The yak and buffalo

Once upon a time there were two distant cousins – a Yak and a Buffalo. They lived in the plains with a lot of green pastures and clean water. Life was good, but one thing was amiss and that was salt. Both the yak and buffalo yearned for salt. One fine day, the yak said to his buffalo friend – “Dear buffalo, I’ve heard of a place called Tibet and that it has a lot of salt. I will go there and search for salt and get it back here for both of us. But I have also heard that Tibet is extremely cold with freezing temperatures. I do not have hair and you have lots of it. Would you lend me your hair so I can stay warm while I go around Tibet looking for salt”. The buffalo was a kind hearted soul and he willingly lent all of his hair to the yak. And then the yak went off in search of salt.

The yak travelled across Tibet and the Himalayas. He loved the high altitude and the cold weather of the mountains. His wanderlust took over him and over time he forgot about his promise to the buffalo and stayed back in Tibet, never returned. Meanwhile, the buffalo kept waiting for the yak to return with all the salt. He waited so long that his head was positioned permanently in the northern direction.

So that’s the reason why the buffaloes have scanty hair and are forever faced upwards, their gaze at a faraway place. And the yaks are extremely hairy but their head always down as if feeling remorse for not fulfilling their promise.