Nana Biha put a hand on the top of her granddaughter's head and stroked  
     her long hair.  She smiled as she remembered sitting just the same way under   
     the same tree with her own grandmother and begging to hear the same  
     story over and over again. 

     "Antes na tiempo, a long time ago, two families from the same village had been  
     good friends for many years. The grandfathers had enjoyed many dippers of   
     tuba together. Until they entered into a land deal with each other and each man  
     ended ended up thinking he had been cheated. Since that time, both families  
    refused to talk to the other. 

     "Elena, the granddaughter of one of the men, was the most beautiful,  
     sweetest girl in their village. Because her mother had died when she was  
     very young, Elena learned at an early age how to run a household.  Every  
     household.  Every morning before sunrise, she got up early  to make food for  
     her father and her brothers to take to work.  She washed clothes, made soap 
                                     and wove beautiful mats and baskets in the traditional  
                                     way. She was very busy and rarely left their house. 
                                   

                                    "Nicolas was the only grandson of the other man. 
                                    From a very early age, Nicolas was one of the 
                                    best fishermen on the island. He was well known  
                                    for his skill and daring in the deep waters.  
                                    Everyone knew of this young man whose 
                                    exploits outshone all the others in the village. 
     

     "One quiet afternoon, these two met by accident. During a fiesta, they ended up           
     praying in front of the same saint in their church. Not knowing who she was, he   
     outside alone for her to leave the church. Nicolas introduced himself and they  
     began to talk, strolling down the street as they did. This was the beginning  
     of their deep love for one another. When Elena found out who Nicolas was,  
     decided not to let it stop their love and began meeting in secret. 

     "But soon Elena's father learned of their secret courtship. He was furious and 
     told Elena's brothers to take turns watching their sister closely. If the boy  
     came near her, they were to beat him and send him away. But, as lovers will, they  
     found ways to send message to one another. They left letters beneath the feet  
     of the saint where they first saw met. Sometimes, Elena left a note in a missal or  
     in the corner of a confessional. In each of these notes, they told each other   
     how much they loved them. 

     "The love notes were not enough. One night, Nicolas went to the garden wall   
     around her house. Inside, Elena prayed to the heavens that she might be with   
     her love. When she heard his voice whispering to her from outside, her heart beat  
     so fast.  From then on, they met each night, speaking in whispers through a  
     hole in the stone wall. 
      
     "Nicolas gave Elena a beautiful white mantilla for her birthday. He pushed the  
     delicate lace through the hole. Elena wore it proudly whenever she left the house.  
     She walked through the town wearing his gift, knowing he was looking at her.  
     Even though they could not speak to each other, it was a good way to say how  
     much she loved him. 

     "One evening, Elena's oldest brother heard his sister talking to the stone wall. He 
     crept up o her and listened. He ran to the house to tell his father what was going on. 
     Elena's father came running out of the house and grabbed her. He sent her to her 
     room and sent her brothers out to find Nicolas and beat him. They didn't find him. 

     "The next day, Elena found a note at the saint's feet saying Nicolas was tired  
     of hiding their love and asking her to meet him under the tree with the white   
     blossoms at the of edge the jungle. She waited until she thought everyone was  
     asleep and sneaked out of the house, wearing Nicolas' gift. Elena, impatient to    
     be with her true love, didn't know her two older brothers, with sharp machetes   
     in hand, followed her. They would not let their family be dishonored again. 

     "Arriving at the appointed place, she waited near the tree, not knowing her  
     brothers were hiding close by. She heard a noise in the bushes and hide behind    
     the huge tree, Her mantilla got caught on a branch as she ran and fell to the    
     ground.  A wild boar ran out of the jungle near the brothers' hiding place. Thinking   
     they were being attacked, they used their machetes to hack at the boar in the   
    darkness.  Thinking Elena had run home, they fled, terrified by the huge animal.  
    Listening from her hiding place, Elena covered her ears. 

     "The maddened boar smelled another human scent and found Elena's  mantilla 
      on the ground. It gored the fine white lace, ripping it apart and smearing  
     smearing it with blood. 

     "Nicolas hadn't been able to get away as early as he wanted to meet Elena.  
     Elena's father had angrily warned Nicolas' father to keep the boy away from his  
     daughter. Knowing his son, Nicolas's father had cousins guarding him carefully.    
     It took time for Nicolas to slip away. 

     "When Nicolas arrived, the moon was bright. When he saw Elena's mantilla  
     covered in blood, he thought she was dead. Overwhelmed with guilt, he  
     picked up the mantilla and kissed it, bathing it with tears. "Its my fault," he  
     cried.  "If she is dead, there is no reason to live. Tonight the moon will see  
     both of us dead." 

     "Sitting down beneath the tree with its white blossoms shining brightly  
     in the moonlight, he took his fishing knife from his belt and stabbed himself  
     in the chest. His bright red blood poured out of the wound and covered the  
     ground around the tree 

     "When Elena came out from her hiding place, she looked around the tree and  
     saw a body lying there. Still badly frightened, she wanted to run away, but 
     stopped when she recognized Nicolas. Kneeling beside him, she touched his  
     cold face and cried his name. She saw a bloody machete one of her brothers had  
     dropped.  "Why have my cruel brothers done this to you?" Hearing her voice,   
     Nicolas opened his eyes for a moment, smiled at her and then he died. 

     "She wept uncontrollable tears. Finally, as dawn began to color the sky, she  
     raised her head. Hurt and angry she declared, "Neither family nor death  
     can keep me from Nicolas." 

     "In a brief prayer, Elena asked the spirit of the tree to bear witness to their  
     love.  Then, she plunged the same fishing knife deep into her own chest. The   
     gods of nature, I looked down on the two lovers with compassion. Then, the    
     pure loving blood of the young people which covered the ground flowed into the    
     tree's roots and up to the white blossoms, turning them to a burning red. The      
     next day, when the two bodies were found, their families ended the foolish    
     quarrel and mourned together. 

     "Now a days, people say the color of the flame tree is the blood and tears of  
     the two lovers. Others believe the blazing blossoms represent young, unfulfilled   
     passion.  Some young people think the blossoms represent the shame felt by   
     the families of the young people." Nana took a deep breath, "In any case, in   
     the season when flowers burst forth red, they remind us that love alone should   
     rule the world." 

     Jennie breathed a big sign with her grandmother and thought about the story   
     her fourth grade teacher, Miss Mitschelen, had read about two people from a  
     place far away named Romeo and Juliet. The two stories were very similar. One  
     of these days, thought Jennie, someone will love me that much. I just hope it is   
     someone my family can love, too.  

     As if reading her mind, Nana said, "Don't worry, Jennie, when it comes   
     time for you to marry, I am sure everyone will be happy." Her Nana's hand    
     resting on her head, Jennie sighed once more and closed her eyes to dream   
     about that far away day.