The owner of the rooster was rather astonished but this was an offer he could not refuse.
Dangbo..o..o Dingbo..o..o.. Mimi Heylay Heylay was out in the hot sun digging in a field. Mimi Heylay Heylay or grandfather Heylay Heylay, as he was affectionately known to all the villagers, was a man of no outstanding physical stature but an impressive personality. His frail body was balanced delicately on his bowed legs with calves that bulged boldly. He could be seen at all the village gatherings stroking his goatee made up of a few strands of hair. This jolly old man was not given to hard work and he had lived for many years on the good will of his fellow villagers. The slow half-hearted movement of his hoe was a clear indication that he did not enjoy the tedious and backbreaking job of preparing the buckwheat field. Therefore he was visibly annoyed when he was suddenly faced with a huge tree stump which stood menacingly in the middle of the field. He stood there looking at it pensively, all the while stroking his goatee. He decided that it had to go. So he began to attack it. Little by little he dug out the roots and then began to pull and tug at it until sweat poured down his brow and his palms were blistered and aching. Just as the sun was descending behind the western mountain ranges he gave it one final tug and the whole stump came out with a terrific crash.
In the now gaping hole where the tree root had once been, he at once saw a large flat circular turquoise which looked like a golang or a flat pan for making the famous Bumthangpa khuli. He could hardly believe his eyes. With his eyes wide open he stood there staring at it in awe for a long time. Finally he up picked this heavy turquoise piece and scrutinized it. It was truly the most beautiful thin!! he had ever seen!
Mimi Heylay Heylay said aloud to himself, “Now that I have this turquoise, I don’t have to work any more. I’ll sell it to get rich.” With his newly acquired wealth and confidence, Mimi Heylay Heylay swaggered to the market. On the way to the market he met a man who was leading a horse on a rope.
The man asked, “Where are you going, Mimi Heylay Heylay?”
Mimi Heylay Heylay sang, “Don’t say Mimi Heylay Heylay; instead listen to what I have to tell you. I dug a field where I came across a tree stump, I pulled out the stump and I found a turquoise, so now I am going to sell it in the market. Would you like to exchange your horse for my turquoise?”
The man was completely taken aback. Had this old man gone mad? The turquoise was priceless. This was an opportunity not to be missed, so he quickly agreed and the exchange was made. The man with the turquoise walked away rapidly, afraid that Mimi Heylay Heylay would change his mind. But Mimi Heylay Heylay, who was perfectly happy with the deal, continued his journey, leading the horse by the rope. He had not walked very far when he met a man with a bull who asked, “Where are you going, Mimi Heylay Heylay?”
Mimi Heylay Heylay once again sang, “Don’t say Mimi Heylay Heylay; instead listen to what I have to tell you. I dug a field where I came across a tree stump. I pulled out the stump and I found a turquoise, which I exchanged for this horse, now would you like to exchange your bull for the horse?”
The man gaped in total disbelief, for his old bull was a poor bargain compared with the handsome young stallion. But he quickly got over the initial shock and hastily made the exchange. After the exchange was made, Mimi Heylay Heylay led the bull by the rope which was tied around its horns and continued on his way to the market. Soon he met a man with a ram who asked him where he was going. This time Mimi Heylay Heylay sang, “Don’t say Mimi Heylay Heylay; instead listen to what I have to tell you. I dug a field where I came across a tree stump. When I pulled out the stump I found a turquoise. I have exchanged the turquoise for a horse. I exchanged the horse for a bull. Now would you like to exchange your ram for my bull? The owner of the ram was surprised but happily agreed and quickly led the bull away. Mimi Heylay Heylay walked on with the gait of a successful trader, pleased that he had been able to make such quick and smooth barters within a short time. The ram followed his new master reluctantly, bleating loudly.
By and by he met a man with a rooster under his arm. When the owner of the rooster asked him where he was going Mimi Heylay Heylay as usual sang, “Don’t say Mimi Heylay Heylay; instead listen to what I have to tell you. I was digging a field where I came across a tree stump. When I removed the stump I found a turquoise. I exchanged the turquoise for a horse which was exchanged for a bull and the bull for a ram, now would you like to exchange your rooster for my ram?”
The owner of the rooster was rather astonished but this was an offer he could not refuse. He gladly took the ram and gave his bird to Mimi Heylay Heylay. Mimi Heylay Heylay tucked the rooster under his arm with a flourish and walked on until he met a man who was singing to his heart’s content as he walked along. When he saw Mimi Heylay Heylay he stopped singing to ask him where he was going and once again Mimi Heylay Heylay sang, “Don’t say Mimi Heylay Heylay; instead listen to what I have to tell you. I was digging a field where I came across a tree stump. When I removed the stump I found a turquoise. I exchanged it for a horse, the horse for a bull, the bull for a ram, the ram for a rooster. Now would you like to exchange your song for the rooster? Thoroughly surprised the singer stood there quite dumbfounded. Mimi Heylay Heylay1 happily thrust the bird into the arms of the lucky singer and walked away singing to his heart’s content, “Shorn a lay laymo, ow lay pey owlay pey......ow lay pey....”
1 A person is often compared to Mimi Heylay Heylay when he/she makes obviously silly deals.