A long time ago, in the beautiful hills of Shillong, there lived a powerful spirit called U Lei Shyllong. He was the guardian of the hills and forests. The people of the nearby villages liked and respected him. U Lei Shyllong was very happy with the people so he sent his daughter to live among them. She took the form of a lovely maiden and came to live in a quiet cave called Krem Marai, near the village of Pomlakrai at the top of the hill. She helped take care of the people by blessing the land with good harvests. She didn’t tell anyone who she was and stayed all alone. She spent her days sitting quietly outside the cave, picking flowers, and watching over the hills.

But the children who played nearby were afraid of her. She seemed so mysterious and beautiful. They ran back to the village and told their parents about the strange woman in the cave. News about the mysterious lady quickly spread throughout the villages. Many people were too scared to go near her. But there was one brave man named Sati Mylliemngap, an elder from the village of Nongkseh. He was wise and curious. Sati decided to go and meet the mysterious maiden. One bright morning, Sati went out to find her. When he reached the cave, he saw her sitting with a flower in her hand. Her long dark hair flowed like a river, and her beautiful golden dress sparkled in the sunlight. Sati greeted her kindly, but the maiden was shy and quickly ran inside the cave.

Sati did not give up. He came up with an idea. He noticed that she loved flowers, so he gathered a bunch of pumpkin flowers and gently placed them near the entrance of the cave. Then, he spoke softly, “Please don’t be afraid. I will not hurt you.” After a little while, the maiden peeked out, curious about the flowers. When she came out to take them, Sati gently called out, “Please don’t be afraid. I only want to talk to you and learn about you.” Slowly, she began to trust him. She told him that she was the daughter of U Lei Shyllong and that she had come to the village to help the people. She also said that she would one day become the mother of a great family who would rule the land wisely.

Sati promised to keep her secret safe and took her back to the village. He introduced her to everyone. He called her Pahsyntiew, meaning “the one lured by flowers.” Pahsyntiew lived happily with the people, and they grew to love and respect her. In time, Pahsyntiew married a strong and kind man named Kongngor, and they had many children. But one day, Pahsyntiew told her family, “My time here is over. I must go back to my father, U Lei Shyllong, in the hills.” Her husband and children were sad but they knew she had to leave.

She blessed them and returned to her cave, where she disappeared forever. Her children grew up to be wise leaders, just as Pahsyntiew had promised. They ruled the land with kindness and strength, making their mother proud. And so, the story of Pahsyntiew, the Flower Maiden, lived on in the hearts of the people of the hills.

A folktale sourced from Martin Luther Christian University.

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