The Tongan Pearl
Mathew paddled his utterly small boat towards the deeper waters and stopped when he reached his desired spot. He saw the ocean was bright turquoise blue and the sun’s rays were pure shimmering gold dancing onto the waves! He put on his snorkels and dived into the icy cold water! He breathed in gently and could hear only the fast current! Mathew knew what he had to do! He had been pearl diving since twelve years and today was beyond special! He and his first love, Marica were celebrating their first anniversary and he wanted to give her a beautiful pearl as a gift!
He reached the bottom of the ocean bed and saw an array of corals and enormous school of colourful fish swimming in rhythms of the wave! The underwater world was enchanting but he had one purpose! To look for a shell that hosted a pearl! He swam near the seabed and collected a few shells! He put it in a bag and surfaced! He leaped onto the boat and paddled back to the shore! As his muscles rippled onto the hot sun, fellow Tongan girls waved at him in pleasure as he was a very famous pearl diver! He waved carelessly and on his mind was only the pearl that would please Marica!
He stopped paddling and broke the shell with a stone! He was careful to touch the shell and when he saw it, it was an enchanting black pearl! It was smooth and shiny and he knew Marica would be proud! He jumped into the shallow waters and walked onto the smooth golden sands! He put the black pearl in his pocket and went to the nearby jewelers shop! The jeweler was his best friend and they had been in black pearl business for a very long time! His name was Timothy and he was a Tongan who loved to create the best black pearl necklaces!
Timothy greeted him happily as he entered the wooden store! “Mālō e lelei!” “Fēfē hake?!” Mathew replied with a hearty grin on his face, “Sai pē, mālō, fēfē koe?” Timothy asked, “Er…What can I do for you dear friend?” Mathew replied taking out the black pearl from his pocket! Timothy instantly took the pearl from Mathew and asked honesty, “Who is this for? Marica?” Mathew nodded! Adding, “Can you make a nice pendant from it? She likes silver!” Timothy nodded and began making the silver chain pendant!
It took Timothy a while to make the pendant and when it was done, he gave the silver box to Mathew saying, “Propose to Marica, why don’t you? She’ll be ecstatic!” Mathew looked puzzled for a while and said jokingly, “You mean I dived into the deep ocean today for Marica and that means I need to propose marriage to her?” Timothy said interestingly, “Why else would you dive, silly man!” Mathew waved at his best friend and thought about what he said! Marriage to Marica would be really nice and that thought was very comforting! Marica was not only his best friend and confidante but also his soul mate!
When night came, Mathew got dressed in a pale blue t-shirt and a brown khaki pants! He went to the usual coconut tree where he and Marica always sat and talked for long into the lonely nights! He saw Marica was already waiting for him wearing a pink frangipani underneath her left ear! She looked at Mathew and saw that he was holding the silver box in his hands! Marica gasped, “Mālō tau ma‘u e efiafi ni!” Mathew waited for Marica to open the box and he saw the utter delight on her angelic face! She gasped again as she wore the pearl and silver pendent, “Talavou!” Mathew hugged her gently and said in gorgeous Tongan, “Oku ou ‘ofa ‘ia koe!” They sat under the coconut tree and talked long into the night and marriage seemed like the perfect idea to chat about! long evening gowns