nangbya said, "I can play the flute although I am dead." He bragged about it. The villagers didn't believe him, so they were just waiting for the day when Nangbya will be dead. They said, "Let's see if he can really play the flute when he is dead." Nangbya told his family, "Even when I'm dead, I will play the flute while lying down with my legs crossed." Then, people were waiting for the time when Nangbya would die. On the other hand, Nangbya told his family before he died, "Catch some bees and put them into the bamboo section. And close it tight. When I die, position my legs crossed and put my hands near my mouth like I am playing the flute. After that, you can call people to come to my funeral." A few days later, Nangbya died. His family prepared his body as he said before he died. They positioned his legs into crossed position and his hands near his mouth. And they put a bamboo section filled with bees near Nangbya. Then, they cried out loud, "Our beloved father, Nangbya, is dead." They invited the villagers to come to their father's funeral. Many people came there not because they were sorrowful, but because they were curious if Nangbya actually played the flute or not. When they looked at the corpse, Nangbya was lying as if he was playing the flute. And the bees were buzzing noisily. It was like a flute sound. The villagers thought, "Nangbya can really play the flute even when he is dead." They were surprised.
Transcription (Lu Awng)
Um nangbya wa a hpang jahtum n htoi re sai. Ya gaw nangbya wa gaw tsun ai da, asak naw hkrung ai ten e ngai gaw si ting pyi naw sumpyi chye dum ai wa re yaw ngu mare de shakawng hkawm ai da. Masha yawng gaw nangbya wa hpang jahtum nhtoi hpe la sai da. Nangbya wa galoi si si nangbya wa si yang sumpyi dum yu yu ga. Nangbya wa mung shi nta masha ni ngai gaw si yim a tsawm lagaw ning kalai di lagaw hkai re di sumpyi dum na re yaw ngu tsun ai da. Nangbya wa si ni hkyen sai masha ni yawng la sai. Nangbya wa si yang she yu yu ga ngu yawng la nangbya wa nta masha ni hpe htet sai da. Kawa n dum langai kaw lagat rim bang da mu le n mai hkra pat da mu. Re di ngai si yang nye lagaw hpe hkai di re na nye ta hpe gaw sumpyi dum ai zawn di na n gup kaw ning di da mu yaw ngu re di she masha ni hpe shaga mu ngu tsun ai da. Kaja wa nangbya wa si wa sai da. Dai shi hpe mang lajang da ai kaw she nangbya wa gaw dai kaw tawn da sai hku nga, tawn da re she nang bya wa gaw kaja wa lagaw sha hkai di ning re di she di da sai da. Lagat mung dai sumpyi kata kaw bang da re yang she masha ni e shaga sai hku nga nangbya wa nta masha ni gaw e anhte kawa nangbya wa si mat sa lo. Htingbu ni e sa myit lo yawng lo du myit lo ngu tsun ai da . Dai shaloi kaja wa dai shaloi nkau wa nangbya si di yawn di sa ai gaw pyi n law ai. Nangbya wa sumpyi dum chye ai wa re ngai gaw masu ai hte seng na gaw si hkra masu ai wa re. Si tim pyi sumpyi dum chye ai she teng ngu sa yu ga sa yu ai. Sa yu yang kaja wa ning re di ta ning re di, lagat oh ra n dum kaw rawng di wuhhh nga galoi tim ngoi na hku nga. Aw nangbya wa gaw si tim pyi sumpyi dum chye ai nga teng nga hka ngu di yawng mau mat ai da.
Notes:
1. Nang Bya is a popular trickster in Kachin folktales, who are a person or an animal that always lies and teases others. It is known by the names of Nang Bya, Mang Bya, Mawng Byaw, and others depending on dialects and languages.
2. For more stories about Nang Bya, see:
KK1-0027
KK1-0028
KK1-0072
KK1-0233
KK1-0234
KK1-0296
KK1-0297
KK1-0326
KK1-0339
KK1-0364
KK1-0475
KK1-0549
KK1-0640
KK1-0709
KK1-0735
KK1-0973
KK1-1209
KK1-1210
KK1-1286
KK1-1379
KK1-1462
KK1-1711
KK1-1785
KK1-1786
KK1-1788
KK1-1789
KK1-1790
KK1-1791
KK1-1792
KK1-1793
KK1-1794
KK1-1795
KK1-1798
KK1-1855
3. See Kurabe (2018) for a story of Mang Bya.
References
Kurabe, Keita. 2018. A Jinghpaw folktale text: A liar Mang Bya. Journal of Kijutsuken 10: 69-80. |
