The parable of the 'red' and 'yellow' mango trees
THE PARABLE OF THE TWO MANGO TREES
by Pedro Kiamko
Once upon a time there were two teenagers, Pedro and Pablo. They were the best of friends who crossed three rivers to go to school where they were classmates. After their High School graduation Pedro went to Manila and took up a course in a university. Pablo stayed in the barrio with his aged parents to attend to their farm.
During the summer break Pedro went to see Pablo who was pasturing his carabao. Pablo said: “Pare, naririnig ko madalas sa radyo ang gulo sa Maynila. Ang dami daw patayan at mga rally. Eto ngang barangay captain at mayor natin, eh nagbebenta pala ng shabu. Anyare sa paligid natin?… magulo na.”
Pedro said: “Pare, may talinghaga ako para syo. There were two mango trees separated by a footpath. They were good neighbors pero madalas nagbabangalan. One day the YELLOW MANGO said to his neighbor, the RED MANGO: ‘Hoy, Pula, kawawa ka naman. All the kids passing by going to school throw sticks and stones at you. They break your branches and steal your fruits. Even the young men pasturing their carabaos climb you, disturb you and get your fruits. Poor you, those humans don’t give you any peace at all.’
“The RED MANGO said: ‘Alam mo, Dilaw, sticks and stones can hurt me, but your words, your taunting, yang tuya mo, will not hurt me. You know why they throw sticks and stones at me? Kasi ang binabato nila ay yong punong manga na MAY BUNGA. And when I see the joy and the fun the kids have, and I hear them say: wow, ang daming bunga, ang tatamis pa, it makes me very happy.
‘Sa totoo lang, you are not really interested in my welfare. Inggit ka lang sa akin kasi baug ka. You have no fruits, so you are useless. But cheer up, Dilaw. You are still of some use for these humans. The young man ties his carabao under your shade while he climbs my branches and shares my fruits with the little girls. Since I have plenty of fruits they eat what they can under your shade and the rest is their pasalubong to their parents.
‘Pero you know what, Dilaw? At the end of the day, when all the humans have had their fill of my fruits and they leave, they litter around you the stinking carabao shit and the mango pits and peels puno ng langaw. Kawawa ka naman, noh?’
‘But no worries, Dilaw. Weather-weather lang yan. Bilog ang mundo. This season I am fruitful and you are baug. But who knows? Next season you will be fruitful and I will be barren. Anshallah, Bathala na, Dilaw. In the meantime, way kang mainggit. Baka tamaan ka ng kidlat!’
“Yan, Pablo, ang sitwasyon ng bansa natin ngayon. Kaunting tiis na lang. Makukulong na rin yang barangay captain at mayor natin na drug pushers. In the meantime, maraming kumokontra kasi NAIINGGIT. Nawala na sila sa puwesto nila sa dating korap na gobyerno, nawala pa kita nila galling sa mga drug lords. At eto ang grabe, pare, yang iba sa kanila ay siguradong bibitayin. CHANGE IS COMING, PARE. Magkakaroon na rin tayo ng tatlong tulay dito.”
--Pedro Kiamco
by Pedro Kiamko
Once upon a time there were two teenagers, Pedro and Pablo. They were the best of friends who crossed three rivers to go to school where they were classmates. After their High School graduation Pedro went to Manila and took up a course in a university. Pablo stayed in the barrio with his aged parents to attend to their farm.
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| Photo by GMA News |
Pedro said: “Pare, may talinghaga ako para syo. There were two mango trees separated by a footpath. They were good neighbors pero madalas nagbabangalan. One day the YELLOW MANGO said to his neighbor, the RED MANGO: ‘Hoy, Pula, kawawa ka naman. All the kids passing by going to school throw sticks and stones at you. They break your branches and steal your fruits. Even the young men pasturing their carabaos climb you, disturb you and get your fruits. Poor you, those humans don’t give you any peace at all.’
“The RED MANGO said: ‘Alam mo, Dilaw, sticks and stones can hurt me, but your words, your taunting, yang tuya mo, will not hurt me. You know why they throw sticks and stones at me? Kasi ang binabato nila ay yong punong manga na MAY BUNGA. And when I see the joy and the fun the kids have, and I hear them say: wow, ang daming bunga, ang tatamis pa, it makes me very happy.
‘Sa totoo lang, you are not really interested in my welfare. Inggit ka lang sa akin kasi baug ka. You have no fruits, so you are useless. But cheer up, Dilaw. You are still of some use for these humans. The young man ties his carabao under your shade while he climbs my branches and shares my fruits with the little girls. Since I have plenty of fruits they eat what they can under your shade and the rest is their pasalubong to their parents.
‘Pero you know what, Dilaw? At the end of the day, when all the humans have had their fill of my fruits and they leave, they litter around you the stinking carabao shit and the mango pits and peels puno ng langaw. Kawawa ka naman, noh?’
‘But no worries, Dilaw. Weather-weather lang yan. Bilog ang mundo. This season I am fruitful and you are baug. But who knows? Next season you will be fruitful and I will be barren. Anshallah, Bathala na, Dilaw. In the meantime, way kang mainggit. Baka tamaan ka ng kidlat!’
“Yan, Pablo, ang sitwasyon ng bansa natin ngayon. Kaunting tiis na lang. Makukulong na rin yang barangay captain at mayor natin na drug pushers. In the meantime, maraming kumokontra kasi NAIINGGIT. Nawala na sila sa puwesto nila sa dating korap na gobyerno, nawala pa kita nila galling sa mga drug lords. At eto ang grabe, pare, yang iba sa kanila ay siguradong bibitayin. CHANGE IS COMING, PARE. Magkakaroon na rin tayo ng tatlong tulay dito.”
--Pedro Kiamco
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The parable of the 'red' and 'yellow' mango trees
Reviewed by Kristian S.
on
12 February
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Reviewed by Kristian S.
on
12 February
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