*Note this story is in Aklanon
Sang una hay may isaeang ka dyos nga Gamhanan ro pangaean. Imaw ro makakagahum sa tanan — taga-tao it kabuhi, kahamungayaan, ag pangabuhi-an. Gaistar imaw sa bukid it Daeogdog, kaibahan ro ibang mga dyos. Idto imaw gadumaea ko sang kalibotan — gatao it kabuhi ag gakastigo sa mga gakasaea nga tawo.
Sa ulihi, si Gamhanan hay magapadaea it bunok ag grabi ka init sa mga tawo nga indi magtuman sa anang sugo. Sanda nga indi magtao it maayos nga haead sa anang eungib hay gaba-an gid.
Sang una hay may una nga panigotlo, ay Gamhanan nga pinaeabing alaga. Nag-alagwa imaw patabok it suba nga mat kahayag it dasig. Grabi katahum ro rayang sapat nga uwa it sin-o man nga mangisip nga sakitun da. Isaeang ka rason hay nahadlok sanda sa kaakig ni Gamhanan. Euwas karon, ro huma it panigotlo hay nagatao it kataeagman.
Sa ulihi, ro panigotlo, bilang taga daea it timgas nga ani ag dibwenas, hay magahuma sa pinaka-ulihing bisis bag-o ro pag ugsad it buean. Ro mga tao sa banwa hay gapangalipay mentras gapreparar ko andang haead sa magagahom nga dyos ag sa anang alaga.
Sang una, may kalipay ag kahayag. Ro panigotlo hay wa it inugkabaeaka sa mga tawo na nagapalibot sa bukid it Daeogdog dahil imaw hay pinaeabi ag nagatao it kataeagman.
Sa ulihi, ro matahum nga sapat hay hapatay it isaeang ka pobreng mangangayam nga si Dagasanan. Ro anang puting baeahibo hay may mantsa eon it dugo, tubtub sa katubtuban. Indi eon hibatian ro anang huma nga gakahueogan it bugana ag katuyo-an. Indi eon it uman imaw mag pabat-oe it baha o kahuga-an.
Sang una, may isaeang ka magagamhanang dyos ag anang alaga.
Sa ulihi, ro mga tao hay nagbayad sa andang utang.
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English Version
In the beginning, there was the great god Gamhanan, the most powerful of all the gods, the giver of life, security and livelihood. He dwelt with the other gods of his land in Mount Daeogdog, giving life and punishing errant mortals.
In the end, the god Gamhanan would send the rain and drought to those mortals who would defy his will. Those that would not give the proper offerings to his cave dwelling would know the bitter taste of the god’s punishment.
In the beginning, there was the panigotlo, Gamhanan’s favored pet. It dashed across the river like a ray of pure light. So beautiful was this animal that none would dare harm it, not only for fear of Gamhanan’s retribution but also because it could foretell omens with its bleating.
In the end, the panigotlo would have its last bleating before the full moon, being the harbinger of good harvest and fortune. The people of the village would rejoice and prepare for their thanksgiving to the great god and his pet.
In the beginning, there was joy and light. The panigotlo did not have anything to fear from the mortals surrounding Mount Daegdog, for it was favored, and it would foretell favor or misfortune.
In the end, the majestic beast was killed by a lowly hunter named Dagasanan. Its white fur forever stained by blood. Never again would its bleats tell of abundance and purpose, never again would it warn of flood and despair.
In the beginning, there was the great god and his pet.
In the end, the mortals paid their price.
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*Aklanon (Akeanon), also known as Bisaya/Binisaya nga Aklanon/Inaklanon or simply Aklan, is an Austronesian language of the Bisayan subgroup spoken by the Aklanon people in the province of Aklan on the island of Panay in the Philippines. Its unique feature among other Bisayan languages is the close-mid back unrounded vowel [ɤ] occurring as part of diphthongs and traditionally written with the letter ⟨Ee⟩ such as in the autonyms Akean and Akeanon. However, this phoneme is also present in other but geographically scattered and distant Philippine languages, namely Itbayat, Isneg, Manobo, Samal and Sagada.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Aklanon Translation by Chi Payba-Suarez
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Chi Payba-Suarez
Inspired by the Panigotlo description in ‘A Legend of Aklan’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.
Panigotlo Illustration by Julius Advincula
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