Legendary story about fastest man

 

Long ago, during the fortunate kalpa (eon), human beings, local deities and dharma protectors interacted and travelled together. It was the time when famous local deities like Ap Chundu of Haa, Ap Geynyen of Thimphu, and Ap Muktsen of Trongsa were known to father children with local women.

Among the followers of Ap Muktsen, the three brothers - Geypung Norbu, Gyetsel Rigpa and Garp Lungi Khorlo - made names for themselves and grew widely famous. Fearing rebellion from the three brothers if not brought under control, Trongsa Penlop Zhidhar (Druk Dhendup took them as novices under his command.

Since the three of them were stronger, more intelligent and forceful by nature, it was not long before no one in the ranks of the attendants could look them in the eye. The Trongsa Penlop thought that his authority could be challenged if each of them was not tamed tactfully. He decided to discipline Garp Lungi Khorlo, whose name means the wheel of wind, first. 

He made the three heroes bet among themselves – Geypung Norbu would rub down an iron hammer into an axe in one day, Gyetsel Rigpa was tasked to stitch a costume for mask dance out of a sack of silk shreds in one day, and Garp Lungi Khorlo was to walk from Trongsa to Punakha and back in one day. The Trongsa Penlop promised to honour them with promotion if they succeeded in their tasks.

As ordered, Garp Lungi Khorlo made it back to Trongsa from Punakha before dinner was over at Trongsa Dzong. He noticed that his two friends had not completed their tasks. Although the penlop praised him, he was not rewarded anything substantial.

The Trongsa Penlop promised them promotion again and gave them the same tasks for the second time. Hoping for a promotion, Garp Lungi Khorlo undertook the epic journey once again and reported back to Trongsa Dzong a little while after dinner. Again he noticed that his two brothers were yet to complete their tasks. Apart from some compliments and praises, he was not given any special reward this time either.

The Trongsa Penlop called them for the third time and laid the same conditions as before. If Garp Lungi Khorlo came first again, he would be promoted and rewarded handsomely. Garp Lungi Khorlo accepted the order but he did not have high hope about the promises.

The Trongsa Penlop made him walk from Trongsa to Punakha and back because he knew about the grave threat Nyala Duem posed to travellers’ lives. He was intentionally sending Garp Lungi Khorlo hoping that the malevolent Nyala Duem would harm his life.

As he set off on his journey for the third time, Garp Lungi Khorlo did not feel high about it. Moreover, he was unenthusiastic and walked half-heartedly. When he reached Nyalalum, he called out to Nyala Duem and said, “Nyala Duem! I hear that you are evil and malicious. If you can, why don’t you eat me today?” Saying thus, he continued on his way to Punakha.

Late in the afternoon, when it was time for Garp Lungi Khorlo to return, Nyala Duem recollected what he said to her in the morning and awaited him. Nyala Duem had seen Garp Lungi Khorlo walking sullenly since morning. The Trongsa Penlop’s words and actions did not match so he was disappointed by how he was treated. Nyala Duem had sensed that his spirits were low, and she knew that it was time for Garp Lungi Khorlo’s end.

Without Garp Lungi Khorlo knowing about it, Nyala Duem had eliminated his life force. She transformed herself into a nomad girl wearing a black yak wool kira and a traditional bamboo hat. She filled his brain in a wooden milk container and waited for him at Gangla Pokto. Garp Lungi Khorlo was tired, thirsty and hungry. When he saw the girl, he sat down beside her to rest his weary bones.

When she asked him where he was coming from, he told her that he was returning from Punakha. She said he must be thirsty and offered him the milk. Thus, Garp Lungi Khorlo drank his own brain.

He was walking towards Trongsa crossing hills and vales when he saw a girl who looked similar to the one who had given him milk and a man washing entrails. The man looked middle-aged and wore a gho woven out of black yak wool. Half of his face was black and the other half, white. Garp Lungi Khorlo was confused to see the same girl whom he had left behind a while ago was now with the man whose face was half black and half white. He felt a chill run down his spine. When he asked them what they were doing, they told him that they were washing the entrails of an ox. He felt his heart sink as he realized that ox was his birth sign. 

Thus, Garp Lungi Khorlo’s soul, his life-force, was impaired and he couldn’t walk as fast as he usually did. He walked as if he was in a trance and did not even have the ability to talk. Meanwhile, at Trongsa, Geypung Norbu had turned the iron hammer into an axe and Gyetsel Rigpa had completed making a mask dance costume out of pieces of silk. But Garp Lungi Khorlo was yet to return. The two brothers began to worry that some mishap might have befallen their brother. Shortly before dusk, they saw a headless Garp Lungi Kholo approaching the dzong.

Fearing some kind of injury to their brother, they went to meet him and enquired if he had encountered any misfortune on the way. When Garp Lungi Kholo narrated the whole story, they concluded that it was one of Nyala Duem’s magical tricks.

Owing to these provocative incidences, Garp Lungi Khorlo fell ill and died after a few days.