Kindness has its

Short Story

Kindness has its own reward

By Jane O'neill

AS old Matai trudged homewards weighed under a basket of vege tables and a length of sugar-cane, he was brought to a halt by an elderly woman sitting on the roadside. She was weary and showed signs of hav ing travelled far. Being a curious man, Matai began to converse with her and found that she had walked from Ba towards Vatukoula and now, as night was close at hand, she sat down to rest her weary body.

She had a basket with an old tattered dress, a tin of Capstan tobacco, and 50 cents in it. She now brought out her tobacco and began to role a cigar, and as he was not offered any of this tobacco, Matai stood silently observing this strange lady. Her face showed the faded beauty of youth and wrinkles of old age.

The sun went down lower and because Matai could not imagine himself sleeping in his snug bure while the old lady lay out in the cold, perhaps even in the rain, he invited her to his house. The lady at first wanted to refuse the invitation but for his pleas.

On arriving at the village the

people viewed the pair with curiosity

for Matai hardly ever had anything to do with visitors to the village. His wife received them with warmth and having learnt how the old lady came to be with Matai, she graciously in vited her in and prepared a meal while Matai entertained their guest.

After a meal, the visitor was re freshed and became lively. They sat drinking yaqona until the small hours of the morning and retired for about five hours’ sleep.

THE hosts saw to it that their guest was as comfortable as possible and as they were not very wealthy by village standards, it meant going without their own warm blankets.

The lady accepted this hospitality without protest and did not reveal much of her life, but within the few hours that she had arrived, she knew all there was to know about Matai and his wife. They were poor but happy and as all their five children had married, they were now on their

own except for a few occasional visits from the children.

Mereani, Matai’s wife, rose early to prepare breakfast. Her eyes travelled to the corner, where their guest had slept, only to find a bed which did not seem to have been slept in and the only trace of the mysterious visitor was her little

shabby basket.

Mereani woke Matai and together they tried to work out where she could have gone. They searched their compound and asked their neighbours if anyone had seen her leave, but no one had. While Matai searched out side, Mereani held the shabby basket wondering whether she should open it or not and as her curiosity won her over, she excitedly unclasped it and with an exclamation called for Matai.

She was excited, and at the same time scared, but Matai reassured her that it was all right.

In the basket lay a whale’s tooth of the finest quality with silver trimmings and an old necklace of

pigs’ tusks.

Matai, an honourable man, decided that he would guard these priceless items with his whole life and return them to the old lady.

One of his neighbours, being of a chiefly family, now residing in Matai’s village, heard through the village gossip of the old lady’s visit and what she forgot, or what they thought she forgot, and asked Matai to let him see the basket and its contents. To his amazement, he recognised the items.

He explained that the lady was the wife of the great chief Taraniqio who was his ancestor. She was the kindest lady that ever lived and she had come as she had gone to many a person, to test their kindness and generosity and this was her present to good people.

Matai and his wife, were from that day respected by everyone who knew them and they guarded their treasure meticulously. Matai and Mereani vowed never to close their door to anyone and to live up to the honour of generous people, bestowed on them by their visitor.