Truly altruistic

The visitor was hungry. While the rich man turned her away, the poor man offered her hospitality.

October 31, 2019 01:18 pm | Updated 01:18 pm IST

This is a story from Hawaii. Pele, the goddess of fire, often disguised herself and visited people. Her favourite garb was that of a hag. On one such day, she went down the mountainside and saw two Hawaiian houses — one big and one small.

She decided to visit the big house first. The land around was rich with crops and the banana plants were laden with fruit. She hobbled up to the door, and in her most quavering voice said, “Aloha!”

A gruff, rude “Aloha!” came in reply.

She begged for food saying she was old and hungry. But, from inside the house came the rude refusal. She turned away and walked to the smaller house.

Just in time

She found the family had gathered around their table all ready for their evening meal. She once again begged for food saying she had walked many miles and was tired and hungry.

Immediately, the man of the house welcomed her in and the woman laid a place for Pele at the table. She sat down and a large calabash of poi ( a bowl of the fermented root of the taro) was set before her. She finished the bowl in a jiffy and asked for more. Once again, the lady filled a bowl for her. When she drunk the third bowl, she said, “Your neighbours crop will wither in its stem. The bananas in his field will never ripen and the coconuts on his palm tree will fall on his favourite pig. But you, what you plant at night you can reap in the morning. Your cane will mature overnight and the bananas on your tree will be the sweetest. You will have crops through the year.”

Pele hobbled out of the gate and went away. And sure enough, even before the sun came up the next day, the curse had settled. The neighbour’s field lay parched, while the good man’s field flourished.

So, always be nice to old folk, it could be Pele in disguise.

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