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Story 120: Mindi Forest Bird Folktales

Mindi Forest Bird

Author: Anonymous

Once upon a time, there was a king in Tibet who had a beautiful and wise concubine. When the princess was nine months pregnant, the king happened to have to go to the territory to handle an important matter. Before leaving, the king took the concubine’s hands and told him over and over again: “Concubine, the fat in my heart! As long as my child is born, you will ask the maid to go to the top of the building and knock on that side, which has never been knocked before. The big drum, hang up the colorful flags that have never been hung before, no matter where I am, I will come.”

Not long after the king left, the princess gave birth to three little babies, two boys and one girl. They seemed to be carved out of white jade, each one more beautiful and cuter than the last. The princess asked her maid to go upstairs to play the drum, but the maid didn’t go; she asked her to go upstairs to hang the flag, but she didn’t go. The princess had no choice but to climb upstairs step by step. At this time, the maid put three little dolls into a large casserole and threw them into the river behind the palace; she picked up three puppies and placed them on the princess’s bed.

The princess had played drums and hung flags on the roof of the building, and happily came downstairs to feed the baby. However, the beautiful girl doll was gone, and the lovely boy doll was gone. There were three dogs crawling on the silk-covered bed. Barking puppy. She was so anxious that half of her hair turned white.

In less than a tea time, the king came on horseback. He suspected that the princess was a succubus and put her in a dungeon indiscriminately. They were only given a bowl of water and half a spoonful of tsampa every day. The black-hearted maid sat on the throne of the princess.

Not far from the palace, there was an old man fishing. On this day, he was rowing a small cowhide boat and fishing in the river. I saw a large casserole floating in the rolling waves, and I quickly picked it up.

He never dreamed that there were three little fairy-like dolls in the casserole. The old man was so happy that he happily took them home and fed them delicious fish soup every day. The little babies grew up day by day, becoming smarter and more beautiful. People in and outside the city, They all praised the old man for his good fortune.

Besides, the three brothers and sisters saw that the old man fished every day and it was too hard, so each of them made a basket and secretly went to Linkali to collect firewood and took it to the market to exchange for some butter and salt. Once, they were seen by the nasty maid. She thought: “These three children are exactly the same as the princess. I am sure they are the evil beasts she left behind.

I have to find a way to kill them.” So she wrapped her head in a black apron and carried a basket of butter and brown sugar. He came to the place where the three brothers and sisters were selling firewood, and deliberately made a fuss and said: “Ah, tsk, tsk, what a pitiful little baby, you haven’t had tea yet! You haven’t caught tsampa at noon! Come on!” , come, come! I have pancakes here, they are delicious and delicious, you can take as much as you like!”

At first, the three brothers and sisters refused to take it, but later, unable to withstand the maid’s persuasion, they accepted the smallest piece of cake. They didn’t eat even this pancake, and didn’t even lick it with their tongues. They wanted to keep the old man to fish and bring it back as a snack.

In the evening, old dad came back. The three brothers and sisters happily handed over the pancakes and said, “Dad, a kind-hearted person gave us many pancakes today. We were all full. This is for you.” No matter how much the old man resisted, the children refused to agree. The old man had no choice but to take a bite. Suddenly, his eyes went straight and his face turned livid. He fell on the broken mat and could no longer speak.

This time, the three brothers and sisters were really frightened. They traveled to many places, asking everyone they met if there was any way to bring the old man back to life. Once, they came to a high snow-capped mountain and found a hermit practicing in a cave. The hermit has lived here for who knows how many years, and his snow-white hair has been dragged to the ground. The hermit was moved by the behavior of the three brothers and sisters and pointed out a path for them.

He said: “From here, we go over nine snow mountains and there is a beautiful Lotus Canyon. In the Lotus Canyon lives a magic horse that can talk. It’s called Mindiling. As long as you invite it out, your father can be resurrected. However, if you want to invite Mindiling, you have to go through three city gates. If you don’t do it well, it will either turn into a clod of soil or turn into stone. , only the bravest people in the world can achieve their goals.”

After listening to the hermit’s advice, the three brothers and sisters were very happy. The eldest brother said: “You two go back, I will go get the Mindy Wood Bird right now”! After saying that, he walked straight towards the canyon where the mind-piping forest birds live. When he climbed over the ninth snow mountain, he saw a tall and large city gate. Outside the city gate, there was an old man sitting with hair whiter than a conch.

He asked, “Young man, where are you going?” The eldest brother said, “I’ll go to the canyon to invite the whistler forest bird!” The old man said He sighed and persuaded: “Young man, I have been guarding the door here for more than a hundred years. I have seen with my own eyes many, many people who come to invite the Mindy Forest Bird. Either they turn into stone or soil. No one can go back alive. , I think you’d better turn back early!” The eldest brother said, “I’m not afraid, I want to invite the Sentinel Forest Bird out!”

Seeing that he was very determined, the old man took out a big ball of thread from his arms and gave it to him, telling him to throw it away as he walked, and when he got the bird, he could come back the same way.

The eldest brother followed the old man’s instructions and walked straight into the canyon. He walked and walked, getting more tired and sleepy as he walked, and finally reached the second city gate. His feet were like stones and he couldn’t lift them up. The eldest brother wanted to squat on the ground to rest for a while, but it’s over now! He turned into a stone and could no longer move!

The second brother and the little sister waited and waited, but the eldest brother did not come back. The second brother said: “Sister, you stay at home. I will go find the eldest brother and invite the Mindy Wood Bird back.” Who knows that the second brother is just like the eldest brother? , finally walked outside the third city gate. I was really sleepy and had no choice but to lean on the edge of the mountain. That’s it! He became a pile of dirt.

The little sister waited and waited at home, but there was no sign of her two brothers. She was determined to find her brother, and at the same time, she went to invite the divine bird of the Mindi Forest. She was alone and walked for countless days and nights. She entered the first city gate and then the second city gate. When she came to the third city gate, she met A very old old woman, she didn’t even have a single tooth as big as a pearl in her mouth.

She asked: “Little girl, where are you going?” her sister said. “I went to find my brother and asked for the sacred bird of the Mindi Forest!” The old woman sighed and said, “Little girl, I have been here for more than a hundred years, and I have seen with my own eyes many people who invited the sacred bird of the Mindi Forest. People died on the road one by one. The same goes for your two brothers. One turned into a stone and the other turned into a mound. I advise you to go back!”

When the little sister heard about what happened to her two brothers, she plucked up her courage even more. Seeing that she was very determined, the old woman gave her a big ball of thread and told her to throw it away as she walked, so that she could find her way back. The little sister walked, walked, no matter how tired she was, she never stopped; no matter how tired she was, she never stopped. Finally, she finally walked into the beautiful canyon. In the canyon, there was a sea full of lotus flowers. On the lotus flower stood a little bird as bright as the sun. This was the Minpi Forest Bird.

When the little bird saw the girl, he was surprised and moved, and said: “What a wonderful girl, you are the first person to come to my side! If anything happens, just tell me!” The little sister asked it to save the old man. Abba’s story was told exactly as it was. Mindilin spread her golden wings, landed on the little sister’s shoulders, and said. “Little sister, let’s go!”

The little sister took the bird of the forest, Mindi, and walked through one city gate and then another city gate, following the wool that had been thrown down just now. Due to the request of the little sister, the sharp bird flew down on the rocks and shouted “Wake up!” and landed on the pile and shouted, “Don’t sleep!” Those mounds of soil and stones were like a miracle. The ground turned into a living person. The two brothers wiped their eyes and saw that their sister had invited the magical bird. Needless to say, they were so happy!

When the three brothers and sisters returned home, the first big thing was to save their old father. Just like before, the bird of note flew down on Old Dad and shouted, “Old Dad, it’s time to get up!” Dad slowly stretched his hands from the broken mat and made a long blow. Yawned and said: “Oh my god, I really overslept this night, it’s time to go fishing!”

The story of the old man coming back to life was spread from one person to another, and finally reached the ears of the king. The king simply didn’t believe it, so he summoned the old man and his three children. Mindy Wood Bird said: “When you go, I will go with you. When you eat, you eat from the same bowl as the king; when you sit down, you sit on the same cushion as the king.”

The three brothers and sisters listened to the words of the divine bird and entered the palace. When they sat, they crowded on the same mat with the king, and when they ate, they all fought for the food in the king’s bowl. The king was very strange and was about to get angry. The Minpi Wood Bird stood on the shoulder of the little sister and said: “King! King! Don’t get angry! Don’t get angry! They are your children, of course they must eat with you; they are yours Sons and daughters, of course I want to sit with you!” Then, the divine bird told the king the life stories of the three brothers and sisters.

Now, the king understood everything. He brought the concubine out of the dungeon and washed away her injustice. The maid’s nose was cut off and she was exiled to a barren mountain where humans and bears were infested. The three brothers and the old fisherman moved into the palace and lived a happy life.

As for the Minpi forest bird, no matter how much the king, his wife, and the three brothers and sisters tried to persuade him to stay, he was unwilling to stay in the noisy royal city. He spread his golden wings and flew back to his beautiful Lotus Canyon.

Narrated; Phuntsok Puch, Chengguan Town, Shigatse
Recorded in July 1979
Compiled in February 1981