Lub Kauj Toog Npab.... Vameng lived in a small village of Laos. He was a farmer’s son, and had 5 sisters, 1 other brother, living with his mother and father in their small lil tsev nqeeb. Vameng’s family was poor, and lived off the crops that they farmed, dressed in clothing that was worned out and passed down from siblings to siblings. Panhia was the daughter of the nai npab in their village that they all lived in. She had 3 sisters, and 4 brothers, living with her mother and father in their big wooden house. Panhia’s family was wealthy, ate well, and dressed well. One day Vameng went to cut wood in the forest. As he was cutting wood, he heard a crying voice. Vameng decided to go and check what or who was crying in this part of the forest. Vameng: oy… yog neeg los yog dab ne? cas lam tuaj quaj ntawm tej hav zoo no… Vameng walks over to where there was a huge rock, he saw a girl sitting on top of the rock with her back towards him. Her hair was long and beautiful down to her waiste. He slowly walks up to her and says: Vameng: koj yog neeg los yog dab na? Panhia was frighten and jumped up real fast! As Panhia turned around, she was so beautiful, dressed so beautiful, Vameng was in awe, he knew who she was immediately, she was the nai npab’s family, due to her silver bracelet on her wrist. Only the nai npab’s kids had those bracelet. Oh my, she was beautiful. He’s heard of the villagers talking about how beautiful the nai npab’s children were. Panhia: oy!!!!!! Cas koj ua ua rau kuv ceeb tag li os! Kuv yog neeg na… ( and she starts to cry really loud) Vameng: thov txim os tus muam, koj tsis txhob quaj os. Koj quaj dab tsi na? tej no yog hav zoov xwb, txhob ua li koj ma. Chim siab dab tsi ua zoo hais xwb os. Panhia: kuv niam lawv yuav kom kuv mus yuav dab laug tub, lawv nyob deb deb heev, lawv tsis paub tias kuv twb tsis xav yuav txiv li os!!!!!!! Lawv yuav tuaj lub hlis tom ntej no na. kuv tsis kam mus li os. Vameng: oh, li koj xwb lod? Txhob chim mas. Ua zoo hais xwb os. Lawv yuav tsum nkag siab koj. Panhia: lawv yeej tsis to taub li os!!!!!! So that day Vameng and Panhia talked and became good friends. They started building a friendship that month. And then they became lovers. Vameng knew in his heart that her parents would never approve of their relationship, and would not allow him to marry Panhia. He loved her dearly but knew deep inside that he had to end this some way. That following month, Vameng decided to join the army. That was the only way that Panhia could forget him. And that was the month dab laug’s son was gonna come marry Panhia anyways, that way she can go on and get married and have the life she deserves. For all he could provide to her was love, not money, not a nice home, not a nice meal, but hardship and a life of farming. He was ready to let her move on in life. Panhia and Vameng met one more time before he was heading out to war. Panhia gave him her silver bracelet and they both cried and hugged each other, knowing this might be the last time for the two of them. Vameng: Panhia, yog dab laug lawv tuaj nqi tsev hais koj ces koj kav tsij mus nrog luag ua lub neej nawb. Kuv mus ua tub rog tsis paub xyov txoj hmoo yuav zoo li cas. Kuv tsuas thov kom koj mus ua lub neej kom zoo zoo xwb nawb. Hnub twg wb sib ntsib kom tsuas hnov tias koj lub neej zoo xws luag lawm ces kuv zoo siab lawm os. Panhia: muab kuv lub kauj toog npab no rua koj kom pov fwm koj rov los rau kuv os. Kuv tsuas nyob tos koj xwb. They both cried, and said their farewells. And off they each went on their own path of life. Not knowing what the future would hold for the both of them. Panhia did accept the wedding proposal knowing that Vameng may not return. She went on and married Cheng, and they had 1 boy and 1 girl. Vameng went to war, and came back and took his family to Thailand. They went on to live in Vinai. Panhia and her husband fled Laos and tried to escape the war, Panhia’s husband was killed along the way, when they were trying to escape the Vietnamese soldiers. The group of people that Panhia’s family was with was 500 people, when crossing the Mekong River to Thailand, only 280 people survived the mass shooting. Many died, drowned, or returned to Laos. Panhia and two children were brought to Vinai, where most refugees were brought to. She was so lost, just lost her husband. She was alone with her two children, not knowing how they will survive, or what the future held for her. Vameng was still single and hadn’t married, due to the tradegy of war, his mind was not set on marrying. His family was doing well in Vinai though, sewing hmong pajntaub and sending to his relatives in USA to sell for money. This time the life roles were turned, Vameng lived well, while Panhia and her children were living off of whatever food and water that they were given by the camp leaders. One day while Vameng was volunterring helping the camp leaders distribute food, he saw a familiar face. The crowd was between him and her. She came and got her food and walked off. She looked so sad and mellow. She walked off. He was sure he knew her. He told the camp leaders he would be right back. Vameng ran to follow the woman. She was so quick, he caught up to her. Vameng: tus muam, koj puas yog… Panhia turned around, and to Vameng’s surprised, it was his love. Vameng: Panhia, yog koj los sad! They both had tears running down their face. Just the thought of knowing that through the war, they were both alive. Panhia’s tears were so much more than Vameng. For now she was a poor widow, none of which was known to Vameng. Panhia fell into Vameng’s chest, and cried, cried so hard, Vameng was speechless, but told her not to cry. He didn’t know the hardship that she had been through. Panhia: yog kuv mas. Vameng, koj puas nyob zoo os. Vameng: nyob zoo mas. Koj ne? Panhia: kuv ces tsis nyob zoo li os. Peb khiav nyab laj los mus ces nyab laj tua raug kuv tus txiv tau tag sim neej lawm, peb cov niam tub ces txom txom nyem kawg li os… Vameng hugged Panhia so tightly and wiped her tears. Vameng: tsis txhob quaj os. Nrog koj tu siab kawg os nawb. Yog koj tsis xav li cas no Kuv nrog koj mus puas tau. Panhia: tau mas. Vameng followed Panhia to her lil home. There he saw her two children playing outside, poorly dressed, and dirty. He went right over and took his handkerchief to wipe their sweaty face. Panhia: me naib, cas neb ua si ceb muag tag li… The children just smiled. That evening Vameng got a glimpse of how poorly Panhia’s life has turned into. She was his love of his life, she is a widow, however he did not mind. He wanted to take in her and her children, and become the husband that she deserved. For she did not deserve this life so poorly. They became lovers again, and Vameng had bought her and her children food and clothing. He even got Panhia started on doing hmong paj ntaub and sell for money. She was happy again. A month had past, and Vameng wanted to marry Panhia. He had a dispute with his parents, but then his parents agreed for him to take her home and marry her. Vameng went and registered at the camp leader that he would need a place of his own for he was getting married. The camp leaders gave him a home, and he went and bought all the necessities that he needed to prepare for his family to start a life together. His parents gave him their blessings, and he went to Panhia’s house to take her home. Panhia was sewing her hmong paj ntaub. She looked up and smiled at Vameng. Panhia: koj tuaj los Vameng. Vameng; Kuv tuaj mas… Vameng took out the silver bracelet that she had given to him when they departed each other in Laos. Panhia started to cry. Vameng: Zaum no kuv tuaj no, kuv tuaj coj nej cov niam tub mus nrog kuv nyob os. Koj puas nco qab koj lub kauj toog npab lawm os? Panhia: nco qab los mas… Vameng put the kauj toog npab on Panhia’s wrist, for it was rightfully hers to wear. She cried tears of happiness knowing he kept it after all this time. To her this meant that his love for her was true love. Vameng: thaum wb yuav sib ncaim, koj hais tias kom koj lub kauj toog npab no pov fwm kuv rov los rau koj . Zaum no kuv rov los txog koj lawm, koj yuav tau nrog kuv nyob mus tag ib sim nawb. Kuv yuav tsis pub koj dim li lawm os. They both laughed. Panhia and Vameng hugged each other. Vameng took in Panhia and her two children. Luck kept following once they got married, for they were called to come to USA one month after their marriage. They are now living a life of happiness in USA. They now have the two oldest children, and 2 more girls and 2 more boys. A loving family of 8. How in the world did this story come to end in such a beautiful way? True love never ends. With the kindness of Vameng’s heart, Panhia’s life was again beautiful. Thank you for reading. It was a pleasure to share this story. Ua tsaug rau Hmoob XamNeu Xov Tooj cua uas tau muab zaj dab neeg no hais tawm.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:35:22 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015