THE LEGEND OF MAKAHIYA

Once there lived a rich couple, Mang Dondong and Aling Iska. They had a twelve-year-
old daughter whose name is Maria. They loved their daughter dearly.
Maria was a dutiful and obedient daughter. Industrious and kind, she made herself
endeared to everybody. But shyness was also one of Maria’s distinct characteristics. She was
also shy that talking to people posed a great burden to her. In order to avoid encountering
people, she usually locked herself in the room.
Maria had a flower garden. The flowers were beautiful and known all over the town. She
took care of the plants patiently and tenderly, for the flowering plants were her source of
enjoyment and happiness.
One day, a group of bandits raided a nearby village, The bandits killed every man they
find and took the money of the residents.
The next day, the bandits came to the village where Mang Dondong and Aling Iska and
their daughter lived. Mang Dondong noticed at once the arrival of the bandits. Fearing for
Maria’s safety, he decided to hide Maria in the garden.
Aling Iska hid herself in the house. She trembled with fear when she heard the bandits
forcing their way to the gate. Then she prayed, preparing for whatever would happen.
“Oh my God!” prayed Aling Iska. “Save my daughter.”
Suddenly the door opened. The bandits entered the house and hit Mang Dondong on
the head. Mang Dondong lost consciousness and fell on the floor. Aling Iska tried to escape but
also hit on the head.
The bandits ransacked every place in the house. After taking the money and jewelry,
they searched for Maria, but she was nowhere to be found. So the bandits left the hous to
plunder another village.
When Mang Dondong and Aling Iska regained consciousness, the bandits had already
left. They quickly ran to the graden to look for Maria, but she was not there. Again and again,
they searched every corner of the graden, but poor Maria could not be found.
“My poor daughter! They took our poor daughter!” wept Aling Iska.
All of ta sudden, Mang Dondong felt something that pricked his feet. To his surprise, he
saw a tiny plant quickly closing its leaves. It was the first time he saw that kind of the plant. He
knelt on his knees and took a close look at the plant. Aling Iska did the same. After looking at
the plant for a long time, the couple came to the belief that the plant was Maria. For indeed
Maria has been transformed by God into a plant to save her from the bandits.
Aling Iska wept uncontrollably and to Mang Dondong’s amazement, every tear was
transformed into a small and rosy flower of the new plant they had found in the garden.
Since then, Mang Dondong and Aling Iska tended the plant with utmost care. They knew
what the plant was, in reality, their child Maria. And, likek her, the plant was very shy. So they
called the plant “makahiya” because it showed an important characteristic of Maria – shyness –
which in Tagalog means makahiya.