We have seven crater lakes in San Pablo City and each one of them has their own story or legend on how they came to be. I’ve always wanted to feature each of the lake’s legend in its complete form but I couldn’t seem to find any of it online.
Anyway, today I came across a summary of Sampalok Lake’s Legend at Traveler on Foot and then after doing some Googling I discovered the rest of the legends at Seven Lakes (San Pablo City) International website.
The Legend of Sampalok Lake
According to the legend, the 105-hectare lake was once an orchard of tamarind trees which bore the sweetest fruit in the land. It was owned by rich yet childless couple. The tamarind orchard was fenced and guarded by a fierce watch dog.
One day, an old woman begged the couple for some fruit. Proud and unkind, the couple turned the old beggar away. But the old beggar warned the couple not to be selfish. And when the inhospitable couple let the guard dog loose to dismissed the old beggar again, the old woman’s haggard looks melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. Fearful for what they have witnessed, the couple tried to apologize but it was too late. As punishment, the enchantress sent a storm that brought heavy rains throughout the night.
The next morning, a vast expanse of the water covered what used to be the couples tamarind orchard. It was said that through its clear waters, the dark mass of tamarind trees still rooted to the sunken ground, could be seen.
The Seven Lakes (San Pablo City) International version of the legend of Sampalok Lake is kinda different but contains the same general idea.
The Legend of Sampalok Lake
According to a legend, the lake derived its name from a giant tamarind (sampalok) tree in the garden of a selfish stingy old woman who drove away a fairy disguised as an old man asking for some fruit as a cure for his ailing grandson. Instead of yielding to his appeal for help, the stingy old woman had him driven away by her ferocious dogs. The old man was badly hurt.
Hardly an hour after the old man left, there was a thundering noise followed by the cracking of the earth. The next instant the entire orchard sank into a colossal pit which was eventually filled with water. Henceforth, the villagers called it Lake Sampalok.
The legends of the other six lakes (Palakpakin, Bunot, Yambo, Calibato, Mohikap and Pandin) can be read at Seven Lakes (San Pablo City) International website.
I remember reading these legends in a book back in high school and the legends in that book were written in story format but I just couldn’t remember what book that was or where I read it.
Tags: legends, sampalok lake, seven lakes, seven lakes international, traveler on foot
