The Legend of the Chrysanthemum

This is one of the great Philippine legend stories for kids. Once upon a time, there was a little girl living with her mom in a small thatched hut in a deserted hamlet. Her father had passed away when she was still young. So her mom and she had to work very hard to make ends meet.

One day, the mother fell ill. She told her daughter, “My dear daughter, call a doctor for me!” The little girl quickly left home with worries filling up her heart. Suddenly, she came across a snowy-haired old man. He asked her, “Why are you so much in hurry?” “I am looking for a doctor. My mother is very sick!” she cried. Also, read The Legend Of The Rose.

philippine legend stories

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The old man then told her, “I am a doctor! Take me to your home, I will cure your mother.” When the old man arrived, after examining the mother, he told the girl, “Your mother’s sickness is serious. I will try my best to cure her. Now, get to banyan tree by the woods. You’ll find a daisy. Pick it up and bring it back to me!”

It was bitterly cold outside, while the girl was only wearing a thin layer of clothes. She kept on walking and it was not until her feet felt worn that she reached the banyan tree. In front of her was a bush with a beautiful daisy. She picked it up and cherished it in her hands.

All of a sudden, the old man’s voice echoed in her ears, “Each petal represents a day your mother continues to live.” She looked down on the flower and counted, “One, Two, Three… Twenty! Oh, no! There are only twenty days left for my mother!” You may also like to read, The Legend Of Ylang-Ylang.

Thinking for a while, she gently tore the petals into many small pieces. Each piece turned into a thin glossy petal. The twenty-petal daisy turned into a countless-petal flower. She rushed home with the strange flower. The old man was waiting for her at the door. He told her cheerfully, “Your mother has recovered. It is the reward for your pious heart.”

Ever since then, every year during the autumn, the flowers with many thin glossy petals blossom created a picturesque scenery. They are called the Chrysanthemum, the symbol of piety. Also, read The Legend Of Pineapple.

Here is a short visual depiction of one of the Philippine legend stories “The Legend of the Chrysanthemum”. See the video story below,

Philippine Legend Stories Video