 Chapter 6 of Shan Folklore Stories, from the Hill and Water Country. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by April 6,090, California, United States of America. Sean Folklore Stories from the Hill and Water Country by William Charles Griggs. The story of the tortoise. There was once a man who had two wives. Now as everybody knows, it is always the chief wife that the husband loves best, while the other, instead of being mellung, is only mainois. And this often causes jealousy and trouble in the family. It was so in this case, especially as the chief wife did not have a son to add to her dignity. They each had a daughter. The name of the chief wife's child was Neng Sen Ga, and that of the other Neng Yi. One day the husband of these women went to the lake to fish. He caught a large number of shellfish, and put them on the shore for his wives to bring home. The younger took her share of the load, but, being very hungry, she ate them all. The mother of Neng Sen Ga, however, was not greedy like the other woman. And so she put all the fish that were left into her bag, and began to trudge slowly toward thouse. Now, the mother of Neng Yi was a witch, although no one, of course, knew it. Being wicked enough to be a witch, she did not hesitate at committing any other crime. Even the most dreadful. And she therefore made up her mind that she would kill the mother of Neng Sen Ga, so that she could be the chief wife. She got home much sooner than the other woman, as she had no load to carry. And when she saw her husband, he naturally asked her where the fish were. Now, she thought, here's a good chance to get that woman out of the way. So she told her husband that his other wife was a poor or a witch, and she had taken all the fish away from her. Now, witches are, of course, very much dreaded. So when the poor woman came home, with her heavy load of fish, the villagers killed her with their sticks, and she was changed into a tortoise in the lake. And now, at last, the mother of Neng Yi was chief wife. But do you think she was satisfied? Not a bit of it. She heard that her rival was now a tortoise in the lake, and she determined to kill her again. Sometime after this, as Neng Sen Ga was in the jungle watching the cows that belonged to her father, she walked along the edge of the lake and was very much surprised to hear her own name called in familiar tones. She looked around but could see no one, and she was getting very frightened, thinking that it was, perhaps, a Pia, who wanted to entice her into the thick jungle so that he could devour her. But at last she looked on the ground at her feet and saw it was a tortoise that was speaking to her. Neng Sen Ga, they called, my daughter, Wei, I'm your mother, who was killed through the wicked acts of my rival, the mother of Neng Yi. I have arrived at great trouble, and now, instead of being the chief wife of a rich man, I am nothing but a tortoise swimming in the lake, take pity on me, my daughter, and out of compassion every day bring me cotton thread and raw cotton, so that I can weave and spin. Neng Sen Ga was a dutiful daughter, and every day when she went to the jungle she took cotton for her mother to spin and thread for her to weave, and daily talked with her, telling her all the gossip of the village and anything else that she thought her mother would like to hear. But the mother of Neng Yi was on the watch, and thinking it strange that the girl should take cotton and thread to the jungle every day and bring none back with her when she drove the cattle back at night, she followed her, heard her talking with her mother, and thus found out in what part of the lake her enemy was, and laid her plan accordingly. That evening, unknown to her family, while her husband was busy working in his garden, she went to the house where lived the doctor of the village. She unfolded her plans to him and asked for his help. Being an unscrupulous man he agreed. Took the silver the woman had pilfered from her husband and promised to help her. The next day she was taken very sick and her husband called in the doctor, who told him that the woman must have a tortoise from the lake nearby. If she boiled and ate it according to his directions she would get well. If not she would die. Having performed his part of the bargain he returned to his home at the other end of the village. Next morning the man went to the lake to get the tortoise. Neng Sen Gah was much distressed when she saw her father set out, and her distress became worse when she saw that the wicked stepmother had directed him to the little pond where her own mother was. The man took a large bucket made out of wicker work and commenced bailing out the water. But Neng Sen Gah was able to warn her mother just where her father was, so that when he was on one side of the pond her mother went to the other, but at last he sent the girl home. In any few minutes secured the tortoise and was soon carrying it away for his wife to eat. When he got home he gave her the tortoise, little thinking who it was, and then went out, when the witch called Neng Sen Gah to watch the pot which had been put over the fire. Soon the poor girl heard her mother call out. She said that the hot water had reached her knees and begged her to put out the fire. She commenced to rake out the hot embers from under the pot, when her stepmother saw what she was doing, and taking up a heavy bamboo beat her unmercifully, and made her put more sticks on the fire. Soon her mother complained again that the heat had reached her shoulders, and again Neng Yi's mother beat her, and made her put more sticks on the fire. Soon she heard her mother say, My daughter, oy! The hot water has reached my neck, and I shall soon be dead. When it is all over do not let that wicked woman destroy me altogether, but bury me in the jungle, and in a few minutes she was dead. Neng Sen Gah tried her best to get the dead body of her mother, but her stepmother watched her carefully, and all she could not eat herself she gave to the dogs, to prevent her daughter from getting any, but one dog ran off with his portion into the jungle. Neng Sen Gah followed in time to rescue the webbing between the fingers. Footnote. The Shauns called the two front feet of a quadruped hands. The digits are called fingers, not toes. End of footnote. This was all that was left, but she buried that carefully in the jungle far from the house where her stepmother lived. The next day as she was walking through the jungle feeding her cows, she heard sweet music. It sounded like twelve organs all playing at the same time, and yet in harmony, each organ blending with the others. In great surprise she hunted around till she came to the spot where she had buried the part of her mother's hand, and saw that during the night this had changed into a beautiful, mine young, calmed tree. Footnote. The Sacred People Tree. End of footnote. And so this good and dutiful daughter went every day to listen to the tree as she had gone daily to the lake when her mother had been a tortoise, and the tree sang sweeter when she was near then at any other time. But such a wonderful thing as this could not be kept a secret. Others heard of it, and people came from far and near to hear the sweet music come from the tree. One of the amants of the great king who ate. Footnote. The Shauns do not usually say that a king rules over a country, but the expression generally used is that he eats it. A very suggestive, and alas, too often only two true expression. End of footnote. The country heard that a miracle was to be seen in this jungle, and accordingly reported it to his lord, who sent men to cut the tree down and bring it to his palace. All day long the men worked at the tree, from the time the country became light till the moon rose at night, but although they had the sharpest of axes and were the most skillful workers in all the country, yet with all their labour they could only cut through the bark, and during the night the tree grew so quickly that when the morning dawned it was twice as large as it was the night before, and the marks made by the axes on the bark were covered with new bark harder than ever. The king was very angry, when he heard of the ill success of his woodmen, had them all executed and sent others, but they had no better success than the first. But this only made the king more stubborn and determined to get the tree at any cost, and he therefore sent the heralds all through the country and made a proclamation that any man who could bring the tree to his palace should be made his Khem-mong, that is, heir apparent. Should it be a woman, she should become Nang-mi-pra, or chief queen. Many men therefore came with sharp paws and axes, but all were equally unsuccessful, and the king disparate of ever getting the tree, when Nang-sen-ga heard of the reward offered by the king and told the heralds she could bring the tree to his palace, the king was full of joy when he heard this, and made great preparations for her. On her part she simply went to the jungle and, taking off her turban, fastened it around the tree, and carried it bodily into the palace where it sang as sweetly every day as when it was in the jungle. When the mother of Nang-yi heard of the good fortune that had befallen Nang-sen-ga, she was very angry, and calling her own daughter to follow her, she set off for the capital. When she had arrived there she disguised herself and became a servant to the queen, and pondered how she could kill the Nang-mi-pra and put her own daughter Nang-yi in her place. One day this wicked woman told the queen that she had found some spying soap, beans, and bark, that she was very skillful in shampooing, and as the next day was to be a great feast when the queen would follow the king on her royal elephant, the soap-beans would make her blacker blacker and the gloss glossier than ever, and asked her to allow her to wash the queen's head at a well that was just outside the gate of the palace, near the royal gardens, where the water was very sweet. The queen consented and called her attendants to follow, but the stepmother was much too cunning to allow that, so she told the queen that her method of washing was better than any other woman's, but it was a secret, and she would reserve it for her majesty's own private use, but she did not want any of the attendants to see how it was done. If they did, she added, the next day at the feast every lady in the court would have hair as glossy as the queen's, but if they went alone her hair would be as much more beautiful than any other woman's as the sun is more beautiful than the bamboo torch that lights the way through the jungle at night, when there is no moon. The young queen was not proof against the flattery, and so the two women went alone out of the palace, the very guards who watched at the gates, not knowing wither they were going. They soon arrived at the well, and as the queen was bending over her long hair covering her face, so that she could see nothing, her wicked stepmother suddenly drew a knife and stabbed her to the heart, then calling her daughter to help, she buried the poor young queen under the road leading to the well. She took the royal robes and put them on her own daughter, Nengi, who returned to the royal palace and entered the royal apartments, all the attendants thinking it was the real queen returned from a bath in the river. That same afternoon, as the king walked through the palace, he was surprised to see that the wonderful singing tree was all withered and mute. In Greek distress he called for the queen and ordered her to make the tree sing as before. But although Nengi tried with all her might, she could make no sound. She tapped it softly, as she had seen Neng sing God do, but all in vain, it was silent. Now the king was in the habit of wearing Burmese clothing instead of shone, and one day when he had gone to his room to put on his so, he found that a little sparrow had built her nest in it. He was a very kind man, and so allowed the little bird to live there. And in gratitude to the king, the sparrow was in the habit of telling him all she saw as she flew around the city from morn to night, and whenever the king wished to find out anything that puzzled him, he would often call the sparrow to tell him what to do. He therefore now called the little bird and asked it what ailed the tree, and the sparrow told him that the woman who was then in the royal apartments and wearing the clothes of the Nengmi Pra was not the real queen. But a woman named Nengi, and seeing her approach the brave little bird began whistling, this is not the Nengmi Pra, this is Nengi, Nengi, oh Nengi. In a great rage the king commanded his servants to call the woman, and when she was come into the royal presence she dared not open her mouth to answer the king, for she was not so clever as her mother, who could disguise her voice as well as her face, and she knew that if she began to speak the king would see that she was not Nengsenga, so she remained silent. But this did not save her, for the king looked at her and said, You wear the robes and jewels of my queen, but you have not the same face, and you are afraid to speak to me. And he immediately called his chief executioner to take her away and cut off her head, but even this did not bring back the music to the tree, and the king was disconsole it. The next morning when the guard of the royal garden went to his post, he saw near the wall a beautiful makmu flour, took it home with him and placed it in the chatty of water, that every shan keeps in his house as an offering to the hipas. The old mother Nai soon after took her basket and went to the bazaar to buy puk for her son's breakfast, but when she returned she was surprised to see that during her absence someone had swept the house, cooked the food, and that the morning rice was all ready to eat. The eating tray was set out in the middle of the room. The rice and curry were arranged in order on it, and the drinking chatty was full of scented water. She called her son and all the neighbors to ask who had done this, but no one could tell her, and in great amazement they sat down to their meal. That evening the same thing happened again. While she was out the house was again swept, the food was prepared and the tray arranged as in the morning. For several days this happened, and then the old woman determined to hide and see who did these kind acts. She did so, and was amazed to see that as soon as she had left the house she went under the floor and looked up through a hole between the bamboos. That a spirit came out of the makmu flower that her son had brought from the road leading to the well, and commenced to sweep the house in the midst of it the old woman rushed up to the flower and destroyed it, so that the spirit could not go back to its refuge. At the same instant it changed into the most beautiful woman ever seen. That afternoon Neng Sengah, for the spirit was she, told old Nye how her stepmother had killed her at the well, and buried her, and how she had been changed into the spirit of the beautiful makmu flower the guard had brought to the house and that she would soon go back to the king in the palace. They neither of them had seen the little sparrow sitting on the roof, but she had been there all the time, and now flew off to the king and told him all that she had heard. The king gave orders that the wicked mother of Nengie should be executed immediately, and that a band of soldiers should go to the guard's house to escort his bride back in state to the palace, where she reigned many, many years, till she saw her grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow up. As soon as the queen entered the gate, the tree began to play. The withered leaves put on a bright hue, and beautiful flowers burst into bloom. And while Neng Sengah lived, the tree bloomed and played sweetest music every day. The lessons that this story teaches are, as surely as the wheels of the cart follow the oxen, so surely will wickedness be punished. If you sin you must suffer. The man who kills another will assuredly meet the same fate. End of Chapter 6 Chapter 7 of Shan Folklore Stories from the Hill and Water Country This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anita Sloma Martinez Shan Folklore Stories from the Hill and Water Country by William Charles Griggs The Sparrow's Wonderful Brood Many many years ago, at the beginning of the world, a little sparrow built her nest on the top of a tall tree that grew near the edge of a lake. In it she laid five little eggs, and never was Mother Bird prouder than she, and all day long she flew from tree to tree, chirping out her joy. So proud, in fact, was she, and so much noise did she make, that a monkey that lived on the other side of the lake was struck with the remembrance of how he had once dined with great satisfaction on eggs laid by the sparrow's sister, and in a few minutes he was on his way to repeat the performance. In vain the little bird cried and begged him to spare her brood, promising to show him where the sweetest plantains in all the country were growing. The monkey only laughed at her and climbed the tree to get the prize. The next moment the robber would have gotten his spoil, and this wonderful story would never have been told. But just then the great Lord, a Sakya, looked earthward and saw the tragedy that was taking place. Like a drop of rain that falls from a tree, when the wind blows after a shower, the mighty Lord descended. And when the would-be robber reached the nest, his hand entered an empty one. The eggs were soon brought back from the Paya country, where the Lord Sakya had taken them for safety, and in due time were hatched. One of the first protruded a sharp bill, and a kingfisher bright of plumage and swift of wing broke out of its speckled prison. The next egg broke, and a buffalo came out, to be followed by a lordly striped tiger from the next. A terrible Paya Lou, with head and claws like a bird and body like a man, tore his way out of the next one, already looking around for a man whom he might devour for his first meal. Only one egg remained, and that the smallest of all, but out of it came a man, and the mighty Lord Sakya smiled when he saw him, and said that although he was the smallest in the last, yet he must feed his brothers and take care of them. One hot day in summer, the buffalo that had come out of one of the eggs, walking through the jungle much troubled by mosquitoes, thought how nice would be a wallow in a hole well known to him under the shade of the trees by the bank of the lake, where the sun had not dried the mud to the hardness of bricks as it had in every other wallow, and accordingly turned its huge body in its direction and slowly set off toward it. On his way there, he saw on the ground what appeared to him to be a bed of flowers growing on the bank of the lake, and after spelling it carefully over, leisurely ate it all up. The sun was hot, the earth dry, and the flowers had long ago died, and what the buffalo thought were flowers were actually ten white jackets and ten red skirts, but when he had finished his meal he continued his journey to the wallow, and then with the grunt expressive of great satisfaction, sinking into the soft mud to only the tips of his horns and the top of his head were visible, he closed his eyes and enjoyed himself. By and by there was a great commotion in the water, shouts laughter and jokes together with a great splashing. The lazy buffalo opened one eye and saw ten young girls who were having great fun in the cool water, throwing it over one another and chasing each other here and there. When they came to the place where they had left their clothes, however, their mirth received a sudden check. They had all disappeared. They stood up to their armpits in the water, looking at each other with very long faces till, spying the buffalo in his mud-bath, they approached him and in the most courteous language asked him what he had seen their dresses. The great beast closed the eye he had opened and slowly uncovered the other one, but beyond this took no notice of the maids for Lord. Then, calling him kind brother buffalo, they begged him to answer them, saying that all the people who left the village to go to the bazaar before the sun had risen would soon be passing on their way home. The buffalo blew a big cloud of mud and water from his nostrils, but said never a word. Now it happened that the youngest of the sparrows brood, the man, was in the jungle all the time. He had seen his brother eat up all the clothes and had heard all the conversation. He had noticed, too, that although all the maidens were beautiful, the youngest was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He saw how straight was her form, how black was her hair, and that her eyes were the color of the sky when there are many stars but no moon, and he determined to get her for his wife. He therefore now approached the party and told them that he could help them and that no one besides could tell them where their clothes were, but that they must promise that the one whom he should pick out should be his wife. To this they agreed, and thus it happened that he became possessed of the most beautiful woman in all the Shan country. So beautiful, in fact, was she, that it is said the bird stopped in the middle of a song when they saw her. The squirrels stopped halfway up the tree in their search for nuts as she walked under the trees, and her fame sprick far and wide. At this time a hunter came wandering through the jungle in search of game and saw her standing at her door. He, like everybody else, was struck with her wonderful beauty, and he thought to himself, for a long time I have been most unfortunate. I have caught but few animals, and their furs have been poor and mangy. Now if I tell the king of my country about this beautiful girl he will give me a great reward. Thus reasoning he set out home and told the king what he had seen, enlarging upon her great beauty till the king resolved to get her at any cost. He therefore set out taking with him soldiers and attendants as became such a mighty lord, and when he saw the object of his journey he acknowledged that the hunter had not deceived him, and he determined to take her back with him to the palace, but at the same time he made up his mind to go about it in a cunning way. Now this king had a wonderful fighting cock, of which he was very proud, and which had never been beaten. It had a beak of iron and spurs as sharp as the knives that come from Lyca, and a voice so loud and piercing that every morning when he crowed every other rooster in the city scurried away in fright at the challenge. The king therefore said that he and the woman's husband should have a cockfight. He would wager his country against the other's wife. In great sorrow the man went out into the jungle to think over his misfortune, and while sitting on the ground in a most disconsolate manner he heard a little bird calling his name, and looking up he saw his brother, the kingfisher, perched above him. Oh, brother, do not fear, said the bright little bird. I do not forget that you are my brother and have guarded me long, and now I will surely help you in your trouble. When the time came for the fight, therefore, and the king's fighting cock stood proudly up, suddenly down from a tree flew the kingfisher, pecked him with his long, sharp bill, and then flew away before he could so much as turn his head. Time and again this happened till the king's challenger finally stretched himself dead on the ground. The fight ending in this way, however, did not suit the selfish king a bit, and he therefore said it was not a fair fight, and brought out a large fierce dog. This dog was the terror of the state, but the king said that it should fight any other dog that could be brought against it for the same stakes as before. The tiger brother, however, was on the watch, and before the dog could get near his opponent, a blow from his paw ended his career. So the king persisted in his unjust course, and now declared that the wager should be finally settled by a fight between two buffaloes. Now the buffalo brother was ashamed of the way in which he had treated the girls in the water, and had long wished for an opportunity to retrieve his honor, so that he now fought with such bravery against the royal buffalo that he speedily conquered it. Then the king, seeing that he was beaten every time, threw off all disguise and said plainly that he had come to get the girl for his wife, had brought soldiers to help him if necessary, and he would take her in spite of losing the different battles, and in spite of her husband or anybody else. He stepped forward to take her, but he did not know that one more brother yet remained to be heard from. For out of the jungle, with a dreadful yell came rushing the peya-lou, his beak open, his claws outstretched, and king, soldiers and courtiers all disappeared down his ravenous maw. The next month the fortunate man, with his beautiful wife, became king in the place of his enemy, and lived to be the oldest manor in the whole of the Shan country. CHAPTER 8 of Shan folklore stories from the hill and water country This is a LibriVox recording. While LibriVox recordings are in the public domain, for more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Wayne Cook. Shan Folklore Stories from the Hill and Water Country by William Charles Griggs. How the World was Created In the beginning of the world, many, many cycles ago, so long ago in fact, that no man knows how long it was. There were no trees, no hills, no land, nothing but water. The wind blew the waters hither and thither, sometimes in great waves, sometimes in quiet ripples. The wind blew, the waves rolled, and that was all. Now it happened that Gong Gao, the great spirit spider, felt weary with carrying around her heavy burden of eggs, wrapped up so carefully in their white covering, fastened to her waist. Therefore she said to herself, I would feign place my eggs in a safe place, but know of none where they can hatch themselves without danger. So she searched through the universe to find a suitable place, and at last she spied the water that is now the world, and in it began to spin her web. Forward and forward, forward and backward, round and round, in and out she wove, till at last all was done. And full of content she left her eggs in their web-prison nest, and journeyed away. The wind blew and drove the water hither and thither as a foretime, and soon little pieces of solid substance caught in the meshes of the web, and behold, as the time passed the solid substance became more solid, till it formed mud, and separated itself from the water. And when the mud had dried, lo, it was the earth. So the eggs of the great spirit spider were safely locked up within the earth. By and by they hatched, and breaking forth, there appeared the first man, Bu Pa, and the first woman, May Pa, from whom all the ancient people who belonged to the first race were descended. Many, many years passed, and people lived out their lives till one day the great earth caught fire. It burned a fiercer than anybody's imagination can conceive, and it destroyed everything, all the beautiful forests with their green coverings of moss and leaves, all the cities which the first race had builded were burned down. Still by and by there was not more for the fire to consume, and it was then the end of the hot season. The time of wet came soon after, and the rain fell upon the burning earth in such torrents that the whole sky was covered with the steam. Now it happened that in Mong-Pay, the faraway land, where dwell the powerful spirits whom we call Sangs, the smell of the steam ascended, and ascended till all the spirits smelled the sweet scent, and said them themselves, Behold, there appears a sweet smell arising from below, what can it be? And there was much marveling at what could cause such sweet smelling incense as that then ascending. It also happened that in Mong-Pay were nine spirits, five of them male and four females, and these being of more adventurous spirit than their fellows determined to find out for themselves where the sweet perfume came from. So they set out on their travels downward. They descended faster and faster, and the faster they descended, the sweeter became the smell, till at last they landed upon this world of ours, and bending down to the earth they tore great handfuls of it out, and ate it with the greatest relish. It was morning time when they descended, and they fed upon the fragrant earth all day till the sun set, and the shades of evening began to surround them. Then the eldest of the spirits looked around upon his fellows and said, Better than all ye, it is time that we ascended to our own country. And as the rest ascended they stood up to return, but, alas, they could not rise. They had eaten so much earth that it had made them too heavy to soar, and from that day to the day they died none of them ever found their way back to the beautiful country of the Sangs, but had to spend all their lives upon this earth of ours. Thus we see that it is earthly desires that keep us from the spirit country. We see or we hear, we smell or desire some earthly thing. We get our desires, but they keep us pinned down to the earth. We cannot go to the spirit country because of them. When the spirits discovered that they could not return to the Sang country, they agreed that they would marry each other and take up their abode upon this earth of ours. But here arose a difficulty. There were five male Sangs, but only four females. There was a chance of a great quarrel, but the strongest of them, his name was Sinkine, thought within himself. I am stronger than any of my brothers, and could easily defeat them and marry whom I will, but what merit would there be in that? I will ask them whether they would be willing to make me king, and each of them give me of their daughters when they are old enough, then in time I shall have wives and power as well. Thus we see it is the man who is willing to control his desires, and wait who becomes great. Sinkine's brethren were very glad to make the agreement, and thus it was that he became the ruler of them all. When the daughters of the others were old enough, they brought them to the king, and from that day it has been the custom for men to offer their daughters to the king. Now it happened that the Universal Lord, Sakya, who rules over all spirits and men, looked earthward and saw the new kingdom that was established. He became jealous, and determined to kill Sinkine, and take his kingdom away from him. But Sinkine was very subtle and cunning, so he tattooed himself with charms of such great strength that even the mighty Lord Sakya could not kill him. For many years they fought. Great mountains were thrown by each combatant at the other. But Sinkine could not defeat the Lord Sakya, neither could the Lord Sakya kill Sinkine. Our great ancestor Sinkine had seven daughters, whose names to this day are remembered among us as they have been given to the different days of the week, from Nang-ta-Nang-nui, the eldest, after whom we call the first day of the week, Wan-ta-Nang-nui, to Nang-sa-ni, the youngest, and when the mighty Lord Sakya found that he could not kill their father, he spoke to these daughters and told them he was searching for one whom he would make his chief queen, and that if one of them would kill his enemy, their father, and bring to him his head, he would choose that one to be his queen, and make her joint ruler of the universe. With him she should govern everything created. But the charms tattooed upon Sinkyan were very potent. Water could not drown him, fire would not burn him, rope would not strangle him, but he was invulnerable against thrust of spear and stroke of sword. And although all seven of his daughters tried to kill him, yet they were not able to do so, and six of them gave up the attempt in despair. One day, however, the youngest, she whom we worship on the seventh day of the week, and because she was the smallest, call it Wan-sa-ni, was walking in the jungle, and as she was passing under a tree she saw a bird sitting upon its topmost branch. Now this girl knew how clever birds are, and so she said to it, Brother bird, oh, can you tell me how I can kill my father? Now although this daughter was the youngest, yet she was more lovely than all her sisters, and the bird was so pleased with her that he said, Neng-sa-ni, you are so beautiful that I will tell you the secret of your father's charm. Water cannot drown him, fire cannot burn him, neither can sword or spear wound him, but there is one way in which he may be killed. Take you seven strands of a spider's web and twist them into a cord, then with a piece of white bamboo make a bow. With this you will be able to cut off the head of your father and take it to the mighty Lord Sa-kya, and oh, continue the clever bird, when you are his queen, do not forget the good turn I have done you, and the debt of gratitude you owe me, therefore. Neng-sa-ni was full of joy when she learned the secret of her father's charm, and she promised the little bird that when she became queen of the universe she would grant him any desire that he craved. That night, when everybody else was asleep, Neng-sa-ni crept to her father's side, and with the bow made of the seven twisted strands of a spider's web, killed him and cut off his head. With great joy she carried it to the universal Lord. He was very glad to find that his enemy was at last dead, but although he had given his word to her, yet he would not marry Neng-sa-ni. Therefore, said he, she has killed her father, although I could not conquer him. Were I to marry her, who will go surety for her that she will not do the same to me? So the wicked daughter did not gain her ambitious end after all. Not only that, however, but she and her sisters received a punishment, one they are even now suffering, and will continue to the world ends. It is this. Then they found that the Lord Sa-kya would not marry their youngest sister, or even accept their father's head. They said among themselves, What shall we do with the head of our father? Where shall we bury it? Should we place it in the earth, the whole world would catch fire. Should we flow it into the sea, all the seven oceans would immediately boil. What shall we do? In their distress they went to the mighty Lord Sa-kya, and in humble tones begged his lordship to give them advice, so that they would be freed from the terrible trouble to which their wickedness had brought them. He looked at them and said, This is what you must do. You, pointing to the youngest, must carry your father's head in your arms all this year. And when the year is finished you can give it to the sister who is next older than yourself. She will carry it for a year. And thus one of you will ever after bear it. And so it is. We know when the year ends, because then come the Wan-kyap, or washing days, when the princess who has carried her father's head for a year gives it to her elder sister and washes the blood stains from her clothes. From these spirits all the inhabitants of the world are descended. And so we see the saying of our philosophers is true. We have all descended from spirits. Chapter 9 of Shan Folklore Stories from the Hill and Water Country This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Frank Duncan Shan Folklore Stories from the Hill and Water Country by William Charles Griggs How the King of Pagan Caught the Thief Many, many years ago, there lived near the old city of Pagan, a famous robber chief, who was so fierce and cruel that he made all men fear his name. He stole and killed and burned till the mothers used to frighten their disobedient children by saying, Bo lec baye wo git thee. He was a very brave and clever thief, and he became so strong that the headmen and elders of all the towns and villages throughout the country were obliged to feed him with money and goods. And if by any chance they did not pay this blackmail immediately, it was demanded that very night the followers of the robber chief would assuredly burn down their village and kill every man, woman, and child within it. For this was Shan and Burmese custom. Bo lec baye entered every house in Pagan. None was too big, none too small. He stole from the Han's house as easily as from the hut of the poor man. It made no difference to him. Until at last the palace where the great king lived was the only place whence he had not gotten booty. Several of his followers were caught and crucified, but that did not stop his bad actions or frighten him. In the old days, when a robber was caught, he was taken to the jungle where the tigers are. All the tigers knew the place of execution as well as a dog-nose worship days when the women offer rice and curry at the picotas. They used to tie the thieves fast to the cross by their feet, hands, and hair, and when they had jeered at them and the women and children had pelted them with stones and beaten them with bamboos, everybody went home and left them for the tigers to eat. And thus they did to the followers of the Hmong lec baye, but they could never catch the robber chief himself. At last the people of Pagan city came to the Amat Long, who was next in rank to the king himself, and said, Our Lord, for long thy slaves have been in great and sore trouble, and unless our Lord takes pity upon his servants, we shall arrive at destruction. What can I do? cried the Amat in a loud, angry voice. Has he not stolen from me? Did I not pay him? Two whole tickles of pure silver as protection money? No latter than last water feast, and yet did he not rob me as I was coming home in my boat yesterday night, and when I told him that I was the Amat Long, did he not laugh in my face and yet rob me just the same? What can I do? Our Lord can go to the ruler of the Golden Palace and plead for his slaves, suggested one of the suppliants. Now the Amat Long was a very cunning man, and he knew that if the king heard that Bolak Bayah had stolen so much from his subjects, he would be very angry, and might perhaps even deprive him of his rank as chief Amat, for it was his duty to see that all robbers were caught and punished. Therefore, after thinking for a while, he said, My friends, listen to me, let us each give silver as much as we can afford. It is better to give part of our possessions than to have everything taken from us. Dost here? This silver will give to the bow, and he will then not trouble us anymore, but will go to towns where the people are poor and cannot afford to give as much as we. The citizens of this royal city of Pagan, then shall we have peace. This advice was very good, and would have been acted upon, but unfortunately, one of the little princes happened to be in the audience chamber that morning, and heard what had been said. He went to his father, the ruler of the Golden Palace, and told the king what he had heard. Therefore his majesty called the Amat to the Golden Foot and asked him of these things. What is this I hear? He demanded. Has this wicked man robbed us as much as the people say? Why hast thou not caught him, as it was thy duty to do? Son of the sun, replied the servant, trembling very much as he kneeled before him, for who would not be afraid when the king is angry? It is true, but this thief is very wicked, and clever thief, besides, which he has a wonderful charm tattooed upon his body, which is so potent that it makes him invulnerable to wounds from sword or gun. Here can he be bound with ropes. Therefore it hath been impossible for the slave of our lord, the king, to capture or harm him. Then, said the king, still very angry, get thee a charm still more potent than the one that the Robert chief hath, for if thou dost not bring him, or his head to me, ere three days have elapsed, thou shalt fall from thy rank of chief Amat. Thus thou here, the Amat bowed, till his head touched the floor before the golden foot, and he crawled away from the presence, the most unhappy man in all the king's possessions. Then in great haste he ran to his house, and called all the charm makers in the city to come to him without delay. Then when they had assembled before him, he commanded them to make him a charm which would be stronger than the one tattooed upon the body of the Robert chief, Bolekbaya, but the charm sellers, one in all, declared that this was an impossibility, for the thief had upon the luckiest day of the whole year eaten a piece of flesh cut from the body of a murdered man, and so he could not be harmed in any way. Neither was it in their power to give his lordship the Amat a charm stronger than this. Very frightened was the Amat when he heard this, and very frightened were the soldiers who had been ordered to go with him and catch the thief. Their wives also cried all that night, for they knew what a terrible man the robber was, and how angry he would be with the men who had dared come to capture him. He would show no mercy, and without doubt would kill them all, and in derision send their heads back to the city afterward. This the robber had done before more than once to parties of soldiers sent to take him. Now it happened that among the soldiers who followed the Amat long was one who had a very wise and clever wife, and when she saw her husband march away and knew the great danger that he and his fellows were in, she went to the wife of another soldier, and this is what she said. Listen to my words, if we do not but sit in our houses and weep our husbands will all assuredly arrive at destruction, for the bow is very cruel and cunning man of what use will our houses be to us if we have no husbands. Listen therefore to what I say, the man who collects the blackmail for the bow from the headman of the village across the river and delivers it into his hand is well known to me, his name is Mongai, and he sells books in the bazaar. He is a very wise man, and knows all the followers of the bow like Baia. Let our husbands fight the bow with silver, it is sharper than a sword, and it injures not the man who handles it skillfully. We will collect all the money we can, I will sell my earrings, thou canst sell thy bracelets, and the wives of all the other soldiers can do likewise. This will bring a big bag of silver, and half of it we will give to Mongai. He will then call some of the followers of the bow to a secret place, and tell him that the Amat Long will give him the balance and return for the head of their master. If they take it to his lordship, year three days, have elapsed, our husbands will then bring the head of the wicked man to the royal palace, and lay it before the golden foot. They will reap much honor and glory for having fulfilled the order of the king, and the country will be freed from this great trouble. Now when the wives of the other soldiers heard these words, they perceived that she was indeed a very clever woman fit to be the wife of a great Amat instead of a common soldier. And one ran swiftly after the Amat and his men, for in truth they had not gone far, but were traveling slowly. As they feared to come up with the bow and his fierce followers, and they were filled with joy at the good news, and the messenger brought them. At the order of the Amat, his men hid themselves in a thick jungle, till the money should be collected and brought to them. After two days, and when it was very dark, a man came to them, saying that he was the friend of Mongai, and bore with him the head of the robber chief, and thereupon showed it wrapped up in a cloth. Then were the soldiers full of joy again, and they paid the money to him, and that night they slept peacefully, for they knew their enemy could harm them no more, and that they had been delivered from the great danger which had been threatening them. Before they slept, the Amat sent a swift messenger to the city to tell the king the good news, that the robber chief was dead, and that they were bearing his head with them, and would present it before the golden foot the next morning. Next day, therefore, at the head of his men, he marched to the golden palace, and the people of the city were so full of joy over the fact that Bolek Baya was dead, that great numbers followed the procession to the palace gates in the hope of getting a glimpse at the head of their enemy, and everybody praised the Amat long for his bravery and wisdom in killing the robber chief who had oppressed them so sorely. His wife also called musicians and dancers, and gave orders to her servants to prepare a great feast that night in honor of her brave husband. They reached the golden foot, and knelt before the throne. But when the basket was open, behold, it contained the head of another man, and not that of the Bo at all. Then did all the people in the city laugh at the Amat, because his enemy had deceived him, and he fell from his rank of chief Amat, all his golden umbrellas were taken away from him, and given to his successor, and he was obliged to earn his living by selling medicines in bazaar, and from that day, till he died, he bore the nickname of Amat Tok Arah. But the people all praised the cleverness of his enemy, the thief. Now, when the king saw how cunning Bolek Baya was, and how easily he had deceived his servant, he determined that he himself would take the robber chief, and thus gain great credit and renown. To this end he gave orders to the headmen of every village, not his kingdom, that directly the robber should come within his jurisdiction. He was to report immediately, and the king would send a trusty officer to arrest him. He did not tell them that he himself would go, therefore a long time the headmen feared to obey the order of the king for, said they among themselves, the Bo deceived the Amat long, who was one of the most cunning of men, and will he not escape from any other whom it should please our Lord, the king, to send against him? Is there any more cunning man in this palace now than before? When he finds out also that we have reported his presence to the king, his mind will become hot against us, and he without doubt will return and destroy all our houses, and kill everybody in our village. Nay, it is better to give him silver, and beg him be gone elsewhere. So although they told the messengers of the king, they would follow his words, they simply held their peace, when the dreaded robber chief was near their village. But after a long time, the headmen, Myohang, who was braver than his fellows, came to the palace, and told the king that the Bo was then at his village, and would leave when it became dark, taking boat for Myohuai, which was a suburb of the city of Pagan. The heart of the king was filled with joy when he heard this piece of good news, and he gave the headmen a great reward. Also he took off the royal robes, such as is the custom of kings to wear, and put on very poor ones, so that no one would think that he was the Lord who ate the country of Pagan. He also took with him a sword, not the royal sword, with the silver sheath and ivory handle, but an old da with a wooden handle bound around with ratten string, and a sheath of wood, such as the common people carry. Then he went to the bank of the river near Myohuai, and waited. He waited long. But his heart was strong, and he did not become discouraged by reason of the waiting. And at last he saw, coming down the river, a small boat, and in it a man whom he knew immediately to be the thief. Monglecabaya guided his boat toward the bank near where the king was seated, for he was skillful oarsman. And when he had fastened it with the ratten loop to the end of his oars stuck into the soft mud at the water's edge, he ascended the path to the village, and as he reached the top of the bank he caught sight of the king in his dingy clothes. And wearing the old sword with the wooden handle, sitting on the side of the path, he was surprised to see a man there at the time of night, for the gongs which called a priest and old women to worship had sounded long before, and everybody in the village was sound asleep. Therefore he gazed earnestly at the king, and then called out, Who is that? It is a man who wishes to arrive at the rank of disciple to our Lord, replied the king. Art thou a man of the day or a man of the night? asked the robber, looking down at him. Thy servant is a man of the night, replied the king. Hast thou not heard how many of my followers have been caught and executed? How that the tigers at the entering in of the villages will not now eat oxen, but wait till one of my men is tied up for them. I tell thee, they have not long to wait either. Art thou not afraid? Ah, our Lord replied the king. Thy disciples suffered, because they did not take heed and follow in the footsteps of our Lord. Therefore have they arrived at destruction. But thy servant will study thee, O Paya, and thus will I learn how to become a great bow, and also to escape their fate. Now when the king talked in this fashion, the bow was very pleased with him, and gave him permission to follow. He also promised to teach his new disciple all his arts, that he would not let him ever be caught, and would make him as famous a bow, even as he was. And so, said he, as thou hast a sword with thee, follow me, I will give thee thy first lesson. Now it happened that as they walked along toward the city, the thief began to think within himself. Who can this new disciple be? He surely comes from a high family, for he speaks not like the common people, but as kings have a custom of speaking. He wears the clothes of a common man, and carries the sword of a kulee, but his words are the words of one used to command. Can he be a spy sent by the amat, whom I tricked so nicely the other day, I wonder? And thus he turned it over and over in his mind. The heppies have ever aided the kings of Burma, and now those whom the king had been, in the habit of feeding daily, were watching over him. And when they heard, the bow, thus talked with himself, for the spirits can hear us think, even when we make no sounds of words. They put it into the head of the robber, to go to the house of the king's own astrologer. It was not very far, and they soon arrived there. Even Maung Lakbaya said to the king, Stay thou here, and watch. If thou dost see, or hear, ought come and call me. But he himself went under the house of the astrologer, to discover whether he slept or not. When he knew that the man was sound asleep, he would draw a sharp knife, which he carried in his girdle, cut a hole in the mat side of the house, creep in through this hole, and take what he wished. Then he would escape before the lord of the house awoke, as he was watching, however. He heard the astrologer come out upon the veranda, so that he could study the stars, for that was his custom. Then he heard him say to himself, Truly this is a good thing to marvel at, for I see the star of the famous robber chief, Bolakbaya, and following it closely is the star of none, other than the ruler of the golden palace himself. For a long time the astrologer sat upon his veranda, pondering over this strange occurrence, and trying to think what it should portend, but in vain. He could think of no solution of the mystery, so after again saying that it was a good thing to marvel at, he gave it up, and went into his house to sleep. Thus did the thief discover the high rank of his new disciple. For the astrologer knew the star of Bo well, and would make no mistake. He also knew the star of the king, had this same astrologer not cast the horoscope of the robber chief, and foretold which days were lucky, and which unlucky to him, so that by taking heed he had never been caught. Therefore when he again came forth from under the royal astrologer's house, and saw the king was still waiting without, even as he had given orders, his mind was filled with great fear. Then said the king directly, he saw the robber, O Kinbaya, thy servant knows a place where there are so many rubies, that they are as common as macna seeds, that the children play with in the dust. Gold is as plentiful as iron is with us, and there is enough silk to stock ten bazaars. All this is within reach of our hands. I can guide thee to the place, for I know it well, wilt thou follow? Then said the thief, I know of but one place of which thou's can't say that with truth, and that is the golden palace. But a man may not enter there, and live, knowest thou not, that the guards carry sharp daws, and that if a man is caught there without permission from the king, or one of his amats, he is immediately impaled. In very truth it is a place good to shun, and fear greatly, even as the den of a hungry tiger in the jungle. True, O brave man, replied the king, but this evening as I passed by the palace, I saw hanging, from the top of the wall, a rope ladder. We can climb over, take enough to make us rich for the rest of our lives, and run away before the guards with the sharp daws discover that we have been there. Thus shall we earn much wealth and glory, and people throughout the land will call our lord the bow who entered the golden palace, and all men will fear his name more than the name of a hungry leopard. Then were the thoughts of the bow in great confusion, and he said to himself, Of a truth I am about to arrive at destruction at last, I've had my last adventure, if I do not follow the king, he will assuredly call out to the guard, and I shall be taken. If I go, how shall I be delivered from the great dangers which will surround me in the golden palace? I am undone, whichever way I take. Then said he to the king, O disciple, whom I love much, I fear to enter the golden palace. For this I perceive is one of my unlucky days. We will therefore go to the Pen Thaw village, for I saw this morning a great number of coolies there. They were following a great prince from the hills. They have been traveling far today, and are therefore heavy with sleep, and we can to spoil them of as much as we can carry away. As they are very weary with their journey, none will know aught till they awake in the morning. Upon what day was Thou born, demanded the king, and the bow said that it was upon a Saturday. Then said the king, Behold, this is a lucky day, and he drew forth from under his jacket a horoscope, which showed that this was a lucky day upon which a man who had been born upon a Saturday could undertake any deed requiring a great wisdom and bravery in its accomplishment. And in spite of all that, Monglec Baia could say the king led the way toward the palace. And the bow was obliged to follow him, which he did with very slow and hesitating steps, for his heart had become as weak as water. Even as the king had said, there was a rope ladder hanging over the palace wall. And the bow perceived in what manner the king had left the golden palace. But being a very wise man, he followed without opening his mouth. They passed through the palace courtyard, and saw there a thing good to marvel at. All the guards who ought to have been watching their lord were slumbering, so that the king and the bow gathered up all. The spears and daws belonging to these men, and carried them away, hiding them in a secret place under one of the houses. As they entered the palace buildings, the thief became so full of alarm that all his strength left him, and he could hardly walk. Then the king saw that his follower had arrived at a great fear. And as they passed the house where the royal food was prepared, he said, Friend, I perceive that thou art in some distress. Come, eat the food I'm about to prepare for thee, and thou wilt become strong. Nay, said the bow, that I cannot do. Can a common man eat the golden food and live? This will I not do. Surely I should be accounted worthy of death. The king would not listen to him, but entered the royal kitchen, and with his own hands cooked some food, which he compelled the thief to eat. Now the king had prepared two messes, one in which he had cunningly placed some opium, and one without. And it was the food which contained the opium, that the king gave to the bow. Before, after a little time, he said to the king, O disciple of mine, I know not what is the matter with me. I have no strength, and although it is death to sleep in the golden palace, yet must I sleep, for if I do not, I shall surely die. As he said these words, his head drooped upon his chest. His eyes closed, and he fell asleep. Once more was the heart of the king filled with joy, and he bound the bow with strong ropes in great haste, and made him a prisoner. Early the next morning, the king called the officer who was in charge of the guard the night before. And when he was come before the face of his majesty, the king said, I have a parable to tell thee. Once upon a time, there was a great king, and in his country was also a famous robber chief, and behold, one night the king was sore, troubled with questions of statecraft, so that he could not sleep. Therefore he walked throughout his palace. As he was passing through the courtyard, he spied a ladder hanging from the top of the wall. Now the thief, who I have spoken, had that very night entered the golden palace, and at the same moment the king caught sight of him, loaded down with plunder, creeping toward the rope ladder beside which he stood. Then the king fell upon him, and took him prisoner, bound him securely with strong ropes, and dragged him to a safe place. But the soldiers, who should have been watching, were all asleep. What should be done to such guards as these? Now the officer did not yet know that the daws of his men had been stolen, so bowing before the golden foot he replied, Head of thy servant's body, there is but one thing to be done, they are worthy of death. Their lord shall pass judgment upon them, without mercy, and that immediately. That is a good judgment, replied the king, and turning again to the officer of the guard. He said, Last night I saw the great and renowned robber chief, Bolek Bayeh. In this palace, I took him prisoner with my own hands. Behold, he lies tied fast with ropes and yonder room. But all the guards, who should have been watching were asleep. Where are their daws? Let every man who has no sword be impaled before I eat my morning rice. King were the hearts of the king Zomot, full of joy, when they heard that the thief whom they all feared was a prisoner in the palace, and they praised the wondrous bravery and subtlety of their royal master, saying that without doubt he was the bravest and wisest king who ever sat under a white umbrella. The king was very proud, as he listened to the praises and gave orders that the robber chief should be brought before him. When Bolek Bayeh was led to the golden foot, he prostrated himself. And the king said, If a man be found in the royal palace at night, what half custom decreed should be the punishment for his presumption. Then the prisoner said, King above all kings, it is death. Hast thou anything to say, while thou shouldn't be impaled, or given to the tigers to eat? demanded the king in a terrible voice. Lord of the world replied the unfortunate man, Last night thou didst ask to become disciple to our Lord's slave. Will the disciple order his teacher to be executed? When our Lord's slave was beneath the royal astrologer's house, he discovered that his new disciple was the eatery of the country, and so when our Lord of the golden palace ordered his slave to enter, he would have been worthy of death, had he not obeyed. Will the son of the son execute his slave for following his words? Then when the king heard that the robber had known who he really was, he marveled much at his wisdom and said, Assuredly, thou art too wise a man for the tigers to eat. Take thou yonder's sword. It belonged to him, who yesterday was captain of the royal guard. Show me, and thou shalt later become my chief amat.