*Note this story is in Tagalog
Bakit mo kailangang matakot sa kamatayan?
Hayaan mong kwentuhan kita.
Noong unang panahon, may isang mayamang babaeng nakatira sa gilid ng dagat. Ayaw niya nang may bumibisita sa kanya sapagkat gusto niya ang katahimikang naibibigay sa kanya ng kanyang malaking bahay. Ginugugol niya ang kanyang mga araw at gabi sa tabi ng dagat, binibilang ang bawat bituin at bawat butil ng buhangin.
Meron lamang siyang iisang kabigan, ngunit hindi katulad ng sinumang tao sa mundo, dahil hindi ito isang tao. Ang anino ng kamatayan ay sinasamahan siya upang maibsan ang kanyang kalungkutan. Una silang nagkita noong kinuha ng anino ng kamatayan ang ina ng babae. Hindi siya takot, ‘di tulad ng karamihan sa mga tao, at binati pa ang anino ng may paggalang.
“Bakit hindi ka tumatakbo dahil sa takot?” Ang tanong ng anino. “Isa kang parte ng kung anong nagpapaganda sa buhay.” Ang sagot ng babae.
Ang anino ng kamatayan ay hindi kailanman natawag ng maganda at ito ay nanatili hanggang sa matapos ng babae ang larao, ang seremonya ng ritwal para protektahan ang katawan ng kanyang ina mula sa mga nagbabalak na gawan ito nang masama pagkatapos ng kamatayan. Noon din ay nahulog ang anino para sa babae, sapagkat hindi pa ito nakakikilala ng isang taong nirerespeto ang kamatayan na katulad ng ginawa niya.
Ang anino ng kamatayan ay seloso at gusto nitong sa kanya lamang ang babae. Sinundan niya ito sa tabing-dagat at napagplanuhang lunurin ang babae, upang manatili na ang babae sa yakap ng kamatayan magpakailanman.
Ngunit hindi hangal ang babae, at alam niya kung ano ang pinlano ng anino. Umalis siya sa kanyang bahay at bumisita sa kanyang lola. Palibhasa’y ang matandang babae ay may dakilang kapangyarihan na tinanggihan dati ng kanyang apo. Wala nang pagpipilian ang babae, dahil mabilis na dumarating ang anino ng kamatayan.
Nang makasunod na ang anino sa babae, ito ay nagulat. Ang babae ay hindi na maaaring mamatay, hindi na niya malalaman ang yakap ng anino.
Ngunit hindi iniwan ng babae ang anino ng kamatayan. Alam niya ang kataksilan ng pinagkatiwalaang kaibigan, at hindi siya magpapahinga hanggang hindi siya nakapaghihiganti. Sa tuwing hindi nirerespeto ang kamatayan sa pamamagitan ng larao, ay naroon siya. Nilalapastangan ang kung anumang magiging premyo ng anino.
Hindi mo dapat katakutan ang kamatayan.
Katakutan ang kung ano ang susunod.
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Why should you fear death?
Let me tell you a story.
A long time ago, there was a rich woman who lived by the sea. She would not have any visitors, for she liked the quiet that her large house gave her. She would spend her days and nights by the beach, counting each star and each grain of sand.
She had but one friend, not like any person in the world, for it was not a person at all. The shadow of death would spend time with her to ease her loneliness. They first met when death’s shadow claimed the woman’s mother. She was not afraid as most people would have been and greeted the shadow politely.
“Why are you not running in fear?” The shadow asked. “You are part of what makes life beautiful.” The woman answered.
Death’s shadow had never been called beautiful before and it stayed until the woman finished the larao, the ritual ceremony to protect her mother’s body from those that would harm it after death. The shadow fell in love with the woman then, for it had never met a human who respected death such as she did.
Death’s shadow was a jealous thing and it wanted the woman all to itself. It had followed her to the seaside and had planned to drown the woman, so that she may be in death’s embrace forever.
The woman was no fool, though and knew what the shadow had planned. She left her house and visited her grandmother. For you see, the old woman had great power that was once rejected by her granddaughter. The woman had no choice, death’s shadow was approaching.
When the shadow caught up to the woman it was surprised. She had become deathless, she would never know the shadow’s embrace.
The woman would not leave death’s shadow though. She had known the betrayal of a trusted friend, and she would not rest until she had her revenge. Every time death was not respected through the larao, she would be there. Desecrating what would have been the shadow’s prize.
You should not fear death.
Fear what comes after.
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Written by Karl Gaverza
Tagalog translation by Catherine Britania
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Catherine Britania
Inspired by the Aswang (Capiz) description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Aswang (Capiz) Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
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Watercolor by Catherine Chiu
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