Zompist Bboard Again

Any questions or advice?

rotting bones wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2026 4:31 am Any questions or advice?

The one thing I'd add is that the romanized text would help. I do understand it's a lot of work though!

Ares Land wrote: ↑Wed Oct 21, 2026 2:51 am

rotting bones wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2026 4:31 am Any questions or advice?

The one thing I'd add is that the romanized text would help. I do understand it's a lot of work though!

Yeah, this took pretty much my whole day. I have also marked the speakers based on the performance (unless I missed something). While transliterating, I corrected a few inaccuracies. Nothing that changes the meaning, I hope.

This fairytale relies on the pun that Buddhu means fool, but Budh means awakened, as in Buddha.

I love the song that starts "Bead-bright maiden thou art": https://youtu.be/PRcX1jPChEU?t=373

There's so much anticipation, joy and mystery. This line is my favorite inspite of/because it makes no sense:

হাটের সওদা ঢোল-ডগরে, গাছের পাতি ফল, নকশী কাঁথার মাঠ পেরিয়ে রাঙা নদীর জল।
haʈer ʃɔod̪a ɖʱol-ɖɔgore, gatʃʰer pat̪i pʰɔl, nokʃi kãt̪ʰar maʈʰ perije raŋa nod̪ir dʒɔl.
In the market’s trade and drums, tree with lime fruit, past Embroidered Quilt Meadow, Red River waters.

Note: Directions to reach Kɔlaboti Kingdom? Some of these things turn up later in surreal contexts.

I wish I could think of a way to translate it into English.

So apparently, according to this fairytale, under the ocean, past Embroidered Quilt Meadow, there is an enchanted Kɔlaboti Kingdom. Kɔlaboti means "skilled". (Edit: But this is not a common word.)

It's more common for Bengali fairytales to say that under the earth, past Tepantɔr Meadow, there is a kingdom of man-eating rakshasas. In that kingdom is a can, in the can, a bumblebee. If you kill the bumblebee, the rakshasas die.

rotting bones wrote: ↑Fri Oct 23, 2026 7:29 am So apparently, according to this fairytale, under the ocean, past Embroidered Quilt Meadow, there is an enchanted Kɔlaboti Kingdom. Kɔlaboti means "skilled". (Edit: But this is not a common word.)

It's more common for Bengali fairytales to say that under the earth, past Tepantɔr Meadow, there is a kingdom of man-eating rakshasas. In that kingdom is a can, in the can, a bumblebee. If you kill the bumblebee, the rakshasas die.

I read the story, thanks for translating all that!

Is the story Bengali only, or is it known elsewhere in India?

It's fun to hear how the rakshasas are doing. Apparently they've gone down (literally) in the world since they lost Lanka.

I saw a Chinese animated movie which included demons called "rakshas", probably deriving from the rakshasas. Looks like the Chinese term is 羅剎 luóchà, Old Chinese *râitṣʰhat.

zompist wrote: ↑Fri Oct 23, 2026 3:41 pm I read the story, thanks for translating all that!

Is the story Bengali only, or is it known elsewhere in India?

There are some common motifs, but the stories, like Buddhu Bhutum, are unique to Bengal. The evil queens are naturally pan-Indian, probably pan-IE and possibly pan-civilization.

The kingdom of rakshasas is pan-Indian. The concept of crossing surreal meadows to reach magical kingdoms is Bengali. I believe there are some pan-Indian stories about lives stored in inanimate objects.

zompist wrote: ↑Fri Oct 23, 2026 3:41 pm It's fun to hear how the rakshasas are doing. Apparently they've gone down (literally) in the world since they lost Lanka.

I saw a Chinese animated movie which included demons called "rakshas", probably deriving from the rakshasas. Looks like the Chinese term is 羅剎 luóchà, Old Chinese *râitṣʰhat.

Sounds interesting. I've only seen Uproar in Heaven. In Bengali, they are [rak:ʰoʃ].