The Story of Sichangneii
Once, there was a widower who built a water weir. Every morning, a maiden from the heavens would fly down to bathe in his pond. Because she frequently muddied the water, the man decided to lie in wait for her. He eventually caught her; because she was a beautiful maiden with magnificent wings (or plumage), she was named Sichangneii. The man took her wings, enclosed them in a hollow bamboo tube, and hid them above the hearth (the rap). He took her as his wife, and over time, she bore him seven sons. These children were not ordinary humans but possessed supernatural powers inherited from their heavenly lineage. The Seven Sons and Their Gifts The brothers were named according to their unique abilities: Kaptheia: The Great Archer (could hit any target). Dotheia: The Endurer (could withstand spells or hardships). Haitheia: The Excavator (could unearth anything). Chhintheia: The Sealer (could cover or close anything). Mantheia: The Catcher (could seize anything). Tlumtea: The youngest, who was particularly resourceful. The Mother’s Departure The family lived together, and the brothers would take turns looking after one another. On the days the father looked after them, he would let them wear their mother's wings, charging them strictly not to tell her. They would dance and enjoy themselves immensely. However, when the mother stayed with them, they were not as happy. One day, the youngest, Tlumtea, told his mother that he knew where her wings were hidden. Despite the older brothers' attempts to stop him, she retrieved her wings and flew back to the heavens. When the father returned and found his wife gone, he was so heartbroken that his "gallbladder burst" (a Mizo expression for extreme grief/shock) and he died, leaving the brothers orphaned and wandering. The Journey to the Heavens In their distress, Entheia looked up and spotted their mother in the heavens. Kaptheia shot an arrow that lodged firmly into the edge of their mother’s mortar. Their mother, seeing this, lowered a brass cord, and the brothers climbed up to join her. In the heavens, they encountered a man-eating ogre (Hringei) who set traps for them. However, by using their unique names and powers, the brothers saved one another. Eventually, their mother advised them to return to earth and set traps across seven hills. They followed her advice and became very successful hunters. The Blindness and the Chawmnu While they were succeeding, their mother dropped chaff (rice husks) from heaven, which blinded all the brothers. Despite their blindness, they continued to check their traps. A wicked spirit named Chawmnu began stealing their catch. Tlumtea eventually caught her by hand and dashed her against a rock. When Chawmnu's brains splattered onto Tlumtea’s eyes, his vision was restored. They used this to restore the sight of all the brothers. The Battle with Phungnu and the Reunion Later, while the brothers were living in a farmhouse, Chawmnu harassed them, demanding their food or their lives. Tlumtea eventually captured her, and to save herself, she promised them many gifts. However, she tricked them and devoured everything except for Tlumtea’s wife. She kidnapped Tlumtea’s newborn son, Fahrahtea. Fahrahtea grew up as an orphan but possessed great magic, transforming into hornets or mice. He eventually reached his mother’s village and sought the one who created the Phungnu (the ogress). He discovered the creator was a Red Pigeon. In a final battle, Fahrahtea fought the Phungnu. He broke the pigeon's wings, then its knees, and finally snapped its neck. With the death of the Phungnu, the mother and son were finally able to live together in peace and security.
