Philippine Legend: The Legend Of Guava

Philippine culture is rich in folklore, telltales and one I enjoyed so much during my childhood is reading legends. And one legend I enjoyed and has moral lesson is the legend about the guava fruit. Guava tree or the guava fruit is called bayabas in Tagalog, which is the Philippines language.

The story goes like this:

Long time ago, there was a king who rules a rich, prosperous island. He has all the things a king could ever ask for, the power, the wealth and all the delicious foods.The king's name was King Barabas.

The king was fat, rude, and his castle was starting to be filthy. He would consume most of his time sitting and eating with his bare hands with foods dripping on the floor, with the mocking smile for the people around him. People would ask for his help but he refuses too. He doesn't do anything to better his kingdom and people are starting to complain and starve.

Soon, a beggar, an old woman showed up on the castle while the king is eating. The old lady was asking for food as she is starving.

"Go away! I don't have anything to give to you. Can't you see I'm eating?" said the king.

"Please my king, " said the old woman. 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," and the king belittled the old beggar.

The old woman stand up as straight as she can and her tone of voice had changed, no longer the voice of a weak, old woman and said, "I've heard so much about you and how your kingdoms is suffering. I asked for help, and you shoved me away. You have a lot for yourself, I only asked for a little food and you belittled me. You are selfish. No one would love you and no one would remember you when you are gone," and the beggar disappeared.

Few more days and the king slowly weakened and got sick. No one knows what's wrong with him. He weakened and weakened and had lose so much weight. He looks older than his age. Soon after that the king died. Sad as it is, no one on cried and nobody showed up on the king's burial. He died alone.

And on 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 and it bears rounded fruits which turns yellowish when ripe.

They also noticed that the fruit seems to have a crown which reminded them of their selfish, arrogant king and it taste a bit sour, just like the sour personality of the king towards them.

The people learned to eat the fruit which had helped them greatly to overcome hunger. 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.