LEGEND

OBJECTIVES
a. explain the definition of Legend
in literature;
b. describe the characteristics of
a Legend; and
c. determine how Legends are
important in the literary world
ANY IDEA WHAT
LEGEND IS IN
LITERATURE?
WHAT IS LEGEND?
A legend is designed to teach a lesson about a real person or
about human events or actions in history, with a few facts
dramatically changed. Legends are retold as if they are real events
and were believed to be historical accounts. They usually tell stories
about things that could be possible, so both the storyteller and the
audience may believe they are true. Its meaning stems from the
Medieval Latin term legenda, meaning “things to be read.” and from
the Latin legendus.
WHAT IS LEGEND?
Sometimes, it’s hard to say whether a legend is fiction or non fiction
the truth behind it can be unclear. For example, the legends of the
Lochness Monster and Bigfoot are based on real sightings, but their
existence remains unproved today. Conversely, an urban legend is
a fictional story in popular culture that is known to be false, for
example; a rumor passed on year after year to each new group of
freshmen about an old janitor who used to murder students at the
local high school.
DIFFERENCE OF LEGEND AND MYTH
There are marked differences between a legend and a myth. While
legends are dramaticized to near true stories, myths are stories that
answer questions about the working of natural or other specific
phenomenon. Myths are set in olden times, even in pre-historic
times. However, legends are stories about people and their actions,
or deeds they perform to save their people or nations.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A
LEGENDARY STORY
A NARRATIVE of human actions that are believed by the storyteller
and the reader/listener to have taken place in HUMAN history.
- Written in such a way as be at least potentially real/true; includes no
happenings outside of the realm of possibility.
- Legends have a specific SETTING: a time, and a place. They often
include beliefs and ideas of a culture.
- Legends have flexible guidelines, and therefore, can begin with
miracles that are believed to have really happened.
- Legends transform over time. Facts will change or be stretched,
HYPERBOLE will enter the PLOTLINE, and colorful details will
remain and/or get more colorful.
- Legends evolve over the years and are kept fresh, lively and
exciting.
- Legends can be prose or poetry. They combine a real event or real
person’s unusual life story with the exaggeration and heroic actions
that we associate with stores of heroes and great national events.

- Legends read like Folk Tales but have a least a bit of historical truth.
- Legends are different than myths because they portray a historical
hero rather than one who is a god or goddess.
EXAMPLES OF LEGEND

URBAN FOLK
 URBAN LEGEND: BALETE DRIVE WHITE LADY
Many of you might be familiar with the story
about a white lady seen in Balete Drive.
According to people who had seen this white
lady that she has a long hair wearing a white
dress that covers with blood stains. It is believe
that a young woman was rape in the location by
Japanese soldiers during the World War II, and
the woman’s ghost remains because she seeks
for revenge.
 URBAN LEGEND: SAN JAUNICO BRIDGE
According to the stories that circulated that during
the construction of the bridge Imelda Marcos
consulted a manghuhula. The manghuhula (fortune
teller) said that the bridge would never be finished
unless the blood of children will be spilled on the
foundation. The reason why Imelda Marcos ordered
to kidnapped street children and their throats were
slit on the bridge’s location. Another version of
stories states that the bodies of children are
dropped to the cement mixer.
 FOLK LEGEND: MAYON VOLCANO
The Legend of Mount Mayon: This story revolves
around the beautiful princess Magayon and the
warrior Panganoron. Their tragic love story ends with
their deaths, and from their burial site, Mount Mayon
emerges as a symbol of their eternal love.It is said
that the tremors and occasional eruption of Mount
Mayon are caused by the angry spirit of Paratuga
who, every once in a while, tries to exhume the
grave of Daragang Magayon to retrieve the precious
stones and gold that he had given her.
 FOLK LEGEND: ALAMAT NG PINA
Why the Piña Has a Hundred Eyes, as narrated by
Neni Sta, Romana-Cruz depicts the folktale about
Pinang, an adorable yet lazy girl. The time came
when her mother first asked her to cook, which she
ignored. She could not find the ladle when she
finally agreed to do it. Her frustrated mother hoped
that Pinang could grow a hundred eyes for being
lazy so that she could find everything. Later on,
Pinang disappeared, and then a yellow fruit with
hundred eyes grew in their backyard
 EXPOSITION: ALAMAT NG PINA
Once upon a time, there was a woman who lived
with her daughter Pina in a tiny hut in the village.
They were poor, and the mother worked day and
night to make both ends meet. No matter how hard
she worked, though, she never got any help from
her daughter. Pina was a lazy, spoiled kid who
liked to play in the backyard all day. Whenever her
mother asked for help around the house or tried to
send her on an errand, she would always find an
excuse by saying she can’t find the object that was
needed to complete that task.
 RISING ACTION: ALAMAT NG PINA
Her mother wept bitterly. In her anger, she shouted,
“I wish you would grow a thousand eyes all over
your head! Then you can find what you’re looking
for. Maybe then you won’t have any more excuses.”
She waited a little bit to see if Pina would come
back. Realizing the wait was futile, she wearily got
up to do the cooking herself. When she looked out
into the backyard, Pina was nowhere to be found.
She sighed again and said to herself, “That lazy kid
probably went to a friend’s house so she did not
have to do any more errands for me.”
 CLIMAX: ALAMAT NG PINA
Months passed and still no sign of her. The mother
felt bad for her angry outburst, and she feared that
she might probably never see her daughter again.
One day, she was sweeping the backyard where
Pina used to play. For months now, she had noticed
this strange plant growing on the very spot where
she last saw Pina. By this time, the leaves of the
plant had fully opened. Inside, she saw this strange
yellow fruit that resembled a child’s head with a
thousand eyes. A thousand eyes…
 FALLING ACTION: ALAMAT NG PINA

She suddenly remembered the spiteful words she

used that fateful day. With horror, she realized that
in the same way her mother’s love had spoiled her
daughter, so did her anger unwittingly curse her.
Somehow, her daughter had been turned into this
plant.
 RESOLUTION: ALAMAT NG PINA

To honor the memory of her beloved daughter, she

named the fruit Pina. She took such loving care of
it like it was her own daughter. The fruit flourished
so well that it bore more and more fruits, and
became popular among the village and the entire
country. Its name later evolved to pinya, or
pineapple in English.
CONCLUSION
Today this day, legends have a significant
role in not only literature, but popular culture
as well. They are timeless stories that can be
adapted for any audience in any style,
making them an invaluable form of
storytelling.
 PERFORMANCE TASK
Create your OWN legendary
story. Make the story short but
colorful, meaningful, and
enjoyable. Do this activity with
your group. Submit your work
next meeting.
THANK
YOU