*Note this story is in Tagalog
Sa lahat ng mga nilalang mula sa Kanluran ng Visayas, ang bagat ang pinakakakaiba.
Ang mga bagat ay may kakayahang magpalit-anyo, maaari silang maging kasindak-sindak na hayop na may malaking sukat (karaniwan ay ang mga maaamong uri) o iba pang nakatatakot na pangitain gaya ng paglutang ng kandila o ng ataul.
Mararamdaman sila sa mga mapanglaw na lugar. Hindi na kakaiba na makita sila kung kabilugan ng buwan o kung madilim ang langit sa gabi matapos ang kaunting patak ng ulan.
Kalimitan, sila ay di mapaminsala, gaya ng nabanggit sa itaas na anyo ng mga alagang hayop. Ngunit huwag magpakakampante dahil may mga ilan ring dapat na alalahanin.
May mga bagat na alaga ng ilang kagila-gilalas na nilalang at kung makakaalitan mo ang mga ito ay paggagantihan ka ng mga bagat para sa kanilang amo.
Nagiging delikado rin ang mga bagat sa mga pagkakataon na sila ay masasaktan.
May nagsasabi rin na ang ilang mga aswang ay ginagaya ang anyo ng mga bagat. Kadalasang nakatayo ang mga ito nang ang buhok ay nakatirik at ang mukha ay sadyang nakakatakot, habang ang mata nito ay nakatingin lang sa harapan.
Now it has to be noted about bagat and aswang. In some cases, there are bagat that are aswang and in others there are aswang that take the form of the bagat. There is a strange relationship that I wish I had more time to study, but that will have to wait for a future time.
Kailangan tandaan ang tungkol sa bagat at aswang. May mga pagkakataon na may mga bagat na asawang at may mga aswang na ginagaya ang anyo ng mga bagat. May kakaibang relasyon ito na sana ay may mas oras pa ako para pag-aral, ngunit kailangan muna itong maipagpaliban.
Those that encounter true bagat should know that they are prone to terrifying lone travelers. Some bagat may even chase or wrestle their scared quarry. If one is wrestled this way then the victim should bite the bagat’s thumb hard until it yields and begs to be freed.
Sa mga nakatagpo na ng totoong bagat ay alam nila na karaniwan itong nananakot ng mga nag-iisang manlalakbay. May ilang bagat na nanghahabol o nakikipagbuno sa mga takot na dayo. Kung makipagbuno ang bagat, dapat na gawin ng biktima ay kagatin ang hinlalaki ng bagat hanggang sa huminto ito at magmakaawa na palayain na siya.
May ilan ring kwento na nagsasabing naduduwag o humihinto ang bagat sa pamamagitan ng pagbati rito na parang kakilala. Sa ganitong paraan, nalilito ang nilalang kaya nahihirapan itong gumawa ng kilos.
May narinig akong kwento kung saan nag-anyong malaking aso ang isang bagat at hinarang ang mga manlalakbay na dumaraan sa pook nito isang gabi. Wala namang napahamak sa pagkakaalam ko at di rin nagtagal, umalis na rin ang ang bagat at naghanap na ng bagong lugar na paglalagiman.
Pagkatapos ng lahat, hindi ko pa rin alam kung ano ang itsura o anyo ng totoong bagat at baka hindi ko na talaga malaman pa dahil aalis na ako sa Mindanao ngayong linggo.
Ano man ang mangyari, mag-ingat sana ang mga makatatagpo ng bagat.
Walang nakakaalam sa gagayahin at gagamitin nitong anyo.
Sana lang ay yung hindi kakaiba.
-Mula sa sulat ni Mari Bas
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English Version
Among the creatures from Western Visayas, the bagat is most peculiar.
The bagat are shapeshifters in the common nomenclature, changing between monstrous animals of huge proportions (mostly those of the domesticated variety) or other frightful apparitions such as floating candles or coffins.
They haunt lonely trails. It is not uncommon for them to be sighted when the moon is full or if it is completely dark after a light drizzle in the evening.
Normally, they are harmless, assuming the aforementioned form of domesticated animals. But one must not let their guard down as there are special considerations to note.
There are bagat that are pets of other supernatural creatures and if you cross these creatures then the bagat will have no choice but to retaliate for their masters.
What is common in most cases is that the bagat is very dangerous when harmed.
It is also said that some aswang take on one of the forms of a bagat. These are often encountered walking with their hair standing on end and their faces a terrifying sight, with the creature’s eyes staring ahead.
Now it has to be noted about bagat and aswang. In some cases, there are bagat that are aswang and in others there are aswang that take the form of the bagat. There is a strange relationship that I wish I had more time to study, but that will have to wait for a future time.
Those that encounter true bagat should know that they are prone to terrifying lone travelers. Some bagat may even chase or wrestle their scared quarry. If one is wrestled this way then the victim should bite the bagat’s thumb hard until it yields and begs to be freed.
There are also tales of discouraging the bagat by greeting them as if they were someone familiar. This presumably confuses the spirit, making it hard for it to react.
I have heard of a strange situation wherein a bagat took the form of a large dog and waylaid travelers walking its path at night. There were no casualties that I am aware of and eventually the bagat moved on, looking for another place to haunt.
Throughout all of this I still do not know what the true form of the bagat is, and I may never know as I leave for Mindanao this week.
Whatever happens I wish luck to those that encounter the bagat.
You never know what form it will take.
Pray it is a familiar one.
-From the notes of Mari Bas
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*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Reina Mikee
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Reina Mikee
Story inspired by the Bagat description in The Encyclopedia of Philippine Folk Beliefs and Customs Vol. 1 , F.R. Demetrio S.J., Xavier University, 1990
Bagat Illustration by Michael Sean B. Talavera
IG: @maykelshan
Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/isaneleach13
