A very long time ago a certain island there lived a family who was well known and highly respected by the people. They ruled the entire village and whatever law they, made were followed by the people. In fact, the villagers readily obeyed the laws that were just and fair which made them very powerful. This power was enjoyed and passed on to all their descendants.
After a long period of time, there arose a new heir to the throne whose style of government was a complete reversal of his predecessors. He was very cruel. His punishments were harsh and he showed no respect for anyone.
One day, there came an old man into the palace. The old man came to beg and asked the king to pity him and spare him any food to eat.
Rajah Kawayan, which was the name of the king, got angry. He even shoved him away and ordered him out of the palace.
"You're lazy, shame on you for not wanting to work. All you ever did was beg and beg," shouted Rajah Kawayan who at the same time pushed away the pitiful old man from out of his way.
At the king saying, "I pray you would change your mannerisms and learn to respect others, especially to the old and weak."
Upon uttering these words, the old man disappeared. Rajah Kawayan himself became weak and sickly from then on. Not long afterwards, the king died. Nobody went to lament his death because he treated everyone badly when he was still alive.
It did not take too long there grew a strange plant on the site of his grave. The plant became big. It grew tall, but one thing noticeable about it was that it had bending posture. It was always bowing to the wind and everything around it which on lookers say reminded them of Rajah Kawayan whom they say has finally learned his lesson of humility and resfpect for others.
The plant further grew into a tree and was named "Kawayan" (bamboo, in English) after the cruel king's name as we still refer to it today.