Excerpt from the story "U Phareng Ha Lawkyntang" from the book Ha Ki Sngi U Syiem by Dewi Singh Khongdup
Kumta ha kawei pat ka sngi, u Phareng u bah la ka suloi ar ktang ha la ka tyrpeng, bad u ngam soit sha khlaw ban leit thap skei. U kieng kawei ka pla ha kaba la thep jasong ka Mahad bad u buh de la ki kuli hangta. U ngam ia ka khlaw ka btap, hynrei um lap dien mrad satia; u pynieng la ki shkor bad u pynshah ia ki diang diang, mon mon, hynrei ym don dak ei ei ruh em ban pynpaw ba ki mrad ki don hajan. Tang ka shalymmen ka pah wiaw shi wiaw khlem sahngeh, bad u jyllop u ud kob shi kob halor ki tnat phaniaw. Ha ka por shiteng sngi, u la sngew thait, bad kumta u shong thait harud kawei ka wahduid kaba ki um jong ka ki khuid khlir khlir. "Ngan da pynbeit theid noh shuwa halor une u mawsiang," u kren hapoh lade; "Imat ka skei ruh ka tip ba nga wan mynta ka sngi."
U ioh thiah kumba shi kyntien kwai ne, bad ynda u la kyndit, u la thngan. U sei ia ka jasong na ka pla, bad katno u kmen haba u lap ia ka tungrymbai ba la song lang bad u khathli bad u khababia. "U Syiem Symphup uba da kat u Syiem," u kren ha lade hi' "u tip ka bam aiu nga bang!"
Ynda u la dep bam, u thet ia la ki kti ha kata ka wah, bad u maiñ ruh ia la ka shyntur. Namar ba u dei u Phareng, um nud satia ban dih ia ka um kaba khlem da shet. "Kane te kaban iap sliang", u ong ha ka sur kum uba la poi ha ka kutlad. "Em, ki ju ong ba ka um Khasi kaba sngur kam ju don khñiang jingpang; kumta ngan dih la ka dih ia ka; namar haba la lap ka sliang, ne haba la tyrkhong u thylliej, ka um ktieh ruh ngin iakjit", bad u dih artat ia kata ka um.
"Phi la nang kren Khasi du pleng, Sahep!" ka sawa ka sur naei ruh um tip. U Phareng u dei u briew uba la shai la stad, bad um long uba sheptieng bieit. U phai diang diang, mon mon; u peit dien dien, phang phang, da kaba khmih lynti ba un iohi ia uta u briew uba kren ia u; hynrei um iohi iano iano. U lyngngoh ngain, bad kumta u tharai ba ki shkor jong u ki la ioh sngew bakla.
"Phi peit lyngngoh iaei ka, Sahep?" kata ka sur ka sawa biang sa shisien. "Ha-ha-ha, u khun ka ri Bilat! To da kren seh shi kyntien, phi shu snap pynban jar jar la kum ubym pat nang akor!"
"Kane te nga la poi shisha sha ka ri ki jingphohsniew", ong u Phareng ha ka sur lyngngoh. "Lada ngam bakla kane ka wah ka kren ia nga."
🌲🏞️ Mano ba kynmaw ïa ka jingïathuhkhana "U Phareng Ha Lawkyntang"? 😃 Kumno ba u Phareng u rung sha 'lawkyntang bad u kynduh ïa i Ñia Risang, i Ñia Dkhoh bad i Bih Rabit. 🐇🦉🐿️ Ka dei ka jingïathuhkhana kaba sngewtynnat bad samrkhie ruh de. Katno ka jingsngewmuja ban pule lem bad ki khynnah, wat ïa ngi kiba heh ruh ka long kaba byrngia bha. Bun na ngi, ngi ieit ïa ki khana jong i Bah Dewi Singh Khongdup bad kine jingïathuhkhana ki pyni ïa ka jingtbit jong i kum u nongthoh bad nongïathuhkhana. 📝📝 "U Phareng Ha Lawkyntang" is a story about an English man who wanders into a sacred grove, which are regarded as sacred forests keeping alive the faith and culture of the Khasi and Pnar communities. In the sacred grove, the English man has the magical experience of meeting many colourful animal characters which keeps the reader in a cheerful mood. 😄🐇🦉🐿️ This is an appreciation post and a tribute to another skilfull Khasi writer! 👏🙌