Punthakhu Maincha and the Nanny Goat

Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Punthakhu Maincha, whose life changed forever when her mother passed away. Her father remarried, and soon, she had a step-sister. However, her new family wasn’t kind. Her stepmother was cruel and made Punthakhu Maincha do all the housework, feeding her only scraps. She was also tasked with taking their old nanny goat, Dhon Cholecha, to graze every day.

Despite the harsh treatment, Punthakhu Maincha always looked well-fed and healthy, which made her stepmother suspicious. One evening, she turned to her daughter.

Stepmother: “I want you to follow Punthakhu tomorrow and see what she’s up to when she takes that goat out.”

The next day, the step-sister followed Punthakhu Maincha, hiding behind bushes as she watched. When Punthakhu and Dhon Cholecha reached the meadow, something extraordinary happened. The goat, understanding the girl’s hardships, regurgitated a delicious meal for her to eat. The step-sister was stunned and ran home to report everything to her mother.

Stepsister: "Mother! The goat! It gives her food! That’s why she looks so healthy!"

Consumed by jealousy, the stepmother hatched a wicked plan.

Stepmother: “Then we must get rid of that goat. We’ll have it slaughtered for a feast.”

Punthakhu overheard this and was heartbroken. She ran to Dhon Cholecha in tears.

Punthakhu Maincha: “They’re going to kill you, Dhon Cholecha!”

The wise goat comforted her.

Dhon Cholecha: “Don’t worry, my dear. Bury my bones in the garden after the feast, and a fig tree will grow. That tree will bear fruit just for you.”

Though grief-stricken, Punthakhu Maincha followed Dhon Cholecha’s instructions. After the goat was slaughtered, she buried its bones in the garden. Just as Dhon Cholecha promised, a fig tree grew, its branches heavy with sweet, ripe fruit.

The Demons’ Trick

One afternoon, as Punthakhu Maincha was perched on the fig tree eating its fruits, an old couple approached.

Old Woman: “Little girl, could you toss us some fruit?”

Eager to share, Punthakhu Maincha threw them a few figs, but they landed on the dirt.

Old Man: “Could you come down and hand them to us? They’re getting dirty on the ground.”

Trusting them, she climbed down. But as soon as her feet touched the ground, the couple grabbed her and whisked her away to their home, deep in the woods. It wasn’t long before she realized these weren’t kindly elders – they were Lakheys, demons in disguise.

That evening, the demons instructed her.

Old Woman (Lakhey): “Prepare some flatbreads for dinner. We’ll be back soon.”

As Punthakhu began cooking, a small mouse peeked out of a hole and spoke.

Mouse: “If you want to hear something important, give me a flatbread.”

Startled but curious, Punthakhu Maincha handed over a flatbread. The mouse returned twice more with the same request, and each time she gave it a flatbread.

On the third visit, the mouse finally revealed the truth.

Mouse: “These Lakheys are planning to eat you. Pack up all the gold, silver, and jewels you can find, and run away. Before you leave, spit on each step of the staircase and place a piece of charcoal there.”

Punthakhu Maincha did exactly as the mouse instructed. She gathered as much treasure as she could carry, spat on the stairs, and placed bits of charcoal on each one. Then she fled.

When the Lakheys returned, they knocked on the door.

Old Man (Lakhey): “Punthakhu! Are you done with the flatbreads?”

From inside, the glob of spit and the charcoal mimicked her voice.

Spit and Charcoal: “Yes, coming!”

Growing impatient, the demons finally forced the door open, only to find that Punthakhu Maincha had escaped. Furious, they chased her, but she was already too far gone, and safely returned home with the treasure.

The Step-Sister’s Greed

When Punthakhu Maincha told her family about the treasure, her stepmother’s eyes gleamed with greed.

Stepmother: “You’ll go too,” she ordered her daughter. “And make sure you return with even more riches.”

The step-sister climbed the fig tree, and just as before, the demons appeared. They took her to their home and told her to prepare flatbreads. As she cooked, the same mouse appeared.

Mouse: “If you want to hear something important, give me a flatbread.”

But the step-sister, impatient and irritated, slapped the mouse with a hot shovel.

Stepsister: “Go away, filthy creature!”

The mouse scurried back into its hole, never to return. With no warning of the danger ahead, the step-sister had no idea what the Lakheys were planning. That night, after dinner, they all went to bed, with her lying between the two demons.

While she slept, the male Lakhey cut into her flesh with a knife. When she yelped in pain, the female demon whispered soothingly.

Female Lakhey: “Did grandfather pinch you? Don’t worry, dear.”

This gruesome act continued throughout the night until only her bones remained.

The Crow’s Message

Back at home, the stepmother eagerly awaited her daughter’s return, brushing her hair in anticipation. But a crow perched on the roof, cawing repeatedly.

Crow: “The mother preens while the daughter is nothing but bones.”

Confused, the stepmother rushed to the roof to see what the crow meant. In the distance, she could see the stepdaughter’s bones drying outside the demons’ house. Realizing what had happened, she beat her chest and wailed in despair, but it was too late.