Title: Watch over Rich Men’s Cow
Language: Chakesang (Chokri)
Description: This folktale is not a widely known folktale, senior members of the Chakhesang community continue to sing the song. All though we have no job, we watch over the rich men’s cows; to this day. Elderly members of the Chakhesang community sing this song as a form of protection while walking to the field, just as we see in the father’s narrative where the warriors decided to spare both the father and his son, after the father sang the song, while their real intentions were to murder them. They genuinely feel that this song will protect them from any harm or danger that may be lurking around the corner.There once was a father and son who looked after the cows of wealthy men. On their approach to the pitch one fine day, they came across some warriors whose intentions were to kill both the father and the son. When the son came across the soldiers, he asked his father whether they would be able to pursue the cows to the field. In order to encourage his son and prevent him from becoming discouraged, the father pretended that he did not see any warriors and told his son that no armies were present, and that they would reach the field safely. He then started singing a song that begins, “All though we have no job, we watch over the rich men’s cows” The warriors, who were out to murder them, were instead moved by the song the father and his son were singing, and they let them go without injuring them as both
the father and the son approached the warriors singing.

Format & Duration: Audio – 5mins 43secs
Date of Recording: 26-Jul-2023
Date of Upload: 14-Nov-2023
Performer: Hunere Khamo
Creator: Arlene
Publisher: Tetso College, Dimapur
Note: NA

Cite this work

Arlene. 2023. Watch over Rich Men's Cow. (https://neiipa.in/audio/watch-over-rich-mens-cow/) NEIIPA,Tetso College. Accessed: (25-Jul-2024)