Timog Silangan: The Folktales of Southeast Asia

The Golden Harvest

Long ago in Old Ayudhya, there lived a man named Nai Hah Tong who dreamed of turning copper into gold. His wife, Nang Song Sai, had little faith in magic. She believed in the wealth of nature and richness of the earth. When her husband boasted, "Someday, we will be the richest people in Ayudhya", she listened patiently; however, when all their tical had been used for experiments, she decided something would have to be done about her husband's great expectation. 

She said to her husband, "Nai Hah Tong, you have experimented with copper and a monkey spaw, copper and lizard's tail. You have polished copper with the gold stripe of fur cut from the tigers skin, but the copper did not turn into gold. Why don't you give up this dream and go to work like other men?" 

Her husband said, "Mai chai", that is not right. With each experiment my magic has grown stronger."

"Mai pen rai , never mind, my husband, you must do what you must do," she answered. 

The next day, however, she went home to see her father and asked him what to do about NaiHah Tong"s unreasonable search for gold. 

Her wise old father did not seem disturbed. He said, "Pai, go now, and say nothing of this meeting. I have a plan to help your husband." 

The next day Nai Hah Tong received an invitation to dine with his father-in-law. At ginukow, or meal time, Nai Hah Tong was there on the mat-covered floor beside the elderly gentleman. 

The old man said, "My son, since you desired power and a long life, you sit facing east. I see honor and dignity, so I shall sit facing west." 

"Chai , yes, my father, I always follow the old relief. I never sit facing north when I eat, for I fear the bad luck such an action would cause, but sometimes, I eat facing south because I would like to have esteem and respect." 

The old man smiled and nodded in agreement. 

A servant interrupted and conversation by placing a large tray bearing bowls of white rice, hot chicken curry, roasted turtle eggs, vegetables and namprick , a spicy sauce made from beetles and fish paste. Another tray held bowls of fresh water for washing, cloths for drying, and lime scent for perfuming the hands. The men ate from the same bowls, using only the fingers of their right hand. They did not speak very much while eating because the delicious food demanded their complete attention. The curry was spicy, yet sweet with the added milk of the coconut. The rice was fluffy and fresh from the top of the pot. The namprick bit the tongue, but it was good and made the mild milk drink more tasty by contrast. 

When the meal was over, Nai Hah Tong felt as content as a baby gibbon sitting upon his mother's lap. 

"Ah, we are lucky for fish in the water and rice on the land," he said. 

"Chai , my son, but there is more to life than good food. I have asked you to come to see me thisevening because I need your help. Like you, my son, I have been looking for a way of turning copper intogold. Now, I know how to do it." 

Nai Hah Tong drew in his breath and made a long, long whistling sound. "Oh, it's too good to be true! I can't believe it!" he said. 

"Listen carefully, Nai Hah Tong. I have all things I need for the miracle except one additional ingredient. Because I am an old man, I don't think I can work hard enough and long enough to get it." 

"Mai pen rai , never mind, father, I will get whatever you nee," Nai Hah Tong replied. 

"That is not an easy as you might think, my son. I must have two kilos of soft fuzz gathered from t he underside of the banana leaf, and the fuzz must be plucked carefully from our very own banana trees. Furthermore, I know the fuzz will not perform the miracle, unless it comes from a tree planted when the magical words were spoken."