*Note this story is in Tagalog
“Grrrah,” sabi ng nagugutom na buwaya.
“Tahimik na, makakakain din tayo, kaunting hintay na lang.” payo ng aswang sa kaniyang alaga.
Nahihirapan silang makakita ng mabibiktima, dahil nag-iingat na ang mga tao para hindi sila mapadpad sa nilulugaran nilang dalawa. Gayunpaman, hindi nawala ang pag-asa ng aswang na makakakita sila ng masarap na makakain.
“Kailangan lang nating lumapit sa barangay at magiging maayos na ang lahat.” Umungol ulit ang buwaya pero pinakalma niya ito.” Alam kong makakakita tayo ng masasarap na maliliit na mga bata.”
Natuwa ang buwaya dahil lumipas na ang ilang buwan matapos siyang makatikim ng masarap na pagkain.
“Lalapit tayo sa mga bahay nila at magtatayo tayo ng patibong . Puwede nating mahuli yung mga lumalangoy sa ilog!” Naglakad silang dalawa papunta sa tabing-ilog.
Ang pag-iingat ng mga tao ay nagbunga ng matagal nilang pagkagutom. Ang huling pagkaing natikman nila ay isang mangingisdang nawawala sa sapa. Nahirapan silang nguyain dahil sa tigas ng laman nito kaya hindi naging malinamnam ang kanilang hapunan.
Dinadaan na lang ng aswang sa ngiti ang lahat. Alam niyang makakakita rin sila ng pagkain. Malakas ang tiwala niya sa lakas ng kaniyang alaga na humuli ng kanilang makakakain, ito ay dahil hindi siya katulad ng ibang aswang na nakakalipad at nananakot ng mga tao.
Isa siyang Agalon Hayopan, isang uri ng aswang na nagpapalaki ng buwaya para humuli ng makakain. Ang ibang aswang ay kinukutya silang tamad, pero kailanman hindi nila maiintindihan ang hirap nang pagpapalaki ng isang buwaya.
Gumawa ulit ng tunog ang kaniyang alaga at siya ay napatawa. Ilang taon na silang magkasama simula nang itlog pa lamang ito. Kilalang-kilala niya ang ugali ng kaniyang alaga at ganoon din ang alaga niya sa kaniya. Hindi sila mapapaghiwalay. Alam niya na kapag nakakain na ito, magiging tamad ang alaga niya.
“Nandito na tayo.” Nag-aabang na ang aswang at ang buwaya sa ilog.
“Oras na para kumain.” sabi ng aswang.
“Grrrah,” sagot ng kaniyang alaga.
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English version
“Grrrah,” The crocodile groaned.
“Hush now, the food will come by soon, then we will both have something to eat.” The aswang said lovingly to her pet.
Prey was hard to come by these days, the humans knew that this place in the swamp was the hunting ground for the aswang and her pet, but that wasn’t about to stop her from finding a meal.
“We just have to go closer to the village, and then everything will be better,” The crocodile grunted again and the aswang reassured him. “I know, we’ll find some children, I know how much you like the taste of those.”
The crocodile wagged its tail with joy; it had not had that treat in many months.
“Yes, let’s go nearer to the village and set a trap. We can catch the ones swimming by the river!” The aswang walked alongside her pet to the riverbank.
She was hungry, and so was her pet. Due to the human’s caution, food was hard to find. The last meal they both had was a fisherman that strayed too far into the swamp. He was stringy and tough, not a dinner that either of them savored.
The aswang was all smiles though. She knew that prey would be plentiful. She had always relied on the strength of her pet to catch their meals, she was not like the other aswang who would fly around the village terrorizing the humans.
She was an agalon hayopan, a kind of aswang that would raise crocodiles to hunt their prey for them. The other aswang would often jeer and call their kind lazy, but they would never know the hardship one would take just to raise a single crocodile from an egg.
Her pet grumbled again and she laughed. They spent years together and she had raised this one ever since he was a hatchling. She knew his quirks and quips just as well as he knew hers. They were inseparable. She knew that once he had something to eat, he would change back to his lazy self.
“We’re here,” The aswang and her pet stood by the river.
“Time to get some food.”
“Grrrah,” replied her pet.
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*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 Emman Bernardino
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Emman Bernardino
Inspired by the Agalon Hayopan legend from Bicol: Filipinas Volume 12, Page 53, Filipinas Pub., 2003
Agalon Hayopan Illustration by NightmareSyrup
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