The egotistical elephant and praying pebet

Naosekpam Ajit *

Students taking part in re-telling the folk tale of Pebet - Pix: Sangai Express.

A long time ago, at the edge of a big forest lived a pebet with her tiny brood. It was a happy nest indeed complete with some eggs waiting to be hatched.

One day a herd of elephants was advancing towards the bush on which her nest lay. As the herd headed precariously near the nest the baby pebets begin to panic and addressed their mother thus "Mother we are afraid lest the elephants crush our nest along with us and the eggs, please request them to be cautious".

So the pebet mother approached the herd and addressed the leader " O handsome leader of the herd and dear friends, just a little ahead lies my nest along with my young ones and my precious eggs, dear friends please tread carefully and save us from danger".

Each elephant in the large herd heeded to her humble request and avoided breaking the nest. But the last of the herd was a young and arrogant elephant who took great pride of his gigantic body and enormous strength.

He trumpeted "Ha Ha, you tiny bird, why should I obey you? Who told you to make your nest on our path? And he crushed the nest along with the young ones and the eggs with his huge feet. The mother pebet cried bitterly over her dead young chicks and her broken eggs.

She flew to the rogue elephant and spoke with great rage "You think we are small and powerless and so you crushed my nest and destroyed everything I had with impunity! I will teach you a lesson. You will pay dearly for killing my young ones so mercilessly". The rogue elephant didn't pay any attention and continued to walk nonchalantly with the herd.

The mother pebet in great grief prayed to Mother Leimarel
"Ho Ema Leimarel Pumnamaki Apokpi
Eigi Echa singdo maral leijadabani
Mama eigonda kanbiyu haijakhi
Adubu pangal sonba koubana
Makhoibu kanba Ngamkhide
Ema gi thoujalna taibang sembani
Emagi thoujal nijari
Napal chouba Shamudo
Maralgi matik chaba dandi pibiyu
Emagi khuyakhada punemjari nachana.

She prayed day and night for a whole week and one day in a flash the enchanting form of Divine mother materialized in a mellow light and spoke with great Love.
"Ebema pebet
Nangi pukningi cheina Emana khang-ee
Lanhenba Shamu ado dandi phangani"

And after whispering some motherly advice and blessings, her divine form dispersed into the ether with a faint crackling sound.

The pebet's heart was filled with peace and courage. She was determined to obey Ema Leimarel's advice. With her strong beak she pricked the elephant right in the middle of his spine. She struck at the same spot again and again with all her might. The thick hide eventually gave way and blood oozed out in a red torrent.

She then invited a group of flies to feast on the blood and lay eggs on the wound. In a week's time the eggs hatched on the wound giving rise to maggots which caused deep festers. Day by day the condition of the elephant worsened and finally the huge elephant dropped to his knees and requested the pebet to spare his life.

At this moment the pebet remembered Ema Leimarel's advice of forgiveness "Not to take life, wantonly; but to forgive those who repent."

Solemnly the pebet exclaimed "In your rashness you killed my children and now you are praying for your life- If you truly feel repentant and promise to respect life, however small they may be- I will spare your life and bring back your health."

The elephant said in a relieved yet repentant voice "As I have learnt the pain of injury and impending death, I promise to respect the value of life and renounce my violent ways-please forgive me." Tears ran down his eyes.

In the days to come the pebet applied healing herbs from the jungle on the elephant's sores. Eventually he regained his health and came to be known for his gentle manner all throughout the jungle.

The pebet and the elephant remained very good friends all throughout their lives.