Kawrdumbela

(Translated from B. Lalthangliana's Book) 

In a distant village, there lived a man named Kawrdumbela, whose appearance was far from pleasing. He toiled in the fields and set traps to catch wild creatures, hoping for a successful catch each morning. Yet, his traps remained empty, much to his dismay. Even as the forest teemed with wildlife and others' traps yielded results, his efforts bore no fruit.

One night, Kawrdumbela witnessed a sight that explained his empty traps—a cunning bird named Vazuntei snatched away the trapped animals. Swiftly seizing the bird, he demanded recompense for its freedom. Craftily, Vazuntei offered a plan: it would warn the chief that unless his beautiful daughter married Kawrdumbela, their entire village would face peril from enemies.

True to its word, Vazuntei delivered the ominous message three consecutive nights. Initially sceptical, the chief eventually believed the warning and conferred with his daughter. Understanding the stakes, the compassionate daughter agreed to marry Kawrdumbela, knowing it would safeguard her people.

 Post-marriage, Kawrdumbela sent his wife to fetch a fish net from her father. Unwilling to return, she lingered at her parents’ home, disdaining her new husband. At the elders' insistence, she reluctantly brought the net back.

 When Kawrdumbela cast the net into the river, he caught Nghangiai, a fish offering freedom in exchange for advice. Following the fish's counsel of bathing and rubbing with smooth stones, his ugliness vanished, transforming him into a handsome. Returning home unrecognizable to his wife, she mistook him for another until he revealed his true identity. Startled, she quickly returned the net, hurriedly leaving.

 Her father, suspicious of her sudden change of heart, discovered the truth upon witnessing Kawrdumbela's transformation. Seeking similar change, the chief used the net to catch Nghahrah, a fish promising beauty through rough pebbles. But to his dismay, he only became uglier, mistakenly blaming Kawrdumbela for his predicament.