NO. I 



CH UAN MIAO SONGS AND STORIES — GRAHAM 



189 



COW manure. Afterward the others awakened, 

 and the hving cousin told them about playing 

 with the dead person. But they did not be- 

 lieve him. He said, "There is proof that 

 everyone can test." They said, "What evi- 

 dence is there.?" Then he led them to see 

 the footprint in the manure, and they also 

 saw that on the foot of the dead person there 

 was manure, and that the foot-glove (slipper) 

 was in the manure. Then they believed that 

 some Miao people are eflicient in changing 

 themselves without dying. Therefore the liv- 

 ing cousin made up this song. 



// Not Permitted to Change into a Tiger, He 

 Would Hartn People (117) 



There was a Miao family that was accus- 

 tomed to change into tigers. Generation after 

 generation it was their custom to change. The 

 males would change into tigers, and the 

 females would change into witches (Bo 

 Ndzong, who change people into tigers). 



In this generation there was an eldest son 

 who was at an early age bewitched by Bo 

 Ndzong. He lived either at home or in a 

 cave in a forest. His family and relatives 

 knew about this, but they were unwilling 

 for him to go and change into a tiger. But 

 Bo Ndzong came and frightened this family 

 so that they were not happy. Before long he 

 died sadly, and his family thought he was 

 going to change into a tiger and forged an 

 iron band and bound the coffin together, 

 then carried him out and buried him. But 

 the Bo Ndzong disturbed the parents and the 

 wife of this man many times worse (with 

 pains, illnesses, etc.), so as to make them go 

 and bury him elsewhere. If they did not, 

 then another would die and be added to the 

 son. 



This family certainly found it hard to bear. 

 They therefore bought another coffin and 

 killed a cow to offer to him. One day they 

 hired many to help them open the grave and 

 take off the iron band. When they had just 

 taken off the lid and looked, they saw in the 

 coffin a thing the size of a cat. Then every- 

 body called out, "Whose cat is here.?" Then 

 the creature with one leap escaped and in a 

 moment it was as large as a cow. Joyfully it 

 leaped into the aged forest. Then the people 

 saw that there was nothing in the coffin, and 

 everybody threw on dirt and covered up the 

 empty coffin. Then this family was happy. 

 Now if others discuss tigers, that family does 

 not dare to do so (lest speaking of a tiger 

 cause a tiger to come). 



A Sotd of a Tiger Ate a Man and Then 

 Changed into a Man Like That Person 

 (472) 



In ancient times a Miao family lived in an 

 aged forest. One day the husband said that 

 he would go out and net wild animals. He 

 was eaten by a tiger. Then the tiger made 

 himself look like this man and came back. 



When the tiger arrived he said, "Today 

 when I went out, on my buttocks there came 

 a boil so that I cannot sit on the stool. 

 Quickly bring a big jar for me to sit on." 

 Then the woman carried a big jar for him to 

 sit on. 



When he had sat a long time, his tail re- 

 sounded as it moved about in the jar. They 

 asked him, "Why is there a noise in die jar?" 

 He replied, "It is the noise of the pus from 

 the boil on my buttocks running out." 



He sat there a long time and went to sleep 

 with the woman. He slept until midnight, 

 then ate the woman. Her brother's wife in 

 the next room heard the sound of chewing. 

 Her brother and sister-in-law were somewhat 

 afraid. Then he called to them, "I am going 

 to come and sleep with you." The wife said, 

 "Older brother, if you want to come, wait 

 until I am asleep and then you can come." 

 The tiger said, "Go to sleep quickly." 



When the girl had finished talking, she 

 went and carried a hive of bees and put it on 

 the bed. Then she also went and brought a 

 big stone and put it in her basket. She used 

 the straw she was sleeping on and covered 

 the stone. Then she went outside the door 

 and hid. 



In a short time the tiger arose and went 

 into the sister-in-law's bedroom. He then 

 went and touched the bees, and the bees were 

 disturbed. Then he was afraid and receded 

 backward. He did this way all night until 

 day break. But he was not afraid, and from 

 outside of the door he made one leap and 

 with his lips he bit with force. When he bit, 

 he bumped his teeth against the rock. He 

 bumped his head until it broke open, then 

 he roared out loud saying, "Oh heaven, oh 

 heaven, the sister-in-law's conscience is not 

 good. She deceived me and I have broken 

 three teeth. I cannot nourish my life. My 

 sister-in-law, your conscience is not good. You 

 deceived me until I broke three teeth. I 

 cannot nourish my demon life." 



The tiger roared until daylight, then he 

 went out holding his head, the blood drip- 

 ping, and entered the deep forest. Then his 

 sister-in-law came home. 



At the time that she came back home, the 

 sky was clear. After she came back home, 



