*Note this story is in Tagalog

Ito ay isang kuwento mula sa unang panahon.

Noong mga panahong iyon, ang budhi ng mga tao ay maitim at puno ng inggit at pagmamaliit.

Sa isang lugar na tinatawag na Talubin, mayroong dalawang magkapatid, isang mayaman at isang dukha. Nangaso isang araw ang kapatid na dukha at hinabol niya at ng kanyang mga aso ang kanilang biktima patungo sa ilog. Nang isaksak niya ang kanyang sibat sa tinutugis, sumisid ito sa tubig at sumunod ang mangangaso.

Bigla siyang napunta sa isang kakatwang daigdig, isang daigdig na labis siyang natakot.

Dagdag pa sa kanyang pagkabalisa, nilapitan siya ng diwata ng Kasanaan, si Ob-obanan, na ang pangalan ay nangangahulugang putting buhok.

Kinompronta ng diwata ang mangangaso, sinasabing siya raw ang ang nagnanakaw ng mga baboy at kalabaw nito sa mga nagdaang taon.

Itinanggi ito ng mangangaso at sinabing hindi siya mangangaso.

Doon, ipinakita ng diwata sa mangangaso ang sibat niya, at sinabing sa kanya ata ang sibat.

Mabilis mag-isip, sabi ng mangangaso na pinapaliguan niya ang kanyang anak sa may lanaw. Nagmakaawa siya sa diwata na hayaan siyang makitang muli ang kanyang anak.

Nang narinig ito ni Ob-obanan, pinalapit nito ang mangangaso. Kumuha ito ng pambalo at dinikdik ang isang di-malamang bagay. Habang takot na nanonood ang mangangaso, nakita niya na ang puwit nito ay tumutugon kasabay ng pagdidikdik nito.

Tinanong ng diwata kung bakit hindi siya tumatawa, sapagkat hindi ba’t katawa-tawa ang kanyang ginagawa?

Sumagot ang mangagaso na nag-aalala pa rin siya sa kanyang anak.

Sinabihan naman ni Ob-obanan ng mangangaso na alisin ang lisa mula sa buhok nito. Nakita ng mangangaso na ang lisang tinutukoy nito ay mga langgam, alupihan, at iba pang peste na ngayo’y kaaway na ng sangkatauhan. Inalis niya ang mga ito sa buhok ni Ob-obanan, at hinagis sa likod niya.

Namangha ang diwata at ngumiti.

Binigyan niya ang mangangaso ng parihabang sisidlan na tinahi mula sa ratan. Sinabihan siya ng diwata na dalhin ito sa bangan at sa sumunod na araw, isagawa ang isang ritwal na tinatawag na cañao ng isang baka at limang manok para kay Ob-obanan. Ito ay upang magdala ng kasaganaan sa kanyang pamilya. Binalaan siya nito na huwag na huwag bubuksan ang sisidlan at sa tuwing gagawin niya ang cañao ng manok at baboy, na dapat ilagay niya ang apdo at taba sa ibabaw.

At sa isang iglap, napunta siya sa tabing-ilog, binabati ng kanyang mga aso.

Alinsunod sa panuto ng diwata, hiniram niya ang isang baka mula sa kanyang mayamang kapatid para sa cañao at sa sumunod na pagsikat ng araw, nagsimula ang ritwal. Inanyayahan ang lahat ng kanyang kamag-anak sa salusalo na tumagal ng buong araw.

Nang sinuri ang lamang-loob ng mga ibong pangseremonya, maganda ang mga pangitain, sa kabila ng pangungutya ng mayamang kapatid sa nangyayari.

Hindi nakalimutan ng mangangaso ang mga sinabi ng diwata.

Lumipas ang mga taon at ang palay sa bangan ng mangangaso ay laging puno. Tinanong ng mayamang kapatid kung paano ito nangyari.

Doon na ikinuwento ng mangangaso sa kanyang kapatid ang karanasan niya sa Kasanaan.

Subalit hindi ikinuwento ng mangangaso ang buong kuwento, bilang paghihiganti sa kayabangan ng mayamang kapatid, at ang sinabi ng mangangaso ay kabaligtaran ng mga ginawa niya nang nakaharap ang diwata.

Sabik na sabik, hiniram kinabukasan ng mayamang kapatid ang mga aso ng kanyang kapatid at nangaso. Natagpuan niya ang isang malaking lalaking usa sa parehong lanaw mula sa kuwento ng kapatid niya, at lumundag siya kasunod ng biktima.

Natagpuan ng mayamang kapatid ang sarili sa tuyong lupa at kaharap ang diwatang puti ang buhok.

Ipinakita ni Ob-obanan sa kanya ang sibat niya at inamin ng mayamang kapatid na kanya ito.

Tapos, pinalapit siya nito upang panoorin itong magdikdik gamit ang pambalo. Nakita niya ang pulang puwit nito na tumutugon sa pagdikdik at tumawa siya nang tumawa, hanggang sumakit ang tagiliran.

Pinakiusapan siya ng diwata na alisin ang mga lisa nito, ngunit sabi niya na gawin na lang nito mag-isa sapagkat napagod siya kakatawa.

Nagdilim ang mukha ni Ob-obanan. Kinagat nito ang labi at nagbigay ng isang sisidlang kawangis sa ibinigay nito sa kanyang kapatid.

Sinabihan siya nito na iuwi ito at dalhin lahat ng miyembro ng pamilya niya sa bangan pagpatak ng hatinggabi. Sabi nito na kapag nakasara na ang pinto, maaari na niyang buksan ang sisidlan upang makita ang kanyang gantimpala.

Nang wala man lang pasasalamat, sinunod ng mayamang kapatid ang panuto ng diwata.

At pinakawalan ang peste.

Nang mabuksan ang sisidlan, lahat ng insekto at mga reptil ay nakawala at nilamon lahat ng tao sa bangan.

Magmula noon, ang mga peste ay nanatili bilang parusa sa bisyo ng sangkatauhan.

=——————————=

English Version

This is a story from the beginning of the world.

In those times the morals of humans were corrupted and there was much bitterness and contempt.

There lived two brothers in the place called Talubin, one rich and one poor. The poor brother went hunting one day and he and his dogs chased their prey to the river. When he planted his spear in his quarry it dived into the water and the hunter followed.

Suddenly he was transported to a strange world, one where he was badly frightened.

To add to his confusion, he was approached by the goddess of the underworld, Ob-obanan, whose name means white hair.

The goddess confronted the hunter saying that he was the one who had been stealing her pigs and carabaos all these years.

The hunter denied the goddess and said that he was no hunter.

To that, the goddess showed the hunter his spear, and said that the spear should be his.

The hunter, thinking quickly said that he was bathing his boy by the pond. He pleaded with the goddess to let him see his boy again.

Hearing this, the Ob-obanan beckoned the hunter to come near her. She took a pestle and began pounding an unknown thing. As the hunter watched in dread he saw that her rectum reacted in unison with her pounding.

The goddess asked why he did not laugh, for wasn’t her action laughable?

The hunter answered that he was still worried about his boy.

Ob-obanan then said to the hunter to remove the lice from her hair. The hunter saw that the lice she was talking about were ants, centipedes and other vermin that are now man’s enemies. He removed them from her hair, tossing them behind him.

The goddess was impressed and began to smile.

She gave the hunter a rectangular bamboo basket woven from rattan. The goddess instructed him to bring it to his granary and on the next day perform a ritual called the cañao of one cow and five chickens for her. This was to bring prosperity to his family. She warned him never to open the basket and that every time he would perform a cañao of chickens and pigs that he should put the gall bladder and the fatty portions on top.

And in an instant, he was transported to the river bank, greeted by his dogs.

Following the goddess’ instructions, he loaned a cow for the cañao from his rich brother, and on the next sunrise the ritual began. All of his relatives were invited to the feast which lasted the whole day.

When the entrails of the ceremonial fowls were inspected, the omens were agreeable, despite the rich brother’s mockery of the situation.

The hunter never forgot the goddess’ words.

The years passed and the palay (rice) in the hunter’s granary was always full. The rich brother asked the hunter how could this be.

It was then that the hunter told his brother about his adventure in the underworld.

The hunter did not tell the whole story though, as retaliation for the rich brother’s arrogance, the hunter told the opposite of his actions when faced with the goddess.

In a state of anticipation, the next day the rich brother borrowed his brother’s dogs and went hunting. He found a great stag at the same pond from his brother’s story and dived after the prey.

The rich brother found himself on dry land and was faced with the white-haired goddess.

Ob-obanan showed him his spear and the rich brother admitted it was his.

Then, she beckoned him to watch her pound with her pestle. He saw her red rectum reacting to the pounding and laughed so hard his sides ached.

The goddess then asked him to remove her lice, but he told her to do it herself as he was tired from laughing.

Ob-obanan’s countenance became menacing. She bit her lips and gave a basket that was identical to the one she gave his brother.

She told him to take it home and bring all the members of his family to the granary at midnight. She said that when the door is closed he may open the basket to find his reward.

Without even a word of thanks the rich brother followed her instructions.

And unleashed the vermin.

Once the basket was opened, all manner of insects and reptiles were set loose and they devoured all the humans in the granary.

From then on, these pests remained as punishment for man’s vices.

=———————————=

Retold from The Origin of the First Insects and Reptiles, EC Almendral, “Talulbin Folklore” (1972), found in Philippine Folk Lliterature: The Myths edited by Damiana Eugenio

Illustration by Pam Isleta

This is a story from the beginning of the world.

In those times the morals of humans were corrupted and there was much bitterness and contempt.

There lived two brothers in the place called Talubin, one rich and one poor. The poor brother went hunting one day and he and his dogs chased their prey to the river. When he planted his spear in his quarry it dived into the water and the hunter followed.

Suddenly he was transported to a strange world, one where he was badly frightened.

To add to his confusion, he was approached by the goddess of the underworld, Ob-obanan, whose name means white hair.

The goddess confronted the hunter saying that he was the one who had been stealing her pigs and carabaos all these years.

The hunter denied the goddess and said that he was no hunter.

To that, the goddess showed the hunter his spear, and said that the spear should be his.

The hunter, thinking quickly said that he was bathing his boy by the pond. He pleaded with the goddess to let him see his boy again.

Hearing this, the Ob-obanan beckoned the hunter to come near her. She took a pestle and began pounding an unknown thing. As the hunter watched in dread he saw that her rectum reacted in unison with her pounding.

The goddess asked why he did not laugh, for wasn’t her action laughable?

The hunter answered that he was still worried about his boy.

Ob-obanan then said to the hunter to remove the lice from her hair. The hunter saw that the lice she was talking about were ants, centipedes and other vermin that are now man’s enemies. He removed them from her hair, tossing them behind him.

The goddess was impressed and began to smile.

She gave the hunter a rectangular bamboo basket woven from rattan. The goddess instructed him to bring it to his granary and on the next day perform a ritual called the cañao of one cow and five chickens for her. This was to bring prosperity to his family. She warned him never to open the basket and that every time he would perform a cañao of chickens and pigs that he should put the gall bladder and the fatty portions on top.

And in an instant, he was transported to the river bank, greeted by his dogs.

Following the goddess’ instructions, he loaned a cow for the cañao from his rich brother, and on the next sunrise the ritual began. All of his relatives were invited to the feast which lasted the whole day.

When the entrails of the ceremonial fowls were inspected, the omens were agreeable, despite the rich brother’s mockery of the situation.

The hunter never forgot the goddess’ words.

The years passed and the palay (rice) in the hunter’s granary was always full. The rich brother asked the hunter how could this be.

It was then that the hunter told his brother about his adventure in the underworld.

The hunter did not tell the whole story though, as retaliation for the rich brother’s arrogance, the hunter told the opposite of his actions when faced with the goddess.

In a state of anticipation, the next day the rich brother borrowed his brother’s dogs and went hunting. He found a great stag at the same pond from his brother’s story and dived after the prey.

The rich brother found himself on dry land and was faced with the white-haired goddess.

Ob-obanan showed him his spear and the rich brother admitted it was his.

Then, she beckoned him to watch her pound with her pestle. He saw her red rectum reacting to the pounding and laughed so hard his sides ached.

The goddess then asked him to remove her lice, but he told her to do it herself as he was tired from laughing.

Ob-obanan’s countenance became menacing. She bit her lips and gave a basket that was identical to the one she gave his brother.

She told him to take it home and bring all the members of his family to the granary at midnight. She said that when the door is closed he may open the basket to find his reward.

Without even a word of thanks the rich brother followed her instructions.

And unleashed the vermin.

Once the basket was opened, all manner of insects and reptiles were set loose and they devoured all the humans in the granary.

From then on, these pests remained as punishment for man’s vices.

=——————————————————–=

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Retold from The Origin of the First Insects and Reptiles, EC Almendral, “Talulbin Folklore” (1972), found in Philippine Folk Lliterature: The Myths edited by Damiana Eugenio

Illustration by Pam Isleta