Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 14, 2025
We did ample justice to the old soldier's hospitable offerings, and then betel-nut, cardamums, cloves, and other spices, and pauri leaves, were handed round on a silver salver, beautifully embossed and carved with quaint devices.
After being properly necklaced, according to custom, with great garlands made of yellow flowers, and provided with betel-nut to chew, this pleasant visit closed, and we passed thence to a scene of a different sort: from this glow of color and this sunny life to those grim receptacles of the Parsee dead, the Towers of Silence.
After we had attained to the footing of welcome guests in these circles, we found that a good story-teller was always present, and, while the men smoked, the women spun, and the dogs slept, he entertained us with tales of heroes who knew the magic of the betel-nut, or with stories of spirits and their power over the lives of men.
I have not yet come across a region in which men, weary in body or spirit, are not seeking to stimulate or stupefy themselves. The Malay men and women being prohibited by the Koran from using alcohol, find the needed fillip in this nut, but it needs preparation before it suits their palates. The betel-nut is the fruit of the lovely, graceful, slender-shafted areca palm.
The members of the family were present during most of the day; friends came, and went as they pleased, stopped to listen to or talk with the spirits, drank basi, and then went about their work. Early the second morning, the mediums went to a bound pig in the house, and after placing betel-nut on its back, they poured water into its ear.
At the same time she said a magic moon-charm: and when the bit of betel-nut reached the earth, it became a little bird, the same which the Malay people call the Honey Bird, with brilliant, beautiful plumage. And the Princess Putri Balan cried out to it from her golden house, "Fly away, pretty little bright bird! Fly as far and as fast as ever you can, and keep out of Mr. Owl's way.
Upon a platform or bench of bamboo about two feet high and a foot or two square was placed a small basket or receptacle made of the bark of the bunga tree; in this each person present and taking part in the sacrifice placed a piece of betel-nut, over this the men placed their head handkerchiefs and the women strips of the bark of the palma tree.
So he cut a betel-nut and gave to them, and their spittle was like agate beads. So he took them up into his golden house and told his mother alan to give them some clothes. Not long after they drank basi, after they had finished eating.
After being properly necklaced, according to custom, with great garlands made of yellow flowers, and provided with betel-nut to chew, this pleasant visit closed, and we passed thence to a scene of a different sort: from this glow of color and this sunny life to those grim receptacles of the Parsee dead, the Towers of Silence.
They did not wish to attend Balaua, but the betel-nut had grown on their heads and they had arrived very late. As soon as Lingiwan and Dangdangáyan saw them they took them back to the town. As soon as Pagatipánan knew that they were the alan who took care of the boys he summoned the people around the town. They danced for one month.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking