(I just heard this short tale from a Filipino priest during his homily a few years ago.
Scroll down to the bottom for the Tagalog version)
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THE FRUIT
One day, two friends were walking on a farm; Peter was looking around him and was deep in his thoughts.
John: Is there a problem Peter? You seem to be deep in your thoughts?
Peter: I was just wondering if you still feel and believe that God is great.
John: Of course I do.
Peter: If God is really great, why is it that he let the vines produce big fruits like that squash and even that watermelons, then he let the trees produce small fruits like cherry, guava and apple. Look at those vines, its stems are too thin to handle those big fruits. If I were him, I will let the trees produce the big fruits and let the vines produce the smaller ones.
John: You know Peter, God has reason for everything that we people do not understand. You should never doubt the Lord.
As they continue to walk, a small, ripe guava fell and hit Peter on the head. Peter grins.
Peter: You know what John; I guess I now understood God's reason...
***
ANG PRUTAS
Isang araw, may dalawang magkaibigan na naglalakad at nagmamasid sa isang bukid. Lumilinga-linga si Pedro sa kanyang paligid at mukhang malalim ang iniisip.
Juan: May problema ba Pedro? Mukhang ang lalim kasi ng iniisip mo.
Pedro: Iniisip ko lang, sa palagay mo ba o naniniwala ka pa din ba na magaling ang Panginoon?
Juan: Oo naman.
Pedro: Kung magaling ang Panginoon, e bakit iyang mga halamang gumagapang na iyan ang hinayaan niyang mamunga ng malalaking prutas, tulad niyang kalabasa at pakwan, samantalang ang mga puno ang hinayaan niyang mamunga ng maliliit na prutas tulad ng duhat, bayabas at atis. Tingnan mo ang mga gumagapang na halaman, ang papayat at ang ninipis ng mga tila sanga nitong pra sa malalaking prutas na bunga. Kung ako sa kanya, ang mga malalaking puno ang hahayaan kong mamunga ng malalaking prutas samantalang yung mga gumagapang na halaman naman ang pagbubungahin ko ng maliliit na prutas.
Juan: Alam mo Pedro, may dahilan ang Panginoon sa lahat ng bagay na tayong mga tao e hindi natin basta maunawaan. Huwag mo sanang pagdudahan ang Panginoon.
Sa patuloy nilang paglalakad, isang maliit at hinog na bayabas ang nahulog at tumama sa ulo ni Pedro. Napangiti si Pedro.
Pedro: Alam mo Juan, sa palagay ko alam ko na ang dahilan ng Panginoon.
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A/N: Just an fyi regarding the fruits mentioned in the story:
squash = kalabasa
watermelon = pakwan
guava = bayabas
Cherry and apple does not translate to duhat and atis in tagalog - I used cherry and apple in the English version as those fruits are common in the U.S. while duhat and atis are native in the Philippines - if I am not mistaken ;)
apple = mansanas
cherry = not sure if there is a tagalog term for this fruit - please let me know if you do
duhat = some say it's blackberry, but I think those two are different. I tried to search it online, a site says it is java plum in English - still not too sure but please let me know if you do know.
Atis = sugar apple
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I am dedicating the chapter to SadieVerlac as a thanks - she somehow made me decide to finally post the story in English and Tagalog.
(the picture to the right is not mine, no copyright infringement intended)
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Story Telling
SpiritualA collection of (very) short stories. Stories are translated in both English and Filipino (Tagalog). (Updated occasionally). Been at: (highest record that this book attained so far) #1 for Spiritual! #5 for Short Story!
