Soon after the creation of the world, the king of the Nats, Ingaunuamagan, built a magnificent palace on the top of the highest mountain in the far north, Maschainshchingarabun, and, having settled there, began to carefully monitor order on earth.
For many, many years he lived quietly, alone, but suddenly he was overcome by such hopeless melancholy that he decided to get married immediately.
One day, Ingaunuamagan admired the beautiful views of Burma from the window of his palace and, looking at the Irrawaddy River, discovered something dazzlingly sparkling in its waters. However, the king could not see what it was and, overwhelmed by curiosity, sent the eagle there. The eagle instantly rushed to carry out the orders of his master, and when he returned, he reported that the object sparkling in the waters of the Irrawaddy River was none other than the beautiful and playful crocodile Paran. The King of the Nats ordered her to be immediately taken to the palace.
When the highest command was carried out, it was discovered that the crocodile Paran exudes a terrible stench. The smell was so disgusting that it was impossible to be near Paran. The servants reported this to the Nat king, but he, not at all embarrassed, said: “Let the crocodile wander through the kounban grass, and then bring it to me.”
The kounban grass really turned out to be miraculous, and now such a fragrance spread around the crocodile Paran that she was immediately awarded the honor of being called the wife of Ingaunuamagan.
From that time to this day, the Kachin have had a custom - before bringing the bride to a new home, they walk her along the kounban grass.
To the great regret of the Nat king, Queen Paran did not brighten up his loneliness for long. Soon she died, leaving no offspring, and her departed spirit found refuge in China, and therefore they say that Chinese women have small legs, like the crocodile Paran.
Great was the sadness of the Nat king Ingaunuamagan after the death of his wife. However, like many inconsolable widowers, having lost one and only one and irreplaceable, he began frantically looking for another. And since Paran’s parents had several daughters, soon the king of the Nats asked for the hand of Paran’s younger sister, the beautiful Shangi. However, the matchmaking of the king of the Nats was not to the heart of Schanga’s relatives. They had a premonition that the wives of the King of Nats were destined for a sad fate. Nevertheless, they did not dare to directly refuse him. But Shanga herself decided to act. Seizing the moment, she left her home and began to wander around the world. The places where it passed were overgrown with small tengebin trees. Shanga spent the last years of her life in Burma - that’s why there are so many thick forests there; growing up.
Having failed with Shanga, Ingaunuamagan married her sister named Ingunri, which means "thread". But Ingunri followed the example of her second sister and took refuge from her unloved husband in the Shan country. Since then, spinning has become the main industry of the Shan state.
One after another, the king of the Nats took the Paran sisters as wives, but they all, as if by agreement, left him.
The sister, whose name was Shagaunshinri, which means "hair", took refuge in China, and thanks to this, the Chinese have long and beautiful hair.
The third sister, named Dunpungarin, which means “flute,” was brought by fate to India, which became the birthplace of many musical instruments.
Sotu's sister - "fat" - visited different countries, but also ended her life in China, and since then pork has become the favorite food of the Chinese.
The fifth sister, Chunmadi, which means “salt” in Kachin, wandered around China, wandered into distant Europe and, resting there, made Europe the owner of rich salt deposits.
And finally, the youngest and last sister - Katasinuamaga - died in the very center of the earth and, giving her soul in pieces to all people, made them akin to each other. And thanks to this, people should live like close friends or at least like good neighbors.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru