First House: Learn English - Story for Children and Adults
English |
05m 18s
Long ago, when people lived in caves, two friends decided to build their own house. In this folktale from the Singpho tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, India, we learn how the first house was built.
First House
Author: Nabanita Deshmukh
The first house was built
long, long ago
by two friends
called Kindru-Lalim
and Kincha Lali-Dam.
In those days,
people still lived in caves
and did not know
what a house was.
One day, Kindru remarked,
“I’m so tired of living in a dark cave, Lali.
Why don’t we build a house
in the jungle?”
“That’s a great idea!”
exclaimed Lali.
“Let’s go and ask our animal friends
on how to build a sturdy one!”\"
\"Lali and Kindru
entered a dense jungle.
The first animal they saw there
was an elephant.
“Can you tell us how to build a house,
O Elephant?” they asked.
The elephant trumpeted,
“Cut logs to make pillars
as strong and thick as my legs!”
The two friends
chopped down a tree
and made thick pillars out of it.
A snake suddenly slithered past
and hissed,
“Fetch poles as long
and thin as I am!”
So off went Kindru and Lali
to cut bamboos from a nearby grove.
As they returned,
carrying the bamboo on their backs,
they spotted
a large buffalo-like creature
called a mithun.
“Can you please tell us
how to build a house, Mithun?”
asked Lali.
“I’m too sad to talk now
but I’ll help you all the same.
You see,
a tiger has killed my husband.
Make a roof with cross poles,
like the bones of his skeleton,”
said the mithun,
pointing at her dead mate.
Lali and Kindru
quickly made cross poles
out of the bamboo
but they felt thirsty
and walked to a nearby river.
A graceful fish swam up to them
and whispered,
“I saw from afar
that you were building a house!
Collect plenty of leaves
and put them on the roof,
one on top of the other,
like my scales.
That will protect your house
from sun and rain,” said the fish.
Kindru and Lali
now had all the advice they needed
and worked very hard
to complete the house.
When it was finally done,
they called the creatures of the jungle
to come and have a look.
“What a wonderful house you’ve built!”
cried everyone.
“This house is not only ours
but yours as well
because you’ve helped us build it!”
cried Kindru and Lali
and they stepped happily
into their new home.
And this is how
the first house was built
in a faraway land of the East
known today as Arunachal Pradesh!
Story: Nabanita Deshmukh
Illustrations: Phidi Pulu
Narration: Neha Gargava
Music: Rajesh Gilbert
Animation: BookBox