The Legend of the Coconut Tree

There was once a young man in loved with a beautiful young woman who also lives in the same island. The two became sweethearts later on. Aside from being blessed with beauty, the young woman is also kind-hearted and that is why he loves her with all his heart. There's only one problem though, the woman's mother.

The mother doesn't like the young man for her daughter. Because her daughter is one of the most beautiful maiden in the island, the mother thinks her daughter should find someone better for her. She did what she could to break up the young sweethearts. The problem is that the two cannot be separated no matter how she tried. So she sought help from a sorceress.

Days passed by and the young woman hasn't seen her beloved young man. She waited but he hadn't shown up to visit her. Then a heavy rain came that resulted in a flood. With the flood water, an earthworm appeared swimming towards her. It startled her to see that it seems to know its way.

"Don't be afraid. It is me," said the earthworm. And before she could speak he added, "I was cursed. Your mother sought the help of a sorceress. And the curse had turned me into this." Teary-eyed, the young woman gently picked up the earthworm and set it in her hands and said how sorry she was for what her mother did.

"Hurry and bury me into the soil," the earthworm said to her. "I want to keep watch over you even when I'm gone, and for you to have something to remember me." And so she did buried the earthworm into their yard.

Weeks passed by and she missed him so much. Then months went by.

One morning to her surprised, she saw a strange plant sprouted exactly on where she buried her cursed sweetheart. In memory of him, she waited and cared for the strange plant.

It took some time but the sprout grew to be a tall tree without any branches. Soon the tree flowered and turned into fruits. When one fall off the tree, she decided to see how the inside of the round fruit looks like. And to her surprised, when husked, the shell seems like a head with two eyes and a mouth!

She then thought of her young lover and maybe its his way of fulfilling his wish. And she remembered when he said, "Hurry and bury me into the soil. I want to keep watch over you even when I'm gone."

Next time you have a coconut shell in your hands, notice the three rounded holes in it. It looks like it has two eyes and a mouth which the shell could be the head. If you do noticed it, remember the young man on this legend and his promise to watch over his sweetheart.

More Legends of Fruits and Plants

• The Legend of Macopa (Java Apple)
  Why is the java apple shaped like a bell? That was because a golden bell was hidden in its roots, that was according to a Philippine legend.
• An Interesting Legend of Sweet Potato
  It's been hundred years ago since the last severe drought that occurred had caused people to lost their livelihood. During that time....
• The Legend of Papaya
  Have you tasted a papaya fruit? Sweet and refreshing isn't it? Because of a loving mother, the papaya came into existence, according to this legend.
• The Legend of the Cashew
  Why was the cashew seed outside the fruit? The seed was inside the fruit a long time ago, before the seed uttered a wish that a fairy heard.
• Philippine Folklore: Why Does The Bamboo Bends?
  The tallest grass, the bamboo has many uses. And isn't it fascinating that every time the rain pours or the wind blows, the bamboo bends down but won't break? And after the rain or strong wind, it will stand tall again.
• The Legend of the Watermelon
  So you say you love watermelon? This fruit is refreshingly sweet and healthy. And there's a legend that goes how did the first watermelon came into existence.

Comments

Esperanza Castelo on November 16, 2015:

Precy, I love your stories. I am also a story lover. I would like to edit your stories and correct some grammatical errors if you would let me. Thank you for sharing these legends with us.

Joanna on July 26, 2015:

this is useful

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precy anza (author) from USA on March 10, 2013:

That sounds fun pinkhawk! ^-^' Your mom probably knows a lot of legends then. I love listening to legends too, not just legends, any stories! :) Thank you for dropping by!

pinkhawk from Pearl of the Orient on March 08, 2013:

This reminds me of my childhood days when my mother used to read legends for us... so she can get our attention and keep us inside the house. Thank you for sharing! ^_^

precy anza (author) from USA on March 07, 2013:

Alun, I just had drumstick ice cream, reading this makes me crave for young coconut flavored ice cream now ^-^' I should try that combination sometimes. Why haven't I thought of dried coconut before?! Thanks. :) I will try that.

Greensleeves Hubs from Essex, UK on March 05, 2013:

Coconut flavoured ice cream is very good - second only to vanilla in my opinion. But the two are great combined - I buy vanilla ice cream and shredded dessicated/dried coconut and mix them together - well worth trying!

precy anza (author) from USA on March 05, 2013:

@ Kalmiya: Hope you enjoyed the legend :) And yes, it makes a good ice cream, I like coconut flavored ice cream! ^-^' Thank you for dropping by! Found your hub, and I would like to include a link to it from my other hub, "What To Do With Coconut Leaves? Creations Made From Coco Leaf."

Kalmiya from North America on March 05, 2013:

Thanks for your unique hub about coconut legend story; that's so nice. The coconut is an amazing plant with so many uses (I wrote a hub about palm products where I look at some coconut uses) and I think it also makes great ice cream! I'll have to go read your other legend hubs now.

precy anza (author) from USA on March 05, 2013:

Yes they are fascinating Mike_Robbers :) Reason why I got hooked into reading legends when I was a kid. Thanks for the visit and up!

@ Chicks

Now you know, ^-^' so I'm thinking next time you buy a coconut you can remember the legend and maybe spot the two eyes and mouth? Or.... maybe it was just me who see the three round spots as eyes and mouth :) Thanks for dropping by!

Hi Daena B. I just said I wonder if it's just me who see it like that, now I know you too ^-^' You see the shell as the face and I see the spots as eyes and mouth.

Daena B. from Wenatchee, WA on March 04, 2013:

The legend is very charming! I guess now I know how the coconut has a face. Thank you for sharing the story.

Jacqueline Levine from Lakeland, FL on March 04, 2013:

How lovely! I never thought of the coconut as having a face until now. Thanks for sharing this interesting story.

Mike Robbers from London on March 04, 2013:

Myths and legends are so fascinating! Thank you for sharing, precy anza! This one was a very romantic story - bit sad, but still a love story! Voted up & beautiful

precy anza (author) from USA on November 19, 2012:

I had enjoyed reading a lot of legends when I was a kid :) And this one was one of those that had stick in my memory :) The coconut sure looks like a head.

Greensleeves Hubs from Essex, UK on November 18, 2012:

A charming if sad little tale precy - I shall read some more of your Philippine legends in due course - it is interesting to see how these stories develop. Alun.