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The First Bayabas 1
The First Bayabas 1
BAYABAS
-From “Tales and Legends of Long Ago”
There once lived in a little village overlooking
the sea, a poor farmer and his wife. The couple
had a son named Bayabas whose main task was to
take good care of their three fat carabaos. Each
morning, he drove the carabaos to the meadow to
graze. At noon, after they had drunk from the
nearby brook, he brought them under the shade of
big trees in the forest.
While the carabaos were resting, Bayabas
would climb the trees for edible fruits like wild
lanzones, marang, and durian. But there was
one fruit he dared not touch, much less eat,
because nobody ever minded it and it was
believed to be poisonous. The fruit looked
delicious and tasty as they hung and swayed on
low hanging branches.
One noontime, as Bayabas lay resting under this tree,
he suddenly exclaimed, “If only these fruits can be eaten.
I shall be the happiest boy in the world.” As soon as he
had spoken these words, there was a deafening clap of
thunder and then a beautiful lady attired in a sky-blue
gown with a tiara on her head and a wand in her hand,
stood before him. She was surrounded by a dazzling
light that made Bayabas cover his eyes.
“The lady spoke and appeared to be very kind. “I
am the Diwata of the forest,” said she. “I
overheard your wish, and I am willing to grant it
provided you sprinkle the trunk of this tree with the
blood of a black dog. The fruit was once edible but
due to a curse given to men for their wickedness,
the fruit became poisonous.”
Then the lady vanished.
Bayabas went home that evening heavy-hearted, for no
one, he thought, will ever give him a black dog for the
sacrifice. He had a black puppy, but he loved it very
much and to part with it would be very painful. After
giving the matter a second thought, he decided to
sacrifice his black puppy for the sake of thousands of
other children and all the people in the world who
would benefit from his unselfish gesture. He knew for
sure they will welcome the fruit to stave off hunger.
The next morning, Bayabas brought with
him his black puppy and a newly
sharpened bolo to obey the diwata’s
command.
He was all set to sacrifice his black puppy
when, suddenly, the Diwata appeared
before him and said, “Hold it, Bayabas! I
am happy to find an unselfish and self-
denying boy like you. You need not
sacrifice your pet.”
The diwata touched the fruit and then
said, “From this time on, this fruit will
be edible.” She picked a fruit and gave
it to Bayabas for him to taste. It was
truly delicious! Then she disappeared.
That afternoon, Bayabas brought home
some of the fruit. To convince others of the
wholesomeness of the fruit, he ate one in
front of them. Soon everyone was eating
the fruit and finding it delicious.
Since then, the fruit has come to be
known as bayabas in honor of the
unselfish boy who was willing to
make a sacrifice for the benefit of
others.