#492 - Lengtonghoih : The Girl Who Wanted the Brightest Star

by Mercy Vungthianmuang Guite and illustrated by Tanya Gupta

“Lengtonghoih : The Girl Who Wanted the Brightest Star” by Mercy Vungthianmuang Guite and illustrated by Tanya Gupta with art direction by Richard Khuptong. Published by Seagull Books. An enchanting folk tale of the Paite people who are an indigenous community from Manipur.

The protagonist of the story is a beautiful young girl called Lengtonghoih. She is doted upon by her seven brothers. They set out on an adventure of a lifetime when she asks them to bring her the brightest star from the sky. In their absence, a cruel prince is enamoured by her beauty and sets his evil sights on her. He wants her for a wife. He ends up taking her away against her wishes.

The brothers come back from their long and tiring adventure to find their beloved sister missing. They now have a more difficult task ahead. That of saving their sister. The story revolves around how they set out on an even more difficult adventure in order to do this. They need to get their sister back. Instead of them rescuing their sister, it turns out that she will have to use mystical power as well as magic to save her brothers. What happens next? Can Lengtonghoih succeed in her mission? Will she be reunited with her brothers? What happens to the Prince who abducted her? Read the charming book to know what happens in this traditional yet revolutionary folk tale.

The book opened a world of fantasy and magic as we read it. Folk tales are always a delight and this one is from a region and community about which we do not know much. So it was a delightful treat for us to get a glimpse into the world of the Paite community. The story captured the attention of my nine year old and he wanted to know how the siblings could be united again. He was happy to see the way in which magic and its resultant power was used in a fair manner. He appreciated how the characters did not misuse magic and used it only when it was really needed. The beautiful illustrations brought the settings and characters alive complementing the story well. Thank you Raman Shresta of Rachna Books in Gangtok for recommending this lovely book.

P.S - Some of the other folk tales from Manipur that we have read are “And That is Why - Manipuri Myths Retold” and “कौन बनेगा निंगथउ?” (Who Will Be Ningthou?).

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 6/7 and above.

Where to buy from?

The publishers Seagull Books here.