*Note this story is in Kapampangan
“Kailangan tamung magpatuluy,” Pamilitan nakung Manuel a ilabas miya ini oneng kapagal ku na rugung mayap. Pilang oras na kaming magbiyahi ot bala mu ala nang kasigarudwan ing kaligtasan mi bala mu inyang mete ya I Johann.
Mamiliksi ya ing pusu ku, eku balu nung nokarin, pero magmasid ya ini kekatamu. Bala mamyalungan la deng Mantahungal king pamangan da, adadaramdam ming adwang Manuel ing tunug da reng bitis panga susubukan ming magpaynawa.
Matalik neng tatalnan Manuel ing keyang baril, maski makananu yang katni ining bageng ayni, ala yang katumbas king masaleseng pangapwestung bala, pero mas mayap ne ing ligtas kesa king pamagsisi. Likwan nana katang Johann unya ing pamagkamali ay ali na pwedi uli mung king bageng a yan.
Kalibutad nana ning bengi at mitmu ya ing bulan. Mamye yang saup ing sala na at akit miya ing dalan kening kagubatan. Patnubayan na kaming Manuel papunta king baybayin, dakal kuweba king lugar at king metung karin na kami mu magpalipas mangang sumala. Mamagasa ku rugung pagal la deng Mantahungal at munta na la sa jang nokarin.
Akakit ng Manuel nung makananu ku asnang kapagal saka na kami dininang limang minutu para magpaynawa bayu magpatuluy. King puntung ayni, akakit kung makananu ya bababa ing sala ning bulan king gabun siping ning baybayin at migbuntung pangisnawa ku king kaginhawan. Makalwal kaming mabiye keni pangayari ning e gana-gana.
Ene man masakit pantunan ining kuweba. Kayari ning kapitnang oras, king lugud ning sitwasyun mekagawa kaming bala kampu saka kami magpasalamat uling dakal kami pang kagamitan. Mikasundu kaming adwang Manuel na palitan kami king pamagbante, para alertu kami nung sakaling datang lareng Mantahungal at masaguli yamu ing proteksyun.
Yaku ing minunang magbante, asna nang kabayat ining baril karening gamat ku, pero patuluy yamung papatnube I Manuel kekami king kagubatan. Dapat mu kaya ing magpaynawa, magbante ku king palub na ning kuweba, pilan namu namang oras aslag ne din ing aldo, karin mi pa abalu nung makananu na ing gawan.
“Bala mapagal na ka,” pangaramdam ku king metung a babaing menibat king nokarin. Pota a-iisip ke mu ing pakaniti, alang masyadung tau keni, at mapagal nakung mayap para king kalinohan kung misip.
“Ssssh.. oras nana ning pamanudtud,” dimdam kung pasibayu, kakaiba ya ngeni mas maginhawa ya at mulit-mulit ya king kueba.
“Magpaynawa na ka, masalese yamu ing e ganagana,” kanyan, babayat no reng mata ku. Ajang makaramdam kung bage-bage alang pamigkaliwa. Gumising naku mu kaybat.
Sera kuno deng mata ku.
Niting sala ning abak daretsu ya king lupa ku saka ku megising, bala mu masalese naman, ene man meistorbu ing palub saka bala likwan dana kami deng Mantahungal.
Atin metung a problema.
Alayu ne.
=——————-=
English Version
“We need to keep moving,” Manuel tries to encourage me to keep going but I’m too tired. We’ve been running for hours and it doesn’t seem like we’re any safer than when Johann died.
My heart is racing. I don’t know where it is, but I know it’s watching us. The Mantahungal seems to like playing with its food, Manuel and I can hear the sound of its hooves whenever we try to rest.
Manuel holds his shotgun close and no matter how smart this thing is, it won’t be a match for a well-placed bullet, but it’s better to be safe and sorry. We already lost Johann and there’s no way we’re going to make any mistakes with that thing around.
It’s already midnight and the moon is full. The added light helps us move through the jungle. Manuel’s leading us toward the coast, there are caves in the area and we can stay in one of them for shelter until the morning comes. I hope by then the Mantahungal gets tired and moves on to something else.
Manuel can see how tired I am and he gives us five minutes to rest before we continue. At this point I can see the moonlight settling on the sand at the beach and I breathe a sigh of relief. We’re going to make it out of here alive after all.
The cave wasn’t hard to find. Within half an hour we were able to set up something resembling a camp and thankfully we still had all our supplies. Manuel and I decided on taking turns keeping watch. We would be able to hear the Mantahungal if it entered the cave, making it easier to defend ourselves.
I take the first shift, the shotgun feels heavy in my hands, but Manuel’s been leading us through the jungle for hours. He deserves a break. I take position by the cave entrance and wait. Sunrise should be in a few hours anyway and we can figure out what we’re going to do then.
“You seem tired.” I hear a woman’s voice from somewhere. I’m probably hearing things. This whole are is supposed to be uninhabited. I’m too tired to think clearly anyway.
“Sssshh. It’s time to go to sleep.” I hear the voice again. This time it sounds a lot calmer. I can hear it echoing through the cave.
“Go rest, everything’s all right.” I can feel my eyelids getting heavier. Even if I am hearing things a few minutes won’t make a difference. I’ll just wake up right after.
I close my eyes.
The morning sun hits my face and wakes me up. Everything seems to be okay, the entrance is undisturbed and looks like the Mantahungal left us alone. I decide to wake Manuel up and plan our next move.
There’s only one problem.
He’s gone.
=———————————=
* Kapampangan, Pampango, or the Pampangan language is a major Philippine language. It is primarily spoken in the province of Pampanga, southern Tarlac, and northeastern Bataan. Kapampangan is also spoken in some municipalities of Bulacan and Nueva Ecija, by various Aeta groups of Central Luzon, and in scattered communities within the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. The language is known honorifically as Amánung Sísuan (“breastfed, or nurtured, language”)
Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © April Christian De Leon
Story inspired by ‘The Fairy and the Fisherman’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.
Bulalacao Illustration by Nadine Cabe
Watercolor by Mykie Concepcion
