*Note this story is in Tagalog
May bago akong kaibigan.
Ang pangalan niya ay Aura. Bata siya na katulad ko, pero hindi ko siya nakita sa kapitbahayan namin noon.
Naisip ko na kakaiba na lagi siyang may dalang payong, tapos isinama niya akong lumipad na gamit ito. Napakasaya ang nangyari!
Sinabi niya sa akin na pwede kaming maglaro sa bahay niya at dinala niya ako sa isang malaking bato. Akala ko nagbibiro lang siya, pero nang hawakan niya ang bato, naging isang malaking palasyo ito. Sobrang nagulat ako!
Noong aalis na ako, binigyan niya ako ng madaming barya na pilak at pinilit niya akong ipangako na hindi ko sasabihin kung saan ko iyon nakuha sa kahit kanino. Sinabi niya na siya ay isang enki… enko…. engkantada at may mga masasamang mangyayari sa akin kapag nagsabi ako ng tungkol sa kanya.
Itinago ko ang mga barya sa ilalim ng aking kama, pero hindi ko inisip na iyon ay maganda. Magmula noon, nagkasakit si Lola at pumunta na sa langit. Si Kuya ay nabangga ng kotse at nasa ospital ngayon. Binabantayan siya ni Mama pero tingin ko ay nagkakasakit na din siya.
Gusto kong sabihin kay Papa ang tungkol kay Aura at baka may ginawa siya, pero nadidinig ko ang huni ng hangin at ang tunog ng payong niya sa labas ng aking bintana kapag gabi.
Nadidinig ko siyang tumatawa.
Hindi ako naniniwalang mabuti siyang kaibigan.
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English Version
I made a new friend.
Her name was Aura, she was a kid just like me but I never saw her around the neighborhood before.
I thought it was strange that she always carried an umbrella around, but then she took me flying with it. It was so much fun!
She told me we could play in her house and she took me to this big rock. I thought she was joking but when she touched it, it turned into a big palace. I was so surprised!
When I was about to leave she gave me so many silver coins and she made me promise not to tell anyone where I got them. She told me she was an enki-… enko…. engkantada and that bad things would happen to me if I told on her.
I kept the coins under my bed but I don’t think they were good coins. Since then, Lola got sick and went to heaven. Kuya had a car crash and now he’s in the hospital. Mama’s with him but I think she’s getting sick too.
I want to tell Papa about Aura and that maybe she did something, but every night I can hear the sound of the wind and her umbrella outside my window.
I can hear her laughing.
I don’t think she’s a very good friend.
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“The Fairy Maiden” in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.
Aura Illustration and Colors by Rabbit Heart
