What are the flower language and legends of the agave?
Agave, also known as dragon-tongue palm, sisal hemp, etc., is a perennial evergreen large herbaceous plant of the Agave genus in the Agavaceae family, native to tropical America. Do you know what the flower language of agave is? There is a legend about the flower language of agave. Let us take a look together below!
What is the flower language of agave
The pain of parting and separation, giving everything for love.
Agave dies after blooming
The agave blooms only once in its life, usually between 10 and 25 years, although some species may take as long as 100 years to bloom, which is still very rare. The huge inflorescence can reach 7 to 8 m tall, the longest inflorescence in the world, with as many as hundreds of white or pale yellow bell-shaped flowers, and the plant dies after blooming.
The reason the agave dies after blooming is that the process of flowering and fruiting consumes too much energy, so much that it cannot sustain its own life. The agave dies once it blooms, and is therefore called the “century plant” and the world’s “rarest flower.” Most agaves bloom only once in their lifetime, and only a few species can survive after blooming.
The story and legend of agave
Before the Spaniards discovered the American continent, a tribe already lived in the plateau region around Mexico City. They were gentle by nature and loved peace, but if other tribes invaded them, they would never show weakness and would fight back with all their strength.
But at last the gentle chief also passed away. After his son Metemoc ascended the throne, the situation changed: the new leader wanted to conquer other tribes by force! In a neighboring tribe, the chief had a beautiful daughter. One day, Metemoc sent a messenger to meet the chief of the neighboring tribe, asking to marry his daughter. The news the messenger brought back greatly disappointed Metemoc.
Regarding this, Metemoc felt he had suffered a great insult, so he launched war against this tribe. Leading all the men with bows, arrows and spears, he took the tribe in one night.
From then on, they became savage and warlike, spreading the flames of war in all directions. Everywhere they went, everything was razed to the ground. Metemoc was highly skilled in martial arts and brave in battle, and before long all the tribes were under his rule.
One day, Metemoc said to his subordinates: “I heard there is a wealthy tribe in the northern high mountains, and the tribe’s leader has a beautiful daughter. I want to marry her. If he does not agree to this request, we will go to war against him.”
Metemoc led his soldiers northward. At night, they came to an open forest clearing and made camp there. While inspecting the camp, Metemoc looked up at a bright moon hanging high in the sky, with all around in silence. In the deep stillness of the night, he began to review his past military career, and a feeling of unease tormented him. He felt deeply guilty about his past atrocities. At that moment, a breeze passed through the treetops, and a white light shot toward him. He felt dazzled, his hands and feet bound, and before he knew what had happened, a voice sounded: “Meteemoc, where are you leading your tribe?”
The young chief looked into the distance and saw the moon goddess appearing before him in a blue light. The moon goddess said: “You have done much evil, destroyed so many beautiful fields, and killed so many kind people. Now you want to force a beautiful girl to be your wife. Do you know who would love such a cruel person as you?”
Meteemoc was very uneasy upon hearing this. He suddenly fell to the ground and cried out: “Ah, no one will forgive me!” At that moment, the moon goddess disappeared into the pitch-black night sky. Seeing the chief looking dazed, the soldiers all gathered around. After a while, Metemoc came to his senses and said to the soldiers: “I am fine, all of you go and rest!”
The next day, Metemoc solemnly said to the soldiers: “I have made up my mind. From now on I will never start a war again. After negotiating with the leader of this mountain tribe, we will return home at once. Even if he is unwilling to marry his daughter to me, I will not attack them.”
The soldiers were all surprised to hear this. In fact, the vast majority of the tribe did not like this kind of expedition and hoped to return home soon.
The leader of the mountain tribe refused to marry his daughter to Metemoc. Metemoc remembered the words of the moon goddess, restrained himself, and vowed that from then on he would thoroughly reform and become a new man, to make up for his past sins.
When the leader of the mountain tribe heard his words, he could hardly believe that this savage and cruel man could suddenly become so gentle and modest. He wanted to see Metemoc’s actions.
To prove that what he said was true, Metemoc agreed to wait until the seventh month——when the Deer Moon came, to propose again.
After Metemoc led his troops back home, everyone in the tribe found that their chief was completely different from before. Peace reappeared in the plateau region, the barren fields once again showed a scene full of vitality, and the leaders of other tribes also shed their fear of him.
In the seventh month——the Deer Moon came. Metemoc invited priests and sorcerers, chose an auspicious day, and prepared to go propose to the leader of the mountain tribe. Metemoc followed the priests joyfully; this was the first time in his life he had taken part in such a ceremony. When the procession reached the altar, it began to rain in torrents. In an instant, thunder roared, and Metemoc heard a voice say to him: “Meteemoc, I am the water god, sent by the sun god to speak to you. Your wish to make up for your faults is good, but relying on your personal strength alone is not enough.”
Meteemoc said: “Please arrange it, god. What should I do?”
“If you want to become a good person, these years of being alive are not enough. Only by following the gods can you do good forever.” After saying this, the water god disappeared. Metemoc suddenly felt his legs sinking into the soil, and his whole body and soul felt an indescribable joy. Under everyone’s astonished gaze, Metemoc gradually turned into a beautiful agave.
From then on, agave appeared on the ancient Mexican plateau. The local Indians used its juice to make liquor, its fibers to weave cloth, and its branches and leaves to roof their houses.
Everyone longs for peace and detests war, and even more abhors those who start wars to seize other people’s homelands.
Such people are bound to be punished, just like the cruel Metemoc. Although he later tried hard to reform, he was still turned into an agave, to be used by people forever, and only then could his sins be redeemed.