A long time ago, there were few houses in the town of Marikina. They were all made of bamboo and cogon grass. The people were a nomadic folk, looking for places where they could plant camote, rice, corn and vegetables, and where they could raise livestock. There were few who stayed permanently.
One of the families gave birth to a lovely daughter. She was admired by everybody who knew her, and her kindness attracted all.
Early in the morning one day, she decided to take a stroll around the place. She saw a pool with very clear water with a small waterfall. She dove in and swam to sit underneath the waterfall. The stream of water massaged her shoulders, and where it met her neck. She lowered her head in enjoyment, listening to the burble of the waterfall above her. She moved away from the falls and sat listening to the sweet songs of birds. She watched them hop and drink from the pool. A breeze cooled her skin and she watched the leaves dance above her. What a wonderful place! When she rose, she hoisted herself up on a wide, smooth stone and saw her reflection in the pool. She admired parts of herself that were beautiful, but noticed bits of herself she did not love. She had a white head under her lovely, bright eyes. And she wished for her chin to be a little bit more shapely. And how she longed for her long, slender legs to be smaller.
But she heard a voice call, “Marikit na!” which means “you are already beautiful!”
Unbeknownst to her, a man had watched her playing in the pool, admiring her beauty. The echo of his affirmation filled the mountains and the trees of the place. Other men heard the echo and repeated after it. Marikina became the name of this place.