It is a story that springs from the common history of a particular community. This history is then passed down through storytelling.All tribal communities have a strong culture of oral story telling which invokes people’s pride in their common locality and identity and which leads to the development of feelings of unity and harmony. They are also sources of entertainment for the community. While folktales can contain religious or mythical elements, it equally incorporates the mundane traditions of everyday life. Folktales frequently bind together the practical and the mysterious into one narrative story.

A folk tale also has an important role in knowledge transfer and personality development. It has power to influence a person’s perception, attitude, behaviour, and many other factors important to human’s life as well as the society. It helps people to better understand general conditions of human society since folk tales arise out of observations, beliefs, ideas, fear, fun, ceremony etc. It can be regarded as a boundary for people in the society to perceive whether things are right or wrong.

The telling of stories appears to be a cultural and universal form, common to basic and complex societies alike. Even the forms folktales take are certainly similar from culture to culture. Folktales can be used to describe a narrative, which has no sacred or religious content. The purpose of the tale may be one of everyday instruction regarding forest safety or a cautionary tale about the dangers of the unknown.

Here is a Khampti folk tale taken from A NEW BOOK OF TRIBAL FICTION by Verrier Elwin, PART THREE: Buddhist Stories, VI. The Khampti Stories.

THE COMING OF THE FIRE

At first the Squirrel and the Hornbill were close friends. One day they were both very thirsty and they went to the river Malikha to drink. After they had refreshed themselves, they went a little way off and sat down together.

Hornbill said, “Friend is there any fire in your tail?”

Squirrel said, “Friend, I cannot tell you; there may be for all I know.”

Hornbill said, “Let me see if I can get it out,” and so saying he pecked Squirrel‘s tail and sparks flew out and set fire to the grass. Hornbill tried to blow out the fire but it blazes up all the more and Hornbill himself caught fire and that is why his feathers, which were formerly white, are now partly black.

Then Squirrel also tried to put out the fire and when he himself was caught by it, he ran up a tree to escape and that is why he is now both black and white and lives on trees.

In this way Fire came to the world. When it spread everywhere the animals thought they were bound to die. They held a meeting and asked who could put out their new enemy. Tiger said that he would, and he tried but all that happened was that he got stripes over his body. The Bear tried, but his long hair blazed up and ever since he has been black. Then Elephant, who was then white, tried and that is why elephants today are black. At last Indra sent the wind and he blew the fire three miles down into the earth.

That is why when it is cold and wet, the wind goes to and fro making the earth colder and in the hot weather the wind goes to rest beneath the earth and the whole world becomes hot from the fire that is burning below.

This may be an example of an explanatory tale that answers the question of “why” explaining the history and origin of human beings, animals, and natural phenomena. Although this tale does not have any real factual accuracy as we know it, it throws light into the customs and thinking of our tribal people. It can also be taken as a tale that an elder makes up to explain the mysteries of nature to children or as a cautionary tale to keep away from dangers or suffer the consequences.

There can be both a moral and psychological lesson in the story, as well as entertainment value, depending upon the nature of the teller, the style of the telling, the ages of the audience members, and the overall context of the story telling.

A traditional folktale doesn’t have an individual author; instead it is owned by the community. The folktale contains the entire culture of the community, which also differentiates it from other groups. The tales may vary slightly from area to area within the same tribe, or even carry over to the folktale traditions of other tribes in the area, but with the intrinsic values and morals being the same. This collective consciousness and values stored within the folktales is the reason why keeping the age old tradition of telling folktales and preserving the age old stories for the new generation is a matter of utmost importance.

Lik Pu Shon Lan

NOTES ON LIK PU CHON LAN (GRAND FATHER TEACHES GRAND CHILDREN). (Translated from original Tai script):

Once upon a time, grandfather thought ‘All my knowledge is stored inside my body. I have completed the third stage of my life, my hair is grey and my body is decreasing. I will not get to remain here for long time. The duration of my life has nearly reached its end and I have still not taught anything’.

Grandfather turned this over in his mind; the words were coming out without ending. When he realized this, he called his grand children.

“Grandfather will speak these words of teaching. Come, all of you, males and females, children and grand children, I am your grandfather. Don’t enter into unnecessary subjects, you will not hear anything, come, Ai (elder son), Ye (elder daughter) , and as well Ngi (Second son), Am (Third daughter). Grandfather will tell you about the traditions that we follow. Come quickly, don’t be slow. You should all listen to the words that I speak.”

“In the future if you do not know anything, you will be sorry, and people will think Grand father did not give you any advice. Quietly come and sit with me. Don’t be confused and go anywhere, but sit nearby. I will speak good words. You should really lean over and listen .Your grandfather will tell you many things, of every sort. Remember them. Oh! Listen, my dear grand children.”

“If you listen to the words that I teach, you will have many good lives in the future. If men and women do not remember, these things, the present and the next life will not be good. The next life will not meet the diamond body and the glorious person and the preaching of Lord Buddha who does not die. Listen, oh my dear grand children.”

The matters which grandfather will teach you are sweet as sugarcane. Take them and let the sweetness diffuse throughout your body. All of you people, male and female, should remember these words for 1000 years. The words which I teach you should be remembered by whoever hears them. If you know the meaning distinctly, it will spread everywhere.

THE PROVERBS:

About general Education-

1. You should be persons who exert yourselves and are diligent. It is better to be prosperous.
2. If you are poor, others will look down on you, they will ridicule you and call you lazy.
3. Cultivate your dry land fields and paddy. Be diligent and don’t complain of tiredness.
4. At the time of your business, do not complain of your legs.
5. Poverty may cause you to become foolish, your shirts and clothes will be torn and patched, and everyone will look down on you. Those who see you will laugh at you and make jokes at your expense, and they will jump over you. Listen, oh my grand children.
6. Furthermore, I advise you to keep your intellect inside your mind.
7. Do not walk at a fast pace, a sharp pointed dart may pierce your foot.
8. When going ahead you should look back so that you can retrieve anything that you have forgotten.
9. Do not climbs tall trees. If you lose fear of them, you may be in danger. It is difficult to ascertain whether a branch covered with plenty of leaves is rotten or not.
10. Do not swim in the first flood of the year for crocodiles may be in the river.
11. Do not walk over a bamboo bridge at the end of the year. It may be decayed and while you are thinking of other things, you may tread on a rotten branch and fall dead.
12. While crossing a river, beware of logs in the water. Follow the others who have preceded you.
13. When you go out you should take weapons for your protection in case you meet enemies like a fierce tiger or a dacoit.
14. Your weapon of self defense, your bow and arrow, gun and spear, your shields and your sharp lance with its smooth handle should be kept close at hand . They should not be used to kill other beings unnecessarily. You should maintain the principle of sila( morality). Keep these words of teaching and carry them with you always, oh my dear grand children.
15. Life is full of happiness and sorrow, as well as your daily activities.
16. Keep your house in order and check it in the morning, when you can see clearly.
17. Never rise late. Get up early in the morning and do your morning duties. Do not while away your time in drowsiness. Brush your teeth and wash your face immediately.
18. Work sincerely and diligently and you will be truly be a successful person.
19. Cultivate your fields properly and do it sincerely.
20. You should plant every type of crop which is necessary to feed your family.

ABOUT FAMILY AND RELATIVES:

1. Every day we should pay respect to our parents and never forget that we owe them gratitude .
2. In addition to your father in law you should respect your uncles.
3. Do not allow your relatives to be estranged, even if they are separated from you by the spread of seven generations.
4. To your poor relatives you should give not ony things but also physical help.
5. If you do not acquire the above qualities people will laugh at you.
6. If others gratitude is due to be repaid, be quick and diligent to repay it fully. Do not forget.
7. Your neighbors are those who live close by, sharing the same ground under the house, with their eaves touching yours.
8. One should offer salt and ginger and other things to your neighbors.
9. When you have curries and vegetables, share them with your neighbors.
10. Let your mind be wider than a hundred thousand outstretched arms, a place where other people can find help.
11. A single person should not confront a mass of people, for they will overpower you.
12. One should confront this mass of people only when with your relatives.
13. When you are with other people, love and speak cordially with them.
14. If you love them, then others will also love you, and on the day that you need help, they will surely extend it.
15. Do not be jealous or think ill of others.
16. Others may be angry with you but you are to endure it and not return it. Restrain your mind as quickly as possible.
17. Do not be rebellious, do not get the name of crazy person who kill others. Oh my grand children.
18. Things may block and obstruct your mind, if it is not ruled by clear ideas.
19. Quickly get control of greed, do not let your hearts burn with it.
20. Avoid anger and temptation.
21. Do not be tempted. Avoid temptation.
22. There are many causes of sadness.
23. Think as quickly as the wind; apply your mind to avoid sadness.
24. Let your mind be like a diamond bridge, level and clear. Let your wisdom be strong. One should.
25. Do not utter unpleasant words while talking. Know your three duties.
26. In the presence of elderly persons, do not go about here and there quickly.
27. Never show your anger to a person whose heart is wise and mind holy.
28. Pay respect like a slave in front of the triple gem, the Lord Buddha, the Dhamma and the respected monks. Bow your face down.
29. Do not wear long garments that go beyond your feet, otherwise people will laugh at you.

Nang Nimina Namchoom & Chow Bilaseng Namchoom