The King of the Food Crops

Title in Kulisusu: Apuno Rajaki

Told by: La Ode Umar M.

Date: circa 1995

The story of choosing the king of the food crops. 

A long time ago, the food crops were scattered and foul on the face of the earth. There weren’t many which were considered good to eat by people or by animals. Moreover people paid little heed to what were called loathsome foods like cassava and sweet potatoes. This group of loathsome foods were the ones seeking a way for foods to become more equal. For them to achieve their desires, they just needed one kind of food to become king of the food crops. The king of the crops would be the one to put them in order. They arranged for every kind of food to come together, so that they could choose one to become their king.

When they had gathered, they sat in a circle facing each other. Only Rice sat outside at the corner of the house behind the wall. Because while he was still a little ways off, he saw Bitter Yam and Hard Yam whispering. Their intention was that if Rice came and sat with the other crops, they would expel him lest he infect them with his ringworm. Even though many foods called him to come join in, he didn’t want to. He just replied, “It’s good for me to stay here, because I have ringworm, and I might infect you all.”

When they were all seated in a circle, Bitter Yam stood up in the middle and spoke, “How about it, brothers, is everyone here?” The crowd of crops answered, “We are all assembled, there isn’t anyone we’re waiting for.” Bitter Yam continued, “Since there isn’t anyone we’re waiting for, brothers, listen, all of you, choose me to be your king. Me here, just look at me, I’m brave, I have a beard, I’m big, I’m verbose, I’m smart.” When he had finished speaking, he sat down. And not one of all the crops gathered made a sound.

When Bitter Yam had sat down, Hard Yam stood up and asserted himself like Bitter Yam, “Listen up, all of you, choose me to be your king. Look at me, I have a beard, I’m smooth and flawless, I’m tall, I have thorns, I’m smart. Don’t let anyone say differently, I’m the most fitting, I’m the most genuine, I’m the most proper.” When he had finished speaking, Hard Yam sat down.

After Hard Yam had sat down, Sweet Potato stood up and asked questions.
Said Sweet Potato, “How about it, brothers, are we agreed to have Bitter Yam as our king?” The crowd of crops answered, “We refuse.” Sweet Potato asked again, “How about it, brothers, are we agreed to have Hard Yam as our king?” Again they answered, “We refuse!” their voice reverberating to the sky.

Sweet Potato asked again, “If that’s so, then who do you want for king?” With one accord they shouted, reverberating to the sky, “Mr. Ringworm behind the wall.” Sweet Potato spoke again, “How about it, brothers, are we agreed to have Rice as our king?”“We are all agreed,” they said. Sweet Potato asked again, “Is this really true?” They answered again, “It’s true.” Sweet Potato asked again, “Are you sure?” They answered again, “We’re sure.”

When it was certain that Rice had been made king of the crops, Bitter Yam and Hard Yam arose and went home without taking leave. When Bitter Yam and Hard Yam had gone back, they went down and escorted Rice up to sit in their middle, and shook hands. When they had all shaken hands, Rice said, “In reality, I’m not the most fitting, the most genuine or the most proper to become king of the crops, because I’m small, I have ringworm, and I’m rough. The ones who are most proper, most genuine, most fitting, are Bitter Yam and Hard Yam. They are brave, they are strong, they have beards, they are smart. Even so, you went out of your way and chose me. This is a heavy responsibility, but if we are agreed and follow each other, even a mountain can become level. You desire that we all be equally valued by people. If you want to achieve that desire in accordance with our intentions, then during the growing season let’s not all of us yield a harvest, but let’s take turns in each region. If during this growing season Corn and Sweet Potato yield a harvest, then the other crops in that region should not yield a harvest. In a different region perhaps the ones who will yield a harvest will be Rice and Cassava. In that way, all the different kinds of crops will be valued by the people there. That’s how it should be if we all want to be esteemed by people."  That’s why until today the crops take turns yielding a harvest during the year.

When the king of the crops had finished speaking, the meeting split up. Bitter Yam and Hard Yam had already gone home when they hadn’t been chosen. When Bitter Yam arrived at his home, he went around in circles until he was sick with dizziness, then he stopped. He did like that because he was disappointed not to have been chosen king of the crops. He no longer wanted to be eaten by people. Instead today if we eat Btter Yam, we get dizzy because of him. If we get sick from Bitter Yam, the treatment is to drink rice porridge.

Likewise Hard Yam when he had arrived back at his home he flung his butt on the rocks. He was unwilling to be eaten by humans unless we become exhausted by him. His heart was crushed because he wasn’t chosen to become king of the crops. Until today, Hard Yam doesn’t grow in places where there is soil, he only grows in crevices between rocks. If there are some which grow in soil, the tubers are exceedingly deep and aren’t very big.

The end.

We hope you enjoyed this story. You can download a print version (pdf) which gives the story in all three languages.