Makato and the Cowrie Shell(A Thai Folktale )Supanee KhanchanathitiOnce upon a time, there was a boy whose name was Makato. Hewas an orphan, for his father and mother died when he was veryyoung. He had no brothers, sisters, cousins or friends to take careof him, sohehadtomakealivingforhimself. Hedideverykindof workcarryingheavy things, clearing away the forest, or feeding pigs. He never idled. Although he waspaid only small wages, he was satisfied. He knew that if he would not work, he wouldstarve. Wherever he went, his employers praised him for being sensible, hardworking,goodtempered and cheerful.One fine evening after he had finished chopping up a big pile of wood, he satdown to rest and thought of all he would like to do in the future. He wanted to try his luckin far!off strange lands, for he longed for e"citing adventures.#What are you thinking about so deeply, my boy$% asked his employer.#& wouldliketogoona'ourneyfor adventure,% saidMakato, pointingtothenortheast. #& heard that the land is fertile and the people are kind. & wish & could see theland for myself.% His eyes sparked with e"citement.#(he land you wish to go to is called )ukhothai,% said his employer. #(hey say *ra+uang of )ukhothaiis a very kind!hearted king. ,ou might be lucky if you could gothere.% )ometime later, Makato decided to try his fortune. He left his village and set out in the wide world .He walked along cheerfully, en'oying new insights and talking to the people he met on the way. After a month-s 'ourney, he reached a village on the boundary of the .ingdom of )ukhothai.#*lease, can & have some water to drink$% Makato asked an old woman with a bigwater pot on her head. #&-m so thirsty.% #Where did you come from$ Why are you here alone$ ,ou look as if you-ve comea long way,% said the old woman, pouring cold water from her pot into a small cup and handling it to Makato.#(hank you so much,% said the boy. #Who are your father and mother$ Haven-t you any family$% the old womanasked again.#& come from the /ity of Mon over there,% replied Makato.#0ood heavens1 Have you really come from M2n$ How is it that you are travellingalone, such a young boy as you are$% #& wanted to see *ra +uang of )ukhothai,% replied Makato.%(hey say he is a verykindhearted king.%#,ou are a very determined boy1% said the woman.%/ome along with me .Whoknows$ ,ou might see *ra +uang someday.%Makato was glad to go with her. &f he could work with this kind of woman, hewould have a place to sleep, some food to eat and perhaps someday, he might be luckyenough to see the king. (he old woman was one of the *ra +uang Mahouts, which meant that shehelped the mahout find the food for the elephant and clean out the elephants- sheds. Heworked hard and well, and the mahout and his wife grew fond of him.One day, the sky was clear and the weather so fine, it seemed to Makato that itmust bealuckyday. Asheworkedintheelephants-sheds, atall youngmaninasplendid costume, followed by attendants, came in. &t was *ra +uang himself. Makatobowed low at once with his hands clasped together before him.His heart beat fast. #Where did the boy come from$% the king asked the mahout, who was attendinghim. #How old is he$% the king asked further. #34 years old, your Ma'esty,% replied the mahout. #A goodlooking and hardworking boy,% said the king. #(ake good care of him.%As the king walked away, Makato saw a little cowrie shell lying on the ground .Heran to pick up and held it to the king, but the king said with a smile, #,ou may keep it.% #How wonderful1% Makato thought, #the king has given me a cowrie shell.%At the time, the people of )ukhothai used cowrie shells as money. Although onecowrie had little value, Makato wanted to make as much use of it as possible, for it wasthe king-s gift. 5or a long time, he could not think of a way to use it so that it would earnmoney for him.One day, he passed by a stall in the market where the seeds of many differentplants were sold. He looked along the stall and caught sight of a basket full of lettuceseed. 6ettuces1 He could grow small plants like that. He asked the 'oyful woman at thestall, #/an & buy some lettuce seed$%#Oh yes, my boy. How much do you want$% said the old woman.#& have one cowrie shell1% said Makato.#One cowrie shell1% said the woman, laughing.%(hat won-t buy anything. & can-teven measure that much.%#6ook1% said Makato eagerly. #& will dip my finger into the pile of seeds. (hen, & willtake the seeds that stick to it. (hat must be right for one cowrie shell.%#Well, why not$% said the amused woman at his suggestions. #All right boy. Helpyourself.%Makato paid the woman his one cowrie shell .(hen, he dipped his finger into thepile of seeds. When he pulled his wet finger out, it was covered with seeds. He carefullyscraped them of his finger into the palm of his hand and went away, happily clutchingthe seeds.7owthat hehadseeds, Makatobrokethesoil andsowedthemat once. Hewatered the seed bed every day and soon, the young plants appeared. 8ay by day, hecleared more ground and planted more lettuce seedlings until the kitchen garden wascovered with them. He was very proud of himself because he had done so well.#& wish & could give the king some lettuces,% he thought.One day, the king passed by the elephants- sheds again. Makato waited for anopportunity, then knelt down and proudly presented his biggest lettuces to the king. #Where did you get this$% the king asked, surprised.#& grewthemfromthecowrieshell yougaveme, ,our Ma'esty,% answeredMakato, beaming with a smile. #How could you do that$% asked the pu99led king.Makato told the king the whole story. (he king was impressed with hisintelligence and industry, )o much so that later on, he gave Makato a 'ob in the palace.As the years passed, Makato grew tall and handsome. He mastered every graceand served the king well. He was so loyal that the king trusted him absolutely. He waspromoted to higher positions until he was given a title of .un Wang, which meant thathe was the most important person in the king-s court. He was also happily married tothe beautiful young daughter of the king. After that, the king made him the ruler of theMon. )o it was that Makato, who had once been a poor orphan, became the king ofthat prosperous kingdom.