Maayos ang pamamalakad sa bayan at walang balita ng mga kaguluhan dahil sa malaking reespeto nila kay Lakan Taal. Maganda rin ang komersyo ng lugar. Maganda at masagana ang kanilang mga ani kung kaya't nakakapamunga sila ng mga kape, abukado at iba pang mga bungang kahoy.
Isang araw, dali-daling pinulong ng matanda ang kanyang mga tapat ng taga-sunod. Dinala ni Lakan Taal ang mga alagad sa isang liblib na parte ng kakahuyan. Pinag-sabihan ng matanda ang mga ito na pinagbabawalan na niya ang sinoman na magpunta sa tuktok ng bundok na kanyang itinuro. Sa malayo mapapansin na ang bundok ay luntian at sagana sa mga punong-kahoy. Dahil sa malaki ang paggalang nila sa pinuno ay sumang-ayon ang mga alagad at ipinangakong ipagbibigay-alam sa taong bayan ang utos ng matanda. Pinagsabihan nga ng mga ito ang taombayan at mahigpit namang sinunod ang utos ng pinuno. Walang sinoman ang mangahas na suwayin ang utos ni Lakan Taal.
Masaya at kuntento ang mga taong bayan sa pamamalakad ni Lakan Taal ng bigla na lamang nawala ang matanda. Ni wala man lang itong pinagbilinan kung saan siya pupunta. Hinanap ng lahat ang kanilang pinuno ngunit hindi nila ito makita. Nagpunta ang mga alagad hanggang sa kasuluk-sulukang parte ng bayan at maging sa mga kakahuyan ngunit wala si Lakan Taal dun. Walang nakakita o makapagsabi kung nasaan ang matanda.
Ilang taon na ang nakalipas simula nang maglaho ang matanda ngunit hindi pa rin ito natatagpuan o bumabalik sa bayan. Kahit masagana ang pamumuhay nila ay hinahanap-hanap pa rin nila ang mabait na pinuno.
Isang araw, may nagmungkahi na akyatin nila ang bundok na pinagbawalan ng matanda na puntahan. Baka naman dun daw nagtatago ang matanda. Sumang-ayon ang taong bayan na sabik malaman kung anong meron sa nasabing bundok.
At pumanhik nga ang mga ito sa nasabing bundok; sa itaas nakita nila na may malaki itong butas. Sumilip sila sa loob at nakita na puno ito ng mga makikinang na mga bato, mga perlas, diamante at iba pa. Nagtulakan at nag-away- away ang mga ito sa pakikipag-unahang makakuha ng mga yaman. Dumadagundong na boses ni Lakan Taal ang pumigil sa mga ito at nagsabing kaya hindi sila pinapapanhik sa nasabing lugar dahil sa alam niyang ganito lamang ang kahihinatnan ng lahat.
Dahil sa galit ni Lakan Taal, hiniling nito sa Bathala na magkaroon ng malakas na kidlat at kulog at unos. Hindi pa natatapos ang matanda na nagsasalita nang dumilim ang paligid at nangyari ang sinabi nito. Lumindol din ng malakas at ang bundok ay nagbuga ng apoy na siyang ikinasawi ng mga taong sumuway sa utos ng matanda.
Ang bundok ay pinalibutan ng tubig at maging ang butas sa tuktok ng bundok ay nagkaroon ng lawa upang walang sinoman ang makakuha ng mga kayamanan. Simula noon ay tinawag ang bundok na Taal mula sa matandang pinuno.
Once upon a time, the town of Tagaytay was ruled by an old but powerful man. He was known as Lakan Taal. The townspeople loved and respected their leader because he was wise and just. The town was progressive because of Lakan Taal's good governance.
The town was peaceful and orderly because the people had high respect for Lakan Taal. Even their industry was booming. The people were able to produce good crops of coffee, avocado and other fruits.
One day, the old man met up with his trusted followers. He brought them to an unchartered part of the forest. He told his followers that from that day on, he forbids anyone to climb the top of the mountain he was pointing to. From a far, the mountain looked rich in trees and natural resources. But because they respected decisions from Lakan Taal, the followers swore that they would never climb the said mountain. They were also charged to tell the townspeople of Lakan Taal's strict orders. The townspeople, on the otherhand, did as they were told and from then on no one dared to climb up the mountain.
The people were happy and contented with Lakan Taal's rule when the old man suddenly disappeared. He told no one where he was going so that nobody could tell or know where he was. The townspeople searched high and low and every nook and cranny of the little town but he was nowhere to be found.
A few years passed since Lakan Taal disappeared but he was not found nor did he returned to the town. The town was still progressive but the people still missed their beloved leader.
One day, someone suggested that they climb up the top of the mountain that the old man had forbidden them to. They thought that maybe they would find him there. The people all agreed as they were eager to find out what was in the summit.
They went up the mountain and found out that there was a hole in its summit. They looked inside the hole and found lots of precious stones such as diamond, pearls, rubies, etc. Soon everyone was fighting to get the precious stones for themselves. The familiar sound of Lakan Taal's voice stopped them from fighting. The voice told them that this is the exact reason why he forbade them to climb up the mountain as he knew they would end up fighting with each other.
Lakan Taal was angered by the townspeople's actions that he wished Bathala that there would be lightning and thunder and a strong calamity. He was barely finished when the place suddenly turned dark and everything he had said occured. A strong earthquake soon shook the place and the mountain was shooting fire from its hole. This killed the greedy townspeople.
The mountain was then surrounded by water and the precious stones found in its hole was submerged in water so that no one could get it. From then on, the mountain was called Taal from the old and wise leader.
Researched and Rewritten by Lovedy on Google+
Translated and Formatted by Daniel Andrei Garcia
