This story is about a Chinese trader who came to Kerala
In olden days, traders from faraway countries came to Kerala to buy sell things. A few months after the traders had set off from China, his boat reached the Kerala coast. Suddenly there was a terrible storm and before the boat could reach the shore it was caught in the storm and sank. With great difficulty, the trader swam to the shore. He managed to save ten big porcelain jars from his boat.
He walked and walked, carrying his jars on his back. He was very tired. At last he came to an old, broken house. The house belonged to poor Bhattathiri.
Bhattathiri listened to the trader’s sad tale. Although he was very poor, Bhattathiri was a kind man. He invited the merchant to share his evening meal, which was a small bowl of rice.
After the meal, the merchant said, ``you have helped a man in trouble. Thank you very much. Will you please look after my jars till I return?’’
``My house is old and broken down,’’ said Bhattathiri, ``the jars won’t be safe here.’’ ``Don’t worry,’’ said the merchant. ``There is only some rice in them.’’ Bhattathiri agreed to look after the jars.
``Thank you’’, said the merchant. ``Goodbye.’’ Years went by. The merchant did not return. Bhattathiri become poorer and poorer, but he still did not open the jars.
One day, there was no food at home. Bhatt’s children were hungry. They started crying. His wife did not know what to do. ``Please open one of the jars and take just a handful of rice. I will cook it for the children. When we get money, we will put the rice back in the jar.’ ’Bhattathiri agreed.
He opened one of the jars and put his hand in. what do you think he found? Not rice but a handful of gold coins. He opened the other jars. They were all full of gold coins. Bhatt took just one gold coin from the first jar. He put away the other nine jars carefully. With the gold coin, he bought some food or his family.
Another year passed. The merchant did not return. One day Bhatt decided to borrow some of the gold coins. He would put them back later. He bought some land with the money. When he became rich, Bhatt was an honest man. Soon, he saved enough money he put back the gold coins in the jar. He also filled ten small pots with gold.
After a few years, the merchant came back. He did not find Bhatt’s poor, old house. There was a very big house in its place. ``that man has stolen my gold!’’ the merchant thought angrily.
Bhatt saw him merchant at the gate. He ran forward to greet him. In the evening, a feast was held in honor of the Chinese merchant.
After the feast, Bhatt asked his servant to bring the ten Chinese jars and also the ten pots. He told the merchant, ``I borrowed some gold coins from your jar, but I have put them back. These ten pots of gold are for the help you gave me.
The merchant was surprised, ``you are kind and honest man,’’ he said. ``I will take only nine of the jars. Please keep your pots of gold and jar of mine.’’
When the Chinese jar was empty, Bhatt’s wife used it to store pickled tender, green mangoes. The pickles were very tasty. Soon, the pickle became famous all over India.
Even today, jars which are used to store mango pickle are shaped like the Chinese jar.
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