Khun San Law and Nan Oo Pyin ( Mizo Pi-pute Lo Chenpui Thin Shan-ho Thawnthu )

Kan pi leh pute China ram chhim lam Yunan bial khawi maw lai atanga Kawl  ram an thlen hnu, Kalay- Kabaw phaikuam an thlen hma khan Tibet-Burma hnam hrang hrangte nen an lo khawsaho a. Shan hnamho nen pawh hian an lo khawsaho niin history thenkhatah kan hmu. A hnuaia Shan (hnam) thawnthu “Khun San Law-a leh Nan Oo Pyin-i”, hmeichhia leh mipa inhmangaih tak, arsi-a chang dun chanchin hian Kan Mizo thawnthu “Chawngmawii leh Hrangchhuana” min tihrechhuak uaih uaih mai.

Khun San Law and Nan Oo Pyin (Myanmar – Shan Tale )

An old couple had a very beautiful daughter, and they wanted her to marry and settle down. All the young men of the village fell in love with her and tried to win her hand, but in vain, One day, her mother said to her, “Daughter, you are growing old and we are also growing old. Do chose a suitable young man and marry him.” But the young maiden merely smiled and did not heed her words. Some time later, the father died and the mother said, “We need a man in the house. Will you not marry a nice young man?” “Mother,” the maiden replied, “I dare not marry anybody, in case he should prove to be a cruel husband. However, if you want a man in the house, I will pray to the guardian god of yonder tree for a gift of a son, although I am a virgin pure.” The mother laughed at her, but soon the daughter was with child. In due course, she gave birth to a beautiful young boy whom she named Khun San Law.

When Khun San Law was but six years old, both the mother and the grandmother died, and Khun San Law was adopted as her son by a rich widow. As Khun San Law grew up into a handsome young man, the young ladies of the village fell in love with him and dreamed of marrying him. But Khun San Law remained uninterested in any of them. Then a scheming, ugly girl went to the old widow and saying, “I love you as my own mother,” insisted upon waiting on her. After some months, as the ugly girl was so persistent, the old widow became very fond of her and said, “You shall be my daughter-in-law.” Then she sent for her adopted son and asked, “Khun San Law, have you fallen in love with any girl? ” “No, mother,” replied Khun San Law. “In that case,” said the old widow, “let me choose a wife for you. Here is a very effectionate and worthy young girl.” Khun San Law looked at the ugly girl and was not pleased with her, and so gave the excuse that he wias still too young to marry. Wanting to escape from the clutches of the scheming girl, he asked his mother’s permission to accompany a caravan of merchants who were soon leaving the village. The old widow reluctantly agreed, and Khun San Law went away with the merchants.

At one market town, Khun San Law strolled along a street and suddenly saw a beautiful girl smiling at him while watering some flower pots on the verandah of her house. Khun San law fell passionately in love with her, and losing his shyness, he boldly proposed to her. “Oh, handsome stranger ”, the girl replied, “My name is Nan Oo Pyin, and I love you also. But I do not know you at all, and you will have to come in and speak to my parents.” Khun San Law went into the house and introducing himself, he asked for their permission and consent for him to marry their daughter. The parents, greatly inpressed with the young man’s demeanour, at once gave their approval. The next day Khun San Law and Nan Oo Pyin were duly married.

Khun San Law was very happy with his young wife, but after a few weeks he felt that it was his duty to go home to his mother and inform her of his marriage. Promissing his wife to return in a few weeks, he started on his journey home. On arrival there, he broke the news to the old widow. Although shaking with anger, she pretended to be pleased. “Well done, my son,” she said, “but before you go back to your wife, please go to my plantation in the north and supervise the workers there for a few days.” The old widow then sent secret instructions to her workers at the plantation to delay Khun San Law’s return by pretending to quarrel and fight with each other. She hoped that the long absence of Khun San Law would make his wife forgot him. Nan Oo Pyin waited and waited for her husband’s return and she became even more inpatient longer, she asked some of her young women friends to accompany her, and together they travelled to Khun San Law’s village. On arrival at the old widow’s house, she received a seemingly warm welcome, but all the time the old woman was plotting to get rid of her. “Daughter,” she said with a smile, “My son will soon return, and in the meantime you can help me in my housework.” Then she proceeded to overwork the poor  girl by making her do all kinds of tiring chores about the house. As days passed and Nan Oo Pyin remained as gentle and patient as ever, the old widow, losing her temper, abused the poor girl and beat her many times. Humiliated and shamed in front of her friends, Nan Oo Pyin called them to her, and together they started on the journey back to their own village. On the way, she gave birth to her child, who, however, soon died. Taking the dead child in her arms, she cried, “I will not throw you into the river, in case you should become a fish, nor will I bury you in the ground in case you should become a frog. Instead I will leave you on the fork of yonder tree, so that your father will see you when she comes after me.” Then she and her companions continued their journey. The little child at once became a bird, and crying, “Father, father,” he flew in search of Khun San Law. Nan Oo Pyin arrived safely back to her house, but she was sick and dying.

Khun San Law now arrived back at the old widow’s house, and angry neighbours told him all about the cruel treatment his mother had meted out to his wife. Jumping on the back of a horse, he rode at full speed and reached his beloved wife’s house in a few hours. But she was already dead, Taking her in his arms, he cried otu, “I shall follow you soon, and we shall become twin stars in the sky and we shall be together until this world ends.” Then he died. Nan Oo Pyin’s parents laid the bodies of the two lovers side by side, and sent word to the old widow to come to the funeral. When the old widow arrived and saw the two lovers lying side by side, instead of feeling remorseful and instead of being stricken with sorrow, she was jealous and angry. Picking up a bamboo carrying-pole with three joints, which was lying on the floor, she swiftly placed it between the two dead bodies. Unfortunately, in their sorrow and grief, others present did not notice her action.

That same night, Khun San Law and Nan Oo Pyin appeared as twin stars in the sky, but alas, between them there were three other stars, being the three joints of the bamboo carrying pole.