TRAU - CAU STORY Belong to our tradition, “trầu - cau” is very important offering in wedding. Trau is a kind of leaf which has heart shape with stinging taste. Cau is a kind of fruit which looks like coconut and has bunch as coconut. But it is much smaller than coconut and has acrid taste. And one thing, that is voi which is white and looks like as wet flour. People eat trầu cau with voi together whose mix has nice red color and without good taste. However, when you usually eat them, you can be attracted specially. In wedding, Trầu – cau is used as a important gift because the story tell about their origin. This is our story: “Formely, there were twins brother. They loved together so much because their parents had died soon. They were taught by the old teacher and they lived at his house as his children. When they became adults, both of them also loved the daughter of their teacher. She is a beautiful girl and very well. It was difficult to choose the older brother or the younger. Finally, she decided to get married with the older because she loved him so much. Although the younger loved her so much, he tried forgetting this feeling and saw her as a sister – in - law, day by day. One day, when he was faint by wine, the older brother’s wife thought her husband and cared for him. After that, he knew that he couldn’t give his feeling up and he couldn’t also give his loving up….he decided to leave our home and go into so far forest. Both of his older bother and sister – in- law, no one knew this. He forced to go further and further so he walked all day without stopping for a short while. Coming to side of river, he had already been worn out and the river without boat. He sat in side of river and died in hungry and thirsty. His body became a large stone. The older was coming back home from the farm while his younger brother went away. He was amazed with recognizing his dear brother had gone away. Being deep disappointed, he started away looking for his brother. Although, he loved his wife so much, he had to decide to leave their home. He walked…..and walked so far so he could until he came to side of the river. In there, he felt very tired and couldn’t also pass the river because of without boats. He sat by side the large stone and heard in the wind his brother’s voice. He was worn out to die and became a high tree which stood by side the large stone. While that, his wife still waited for his coming back day by day. Finally, she also started off to find him. She had gone on until coming side of the river. She was already exhausted. Sitting by Cau tree, she heard her husband’s voice. She died and became a kind of creeper which twined around the tree. When living people in this area took leaves of the creeper, fruit of the tree and the flour from stone and combined them together – this mix is really special. They think that it maybe product from loving so they use it in wedding until now.” Nowadays, almost people don’t eat trau – cau but they are rolled extremely important in wedding ceremony. We believe that trau – cau is the thread to link loving in new family.