“if boys leave a grain of rice in their bowl after a meal, then they will marry a very ugly woman”

My informer was told of this tale from his mother and ever since he was a child, he always made sure to finish every single grain of rice. He was afraid of marrying into a ugly woman and so he passed along this cautionary tale to his childhood friends. They also followed suit and believed this tale to be true.

I can relate to this tale since my mother also told me something when I would waste food. My mother would tell me there would come a day when I would wish for that bowl of rice because I am so hungry. It didn’t really have a strong effect on me. If she had told me something along the lines of the old wive’s tale my informant was told, I would’ve probably not wasted any rice.