KK1-1616 - Lagut ma hpe sharin shaga ai lam (The thief child) with English translation

Translation (Gun Mai) In a village, there were several kids, who were about 10 and 12 years old. In that village, in the beginning, because their parents were not able to teach well, the kids started stealing things from their houses such as money and eggs that their parents hid. Because the kids were not taught well by their parents, they also stole things such as money and other things from neighbouring houses. Because the villagers lost their things from such stealing, they told everybody. "Today, I lost this thing and that thing." "I lost money." "My chicken had been stolen." "Like this, like that," said the villagers but no one could tell who stole the things with evidence. Because no one knew well about whose son stole, no one could point out to whom. But, on one morning, the chief of the village called all the kids who were the age of 10 and 12 years. Among all the kids, those who stole and those who did not steal were also included. They all came and listened to the chief. Then, the chief of the village cut a stick equally and gave all the kids. The chief said that "Now I gave you all the same sticks But, the stick of those who stole things from neighbouring houses will shorten one inch automatically itself. Therefore, bring this stick with you to your home. Then, bring back all the sticks when I call again you all tomorrow." When every kid got the stick, the kids who did not steal did not touch the stick because they believed that the sticks won't shorten. But, the kid who stole thought that the sticks would shorten one inch. The kid was thinking how he should do. Oh. sorry. When all the kids were called, it said that "The stick of the kid who stole will be longer one inches automatically itself. The sticks of the kids who did not steal will not change and it will be the same." And all the kids were given the sticks. Thus, the kid who stole thought to himself that "It said that the stick of the kid who stole will be longer one inches. So, I am afraid that people will know me. So, to be the same with other friends, I will cut my stick one inches." Then, because he was the kid who stole the things, he cut his stick one inch. On the next morning, the chief of the village called again all the kids who he called yesterday. He took all the sticks of the kids and noted which one was whose. When he compared one by one, the stick of the kid who stole was shorter one inches than others. The sticks of the kids who did not steal were the same because they did not do anything with the sticks. So, since the stick of the kid who stole was shorter one inch, the chief knew the kid who stole. Therefore, in a village, a person who is leading the village should know many strategies. Thus, whoever leading in our village, with this kind of strategy, if there is a thief or a bad guy, the person should lead to be a good village with various strategies. The story is ended here. Transcription (Lu Awng) Langai mi hta e ndai asak 10 ning daram 12 ning daram re ma ni tsawm ra mi nga ai. Dai mare kaw e ma ni gaw n nan e gaw kanu kawa sharin shaga nau ndang ai majaw shanhte gaw gau ngwi gau ngwi tinang nta hkan e kanu kawa makoi tawn da ai gumhpraw zawn re shing nrai u di zawn re ni yawng lagu bang wa ai. Retim mung ma dai ni gaw kanu kawa ni e atsawm n sharin ai re nga gaw hpang e gaw kaga htingbu nta na rai ni hpe gumhpraw zawn re ni kaga a rung arai zawn re ni lagu wa ai hku re nga. Re jang lagu wa re jang gaw dai mare na ni gaw tinang a nta na rai mat wa ai majaw yawng hpe tsun dan wa. Dai ni gaw anhte nta na dai baw mat ai, oh ra baw mat ai, gumhpraw mat ai u lagu la kau ya ai. Shing re oh ran re tsun garu wa retim mung kadai mung kadai lagu ai re ngu ai hpe hkrak sak se nlu madun ai. Kade a kasha kadai manu mabawk lagu ai re ngu ai hpe e shanhte gaw atsawm hkrak nchye ai majaw kadai hpe e madi madun lu ai lam nnga ai. Retim mung dai mare kaw na salang wa gaw lahpawt mi hta dai asak 10 ning 12 re ma ni yawng hpe shaga dat ai da. Shaga dat jang ma dai ni gaw n lagu ai ni mung lawm ai, lagu ai ni mung lawm re na dai salang wa shaga ai shaloi shanhte yawng sa madat la ai da. Re jang dai mare salang wa gaw ndai duk langai mi hpe maren sha di na jaw nna dai ma ni hpe grup hkra jaw dat ai da. Re jang dai salang wa gaw ya nanhte ndai duk nanhte hpe maren sha re duk jaw dat ai re yaw. Retim mung ndai manang a htingbu nta na rai lagu ai wa a duk ndai gaw (letma) mi shi hkrai kadun mat na ra ai. Dai re majaw nanhte duk ndai hpe la wa mu. La wa na hpawt de ngai shaga dat ai shaloi yawng a hkum a ra ndai duk bai la sa wa marit ngu na tsun dat ai da. Kaja wa dai duk hpe ma ni hpe gu hkra di na jaw dat jang gaw n la gu ai ni gaw n kadun na re ngu hku na dai duk hpe shanhte n kajam ai, dai she dai lagu ai ma wa gaw e ya ndai duk ndai (letma) mi kadun mat na re. Nga re majaw gaw ngai gaw gara hku na ladat shaw na i ngu na shanhte mung myit, aw re nga dai lagu ai ma, ma ni yawng mahkra hpe shaga ai shaloi gaw ndai duk ndai gaw lagu ai wa na duk gaw (letma) mi shawn rai galu na re. N lagu ai ni na gaw letma mi n galu ai nan nan sha rai na re ngu na tsun dat ai shaloi gaw ma ni yawng hpe jaw dat ai. Re jang dai lagu ai ma gaw ndai lagu ai ni na duk gaw (letma) mi shawn re galu na re majaw gaw ngai gaw gara hku retim ngai hpe chye kau na hkrit ai. Dai majaw manang ni hte bung hkra rai lu na matu gaw (letma) mi daw kau na re ngu na shi dai hku myit dum lu ai da. Kaja wa shi dai shi lagu dum ai re majaw dai duk hpe e shi (letma) mi daw kau ai da. Re jang she hpang jahpawt dai mare salang wa gaw kaja wa dai shawng jahpawt e shaga dat ai ma ni yang mahkra hpe shaga dat. Shaga dat na shanhte lang sa ai duk hpe langai hpang langai kadai na re ngu hpe matsing da na dai hku langai hpang langai shadawn yu yang gaw dai lagu ai ma wa na duk gaw (letma) mi grit mat ai da. N lagu ai ni na duk gaw shanhte n kajam ai, ndaw kajam ai re majaw nan nan sha byin taw nga ai. Dai re majaw gaw dai lagu ai ma wa a duk letma mi kadun mat ai majaw dai wa lagu ai re ngu ai hpe mare salang wa chye mat ai da. Dai re majaw ndai mare buga kahtawng langai mi ngu ai hta gaw dai mare hpe woi awn ai ningbaw ningla ni mare salang ni gaw ladat amyu myu chye ra nga ai. Dai re majaw tinang a mare buga hta woi awn ai kadai retim mung ding re ladat hku na tinang a mare buga na masha ni lagu lagut grai n hkru n kaja ai masha nga jang ladat amyu myu shaw nna tinang a mare buga hpe kaja hkra woi awn ra ai ngu ai maumwi hku re, maumwi gaw ndai kaw htum sai. . Language as given: Jinghpaw

## Gun Mai 译版
从前，某村落中居住着数位年龄约10至12岁的孩童。彼时，由于孩童们的父母未能履行教育职责，孩子们开始偷拿家中父母藏匿的钱财与鸡蛋等物品。因父母疏于管教，他们还会偷窃邻里家中的钱财及其他物件。村民们接连上报失窃情况："今日我丢失了这个、那件物品""我丢了钱""我的鸡被偷了"，类似的失窃控诉此起彼伏，却无人能拿出确凿证据指认窃贼。由于无人知晓究竟是谁家的孩子行窃，自然也无法明确指向具体嫌疑人。

直至某日清晨，村长召集了所有年龄处于10到12岁区间的孩童，其中自然涵盖了有偷窃行为的孩子与清白无辜的孩子。众人齐聚后聆听村长的训示。村长将若干木棍削至长短一致，分发给每位孩童，并说道："如今我给你们的木棍均完全相同，但偷窃过邻里财物的孩子，其木棍会自动缩短一寸。你们今晚将木棍带回家中，明日我再次召集大家时，再将木棍带回。"

未行窃的孩子坚信木棍不会发生变化，因此未对木棍做任何处理。而行窃的孩子则认为木棍会自动缩短一寸，暗自筹划应对之策。（叙述者随后更正道：）方才的表述有误，实则偷窃者的木棍会自动变长一寸，未偷窃者的木棍则不会有任何变化。随后村长再次将木棍分发给所有孩童。

此时，行窃的孩童暗自思忖："方才说偷窃者的木棍会自动变长一寸，若果真如此，旁人定会发现我的行径。为了与其他伙伴的木棍保持一致，我需将自己的木棍截短一寸。"于是，这名行窃的孩童便将自己的木棍切短了一寸。

次日清晨，村长再次召集了昨日的所有孩童，收集了他们带来的木棍并逐一核对归属。经比对后发现，行窃者的木棍比其他人的短了一寸——未行窃的孩童未曾触碰过自己的木棍，因此长度始终如初。最终，村长凭借这根短了一寸的木棍，成功锁定了窃贼。

此故事旨在说明：村落的领导者应当深谙各类治理策略。因此，无论我们村落的管理者是谁，都当运用此类方法，借助多样的策略，将存在窃贼或恶人的村落治理为和谐美好的家园。本故事至此完结。

## Lu Awng 转录版
本部分为对应故事的景颇语拉丁转写，原文语言为景颇语（Jinghpaw），其内容与Gun Mai译版完全一致，原始转写文本为：Langai mi hta e ndai asak 10 ning daram 12 ning daram re ma ni tsawm ra mi nga ai. Dai mare kaw e ma ni gaw n nan e gaw kanu kawa sharin shaga nau ndang ai majaw shanhte gaw gau ngwi gau ngwi tinang nta hkan e kanu kawa makoi tawn da ai gumhpraw zawn re shing nrai u di zawn re ni yawng lagu bang wa ai. Retim mung ma dai ni gaw kanu kawa ni e atsawm n sharin ai re nga gaw hpang e gaw kaga htingbu nta na rai ni hpe gumhpraw zawn re ni kaga a rung arai zawn re ni lagu wa ai hku re nga. Re jang lagu wa re jang gaw dai mare na ni gaw tinang a nta na rai mat wa ai majaw yawng hpe tsun dan wa. Dai ni gaw anhte nta na dai baw mat ai, oh ra baw mat ai, gumhpraw mat ai u lagu la kau ya ai. Shing re oh ran re tsun garu wa retim mung kadai mung kadai lagu ai re ngu ai hpe hkrak sak se nlu madun ai. Kade a kasha kadai manu mabawk lagu ai re ngu ai hpe e shanhte gaw atsawm hkrak nchye ai majaw kadai hpe e madi madun lu ai lam nnga ai. Retim mung dai mare kaw na salang wa gaw lahpawt mi hta dai asak 10 ning 12 re ma ni yawng hpe shaga dat ai da. Shaga dat jang ma dai ni gaw n lagu ai ni mung lawm ai, lagu ai ni mung lawm re na dai salang wa shaga ai shaloi shanhte yawng sa madat la ai da. Re jang dai mare salang wa gaw ndai duk langai mi hpe maren sha di na jaw nna dai ma ni hpe grup hkra jaw dat ai da. Re jang dai salang wa gaw ya nanhte ndai duk nanhte hpe maren sha re duk jaw dat ai re yaw. Retim mung ndai manang a htingbu nta na rai lagu ai wa a duk ndai gaw (letma) mi shi hkrai kadun mat na ra ai. Dai re majaw nanhte duk ndai hpe la wa mu. La wa na hpawt de ngai shaga dat ai shaloi yawng a hkum a ra ndai duk bai la sa wa marit ngu na tsun dat ai da. Kaja wa dai duk hpe ma ni hpe gu hkra di na jaw dat jang gaw n la gu ai ni gaw n kadun na re ngu hku na dai duk hpe shanhte n kajam ai, dai she dai lagu ai ma wa gaw e ya ndai duk ndai (letma) mi kadun mat na re. Nga re majaw gaw ngai gaw gara hku na ladat shaw na i ngu na shanhte mung myit, aw re nga dai lagu ai ma, ma ni yawng mahkra hpe shaga ai shaloi gaw ndai duk ndai gaw lagu ai wa na duk gaw (letma) mi shawn rai galu na re. N lagu ai ni na gaw letma mi n galu ai nan nan sha rai na re ngu na tsun dat ai shaloi gaw ma ni yawng hpe jaw dat ai. Re jang dai lagu ai ma gaw ndai lagu ai ni na duk gaw (letma) mi shawn re galu na re majaw gaw ngai gaw gara hku retim ngai hpe chye kau na hkrit ai. Dai majaw manang ni hte bung hkra rai lu na matu gaw (letma) mi daw kau na re ngu na shi dai hku myit dum lu ai da. Kaja wa shi dai shi lagu dum ai re majaw dai duk hpe e shi (letma) mi daw kau ai da. Re jang she hpang jahpawt dai mare salang wa gaw kaja wa dai shawng jahpawt e shaga dat ai ma ni yang mahkra hpe shaga dat. Shaga dat na shanhte lang sa ai duk hpe langai hpang langai kadai na re ngu hpe matsing da na dai hku langai hpang langai shadawn yu yang gaw dai lagu ai ma wa na duk gaw (letma) mi grit mat ai da. N lagu ai ni na duk gaw shanhte n kajam ai, ndaw kajam ai re majaw nan nan sha byin taw nga ai. Dai re majaw gaw dai lagu ai ma wa a duk letma mi kadun mat ai majaw dai wa lagu ai re ngu ai hpe mare salang wa chye mat ai da. Dai re majaw ndai mare buga kahtawng langai mi ngu ai hta gaw dai mare hpe woi awn ai ningbaw ningla ni mare salang ni gaw ladat amyu myu chye ra nga ai. Dai re majaw tinang a mare buga hta woi awn ai kadai retim mung ding re ladat hku na tinang a mare buga na masha ni lagu lagut grai n hkru n kaja ai masha nga jang ladat amyu myu shaw nna tinang a mare buga hpe kaja hkra woi awn ra ai ngu ai maumwi hku re, maumwi gaw ndai kaw htum sai.