Nali
| Nali | |
|---|---|
| False Queen of Nozama | |
| Transliterations | 捺沥 (Tzihan) Нали (Tzishin) |
| Religion | Namorese folk religion (Txoism) |
| Siblings | Teyu (brother)  |
| Consort | Shenvang |
| Texts | Nushenshi |
Template:Namorese mythology Nali (Нали; 捺沥) is a character in the mythological Namorese epic poem Nushenshi.
In the Nushenshi, Nali belonged to the Yaoguai clan of demons and was the sister of the demon king Teyu. She married King Shenvang and became a false queen pretending to be the daughter of Songte who was destined to kill Teyu and overthrow Yaoguai rule. Nali stayed queen for a time until Nushen, the real daughter, arrived at Namo, slayed her and took her place.
The idiom "To fall like Nali (跌如捺沥, Делу Нали)" describes an unexpected but much-deserved fall from grace. The idiom is sometimes used along with "To Collapse Like Teyu (溃如蒂羽, Келу Тею)."
Mythology
It was predicted that Teyu's rule would be violently overthrown by the daughter of Songte who would become Queen of Nozama. Thinking himself able to avert his own downfall, Teyu devised many plans to prevent Songte's daughter from killing him. His sister, Nali, who was also a skilled warrior, proposed to Teyu that she herself go to Namo, marry the king and trick him into thinking he had married Songte's daughter. Teyu approved of the plan.
Nali wandered off to the mortal world. She made her way to the palace by becoming a prostitute and made her way up to the top. Meanwhile, King Shenvang had also received the prophecy and was searching for his spouse in the palace. One day during a festival honoring Songte, Nali fired twenty successive arrows at twenty targets and didn't miss once. Shenvang took this as a sign that Nali is the warrior described in the prophecy and immediately married her.
Fall of Nali
Nali's downfall began when word spread that the Queen of Nozama is coming to Namo. Shenvang was confused because Nali was inside the palace all along.
Then Shenvang received a huge stone with the words "This day shall bring you a queen and a wife (此日将赐贵蜀女王蜀妻)." This was a strong prophecy as the words were messages from the supernatural. When asked about the stone, Nali mocked it and urged the king it was untrue since he had already been married.
A while later, Nushen arrived at Namo for examinations. Nali tried to distract Nushen by offering her gold if she didn't show up at the examination, but Nushen refused and showed up the following day. Shenvang and Nali watched as Nushen defeated the other competitors and was bent on entering the government as a respected official.
Nushen bowed in respect for the king but didn't do so to Nali. Shenvang accused Nushen of being disrespectful, to which Nushen replied Nali isn't a true queen and is an agent of Teyu. Incensed, Nali challenged Nushen to a duel.
The two made supplications to heaven, swearing that they are the true daughter of Songte and asked for supernatural protection if such is true. Being the false daughter, Nali tried killing Nushen by firing successive arrows at her, but Nushen dodged each and every one. Nushen then raised Jinlongkun with her feet and fired back at Nali, instantly killing her. As Nali died, her body disintegrated into demon form. Shenvang realized that he had been deceived and married Nushen, putting Nozama in a state of rebellion against Teyu's hegemony.