*Note this story is in Ilocano

Alikamen:

Buneng – maaramat tapno mauluyan ti aswang kalpasan a maparmek daytoy.

Ipus ti Pagi – maaramat tapno saanen a makakuti ti aswang. Mangted kaniada iti nakaro unay a sakit.

Kalamansi – kalasag tapno saannaka a mapidut ti aswang. Dayta ti mangpadagsen kaniada.

Dapo – Iwaras iti bagi ti aswang no agsina ti bagida. Saanen nga maisubli ti Aswang ti naisina a bagina no naikkan ti dapo daytoy.

Gabon/Sambong/Bukadkad/Subsob (Blumea balsamefera) – Daytoy a mula ket mausar tapno mabugaw ti aswang. Masapul a kapurpuros ken ikabil a kanayon iti bulsa.

Bawang – Saan a maanusan ti aswang ti angot ti bawang. Kanayonen ti mangitugot.

Asin- Maaramat kasmet la iti dapo. Mausar met tapno maiyadayo  ti aswang kadagiti dadduma a lugar.

Ramramit –  Nabendisionan a banbanag, bendita, ken anting-anting a masapul iti panangiyadayo kadagiti nakabutbuteng a parsua.  Masapul a kasarita ti maysa a padi sakbay ti amin.

Dagiti ritos:

Mabalin a matiliw ti aswang babaen ti panangurnos ti tallo a dadakkel a bato iti sirkulo a kasla paglutuan. Inton mapasungadan ti ‘kak kak’ nga awag ti naparsua , baliksen ti Kredo dagiti Apostoles. Inton makadanon iti parte ti Kredo maipapan  iti pannakailansa  ni Cristo iti  krus, mangpidot ti maysa a bato ket ipak-ol ti maysa a lansa iti daga. Agpababanto ti naparsua ket agdisso iti tallo a bato, ket ditoy mabalinen a patayen.

Adda ritos  iti panangikkat ti lunod ti panagbalin ti maysa nga aswang; daytoy ket ti panaginum iti lemon ken danum, pannakaibitin a baliktad tapno maisarwada ti maysa a kasla billit a pinarsua ket daytoy maiwa-iwa iti pedaso.

Dagiti Palagip:

Usaren dagiti ramramit tapno mapasardeng dagiti encantasionda.  Padsuen  ida  babaen iti ut-ot manipud iti ipus ti pagi sa ipungsay ti uloda babaen ti panggibus a tagbat ti buneng.

Dagiti lunod  ti aswang ket mabalin a mapasingkedan babaen ti panangaramid ti ‘ritual ti itlog’ no sadinno a no makita dagiti marka ti mata ken dara iti itlog, kayatna a sawen a ti tao ket ‘inaswang’ (naallilaw).

Mabalin a maikkat dagiti ilusion iti taraon babaen ti panangipis-it iti calamansi kadagita. Dagiti masida a kas iti sinigang ket agbalin  a malukong a napno iti ramay ti tao ken dara.

Dagiti lunod  ti aswang ket mabalin nga agturong  iti  agsumbangir a dalan,  isu a no ti biktima ket masapsaplitan wenno masugatan iti aniaman a pisikal a wagas, ti aswang ti makarikna iti dayta.

Saan a nalawa daytoy a listaan ​​dagiti wagas iti panangtiliw iti naparsua. Adu pay dagiti ritual ken ramramit a maus-usar a manglaban kadagitoy a nakabutbuteng a parsua. .

Iwanwan koma ti Apo ti dalanmo.

Bendisyonannaka  ti Dios.

=——————————-=

Engilsh version

Equipment:
Bolo – used to give a final blow after incapacitating the aswang.
Stingray Tail – used to incapacitate the aswang. Causes great pain to them.
Kalamansi – A ward to ensure that the aswang cannot pick you up. It weighs them down.
Ashes – Used to sprinkle on the aswang’s body if they self-segment. Aswang cannot reattach if ashes are scattered on their other half.
Gabon/Sambong/Bukadkad/Subsob (Blumea Balsamefera) – This plant is used to ward off aswang. Pick it fresh and keep it in your pocket.
Garlic – Aswang cannot stand the smell of garlic. Keep some with you at all times.
Salt – Used in the same way as ashes. Can also be used to ward certain places away from aswang.
Wards – Blessed objects, holy water anting-anting are all useful to keep away the monsters. Make sure to see a priest beforehand.

The post Aswang – Ilocano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

May isang bata na ngalan ay Edgardo. Siya ay maliit at tahimik, at mas nainin niyang magbasa ng atlat kaysa makipaglaro sa ibang mga bata. Ang mga libro ay xahirap makarating sa munting mabundok na komunidad at nanyang pinapahalagahan and mga panahong pupunta siya sa siyudad, pinapanood din niya ang kanyang ama sa pagpapalit ng ginto galing sa minahan para sa salapi at pambili sa gustong niyang mga libro.

Isang draw siya ay nilapitan ni Faustino, batting lalaki na madalas siyang iniiwasan. Ibang bagay ang pagiging iba, ngunit kung making iba sa komunidad na may higit kumulang sa isang daan na tao. Nakaramdam si Egardo na para bang nasa mata siya ng pagkilatis sa kanya.

“Maaari bang umupo rito?” Ang tanong ni Faustino sa kanya.

“Oo, wala naman pipigil sa iyo,” Ang sagot ni Edgardo.

“Narinig mo ba kung ano ang nangyari?” Sinubukan ni Faustino tumingin sa kanyang mata pero mas  nangibabaw ang pagyuko niya at tinignan ang kanyang pahila  na paglakad ng paa.

“Hindi ba lahat?” Sinabi ni Edgardo habang hindi niya inaalis ang kayang mata mula sa pahina na kanyang binabasa.

“Kasama si Veronica ay tattle na sila simula noong Pebrero.” Umupo sa tabi niya si Faustino.

Hindi na bago kung may kabataang nawawala sa bundok. Kahit saan ay may panganib. Isang saglit ng pagkawala ng pagiging mapagmasid sa paligid ay lubos na mapanganib. Ang mga minahan ay nakakabahala rin. Madalas ang kanilang ama o kapatıd ay hindi na bumabalik. Ang kumpanya ng minahan ay magpapadala ng pakikiramay sa pagpanaw- kung ano man ang halaga nito.

“Sabi naman naman na kinukuha na lamang ang anak.” Saad ni Faustino, muli, sinubukan ngunit bigo niyang tignan ang kanyang mata.

Binaba ni Edgardo ang kanyang aklat at sumagot naman, “Sino ang may nais na cumula ng mga bata? Kung para ito sa pera maaaring naman sila magpadala ng sulat? Maulan na panahon, ang mga tao ay naglalakbay sa bundok at hindi na bumabalik. Ganun yun.”

“Hindi.”Nilagay ni Faustino ang kanyang kamay sa balikat ni Edgardo. “Ito ay iba sa ganyang pangyayari, kutob ko ito. Dapat tayong magkasama. Tinanong sila Melinda, Pepito at Belen. Maaari namin subaybayan kung ano man ang mangyari sa amin.

“Ligtas ka sa amin,” Nakangiting sabi ni Faustino. Sumimagot si Edgardo. “Kung sabi mo.”

Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na may nagpangako ng ganito. Naisip niya ang kanyang nakatatandang kapatid. Mga gabing pumunta sila sa kweba ng magkasama para maghanap ng mga ginto. Noong isang pagkakataon na hindi siya maingat. Mga bagay na nangyari at hayaan na maganap. Isang gabi si Edgardo ay nakarinig ng bulong ng ibang bata.

“Edgardo—— psssst——— gising, ito ay importante,” sabi ng boses. Lumipas ang ilang minuto kay Edgardo bago bumalik sa realidad. Makatotohanan ang kanyang panaginip: isang bahay na puno ng mga aklat para sa kanya. Malinaw ang kanyang panaginip at nangako na isang araw ito ay magkakatotoo.

“Belen?!”

“Sshhhhhh- huwag mo hayaan na may makarinig sa iyo.” Tinakpan ni Belen ang bibig ni Edgardo. “Anong ginagawa mo rito?” Sabi niya sa pamamagitan ng paguusap gamit ang mga daliri  sa senyales.

“Ito ay si Faustino.” Nag-aalala na mukha ni Belen. “Siya ay nawawala.”

“Sigurado ka ba?” Mas tahimik si Edgardo sa pagkakataon na ito, “baka lumabas lamang para maglakad?”

“Kalagitnaan na ng gabi! Wala pa siya sa kanyang bahay. Sumama ka sa akin. Nasa likod ng isang malaking puno na malapit sa bahay ni Faustino si Pepito at Melinda. Kailangan natin siyang hanapin.”

Kinuskos ni Edgardo ang kanyang mga mata at humikab ulit. “Sige, baka nga naman.” Nandoon si Melinda at Pepito sa lugar na sinabi ni Belen kung saan dapat sila matagpuan, ang mga alitaptap sa puno ay nakakatakot sa pakiramdam.

“Sa tingin ko ay nakakita ako ng bakas.” Saad ni Pepito. “May mga bakas papunta sa kweba malapit sa burol.

Napangiwi lahat ng bata. Ang mga kweba na malapit sa minahan ay mapanganib sa mga matanda, lalo naman sa apat na batang nakagrupo. “Kailangan na natin umalis,” sabi ni Belen, “Gagawin ko rin ang parehas para sa amin.”

“Ano ang dapat nating gawin kapag nahanap na natin siya? Meron dapat na maging responsable sa mga pagkawala nila. Paano natin lalaban ito?” Sambit ni Melinda na malapit nang umiyak.

“Hindi natin kailangan kalabanin ito, kailangan mahanap si Faustino at maibalik natin dito, kung saan ligtas,” sabi ni Pepito.

Tumingin sila sa isa’t isa at naghawak kamay. Ang bawat isa ay may solusyon na mahanap ang kanilang kaibigan si Edgardo hanggang maaari. Siya ay nagagalak sa kanyan panaginip.

Sinundan nila ang bakas sa abot ng kanilang makakaya, matuklap man ang kanilang mga balat mula sa mga bato at ugat ng halaman. Noong malapit na silang maabot ang pagkapagod, narating naman nila ang kanilang destinasyon, isang kakaibang kweba na pasukan sa mga maraming lagusan at maaaring hindi na sila makabalik.

Pinamunuan ni Belen ang grupo. Siya ay kumuha ng lampara mula sa kanyang magulang at isang beses ay naisama na rin siya ng kanyang mga kapatid sa kweba. Hindi sa pamumuno ang kanyang lakas, ngunit dapat niyang siguraduhin na meron gagabay sa iba. Kailangan niya itong gawin para kay Faustino.

Si Melinda ang nauna.

Hindi niya kailangan sumigaw. Isang beses na si Belen ang nagsinag ng lampara sa entrada ng ibang lagusan at sa sumunod, noonf tumawag siya ng mga pangalan ng kanyang kasama. Hindi siya natakot sa katahimikan ngunit na pagkakataon na ito, hindi malilimutan sa buong buhay niya.

Sinikap ni Pedro na manatili sa paglalakbay. Naghawak kamay silang lahat at naramdaman ni Belen nanginginig ang kanyang kamay. Sinubukan nitong pakalmahin siya.

“Magiging maayos din ang lahat. Mahahanap natin silang pareho, pangako ko ito.” Sinubukang hindi umiyak ni Pepito habang tumango, ngunit nangibabaw ang kanyang takot.

“Hindi!” Sigaw niya. “Kailangan nating umuwi!”

Sinubukan ni Edgardo sa abot ng kanyang makakaya na pakalmahin siya.” Pepito, kailangan nating manatiling magkasama, ito lamang ang tanging paraan para maka-alis dito!”

Hindi siya nakinig, tinulak niya si Edgardo palayo sa kanya at tumakbo sa kadiliman.

Ang katahimikan ay nagpabigat ng pakiramdam sa dalawang naiiwan.

“Ang tanga ko para isipin na gagana nitong plano.” Nagsimulang bumigat ang paghinga ni Belen at kanyang binaba ang hawak na lampara. “Dapat tayong manatiling magkakasama. Ngayon hindi lamang si Faustino. Lubusang humihingi ako ng patawad. Patawad Melinda, at Pepito! Kailangan nating bumalik, siguro kung sinabi natin sa ating pamilya na pupunta tayo dito at pwede nating hanapin silang lahat. Mahahanap natin sila.” Kinuha ni Edgardo ang lampara at sinabi, “sumama kayo sa akin”.

Walang pagpipilian si Belen kung hindi sumunod sa kanyang bagong kaibigan. Ang ilaw sa lampara ay unti unting naglalaho at ang landas na tinatahak ay mas dumudulas sa daanan. Sinubukan niyang humawak sa pader para maging balanse, ngunit nalaman niyang mamasa-masa din pala. Nakita na rin niya kung ano man iyon noong binigay ni Edgardo ang lampara.

Kulay pula sa kahit saang lugar. Namantsahan ang kanyang mga kamay at damit pati na rin ang mga tumutulo mula sa kisame.

“Hindi ko maitindihan—-” Sinubukang sabihin ni Belen.

Ngunit may panibagong ilaw na tanglaw ni Edgardo, nagbigay liwanag sa isang nilalang na may dalang mabigat na supot ng ginto.

“Dapat kang nakinig sa kanila. Kung nakinig ka maaaring si Faustino lamang.”

“Ako—-Ako—-” Naparalisa si Belen, sinibukan niyang sumigaw habang dinala siya nitong nilalang sa malalim na bahagi ng lagusan.

Noong sumikat na ang araw kay Edgardo habang naglilinis ng kanyang sarili sa ilog, napag-isipan niya:

“Nais kong malaman kung ilang libro ang aking maaaring makuha  sa pamamagitan nito.”

=————————-=

English Version

There was once a child named Edgardo. He was small and quiet and preferred to read books instead of playing with the other children. Books were hard to get in his small mountain community and he treasured the moments when he would go to the city, watch his father exchange the gold they mined for money and buy the books he wanted.

One day he was approached by Faustino, a boy who would usually avoid him. It was one thing to be different, but to be different in a community of a few hundred people made Edgardo feel like he was under a microscope.

“Can I sit here?” Faustino asked him.

“Sure, no one’s stopping you,” Edgardo replied.

“Did you hear about what happened?” Faustino tried to look him in the eye but only succeeded at putting his head down and staring at his shuffling feet.

“Didn’t everyone?” Edgardo said without moving his eyes away from the page he was reading.

“With Veronica that makes 3 since February.” Faustino sat beside him.

It wasn’t uncommon for children to go missing up in the mountains. Danger was everywhere. One moment of absentmindedness could cost you dearly.

The mines were also an issue. Too often their fathers or brothers would just not come home and the mining companies would send their condolences – for whatever that was worth.

“They say someone is taking the children away.” Faustino, again, tried and failed to look him in the eye.

Edgardo put down his book and replied, “Who would possibly want to take the children? If it was for money then wouldn’t they have sent a note? It’s rainy season, people walk around the mountain and don’t come back. Just leave it be.”

“No.” Faustino put his hands on Edgardo’s shoulders. “This is different from that, I can feel it. We have to stick together. I asked Melinda, Pepito and Belen. The five of us can watch what happens with each other.”

“You’ll be safe with us,” Faustino says with a smile.

Edgardo frowns. “If you say so.”

This wasn’t the first time someone made that promise. He thought back to his elder brother. Those nights when they went to the caves together to find gold for themselves. That one time he wasn’t careful. Things would happen and you just had to let them be.

One night Edgardo was awakened by the whispers of another child.

“Edgardo —- psssst —— wake up, it’s important,” the voice said.

It took a few minutes for Edgardo to snap back into reality. The dream that he had was so vivid: a house filled with books all to himself. He was lucid in his dream and he swore that one day it would come true.

“Belen?!”

“Sshhhhhh—don’t let anyone hear you.” She put her hand over his mouth.

“What are you doing here?” he managed to say through her fingers.

“It’s Faustino.” Her face was grim. “He’s missing.”

“Are you sure?” Edgardo was quieter this time, “maybe he just went out for a walk?”

“It’s the middle of the night! He’s not in his house. Come with me. Pepito and Melinda are by the big tree near Faustino’s house. We need to find him.”

Edgardo rubbed his eyes and yawned again. “Fine, might as well.”

Melinda and Pepito were where Belen said they would be, the fireflies giving the tree an eerie aura.

“I think I found a trail,” Pepito said. “There are footprints leading to the caves over by the hills.”

The children all grimaced. Those caves were near the mines and they were dangerous enough for adults, much less a group of four children.

“We have to go,” Belen said, “he’d do the same for us.”

“What are we going to do when we find him? There must be something responsible for the disappearances. How do we fight it?” Melinda was close to tears.

“We don’t need to fight it, we just have to find Faustino and bring him back here, where it’s safe,” Pepito said.

They all looked at each other and put their hands together.

Each had a resolve to find their friend, Edgardo less so. He was still enraptured by his dream.

They followed the trail as best as they could, scraping their skins against the rocks and the roots. And as soon as they were about to fall from exhaustion, they reached their destination, a nondescript cave that they knew was an entrance to a network of tunnels they might not return from.

Belen lead the group. She had taken a lamp from her parents and her siblings had taken her to the caves once. Leadership was not her strength, but she had to make sure the others had a guide. She had to do it, for Faustino.

Melinda was the first.

She didn’t even scream. One moment Belen was shining the lamp on the entrance to another tunnel and the next, when she called out for the names of her companions. She had never feared silence until that moment, it was one she would remember for the rest of her life.

Pepito tried to stay the course. They all held hands and Belen could feel his shaking. She tried to console him.

“It will be alright. We’ll find both of them, I promise.”

Pepito tried to hold back tears as he nodded, yet fear had overtaken him.

“No!” He shouted. “We have to go back home!”

Edgardo tried his best to hold him down.

“Pepito, we have to stay together, it’s the only way we can make it out of here!”

He didn’t listen, he pushed Edgardo off him and ran into the darkness.

The silence weighed heavy on the remaining two.

“I was so stupid to think this would work.” Belen’s breath started to become rapid and she put the lantern down. “We should have stayed together. Now it’s not just Faustino. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry Melinda, Pepito! We have to go back, maybe if we tell our families they can go here and we can all search for them. We’ll find them. We have to find them.”

Edgardo took the lantern and said, “come with me”.

Belen had no other choice but to follow her new friend.

The light from the lantern was slowly fading and the path was getting more slippery as they went along. She tried to grab the wall to balance, but she found that it was damp as well.

She finally saw what it was when Edgardo handed her the lantern.

It was red everywhere. It stained her hands and clothes and drops fell from the ceiling.

“I don’t understand—-” Belen tried to say.

But another light glowed by Edgardo, illuminating a creature carrying a hefty bag of gold.

“You should have listened to them. If you did maybe it would have just been Faustino.”

“I—-I—-” Belen was paralyzed, she tried to scream as the creature carried her deeper into the tunnel.

And as the daylight shined on Edgardo as he cleaned himself in the river, he thought:

“I wonder how many books I can get with this.”

Inspired by the Sagay description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Sagay Illustration by Christian Bitao

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anegs.gg/

The post Sagay – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Cebuano

Dunay usa ka bata nga ginganlan og Edgardo. Gamay siya ug hilomon ug mas gusto niya nga magbasa og mga libro imbes nga makigdula sa ubang mga bata. Lisod makakuha og mga libro sa iyang gamay nga komunidad sa kabukiran ug iyang gipalabi ang mga higayon nga moadto siya sa siyudad, motan-aw sa iyang amahan nga ibaylo ang bulawan nga ilang gimina ug paliton ang mga libro nga iyang gusto.

Usa ka adlaw niana giduol siya ni Faustino, usa ka batang lalaki nga kasagarang molikay niya. Usa ka butang ang pagkalahi og kinaiya, apan ang pagkalahi og kinaiya sa usa ka komunidad sa pipila ka gatos ka mga tawo lamang nagpabati kang Edgardo nga mora siyag naa sa ilawom sa mikroskopyo.

“Mahimo ba ko nga molingkod dinhi?” Gipangutana siya ni Faustino.

“Sure, way mopugong nimo,” tubag ni Edgardo.

“Nakadungog ka ba sa nahitabo?” Gisuwayan ni Faustino nga motutok apan nahimo lang niya ang pagduko sa iyang ulo ug pagtutok sa iyang dili mahimutang nga mga tiil.

“Dili ba ang tanan?” Matod pa ni Edgardo nga wala man gani gipahilayo ang iyang mga mata sa panid nga iyang gibasa.

“Apil si Veronica, nahimo nang 3 sukad sa Pebrero.” Milingkod tupad niya si Faustino.

Kasagaran na nga panghitabo nga mawala ang mga bata sa kabukiran. Bisan asa naa ang kapeligrohan. Mahimong makabayad ka og mahal sa usa ka gutlo nga pagkadanghag.

Usa sab ka isyu ang mga minahan. Kasagaran ang ilang mga amahan o mga igsoon dili na makapauli ug ang mga kompanya sa pagmina magpadala nalang sa ilang mga pahasubo – kon aduna man niy bili.

“Nag-ingon sila nga dunay nagdagit sa mga bata.” Si Faustino, pag-usab, misulay ug napakyas sa pagtutok niya.

Gibutang ni Edgardo ang iyang libro ug mitubag, “Kinsa man kaha ang gustong modagit sa mga bata? Kon tungod ni sa kuwarta dili ba sila magpadala og sulat? Ting-ulan karon, ang mga tawo maglibot-libot sa bukid ug dili na mobalik. Ayaw na pagtagad kaayo niini.”

“Dili.” Gitungtong ni Faustino ang iyang mga kamot sa mga abaga ni Edgardo. “Mabati nako nga lahi ni. Kinahanglan nga mag-uban ta. Gihangyo nako sila si Melinda, Pepito ug Belen. Kitang lima makabantay kon unsay mahitabo sa usag usa.”

“Luwas ka uban kanamo,” ingon ni Faustino nga nagpahiyom.

Mikunot ang agtang ni Edgardo. “Kon ingon nimo.”

Dili ni ang unang higayon nga dunay mihimo niana nga saad. Nahinumdoman niya pagbalik ang iyang magulang nga lalaki. Niadtong mga gabii nga miadto sila sa mga langob aron mangitag bulawan alang sa ilang kaugalingon. Niadtong usa ka higayon wa siya mag-amping. Mahitabo lang ang mga butang ug kinahanglan nimong pasagdaan ni.

Usa ka gabii nahigmata si Edgardo sa hunghong sa laing bata.

“Edgardo —- psssst —— pagmata, importante ni,” matod sa tingog.

Nilanat og pipila ka minuto sa wala pa nahibalik si Edgardo sa reyalidad. Tin-aw kaayo ang damgo nga iyang nabatonan bag-o lang: usa ka balay nga puno sa mga libro para sa iyang kaugalingon. Tin-aw kaayo ang iyang damgo ug nanumpa siya nga usa ka adlaw matuman ni.

“Belen?!”

“Sshhhhhh—paghinay aron walay makadungog nimo.” gitabonan niya ang iyang baba sa iyang kamot.

“Unsay imong gibuhat dinhi?” nakahimo siya sa pagsulti bisan og nagtabon ang iyang mga tudlo.

“Si Faustino.” Seryoso ang iyang nawong. “Nawala siya.”

“Sigurado ka?” Mas hilom si Edgardo ning higayona, “basin ningla-ag lang siya?”

“Tunga-tunga na sa gabii! Wala siya sa iyang balay. Kuyog nako. Si Pepito ug Melinda naa sa daplin sa dakong kahoy duol sa balay ni Faustino. Kinahanglan natong siyang pangitaon.”

Gilugod ni Edgardo ang iyang mga mata ug mihuy-ab pag-usab. “Na hala, mokuyog na lang.”

Sila si Melinda ug Pepito didto sa giingon ni Belen nga ilang adtoan, ang mga aninipot naghatag sa kahoy og makalilisang nga kahayag.

“Maorag nakakita kog agianan,” ingon ni Pepito. “Dunay mga tunob paingon sa mga langob sa mga bungtod.”

Ang tanang mga bata nangislo. Kadto nga mga langob duol sa mga minahan ug peligro man gani alang sa mga hamtong, ug labi na gayod alang sa usa ka grupo ka mga bata.

“Kinahanglan moadto ta,” mi-ingon si Belen, “buhaton usab ni niya alang kanato.”

“Unsa may atong buhaton kon makit-an nato siya? Duna gayoy butang nga responsable sa mga pagkawala. Unsaon man nato ang pagpakig-away niini?” Kahilakon si Melinda.

“Dili kinahanglan nga awayon ni, kinahanglan lang naton pangitaon si Faustino ug ibalik siya dinhi, diin luwas siya,” ingon ni Pepito.

Nagtinan-away silang tanan ug gikuptan nila ang kamot sa usag-usa.

Ang matag usa dunay determinasyon sa pagpangita sa ilang higala, si Edgardo hinuon wala kaayo. Nalingaw pa gihapon siya sa iyang damgo.

Ilang gisundan ang agianan kutob sa ilang mahimo, bisan og nagkapangos-pangos ilang mga panit sa mga bato ug sa mga gamot. Ug sa dihang hapit na silang mangatumba tungod sa kakapoy, nakaabot sila sa ilang destinasyon, usa ka dili mahulagway nga langob nga nahibal-an nila nga agianan sa gasumpay-sumpay nga mga tanel nga mahimong dili na nila matultolan unsaon pagbalik.

Si Belen maoy nangulo sa grupo. Nagdala siya og lampara nga gikan sa iyang mga ginikanan ug nga mao usab nga lampara nga gidala sa iyang mga igsoon niadtong nangadto sila sa mga langob. Dili kaayo siya angayan nga mangulo, apan kinahanglan niyang siguroon nga dunay giya ang uban. Kinahanglan niyang buhaton ni, para kang Faustino.

Si Melinda ang nag-una.

Wala man gani siya ningsiyagit. Sa usa ka gutlo si Belen nagdan-ag sa lampara sa entrada sa laing tanel ug unya sa sunod, nagpanawag na siya sa mga ngalan sa iyang mga kauban. Wala gayod niya nabati ang kahadlok sa kahilom hangtod niadtong higayona, mao ni ang usa sa iyang mahinumdoman sa tibuok niyang kinabuhi.

Gisulayan ni Pepito nga magpabilin sa agi-anan. Nagkuptanay silang tanan ug nabati ni Belen ang iyang pagkurog. Naningkamot siya sa paghupay niya.

“Mamaayo ra ang tanan. Makit-an ra nato silang duha, pramis.”

Misulay Si Pepito sa pagpugong sa iyang mga luha samtang siya miyango, apan gidaog na siya sa iyang kahadlok.

“Dili!” Misinggit siya. “Kinahanglan nga mamauli na ta!”

Gipaningkamotan ni Edgardo nga mapugngan siya.

“Pepito, kinahanglang magkuyog ta, mao lang ni ang paagi nga makalingkawas ta dinhi!”

Wala siya naminaw, iyang gitukmod si Edgardo palayo ug midagan siya ngadto sa kangitngit.

Bug-at ang kahilom sa duha nga nahibilin.

“Tonto kaayo ko sa paghunahuna nga magsilbi ni.” Misugod pagkusog ang hangos ni Belen ug iyang gibutang ang lampara. “Unta to nagkuyog ra ta. Karon dili lang si Faustino ang nawala. Pasayloa ko. Pasayloa ko, Melinda, Pepito! Kinahanglang mamalik ta, basin kon sultihan nato ang atong mga pamilya, unya sila pod ang manganhi dinhi ug kitang tanan mangita nila. Pangitaon nato sila. Kinahanglan natong pangitaon sila.”

Gikuha ni Edgardo ang lampara ug miingon, “Uban nako”.

Wala nay laing mahimo si Belen gawas sa pagsunod sa iyang bag-ong higala.

Ang kahayag gikan sa lampara hinay-hinay nga nahanaw ug ang agi-anan nagkadanlog samtang sila naglakaw. Gisulayan niya paggunit ang bungbong aron makabalanse, apan iyang nabati nga basa usab ni.

Sa kataposan iyang nakita kon unsa ni dihang gitunol ni Edgardo kaniya ang lampara.

Makit-an ang pula bisan asa. Namantsa niini ang iyang mga kamot ug sinina ug dunay nagtulo gikan sa ibabaw.

“Wa ko kasabot—-” misulay sa pagsulti si Belen.

Apan laing kahayag ang misidlak tapad ni Edgardo, nga nagdan-ag sa usa ka binuhat nga nagbitbit og dakong sako nga bulawan.

“Namati ka unta ka nila. Kon namati pa ka tingali si Faustino lang ang nawala.”

“I—-I—-” Naparalisar si Belen, misulay siya sa pagsinggit samtang gidala siya sa binuhat sa lawom nga bahin sa tanel.

Ug sa pagsidlak sa adlaw ngadto kang Edgardo samtang nanglimpyo siya sa iyang kaugalingon sa suba, naghunahuna siya: “Pila kaha ka libro ang akong makuha niini.”

=——————–=

English Version

There was once a child named Edgardo. He was small and quiet and preferred to read books instead of playing with the other children. Books were hard to get in his small mountain community and he treasured the moments when he would go to the city, watch his father exchange the gold they mined for money and buy the books he wanted.

One day he was approached by Faustino, a boy who would usually avoid him. It was one thing to be different, but to be different in a community of a few hundred people made Edgardo feel like he was under a microscope.

“Can I sit here?” Faustino asked him.

“Sure, no one’s stopping you,” Edgardo replied.

“Did you hear about what happened?” Faustino tried to look him in the eye but only succeeded at putting his head down and staring at his shuffling feet.

“Didn’t everyone?” Edgardo said without moving his eyes away from the page he was reading.

“With Veronica that makes 3 since February.” Faustino sat beside him.

It wasn’t uncommon for children to go missing up in the mountains. Danger was everywhere. One moment of absentmindedness could cost you dearly.

The mines were also an issue. Too often their fathers or brothers would just not come home and the mining companies would send their condolences – for whatever that was worth.

“They say someone is taking the children away.” Faustino, again, tried and failed to look him in the eye.

Edgardo put down his book and replied, “Who would possibly want to take the children? If it was for money then wouldn’t they have sent a note? It’s rainy season, people walk around the mountain and don’t come back. Just leave it be.”

“No.” Faustino put his hands on Edgardo’s shoulders. “This is different from that, I can feel it. We have to stick together. I asked Melinda, Pepito and Belen. The five of us can watch what happens with each other.”

“You’ll be safe with us,” Faustino says with a smile.

Edgardo frowns. “If you say so.”

This wasn’t the first time someone made that promise. He thought back to his elder brother. Those nights when they went to the caves together to find gold for themselves. That one time he wasn’t careful. Things would happen and you just had to let them be.

One night Edgardo was awakened by the whispers of another child.

“Edgardo —- psssst —— wake up, it’s important,” the voice said.

It took a few minutes for Edgardo to snap back into reality. The dream that he had was so vivid: a house filled with books all to himself. He was lucid in his dream and he swore that one day it would come true.

“Belen?!”

“Sshhhhhh—don’t let anyone hear you.” She put her hand over his mouth.

“What are you doing here?” he managed to say through her fingers.

“It’s Faustino.” Her face was grim. “He’s missing.”

“Are you sure?” Edgardo was quieter this time, “maybe he just went out for a walk?”

“It’s the middle of the night! He’s not in his house. Come with me. Pepito and Melinda are by the big tree near Faustino’s house. We need to find him.”

Edgardo rubbed his eyes and yawned again. “Fine, might as well.”

Melinda and Pepito were where Belen said they would be, the fireflies giving the tree an eerie aura.

“I think I found a trail,” Pepito said. “There are footprints leading to the caves over by the hills.”

The children all grimaced. Those caves were near the mines and they were dangerous enough for adults, much less a group of four children.

“We have to go,” Belen said, “he’d do the same for us.”

“What are we going to do when we find him? There must be something responsible for the disappearances. How do we fight it?” Melinda was close to tears.

“We don’t need to fight it, we just have to find Faustino and bring him back here, where it’s safe,” Pepito said.

They all looked at each other and put their hands together.

Each had a resolve to find their friend, Edgardo less so. He was still enraptured by his dream.

They followed the trail as best as they could, scraping their skins against the rocks and the roots. And as soon as they were about to fall from exhaustion, they reached their destination, a nondescript cave that they knew was an entrance to a network of tunnels they might not return from.

Belen lead the group. She had taken a lamp from her parents and her siblings had taken her to the caves once. Leadership was not her strength, but she had to make sure the others had a guide. She had to do it, for Faustino.

Melinda was the first.

She didn’t even scream. One moment Belen was shining the lamp on the entrance to another tunnel and the next, when she called out for the names of her companions. She had never feared silence until that moment, it was one she would remember for the rest of her life.

Pepito tried to stay the course. They all held hands and Belen could feel his shaking. She tried to console him.

“It will be alright. We’ll find both of them, I promise.”

Pepito tried to hold back tears as he nodded, yet fear had overtaken him.

“No!” He shouted. “We have to go back home!”

Edgardo tried his best to hold him down.

“Pepito, we have to stay together, it’s the only way we can make it out of here!”

He didn’t listen, he pushed Edgardo off him and ran into the darkness.

The silence weighed heavy on the remaining two.

“I was so stupid to think this would work.” Belen’s breath started to become rapid and she put the lantern down. “We should have stayed together. Now it’s not just Faustino. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry Melinda, Pepito! We have to go back, maybe if we tell our families they can go here and we can all search for them. We’ll find them. We have to find them.”

Edgardo took the lantern and said, “come with me”.

Belen had no other choice but to follow her new friend.

The light from the lantern was slowly fading and the path was getting more slippery as they went along. She tried to grab the wall to balance, but she found that it was damp as well.

She finally saw what it was when Edgardo handed her the lantern.

It was red everywhere. It stained her hands and clothes and drops fell from the ceiling.

“I don’t understand—-” Belen tried to say.

But another light glowed by Edgardo, illuminating a creature carrying a hefty bag of gold.

“You should have listened to them. If you did maybe it would have just been Faustino.”

“I—-I—-” Belen was paralyzed, she tried to scream as the creature carried her deeper into the tunnel.

And as the daylight shined on Edgardo as he cleaned himself in the river, he thought:

“I wonder how many books I can get with this.”

*The Cebuano language, alternatively called Cebuan and also often colloquially albeit informally referred to by most of its speakers simply as Bisaya (“Visayan”, not to be confused with other Visayan languages nor Brunei Bisaya language), is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 21 million people, mostly in Central Visayas, western parts of Eastern Visayas and most parts of Mindanao, most of whom belong to various Visayan ethnolingusitic groups, mainly the Cebuanos. It is the by far the most widely spoken of the Visayan languages, which are in turn part of wider the Philippine languages. The reference to the language as Bisaya is not encouraged anymore by linguists due to the many languages within the Visayan language group that may be confused with the term.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Cebuano Translation by Joanalyn P Gabales
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Joanalyn P Gabales

Inspired by the Sagay description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Sagay Illustration by Christian Bitao

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anegs.gg/

The post Sagay – Cebuano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Hiligaynon

“Akun ni tanan sala.”

Ginbalikan sang lalake kung san-o ini nagsugod. Tama ka klaro ang mga senyales, apang may pagbanta na nga magagiya subong. Adlaw-adlaw niya ginapangamuyo nga luwason siya sang Ginoo sa sini nga kabudlayan.  Pero indi ini matu-od syempre, maski silingun sang makaaku nga mag-untat, nahibalu-an niya sa iya tagipusuon nga indi siya makapadayon asta matapos niya ang iya penitensya.

Isa ka malinong nga hapun, sang ang babaye nagbalik. Mainit ang pagbatun niya sang ini gintabo niya sa airport.

Sang ara ang babaye sa iban nga pungsod, permi ini nagasulat parti sa katugnaw nga iya nabatyagan. Ini iya ginkumpara nga kaangay nga daw gapalanupsup sa iya nga kaugatan.

Ginsilingan niya siya nga indi ini importante. Daku nga kabudlay ang inagyan sang babaye, kag ang gusto lang niya makapahuway ini sa ila balay. Wala pa niya nabati-an ang bug-os nga istorya halin sa asawa, pero makita niya sa mga mata sini, nga gusto na lang sini malipatan.  Sa ulihi nga sulat sang babaye, iya ginsaysay kung paano sini indi na masarangan pa nga mapalayo sa ila pamilya.  Nag-ugyon siya, pabay’i da ang kwarta.  Paga-unungan niya ang iya asawa, kag malampuwasan nila ini kag mas mangin mabakod.

Sa subong, amu ina ang iya ginapatihan.

Daw naga-pangpasu ang singsing pangkasal. Katingalahan nga ginasuksok niya pa ini, maski nagapadumdum ini sang mga nagligad sang naigu sang repleksyon sang bulan.  Naglungo na lang siya kag ginhatag ang atensyon sa iya tuyo.

Dira siya niya nasundan, paagi sa mga nagkalain-lain nga apat ka baryo, kag nagalaum siya nga maabtan niya antes ini makapalagyo.

Sang una, iya ginpaminsar nga mapauntat niya ini antes pa makapang biktima, kay madali ini siya makilal-an.

Sa tunga sang nagabiti nga init sang adlaw, pagkatapos sang isa ka bulan nga paglagas – lagas sa asawa, gin-aku niya sa iya kaugalingon.

Mas makusog. Mas madasig.

Mas baris nga indi niya maintindihan.

Mabug-at ang singsing sa iya tudlo, pero ang inggat sini nagpadumdum sa iya sang pila ka butang. Amu ini ang iya kalbaryo, kag duha lang ka butang ang makapauntat sini.

Pagkatapos sang isa ka semana nga pagpahuway halin sa pagka-jetlag, gilayon na ini nagbulig sa sulod balay.

Ang mga bata nila nga lalaki, nalipay gid nga nagpauli ang ila iloy. Wala siya nahadlok nga aku-on nga, daw mahibi siya, sang makita niya gahampang ini kaupod sa ila mga kabataan.

Sang ginbatun sang babaye ang oportunidad nga mag-ubra sa iban nga pungsod, tam-an pa ka gagmay ang ila kabataan para maintiendihan ang pagsakripisyo sini. Sadto nga adlaw, ginhakus niya sila sang hugot kag nag-promisa nga magabalik ini gilayun. Nagsiling ini nga palangga niya gid sila asta sa katubtuban.

Ang ulihi nga ginhingyo sang iya asawa, amu ang promisa nga iya pagatatapun ang ila mga kabataan.

Wala sang pag-alang-alang nga nagpromisa siya.

Naglakat na sila, kag nagbalik sa ila bag-o nga pangabuhi, nagahulat sang adlaw nga mangin kumpleto liwat sila.

Basi amu na sadtu ang ulihi nga adlaw nga ang iya asawa isa ka tawo.

Sang una nga nagpalagyo ang iya asawa halin sa ila balay, ginhimu niya ang tanan para mahibalu-an kung ano gid ang natabu sa iban nga pungsod. Indi siya makalakat didto nga siya mismo, apang may komunidad sang mga Pilipino nga nakahibalu kung sa diin gatinir ang iya asawa.

Nagsulat siya sa ila kag ang ila mga sabat daw makatilingala.

Suno sa ila, wala gid gaistorya ang iya asawa parte sa iya amo. Sa ila mga pagtipon, nagahimu man lang ang iya asawa sang lumpia, kag maga-istorya sang iban nga bagay pareho sang iya nabilin nga pamilya kag kung ano nga kahidlaw sang iya asawa sa ila. Isa sa mga Pilipino didtu amu ang tigulang nga nars, kag nagmuno sa iya nga daw may lain sa mga mata sang babaye.  Bisan ano katagu sang iya asawa, makita nga nahadlok ini.

Nagbalos sa sulat niya ang nars kag ginsugid lang ang nabal-an sini parte sa amo sang babaye. Ini isa ka man ka Pinoy nga nangin madinalag-on sa iban nga pungsod, sa kung paano nga paagi, wala sini mahibaluan. Suno sa istorya sini, ang amo gid sini ang naghingyo nga isa ka Pinay ang magatatap sa iya kag magabayad ini sang daku nga balor para diri.

Liwan sa amu ni nga detalye, ang iban mga kuno-kuno na lang nga istorya nga indi man makabulig. Suno sa iban, kilanlan sang iya amo nga lalake, nga maghalin sa Pilipinas tungod sa mga ilegal nga ulubrahon. Siling naman sang iban, ang iya mga asawa wala gadugay sang duha ka tuig pagkatapos niya pakaslan, kag siya naghalin para indi pagsuspetsahan. May mga maayo man nga istorya, pareho sang,  siya naglakat para mahatagan sang maayo nga pangabuhi.

Ini tanan nga mga wala gakaangot nga istorya, wala sang pulos.

Wala sang pulos ang natabo.

Paano ini nahimo sang iya asawa sa ila pamilya nga pinalangga?

Ulihi na siya.

Ulihi na lang siya permi.

Subong, isa naman ka bata-on nga mag-asawa kaupod ang ila anak, may masanag nga bwasdamlag kung tani. Ang mga kinan-an kag natunga nila nga bangkay nagalinapta sa ila nga sala. Nagapakita nga siya tuyo batu-an sang isa ka amay, apang ang iya mga kuko dasig nga nagisi ang kaundan sini.

Pagkatapos sang tinuig sa hampang nga ini, tig-a na ang iya balatyagon sa tanan luwas diri.

Gin-isip niya liwat kag gindugang sa nagadaku nga numero.

Siento kuwarenta y siete.

Siento kuwarenta y siete ka inosente nga mga kabuhi.

Siento kuwarenta y siete ka tawo nga ang dugo yara sa mga kamot niya.

Nahibalu-an niya nga ang ini nga numero magadaku pa, kung indi niya ini mapunggan.

Makahalam-ot nga madali niya maobserbahan ang asawa. Wala sini ginatago ang pilas.

Ang ruta sini sa mga banwa sang Panay kag lampas pa. Nakita ini sa Tuguegarao, Cagayan de Oro, Mindoro kag Puerto Princesa. Ang istorya sang babaye permi mabati-an sang mga bata gikan sa ila ginikanan, sa kung diin sila ginapahog nga kuhaon sila sang babaye sa gab-i kung indi sila mangin mapinatihon.

Balan sang lalake nga maski siya magdaug, ang istorya sini magapabilin.

Apang indi nila mahibalu-an ang istorya sa likod sang karakter nga ini.

Ang amay nga tuyu lang masalbar paagi sa paghimalos, ang bana nga wala ginsapak ang mga pag-andam, ang lalaki nga ang gusto lang mangin kumpleto ang ila pamilya.

Samtang nagatindug ang lalaki sa dugo sang pinaka bag-o nga biktima sang babaye, siya natingala kung sin-o ang magapangibabaw?

Ang kadalag-an niya?

Ukon ang kadalag-an sini?

=—————————=

Engilsh Version

It’s all my fault.

He thinks back to when it all started. The signs were obvious, but he had the benefit of hindsight to guide him now. He prayed every day that God would deliver him from this labor. That was just for show of course, even if the lord told him to stop, in his heart he couldn’t go on until he fulfilled his penance.

It was a quiet afternoon when she came back. He met her at the airport with all the warmth he could muster. During her stay abroad, she would always write about how the cold made her feel. She described it as the chill becoming a ghost, doing everything possible to find a way into your veins.

He told her it didn’t matter. She had gone through a great ordeal and he wanted to get her settled in their home. He still hadn’t heard the whole story from her, but he could see in her eyes that she just wanted to forget. In the last letter she sent she wrote about how she couldn’t be away from her family anymore. He agreed, money be damned. He would see his wife through this and their family would come out stronger.

At least that’s what he believed.

The wedding ring on his finger burned. He wondered why he still wore it, considering the memories that played through his mind when it reflected the moonlight. He shook his head and tried to focus. He tracked her here through four different barrios and hoped that he could get to her before she ran away.

In the beginning, he foolishly thought that he would be able to stop her before she claimed another victim, after all she was easy to spot. In the harsh light of day that followed his first month of pursuing her, he had to admit to himself.

She was stronger. She was faster.

She possessed more cruelty than he could ever understand.

The ring felt heavy in his hand, but its glint reminded him of something else. This was his cross to bear, and there were only two ways it could ever end.

After a week of readjustment, she had fixed her jet lag and began to help around the house. The boys were thrilled to have their mother back. He wasn’t afraid to admit that the sight of her, playing with the children she had left, brought tears to his eyes.

When she accepted the offer to go abroad their children were too young to understand the sacrifice she was about to endure. That day, she hugged them tight and promised them that she would be back as soon as she can. She told them she would love them forever.

The last thing that she asked of him was to give his word that he would take care of their children.

There was no hesitation when he made that oath.

They waved goodbye and settled into their new lives, waiting for the day they would be complete again.

Maybe that was the last time she was truly human.

When she fled the first time, after the incident, he did all he could to find out what really happened abroad. He couldn’t travel there himself, but he knew that there was a community of Filipinos where she had stayed.

He wrote to them and their answers were troubling.

They said she never talked about her employer. During their gatherings she would make lumpia and talk about other things like her family back home and how much she missed them. One of the Filipinos there was an old nurse and she mentioned that there was something in her eyes. No matter how hard she tried to mask it, she was afraid.

The nurse wrote back about what she knew about the employer. First that he was a fellow Filipino that gained success abroad, though through which channels she wasn’t sure. He had specifically requested a Filipina be his caregiver and he was willing to pay a good amount of money for it.

Apart from that the nurse only had rumors that weren’t much help. Some said that he had to leave the Philippines because his family was involved in illegal ventures. Others say his wives never lived past two years of marriage and he left to avoid suspicion. There were kinder stories where he left to give his family a better life.

All these conflicting stories made no sense.

What happened made no sense.

How could she do that to the family she loved?

He was too late.

He was always too late.

This time it was a family of three, a young couple that had a bright future ahead of them. Their half-eaten corpses scattered around what remained of their sala*. It looked like the father tried to fight her off but her claws ripped through him easily.

After years of this game he was already numb to all emotions but one.

He counted again and added it to the growing number.

147.

147 innocent lives.

147 people whose blood was on his hands.

He knew that number would not stop growing, not until he finished what she started.

It was almost funny that she was so easy to track. She didn’t even try to hide the scar. Her path cut through the towns of Panay and even beyond. She was seen in Tuguegarao, Cagayan de Oro, Mindoro and Puerto Princesa. Her story was heard by children whose parents warned them that she would take them in the night if they were disobedient.

He knew that even if he succeeded, her legend would live on.

But they would never know of the forgotten character of the story.

The father seeking redemption in revenge, the husband that ignored the warnings, the man that only wanted his family to be complete.

As he stood over the blood of her latest victims, he wondered which ending would prevail?

His triumph?

Or hers?

*Living room

*The Hiligaynon language, also colloquially referred often by most of its speakers simply as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 9.1 million people, mainly in Western Visayas and SOCCSKSARGEN, most of whom belong to the Visayan ethnic group, mainly the Hiligaynons. It is the second-most widely spoken language and a member of the so-named Visayan language family and is more distantly related to other Philippine languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Hiligaynon translation by Pauline Brooks Dalisay
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Pauline Brooks Dalisay

Inspired by the Maria Labo Urban Legends

Maria Labo Illustration by Sandra Sison

The post Maria Labo – Hiligaynon Translaiton appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

Ang buwan, na natatakot pasikatin ang sariling liwanag, ay tuluyan nang nagtago sa likod ng mga ulap. “Magaling!” Siyang naisip ni Sonja. “Sana naman ay hindi sila nagsimula ng wala pa ako.”

Ang mga impit na boses na nagmumula sa loob ng sisidlang sako ay nagsisimula nang lumakas nguni’t isang mabilis na sipa lamang ang solusyon dito. Alam niyang mayroong kulam siyang maaring gamitin ngunit hindi na lamang niya inaksaya ito. Naisip niya na ang kaunting takot ay minsan nakadadagdag sa kasiyahan. Ang tagpuan ay nasa isang gubat sa labas ng lungsod. Mula pa noong panahon ng mga lumang kaharian, gawi nilang magkita-kita at makibahagi sa kapistahan.

Nakatatawang isipin na ang kapistahang ito ay nagaganap sa mismong araw ng kapanganakan ng Anak ng Mahal na Birhen.

Kinaladkad ni Sonja ang sako sa bukana ng kakahuyan. Ang kapistahan ay magtatagal ng buong gabi at ayaw niyang makipagsapalaran. IIwanan niya ang kanyang mga paasa loob ng kakahuyan at makikipagdiwang sha magdamag.

Ang kasalukuyang nagbabantay sa bukana ng gubat ay isang ‘mangingilaw’
”Tila malayo ka sa iyong tahana.” wika ni Sonja.
”Puumupunta lang ako sa kung saan ako ay iniimbitahan.”sagot nito. “Anong dinala mo?”

Hinagis ni Sonja ang dala niyang sako at winika: “May dala akong tiyak na gusto mo ant ng iyong mga kauri.Huli na ba ako? ”

“Pumasok ka na , mananaggal, hindi pa tayo nagsisimula.”

Nakahinga ng maluwag si Sonja.

Pinakamaganda ang paunang bahagi ng ritwal. Iniwan niya ang kanyang mga paa sa isang malapit na puno at pumailanglang pataas. Doon niya kinatagpo at sinamahan ang kanyang kawan na kasalukuyang umiikot sa itaas ng mga puno.

Hindi mabilang na mga alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut at iba pang nakahihindik na lumilipad na mga nilalang ang nagkakaisang lumilipad. At dahil nga walang liwanag ng buwan, tanging intuwisyon lamang nila ang kanilang gabay sa pagpaptuloy ng  kanilang sayaw na nababalutan ng kasamaan.  Kasabay nito ay ang malakas na dagundong ng mga lamang lupang panauhin ng gabing iyon.

Ang mga bungisngis, kiwig , kulukupap at marami pang iba ay nagpahiram ng kanilang mga tunog at boses sa naturang piging. Ang seremonya ay natapos nang dumating ang Hari ng mga Mangkukulam at naupo sa trono ng buto at dugo.

Nagulat si Sonjya sa kung gaano kaayos ang lahat; bawat pangkat ay may kanya kanyang lugar sa kakahuyan upang mangalap ng mga karne para sa handaan. Nais sana niyang tikman ang iba’t-ibang mga inihandog nguni’t hindi niya alam kung alin ang uunahin.  Naglaway siya sa amoy ng dugo sa isang sulok kung saan naroon ang mgamandurugo;  ang kalembang ng kawa ng mga pirotso ay nangahulugan na mayroon ding mga sariwang bataw; mayroon ding mga ulong nakadikit pa ang mga laman na ambag naman ng mga saga-ih. Mayroon ding mag makabagong putahe: malutong na dinuguan na may piniritong lamang loob, daliri, matang bulalo, sinangkutsang puso at sarsang utak. Pagutom na ng pagutom si Sonja kada minutong lumilipas kaya’t pinili nyang tumayo sa tabi ng isang tigabulak. Ang tigabulak ay nakatayo sa harapan ng isang  tagaan at malaking pang-itak.

Mga hiyaw na humihingi ng saklolo ang umaalingawngaw mula sa sako sa likod niya na siya namang nagpaligaya ng lubos kay Sonja. Ang sariwang karne na inihanda ng isang tigabulak ay paniguradong sadyang napakasarap ; hinayaan pa niya si Sonya ang pumili ng bata.

Habang tinuturo ni Sonja ang napiling bata, mga limang taong  gulang ang edad, isang kaguluhan ang biglang naganap malapit sa kanya.

Ang tigabulak, na halatang inis, ay nagwika, “Sino nag-imbita niyan dito?”

Lumipad si Sonja upang makita kung ano angnagnyayari at kaagad niyang nakilala ang Mamam, na sapilitang  itinutulak ang sarili papasok sa kapistahan.

Mula ng maganap ang insidente maraming buwan na ang nakalilipas, lahat ng mga maligno ay nagpasya na itago na nila sa Mamam ang mga susunod na mga pagtitipon kundi ay mauuwi lamang sa kapahamakan ang pagdiriwang.

Ang ibang mga higante gaya ng mga mangingilaw at timu-timu ay sinubukang pigilan ang nilalang na makapasok   nguni’t  wala silang magawa lalo’t may pagkain  nang nakaharap dito. Hindi man lang ito titigil kahit sabhan ng kapwa niya halimaw.

Nakita ni Sonja na karamihan ay ngsimula nang magsitakas habang bitbit ang kanilang bahagi sa kapistahan.  May isang alam pang dumaan sa harapan niya na may kargang maliit na bata.

May kutob na din si Sonja na dapat ay tumakbo na din sha ng mabilis papalayo nguni’t hindi niya mapigilan angpanonood sa kagimbal-gimbal na panoorin.

Isang oras na ang nakalipas ng magsimulang manggulo ang Mammam. Ang mga duguang bangkay ngmga bungisngis at ogro ay pumapalamuti sa patayang naganap. Ang mga nanatili upang bantayan ang kanilang mga pagkain ay mistulang lumalaban na papunta sa pagkatalo.

Hindi kinikilala ng Mammam ang katapatan maliban lamang sa gutom. Aswang o tao, pareho niyang kinain ang mga ito. Nakakita pa si Sonja ng mga matatalinong tao na sinamatala ang kaguluhan at tuluyan nang tumakbo para sa kanilang buhay. Mayroon pang isang buntis na nakatakas papasok ng gubat habang ang nanghuli sa kanya ay nakalingat.

Walang kapangyarihan o mahikaang makapipigil dito. Ang mga galamay ng Hari ng mga Mangkukulam ay sumubok na saktan ang Mammam ngunit parang lalo lamang nagutom ito. Dalawang mangkukulam pa nga ang nasawi matapos silang lunukin ng buo ng Mammam.

Matapos ng lahat ang Mammam ay tumayo. Walang mga bangkay, walang mga buto bilang tanda sa mga landas na dinaanan nito.

Pinagmasdan ni Sonja ang lahat ng patayan at tumakas siya papabalik sa kanyang mga binti nang walang laman ang kanyang tiyan sa gabi ng kapistahan.

=————————————=

English Version

The moon, afraid to shine its light, retreated behind the clouds.

Perfect. Sonja thought. I hope they didn’t start without me

The muffled voices inside the bag were starting to get louder, but nothing a swift kick wouldn’t fix. She knew there was magic that she could use to put them to sleep, she decided against it though. Sonja always thought that a little fear did wonders for flavor.

The meeting spot was in a grove in the outskirts of the city. Since the days of the old kingdoms they would meet and share in the feast. It was an amusing irony that the feast was on the same day as the birth of the virgin’s child.

Sonja dragged the sack to the entrance of the grove. The feast would take all night and she didn’t want to take any risks. She would leave her legs inside the grove and celebrate throughout the night.

Guarding the grove this time was a mangingilaw. “You’re far from home,” Sonja said.
“I go where I am invited,” he replied.

“What did you bring?” Sonja tossed the bag to the giant’s feet.

“Something raw.”

“Of course, that’s what your kind likes. Am I late?”

“Enter, mananaggal, we have not yet started.”

Sonja sighed with relief. The opening ceremony was the best part. She left her legs by a nearby tree and soared upwards.

There she joined the flock, swirling above the trees.

Countless alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut and other flying horrors moved in tandem. Without moonlight they only had their intuition to guide their sinister dance.

Accompanying this was the raucous roar of the terrestrial guests of the night. The bungisngis, kiwig and kulukupap, among many others, lent their voices to the celebration.

The ceremony ended as the king of the mangkukulam took his place on the throne of bones and blood.

Sonja was surprised how orderly everything was, each group had their own space in the grove to gather meat for the feast.

She wanted to try the different offerings and didn’t know where to start. The scent of blood from the mandurugo corner made her salivate, the clang from the pirotso’s pot signaled fresh children, there was a collection of heads by the saga-ih complete with the flesh intact.

There were also more ‘modern’ takes on the classics: Crispy dinuguan with deep fried lamang-loob, finger and eyeball bulalo and sizzling hearts with brain sauce.

Sonja was getting hungrier by the minute and she chose the spot beside her where a tigabulak stood. He was standing in front of a table with a large cutting board and a cleaver. Cries of help were echoing from the sack behind him, filling Sonja with glee. Such fresh meat prepared by a tigabulak would be quite a delicacy, he even let Sonja choose which child.

As Sonja was pointing to a small girl, about five years old, a commotion was thundering near her.

The tigabulak, visibly annoyed, said, “Who invited that here?”

Sonja flew up to see what was happening and she immediately recognized the mamam, pushing its way through the feast.

Ever since the incident many moons ago, all of the horrors decided to hide the feast from the mamam, lest the celebration turn into disaster.

The other giants like the mangingilaw and timu-timu were trying to hold it off, but the creature was unstoppable once food was placed in front of him. It would not even stop against a fellow halimaw.

Sonja could see that most were already trying to escape, taking their share of the feast with them. An alan even darted past her, carrying a small child.

Instinct told Sonja that she should run far and run fast, but she couldn’t take her eyes away from the spectacle.

It had been an hour since the mamam started its rampage. The bloodied corpses of the bungisngis and ogro decorating the slaughter. Those that stayed to guard their food were fighting a losing battle.

The mamam knew no allegiance apart from hunger.

Aswang or human, it ate them all the same.

Sonja could see clever humans taking advantage of the chaos and running for their lives. A pregnant woman even managed to slip into the forest while her wak-wak captor was distracted.

No might or magic could stop it. The king of the mangkukulam had his witches try inflicting pain on the creature but that only seemed to make it even hungrier. Two mangkukulam met their end when the mamam swallowed them whole.

In the aftermath the mamam stood. No corpses, no bones to mark the trail of its passing.

Sonja took in the carnage and fled to her legs, her stomach empty on the night of the feast.

*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 Sheila Rose Vidanes Santiago
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Sheila Rose Vidanes Santiago

Inspired by the Mamam description in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.

Mamam Illustration by Jesus Miguel Ofalsa

FB: https://www.facebook.com/artsofperdiyo/

The post Mamam – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Waray

An bulan, hadlok idayag an iya lamrag, umatras ha luyo han mga dampog.

Kaupay. Pinsar ni Sonja. Hinaot unta waray pa hira magtikang samtang waray pa ako.

Natikakusog an mga natahuban nga tingog ha sakob han bag, kundi waray bisan ano an diri maaayad han usa nga malaksi nga banyak. Maaram hiya nga poyde hiya gumamit hin mahika agud pakaturugon an mga adto ha sulod han bag kundi waray niya ini gamiton. Pirme napipinsar ni Sonja nga an guti nga kahadlok, nakakaupay gud han nanam.

An kiritaan amo an kagurangan ha ligid han syudad. Tikang han panahon han mga kadaan nga kahadian, nagkikirigta hira ngan nagsasaro ha pista. Usa nga makatarawa nga butang nga an pista kadungan han kaadlawan han anak han birhen.

Gindanas ni Sonja an sako ngadto ha sarakban han kagurangan. Bug-os nga gab-i an pista ngan nadiri hiya nga sumugal ha anuman nga risgo. Ginbilin niya an iya mga tiil ha kagurangan ngan nagselebrar bug-os nga gab-i

Usa nga mangingilaw an bantay yana ha kagurangan. “Kahirayo mo ha im urukyan,” sering ni Sonja.

“Napakadto ako kun hain ak gin-imbitar,” baton niya.

“Ano an im dara?” Ginlabay ni Sonja an bag ngadto ha tiil han higante.

“Mga hilaw.”

“Syempre, mao an karuyag han mga sugad ha imo. Urhi na ba ako?”

“Sulod, manananggal, waray pa kami magtikang.”

Nakaginhawa hi Sonja. An pangabre nga seremonya amo an pinakamaupay nga parte. Ginbilin niya an iya mga tiil ha hirani nga puno ngan linupad.

Inupod hiya ha iba pa, naglinupad-lupad ha bawbaw han mga puno.

Diri maihap an alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut ngan iba pa nga makaharadlok nga mananap an inapi. Ha kawaray han lamrag tikang ha bulan, pangabat la an ira giya ha ira malain nga sayaw.

Kadungan hini an makusog ngan malain nga kulaog han mga halimaw nga bisita han gab-i. Nakiduyog an mga tingog han bungisngis, kiwig ngan kulukupap, kaupod an damo nga iba pa ha selebrasyon.

Nahuman an seremonya han liningkod an hadi han mga mambabarang ha trono han mga tul-an ngan dugo.

Nasorpresa hi Sonja ha kun ano kaorganisado an tanan, kada grupo mayda kalugaringon nga espasyo ha kagurangan agud magtirok han karne para ha pista.

Karuyag niya tilawan an magkadirudilain nga mga halad ngan diri maaram kun diin magtitikang. Naglaway hiya tungod ha baho han dugo tikang ha parte han mandurugo, an tunog nga tikang ha palayok han pirotso nga amo an pangilal-an han lab-as nga kabataan, mayda koleksyon han mga ulo an mga saga-ih nga bug-os pa an mga unod.

Mayda liwat mga ‘moderno’ nga paghaum ha mga kadaan: Maragumo nga dinuguan nga mayda pinirito nga tinae, tudlo, bulalo han mga mata ngan nakaladkad nga mga puso nga mayda utak nga sabaw.

Ha kada minuto nga nalabay, dugang nga nagugutom hi Sonja ngan ginpili niya an puwesto ha sapit niya kun diin natindog an usa nga tigabulak. Natindog ini ha atubangan han usa nga lamesa nga mayda dako nga tadtaran ngan puthaw nga kutsilyo. Naaningal tikang ha sako ha luyo han tigabulak an mga tangis nga naaro hin bulig, nga nagdurot hin sobra nga karayhak kan Sonja. Marasa gud an sugad kalab-as nga karne nga gin-andam han tibulak, ginpapili pa gud niya hi Sonja kun hain nga bata an iya karuyag.

Han natudlok hiya ha usa nga guti nga bata nga haros lima katuig, usa nga kasamukan an binuto hirani ha iya.

Nagsering an tigabulak, nga klaro ha nawong an kauyam, “Hin-o an nag-imbitar ha iya ngadi?”

Linupad hi Sonja agud makit-an kun ano an nahitatabo ngan dagmit niya nga nakilal-an an mamam, nga pirit nga nasulod ha pista.

Tikang han panhitabo pira kabulan na an naglabay, nagdesisyon an ngatanan nga madarahug nga igtago an mga pista ha mamam, ha kahadlok nga mahimo nga kasamukan an selebrasyon.

Gin-atentaran han iba nga higante sugad han mangingilaw ngan timu-timu nga pugngan ini, kundi diri napaulang an mamam labina kun aada na ha iya atubangan an pagkaon. Diri iton maundang bisan kun an kontra igkasi halimaw.

Nakit-an ni Sonja nga haros ngatanan naeskapo na, dara an bahin nira ha pista. Ngan bisan hi Alan, nagdadagmit nga gumikan dara an usa nga guti nga bata.

Subay ha pangabat ni Sonja kinahanglan na niya dumalagan ngadto ha hirayo ngan dumalagan hin dagmit, kundi waray niya mahimo nga diri tumukod ha nalalain nga halimaw.

Usa kaoras na tikang han pagtikang han pananamok han mamam. An mga duguon nga patay nga lawas han bungisngis ngan ogro an pamatuod han panmatay. Naato ha tikaperdi nga agway iton mga nagpabilin agud depensahan an ira mga pagkaon.

Waray ginkikilala nga kaugop an mamam labot ha kagutom.

Aswang man o tawo, ginkaon la niya ngatanan.

Nakit-an ni Sonja an mga wais nga mga tawo nga ginsingabot an kasamukan agud talwason an kalugaringon. Usa nga burod an nakakadto ha guba samtang nalilibang an wak-wak nga nagdakop ha iya.

Waray kusog o mahika an makakapugong ha mamam. Ginsugo han hadi han mga mambabarang nga pasul-an an halimaw kundi baga dugang la iton nga nagutom. Duha nga mambabarang an namatay han gintulon hira han mamam.

Ha katapusan, natindog an mamam. Waray patay nga lawas, waray tul-an nga nagbilin hin pangilal-an han iya ginbuhat.

Waray na mahimo hi Sonja sanglit ginkarawat nala niya an panhitabo ngan linupad ngadto ha iya mga tiil, waray sulod an iya tiyan ha gab-i han pista.

=————————-=

English Version

The moon, afraid to shine its light, retreated behind the clouds.

Perfect. Sonja thought. I hope they didn’t start without me.

The muffled voices inside the bag were starting to get louder, but nothing a swift kick wouldn’t fix. She knew there was magic that she could use to put them to sleep, she decided against it though. Sonja always thought that a little fear did wonders for flavor.

The meeting spot was in a grove in the outskirts of the city. Since the days of the old kingdoms they would meet and share in the feast. It was an amusing irony that the feast was on the same day as the birth of the virgin’s child.

Sonja dragged the sack to the entrance of the grove. The feast would take all night and she didn’t want to take any risks. She would leave her legs inside the grove and celebrate throughout the night.

Guarding the grove this time was a mangingilaw. “You’re far from home,” Sonja said.
“I go where I am invited,” he replied.

“What did you bring?” Sonja tossed the bag to the giant’s feet.

“Something raw.”

“Of course, that’s what your kind likes. Am I late?”

“Enter, mananaggal, we have not yet started.”

Sonja sighed with relief. The opening ceremony was the best part. She left her legs by a nearby tree and soared upwards.

There she joined the flock, swirling above the trees.

Countless alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut and other flying horrors moved in tandem. Without moonlight they only had their intuition to guide their sinister dance.

Accompanying this was the raucous roar of the terrestrial guests of the night. The bungisngis, kiwig and kulukupap, among many others, lent their voices to the celebration.

The ceremony ended as the king of the mangkukulam took his place on the throne of bones and blood.

Sonja was surprised how orderly everything was, each group had their own space in the grove to gather meat for the feast.

She wanted to try the different offerings and didn’t know where to start. The scent of blood from the mandurugo corner made her salivate, the clang from the pirotso’s pot signaled fresh children, there was a collection of heads by the saga-ih complete with the flesh intact.

There were also more ‘modern’ takes on the classics: Crispy dinuguan with deep fried lamang-loob, finger and eyeball bulalo and sizzling hearts with brain sauce.

Sonja was getting hungrier by the minute and she chose the spot beside her where a tigabulak stood. He was standing in front of a table with a large cutting board and a cleaver. Cries of help were echoing from the sack behind him, filling Sonja with glee. Such fresh meat prepared by a tigabulak would be quite a delicacy, he even let Sonja choose which child.

As Sonja was pointing to a small girl, about five years old, a commotion was thundering near her.

The tigabulak, visibly annoyed, said, “Who invited that here?”

Sonja flew up to see what was happening and she immediately recognized the mamam, pushing its way through the feast.

Ever since the incident many moons ago, all of the horrors decided to hide the feast from the mamam, lest the celebration turn into disaster.

The other giants like the mangingilaw and timu-timu were trying to hold it off, but the creature was unstoppable once food was placed in front of him. It would not even stop against a fellow halimaw.

Sonja could see that most were already trying to escape, taking their share of the feast with them. An alan even darted past her, carrying a small child.

Instinct told Sonja that she should run far and run fast, but she couldn’t take her eyes away from the spectacle.

It had been an hour since the mamam started its rampage. The bloodied corpses of the bungisngis and ogro decorating the slaughter. Those that stayed to guard their food were fighting a losing battle.

The mamam knew no allegiance apart from hunger.

Aswang or human, it ate them all the same.

Sonja could see clever humans taking advantage of the chaos and running for their lives. A pregnant woman even managed to slip into the forest while her wak-wak captor was distracted.

No might or magic could stop it. The king of the mangkukulam had his witches try inflicting pain on the creature but that only seemed to make it even hungrier. Two mangkukulam met their end when the mamam swallowed them whole.

In the aftermath the mamam stood. No corpses, no bones to mark the trail of its passing.

Sonja took in the carnage and fled to her legs, her stomach empty on the night of the feast.

*Waray is the fifth-most-spoken native regional language of the Philippines, native to Eastern Visayas. It is the native language of the Waray people and second language of the Abaknon people of Capul, Northern Samar and some Cebuano-speaking peoples of eastern and southern parts of Leyte island. It is the third most spoken language among the Visayan languages, only behind Hiligaynon and Cebuano.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Waray translation by Joan Sebastian
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Joan Sebastian

Inspired by the Mamam description in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.

Mamam Illustration by Jesus Miguel Ofalsa

FB: https://www.facebook.com/artsofperdiyo/

The post Mamam – Waray Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Hiligaynon

Kalipayan niya ang ti-on sang kapistahan kada Disyembre tungod sa mga pamatan-on. Ka mga inosente sa ila, kadasig mag salig, ka mga dasig intu-on.

Parehos abi kay Jonah, gin bayaan lang siya ka dali sang iya ginikanan, nang laguyaw na siya dayon. Sa pag lagaw-lagaw niya, naka kita siya sang tigulang nga lalaki, may gina sukbit nga sako sa abaga.

“Ikaw si Santa Klaws ay?”, hambal ni Jonah. Nagsabat ang tigulang, “Abaw huo e! Gusto mo sang regalo haw?”

Ang gamay nga si Jonah, nag lingling sa sako, ano bala nga kalipay sang bata nga makabaton bag-o nga hampanganan. Wala gid siya naka pangaman, may nag lampos sang ulo niya kag wala na siya animo.

Hay, ang mga kabataan subong, puros na mga gaka wili sa mga gamit, ka lain man nga gamiton mo na para intuon sila.

Lain naman ni ya ang istorya ni Lualhati. Siya gid ni ang pinaka buotan nga bata nga gina pangamuyo ukon gina gusto nga bata sang isa ka mag-awasa. Ang iya pirme nga ubra, mag bantay sa iya mga kamanghuran.

Isog man ni siya nga bata, sang ging tambangan sila sang tigulang nga lalaki, gina sabad niya ini para lang nga maka dalagan palayo ang manghod niya nga lalaki, kag tungod da, siya ang ging sulod sa sako sang tigulang.

Ari naman ya ang bata nga si Flordeliza, gamay pa lang pero pirte na ka suplada. Indi mo ni ma istorya kung indi mo pag hatagan sang mga dulsi ukon panyam-is.

Ging into-into ini sya sang tigulang nga lalaki pakadto sa isa ka gamay nga alagyan. Bag-o pa siya maka syagit, ging sulod siya dayon sa sako upod sang iban pa nga mga bata.

Si Rizalino naman, pirme lang ga duko-duko ang ulo. Gapati gid abi ang iya ginikanan nga makabulig gid dako ang teknolohiya sa pag padako sa mga pamatan-on.

Kalipay gid niya sang makabaton siya sang tablet. Pila ka mga inoras ang ging kunsumo niya sa paglantaw sang maanyag nga mga kinarton kag mga hampang-hampang. Ging tratar na niya nga iya na kabuhi ang tablet.

Sa subrahan nga kalingaw niya sa tablet, wala gid siya nag abi-abi sa palibot niya, ging palapitan siya gali sang tigulang nga lalaki kag ging sulod sa sako.

Ang pinaka ulihi, si Amor, ang retobada nga bata.  Nag layas ni siya halin sa ila balay kag nag layaw sa banwa kay indi niya gusto mamati sa ginikanan niya pirme lang ga sinilinggitan sa sulod-balay.

Kapila gid mag paandam ang iya ginikanan nga ‘Indi mag-istorya sa mga indi mo kilala’, pero anhon ta ina kay natural nga tig-a ulo man bi ang mga bata. Abi nila daw kabalo na gid sila sang tanan-tanan. Amo na ila panumdumon, pero kung patilawon mo na, dira gid na sila guro mag balalag-o.

Ging sigurado sang tigulang nga lalaki nga kumpleto na ang tanan nga panakot sa iya espesyal nga lulutu-on. ‘Dapat may bilin ni ang lulutu-on para mabaligya niya sa tindahan’, panaahumdom niya sa kaugalingon.

Gakabatyagan niya nga naga giho iya sako. Ang mga bata, amat-amat na nga ga bulugtaw, ka aga pa ni para dira. Halin sa banwa, ging pas-an niya ang prutas sang iya pinangabudlayan kag ging dala pakadto sa gamay niya nga kubo didto sa ka-umahan.

Indi amo ni ang pirme nga gakatabo. Sang una nga tyempo, indi niya kaya nga maka kuha sang madamo nga bata sa gamay lang mga mga inoras.

Ging dumdum niya nga sang una, ang mga maralagson nga kagulangan sa ila lugar, daw isa ka diyamante nga gina amagan ka mga negosyante.

Sang una, ga hulat lang na siya sang mga nag tinalang nga mga bata sa kagulangan kag iya sila kuhaon.

Ang mga ginikanan sang mga nagkala dula nga mga bata, halos aldaw-adlaw maka pamasyar sa iya kag pirme gapamangkot:

“Kita mo amon bata nga babaye?”, “Naka labay ni sila sa imo kubo?”, ” Pwede mo kami mabuligan pangita sa ila?”

Yuhom kaupod sang mga makapalati kag daw sa inosente nga mga tinaga pirme iya sabat. Indi man gid abi mag sulod sa paminsaron nimo nga ang isa ka mal-am, kag ugod-ugod nga lolo, makahimo malain nga butang parehos sang pag kuha sang mga gagmay nga mga bata. Daw ka kaladlawan na ya.

Ga arok-ok sang kakadlaw ang tigulang samtang papuli.

Kagamo sang kwarto sa sulod sang kubo. Ang lugar daw ging tugmawan sang pula nga dagta nga ga bukalwa sa palibot. May ara pa mga ginagmay nga butkon nga makit-an.

Ging butang sang tigulang nga lalaki sako kag nag gululuwa ang lawas sang mga bata. Iban sa ila ga giliho pa, pero kabalo man siya nga indi na sila makabugtaw gid.

Gingkuha na niya ang iya kutsilyo nga panglasā, kag ging handa ang kaugalingon para sa una nga pag ihaw. Ang bata nga baye, is Lualhati, ang pinaka lapit sa iya. Ging panumdom sang tigulang nga maayo ni nga klase ang iya dugo para himuon namit nga dinuguan.

Sang ging alsa sang tigulang ang dako nga kutsilyo, dira nag giho ang bata. Ging gamit niya ang tikod sang iya tiil para igu-on ang tiyan sang tigulang, natumba ang tigulang kag nakasyagit pa sang kasakit nga naaguman.

“Dalagan kamo tanan!”

Nag binangon dayon ang mga kabataan halin sa salog kag naka lab-ot sa pwertahan. Nalab-utan pa sang tigulang ang tiil sang isa ka bata nga lalaki, pero ging kagat sang bata ang iya kamot amo nga nakabuya siya.

Ging lantaw sang tigulang nga maka dalagan ang mga bata halin sa iya kubo. Wala na siya nagtilaw nga la-uton sila, kung maabtan man niya, ma law-ay kaledad sang karne nila. Tig-a na  ina kag ga bahul-bahol ang kusúg nila tungod sa dalagan.

Ging kuha niya ang bangkito kag nag pungko. Dapat na gid nga maghalong na siya sa dason.

Nagtulok siya sa mga madako ang matag.as nga mga establisyemento sang banwa halin sa iya bintana.

Damo pa man mga kabataan a, kinahanglan lang, mangin maagwantahon kag may laba nga pasensya.

Isa pa, amo naman ni ang pirme nga gina ubra niya halin pa sang una nga tyempo.

=——————————–=

English Version

He loved the holiday season, there were so many children, so naïve and trusting.

Take Jonah for example, his parents let him out of their sight for only a few minutes. He wandered off in the mall and happened upon a nice old man carrying a sack.

He asked, “Are you Santa Claus?” and the man replied “Of course I am! Would you like a present?”

Jonah immediately peered into the sack, such was the boy’s excitement in getting a new toy. He didn’t even feel the blow to the back of his head. Kids these days were so materialistic, it would be such a shame if someone took advantage of that.

Lualhati was a different story. She was the most well behaved girl any parent could ask for. She spent her days looking after her little siblings.

She was such a brave girl too, distracting the old man long enough for her little brother to run away. She was no match for him of course, and into the sack she went.

Then there was the girl, Flordeliza, such a snobby little brat. She wouldn’t talk to anyone unless she thought they could give her sweets.

The old man used that to lure her into a nice little alleyway. Before she could even think to scream she was in the sack, along with the other children.

Rizalino always had his head down. His parents believed in letting technology do the brunt of the work when it came to raising children.

He was so proud when he got his tablet, he would spend hours and hours watching his brightly colored cartoons or playing another mind numbing video game. It was as if that screen was his entire world.

He never realized that there were things happening beyond his screen, like a very old man and a sack creeping up behind him.

And finally came Amor, a very troubled child. She would wander around the city because she didn’t feel like listening to her parents getting into a shouting match for the hundredth time.

If she listened to them she might have heard them say ‘Never talk to strangers’, but children can be so stubborn. They always think they know everything. That is, until everything proves them wrong.

The old man checked his list and made sure he had enough for his special recipe, he needed to have some left over to sell to the market, ‘It’s the holidays’ he reminded himself. There would be other chances, he just had to wait.

He could feel the movement coming from the sack. The children were starting to wake up, it was much too soon for that. The old man took the fruits of his labor, far away from the city to his little kubo in the mountains.

It wasn’t always like this, of course. In the old days he would never be able to get this many children in such a short amount of time.

He thought back to when the concrete jungles were a glimmer of inspiration in the eyes of the tycoons, and a sea of green dominated the landscape.

In those times he would have to wait for the odd child to wander into the woods, never to be heard from again. Their parents would come by and ask all the questions a concerned parent needed to ask:

“Have you seen our little girl?” “Did they walk by your kubo?” “Will you help us look for them?”

He would smile and say a few remorseful words. No one would ever think that an old, venerable lolo could have anything to do with the disappearances of a few children. The very thought was laughable.

And he laughed all the way home.

The room inside the kubo was pure chaos. Scarlet stains and misplaced limbs were fighting a battle for supremacy.

The old man put the sack down and five small figures came tumbling out. There was some slight movement, but he knew they wouldn’t regain consciousness for a few more minutes.

He grabbed his lucky cleaver and readied himself for the first chop. The girl, Lualhati, was closest. The old man thought that her blood would make for good dinuguan.

As he raised his knife, she decided to strike. The heel of her foot hit the old man’s stomach, he collapsed to the ground, letting out a scream of pain.

“Everyone run!”

In that instant the four other children woke from their stupor and made for the door. The old man managed to grab the leg of one of the boys, but he bit his hand and the old man lost his grip.

The old man watched as the children fled his kubo. He didn’t bother chasing them, all that running would make their meat tough and stringy.

He pulled up a chair and sat down. He would have to be more careful next time.

The old man glanced outside his window and stared at the tall buildings in the distance.

There would always be more children, and he was nothing if not patient.

After all, he had been doing this for a very, very long time.

————————–————————–————————–—-

*The Hiligaynon language, also colloquially referred often by most of its speakers simply as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 9.1 million people, mainly in Western Visayas and SOCCSKSARGEN, most of whom belong to the Visayan ethnic group, mainly the Hiligaynons. It is the second-most widely spoken language and a member of the so-named Visayan language family and is more distantly related to other Philippine languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Hiligaynon translation by Eloiza Gaduyon
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Eloiza Gaduyon

Inspired by the Tagalog Tigabulak legends

Tigabulak Illustration by Glendford Lumbao

Behance: https://www.behance.net/glendfordlumbao

The post Tigabulak – Hiligaynon Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Cebuano

Ang bulan, nahadlok musilak sa iyang kahayag, misibog luyo sa panganod.

Hingpit. Hunahuna ni Sonja. Unta wala pa sila magsugod nga wala ko.

Ang mga yuring tingog sulod sa baluyot nagkakusog, apan wala’y dili masulbad sa usa ka lasking patid.

Nasayod siya nga aduna’y panglamat nga iyang magamit pagpakatulog kanila, gibatokan ugaling kini niya. Kanunayng nagtuo si Sonja nga ang ginagmayng kahadlok makahimo’g mga katingalahan sa panglasa.

Ang alabtanan anaa sa usa ka kakahoyan sa hilit-hilit sa dakbayan. Sukad pa sa mga adlaw sa mga karaang gingharian magkitaay sila ug mag-inambitay sa bangaw. Usa kadto ka makapahimuot nga kasulian nga ang bangaw atol sa adlawng natawhan sa anak sa ulay.

Giguyod ni Sonja ang baluyot ngadto sa suloran sa kakahoyan. Buntagay ang bangaw ug dili siya buot murisgo. Iyang ibilin iyang mga bitiis sulod sa kakahoyan ug magasaulog tibuok gabii.

Ang nagabantay karon sa kakahoyan usa ka mangingilaw, “Layo man ka sa pinuy-anan,” ingon si Sonja.

“Muadto ko’g asa ko sangpita,” tubag niya.

“Unsa’y imong dala?” Giitsa ni Sonja ang baluyot sa tiilan sa higanti.

“Lab-ason.”

“Alang-alang, mao na’y ampay sa imong matang. Naulhi ba ko?”

“Dayon, manananggal, wala pa mi kasugod.”

Nangagho si Sonja sa kahumpay. Ang sinugdanang panumanan mao’y labing maanindot. Iyang gibilin iyang mga bitiis sa haduol nga kahoy ug miusbong paibabaw.

Didto mitipon siya sa panon, nagatulutuliyok ibabaw sa mga kahoy.

Di-maihap nga mga alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut ug uban pang mga kahadlokang manglupad ang nanagpanglihok nga nanag-abay. Sa kawalad-on sa bulanong kahayag aduna lamang sila’y ilang panimuot nga mugabay kanila sa ilang daotanhong sayaw.

Uban niini ang magahob nga hugyaw sa mga yutan-ong dumuduaw sa gabii. Ang bungisngis, kiwig, ug kulukupap, pipila sa daghan, ang nanagpaulos sa ilang mga tingog alang sa kasaulogan.

Ang panumanan natapos samtang ang hari sa mangkukulam mipahaluna sa truno sa mga bukog ug dugo.

Natingala si Sonja kon unsa ka hapsay ang tanan, matag pundok aduna’y kaugalingong luna sa kakahoyan sa pagtigom og unod alang sa bangaw.

Buot siyang musulay sa lainlaing mga halad ug wala mahibalo og asa mag-una. Ang alimyon sa dugo gikan sa suok sa mga mandurugo nakapalaway kaniya, ang tinagingting sa kulon sa mga pirotso nagtimaila og lab-as nga kabataan, atua’y hugpong sa mga ulo sa saga-ih nga gangkap sa bug-os unod.

Aduna usab ing ‘kinabag-ong’ pag-isip sa mga kinadan-an: Kagumkumong dinuguan nga may pinirito’g ayo nga tinai, tudlo ug kalimutaw ug mga nagauros-uros nga kasingkasing nga may sinalsang utok.

Nagkagutom si Sonja sa matag gutlo ug gipili niya ang dapit tupad kaniya diin ang tigabulak nagbarog. Nagatindog kini atubangan sa talad nga aduna’y dakong tadtaran ug kutsilyo. Mga singgit sa tabang ang nagaaningal sa baluyot likod kaniya nga nakapasadya kang Sonja. Kining unorang pagkalab-as nga hinikay sa tigabulak makaon-kaon gayod unya, gipapili pa ngani niya si Sonja og haing bataa ang iya.

Samtang mitudlo si Sonja sa gamayng babayi, mga lima ka tuig, usa ka kaguliyang ang nagdalugdog duol kaniya.

Ang tigabulak, tataw nga naitok, miingon, “Kinsa’y nagdapit ‘ana dinhi?”

Milupad si Sonja aron tan-awon kon unsa’y nahitabo ug iya dayong nailhan ang mamam, nagasampak sa iyang dalan latas sa bangaw.

Sukad-sukad sa panghitabo mga pila ka bulan niadto, tanan sa mga kahadlokan ang mihanayak pagtago sa bangaw gikan sa mamam, tingali unya og ang kasaulogan mahimong katalagman.

Ang ubang mga higanti ingon sa mangingilaw ug timu-timu namugong-pugong niini, apan ang binuhat di-mapugngan og pagkaon na’y ibayang atubang niini. Dili ngani kini muundang batok sa isigkasapat.

Makita ni Sonja nga isigpangikyas na ang kadaghanan, dala ang ilang bahin sa bangaw uban kanila. Miudyong pa ngani ang usa ka alan labay kaniya, dala ang usa ka gamayng bata.

Kinabuot mao’y nagsugyot kang Sonja nga angay siyang mudalagan og halayo ug madagmit, apan dili niya mapalagiw iyang mata gikan sa talan-awon.

Usa na ka takna sukad ang mamam nagsugod sa iyang pangdagmal. Ang dugoang mga patay nga lawas sa mga bungisngis ug ogro nagdayandayan sa pagpamatay. Kadtong mga nanagpabilin aron bantayan ilang pagkaon nakig-away sa usa ka pildihonong gubat.

Ang mamam wala’y nailhang pag-unong gawas sa kagusla.

Aswang o tawo, gikaon niya kining tanan.

Makita ni Sonja nga aduna’y mga utokang tawo ang nanagpahimulos sa kagubot ug nanagpanalagan alang sa ilang kinabuhi. May mabdos pang babayi ang nakasuot ngadto sa kalasangan samtang nalingag iyang tigdakop nga wakwak.

Wala’y kusog ni panglamat ang makapaundang niini. Ang hari sa mangkukulam nagsugo sa iyang mga babaylan nga manulay pagpahamtang og kasakit sa maong binuhat apan nakapasamot lamang kini sa iyang kagutom. Duha ka mangkukulam ang nahadangat sa ilang kataposan sa dihang gilamoy sila sa mamam og tibuok.

Sa hinagdawan ang mamam mibarog. Wala’y minatay, wala’y bukog aron sa pagtimaan sa agi sa iyang paglabay.

Gipanguha ni Sonja ang mga pinamatay ug mikalagiw ngadto sa iyang mga bitiis, ang iyang tiyan haw-ang sa gabii sa bangaw.

=———————————–=

English Version

The moon, afraid to shine its light, retreated behind the clouds.

Perfect. Sonja thought. I hope they didn’t start without me.

The muffled voices inside the bag were starting to get louder, but nothing a swift kick wouldn’t fix. She knew there was magic that she could use to put them to sleep, she decided against it though. Sonja always thought that a little fear did wonders for flavor.

The meeting spot was in a grove in the outskirts of the city. Since the days of the old kingdoms they would meet and share in the feast. It was an amusing irony that the feast was on the same day as the birth of the virgin’s child.

Sonja dragged the sack to the entrance of the grove. The feast would take all night and she didn’t want to take any risks. She would leave her legs inside the grove and celebrate throughout the night.

Guarding the grove this time was a mangingilaw. “You’re far from home,” Sonja said.
“I go where I am invited,” he replied.

“What did you bring?” Sonja tossed the bag to the giant’s feet.

“Something raw.”

“Of course, that’s what your kind likes. Am I late?”

“Enter, mananaggal, we have not yet started.”

Sonja sighed with relief. The opening ceremony was the best part. She left her legs by a nearby tree and soared upwards.

There she joined the flock, swirling above the trees.

Countless alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut and other flying horrors moved in tandem. Without moonlight they only had their intuition to guide their sinister dance.

Accompanying this was the raucous roar of the terrestrial guests of the night. The bungisngis, kiwig and kulukupap, among many others, lent their voices to the celebration.

The ceremony ended as the king of the mangkukulam took his place on the throne of bones and blood.

Sonja was surprised how orderly everything was, each group had their own space in the grove to gather meat for the feast.

She wanted to try the different offerings and didn’t know where to start. The scent of blood from the mandurugo corner made her salivate, the clang from the pirotso’s pot signaled fresh children, there was a collection of heads by the saga-ih complete with the flesh intact.

There were also more ‘modern’ takes on the classics: Crispy dinuguan with deep fried lamang-loob, finger and eyeball bulalo and sizzling hearts with brain sauce.

Sonja was getting hungrier by the minute and she chose the spot beside her where a tigabulak stood. He was standing in front of a table with a large cutting board and a cleaver. Cries of help were echoing from the sack behind him, filling Sonja with glee. Such fresh meat prepared by a tigabulak would be quite a delicacy, he even let Sonja choose which child.

As Sonja was pointing to a small girl, about five years old, a commotion was thundering near her.

The tigabulak, visibly annoyed, said, “Who invited that here?”

Sonja flew up to see what was happening and she immediately recognized the mamam, pushing its way through the feast.

Ever since the incident many moons ago, all of the horrors decided to hide the feast from the mamam, lest the celebration turn into disaster.

The other giants like the mangingilaw and timu-timu were trying to hold it off, but the creature was unstoppable once food was placed in front of him. It would not even stop against a fellow halimaw.

Sonja could see that most were already trying to escape, taking their share of the feast with them. An alan even darted past her, carrying a small child.

Instinct told Sonja that she should run far and run fast, but she couldn’t take her eyes away from the spectacle.

It had been an hour since the mamam started its rampage. The bloodied corpses of the bungisngis and ogro decorating the slaughter. Those that stayed to guard their food were fighting a losing battle.

The mamam knew no allegiance apart from hunger.

Aswang or human, it ate them all the same.

Sonja could see clever humans taking advantage of the chaos and running for their lives. A pregnant woman even managed to slip into the forest while her wak-wak captor was distracted.

No might or magic could stop it. The king of the mangkukulam had his witches try inflicting pain on the creature but that only seemed to make it even hungrier. Two mangkukulam met their end when the mamam swallowed them whole.

In the aftermath the mamam stood. No corpses, no bones to mark the trail of its passing.

Sonja took in the carnage and fled to her legs, her stomach empty on the night of the feast.

*The Cebuano language, alternatively called Cebuan and also often colloquially albeit informally referred to by most of its speakers simply as Bisaya (“Visayan”, not to be confused with other Visayan languages nor Brunei Bisaya language), is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 21 million people, mostly in Central Visayas, western parts of Eastern Visayas and most parts of Mindanao, most of whom belong to various Visayan ethnolingusitic groups, mainly the Cebuanos. It is the by far the most widely spoken of the Visayan languages, which are in turn part of wider the Philippine languages. The reference to the language as Bisaya is not encouraged anymore by linguists due to the many languages within the Visayan language group that may be confused with the term.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Cebuano Translation by Francis Triexl Kyle Gobi
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Francis Triexl Kyle Gobi

Inspired by the Mamam description in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.

Mamam Illustration by Jesus Miguel Ofalsa

FB: https://www.facebook.com/artsofperdiyo/

The post Mamam – Cebuano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Cuyonon

Ako ang barasolon sa tanang natabo.

Ingpanemdeman na kong sadin nagimpisa ang tanan. Klaro ron da nga lagi ang manga sinialis datong ona pa lamang; dan lamang, mas naintindian na i’ dogang ang tanan dadi. Nagapangamoyo tana sa Dios adlaw-adlaw nga kabay pang loasen tana sa anang kabedlay nga dia. Matod nga paloa lamang ang tanan, maski papanarien tana ren i’ ang Ginoo, ang anang leba indi kapameyeng asta indi na matapos ang anang pinitinsia.

Dorong ka silinsio ang apon datong nagbalik anang asawang babai. Ingsogata na anang asawa sa airport  nga maambeng ang leba. Datong sa impayangat pa ang anang asawa, pirming nasasambit i’ anang asawa sa anang manga solat kong moro i’ ramig sa pamati ang klima doto. Ang ramig kono mara sa molto nga midiong agasedep sa imong lawas asta sa imong ogat.

Ingpaoliolian na anang leba i’ anang asawa. Mabael nga pagantos don ang ingsoprir i’ anang asawa ig anang aliagan lamang ang magtinir den lamang anang asawa sa andang balay. Maski ara na pa nababati ang intirong istoria alin sa anang asawa, naelaman na nga ara ibang andem anang asawa kong indi ang lipatan den lamang ang tanan.

Sa oring solat nga anang narisibi alin sa anang asawa, ingistoria ‘ang babai kong pasamoro nga indi tana ren maliag nga kaparaye pa i’ oman sa anang pamilia. Nagsigondar tana, madali lamang manda pangitaen ang koarta. Mas maayad pa nga makaimbeng na anang asawa agod magbaskeg ig maeget pa andang pagtarabidan bilang pamilia.

Dato anang kalaem.

Nagapamaso ang singsing nga anang ingsosot. Nabereng tana kong ayamo ingsosot na pa dia, agpanemdem ang anang painoino mintras nasisirakan ang singsing i’ ang bolan nga nagamora. Nagileng-ileng tana ig ingsamitan na nga biringen anang pagirisipen sa ibang betang. Ingpangita na ang anang asawa sa apat ka manga bario nga basipang maabotan na pa tana bago tana pa magpalagiaw i’ oman.

Anang kalaem ang ona mapepegengan na anang asawa bago tana magkatinir i’ bagong biktima tenged madali tana lamang sagiapen. Dan lamang, sa primirong bolan anang pagsaragiapen kanana, kaministiran nang risiben sa anang sadili ang pira ka manga betang.

Mas mabaskeg anang asawa kisa kanana. Mas madasig anang asawa.

Ig mi kaakig anang asawa nga indi na nged mapainoinoan.

Pamatian na mas nagbegat ang singsing sa anang alima piro anang singgat nagapademdem kanana i’ ibang betang. Dia maman anang kros nga kaministirang pasanen ig mi darwa lamang ka pamaagi agod dia matapos.

Pagkatapos ang saka dominggo nga pagpanari, datong madora ren ang pilay i’ ang biahi, nagimpisa tana ren i’ tabang-tabang  sa manga orobraen sa balay. Nalilipay andang manga batang lalaki tenged nagbalik den andang nanay. Ara i’ pedped nga aminado ang asawang lalaki nga kakapamaray-baray tana nga makita anang asawa nga napakigonotan sa anang manga bata.

Datong ingrisibi ’anang asawa ang oportonidad nga magobra sa impayangat, andang manga bata doro pang kairintek agod maintindian ang sakripisio na anang boboaten. Ang adlaw nga maggalin tana, ingkepkepan na i’ maiget anang manga bata ig nagtipan tana nga magabalik tana ra nga lagi. Nagkon tana nga mamalen na sanda i’ ang bogos sa anang tagiposon asta’ inoro.

Ang oring ingpakitaw na sa anang asawa ang magtipan tana nga maski anong matabo, titipigan ig papalanggaen na andang manga bata.

Ara i’ pagdarwang isip nga nagtipan da anang asawang lalaki.

Nagkaway-kaway sanda nga nagapaelam sa isara mi isara  ig nagpadayon sa andang bagong kaboi, nagaelat kong inoro ang timpo nga makokomplito sanda reman i’ oman.

Saben dato ron ang oring timpo nga tana tao pa.

Datong primirong nagpalagiaw anang asawa, pagkatapos ‘ang natabo, ingboat na ang tanan-tanan agod elamen kong ano enged ang natabo sa anang ingpakonang logar. Indi tana man kapakon doto piro naelaman na nga mi komonidad i’ ang manga Pilipino kong adin nagaistar anang asawa.

Nagsolat tana kananda ig makakakelba andang sabat.

Andang kon, ara tana enged iistoria ang natetenged sa anang agalen. Kada mi ponsia obin pagtirimes, kadagmitan nagaboat tana i’ lompia ig nagaistoria ang ibang betang kapario ang anang pamilia nga nasala ig kong pasamoro tana ren nanaidlaw kananda. Isara sa manga Pilipino doto ay nars kanodaya ig nasambit manda ang nars nga dato nga midio sa mi iba sa anang manga mata. Maski moro kono tana nagapatikaseg nga itago dia, masasalamin pa ra enged ang kaadlek.

Nagbales i’ solat ang nars kong anono ang anang naelaman natetenged sa agalen i’ anang asawa. Primiro, isara tanang Pilipino nga nakadangat i’ kaayadan sa ibang nasion, dan lamang beken tana kono i’ sigorado sa anang nabati. Anang bilin kono nga marigen i’ ang agalen, kaministiran Pilipina ang nars nga magasirbi kanana sibayang magaobligar tana pa magbayad mabael nga kantidad.

Ang iba nagakon nga kaministiran konong magalin sa Pilipinas i’ ang agalen anang asawa tenged tana mi anang pamilia nagomon sa manga iligal nga nigosio. Ang iba i’ na nagakon nga ang asawa ‘ang agalen napatay nga lagi bago magdarwa kadagon sandang kinasal, nagalin tana agod kapalagiaw sa manga sospitsa. Mi manga maayad dang istoria kapario ang nagpakon tana kono sa ibang nasion agod tawan i’ matinlong kaboi anang pamilia.

Indi katabang ang manga nagasoroagan nga manga istoria.

Maski ang natabo indi maintindian.

Pasamoro naboat i’ ang babai dato sa pamilia nga anang inggegegman?

Ori tana ren.

Pirmi tana lamang nanaori.

Dadi i’ na, isarang pamilia nga mi tatlo ka mimbro ang anang biktima. Bataen pa ang magasawa ig andan mi matinlo pang paaraboton. Andang manga lawas nga naimpisan den i’ kabkab ay nakitang nagwarasag-wasag sa andang salas. Kong seselengen, midio nagbatok pa ang tatay;  dan lamang, anang malalabeg nga koko ang nagteray-teray kanana.

Matapos ang pira kadagon nga tola’diang natatabo, naanad tana ren animan pamatian na ara tana ren mi nasisintian.

Ingbilang na oman ang patay ig ingdogang na sa mas nagatas pang nomiro.

147.

147 nga manga inosinting kaboi.

147 ka manga tao nga andang dogo nagamantsa sa anang manga alima.

Naelaman na nga padayon pang magatas ang manga nomiro poira ren lamang kong taposon na kong anoman ang ingimpisan i’ anang asawa.

Makakakadlaw kong isipen nga madali tana lamang andan matoman. Ara na moro isasari i’ tagoan anang pali. Anang dalanen nagarombo sa Panay ig sa onan pang manga logar. Ori tanang nakita sa Tuguegarao, Cagayan de Oro, Mindoro, ig Puerto Princesa. Anang istoria nabati i’ ang manga bastek nga ingpapaandam i’ andang gorang-gorang nga kong sanda magpasotil ngani, sanda bebelen na labi pa kong gabi.

Naelaman na nga maski magdaeg tana man, ang istoria natetenged sa anang asawa indi ren madora.

Dan lamang indi ren makilala ‘ang manga tao ang nalipatan deng karakter sa istoria.

Ang tatay nga nagasagiap i’ kaloasan paagi sa pagpamales, ang asawang lalaki nga ara nga lagi ipalaman sa manga sinialis, ang lalaki nga ara ibang andem kong indi ang makomplito i’ oman anang pamilia.

Mainstras nagatindeg tana sa dogo i’ ang bagong biktima i’ anang asawa, nagapainoino tana kong ading kataposan ang magadaeg. Ang kanana o sa anang asawa?

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English Version

It’s all my fault.

He thinks back to when it all started. The signs were obvious, but he had the benefit of hindsight to guide him now. He prayed every day that God would deliver him from this labor. That was just for show of course, even if the lord told him to stop, in his heart he couldn’t go on until he fulfilled his penance.

It was a quiet afternoon when she came back. He met her at the airport with all the warmth he could muster. During her stay abroad, she would always write about how the cold made her feel. She described it as the chill becoming a ghost, doing everything possible to find a way into your veins.

He told her it didn’t matter. She had gone through a great ordeal and he wanted to get her settled in their home. He still hadn’t heard the whole story from her, but he could see in her eyes that she just wanted to forget. In the last letter she sent she wrote about how she couldn’t be away from her family anymore. He agreed, money be damned. He would see his wife through this and their family would come out stronger.

At least that’s what he believed.

The wedding ring on his finger burned. He wondered why he still wore it, considering the memories that played through his mind when it reflected the moonlight. He shook his head and tried to focus. He tracked her here through four different barrios and hoped that he could get to her before she ran away.

In the beginning, he foolishly thought that he would be able to stop her before she claimed another victim, after all she was easy to spot. In the harsh light of day that followed his first month of pursuing her, he had to admit to himself.

She was stronger. She was faster.

She possessed more cruelty than he could ever understand.

The ring felt heavy in his hand, but its glint reminded him of something else. This was his cross to bear, and there were only two ways it could ever end.

After a week of readjustment, she had fixed her jet lag and began to help around the house. The boys were thrilled to have their mother back. He wasn’t afraid to admit that the sight of her, playing with the children she had left, brought tears to his eyes.

When she accepted the offer to go abroad their children were too young to understand the sacrifice she was about to endure. That day, she hugged them tight and promised them that she would be back as soon as she can. She told them she would love them forever.

The last thing that she asked of him was to give his word that he would take care of their children.

There was no hesitation when he made that oath.

They waved goodbye and settled into their new lives, waiting for the day they would be complete again.

Maybe that was the last time she was truly human.

When she fled the first time, after the incident, he did all he could to find out what really happened abroad. He couldn’t travel there himself, but he knew that there was a community of Filipinos where she had stayed.

He wrote to them and their answers were troubling.

They said she never talked about her employer. During their gatherings she would make lumpia and talk about other things like her family back home and how much she missed them. One of the Filipinos there was an old nurse and she mentioned that there was something in her eyes. No matter how hard she tried to mask it, she was afraid.

The nurse wrote back about what she knew about the employer. First that he was a fellow Filipino that gained success abroad, though through which channels she wasn’t sure. He had specifically requested a Filipina be his caregiver and he was willing to pay a good amount of money for it.

Apart from that the nurse only had rumors that weren’t much help. Some said that he had to leave the Philippines because his family was involved in illegal ventures. Others say his wives never lived past two years of marriage and he left to avoid suspicion. There were kinder stories where he left to give his family a better life.

All these conflicting stories made no sense.

What happened made no sense.

How could she do that to the family she loved?

He was too late.

He was always too late.

This time it was a family of three, a young couple that had a bright future ahead of them. Their half-eaten corpses scattered around what remained of their sala*. It looked like the father tried to fight her off but her claws ripped through him easily.

After years of this game he was already numb to all emotions but one.

He counted again and added it to the growing number.

147.

147 innocent lives.

147 people whose blood was on his hands.

He knew that number would not stop growing, not until he finished what she started.

It was almost funny that she was so easy to track. She didn’t even try to hide the scar. Her path cut through the towns of Panay and even beyond. She was seen in Tuguegarao, Cagayan de Oro, Mindoro and Puerto Princesa. Her story was heard by children whose parents warned them that she would take them in the night if they were disobedient.

He knew that even if he succeeded, her legend would live on.

But they would never know of the forgotten character of the story.

The father seeking redemption in revenge, the husband that ignored the warnings, the man that only wanted his family to be complete.

As he stood over the blood of her latest victims, he wondered which ending would prevail?

His triumph?

Or hers?

*Living room

*Cuyonon is a regional Visayan language spoken on the coast of Palawan, and the Cuyo Islands in the Philippines.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Cuyonon Translation provided by Elyn Grace S. Bagalay & Ryan D. Ibañez
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Elyn Grace S. Bagalay & Ryan D. Ibañez

Inspired by the Maria Labo Urban Legends

Maria Labo Illustration by Sandra Sison

The post Maria Labo – Cuyonon Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

Her fingers fly through the pages, another day, another mark, another meal.

“Most Eligible Bachelors in Manila.” Today was looking extra delicious.

Her top mark was Arrevelo Moreno, founder of Noir Wines. The article called him “The next big thing in the F&B industry.”

A connoisseur, this one might prove a challenge and a challenge is all that she needed.

See, she had perfected her game stretching centuries back, it was all too easy in the past to scrounge for her next meal.

She was beautiful, and sometimes that was enough.

But enough was never enough.

Through the years she had gotten bored of eating for survival. She called others like her ‘Pathetic’ for being guided by their stomachs.

The tender light from the moon illuminated her room and settled on a barong that lay in the corner of her room.

What was his name again?

Hidalgo or something close. She was just a young waif then, having recently been initiated in the ways of those like her.

He was a nervous young man, never believing that he was handsome or accomplished enough for her. Those things didn’t matter to her then. Once she saw how healthy and well-fed he was her belly grumbled.

And then came the nights.

The sunlight was her enemy, temporarily negating her powers. But it was easy enough to excuse herself from the day by saying she had ’sensitive’ skin. Her fiancé believed her of course, anything out of her mouth was gospel to him.

She prepared herself for the first night, remembering the words of her elders.

There were two ways to feed, one was to let her tongue taper to that of a needle and prick her victim’s neck. Another way (and one she preferred) was to insert her tongue into her victim’s mouth and imbibe the flowing blood, making it look like she was passionately kissing him.

How many times had she kissed a man like that, she wondered? Hundreds, thousands?

That was the truth of youth, at least with her kind. Feeding was their only prerogative, everything else was secondary.

Until it became boring.

Seduce. Feed. Flee. Repeat.

It was on the advent of this century that she decided to challenge herself.

Her victims became more and more powerful.

Artists, politicians, businessmen, the more famous the better. It was the thrill of almost being caught that fueled her frenzy.

Of course that meant she needed to change as well.

She never had to deal with camera phones centuries prior but that was part of the fun.

It was amazing what she could do with a little makeup and some wigs. No one that knew her had ever seen her real face.

But back to Arrevelo. It seemed that he fancied the nightlife around the district of Poblacion. The word through the grapevine was that he was always at one specific bar he would always go to.

Now what did he like? Research was almost as fun as finishing the hunt.

She searched through the society magazines, social media and random rumors to get an idea of what he was looking for, physically at least.

Slim, Morena and artsy, that was his last girlfriend. And his last before that. Sometimes this was too easy.

Going up to him was no issue, he was already inebriated by the time she got to him. The thick smell of his cologne was suffocating, but she was in too deep to disengage.

They couldn’t hear each other over the roar of the music which was wonderful. Small talk made her skin crawl.

She kissed him right on the dance floor, her tongue the thrill was indescribable, feeding right in front of everyone at the bar.

The rest of the bar patrons cheered as they kissed in the dim light. She took him by the hand and lead him out of the bar into a nearby alley.

It was already at its peak point, she could not resist the hunger anymore. She forced her tongue down his throat and reveled in the sweet taste of blood.

Her blouse was stained wine-red as she observed the grisly scene. It was still dark out and this meant she was able to transform into her bird-form.

She flew, barreling down the skyscrapers and taking in the few stars that were visible.

This was the best day of her life.

Until the next one.

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Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Mandurugo description in The Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology, Maximo Ramos, Phoenix Publishing, 1990 and 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang. Samar. 2015

Anggitay Illustration by Abe Joncel Guevarra
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joncel/

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