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      Myanmar Folk Tales

Panpe Maung Tint De

In the land of Tagaung, in upper Burma, there once lived a blacksmith who had a son called Maung Tint De. Now this young man had the strength of ten elephants, and his mighty feats made him famous for many miles around. He could bend a huge iron rod in two, and carry an elephant on his strong shoulders.

The king of Tagaung heard about these feats and became afraid lest Maung Tint De should try to usurp his throne. He therefore ordered his ministers to capture the blacksmith's son and so put an end to his fears. Bad news travels fast, and Maung Tint De soon heard what the king intended to do. So he fled to the forests and took refuge there.

Then the king tried another way to capture his imaginary enemy. He married Maung Tint De's sister, Saw Maiya, and gave her the title of Thirisanda. When this was safely accomplished, he suggested that her brother should be appointed an official at court. As she saw no harm in this, Saw Maiya sent a message to her brother, who was hiding, and asked him to come to court. No sooner did he appear in the city then he was surrounded by the king's men, who promptly bound him with ropes and put him in prison.

Next morning a huge pyre was prepared, and the unfortunate Maung Tint De was placed on it. He had not been guilty of any crime, and was to suffer this cruel death merely because the king , for no reason at all, was afraid of him.

Saw Maiya was still waiting for her brother, for his arrival had been kept secret. The crafty king wanted her to witness the death of his fancied rival, so he took her to the place of execution.

Maung Tint De had always deeply loved his sister, and would gladly have given his life for her, but when he saw her approaching with the king he thought it was she who had betrayed him, and his heart broke with sorrow and horror at her treachery.

The king and his queen arrived at the pyre, and for some time the smoke hid the poor victim from their view. Suddenly the smoke lifted, and Saw Maiya perceived that it was her own dear brother who was lying on the pyre, and realized at once that both he and she had been tricked by her wretched husband. Without a second thought she dashed towards the flaming pyre and threw herself on the body of her ill-fated brother. Thus perished together a brother and a sister who were all in all to each other.

Maung Tint De is worshipped even to this day as the guardian spirit of Burmese homes.