Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Lao Didactic Chronicles

1jkwfhrkdaos]yho	yaa dai phaa kan liin
dkortoaog[ahp3[d	kaan phanan bia bok
]k'gmnjv3-d[+.s h	laang theu sok bo hai
4q'g9qhk-y0kfdk'	thong chao si khaad kaang
Don't you go betting or gambling of all kinds;
You might be unlucky; your pocket may be broken in half, dear children
1jklvos]ko (yaa son laan--Grandma Teaches Grandchildren)¹

Some of the narratives presented in the earlier chapters may belong to more than one type, but narratives in this chapter, didactic chronicles, clearly belong to one type, as the purpose of telling or writing is to teach only. The verse quoted above is a clear example. The grandmother teaches her grandchildren to refrain from gambling, pointing out its disastrous consequence. This chapter presents excerpts from two prominent didactic chronicles, 1jklvos]ko (yaa son laan--Grandma Teaches Grandchildren) and x6jlvos]ko (puu son laan--Grandpa Teaches Grandchildren). Both chronicles are written in a verse form called dk[ (kaap).² "Most of the time, this type of narrative will present only one voice--that of the older, the superior, or the more experienced. But the above book, Grandma Teaches Grandchildren, presents the voice of the grandchildren trying to argue with the grandmother. Then the grandmother further explains the point to make it clearer. For example,

1. Grandma teaches the children to be patient and do things step by step and the reward will be precious like gold.

.sh7jvp7bf7jvpcdh	hai khoi khued khoi kae
7jvpcdj7jvpfn'	khoi kae khoi dueng
.sh7jvp05f7jvp0q,	hai khoi khut khoi khom
7jvp7q,7vp7he	khoi khom khoi kham
.sh7jvpmedkolhk'	hai khoi tham kaan saang
1jk;k'.9.sh7jvpc]jo	yaa waang chai hai khoi laen
.sh7jvpvqf7jvpc'ho	hai khoi ot khoi ngaen
,ao-ywfh8jvo7e³ .	man si dai ton kham
Think carefully, slowly solve problems, slowly drag and pull,
Dig slowly, bearing bitterness, carefully sharpen, and then push slowly;
Create things slowly; don't be careless, underestimate the task, move slowly,
Curb your craving desire and wait, you will receive a great reward like gold.

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2. The children like the teaching and responded positively and beg the grandma to continue with her teaching.

g,njvohao/6's]ko8hko	mue nan fuung laan taan
lP's]kovhvpvyjo	siang laan oy in
s]kod=pyo,j;oc,h'	laan ko yin muan maeng
,t3o-hvp-njo.9	manoo soi suen chai
0=.shwvptdkcdh;	kho hai ay-ya-kaa kaen
,tsk75og4qhkpjk	mahaa khun thao yaa
0=.sh3v;kfg;qhk	kho hai oo-waat wao
g,nvsohk8=+wx⁴	mua naa to pai
Then the grandchildren replied with delightfully sweet voice,
For they had enjoyed the warning which brings joy to their hearts.
"Oh, please, our Precious Grandma, you are blessed with greatness,
Please give us more teaching we shall continue listening to you."

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3. So the grandma continues her teaching. She tells them to eat only the body of the fish and to leave the liver, kidney, and lung for her. She says that when eating the inside of the fish, it tastes good, but it will make the children weak and thin.

dyoxkg9qhk1jkwfhdyowlh	kin paa chao yaa dai kin sai
8a[w8r5'xvf s]kogvup	tab tai phung pod laan oey
7ao;jkdyoIvfmhv'	khan waa kin hod thong
-ys;ko9hvp9jvp3-	si waan joi joi so
.shg9hkdyoc8j3830h3s]	Hai chao kin tae to kho lo
8a[w8gvqk.shpjk	tab tai ao hai yaa
pjkouhg4qhkcdjc]h;	yaa nii thao kae laew
dyowfh-6jvaoohaoc]h;⁵	kin dai suu an nan laew
When you eat fish, don't eat its intestine, liver, kidney, stomach, and lung, dear children;
If you do eat them, they may taste delicious, but you will be thin.
Eat only the fish's body, and give me its liver and kidney.
As I am already an elderly, I can easily eat every part of the fish, truly.

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4. This time the grandchildren do not like it. So, they say that grandma wants to keep delicious things for herself and let the children eat only the tasteless food. This is just like when eating sugar cane, grandma has told them to eat the end of the stem instead of the bottom.

7hv,;jkpjkdjk;c]h;	khom waa yaa kao laew
s]kog]qjkg]upsq;	laan lao loey huo
pjkouh8q;tdyo8a[	yaa nii tua kin tab
8jvo3,ma'wlh	ton moo thang sai
8q;t.shs]kodyovhvp	tua hai laan kin oiy
xkp]e,ao[+c,jo pjkgvup	paay lam man bo maen yaa oey
dqddyos;koc-[-hvp	kok kin waan saeb soiy
-ydyodhP'z6hfP; -aho[=⁶	si kin kiang phuu diew san bo
After the grandma finished her teaching, the grandchildren began laughing.
"Grandma, you trick us so you can eat the liver and the inside plus intestines.
It's like when you tricked us to eat sugar cane at the wrong end, dear Grandma.
For the delicious end of the sugar cane, you alone enjoyed it; Isn't it true?"

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5. After the children have said that, grandma has another chance to explain her good intention, saying that sweet things are not always good for children. Too much sugar can make anyone sick. "Children's bodies may become overly thin; their heads may grow as huge as a basket."

3vo=s]kogvup,ao[jgxao9aj'-aho	Oh no laan oey man bo pen chang san
1jkwfhIjegru'7nf	yaa dai ham phoeng khued
1jkwfhgsaoc8jco;s;ko M	yaa dai hen tae naew waan waan
;jk-y,u75o]qho	waa si mii khun lon
vao;jk0v's;kooaho	an waa khong waan nan
gxao]q,]qh,'jkp s]kogvup	pen lom lom ngaiy laan oey
7aodyos]kp,ao-ygxaoc,jc]h'	khan kin lai man si pen mae laeng
sq;-y3xhm+dt[5'⁷	huo si po tho kabung
Oh No!, my grandchildren, that is not true; don't you ever think that way.
Don't be overly excited about sweet things, thinking that they are all good.
Sweet things can be harmful actually; they can easily make you sick, dear children,
Too many sweets will emaciate your body, and your head will be as huge as a basket.

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In the second example, x6jlvos]ko (puu son laan--Grandpa Teaches Grandchildren),⁸ only the voice of the grandfather was heard. "As Grandpa Teaches Grandchildren was written when Lan Xang Kingdom was flourishing, moral concepts are based on lives in the feudal system and Buddhist beliefs. However, this book has long been used to teach young people about ways of life and social mores so that they will grow up to be honest and pure. In addition, the narrative also teaches young people to behave properly in various situations, to have respect for one another, to know the right place for each person's status, and to refrain from all evil deeds."⁹

Read the following excerpts and discuss what lessons students can learn about Lao people and culture.

s]q;c]t2no1jkgvqkIv'oaj'	luo lae pheun yaa ao hong nang
g-nhvoaj'8je1jkwfhoaj'l6'	sua nang tam yaa dai nang suung
g-nhv]5'8k.sh1exkocdh;	sua lung taa hai yam paan kaew
x6jlaj'c]h;s]kos]hk9njv9e	puu sang laew laan laa chue cham
Do not sit on firewood of all kinds and do not sit higher than the elders.
Pay full respect to your precious elders; remember this teaching from Grandpa.

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megxao05o.sh,u.9d;hk'	tham pen khun hai mii chai khwaang
1jkv;fvhk'8;k,I6h[=4k,	yaa uod aang khwaam huu bo thaam
8;k,.f'k,4k,05oz6hI6h	khwaam dai ngaam thaam khun phuu huu
,ads]yho-6h.sh4k,fv,g,p	mak lin suu hai tham dom mia
A lord must be generously open-minded about knowledge;
Don't be conceited, not wanting to ask questions.
Whatever that is good, you could ask from experienced and knowledgeable lords.
If you want to have an extra-marital affair, dare ask your wife about it first.

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w,h]efP;]hv,Iah;[j=w0;j	mai lam diew lom hua bo khwai
wrj[+rhv,cx'[hko[+gxao	phai bo phom paeng baan bo pen
One bamboo pipe cannot be used to make a fence;
Without inferior subjects and citizens, a city can not be established.

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gryjo7Pfc]h;1jkwfhdjk;wp	aaaphoen khiad laew yaa dai khao yai
w2]k,]5d1jkgvk/vp,kvjvp	fai laam luk yaa ao fai maa oiy
When some one is angry at you, don't speak ill about it;
Don't feed the wild fire with fuel.

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gxao7qo.o.shIPo8;k,I6h	pen khon nai hai hian khwaam huu
gIaf-6]6g-qk[j,upe	hed suu luu khao bo mii yam
gIaf-e'eg0qk[+,u1hko	hed sam ngam khao bo mii yaan
wxmPj;[hko.shg[yj'sqomk'	pai thiew baan hai boeng hon thaang
To be a complete person, one must seek knowledge;
Without it, you will look silly and you will not be taken seriously.
Without it, you will act silly and you will not be respected.
Traveling into a village, make sure to watch the way.

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0hks]udsou1jkgvqks]kpgmnjv	khaa liik nii yaa ao lai thua
'h;odyog[njv1jkw;h.ogInvo	ngaun kin bue yaa wai nai heuan
Once your servant has left you, do not take him in your house again;
Nguan, the poisonous tree, must not be planted in your house.

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7oz6h.f,adovo8njol;kp	khon phuu dai mak non tuen swauy
gm;tfksos;kpfjkxhvp	thewadaa hon hwauy daa poi
.shl5flh;p8d8jefe]q'	hai sud suay tok tam long din
x6jxtlq'[vds]ko.shzhPp	puu pasong bok laan hai phian
Whoever wakes up late in the morning is not wise;
An annoyed celestial being might curse him
To sink down low into the abyss;
Grandpa wishes to tell you to avoid the bad habit, Grandchildren.

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Notes to Chapter 9: Lao Didactic Chronicles

1. Pho Phuangsaba, Yaa son laan (Grandmother Teaches Grandchildren), Vientiane: The State Printing Press, 2000, p. 45.

2. Versifications of popular types of Lao verses will be presented in Chapter 10.

3. Pho Phuangsaba, Yaa son laan (Grandmother Teaches Grandchildren), p. 17.

4. Ibid., p. 18.

5. Loc.cit.

6. Loc.cit.

7. Ibid., p. 18-19.

8. Buddha Khosachaan, "x6jlvos]ko (puu son laan--Grandpa Teaches Grand- children)" in Baebhian phasa lae wannakhadee san matthayom pithi song (A Textbook on Lao Language and Literature for the Eighth Grade Students), Vientiane: The National Research Institute of Science and Education, Ministry of Education, 1997, pp. 115-121.

Buddha Khosachaan was a revered Buddhist monk who wrote this narrative during the reign of King Suliyavongsa (1637-1694) of the Lan Xang Dynasty in the 17th century.

Excerpts 1 to 7 are all taken from the same source.

9. Ibid., p. 115.