Illustrations by Khristine Custodio

T
here was once a daughter named
Pinang who was well-loved by her
mother.
 She loved to play
outdoors with
her friends. Her
mother allowed
her to play
outdoors but she

also taught her

how to cook, wash
her own clothes
and clean the
house.
But Pinang would often slip out of the
house to play with her friends rather than
work with her mother.
But one day, Nanay got sick and had to
stay in bed.
Pinang was to cook porridge for Nanay
who had to instruct her every so often
on what to do. Pinang was worried about
Nanay so she followed carefully all her
instructions. She put a cup of rice into
a pot of water and left it in the stove to
boil. Then she asked where the ladle was.
Nanay, although weak from sickness, had
to call out from her room that the ladle was
among the pots.
When she returned, the rice was burnt from
the sides. Fearing that Nanay would be
angry, Pinang scooped out from the middle
of the pot and served it to her.
It tasted bitter, but understanding that
Pinang did her best, and because of her
hunger, Nanay ate it.
The next day, Pinang’s mother had to stay
in bed because she still has fever. Again,
she asked Pinang to cook porridge. Pinang
readily put a cup of rice into the pot and
waited for it to boil. She wanted so much to
play outside but her mother needed her.

When the rice started to boil, she went

looking for the ladle but could not find
it. She rushed to Nanay’s room and asked
her where the ladle was. Not feeling well,
Nanay shouted at her and told Pinang
that if there was anyone who should know
where the ladle was, it should be her
because she had used it before.
Nanay added that she wished that Pinang
would have many eyes for her to see things
as readily. Pinang was hurt and left the
room.
Soon, Nanay heard Pinang stirring the
porridge in the kitchen. But after some
time, there was just silence in the house.
Nanay began to call out Pinang’s name
but there was no answer. Nanay called
several times and still there was no answer.
Because of her hunger, Nanay finally got
up from her bed and went to the kitchen.
Nanay saw that the porridge had been
cooked but Pinang was not around.

She helped herself to some porridge. After

eating, she called out to Pinang wondering
if the child was just with her friends again.
Night time came but still there was no sign
of Pinang. Too weak to further go out of the
house Nanay went back to the room and
slept.
The next day, Nanay felt better. She went
out of her bed and looked for Pinang. She
called out her name but there was no
answer. Nanay searched in their front yard
but she could not find Pinang.
Still feeling a bit weak, she headed back
towards the house. Just as she was about
to climb the ladder, Nanay noticed a
strange-looking plant underneath it. This
was the first time Nanay saw such a plant.
When she looked closer, its leaves had
spikes, and at its middle was a strange-
looking fruit. She came closer and saw that
it was shaped like a head, like the head of
her daughter Pinang. Nanay touched it
and realized it was covered with shapes
like many eyes that seemed to stare at her.
Nanay touched it and remembered her
angry words at Pinang. Nanay touched it
and she cried.
Since then, Nanay had called the plant
Pinang to remember her daughter. And
as the years passed, the plant with the
strange-looking fruit came to be known as
Piña.