The Distaste of the Earth: Read an excerpt from the book by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih

In this chapter, the protagonist Manik the Wretched attends a council of diverse creatures and listens to the animals' tales of woe at the hands of Man.

Moina flew to a branch near Khla and said, ‘Khublei shibun, Um La! I had organized this council of diverse creatures chiefly for two reasons. I came upon Um Nik the other day just as he was raving about the unfortunate circumstances of his life. He was literally reeling under the torments of cruel fate. I would even say that he was losing his mind, constantly buffeted as he was by his dark misery. He was mad with grief and