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. |
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13 |
the __ |
was like unto a __ |
[and was propped up with __ (p. 193, n. 7)] {as set up by Fu Fan ?} |
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Sky |
"great bamboo hat" |
[det ganb ful (birch-tree) [or else lao-bao = Arafia (p. 193, n. 7)] trunks] |
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Earth |
"vast winnowing basket" |
[det pab (wu-bei = Rhus chinensis) wold] |
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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!" |
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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} |
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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)} |
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14 |
"The Sky cracked open". {"the sky broke into pieces." (AH, p. 18 – M104)} |
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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} |
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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} |
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Bat {cf. [Kic^e] House of Bats} |
"fried meat" (instead of mosquitoes} |
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Silkworm |
"fish" (instead of leaves) |
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15 |
by grandmother Yus, "As she stretched out her legs, Six mountains were leveled"; grandfather Je San Nan "became a cicada." {cf. Tithonos} |
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golden pillars were brought by the Yan Yu family in order to prop up the Sky |
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"It took twelve years to make one pillar, and all together, twelve pillars were made". |
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16 |
# |
pillar {The pillars used to uphold the Sky are known as 8 also in Borneo.} |
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1st |
Lei-gon mt. [= Vud Ganb Hob (Lei-gon) mt., in southeastern Gui-z^ou (p. 193, n. 10)] |
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2nd |
"the capital" |
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3rd |
Jen-yuan [on the Wu-yan r., in southeastern Gui-z^ou (p. 193, n. 11)] |
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4th |
Bie-e [east of Jian hot-springs (p. 193, n. 12)], on the east face of Z^an-dan mt. ["Tripod Mountain"] |
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5th |
Ge-don [east of Tai-jian (p. 193, n. 13)] |
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6th |
‘Clear-water’ r. |
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7th |
‘Censer mt.’ [Lu-s^an (p. 193, n. 15)], to the west of Kai-li |
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8th |
Ji-jian [nigh Lie-s^an County (p. 193, n. 16)] |
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9th –12th |
"There were still four smaller pillars, ... they were used for a bridge that was built on some sandy yellow earth. |
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Later, Niang E Sei was born, ... that girl was a real beauty!" |
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17 |
"thunder ... In a flash [of lightning?], great black clouds came rolling! ... all the pillars were going to fall!" |
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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." |
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a pillar __ |
but afterwards __ |
thus repaired by means of __ |
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snapped |
"was made longer" |
magic Ja Fan Yan medicine |
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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.