These hours are not rigidly fixed of course and are only
given as a general indication. When people are going away
from home to work, they have their first meal as soon as
possible and the second one has often to be delayed until
they return. Rice is the staple article of food and there is
usually a plentiful supply of it. It is eaten with vegetable
soups or curries, vegetables cooked or raw and eaten with
the ngapi, or fish-paste. Fish and flesh are used when they
can be had, roasted or made into soups or curries. Rural
Talaings spend very little on food-stuffs ordinarily. A supply
of paddy where possible is laid by for the year's needs and a
sufficient quantity of ngapi and salt is bought in the season.
The woods are scoured for edible roots, fruits, flowers, and
leaves ; and a few gourds and vegetables are grown. Then
there is abundant animal life in the woods and streams, which
is more or less available.
THE TALAJNGS 33

On festive occasions there are special delicacies, both at
home and on the stalls for sale where the people congregate.
At harvest tiriie there are the dainties made of the sticky-
rice in whole or in part.
This glutinous or sticky rice is prepared in a variety of
ways and is a general favourite for eating between meals.
