The Spirit Stone (Tso Tawo)

In the days when the first great migrations took place, when the people sought new lands to call their own, there was a man named Koza and his wife Thepa. They journeyed far from their ancestral home, traversing dense forests, crossing rivers of whispering spirits, and climbing hills that sat above the clouds.

After a long and weary journey, they came upon a land unlike any other. The soil was dark and rich, the rivers ran clear as crystal, and the air carried the scent of ancient trees and blooming flowers. Koza knelt upon the earth and placed his hand on the ground, feeling its warmth. "This," he whispered to his wife, "will be our home."

And so, they built a house, weaving strong bamboo and binding it with vines. Thepa planted flowers at the entrance to honor the spirits of the land, and Koza, with great care, sowed the sacred rice seeds he had carried through the long journey.

The land was kind to them, and soon, green shoots sprouted from the soil, swaying gently with the flow of the wind. The spirits of the land seemed pleased, for the crops grew tall and golden. When harvest season came, Koza gathered the grains in woven baskets, his heart filled with gratitude by the bountiful harvest.

Near their home stood a large, flat stone, smooth and untouched by time. It was unlike any other rock in the area—neither worn by rain nor cracked by heat. It seemed to hum softly beneath the sun, its presence ancient and unshaken.

One day, as Koza prepared his harvest, he laid the paddy on the stone to dry under the warm graze of the sun. When he returned at dusk, he froze in astonishment. The grains had doubled.

At first, he thought it was a trick of the eye, but as he continued to use the stone, the same miracle happened again and again. Each time he placed paddy upon it to dry, it multiplied twofold. Koza and Thepa were blessed beyond measure. Their granaries overflowed, their home flourished, and no one in their village ever went hungry.

With the passing years, they were blessed with three sons, and life in the land was peaceful.

The Curse of Greed

As the children grew, they too learned of the stone's power. But where their parents had seen it as a blessing, they began to see it as a possession.

At first, they quarreled in whispers, bickering over who would use the stone first. But as they grew older, their fights became louder, more violent. They accused each other of stealing its fortune, of placing more paddy for themselves. Each believed they had a greater right to the stone than the others.

Their voices, once filled with laughter, now carried anger and jealousy. The house, once filled with warmth, became cold with distrust and jealousy.

Koza and Thepa watched in sorrow. They had once dreamed of a family that would thrive together, but now, they feared their sons would spill each other’s blood over greed.

So, one night, under the watchful gaze of the moon spirits, Koza and Thepa made a painful decision.

They gathered dried thatch and, after performing a ritual of atonement, set fire to the stone. As the flames licked its surface, the rock trembled. A deep, sorrowful crack split its center, it made a sound that echoed through the valley like a lament. The magic was gone.

When the sons awoke to see the stone broken, regret filled their hearts. But what had been lost could not be restored.

Ashamed of their greed, they decided they could no longer stay together. They bid farewell to their parents and set out in different directions, each carrying the lesson of the Spirit Stone in their hearts.

One went north, where he and his people built a stronghold in the hills.

Another went west, where his people flourished in fertile valleys.

The third went south, where his people lived among the ancient forests.

Thus, the great tribes of the land were formed, each carrying a piece of the wisdom of Tso Tawo—a reminder that great blessings, if not cherished with humility, could lead to great misfortune.

The stone remained where Koza and Thepa had once prospered, cracked and silent, a sacred site visited by those who still remembered the tale. Yet, time is relentless. As centuries passed, the once-glorious Spirit Stone lay scarred. Still, its legend lived on, carried by the wind through hills and forests, whispering a warning—that greed can break even the greatest of blessings. And even today, in the land of Khezhakeno, the remains of the burned Tso Tawo endure—an eternal monument to a time when men walked with gods, and a single stone held the fate of the entire people.