Folklore: A tale of the Shokpa (YETI-II)
Collection: Kishor Subba Limbu
Long ago, The Shokpa (YETI) was causing more havoc in the village. When the shepherd left his cowshed in the daytime to graze the cattle The Shokpa would visit the cowshed and imitate the shepherd's chores. Shokpa used to open the deli (the bamboo case), drink milk, eat yoghurt, and spoil it. In the evening, when the shepherd used to sit near the fire to keep him warm, Shokpa would sit next to him and keep copying the shepherd's activities.
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| Random Pic of the cowshed Photo source: social media |
If the shepherd touches the shokpa, the shokpa must return the favor, as whatever and wherever has touched him has touched him.The shepherd warmed his hand and rubbed it on his face. The Shokpa does the same, warming his hand and rubbing it on his face. The shepherd shaved the feet and sharpened the Khukuri (knife).The Shokpas copy the same thing. The shepherd touched the firewood; the shokpa does the same thing. The shepherd was fed up with the shokpas, but the shepherd was helpless because the shokpas were much larger and heavier than him.
Then the shepherd searched for an idea for the shokpa. One evening, after dinner, the shepherd set a big fire, then he took out the morning's ghee from the deli and started rubbing it on his hands and feet. Without saying a word, Shakepa also came to the side and opened his hand, asking for ghee, and the shepherd gave him a handful of ghee in the hand of the Shokpa. Then the shepherd also took out a little ghee and rubbed it all over his body. The Shokpa copied the shepherd and rubbed ghee all over his body. The shepherd kept watching the shokpa. After the shokpa had thoroughly robbed him of ghee, the shepherd took burning firewood and wormed his hands and feet.Shokpa did the same. The shepherds do not have hair in their hands and feet, but the Shokpas have dense fur in their bodies and their hands and feet. When the Shokpa heated themselves by burning firewood, then the fur caught fire and started to burn. Then the Shokpa was wondering here and there because of the fire on his body, and when he started to run, the fire broke out strongly from an air blow. Then the Shokpa jumped into the pound and died.
When the shepherd looked around the next morning, he found the shokpa dead in the pound, and the shokpa was burning like black coal.
Then the shepherd searched for an idea for the shokpa. One evening, after dinner, the shepherd set a big fire, then he took out the morning's ghee from the deli and started rubbing it on his hands and feet. Without saying a word, Shakepa also came to the side and opened his hand, asking for ghee, and the shepherd gave him a handful of ghee in the hand of the Shokpa. Then the shepherd also took out a little ghee and rubbed it all over his body. The Shokpa copied the shepherd and rubbed ghee all over his body. The shepherd kept watching the shokpa. After the shokpa had thoroughly robbed him of ghee, the shepherd took burning firewood and wormed his hands and feet.Shokpa did the same. The shepherds do not have hair in their hands and feet, but the Shokpas have dense fur in their bodies and their hands and feet. When the Shokpa heated themselves by burning firewood, then the fur caught fire and started to burn. Then the Shokpa was wondering here and there because of the fire on his body, and when he started to run, the fire broke out strongly from an air blow. Then the Shokpa jumped into the pound and died.
When the shepherd looked around the next morning, he found the shokpa dead in the pound, and the shokpa was burning like black coal.
A Flower Necklace for the Storyteller!
(Source: Pabitra Limbu, Panchkhapan Municipality-6, Sankhuwasabha, Nepal.)
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