Canidae in Meitei culture
Template:Infobox literary genre
Dogs, wolves, foxes, jackals and other related species, play important roles in different elements of Meitei culture, including but not limited to Meitei folklore, Meitei folktales, Meitei literature, Meitei mythology, Meitei philosophy, Meitei proverbs, Meitei religion, etc.
Dogs are mentioned as friends or companions of human beings, in many ancient Meitei tales and texts. In many cases, when dogs died, they were given respect by performing elaborate death ceremonies, equal to that of human beings.[1]
In Meitei society, foxes are considered as "very cunning". If a person is very cunning, s/he is compared to a fox or her or his behaviour as being "foxy". Stories of foxes are dedicated to the social understanding of people's characters, and often narrated so to give people wisdom and morality. Being wise is appreciated but being cunning is a depreciated in Meitei culture.[2][3][4][5]
Meitei language terms[edit]
| Meitei terms | Romanization | English translation | Morphology | Ref./Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ꯀꯩꯁꯥꯜ | keisāl (/kəi.sal/) | wolf (Canis aureus) | [6] | |
| ꯇꯥꯑꯣꯕ | tāoba (/tao.bə/) | dog[lower-alpha 1] | [7] | |
| ꯂꯝꯍꯨꯏ | lamhui (ləm.húi/) | fox | "lam‑hui" [land‑dog] | [7] |
| ꯁꯥꯍꯨꯏ | sāhui (/sá.hui/) | dog used in hunting | "sā‑hui" [animal‑dog] | [7] |
| ꯍꯨꯏ | hui (/húi/) | dog | [7] | |
| ꯍꯨꯏꯀꯣꯟ | huikon (/hui.kon/) | kennel, doghouse | "hui‑kon" [dog‑enclosure] | [7] |
| ꯍꯨꯏꯖꯥꯎ | huijāo (/húi.jao/) | a big dog | "hui‑jāo" [dog‑to be big] | [7] |
| ꯍꯨꯏꯊꯧ | huithou (/húi.tʰəu/) | wild dog | "hui‑thou" [dog‑to be brave] | [7] |
| ꯍꯨꯏꯅꯥꯑꯣ | huināo (/húi.nao/) | puppy | "hui‑nao" [dog‑small] | [7] |
| ꯍꯨꯏꯅꯥꯎꯆꯥ | huināocā (/húi.nao.cá/) | a very young puppy | "hui‑nāo‑cā" [dog‑small‑offspring] | [7] |
| ꯍꯨꯏꯌꯥ | huiyā (/húi.ya/) | canine (tooth) | "hui‑yā" [dog‑tooth] | [7] |
Folktales [edit]
Fox couple[edit]
Escape from crocodile, python and tiger[edit]
Once a fox's wife was pregnant, and her labor was coming soon. She expressed her desire to eat fish to her husband. The male fox assured her and then went out along the forest path. On his way in the forest, he found a lake and decided to catch some fish. However, a crocodile also lived in the same lake. On the first look, the fox misunderstood the crocodile to be a floating log of wood. Without hesitation, he jumped over it to catch fish. The fox caught a lot of fish. And again without any hesitation, he jumped back to the lakeside and went back happily home. The crocodile somehow lost the opportunity to get the fox. So, he decided to catch the fox in the next opportunity. On the next day, the fox came again at the lake to do the same. This time, the fox noticed the reality of the situation. Eventually, the fox quickly escaped from the spot. As soon as he reached her, he narrated his wife to leave everything as they had to leave for their home. The couple found a cave, where the female fox gave birth to a baby fox. Unfortunately, that cave was an abode of a tiger. The male fox quickly thought of a way to get rid of the tiger. Near the tiger's cave, there lived a monkey, whom he befriended and later collectively planned to slay the tiger. When the tiger returned home, secretly hidden among the bush, the fox said loudly in a gruff tone, "Friend Monkey, when your son was born, I gifted you ten tiger for the feast. Now today, I got a son, how many tiger you are going to present to me for the feast". The tiger heard it and got very scared. So, he ran towards monkey's hiding place. Accidentally, the tiger bumped into the monkey and because of extreme fear, the tiger ran away without looking back and never came back. Afterwards, the clever fox lived happily with his family without any fear of foes.[8][3][4][5]
In another version of the same story, the crocodile was replaced by a python.[9][3][4][5]
Fox and jackal[edit]
Once a King's elephant disappeared in a forest. The royal soldiers searched for the elephant in the whole kingdom but didn't find it. Thus, the king proclaimed a great prize for anyone who could bring his elephant back. Meanwhile, a fox couple found the elephant's corpse. The couple decided that if they lived inside the dead elephant's stomach, they would no longer need to search for food anymore. Thus, they ate some flesh of the elephant to carve their way towards the stomach. It took them three days to reach inside. Later, they discovered that there was no air to breathe inside the stomach. So, they attempted to go outside the body. Unfortunately, they found that the pathway which they had crafted was shrivelled and dried. Thus, they were trapped. Meanwhile, the King's men discovered the elephant's body and misunderstood it as sleeping. They came closer to the body for investigation. The female fox got an idea. Thus, she mimicked the elephant's voice and said loudly, "O king's men. I have been sleeping for long. My limbs have gone numb. Bring oil and ghee and rub my legs and bottom so that I can get up." Innocently, the King's did what they were told. The foxes knew that their pathway got softened up. She mimickingly said, "Now step aside so that I can get up." The King's men obeyed. Taking advantage of the situation, the couple escaped from the body and fled for their lives. The female fox escaped. But, the male fox was caught by the pursuing men. The male fox was taken to the king and was reported the situation. Getting furious, the king ordered for the execution of the fox through decapitation on the next day. The fox was bound and kept inside the royal stable. In nighttime, a jackal peeped into the stable to prey on some horses, but was surprised to see the fox. Upon being asked why he was there being bound, the fox replied, "O big uncle, the king asked me to take his daughter as wife. But I refused. So he has bound me up. I will be married to the princess tomorrow." The jackal and the fox had a negotiation to replace each other. So, the jackal freed the fox from the bondage and the fox bound the jackal in his place. Thus, the fox escaped. On the next day, the king's men couldn't believe their own eyes to find a jackal instead of the fox. But, fearing for the King's fury, they decapitated the jackal instead as a substitute. The male fox reunited with his wife in the forest.[10][3][4][5]
Fox's tricks[edit]
Once a clever fox eyed on the well fed healthy babies of a python, desiring them to be his prey on any opportunity. He pretended himself to be a well learned scribe, by writing something on the ground, trying to make the pythons believe that he was a scholar. Upon meeting with the pythons, he even introduced himself as a practitioner of astrology. The python, who also wanted her children to be astrologers, immediately requested the fox to be her children's mentor for astrology. The fox agreed. From the next morning, the python babies were sent to the fox for their education. Pretending to be a real class, the fox taught them some futile facts. After the class, when the children exited to the narrow door of the fox's house one by one, the fox caught the last child and ate it. He carried on the same thing every day. Within in a few days, all the children were killed and devoured. The foolish python mother realised that she was tricked. So, she thought of taking revenge by slaying the fox. So, she came and hide herself in the fox's burrow. When the fox came home, he suspected of danger. Using his wits, he said loudly, "Ho Home, Ho Home", expecting a response from the home. Initially, the python didn't reply but later, she thought that the home ought to respond and so, she gave the response by herself, "Yes I am here, please come in". Immediately, the clever recognised that the python was there, and so, he fled from the spot. Thus, the python's first attempt failed. Once again, the python found the fox on a river bank. She thought, "Fox likes dead animals so I will act like a dead cow and swim towards him." The python pretended to be a floating dead cow's corpse in front of the fox. The fox saw it and called out, "Oh dead cow, please swim towards me." The foolish python obeyed the fox immediately. Recognizing the trick, the fox ran away. Thus, the python's second attempt failed. Next time, the fox happened to encounter the python face to face. He ran but was pursued. Through the fox's tail, he was caught by the python. The fox said, "It's not my tail, it's a Toura plant". The foolish python believed what was said and released the tail. The fox escaped and thus, the python's third attempt also failed.[11][3][4][5]
Mythology and religion [edit]
When goddess Konthoujam Tampha Lairembi saw smokes in her native place, she was restless. She came down to earth from heaven to find out who was dead. On reaching the place, her mother told her as follows:
"O daughter of mine, none of your parents or brothers ever dies. The watchful dog of your Lord Soraren kept amidst us was fatally bitten by a snake. Only we performed its last rites."
— Konthoucham Nongkalol (Konthoujam Nonggarol)[1]
Proverbs[edit]
| Meitei language proverbs | English language translations | Applications (if any) | English equivalents (if any) | Note(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Meitei script | In Eastern Nagari script | In Romanization | ||||
| ꯈꯣꯡꯗꯅ ꯆꯤꯛꯄ ꯍꯨꯏꯒꯨꯝ | খোংদনা চিকপা হুইগুম | Template:Script/Classical and Medieval Latin | He is like the dog which bites without barking. | It applies to a man who speaks ill of you behind your back. | [12] | |
See also[edit]
- Animals in Meitei culture
- Birds in Meitei culture
- Hills and mountains in Meitei culture
- Plants in Meitei culture
- Women in Meitei culture
- Intangible cultural heritage of Meitei civilization
- International recognition of Meitei culture
- National recognition of Meitei culture
Notes[edit]
- ↑ typically not used in the colloquial speech
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Singh, Ch Manihar (1996). A History of Manipuri Literature (in English and ꯃꯤꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ). Sahitya Akademi. p. 201. ISBN 978-81-260-0086-9. Search this book on
- ↑ "Lumhui Lousing The Clever Fox". EP. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 S Sanatombi (2014). মণিপুরী ফুংগাৱারী (in ꯃꯤꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ). Department of Manipuri, Manipur University. Cultural Research Center, Manipur; Internet Archive, Digital Library of India.CS1 maint: Date and year (link) Search this book on
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Singh, Babu I.r (2005). Manipuri Fungga Waree (in ꯃꯤꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ). Manipur University Library, Imphal. Sahitya Academy, New Delhi; Internet Archive, Digital Library of India.CS1 maint: Date and year (link) Search this book on
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Bemni, N (1999). Funga Wari Vol. 3 (in ꯃꯤꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ). Manipur University Library, Imphal. Internet Archive, Digital Library of India.CS1 maint: Date and year (link) Search this book on
- ↑ Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary ("Wolf")". dsal.uchicago.edu (in English and ꯃꯤꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ). University of Chicago. p. 42. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary ("Dog")". dsal.uchicago.edu (in English and ꯃꯤꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ). University of Chicago. pp. 77, 79, 167, 195, 208. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ↑ "The Fox Wit Lamhui Lousing". EP. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ↑ "Lumhui Lousing The Clever Fox". EP. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ↑ "Lamhui amashung Keishal The Fox and the Jackal Folktale". EP. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ↑ "The Fox Trick Lamhui gi tat". EP. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ↑ Primrose, Arthur John (1888). "Manipuri Proverbs". A Manipuri Grammar, Vocabulary, and Phrase Book: To which are Added Some Manipuri Proverbs and Specimens of Manipuri Correspondence (in English and ꯃꯤꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ). Assam Secretariat Press. p. 95. Search this book on
Further reading[edit]
External links[edit]
Others articles of the Topic Arts : Artist
Others articles of the Topic Asia : AJC Play
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