I always get excited when I find Champagne Mangoes in US, because they're the closest texture and taste to my late grandfather's Xoài Cát mangoes from his generous mango tree. Have you noticed that the shape of the mango resembles a heart? Well, there's a folklore for this origin story. The legend has it...

Once upon a time, a very long time ago in a poor rural area, there lived a little boy named Doxi. Although Doxi's parents were poor farmers, they were always generous with everyone, and Doxi was no different. Doxi was always helpful and kind to everyone he met.

One night, a terrible storm rolled by, and Doxi saw an old beggar woman shivering in her wet, ragged clothes. He immediately invited her into his home and offered her one of his mother's outfits. The old woman was very grateful for his kind heart.

Time went by, and one year, Doxi suddenly fell terminally ill. As the villagers gathered and mourned around Doxi's deathbed, the old beggar woman suddenly appeared, but this time, she was wearing clean white clothes. "Doxi had a kind and generous heart, and his heart will live on," she assured the inconsolable villagers.

The old woman placed Doxi's heart in a wooden box and buried it in the most beautiful corner of the garden. One year later, a strange tree grew up from the same spot, and it produced an abundance of sweet, juicy, and aromatic heart-shaped fruits. This fruit eventually became known as the "Mango." 🥭

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***I believe this tale originated from Malaysia or the Philippines, and eventually traveled throughout the rest of Southeast Asia. The beauty of folktales is, as they travel through word of mouth, they are re-interpreted by the orator to fit the culture of that region. But at the end of the day, all folklores are meant to teach us the same wisdoms, no matter their origin.