Nraug Ntsuag & Ntxawm

 Here is another audio clip of a folktale called, Nraug Ntsuag and Ntxawm. There are many stories about an orphan boy, Nraug Ntsuag, and a wealthy village head's daughter, Ntxawm. Here's a summary of this particular story.

Nraug Ntsuag and Ntxawm have gotten married for not too long. When the hemp harvest season arrives, Nraug Ntsuag sends Ntxawm to her parents' village to help them make threads and cloths from hemp. Half way on their trip, Ntxawm says to Nraug Ntsuag that she can see her parents village in the distance and she can hear the sounds of the rice pounder clicking and clanking. She tells Nraug Ntsuag that her parents are near so she can walk the remaining distance by herself. Nraug Ntsuag can return home.

Playing his qeej, bamboo reed pipe, Nraug Ntsuag turns around to make his trip back home. When Ntxawm approaches the settlement she assumed to have belonged to her parents, she finds out that she was surrounded by tigers. The sounds that she heard earlier were not that of rice pounders, but the tigers banging their fangs against rocks. Ntxawm calls back to Nraug Ntsuag to help her, but playing his instrument loudly, he heard her telling him to travel home faster.

The tigers capture Ntxawm and take her deep into their fortress where they imprison her inside a cave.

Xyooj Mim & Xyooj Kaub

 

 

This Hmong folktale is called, Xyooj Mim & Xyooj Kaub. It is very similar to the story, Ntsuag thiab Niam Nkauj Zuag Paj. The difference is in the opening's details.

 

Unfortunately, I do not have time to write the story down in Hmong so I am providing the audio clip only. For those of you who may not understand the Hmong language, here is a summary.

 

 

Xyooj Mim and Xyooj Kaub are a pair of orphaned siblings. One day, Xyooj Mim chances upon a dragon prince who offers her marriage and in return, he promises to give her brother a magic rice grain and a piece of meat that could replenish itself to feed the young Xyooj Kaub for the rest of his life. But the catch is that Xyooj Kaub must never completely eaten all his rice and meat. If he empties the food, it can never replenish itself again. Once grown, Xyooj Kaub's curiosity causes him to break the magic food spell, and he is left hungry once more.

 

While crying beside a lake, he stumbles upon the dragon king who offers Xyooj Kaub food and directions to find his sister, Xyooj Mim. To repay the dragon king's generosity, all he asks of Xyooj Kaub is to relay a message to his dragon king-in-law to come help rebuild his fire-damaged kingdom.

The Magnificent Seven Chapter 1

Some of you may recall that I have uploaded the first two chapters to this story before, but removed them because I realize that I had a problem continuing with the point-of-view that I initially used.  So, I took the story off to make the necessary changes and now it is ready to be viewed again.  Enjoy!

Update

For those of you who would like a brief synopsis on this story before diving into the readings or to help you decide if this story is worth your time investment, here is the synopsis taken from a post I've posted a while back.

Synopsis:

A rare female of her time, 22 year-old Lis Noog Xi returns to Laos in 1964 after completing college in Australia only to find her homeland in turmoil and war-torn. Shortly after her arrival and on the morning of Hmong New Year, her hometown of Nong Het is raided by Pathet Lao soldiers and she is taken a prisoner. After her miraculous escape and having no news of the whereabouts of her family members, she goes to live with her maternal aunt and uncle. But no Hmong village is safe against the infiltration of communist soldiers, so she and her aunt and uncle are forced to seek refuge in Sam Thong. It is there that Lis Noog Xi meets Edgar “Pop” Buell, head of the USAID Program in Laos. With her ability to read and write in English, Pop hires her to recruit, train, and heads a team of ethnic highlander nurses. She along with her fellow friends and comrades, Vaj Yuj Yeev, Hawj Yaj Mim, Thoj Suab Cua, Muas Ntsa Iab, Yaj Lwg Dej, and Xyooj Ntxhi Nag run Sam Thong Hospital to serve the needs of the people and the injured Hmong soldiers under Military Region II.

Their journey as nurses test their strength and significance as Hmong women in an era of ever changing fates, where their history is neglected in the context of a man’s world. They get tangle up in love affairs with some of General Vang Pao’s top ranked soldiers, pilots, and secret agents, discovering that to love someone during a time of war is bittersweet and a punishment from the heavens. Would Lis Noog Xi choose her youth sweet-heart on the communists’ side or a CIA-backed astute colonel instead?  Can a group of seven friends overcome the challenges befall upon them and change the lives of many individuals? ~The Magnificent Seven

Note: This story contains characters "loosely" based on real historical figures (dramatized for reading interest) so don't take the characters or events as true to their real life counterpart.  This story is categorized as a work of fiction. 

 

 

So, it was told that the folk legend unfolded like this…

Once upon a time, a young man named Nuj Txeeg was not only handsome and kind, but an equally talented qeej—bamboo reed pipe, player.  His fame and music stretched far and wide, all the way to the kingdom beyond the sky.  In that kingdom, there lived the youngest daughter of a king, but she had a disease—an enormous goiter.  And thus, she came to be infamously known as Ntxawm Mob Txia—the little goiter fairy.

Bored of her heavenly life, Ntxawm Mob Txia often peeked into Earth to observe the mortals’ lives.  One day, the heartfelt qeej music of Nuj Txeeg caught her attention and she instantly fell in love with the lad.

When the annual New Year’s celebration arrived, Ntxawm Mob Txia descended to Earth.  She singled Nuj Txeeg out at the local New Year’s festival, and would not pov pob—toss ball, with anyone else but the talented qeej player.  Her choice in tossing the ball only to Nuj Txeeg meant that she had given her heart to him, and have chosen him to be her groom. 

The young lad, however, didn’t regard Ntxawm Mob Txia in the same manner that she did him.  For one thing, her goiter appearance was not appealing and for another, Nuj Txeeg was already in love with another girl—the beautiful Nuj Saub Noog Xi.  Nuj Txeeg had courted Nuj Saub Noog Xi for a long time, and the two agreed to have their wedding after the New Year. 

Nkauj Mim See

Nothing beats the old storytellers.  They put so much enthusiasm and passion into storytelling that one needs not motion picture, but the imagination, to see the content of a Hmong folktale unfold into life before the very eyes.  I just wanted to share an old audio clip of yet, another Hmong folktale by Ntxhoo Xub Vaaj.  I must note that it is in the Hmong Ntsuab/Hmong Lees dialect so it may be a bit difficult to understand for those who are not familiar with the dialect (even I have a hard time too).  Also, the audio quality isn't the best (it's old) so bear with it.  Perhaps in the near future, I will provide the text so that it be easier for some of you to follow along and to understand the storyline.

(Interesting Fact: What is called "dab neeg" in Hmoob Dawb is known as "lug nruag" in Hmong Ntsuab/Hmoob Lees.)



 

 

Actually, I found a written version by Kou Yang, and so provided it below.  The details may be a bit different, but it is the same storyline.  All credits go to Lus Nruag at http://lugnruag.webs.com/.  I'm only reposting the writing for the purpose of providing another option for those who preferred to read rather than listen.

Thoob Yej & Ntxawm Qaum Ntuj

As a kid, I enjoyed listening to the elders weave Hmong folklore into life.  My grandmothers used to tell me stories at night to help me fall asleep, and it's a pity I always fall asleep before the ending.  But, one of my favorites is the story about the girl being a heavenly bird who was caught by a talented mortal so she eventually wed him.  But fate had it that she was forced to leave him, and the remaining story talks about his journey to the land beyond the sky to retrieve her back (it's similar to the one below, but not 100% accurate because every storyteller adds their own flavor to the original story).

Some of you may recall that this story is very similar to the Tai/Dai story, "The Peacock Princess."  However, I can assure you that it's not a copy.  Hmong ancestors lived in China as well and I believed that our ancestors observed nature like other Chinese ethnic groups too (or they may have influenced one another) to come up with such similar legend.  China does possess mountains carved like angry elephants, boiling hot springs and lush forests, and Lake Poyang (the Hmong/Miao ancestors used to live there) is a refuge for birds that fly to it for the winter from as far away as Northern Siberia (that's why in the folktale the protagonist is always told that if he takes the heavenly road--meaning he fly, he'll get to the girl's kingdom quickly but if he takes the earth road--or walk, it'll be on the year scale).   Watch BBC's Wild China, and you'll know.

*Disclaimer* This blog takes no credit for the content of the story.  The story belongs to Patrimoine Culturel Hmong, and the original storyteller is Yaj Vam Tuam.

(Note: Again, the story is in Hmong.  There may be grammatical errors.  I will slowly fix them as time affords me so.)

 

Puag thaum ub ov, muaj ib pab niag qaib qus coob coob xij tuaj da dej hauv lub niag pas hawv lauj!

Thoob Yej mus plob pom.  Nws los txog tsev ov.  Nws los xav xav.  Ab!  Sim mus cuab hlua kais rau saib.  Thoob Yej txawm los ua tau rau rooj hlua kais, nws coj mus cuab tas nrho ncig lub niag pas hawv ntawd.

Ces Thoob Yej los tau ib hnub.  Hnub tom qab, Thoob Yej txawm mus xyuas.  Ciav mag tau ib tug qaib qus zoo zoo nkauj li lauj!

Ces Thoob Yej txawm mus daws tau tus qaib qus los.  Ua ciav, tsis yog qaib qus lawm las.  yog ib tug hluas nkauj zoo zoo nkauj li lauj!  Tus hluas nkauj muab tis tw hle tas, ces yog ib tug hluas nkauj zoo zoo nkauj lawm tiag.  Thoob Yej txawm hais rau tus hluas nkauj tias, "Ab!  Leej muad, koj yuav txia ua ib tug hluas nkauj zoo ua luaj tuaj da lub niag pas hawv no ua tus dab tsi?"

Niam Tij & Tij Laug Tsis Hlub Ntsuag

Sorry for the long hiatus; been extremely busy.  But here is an original Hmong folktale to share with everyone.  I apologize to those who cannot read romanized Hmong.  It takes a lot of hardwork and effort to properly translate a story written in Hmong into English, and I'm at a point where time doesn't permit me to do so.  I might attempt it in the future, unless someone else volunteers to do so.  Enjoy! 

*Disclaimer* This blog takes no credit for the content of the story.  The story belongs to Patrimoine Culturel Hmong, and the original storyteller is Yaj Xov Txiab.



Puag thaum ub ov, tub ntsuag niam thiab txiv tuag tas lawm. Tshuav tub ntsuag nrog niam tij thiab tij laug nyob xwb. Niam tij thiab tij laug tsis hlub tub ntsuag. Tub ntsuag niaj hnub nqa nws txiv rab phom thiab rab hneev ncig txhua me qab roob hauv roob.

Ces muaj ib zaug tub ntsuag mus taug taug kwj deg, txawm mus pom muaj ib lub nyuag qhov tsua. Nyob hauv lub qhov tsua txawm muaj ib tug kab laum kib tshooj loj loj kwv ib lub pov tawm tuaj ntawm rooj qho. Xob tua ib teg, niag kab laum kib tshooj nkaum zog lawm. Xob tua tua tsis raug li lauj! Tub ntsuag txawm mus ntsia ntsia, nws txawm hais tias, "Ab! Xob niam tua tua tsis raug, cia kuv sim pab xob tua saib." 

Niag kab laum kib tshooj tawm plaws tuaj, xob tua ib teg tsis raug li thiab lauj!

Tub ntsuag thiaj li nta hlo nws rab hneev cuam loo ib xib xub vos rau ntag. Ces niag kab laum kib tshooj tawm plaws tuaj tub ntsuag tib hnee rau, chob nkaus lawm lauj!

Niag kab laum kib tshooj tib plhaw tuaj tom tub ntsuag no, xob cia li tua tib teg txais nkaus kab laum kib tshooj tuag kiag. Xob muab tub ntsuag nqa loo pov rhees saum ntug dej. Tub ntsuag tuag lawm lauj ib ntsis tub ntsuag tsim los xav xav ib ntsis, nws ntsia ntawm nws txhais tes na has ua ciav nws tuav rawv ib lub pov haum. Tub ntsuag thiaj li xav tau tias yog nws tua ib tug kab laum kib tshooj, ciav yog nws tua kab laum kib tshooj lub pov ntag.

Tub ntsuag thiaj li nqes rov los taug taug kwj ha mus ntxiv. Mus zoj ib ntsis txawm mus txog ntua ib lub hav, muaj ib tug nyuag dej los tshuam, txawm ntsib ib tug yawg laus laus plaub hau dawb paug. Tus yawg laus laus ntawd txawm hu tias, "Koj tuaj los me tub. Koj yuav tuaj mus lawm qhov twg na?"

Tub ntsuag teb tias, "Kuv tsis muaj niam tsis muaj txiv. Kho kho kuv siab es kuv lam taug kwj ha xwb."

Tus yawg laus hais tias, "Aub! Yog li ces koj puas yuav pab tau kuv? Yog tias koj pab tau kuv mas kuv muaj ob tug ntxhais. Yog tias koj pab tau kuv mas koj nyiam tus twg los kuv muab rau koj. Yog koj tsis nyiam es koj yuav yuav nyiaj los kuv muab rau koj. Yog koj yuav kub los kuv muab, yuav nyuj yuav nees los kuv muab."

Nkauj Nog Chapter 1

The color of the morning sky did not change much from its night counterpart.  The clouds appeared liked a herd of gigantic dark and angry elephants, readied to destroy anyone and anything in its path.  The wind blew turbulently at times, flaunting its prowess and forcing everything except the sturdiest object to bend before its greatness.  The heavens did not smile with its bright orange flames, but instead, wished to cry any minute.  It seemed as if the heavens was moved by the goodness of someone below, and pitied that person very much.

A woman, slender and graceful, stood patiently by the gate of a manor as if waiting for her husband.  Although there were loud cheers and laughter vibrating from inside the main courtyard, the woman’s face was pale and wet with tears.  She looked past the gate to the far distance, and then back at her abdomen.  She touched it and more tears flowed down her cheeks.  Her husband did not know that she was with child for a few months already.

“Nyab—Sister-in-Law!” a woman called from behind.

“Mab, it’s you,” the woman by the gate turned around and answered.

“Nyab, don’t shed anymore tears.  I too am saddened by what my brother has done to you, but no matter what, what has been done has already been done.  Whether anyone likes it or not, Luj Tuam is bringing his second wife home today.  Let’s just consider that this is your fate so the only thing you can do now is continue to be a good-hearted person who does the right thing.  One day, the sky will brighten and my brother will see your goodness.”

Nkauj Nog Prologue

            Once upon a time, the Miao lived in the fertile valley of the Yellow River.  Although majestic and grand, the river often flooded during the rainy season and swallowed many lives.  For some, the catastrophic circumstance was so intolerable that they were prompted to follow Txiv Yawg—Chiyou, to the northern land where they established the magnificent, technologically-advanced Kuj Cuab Cuaj Lig Ntuj—Juili Kingdom.  It was only after Txiv Yawg was defeated and lost his life at Lima Pass to the Yellow Emperor—Huangdi, that the Juili Miao crossed the river once more and returned south to reunite with their Miao relatives.

The Juili Miao soon discovered that their southern counterparts were scattered everywhere, dwelling a poor and backward lifestyle that lacked structure, leadership, and unity as a people.  They knew that in order to lead a life of comfort and prosperity, the Miao people must be organized into a civilization.  Thus, the Juili Miao became the leaders and applied Txiv Yawg’s innovative and profound principles of governorship, development, and solidarity to change the future of the Miao.  But the Miao homeland was impressive.  To reduce the daunting task of governing such an enormous country where some citizens may not even be aware of the existence of a monarch, the Miao leaders decided that it was wisest to divide the land into three kingdoms to better facilitate the process of ruling a people.  The western kingdom became known as Cuaj Zag—Nine Dragons; the middle kingdom was known as Lig Xia—Blue Li; and the eastern kingdom was termed Ntuj Kag—Clear Heavens.  So for a period of time this notion of governance flourished, and the three kingdoms existed peacefully and harmonically—prospering together.

But civilization and progress often lured attention, jealousy, and lust from neighbors.  Lingering in the northern land was the old nemesis of the Juili Miao—the Suav, descendants of the Yellow Emperor and his people.  Their population was booming but land became scarce.  When they heard of the prolific soil in the south, they gradually embarked on the journey south like large groups of infesting locusts and began to intrude and rob land away from the native inhabitants until they finally approached the northern border of the three kingdoms. 

Synopses of Stories I'm Working On

Nkauj Nog

This story is roughly-based on the original Hmong folktale, Nkauj Nog, but it does have many changes.

“It’s only the petals of the white jade plum blossoms fluttering like a thousand fireflies.  Why do you carry a red hemp umbrella during this March’s spring?” ~Nkauj Nog

“To shield us from the gentle breeze that if brushed past our faces, may forever change our fates.” ~Siv Meej

“It’s only the pearl rain that waters the Earth like diamonds from the heavens.  Why do you carry a red hemp umbrella during this November’s eve?” ~Siv Meej

“To shield us from the tender storm that if wet our hands, may forever alter our chances.” ~Nkauj Nog

“It is inside the red hemp umbrella that I shall find my destined mate.” ~Siv Meej

“It is inside the red hemp umbrella that I shall wait.” ~Nkauj Nog

 

During the golden ages of imperial rule in San Miao Kingdom, a wealthy salt businessman married two wives who each gave birth to a daughter.  The elder wife is as beautiful as she is kind, so her daughter, Nkauj Zuag, mirrors her mother in nature and beauty.  The younger wife is beautiful too, but not equal to the elder wife so she is always bitterly jealous and cold and cruel, and nurtures her daughter, Nrhee, to be the same way.  Determined to rid of the elder wife, the younger wife comes up with every possible trick to try to make her husband divorce his elder wife.  One day, the younger wife feigns sickness and her foolish husband is made to believe that only the sacrifice of a cow to his ancestors will cure her.  However, he and his elder wife are a few minutes late to the local market and all the cows were sold out.  Furious, the husband blames his elder wife for their ill-luck and chases her away.  Disappointed and sad, the elder wife runs away and soon discovers herself inside an enchanted forest.  Then from out of the blue, magical flowers begin to blossom twirling tall and slender white bamboo trees.  While she sits beside a pond with the moon’s reflection dancing in the water, the elder wife thought of her husband and wishes that if it was possible she is willing to trade her life for a cow’s.  Unbeknownst to the elder wife, her wish is granted by the magical flowers and she changes into a cow.  She leaves her daughter Nkauj Zuag to cry for her mother for many days, and leaves her prone to abuse from the younger wife.  Without a mother now, the town’s people pity the poor girl and everyone begins to call her Nkauj Nog (orphan girl).  No one seems to remember that she was once named Nkauj Zuag (hair-comb, the eponym of feminine beauty) by her mother.

Ntshiab and Ntshaus

WELCOME TO WEAVE YOUR IMAGINATION!

As the site moderator, I thought it would be nice to begin this blog with a Hmong folktale.  I translated the story from the Hmong version so there were some words that have no English substitution.  In order to do justice to the words, I decided to leave them in Romanized Hmong letters.  If you cannot read Hmong, just sound the word out the way you would sound an English word and whatever pronounciation you get should be pretty similar to the Hmong pronounciation.  Hope everyone enjoys and grasps the moral of this story. 



Once upon a time, there lived two poor brothers named Ntshiab and Ntshaus.  When they were young, they were very poor.  When they grew older and each had a family of their own, they were still very poor.  One day, they decided to seek help from Suav Xeeb Xeeb and asked him to read their fortune to explain why they were so poor. 

Suav Xeeb Xeeb read their fortune and said, “If you both want a good life, you must travel to China.  Go there and find an old Chinese woman who can return to grind your rice.  She is the one who can help improve your lives.”

The two came home and took their horses.  They then journeyed to China.  There, they met an old woman grinding rice slowly and weakly next to a house.  The brothers decided to ask the house owner, “Brother, may we take that old woman with us so that she may grind our rice and look after our home?”

The Chinese man answered, “If you both want her, just take her!  She is old and useless.  My only concern is that she will probably die before reaching your home.”

The brothers remarked, “Perhaps she won’t die that quick.  How much do you want for her?”

“She is old and will soon die.  Even if she stays with me, I’m tired of feeding her.  If you both want her, I’ll let her go for free.”