The Origin Of Betel And Tobacco

: Folk-tales Of The Khasis

Long, long ago two boys lived in a village on the slopes of the hills,

who were very fond of one another and were inseparable companions. The

name of one was U Riwbha; he was the son of one of the wealthiest

men in the country. The other was called U Baduk, who belonged to

one of the lowly families; but the difference in station was no

barrier to the affection of the children for one another. Every day

they sought one
nother out, and together they roamed abroad in the

fields and the forests, learning to know the birds and the flowers;

together they learned to swim in the rivers, together they learned

to use the bow and arrow, and to play on the flute. They loved the

same pastimes and knew the same friends.



As they grew up they were not able to spend so much time together. U

Riwbha had to overlook his father's property, which involved many days'

absence from the village; while U Baduk went every day to labour in

the fields to earn his own rice and to help his parents, who were

poor. But the old friendship remained as firm as ever between the

two young men, they trusted one another fully, and the one kept no

secrets from the other.



In the course of time they took to themselves wives and became the

heads of families. U Riwbha's wife, like himself, belonged to one of

the wealthy families, so that by his marriage his influence in the

village increased, and he became very rich and prosperous. U Baduk

also married into his own class and went to live in a distant village,

but he never gathered riches like his friend; nevertheless he was

very happy. He had a good and thrifty wife, and side by side they

daily toiled in the fields to supply their simple wants as a family.



Thus circumstances kept the two friends apart, for they seldom

met. The old regard was not in the least abated by absence, rather

the bond seemed to be drawn closer and closer as the years went

by. Occasionally U Baduk journeyed to his native village to see his

people and friends, and on these occasions nowhere was he made more

welcome than in the house of his friend U Riwbha, who insisted upon

his spending the greater part of his time with him, and partaking of

many sumptuous meals at his house. Thus the two old comrades renewed

their intimacy and affection.



On his return home from one such visit U Baduk's wife told him that

their neighbours had been talking a great deal and making disparaging

remarks about the intimacy between them and their wealthy friend,

hinting that no such friendship existed, that it was only U Baduk's

boast that he had rich friends in his own village. If there were such

an intimacy as he pretended, why had his rich friend never come to

see them when U Baduk was constantly going to visit him? He was vexed

to hear this, not so much because they condemned him, but because

they were casting aspersions on his best friend, so he determined to

invite his friend to pay them a visit.



When U Baduk paid his next visit to his village, and had as usual

accepted the hospitality of his friend, he ventured to say, "I am

always coming to see you and partaking of your hospitality, but you

have not been to see me once since I got married."



To this U Riwbha replied, "Very true, my dear friend, very true, but

do not take it amiss that I never thought of this before. You know

that I have much business on my hands, and have no leisure like many

people to take my pleasures; but I have been too remiss towards you,

and I must make haste to remedy my fault. Give my greeting to your

wife, and tell her that I will start from here to-morrow to come to

pay you both a visit, and to give myself the pleasure of tasting a

dish of her curry and rice."



Highly gratified and pleased, U Baduk hastened home to tell his wife

of his friend's projected visit, and urged her to rouse herself and

to cook the most savoury meal she was capable of. She too was very

pleased to hear that the man they respected and loved so much was

coming to see them; but she said, "It has come very suddenly, when

I am not prepared; we have neither fish nor rice in the house."



"That is indeed unfortunate," said the husband, "but we have kind

neighbours from whom we have never asked a favour before. You must

go out and borrow what is wanted from them, for it would be too great

a disgrace not to have food to place before our friend when he comes."



The wife went out as requested by her husband, but although she walked

the whole length of the village there was no one who could spare her

any rice or fish, and she returned home gloomy and disheartened and

told her husband of her ill-success. When U Baduk heard this bad

news he was extremely troubled and said, "What sort of a world is

this to live in, where a morsel of food cannot be obtained to offer

hospitality to a friend? It is better to die than to live." Whereupon

he seized a knife and stabbed himself to death.



When the wife saw that her good husband was dead, she was smitten

with inconsolable grief, and she cried out, "What is there for me to

live for now? It is better that I also should die." Thereupon she in

her turn seized the knife and stabbed herself to death.



It happened that a notorious robber called U Nongtuh was wandering

through the village that night, and, as it was cold, he bethought

himself of sneaking into one of the houses where the family had

gone to sleep, to warm himself. He saw that a fire was burning in U

Baduk's house, and that it was very silent within. He determined to

enter. "They are hard-working people," said he to himself, "and will

sleep soundly; I can safely sit and warm myself without their knowing

anything about me." So he squatted down comfortably on the hearth,

not knowing that the two dead bodies lay on the floor close to him.



Before long the warmth made him drowsy, and without thinking U Nongtuh

fell asleep, and did not awake until the day was dawning; he jumped

up hastily, hoping to escape before the village was astir, but he

saw the two dead bodies and was greatly terrified. A great trembling

took him, and he began to mutter wildly, "What an unfortunate man I

am to have entered this house! The neighbours will say that I killed

these people; it will be useless for me to deny it, for I have such

an evil reputation nobody will believe me. It is better for me to

die by my own hand here than to be caught by the villagers, and be

put to death like a murderer." Whereupon he seized the knife and

stabbed himself to death; so there were three victims on the floor,

lying dead side by side, all because there was no food in the house

to offer hospitality to a friend.



The morning advanced, and when the neighbours noticed that no one

stirred abroad from U Baduk's house they flocked there to find out

what was the matter. When they saw the three dead bodies they were

filled with sadness and compunction, for they remembered how they had

refused to lend them food the night before, to prepare entertainment

for their friend.



In the course of the day U Riwbha arrived according to the promise made

to his friend, and when he was told of the terrible tragedy his sorrow

knew no bounds; he sat wailing and mourning by the body of the friend

that he loved best, and would not be comforted. "Alas!" he wailed,

"that a man should lose such a true friend because the world is become

so hard for the poor that to entertain a friend is a greater burden

than they can bear."



For many hours he wept and sorrowed, praying to the Great God to show

a way of keeping up the customs of hospitality without the poor having

to suffer and be crushed, as his own good friend had been crushed.



Just about that time the Great God walked abroad to look on the

universe, and he saw the sorrow of U Riwbha, and took pity on his

tears, and made known that from henceforth He would cause to grow

three valuable plants, which were to be used by mankind in future

as the means of entertainment, whereby the poor as well as the

rich could indulge in the entertainment of friends without being

burdened. Immediately three trees which had never been known to mankind

before were seen springing up from the ground where the dead bodies

lay. They were the Betel, the Pan, and the Tobacco.



From that time it became a point of etiquette in Khasi households,

rich and poor alike, to offer betel nut and pan or a whiff of tobacco

from the hookah to friends when they make calls.



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