Kamangliangpui Tazei : Amunnah or Lion’s Spring and Amunnah- (FolkTale) By: Benjamin Gondaimei I was sitting lonely on the veranda of my grandma’s home, waiting for grandma to listen to her talks and waiting for her to eat our Kalan-nap . So grandma came and called out my name, we have rice but the quantity of curry is less and so you can have with little pickle that is still there too in the Pangc . As grandma came bringing all the stuff, i started pleading her to tell me a story, she stammered and said i don’t know stories and all i know is fading from my memories. But i continued begging her to rekindle the old-old stories that she had once narrated to others. Then to my surprise Grandma intervened and said, my grandchild, i will tell you a story of Amunnah...How his Parents turns out to be Kamangcliangpu and Kamangliangpui . Then grandmother started narrating me the story,... A Lion was prowling in the jungle nearby a certain village, it stealthily glitches through the wild fallen leaves producing no pin-sound as its paws flips through the bushes. The Lion came to the village gate and sadly sat there for the whole night and then returns to the deep jungle when the noises of the villagers are heard as the dawn breaks. One moonlit night, the Lion then again came to the village gate and sat there growling in disgust longing for something that is out of sight in the dark, then in despair it stood up and walk slowly down the village and roam about the village till the dawn. She continued... If the night approaches then the Lion continue to wander around the village quietly; the villagers did not notice a thing; what is happening in and around the village at night. The villagers use to wake up early in the morning; women go busy drawing water for their family’s kitchen, preparing their lunch and packing food package wrapped up with banana leaves to be eaten in the field (when they retire in the middle of the day for a short refreshing hour). After their Lunch a group of people will be seen in a serpentine line walking out from the village to go to their Jhum fields climbing hills and mountains, some field are near and some far. Boys and girls use to carry traditional rice beer to the field and work the whole day and come back home with chants and shouts of joy and laughter when they return to the village from their field in the evening. After their dinner when the dusk sets in, Bachelors/boys will go to their Khangchu (Boys dormitory) and Ladies/girls at their Luchu (Girls’s dormitory). At night they use to learn traditional songs and other activities from their seniors and elders. They sing traditional folk songs and storytelling as the night catches hold of them, and thus the schedule of the villagers. In that village stood a tiny thatch-roof house, wall and door made of bamboo. The house was tethered with wild canes and ropes extracted from a tree and wild creeping plants to hold firm the little house to withstand from storms, rain and heat. The house stood on in the middle of the village with one room that could shelter a family. And in that house there lives a happy wife and husband right after their settling of marriage vows from their respective families and elders of the village. As the villagers job was to go to the field and earn their livelihood,...One day her husband got ready to walk out from the house to go to their field. Her wife packed-up rice and potatoes for her husband and water for him to carry to the field and be eaten there in the afternoon. So the husband sets out along with the villagers to go to their field. Many have reached their respective fields and some are still on their way. Now the husband was alone, as their field stood at the farthest after crossing a small dripping spring-lake mountain. He sat down by the Little Dripping Lion Lake side and washed his face, took out his jar of water to quench his thirst. He sets out again and reach the field after a long walk, the sun is beaming hot and it’s around noon. He thought to himself, i should starts working, my family is poor, i have pregnant wife at home waiting for me to bring hope and life. I should not keep her hungry, and the baby carrying inside her body is my child and is my own blood and flesh. I love both of them. And starts working... Wind blows by....its midday and the day is calm, hardly few birds were singing perching in the tree... he could hear now the cokoo sings,..it rings to his ears as he listen that the cokoo is sending a message to him (from his wife); Come back home my love safely. I will come to the village gate and wait for you there, I will rub your back when you are bathing, I will cook you a delicious meal from what we have, I will warm you in my bosom.... Suddenly the husband regains his consciousness and pulls those weeds again. After a while, He stood up to refresh from the pain of his back-spine, he whisper in the wind that, if poorness of the family can be shaken off like a dust out of the cloths. He hum some old melodious folk songs, the sun was at its peak burning over his body. He then went to the hut to eat up the package food packed by her loving wife. He said to himself again, “i wish if i could change my life and be free as a wild birds and animals, i would have not care for my food and go sweating like this”. He ate up quickly the food and got out to work and thus evening came and it’s time to go home. He strode down the hill galloping like a horse with a clok clok sound from his back, as the Daw bangs the wooden daw-holder, he could hear some birds tweets as they also has to climb home, and as it has to pass through the way so he came near the Little Dripping Tiger Lake Mountain after walking a while. He was feeling thirsty, as his jar was empty by now, he now bend down to gulp some pints of water to make himself free. He had his full but he was now feeling something unusual happening in his body, and then he could feel the changes and magic taking place. He was frightened and fear caught hold of his breath, he cannot think of anything, fear overtaking his sense and was helpless not knowing what to do. His arms got hairy and whole of his body turns hairy in yellowish colour and thus the black stripes. He now realise that he had become a tiger and could no longer go home and meet his loving wife. He has a pregnant wife at home and what would she be like if he never returns home. That was the last day she saw her loving sweet smile of her wife in the morning. He could still understand what is human to be but the desire of the Lion is also in him. Thus he was lost in the forest laying its fate on the wild. Nobody know that whosoever drinks that water turns into a Lion (in our dialect it is just Kamang), No Body has any clue of the miracle of that water, which is dripping and forming a small lake in the mountain on the way to Amunnah’s Parent filed. Now, at home his wife waited for his return from the field but was not seen anymore and he is not returning anymore to her and to the village. The whole villagers went out to search for her husband for some days but it was futile. His wife wept bitterly saying to her baby in her womb which is 4-5 months old, my little baby why is your father not returning? Is he eaten by wild animals or is he being killed by an enemy. She also searches in the nearby villages enquiring about the missing of her husband. As the days past the search and wait became futile for her wife too, but she keeps on waiting for her husband return. Now when night falls in, the Lion would go to the village and come back to the forest at dawn, Even though he is a lion he still loves his wife and wanted to meet her. All he could dream of being a Lion was let night always be around him, so that he can go to the village and feel the warm of village and especially the warmness of his loving wife. The Lion would go to the village and go to their home and scratch the door and leave a pugmark on the mud in front of the door to let his wife knows that he has become an animal/Lion. On the very first day when his wife sees the scratches on the door and pugmark of a lion she did not realise that, which is her husband message to her that he came home, but as the scratches and pugmark gets frequented she starts pondering why.... Nobody knew that her husband as a Lion frequently comes to the village gate and sat there sadly and entered the village when it is pitch dark, since he is a lion he now no longer can mingle with the human. The Lion frequented the village longing to meet her wife and see her face. He does come every night and would once at night growl near the village gate and leave as the day approaches. Late one night she(wife) was crying in pain and was tossing in her bed made of bamboo where she and her husband live, her Aunty lives nearby and heard her cry and came to her rescue, it was a Labour Pain, and she was about to give birth to a Baby. Thus the Little child was born, when her child was born, her mother presented the baby a flower . The mother after giving the baby a flower slept away after a long struggle delivering the baby boy. Her aunty was serving her and she was caring the baby until the mother become strong enough again to care on her own and the baby. One fine day, the baby mother holds her baby in her lap and murmured to her baby, what shall i name you? She said, If your father is here today we would be happy together and he could have given you a good and beautiful name genuine to all of us. But dampapui knows where he is, and do you have a dream where your father is? Do you know that he left you and me..! She sobbingly talked with the baby in a low tone as her tears roll down her cheek. She said again, do you know how much i long for your father? Everyday i cried with you, my tears are with you, my pillow always dripped wet. You were inside my womb when your father is gone. People will call you; a child who has no father, i am so sorry my child. But i pray to Dampapui that one day your father will return for you and for me. She cried looking at the baby and gave the baby a name, you shall be call AMUNNAH (Child Like Mother/You are Me /You and me are one). As her husband does not return to the family and village anymore, the youths in the village use to looked out for her to woo her and get marry with her, if her husband is not returning anymore. She has a charm and is liked and loved by all in the village. She knows how to respect the elders and show friendliness to all who are around. She is beautiful and has generous hand in helping people in possible ways she can. Since she is pretty and fair, many of the youths in the village use to visit her frequently and help her out to get her hand. They would come and help her in doing manual works, digging the kitchen-garden, chop fire-wood, repair her house. But she did not give up on her husband even though many well grown youths with well built body and good stature, handsome, and Maku-Banru (mei) bachelor came and woo and persuaded for her hand in marriage. In return she will thank them genuinely and prepare rice-bear and feed them, saying you are all so good to me, even though i cannot repay you may the god of plentiful and health bless you abundantly. Amunnah grew up and can sit by now, his Mom used to leave by her aunty side and go to the field. She also always remember her Husband, people talked of her husband that he is death, but she said to herself he is still alive, i won’t give up in searching for him, but i do not know the place where he stays and live. She started her search again for her husband, because she has a firm believe that she gets the calling from her husband. So whenever she sleeps; in her dream her husband would come to her calling to come to him. So this dream continued for some months. She thought of herself, when i can see my husband at night why not in the day light, she sob and said, i am tired of this life, i want to be with my husband who will share my pain and sorrow. While Amunnah mother leaves her child to her aunty, her aunty use to speak at Amunnah even when she is only six months old. Do you know your father and mother, you should know she exclaimed...! The Sun Is Your Father And The Moon Is Your Mother, All The Spears In Your House Is Yours. You should know how to tame and ride a Lion. You should be a friend of Birds in the Air. Amunnah mother use to carry Amunnah on her back and go to neighbouring villages to enquire about her husband if there is any information available. She never gives up searching for her dear husband. She said to herself as she carries the baby, why should i give up on him, i love him and only him i shall be together. Even if i grow old, my hairs colours grey and even if he comes back to me like a mad man i will not give up on him. She said (SuanghRav (god) le dinlou o ai rui nzianmei aganh bamc puih bamh), tell me where do i find my husband. She keeps thinking and was drawing a suspicion why should and how should my husband get lost from just a way from filed to the village. She said if he has turn out to be an animal let me be also, if he has turn out to be a bird let me be also and if he has turn out to be an insect let me be also. She kept pondering and came to realized why should my husband BAG be near the dripping Lion spring-Lake, has he drank that water and become a wild animal or a Tiger? Her curiosity grew to taste the dripping lake water. So one fateful day, she took her decision to taste the water and if fate provides i will be with my husband, so she carried bidding words to her aunty place at dawn and said, my dear Aunt..please take good care of my only child, for i will be back soon if god of Heaven and Hades give me hope to return home, i have left Amunnah at home. Before her aunty could respond and query as to why early in the morning, she had left. “So in the middle of the Thatch-Bamboo house she fence Amunnah putting him in the middle. She fenced around Amunnah with thistle and thorns so that he (Amunnah) would not go out from the fencing within the tiny hut, before she leave her baby boy she hold to her bosom dearly and said, my dear son, i am sorry to leave you today, but if god grant us to be together we will be back, her tears were rolling down and was dropping on her baby face as the baby smilingly looked at her. She said, when you grow up, you may have grudge on your father and your mother for making you as an orphan, but remember that you will always be protected by our god who has led us and has protected us to this days of our life, remember listen to your instinct that your parents are near you. But i have to leave you since i hear your papa call me through the wind and my dream, but my going will be my home coming too, because the fire inside me sparks up and it burns more and, it’s to where i belong, i know the road i have taken is long and risky, but wherever you stay i will find the way to come back, i will run like the river and i will follow the sun, i’ll fly like a hornbill finding your papa and come back..she cried as she bid her baby farewell...why i am leaving you is not that i have stop loving you, but i can no longer keep the distance between your father and me and i can’t dream alone....my little boy stay safe, your mama is going... As she lay down the baby on the floor, the baby started crying wanting the heartbeat and warmness of her loving mother who had cared him so much, as the baby kept crying in tears she stood up walk to the door, turns back and waves her hand to her baby saying, Goodbye my little one, and she close the door and walk out of the house with her eyes wet. She ran as fast as possible her feet can carry her through the village gate. So she set out to the dripping lake early in the morning before any human could spot her. Her feet jumps through the yellow woods, she feels no pain and tiredness, so she kept on running until she comes nearer to the Little Dripping Lion Spring Lake Mountain. So she reach there and sat for a while and whisper to the lake, do you take my husband if so please do take me. Holding her breath she bent down to lick the water and gulp down the water to her stomach. Then now she continued lapping the water with her tongue, thus she now has realise that she is turning into a Lioness and thus disappeared in the forest. After the birth of Amunnah....one year has pass In the village the villagers keep busying for their works, but the villagers are alarmed of the missing of Amunnah mother again. There was hearsay around the surrounding villages that they might have planned it for run away to some other land, some say they may have hated the child and have planned to abandon him. One fateful afternoon when the villagers have all gone to their field and when the children and old people were left alone in the village, there came two lion and lioness walking down the village gate. People who see them all ran away and rushed to their houses being afraid of. Both the lion went to Amunnah’s house and where now the house is all broken, roof leaking and the door is left open. The lion entered the fragile house and came out heading towards Amunnah’s grandma’s home. At that very hour Amunnah was playing in the lawn with traditional toys while his grandmother was inside busy doing some works. Then, came the animal towards Amunnah and starts licking at him, Amunnah as a young boy did not know whether it is a risk to be with a lion. His grandma came out, her eye catches the scene, as soon as she saw she shouted calling Amunnah and slammed the door closed. She peeps out through the holes of the wall peering what would she do now to rescue Amunnah. But to her surprise both the Lion was cuddling and licking Amunnah. After a while both the lion went back heading out of the village towards the jungle. As the days pass by, the lion frequently comes to see the young boy while the village is quiet and calm, slowly Amunnah Grandma came to realize that both the lion was the parents of Amunnah, so she one day built up her courage to face and meet the lion, then the lion came back to their home, now Amunnah grandma stood facing the lion with closed eyes..the lion came nearer and her fear grew, the baby boy was also besides her, but now the lion did not touch her..as she open her eyes she could not believe what her eyes have seen, the boy was sitting atop the animal and the animal waves its tail relaxing, now she went near the Lion and lioness and said who are you...the lion in return softly growl back...She asked again are you the parents of Amunnah...now both the Lion stood up and came near her and lean towards her...her fear grew and joy accompanied with tears in her eyes and said why do you have to go like this, please come back to be a human... but, that was all in vain calling for both Amunnah’s Father and Mother... Days go by and months go by, the child grew up, he would ride the lion through the street of the village. The villagers at first were afraid but came to know that the animal does no harm. At night the Animal would go to the jungle and during the day light the animal would come to the village and live with the human...and now Amunnah and their parents were reunited and they live happily ever after.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 17:36:05 +0000
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