*Note this story is in Tagalog
Wala iba lamang nakakaalam ang buong pagkatao mo, kundi ako.
Nakilala pa kita noong araw pa bago ka pa pinanganak. Dahil ang iyong ina ay isang napakagandang babae. Ginagamit niya ang oras niya para bigyan ng pansinin ang pagtakbo ng alon sa ilog hanggang hindi na ito makita ng mata. At nandoon ako. Oo, nandoon ako nung nakita ko ang ama mong maginoo na binigay sarili niya sa ina mo. Ginawa niya roon sa puno na iyan.
Noong isa kang maliit na sanggol, mahal mo talaga maglaro sa tabi ng ilog. Palagi ka pang binabantayan ng mga nag-aalaga sa’yo para hindi ka madisgrasya. Pero, wala nag-alala dahil habang nandoon ako sa paligid mo, walang makasisira sa kasiyahan mo.
Lumaki ka kasama ang ilog sa tabi; nung umabot ka ng ika-6 na taon, naging isang makulit na bata. Madalas mo pa binibigyan ng sakit sa ulo sa mga pari at tinatakbuhan mo sila papunta sa ilog para ‘di ka nila maihabol. Magaling ka pa lumangoy. At dahil dito, walang makakapantay sa iyo pagdating sa laro. Naging mayabang ka pa lalo na ikaw yung pinakamagaling na lumangoy.
Nandoon pa ako nung panahon ng pinaka unang beses na nawasak ang puso mo dahil sa isang babae. Ang masasabi ko lang diyan ay hindi siya kawalan para sa’yo. At naalala ko pa nung hinahanap mo pa ng kulay at kung ano yung talaga nangyari sa araw na iyon. Hatinggabi pa nga at kitang-kita pa ang buwan sa langit nung hinanap ka ng mga bantay mo. Hinding-hindi kang mahanap, dahil nandoon ako at tinago ka ng palihim. Nung nagising ka sa susunod na araw, malinis ang balat mo at walang ni isang gasgas na makita, ngunit ka umuwi sa magulang mo.
Lumaki ka at naging isang binata na may itsura at may sigla. Umuupo ka pa rin sa tabi ng ilog para sumulat ng mga tula, at minsan tinatalumpati mo pa ito. Mahinahon at kalmado lamang ang boses mo, at ginagawa ko itong pampatulog tuwing gabi.
Dalawang buwan na lumipas nung huli mong talumpati sa gabi. Ito ay tungkol sa buhay na kung paano tumagos sa ilalim ng kaluluwa ng mga tao. Ang isang linya sa iyong talumpati ay, “Parang hiwang sa pamamagitan ng kaluluwa”. Tapos lumiko ang ilog para pumantay sa’yo, at dito nalaman ko na anong dapat gawin ko.
At nung nagtama ang ating mga mata, naramdaman mo yun diba? Na dapat tayo ay para sa isa’t-isa. Doon, nakatayo ka sa lupa habang nagtitigan tayo parehas at kumanta ang ilog. Tumaas ang tubig nito hanggang umabot sa mata mo at nakita mo ang totoong anyo ko.
Hindi mo inaasahan ito. Malamang, magugulat naman din ang mga ng tao pag nakita ang tunay na anyo ko. Di mo rin napansin na sinuot yung balutan ng tuyong damo at kumpol ng saging para itago ang binti ko. Namangha ka pa sa kagandahan ko, at ganun din ako sa’yo. Nakita ko pa ang pagnanais mo sa iyong kaluluwa. Na kahit itim o kulay-abo ang balat ko, o kahit punung-puno ako ng mga tinik, ang pagnanasa mo saakin ay lubos totoo pala at iyon lamang ang mahalaga sa buhay.
Hanggang ngayon, sinusumpa ko pa din ang bantay mo. Paano ba kasi nalaman ng tao na kumuha ng bolo para ilaslas ang tubig gamit ng krus? Hindi dapat nalaman to ng mga tao at dapat naitago to sakanila.
Pero dapat maging matatag ako pag hinaharap kita, aking sinta.
Huwag ka mag-alala, dahil hindi to ang huling pagkikita natin. Kasi habang dumadaloy pa ang ilog, sa iyo pa rin ang ipag-aari ng aking puso.
Magpakailanman.
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Engilsh Version
Nobody knows you like I do.
I’ve known you since before you were born. Your mother was such a beautiful woman. She would spend time by the river, watching it run into the horizon. I was there when your father, the gentleman, proposed. He did it right by that tree.
When you were a little baby you loved to play by the water. You’d always be watched of course, your guardians would hover around you to make sure you were alright. They didn’t need to worry, as long as I was there nothing would be able to harm you.
You grew up with the river by your side. At six years old you were a mischievous little boy. You would play tricks on the old priests and run away to the river where they couldn’t catch you. You were a great swimmer. None of your playmates could match your speed. It made my heart swell with pride knowing that you took to the water so well.
I was there during your first heartbreak. You were too good for that girl anyway. I remember you trying to find sense in what had happened. It was midnight and the moon full in the sky when your guardians came to look for you. Try as they might they couldn’t find you, of course, I was there to make sure you had your privacy. You woke up the next day, not a scratch on you, and went back home to your parents.
You grew into a fine young man, so dashing and handsome. You would stay by the riverside and write your poems, even orating them on some occasions. Your voice was so soothing and calm. It was my lullaby every night.
Two moons ago you spoke one of your poems out loud. It was about life, how it cuts deep into the soul of every person. “Like a knife through the soul”, that was one of the lines from your poem. The river bent and flowed to match your oration. It was then I knew what I had to do.
When our eyes met you could feel it couldn’t you? How we were meant to be together. You stood there, solid on the ground as we locked our gaze and the river sang. It rose higher until it reached your eyes and you saw me for what I was.
You were surprised, of course. Most humans are when they see my true form. You didn’t realize that I wore the bundle of rice straws and cluster of bananas to hide my lower half. You were enthralled by my beauty and I, by you. I could see the longing in your soul. It didn’t matter that my skin was black and grey or that it was covered with spines, you wanted me and that was all that mattered.
To this day I still curse your guardian. How did a human know to get a bolo and slash at the water with a cross? That knowledge should have been hidden from humans.
Ah but I should not show weakness in front of you, my love.
We will be together soon enough. As long as the river flows, my heart will belong to you.
Always and forever.
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Adapted from a story from Abra, Calaba River told by Guillermo Guillen Crisologo
Berberoka Illustration by Guillermo Guillen Crisologo