A Tale of Raicharan: The Faithful Servant|Inpui (Kabui)

The story was translated by Aron Riamroi

Image credit: Natalie Mathew. www.slate.com

Characters:

Anukul: A judge

Raicharan or Channa: Servant

Phailna: Raicharan son (ungrateful son)

Story set in Calcutta

Sangwan somgakanito tang nu kaanbi Raicharan swak toga baom bapuba inn bi hung rwe. Maan heiya baom bapuba le diga innphum bacham me, diluga maan heiye baom bapuba sa ding phangsin lang zathang rwe. Bakan na se nu suiga naosen le Raicharan kutpom bina swakluga school ka thou rwe. School loiluga college kathou rwe, college loiluga law bachu thou lat rwe. Bariak bakaan bingbi maan maikou mak basan Raicaharan na phang thang ngaak e.

Atida baom bapuba na maikou taang bi, Raicharan master kani lang se ba tothou rwe. Baom chwan kasa nu bing master kathan langle tothou rwe. Anukul lang basa pon rwe, naosen kathan le Raicharan nung suizon thou rwe. Naosen ding bakut pam bi ponga, naosen ding barang toga kabia thourwe khatle bamaikum naosen khou hung banai luga namla latga naosen ding toba nui rwe.

Naosen singka lu inkhaan takan thou rwe. Raicharan na ponlang hung nu bi, pao rakanga khatle banuiga inkam/bakam lang to thou rwe. Naosen ningting ding Raicharan na ngak rwe. Haba naosen na inkam nu gong, baom karo nu ding baning luga Anukul mei khou rinne, “nasa soimaka nikhat bi judge hung tolune”. Nikhat khat toga naosen kumbi ngak nu inza hung rwe. 

Sing ongnu naosen na sethei thou nu heiya Raicharan lang toga ngak kataknu khat rwe. Naosen na bapa ding ba-ba, banu ding ma-ma atilao diga Raicharan ding chan-na diga kouthou nu kaan bi Raicharan tasiat nu karo karo rwe. Naosen ningting ding baning ngam maka innai lounai khatle talei pum khou kasam serwe.

Bakaan na se ongbi Raicharan le baom ningting na naosen ding pikaro lang inza to thou rwe. Bamun bi pwan eiga takwan katha to rwe, naosen ding bachungpui bi pi ong ga. Bakaan kasem na naosen ding kana nu toga muknu (wrestling) to rwe, ngam maknu danga bachungpui bi inta rwe. Naosen na karo karo ga pao we ngam rwe diga.

Bakaan kasem karoga lung ong bi, Anukul le chwanna zamaka district kateila Padma tuikwang kimla lungse rwe. Calcutta bina chwan han hung bi naosen lang tunnu gari (go-cart) louhung rwe. Haza makka, basa lang bazinnu waistcoat, kachaak ruisui nu kuthop khatle kachak om kut-khap le ke-khap le kalei hung rwe. Raicharan na heibing ga naosen khou thang luga karo ga taleng se rwe.

Bakaan na senu nung suiga, khwasun pha le hungrwe. Kani bathin khwa natka sun rwe. Tuikwang le lian thou rwe, bonchaam nu brunpui danga thingkung louna, inn khatle lou bing ding tobasiat tarwe. Kani khat khat toga tuikwang lian thou rwe, namla lana le tuikwang kanuk nu bram ngaisu rwe. Thingkung louna tobasiat tanu na tuikwang hai nat rwe dinu pimu rwe.

Kani khat ah khwa le lan rwe, tambu swak e tida baan nu le bachamga thirang na nungai rwe. Inmai la nungai nu ding phanglu ga, Raicharan le inn sung bi ong ngam lanrwe.Naosen le baom gari bi katwang rwe, Raicharan na tunga inn mai la taleng se rwe, kham bi louzam hung hanluga tuikwang nat nu ga ding phang ong rwe. 

Mi khatcha ding le mu make khatle tuikwang kimbi le jahas swan khatcha le mak ngake. Tuikwang raan la na tambu zading mu rwe. Khwazin ren ta rwe, khatle rim rim hunglu phangsa dam nu bachu bing na saangbaan ding hanbru sat rwe. Heidan nu rim rim ongbi naosen na bakut meithaan la kahin thou rwe, Chan-na diga.

Raicharan na phangswak bi, paat na tamdam nu riakla, Kadamba kung bi phangsa dam reipho kasong khak mu rwe. Naosen an mikarup makka haba rei ding phang ong rwe, Raicharan na maan rei ga bathai rwe di nu thei rwe. Habani seswak mak blei, naosen le Raicharan kadai bachamga, takwan katha toga karo ga katei ding baning maka ong ngake. Tida rei ding mu tangbi naosen le katei bathai lan rwe.

Atida Raicharan le paatlak bi ha khwazin, kekhok tang ga paat kanu riakbi rei lou lang se khut kaat ngaak rwe. Raicharan le naosen lungning pikale lang bachaat bachaat to thou rwe. “Phaango, Phaango basa phangsa nu rwan zwang se ong rwe, phaango” diga naosen ding bakut khin thang ga rin thou rwe. 

Basa ding kazun nu dan ga braam paoga naosen gari bariak katei la barapka tun thou drwe. Atida, naosen judge tohung dingnu gana, lai laiga zading nu make. Haza maka, haba khwazin, naosen na bathai dingnu khatchale maake. Tamang basa basa dinu na naosen ding ngam dingnu make.

Naosen le maanna baning nu am darwe, khatle Raicharan ningting na naosen ding ngam ding khat chale mak rwe. Zamak lai briak bina, “sarwe naosen, ei haba phangsa lamnu rei ga nalaang louthang rwe,  nang naom gari bi ong ngak o. Gari bina kaling maka, tui kimla se maka ong ngak o”, diga rin lu ga Raicharan pat riakla sik nu kaan bi se thourwe.

Raicharan na sethou dambi, naosen lunging katei la baning darwe. Tuikwang tui natnu ding phang luga, tui pak kale ong nu danga phang than grwe.Tuikwang tui nung tunkale luga pak kale ong dannu ding phang luga karo rwe. 

Naosen kadai ong nu dan baning thang rwe khatle maanle thotsia thoulu kadai nwam thourwe. Baom gari bina swakluga bazaang ga tui kimla kadai lang se thou rwe. Tui kim se hung na bi, chai khat kachung kaluga nga la nu dan tothou rwe. Hati ongbi tuikwang ri nun na kadai bacham lang kou nu dan thourwe.

Raicharan le rei kasuang khak thiak luga naosen lang karoga banui ga baom talathu bi thanglu sok latna rwe. Maan na naosen gari bi tang bi, mi khatchale make ngake. Bariak bing bi phang koi yeda mi khatcha ding le mu make. Naosen gari ding phang lat bi le naosen ding le mulan rwe. Kachi balao nu bi, Raicharan thi basung mangna kangthou nu dan thou rwe.

Bamik phang bi talei pumbrum zik zik thourwe. Basung kalan la mangna naosen ding chapka kou thou rwe, “Bapuba,bapuba diga. Atiyeda braam khat chanale chan-na diga katak thang make.

Naosen karoga banui nu khatle thotsia ga chapnu braam na hung kadou thang make. Tuikwang kadai ongnu bram za ngaisu rwe. Tuikwang le theimak nu danga, naosen thinu ding louthang maknu danga kadai ongme.

Tahuan tanu kaanbi Raicharan le naosen in hung maknu kaan bi, Anukul mei sungtam thou rwe. Barwei ding zong lang mi khai sokrwe. Bataki bing la zongse rwe. Thaomei choiluga zingpha zongse rwe, khambi Padam tuikwang kimbi ong ngak rwe. Tuikwang kimbi Raicharan ding hungmu rwe, Louzam bi seka seta ong ngake. Thirang natnu rangnu danga chapga naosen ding kouga seka seta bapham braang thei makka ong ngak rwe.

Raicharan ding inn bi kalwang hung tangbi, maan na Anukul mei ketbi inbakhup taluga chap luga kalum rwe. Raicharan ding pihang kaluga hanga hanga ngaiye, naosen zo gai am nubo diga. Atiyeda Raicharan bakatak maakka rinne, ei thei make. Mi bing naba tuikwang na kalwang lam nu rwe lang louwe atiyeda mumak briak bina thei tak mak ong rwe. 

Habani bani nam kimbi mikasia nu nun ong briak bina, harwan na naosen ding lou lam nu  mo diga le baning ngaak e. Anukul khou Raicharan na naosen ningting briak bina bathei luga bakam lamzwe diga baning rwe. Maanna Raicharan ding bathem ga kouluga ngai lat a, asa zabi akhou pilat o, a inn bi nang na bathai nu bing louro, tida asa zabi pithang lat o diga chapka ngai rwe. 

Raicharan upai maka, balukalok le bakachang bweiga katak lang maka ong ngake. Anukul meina Raicharan ding inn bi na bathou sat trwe. Anukul na bamei ding khaam lang to beida bamei na zamak ka bathou satrwe. 

Anukul na bamei khou rinna, Raicharan haidan nu chwan tonu make, bazaang tariyo. Bamei na katake, asa naosen ga kachak haiza owanse ong zwe, kachak ding bathai tu makbo? Hagai na Anukul mei ding khaam lang upai mak rwe.

Raicharan losia ga bating ponnu baram la selat trwe. Maan le meikou lu lung rwe, atida naosen khat chale pon make. Bamei naosen ponne dinu le baning mak ngake. Atida, khambi, sangwan loi lang nai bi bamei naosen ponlu thidrwe. Baning ngam maknu sung riangre nu losianu luning Hung nge basa ding phaangnu kaanbi. 

Balung ning lamang basa heiye kama baom bapuba Anukul sa saruk lang hungnu ngak rwe diga lou ngaake. Maan le basa ding bakot luga karoga lung lang nungai mak ngake balangbi baom bapuba sa ding maan na tobraan briak bina. 

Raicharan sale singka rwe. Raicharan khoule kale nu hung ngake bakaan nung suiga. Ngaknu inza Raicharan kumbi le hung ngaake. Basa le lonthei thourwe, khatle inkhaan lon takan thei rwe. Ningting takka bariak kasa nu bi bakam ngake bapa na kalwang lang hung bi. 

Basa na banui nu maktabe chapnu ngaisu nu kaan bi, Raicharan nung ngai mak ngake. Baom bapuba sa le bariak khat la chapga bating Chana diga kou ong ngak rwe diga baning ngaake. Sungsok ka baning ngam makka riangre ga ong ngaake.

Raicharan nao na basa ding Phailna diga basak thang ngaake. Phailna le chong kabia thou rwe, naosen braamna pa-pa, ma-ma diga kou thei thourwe. Phailna braam ngaisu nu kaanbi, Raicharan Anukul sa ding baning suwe. Maan na barangto baning ngake, Anukul sa thinu ramla baom Chan-na suimaka lung thei mak bariak bina bain khunbi hung pon lat nuwe diga.

Raicharan na baning nge, asa heiye Anukul (master) sa thi taang khap bina ponrwe, amei patso rwe dida naosen ponlu lu thi drwe, asa hei sethei, chong kabia thei thouna rwe, ningting nge soimaka judge hung tolune diga baning lu Anukul sa (little master) ding baning surwe. Anukul mei na kabia thanglam nu chongga baning suluga baninge, baje ye Anukul mei na baning nu, “ei na naosen bakam lamnu zwe”.

Thoudam nu ding baning luga baning ngam makka ong rwe. Maan na baning lu zathang rwe, hei naosen ding ga phang chuiga phang lang diga. Maan na bapum basung bapumbrum naosen ding phang lang zathang rwe. 

Basa ding heiye lungsa nu rwan sa dan lang bakot rwe. Maan na naosen gari, bazin nu waistcoat khatle kachak suinu luthop kaleithang rwe. Bamei om kachak kana rei khatle kachak kutpum le ketpum na naosen lang kut pum le ketpum lang bacha thangrwe. Raicharan na naosen ding nam bi ongnu naosen rwanle diga pi bacham make.

Zingpha thamlai maan na babaan to ong rwe. Naosen ga patso dom kabi, maan na lung nu gong khatle baom pwansin pwansoi kasa kasa thang briak bina krwangsa danga lung rwe. Nam om naosen rwan na lwanga bating krwang sa diga kou ngaak e. Nam bi patso rwan nale Raicharan ding ri basiat nu we diga baning ngaake.

Naosen gale school senu bakaan tangrwe. Raicharan na baom taram swan zonluga Calcutta la naosen ding school kasanu bi thang lang se rwe. Chwan tonat ga, naosen school fee lang tasa insa

pilang ding karam natga torwe. 

Naosen na sablei nu kasem zaga saluga lung thourwe. Maan barang to za baning nge, kriangnu sinnu bapuba na ating kriang briak bina a in bi hunglat nubo, atun bi nating bathan maka phaang chui thang lang rwe. Amik phaang bina bathan satlarwe diga baning ngake.

Sangwan somga kanito atiga bapa basa lung hung rwe. Naosen hiakthei pathei thourwe, leirik theiga bapum sa sanu maka bathot le sa rwe. Naosen ga bapum ding phaangchui ga bathot baman saga, sam le kai ring ring rwe. Lungsa taknu sa danga sian le bathaam choisat rwe. 

Raicharan ding naosen na bapa ye diga khatchale baning thang make, bapa na kariang thang bada, swak dan lung briak bina baom swak zwe diga louthang rwe. Raicharan om koi na, maan heiya naosen om bapa ye diga mi pakhat chading le pithei mak ngaake.

Phailna ding boarding school bithang rwe, school bi babaan rwan na Raicharan thot gong ding phangluga lwan ngaake. Phailna le babaan rwan nung suiluga bapading lwan rwe. Tida school sarwan sung kalan lana ba Raicharan ding zalang kriang tak ngake, Phailna le Raicharan ding baan danga kriang tak ngaake. 

Phailna le Raicharan ding takhwang toga kriang nge. Raicharan le bakaan nung suiga patso tarwe, chwan riak lale baom senior rwan na baom laannu pang pang zong nge. Naosen lang chung na bule sachui mak briak bina son tarwe khatle chwan le tochui ngam lanrwe. Patso ta briak bina balungning le choihung rwe atiluga banim luga ribsiat nu dan ngaake. Patso lambei da baom senior rwan le chwan kanat nu za pitowe.

Taram zwannu om sian le loirwe, naosen na baom pwansin pwansoi lang bi pang rin rin rwe, khatle sian pang ni ni thourwe. Raicharan le baning thourwe, maanna lungnu kum heiye riangre rwe. Baom chwan riakbi na maan chwan lanrwe, khatle Phailna khou sian kasem thangsia luga rinne inn mon la ei chwanswan khat to lang amme, hung lat brapne diga rinthang sia lu thoudrwe. 

Habeina sok khap luga, Baraset la Anukul na lungnu riak la hung rwe. Anukul mei losia takga ongmai, naosen katei le pon lat make. Kani khat Anukul chean basak luga in ong bi, bamei le baman kakungnu lou (medicine) naosen ponlat lang lou ong ngake.

Inkhaan la mi braam ngaisu thourwe, mi kounu bram ngaisu briak bina Anukul thouluga tubo swak phaang rwe. Anukul na Raicharan, baom kriangnu swak ding mukhap nubi maan sung sok takrwe. Inn sung la kalwang khut luga meiri kaswang khat riarwe. 

Chong kasuang khaak le ngai rwe. Anukul na Raicharan ding ba inn bi hung lat lang le kabia thou rwe. Raicharan na banui luga rinne, ei mistress khou takhwang toga kalum mai. Barwei mistress khou khut nukaan bi, Anukul na kadou thang dan ga bamei na kadou thang make.

 Anukul mei na to ongnu bagon thei mak danga, bakut thang karung luga sung sok takka rinne, “Padma na nasa ding lounu make, eina zwe” diga rinrwe. Anukul ngak rwe. “Pamdya?, tizo ingai am nubo?”, diga ngai rwe. Raicharan batok maak ga katak e, maan akhou amme, inswan tipni bating abei kalwang hung rwe rin thang rwe.

Sunday lumik tang rwe, Anukul le inn bi chwan se makka bamei le barwei Raicharan hung nu ding ngak rwe. Louthwan na thouga, inkhaan munbi hang luga lampui la phaangga ong rwe. Pung som tabi, Raicharan hung na nu mu rwe, Phailna ding kutbi kaiga. 

Anukul meina naosen ding mukhap bi pakswak luga kapon thou rwe, banui owei chap owei diga, kabiang bi kaputka, mikthi kanunga karo nuna sip rwe. Chong khat chale kabia makka Phailna ding kapon rwe. Naosen bathot le sarwe, khatle dress le tochui takka lungsa nu satak dan ga hung rwe. Anukul le kriangnu na siprwe, naosen ding phaang mu bi.

Atida, Anukul ningting nu judge bariak bina kahan ne, heizo asa tak bo. Pam toluga theilang bo diga ngai thou rwe. Raicharan na katake, Bapuba heidan nu chwan ding pam to ga thei langbo. Ri zana thei tingnu chwan zwe, misa na thei ngam ding nu mak e diga rin rwe. Anukul na bamei ding phangnu kaanbi, baom karo nu khatle naosen ding kriangnu mubi choung ngailat lang baning lan rwe. Basa tak rwe diga louthang rwe. 

Anukul na baning rwe, heidan nu katampu na in gaina haidan nu naosen lou lang peibo haza maka ating takhwang totak nu swakna pamto ating choung karwak rin lang bo diga lou rwe. Habei na basung siaga, Raicharan ding rinrwe, nang abei ong zalai, brap ga se daro diga kabia rwe. Tida, Raicharan na bakut thang karunga chapka kabia rwe, “bapuba ei zo ingai seyo dinu bo. Ei patso rwe, tuna ating swak lang louthang nega bo”. Kekhok ditaga Anukul khou ong lang ngai rwe. Anukul meina rinne, “ei bating kokthang darwe, pi ong go, naosen le karo lang na”.

Atida, Anukul judge bariak bina, baom lungning kale latlan rwe. Hai dan nu chwan ding tuna kokthang lang bo tiga katakka zalan rwe. Raicharan na Anukul ket banaan ga chapka kalumga rinne, “bapuba ating kokthang lat luga louthang lat o ding rin rwe. Swak lamnu/thoudokka chwan ga eina make, ri na zwe” diga kalum ga hwei nirwe. Atida, Anukul ba sungsia khit khit ka rwe, Raicharan na ri na zwe di rin nukaan bi. “Zalaiye, ei nating kokthang ngam laye, nang nachwan na ating namsa briak bi na ei nating balumsa lat ngam larwe” di rin rwe.

Raicharan hanka luga, kut thang karung luga rinne, “Bapuba ei na make” diga. Anukul na katake, nang na mak e zo tuna bo? Raicharan na rinne akum lang bachathang nu na zwe. Leirik thei kamak nu manpa chong ding Anukul le louthang ngam lan rwe. Phailna le maan lungsa nu judge sa zwe diga thei nu kaan bi maan sung sia thourwe. Sangwan haiza ding, lungsia lamnu Raicharan le diga bapa basa danga pi lung nge diga banu le bapa khou rinrwe. Phailna na Raicharan sung sok takga hweini nu mubi maan le nung ngai mak thourwe. 

Maanna bapa khou rinne, “apa kok thang biyo. Maan na anni le diga lung bacham mak baida, balang tha tha om pension talop pithang rizo, maan inkhun lang chwan heiza tuthang darwe” diga rinrwe. Phailna chong ngaisu khapnu kaanbi, Raicharan chong khat chale kabia lat lanrwe. Kham taknu lang diga, Raicharan basa thot kanei phang luga baom bapuba, Anukul le bamei ding kalum luga se thoudrwe. Se swak luga lungsia nu haiza rwan lak pi katat se ong ngak rwe.

Tha loi hung nukaan bi Anukul na Raicharan ramla balaang pension talop diga sian pi hung rwe. Atiyeda haba sian ga Anukul khou han hung lat e, “aniram bi Raicharan diga kounu mi make diga”.

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