Migo started to stare at his geography homework and he didn’t know what to make of it, too many things to memorize and not enough time. He was going to fail the test, he was sure of it.
“When you read a map, names and places aren’t the only things that you can find.” His lolo said from behind him. “Lolo! Don’t do that, you scared me!” Lolo Abay laughed, he was always playing those kinds of tricks on his grandchildren.
“Here, let me show you.” Lolo Abay took the map and set it on the kitchen table. “There are some things they don’t teach you kids at school anymore.”
“What is this place?” Lolo Abay pointed to an area in Luzon.
“Pangasinan?” Migo was unsure, but it should be in that area. “Correct,” now what is the story about those mountains?” Lolo Abay stared intently at him. “I don’t know but I’m pretty sure you’re going to tell me.” Migo stared back. “Also correct.”
“A long time ago the giant, Añgalo, lost his pet pig and went around the island of Luzon. He was in that area when he thought he saw the pig in Cagayan near Cape Engaño. He walked across the mountains only to find that what he was looking at was nothing but a pile of black mud.” Lolo Abay smiled.
“Wait, what does that have to do with geography?” Migo asked. “When Añgalo crossed the mountains, they crumbled beneath his feet and the mountains of Cagayan and Pangasinan still have the footprint of his right foot and his left footprint can be seen near the Cordilleras,” Lolo Abay replied.
“Thanks for the story, lolo, but that wasn’t the topic of my homework.” Migo took back the map and set it down by his laptop. “I don’t know how that’s going to help me with my quiz.”
“Life isn’t about quizzes,” Lolo Abay said to his grandson.
“It is for those who have to take them,” Migo replied.
Lolo Abay laughed. He always knew that Migo was going to be clever, even when his grandson was a baby. “Well I’ll leave you to your studies, but remember, every place has a story, even if it you don’t hear it.”
Migo waited until his lolo left the room and stared at his computer. He started looking up the places that he had to memorize for his homework and he realized his lolo was right.
Maybe he would pass the test after all.
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Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Inspired by ‘Some Fragments of the Añgalo Legend’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.
Añgalo Illustration and Watercolor by Marc Magpantay
Tumblr: Glassy-draws.tumblr.com
