A Rainbow Feast

The Legend of the Mango Aklan is a province in the island of Panay in central Philippines. One of its major fruit produce is the sweetly delicious mango, or mangga in Filipino. And so it goes that the Aklanons have a story about the first mango. In times gone by, there lived a couple named Daeogdog and Mabuot. They had a beautiful daughter called Aganhon. Aganhon, whose name means "morning", was so much loved for she had a golden heart. She was very helpful to all-her parents, the old, the sick, and the children. In the olden days, parents chose the person that their child would marry. And so, Daeogdog had picked Maeopig, the most eligible young man in the village, to be Aganhon!s husband. But Aganhon did not want to marry Maeopig, or any other man-just yet. All she wanted to do was carry on with helping her parents and the village people. And she begged her father to let her do this. Mabuot also pleaded with her husband not to marry their daughter to Maeopig. Daeogdog would not listen to them. He went on preparing for the wedding of Aganhon and Maeopig. The night before the wedding, Aganhon ran away. The following day, Daeogdog and Mabuot, with the help of their neighbors, went to look for Aganhon. Alas, they found her in the forest-lying in the mossy floor, lifeless. A tiny bite-like wound at the back of her left heel that was swollen indicated that a snake had bit her and its poisonous venom caused her death. Aganhon was buried in the riverbank. When her parents visited her grave the following morning, they found a huge tree laden with golden heart-shaped fruits. "Aganhon!s golden heart," Daeogdog softly said. They tasted the fruit and it was delectable. "Sweet," Mabuot told her husband, "just like our daughter. Daeogdog and Mabuot visited their daughter's grave every morning. Each day that they came, they would greet Aganhon. "Mayad- ayad nga agahon. Good morning." So the tasty golden heart-shaped fruit was called "Mayad-ayad nga agahon". In time, the name was shortened to "mangga".