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Homepage of Razwal Kohistani Lesser known Shin, Yashkun, Kamin, Gabara, Chilis and Marooch tribes of Indus Kohistan [Location] [Area and Population] [Religious sects] [Political Perspective] [Languages of Indus Kohistan] [Traditional Institutions] [Jirga System] [Shin tribes] [Yashkun Tribes] [Chilis and Gabara Tribes] [Kamin Tribes] [Other Casts and branches] [Land tenure system] [Forest tenure system] [Crop Land Tenure System] [Kinship system] [Marriage customs] [Transhumance] [Life in Kohistan] [Folk Tales] |
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(1) JHOJHE BARONI' (Folktales from Palas, Kohistan) Hither and thither was a Porter, who lived in the village. He had a She-goat who gave him milk and kids well enough. The Porter looked after the She-goat always. He would drive her to the forest and mali to graze. When snow fell, then he often brought leaves for her and she gave him sweet milk. But one year he became angry. She stopped giving milk. She ~ could no longer bear kids. She was very thin. When the Porter saw that she was no longer able to give milk, he intended to slaughter her. He thought, 'Now she is no longer useful for me. She can no longer walk to the forest and mali to graze for herself. ' He told the She-goat of his intention and the She-goat was sad. She didn't want to be slaughtered. The She-goat asked the Porter for one year's respite. If he would only carry her up to the mali for one more year, she would become healthy and give him plenty of fresh meat. The Porter accepted her proposal and carried her to the mali bek, where the grass and herbs were green and plentiful. The She-goat was happy! from morn 'til night. She grazed and became healthier and 1 hea:J.thler. Now the She-goat knew that the Leopard, the Bear and the Fox lived near the mali. So she kept quiet. But one day, the Fox saw hep g~azing in the mali. The Fox told the Bear who was the neighbou~ of .the Leopard and the Bear said, 'Come on sister Fox, V we should tell brother Leopard or he'll be angry with us and our lives will be in danger. So much the worse for us. ' The Fox agreed. They went to the Leopard's home, where he was resting. When they told the Leopard, he advised them to watch the Porter's She-goat, and they would eat her together as she returned home from the mali to the village. After a year, the She-goat became healthy and fat. She remembered her promise to return to the village, where the Porter was waiting for her. But as she was coming from the mali bek, she saw all together the Leopard, the Bear and the Fox. The She- goat was afraid, but there was no other path for her. Now she had the idea to disguise her fat body with birchbark. Going to the birch tree, she took long strips of bark and covered her fat body. Then she set ~ff to pass the beasts. As she approached them, the Fox was suspicious and asked 'Did you see the Porter's She-goat?' The She-goat answered 'No, I didn't see her. ' But the Fox didn't believe her. He thought, 'Either this is a new kind of animal, or it is the She-goat. ' He sang:
As the Fox circled and danced with the She-goat, the birchbark fell down revealing her fat body. Then the Fox caught hold of her and the Bear rushed forward and killed her. They cut out her innards and the Leopard ordered that they wash them. The Fox and the Bear went to the leat to wash the innards. The leat was dry so the Fox sent the Bear to open the water flow. While the Bear was out of sight, she quickly ate the innards. When the Bear came back, she told him he'd opened the water flow too fast, and the innards had washed away. When they came to the Leopard's home, the Fox told him that the Bear ate the meat without the Leopard's permission. The Leopard cried angrily to the Bear, 'I am your king, and you have eaten the meat without my permission. ' Before the Bear could explain the fox's tricks, the Leopard killed him. The Leopard and the Fox, then took the Bear's innards to the leat to wash them. After eating, they sat atop a great rock. The Fox planned to kill the Leopard. When the Leopard fell asleep, she pushed him from the ~reat rock. The Leopard fell to his death. After that, the Fox planned to go to the Porter's home disguised as the She-goat. He put on the She-goat's skin and set off for the Porter's home. The Porter was very happy to see his She-goat come from the mali bek looking so healthy. He never saw such a She-Goat and decided not to slaughter her. He was hoping for sweet milk and kids. He didn't see that this was the Fox and not his She-goat. (2) THE RONCE, THE FAWNS AND THE HUNTER There once was a mother Ronce (musk deer) living in the forest. Two young fawns walked with their mother, enjoying the forest, eating and drinking while their father was off with his friends. By day, the fawns lived with their mother, who was dearer to them. And at night when they gathered together, their father told them, 'My sons! When you are like me, then we will go together in the deep forest and high meadows freely wandering. I can't wait for you to grow into fine youths. The fawns longed to wander freely in the deep forest and high meadows but their parents would not allow them. One day, when the deer were grazing in the forest, a man came and saw them '. He was a hunter. Stealthily he came nearer and nearer until, suddenly, he fired at the mother deer and she fell near her fawns. They were perplexed at what had happened to their mother. The Ronce looked at her bleeding belly in great pain. Her fawns circled her saying (SONG) 'Mother! What happened? Why are you crying in pain? Mother, tell us!, The hunter saw this and was very sad that he had shot the Ronce. The fawns did not understand. Their mother began to tell them: SONG) ‘My fawns! Flesh of my flesh! How can I tell you what happened to me! My fawns! Flesh of my flesh! I cannot tell you, I cannot tell you, Because you cannot know. My fawns! Flesh of my flesh! I drank murky water, I feel strong pain in my belly. Go seek the friends of your father and the friends of your mother Seek out your kind. A moment later she died and her fawns ran into the forest. When the hunter returned home from the forest, he told these events to his wife. When his wife heard him, she told him never again to hunt the beasts of the forest lest one day his own children suffer so. Ha has never hunted a Ronce since that day.
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Shina Research Forum Karakorum Himalayas
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