Åsgon, The Fragrant Lady and The Gift of Flowers
Long ago on Guam, deep within the jungles at the base of Alifan, a mountain south of the island, lies the home of Åsgon. She is the youngest sibling and only sister to Tåmu, the Crafter of Rivers, and Gåmson, the Trickster of the Ocean. Unlike her brothers, she was allowed to set foot on land and wander among the villagers.
Everyone loved and adored Åsgon. By being in a close proximity with her, it would be impossible to feel any negativity and would ease anyone’s anger or anxiety. It was believed the mysterious sweet sent that accompanies her was the reason. It can be described as a combination of all flowers in the world but not so much that it’s overpowering. With her scent combined with her beauty, it can sometimes cause her problems as men and women alike would disregard their responsibilities and spouses just to be with her. She would then turn herself invisible or into mist to hide from them. By doing that, it made her nightly baths in the nearby beach less disruptive.
Whenever you get lost in the jungle and catch the attention of a malevolent spirit, Åsgon would ward it away from you with her sweet floral scent and lead you to safety.
One day, her brother Tåmu calls out to her from the river. He informs her that he heard crying upriver. He was unable to assist for the sound came from deep in the jungle near a cliff, away from the flowing river. She then dropped everything she was holding and rushed along the river, following the sound of someone crying. Upon arriving, she discovers a woman on the ground wailing with her back turned. As she walks towards her, Åsgon realizes that the woman is holding something. It was her child. The child appeared emaciated, covered in red bumps and boils, and straining to breathe. Luckily, Åsgon’s presence calmed the mother enough to communicate properly. She told Åsgon that her child wandered in the jungle and was lost. When they located the child, they found out that the child was cursed by a malevolent aniti (spirit). The mother told her that she took her child to a yo’amte(healer) and a makåhna (magic user) and informed her that they didn’t know where to locate the specific åmot (medicine/herb). Midway on their journey back, her child collapsed and became unresponsive. Åsgon held the childs hand and put her other hand on his forehead. Her fears are coming true, she informs the mother that the child will soon die because of the curse. The mother drops to her knees and yells into the jungle behind them, pleading to take her instead of her child.
Remembering how children from long ago saved the island from famine, she finds an alternative. She tells the mother that her child can help others, even after death. The child’s breathing slows even more as she explains her plan. Åsgon closes her eyes and opens her arms. She proclaims “For every child who is unable to rid a curse and die, their spirit will bless the land with a ward against that very curse. So that no child would suffer the same fate.” The child’s breathing stops and their body goes limp. The mother clutches onto her deceased child and lets out a loud wail. Within seconds, branches with leaves and bulbs sprout from the ground around her.
Emerging from the bulbs were petals of deep red and the yellow dust from its center scattered into the wind reaching the different parts of the island. The mother’s tears fell onto one of the petals and broke it. To honor the child for their sacrifice, Åsgon gave part of her scent to the new flower as she rubbed oil on the petals. This was so that even in the heaviest of rain, the droplets would not break the petals and just slide off.
Unfortunately, there were many children who have fallen from a curse, either from an evil spirit or person, leaving more flowers emerging with different colors and shapes around the island. Åsgon would give part of her scent to each and every one of them making all their scents different. The spirit of the children would also leave flowers near other medicinal plants to help the villagers when they look for ingredients for medicine.
***One day, while strolling through the jungle, she encounters a giant beast. Frozen in fear, she is unable to run away. Just as the beast charges at her, a spear flies by her head and pierces the beast in the throat and falls at her feet. A young hunter goes up to her checking if she’s hurt. Instead of appreciation Åsgon gets upset and told the hunter that he could have killed her too if he misses. To which the hunter said: “I never miss.”