The Story of Chemtatrawta
The story of Chemtatrawta teaches us that venting anger on the innocent can trigger a chain of problems that eventually brings hardship to everyone. Because of a single crab that nipped Chemtatrawta while he was sharpening his knife by the stream, a series of events was set in motion that led to something the villagers dreaded most—the contamination of their communal water source. The Detailed Narrative Chemtatrawta was busily sharpening his knife (chem) by a small stream. While he was working, a crab (Kaikuang) suddenly reached out and nipped him hard on his testicles. In agonizing pain and sudden fury, Chemtatrawta lashed out and hacked down a nearby bamboo pole (rawpui) where a Khaum (a large bean vine) was climbing. The Khaum vine, angered at being cut down, collapsed and struck a jungle fowl (Ramar) that was foraging beneath it, hitting it right on its rump. The jungle fowl, startled and pained, flew into a rage and scratched up a red ants' nest (Taivang bu). The red ants, their home destroyed, bit a wild boar (Sanghal) on its testicles. The wild boar, maddened by the sting, charged through the forest and uprooted a wild banana grove (Changel) where a bat (Bak) was sleeping. The bat, having lost its home, flew around frantically looking for a place to rest and eventually flew right up an elephant’s (Sai) trunk. The elephant, feeling a tickle and itch deep in its nose, snorted and trumpeted in a frenzy. In its blind rage, the elephant trampled the little old lady's (Pitar te) house to pieces. The little old lady was furious, but she didn't know how to take revenge on a giant elephant. In her frustration, she went to the head of the village spring (the water source) and defecated right into the water. The entire village was thrown into an uproar over the polluted water. They confronted the old lady: "Why did you defecate in the water source?" she replied, "Because the elephant trampled my house!" They went to the elephant: "Elephant, why did you destroy the old lady's house?" He replied, "Because the bat flew up my nose!" They went to the bat: "Bat, why did you fly up the elephant’s nose?" He replied, "Because the wild boar uprooted my banana grove!" They questioned the wild boar: "Boar, why did you uproot the bat's home?" He answered, "Because the red ants bit my testicles!" They asked the red ants: "Ants, why did you bite the boar?" They said, "Because the jungle fowl scratched our nest to pieces!" They went to the jungle fowl: "Fowl, why did you destroy the ants' nest?" He said angrily, "Because the Khaum vine fell and hit me on my rump!" They asked the Khaum vine: "Vine, why did you hit the fowl?" It replied, "Because Chemtatrawta hacked down the bamboo I was climbing on!" Finally, they returned to Chemtatrawta: "Chemtatrawta, why did you hack down the bamboo and the vine?" He answered, "Because the crab nipped me on my testicles!" Lastly, they went to interrogate the crab: "Crab, why did you nip Chemtatrawta?" The crab had no excuse left. To save face, he stammered, "If... if you roast me in the fire, I will turn bright red to delight the children; and if you throw me back into the water, I will float beautifully." So, they roasted him in the fire, and indeed, he turned bright red. Then they threw him back into the water. As soon as he touched the water, he shouted, "The land of my parents is wonderful!" and darted away into a cave. The villagers were frustrated. They took a long stalk of Hnahthial (a leaf used for wrapping) and poked into the cave to get him. They poked him so hard that they ruffled the hair-like bristles on the crab's mouth. That is why, even today, the crab has a "fuzzy" or ruffled mouth. The crab, in turn, cursed the Hnahthial plant: "From now on, whenever you bear fruit, you shall die in 'childbirth'." And so it is said that the Hnahthial plant withers away after its seeds have ripened.
