A glimpse at TPM’s Amay (Mother) and ‘Love at Sunset’ short stories

By Myint Zan

U Thein Pe Myint (10 July 1914-15 January 1978) (hereafter generally TPM) was born in the township of Budalin in the hinterland in what was then colonial Burma 111 years ago on 10 July 1914. Commemorating the occasion, this article will take a glance at and commentary on two literary ‘products’. One is in part a biographical narration about his mother, first published in 1948, and the other is a short story first published in 1965.

Amay (‘Mother’)

From the academic year 1968-69 to 1985-86, all matriculation students in Burma had to study a few essays, short stories and excerpts in the Burmese language. The textbook Pinn Yin Zaga Pyay Let Yway Sin (Selected Prose for High School students). In the text, there are 61 essays, short stories or excerpts from novels written by a variety of writers. Most of these literary pieces were written between the early 20th century to the mid-1960s.

One of the prose/essays in the Selected Prose is written by TPM. It was first published in 1948 and is also reproduced in his short story collection published in 1998. It is a vivid portrayal of his early life in the township of Budalin. He stated that the first memory of his late mother was when his mother stopped breastfeeding him. It ended with his mother’s death in another Upper Burma town, and he just managed to be in time in the town of Salingyi for his mother’s funeral.

In addition to the reminiscences about his late mother, he wrote about his early life, high school and University years at the University of Rangoon. TPM (sort of) boasted that when he was a young lad, he had many girlfriends. He wrote to the effect that his mother told him the one girl TPM was considering to marry did not actually love him, and perhaps TPM’s attitude towards her must be the same. TPM wrote that his elder University colleague Ko Nu (later independent Burma’s first Prime Minister, 25 May 1907- 14 February 1995) was of the same opinion as his mother. (I may write another article on U Nu and U Thein Pe Myint’s political relationship.)

Amay ‘Mother’ is written unsentimentally and at the same time softly and poignantly. It is a testament to the literary skills of TPM.

‘Love at Sunset (of life)’: A short story

TPM also wrote novels, novellas and short stories. In 1998, a collection of 41 short stories that he had published between 1933 to August 1977 was published in one volume. Among them, I will mention only one. In Myanmar, it is titled Newin Chain A-Chit. (‘Love in the Sunset’). Former first lady of India Usha Narayanan (1922-24 January 2008) was Burma-born. Her Burmese name was Daw Tint Tint. She translated at least 17 short stories of TPM into English in her book titled Sweet and Sour, which was published in 1998. One of them is ‘Love in the Sunset’.

I enquired from the University’s Central Library (UCL) in Yangon whether they have a copy of the Sweet and Sour. UCL does not have the book.

Only a very brief encapsulation of ‘Love in the Sunset’ can be made here. A man in his seventies and a woman about the same age unexpectedly met in a garden or park in Rangoon. They were lovers about fifty years ago. Now, they each have grandchildren. The old man’s granddaughter’s name contains part of the name of his former lover. The old woman has also given parts of her former lover’s name to her grandson. The two grandchildren were playing. They had a slight argument of sorts. This aroused the attention of their grandparents, former lovers from 50 years back. They reminisce and they sort of blame each other for their ‘non-union’ in love. They admitted to each other that in remembrance of their loves, they gave their grandchildren parts of their former lovers’ names. The short-story writer TPM stated (somewhat anomalously) that the grandparents chose their grandchildren’s names, and the parents did not even know that parts of the names do include their parents’ former lovers’ names. Then a fight among the grandchildren ensued again, and the grandparents called back their grandchildren and left for their own ways when the sun was setting.

I will translate directly from the last moving sentences of TPM’s affecting short story:

QUOTE

The sun has fully set. But the love that blooms before noon is no longer in their minds. The setting is so beautiful. The little girl who is accompanying her grandfather is the old man’s ‘love at sunset’. The little boy who accompanies his grandmother is the old woman’s ‘love at sunset’.

Life and love are like a ‘trifecta flower’ [the translator could not find an exact name, far less a botanical name of the flower] which changes colours three times in a day. Before noon, it is ‘lily-white’. Afternoon, it becomes lightly pinkish. At sunset, it has blood red colours.’

UNQUOTE

That short story was first published on 10 October 1965 issue of the Botahtaung (‘Vanguard’)

Burmese language newspaper that U Thein Pe Myint founded in 1958. It was nationalised by the Revolutionary government in 1964, but TPM continued to be a regular columnist until about 1976 or 1977.

I first read U Thein Pe Myint’s short story as a seventeen-year-old in Mandalay, Burma. I recall that I suddenly stood up and almost jumped in awe after reading the last few sentences of TPM’s superb literary piece. After more than fifty years (perhaps) for only the second time, I re-read parts of the short story. I must be a sentimentalist and a past-oriented person. As I re-read parts of TPM’s short story, my face is flushed, and I am almost teary.

One other time I almost literally jumped was after reading the play (in English) The Bishop’s Candlesticks: A Play in One Act by Norman McKinnel (founded on an incident in Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables). I read it in Room 130 of Ava Hall of Rangoon Arts and Science University sometime in late 1972. I again almost jumped up after reading the last sentences of the play. I recall that my roommate (most of the hostel students had to share a room), the late (I suppose) Ko Than Tun (from Thazi), looked at me in slight surprise after my reaction. The last sentences of the play were:

QUOTE

BISHOP: Putting his hand on the CONVICT’S shoulder, always remember, my son, that this poor body is the Temple of the Living God.

CONVICT (with great awe). The Temple of the Living God. I’ll remember.

UNQUOTE

U Thein Pe Myint has authored significant literary works, including novels, novellas and short stories. I do not mean Amay and Newin Chain A-chit are the best among TPM’s short stories. I only state that these are the two that I like most among the short stories that I have read.

A quick search of the web stated that Patricia Milne has translated five short stories of TPM in 1971 as a Master of Arts thesis. They were published in 1973. Eight of the short stories of TPM were translated. Patricia Milne’s translation does not include either ‘Mother’ or ‘Love at Sunset’. As stated, UCL does not have Sweet and Sour by Usha Narayanan. There must be overlaps between the Milne translation and Daw Tint Tint’s (Usha’s) translation as far as a few of the short stories are concerned. Apparently, Amay ‘Mother’ has not been translated into English by either of the translators.

I understand through her social media posts that Daw Wah Wah Tin Swe has translated, in full and directly from the French language, the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. (26 February 1802-22 May 1885). My congratulations.

The playwright/actor Norman McKinnel (10 February 1870-29 March 1932) wrote/acted in The Bishops Candlesticks. The play was based on certain scenes from Victor Hugo’s classic novel. I am not sure whether U Thein Pe Myint’s Amay (Mother) has been translated into English, and whether the play The Bishop’s Candlesticks has been translated into Myanmar. I would be grateful for any information as to these queries.

(Commemorating U Thein Pe Myint’s 111th birthday)

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