Reading Notes: Khasi: U Biskurom, Reading A
For this week's reading A, I chose to read "U Biskurom." I chose this reading mainly based on its name, since it was a word I was unfamiliar with.
Biskurom is a young man that was genuinely good and noble. He came from heaven to help the rest of mankind, which, compared to him, they were very inefficient. Biskurom came to Earth to teach people useful skills, but the process of teaching took so long that he eventually forgot his way back to where he came from. Biskurom quickly learned that mankind was inpatient and took advantage of him, because he was being forced to do work that they could do themselves.
The people one day made an item in Biskurom's image, and asked him to make the image come to life. When he could not produce this, the people were outraged and threatened him. Biskurom told the people that if he could go back to heaven to learn this skill, he would come back and show them. After much debate, mankind officially decided to release Biskurom because they knew this power would be so useful.
Since he forgot his way, Biskurom flew by string and kite into the sky. The plan was that if he got stuck in heaven, he would send the skills down the kite string back to the people. This had to occur, because the Great God did not want Biskurom to return to such selfish people. He sent a letter down the kite without the knowledge or himself, so the people were outraged. However, Biskurom was able to laugh with the Great God at these ungrateful people and watch them plan their revenge for Biskurom though they'd never reach him. After purposefully sending blood down the kite, the people figured Biskurom was killed. He was not -- he laughed at their imperfections and self pride.
In this story, I debated what the difference would be if the setting was not based in Heaven vs. Earth. What is Biskurom traveled somewhere where mankind could've gotten to him after he did not deliver the knowledge? Would they have found him? If they did, what would've happened?
Biskurom is a young man that was genuinely good and noble. He came from heaven to help the rest of mankind, which, compared to him, they were very inefficient. Biskurom came to Earth to teach people useful skills, but the process of teaching took so long that he eventually forgot his way back to where he came from. Biskurom quickly learned that mankind was inpatient and took advantage of him, because he was being forced to do work that they could do themselves.
The people one day made an item in Biskurom's image, and asked him to make the image come to life. When he could not produce this, the people were outraged and threatened him. Biskurom told the people that if he could go back to heaven to learn this skill, he would come back and show them. After much debate, mankind officially decided to release Biskurom because they knew this power would be so useful.
Since he forgot his way, Biskurom flew by string and kite into the sky. The plan was that if he got stuck in heaven, he would send the skills down the kite string back to the people. This had to occur, because the Great God did not want Biskurom to return to such selfish people. He sent a letter down the kite without the knowledge or himself, so the people were outraged. However, Biskurom was able to laugh with the Great God at these ungrateful people and watch them plan their revenge for Biskurom though they'd never reach him. After purposefully sending blood down the kite, the people figured Biskurom was killed. He was not -- he laughed at their imperfections and self pride.
In this story, I debated what the difference would be if the setting was not based in Heaven vs. Earth. What is Biskurom traveled somewhere where mankind could've gotten to him after he did not deliver the knowledge? Would they have found him? If they did, what would've happened?
This story is a part of the Folk-Tales of the Khasis. Photo from Amazon.
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