THE rice farmer was not a native of the barrio. He migrated from the north where he was a tobacco grower.
In his adopted village, he was considered a good rice farmer. But due to the scarcity of land, he could be allocated only less than a hectare. Barely enough to grow rice for his family’s food needs.
Partly out of his past experience, but mostly to augment his income, he rolled homemade cigarettes. He learned the art of rolling tobacco from his old hometown. Special cigarette paper was available in town and he used an antiquated cigarette roller given by an uncle who passed away two years earlier.
He would roll the cigarettes in the evenings and worked deep into the night. Other farmers then dropped by his home to buy the produce. He had no other outlets and did not bother to pack the cigarettes in containers.
Customers apparently enjoyed the homemade cigarettes because, by noon, all supplies would be sold out.
Nobody knows how the vicious rumor started. It spread like a cogon fire in the heat of summer. The talk was that his cigarettes were made from half tobacco and half dried horse manure.
He took the rumor good-naturedly because his sales were not affected. His reaction was a shrug of his shoulder and a faint sour smile. He said nothing to defend himself and continued to roll the cigarettes.
In time, his produce became known as the half-and-half cigarette, adopted from a brand of US pipe tobacco.
One day, a very serious ailment befell the cigarette man. He was bedridden for a month The albularyo opined that he was due to pass away any day.
It was at this point that a villager visited the sick farmer.
"I came because I cannot bear to live without making amends before you die. My guilt is too great," explained the visitor. "Please forgive me for the harm which my evil deed has caused you all these years."
"You see, I started the false rumor that your cigarette is half tobacco and half horse manure. I am truly sorry. I am willing to make a public confession to reveal the truth to the villagers."
The cigarette man had an expressionless face. In a low tone he responded. "Do not worry. I understand I also have a confession to make before I die. My cigarettes are made of 100 percent dried horse manure.
