Miao (specifically, Hmub) Creation Epics , II.1-2

[texts in a humorous style, publicly sung for popular entertainment : each (short) section being introduced by a quaestion]

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pp. 8-70 Part II = "Song of Gold and of Silver"

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(pp. 11-19 – II.1 Constructing of Sky & of Earth)

p. 11 primaeval conglomerations

"In the murky depths of the past

the Sky was stuck to the Earth ["Waix haib dab" (p. 192, n. 1)]

and the Earth was stuck to the Sky. ["dab haib waix’"]

Huan-pin "was curdled in one piece";

Yu-qin "was curdled in one chunk,

just like an ingot of silver, or like a magical taro."

["Huangping and Yuqing are both in Eastern Guizhou province." (p. 192, n. 2)]

{viz., one these 2 places was an ingot,

while the other was a taro}

pp. 11-12 primaevally, there was very little space between Earth & Sky

p.

lack of space

11

"when sitting, you had to curl your spine, and

you’d bump the Sky if you raised your head" {this is likewise a Zun~i theme}

12

"Thus the Earth hurriedly tried to rise, and

the Sky urgently tried to descend;

they collided at that ancient threshing ground on the summit of the Five Peaks." {cf. the antient threshing-floor of >rawnah on the summit of mt. S.iyo^n}

p. 12 the 2 husbands who were murdered, leaving behind their 2 bickering widows

in the __

there was murdered __

by the son of __

Sky

Li Bo

grandfather Ha Lion

Earth

Li Qe

grandmother Von E

pp. 12-13 mensuration of cosmos

p.

measurements

12

"Grandmother Niu Dliang {" "dlang-hnu" is the sun" (AH, p. 8 -- M101)} ... was asked to measure the Sky and Earth.

Armspread by armspread [in fathoms] she measured the East;

stride by stride [in paces] she measured the West."

13

"The Earth was slightly longer;

the Sky was a bit wider."

M101 = http://www.archives.ecs.soton.ac.uk/miao/songs/TranslatedSongs/m101/m101in.htm

was propped up with __ {as set up by Fu Fan ?}

det ganb ful (birch-tree) [or else lao-bao = Arafia] trunks

[det pab (wu-bei = Rhus chinensis) wold

pp. 13-17 former successive proppings & collapsings of Sky & of Earth

p.

   

13

the __

was like unto a __

[and was propped up with __ (p. 193, n. 7)] {as set up by Fu Fan ?}

 

Sky

"great bamboo hat"

[det ganb ful (birch-tree) [or else lao-bao = Arafia (p. 193, n. 7)] trunks]

 

Earth

"vast winnowing basket"

[det pab (wu-bei = Rhus chinensis) wold]

15

warning of the impending collapse was broadcast : "A white chicken {Chicken Little?} flew East and West, crying as it went, [warning that] a white-mouthed pig, rooting about in the mud, had rooted up the pillars!"

13

but 6 times they nearly collapsed : on each such occasion, "the people gathered their gourd ladles and earthenware pots and ran away." {cf. [Kic^e & Peruvian myths of] destruction of the world, as occasioned by food-implements}

 

After that event, grandfather Je San Nan ("whose body was thick as seven iron barrel bands", and who "was capable of eating nine troughs of baba rice cakes and was capable of eating nine palm baskets of raw fish") lifted & upheld the Sky with his own arms [: "his four legs had seven joints, and ... he had four feet and eight hands." (p. 193, n. 8)] {cf. [Hellenic] Atlas}; but his arms wearied. {Yeu-dlan-ndu "began stretching his hands and feet upward, pressing out the sky into a dome above, a pushing the sky and earth completely apart." (AH, p. 18 – M104)}

14

"The Sky cracked open". {"the sky broke into pieces." (AH, p. 18 – M104)}

 

warning of the impending collapse was broadcast by grandmother Yus : "With a steel pot on her head [as helmet to protect her in the event of Sky-collapse] she entered the villages, heartily crying out to all" {cf. Pleiades daughters of Atlas}

 

the resultant darkness was appretiated by __

who fed on __ in the darkness {cf. [Aztec myth of] leopards feeding on humans in darkness of extinguished sun}

 

Bat {cf. [Kic^e] House of Bats}

"fried meat" (instead of mosquitoes}

 

Silkworm

"fish" (instead of leaves)

15

by grandmother Yus, "As she stretched out her legs, Six mountains were leveled";

grandfather Je San Nan "became a cicada." {cf. Tithonos}

   
 

golden pillars were brought by the Yan Yu family in order to prop up the Sky

 

"It took twelve years to make one pillar, and all together, twelve pillars were made".

16

#

pillar {The pillars used to uphold the Sky are known as 8 also in Borneo.}

 

1st

Lei-gon mt. [= Vud Ganb Hob (Lei-gon) mt., in southeastern Gui-z^ou (p. 193, n. 10)]

 

2nd

"the capital"

 

3rd

Jen-yuan [on the Wu-yan r., in southeastern Gui-z^ou (p. 193, n. 11)]

 

4th

Bie-e [east of Jian hot-springs (p. 193, n. 12)], on the east face of Z^an-dan mt. ["Tripod Mountain"]

 

5th

Ge-don [east of Tai-jian (p. 193, n. 13)]

 

6th

‘Clear-water’ r.

 

7th

‘Censer mt.’ [Lu-s^an (p. 193, n. 15)], to the west of Kai-li

 

8th

Ji-jian [nigh Lie-s^an County (p. 193, n. 16)]

 

9th –12th

"There were still four smaller pillars, ... they were used for a bridge that was built on some sandy yellow earth.

 

Later, Niang E Sei was born, ... that girl was a real beauty!"

17

"thunder ... In a flash [of lightning?], great black clouds came rolling! ... all the pillars were going to fall!"

 

Yen Von Bo crafted new pillars to uphold the Sky;

"Hxen Ju Bo chose the auspicious hour" when to erect them.

"the Sky was propped up again."

 

a pillar __

but afterwards __

thus repaired by means of __

 

snapped

"was made longer"

magic Ja Fan Yan medicine

 

broke

"was restored

juice of deb lel (a mythical fruit)

p. 18 transportation-systems for gold & for silver bullions

system of __

was opened by __

waterways (canals "three arm spans wide")

HXub NIUx [‘unicorn’, but cf. Xi-NIU ‘rhinoceros’ (p. 194, n. 24) in Chinese]

["His body was like a water buffalo’s;

his head was like a lion’s;

his tail was like a palm-frond;

his four feet were like iron-teethed rakes." (p. 19)]

mountain roads

Bu Pa

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(pp. 19-49 – II.2 Transporting of Gold & of Silver)

p. 19 houses’ architecture

houses’ __

were like __

crossbeams

drake plumes

tile roofs

pangolin scales

pp. 20-22 [sequentially earlier] births of Gold & of Silver

p.

birthplace

[sequence]

20

"glittering sands of yellow pool banks"

[5th]

 

Yet Jus pool [in Lei-s^an county (p. 194, n. 2)]

[4th]

21

"Sacred Fairy Cliffs" : "When the Fairy Cliffs collapsed, Gold and Silver dropped down."

[3rd]

 

Fanb Lianx river [in Tai-jian county (p. 194, n. 3)]

[2nd]

22

Gab Nanl Lians ["the place of the origin o things" (p. 194, n. 4)]

[1st]

pp. 20-21 Yet Jus [(p. 194, n. 2) correct spelling? or is it Yu- Je- ?] Pool

p.

praedicate

agent

20

a pair of dustpans were taken

by Crab King

 

a pair of steel rock-drills were taken

by Hsu Niu

21

an encircling 6-post house was built

good-hearted Spider

 

beside it went

9 great roads

 

"Gold was born

on the Great Yellow Road, ...

 

Silver was born

on the Gray Way, ...

 

Iron came

from the Black Road".

p. 22 ploughing by Ged Lul

with __

to sow __ seeds in the furrows

white-mouthed cow

Silver

white-foreheaded bull

Gold

p. 23 Bod Jit Lil’s blasts blown on the water-dwelling dragon’s horn

blast emitted as "__"

echoed as "__"

revealed which mountain had __

lie-li

wu-ai

Gold

ya-ii

ai-wu-ai

Silver

p. 24 animals & colors of the metals, which dwelt with Duckweed & Borax

metal

appeared as __

of __ color

Silver

horse

white

Gold

yellow cow

yellow

Iron

mud

black

Tin

xini shrub

green

Lead

cat

blue-eyed

p. 25 the successive discoverers of Gold & Silver

discoverer

mined using __

Emperor of the East

gourd ladle

one-eyed son of Emperor of the East

9 lanterns & 9 hoes

Grandmother Nos

["her hands" (p. 26)]

p. 26 how the faces of Gold & of Silver appeared after jab-yux was rubbed on them

__’s face

as a __

Silver

newly-laid duck egg

Gold

mountain-meadow blossom

p. 26 what the washing-equipment became

the __

was tossed onto __

and became __

embroidered wash-towel

hilltop

pangolin

dirty wash-water

pig-pen

saltpeter

pp. 26-27 where on their mother’s [Nos (p. 27)] body her metal-babies suckled

p.

metal baby

place of teat suckled on mother’s __

consequent complexion of metal

26

Gold

chest

ruddy

 

Silver

"

white

 

Copper

back

sallow

 

Iron

knees

deep black

26-7

Tin

top of head

green

27

Lead

toes

purplish

 

Steel

underarms

black-&-blue

pp. 28-29 spouses of the metals

metal (female)

p. 28 that metal’s spouse (male)

p. 29 origin of metal’s spouse

[p. 195, n. 15 utility of metal’s spouse]

Silver

Borax

 

[for polishing silver]

Gold

Water Chestnut

   

Copper

Ji Nan [Jib Nanl (p. 195, n. 15)]

cliffs

 

Tin

Pine Resin

Great Earth

[for soldering tin]

Lead

Pig Fat

(rice husks)

 

Steel

Yellow Earth

mountain bluffs

 

Iron

Pipe-Bellows

 

[for smelting iron]

p. 28 nephew-in-laws’ money

metal’s ingots

were big as __

Silver

knees

Gold

fists

p. 30 "Gold was also called Jen Li No; Silver was also called Ni Li No."

pp. 29-30 part of the body of Ban Xan Ye that metal’s spouse originated from; that couple (metal & metal’s spouse)’s offspring

that metal’s spouse (male)

pp. 28-29 part of the body of Ban Xan Ye

pp. 29-30 that couple’s offspring

Borax

p. 28 teeth in river

p. 29 Neck-Rings

Water Chestnut

eyelashes in spillway of pond

Golden Flowers

Ji Nan

 

p. 30 Flute Reeds

Pine Resin

 

(?)

Pig Fat

 

Net-Weights

Yellow Earth

 

Knife-Blades

Pipe-Bellows

p. 29 belly

Hoe-Head & Rake-Tines

pp. 30-31 marriages of the 3 further sisters of the metals-sisters

sister

sister’s husband

husband’s parents

son of sister & her husband

p. 30 Gi Li No "whose body was seventeen girths around"

Xan Bo Dai

p. 31 Ni Jen Gen [Nil Jent Genb (p. 195, n. 19)] & Bo Ji Gen [Bod Jit Genb (p. 195, n. 19)]

"White Copper" (for trumpets)

p. 31 Vo li No

Mountain Cliffs

?

?

Niu Gan Su

Silver Crucible

?

?

p. 30 their marriage-broker was Xon Tin, seller of silks, of satin, and of filigree-thread.

pp. 32-42 the adventures of Gold and Silver

p.

adventure of Gold & Silver

32

"They left Mother alone by the rock piles,

abandoned Father beside an outdoor fire".

 

Jan Van’s drum : "the body would be made of yellow sandalwood.

A white chicken would walk through the cavity".

"a locust was slaughtered as a sacrifice to the Ancestors."

33

"The Hu and Xi snakes came to live in the Ancestor’s houses".

34

Yan Yu used to trap ge-birds with bird-lime (tung-oil – p. 196, n. 27 {cf. the cochineal sap of the "blood-tree", according to the Popol Vuh}).

35

Yan Yu came "carrying a long-bladed knife {cf. the netherworld prison of knives, according to the Popol Vuh} and riding on a male tiger" {cf. the netherworld prison of leopards, according to the Popol Vuh}.

 

While accompanying Gold and Silver on their journey, Iron was shot by Jan Ju.

36

Glow-worms substituted for pine-torches to illuminate the way for the night-journey of Gold and Silver. {cf. the fireflies substituted for pine-torches in the netherworld prison of gloom, according to the Popol Vuh}

 

"Otter lived in a river eddy {cf. the descent via whirlpool into Tlalocan}, and he saw Gold and Silver go." {cf. Otter guarding gold, according to the Volsunga Saga}

Gold and Silver’s journey was also witnessed by Clever Wild-Sparrow ["along roadways" (p. 196, n. 31)] and

37

by Earth-God ["along roads" (p. 196, n. 32)].

 

"Spider ... built a house with nine rooms, each set with nine windows".

 

Li Lan "used dogs to chase them."

"Clever Duck ... saw Gold and Silver fall into the abyss. Gold and Silver entered the whirlpool {cf. Kharubdis} at the foot of the cliffs. ... Otter {river-hound : cf. hound-like Skulle} ... broke apart the rocks to let them live inside."

38

"Gold and Silver’s stools were made of stones."

Gold and Silver wore Copper shoes to dance".

39

The "fish gate" (wier) was placed by "Grandfather Bo and Grandfather Xo. ... They caught Otter."

40

"Crab saw Gold as big a pigs, and Silver fat as sheep.

Gold smacked its lips, Silver ground its teeth."

 

Crab King "was presented with a slab of stone that he took home to sleep on". {cf. "stone crab", according to the Popol Vuh}

41

"Crab bit at Gold and Silver’s ... two roots";

Cormorant bit at Gold and Silver’s two stems.

42

Rat dug out Gold and Silver from a cave in a hillside.

p. 35 eggs used for divination

egg of __

can be used to divine for __

snake

Janx Vanb

grouse

tigres

egret

written words

chicken

Gold & Silver

p. 196, n. 29 duck’s egg is used to divine the ghost causing an illness

pp. 42-43 the original Moon and the original Sun

pp. 42 & 43

"Before, the Moon’s leg was crippled {cf. [Hawai>ian] amputated-legged woman in the moon}, and the Sun was blind in one eye."

pp. 44-46 construction of boats for transporting Gold and Silver

p.

boats

44

"In the Heavenly Vegetable garden was a kapok tree :" Yan Yu "went to the Sky to cut the tree ... to make the big boats."

"saw grass ... sawed the wood into boards."

"a pair of fairies who were whistling in the East blew the boards dry with their breaths."

 

The boatwrights were all in the family of Grandfather Yus;

46

the river-depth was measured by Yu Va ["a kind of amphibious spider" (p. 196, n. 41) {the waterstrider spider is worshipped as a god also by the Cherokee}];

 

an axe was found by old Rooster;

 

Grandpa Xon "went to weave baskets".

p. 45 the boatwrights’ implements

their __

were dragons’ __

chisels

teeth

rasps

tongues

axes

horns

pp. 45-46 similes of the boats’ parts

p.

part

simile

45

bottoms

swallows’ bellies

 

prows

locusts’ heads

 

deckhouses

dippers to move embers & ashes

 

oars

ducks’ feathers

46

caulking

"juice of the Fruit of Immortality"

pp. 47-49 voyage of the boats transporting Gold and Silver

p.

transport

47

"Grandpa Yang Yu rowed in the prow;

Grandma Yang Yu rowed in the stern;

in one pull they rowed past seven gorges."

 

"The Tin boats – now they were ... where the water tastes like pepper and ginger."

 

They came to C^anmenao, "where the mountain pass was narrow as a pestle bracket ["in which the axle of a grain-husking tilt-hammer is set" (p. 196, n. 44)], the river water could run through, but the boats going West couldn’t pass."

Old Man Xiu Niu came and broke apart C^anmenao; "so ... boats could pass".

 

"They went on and on, till they came to Pu Je Ngang, where nine roaring rivers converged." There, "nine Thunder Grandfathers crowded together."

48

"Old Grandpa Xong ..., on a mountain peak, drove in a copper stake. Thus, ... the Thunder Grandfathers went home, letting the boats go West." ["when the first dragon was born, a copper knife was used to cut its umbilicus. ... ever since, dragons run off in the presence of copper." (p. 196, n. 46)]

 

"Before, when the boats were being made, and some persons went up to the Sky to cut wood, a timber fell down that crushed Eagle’s sons and daughter."

"Their bow was made of wax-willow [Catalpa ovata] wood ...; they used a pellet of tin to shoot Eagle".

p. 197, n. 49 the 2 who summoned the populace to assemble at the Creation Site (Gand Nanl Dant), the Waiting Place

summoner

obtained __

Xan Ged

"sorcerer’s songs"

Lix Ged

"a compass"

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AH = Keith & Kenneth Parsons : A Hmao (Hua Miao) Songs, Stories and Legends from China. Lincom, Muenchen, 2009.

Jin Dan ("Jenb Dangk" in Miao; compiler and translator from Miao into Chinese); Ma Xueliang (editor of the Chinese version);Mark Bender (translator from the Chinese) : Butterfly Mother : Miao (Hmong) Creation Epics from Guizhou, China. Hackett Publishing Co, Indianapolis, 2006.