*Note this story is in Tagalog
Mayroon tunggalian sa daigdig ng espiritu, isang hayagang hidwaan para sa ilan, at isang mabagsik na labanan para sa iba. Ito ay sa pagitan ng lingkod ni Kadaklan at ng mangangaso ng aso na si Anguan.
Si Kimat, and asong-kidlat, ay mula sa daigdig sa langit at isang nilalang ng pagkawasak; ilang beses na siyang nakipagtuos sa Anguan, ngunit walang nagwagi sa kanilang mga laban.
Pagkawasak lamang ang umiiral.
Maaaring isipin ng ilan na walang makapipinsala sa alagang hayop ni Kadaklan-at totoo iyon sa ilang pagkakataon-ngunit ang kapangyarihan ng Anguan ay nagmumula sa matinding poot. Makikita sa bawat kilos ang matinding poot sa mga mangangaso at sa kanilang mga aso.
Hindi naiiba ang sagupkaang ito.
May isang tao na hindi naghandog nang maayos kay Kadaklan, kaya ipinadala si Kimat bilang kidlat upang tumama sa taong nagkasala.
Isa itong labanang walang katapusan.
Mabilis ang kidlat, mahusay na umiiwas sa mga hampas ng espiritu. Umalingawngaw ang kuryente at tumama sa target; umalingasaw sa hangin ang amoy ng nasusunog na laman-espiritu.
Hindi nagpatinag ang Anguan; tinipon nito ang lakas upang sugatan ang asong-pangaso gamit ang sandata nito.
Nagpalitan sila ng mga suntok, dahil natagpuan nila ang katapat ng isa’t isa.
Nagpatuloy nang matindi ang labanan hanggang sa pagtatakipsilim.
Pareho silang bumagsak dahil sa pagod.
Tila mamamatay na ang Anguan, ngunit tinawag pabalik sa daigdig sa langit ang asong-pangangaso ng kanyang banal na panginoon.
Maglalaban silang muli.
Isang walang-katapusang pagkapatas.
Ngunit hindi iyon magtatagal.
Ang Anguan ay isang espiritung may kakayahang maglakbay sa mga antas ng maraming daigdig. Nais nito ng higit pang lakas-sapat upang pabagsakin ang kidlat-na-aso. Sa gayong paraan ito naglakbay patungo sa mga mas mababang daigdig. Batid ng lahat ng mga espiritu na mayroong tunggalian sa pagitan ng mga kaharian ng daigdig sa langit at ng mga daigdig sa ibaba.
Naglakbay ang espiritu patungo sa ilalim na daigdig hanggang sa matagpuan nito ang mga haligi ng mundo.
At ang diyosang si Dagau.
Walang pagmamahalang namamagitan kina Kadaklan at Dagau, at ano pa nga bang mas mainam na panlaban sa kidlat kundi ang lupa?
Magkakaroon ng katapat ang Kimat kung magagamit ng Anguan ang kapangyarihan ng mga haligi.
Hindi pinansin ni Dagau ang mga kaiusap ng espiritu. Hiindi niya ibababa ang antas ng kanyang lagka-diyos sa pamamagitan ng pakikialam sa isang tunggaliang itinuturing niyang mababaw lamang.
Hindi niya ibibigay sa kanila ang gusto nila- hindo kung walang kapalit.
At binigyan ito ng isang gawain- na tila madali – kung saan kailangan lamang nitong kumuha ng pamahid na nakapagpapagaling para sa isa sa mga ahas ng babae. May isang diyos na nagnanais sa kapangyarihan ng mga haligi para sa sariling mga layunin, ngunit maging siya ay hindi nakalagpas sa kanyang mga serpiyente.
Ang pamahid ay ginawa ng diyosa ng awa na si Sappia sa gitnang daigig. Hindi siya isang diwatang nagpadaloy ng dugo. Madaling puntahan ang gitnang daigig, at doon ay nag-usap ang Anguan at si Sappia.
Sinabi niya rito na ang paglalakbay nito ay hahantong lamang sa pagkawasak.
Tumango ang Anguan at sinabing alam nito. Poot lamang ang tanging kilala nito, at ang tanging makikilala nito habambuhay.
Hindi pinakinggan ang pakiusap ng diyosa. Ibinigay niya ang pamahid at ninais ang ikabubuti ng galit na espiritu.
Bumalik ito sa Dagau dala ang premyo nito. Sinuri niya ang kanyang serpiyente at labis siyang natuwa nang makitang tumatalab ang paggaling.
Pinagkalooban ni Dagau ang galit na espiritu ng lakas ng lupa at pinayaon ito. Sa wakas, dumating na ang oras.
Alam nito ang mga huwaran ng kalangitan, batid kung kailan tatawagin ng diyos ng langit ang kanyang pinagpaguran. Sa isang hampas, mabilis itong dumaloy pabalik sa pinagmulan.
Labis ang tiwala nito sa sarili dahil sa bago nitong kapangyarihan.
Sa isang hampas ay bumagsak ang Kimat, ngunit hindi pa roon nagtapos ang laban.
Lagi nitong iniisip na iisa lang ang Kimat. Naging napakamahal ng kapalit ng pagkakamaling ito.
Pitong hampas, pitong Kimat.
Kahit ang pagpapala ni Dagau ay hindi nakatulong dito.
Hinabol ito ng mga Kimat hanggang sa abot-tanaw, at nagawang pumunta ng Anguan sa ilalim na daigdig.
Taglay nito ang kapangyarihan ng diyosa ng lupa, ngunit hindi iyon sapat.
Pinagaling nito ang sarili nitong mga sugat at nagisip tungkol sa kapangyarihan.
=————————–=
There is a struggle in the spirit world, an open rivalry to some, a vicious battle to others.
This is between the servant of Kadaklan and the dog-hunter Anguan.
Kimat, the lightning hound, it of the Skyworld and creature of destruction has parried with the Anguan many a time, but their battles have no victors.
Only ruination exists.
Some may think that nothing could harm Kadaklan’s pet, and that would be true in some cases, but the Anguan’s power is fueled by spite. Its hatred for hunters and their dogs bursting through in every move.
This skirmish was no different.
Another human did not give proper offerings to Kadaklan and Kimat was sent as lightning to strike at the offending party.
It was a battle without end.
The lightning was fast, deftly dodging the spirit’s blows. Electricity cackled and met its mark, burnt spirit-flesh wafted in the air.
The Anguan did not relent, it summoned its strength to cut the hound with its weapon. The Kimat bled pure energy, a small puddle of lightning-blood was formed from these drippings.
They traded blows, having found each other’s match.
The battle raged into the twilight hours.
Both fell from exhaustion.
It seemed like the Anguan would perish but the hound was called back to the Skyworld by its divine master.
They would battle again.
A constant stalemate.
But that would not last.
The Anguan is a spirit capable of traversing the layers of the many worlds. It wanted more power, enough to fell the lightning dog. It was thus that it traveled to the lower worlds. Known by all spirits, there was a rivalry between the courts of the Skyworld and the Lower Worlds.
The spirit traveled to the lower world until it found the pillars of the earth.
And the goddess, Dagau.
There was no love lost between Kadaklan and Dagau and what better way to fight the lightning than the earth?
The Kimat would have its match if the Anguan could harness the power of the pillars.
Dagau ignored the spirit’s pleas. She would not debase her divinity by settling what, to her, was a petty rivalry.
She would not give it what they wanted, not without something in return.
And it was given a task, seemingly easy, all it had to do was to get a healing salve for one of her serpents. There was a god who wanted the power of the pillars for their own devices but even they could not get past her serpents.
The salve was made by the goddess of mercy, Sappia, in the Middleworld. She was not a diwata that spilled blood. The Middleworld was easy to journey to, and there the Anguan and Sappia had a conversation.
She told it that its journey would only read to ruin.
The Anguan nodded and said it knew. Hatred was all it had known, what it would always know.
The goddess’ pleas fell on deaf ears. She gave the salve and wished the angry spirit well.
With its prize it went back to Dagau. She surveyed her serpent and was overjoyed to see the healing take effect.
Dagau blessed the angry spirit with the strength of the earth and sent it on its way.
Finally it was time.
It knew the patterns of the sky, knowing when the sky god would call on its spent.
One strike and it raced to the origin.
It was overconfident with its new power.
With one blow the Kimat fell, but that wasn’t the end of the fight.
It had always thought that there was only one Kimat. This mistake caused it dearly.
Seven strikes, seven Kimat.
Even the blessing of Dagau could not help it.
The Kimats chased it to the horizon and the Anguan was able to delve into the Lower World.
It had the earth goddess’ power but that wasn’t enough.
It licked its wounds and thought of power.
=————————-=
*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Ailene Pasco
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Ailene Pasco
Inspired by the description Wilson, Laurence Lee. (1947). Apayao Life and Legends. Baguio, P. I.: Human Relations Area Files OA5, OA1, p. 23.
Illustration by Kian Reglos used with permission from Rob Martin of Pine Box Entertainment and Secret Garden Games
