Poetry Analysis

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THE ORIGIN OF THE RICEBIRDS

Original Poetry

Translation

THE ORIGIN OF THE RICEBIRDS

There was a girl named Uning, who was young and skinny.

There once lived a girl named Uning, Pitiful was she-so young and thin. She was the daughter of Saki-ing and stepdaughter of Cotiling. She once lived at Daliping. Pitiful really was this young Uning She who faithfully guarded against ricebirds In their rice fields at Daliping.

She was Saki-ing's daughter and Cotiling's stepdaughter.

For whenever food was brought by Cotiling, She would bring only bits of burned cake rice On which she would sprinkle three dried insects. [Cotiling was selfish and indifferent to Uning. Cotiling always would come late with the meager ration. This aggravated the daily mis- ery of Uning. One day, as harvest neared, tired, hungry, and disgruntled, Uning sang her lam- entation thus:]

She lived in Daliping and watched over the rice fields to keep away ricebirds.

“Young, weak, pitiful me, Hunger I suffer always Ricebird I had better be I am forsaken anyway.”

Whenever Cotiling brought food, it was just burnt rice cakes with bugs.

“Miserable I am this day, Motherless, forsaken, lonely, Even my own father has forgotten me, For he cares not how Cotiling treats me” This is what Uning had to say During her miserable day.

Cotiling was selfish and didn't care, always late with little food.

(The day after she sang her said song, Uning failed to arrive home.)

This made Uning's life hard. Near harvest, tired and hungry, she sang:

Came the next morning She became thoughtful, remorseful, This stepmother Cotiling, Prepare she did the best of everything; The very best food for Uning, Yes, for the harvest was nearing.

"I'm young, weak, and always hungry. I might as well be a ricebird since I'm left alone."

But when Cotiling arrived in the fields And repeatedly called out

"I'm sad today, without a mother, lonely, even my father has forgotten me.

Uning was nowhere to be found. So Cotiling began looking around.

He doesn't care how Cotiling treats me," Uning said during her sad day.

A shelter back-basket nearby she lifted; Whence out flew a ricebird. “Alas! Bless me Moon-god, For Uning has turned to be a ricebird!” Perching itself on top a spear of grass The rice bird began singing thus:

The day after her song, Uning didn't come home.

“King-king, palay you’ll lose from now on, My thin body has changed Due to my misery and hunger pro- longed,

The next morning, Cotiling felt sorry and made the best food for Uning.

“Biding” I have turned to be. Meat you will eat without me. So Cotiling, you can see The outcome of your cruelty.

But when she got to the fields and called for Uning, she wasn't there. Cotiling looked around and lifted a basket, and a ricebird flew out. "Oh no! Bless me, Moon-god, Uning has turned into a ricebird!" The ricebird sat on grass and sang: "You will lose rice now, my body changed from sadness and hunger. I've become a 'biding'. You'll eat meat without me. Cotiling, see what your unkindness has done."

Explanation

The poem 'The Origin of the Ricebirds' is a poignant folk tale about neglect and transformation. It tells the story of Uning, a young girl who suffers under the care of her stepmother, Cotiling. Uning's plight is vividly illustrated through her lamentation, where she expresses her hunger and abandonment, wishing to become a ricebird to escape her misery. Her transformation into a ricebird serves as a metaphor for liberation from her suffering.

The narrative unfolds with Uning's daily struggle against hunger and neglect, symbolized by the meager and burnt food provided by Cotiling. Her lamentation is a cry for help, highlighting her loneliness and the lack of care from her father. The imagery of Uning turning into a ricebird after her lamentation underscores the theme of transformation as a response to extreme hardship.

Emotionally, the poem moves from despair to a bittersweet sense of freedom. Uning's transformation into a ricebird, though tragic, is also a release from her suffering. The tone is melancholic, yet there is a sense of justice as Cotiling realizes the consequences of her cruelty.

The poem employs metaphor and personification effectively. Uning's transformation into a ricebird is a powerful metaphor for escape and change. The ricebird's song at the end personifies Uning's voice, delivering a message of retribution to Cotiling. These devices enhance the emotional impact and moral lesson of the tale.

Ultimately, the poem reflects on themes of neglect, transformation, and the moral consequences of one's actions. It serves as a cautionary tale within the cultural context, emphasizing the importance of kindness and the repercussions of cruelty. The story is a testament to the rich oral tradition and moral storytelling of the culture from which it originates.

Word Dictionary10

Word	In English	Plain (English)	Pron.
pitiful	sad, deserving pity	very sad or deserving of sympathy	pitiful
lamentation	expression of sorrow	a strong expression of sadness	lamentation
forsaken	abandoned	completely left alone	forsaken
remorseful	feeling regret	feeling very sorry	remorseful
cruelty	harshness	causing pain or being mean	cruelty
miserable	very unhappy	very sad or uncomfortable	miserable
disgruntled	unhappy, dissatisfied	unhappy or annoyed	disgruntled
indifferent	unconcerned	not caring at all	indifferent
transformation	change	a big change	transformation
neglect	failure to care	not taking care	neglect

Poet & Context

Poet—

EraTraditional/Oral Literature

This poem is a part of traditional folklore, likely originating from the Philippines. It reflects the oral storytelling tradition and cultural narratives of the region.

WhenTraditional folklore, date unknown

WhyThe poem serves as a moral tale, illustrating themes of neglect, transformation, and retribution. It is part of the cultural storytelling tradition, possibly intended to teach lessons about kindness and the consequences of cruelty.

FormFolk tale

Themes & More

Themes

NeglectTransformationRetribution

Literary devices

Metaphor: Uning's transformation into a ricebird symbolizes escape and change.Personification: The ricebird's song represents Uning's voice and message.Imagery: Vivid descriptions of Uning's plight and transformation enhance the emotional impact.