The Trickster and the King

Today, we will be emphasizing Shan culture through folktale and song.

Gong is a young Shan man, whose greatest wish is to become a teacher. He joined our Young Lions workshop to practice his teaching skills.  His touching story wakens the interest of a film-team which is going to produce a short documentary film about his struggle. The premiere of the film is on Friday the 4^th of February in Chiang Mai. If you are planning a trip to Chiang Mai you are welcome to join our exiting movie-night.

It was very touching when  Gong sang two Tai Yai (Shan) songs. You really could feel how heartily connected he was with his culture.

Then he told about the  Shan suit he was wearing and showed the children the typical  embroideries and buttons.

Cee then caught the children's fascination by telling the impressive story of The Trickster and the King.

 

Now our students are going to tell you the story using the language of Art:

There once was a Trickster who used to play tricks on the villagers.

The Villagers got so tired of it that they asked the King for help.

 The King told the Trickster that if he could deceive him 3 times then he will be a free man again. If he could not, he would be killed.

The Trickster was successful and played the King 3 tricks: 

1: he told the King that he was hungry, but he was not.

2: he tricked him into coming down from his throne, which a King should never do.

3: He lit a match and the King hit his head by running out of the room, scared of the fire.

      When the King heard that the Trickster played tricks on him, he was furious and commanded the soldiers to put the trickster in a cage above a river and to cut the the rope after seven days. As the Trickster was sitting in the cage a merchant with bad vision ca to the trickster in his boat. The trickster told him, that if he stayed in the cage for seven days he will be able to see again.

The merchant believed him. On the seventh day the King ordered the soldiers to cut the rope and the cage felt into the deep, swift river.

The trickster stole all of the merchants treasures and visited the castle to meet the King. He told him that he had met the King's ancestors in the depths of the river and that they have given him some treasure to bring back to the King. The trickster told the King that if he stayed in the cage above the river and allowed the soldiers to cut the rope after seven days, he would be able to meet his ancestors in the depths of the river.

The King believed him and never has been seen again.

The trickster was then crowned the new King of the land.

 

 

      

       THE END!