Human turning into Uchek Langmei
- Meena Uchek Langmei Onba -
- Animal Fables-

Fungawari Singbul by B. Jayantakumar Sharma *

Art Work - Phurailatpam Banti

Animal Fables:
Funga Wari Singbul: Page 52
Meena Uchek Langmei Onba



Once upon a time, there lived a business man whose daughter is called Nongdangnu. She had lost her mother at a very young age, so her father married again. Her stepmother was very kind to her when she was young but as she grew up, the stepmother started to ill-treat her. Seeing her father's love for her, the stepmother became very jealous of her.

Whenever her father is not around, the stepmother makes her do all the work and abused her too.

One day, when she was ginning cotton, unfortunately some cotton flew away. As she walks up to pick them up, her stepmother came out and started beating her. She protested that it was the wind, but the stepmother kept on scolding her and abused her dead mother as well.

She felt very helpless, and was very sad as the stepmother abused her dead mother too.

Another day, all the three members of the house was having lunch. But Nongdangu quickly stopped eating and went out. Her father checked her plate and found out that the curry was not even edible.

It was just some leaves and turmeric powder on water uncooked. Her father became furious and started scolding the stepmother. So, when the father was around, it was good for Nongdangu, however, when he is gone, the routine follows. There was never a day when Nongdangu ever smiled when her father was away.

One day Nongdangnu's friends came to invite for a group lunch. She readily agreed to the invitation. Her friends told her to come on her finest dress and left. The stepmother heard everything and told to herself, "Let's see how you go? I will show you what I can do."

So on the day of the lunch, the stepmother packed everything from dress to jewelries and went to her maternal home without informing her. Nongdangnu kept on waiting for her stepmother but she did not returned. Her friends came to see her and seeing her condition, went back and came with her share and they ate and spend happily that day.

In the evening when her mother came back, she asked her if she should cooked dinner. The stepmother said, "Do whatever you wish to do. I am going back to my house again." She again said, "Do you want me to get it ready when you come back?" The stepmother replied, "You don't' need to worry about me. Like father like daughter." and left.

Poor Nongdangnu with a heavy heart was watching the birds returning home. She said out loud, "Oh friends, dear Langmei (hornbills), your poor friend has no cloth, please drop me a feather each." So she spends the night using the feathers as blanket.

Next morning, she waited for the flocks of Hornbill to pass by and called out loud, "Oh dear Langmei (Hornbill), I have lost my mother and I am poor and alone. Please drop me a feather each so that I can come along with you". The birds dropped a feather each for her. She fixed all the feathers and tied it around her. She also made two wings.

The next day Nongdangnu turned as a bird sat on the branched of a tree waiting for her father's arrival. Her stepmother returned home and not finding her made her very happy.

Her father arrived with lots of clothes and ornaments for her, but she was not to be seen. Her stepmother told him that she had no idea of her whereabouts and she had a very hard time taking care of her.

The father without saying anything came out to the courtyard and started calling her name, then came a reply from the tree, "Dear father, your daughter can no more bear the ill treatments of the stepmother. I will no longer live as human but turned into a bird so that I can be free."

The father pleaded, "Dear daughter, please come back. I am still here for you, and I have brought many new clothes and eatables for you, please come and eat it."

Nongdangnu did not respond to her father and flew away with her new friends. Her father was left standing, looking at the direction his daughter flew.