reading notes Khasi Folktales B

title: What Makes the Lightning

author: Mrs. K. U. Rafy

i'm really interested in creation stories. learning from different cultures about how things on earth or in the sky were created is very interesting because you can see some similarities. I was excited to learn about the lightning origin from the Khasi perspective. I like how the story started out with the animals wanting to be like mankind, imitating their mannerisms and customs. the humans would gather (every 13 moons== new years eve??). They would participate in sword dancing, archery, and other noble games. the animals would also join in on the festival and the younger, outspoken animals wanted a festival of their own (millennials). the elders granted them their wish. after games and rituals, the thunder giant (U Pyrthat) showed up with his drum to call of the world to the festival. his drum was the biggest and loudest, to call everyone to the gathering. all of the animals had their own weapon, musical instrument, or accessory that went with their role in the festival (squirrel with drums, porcupine with cymbals). A lynx (U Kui) showed up with a silver sword and began to dance. the sword captivated his audience and everyone applauded for the lynx. Because of all the attention he was recieving, he started to think he was better than everyone else. maybe because he worked really hard to get the sword? Maybe a back story on where the silver sword came from?? How the lynx came across on it? Lynx, "I want to be the best" 

title: The Leap of Ka Likai

author: Mrs. K. U. Rafy

I definitely think that the evil husband in this story deserves haunting. A widow with a daughter has to remarry to be able to provide for herself and the child. The new husband is jealous of the daughter and how much attention the mom gives to her. he becomes spiteful and angry. one day when the wife is gone, he murders the child and to punish his wife, cooks the daughter in the supper. when the wife gets home, she is told the daughter is out playing and they sit down to eat. after eating she finds a hand in a basket and demands to know what is going on. after finding out her daughter has been murdered and then fed to her, she ran to the falls and jumped. the roaring sound of the water has been thought of as the cries and anguish the mom. 

rewrite as a ghost story

Nohkalikai Falls "The Leap of Ka Likai" Source: WikiMedia