*Note this story is in Bicol-Naga
Tolong paraayam an yaon duman, paharani na sa saindang bibiktimahon.
An enot na paraayam nagsabi, “Magtingag kamo sa itaas, mga kapwa ko paraayam, ta an satong biktima yaon nakatugdon dyan sa mga kahoy.”
An ikaduwang paraayam nagsimbag, “Iyo, amigo ko. An mga hayop na ini na pakpakan dai na makakapamerwisyo sa satong baryo.”
An ikatolong paraayam nagsabi man, “An satong mga sundang dapat na matarom huli ta an kublit kan mga iyan makunot pa sa anit nin damulag.”
Tiniripon kan tolong paraayam an saindang mga tarum asin nagbaklay pasiring sa kabukidan.
Pirang taon na an nakaagi poon kan mag-abot an enot na aswang sa saindang baryo. Idto an pinakamamundong aldaw sa buhay ninda ta mayo nin sarong lalaki o babae na nagkakakusog-boot na magluwas sa saindang mga harong huli sa takot na tibaad dai na makabalik pa giraray.
Dakul na ang sinaklot kan aswang sa baryo, kadakol na kalalakihan asin kababaehan. Sobra kadakol na man na kaakian.
Aram kan mga paraayam na kaipuhan na nindang tapuson an paghade na ini nin takot sa paagi nin pagpabulos nin dugo. Mayo nang ibang pwedeng gibuhon.
Sa tahaw kan kakahoyan nagtukaw an tolong paraayam asin nag-andam sa pagkakan.
“Dai ka mag-gatong nin kalayo,” an sabi kan enot na paraayam, “huli ta an mga linalang sa diklom na ini mamamataan kita.”
“Paano ta lulutuon an satong kakanon kun mayo kitang kalayo?” sabi kan ikaduwang paraayam.
“Kaipuhan tang kakanon na hilaw an satong kakanon,” an sabi kan ikatolong paraayam.
Asin kinua ninda an saindang mga balon asin nagkarakan na.
An ikatolong paraayam binare an katoninongan sa paagi nin paghapot, “Nadangog mo na kun paano sinda naggigibo nin mga aki?”
An ikaduwang paraayam nagsimbag, “Sarong nakakapungot na sistema. Nadangog ko na nagkukua sinda nin dugo sa mga nakuanan asin pinoporma iyan tanganing magin sarong omboy.”
An enot na paraayam nagsabi, “Mga makasusuyang mga linalang. Magigin marahay an kamugtakan kan buhay ta kun sinda gabos garadan na.”
Asin nagkauruyon digdi an tolong paraayam.
An enot na paraayam iyo an nagbantay sa saindang kampo.
“Hahanapon mi sinda sa aga, kun sinda paragal na,” an sabi nya.
“Uyon ako, mas madali nang hanapon sinda sa liwanag kan aldaw,” sabi kan ikaduwang paraayam.
“Asin madali ta sindang madakop na mayong anuman na problema,” an sabi kan ikatolong paraayam.
“Mag-likay ka, tugang, dai ta dapat pagmenuson an mga linalang na ini,” an simbag kan enot na paraayam.
“Totoo iyan. Nadangog ko na sinda nakabitin na nakabaliktad sa mga sanga kan mga kahoy asin naghahalat na an saindang biktima mag-agi sa irarom ninda, na inaagaw an sarong pobreng linalang na mayong ligtas na makadulag,” an ikaduwang paraayam nagsabi man.
“Saludo ako sa saindong kadonongan, mga tugang. Magpahingalo na kita para sa bangging ini, asin ipadagos an satong pangangayam sa aga,” an sabi kan ikatolong paraayam.
Kaya, an mga paraayam nagsurusalida sa pagbantay kan saindang kampo. Sa kada pagribay kan turno ninda nagigin sindang mas marigmat sa saindang pagbantay, naghahangos sa mga agihan sa kakahoyan. An banggi nag-lihis na mayong nangyari asin an mga paraayam nagpadagos kan saindang halawig na pagbaklay sa irarom kan mga kahoy.
“Kaipuhan kong magbuyboy,” an sabi kan ikatolong paraayam.
“Ano iyan, tugang?” simbag man kan ikaduwang paraayam.
“Dai ko aram kun ano an itsura kan mga linalang na ini,” an pag-ako nya.
“Kun siring, magdangog ka nin marhay, tugang. An mga linalang na ini mga depormadong linalang na nag-tatago sa pinakamadiklom na parte kan kakahoyan. Arog sinda kadakula saimo, o sako, alagad igwa sinda nin mga pakpak na minaabot sa lakbang kan mga sanga kan mga kahoy. An saindang mga muro sa bitis asin mga moro sa kamot nakatukdo pabalik hale sa saindang mga ngalungaloan. Siguradong mayo nang ibang linalang na urog kamakanos, o arog kamaraot ki kan aswang,” an simbag kan enot na paraayam.
“Asin sinda maringis. Dai sinda naheherak sa siisay man sa saindang mga biktima, dawa sa pinakasadit,” sabi kan ikaduwang paraayam.
Asin biglang nagtoninong an mga paraayam.
Aram ninda kun pira na an kinua kan aswang sa saindang baryo.
Hinuruhod kan mga paraayam an saindang mga payo asin nag-padara sa sulog nin pagromdom.
Narumdoman kan enot na paraayam an saiyang agom asin kun ano an ipinamati niya saiya. Dai mailadawan sa mga tataramon an kahungkagan kan saiyang puso.
Narumdoman kan ikaduwang paraayam an ngirit kan saiyang tugang. Magkambal sinda asin an pagkadayupot ninda sa lambang saro mayo nin ibang tawo an makakasabot.
An ikatolong paraayam nagigirumdoman an sarong puting tamong na kun saen napapatos an saiyang aki. Pirang semana pa sana an edad kaini kan sinaklot siya kan aswang.
Nakapagdesisyon sinda na tama na asin nagkasararo tanganing labanan an mga demonyong ini.
Asin ngonyan nakaabot na sinda digdi.
Pinalibotan kn tolong paraayam an sarong dakulang kahoy na balete. Nahihiling ninda an mga lawi kan mga linalang na nakadungaw sa mga dahon.
Inandam ninda an saindang mga sundang asin naghoma nang magtagâ.
Nagkatararaka an mga linalang asin mayo na sinda nin oras tanganing makabalos. Igwa nin limang linalang asin dawa ngani napaboran sinda alagad an mga hayop garo baga nagkatararaka, na nagtatao sa mga paraayam nin maninigong panahon tanganing na sinda.
An nagsunod iyo an pagkuriyat nin mga tari asin batbat. Sarong aswang an nakasaklot sa ikaduwang paraayam asin ilinayog sya kaini paitaas. Alagad sa saiyang marikas na pag-isip sana na nagibo niyang tigbason an bitis kan aswang asin luminigid sa daga.
An enot na paraayam solong nakipaglaban sa tolo kan mga aswang. Tinigbas asin tinagpas niya an saindang mahibog na mga kublit, na inilagan an saindang mga kamrot asin inaprobetsaran an saindang pagkaribong.
Nagpanuntok an ikatulong paraayam kan mahiling niya kun ano an dara kan aswang na saiyang nakaatubang.
Idto an saiyang aki, na napapatos nin puting tamong.
An ikatolong paraayam ihinulog an saiyang sundang asin naglakaw pasiring sa aswang na may nagdara kan saiyang aki. Dai nakalaban an aswang asin itinao an aking lalaki sa saiyang ama.
Naghibi an paraayam mantang pigkukugos niya an omboy. Sa gabos nindang kaisugan, an aswang dai na nakapamerwisyo sa mga aki pagkatapos kaini gabos.
Bago pa man makasimbag an paraayam, naglayog na an aswang. An ibang mga paraayam tinambudan an saindang mga lugad asin ngkururahaw sa kaogmahan.
Alagad an ikatolong paraayam mayong ibang naisip kundi an saiyang aki, na ngonian tininong sa saiyang pagkakarga.
Nagpadagos an duwang paraayam pasiring sa laog kan kakahoyan, naghahanap nin iba pang mga aswang tanganing dakupon, mantang an ikatolong para-ayam kurokarga an saiyang aki tanganing pumuli na sa saiyang baryo.
Mayo nang nadangog dapit sa sainda, lagad an duwa minidbid bilang mga heroes a saindang baryo. Danay na naroromdoman an duwang maisog na mga paraayam na nakipaglaban sa mga aswang na nagpahamak sa saindang pagkabuhay.
An ikatolong paraayam asin an saiyang aki huminale sa baryo tanganing maghanap nin sarong bagong buhay na harayo sa peligro na dolot kan mga aswang.
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Three hunters there were, closing in on their prey.
The first hunter said, “Look to the skies my fellow hunters, our prey stays in the trees.”
The second hunter replied, “Yes, my friend. These winged beasts will not harm our village anymore.”
The third hunter said, “Our blades must be sharp for its skin is as tough as a carabao’s hide.”
The three hunters gathered their weapons and trekked through the mountains.
It had been years since the first alan arrived in their village. Those were dark days when no man or woman would be brave enough to leave their homes for fear of never returning.
The alan took many away from the village, too many brothers and sisters. Too many children.
The hunters knew that they had to end this reign of terror through blood. Nothing else would do.
In the middle of the forest the three hunters sat and prepared a meal.
“Do not make a fire,” the first hunter said, “for the creatures of the night will be able to find us.”
“How will we cook our meal if we don’t have a fire?” said the second hunter.
“We will have to eat our food raw,” said the third hunter.
And they took out their provisions and ate.
The third hunter broke the silence by asking, “Have you heard how they make children?”
The second hunter replied, “A nasty business. I heard they take blood from miscarriages and mold it to become a child.”
The first hunter said, “Disgusting creatures. We’ll all be better off once they’re all dead.”
And to this all the hunters agreed.
The first hunter took watch over their camp.
“We will hunt them in the morning, when they are tired,” he said.
“I agree, it will be much easier to find them with the light of day,” said the second hunter.
“And we will be able to cut them down without any trouble,” said the third hunter.
“Be careful, brother, we must not underestimate these creatures,” replied the first hunter.
“That is true. I’ve heard they hang upside down from the limbs of trees and wait for their prey to pass under them, snatching up the poor soul with no chance of escape,” the second hunter intoned.
“I bow to your wisdom, brothers. Let us rest for the night and resume our hunt in the morning,” the third hunter said.
And so, the hunters took turns watching over their camp. With each rotation they became more aware of their surroundings, breathing in the paths of the forest. The night passed without incident and the hunters resumed their long trek through the underbrush.
“I must make a confession,” said the third hunter.
“What is it, brother?” replied the second hunter.
“I do not know what these creatures look like,” he admitted.
“Then listen close, brother. These creatures are deformed beings that lurk in the darkest parts of the forest. They are as large as you or I but they have wings that span the breadth of the limbs of trees. Their toes and fingers point backwards from their joints. Surely there is no other creature as ugly or as misshapen as the alan,” the first hunter replied.
“And they are vicious. They spare no mercy for any of their victims, not even the smallest ones,” said the second hunter.
And with this silence overtook the hunters.
They knew what the alan took from their village.
The hunters bowed their heads and drifted off to the realm of memory.
The first hunter remembered his wife and how she made him feel. Words could not describe the emptiness that filled his heart.
The second hunter remembered his brother’s laugh. They were twins and shared a bond no other could understand.
The third hunter remembered a white blanket in which laid his son. He was only a few weeks old when the alan took him.
They had decided enough was enough and banded together to fight these demons.
And now it came to this.
The three hunters circled a large balete tree. They could see the feathers of the creatures poking through the leaves.
They readied their blades and prepared to strike.
The creatures were caught by surprise and did not have enough time to retaliate. There were five creatures and though the odds were in their favor the beasts seemed to be caught unawares, giving the hunters ample time to cut them down.
What followed was a stream of talons and steel. An alan grabbed the second hunter and began to fly upward. It was only with his quick thinking that he managed to chop of the foot of the alan and rolled to the ground.
The first hunter fought three of the alan by himself. He hacked and slashed through their thick hides, dodging their blows and taking advantage of their confusion.
The third hunter stopped when he saw what the alan he faced was carrying.
It was his son, wrapped in a white blanket.
The third hunter dropped his sword and walked towards the alan that held his son. The creature did not attack and handed over the boy to his father.
The hunter wept as he cradled the baby in his arms. For all their viciousness the alan had not harmed children after all.
Before the hunter could respond the alan had flown away. The other hunters bandaged their wounds and screamed a cry of triumph.
But the third hunter could only think of his son, now safe in his embrace.
The two hunters continued on deeper in the forest, looking for more alan to hunt while the third hunter took his son and returned to the village.
They were never heard from again, though the pair were hailed as heroes by the village. Forever would the people remember the two brave hunters that stood against the monsters that threatened their way of life.
The third hunter and his son left the village to find a new life, far away from the chaos of the alan.
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*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Dominador N. Marcaida Jr.
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Dominador N. Marcaida Jr.
Inspired by the Alan entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Alan Illustration and Watercolor by Nightmaresyrup
Tumblr: http://nightmaresyrup.tumblr.com/
