The story of Neilaguangliu

Cast
Neilaguangliu,Raguangning,Naoguang,Machunguang,Aguangliu,Adailiu,Puanthan,Aluhliu,
Rianrathailiu,Duanthaopou,Ringthailiu,Siamruaithai

Places
#Zeliangrong
#Raguangnam
#Tamenglong
#Beng
#Gangmei Kaikhuang

Not so long ago there was a famine in the land of Zeliangrong. And a certain man of Raguangnam, Tamenglong went to sojourn in the Beng (Silchar), he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Raguangning, and the name of his wife Neilaguangliu, and the name of his two sons Naoguang and Machunguang, of Gangmei kaikhuang of Raguangnam Tamenglong. And they came into the Beng (Silchar), and live there. And Raguangning, Neilaguangliu's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they married with the women of Beng (Silchar); the name of the one was Aguangliu, and the name of the other Adailiu: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Naoguang and Machunguang died also both of them; and Neilaguangliu was left of her two sons and her husband. Then she arose with her daughters in law that she might return from the Beng (Silchar): for she had heard in the Beng (Silchar) how that the KAIPOU RAGUANG had visited his people (people of Raguangnam) in giving them Nab-bi (food). Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Tamenglong. And Neilaguangliu said unto her two daughters in law, “Go, return each to her mother's house: the KAIPOU RAGUANG deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The KAIPOU RAGUANG grants you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, “Surely we will return with thee unto thy village.” And Neilaguangliu said, “Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have a husband also to night, and should also bear sons; would ye tarry for them till they were grown? Would ye stay for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the KAIPOU RAGUANG is gone out against me.” And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Aguangliu kissed her mother in law; but Adailiu clave unto her. And she said, “Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her village, and unto her racahp-rariak: return thou after thy sister in law.” And Adailiu said, “Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy Raguang araguang: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the KAIPOU RAGUANG do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. So they two went until they came to Raguangnam. And it came to pass, when they were come to Raguangnam that all the villagers were moved about them, and they said, “Is this Neilaguangliu?” And she said unto them, “Call me not Neilaguangliu, call me “Nkhuliu” : for the KAIPOU RAGUANG hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full and the KAIPOU RAGUANG hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Neilaguangliu, seeing the KAIPOU RAGUANG hath testified against me, and the KAIPOU RAGUANG hath afflicted me? So Neilaguangliu returned, and Adailiu; Bengmei alu, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the Beng (Silchar): and they came to Raguangnam in the beginning of the harvest. And Neilaguangliu had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Raguangning; and his name was Puanthan. Adailiu the Bengmei alu said unto Neilaguangliu, “Let me now go to the field, and glean napchu kathouloumei after him in whose sight I shall find grace.” And she said unto her, “Go, my daughter.” And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the laotaimeinun: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Puanthan, who was of the kindred of Raguangning. And, behold, Puanthan came from Raguangnam, and said unto the laotaimeinun, “KAIPOU RAGUANG be with you”. And they answered him, “KAIPOU RAGUANG bless thee”. Then said Puanthan unto his siamruaimei that was set over the laotaimeinun, “Whose damsel is this?” And the siamruaimei that was set over the laotaimeinun answered and said, “she is Bengmei alu, that came back with Neilaguangliu out of the Beng (Silchar): And she said, ‘I pray you, let me glean and gather after the laotaimeinun among the sheaves’: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house”. Then said Puanthan unto Adailiu, “Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? And when thou art athirst, go unto the cha-lai (Kettle) and drink of that which the young men have boiled”. Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, “Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?” And Puanthan answered and said unto her, “It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The KAIPOU RAGUANG recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the KAIPOU RAGUANG, Raguang of the whole world, under whose wings thou art come to trust.” Then she said, “Let me find favour in thy sight, my Kaipou; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.” And Puanthan said unto her, “At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the Nab-duam (food), and share whatever nap-gan (menu) they have.” And she sat beside the laotaimeinun: and he reached her nap-puang (parched corn), and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. And when she was risen up to glean, Puanthan commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.” So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about 2 tins of rice corn. And she took it up, and went into the village: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed. Neilaguangliu said unto her, “Where hast thou gleaned to day? And where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee.” And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, “The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Puanthan. And Neilaguangliu said unto her daughter in law, “Blessed be he of the KAIPOU RAGUANG, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Neilaguangliu said unto her, “The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. And Adailiu the Bengmei alu said, “He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.” And Neilaguangliu said unto Adailiu her daughter in law, “It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.” So she kept fast by the maidens of Puanthan to glean unto the end of napthan harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law. Then Neilaguangliu, her mother in law said unto her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee that it may be well with thee? And now is not Puanthan of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth rice sheaf to night in the threshing floor. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.” And she said unto her, “All that thou sayest unto me I will do.” And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her. When Puanthan had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said, “Who art thou?” And she answered, “I am Adailiu thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.” And he said, “Blessed be thou of the KAIPOU RAGUANG, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the village of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the KAIPOU RAGUANG liveth: lie down until the morning.” And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, “Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.” Also he said, “Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six measures of napthan, and laid it on her: and she went into the village. When she came to her mother in law, she said, “Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her. And she said, “These six measures of napthan gave he me; for he said to me, “Go not empty unto thy mother in law.”” Then said she, “Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he has finished the thing this day.” Then went Puanthan up to the Peikai, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Puanthan spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! Turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. And he took ten men of the Gansu-ganthai of the village, and said, “Sit ye down here.” And they sat down. And he said unto the kinsman, “Neilaguangliu that is come again out of the Beng (Silchar), selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Raguangning's: And I thought to advertise thee, saying, “Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the Gansu-ganthai of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” Then said Puanthan, “What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Neilaguangliu, thou must buy it also of Adailiu the Bengmei alu, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. (Now this was the manner in former time in the whole world concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in the whole world) Therefore the kinsman said unto Puanthan, “Buy it for thee.” So he drew off his shoe. And Puanthan said unto the Gansu-ganthai, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Raguangning's, and all that was Machunguang's and Naoguang's, of the hand of Neilaguangliu. Moreover Adailiu the Bengmei alu, the wife of Naoguang, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the Peikai of his place: ye are witnesses this day. And all the people that were in the Peikai, and the Gansu-ganthai agreed and said, “We are witnesses.” The KAIPOU RAGUANG make the woman that is come into thine house like Aluhliu and like Rianrathailiu, which two did build the house of the whole world: and do thou worthily in Tamenglong, and be famous in Raguangnam: And let thy house be prosperous, from whom the seed which the KAIPOU RAGUANG shall give thee of this young woman. So Puanthan took Adailiu, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the KAIPOU RAGUANG gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women said unto Neilaguangliu, Blessed be the KAIPOU RAGUANG, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in the whole world. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Neilaguangliu took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, “There is a son born to Neilaguangliu; and they called his name Siamruaithai: he is the father of many great people in the land of Zeliangrong.