The Upo Plant Once upon a time a wild specie upo plant grew in the garden of Tandang Teban. When of the the old man saw the growing plant, he to carefully entwined the stem around a small bamboo post make a trellis for the plant. The plant did not like the idea of the old man. It wanted to grow freely uke any other plant. So the plant talked to the wind. "Mang Hangin! Magkaibigan tayo, di ba? Look at me the plant pleaded. "I am a mere slave of Mang Teban. I need your help. want to grow freely like the grasses and the plants around me. Look at the banana, the rose, the sampaguita, and the other plants in this yard. They are free. So my friend, beg you to blow hard and loosen the tie around my body till it breaks." "Your request is not just easy, replied the wind, "but if that is what you like, I will do what you please." So the wind blew hard. It blew hard some more, thus breaking the knot around the body of the
Benyaporn Trathong
23:58
Benyaporn Trathong
Thank gratefully. The vine then crawled freely on the ground. you, said the u Just came along. The dog stepped heavily on then a dog that was looking for a piece of bone the the small vines and was able to find the bone. taking the bone away, the dog also carried a part of In vine to a far distance. The poor plant not only became short; every part of it was damaged When his plant next morning, he saw the poor state of the plant. At Tandang Teban visited upo once he tied the plant to a thin bamboo post. The plant drew a deep sigh of relief After arranged a the upo to sung its vines on. The plant a few days, Mang Teban blossomed. gave shade while the flowers and fruits gave joy to those who saw them. The leaves One time the wind blew hard and played with the leaves of the upo. The plant requested the wind to blow softly so that the plant would not fall down. en you were still maliit, you asked me to set you free from the bamboo post so you may crawl freely on the ground," the wind replied "Now you request me to spare you. You sound funny indeed." "I had an unforgettable experience," said the upo "I know now that all creatures have their own ways of living on earth.