The Birth of Mithun

There are times when India really makes me laugh….

… I mean, other than things like watching Bollywood videos where it seems like people are always going through weird mating rituals replete with bright costumes, head bobbing, and peculiar synchronized dancing….

… or like the time that a student asked me to download a song for him. “There is this Hindi song, Hum Honge Kaamyab,” he said, “and it has been remade into an English song called ‘We Shall Overcome.’ Can you see if you can download it for us to play at next week’s cultural event?”

“Sure,” I said, deciding not to correct him. “I’ll see what I can do.”

But I couldn’t help sharing the story with someone else.

“No. You’re wrong,” they told me. “Of course it’s a Hindi song.”

“How do you know for sure?” I asked.

“Because we have a version of it in all our local languages.”

Pete Seeger, you’d better relinquish your copyright….

Anyway, this post isn’t about “We Shall Overcome,” but, there is some happy “overcoming” in this story. This post is about the mithun—and animal whose appearance “gave endless hopes to the people and fulfilled their aspirations.” The following is the text of a story, The Birth of Mithun. Because the text is a little too funny to be believable, I’ve also included a scan of the three pages from the book as proof that, unlike my claim that We Shall Overcome is an English song, this isn’t something I’ve made up in my spare time.

The Birth of Mithun

From Folk Tales of the Adis by Obang Tayeng, 2003

Engo-Takars were the first community to live on the earth. They were also the first to celebrate festivals and cultivate various crops. The present race of humans adopted all social and cultural traits only from them.

The world was quite young while the Engo-Takars were living in it. At that time, a giant and rock-like object suddenly appeared in their village. Everyone was gripped with shock and fear as the huge and mysterious object filled their village yard.

The peculiar object, called Limir Sobo, meaning massive rock-mithun—except for its occasional snorts and explosive grunts—seemed motionless and dead. Its limitless body blocked Engo-Takar’s way to the land of Doni-Dongor, Miyi-Mimang, and Kine-Dene in the nether land. Hence, they had to confine themselves to their village in utter consternation and suspense.

One day, the villagers discussed about their plight, and then resolved to put Limir-Sobo away by destroying it. Accordingly, services of courageous and skilled warriors including Dadi Karki Mili, Minmg Legung and Mireng Langgeng were summoned for the mission. Arming themselves with sharp swords, spears, and bows and arrows they began to assault Limir-Sobo, ably assisted by all Engo-Takars. The air began to rant with their shouting and war cries. Finally, they managed to kill Limir-Sobo by attacking him from different fronts.

When Limir-Sobo finally lay dead, the relieved villagers cut the body into several pieces, and disposed them off in various lands like Doying Ang, Ute-Poro besides the land of Kine-Nane. The assorted parts of the body later on turned into various plants and objects. Its head turned into a big stone-slab known as Doying Tumian Libing; the tail, into Takat cane; the hoof, into Ogog tree. Its tongue grew into Takuk tree; the ears, into Takpi plant; the hairs, into a grass called, Dibin; the entrails, into different creepers; and the horns eventually, into the winnowing fan.

After a few days, they were pleasantly surprised to discover that Limir Sobo’s testicles thrown away into the cultivation field of Doni-Dongors had germinated into a young and beautiful creeper. Soon, words went round that a new and unusual creeper had grown in the field. Hearing this, Ropung Mone, the daughter of Donyi-Polo also visited the Doni-Dongors to see it. As time passed, the creeper grew bigger and longer. It went growing further and further till its different branches reached up to the land of Douing-Ang, Ute-Poro, and Togung-Yogam. Finally, it was found that the tendril growing up to the Togung-Yogam land had turned into a gourd plant, called, Epum.

Curious visitors flocked to the Togung-Yogam field to see the first gourd in the world. Amidst this hustle-bustle, someone heard a faint sound emanating from inside the gourd making everyone even more startled. To find out its mystery, elders like Miko-Yao and Karki-Mili requested a renowned priest, named Doying Rasi Tabe to enlighten them about the secret of the sound. Doying Rasi Tabe set down to his work, and after carefully observing it declared, “An insect has grown up in the gourd. It is this insect which is making the sound!” Saying this, he cut open the gourd from which a tiny insect crawled out to the full view of the curious onlookers. Pointing his finger to the insect, the priest added, “He is the offspring of the great rock-like animal, Sedi Limir Saba, who had appeared in the village of Engo-Takar.”

In due course of time, the small creature grew bigger and bigger until it acquired a big animal’s shape and size. However, he lacked anus, nose, and teeth, making him unable to breath, excrete, and grind. Realizing this plight, Nznur Lomang, the famous smith worked hard on it with his tools and fashioned its anus and nose. Bisi Yada, another great smith of beads and ornaments, contrived the teeth with his tools. The animal now began to breathe and graze around. Soon, it began to snort, eat food, and excrete, much to the delight of all.

This is how the mithun was born in the world. Its appearance gave endless hopes to the people and fulfilled their aspirations. Since then, it became a symbol of peace and prosperity. The people began to call it lovingly by different names like Ato Dome; Tapum Nine; Tayop Bobo; Donyz Ropung Pubo; and Polo Ropang Pabo because of his many qualities. Dadi Bote, the god of animals became its custodian, who affectionately tended and sheltered him as he lived and procreated his offspring in the world.

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