The Legend of The Betel Leaves and The Areca Nuts

The Betel-Chewing Custom in Vietnam Folktales
The Legend of the Betel Leaves and the Areca Nuts

A long time ago, in a small village lived the Cao family. They had two sons. The
elder one was called Tn, and the other was called Lang. Although they were not
twins, they still looked a lot like each other. Even their closet relative had no way
to recognize who was the older and younger. The two brothers loved each other
a lot. But it was not lucky that their parents passed away so soon. One day,
teacher Luu in the same village adopted Tn and Lang as he sympathetic with
the two lovely boys. He taught them like his own son. Tn and Lang were good
boys growing up together with best brotherhood. Mr.Luu had a daughter who was
the most beautiful girl in the village.
Mr. Luus daughter grew up and wanted to get marriage with the elder brother.
But even she knew that Tn was more
mature and helpful, she cannot recognize
who he was among the brothers. So, one
day, her father told her to cook a rice soup to
give both of them and show him who is Tn.
Traditionally, Vietnamese society was in high
hierarchy. Every time people ate or drank,
they had to let the older go first. Thats why
Mr.Luu wanted to use that way to know who was Tn and who was Lang.
The daughter followed her father's words. At last, they could know right away
because Lang always let his older brother eat first. Miss Luu and Tn got married.
Lang also went out to live with the young couple. However, sometimes Lang also
felt sad because Tn didnt pay as much attention to him as before.
Time went by, and they still lived happily together. Until one day, Lang was so
tired of working in the field that he came home first. His sister-in-law saw him
coming and went to greet her husband back home without realizing it was Lang.
Its me, Lang started.
The wife recognized she was wrong but it was too late. Tn came home and saw
his wife holding hands with his brother. Although Tn didnt say anything, he
could not stop thinking that there was something wrong with the two people. His
love for Lang was less every day. Lang knew what his brother thinking. He was so
sad and could not stand it. The next day, he left without a word. Lang didnt
know where to go. He just kept going and going. He was so hungry and sad. One
day, he stopped and sat beside a big river. Lang was so tired that he just lay
down and slept, and he never woke up again. His body was transformed into a
limestone.
Back to Tn, when he didnt see his brother around, he was so worried. He knew
that Lang had left because of him. He felt so guilty and decided to go look for his
brother. Tn never even told his wife. He just went away. He also kept on going
and going. Fate led him to follow the way his brother passed until he stopped at
the river. Because of being so tired, and not being able to cross the river, he sat
beside the stone, crying for Lang. Tn also fell asleep and never woke up, liked
his brother. His body, like Langs body, transformed into an areca tree.
Half a month had passed, and because of worrying about her husband, Miss Luu
could not wait any longer. She at last left the house to look for Tn. Fate also led
the way and brought her to the exact place where Tn and Lang had died. In
front of her eyes, there was only a big river. She sat down and leaned on the tree
without knowing that was her husband. But she had a strange feeling, so warm.
And then, she could not wake up anymore just like the brothers. Her body
became the areca leaves and wound around the tree like a wife hugging her
husband. Finally, all three of them had seen each other again, and no one or
nothing could separate them anymore.
In the seventh and eighth lunar months, when it is still warm, King Hng went on
a tour of inspection, stopping for a while before the temple. He contemplated the
luxuriant tree with the vine creeping round it. He plucked a nut and a leaf,
chewed them together, and then spat out his saliva on the rock; suddenly his
saliva turned red and took on a delicious aroma. The king ordered the rock to be
baked to obtain lime and chewed it with the trees fruit and the vines leaves.
This quid, once chewed, gave off fragrant and delicious flavors and made the
cheeks rosy. The king realized the high value of these things and ordered them to
be brought to his house.
From that time on, people have known how to chew the betel leaves with arecanut to redden their lips. At wedding celebrations, betel leaves and areca-nut
become the customary present brought to the bridegroom's family. Betel leaves
and areca-nut are also used as snacks for the guests. Thus, one of the
Vietnamese saying is Some betel leaves can be the introduction to a
conversation."

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The Betel-Chewing Custom in Vietnam Folktales

The Legend of the Betel Leaves and the Areca Nuts

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