Legends in "MIMAROPA"

The Legend of Marinduque

Retold by: Alfonso P. Santos
(Marinduque, Southern Luzon)

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In a small island kingdom there once lived a very beautiful princess. She was nicknamed Maring. Her favorite haunt was the top of a very tall mountain, Mount Malindig. She was very fond of hunting wild animals, a diversion which was much against her father’s wish. One day she espied a pretty white deer. It ran so swiftly that it took her a long time to catch up with it. She had the game already at bay when the owner came along looking for it. The stranger was a man of princely bearing and fine manners. He introduced himself as Duque and the deer to her as offered a token of their first meeting. Maring could not resist his gallant gesture. She could not help admiring the stranger, who fell in love with her at first sight. Since that day they often met in the forest. The beauty of Maring was known far and wide. Innumerable suitors came to woo her, but she turned a deaf ear to them all, for she had set her heart on the modest Duque. Not knowing about her secret love affair, her royal father announced that her hand would be given to the one who would win a ship race. So the most persistent suitors, three wealthy kings, fitted out vessels for the contest. Duque could not participate. He was not rich enough to equip a vessel.

Meanwhile, Maring was very unhappy. She prayed to the gods for help. Bathala heard her prayers. On the appointed day, the sky grew suddenly dark. The sea seethed turbulently and the winds blew furiously, but the contest could not be put off for another day. The three kings set forth bravely on their ships. Before they were halfway to the goal, one of them hit a rock and soon vanished from sight with his ship. The second vessel was able to move on a little farther and then it was also devour by the angry sea. The last ship met the same fate. The king and the spectators grieved over the fate of the three royal suitors. Only Maring did not feel grieved at the outcome of the race. When the sea calmed down, everyone was surprised to see three islands at the places where the ship had sunk. They were named Tres Reyes, or Three Kings, after the unlucky trio. The father of Maring did not wish to sacrifice more lives after that disaster. He gave his daughter freedom to choose her husband. So she confessed to him her secret love. The king consisted to the marriage. Seven days of feasting and merrymaking followed. To mark the happy union of the two young people, the island kingdom was named Marinduque, after Maring and Duque.

Legend of the Cashew Nut

Cashew fruit and nut

The Legend of the Cashew Nut reveals why the seed is outside the fruit.

A long time ago, in a far away forest, the seed inside the cashew fruit often wonder about the world outside. One day, the seed heard some merriment and revelry of different animals in the forest and asked, "What is the cause of all the noise outside? Oh, if I can only release myself from this dark chamber!" He couldn't do anything but listen and pray for his release.

A kind-hearted fairy, who joined the celebration heard his wish. The fairy took pity on the cashew nut and said, "You poor little thing! From now on, you will be outside this fruit so that you can enjoy the outside world" and in one gentle touch, the nut was immediately out of the fruit.

The seed was overwhelmed with the brightness and beauty of the outside world. He closed his eyes and savored the fragrance of the flowers and the gentle touch of the breeze. The seed was so excited that he wished that he would never return to the life of darkness that he used to live in. The fairy granted his wish.

The seed relished the sight of the festivity and enjoyed the world around him. However, after a few hours the revelry stopped and the animals started to retreat, hoping to take shelter. In a moment, the sky was filled with dark clouds, the wind blew hard and rain fell heavily. The heavy raindrops painfully hit his skin, the gentle breeze is now a strong gust of wind that seems to sweep him away from the fruit that used to be his shelter and the deafening thunder and lightning raised his fear even more.

The seed called the fairy and begged to return him back to his old shelter where he is safe. The fairy seems to be nowhere in sight and nobody seemed to hear his plea. Once the storm has stopped, the fairy once more appeared and saw the seed begging to be returned to his chamber.

The fairy said, "I will not return you to your chamber, I want to teach you a lesson. Be contented with what you have. Appreciate whatever God has given you." Then the fairy left.

From then on, the cashew nut can be found outside the fruit unlike all other fruits.