Halaman ng Pagmamahal
Isinulat ni L. Salvador
Ang tagpuan ng magkasintahang Malvar at Rosa ay isang malaking puno ng duhat.
Sa lilim nito sila’y nagkukwentuhan. Sa tabi ng puno may isang balon na yari sa
mga batong adobe. Ang labi ng balon ay halos pantay sa lupa. Bawal sa mga bata
ang tumayo o maglaro sa tabi nito.
Isang araw, sa buwan ng Abril, nakita ni Malvar ang maraming bunga ng duhat.
Kumikintab ang maitim na balat ng mga hinog. Kay lalaki pa! Umakyat si Malvar
upang pagdating ni Rosa ay may ipapasalubong siya. Maraming mga hinog na
duhat sa dulo ng maliliit na mga sanga. Sa pagnanasa ni Malvar na mapitas iyon,
napayapak siya sa isang sangang marupok. Nahulog siyang tuloy-tuloy sa balon.
Nawalan siya ng malay tao. Kaya, kahit na mababaw lamang ang tubig sa balon, si
Malvar ay nalunod.
Di nagtagal dumating si Rosa. Dati-rati ay dinaratnan niya si Malvar na laging
nauuna sa kanya. Bakit ngayon ay wala pa siya? Nakita niya ang maraming duhat
na nakakalat sa lupa. Mukhang bagong pitas. Tumingala siya. Wala namang
nakaakyat.
“Pupulutin ko nga,” ang sabi ni Rosa sa sarili. “Makatas ito at matatamis.”
Kumuha muna siya ng dahon ng saging. Kapag puno na ang kanyang mga kamay,
inilalagay niya ang mga duhat sa dahon ng saging. May mga duhat na nahulog sa
tabi ng balon. Lumapit doon si Rosa. Nang yumuko siya upang damputin ang mga
bunga napansin niya ang tao sa ilalim ng balon.
“Panginoon ko!” ang sigaw niya, “Si Malvar! Si Malvar!” Hinimatay siya. Sa
kasamaang palad, sa bunganga ng balon pa bumagsak ang katawan ni Rosa.
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Nang hindi umuwi ang dalawa, naghanap ang kanilang kamag-anak at mga
kapitbahay. Kinabukasan natuklasan ang mga bangkay. Doon na rin sa balon sila
inilibing. Pinuno ng lupa ang balon.
Pagkaraan ng may isang taon may tumubong halaman sa ibabaw ng balon. Walang
bulaklak ngunit napakabango ng mga dahon.
“Nabuhay na muli sina Malvar at Rosa,” ang sabi ng mga taong nakakaalam sa
mga nangyari, “Sila’y naging isang halaman.”
Ang halaman ay tinatawag nilang Malvarosa. Ang mabangong dahon nito ay
isinasama sa rosas na isinasabit sa kasuotan ng mga dalaga.
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Fragrant Herb of Love
Written by L. Salvador
Under the shade of Java Plum tree is where the lovebirds Malvar and Rosa meet
and exchange stories. A well made of bricks can be seen beside this tree. The
opening of the well is almost as even with the ground. It is not allowed for children
to stand or play along the side of it.
One day, in the month of April, the Java Plum borne a lot of fruits and it caught
Malvar’s eyes. The black skin of the ripened ones are shining. And they are huge
too! Malvar climbed up the tree to get a fruit so he can give one to Rosa when she
arrived. There are many ripened ones at the end of small branches. Being insistent
on getting those java plums, Malvar took a misstep on a weak branch, and fell
straight in the well. He passed out. And so, despite the shallow water in well, he
drowned.
Not long after, Rosa arrived. Way back then, Malvar always arrives ahead of time,
but now, why isn’t he still at their meeting spot? She noticed the java plums
scattered on the ground. It looks freshly plucked from the tree. She looked up but
saw no one up there.
“Alright, I’ll pick these up,” said Rosa to herself. “These are juicy and sweet.”
She first got a leaf from banana tree. So, whenever her hands become full, she puts
the java plums on banana leaf. There are java plums that fell near the well. So, Rosa
came close to it and when she bends towards, she noticed a person at the bottom
of the well.
“Oh my God!” she cried, “It’s Malvar! My Malvar!” Rosa passed out. And worst
case happened, Rosa fell in the well too.
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The night came and they still are not back home, so their friends and families
searched for Rosa and Malvar. The next day, their bodies were discovered and
there, in the well, were they buried. They filled the well with soil.
A year has passed, a plant grew on the surface of the well. It has no flowers, but
the leaves have a very delightful aroma.
“It’s Malvar and Rosa,” said the people who knew about them and their death,
“they were reincarnated as a plant.”
And they called it Malvarosa. Its fragrant leaves are put together with roses that are
hanged in young women’s clothing.
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