Laimacha : A Folktale of Maring Tribe
- Part 1 -

James Oinam *

An illustration for 'Laimacha'

Book Title: Manipuri Fungga Wari
Compiled and Edited by: I.R. Babu Singh
Publisher: Sahitya Academy
Printer: Jaishree Press, Calcutta
Year: 2005

Once upon a time in a village lived an old man and a young man. The young man was called Laimacha. One early morning while walking by a river the young man saw a flower floating down the river. He picked the flower and brought it to the old man and asked, "What is this flower?"

The old man replied, "Child if you want to know about this flower then tomorrow morning before sunrise go and hide near the river. Two girls from sky will come down to the place to bath. While they take bath, steal their cloths and bring them to me running. They will call you but you must not look back. If you do, you will surely die."

As per the advice given by the old man, Laimacha got up early, went to the riverside and hid himself waiting for the girls who would come from the sky. Just at the breaking of the dawn, two beautiful girls came from the sky each carrying a "sanabun" (a large pitcher for carrying water).

They deposited their cloths near the river and jump into the river and started swimming. Laimacha quietly came out of his hiding place, took their cloths and ran. The girls shouted, "Those are our cloths. Please leave them, please leave them."

Laimacha looked back at them and fainted on the road. Luckily, the old man had come to the place, and he treated the young man.

The following day, Laimacha again came to the river waiting for the girls from the sky. Laimacha hid in the beach of the river. The girls came bringing sanabun. They put their cloths on the ground and went into the water. Laimacha grabbed their cloths and ran. Even though the girls called at him again and again, he never turned back at them.

He came to the old man and handed him the cloths. After a while the girls from the sky came to the old man and asked him to give back their cloths.

The old man declared, "Child, one of you must marry Laimacha. Otherwise, you will not get these cloths back."

The girls turned to each other and said, "You marry him."

Finally, the younger sister agreed to marry Laimacha. The elder sister took her cloths.

Before leaving for the sky, she gave a stick to her younger sister and advised her, "Sister, whenever you are in trouble, swing this stick and come to me. I will help you."

It did not take long before the beauty of the girl was talked about by the girls of the village and people of the village thought of giving the girl to the king. Some objected, "The girl is already married to Laimacha. How can she be given to the king?"

After much argument, it was decided that the dog of Laimacha shall fight with a dog of the village. If Laimacha's dog wins, he can keep the girl as his wife, but if the other dog wins the girl will be given to the king.

The decision taken by the people was informed to Laimacha. He came back home looking sad. When his wife asked what was the matter, he told her everything.

Swinging the stick given by her elder sister, making the sound hung, hung, she flew to the sky to her sister and told her about the villager people's decision. The elder sister gave her a thin tiger that looked like a dog. The next morning when Laimacha's "dog" fought against the dog of the village, and the village dog was defeated.

Next, the villagers said that a cock fight will decide the matter. Laimacha became very sad as he did not have any cock. When his wife learned about it, she flew to the sky to her sister swinging the stick—hung, hung. The elder sister gave her a kite.

The next day, the big cock of the village fought with vigour and Laimacha's kite was at the receiving end initially. However, later the kite biting the cock with its beak flew over a tree and tore apart the flesh of the cock and ate it.

To be continued.....