Out of earth’s womb I grow
Glistening like the morning sun
In your hands I poison souls
And lead all men to ruin
What am I?
“Wake up.”
“Wha..? What’s happening?”
“You’re talking in your sleep again.”
“Oh, sorry. Must have been up too late.”
“It stopped raining.”
“Did it? That’s good we can finally take some nice pictures.”
“I’ll get everything set up. Get yourself ready, we still have a few more hours of sunlight.”
“All right. Let me get dressed. Hopefully we can finish this shoot without the weather getting in the way.”
“Oh wow.”
“What?”
“There’s a rainbow behind you.”
“Maybe the weather’s not so bad after all.”
Cold to the touch
I have no true light
Yet I will never be lost
What am I?
She wakes up with a cold sweat. It was that dream again, the flashes of light, the yellow field mice and the wretched ugliness that followed. She reminded herself that it was in the past, there were more important things that needed her attention.
She stood tall, her ivory horn shining bright in the dark cave that housed her. There was treasure to be found in these mountains, and she would take all that she could carry.
Still, flashes of the past crept into her thoughts. She remembered her old name and the way her beauty would inspire love in even the mightiest god. She cursed the name of Burigadang Pada Sinaklang Bulawan and spat at the floor. If it wasn’t for her she would still have her beauty.
Once she had her treasure all would be well, she would finally be whole again. No more passing time in the darkness of this cave. No more having to wait after the raindrops for her chance to hunt. No more looking at her reflection and staring into the monster that she had become.
In the distance she could see flashes of light. Treasure? Her heart could barely contain itself. The rain had stopped, but she would not wait for her suitor. It was time to hunt.
I flow in a current
Throughout the world
I am never far from power
For power is what I am
What am I?
The bright god looks down from the heavens and sighs. She has gone without him again. He sits among the clouds of the Skyworld and reminisces about old rivalries and jealous gods.
It had been a warm summer afternoon when it happened, the bright god had given the girl the gift of his prismatic light and she used it to make her beauty rival the gods’. The poor girl, more vain than wise, it was in her hubris that she thought to challenge a goddess. She was lucky, in a way. Had she offended Ynaguinid she would not be alive to pick up the pieces of her broken life.
But that was neither here nor there.
He did his best, of course. He gave her back what beauty he could. But there was no fighting the power of her curse. The goddess of greed was as prideful as she was powerful.
Pride. Vanity. Hubris. Maybe the gods had more in common with mortals than they would like to admit.
If only the girl had not passed by the goddess’ sacred grove.
If only she had not seen the dwarves carrying the sacks of treasure.
If only she had not claimed that she was the fairest.
His heart would still be broken. In the midst of everything his love was still unrequited. He hoped that if he could help her return to her true form she would finally see that they could be together.
But he would not hold out hope for that. The bright god sighed and set loose his light towards the earth. Maybe she would finally find what she was looking for.
My promise is a dream
Of full stomachs
And freedom
A testimony to good faith
What am I?
“Did you see that?!”
“I thought we were too high up for horses?!”
“We are, I don’t know what that thing is doing here.”
“Did you get a good look at it?”
“It was too fast, I think I got it on camera.”
“We should go, I don’t want to be here when it gets back. I’m not good around animals.”
“Alright, princess. I think we have enough shots for the editors to choose from anyway. Get changed and we can start hiking. I think we can make it down before sunset.”
“Fine, I’ll be fast.”
There was treasure to be had, but not what she had been looking for. None of this was fair. Why was she the one that was cursed to stay in this horrible form? The goddess was petty and despicable. Tears flowed from her once-beautiful face as the raindrops pattered on the ground.
The bright god knew one aspect of the curse that the girl did not. The goddess of greed blew gold into the girl’s eyes so that she would forever chase treasure that she could not find. It was a final insult to add to her injury. He would do what he could, for in his heart he longed to have her near.
“Are you good?”
“Yeah, but I think we have to wait for the rain to stop.”
“I’m not looking forward to the muddy trek.”
“Stop complaining, at least we got some good shots out of this trip.”
“Let me see…. Fine, you’re right, at least I look good. Wait, I don’t remember this one.”
“I think that was the horse. Funny, its mane almost looks like your hair.”
“Did you just call me a horse?”
“Relax. Let’s just wait for the clouds to clear and we can get out of here.”
Mud splashed though the mountain as the girl returned to her cave. Someday she would have her beauty back and then she would show all the gods what she truly deserved.
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Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Inspired by the myth of the Anggitay and the Visayan goddess of greed, Burigadang Pada Sinaklang Bulawan.
Anggitay Illustration by Abe Joncel Guevarra
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