CHAPTER 3

      The people of Pagsanjan have a rich folklore which is part of their cultural legacy from their forefathers. It consists mostly of interesting legends which have been handed down orally from generation to generation and are happily preserved to the present day. Seven of these legends are the following: "The Legend of Pagsanjan Falls," "Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Bandits," "The Legend of San Isidro Hill," "The Legend of Doña Pascuala Cave," "The Buried bell of Kawa-Kawa,: "The Legend of the Golden Cow," and Why the Lanzones Are Sweet."

The Legend of Pagsanjan Falls

      The Pagsanjan Falls, which foreign visitors acclaim as "enchanting" and "gorgeous", is rich in legendary lore. Long, long ago, recounts one legend, there were no falls. There were only the foliaged highlands, the twin rivers, called Bumbungan and Balanac, and the alluvial delta (where the town of Pagsanjan now nestles). On the eastern bank of the Bumbungan River lived two old brothers named Balubad and Magdapio.
      For many years, the two brothers enjoyed a rustic life of peace and happiness. But one day calamity struck. A terrible drought brought ruin and death. No rains came for successive months. The soil became dry as tinder. The blooming flowers and food plants withered and died. The birds, deer, wild hogs, monkeys, and other animals disappeared. The rivers, creeks, and mineral springs dried up. Not a single drop of life-giving rain fell from heaven.
      Balubad and Magdapio suffered immensely. Day and night, they prayed for rain, but the gods did not heed their prayers. The older and weaker of the two brothers, Balubad, died of thirst. Magdapio, with a sorrowing heart, buried him on the slope of the mountain overlooking the river delta. This mountain is now called Balubad.
      Left alone in a waterless world, Magdapio agonizingly trekked to the upper region of the arid riverbed. He reached the high rocky cliffs, after an arduous journey. To his utter disappointment, he found no water.
      "Ye gods!" he sobbed bitterly, "Where is the water?" In despair, he angrily hurled down his big cane among the rocks.
      Suddenly, a spring bubbled on the spot where the cane fell. Rapidly it grew bigger. The fresh waters roared down the canyon walls, soon becoming a booming waterfall. Amazed at the miracle, Magdapio fell on his knees and thanked the gods. He drank the cool water until he felt new energy surging in his blood. Thus emerged the world famous Pagsanjan Falls.
      Originally, the waterfall was named Magdapio, after the legendary patriarch. In the summer of 1902, An American Presbyterian missionary, Reverend J. Eugene Snook, happened to visit the Magdapio Falls. He was enchanted to see the falls and was thrilled by "shooting the rapids." Upon his return to Manila, he wrote a story of his visit to the falls which he named "Pagsanjan Falls". His story, with an accompanying photo of the falls, was published in a popular Manila newspaper, The Cablenews American, and was widely read in the city and in the provinces. Thus the waterfall came to be known as Pagsanjan Falls, a name which has gained fame in the tourist world.

Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Bandits

      During the last decades of the Spanish regime the provinces around Manila -- Bulacan, Batangas, Cavite, Tayabas (now Quezon Province), and Laguna -- were terrorized by tulisanes (bandits). The inhabitants in these bandit-infested provinces were in constant dread of the marauding brigands. The Guardia Civil (the Constabulary during the Spanish times) was impotent to curb the rampaging brigandage. These supposed guardians of peace and order during the Spanish period proved to be more efficient in oppressing the helpless population than in protecting them from the tulisanes.
      On the chilly midnight of December 8, 1877, the people of Pagsanjan were soundly sleeping. Many of them were having beautiful dreams about the coming fiesta of their beloved Patroness (Our Lady of Guadalupe) and the Christmas season. The town was silently shrouded in darkness, for it was a moonless night.
      A band of bandits which had plundered the upland town of Majayjay the previous evening stealthily approached the western entrance of Pagsanjan. These bandits were led by the notorious Tangkad, the terror of the Tagalog provinces. He was a ferocious Chinese-Tagalog mestizo, physically strong as a wild carabao and tall as bamboo shoot. Because of his height (6 feet 2 inches), so rare for a native, he was known as Tangkad (tall man).
      As the armed bandits were about to enter the slumbering town, suddenly a beautiful lady in milky white dress and holding aloft a shining sword appeared before them. Tangkad and his men stopped, spellbound by the strange apparition.
      The beautiful lady drew a line across the road and said: "Listen to me, evil men of the night, I know who are you. This is my town, whose people are under my protection. I don't want you to loot and plunder this town. So beware, tulisanes! If you cross this line to molest my people, you will die!"
      The bandits, who were brave men in fighting their enemies, trembled with fear. For the first time in their turbulent lives, they were paralyzed with terror. Before their very eyes, the mysterious lady vanished, leaving a rare fragrance in the air. Immediately, Tangkad and his frightened men turned about and fled into the mountain.
      This strange incident would have been unknown were it not for the insomnia of a sabungero (cockfighting addict) who was living near the scene. Because of his inability to sleep, he was fully awake that midnight. Through the window of his nipa hut, he witnessed the dramatic event.
      The next morning Mang Juan, the old sabungero, rushed to the church and excitedly told the friar cura what he had witnessed. The cura promptly summoned the town officials and the leading citizens and informed them of Mang Juan's story. Like the Spanish cura, the town officials and citizens were skeptical, thinking that it was a figment of Mang juan's alcoholic imagination.
      "Now, Mang Juan," said the town gobernadorcillo, "Your story is fantastic. maybe you were drink again last night. If you don't stop telling such foolish stories like this, I'll be forced to put you in jail."
      "No, no sir," replied Mang Juan, "What I told you is a true story. By all the saints in heaven, I saw it actually! I swear, I was not drunk last night. If you don't believe me, I'll show you the place where our beloved Patroness stopped the bandits!"
      To find out whether or not the sabungero was telling the truth, the cura, local officials, and prominent citizens proceeded to the place. They were guided by Mang Juan. Upon reaching the place, Mang Juan told them: "Here is the exact spot where our Patroness appeared before the bandits."
      The old Spanish friar, the town officials, and the leading citizens looked on the ground. To their great surprise, they saw the line drawn by the Patroness' sword, the clear traces of her footprints, and the blurred imprints of the bandits' bare feet. Thus they came to believe the amazing tale of the old sabungero.
      The Pagsanjeños, to express their gratitude to Our Lady of Guadalupe for saving their town from the bandits, erected the ornate stone gate on the very line drawn by her sword. The construction of this town gate began in 1878 and finished in 1880. It has miraculously survived the blows of nature and man in the past years, such as the earthquakes, typhoons, revolutions, and wars. It still exists in an everlasting aura to remind the visitors from all parts of the world of the glory that is Pagsanjan.

The Legend of San Isidro Hill

      Many, many years ago, a poor but very pious tenant farmer named Mang Isidro worked in the hacienda of Don Juan Diego, a rich man of Pagsanjan. he lived alone in a nipa hut on a small hill situated north of the town. This hill now bears his name.
      Every morning Mang Isidro spent many hours in the town church. Aside from hearing the daily Mass, he recited long prayers to many saints. Accordingly, he was usually late in his farm work every day.
      Despite the daily loss of valuable hours in his farm work, his rice crop was always bountiful. Unlike his fellow farmers, he had no problem of pest infestation and rat devastation. No wonder, the farmers who cultivated the rice fields adjacent to his farm were amazed. Year after year, they worked harder than Mang Isidro, but they harvested lesser crops. They become envious of Mang Isidro. One of them, a malicious peasant farmer, tried to discredit him by gossiping to Don Juan, the landlord, that Mang Isidro was wasting many precious hours in church, thereby neglecting his farm duties.
      To verify the slanderous gossip, Don Juan made a surprise visit to his farm. He arrived at Mang Isidro's nipa hut at 9 o'clock in the morning. The old tenant was absent because he was still in the church praying to his favorite saints.
      Don Juan was angry and waited with impatience at the nipa hut. An hour later Mang Isidro came and was surprised to see his landlord. "Oh, Don Juan," he apologized respectfully, "I'm very sorry to be late. I did not know you're coming, otherwise I would have shortened my prayers."
      "You lazy, good-for-nothing tenant," roared Don Juan in volcanic fury. He hurled so many expletives at his poor tenant, who silently endured the verbal storm. In the midst of his furious tirade, Don Juan suddenly stopped because he felt terribly thirsty. "Isidro, give me some water to drink, I'm very thirsty."
      Mang Isidro thrust his wooden staff into a rock near his hut. Fresh cool water instantly bubbled out of the rock. Shocked by the miraculous spectacle, Don Juan, forgetting his anger, fell on his knees and begged his old tenant to forgive him. For him, Mang Isidro was indeed a holy man who possessed the miraculous power of a saint.
      Since this incident, Don Juan became considerate and kind to his old tenant. Many years later, after Mang Isidro died, the Pagsanjan folks came to revere him as a saint.
      The hill where Mang Isidro had lived and labored was named San Isidro after him. The rock where he used to obtain water still exists.

The Legend of Doña Pascuala Cave

      The upstream bend of the Balanac River is called Doña Pascuala because the land bordering this particular spot was once owned during the Spanish times by a rich old spinster named Doña Pascuala. Its north bank is made up of adobe stone which drops sharply into the water. About ten feet below the river surface is a dark subterranean cave known as Doña Pascuala Cave. Young boys used to dive into the water to see this cave. Fishermen also explore it to catch giant lobsters (ulang) which usually hide there.
      Long, long ago, it is said that a handsome young fisherman, while fishing in the river, was surprised to see a beautiful mermaid combing her hair on the rock. She smiled at him, beckoning him to approach the rock.
      Lured by her bewitching beauty, the young fisherman swam toward her. The mermaid invited him to her cave which was located beneath the rock. He accepted her invitation, for he was curious to see what was inside the cave.
      Diving hand in hand into the water, the couple emerged in a beautiful room filled with fabulous treasures. The mermaid gave him some gold coins and asked him to live with her. Evidently, she was in love with the handsome fisherman. "I will give you all the riches that any man can have," she said, "if you stay with me".
      The fisherman graciously refused the mermaid's offer. He confessed that he was already married and had a wife and a child. The mermaid was unhappy to know that he could not accept her offer.
      Sadly, she bade him good-bye. Her parting words to him were: "Go back to your wife and child. Keep the gold coins I gave you, but never tell anybody where you got them. Farewell, my love."
      The fisherman returned home. With great excitement, he showed the gold coins to his wife, "Where did you get these gold coins?" asked the wife.
      Forgetting his promise to the mermaid, the fisherman told her, "A beautiful mermaid gave them to me. She lives in a palatial room under the rocky bank of the river."
      As soon as he revealed the mermaid's secret, the gold coins turned into common clay. the room filled with treasures beneath the river bank became a dark gloomy cave. And the beautiful mermaid was seen no more.

The Buried Bell of Kawa-Kawa

      Once upon a time a giant church bell from Mexico arrived in Pagsanjan. It was a gift of the Mexican people who learned from the old friar missionary, who had served as a parish priest in Pagsanjan and had retired to the Franciscan monastery in Guadalajara, that in the town of Pagsanjan, in the distant Filipinas, there was a shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who was also Mexico's beloved Patroness. Unfortunately, the town church had only a little church bell which was not worthy of the Holy Virgin. The Mexican catholics, who were fervent devotees of Our Lady of Guadalupe, generously raised the necessary funds and ordered the foundry men of Puebla de los Angeles to cast a giant bell.
      As soon as this gargantuan bell was finished, it was carried by a pack of ten hardy burros to the port city of Acapulco, where it was loaded on the galleon, the San Carlos. This galleon crossed the Pacific Ocean safely and arrived in manila in 1773.
      From Manila, the giant bell was transferred to a big casco which navigated the Pasig River, sailed across Laguna de Bay, finally reaching Pagsanjan, which was then the capital of Laguna Province, the Pagsanjeños happily received the bell, the biggest they had ever seen, and installed it at the church belfry.
      The bell was really so big that when it was rung, its booming echoes reached as far as Majayjay and Pakil. Several pregnant women in town were frightened by the thunderous sounds of the bell so that their babies were born prematurely. The children, too, were terrified and cried every time the bell was rung.
      The town folks soon urged their gobernadorcillo (town executive) to change the giant bell with a smaller one. The gobernadorcillo brought their complaint to the friar cura. "Padre," he told the cura, "our people are complaining about the big bell. Its booming sounds are causing our pregnant women to give premature births and frightening our little children. Let us change it with a smaller bell."
      The friar cura heeded the people's complaint and directed the gobernadorcillo to dismantle the giant bell. With the help of many able-bodied Pagsanjeños, it was loaded on three large bancas tied together as a raft and ferried up near the Bumbungan River. Upon reaching the Kawa-Kawa, near the entrance of the gorge leading to Pagsanjan Falls, the huge bell was hurled down the deep and dark water. Owing to its massive weight, it quickly sank to the muddy bottom of the river.
      Since then, the giant bell has remained buried in Kawa-Kawa. It no longer rings to frighten the pregnant women and the children of Pagsanjan.

The Legend of the Golden Cow

      Once upon a time there lived a golden cow in the verdured hill of San Isidro. This hill, looming high in the north was then a superb pasture land.
      For numberless years the golden cow roamed in San Isidro Hill. She grew fat because of the nutritive grasses which sprouted abundantly on the hillsides. There was something strange about this cow. Every time she ate she faced the east, directions of the rising sun, with her tail facing the west, the direction of the setting sun. in other words, she ate in the east and unloaded her excreta in the west.
      It is this peculiar eating habit of the golden cow that explained why the families in the ibaba section (east side) of Pagsanjan were getting poor, while those in the ilaya section (west side) were growing rich. The old folks in town said that, to all intents and purposes, the golden cow devoured the wealth of the families in the ibaba and deposited it in the ilaya. So it came to pass that the families living in the ilaya were rich, while those in the ibaba were poor.
      The families living in ilaya were the affluent mestizos (descendants of Malay-Chinese ancestors) and those in ibaba were poor naturales. Angered by the ever-growing prosperity of the mestizos, the naturales rushed to the hill one day to catch the golden cow. Their intention was not to kill the cow, but simply to tie her permanently to a huge tree so that she would eat in reverse position, that is face turned toward the west and tail toward the east. If this could be done, the families in the ibaba would become rich and those in the ilaya, poor.
      Unfortunately for the ibaba hunters, they could not find the golden cow. This strange cow disappeared somewhere in the hill of San Isidro. Day after day, the men from ibaba searched everywhere, but in vain.
      Until the present day the affluent Pagsanjeño families are in the ilaya, west side of the town and the poor ones, in the ibaba, east side. Someday, the old folks predict, the mysterious golden cow will reappear in San Isidro Hill. Should she happen to reverse her position while eating, the presently wealthy families of the ilaya may become poor and the currently poor ibaba families may become rich. Que sera, sera!

Why the Lanzones Are Sweet?

      Today the lanzones are among the sweetest fruits in our country. Because of their rare sweetness, they are called the "Queen of Philippine Fruits."
      Long, long ago, however, the lanzones were not sweet, as they are today. In fact, they were very sour, like vinegar. During those early years they grew in wild abundance in our town and in other towns in the Baybay region. Nobody cared to gather them, much less eat them because of their sour taste. Even the pigs, carabaos, and birds refused to eat them.
      One sunny morning a beautiful lady arrived in Pagsanjan. She rested at a little tienda (sari-sari store) near the western entrance of the town. Seeing numerous ripe lanzones hanging from the branch of trees growing around the store, she asked the old woman who was the store owner: "What is the name of those beautiful fruits? They must be nice to eat."
      "Lanzones po, señora," replied the old woman, "but they are not good to eat. Nobody eats them."
      "Why?"
      "Because they are sour."
      "That cannot be true," answered the beautiful lady. "With such pretty skin with the color of gold, they must be delicious."
      "My dear lady," said the woman, "if you doubt my word, eat them yourself."
      During the conversation between the beautiful lady and the store owner, many curious spectators, men, women, and children, came to the store. They were attracted by the beauty of the mysterious lady. They all laughed when they heard the lady said that the lanzones must be delicious to eat.
      The beautiful lady approached the nearest tree and plucked a bunch of ripe lanzones. She took out one fruit, pinched it, removed its skin, and ate it. Smilingly, she turned to the crowd at the store saying: "Very delicious." She continued eating, to the great amazement of the gaping people who expected her to throw away the sour fruits.
      After getting more bunches of lanzones, the beautiful lady said good-bye to the surprised people and merrily continued walking towards the town of Lumban. The Pagsanjeños were spellbound. They could hardly believe what they had seen and heard.
      No sooner had the strange lady gone away than they rushed to the lanzones tree. They ate the fruits and lo! The lanzones tasted very sweet. The lady was right. "But how come that the sour lanzones suddenly became sweet?" they asked each other.
      A young woman, the prettiest belle of the town, happened to examine the sweet lanzones she was eating and cried in great joy: "Look! Look at the lanzones! There's an imprint of the lady's finger-mark in them!"
      The people pursued the lady to thank her for the miracle. They ran up to the town of Lumban, but saw no trace of the beautiful lady. They asked an old boatman who was sitting at the river bank if he had seen a beautiful lady. "What beautiful lady?" he answered. "I've been sitting here all morning. The only woman who crossed the river was my termagant wife. And she's neither beautiful nor a lady."
      The Pagsanjeños returned to their town very much mystified. They asked every one they met in town: "Who was that beautiful lady who miraculously made the lanzones sweet? And why did she disappear before we can thank her?"
      Suddenly, a little girl twelve years old jumped in joyous excitement, screaming: "Yes, I know. She's Our Lady of Guadalupe! I remember now she looks exactly like our beautiful patroness."
      "Yes," everybody said in unison. "She must be our miraculous Virgin of Guadalupe!"
      Thus it came to pass that by pinching the sour lanzones and leaving her fingerprint on them, the Virgin had transformed the sour lanzones into one of the sweetest fruits of the Philippines.