Golden Peacock - 5 short stories

Golden Peacock

Maung Thein Tin, Ma Thein Shin*

The schoolmaster U Pha, the schoolmistress Daw Tho, and their daughter-in-law, U Ba Maung, the big broker, and Daw Tharyar, the showgirl, had been close friends since childhood, so they went to the pagoda together, went to school together, and often consulted with Kyi Phyu Lay Myat Swar, taking care of each other's affairs, even in everything.

The school principal U Pha had a son named Maung Thein Tin, and the broker couple had two daughters, Ma Thein Khin and Ma Thein Shin. The eldest daughter, Ma Thein Khin, had completed her BA, and the younger, Ma Thein Shin, was still a young girl. Maung Thein Tin and Ma Thein Shin had been friends since they were young and loved each other like siblings. Maung Thein Tin was a young man and Ma Thein Shin was shy, but they lived together as they had when they were young. Their parents seemed to like them, and they lived together without any restrictions or restrictions. Maung Thein Tin was studying English in the 9th grade, so the school principal, in order to improve his education, sent him to Maung Ba Hlaing's house every night to study, so that he could easily ask questions if he did not understand.

One day, Maung Thein Tin went to the broker's house with his books. Maung Ba Hlaing and Ma Thein Khin were preparing to go to the shadow puppet show, so they urged Maung Thein Tin to come with them, but Maung Thein Tin said that the exam was coming soon and he did not want to go, so he sat down at his usual table to read. The broker and his wife also went to the temple to pray, holding the glass doors by their hands. Maung Thein Tin was reading alone at the table when he heard footsteps from somewhere. He turned around and saw Ma Thein Shin coming with a cup of tea.

“ Oh... Ma Thein, aren’t you going to the film festival?”

“I didn’t go because I had a headache, Maung Thein Tin Seng,”

"I think I'm pretty tired from reading now. Have a cup of tea."

"He said, placing the teacup in front of Maung Thein Tin and sitting on a nearby chair. Maung Thein Tin took the teacup and drank it, thanked him, and then went back to reading. Ma Thein Shin, who had not yet gotten up from her seat, asked, "Is English really difficult?"

“ Learning ethnic languages ​​is a bit difficult, Ma Thein Shin. How easy is it to learn Burmese?”

" I want to learn a little, can you teach me?" Koko said, "You don't teach me."

" If Ko Ko doesn't teach you, I'll teach you. After the exam, you'll learn too."

"One day, when I was coming back from the market, I heard a boy saying something like 'My Sweetheart'. Tell me what it means, Maung Thein Tin."

"I don't know," Maung Thein Tin asked with a face that didn't really know him. Maung Thein Tin was too busy reading and didn't want to talk too long, so he said, "I'll teach you later. Now, please wait a moment." Maung Thein Shin got up from his seat and looked out the window. He saw some young girls and children playing with the golden moon. "Look around, Maung Thein Tin, how fun it is. It's been a long time since I've played with the golden moon. Wouldn't it be nice if we could go down and play for a while?" Maung Thein Tin also got up from his seat and said, "Even people with headaches can play with the golden moon. Don't do it, Maung Thein Shin. The exam is coming up soon, and there's still a lot of studying to do." The two of them leaned on the window and watched. Maung Thein Tin said,

" Who is riding the back road? Ma Thein Shin."

"That's Ma Mya May from the house over there."

" Oh... her skin is so soft and beautiful in the moonlight, she's so cute. I guess that's why people in Mawlamyine say she's beautiful," Ma Thein Shin said, looking a little embarrassed.

“ No matter how beautiful Mawlamyine is, the other day, when U Kyaw Dun’s daughter was getting her ear pierced, Maung Thein Tin saw that they were invited to the wedding, right?”

" Oh... I see, I think that place is inviting four people. There are only a few beautiful girls, so pretty."

When he said that, Ma Thein Shin looked closely at Maung Thein Tin's face.

" Who do you think is the most handsome of the four, Maung Thein Tin?"

“ Wait... Who will win, Ma Mya May? If you are not beautiful, then what?”

" And this..."

“ Ah... Ma Thein Shin, right? Well, all four of them are good looking, each one is different.”

“ Yes, one of each, Maung Thein Tin. Think carefully. Who is better to watch?”

" Well... Ma Hla Yin is a little darker, Ma Hla Tin is a little taller."

" What about Ma Mya Mae?"

"My mother is a little short, so to speak."

After saying that, he looked at Ma Thein Shin from head to toe and stood up.

" Ma Thein Shin doesn't see anything to find fault with," he said with a smile.

" Now, my little girl is beautiful."

" A beautiful face and a graceful body, no matter how beautiful a Mawlamyine is, how can she surpass Shwe Mann?"

When he said this with a mocking expression, Ma Thein Shin felt embarrassed that he had asked, and his face was hot and he lowered his head.

Maung Thein Tin also thought about the meaning of what he had said, his face getting a little hot. He looked out the window and saw a baker who was selling bread and said, “Bread dumplings, bread dumplings.” He said, “The bread dumplings look good,” and invited the baker into the house. They bought some bread and ate it. The baker’s wife looked at them carefully and said, “Come on, let’s go ahead and follow each other. I can’t wait to see you. Now, I’m going to buy and eat bread dumplings. May each one of you grow old and sweet like bread.” Then she lifted the bread tray and went down from the house. Ma Thein Shin also felt very embarrassed after hearing that Auntie Mone had misunderstood her. Maung Thein Tin asked, “Auntie Mone, how many times will you remember? I heard that, didn’t I, Ma Thein Shin? What did Auntie Mone mean by that?” Ma Thein Shin looked at Maung Thein Tin’s face, took the teapot, and got up.

Maung Thein Tin and Ma Thein Shin had been together since childhood, like brothers and sisters who had been born together in the same womb. From that day on, they did not dare to call each other, nor to come to each other's places, but they lived in different ways. Even though they were like that, they both knew that they could not live without seeing each other, and that they loved each other even more than before.

After more than 2 or 3 months, Maung Thein Tin had already passed the 9th grade examination. Maung Thein Tin's parents could not afford to continue their son's education. A clerk's job was vacant at the Shwebo township administrative office, and Maung Thein Tin applied for it, and Maung Thein Tin got the job. When Ma Thein Shin's father heard about this, he complained a lot and told the school principal that he would even lend money to Maung Thein Tin to study at Yangon College. However, the school principal, who was an only son and had no strength, said that he did not want to be separated from his son for a long time before his death, so he thanked the broker for taking care of him as a friend, and the three sons and daughters prepared to go to Shwebo.

Maung Thein Tin also went to the broker's house with a sad face, and after expressing his condolences to everyone, Maung Thein Khin, who had not seen Ma Thein Shin yet, was hesitant. Ma Thein Khin, sensing Maung Thein Tin's expression, went up to her younger sister and came down after a while. Ma Thein Shin told her that she could not come down because she had a headache. Maung Thein Tin also had to return with a sad face. When he reached the outside of the house, he could not bear not to see Ma Thein Shin. He turned towards the house and looked at the window. Ma Thein Shin was also peeking through the door, so he could not see her face and took off his shirt.