- i. -. -!

,
-- - ;

By an A. rdkanese.

. 'Rangoon:
PRINTED AT THE HANTHAWADDY
PRESS,

I8g8.

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 MA PYU.

AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY.

CHAPTER I.
AN EVENING WALK.
What fate imposes, men must needs abide,
It boots not to resist both wind and tide.--SHAKESPEARE.

A GLORIOUS summer day was fast d rawing to a

. close, in the ye ar I242 ( B u r m ese Era) when two
yo u ng me n might have been s e en we n ding their way
along the Strand Road in Akyab.

One was a smart looking youth with bright

intelligent eyes, rather dark complexion, and a slight
m o ustache .

He was well built, but by the side of his corn

. p anion , seemed somewhat below the average height .
His countenance was decide dly pleasing, frank
ness and a ni mati on b eamin g therefrom, and the soft
eveni ng twilight playing about his face, con si derably
improved his appearance.

His companion was taller, fair, with massive

forehead, rather small eyes, and a small brownish
moustache. He wore slight whiskers-an unusual
adornment among his countrymen-and this, his style

h
 2 MA PYU--AN ,ARAKANESE LOVE STORY.
AN EVENING WALK.
3
of dre ss , and his gait, caused him to be rega rded as a
The s peaker was Mi Nhin Zi about sixteen
" swell." They were now on the heart of the Strand
years of age, a brunette with a modest limpi ng
where the Municipal Bazaar, the Port Office, the offices
walk, she was one o f the beaut ies of the vil
of Messrs. B ulloch Brothers, Messrs. A. W oo dwar d , l age.

and all the leading J ew shops a r e located. Lining the " I really can hardly choose between the
two,"
ro ad again are p iece - go ods stalls whose proprietors are res p onded another pretty girl, smiling.
Her hair
all natives of India driving the so n s of the soil as if was coiled in a m as sive knot, her
appe aranc e grace
i nto the woods. ful, an d attractive, but, sh e ; Mi Mra
Thu added
We shall not be doing justice if we omit the Stone
"if you insis t, s i s ter - i n -l aw, I vo
the two ."

te for the t ll er of
Pier , the Wharf and the Bazaar Pier c o m m an ding a
delightful view of the harbour and the noble Kaladyne " I cann ot agree with you," said Mi
Nhin Zi,"
with a s tretch of five miles of waves, green, blue and see how am iable th e shorter man looks and
t ho ugh
opal. Yender on the bank are picturesque hills not he be not so fair as the other what m
atte rs th at
without their h ist o ry . :eme m ber the saying "dark as the colo ur of oil :
1t burns the heart at every look.''
The " Begyat " overh anging the waters of
a hill
"You are jealou s s i s ter -i n - l aw,
the noble river received into its bosom only hventy y o u try to dis
parage the fair, bec ause you h app
years ago, the relics of Prince Shwe B an whose will : en to be a
was-not to bury his re m ai ns in the grave of the!
brunette. "Y
ou and I shall neve r agree on
this poit,
I let us appom t Ma Pyu as umpi
common. 1
re. " Ma Pyu ac
I ceded to their requ est and deliv
Having refreshed themselves on the pier with the ) as t h e two youn g men walk
ered her judgment
ed past.
balmy sea breeze, the two young men strolled on with\
'
a more deligh tful countenance and the sun was fast ,
sinking o ut of sight, as the young men turned into'
G/ I 102
Monastery Road, all unconscious. of the fact that
three pair s of quizzical eyes were fixed on them.
"Now tell me " said one of the girls, "which
of the two is the handsomer ? "
4 MA PYU--AN ARAKANESE LOVE SORY. HE DECISION. 5

t on College, employed in a m e rc a nti le firm in

Akyab.
'
These two we re l ivi ng together and were very
CHAPTER Il.
intimate friends. Both were unmarried. In thl.s
THE DECISION. 'nineteenth century it w as a stoni shi ng that Hla
Tun should still be single, he was h ol di ng a situa
" Love took up the harp of Life, and smote on all the chords with
might; tion as cle!rk, and rec eivi ng a fair s alary ;
'
Smote the chord of Self, that, trembling, passed in music out of sight. He wou ld gladly have t aken Ma Pyu for his
-TENNYSON,
wife, but h e could by no means approach her; be
MA PYu was. a young girl of fifteen , and was sides, the ch o i c e did n ot rest with him, but with

always kn own by this, her pet name, signifyi ng his parents, and as a dutiful son he calmly await
that she was fair. ed their plea s ur e . He would often speak to

Her lips wer e rosy r e d, and were often a little M au n g E of Ma Pyu, " How p r etty Ma Pyu is.

apart, h alf vei l i ng, disclosing her beautiful

half She is the l ily of th e quarter; if I were acquainted
' ,1\Tith her as you are, I should make:: love to her."
pe arly teeth. Her l uxurious hair hu ng below her
waist, her fe at u res were good, her w alk grace it But M au ng E had es cap ed , up to the present
time, unscathed, from C u pi d ' s darts. His affec
self; m short :to see her was a pleas u re , and she
tions were c e ntred in his own home, and in his
caused no small sensatien wherever she went. She
fri en dsh ip for Hla Tun .
was the belle of the villa ge .
Arakanese b oys may be brimful of mischief,
Livi n g in the same quarter as Mau n g E, the
and some have graver faults, but it c an not be
you nge r of the two you ths described in the l ast
said of them that they fall in love whi l e they
chapter, these two were somewh at acq uainted with
are at school. Not ne ces s arily because they are
each othe r , having been playmates when quite
all not so with Burman boys proof against love,
small.
or too highly p rincipl ed to entertain a ny t h ou ghts
M aung E was still at school, st u dyi n g for the that would distract their minds from their . work ,
Entrance Ex am i n a ti on . M aun g E's companion, but they lack opportunities of voluntarily falling
Maung Hla Tun, was an ex-student of the Dove- in love. When their work is i nterru pt e d by affairs
6 MA PYU--AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. . THE DECISION. 7

of the heart, love and courtship are not answer It so happened that one evening every body,
able, asis often the case with their Burman except Ma Pyu, went to see Maung E's sister.
cousins ; but the custom of early m arriage, often Maung E was alone, he heard a slight sound
interrupts, and not infrequently mars, what would and raising his eyes saw Ma Pyu standing before
otherwise have been, perhaps, a brilliant career. him ; she said " you seem tired M aung E take some

Courtship is a thing unknown in Akyab except

among the vulgar and profligate, and then of course
it is apt to degenerate into flirting. Woe be t o
any girl i f she encourage the attentions of a young
man.
of this Kunya ( O(lo:>::>)" she placed the betel box
on the table, and seated herself opposite him.
" Thank you, but I do not know how to pre
pare the leaf, and I would rather forego the
pleasure, than run the risk of making my mouth

sore with too much spice or lime. We learners of

Of all gossip, Akyab gossip is the most severe,
English are not much given to chewing the betel"
the gossip's tongue here is long, cruel, and re
M aung E added politely.
lentless. If a young girl be seen with a young
Ma Pyu taking the hint, prepared the morsel
man, even in a most respectable and frequented
spot, they are immediately classed as lovers, and with the nut, clove, cinnamon, &c., and h anding
to be thus called before marriage, is to serio usly it to M aung E said, " try this and then let me
damage the character of the most chaste and know if it interferes with your learning English."
\modest girl. Maung E munched away while Ma Pyu
waited, but at last the latter burst out into a
Ma Pyu and every girl of her age was per
merry peal of laughter at Maung E's ignorance,
fectly aware of this, and if she and Maung E
for he was swallowing all the juice, which is not
ever met, they took care, although they had been
the custom . She told him what she was laugh
acquainted with each other for some years, that they
ing at, and then asked him how he liked the
met always in the presence of parents or guardians. . .
Kunya ; he replied, "Oh M a Pyu, it is the best
One day Maung sister was taken ill, the
E's thing I have ever tasted, your pretty fingers
house had to be kept quiet and Maung E and his sweetened it, therefore I would lose none, it was
pupils were allowed to study in an empty room so precious because m ade by you that I was de
in the house of Ma Pyu's parents. termined to swallow every particle." The girl
,,' 8 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. THE DECISION. 9
I

blushed and faltered " you can enjoy it although Unconsciously he rose and stod before him, their
you are studying English," then with an arch v eyes met, and each drank in the love that shone
glanc e, " I hope it does not interfere with your luminous fJ;"om their liquid depths.
1 )-
pronunciation?" NoMa Pyu, once in a way does ,. The sound. of footsteps awoke them to the
no harm, espe c ially when it is prepare d and pre
realities of life. The party were returning from
sented by so amiable a girl as you rself. Again
their visit to the sick one. Ma Pyu withdrew,
a blush her c h eeks , and a momentary
mantled and M aung E endeavoured to resume his studies.
confusion overwhelmed her, when with an air of
greater loveliness still, she said, " Maung E when
you and Hla Tun were passi ng by this road the
other day, we had a talk about you. Nhin Zi
said you were the handsomest, but Mra Thu said
your friend looked the best, and then I was
called upon to decide. " And how did you decide
asked our h ero , " his heart palpitating tho u gh he
scarcely knew wh y .

She hesitated before replying, till Maung E

\
repeat ed the question, an d then she stammered
"I-1-said you were the ha-handsomest," and
she hung her head. It was now Maung E
who blushed like a girl. All his pulses surged
wi.thin him, ,he had entered a new world, he could
never never more regard Ma Pyu merely as a
playmate. Neither spoke a word; but" the silence
was eloquent, words fail to describe their feelings,
as for the first time each beheld in the other, a

lover, though hardly daring to hope that their l ove

would be sanctioned or smiled on by their parents.
 IO MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. LOVE. II

Love is unfathomable, words are futile to

describe it.

Our hero and heroine u n d ers to od each other.

CHAPTER Ill. Time glided on. Maung E knew too m ch
of the iron hand of custom to proclaim his love,
LOVE.
and Ma Pyu was careful also to keep the secret.
You cannot barre love oute,
Father,mother, and you alle; As remarked before, cou rtship is discountenanced
.
For, marke mee, love's a crafty boy, among the Arakanese, and both Mang E and
And his limbs are very smalle;
Ma Pyu knew well that there was httle or no

He's lighter than the thistledoune,

He's fleeter than the dove, hope of the parents sanctioning their union. Mar
His voice is like the nightingale ; riages are arranged entirely by parents, and any
And oh ! beware of love. deviation from this usual course would be resented by
From the Seven Starrs of Witte, !647.
them.
PoETS of all times and tongues,
climes and
countries, have sung of love.. Prose Girls have no voice whatever in the matter.
too, has taken
up the echo from time immemoria Indeed, when arrangements are being made for
l, and found
the theme an inexhaustible one. their betrothal and marriage, they are often not
Endless . and
varied are the definitions given aware of the fact except by observing signs of
, and yet none
quite satisfy the hearts of those preparation in their houses. None of hr family,
who truly love.
One soul has an irresistible attra

not even her mother, . talks to her serwusly ' on
ction for another :
there is an affinity between the the subject. When a girl discovers that these

be found in any other ; when

two that cannot
they meet, they fly
plans and promises are being made for he , she
.
to each other, the two making is often silent and sad , and xf any acquamtance
one perfect whole,
and there is rest. question her on the subject, she seems vexed and
" Our echoes roll from soul to .
soul, and grow for ever and for annoyed , and will not speak of 1t.
ever."
M ar r i age is regarded by s o m e as a mere busi
It is not necessary that words shall
be spoken, ness transac tion, politic arrangement to unite ho
they understand each other ; they are
one . certain families, certain ages are considered smt-
 ---------...------
-------------- =

12 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. LOVlt.

able, money and properties make it advisable, and can there be respect when the young people do not
so on. All this is not altogether to be despised or know e ach other !
ignored, but, if considered first and foremost, and
If marriages are contracted before either party
alone, marriage will be deg ra ded and become the
arrives at the age of discretion, how is the choice to be
very opposite of all that it was intended to be.
made by them ?
It should never be forgotten that "there can
Until girls are e ducated and marriages postponed
be no disparity in marriage like that of unsuitabi
to a reasonable age, Arakanese parents take upon
lity of mind and purpose." Marriage has been
themselves responsibilities, grave and far reachin g
called the Mother 0f the world, preserving king
.

doms and filling cities and countries. It is most To choose wives for their sons, and husbands for
assuredly a grave and heavy responsibility. It i s their daughters, is surely laying the foundation of a
either a holy and sacred compact of an elevating formidable structure. A structure which is to be not
and exalting character, calling out all that is best merely the toy of the hour, but lasting, and one tha t
and noblest in each, a relationship entered into will bear the strain of the winds a n d tides of life.
with a knowledge of its grave responsibilities, or
it is degraded into that, from which every true The marriage bond' must be cemented with love,
man and woman should flee in horror. with esteem, with reverence.

It is possible that two individualities may be " Then reign the world's great bridals, chaste and
calm:
marvellously merged in one, still, it cannot be for
Then springs the crowning race of humankind.H
gotten that each is a unit, and stands or falls alone.
Parents must rise to a sense of their responsi
Hindrances to what is upright and good present
bility
themselves at every turn in this life ; we are but frail,
we need help from each other ; where there is oneness It is s ad that so solemn an engagement as mar
lOf thought and feeling, harmony will prevail. riage, is so often, in all countries, entered into so light
ly an d thoughtlessly.
If there be any truth in the foregoing remarks,
wbo but the parties _concerned can make the choice. Arakanese seem to regard this matter as of very
All true love must be founded on respect, but how little import. If the marriage should prove an
 MA PYU- AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. LOVE. rs

unhappy one, then with little ceremony they will sever was none other than M aung E., she wanted to know
the union under the plea of Kanmasat. w: 1t he thought of Ma Pyu's suitor. Maung E pro
found that in mised to reply in two or three days. He then sought
If enquiries were made it would be
an interview with Ma Pyu, and managed to get a few
by no means un
the little town of Akyab divorce is
presen t marriage hours talk with her.
comm on, being the outcom e of the
customs. " I say-Ma Pyu, last night I was over at the
Pwe and indeed a very choice piece was performed. I
well know n
Notwithstanding these facts, which are wished you were there, and I d aresay the hero and the
any more seri
among us, marriage is not regarded heroine would have enlisted your sympathy;" " Who
table obstacles
ously, and there are the same insurmoun were the actors and what piece did they play, asked
becoming at all
placed in the way of the young people Ma Pyu, looking up into Moung E's face wistfu lly .
iage.
acquainted with each other before marr .
As you d1d not take me to the Pwe last night though
to depict all your sisters went with you ; " continued Ma Pyu
The aim of the writer of this story is
the unhap piness and suffer ing which is not uncom " I must punish you by making you tell me the whol ;
presen t custo ms and ideas piece verbatim."
mon, and ensues from the

-
of marriage among the Arakanese.
" Nothing in the wo Id will please me more than
routin e act the p art of your story teller;" They were thefamous
Noth ing transpired to interrupt the usual
and Maun g E Ko Tha Ka and Ma Daw Bon who played Chin Shwe
for the next six mont hs. Ma Pyu
, contri ved to meet Pan last night. " It is ah admirable piece there's no
under cover of old acquaintan ceship
denying," said Moung E. "Begin, begin Moung E, do
if only for a mom ent, every day.
let me hear the story; sit down here on the mat, and
Schoo l,
Then, one day, an ex-student of the High smoke a cigar, if you object to chewing betel."
ht the hand of
of cours e throu gh his p arents, soug Ma Pyu never smokes Koladyne tobacco she

Ma Pyu. I
.,
Ai
-

smokes leaf cigars and one of these she handed o er to
the matter in
According to custom the father left her friend saying " Here, Maung E is one of the

the hands of her mother, who, not know

ing the young !
cho cest . cigars. I am rewarding you ven before you

man's antecedents and prosp ects, began to make en _

b gm With your story : now mind, don't burn your

The first person she took into her confid

ence mce coat."
qumes.
 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY.
Maung E b e gan-
" Maung Pan, you know was a Chin , maknig a
liv in g by Taun gy a cultivation (i.e.) cultivatio n of crops
on hill clearing s . ) There lived a Th oo - Htay (millio n
_
aire) in the province known a s Taungzin (Hill tracts)
of Burma Proper, who had an only daughter called
Ma Nan Sin.
This lady would go in company of her slaves to
neighbouring villages to collect her father' s effect s , and
pass through the Taungya partaking of young Indian
corn and cucumbers which the young Chin, M oun g
Pan, grew plentifully.
Soon she m anag d to get Chin Maung Pan th row
off his ti m idity and form a pleasant intimacy with her.
Maung Pan would pluck th e choicest of Indian corn,
roast them on the fire and present them to the lady who
would joyfully partake o f all. Stran ge to say, that in a
very short time she got enamoured of the simple Chin.
Then love, which is shown a madness and a s courge
and a fever and a delusion, began to play on her. She
felt that of all men in the world she. could love Moung
Pan alone and she ope ned her heart to the poor semi
savage. The young bashful Chin at first nswer d
had smce h1s
her with tears and sobs, becau s e he
acquaintance with t h e lady, always re garded her as is ? resides h e re. "
mistre s s and in his simplicity of t ho ught and acti o n
had. never suspected. of his mistress's infatuation o
LOVE. I7
himself. But soon the Chin took the fever from the
breath of contagion that blew towards him and then
the lady exacted a solemn promise from him that he
would be her husband at an opportun e time. They
continued to live on as mere acquaint ances and no one
su s pecte d that the two were engaged.
" And why did not they m arry " asked M a Pyu,
"when they loved one another so dearly." "Waif, Ma
Pyu , " continue d Moung E, "you must notforget that
there is a difference in the social position of the lovers."
Ma Nan Sin knew full well, that her father would
never consent to such a union and she had to bide her
t im e. The lovers however had implicit faith in one
another and e a ch regarded the other as part of self.
Now the fame of the be auty of the damsel had travel
led far and wide and reached t he ca pital of Ava, whose
heir ap pare nt yearned to see her.
No sooner was it tho ugh t of t han done. A d eer
hunt was arranged, and the Prince at the head of a
p arty of co urtier s rode to Toung-Zin.
Towards evening of a pleasant summer day the
par ty drew up at the gate of a pretty larg e mansion,
and t he Prince tu rn i n g to one of the cavaliers next to
him asked_ " Pe rhaps you will be able to tell us who
" May it please your Royal Highness , Thoo
Htay U Hp aw resides here" r e pl ie g the cavalier.
3
 l.OVE. 19
r8 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY,

"We will go in and vi sit him," and t h e Royal Nan Sin havin g retired, the Prince thus addressed the
c avalcade soon drew up at the door. :*' Thoo-Htay.

-11 " T ho o - H t ay Min, we have come all this way

The excitement at the mansion was immense The fame of
pu rpo s el y to see thee and th y family.

when it was announced that the Crown Prince and

thy daughte r's beauty has reached the palace and we
did not deem it bene ath o ur di g n i ty t o verif y it by
party were at the door. The old Thoo-Htay now verg
ing upon seventy rushed out with his white turban in p ers onal o bs ervati on : we p r onou n c e t h y d aughte r the
hand ?.nd knel t in the presence of Roy al t y . The handso mest; s h e ou gh t to be queen of the zealous.
P rin ce was very h:iucirdeiightd wit h the reception and With thy consent we will exalt her to that po siti on and
walked in; an d t hr o win g hf se1f'on-:-a ..at covered we wan t t h y answer wi thin three months hence." The
with a D amascus carpet and r ecl ini n g on -a- Cl;l s hion Princ e then gave th e s ignal to start and all ro de out for
of velvet called for a cup of water . ---,.
a deer h unt . I n e e d not tell yo u , Ma Pyu, t hat the
'--.-..,
Burmese. Kings were despotic. Life and property were
Ma N an Sin . had al re ady pe rf o rmed her toilet not secure . Royal displeasure meant either death or
and now hol d ing a s il ver salver beautifully worked .., ......, unlike the B ritish whose s ove
forfeiture of property ;
and engraved with the h i s to ry of "Ma Shwe U" and \j.......
life of the vilest criminal
take the

J
reigns cannot
a c u p to m atch, she issued out of a room with refresh J u s t ice .
without trial by a C ourt of
ments, let - pet , apyawye and kunyas, for the Prince.
She was now eighteen, i n th e full bl o om of woman So you need not be s u rp ri s ed , M a Pyu if I te ll

hood, her bla ck hair gracefully coiled round an ivory you th at the old Thoo-Htay at once made up his

comb d e corate d with rubies, s app hi res and diamonds : mi n d to give his d au ghter in marria ge. to the Princ e .

a snow white padaungma coat embroidered with gol d
and an acheit tamein of one hundred and fifty looms,
trimmed with the richest velvet of purple blue and
worn in the Nan-Daw s tyl e with the immense trim
ming dragging l ong behind her, h alf veiling and half
exp osing the l ef t leg bedecked with the fragr an t
Thanaka ; she looked the very Ma Sa Wa herself t o
the infatuated Pd11ce. The c urtain drops h ere.
" Oh, Oh what has he done : s urely .he could h ave told .
the Prince that his daughter was engaged," broke in
Ma Pyu and she almost c u r se d the old T ho o - H t ay
for h is ambition to becom e the P rinc e 's father-in-law.
" Oh p o or M a N an Sin, how will she take the news ? "
In due time of course the father communicated to
the daughter, of the P rin ce ' s demand for her hand an d
Ma his d e ci sio n in the matter.
 MA PYtJ-AN AR.AKANESE LOVE STORY.
Ma Nan Sin, fainted. The old Thoo-Htay was
very much alarmed, but he guessed that his daughter
fainted through overjoy at the prospect of becoming
Queen, and when she recovered he did not question
his daughter as to the cause of the disorder.
Meanwhile Dame Fortune had smiled upon Chin
Moung Pau. In the deer hunt the Crown Prince
came to. grief, the game having escaped out of his
ground, he pursued it all alone, and at nightfall had
missed his way and:.fallen into an old well.
As usual the young Chin was going to his
Toungya early in the morning, his attention was
drawn to the wailings of a human being from below
the pit and looking down he saw the Prince. With all
despatch he got a rope and letting it down asked the
Prince below to catch it firm with both hands and
place his feet in the crevices between the old worn out
rocks, he pulled him up.
The good Chin procured him food and drink and
did all he could to alleviate the Prince's sorrow : the
Prince wal) in a short time able to mount. By that
time the nobility who never had a wink of sleep in the
preceding night in searching for the missing Prince
had now assembled round the Prince. To them the
Prince addressed thus:-
" Our life has been saved by this young man
before you ! it is our pleasure that he shall go with us
LOVE.
to the capital, he shall no more lead a savage life here,
but shall reign with us even as own brothers. Nobles,
, take care of him." Once in the capital, with the
King's pleasure, Moung Pan was exalted to the posi
tion of a Prince and a proclamation was published that
His Majesty had adopted M oung Pan as a son, and
the king appointed tutors to initiate Moung Pan in
the eighteen arts requisite for Princes and Kings. In
his exalted position Moung Pan had not forgotten
. his lover Ma Nan Sin, whom he took the first oppor
tunity to inform of his good fortune and had expre ssed
a hope that as soon as he had learnt the eighteen arts,
the King his father and the Crown . Prince his brother .
would. allow him to marry.
M a N an Sin received the news of the exalted
position of her affianced husband with great joy and
then it seemed to her that the mystery was solved. It
now appeared to her that Moung Pan, the semi
savage was a Prince in disguise : that the Crown Prince
in asking her hand of her father meant to bestow it
on Moung Pan. She thanked her father for the choice
he had made for her and with her own hands she
began weaving an acheit patso of 250 looms for Moung
Pan to be worn on the bridal day.
Moung Pan and M a N an Sin constantly com
municated with each other in the happy dreams of
consummation of their love in no ong time to corn.
At last, the last day of the third month dawned on
22 MA PYU--AN ARAKANES LOVE STORY.
which M a Nan Sin's fa t h er the millionare was to rep ly
to the Crown Prince's o ffer . A cav a lier of court was
announced by the ga t e- m an and he was forthwith
introduced into the m ansi O n : Ma N an Sin was all
h ap piness .
She looked more amiable and handsome than
when th e cavalier saw her three months ago. She re
ceived the Royal messenger in p ers on and then as
custom demanded, s h e and her father both knelt down
to hear the m ess age r ead .
We need IJ.Ot follow the c avalier in his p relimi n
aries . such as the most powerful, glorious, excellent
and such epithets. Suffice it to say that the Prince
r epeat ed his offer and announced his i nt entio n of send
ing his brother Prince M aung Pan with elep hant s to
cond u c t Ma Nan Sin to the p al ac e .Ma Nan Sin was
now sure that the K i n g and the Crown Prince had
san ctioned Moung Pan's mar riag e and she bowed
assent to the offer. The Thoo - Htay im m ed iately des
patched a re p ly with presents for the Prince. Ma Nan
Sin's acheit putso o f 250 looms went among the pre
sents for Mau ng Pan to w:ear on the day he was to
issue forth from the palace t o take her. The Crown
Prince was happy in the extreme at the prospect of
his possessing the handsomest woman in the realms ;
and se ndi ng for his beloved brot her M au ng Pan to'ld
h i m that he was to proc eed to Taung Zin three days
hence to woo Ma N an Sin the d au gh te r of Tho o- Htay
LOVE.
M aung Pan as h i s proxy and co nd uct her to the
c apital and with other minor i ns truc tio n s, he retir ed,
handing over Ma Nan Sin's present of the acheit
putso to the most beloved brother of her hus band .
Maung Pan became as stiff and cold as a stone
in a wi n ter morning. The beating of his heart stop
p ed at the words-" Ma N an Sin " M un g Hpaw
"husband." Had not the C row n Prince retired all
at once, he m ig ht have been the first pers on to appl y
the snuff to the fai nting Prince and discover the cause
of his brother's discomfiture. The slave boy a tt ach ed
to the Prince applied the snuff to his lord and quietly
led him o ut of the Palace.
When the Prince r ec ove red he raved for a
moment like a madman, tearing his hair and beating
his b re as t : but, suddenly he tho ugh t o( his p o sitio n,
calmed himself and deCided to abi de by the d e vel op
ment of events.
" I pr ay to G od , " said Ma Pyu " th at all m ay be
right yet, " and vyith the i mpu ls e of her feeling, she
actually knelt down t o pr ay .
M aung E did not disturb her : he in un sp oken
la ng u age reg ard edhi mself a s M aung Pan and even
whils t narrating, he betray ed his feel ings much more
than Ma Pyu di d.
"Yes, Ma Py u " broke in Maung E .. M aung Pan
like a brave y outh decided to wait for the develop -
24 MA PYU--AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY.
LOVE.

ment of events and when he saw the Crown Prince

inwardly felt proud of being served by the would
the following day, he looked quite well and h a ppy .
be queen of the realms. It seemed as if on the
The day came. A procession of seven ,of the '.,;.. occasion of Lord Budda being
invited t o a breakfa st
Royal elephants was formed before the Palace which with the full fo llowing in the house of Ziwaka that the
with their attendants in livery presented a grand dayaka (host) observed that one out of soo se ats pro
review. Prince Maung Pan seated on the Royal vided was still vacant. When the Lord was approach
Howda, saluted the king and the Crown Prince. ed on the point , he told the host that. ulaban was
The signal for the start being given by the Bramin still in the monastery and desired the h os t to despatch
astrologers, the elephants issued out of the southern a messenger to that Rahan . The messenger to his
gate. utter c o n fusion found so m e five hundred Rahans, but
alllooking like one man and answering to the name of
Meanwhile, the fair Ma Nan Sin having been duly
Sulaban, the messenger forthwith. returned to Lord
informed of the day of departure of the Royal party,
Budda and told him what he saw and his inability. to
had made suitable arrangements for their reception.
identify Sulabf!,p..
. a muster of fifty of the fairest maidens
She had made
Taung Zin p ossessed, all dressed as herself to m ake a Lord Budda then told him to call out the name

littl e fun with her affianced husband in identifying her. of Sulaban and touch him who first a n swers . The
Refreshments of every sort adapted t o the national g
messen er did as instructed and then all the re s t
taste were provided . In short there was nothing disappeared.

wanting on th part of the fair Ma N an Sin to make Sulaban had b e come a Rahanda ( a de pt .) He
the reception very grand and welcome, very cordial had con quered nature and could perform mi rac es. l

to the whole party. As between herself and Prin ce

The Royal party had now been introduced to the
Maung Pan, it was to be the happiest moment of her
m ansio1;1. The Crown Prince's messages being han,d
life to drink in the hopes of a life long union. .
ed over to the Thoo-Htay, the nobles retired and
The Royal party arrived and was received with simultaneously disappeared all the Ma Nan Sins, but
great eclat. Ma Nan Sin was everywhere enter one. The curtain drops again here. he and the
taining this noble and that noble to choice re prince now remained alone together : words would
freshments; and the prince too was not without i
fail t o express the happ ness they experien ce d at that
Every one of the Royal party
a Ma Nan Sin. meeting. I have not the command of language to

4
 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. LOVE.

describe to you, Ma Pyu, how happy they were. Ma bosom heaved ; her face grew white as death and she
Nan Sin from the depth of her heart breathed out that was losing consciousness; she felt she was dying and
essence of love, which breatl:;t only ceased to act in the fell back on her cushion speechless.
vacuum of Maung Sin's, out of which similar essence
"Nan Sin dearest, my life's ideal," cried Prince
has been breathed. Ma Nan Sin in her fidelity, in all
Maung Pan, " can we not fly together, fly to that
her simplicity, in all her maiden purity imagined that
remote kingdom Rakapoora (Arakan) and leave all
at last that happiest moment had arrived and that she
care and sorrow behind us ? Rise dearest, rise : let us
had attained her Nirvana. Maung Shwe Pan
escape ere another day lapses, when everything will
entangled in t he one thousand five hundred meshes
be too late. Is there no hope for us ? ''
of the net of kilesa ( desires ) forgot for a time
that he was but a proxy and did not represent None, None ! a voice spoke ; it was the voice of
his real characters, giving vent to his natural conscience.He owed his exalted position to the Crown
feelings exclaimed :- Prince who even now loved him as his own brother.
The Prince knew not of the love subsisting between
"Nan Sin, my dearest Nan Sin, your image is
inscribed here in my heart." Then with a start he let him and' Ma Nan Sin. To fly would be an act of
.
go his embrace of Ma Nan Sin, withdrew a yard, grossest ingratitude to his benefactor and he at once
placed his " thanlyet" ( poniard ) in front as if draw resolved to die. Even whilst Ma Nan Sin lay still in

ing a boundary line between him and his fair Nan Sin that lethargy he seized his poniard and buried it deep
into his heart and fell over Ma N an Sin. The shock
and said, "Nan Sin, dearest, my heart is breaking
but I I fear this is the last moment of
must speak, awoke Ma Nan Sin and she uttered a faint cry of
our happiness. am not master of my actions, I am
I despair. The attendants were attracted by the cry

come here as a servant of the Crown Prince, as his
proxy to woo and win you for his Royal Highness to
whom your noble father has given you."
M a Nan Sin now saw clearly that she was all
along in a terrible delusion. She felt that that moment
was to be the ending of her cherished dreams. She
attempted to speak, but her lips woulc1 not open, her
and soon the whole mansion was thrown into utter
confusion. Prince Shwe Pan lay a lifeless corpse and
Ma N an Sin had again fainted and atlast partly re
covered consciousness. She lingered for afew days.
<c
i She had caught the brain fever. Remedies were tried
in vain. The lily flowers and the lotus, considered by
the Burmese medical fraternity as the coolest of the
vegetables, different other cooling medicines to the head
 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. LOVE.

and blisters to the feet were tried but all in vain. " Tell me, Ma P yu , tell me what shall I say to
She breathed her lal;lt within a week. your mother."

Ma Pyu's eyes swam with tears, she was very " .

Do you mean to marry h.1m ?"
much touched ; perhaps she inwardly feared. that such
Ma Pyu hesitated. The words came to her lips
a fate might befal her.
many times, but they went down again and again.
Maung E tapped her on the head and cried,
Come on Ma Pyu, tell me how you like the story. At last she whispered :
You are crying, what made ydu cry ? "I-I do not know, say-what you like,'' and
"No, I am not," said Ma Pyu, awaking from her she looked up at Maung E,her hands now resting

reverie. '' I thought, I saw Maung Pan weltering in confidingly in his.

l:iiood and Ma Nan S in brething her last."
" Say what you like," was the curt reply.

" Childish,'' retorted Maung E, " I was only telling

Maung E .knew what she meant, and before three
you a story, Ma Pyu, which you said, you liked to
.days were over he went to Ma Py u's mother and told
hear. There is neither Maung Pan nor Maung Nan
her that her daughter's suitor was unhealthy.
Sin here in person. ''
-

This was only too true. Moung E, however un

Ma Pyu and M a ung E both calmed their feelings

desirable he might have thought the match, as marring

wih heavy draughts upon their huge cigars, and Ma
his own cherished wishes, was too honourable to say
Pyu as a token of thankfulness to Maung E took the
what was not true. The betrothal . therefore did not
curls of the hair of his forehead between her thumb
take place.
and the forefinger and unthinkingly endeavoured to
straighten them. Two weeks after this interview, Ma Pyu's mother

sent for Maung E and said to him :-

Maung E, startled, and said
I say Ma Pyu,
"

it is time I were gone, I have to answer a question to " Son, people are saying that you are in love
your mother and it is about your suitor I " Ma Pyu
with my daughter, and that this is the reason why she
withdrew her fingers and hid them in the folds of her rufuses to marry. Now tell me candidly if this
coat ; she qid not speak. is so ? "
30 MA PYU-AN ARAKAN ESE t.OVE S'l'ORV.
THE DECLARATION.

Poor M a ung E was at his wit's end what to

reply.

Happily Ma Pyu's mother led the way.

" As for me, " she said, " I clo ne>t 'Qelieve it ; it is CHAPTER IV.
not likely that this should be the case, and I, her
mother, be in ignorance of the fact. They are slander THE D E C LARATI ON .
ing us and speaking against our respectability. " Dost thou love me, my Beloved ?
Only thou canst answer yes !
" I shall see they are punished for their idle talk, And, thou gone, the proof's disproved,
" '
wait till Ma Py u ' s father returns from the D istr i ct . And the cry rings an swerless
Dost thou love me ; my Beloved ?
Maung E felt g reatly relieved, he said- ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING,
.
" Yes they are great gossips, but do not trouble MAUNG E could no longer keep silence. He
yourself about pu n ishing them .= let them alon,e, we hall made up his mind t o .declare h i s love.
,
see whether there is any truth m wh at they say. l hey
" J ust at this time a death occurred in the village,
shall repent having gossippecl abo ut you. and almost every one except M a Pyu, went to the

Ma Pyu's mother seemed them satisfied that the funeral. She was alone in the house. Soon after the

report was a false one.
Maung E and Ma Pyu continued steadfast to
.
each other, and though they had little opportunity f r
conversation, love has a language of its own, and the1r
confidence in each other grew day by day.
On one occasion Ma Pyu was ill, and Maung E
being a friend of the family contrived to send her medi-
cine, and even to see her occasionally. .
A year had now elapsed, still their long cherished
'
hopes seemed to be no nearer realization.
funeral pro_cession left the village, M auug E came to
see Ma Pyu. He proposed a game of cards, ( Komi, )
famous card game played by B urmese betting heavily
and ruination, she consented to play. The stakes
were " thumps on the back ! "
Maung E was very pre-occupied while they were
playing.
He was thinking how to introduce the subj ect
which lay so nd.rhls heart, and w:il:s much more busily
engaged in imaginary conversations with Ma. Pyu, than
with the game. Consequently he lost repeatedly, and
32 MA PYU--AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY.
THE DECLARATION. 33

r eceived many " thumps . " An hour p a s s ed pl e a s ant ly

" So, by your silence, you a ll owed h e r to think we
away when M a Pyu said- : 't"
I
..
are husband a nd wife ? "
" M aung E, we must have something to eat. " . , , No, I did not, I c o ul g not help it- if s he regarded
us so."
S ee in g an el derly woman s ellin g " t a nyin - thee "

M a Pyu beckoned to her. After buying some of the " It is of no consequence : you are on the road to
fruit Ma Pyu resumed her seat. The fruitseller, when be my wife," ventured our qero.
she had counted the mon ey, remarked, " You seem t o
" If you say that again, remember we break friend
suit each other admirably, young husband and wife, you !
ship, " re torte d the y o u n g lady . Maung E was taken a
may be ve ry prosperous, and h ave m uch happiness . "
I little bit aback but di sguis i ng his emotion under a good
M aung E was silently thankful t o t he woman I long draught of his favourite '1 Ma Me " b r an d , turned
for her idle talk. to Ma Pyu and asked . I . say M a P y u , do you kno w
why a t the funeral o f M i Hnin K aing . they pl aced
M a Py u smiled at the mistake, and trying to hi d e
a boy doll beside her corpse just before the burial . "
.... .'!
her embarassment offered her visitor some of the fruit.
\.ti
' ' It's b ec au se she died a n old m a i d " vociferated Ma
" What do you think of the wo m an' s blessing ? " ?''" . . Pyu, almost laughing her sides out a t t h e ignorance of
asked Ma u n g E, la ug h ing . her friend. " Old folks say:..:...well, l -I-do not really
know what-what . " Ma Pyu, did not finish her
" D o not be foolish," replied Ma Pyu,

" I can see I.

!.
sentence. . M aung E h e l ped her to do so " Perhap s
'}'OU like it.''
\-. because the old fol ks believe that the ghost ofthe old

" It i s not a t all bad; i s it now, Ma Pyu ? " maid or bachelor do es not go to rest unless he or she

" Do not talk nonsense," retorted the girl.

" But she regarded us as husb an d ari.d wife : why

l is given a partner; " I suppose, " continued, M aung
E,
long."
" they shall have to , make me a gi rl doll before
" Why so," ga spe Ma Pyu, now f eeli n g a

did yo u not correct her if you disliked the idea ? " little bit re c ov ere d from the plunge she t h o ugh t she
- oZ
was going to make in explaining the old folk i dea of
" It w a s of no us e to correct her : it w ould lower
the doll and the maid. She looked wistfully up in
my character, to be seen al ne with .a
I
young m an who . I
I Maung E's face and repeated the question . Why,
is not my h usband." :r - i
"'\ Ma.ung E, why should they -make - a dolHor you ? '.'
5
34 MA PYUAN AAKANESB. LOVE STO RY.
35
------' ' ,
" Simply because I shall die an old bachelor, ". re Among all nations hearts are susceptible of the
plied Maung E. " My gh o st shall never rest unless it
same emotions, can be wrung with grief, or elated with
gets a partner," plunging himself into a very s.erious
joy. Love po s se sse s and transforms in all countries,
cast and placing his cigar on the floor, he lay his
though the modes of declaring and expressing that
arms folded over his bosom ,
love may differ.
< Why should you die, Maung . E ; dqn't talk of
death, when you are so young. I tremble to hear you
name it."
" I dont know," said Maung E, " that I shall live
long unle ss my love is reciprocated . Without that
assurance life to me is nothing."
" There you are at it again, yot:! little saucy boy "
and she boxed his ears. " I shall be giving you half a
dozen more thumps on your back to add to your
losses, so that you will return home with nothing but
I

boxes and thumps."

u And kisses also.''. That was what our hero

wished he had .the courage to say, but he feared above
all things lest he should offend her, so h but smiled
and put an end to their present pleasant intimacy .

Nothing more was said . on the subject, they sat

smoking and chatting till it was time for the funeral
party to return

Let not the reader suppose that Maung E was

disappointed. The young I>eople were Arakanese a n d

the interview is charaq.eristip. .. 1

l
I
I

I
 MA PYU-AN. ARAK ANESE LOVE STO RY.
CHAPTER V.
C O M PLI CAT I O N S.
Ah me ! for aught tha t I could ever read;
Could ever hear of tale or history
The course of true love never did run smoo th.
HLA Tu N was still un m arried, and worked as
clerk in one of the large firms. His parents being rich,
his monthly salary of Rs. 40, was spent as pocket
money. He d ress ed well, wa s rather a fop, liked the
soci ety of women, and was called by s om e , a woman
killer.
His manners were winning and as a rule he made
a good im p ression on the fair sex. He had fallen in
love with an elderly widow an d woul d have married
her, but for the i nterfere n c e of M aung E's mother.
His parents were anxious to find him a suitable
wife.
Talking to M a u n g E one day, he
" Mark my words. I'll marry Ma Pyu . She is
such a sweet girl and so pretty, what do you say
Maung E ? "
COMPLICATIONS. 37
" Pretty ! " he replied , " pretty ? she is more
than that : she is more amiable than any gi rl I know,
but you are as l i kely to win her as your ear is to meet
your eye," replied M aung E in as indifferent a m an
ner as he could assume, wh ile he leisurely smoked a
Rangoon cheroot.
" Why so ! I am going to send my parent s , and
I am almost sure, her p arents will not reject my suit,
notwithstanding the stories afloat about me. I h ave
SHAK ESPEARE. means to start in life, and to live respectably, without
being a tax on her parents .
Maung E re aliz e d the fact that Hla Tun would be
a d ange r o us rival, not as a lover, but as a suitor. His
chances of s u cc e edin g in wi n ni ng Ma Pyu's love were
al m o s t nil, but the probability of gai n in g the co nse nt of
her parents was ten to one. Maung E felt he must
speak. " B ut if I tell you I am i n love with her, will
you still urge your parents to sue for her ? " asked h e .
I more
" Well i f that is the case, a s than suspect
it is, I can make a sacrifice for a bosom friend, but for
m o re than a year now you have been intim ate with her,
she is quite grown up, you are doing the poor girl harm
and keeping suitors aw ay, while y o ur mother is h avin g
said . you betrothed to the Pleader's daughter too ! "
M aung E seemed quite down-hearted : he saw that
his friend was right, but he w as very much afraid of
his mother who was a strict disciplinarian, and whom
 =::-=-:
..... _,.,...
.. , .,
,.,...____________
.._
- -------------- ---- .

MA PYU-A N An,AkNESB L,C)VE STORY. COMPLICATIONS. 39

he. knew would on no accoun t encourage him in his love

The young man was not su pp o s e d to leave the
for Ma Pyu , if in fo r me d .. of it.
r . house till the party returned, and M au ng E was only
T hough Ma Pyu was a favourite in M au n g t o o gl a d to re m ai n in his room, p r ay i n g th at the pro
E's
family, for her to be M au n g E's w ife was next to ject be a failure .
i mpossible.
" Oh, you are praying for the success of yo u r
To do j ustice to Maung E's mo th e r, it m pst be m atrimon ial plans, I shall j oin you from here . "
state d here that Ma Pyu, by the m a rri ag e e,usto now
Maung E well knew t h e loved vo ice to b e none
in fo rce had lost a s t at us as regards her soci al positio
n other than th at of M a Pyu, and rej o iced at the sound .
as will after wards be explain ed.
J umping up, he s ai d :
" Well, ' ' s aid Maung E, " I won't be 1ll arried .
yet,I will find some excuse to get out of the scr ap e, " N o Ma Pyu, quite the contrary. I a m praying
and if M a-m a insists on my m arryi n g, I must run that it may fail, and if it does n ot, I shall run away. "
away to be safe."
.., .
" Why s ? " a sked the girl, tt
you will be the son
Maung E having t ake n Hla Tun i n to . hia con- . in:Iaw of a rich m an , and be contented and happy . "
....,,........
fidence the latter promise d faithfully to keep his secret . j


" If yo u do no t marry the Pleader's d a u gh ter you
and also to h e l p him , as m uch as was in his power, to
will reg ret i afterw ards : she is not ugly ? "
realize his heart's desire..
Every one seems ugly t o me except yo u, and I
Maung E ' s m oth e r was determined that he should shall never marry any o n e else but you. If I c o ul d
be betr o the d to the Plea de r' s d a ughter, and accordin g only get you to marry me ? " said M a u n g E se rio us ly . "
to the. custom among res p e ct able people, the residents
M a Pyu, was affected, but made n o reply. After
of that qu ar ter, men and women, were invited to .
hesitating, at le n gth she s poke.
a ccompany the p r oce s s i on at dawn of day, and attend
the ceremony of betrothal at the Pleader ' s house. " Again y o u are re pe ati n g that nonsense . D o
not go against your m other' s wishes. She will never
By four o' cl o ck in the morning . everything was
consent to your m arrying any on e except her own
ready and th e betrothal party started in proces- . choice, so if you are not foo li sh you will marry the
si on. Pleader's daughter, accordin g to her wishes."
' .. ----1
 MA
.
PYU-AN. RAKANESE LOVE STORY ,
. COM PLICATIONS.
" H ow can I do such a thing ? and how is it that
you are giving me such advice, as if you are an old
woman instead of a little girl, and as if you have no .
feeling in the matter," said Maung E.
M aung E's sister, who was in the h ouse, now .
j oined M a Pyu, and the conversation was not continu
ed further.
The betroth,al party returned while it was yet early
morning. The business was a success so far, there
was however another ceremony to be gone through,
namely the casting of horoscopes.
M aung E, was almost wild with grief, he ventured
to say to his mother :-
" Ma-ma how could I marry the sister of an inti
mate friend, how could I look him in the face as a bro
ther-in-law ? "
" That is a lame excuse, child : 'you should obey
rrie," sternly replied his mother.
After this sometimes Ma Pyu would call at
Maung E's house, and then she would chaff him,
calling him the Pleader's son-in-law.
The only alternative left was for M aung E to run
away. B ut whither was he to run ? He was still a stu
dent, and had no one else . to depend upon.
True he might go to the Interior to relatives for
a few weeks, but after this1 he must return ,
However, he made up his mind that if his mother
persisted in her plan, and the worst came, that he
would run away.
While he was in this anxious state of mind, one
: day, a peon brought him a letter. Maung E almost
fainted as he read it. It ran as follows-
D EAR MAUNG E,
Pardon me if I offend yo u by this note. It is
a friend's duty to proffer help in a crisis. Your lady
love meets a young man to-night at ro o'clock. I re
ceived the information s uddenly. There may be truth
in it. I would willingly have come to impart the news
personally but the S. S. " Shazadah " having come in
I am ordered to unload her cargo. Take care of your
\: -
_ t- self.
Yours sincerely,
zsth October, r88o. H LA T U N .
" What ? My Ma Pyu, to meet a young man at
night ! This is preposterous . It .were more likely that
the moon meet the sun than that my love should meet
a stranger at night,'' u It is a plot I see. Ah I they
mean to poison my mind against her."
Thus soliloquising he destroyed the letter. For
some time he was lost in thought, then s uddenly the
blood rushed to his face, he sprang- u p-:-"Ah ! : she
6
 C O M P LICATIO N S . 43
42 MA PYU--AN ARAKANESE LOVE STO R Y .

all thinrrs
b '
J ust as if that must be i nfall i bl e . Wherever
turns from me, she chaffs me and advises me to m a rry
and whenever a new p a t h is struck out, the w ay Wl' 11
the Pleader's daughter. I wil l w atch her to-night,
and she shall see me."
per for ce be strewn with difficultie s and will bristle with
ob st a cle s. This M a u n g E has al r e ad y fo und to be
Acc ord i n g to this resolve M aung E, ar m e d with the case.
a l a r ge ruler posted himself in a c orne r of t h e coo l i e
sh e d a dj oi ning Ma Pyu's ho u se , and there in almost
b r e at h l e s s suspense he watched.

As the Town Lock-up gong struck ten, punctual

to th e minute Kyaw Zan Hla, one who m M aung E
l eas t expected, stood before the house and whistled .
D i rect ly , one came down from t h e h o us e a n d j oine d
him . It was Nyo H la Pru, a village b oy , M aung E
w as about to rush at th e m , thinkin g one or both of
t h e m were h i s rival or rivals, but he j ust then recalled
his fri en d ' s words . " Take care of yo urs elf, " and j
------
-------------

che c ke d h i ms e lf.
_ _,

There wa s no pr o of whatever of Ma Pyu being

unfaithful to him, and he felt ashamed of himself for
h av i n g doubted her. Still h e wondered what gave

rise to the letter and determined to solve the m ys te ry .

M a u n g E was, for an Arakanese y o uth , well read

and above t he le v e l o f m o s t y o u n g m e n o f h i s n ati o n

ali ty . He read and th o u ght for himself. Thi s may

account in s ome measure for his wishing to m arry
where he loved, and not b lin dly to follow the i ro n bands
of custom . Not t h at he wished to sli gh t or d i s re s pe ct
his parents, but he could not bow down to c usto m in
44 MA PYU--AN ARAKAN ESE LOVE STORY.
CHAPTER VI.
EXP LANAT I O N S .
H e said there was a compact ; that was true ;
But then she had a will ; was he to blame ?
And maiden fancies,
TENNYSON.
A mighty pain to love it is,
And 't is a pain that pain to miss ;
But of all' pains the greatest pain
It is to love but love in vain.
GOLDSMITH.
WE must here break the thread of our narrative
for a brief space to give some little ex pl anation of terms
which h ave been used in refere n ce to Ma Pyu's social
status. It has alr ea dy been said t hat Ma Pyu was
considered the b elle of the village, a n d it was though t
she s h o ul d be married well. T wo offers of m arriage
were d eclined , the young men were b o th of them mer
'
chant's apprentices, and co uld neither of them speak
English . In Akyab , English s p eaki n g students are
looked upon with much favour by the match-makers.
B ut Ma Pyu ' s " face was her fortune ; " her p are nt s
were not rich, and could not afford to do a c c o rding t o
the custom here, namely, pay the usual . fees and pri
vate expenses of an English s t u dent son-in-law.
EXPLANATIONS.
third offer was from a young g o l d s m i th . In A kyab
t there are not many occupations for young men which
are looked up o n w i th favo u r.
An industrious a n d ho nest gol d s mi th ranks with
an ordinary student.
" Let us take him," (this g ol d s mith) said Ma
" as o u r s on - in -l aw. ' '
Pyu ' s mother to her husband,
" Ma Pyu i s nearly fifteen years o f age a nd accord
ing to our customs this is late for a girl to marry.
Th e young man is said to be good-looking, h e will be
regarded with favour by ou r d au gh ter . "
" I will say not hin g on the subj ec t : mothers are
better j udges i n these matters, so I leave t he cho ice
e ntirely to y o u , " s aid Ma Py u ' s father.
" But if I make the choice it may turn o ut unfor
tunate ; then I shall be blamed," said the mother
anxiously.
" O h ! what can man do against his fa te ; whatever
his Karma pro m p ts he will do, whether good or b ad .
If our daughter's Karma is good, she will get a good
hu sband. Karma is written on our foreheads and
no n e but those who are de s tine d to be husband and
wife can be m a r ried . So rest ass u red I sh all not hold
you responsible, or blame you h o wever it may turn
The out."
46 MA PYU--AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. EXPLANATI O N S . 47

This is the popular idea of Karma, making a m an
a mere m achine, d riven h ither and thither without any
power to resist. But this is an erroneous idea. In the
B uddhist religion , as perhaps in every other, the vulgar
the m asses h ave a h opeless effect upon the mind, para
..
lyzing effort, and producing a deadly lethargy.
Oh ! stir yourselves ; be up a n d doing, use the

belief is rather in what has grown up around the origi powers which you p ossess, to wrestle against evil K ar

nal teaching, than in the teaching itself.

ma, fight manfully against all wrong and you may yet
rise victorious over yo ur Karm a .
The doctrine of Karma here stated, differs fro m
Let us hear what t h e thoughtful an d intelligent
Maung Ch a n Htwan O ung' s exposition o f that great
among us have to s ay, and then we'll consider these
Law, which he affirms can be conquered by man.
m atters for o urselve s .
B uddha taught that the events of this life have
But to return t o t h e conversation between Ma
a moral cause in the former actions of a person, but he
Pyu's parents.
distinctly taught also that Karma is influenced by th e
acts of the present life, and that therefore a m an an, " Well then , " said her mother, " I shall accept
to some extent, b e m aster of his Karma. him , but before I do so formally, I will see him myself

J. and j udge of his appearnce . "

M aung Chan H twan O ung m ay find some sup
A week passed ; o n e evening three young m e n
porters of his views on this doctrine, among the educated "
were walking down t h e Strand road. I n a portico
and thoughtful of the Arakanese, but s uch are few.
overlooking the road were seated three ladies, one of
The mass of the people are still in the dark, and this
whom pointing out the young m an in the middle, said.
idea of K arma continues to conquer, subdue, crush,
and paralyse the people, notwithstanding all the recent " There is your would-be son-in-law."
addresses and efforts of the distinguished. Chan H twan
" If that be he," s aid M a Pyu's mothet, " I am
O ung, the cultured Tun Chan, and other educated and
favourably impressed with his appearance. I think my
thoughtful men, who are trying to rouse their res
d aughter can but have the s ame feeling, " a n d she
ponsibilities.
congratulated herself upon her choice.
O h ! my Arakanese brothers, we are a fallin 0
a race a propitious day
. Astrologers were consulted,
and our d ark v1ews of K arma h ave had much to do in
appointed and Ma Pyu was married to the young gold
making us so. The ideas of Karma pertaining among
smith .
 MA PYU-AN ARAKA N E S E LOVE STORY. EXPLANAT I O N S . 49
----- ---

Altho ugh they were made h usband and wife, for him, never once put on a gay dress to please him ,
th ey were pe rfe ct strangers, neither had ever seen the and m ade it evident that he repelled rather than at
other previously. tracted her, so that at the end of the h on ey mo on , h e

M arriage rites are generally performed at or after was no nearer to h e r than before they had ever s ee n
each other. The young man was very much annoyed,
sunset. B oth wear crowns, the bride' s face is usually
but did not speak of it. He knew he would be terribly
veiled so that the bridegroom does not see her
laughed at and ch affed. He ho p e d a change would
distinctly. The m arriage ceremony occupies about
come over his bride, and that she would at length s mile
two hours, they j oin hands, eat out of the same dish ,
(indicating oneness,) the bride still veiled ; twine is

o him, but alas ! he was doomed to disappoi ntment .
Oh ! wretched h o ney m o on, thou art wrongly named,
wound seven times round them and the table from
th ou art bitter as gall to both bride and bridegroom.
which they eat, making the compact of sevenfold
s t re n gth .
This is performed by a woman . The C ursed be the astrologers who watched the moon,
ceremony over, the bridegroom leaves the bride at v aunting their so called wisdom , but p r o clai m i n g their
once, j oining his friends outside, ret urning to the ignorance. Did they not see by their science that
h ouse after a few hours. M a Pyu could n e ver love that man, whose mouth is
ever filled and whose lips are thickened by, the per
At five o'clock in the morning, h m u st go to the
petual chewing of the betel nut, and leaf, cutch,
Bazaar to buy flowers and sweets for his briQ.e, return "
chunam, and tobacco ?
ing at seven o'clock. At breakfast time they eat from
the same dish. Ma Pyu's m other was wretchedly disappointed i n
her d a u ght e r , b u t persuasions, threats, a n d commands
A rich m an ' s s o n . nowadays does not go to the
were all equally u n av a ili n g . Ma Pyu woul d not eat
Bazaar lhimself, but arranges with flower sellers to
with or have anything to do with her husbal!d.
come to the house, but this plan w ould be considered
quite out of place among the middle or lower ' classes. The result was a divorce, and M a Pyu declined .
to retain a single article which formed p a r t of the
Ma Pyu' s husband went himself daily to the
d owry.
Bazaar. B ut notwithstanding the most assiduous
attentions d u ri ng the whole of the honeymoon, he failed M ere cerei:no n:y cannot link hearts together.
to woo and win her. She never wore a pleasant fac e N either eatin g from the same dish, (indicating oneness)
7
so MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. H OROSCOPES. 51

nor the m y s ti c seve n fol d bi n di ng, could really unite

them, for l o ve binds itself with silken cords of indes
tructable strength, and the ceremony s h o ul d be but the
sign of th e in wa rd o ne ne s s .

Ma P y u ' s parents took shelter u n de r the irresisti CHAPTER V I I .

ble law of Karm a and tried to forget the u n fo rt un ate . H O R O S C O P E S.
coincidence, in t h e career of their lovely daughter.
But now the hand of Fate is on the curtain
Surely such i ncide n t s as these show need for some And gives the scene to light.
DRYDEN.
g
reform in the m arri age customs amon the Arakanese.
0 artless love where the soul moves the tongue,
And only nature speaks what nature thinks.
DRYD EN.

FoR many a century ' Wise men of the East ' h ave
been believed in, and consulted by
al l s orts and con
-
ditions of men fr o m the king throne,
upon his lofty

down t o the h umble peasant in his lowly hut. All
Eastern nations attribute to the position of the s u n in
reference to the stars, to the p l an e t s, to spirits and
such like, a great influence u p on the welfare of man,
in thi s, and in future existences .

These ' Wise men ' a re a p pli ed to in all i m por tant

cases having reference to the pu bl i c welfare, as well as
on special occasions in p ri v at e life, such as marriage ,
and even on matter s of less vital im p ortance, such as
journeyings, etc.

The decisions of the Astrologers, ar e believed to

be the res ult of mathematical calculations, t o gether
 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STO RY. H OROSCOPES. 53

with due ob serva ti o n of the phe n o m en a to be taken J ust a s t o effect a union, scientific men bring to .
i n t o con sideration for t he case in p o i n t . t gether electri c i t i es of an opposite name, so, for two pe r
sons to be united h a p pi l y , t h e y must h ave in them
The exact time of the birth of every Araka n e s e
el ec triciti es that will attract and not repel.
c h i l d i s c arefu l ly recorded, and from this data his nat i
vity is cast, or the relative p osi ti o n of the p l anet s at
Evidently then, at the time of t he betrothal, there
the time of his birth i s fixed . By a cal c u l ati o n of these
m ust have b e e n in M aung E a n d the Pleader's d augh
planetary influen ces, predictions of one' s prospects in
ter, currents o f s imi ar ele ctricity, therefore the astro
l ife can be made. logers in a m anner evi n ci n g some disappointment s ai d,
Whether this p rocess rec o m m e n ds itself, as a science " N o, they cannot be united. "
to the Western mind, is a que s ti o n that does not c on
cern us here. Suffice it to say that the A r akane s e These s ages m ay, h owever b e bribed, and per
firmly believe i n it, and n o t hin g i m p o r ta n t in life is u n suaded to effect a change of el ect ric i ty , by sacrifices to
dertaken without consulting h o r os c o p es . the planets as ([oS)(c;-1)'3ca n) if the parents so desire.

But in the c a s e u n d e r n o tice t h e gr an d mot her of the
Tables of m arr i a ge are em p l o yed to arrive at
girl was against the m arr i age , and the Pleader was to o
a kn o wl e d g e of t h e chances of happiness afforded by
shrewd a m a n t o g o agai n s t a grandmother in matters
certain m atri m o nial alli a n c e s .
of m at ri m o ny . M o ung E ' s mother was possessed of
The h o r o sc o p e s of f.. I oung E and the Pleader' s a strong will, which could not e as i ly brook o p p o s it i o n .
daughter, were th e refore cons ulted, to s e e if t h e u nion She was i n cline d to l o o k upon the contradiction to h e r
would be a desirable one. plans as a n ins ult, which she b o re with cold contempt.

The Ri s his , (holy m en, of o l d , who received

k n o wle d ge supernaturally.) were adep ts in all sciences.
They held that our b od ie s , and indeed all m atter
the face of the earth , is charged with electricity.
The law of el ectrici ty, that bodies el e c tri fi e d posi
ti vel y , attract bodies affected with neg ati ve electricity,
and repel th ose affected with posit ive electri city,
forms an im portant factor in these calculations .
Of c o u rse M aung E was deli gh te d , he got himself
invited to a dinner in M a Py u' s h o use, and s ucceede4
on
in finding her alone for a few minutes when he impart
ed the new s .
" Yes, M a Pyu, we are free ag a i n : my p r ayer s
have been answered, yo u are the only perso n in. all the
wo rld whom I can love. ' '
54 MA PYtJ-AN AR.AKAN ESE LOVE S'l'ORY.
THE FULL MOON OF TASAUNGMON. 55

" You h ave been very go od , and in every orde al

have prove d y o u rs elf faithful to me. I should be glad t'
to have an op p or tu i t n y of pr oving that I am not no

mi n d ful of yo ur love and c o nstancy . "

CHAPTER V I I I .
A vivid bl ush . mantled her face as she i
fi n s hed
T H E FULL M O O N O F TASAUNGMON.
speaking, and she seemed alarmed to have so openly
i
betrayed her feel n gs . This, this has thrown a serpent to my heart
While it o'erflow'd with tenderness , with j oy,
" Oh Ma Pyu , " m urmured M aung E, " heaven Withall the sweetness of exul ting love ;
Now gall is there, and burning poison .
only knows how fondly I love you, h ave I not avowed
TOMSON.
my love for you before, and even witho ut words you
my love.
would know how for ei ghteen months I h ave been
Come live with me and be
MARLOWE.
devoted to you and no other. "
IT will be remem bered that after receiving his
M a Pyu clung to her lover, overcome b y a sense friend Hla Tun's war ni ng note, Maung E, on the even
of happiness : she lifted her eyes to his, and they gazed ing of the same day, saw K y a w Zan Hla stand i n g
at each o ther with the loftiest se nti ment s of affecti o n . . .J.
\
outside Ma Pyu' s house, but
that, i nstead of se eing
He drew her closer, her face in all its loveliness was
l
her come out, as the note had e d him to expect, Nyo

n ar his own, their lips were ab o ut to meet, when foot La Py u c a m e, and j oined Kyaw Zan Hla.
steps were heard a ppro ach i n g . It was M a Pyu ' s
brother-in-law . Although Maung E neve r believed Ma Pyu
favoured that fop, yet he was very much annoyed
M a Pyu quietly d i seng age d herself from the arm of t.hat she should be the subject of g os;; p among certain i
her lover and reti red . Maung E also withdrew, leav of the village c o mm y
u nit , and he believed that he had
ing the h ou s e absorQed in happiness he had never felt to . than k Nyo
I
La Pyu fo r thi s .
before .
He had found out, with the help of Hla Tun, that
Nyo La Pyu had worked up a p ot , m aking Kyaw l
t r
Zan Hla his tool, as the l a t e was of an amiabl e
disposition ; and h e had s ucceeded in sp e ad n g a ru r i
mour that M a Pyu loved Kyaw Zan Hla.

I
 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. THE F U L L MOON OF TASAU NGMON . 57
--- -- --

This he did to avenge himself on Ma P y u , to The d ay fo;ll qwing, was the full mo o n
of T as au ng,
whom he had dared to make overtures, b ut h ad bee n m on . It i s the custom in Arakan fo r the boys and
ve ry s um mari l y re p u l s ed and di s m i s s ed . girls, on th a t night, to p i l fe r and e a t fruit from the
g ard e n s . It is b eli eved that ce r t ain fruits and herbs,
M a u n g E t h ough t the most effectual w ay of stop when plucked and e a t e n on this particular night, h ave
ping the mischief, w oul d be to give N yo La , Pyu a great .medicinal, and ma gic al efficacy.
sound t h r a shin g , so h e watched for an o pp o rtunity
to p i ck a q u ar rel with him . The next ti m e t h ey m et, All t h e boys and girls were o u t r obbi n g their
M a un g E called Ny o La Pyu " N o u kpo , " (one wh o neighbours garde n s , and among them were M a Pyu
persists in flirt i ng with wo men , t h o ugh not encouraged and M a u n g E. Later on, they might have been seen
by them) ; i;h e l at ter t u r n e d sh ar ply r ou n d, an d a repe s e ate d in fro n t of Ma Pyu's h o u s e , un der the bewitch
t i ti o n of the term so e xa s p er a ted him , th at he . flew at ing efful gen c e of the full moon o f T a s a u n g m on , with
M aung E, who was ready for him . thei r b o oty before them .

Nyo La Pyu had his lip split open, and M a un g " We h ave s tr u ck upon a g o o d mine Ma Pyu, "
E re ceive d a severe blow on the chest. said h er c ompanion , " let u s begi n with p ap aya s .
They con t ain s p e c i ai virt u e t o - nig h t , and I h o p e will
M aung E ca ugh t his op p o n ent by the ne c k and g i ve y o u s tren gt h to overcome di ffi c ul tie s and obsta
h u rle d him down with all his fo rce, where he lay cles and accept my offer of m arriage. "
stunned.
" D o not talk so l o ud , t h ey are near us pounding
B ei n g an Arakanese fight, th e matter did not end
chillies for papaya pi ckl e , for we have o nly the green
here. Nyo La Pyu soon g ot up, an d t aki ng a stick
fruit and we c a n n o t eat them s o , " said Ma Pyu quietly.
gave M a un g E a sh ar p blow on the ear.
" Then let us begin with p o m e g ran ates dear, every
Again . they came to cl o s e quarters, and a gain
seed has a m agi c al efficacy , and our years sh a l l be
Maung E thre w Nyo La P yu , and sat on him , dealing
n u mbered by the seeds we e at . "
him blow after blow till the el d ers inte rfe r e d , an d
se p ar ate d them. Nyo La Py u was severely hurt, and H ow happy they we re, e at i n g their fruit together ,
Maung E left him with a w ar ni n g not t o start foolish ba s ki ng in each other's love, the girl in all her b e
gossip again. :itching lovel i n e s s and the yo ung man fathoming the
8

l
 MA P"X'' U"-.AN A:RAKANES E LOVE Sq'ORY.
U NITED IN H E A RT.

secretJ of"hel' lieart, asked, " Dearest. la Pyu, whe n

fear for him. She wo uld listen n o longer: " There is
sllall ou1.1: h a-pp ine s s be perfected: ? "
no pwe (Burmese pl ay) or d i n ne r " she said, " but it

l;3efore any r.eRIY qpt,ll d be made they wP-r.e dis
turbed by the approah of othe r girls, one of whom
remarked; " yo u are sitting, together and talking as if
you were lovers . Now come in, the papaya is re ady .
j ust occurs to me that h emay h av e fallen asleep at the
school : he i s a h e avy sleeper. Two of y o u go to the
school , and. you Pato, " turning to a boy " go to the
house of M a Pyu's mother and ask her whether M aung
E has been there, a nd at what tim e he left . "

Alre ady Ma Pyu's mother had been somewh at

disturbed, fancying, at ti m es that she h eard voices.

Then came Pato, sh o uti n g " M a un g E, M aun g E

are you here,
y our m other is very uneasy about you . "

-t . Ma Pyu?s mother got up, told Pato that Maung E

had' been there on his way to t h e nigh t class early in
1 - .
.. the evening, but t h a t she had not seen him si n ce then,
and; P ato ret u r ne d with this message.

M a P yu ' s mother then went into the room of her

eldest daughter, a n d M a. Pyu and Maung E o ve rheard
a w hi s p e re d convers'ation between t h e tw o . M a Pyu
was very much alarmed, and drew closer to the window,
as if t o seek protection fro m her lover in the impending
danger. M aung E, alth o u gh in some trepidation,
)r would not leave his pos t , but w aited his opportunity
.. te speak to. Ma Pyu ' s mother on the subject which
absorbed his mind.
'' What shaU: ] do ! What can I say to m a -m a I

it -t She will: c001e here I am: sure ( : " said Ma Pyu.

64 MA PYU-AN ARAKAN ESE LOVE STORY.
" Do n o t fear, I ca n n o t go away and leave you, I
will remain and d eclare my l o ve to your mother and
beg h e r to accept rp e without fu rther d elay as her s o n-
i n -l aw . "
" I h ave done a thing unheard o f i n a n Arakanese
fam i ly ; ma-ma will beat me and father will d isow n m e
as a worthless daughter, I fear," said Ma P y u .
" N o , no, th ey s h all n ot say su ch t hing s of you,
y o u shall show them that you h a ve sen s e , p r efe r r i ng
to be in t he c o mp any of one wh o m you know and love,
rather t h a n to live with a str an ge r chosen by them,
wh o was u tterly unworthy of you, and showed of what
stuff h e was m ade when he threatened to take your li fe .
Y ou are showing your fr i e nds th at love is the e ssential
element in m arriage, and t h at where there is no love,
founded o ne ste e m , there can be n o true mariage ! "
\Vith words such as these did M aung E strive to fo rt ify
and encourage his c h o s e n o ne .
. ., .
The dreaded moment arrived.. Ma Pyu ' s m o th er
was heard approaching, h e r. fop tst ep s drew ne arer,
the door was drawn aside, and she stood in the room,
lamp in hand.
" What are you doing, " s he asked in a stern
vo i c e ; then c atch i rtg si ght of M au n g_ E outside, at the
window.
" H ow da re you be up and talking to him at this
hour of th e night1 come h e_re yo na:_u g hty girl, . i hi
_ elope with me. ' '
U N ITED IN HEART .
--- ----
the way you honour your father and !1iother, co me
here di re ct ly . ' "
Ma Pyu's fortitude seemed to leave her, and she
on ly answered by s o b b ing and clinging to her m other's
knees, who , however was very angry a nd g ave her
several blows, then after unceremoniously taking her
o ut of the room, retu rne d , and let Maung E in.
" And n ow M a un g E," sai d Ma Pyu's mother,
.
" what have you to s ay for yourself, wh at do you mean
by s uch conduct, h o w dare you set c ustom at defi ance
and r u n the risk of setting gossips talking about our
d a ughte r ? You have abused the friendship we cherish-
ed for you .'' ,
" No, no, I t r ust our friendship wi ll be cemented
the m o re firmly, because your d a ughter and I are uni
ted in heart."
" You h ave t a ken advantage of fri e nd s hip and have
done us a great wrong," persisted Ma Pyu's mother.
" Please hear me, " urged M a ung E, " and I will
tell you all. For two years I have l ove d your daugh
t e r , and the dearest wish . of my heart is, t h a t I m ay
claim her for my o wn, but I know custom is against
me, a n d to gain your consent , and t h a t of my pare nt s ,
seems j ust as forlorn a h ope as ever. So to night I
came wishing to make an effort to obtain your sanc
tion, and failing th a t, I meant to persuade Ma Pyu to
 U N ITED IN H EART.
66 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY.

. i n g the burning wood and dipping it in the water, the

" Sh ame on you 1\fa u n g E, s ham e on you . ' ' fire we n t out with a hiss.
" P r ay d o not be artgry with me, but I have made
Maung E fe l t t h e solemnity of the oath, it was
up my m ind to marry the girl of my own choice. I if insincere.
death to him ,
h ave done her no wrong fo r she loves me as I love her ;
call her, let her speak for herself, an d if s he bare her " N ow,'' said Ma Pyu's m other " hen cefo rth
heart to yo u , yo u will know I am spe aki ng words of I shall rega rd you as my son -i n - l aw, t o - m o rro w the

.
world shall kn o w that you are to m ar ry M: a Pyu, and

truth. We love each other, and wish to marry no one

else : why may we not c h o o s e for ourselves. If I h ave I wis h you much happines s . ' '

committed a fault please forgive me, and in the l a rge " Go home now, your mo t he r m ust b e gwwing
ness of y o u r heart be our friend and helper, I beg very u neasy abo u t yo u . "
you.''
" Come and see me to-morrow and I w il l arrange
M a Pyu's m other seemed somewhat appeased and matters . "
after a moment's silence, said al most as if s he were
th inking aloud. " I have not h ad time to think of all
this : you once so th o roughly blinded me th at I t h o u gh t
n othi ng m ore of y o u r rep orted attachment to M a Pyu
o r I s h o u l d have interfered e arl ie r. Well , " after
another pause, " I will take you at y o u r word, I will
marry you to her. Now take this oath. " She p lace d
a p i e ce of b u rni n g wood and a cup of water before
M aung E .

" I a m ready to swear anything but wh at am I to

do with this fire and w ate r ? " said M aung E .
. - .
" Say th us, M ay I be dr owne d should I ever hap
pen to travel by water, and m ay I perish as the burn
i ng Wood will when dipped in water, if I am n o t sin
cere." M au ng E did exactly as he was instructed , tak--
 68 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. POSTPON ED. 6g

Uncle related at o nc e how he h ad met M a u ng E h a lf

}.
\
CH APTER X.
POSTPO N E D .
There i s acomfort i n the strength o f love :
' T will make a thing endurable, which else '
Would overset the brain or break the heart.
WORDSWORTH.
MAU N G E was most eager to tell M a Pyu of the
h appy terminatio n of his interview with her mother,
b ut denied himself this pleasure in deference to the
wish of the l at t er , and s e t out, t h ough rel uctantly, for
his own home.
asleep, car rying his b o oks , and co m pelled his m o the r
to confess that his explanation of M aung E ' s absence
was correct.
Whe n M a u n g E awoke , the sun was shining
brightly, his mind was co n fu sed , and h i s he ad ached ,
owing to excitement and want of sleep . He gradually
realized all that had transpired, and after some reflec
tion took his pocket book and wrot e . " M arried, N o
vember z oth, r S S r . " M aung E regar d ed the pro
mise as binding as the ceremony. Then a s soon as
his t o i l e t was completed he hurried off to see M a Pyu . .
B ut her m other met Maung E fi rs t , and signified
her wish to h ave s o m e further conversation with him .

He went down - Street so as to intercept the " Son," she began, " did any of your people s u s
party who were on their way to the High School. pe ct that you were here last night"? "

Maung E see in g two people with a la n ter n , called " N o," replied M a un g E, " Pato m ay have h is
out i n a sle epy voice. suspicions, the others all think I was at the school ,
b ut there is no rea s o n why t hey should not know
" H o ! Uncle, whither are y ou going ? "
eve rythin g to-day . "
" M a u ng E , i s that you ! You have j ust re t urned
from the school ; a ye, I said we sho uld find 'lt so, but " Listen my son, " s he said speaking very seriously,
your m o th er doubted me. you are of the stronger sex, and in an affair like the
Come, yo u are walking in
your sleep nephew . " p re se nt , you m e n lose nothing, but it is t he women
"
who suffer, whose reputation is at stake . N ow, as
" Maung E s ai d nothing, and at home he was you say, no one knows you we re here last night, let
saved the necessity of saying a nythi n g fur ther , for his the seal of silence re st u po n your lips till de ath , and I
.l
7o MA PYU-AN ARA KANESE LOVE STO RY .
POSTPONED. 7I

will see that my d augh ter observes the same secrecy

+ " Then stay, a n d wi t hi n sev e n days n u p ti al rites
i n the m atter . " t
shall be performed. Ma Pyu's fat h er will be in by
These words cut M au n g E t o the heart. He did
th at ti me . "
not e x pe c t such tne atm e nt , and had c o me ho pin g to
hasten the n u ptial c ere m o ny , t h ou gh he s ca r c el y knew " But," said M au n g E, " I a m going t o Ran go o n

how it could all be arr a n ged , but de p en d e d on the pro

the day a fter to-m orrow, to sit for the Entrance
mise of M a Pyu' s mother " to arran ge everything. "
Examination there, I shall b e away three weeks ."

The disappointm ent was great, and m o st un expected .

" No yo u cannot go," she s ter n ly re pl ied, " that I
" N o, no, " stammered Maung E, t h a t is not po s can n o t permit. What ! b efo r e you have been b et r o thed
sible . I rega r d her as my wife, and am anxious t o three d ay s you will go to a dis t a nt town ! t h e n by the
p r o clai m the fact. How can I b ea r to see M a Pyu ti m e you r et urn your parents will h ave influenced you
agai n under s uch circumstances ; it would b re ak my again s t the marriage, and you wil l not have the cour
he ar t , I c an n ot live without her . " Here he broke age t o come to my ho u se, and then what will the
down completely sobbing like a child . ..2: world say of us ! "

Love, s ays a di s ti n g ui s h ed writer, is so ve ry subtle " And," she c on tinu e d " now my ultim atum ,
an essence, su c h a n i nd efin a bl e m al aphysi cal marvel either go to Rangoon and be wed d e d on your ret u rn,
that its d u e force thOugh very c r uelly felt by the sufferer or stay with us at once and g i ve up your matricu
himself is never clearly understood by th o se who look lation . "
on at his torment and only w o n d er wh y h e take s t h e
" I will both take M a Pyu, and go t o Rangoon,
fe ve r s o b adly .
if you please . "
Ma Py u ' s mother was much moved to see M aung
E's grief.
S h e h e sit at ed, and ung E ven t u red t o hope he
h ad won the day.
" Oh son, for g ive me if I see m harsh, I love y o u
as my own son . I will give in, and face all the gossip The lege nd of the Thu-won-ru presented itself to
in the world, yo u shall be my son-in-law at once." his m i n d , where to the blind parents Th a - gya - m in gyi
(King Thagya) s ai d " Either your dead child shall be
" I have con si dered myself in t h at light sin ce last
restored to life, or you shall recove r your eyesight and
night, whe n I t o o k that terrible o ath , " said our hero.
receive a vase of gold. "
 MA PY U -AN ARAKANESE LOVE STO RY. P OSTPON E D . 73

" Oh, replie d the p are nts , we want our d e a d chil d one to whom she could look i n trouble, was l e avin g
restored to life, o u r eyes to be opened, a nd not to lose her. Poor M a Pyu, she was very very sad, her eye s
the. vase of gold ! " were fullof tears, but she turned to M aung E and said,
- ......'

" go, go ; I see how it i s , yo u a r e b egi n nin g to hate

Yes
But t h e n ex t instant Maung E's heart s a n k wi t hi n
me already because I am too e asily wo n, go and never
h i m , M a Py u ' s mo th e r was nof as kind as t he Tha
return to me again.
gya-myin gyi, wh o bestowed the t r i ple blessing on his
' su p pli a n ts . " H ate you, my d arli ng ! O h , by your s acred
image, never menti o n that word a gain . "
" Oh no," said she, " that c an no t be ; N ow n ot
(M:fung E said " your im age" for he h a d his
ano t h e r word, you h a d better go to Ran g oon, your
doubts a b o u t worshipping i mages himself.) ". As to
prospects i n life sh o ul d not be marred . Take my
your b ei n g e a si ly won" he continued, " it does not
word of honour, M a Pyu is yours as soon a s you
s e e m t o me as if that i s th e case. I have been wooing
ret u r n . " S o s aying, she got up a n d went away .
you for full y two years now." Then he drew her to
M aung E at o n c e so u ght and found M a Py u , and him s aying " Dearest, do you not k'how that I ca nnot
very te n derly told her he' must go to R a n goon in two live without . you ? "
d ays. '' Oh yes , I kn o w it, and I do not want you to g o

" I shall be back pro babl y within a fo rt n ight. " to Rangoon, " she exclaimed.
Then he offere d her a c o upl e of t en rupee n ot es for " B ut I am goin g for your sake dear, and for our
p oc ke t money, in hi s absence. Ma Pyu snatched the future h ap p i n e ss , and not for my o w n pleasure," he
n o tes h as t il y and t h re w them on the floor, saying I d o replied.
not want your money, a n d givi n g h i m a s m ar t s l a p " Yes, I kn ow , and ,;vill pray for yoqr health and

told him to " be off." s u ccess . "

M a Pyu was very u n h a ppy , poor little thing ! " What shall I bri ng you from Rangoon ? 1 '

She dared n o t look her family in t he face, because in .

" Bri n g m e , Shwe Mhin, Thanal,m s, petal dust,

m a ki n g her own choice of a h u sband she had set cus s cented soap, artificial flowers , &c . , &c . "
tom asi d e , and done what was d eem e d a disgraceful Here foll o wda l o n g l i s t a n d many directions an d
thing. She wondered wh at her father would say to expl a n ations as to what she wa n ted , then after little
her betrothal, on his return from th e District, and the . more chat , the lovers separated . .

lO
 THE TYRANT C U STOM. 75
MA PYU--AN ARAKAN ESE LOVE STORY.
74

all the gr and e ur connected with such an i m porta nt

i t
occasion. B ut h e well knew there was one who in her
loneliness, was anxiously awaiting his return, and he
was equally desirous of b ei n g with her.

" - - - - t h e silken tie

CHAPTER XI .
Which heart to heart, and mind to mind
T H E TYRAN T C U STO M . In body and in soul can bind . "

B y education most have been misled,
So they believed because they so were bred ;1
The Priest continues what the nurse began,
And so the child is father to th e man,
BACON.
THE e xa m i nation was over. The time fixed for
Lord Ripon's visit to B urma was at hand. Different
c o m m un i tie s in t h e city of Ra n go o n were b u sy m ak
ing ar r ange m e nt s for th e re c ept io n of the Viceroy.
Large p and al s , decorated in the richest , styl e , were in
cou rs e of construction .
Officials and N on-officials from different parts of ,
Bu r m a were flo cki n g into the M etr o poli s . H an pwes
Yein pwes , a nd sta ge pl ay s wer e bei n g arranged in
was stronger than all the te mptin g allurements of the
h o l i d a y city, so he l o st no time i n l e aving Rangoon be
hind him .
N either did he forget Ma Pyu ' s com m 1 s s 1 o n , but
a dde d other attractive things to the list s h e g ave h im .
M a ung E's p os itio n in th e house of Ma P y u ' s pa
rents was decidedly altered n o w ; before, he h ad bee n
al lowed to run in and out as a b oy, but now he was
regarded in a diffe r ent li ght . Tr ue h e might come and
go as he pl ea se d , and was looked upon, som e th ing in
the light of a son-in-law, b u t every member of the
household seemed to look a s k a n ce at him , and all
t re ated him with a re s erve that was a nyt hin g but

h o n o ur of th is un usual event In fact e very one in the
city seemed to forget the d aily routine of life in prepa
ration for the co m i n g festivities, and all we r e on the
ti p - t o e of expectation.
What wonder if Maung E should be c a u ght in
the whirlwind of exci teme nt and embrace this ra re
op portunity of wel coming the Viceroy, and w itnesi ng
reassuring.
My Arakanese readers well know that in an Ara
kanese family, the parents m aint ain a rathe r cold de
meaner to th eir son-in-law. They seldom s p eak to h i m
dire c tly , and do no t call him by h i s nam e, but a c co rd
ing to their d a ughter ' s name, as Ma Pyu ' s husb an d ,
M oung Th a ' s husband and so o n .
 STORY.
MA PYU -AN ARAI<AN E S E LOVE T H TYRANT C U STO M .
77
------ - - - ---- ------- --- ---

If there are elder sisters in the house they a r e gen Jv " B ut wh a t ? " ej aculated o u r hero, su r p r i sed a nd

annoye d to be met with that unw e lc o me

I

erally enemies to the younger m a rrie d ones . Maung and undesira

E could n o more j o ke and c h a t with Ma Pyu . ble st umbling block.

All the Ar a k a nese of the ol d schoo l , and m o s t of " I t is imp ossible that you should be married
those of the prese n t d ay, re g a r d it as improper and directly, you must wait another mont h or so. "

c hi l d is h for a h u sb and to greet his wife in the presence

She then pr o c e e ded t o explai n to him that t h e re
of. others, even with a simple '' How a re you ? " were famil y reasons why the m a rr i ge should be
It m ay be mentioned here th at an elderly Araka delayed.
nese Myook (Ma g istrate) who h ad been away for five
M aung E fai l ed to see that the reason was s uffici
years and returning home was welcomed by n u m e rous
ent.
friends and relatives, did not enquire for h i s wi fe for
fully six hours after his a rriv a l ! H ard hearted fellow " B ut you know, " said Ma Pyu's m other, " it is
he is. not customary under such circumstances, and it is im
pos sible for us to go against custom . "
S urrounded by so many prej u d i c es , our hero h ad
t o be c o nt ent with j ust as k in g Ma Pyu if she h a d the There was no alternative for M aun g E a nd M a

t h ings she wanted, and was about to spri nide a li ttle Py u , they must wa i t for King Custom.
choi ce scent over her, when he r mother interrupted, " This cursed custom , " said M a u n g E, " d o gs our
call i ng him aside to h ave a l i t tle convers ation with h i m . step s and thwarts all o u r plans, we are tied hand and
She t o l d him they w e r e a l l glad he h a d r e t urned in foo t t o the Ty ra n t , and seem powerl es s to break the
health , and then enquired about the examinatio n .
chains that bind u s . "
M au n g E told her he thought he should pass.
Oh my Arakanese b r oth er s , t here are many among
M a P yu ' s m other assured him of t h e fam ily's you who are advocating fem al e education, count me as
kindly feeling towards him, and said that they regarded one of your number, but let us fi rst loosen th e iron
him as a good m atch for t he i r daugh ter, adding that b ands of this a c u rse d custo m , wh ose grip is s o h ard
she was s ure that their dest i n i es were cast together, upon us. We chafe under its bondage, as sl ave s chafe
and, that t h e umon would be a happy o n e but- their heavy chains, yet g o on from
and fret a g ainst
( ::fl 'Poac) generation to generation h a nding it down to posterity.
- - - - ,_ __ _ -- " ' . - - - - ----- - . . .... . -- - -- " "' " ' "'

MA PYU- AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY.

FATE. 79

Is t h e re no r ay of hope for t h e future ! are our

children and our childrens' chil dre n to be bound by th e
same chains that have burdened and harassed us ! Shall
we not do better to c onside r wisely and carefully fo r
ourselves what is right and honourable, letting it be ou r
c u st o m to observe and do whatsoever things a r e pure CHAPTER XII.
and good and right .
FATE.
M a Pyu ' s m other continued, " you m ay come to Fate steals along with ceaseless tread,
t h e h ouse as usual, as often as you please, b ut take And meets us oft when least we dread ;
care not to let others s us p ect that y o u and M a P y u are
Frowns in the storm with threatening brow,
Yet in the sunshine strikes the blow.
more than o r di nary acquaintances. Do not seek priv ate
COWPER.
interviews with her . "
MAUNG E was stil l a fre quent visitor at M a Pyu's
Let i t appear, when you are married, that I am house and often saw her, t h ough not alone. This was
taken q uite by surprise, do not allow it to be th ough t very hard for the young people, as they were l o ng
that I have en c o u raged you to set custom at defiance ing to dis cus s present and future pl ans with each
in this way . " other.
Maung E went away ve ry sad, b u t what could he
M aung E u s ed at times to think rather anxiously
do b u t ac q uies c e in this decision.
about t he future . Al t ho ugh he felt almost s ure of
being successful in his examination ; he was desirous
of being able to support him self by his own labour ,
instead of foll owing the example of so many
Arakanese, who marry when m ere b oys, and are taken
int o the family of their wives like pensi o ners , livi ng on
the charity of their mothers-in-law, till their education
is co mpleted , and they can get some em ployment ,
which employment is often in the far distance, for
boys are married so , young that, frequently, they re
main at school years after their marriage.
8o MA PY U --AN ARAKA N E S E L O V E STORY. FATE. 8r

Sometimes what promised to be a brilliant career,

+ For instan ce i f a man is o p pr e s se d , a n d his per
i s nipped in the bud by an ea rly marriage which utter secutor prospers in the world, the sufferer, if he beli ev e d
ly distracts the boy ' s mind from his study. in Fate, wo uld t h i nk ' th i s was pre - ord ain ed , I must
s ub:n it ; ' and he would try t o rectify the bal a n c e of
Then also he is removed from the restra int of his
j ustice by a ss um i n g a r es ult beyond what he see s in
own home and is not always amenable to direction or
the dar k n ess of the future .
control in the new o ne .
If he believed in Karma he would think, ' this is
M aung E h ad a scholarship which defrayed the my own doing, I mus t bear no m alice,' and would try
cost of his school books, and fees , but this of course to rectify the balance of j ustice by assuming a c a u se,
did not m ake him altogether i n d epe n d e n t . Ma Pyu beyond what he sees in the darkness of the post.
understood, and e ntered into M aung E ' s anxiety to pay It was pre -o r d aine d that t he lovers must be sepa
his own way in the world, and besides that, was t o o rated.
g o o d and m o de s t to say o ne word to h asten t h e mar
ri a ge . . She trusted ivi aung E im plicitly, and felt com Maung E received. a tele g ram , " you are appoin

forted b y the. thought that they were one l.n heart . ted to a S cholarship, pro c ee d at o nce to--and report

yourself to the Principal . "

M aung E had m ade up his mind long before h e
went to .Rangoon that, as soon as possible, h e would
get employment, of course hoping it would be found
near home ; b ut D ame Fate had willed
S c an n i ng the message Maung E congratulate d
himself on h i s good fortune in being a pp oi n ted to a
special scholarship , so soon after the M atriculation
it otherwi s e .
Examinatic;m.

F ate a n d Karma a r e not the s a m e . T h e distinc " This is gra nd I shall not be a Karani (clerk)
,
tion is bea uti fu l ly drawn by Rhys D avids, who says the hanging on to a sorry pitt ance _of Rs. 30 a month" ris
doctrine Kar m a finds a moral cause for the effects it . ing to Rs . 40 in five ye ars . N ow I shall be able to
seeks to e x plai n , but Fate is an interrupti on to this law. make my mother happy and have something with
Both depend on a perception of the fact that happiness which to help others." Indeed he was very h ap py.
and misery in this life are apportioned with an utter But the next instant, a cloud gathered ove his bright
disregard of the . moral qualities of men, ac c o rding to face, . and poor M au n g E felt t hat in this world j oy and
the current notions of g ood and bad . sorrow often go hand in h and. Ma Pyu's image rose
II
 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. FA'l'B .

before his i m agi nati o n , and notwithst anding his forti

Th e D eity 1;e m a in s the s am e , but the conceptions
tu d e he felt a ch okin g sensation in his throat.
ofthat Deity are vari o u s .
He, however, overcam e hi s feelin g s , and h urrie d Ma u n g Chan Htwan Aung's indentification of
to i m p a rt the happy ti din gs to his mother . He knew N irvana with G od, cl e a rly explains the B uddhi st heart
that while she would certain ly rej oi c e in the good n wors h i p .
ews
she a s c.ertainly would feel sad at th e prospe ct of being
M a u n g E's M other c o ntinue d , " Y o u are a go d
se pa r a te d from her only s o n . M a u n g E considered and dutiful s o n , Ish al l miss you very m u ch but I wtll
th ere fo re h ow best to tell her about it. He
said " M a not let my fe el ings mar y o ur prospects in life. Go my
ma, kn o win g how m uch that fire which consu
med ou r son and do your best," and s h e wept with mingled
prop e rty h as im p o veri sh e d us, and
th at you can feelings of j oy an d gri ef.
not afford to pay for my h i gh e r educa
tion, I a p p l i ed ,
with o ut c o n s u lting yo u, fo r a s p e cial schol The fo ll owi n g day every n e ighb o ur knew that
arshi p. "r h ave
just received a tele gr a m to say it is given me. A eek M a u n g E wa s soon to le ave home for a C o lle ge course .
h en c e I m u st leave A kyab , to join
the Colle ge, you As soon as he h ad told his mother:, he went to M a
w i ll not bla me me M a - m a ? " Pyu' s h o use to tell the news there. Ma Pyu heard the
ti di ng s a pp a ren tly with indifference, se e mi g not to
" You are a good b oy , my son, m ay God
bless you."
care ; this is ch ara cte r i s t i c of Arakanese gtrl s -they
Some reade rs m ay be surpr ised that M aung will never, li ke their B urmese c o u s i ns , fret in th e pre
. E's
m other shou ld m ake use of such an sence of others.
expressi o n, when
s h e was a staun ch B uddh ist in the
p o p ul ar sense of the N evertheless, Maung E knew perfectly t h at at
wo rd.
heart Ma Pyu was sorely grieved.
But after all it need n o t be a matt
er of Sl..J. rprise, O h how he longed for a few moments with her,
rel i gi o n is a thi n g of th e heart and
not of t h e head . that h e might hear from h er own lips, an e xpres sio n
'W_h ateve r the natio nality, sect or creed my l:Je, wor of h er feelings in the matter.
s hip wells up in the heart invol untar
ily, as a s pri n g
Even a husband must not address his wife in the
bubbl es up o ut of the earth , and a De
ity .evolved from
presence of h e r mother, except upon the most o rdin ary
one's own I deal , which Ideal is influe n ced
by his or her
and com mo nplace subj ects, how m uch more then ,
n at u re and environme nt,
... must lovers keep silence !
 MA PYU -AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY,
The next day M aung E wrote a note which be got
a little boy to carry to Ma Pyu . It ran as follows :-
--....
" Dearest, l ast night I called purposely to see
you alone, but it seemed as if your mother was deter
mined not to leave us . I cannot tell you of my heart's
yearning towards you yesterday, in the presence of
your mother and sister. Will you let ll'e speak to you
privately for a little while dear ?
Your own,
MAUNG E."
Before s unset he received an answer. " I cannot
fi nd words to express my grief, my heart is breaking,
your name alone is inscribed there.
To-morrow night at ten o'clock. Knock at the
back door. 'IVe have a guest to-night . "
P unctual t o t h e moment, M aung E stood a t the
door, and the lovers once more were free t o speak.
B ut at first words failed, and only suppressed sobs
broke the silence for awhile. It was Ma Pyu who
spoke first.
' ' I have a presentiment of some evil, I think you
are leaving m e for ever, I see a cruel world before me."
" By n o means dear, I shall not be aw ay long,
try and conquer your presentiment of evil. By the
1 5thof August, vacation begins and I shall be in
Akyab for two a n d a h alf months .
FATE. ss
My intention is that our marriage sh all be a pub
1' - lic one, and not one hidden up as if it is s omething
wrong. Such a marriage is beneath you. My mother
must consent to the union . an d I shall be, by the time
I come b ack, independent ."
" D o you think your m other will ever agree to
o ur union ? " enquired Ma Pyu in tremulous tones.
" Oh yes, she m ust, or I never will marry at all,
she will assuredly not allow me go un m a r ri ed , and so
will have no choice but to consent . "
Then he drew her nearer to h i m s aying, " you
h ave to s uffer so much fo r may sake, and our marriage
has to be put off so many times, do you repent being
betrothed to me dearest ? "
" Oh n o , I would not undo what is do n e ifl could,
my mind is constantly dwelling on it, I recall the past
and live it over again in imagination, from that even
ing at s unset when I first saw you . Oh ! ;t\faun g E
how can I bear to part with you, I am frightened to
think of the uncertainty of the fu'ture , " an d she sobbed
again .
He comforted her with all the tenderest and most
reassuring words at his command, and then they took
an affectionate farewell of each other, and Ma ung E
went away.
- 86 MA PYU -AN ARAKANESE ' LOVE STO RY . MAU N G . SEIN. 87

Fortune favoure d h i m with an appoint ment in a

merchant's office, and findi n g himself a big man ! he
was inclined to be so rn.t w hat ostentati ous. B ut as
CHAPTER XI I I . s oon as he began to show off, it happened that he
came in contact with ' another, who thought him self to
M A U N G S E I N .
be a still bigger man ; as a natural consequenc e there
The best laid schemes o'ice and men, was friction, and the end of it was, that M a ung Sein
Gaung aft a gley ;
received a good thrashing.
And leave us nau ght but grief and pain
.
For promised joy. Ma Bein, M aung Sein' s wife, was a smart look
BURNS.
ing woman of about twenty, dark and tall. They had
LET u s leave o ur hero for a short sp ace , deep in one child.
his C ollege persuits, though not so engrossed as to There was n o concord between husband and wife,
forget his loved one ; e was lo oking forward an:r i ous the j arring was perpetual .Maung Sein was " hen
ly to the time when they could be c nstan ly m he? pecked." He had for many years lived o n the b ounty
society of each other ; while our herome waited qmet of his wife's parents, arid whenever , he showed any
ly at home, with all her thoughts centred on her lover, disposition to assert himself as lord and master, Ma
counting the days when he would return to Akyab.
Bein would h url the taunt at him, " my parents rice
We will now, with the kind permission . of our m ay be felt in yo1.,1r throat yet . " She had no respect
readers, visit another p art of Akyab town , and intro.: for him . To m ake matters worse he was a spend-thrift,
duce M aung Sein and his family to them. and she had . o C:OI+Jrive to earn money for herself and
.
' chil dren .
Maung Sein was a man of about twenty six years
of age, tall and fair, with a high forehead , heavy M aung Sein had often thought of the expediency
eyebrows, and a slight moustache, wh o walked with of for his child held him back from
a divorce, but love
measured gait and head a little sent. He wore coats tang s uch a serious step.
cut, and had rather a stylish bearing. He would some
One evening after dinner, M aung Sein might
times fancy he was more of an English man than
have;! been seen paci ng to a d fro in the portico of his
an Arakanese ! His little knowledg e of English,
helped to fostr this i dea.
house. He appeared to be in anyhing but a h appy
 ------

MAU N G SEI N . 8g
88 MA PYU-AN ARAKA NESE LOVE STORY .

" I mean precisely wh at I say, " rej oined her

mood. Sudden ly an idea seemed to s trike him , he
husband.
threw himself into an easy chair and became absorbed
i n dee p tho u gh t . " Ah ! you hypocrite, y o u are head and e ars in
d eb t , yo u ever bri n g a pice home and s pe nd yo u r pay
His wife was rolling up a ci gar , and appare ntly b efore 1t .
1 s due. You are fed with what I e a rn ,
e ngr o sse d in her work . but a keen observer might and yet you lnd fault with my doings ! it is no c on c e rn
h ave noted that in reality, she was intently w atchi n g of yours how I earn my m o n ey. Leave me alone. Do
her husband , and wo n derin g wh at he was thi nki n g of. you know th at you are de alin g with Ma Bein ? I do
Presently s he rose, slowly app r o a c h ed and t ouch ed not are a wh it for you . " So s ayi ng she spat on him !
hi m on the sho ul d er . He started, as if a wake ne tl from
" By heaven, M a B ein, I wil l strike you ! "
a dre am , a nd h a st ily said .

" Y o u c owa rd ! try it, if you d a re' I will make you

" H ow you did frig h te n me Ma B ei n ! "
' \ lick t h e d u s t . "
" What sort of h u m ou r are you in ? W h at are
This was m o re than M a u n g Sein could b e ar , and
you thinking ab o ut ? " " Why sh o u ld I tell you of
he s truc k his wife in t he face . She flew at him like
what I am thinking " sai d M aung Sein, in no mood to a wild animal, and he, stepping backwards, slipped on
be t rifle d wit h. th tob acco basket, nd
fel l . Ma B ein immediately
placed her foot on h1m, an d snatching the scissors
" Why ! a m I n ot your wife, and the m other of
much confidence be
from the basket, declared she would stab him.
your child, and is th e re not so
twee n us as to entitle me to e n quire what are your But at that moment Ma B ein's mother r u shed in
thoughts ? " asked Ma B ein in anger. and shouted, " help ! h el p ! what is the m atte r ? " a n ct
wrenched the s cis sors from h e r daughter's hand.
'' Ma Bein " answered her husband, " I tell yo u
M aung Se i n sprang to his feet , and adj usting his
it is n o t because I love you, but because my- destiny is
clo : hes , ran out of the h o u se. Within a week M a un g
bound up wi th yours, that I am co mpelle d to live
Sem and Ma Bein were divo rced .
wit h you. You are not like a wife to me,
you are
tigress. " " Indeed ! do you mean what you say ? " Several m nths elapsed , but there was no sign of
.
asked Ma Bein, bu rning with r age .
.
t: the quarrel bemg made up. Maung Sein, over and
12
go MA PYU--AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. THE BUDDH IST LENT. 9!

over agai n s ol e m nly swore to his rel ative s an d frie n d s ,

that he would never ag ain return to Ma Bein.

Maung Sein now be gan to l ook about for a new

wife, and being a merchant's cle rk , r eceivin g a salary
,
of Rs. 50 a m o n th he was pretty sur, of fi nd i n g a CHAPTER XIV.
gi rl of considerable s o cial st an ding sooner or l ater . 'H E B U D D H I ST LEN T.

Of all the actions of a man's life, his marriage does least concern
other p eople ; yet of all actionsof our life it is most meddled with by
other people.
SELDON,

" WA," or B uddhi st Lent, lasts for abo ut th ree

months, it be gi ns at the full m oo n of Waso ( July ) and
ends on the full moon of Thadingyut ( O ctober ) .

D uri n g that time, m ar riages are neither a rr a n ge d ,

nor celebrated. If statistics were collected, it wo ul d
,
be found t h at in the town of Akyab mo re m ar ri a ges
are celebrate d in tfie first half of the month c alle d
Waso, which immediately precedes the begi n ni n g of
the B uddhist L ent , th an du ri ng the nine months that
the people are free to marry.

Gautama B uddha taught men that family life was

an inj urious fetter, which the wise man will do well
not to enter. After his teachi ng had been the rule and
':j.
guide of th e true Buddhist for about a t h o us and years,
it wa s seen that there was l i ttle written for the help
and guidance of h e ads of families ; and B uddh aghosa,
and Dharmapala, recognising the imp o rtant s of the
 MA P Y U --AN ARAKANESE LOVE STO RY . T H E B U D D H IST LEN 'I' .
93

p o s iti o n these held, a n d th e wi d e in fl u ence they poss " There .is no time to lo se, " said Ma Pyu's mo
essed, drew up a c o de of m o r als for th e i r direction, ther to he r husband." This young ma:n knows En
and d i sci p li ne . glish, is e m pl o ye d in a European Firm , and is getting
a very fair salary ."
A m o n g the rules laid down for B uddhists , t h ey
are strictly enj oined to abstain from all..... i ntoxicating She t h e n u m e r ate d all the recommendatory
b ever age s . Even tho s e wh o are in the hlt i t of break qualities he possessed, or r ath er that report said he
ing this r ule , as Lent ap p r o a c h e s , make solemn p o s s e s s ed , for she did not kn ow him herself.
vows to refrain altogether during that ti m e , tho u g h it
must be owned that generally to fortify themselves, for The writer of t h i s simple story, cannot lose thi s

the co m i n g weeks of self de nial , th e y take double the opp ort u n i ty of remarking that h e ars ay plays an im
usual qua ntity . portant part in the s o c ial , as well as i n the pu b li c life
of the people. Often a s li gh t rumour , which may be
Any b et ro tha l s or we d di ngs thatmay be in p rosp e c t h a r dly more than a surmise, j ust mentioned in confi
are sure to be hurried on to co m p let i on, and parents den ce to a friend; b ut p as s e d from mouth to mouth,
and fri en d s are bu s y p u s h i n g forward these m atters . assumes p r o po rti o n s undreamt of when first sta r ted ,
The ol d adage " M arry i n haste, and repent .at l e i s ur e " a n d . past recognition by the originator. The tale
i s verified in many cases . of the three bl a ck crows 1s enacted over an d over
It will be remembered th at when Ma Pyu and again .

M au n g E we re taking leave of each other, prior to his

Akyab gossip has been al re ady referred to in these.
departure for Rangoon , M a Pyu t ol d him s he had a .
pages, as productive of m u c h evil. Sometimes an
presentim ent of coming evil, and that she was full of
al t oget h er gr oun dl e s s report with a little s t i n g in i t , is
apprehension as to what might happen during his
f i rst whispered hesitatingly , or interrogatively, in offi
absence, to separate them : Her fe a r s pr ove d any
ci al life ; being rep e ate d , the . venom g r o ws as it circu
thl.ng but gr ou nd le s s for s h e was betrothed in the first
l ate s, and the b re at h of slander blights the characte r
week: of Waso , leaving scarcely ten days in which to
perhaps, of some who are upright and bl am el e s s, and
m ake the necessary eriq uiries. and final arrangements.
i rrep ar a ble evil is d o ne , and one i s led to exclaim
The s u i to r for her hand was none other than the " B ehold how grea t a matter a little fire kindleth. "
conceited M au n g Sein ! A l i ttle more reluctance to ci r c ul ate a n evi l report,
 94 MA PYU-AN ARAKAN ESE LOVE STORY.
'fHE BUDDH LST LENT. 95

and a little mo re charity in our j udg me nt of the

to Ma B ein . He is, I am told, proclaiming to the
actions of others, would nip the p o i s o ned falsehood
worid, all the dar k side of his wife' s ch a r a cte r . He i s
in the bud, and smooth many a rough path.
nev er likely to be M a Bein' s husband again ."
But this is a dig re s si on . To continue the conver M a Pyu' s father was on the point of att emp ti n g to
sation .between M a Pyu' s parents . Afte r M a Pyu' s ove r r ule his }Vife's plans, b ut the th o ught of " Karma "
m o ther had finished extolling Maung Seit!, her fathe r
arrested his mind. He thought to himself " What is
re plied, " I do not think she would have him ; did y o u th e use of fighting again s t Karma ? Is it not written
n!lt give me to understand that she is pro mi se d to what shall be. Karma must rule, and we ar e power
young Maung E, and if so, i s it fair to give her to less." He was a me rch ant and tra de d a little, so he
another ?" " N ot have him .! " exclaimed, Ma Pyu' s
left Akyab for R a n go o n , and his d au ght er ' s future in
moth e r . "Do you m e an to say that Ma Pyu will the hands of her mother. Before leaving he s aid to
never b e willing t o take any o ne e x ce p t M au ng E ! h is wife.
Let us h o p e that nonsense is all over now, and that
she thinks noth in g more of Maung E. I d a resay he " I hold yo u responsible that 'M a Pyu is properly
has forgotten all a b o u t h e r before now, a n d s u p pos e married ,"

he ,has not, he is not in a po s iti o n to m arry yet , and Not o bt ai ni ng the full consent o her husband and
we cannot allow our d augh te r to be waiting for a n in shri nking from taking the whole responsibility u p on
definite pe ri od : al re ady she is older than most Ara herself, Ma Pyu's mother resolved to call a co u ncil of
ane s e girls are wh en they m arry." marriage. Women of the n e i ghb o urh ood were called
together. First, kunya (betel-leaf, nut, lime and cutch)
" There is. an old sayi ng, ' Look be fore you le ap . '
was handed ro und , an d then the s ubject for discussion
We sh o uld never do t hi ngs with u ns e e mly haste. We
was unfolded. The council u n anim o usly voted for
m us t act with due caution. Do you remember
the marriage.
that M aun g Sein has been married befo re , and that he
has a child ? " The bet r oth al was ratified, and it was decided
that poor M a Pyu should be married j ust two days
" Oh yes, I know all about it, but yo u m ay res t before the B ud d h i s t Lent began .
assured there will be no trouble on that score. I am
informed on good authority that he will never return
g6 MA PYU-AN A RAKANESE LOVE STORY. A CRISIS. 97

the credit of the Arakanese that at least half the

University graduates in B urma, are :qatives of A kyab,
CHAPTER XV. and the only candidate who h as gained the M aster of
Arts degree in Burma, up to the present time, is an
A C RI S I S .
A rakanes e .
- - let her m ak e herself h e r own
To give or keep, to live and l e a rn and be
g
There is hardly any indi enous school worth the
All that not harms distin ctive womanhood, name in Kyaukpyu . I n Sandoway district there is
For woman is not undevelopt man one where on ly boys are taught. I n Akyab, the chief
But d ive rse : could we make her as the man,
town of Arakan, there are a few schools, in only two
Sweet love we re slain ; his dear est bond is this

Not li)<e to like, but like in difference, of which, girls are taught.
Yet in t he long ye a rs liker m ust t hey grow ;
The mass of the people are set again st giving
The man be mo re of w o man , she of man ;
their daughters even a Primary education, therefore it
He gain in sweetness and in moral heigh t ,
N o r l o s e t h e wrestling the w s t?)at brow t h e wo rl d is little to be won dered at, that Mauug Chan Htwan
She mental b read t h , nor fail in chil dward care O ung's r ecently p u blished educational scheme i nstead
the childlike in the larger mind ;
of being supported, is opposed, and even ridiculed by
Nor lose
Till at the last she set hersel f to man
some.
Like perfect music unto noble words ;
And so these twai n, upon t h e ski rts of Time,
" Why, " reason the more intelligent of the people
S i t side by side, full-summ'd in all their powers,
Dispensing harvest, sowing t h e To-be,
" why should we educate our daughters ! Our mo
Self-reverent each and reverencing each, thers, grandmothers, aunts, grand-aunts, never knew
Distinct in individualities , how to read and write, and yet were h appy in their
But like each other ev'n as those who love.
Then comes the statelier Eden back to men ;
d o m estic life . If girls are educated they will be writ
Then reign the wo r l d' s great bridals, chaste an9 calm : ing love letters, and bring disgrace on us and the
Then springs the crowning race of humankind: generations that have preceeded us.
May these things be !
TENNYSON. The prevai li n g idea seems to be that woman was
made for man, only to cook his food, to m ake his
I N vernac u l ar and primary education, it will be
clothes; tq see after his household matters generally,
sen from official reports that Arakan is the most
and to rear hi s children .
backward division of B urma ; yet it must be said to
t 13
 g8 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY;
To regard wo man as an equal, is far fro m t h ei r
They wo uld be startle d to be tol d that
tho u ght s .
nature has endowed her with as much intelligen ce as
man, that she is in tr ut h the other half of man, and it
must be admitted as far as Burma is co n ce rned , she is
our better h alf !
There are those who fear that if our girls are
educated they will c ease to take any pleasure or in
t erest in h o useh old matters . Such education is not
advocated in these pages.
What do we mean by educatin g our women ? D o
we mean that th ey shall be taken from their homes
and crammed for examinations, that th ey shall knock
about among all sorts of people till it is h a rd to dis
tinguish . them, by their m anners and bearing, fro!:!l
t he sterner sex ? No ! a thousand times no ! Tr ue
education will beautify an d adorn a woman, a nd make
her more able to fill that sphere of life in which she is
placed.
Education is to bring out wh a t you alread pos y
sess, th o u gh you know it not ; to bring out powe rs of
mind and s tre n g t he n habits of industry.
d
The trainin n ee ed is that which will fit the peo
p le of the land to take their proper share in all that
bears upon the c o mmo n weal .
Let a girl be thoroughly trained in do m estic mat
ters be taught all the gentle arts of home life, l et . this
A CR.tSIS . 99
be a ne c ess ary . p art of her education, an educ ation
y progressing through life. Let her be t au ght nothing
t hat " harms distinctive wom a n h o o d. "
Fulfilling these conditions she will be a help meet
for man, in the true s en s e of the words .
She will be p l a ce d in a condition to fulfil as per
fectly as possible the p urpose of her life.
Let us hope the time will come when the people
will have a hi ghe r estimate of ed ucat 1 on, will take a
d eepeJ interest in their fellow men, and their country,
and so fulfi l the higher de stiny of life .
Dr. Fitch says, " Each nation must solve i ts
educational problems in its own way , and in connexio n
with its own history."
At any rate there is no reason w hy all our girl s
should not be taught to read and write . At the pre
sent time there are not many Arakanese girls who
can read and write, and there are ob stacle s in
the way of these who cail. Pen and ink are not
a lways found in the houses of even the well-to-do
Arakanese.
"'t' Most of the older type of Officials and clerks do
not kee p writi ng materials in their houses.
I n fa c t they h ave little need for th e m as they
s carcely ever write, at home.
 IOO MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY.
The Arakanese are not fond of letter wr iti n g , and
it must be c o nfes s ed are re m i ss in answering letters
whe n they do receive them .
Ma Pyu could read and wri te a little , but if sh e
ever wrote, it w as with a pencil on tea -wr ap p er s . It
m ay therefore better be im agi ne d than described in
wh at a dilemm a M a Pyu was pl ac ed when she re s olv
ed to wr i te a letter to Maung E.
B ut " where there' s a will, the re ' s a way, " she
m an age d to get an old copy b ook from M o u ng E's
house, a n d began to write. After wr itin g and ef
fac i n g , re - wri ti ng and al tering many times, the letter
was at last finished and hid den away.
It was eleven o ' cl o c k at night, Ma Pyu trie d to
sl ee p , but sleep was far fr o m her, for is not sleep re
pose of mind as well as body, an d unless the mind is
calmed, how can sle e p possess.
Her m i nd was much p erturb ed , she saw that ar
. rangements were being made for a marriage, and
tho ugh she t rie d to per su ade he rself o ther wi s e , her
fears that they concerned herself were inte nse .
She was in gre at distress, and felt that if th e
ceremony should take place, she wo ul d not be able to
live through it. B ut after s o me time, the tr o u bles
faded into oblivion and M o r p heus wa s tri umphant .
It was ei ght o'clock t he next morning when M a
Pyu's m o th er came to her doo r, and. aroused her .
A CRISIS IO!
S h e pl ea ded i ndi s p os itio n and a ske d to be excused
from h er cooking, etc. for that day. Her mother un
dertook the duties and Ma Pyu was free . In a little
while she m a n age d to slip out of the house and sue,
cee ded in des pat chi ng the letter to Hla Tun, with m-"
s t r uc ti o n s to send it on t o M au n g E.
Five d ays after this, M a Pyu's mother beg an to
talk t o her s e ri o u s ly on the subj ect of her betrothal.
Ma Py u looked pale and pe n s ive but disgui sed her
.
feelings, and her m o t h er, wh o re cognised no l aw but
that of her own will, t h o ugh t she read willing
o b edi enc e o nl y , in her c o u nte n a nce .
" Daughte r you know, do you not, th at I am
Your marriage
consulting yo u r happiness entirely.
comes off wo days hence. "
" I know replied she . that you would not do any
thing you deemed inconsistent wit h my h ap pine s s."
Her m other did not quite like her reply and
lo oki n g e ar ne stly at her, she asked.-
" Do you not think you will be ha p py when yo u
are marrie d ? "
" I h o pe I may be h ap py, " replied Ma Pyu.
Her m ot her was struck with the cold evasive
answers of her daughter. She nervously arranged
and re-arranged her muslin wrapper. Then taking
 A CRISIS. 103
MA PY U-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY.

" Ri diculo us , d au ghte r , you are getti n g crazy. I

up the b etel box with both ha nd s , repl ace d it on the

am sure marriage will settle you, and I m u st see that
floor. with de ci sio n .
yo u are married very soon ! '' So s ayin g , she withdrew.
" Don't you think he will do for you ? "
Th e terribl e day came, and all was hu rry and
" To be candid m ot h er, . I have never bestowed confusion in the h o use.
any particular thought upon him , t h o u gh I could no t
M a P yu even now ho p e d agai n s t ho pe that her
be ignorant of the betrothal, but if it is your will that
lover on the re c ei p t of her letter would, though far
I sho uld have h im as you have ac c e p ted hi m, I must
away, be able to save her i n some way or 9th e r .
submit. "
She threw herself on her knees, whenever oppor
Ma Py u ' s mother felt very annoyed ; tho ugh it
w a s not consistent with the prevailing custom, she had tunity permitted, and prayed.

consulted her d a ugh ter because she did not w is h to " Oh Phaya , A s ein dey a Myatswa Phaya ! Have
hav e a re p etiti o n of what occurred when M a Pyu was me rcy on me. If the worst should happen, give me
given to the goldsm ith . str en gth to pass through th e ordeal.
I have yiel ded to
my parents will , and t hi s dutiful obedience e ntitles
" D aughter, " s h e said, " I am convinced you will
. me t o succour from Asein d e ya . "
find m h1_ m a h u sban d go od and kind, and above all ,
who will give you positio n . " M a ung E, my beloved, has tau ght me to believe
in Thee in stea d of in the I m age s . I believe in Thee
" Since y o u like him mother, it is eno ugh . I
si n cere ly , Oh n ow Aseindeya, I invoke Thy succour. "
must marry him to please you .

" What ! to please me ! " ejaculated her m o th er ,

almost in anger. " It is very strange of you to say
so. Recall yo u words . "

M a Pyu s aw her mother was angry, and she ex

plained, " N o m other , I only meant tha t I wo uld not
disob ey you. Eve n if you and father wished to rpake
me a nun. I would o bey your wishes."
1
 I04 MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY.
MAU N G E ' S M I SERY. 105

ati o n , h o ped t o land a t Akyab in an hour, b u t t hei r

h o pes were soon shattered, for the hurricane became a
cy cl o ne , which forced the stout b ark back again. The
C HAPTER XVI . h o ur s of the n i ght slowly wore away, and when day
ligh t a ppe are d it was found that they were clo s on
M A U N G E ' S MI SERY. The engmes
the " Sunderbunds, " off C hitt ago n g.
T h e tempest in m y mind . a n d m a st b e i ng considerably d am age d , the Capt ai n
from my senses take all feeling else,
Doth
decided to put i n t o C alcutta, and thus the Ran go o n
Save what beats there.
SHAKESPEARE. m ail was carried to C al c utt a instead of Akyab, and th
Akyab m ail w a s delayed for a week , that is, till the
Then black despair,
The shadow of a starless night, was thrown Steamer following the " Commilla " could arrive .
Over the world in which I moved alone.
It w a s M onday, to w a r d s t h e e n d o f J une, when
SH.E LLEY.
our hero received his Akyab letters . As usual he
ABOUT the middle of J une r882 the S. S. " C o m opened the home letter fi r st , and as c ert ai n ed that al l
,
milla " might h ave been seen pl o u ghi n g its way t h r o ugh was well there. Then Hla Tun's h a n d writing cau gh t
tempestuo us waters. The weather had been threaten his eye, the c o n t e n t s of t he letter ran thus-
ing for two d ays , an d after th e B arongas were p a s s e d
,
the wind, which bl ew from the N o rth- E a s t, grew into Dearest E,
a hurri c an e , and the brave ship rolling and bounding The d a rk presentiment which op_pressed me, an d
,
over the waves, quive red from stem to ste rn, her tim which I m e nt i o n ed to you on the eve of your i[ e p a rtu re.
bers c re akin g and groaning with th e strength of the is ab o u t to be fulfilled. If you are not tn t i me , I am
winds and waves with which she was bat tling. All on
l o st to you. Then all s ha li be at an end between y o u
board, with the exception of t h e sailors, were the vic
and m e . I am b etr o t h ed to one whose name I dare
t i m s of that depressing, and most miserable malad ,
y not m e n ti o n , one whom you would n eve r have expect
sea-sickness
ed to t h w art you.
.

The ligh tho use on S avage I sland was at le n gth

It is y p ate nt s wish that I shall marry hi m .
sighted, and t h e pasengers , most o f them Arakanese
Y o u alone ca n save me from t h i s fate. With th i s , m y
gentlemen, wh o had been to Rangoon for a law examin-
o nly hope, I am w r i ti n g to you . I have cal cul ate d ,
14
I06 M A PYU--A N ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. MAU N G E ' S MISERY. I07

o
-and find that y u will have j u s t three d ays time to Pyu i s t o b e m a r ri ed to M a u n g Sein, who was recently
co n si de r , decide, and ac t . divorced .

I am yours I did not believe th at M a Pyu could h ave consent

" PY U " ed to the p r oj ec t , and I determined t o see her if pos
Waso 6th Increase. sible. It so happen ed th at she wished to see me, and
se .
Ma un g E e agerly read every word of the l ette r, she was on the watch when I calle d at your ho u
S he s udd enly ap p e are before me telling me not to
yet c ou l not persuade himself that it was a reality,
d
mail, t he l etter she h ad
fail, in s e n di n g by t h e next
he re a d It over and over again and still th o u ght he
despatched to me, to your addres s. She spoke not
d denly as she
must be drea mi ng . At last he be c a m e convinced that
the paper held in his ha n d was no h al l uc i n at i on
he anot he r word, but disapp eared as su

but that he was facing stern and cruel facts. Throw: came.
ing the p aper d o wn he exclaimed, " Who dares to I hope the letter will reach you in time ; she is

to
m arry my love l " be married on Tuesday next, so t a t you will have

fully three d ays in which to a c t .

Snatching it up agai n , he re ad, " Whose name I
dare not menti on . " Yours truly
H LA T U N . "
" Can i t be Hla Tun ; has that swell turned trai
tor ! " D ated 20th J u ne , 1882.
Word s fail to describ e t h e tumul t of M aung
E's
" No, that cannot be, he is my fri en d , and he is
w a s fur i u s mad w ith
mi n d as he re a d the l e tt er . He ,
m arrie d , besides which he has a d dre ssed th e le tte r . "
again
anger. He threw himself on hi s bed, but rose
. Gl a n ci ng at the unopened let ters , he saw an o th e r he
directly and pac e d the room, stampi ng with rage,
m the same handwriting. He t o re it open an d re a d - r;,. snatch ed
s tr u ck the walls with his clenched fi st s, then

'
" My dear Ma u n g E, You know alre ady, that since his coat, and rushed downstairs : runnin g up again he
. ..
your dep art u re , I h ave returned to the h o use of my went to his cash box, not fi ndi n g his key, (how should

I
parents. he, when in his h u rry and confus ion he had
put on
box open, an d
My d uti e s called me away from town life. I a s w his coat hind before,) he smash ed the
tair s a g a in,
takin g out s o me ru p ees, rushed downs

taken quite by surprise to learn s u d d en ly that M a

'( ,
I08 MA PYU--AN ARAKANESE LOVE STO RY. MAUNG E ' S MlSERY. rog

when he was confronted by his friend S an La Baw,
who asked :-
-r
" Where are you going in such haste ? " a d di ng
before he could get an answer, " I say Maung E, you
must repay me that money I spent for you at the
Great Eastern, you owe me ei ght annas and six pies
still. "
" Ah, you wretch ! you are unworthy to be c all ed
a frie n d, you miser, I am i n haste ; " and M aung E
almost struck him o ut of the way.
M a u n g E rushed into the s treet and, j u m pe d into
a gharry, shouting to the driver " Cha lau, Jail
Khanna. "
After about an hour, the driver p ulled up. Maung
E looking out, saw on one side the Jail Sale Rooms,
and on the other the high walls of the Jail.
" Heavens ! he has b r o ught me to the Jail ! "
'
M aung E raved at the driver, " Oh, Gharriwalla !
Chapa Khanna, chalau j ulti. " After half an hour's
.
drive, a second halt was made. Opposite the " City

" Oh wait m an, settle thi matter firt. It is Press ! "

n ot that I care much for money, I have no mercenary " Oh admi, pagul, where have you brought me
m otives in detaining yo u, but it really is not fair that now ! H urn telegram mar ni mangtha ; telegr aph
I should pay so much on your account. "
office j ao, j ulti, j ul ti " said Maung E.
" Look out, look out ! do not annoy me more,
A qu a rte r of an hour's drive brought him to the
you skinflint, I am ashamed of your mea nness , think
Telegr a ph office, he ran upstairs and said to the book
of the number of times I have paid for you wh_en_ we
ing clerk :-
have be e n o ut t ogether , di nners , drives and what not,

but here yo u are. " " Sir, I want to s en d a telegr am to Akyab."

So saying, Maung E threw a rupee on the Boor, " Very well. " re plie d the clerk, " your message
which the miser at o n ce a p p ro priate d ; saying, please."
" It is n ot for the sake of the m oney, but I want
j u s ti ce." M aung E felt about h i s pockets, a n d blushing,
said, I have not got it.
This reminds one of the Arakanese proverb,
' when one is in haste he comes ac cros !l an ol d The clerk, sm il ing, handed Maung E a form to
-
woman. ' fill up.
 "---- --

IIO MA PYU--AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY,

EMBARRASSINd: MEltTIN GS. tit
- --------- ----

M au ng E had no pen or pencil, but he was too

p ro ud to seek the help of the moonshis w h o swarm
about the t el e gr ap h office to write messages for the '
illiterate. He t herefo re was resolving to return to his
rooms, when once again opening his friend's letter, he
s aw that it bo r ethe date, 2oth of June. " She is to CHAPTER XVI I.
be married on . T u e sd ay , the 27th of J une. Th i s is the T H E WI FE, THE H U S BAN D AND THE
rst of J uly , I am fo u r days too late, how is t h is ? "
LOV ER O R E M B ARRA S S I N G M EETI N GS.
see, I see : the " Commilla " never touch
" Ah, I '
ed at Akyab and t hese letters were locked up i n the Oh ! grie f beyon d all griefs, when fate
First leaves t h e young h eart lone and
Akyab Post O ffic e for a wh o le week ! " desola te
In th e wide worl!i, without that only tie
Oh, she is lost ! she is lost ! why did cruel Fate For which it loved to li ve, or fear'd to die.
'
unite us : if she w a s to be snatched away like this ! " Lorn as the hu ng-up lute that ne'er hath spoken
Since the sad day its master chord was broken.
and poor M au n g E covered his face with his h a n d s
and wept. MO (),RE,

To think of M a Pyu becomi ng the wife of a n o th er THE powe of love is universally acknowledged by
man, and that man, M aung Sein ! was heart rending. h1gh and l ow, nch and poor alike. It is an all abso rb
Maung E moaned and raved al t er n ately , and for the ing sentime nt. It has given to men a n d women, n ot
blamed M a Pyu fo r having so c ruelly
first time he the s t ro n g alone, but the we ak also, nerve to fac e and
tre ated hi m . ove r c o m e untold dangers and s u ffe r i n g . N o thi ng has
be en deemed too har d for love to endure for the sake
Agai n and again he read the lines ; " If you are
of adoration.
not in time, I am l o st to you , then all shall be at an
end b etwee n you an d me. " Some of the gre ate st lives have been influenced by
" I cannot blame her, she wrote to me and gave this sentime nt, either purified and ennoble d o r thwart

me time. Had the mail come in o n the usual day, e d and blighted.

she could have beet]. saved, but God does not will it " In love, " " disappoin ted, " or " crossed in
so. He it is that dis p oses, though man proposes. " love " are words often used to excuse or explain all

l. . , _ _.. __ ...
 .j
i

t l: 2 MA PYV--AN ARAKAN ESE LOVE STORY.

EM BARRASSING MEETINGS.

" There is nothing new under

c:: o rts of eccentricities.
due from daugh ters to paren ts. They had decree d a
ilie sun and our hero was not altogether singular in y .
course utterly distasteful to her, one that
"

wo uld m ar
being s distracted by the shock he had received, h e n
h e r life ' s happi ness, but she had meekly
subm itted as
he heard of M a Pyu ' s marriage, as to be, for a hme, in duty bound , though not withou t an effort.
almost beside himself. I She had seen o nly one way of escape , and
that
If there be single ray of hope gleaming
b ut a was to inform M a u ng E of the arrangements th at h ad
through the darkness , the trial can be borne, but when 1 .
b e e n made, and had contrived by strate gy to make
all hope is shut out, then indeed it becomes unendura the effort, which effort proved unava iling ; to her
ble. mind, therefore, there appeared no alternative but to
Such was the case with Ma u ng E, his treasure
yield to F ate . She was but a girl and was oblige d to
obey her paren ts.
had been rudely snatched away and given to anothe r ,
t h e case was a hopeless one. Thus would Ma u n g E reason , exonerating Ma
Pyu from all blame .
A month h ad passed away since the thunderbolt
had fallen, and the light had faded out of M au n g E 's B ut wh en he thought of the man who h ad crossed
life . . his p at h , robbing him of what he prized so highly,
and had, for s o long, counted as his own, anger and
Time, th e great healer, had somewhat s ooed anxiety possessed his mi n d .
his troubled mind, b ut the canker was still there, eatm?'
Mau n g E c ould not believe another could love Ma
away his heart. His indignation with Ma P_Yu vam
Pyu as he did.
shed upon a little reflection. The valu able httle com
pilation, the " G ihivinaya," containing the moral .an d " . Would that scamp be able to make M a Pyu
social duties of B uddhists, had only j ust been pubhsh happy ? " He th ou gh t ;' most assured ly not.

ed in the ' Arakan N ews' Press, and had found its At times Ma un g E wo ul d be al m o s t in a frenzy,
w y into Arakanese homes ; and here is enj oined the blustering, and calling his rival aqyth ng
but co m-
responsibility on pa r ent s of selectir:g s utable p rtners

plimentary name s. .
in life for t hei r children, on whom. 1t bemg obhgatory
His college frie n d , Kyaw Zan, wo uld expos
to accept, without demur, the choice made. She had tulate
with him, " Come Maung E, you had
bettert brow all
acted in accordance with Arakanese views of what is
"'t this trouble to the winds, .,
/'

...-; - --
 Iq MA PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY . EM BARRASSING MEETINGS.

" D ress u p and let us go to the Zoo, or to th e Eden " F r ie n d , " r e p l i e d Hla T un , ' if you pr ize your
Gardens. Once in the l atter pl ace you will fa ncy you peace of mind, recall also t h e wa rn ing " : -
are in the seventh heaven , and you will forget Ma
" Beware of jealousy,
Pyu, who has th o u gh t fit t o de se rt you, and to become
It is the green eyed monster wh i ch doth mo
the wife of an o th er m a n . " The m e at it feeds o n . "
" I w oul d rather be on e art , and noth forget my " a m a n as that I you
J e alo u s , j e al o u s, of such
h e art ' s ideal . She has not deserted me, Oh n o ! sh e misunderstand my feelings, Hla Tun, you do me in
has only done her d uty, she loves me still, as a sister j u s tice . No, all th o u ght s of marriage h ave fled from
and a true friend. " my mind, and, I a m sure , from th at of Ma Pyu's too.

Another month was li ved out, making two, since B ut true love can never die. It is t he love of a b r oth e r
the crushing news was received. The time had come and a friend th at burns with in m e , to rescue thdnno
for his return hom e , Maun g E was met at th e Akyab cent and helpless from one who knows not what l ove
pi e r by H la Tun, and h a nd in h an d they went. is. H ad she been m arrie d to one wo rthy of her, I
w o u l d have rej oiced. But, alas, this is the second
" How i s M a Pyu ? I s she happy ? " '' En ough time the po o r girl has heen subj ected to the h u m ili a
of M a Pyu, . sh e is no l onger free,
do not brood so s adly tion of being forced i n to an unhallowed alliance, by the
over her , and if you should meet her alone, or in com cruel hand of Tyrant Custom. Th i s is the o nly
pany, you had better feign indifference, or you w i ll do thought that burns like a thrice heated fire within me .
her ha r m . Take my advice, friend . " It is purely h e r h ap p in e s s that I seek. "

You ng Maung E, c o ming fresh from college y

Th e re a re , ce r t ai n l , moments in life when though
. burst out, ina spirit s e m e wh at of indignation, quoting we may wish, m ay labour, to be co mm o n place in our
wit h natural e m p h asis the words of t h e poe t . - s ensations, and matter-of-fact in our c on d u ct , we can
not succeed. A ti de of feeli ng will rush upou us, too
" I pray thee, cease thy co unsel
powerful for the dykes and mo u n d s raised by reason
Which falls into mine ears as profitless
and philosophy.
As water in a s i e ve : give not me counsel
Nor let no comforter delight mine ear, So t he hot fire o f young .M aung E's faithful
But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine.'' h e a r t was not to be qu e n ch e d . by words, nor his
I I6 MA PYU--AN . ARAKANESE LOVE StORY. EM BARRASS I N G MEETINGS.
------ -------- -----

passion, like that of a tru kn ight , ruled by ster n Moung E, reproachingly answered; " you are
reason. both married men, I presume."

Maung E was soon at ' the paternal hearth, that
rallying place of the affections,' but his mind was too
disturbed, his nerves too excited, for him to find repose
even in the warmth of a mother' s love ; so, after a
short while, the two friends started off for a walk.
" Yes. ' ' replied Lu O ne, sh ar ply, " but what of
that ? Maung Sein, as every one knows, was married
only the other day to the belle of Akyab, but h e has no
scruples on that account to pass a pleasant night out
side. "

Passing the Akyab H otel, they came face to face M aung E wa s pained and ch agrined, beyond
with two veritable Arakanese coxcombs, apeing the measure, at the allusion to her fo r whose rescue, from
fine gentleman. the cruel position in which she had been placed, his
b r ave heart yearned.
" Hallo ! M aun g E, " in an affected tone, cried
one of them, how are you ? I called at your house
" " Come, B:la Tun, " he said, " let us go. These
to see you. You a re looking rather pale and fagged men are to be shunned. They have neither sense of
out. You really look ill , Maung E. Walk in ancl honour, nor the merest semblance of decency or pro
have a glass of whi s ky and soda with s." priety."

" " H e insults us, " cried Maung Sein, " that little
" N o , thank you, re pli ed M aung E curtly, and
in a tone of di s ap p r o val . puppy."

Loath to hear their vituperations, Maung E and

Besides being a young man, who was strongly
Hla T u n walked away smartly.
opposed to such totallyforeign modes of giving
expression toee mi n g feelings of cordiality, Maung
s On the way M ating E said to Hla Tun, " H ow
E would place himself under no obligation to a can Ma Pyu be happy with that man ? "
man whose hypocrasy was on a par with his evil
" You are mad, . friend, " replied, Hla Tun,. "don't
practices.
be so. weak, as to give way to yo ur feelings. Whether
This was no other than M aung Sein . His com she is. happy or not is no concern of yours. Remem
panion, Lu Gne, then proposed a dinner at tb e hotel, ber, she is now another man's wife, and your. solicita
to. be f ollowed . by a night stroll.

tions for her welfare are altogether uncalled. for. "

 :t r 8 M A PYU-AN AllAKANESE LOVE StORY.
E M BARRASSING M E ETINGS. I I9

Y o ur p hil os o p hy , your' rel i gion

will not d o . The
" Dead to m e ! I h e ar her voice even now, t he
flame of b r o th e rl y love still
burns in my h ear t , and I .
voice , th o u g h piteo us, breaks like music u po n y
must at least seek an o p p o rtuni ty to war n the pure,
heart . Would that she were d e a d , would that hfe
innocent dove, of the un tr u stwo rthy character of th at
were extinct, rather than one so p ure be s ubj e cte d to
feeli n gl e ss vi l l a i n, wh o h as alre ady divorced t h e mother
the machinations and int ri g u es of that crafty virago
of his children."
the divo rce d Ma Bein.
' N o t h i n g that i s not a real crime makes a m an
appear so contemptible and li ttl e in the eye s of t h e I might n eve r see her ag ai n , migh t never be per
world as inconstancy.'
mitted to grasp the soft hand, or watch t h e smiles play
over that l ovely face ; but I kn o w my esteem, my re
" Poor Ma Pyu, is it her l o t to be thrown among
ve ren ce for her will remain unchanged , that neither
the would-be respectable gamblers, and i n eb r i ate s ?
ti m e , nor ci rc u m s t an ces will er as e her i m age from my
Cruel Fate ! Cruel Fate ! But Fate, it is s aid
Oh, heart. "
has no voice. N ay, rather the tyranny of custo m .
What a wo nde rful thing is this heart of m an,
Custom, the law of fo ol s . Thus did young M a ung E

.wonderful in its capacity for love, for hate, for suffer

rave, as if in the delirrium of fever, and, at times, felt
ing ; wonderful in its p ower of endurance, wonderful
almost strangled with emotion.
in its passion and it s steadfas tne s s .
True as steel, Hla Tun s ti ll struggled to calm th e
Some days p as s e d without anything of im po rtan ce
troubled breast. " M aung E, M a u n g E, he repeatedly
to record ; the feelings that were surging in t h e
cr ie d , " be your ve ry self again. B e wi se . I nterfere not
hearts of the two, who truly l ove d , and though so
b etwee n husband and wife . T h e i nt e n s i ty of your
near now h a d not yet an o p p o r t un ity of laying b are
loyalty, your devotion for her wh o se lot you so s adly
their throbbing hearts to each other, may be better
bemoan, and whom, like a true knight, your heart
i m a gi ne d th an des c ri bed .
burns to defend and res c ue , you may but h ar m and
injure in the blaze o f righteous w r at h , and the heat of Maung E, at last, resolved, re ga r dless of conse
action . C o ntrol yourself, and that will be the br ave st call at M au n g S e in ' s h o u s e .
quence s, to
trophy you can gain . U ntil the iron grip of d e s tiny is
U nfortuntely, a m on g Arakanese, the wi fe or
un fa ste n ed , by 'some u n fo res ee n force, Ma Pyu m ust
d aughte r does not receive a caller, e xcep t it be one of
be dead to yo u . '' her own sex. She generally retires as the visitor en-
I-20 MA PYU-AN ARAKANES E LOVE STORY. T H E 1J N 1'f l N G POWR OF GRIEF. 12!
I
ters th e h o u s e . No cards are re qui re d , nor is it
thought n e ces s ary to send in the name, but the caller, l 1'"'
if on te r m s of i nti m a cy , m e rely shouts out, ' How are
your house peo p le ,' and walks i n , and if a strange r or
....,., j ..._ - CHAPTER XV I I I .
a
.mere acquaint ance, acy stray child on the road is sent T H E U N ITI N G P O VV"ER O F G R I E F .
.in to inform the inmates that some one is waiting, and G rid !; n il l wo hearts in cl o ser lJon d s than happiness ever c a n ;
he also m ay go in, without any further ceremony. and common su fferings a re far stron g er links than com m o n j oys.
LAMART! l'\ E .
As Maung E, full of forebodi ngs, approached the
I n s h o r t , without c onst ancy t h e r e is neither l u v , fri endshi p . nor
house, Ma Pyu was rturning from a friend's, and the virtue in the world.
two suddenly and unexpectedly com ing face to face ADD ISO N .
simultaneously exclaimed,

" Ah ! "
I T w a s now over a year t h a t Ma Pyu and M au n g
There they stood for full two mi n u t es , as if in a
Se i n were m arried .
dream, with eyes fixed on each other, until Maung E,
Ma Pyu s t ro ve to l o ve her husband, and was a
recovering from the shock, smiled , and dashed away,
true, humble and obedient wife , conforming, at all
without a word .
times,. to his will .

The one desire of her h e art was to please h i m ,

, but her best efforts seeme d to prove futile . . Maung
Sei n , totally regar dl e ss of her feelings, was constantly
drawing i n vi d i ou s distinctions between Ma Pyu and
his divorced wife, a lways eulogizing M a Bei n .

These odious c o m par i son s were i n c e ss a n t gall t o

t h e simple, p u re m i n d e d M a Pyu ; her every thought
was b ei ng corroded, her you n g life blasted , but she
'?-,.. '
neither complained nor murmured at her fate, pat i ent
ly bore her load, struggl i ng t o believe, i n spite of
herself, that he to who m she had been consigned by
ht:: r mother would yet provt:: a worthy man.
16
 122 MA P Y U -AN A RAKANESE LOVE STORY. T H E U N I T I N G POWER OF GRIEF. !23

M au ng Sein had heard of M a Pyu ' s l o v e for l' cr w as to rescue him self from
bli. n l:> h i s creditors, wh o
Maung E, and he took advantage of e ve ry idle moment - 1, .
would give him no peace .
to hurl the venom of j ealousy at her, though there was l,
no occasion for it. Although , for a man of his class, Maung Sei n
was draw i n g a very handso m e salary, still ,he was not
Living in the same town and in the same nei gh
backwa rd in availing himself of the customary support
bourhood. M a Py u and M aung E did me et , at times,
of his wife's parent s, whom l:le knew to be i n poor cir-

but as the merest ac q u ain ta n ce s , and not hi n g but the

c um sta n ce s ; and even after the e x p i ry of the usual
commonest civilities passed btween them. time that this support is give n , he was u n ab le to leave
K no w ing M aung Sein, and th e merciless, unfor the roof of his m o the r - i n - l aw .
giving, cruel, unnatural character of the tyrant jea His c red i t o r s pressed him, and his gambling
lousy, M aung E' s mother had given her son a t im ely brought him no gain, so he thought he wo uld appease,
warning, and M aung E ha d too great a re ga rd for M a at last for a time, his duns with the paltry fo ur tickals
Pyu t o gi ve h e r husband t h e l e as t excuse for the dis of gold h e h a d gi ven Ma Pyu, as a we d d i n g presen t .
... .
pl ay o f h i s c oward l y temper. ..,...
Ma Py u ' s parents, however, h ad, not without
M a u ng Sein, however, at every opportunity threw rea s on lost c on fi de nc e in their son -in-law, and they
out malicious innuendoes, and shot glance of t riu m ph strongl y opposed the idea of thei r d aughter parting
and hate at Maung E, not k n owin g that these st i ngs with the gol d ; so Ma ung Sein took o c c asio n to chide
and lashes . wo uld on l y h ave the effect of preventing and goad his wife, by tel l ing her that sh loved her
a young man from fal li n g into a condition of lethargy go ld more than her h usband.
and indifference .
M aung Sein was now threatened with law suits, "'
Maun g E was n o t yet married, and his revenge, a n d with the heavy interest he p ai d the avaricious
' he said, in t h e p ride of his youths would be to prove Mad r as m oney-lenders, called chetties, who swarm
hi m s el f s uperior and better than those wh o slighted Akyab, and the ten rupees a m o nt h for the mainte
him, more wo rth y of the immac u l ate love of a wo m a n n an ce of M a Bein's ch i l d re n , he was in a s t a te of total
than his would-be rivals. insolvency.

Owing to his inordinate l i fe , M aung S ei n had His wa n t on s pirit, and his p a s s i o n for ga m bl ing
plunged h im sel f into d e b t , and his excuse now fo r gam- were now un res tr aine d , n i ght after night he was absent
 I 24 MA PYU--AN A RAKANESE LOVE STORY. T H E U N IT I N G POWER O F G R I E F . !25

from h o m e , and when h e re t u rn e d it was only to m ai n tain . I am an E nglish merchant ' s clerk , o n Rs,
w ou n d and bruise the feelings of his di sco n so l a t e \vifc . 6o a mo n th , which i s a good s al ary in A kyab, and
I n vain did s h e weep, in vai did s h e a p peal to his
gives me the stat us of a ge n tle m a n . My s p eech is n o
longer c o n fi ned to the b arbaro us A r a ka n e s e j argo n . I
h one y m OOQ vovvs of love ; in vai n , with the GihivinaJa
speak E ngl i sh , a nd my English t on gu e has naturally
in h a n d , did she plead that gam i n g was as ru inous to
aiven me a ta st e for English beverages . I must h ave
tempe r , d is p o s i t i o n and character, as to fame and for
y W h i sky and Soda. The G i h i v i n ay a appeal s only
tune.
to the u ndeveloped , and u n kem p t . Gau t a m a, thou gh
" Oh ! M a u n g Sein, M a ung Sei n ! from
" th e reco g nis e d as an evolutionit, never drea mt of t h e high
anguish of h e r soul, she cried:, " ga[\l bl i ng , gam s t atus to which m e n would rise. His m oral and re
bling, that curse vice, is s u i c i d al, D estruct ion l u rk s
l i gi o u s codes remain now for women, and for men of
in the ga m i n g h o us e -- s e e , oh, see, wh a t our B uddh ist
stunted gr o wt h . I m pos s ibl e , imp o s sibl e for me to l ive
code of morals, the G ihivi nay a , says a b ou t gam bling
like an o rdina ry Arak anese on twenty rupees a month .
and i n tem per an ce . I plead w ith thee in t h e name Of My debts can never b e p aid u nless some one co mes
all that i s s a cred .
forward and r e l i eve s me of the m . "

I will econ o mi se , I will contrive to p ay off y our

" I might p er s u a d e my fa t her to stand security,
debts. Cease fro m wasting any more money on th a t .
but th e debt will have to be paid, a n d , there seems no
which will only ruin a n d p o i s o n you . Tr u s t me.
o th e r way ope n , but the arrangement s ugge sted by
We can well live on twenty rupees a m onth, and me, " s aid Ma Pyu .
the rem aining thirty, after p ayi n g t en rupee s toward s
" I want no security . C ash m u st be fo u n d , by
the m a i n t e n a nce of Ma Bein's children, will e n abl e us
gambling, by an y means, or I return-"
to clear the debts in t hr e e years . I will m ake two
ends m eet, and your c omforts wi l l h ave my b es t atten " Return ! " said Ma Pyu , " Retm n to what ? to
tion . I s h al l n o t req uire any clothes for myself till the gaming t a b l e ? O h ! to rescue you fro m s o degrad
this burde n is remov ed. " ing a vice. "

" O h , dear m e , I c ould never live on twenty ru " Yes, to the gaming table, and to----"

pees a month. Yo u m u s t rem e m b er, I am n o longer " And to--" with a quiveri ng voice repeated Ma
the ' poor orphan boy.' I have now a po s i t ion to Pyu.
 I: _.,

!'

1 26 M4 PYU-AN ARAKANESE LOVE STORY. THE U N ITING POWER OF GRIEF. 127

" To her, who loves her gold more t h an her
husband, " retorted the relentless, shamefaced rake.
Poor Ma Pyu was cut to t h e quick, her che r i sh e d
hope of savin g h i m , who had posed for her h usband ,
h e r l o r d , her m aster, from further degeneracy and vice
was lo st.
Little did she d ream of the i n tri gu es of Ma Bein's
parents, who h ad offered to clear the d e b t , if Mau ng
Sein ret u rne d to their d a u gh te r ; and he had al re ady
p ai d several visits for that sordid object : and within
two mont h s Maung S i n .and Ma Bein were again
openly declared h u sband and wife.
the a n g u i sh of her so ul , Ma Pyu ' s thou ghts
In
once again rivetted themselves on the only obj ect of
her adoration, and she th us wrote t o M a un g E-
My dear brother,
You have ere this heard of my cruel fate. Al
th o ugh a stigma has been cast upon me, which will
never be removed, I wish to blame no one, especially
the father of my fatherless children, b ut I do wish . to
say that I was a faithful and dutiful wife to him, th e
You kn ow how I acted in the m atter, and I. know
. .( that, at l east , you wi l l not thus re pro ach me, and add
a further pang to my already crushed feelings.
I have fallen in the estimation of the world, and
am no m o re wor thy of your recognition, but knowing
me as you do , I even dare to ask you to give me an in
terview of five minutes.
The world may jeer and lau gh at me, and though
it may not be wise of you to associate with me now
I
even as a brother or an acquaintance, . but the on
t hough t that s upports my drooping s piri t is that, at
least, in your heart, pity and sympathy will be fo und
for poor me.
Believe me,
Yours truly,
MA PYU.
. The letter, w!J.ich was written in pencil on Chi.
nese tea wrappers was soon in Maung E's hands.
l On reading it, he exclaimed with a sigh :-
r " N o , I blame h e r not, poor soul, and say wh at

' ,
the world will, if I can pour o u t a drop of col d water
choice of my parents. on a 'broken heart, I wi l l go. "
.
You know my status now, in Arakanse society, So saying, Maung E started off.
a nd I am not wor t hy to write to you, but I am flout
ed from an sides for h avin g been unfaithful to you, in Ma Pyu hid her face. in her hands and wept, as
marrying another because he held a decent situation, she saw Maung E .
!8 MA PY{J'-AN ARAKAN ESE LOVE STORY .

THE U N ITING POWER OF GRIEF.

'
" Weep n o t , weep not M a Pyu , " said M a ung E ,
ner, and the generosity of his n atural disposition,
controlling his feelings . " Be resigned . Who c a n J>., wh i c h extends even to w ards M aung Sein.
blame you ? Y o u have acted honourably througho ut .
You h ave been but a creature o f circumstance s . I not Thus has Maung E, by raising himself to a covet
only do not blame you, but respect you for the p art ed social and official positio n , revenged himself o n
you h ave nobly played in your little world. those who were d ispo s ed to taunt him ; and is it not the
best sort of revenge, to rise superior to those who
Oh, if th ere were a few more lVI a Pyus, so chaste

would injure and hurt us.

in t h ough t and word, so upright in a c ti o n , so faithfu l
in all the relationships of life. This brings the story of Ma Pyu, with the events,
circumstances, beliefs and c ustoms circling round it, to
It seems a cruel , h ar d world, but weep not M a
P y u , ' put on a brave heart, and b e s ure o f my hel p , at a close ; with an appeal to the hearts of her people for

all t i m e s . Let us, by t h i s water of allegiance pledge a better s tate of affairs . and for rescue from th e thral

ourselves to live fro m now and h e n c efo rt h as even d om and tyranny of custom. .

br other and si s ter , and in this relationship m ay we Ma Pyu will live to harm no one, but hopes to do
continue in e ach other's respect. G o o dbye , M a P yu. " good to many.
" Goodbye brother, goodbye, and t o continue i n this,
-- .

and only in this rel ati o n s h ip is t h e desire of my heart,

and will be the one bri gh t spot in my l i fe ; goodbye . "

Ma Pyu still lives in her widowhood, b ut in the

assurance that she has the respect and the b rot h er ly
love of even o n e , i n spite of the stern world around her.
THE END.
M aung E is suitably married and lives i n the j oy
of his home and family. He holds an official p o s i t ion
to which few Arakanese young men have any h o p es
of attaining.

Socially, M aung E has the esteem and r espect Of

all, for his up r i g htne s s of con du c t , his suavity of man-