The Legend of the Wild Orchid

"In an early Mexican city famous for it's artists and sculptors, a powerful god and goddess were blessed with a daughter so incredibly beautiful that they could not bear the thought of giving her away in marriage to a mere mortal. Her name was Morning Star.

It was during her trips from the forest, carrying flowers for the temple, that a young mortal prince first caught sight of Morning Star and immediately fell under her spell. Each morning, before Morning Star went into the forest in search of flowers for the goddesses, the young prince would hide in the undergrowth and await the arrival of Morning Star.

One morning, the young prince was so overcome with desire that he decided to make known his love for Morning Star and flee with her to the sierra. As she passed closed by, he leaped from the bushes, professed his love, then taking her by the arm, ran with her, deep into the rain forest. Morning Star was startled by the young prince's abrupt arrival, but she too came under the spell of their star-crossed destiny.

Just as they reached the first mountains they were discovered by the gods and struck down on the spot, because of their forbidden love.

Not long after, on that exact site, a bush sprang forth. An emerald green vine sprouted from the earth, it's tendrils intertwining much like the young lover's embrace. The tendrils were fragile, the leaves full and sensual. One morning delicate yellow-green orchids appeared all over the vine. From the orchids slender vanilla beans developed and over time they released a perfume more splendid than the finest incense offered to the goddess.

It was then that the gods and goddesses realized that the young prince and Morning Star were transformed into the delicate orchid and fragrant vanilla bean.

The orchid and vine were designated as a sacred gift, a divine offering to the world."