The Legend of Mangoes

Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Ben who had a wonderful heart.
He is the son of Maria and Juan. Ben’s a kind and helpful young lad who was
nurtured well by his parents who have good hearts as well.
One day, Ben saw a very old beggar and he took pity on him. So, Ben decided to
invite the old beggar into their humble home and he cooked food and fed the old
beggar until he could not eat anymore. Ben was not a rich boy but that did not
stop him from helping this old beggar by serving him with the type of food that
Ben’s family could only afford. After a sumptuous meal, the beggar thanked the
young lad and bade him farewell.
On another day, while Ben was looking for fire woods, he passed by an old man
who was also very hungry. Ben took pity on him once more and without a doubt
in his mind, he invited the old man back to their home and gave him food and
some clothes that his father does not use anymore. Ben’s parents were happy
that they have a son who has a heart of gold like Ben.
Unfortunately, the time came that Ben suddenly got very ill. His parents were
troubled and didn’t know what to do. But despite that, they persisted to have
their son treated but to no avail, Ben died. His parents mourned over the loss of
their only son. The next day, after Ben’s death, a beautiful fairy came to Ben’s
wake and talked to his parents. She asked them to give her Ben’s heart. They
agreed and gave it to her. The fairy then flew away and in a mountain, she dug
and buried Ben’s dead heart. It then turned into a fruit-bearing tree whose fruits
were in the shape of a heart and whose taste was so sweet. People were amazed
upon discovering this new type of fruit and when they tasted it they were happy
as it’s the sweetest fruit they have ever tasted.
From then till now, people enjoy the benefits of this wonderful fruit.
 The Legend of the Firefly

A long time ago, in the valley of Pinak in Central Luzon, one of the islands in the Philippines. There was a
deep large lake rich with fish. There, the people of Pinak fished for their food, and always, there was
plenty for all. Then suddenly, the big river dried up. In the shallow mud, there wasn’t a fish to catch. For
months, there were no rains. Out in the fields, the land turned dry. The rice-stalks slowly withered.
Everywhere in Pinak, there was hunger. Night after night, the people of Pinak prayed hard.

“Dear Bathala,” they would recite together in their small and poorly-built chapel, ” send us rains, give us
food to eat. For the people are starving, and there is want among us!”

Then one black and starless night, the good Bathala answered the prayers of the faithful people of
Pinak. For suddenly up in the dark skies appeared a blaze of gold! A beautiful chariot of gold was
zooming thru the sky. The people started to panic but a big booming voice came from the chariot
soothing them with words.

” I am Bula-hari, and I have come with my wife, Bitu-in. We are sent from the heavens to rule Pinak from
now on. We have come to give you good life!” As Bulan-hari spoke, the black skies burst open. The rain
fell in torrents. Soon the dry fields bloomed again. The large lake rose and once again was filled with
fish. The people were happy once more under the rulership of Bulan-hari.

Soon Bulan-hari and Bitu-in had a daughter. She grew up to be a beautiful maiden. Such long dark hair!
Such lovely eyes under long curling lashes! Her nose was chiselled fine. Her lips like rosebuds. Her skin
was soft and fair like cream. They named her Alitaptap for on her forehead was a bright sparkling star.
All the young, brave handsome men of Pinak fell in love with Alitaptap. They worshipped her beauty.
They sang songs of love beneath her windows. They all sought to win her heart.

But alas! the heart of Alitaptap wasn’t human. She was the daughter of Bulan-hari and Bitu-in, who
burst from the sky and were not of the earth. She had a heart of stone, as cold and as hard as the
sparkling star on her forehead. Alitaptap would never know love.

Then one day, an old woman arrived at the palace. Her hair long and dirty. her clothing tattered and
soiled. Before the king Bulan-hari, Balo-na, the old, wise woman whined in her sharp voice… that she
had come from her dwelling in the mountains to bear the king sad news. The news being that she saw
the future in a dream and it betold of their fate… the warriors of La-ut are coming with their mighty
swords to conquer the land, the only solution is to have a marriage between Alitaptap and one of the
young men, so as to have an heir to win the war.

At once Bulan-hari pleaded with his daughter to choose one of the young men in their village. But how
could the beautiful maiden understand? Alitaptap’s heart of stone merely stood in silence. Bulan-hari
gripped his sword in despair… “ Alitapatap!” he bellowed in the quiet palace, “You will follow me, or you
will lay dead this very minute!”

But nothing could stir the lovely young woman’s heart. Bulan-hari blind with anger and fear of the dark
future finally drew his sword. Clang! the steel of his sword’s blade rang in the silence of the big palace. It
hit the star on Alitaptap’s lovely forehead!

The star burst! Darkness was everywhere! Until a thousand chips of glitter and light flew around the hall.
Only the shattered pieces of the star on Alitaptap’s forehead lighted the great hall, flickering as though
they were stars with tiny wings.

Alitaptap, the lovely daughter from the heavens lay dead.

And soon, Balo-na’s prediction had come true. Riding in stamping wild horses, the warriors of La-ut
came like the rumble and clashes of lightning and thunder. They killed the people of Pinak, ruined crops,
poisoned the lake. They spread sorrow and destruction everywhere.

When it all ended, the beautiful, peaceful valley of Pinak had turned into an empty and shallow swamp.
At night, there was nothing but darkness. But soon, tiny sparkles of light would flicker and lend glimmers
of brightness in the starless night.

And so, the fireflies came about. Once, a long time ago, they were fragments from the star on the
forehead of Bulan-hari’s daughter, the beautiful Alitaptap.
 The Legend of the Guava

A long time ago, there's a king who ruled a rich, prosperous island. He had all the things a king
could ever ask for: the power, the wealth, and all the delicious foods one could only imagine.
The king's name was King Barabas.
King Barabas is a rude king and overweight, indulging himself to all the foods available, hesitant
to share to anyone. And his castle is starting to become filthy. He would spend most of his time
sitting and eating with his bare hands. As he eats, he drips food on the floor and smile
mockingly at the people around him, specially his servants.
People in the kingdom would approach with requests for his help, but he would always refuse.
As he neglected his kingdom, people started to complain and starve.
After some time, an old hunched-back woman showed up at the castle begging for food while
the king was eating. The old lady asked for food as she was starving.
"Go away! I don't have anything to give. Can't you see I'm eating?" said the king.
"Please, my king," begged the old woman. "I'm asking for anything, anything you could give me
as I am so hungry. Even a little piece of bread or fruit would do."
"Get out at once! You disgust me," the king belittled the old beggar.
The old woman stood up straight, casting aside her stooped posture. "I've heard much about
you and how your kingdom is suffering." The tone of her voice had changed. It was no longer
the voice of a weak, old woman. "I asked for help, and you shoved me away. You have a lot for
yourself, but when I only asked for a little food, you belittled me. You are selfish. No one loves
you and no one will remember you when you are gone!"
And the beggar disappeared.
After a few more days, the king slowly weakened and became sick. No one knows what's wrong
with him. He got weaker and weaker and lost much weight. He looked older than his age. Soon
after that, the king died. As unfortunate and unexpected as it was, no one cried and nobody
showed up at the king's burial. He died alone.
And where the king was buried, his people noticed a strange plant growing, a plant they had
never seen before. The plant soon grew into a tree, which bore rounded fruits that turned
yellowish when ripe.
People also noticed that the fruit seemed to have a crown as it develops, which reminded them
of their selfish, arrogant king. The flesh of the fruit tasted a bit sour, just like the sour
personality of the king towards them.
The people learned to eat the fruit, which helped them with starvation. And because the tree
was from the grave of their King Barabas and it has crown just like their king, they named the
tree after him: barabas, which in time they called bayabas.
The fruit is still called, as to this day, bayabas.
 The Legend of Mount Kanlaon

There once lived on the island of Negros a princess named Anina who lived a very
sheltered life.
One day, Anina overheard her father talking to the kingdom’s chief priestess. The
priestess was frantic about a report that they could not find a single maiden who
was unblemished.
Later, Anina asked her father what it was all about, and the king finally broke
down. There had long been a seven-headed dragon threatening the kingdom, and
the monster could only be appeased if an unblemished maiden was sacrificed to
it.
In fear, all the women in the kingdom had cut themselves to disqualify themselves
from the sacrifice. Parents cut their own baby girls so as to spare the infants from
the sacrifice. But the king and the queen couldn’t bring themselves to mar their
daughter’s beauty, and so Anina was the only remaining unscarred female in the
kingdom.
Anina did not weep. Instead, she willingly offered herself for the sacrifice.
Fortuitously, on the day she was to be brought to the mountain where the dragon
lived, a man calling himself Khan Laon appeared. (Khan in his language meant a
noble lord.) He said he came from a kingdom far away in order to slay the dragon
and spare Anina’s life.
No one believed the dragon could be killed, but Khan Laon insisted that his ability
to talk to animals would help him. He asked the help of the ants, the bees and the
eagles.
The ants swarmed over the dragon’s body and crept under its scales to bite its
soft, unprotected flesh, while the bees stung the fourteen eyes of the dragon till it
was blind. The largest eagle carried Khan Laon to the mountain where he was able
to easily chop off the seven heads of the writhing beast.
In gratitude, the king gave Khan Laon his daughter Anina to be his bride, and the
people named the mountain after the noble lord.
And that is how, according to the story, Mount Kanlaon got its name. That it is a
volcano is because of the spirt of the dead dragon.
 The Legend of the Banana

Long ago, before Philippines was invaded by other countries, the only religion
Filipinos know is Paganism. They know no God until it was invaded by the
Spaniards and killed everyone who refuses to give their riches. In the town of
Vigan (in Philippines), one rich family planned to hide their beautiful daughter
named Corazon because they heard that the Spaniard captain wanted their child.
Corazon was one of the most beautiful maiden in their town. Every man there
wants to have her hand in marriage.
One day, when a group of Spaniard soldiers tried again to gather all the riches and
properties and everything people have in every house, the parents of Corazon
panicked knowing their daughter is missing. Corazon was helping other families to
escape from the Spaniard soldiers because the soldiers where trying to kill them.
When Corazon headed back to her parents, a Spaniard eventually caught her and
brought her to their captain. The captain want Corazon as his bride but Corazon
refused and the captain ordered to kill her and throw her body on the street.
When her parents heard the news that their daughter was slaughtered, they gave
Corazon a funeral. Because there were no coffin in their time, the townspeople
buried Corazon's body underground.
The next day, the second ceremony is about to start, when the graveyard where
Corazon was buried was very crowded. When the parents of Corazon arrived,
they saw a plant growing from the soil. They were curious with the plant because
they haven't seen such plant. As the days pass, the plant grew and grew until a
fruit came out. The people didn't know exactly if it is a fruit or not because it was
very unusual to them. The parents of Corazon concluded that it is their daughter
and called the plant, Banana.
When the Spaniard heard about unusual happening, they fled the town hurriedly.
They were scared to death because they thought it was a curse or something.
The thing that the invaders don't know is, Banana was formed with pure heart.
The townspeople don't know why the parents of Corazon named it that way. But
wise men of the town came to a conclusion why the plant was named Banana, it's
because the letters "ana" in the word Banana means "his/her or ownership of an
individual" and the heart shaped fruit that came out from the plant was Corazon;
and Corazon means "heart". That's why Banana was translated as "Her Heart"