The Doll's Groom
Laifadibigi Bor
Fungawari Singbul by B. Jayantakumar Sharma

Translation by Nganthoi Lourembam *

An illustration of Folk tale 'Laifadibigi Bor' by Nganthoi Lourembam

Once upon a time there lived a King. The King has got only one son whose marriage was fixed with the daughter of Achanba Manai (King's favourite servant).

One night before their marriage, daughter of the Achanba Manai was sitting and crying with the doll she had been playing with for a long time.

The doll said to her, 'Dear friend! Tomorrow you are going to a new house after the marriage. We had been friends for so long. I am not sure with whom I'll live since you are going to leave the house. My friend, before the two of us apart from each other I grant you two wishes. The first wish is that you'll be able to hear what human beings are talking and also you'll be able to understand the animals and birds language. The second wish is that you'll be able to see everything what others cannot.'

The daughter got married with the King's son and lived in the palace. After some period of time her father-in-law died. The crematory function of the King was celebrated with grand event. Everyone including the King's relatives, servants and officials of the palace attended the event.

When the King's dead body started setting ablaze, daughter-in-law of the King, staring at the dead body began to laugh once or twice. Some others were mourning and howling.

Meanwhile, people who were attending the ceremony started gossiping about her laugh. The King's son also noticed the behaviour of his wife. Without saying any words he thought, 'what's going on?' And thus the crematory function ended.

Days later, the head Minister (Bar Mantri) of the place died. Various people including officials of the palace, relatives of the Minister and many others attended the cremation. Looking at the head Minister's dead body, daughter-in-law of the King started weeping. At his wife's behaviour the King's son was confounded with anger.

After some days the King's son brought his wife to her father's place and said, 'Your daughter is manner less and character less. She laughed during my father's cremation but cried at the cremation of the head Minister. She is a dishonest person; I cannot live with her.'

Achanba Manai felt embarrassed and he asked his daughter if the King's son was telling the truth. At this his daughter replied, 'Father! Have I done any mistakes! When my father-in-law's dead body was cremating, all of his five souls kicked again and again at the dead body and said, "Hey awful person! How hard we suffered while taking shelter in your body. You made your own people suffer. You are a selfish person who doesn't want to give food to others and who doesn't love his wife. You keep your dirty body filled with sin with you."

The small little five souls were kicking at the dead body again and again and looking at the amusing scene made me laugh; is it my fault! And during the cremation of the head Minister, his five souls were crying while separating from the Minister's body.

They wept saying, "Oh dear honest and faithful body." I felt like crying listening to them so I cried.' Thus she narrated the whole story to her father, mother and her husband about the two wishes granted by the doll; to see what others can't see and to know the language of animals and birds.

The King was not fully satisfied with the story as there are some doubts on his mind. In the meantime, a crow said something in its language from the branch of a tree.

Knowing bird's language, the daughter of Achanba Manai said, 'The crow is saying that a dead man was found in the river. There is a diamond ring on the dead man's ring finger and if our King removes the ring and keeps it, it will bring good fortune to our King and its people.'

The King sent his men to confirm if she was right. And she was correct.

The King's son now believed what his wife had said earlier. He brought his wife back to the palace and lived together happily.

** From Manipur folk tale Book called "Fungawari Singbul" by B. Jayantakumar Sharma