THE LEGEND OF MARIA MAKILING who was studying in Manila.

Every time
Joselito visits Maria, he had many stories
Once upon a time, a diwata lived in a
to tell her about foreign countries and the
mountain of Laguna. She was called Maria
things that he had read in books. He
Makiling. She has light olive skin, long
dreamed of going to Spain. He didn’t like to
shining black hair and twinkling eyes. She
live in the Philippines.
was breathtakingly beautiful. Maria was
always about helping other people. One Of the three, it was Juan who is the most
time, the children of a farmer got sick. industrious. He is a common farmer. But
When he went to Maria to seek help, he he is so hard working, and his fruits and
was given a bilao full of ginger. The farmer vegetable grew fat and juicy. He also had
sadly went home carrying the bilao of many pet animals and birds. But if truth be
ginger. When he reached his hut, he was told, it was Juan who Maria secretly
greatly surprised: the ginger had turned to admired.
gold! Because of Maria’s kindness, the
townsfolk had grown to love her.
As time passed, her suitors became more
Maria was a great beauty. She was sought
and more impatient and demanded that
for and wooed by many suitors. Three of
Maria tell them who she loves. So, the
them were very much determined to have
diwata was forced to promise: “By the night
her. One is Captain Lara, a Spanish soldier
of the full moon, I will tell you my answer.”
who always brought her gifts from Europe.
When the night of the full moon arrived, all
The other is Joselito, a Spanish mestizo
of her suitors climbed up the mountain to “I did not do it!” cried Juan. But the
know her decision. All was startled when prisoners pointed at him because Captain
Maria told them that it was Juan whom she Lara and Joselito frightened them. The
loved. The suitors went away feeling soldiers brought Juanto the plaza. In front
dejected. of hundreds of people, Juan was shot as
the enemy of the Spaniards. He was killed
On the other hand, Joselito and Captain
even though he didn’t commit any
Lara were very much angry with Juan.
wrongdoing. But before he died, he
They thought of a plan against him. One
managed to shout out loud Maria’s name.
day, all was surprised when a huge fire
It was heard by the diwata so she quickly
devoured the cuartel of the Spanish.
went down her mountain.
Because of the fire, Captain Lara ordered
many Filipinos to be captured. But Juan was already dead when Maria
arrived. Tears falling down her face, she
Secretly, Joselito helped him. Juan was
embraced tightly his lifeless body.
among those who they imprisoned and
Afterwards, she faced the crowd. “Why did
tortured. Many prisoners did not last long
you not take care of him?” she shouted.
from the tortures the Spanish had inflicted
Meanwhile, Captain Lara and Joselito fled
upon them. One night, Captain Lara and
to Manila because they were afraid of
Joselito secretly spoke with the prisoners.
Maria. When she learned of this, she
The next day, Juan was blamed for the
cursed the two. She also cursed those
burning of the Spanish cuartel.
men who cannot accept failure in love.
Soon, the curse took effect. Joselito
suddenly became ill. There was no cure for
his illness. Captain Lara, on the other
hand, was called back to Laguna when the
Filipinos revolted against the abuse that
the Spaniards had inflicted upon them. The
revolution quickly spread to many parts of
the Philippines. The revolutionary Filipinos
killed Captain Lara.
From then on, Maria never let herself be
seen by the people. Every time somebody
got lost on the mountain, they remember
the curse of the diwata. They remember
the great love of Maria Makiling.