KK1-0525 - Lagat hpun sin ai nat tai ai Hkahku la a lam (The beginning of the guardian spirit of the banyan tree) with English translation

Translation (Seng Pan) The story I am going to tell you now is about a Lashi man and a Hkahku man (Lashi and Hkahku are the clans of Kachin ethnicity). They liked each other a lot, but they didn't speak the same language. In the old days, the Kachin people couldn't communicate through language because they hadn't spoken the common language like nowadays. Both men had a good relationship, but they didn't understand each other in planting. However, one day, they went on a journey to buy and sell things. On their way, they saw a millet field. It was Hkahku's field, and the people planted a lot of millets. And the Lashi man didn't know how to say millet in Hkahku language. However, he still wanted to tell about the millet field to his friend. Therefore, he said, "My friend, look at there! There are many Tsap (bear in Kachin language) which is used in making rice wine." However, the Hkahku man heard that bear was following them since Tsap means bear in his language. Therefore, he ran constantly. The Lashi man also followed after him and yelled, "My friend, Tsap law! Tsap law! (Tsap law means stop in Kachin Language)." The Lashi man wanted him to stop running. However, the Hkahku man thought a bear was chasing them. So, he, even more, ran faster. And his friend, Lashi man, also followed after him by shouting. In such a way, they ran away the whole day. When it was getting dark, the Hkahku man arrived at an old village that was already destroyed. And he went into the houses and called for the hosts. But there was no one. At last, he decided to sleep there no matter what happened that night. At first, he planned to sleep on a traditional platform that was built on the stove to dry meat. Because he believed that the bear wouldn't be able to reach him. As he lay on, he felt the platform was reachable for the bear. So, he moved to a tomb that was a bit higher than the platform. And soon, he fell asleep. On the other hand, the Lashi man looked for him the whole day. In the evening, he was already exhausted. He also couldn't reach the village. It was a village with no people since they believed there were evil spirits and moved to other places. And it was also the place where his friend, the Hkahku man, was sleeping. As he couldn't follow there anymore, he finally slept at a cemetery. A long time ago, humans and evil spirits spoke the same language, and they could understand each other. When the Lashi man fell asleep, he heard that the spirits from the cemetery talked about a man who was in the village. On that night, he slept on a tomb. It was a newly built tomb and also roofed with thatch. The Lashi man was taking rest under that roof. The spirit from that tomb perceived that it was his responsibility to protect the man sleeping in his place. At that time, the other spirits from the cemetery called, "My friend, let's go!" The spirits never used the family terms like ah hkau (brother-in-law), ah ning (sister-in-law). They only mentioned each other as friends. "There is Kabung (the death-dance; a religious kept up almost every night in the house of a deceased, until the spirit is sent off to the land of the ancestors) in the other village. Let's go there!" the spirits said. Then, the spirit from the tomb where the Lashi was sleeping replied, "I can't go out tonight. I have a guest. I worry that somebody would harm my guest. I have to look after him. I should not go to Kabung tonight." "Ok! We all are going to the other village to join Kabung," the spirits replied. When the Lashi man heard it, he was filled with fear. Many evil spirits set out to the destroyed village with no humans. It was also a bit far from the cemetery. The whole night, the evil spirits held Kabung. Unfortunately, the house where the evil spirits gathered and danced Kabung was where the Hkahku man was sleeping. The spirits made a fire and danced around it. While the spirits were dancing, his snot and tear spilt down the tomb. "I've got the smell of human. The human's tear is spilling down," an evil spirit shouted to his friends. As the Hkahku man heard it, he was pale with fear and tried to hide from them. At the same time, the spirits also rounded up the house and looked for the man. Soon, they found him. They broke him into pieces and ate. Before, the evil spirits had raw meat. They bit his ears, picked the eyes and brain. At last, only a skull was left. Then, the evil spirits hung it on a banyan tree which grew on the way the Lashi man would go through. The following day, the Lashi man looked for his friend again. Although when he arrived at the village, he hadn't noticed that there was no human in the village and it's already destroyed. So, the Lashi man shouted, "Ah Hkau (Brother-in-law in Kachin; men use this term to call close boy-friends)! Ah Hkau! Where did you sleep last night? I was exhausted and couldn't find you anymore. So, I slept at a cemetery. Where are you?" At that time, the skull on the tree fell in front of him. And the skull spoke to him. It told him about what happened to him the previous night. Then, the Lashi man ran right away. The skull also rolled after him. When Lashi man got to a lake, he fell into it and died. The skull also rolled back to the banyan tree and hung itself there. Therefore, The roots hanging from the banyan tree are the soul of the Hkahku man who was killed and eaten by the evil spirits and whose head was hung on the banyan tree. And he became the guardian spirit of the banyan trees. Transcription (Lu Awng) Ya ngai tsun na lam gaw lashi la hte hkahku la a lam re. Shan 2 gaw grai tsawra hkat ai, retim mung ga nhkrum ai. Moi gaw jinghpaw shada re tim lashi hte hkahku shanhte ga nhkrum hkat ai. Ndai hkailu hkaisha lam hta shan 2 ga nhkrum ai manang gaw grai kanawn ai retim shi gaw atsawm nchye na ai majaw shan 2 hkrun lam langai kaw hkawm rai, bu hkawm ai shan 2 bu hkawm ai bungli galaw di na hpaga yungga di bu hkawm re she shan 2 gaw hkrun lam kaw hkawm taw re yang she masha ni na yi, yi yang lam kaba ntsa kaw yi kaw she yar hkai tawn da ai da. Dai hkahku ni na yi hkarang yi kaw gaw yar hpun ni grai hkai da ai da. Yar gyi ni hkai da re wa she lashi la wa rai jang gaw dai yar gwi hpe jinghpaw hku nchye tsun, hkahku hku n chye tsun jang she shi gaw shi hpe tsun dan mayu ai majaw ah hkau hto hta ba ba sha ai hpan le tsap grai tu nga ai ngu tsun ai da. Ah hkau tsa pa pa sha ai hpan tsap grai tu ai ngu na tsun ai wa she hkahku la bai na ai gaw tsap hkan nang wa sai ngu na na ai da. Dai jang shi gaw hprawng she hprawng re da, majoi she kagat mat jang she lashi la she hpang kaw na she ahkau tsap law tsap law ngu bai hkan tsun ai da. Tsap u tsap u, tsap law ngu gaw hto tsap hpe tsun ai she re tsap hpe tsun ai she re tsap re ngu tsun ai da. Tsap re tsap re ngu jang she hto hkahku la wa gaw tsap grai hkan nang wa sai tsap grai hkan nang wa sai shi gaw dai hku bai na re she, tsan hkan nang wa ai shadu di na she shi gaw hprawng she hprawng tinang na manang kade marawn tim kade tsun tim shi gaw nna, hprawng she hprawng ai da. Hprawng di shani tup hprawng hprawng shana jan du wa she hprawng na lam mung htum mat wa sai. Shi gaw ningsin sin di hkawm na lam mung htum wa re she mare dingsa langai mi kaw du ai da. Mare dingsa langai kaw shi gaw grau kagat ai majaw she mare dingsa kaw du mat wa ai da, mare dingsa kaw du she gara kaw nchye sa yup mare dingsa gaw du gara nta shang yu tim masha nnga, gara nta shang yu tim nnga, nta langai kaw sa shang yu tim nta hpungkraw, nta langai mi kaw bai shang yu tim nta hpungkraw, marawn yu tim kadai nhtan nta hpungkraw re taw jang she shi gaw i dai na hpa mi rai rai ndai nta hpungkraw mi rai rai ndai lup ding kaw she ngai yup kau na re ngu na re ngu na shi gaw shawng nnan shaloi gaw shi gaw ah shaw kaw yup na ngu di she garap ntsa kaw ntsa kaw yup yang gaw tsap ndep ai ngu di shi gaw garap kaw yup yu ai da. Garap kaw yup taw, i ndai garap kaw gaw tsap naw dep ai ngu na shi gaw dai garap ntsa kaw na lup ding kaw she shi bai yup da. Lup ding ntsa kaw yup, dai kaw nta hpungkraw kaw she dai lup ding ntsa kaw dai kaw she shi wa makoi hto grau tsaw ai kaw she wa makoi di rawng taw ai da. Wa rawng taw re yang she jahkring bai rai yang shi gaw dai kaw yup taw ai da, dai she hto lashi la wa rai yang shi hpe shani tup shachyut shachyut di shi grai marawn she marawn, shachyut she shachyut, shi hpe ndang shachyut nau ba di na she dai mare dingsa kaw mung mare dai masha ni yawng nat grai ja ai ngu na hprawng mat ai mare dai kaw mung nlu du mat sai. Dai mare de dai shi yup ai hpungkraw dai mare dai kaw mung nlu du mat jang she shi gaw lup wa kaw yup ai da, mare dingsa na lup hto hpang de lup wa de yup kau da da. Lup langai mi kaw shi gaw yup ai da, lup wa makau kaw sa yup re yang she ning hku ngu da, dai lup kaw na numla ni, (tase taye) dai kaw na nat ni wa she moi na prat hta gaw ndai nat ni hte ndai numla ni hte anhte masha ni wa mai shaga na hku rai nga, ga mai shaga she shanhte wa dai nat ni wa dai shana wa tsun hkat taw ai da, mare hpungkraw de gaw masha ni mahkra yen kau da ai mare kaw gaw nta hpungkraw gaman masha nnga jang she dai mare kaw masha 1 du ai ngu nat ni lup wa kawng kaw na nat ni yawng chye ai da. Chye di she dai shana wa shi gaw lup kaw she lup langai mi kaw shi gaw yup taw ai da. Makau kaw yup taw dai lup dai gaw lup da ma nau nna ai, moi gaw shangu hte lup sa lup sai nga yang gaw shangu hte galup da ya ai le. Galup da ya jang she dai makau kaw she shi gaw wa shang di yup taw ai da. Dai she numla ni gaw dai nat ni gaw chye na hku rai nga, ngai kaw nan shanu di shang wa ai hpe gaw ngai makawp maga ra sai ngu da, dai shana she e manang manang wa manag jan, saw ndai nat mungdan de manang wa, manang jan, ngu sha shaga ai da. Ndai lup wa hkan nga ai nat ni hpa ni gaw dai hku manang jan manang wa, ah hkau, aning ngu nnga ai da, manang jan manang wa ngu hto ra mare de dai na kabung dum poi nga ai da. Kabung dum na poi nga ai da dai de sa ga ngu na tsun ai da. Tsun re she dai lashi la wa yup taw ai shara kaw na dai wa gaw ninghku ngu tsun ai da, e ngai dai na nmai hkawm ai lo manang ni e, ngai dai na ngai nmai hkawm ai, nye nta kaw manam du ai ngu da. Nye nta kaw na manam hpe masha ni amyu myu sa galaw ya na tsang ai majaw ngai shi hpe sin ra ai nye nta kaw manam hkring ai ngai kabung sha hkawm yang gaw nmai ai ngu da. Dai she dai nat ni gaw anhte hto ra mare de kabung dum sha sa sai ngu da, e shi gaw grai hkrit ai da loh, lashi la gaw hkrit di nga taw ai da, shanhte gaw majoi she sa mat wa, dai nta masha nnga ai hprawng yen kau da ai dai mare de she shanhte gaw dai lup wa kawng hte tsawm ra mi gaw tsan ai dai de sa mat re she dai kaw shanhte shana tup nat ni wa kabung dum ai da. Shana tup kabung dum, kabung dum she dai ntsa kaw jinghpaw hka hku la wa yup taw nga dai wa she shi na nyep ni pru wa ai da, dai myi pri si ni shanhte gaw wan wut di na she kabung dum taw ai da. Hkrat wa she dai lup ding ntsa kaw hkrat wa she i ndai gaw shinggyim masha na ah she manam ai le, salat zawn zawn nga manam ai, ndai shinggyim masha na myi pri si mung hkrat wa nga ai ngu na she jahkring gaw shi kaw makoi she makoi hkrit she hkrit di nga taw yang jahkring gaw dai nat ni wa she majoi she dai nta kaw majoi she alun wa di na majoi she shi hpe tam di mu mat ai da. Mu mat re she shi hpe yawng hpya sha kau da, shan ni hkum ni yawng nat ni hpya sha kau, moi gaw nat ni wa ah shan hpe mung katsing sha ai da. Katsing sha sha yang she yawng hpya sha she myi ni mung yawng krawk sha kau da, na ni mung krawk sha, bawnu ni mung yawng krawk sha ai, baw kaman da, baw kaman wa she hto jahpawt shi wa lai wa na lam de wa she dai lam kaw na lagat hpun kaba law dai kaw wa dai baw dai wa dai kaw noi taw nga ai da. Noi taw nga she lashi la wa gaw nchye, shi gaw mare dai kaw dai hkan mu, mare wa mu jang she nta hpunghkraw re na shi nchye di she jahpawt myi mu ai hte she manam wa lashi la wa gaw bai rawt di ahkau ahkau myi mu sai nang gara kaw yup ai mana gaw ngai ba di na ngai gaw nang hpe nlu dep di lup wa kaw she yup kau sai, nang gara kaw re ngu tam she tam, tam hkawm mat wa yang she dai mare baw lai re dai kaw du yang she lagat hpun kaba law ai tu ai da dai shaloi dai la wa mung dai hku na lam hku na lai wa re yang she ah hkau ah hkau ngu marawn re yang she dai baw wa she ntsa kaw na baw wa buk nga hkrat wa ai da. Hkrat wa di na she ga mung shaga wa ai da. Dai baw dai wa she e ngai mana dai nta hpungkraw kaw yup ai wa ngai hpe dai hku dai hku rai ai ngu na tsun ai da. Re jang she la dai wa gaw hprawng she hprawng, hprawng she hprawng dai la wa mung hprawng di na dai hka langai mi din ai panglai zawn zawn hka nawng zawn zawn re dai hka langai mi din ai kaw lashi la wa mung dai kaw she dai baw hkan chyu hkan yang she n chye hprawng di she shi mung dai kaw wa di hkrat di na dai kaw si mat da. Dai she dai baw kaman re wa mung baw dai mung da dai lagat hpun kaw she nga mat da, dai majaw ya lagat hpun hkan wa she kalang lang gaw numhkaw zawn re ni tu ai da. Numhkaw zawn re lagat hpun kaw taw taw re ai, dai lagat hpun kaw gaw dai nta hpungkraw kaw yup ai nat ni hpya sha kau ai dai wa na hkahku la na numla wa she dai kaw nat tai di na dai lagat hpun hpe sin di na dai kaw nga taw ai re da. . Language as given: Jinghpaw

【译述（译者：Seng Pan）】
今为诸位讲述一则发生于勒期（Lashi）人与茶山（Hkahku）人之间的故事——二者同属克钦（Kachin）族群分支。二人情谊深厚，却言语不通。旧时克钦族群尚未普及通用语，部落间难以互通语言。二人交好，却在农事上彼此无从理解。

一日，二人结伴外出经商，途中望见一片小米田，那正是茶山人的田地，田中种植了大量小米。勒期人不知克钦语中“小米”该如何称呼，却想向友人提及这片小米田，便说道：“朋友，你看那里！那里有许多‘Tsap’（克钦语中意为熊），可用来酿制米酒。”

茶山人闻言，误以为熊正尾随二人——毕竟“Tsap”在他的语言里正是“熊”的意思，于是拔腿便跑。勒期人连忙追上去，大喊道：“朋友，Tsap law！Tsap law！（克钦语中意为停下）”他是想让友人停下奔跑。可茶山人只当是熊在追他们，反而跑得更快了。勒期人也一边追一边呼喊，二人就这样整整跑了一整天。

天色渐暗时，茶山人逃到了一处早已荒废的古村落，他走进民居，呼唤屋主，却空无一人。最终他决定暂且在此过夜。起初他打算睡在炉灶上方用于晾晒腊肉的传统平台上，因为他觉得熊够不到这里。可躺上去后，他又觉得平台还是能被熊碰到，于是转移到了比平台稍高的一处坟墓上，很快便睡着了。

另一方面，勒期人整日都在寻找友人，到了傍晚已是筋疲力尽，也没能找到那个村落。那是一处早已被村民遗弃的村庄——因为村民相信这里有邪祟恶灵，便迁居别处了。而这里也正是他的友人茶山人过夜的地方。勒期人实在无力再继续寻找，便在一片墓地里睡下了。

很久以前，人类与恶灵曾使用同一种语言，彼此能够互通。勒期人入睡后，听见墓地里的恶灵正在谈论村里的一名男子：“今夜有个睡在坟墓上的人，那是一座新建的茅草顶坟墓，有个男人正躺在那顶茅草棚下休息。”

那座坟墓的恶灵察觉自己有责任守护睡在自己领地的男子。这时，墓地里的其他恶灵喊道：“朋友，我们走吧！”这些恶灵从不使用“ah hkau（姐夫/内兄，克钦语中男性用以称呼亲密男性友人）”“ah ning（嫂子/妯娌）”这类亲属称谓，只以朋友相称。“邻村有Kabung（克钦语中指死亡祭舞，即在逝者家中每晚举行直至送灵至祖先之地的宗教仪式），我们去那里吧！”恶灵们说道。

睡在勒期人旁边的坟墓的恶灵回应道：“今晚我不能出去，我有一位客人，我担心有人会伤害他，我必须留下来照看他，今晚不能去参加Kabung了。”
“好吧，我们都去邻村参加Kabung。”其他恶灵答道。

勒期人听到这番对话后，满心恐惧。许多恶灵正朝着这片无人的荒废村落出发，那里距离墓地还有一段路程。整夜里，恶灵们都在举行Kabung祭舞。不巧的是，恶灵们聚集跳舞的那间民居，正是茶山人过夜的地方。

恶灵们生起篝火，围着火堆跳舞。跳舞时，他们的鼻涕和眼泪顺着坟墓淌了下来。“我闻到了人类的气味，还有人类的眼泪顺着淌下来了！”一名恶灵对同伴喊道。茶山人听到后吓得脸色惨白，试图藏起来。与此同时，恶灵们也包围了民居，开始搜寻男子，很快便找到了他。他们将他碎尸分食——此前恶灵们生食肉类，咬掉他的耳朵，挖去他的眼睛和大脑，最后只剩下一具头骨。

随后，恶灵们将头骨挂在了勒期人归途必经之路旁的一棵榕树上。

次日，勒期人再次外出寻找友人。尽管他抵达了那处村落，却并未察觉村里空无一人，早已荒废。于是勒期人喊道：“Ah Hkau（克钦语中意为姐夫/亲密男性友人）！Ah Hkau！你昨晚睡在哪里？我筋疲力尽，再也找不到你了，只好在墓地里睡了一晚。你在哪里？”

这时，挂在树上的头骨滚落到他面前，头骨开口说话，将昨夜发生的一切告诉了他。勒期人吓得拔腿就跑，头骨也跟着他滚动。当勒期人跑到一处湖边时，失足落水溺亡，头骨也滚回了那棵榕树，重新挂回了树上。

因此，榕树上垂下的气根，便是被恶灵杀害分食、头骨被挂在榕树上的茶山人的灵魂所化，他也成为了榕树的守护灵。

【转写（记录者：Lu Awng）】
今时今日，勒期人与茶山人的故事流传于世。曾有二人情谊深厚，却言语不通。旧时克钦族群尚无通用语，部落间难以沟通。二人交好，却在农事上互不理解。
一日，二人结伴经商，途中望见一片小米田，那是茶山人的田地，种满了小米。勒期人不知克钦语中“小米”该如何称呼，便对友人说：“朋友，你看那里！有许多‘Tsap’，可用来酿酒。”茶山人闻言以为熊在尾随，拔腿就跑。勒期人追上去大喊：“Tsap law！Tsap law！（停下）”却让茶山人跑得更快。二人整整跑了一天。
天色渐暗，茶山人逃到一处荒废的古村，走进民居却空无一人，便决定在此过夜。起初他想睡在炉灶上方的腊肉晾晒平台，以为熊够不到，却又觉得不妥，遂转移到稍高的坟墓上，很快睡去。
另一方面，勒期人整日寻找友人，傍晚筋疲力尽，未能找到村落——那村早已因邪祟之说被村民迁居。此处正是茶山人过夜之处，勒期人无力再寻，便在墓地睡下。
古时人类与恶灵曾通语言，彼此互通。勒期人入睡后，听见墓地恶灵谈论：“今夜有个睡在新建茅草顶坟墓上的男子。”那坟墓的恶灵察觉需守护访客。其他恶灵喊道：“朋友，走吧！邻村有Kabung祭舞，我们去！”该坟墓的恶灵回应：“我有客人，不能前去。”众恶灵遂前往邻村。
勒期人听闻后心生恐惧。恶灵们在荒废村落举行Kabung祭舞，而茶山人正睡在那间民居里。恶灵们围火跳舞，鼻涕眼泪淌下，“闻到人类气味，还有眼泪！”一名恶灵喊道。茶山人吓得躲藏，被恶灵找到后碎尸分食，只剩头骨被挂在榕树。
次日，勒期人寻到村落，大喊：“Ah Hkau！你昨晚睡在哪里？我找不到你，在墓地睡了一晚。”头骨滚落开口讲述经过，勒期人逃跑，头骨紧随，至湖边时勒期人溺亡，头骨滚回榕树。榕树根须便是茶山人的灵魂，成为榕树守护灵。

【语言说明】本数据集转写所用语言为景颇语（Jinghpaw）