You will reap what you sow
What is a human being worth? Who is worthy and who determines worthiness? Who is more worthy? Blackskin, Brownskin, Whiteskin, Oldskin, Newskin? Are all human beings worth saving? Is some life more sacred than others? It is necessary to contemplate these questions to understand why the Western world has been so slow and parsimonious in its response with aid to the devastation of Pakistan by floods. Here is an opportunity to show the people of Pakistan that we really care about their plight, and that we will support them not only in their time of urgent need, but in the years to come. For we will reap what we sow. If we are to sow the seeds of democracy and freedom then we must begin with the action of humanity and respond swiftly and generously with aid.
A Good Deed - A Pakistani Folktale retold by Morgan
There was once a young man whose time had come to journey from his village and collect the young woman he was betrothed to. He dressed himself in his finest clothes, mounted his horse and set off. He soon found himself in the midst of a jungle and it was there that he came upon a fight between a snake and a mongoose. He dismounted and watched the scene before him. The creatures were in fierce contention and he thought that if he could separate them, then it was possible that neither would be too badly hurt. However, every time he intervened the mongoose fought harder and looked to be overcoming the snake. Finding that his peace making efforts did not prevail, he drew his sword and with deep regret slayed the determined mongoose. He then continued on his journey, but not very far, before the snake had intercepted him. Thinking that the snake was going to thank him for saving its life, he was quite shocked when it announced that it was going to eat him. The young man protested, saying that he had just saved his life and for this good deed he was going to be killed. "Surely," he said, "one good turn deserves another. Where I come from this is what we believe."
"Well in this country, the customs are different, and good deeds are returned with evil."
The young man argued for a long time with the snake, but to no avail. In the end the snake agreed to the young man's request to go about his business and return to this spot in eight days, to be eaten. So he was allowed to continue his journey and after a week he and his new wife took their seats in the bullock cart and made their way back to the jungle. When they arrived at the appointed place where the snake lived, the bridegroom climbed down from the cart and announced his arrival. "Snake, I have honoured my promise and present myself to be eaten."
His wife was surprised by her husband's words, but climbed down from the cart and stood beside him. The snake slithered out of his hole and coiled himself around the young man's leg.
"Why do you wish to eat my husband?" she demanded.
The snake told the story of how the man had saved his life and explained the custom of returning good with evil. The young bride was outraged and asked how such a custom came to be in the first place. The snake answered.
"Go to the five talli trees that stand over there and you will find out why."
The bride did as she was asked and addressed the trees. The first tree told her their story.
You can see that there are five trees here, when once upon a time there were six. The sixth tree was the oldest of us and the trunk was hollow. One day a robber escaping from his pursuers came to our forest and seeing the cavity in the trunk, dived inside. He begged and pleaded to the tree to save him and the tree did, by closing the hole in the trunk, and there he passed the night in safety. The following morning the tree opened her trunk and released the man, so he made his escape to a nearby city. Wherever he went people remarked upon his scent. They could smell him, and a beautiful fragrance it was too. For the trunk of the tree contained sandalwood. One man went to the King and told him of the presence of a stranger who had brought a wonderful scent with him and that the king may wish to discover it. The king immediately summoned the thief and demanded to know where he got the fragrance from. The thief was anxious. The King said that he would not put him to death if he showed him the source of the scent. When the thief heard this, he told him his story and agreed to take the kings men to the tree. For in hiding inside the trunk, his clothes had been imbued with the fragrance and had never left him. The kings men set to work and chopped down the tree and carried it to the palace. Upon understanding what was happening the tree said, "For saving the life of a man I am to lose my own life. From this time forth I decree that in this jungle whoever does good to another will be repaid in evil."
Having heard the story, the young woman returned to her husband's side and sadly declared that she understood why the custom had come about. The snake smiled and advanced upon her husband with open mouth. The bride cried out in fear.
"What about me? You will have to eat me first. I cannot live without my husband."
When the snake heard these words he stopped.
"But you have not done me any good turns at all, so I cannot do evil to you."
The snake was determined to solve the problem and crept back to his hole, and returned with two magic pills.
"Here is your comfort for when your husband is eaten. Swallow these tablets and you will give birth to two sons who you can devote yourself to, and they in turn will care for you."
The bride took the pills and once more the snake opened his mouth.
"Wait," she said, "what about my honour. If I have two children and no husband then what will happen to my good name?"
"Revenge is the best remedy for that," said the snake. "I have more pills and all you have to do is crumble one between your fingers and when the powder falls on your detractor's head, you will see them turn to ashes."
The young woman took the handful of pills offered by the snake and immediately crumbled one and let the powder fall upon the snake.
"Do you mean like this?" she asked innocently, and watched as the snake turned to ash.
Then with a smile upon her face the bride turned to her husband and said, "Who ever does good to anyone, in the end good will be done to them, but who ever does evil to anyone, then in the end, evil will be done to them."
And so they returned to their home together and lived in happiness and contentment with their children until the end of their days.
Source: Charles Swynnerton, Indian Nights' Entertainment: Folk-Tales from the Upper Indus (London: Elliot Stock, 1892), no. 42, pp. 133-38.
Photograph You will reap what you sow by Roman W. Schatz
