Mango: The Literal Broken Heart

The mango is inarguably the beloved darling out of all our local fruits.
Mangoes thrive in the tropics, and are cultivated everywhere from the
Carribean Islands to Southeast Asia. But it is the Philippine mango that’s
famed throughout the world for its sweet nectar and especially succulent
flesh.

WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND IT?

There was once a man named Daeogdog who lived in a quiet village in the
Aklan province. He was known for his quick, explosive temper and for always
trying to get his way. Thus, it was no surprise when he forced his beautiful
and gentle daughter, Aganhon, into an engagement with Maeopig, a young
man who was as quarrelsome and domineering as he was. Aganhon pleaded
with her father to cancel the engagement, but he flatly refused and kept
insisting that his choice was the best.

On the day of the wedding, Aganhon was nowhere to be found. The bridal
party searched high and low, until someone finally ventured into a nearby
stream and stumbled upon the young bride’s motionless body, with a dagger
sticking out of the poor girl’s chest. (I suppose she preferred to stab her own
heart rather than give it to the pig she was supposed to marry.)

Stricken with grief and remorse, Daeogdog dreamt of his daughter on the
night of her funeral. In the dream, Aganhon led her father to a tree that grew
on the spot where they found her body. As soon as he awakened, Daeogdog
rushed over to the stream and found the same tree, its branches heavy with
bright yellow fruits that were shaped like hearts. He sampled one and found
it to be as sweet and tender as the heart of the daughter whose feelings he
callously disregarded. He called it “mango”/”mangga”, which meant “heart-
shaped” in their ancient tongue.
Durian: A Love Potion Gone Wrong
This “king of the fruits” is notorious for its strong odor, which has been likened
to everything from raw sewage to soiled underwear. Its thick, thorn-covered
hide is also sharp enough to draw blood. Like the balut, it’s one Southeast Asian
treat that foreigners and locals alike either love or despise. A 19th century British
naturalist raved about its flesh, describing it as a rich, almond-flavored custard,
but that didn’t stop certain hotels and some forms of public transportation from
banning it. Anthony Bourdain, despite being a big fan of the stuff, compares
post-durian breath to “French-kissing your dead grandmother.”
WHAT”S THE STORY BEHIND IT?

According to Philippine legend, the durian wasn’t always so ugly and smelly.
It’s said that the spiked fruit originated in Calinan, Mindanao, back when its
islands were still ruled by kings. One such king was called Barom-Mai, and he
ruled with an iron fist. But powerful as he was, he couldn’t keep his young and
beautiful queen from running off to her father’s kingdom every chance she
got. (Barom-mai was no Ryan Gosling, you see.)

Desperate, the king consulted Impit Purok, a half-god hermit, on how to make
his wife remain by his side. The hermit told the king to obtain three things: the
egg of the black tabon, twelve ladles of fresh milk from a blemish-free carabao,
and the nectar from the flower of the tree of make-believe. The king blanched
at the hermit’s shopping list, but he was able to get all three items in the end,
albeit with the help of some talking animals and an air nymph (and probably a
Disney-esque song number or two).

Impit Purok was pleased at the completion of the task, but before he worked his
magic, he made the king promise to make him the guest of honor at the feast
celebrating the queen’s return. Barom-Mai agreed. The hermit carefully made
a small hole in the tabon egg, poured the carabao milk and nectar into it, and
stirred the mixture together with his magic bamboo stick. Impit Purok then told
the king to plant the potion in his garden, and to make his wife eat the fruit of
the tree that would spring from it.

Barom-Mai followed the hermit’s orders and indeed, his wife did fall in love with
him after one taste of the smooth and fragrant enchanted fruit. Overjoyed, the
king called for a big celebration, but consequently forgot to invite the hermit.
Indignant at the snub, Impit Purok cursed the fruit, replacing its sweet fragrance
with a nasty odor and covering its hide with thorns.
Guava: The Sultan Who Can’t Let Go
Guavas are sturdy fruits with green skins that turn light yellow as they ripen.
Their fragrant, tart flesh ranges in color from stark white to salmon pink, and
are flecked with hard, edible seeds. While ripe guavas are known to have a
sweet, mellow flavor, unripe ones are used in local dishes like sinigang for
their sour flavor.

WHAT”S THE STORY BEHIND IT?

Before the Spaniards landed in the Philippines, the island of Sulu was ruled
over by a Sultan named Barrabas. He was selfish and cruel. And like a
neurotic beauty queen, he was never seen in public without his crown.

One day, Sultan Barrabas was feasting on a massive banquet by himself

when a beggar child appeared out of nowhere and begged him for a bite to
eat. At first, the sultan ignored the kid and went back to gorging on his
personal Spiral buffet. The child persisted in begging for a bite, and even
resorted to tugging at the sultan’s leg to get his attention. In a fit of
impatience, Sultan Barrabas grabbed a steaming bowl of soup and dumped
its contents over the child’s head. The beggar boy then abruptly vanished,
as the sultan collapsed to the floor. He died shortly after, and was given a
funeral without much fanfare. (Gee, I wonder why.)

Some months after a new sultan was crowned, a tree took root on the
previous ruler’s grave. On its branches hung fruits with protrusions on the
bottom that looked like tiny crowns, much like the one that Sultan Barrabas
never took off. It wasn’t long before people started calling the small green
orbs “barrabas” (which later evolved to bayabas), after the king whose face
and disposition was as sour as the fruits’ flesh.
Coconut: Adam and Eve Reimagined
Possibly the default symbol of the tropics, the coconut tree was dubbed the
“tree of life” for its versatility. Its trunk makes for sturdy lumber, its leaves and
husks are woven into decorative items, and its flesh and water are delicious as
they are or in a variety of dishes. In the Philippines, buko juice is a popular thirst
quencher and virgin coconut oil is touted as the cure for everything from limp
hair to a sagging bottom.

WHAT”S THE STORY BEHIND IT?

Long ago, there were only three living entities in the universe. Each one was a
powerful god, and believed that he was the only one of his kind in existence.
There was Bathala, who ruled over a lonely and empty world, and
Ulilangkalulua, a giant snake who presided over the clouds. Since his kingdom
was also devoid of life, the snake god often visited the earth to explore its
mountains and caves.

One earthly visit, Ulilangkalulua encountered Bathala and the two proud gods
ended up battling each other for universal dominance (and perhaps, the best
sunbathing spot on the planet). In the end, Bathala slew the snake god and
burnt its giant carcass.

Years after the epic skirmish, the third god, a winged head named
Galangkalulua, wandered into Bathala’s home. Instead of challenging the
intruder to another battle, the earth god extended the hand of friendship to the
floating head. Though Galangkalulua had no hand of his own to extend (being
a disembodied head and all), he was still able to convey his acceptance.

The two lived happily for years, until the day Galangkalulua fell ill. Bathala
nursed his friend devotedly, but it was to no avail. Before he died, the winged
head asked his friend to bury his remains on the same spot where he burned
the giant serpent’s body, and promised that what would emerge would help
sustain the life that Bathala could create to keep him company.

Bathala honored his friend’s deathbed wish, and a remarkable tree came into
being as a result. It had a hard, ringed trunk like the giant serpent’s body, fruits
that looked like heads, and sweeping branches springing from behind the fruits
like wings. Delighted, Bathala breathed life into the first man and woman, and
the coconut tree provided for their needs and those of the generations that
came after them.
Lansones: A Pinch Is All It Takes
Lansones grow in clusters like grapes, and have clear, translucent flesh that
hides bitter, inedible seeds.

WHAT”S THE STORY BEHIND IT?

Lansones is actually derived from the word lason, which is Tagalog for
“poison.” There was once a time when the pale yellow globes lived up to their
sinister name.

The cream-colored clusters were said to have originated from Paete,

Laguna. They were so poisonous that even the ants on its branches died on
the spot. But all that changed when a kindly old man named Mang Selo
paused to rest under a shady tree while passing through the thick Paete
forest on his way home one morning. He looked about for some nuts and
berries to eat, but to his dismay, only the notorious lansones trees were
nearby.

Faint from hunger, Mang Selo fell asleep and dreamt of a beautiful angel
who plucked a fruit from the lansones tree for him to eat. Sensing his
reluctance, the heavenly being pinched the tiny fruit to draw out the poison.
Mang Selo awakened to find fruit peelings on the ground next to him. His
curiosity and hunger soon overcame his fear of the lansones, and he
cautiously peeled one and bit into it. His gamble paid off, and he ended up
relishing the fruit’s sweet, refreshing taste. In gratitude to the angel who had
saved him from hunger, he spread the word that the lansones was no longer
poisonous, and that the brown spots on its skin were the fingerprints of the
benevolent spirit who pinched the poison away.
Makopa: A Magic Wishing Bell
The bell fruit, or the makopa, is a familiar sight in most tropical countries. Its
skin ranges in color from white to red, with some varieties having black skin. Its
flavor is similar to a pear’s, and its texture is not unlike that of a watermelon’s.

WHAT”S THE STORY BEHIND IT?

There was once a tiny village in northern Ilocos called Samtay. Unlike other
areas, it was never devastated by typhoons or droughts. This was because a
benevolent anito (spirit) once gifted its inhabitants with a magic bell as a reward
for their kindness and generosity. Whenever the townspeople wanted anything
(such as deliverance from a storm or famine), they would just ring the bell and
whatever they wished for would be granted them.

Such a remarkable object doesn’t stay secret for long. Soon, the envious
neighboring villages started planning to attack Samtay to steal the magic bell.
Apo Anong, a Samtay elder, was visiting one such village when a friend warned
him of the plot to invade his hometown. The old man hurried back to Samtay
and took the bell deep into the surrounding forest. He rushed back to warn his
people about the oncoming attack, but it was too late. The invaders from the
other villages had arrived and angered by the sight of the bell missing from the
village square, they ransacked every home. Apo Anong was among those who
fought to defend the village and was slaughtered before he could reveal the
bell’s hiding place to anyone.

Once the invaders had pillaged Samtay, they left the survivors to the task of
rebuilding their village. Without the magic bell, the crops dried up and the rain
refused to fall. The villagers suffered from scarcity and hunger for many years,
until one of their children ventured into the surrounding forest in search of some
wild berries to eat. The little boy stumbled onto an odd-looking tree with juicy
red fruits dangling from its branches like little bells. Remembering his
grandmother’s stories about the magical bell that once blessed their village, he
ran back to tell everyone about his discovery.

When the whole village turned out to see the tree, they exclaimed “Makopa!”
(which means “many cups”) at the bell-shaped clusters hanging from it. They
dug around it to see if the legendary bell was buried underneath, but found
nothing, so they uprooted the tree and replanted it back in the village square.
Once the makopa tree’s roots had settled onto Samtay’s soil, the skies
darkened and rain fell onto the parched earth.
Banana: You Know What They Say About Guys With
Big Hands, Right?
Banana trees abound in the Southeast Asian landscape and are enjoyed by
Filipinos in a multitude of ways. Whether it’s eaten as is, cut and dried into
chips, or cooked into native delicacies like nilupak, the banana is one fruit
you can always find a use for.

WHAT”S THE STORY BEHIND IT?

There was once a farmer named Mang Pedro who had a beautiful daughter.
Mindful of their only child’s extraordinary beauty, Mang Pedro and his wife
forbade Juana from consorting with young men. Since Juana was as dutiful
as she was pretty (and didn’t have Facebook), she found it easy to obey her
parents’ wishes. But one day, she chanced upon a handsome young farmer
named Aging. The two quickly became enamored with each other.

Like any forbidden couple, Juana and Aging found ways to meet in secret.
One day, Juana’s mother left to run some errands in town while Mang Pedro
was out working the fields. Aging took the opportunity to visit Juana. The two
were so engrossed in each other (doing God knows what) that neither
noticed the sky growing dark. When Mang Pedro arrived home and saw
Aging inside, the young man’s arm resting on the windowsill, he was
enraged. Mang Pedro severed the unfortunate suitor’s arm with one swing
of his razor sharp bolo.

Reeling from blood loss and shock, Aging ran out of the house. Juana
chased after her suitor, but was unable to catch up with him. Night fell and
the only sign of Aging that remained was his bloody, severed arm. Juana
took it and tearfully buried it in their yard. Her act of devotion was rewarded
the next morning, when a strange new tree sprang from their garden. It had
a tall green stalk, graceful branches, and long yellow fruits that curved like
fingers. The fruits came to be known as saging (the Tagalog word for
“banana”), after the first guy in Philippine history whose hand (but
thankfully, not any other part) got chopped off by his girlfriend”s angry father.