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Ka Sohlyngngem bad u Rynñiaw






Ka Sohlyngngem and U Rynñiaw were deeply in love with each other and would meet in the shade of tress in the forest. Ka Sohlyngngem was a beautiful bird who belonged to a poor but hard working family. U Rynñiaw, on the other hand, was the son of a well-privileged family and the "King of the Kingdom of Shade'' (Tales of Darkness and Light by Janet Hujon). The parents of Ka Sohlyngngem did not wish that she marry U Rynñiaw because of the difference in wealth between the families. As the sorrowful end of the story goes when Ka Sohlyngngem tells him, U Rynñiaw is distraught but not wanting to cause pain to her parents, decides to say goodbye and leaves Ka Sohlyngngem. Till today the cries of Ka Sohlyngngem are heard singing of her lost love.



"Ka Sohlyngngem" da Primrose Gatphoh


1. Ka Sohlyngngem ka thei bhabriew.

Ki ong naduh hyndai;

U sim Rynñiaw ka ri dymmiew,-

Iap mat-u 'rang kynsai.


2. Jar-Jar ka trei ka khun ki briew,

Ba duk ba bylla sngi;

Ka nang ban thaiñ ban suh syntiew,

Kam nang ki 'tien lorni.


3. U sim Rynñiaw, u khun binong,

Ïa ka bunsien u ruwai : Hajan jong u ka brai ban shong; Ka sngap, -ka ioh thiah thai.


4. Ar ngut ki ïaid sha lum sha wah,

Ki shong hapoh dymmiew; Harud ki um sangam dait thah, Sha bym ïohsngew ki briew.


5. Ka 'lei-lapmat ka wiat samrkhie,

Ki khun mariang bha dur : Ha pdeng duriaw jingieit ki kie, Ki Paro-blei shi jur.


6. Ki 'tien-sai-iong, ki 'tien-sai-saw, Ar ngut ki teh jutang:

Ym don u syiem, ym don i mraw,

Ban sngap ban ap jutang.


7. Ki kmie ki kpa ka Sohlyngngem,

Kim mon pynhiar synjat:

Jingieit jong ka- -ka dom, ka rhem,

Ka iam, ka khuslai sat.


8. "Ko Khun" ki ong "Yn lei phin kwah

Ioh un lehbeiñ lehkhoh

Namar ma u u khun riewspah,

Ma phi ka khun ba poh!"


9. "Hu-hu ka ud ka pait dohnud,

Namar u Syiem Rynñiaw :

Ka phet kylleng ka wad ka bud,

"Hu-hu Hu-hu' ka piaw.


10. "Ko Ieit,' ka ong, '"dohnud ka pang :

Eiei, ngam nang pyrkhat:

I mei i pa, iap-iap ki khang,

Bad phi ban shong ryngkat.


11. "Jingieit jong phi ia nga la biang,

Bad phi nga hun nga suk:

Im-im ia phi ki ring 'sai syiang:

Ki mon para ba duk."


12. "Oh kumta pleng | Nga ruh ngam kwah

Ynnai, - pynsngewsih lei !

Hynrei, ko Ieit, ia nga to shah,

Ngan doh khadduh-Khublei!"


13. Kumta u piam, u doh, u dait; Junom ka iai kynmaw : Te, slem u-bat, um lah pyllait; Ki ummat ksiar ki jaw.


14. Te soit u siang la ki sner diar; Shapoh lawbah u ruwai :

"La pait, la pait ka Khuri Ksiar,

La wai, ko Tiew-Pathai !"


15. Ka Sohlyngngem ka shoh bieit ngaiñ,

Shano kan ïashem pat ! Mano ban sop, mano ban spaiñ: Badno kan shong ryngkat !


16 "Hu-hu!" ka iam, "Hu-hu!" ka ud,

"Hu-hu!" ka win ka khlaw :

"Hu-hu!" "Hu-hu!" ka khot pangnud,

'Hu-hu,! ko Syiem Rynñiaw !'


17. Ka ngiah ka ruwai, ka shad, ka kmen, Ka keiñ ka put ka tem : Ha 'Iaw sangam ka shong rieh tngen : Ka ud, -ka pang shadem!


18. Ka Thei-Iap-Saw ka khuslai sat, Ha thwei sangam ka miet ; La khap ka khmat, ka dem pyrkhat,- Ka Khuri Ksiar Jingieit !



"Ka Sohlyngngem bad u Rynñiaw" is a story marked by love, sorrow, loss and absence. 🖤🤍🖤🤍
🟡 As stated in Tales of Darkness and Light (2018) by Janet Hujon, Ka Sohlyngngem is the Ashy Wood Pigeon and U Rynñiaw is the Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo.
🟡 The Khasi poem "Ka Sohlyngngem" is written by Primrose Gatphoh in his book Sawdong Ka Lyngwiar Dpei (1977).
🟡 Pictures 2 and 3: Google

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