There was a beautiful maiden who lived in San Mateo. Many men came from across the land in hopes to win her hand in marriage. Her response to the many proposals was that she was too young but she would think about it.
Some men retrieved water for her bath from the batis nearby. Others would offer katmon for her gugo as shampoo. Men came with their sickles to help during planting season. Her response was, “Why do you all this hard work? I won’t be able to repay you for your favours.”
Years passed, suitors dropped out of the race and her mother and friends would ask her when she would get married. Her answer was always, “Whenever God wills it.”
One day, there was only one suitor left and he asked her what would prove his love for her. He said he would do anything, even die for her.
She said, “No, not that. Tomorrow I will join the salubong procession. When I go down from my home, I would like to walk on a pilapil that is hard, has no mud and no wet grass. It should also go straight to the road which leads to San Mateo, for I shall wear my new pair of shoes. Can you do it?”
He agreed, and she went to bed at ease. The next day, she woke and saw the very straight pilapil. “The time for me to marry has come,” she said, seeing the pilapil.
When she dressed up and got ready to walk on the pilapil, she asked where he was. A villager said that he must have been working all night, because the villagers found him at the end of the pilapil face down, with an unlighted candle in his hand, dead.