The scent was carried by the western wind.

Deer? No not gamey enough.

Wait. I know this one.

The olfactory sense, the one she was most proud of was weak tonight. In normal days she could identify the musk of a carabao or even the scent of freshly cut undergrowth at a great distance.

Yes.

Humans.

Not the stringy kind, she thought, much more tender.

It had been a while since she had eaten juveniles. They were faster than the older ones, but the sweet taste of their flesh lingered on her tongue, long after that meal.

Three?

No. Two.
The wafting of the breeze emboldened her.

A great vintage. She said to no one in particular.

One male. Seven years old, very nervous. Sweating too much. A bit heavy set.

Another one. Female. Related to the boy. Old enough to have passed puberty. She seems to be the one leading them both through the forest.

Leading them to her first meal in a while.

Small game was what the giantess had been subsisting on for the past few weeks. She brought them to her cave, the soft light of the small fire exuding some form of comfort in her bleak existence.

She was an outcast even among the giants. She was not the strong Bungisngis, the fearsome Dambuhala or the oath sworn Sarimao.

She was Bekat, the giantess who could smell.

And today she was hungry.

The humans were in the part of the forest where the river ran.

Perfect. She could wash the meat without having to inconvenience herself.

She took a large log, felled from a narra tree and started her hunt.

That smell again.

She could tell by the scent that both of them were sweating, their adrenaline seeping out of their bodies.

Her belly growled. All she had to do was get close enough for one swipe. Just one.

The girl screamed, giving ample time for the boy to run away.

Bekat grabbed her quarry, the girl struggling to escape her grasp.

She smelled something on the girl, a kind of perfume or a lip balm? Bekat never liked eating those, they tasted like chemicals and preservatives.

It was time to drown her prey. The cold waters of the river would rush away any unwanted flavors.

“Wait!” The girl said. “Do not drown me giant, my flesh will be tough!”

Bekat reflected, had all her drowned prey been tough to chew? That may have been the case.

The giantess sat down, the girl still struggling against her grip.

“Hmmm.. How should I deal with you, child?”

“You could release me, giant. I can bring you many more humans.”

“I could not eat all of you given the chance. I only want a light meal.”

“then what kind of meal do you want to have?”

“Something plump and juicy.”
“I can get you my brother! All you need is to let me go and I can bring him!”
“What if you run away?”
“I will not, I promise.”
So Bekat let her go and waited.

The sun set and she waited.

Twilight passed and she waited.

“Damn, fooled again,” she said.

It was not the first time she was tricked like this and it wouldn’t be the last. Her strength equaled her ignorance.

She smelled a whiff of deer in the air.

And resumed her hunt.

=———————————-=

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Bekat description in The Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology, Maximo Ramos, Phoenix Publishing, 1990.

Bekat Illustration by emirajuju
IG: https://www.instagram.com/emirajuju/

The post Bekat appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Chavacano/ Chabacano Caviteno

El monstruo del Rio Linothangan

Una mujer tá de pie na orilla de rio ta buscando de mana respuestas. No sabe ele porque tana este lugar ele otra vez. Deseo de ele antes pa, di rompí el mana grillos de este pequeñito pueblo y man arriesgá na mundo mas grande, para difundir sus mana alas y volar. Pero como ícaro ele ya quemá.

Agora ,ta quedando ele con su familia otra vez, pero no ese ta sentí como casa para ele. El sonido del río ta calmá su alma atribulada. Masque onde man ele anda , el agua el que ta buscá ele primero.

Allí estaba el Danube, claro que si , sus besos ta perdurá pa masque después de muchos años, pero na un momento todo ya quedá lavada. Su corazón nunca di pertenecé con masque quien man, al menos na su mente.

No ele ya queda costumbrao con el frio; el trópico tiene un pag garrá con ele que , nunca ele puede  di quebrá, pero vale la pena masqui na, para di mirá el subida del sol hace pintá el hielo con  un pincel escarlata.

Ele ya frotá sus brazos y pensar sobre el calor achicharrante del río Nilo. Sus mana amigos ya advertí con ele ya, puede ele di cojé un fiebre, pero no ele ya escuchá na ilos. El llamao del agua, es tan recio para ele di resistí.

La iluminación, el que ya buscá ele na río Ganges , el timor na mana rápidos del río Chilko, mana migos del todo la vida na pag navigando pa bajo del río Mississippi, y el pag asombrá na mana luces Nagas na río Mekong.   Y cosa ba ele ta podí buscá na río Linothangan ? No ele saber, y no quiere ele saber.

Ya quedá tarde ya, y ele ya reprendí su mismo, porcasa,  no ele ya cabá nada na todo’l dia. Mas mejor si ya gastá su hora man buscá trabajo o hací mana tareas rutinas na casa, o …. Nada . ansina ya man su vida agora.

Su pelo y su mana ropas calao y goteando na mana piedras del río na bajo de su mana pies, ya cerrá ele, sus mana ojos y ya respirá ele profundo. Cuando ele ya abrí sus ojos, ele ya quedá sorprendido na un visita que ya inmiscuí na su paz. Na frente de ele quedá un criatura chiquito.

“Hola,” ya bisá el criatura. “ ¿quien uste ?”

Su alma, casi ya escapá su cuerpo na surpresa, “¡ay dios mio ! no vos hace quel! Me vos ya asustá. ”

“ lo siento mucho ñorita, solo quiere yo jugar con alguien.” ya bisa el criatura

“  pues…” ya respondí ele

“ por favor ñorita, ta quedá yo tan solo aquí na rio, nadie ta andá quí y yo ta sentí tan solo.” ya bisá el criatura

Ele ya está pie y ya obtené un mejor mirada del muchacho, el criatura ya reculdá ele a uno de su mana primo na mismo edad y energía, este tipo de criatura es el tipo que ta peleá un respuesta de ‘no, incluso na frente de averia .

“ ¿cosa vos quiere jugar ?” ya preguntá ele

“ …… Sabe yo ! aquí , gara vos este bola y tirá vos ese na rio , y di trapá yo ese !” ya respondí el criatura.

“ divertido be ese para vos ?” ya bisa ele

“ ¡ por favoooorrrr !” ya exclamá el criatura

“ pues , bien bien .” ya respondí ele

Su rostro ya traicioná un sonrisa, el primero que ya monstrá ele desde pa, na su pag regresá na pueblo, y si él criatura es correcto , este es divertido , casi ya  olvidá ele sobre todo que ya pasá.

Ya tirá ele el bola na décimo vez , y ya anda ese na derecha del muchacho, y el criatura ya intentá nadar tan rápido como ele ta podí. Pero de repente , el criatura ya pará , y el bola ya flotá lejos

“ ¿hoy, muchacho porque vos no ta perseguí el bola? No ba quel el punto de este juego?” ya preguntá ele

“ No yo puede anda allá señorita, no na quel parte del río.” ya respondí él criatura.

“ ¿ Cosa vos quier bisá, muchacho ?” ya pregunta ele

“ ta bisá de ilos , peligroso raw di anda allá. Todo de maná ancianos na pueblo ta prohibí niso pa’ anda allá.” ya respondí él criatura.

“ pues .. no ilos aqui agora no ? anda niso para cogé el bola.” ya bisa ele, na criatura, pero no pa ya moví el criatura.

“ ya anda yo allá guna vez ñorita, ya queda ese largo tiempo ya, pero ta reculdá yo pa. Hay algo na río.” ya respondí él criatura

“ sabe vos ba si cosa queda quel ?” ya pregunta el mujer

“ tal vez , queda ese el hombre oscuro.” ya respondí el criatura

“ ¿cosa ba vos ta bisando ?” ya interrumpí el mujer

“ ya bisá mi Aguela hay un hombre oscuro que ta quedá cerca del río, no quiere ele ninguno di andá na su lugar.” ya bisá el criatura.

El mujer ya quedá y anda na muchos partes del mundo y ya visitá ele este mana lugares un montón de veces. No ele extranjera na mana cuento cuento . ta parecía nervioso el criatura, pero hay fuerza na mana números.

“ hoy , anda vos conmigo, sigurao yo cosa man aquel, no puede ese di ganá contra de niso dos.” su segundo sonrisa ya dale confianza na criatura y ya tomá el muchacho su mano.

“ bueno ñorita, yo ta confiá na ti.” ya bisá el criatura

Ya caminá ilos na orilla del río siguiendo el corriente .  el mochacho ya salgá na agua por muchos tiempos ya, pero parece que sus ropas nunca ta pará el su pag goteá.

“ caminá vos na mi lado ,¿vale? No yo quiere di  queda mojao mi mana ropas .” ya bisa el mujer

“ vale.” ya respondí el criatura

El bajao del sol ya quedá cerca y después de muchos veces ilos ya atentá coger el bola, ya brillá el suerte con ilos finalmente. El corriente ya pará , y ya dejá el bola estático na superficie del agua.

“ ¿pues … cosa ta esperando vos ?” ya bisá el mujer “ bueno vos ya man, man nadar, el bola no tá masiao lejos. Anda ya vos y cogé ese na agua, y retirá ya vos na casa.”

“ ta creé yo no niso debe queda quí ñorita.” ya bisá el criatura con nervios

“ hoy hoy hoy criatura, ¿ven ya y cogé ya niso vos bola, vale ? nohay nada quí .” ya bisa’l mujer con consuelo.

“ yo ta reculdá , ya andá ya yo aquí !” exclamá’l muchacho

“ ¿cosa vos ta reculdá?” ya preguntá’l mujer

“ di vení ese aquí ! por favor, corré ! “ ya exclamá’l muchacho

“ esperá …” ya bisá’l mujer

Na ese memento , un figura ya subí desde’l agua . tiene ese mana tentáculos que ya reculdá el mujer de un pulpo. Ya garrá el monstruo el bola y el criatura ya gritá

“ el hombre oscuro no quiere a nadie di andá na su casá !” el muchacho ya garrá su cabeza y ya caé na sus mana rodillas.

“ ven ya !” ya bisá’l mujer, mientra ya garrá ele el brazo del muchacho pero ya quedá como un piedra el criatura, nada ta podi mové el muchacho.

“¡ lo siento ! lo siento ! deja me salí ! deja me salí !” el criatura ya gritá más recio. Sus mana lagrimas ya mezclá con el vaho tá goteando na suelo.

“¡ niso tiene que corré ! , no ta podí ese di capturá niso , si di andá niso lejos desde’l río.” ya bisá’l mujer na criatura. El criatura ya mirá na mujer con desesperación na su mana ojos.

“No yo ta podí deja el río, nunca yo ta podí , sino …..” ya bisá el criatura

“ ¿sino .. cosa ?” ya exclamá’l mujer y agora tá moviendo ya el monstruo hacia ilos, no quiere ele di sabé quelaya largo ta podí alcanzá el mana tentáculos del monstruo.

Ya señalá el muchacho na bola,

Su mente ya quedá enredao, debe ele di corré, imposible ese , no puede ele man pelear con el monstruo. No ese su problema, si no quiere el muchacho di seguí, problema ya del muchacho aquel. Debe ele di pensá con su mismo, y con su mismo numa.

El monstruo ya moví lentamente más cerca, todavía tá sosteniendo pa el bola. Tá desafiando su instinto, el mujer ya corré hacia el monstruo. El mana tentáculos de monstruo ya lanzá hacia ele, pero solo ya pegá ese el agua vacía. Ya gastá ele su vida alrededor del maná ríos, y con ese, vení el habilidad que ta dejá sorprendido masqui quien man mana nadadores experimentaos.

Ya rodeá el mujer el monstruo, para di intentá queda confundido ese. despues , ele ya lanzá hacia el tentáculo que ta sostená el bola. Na este punto, no hay ya ele ma pensá di hací. Ta podé ele contené su respiración mas largo que un gente normal, ¿pero ta quedá ba este tiempo suficiente, para di cogé el bola na monstruo.?

Ya cogá ele el bola na monstruo, y ya sentí ele un calor suave que ya rodeá na su cuerpo. “ yo ta confiá na ti ñorita.” el voz del muchacho ya resoná na sus mana orejas. Un destello brillante ya inundá el bola y ya queda ese librao na garras del tentáculo.

Con el esfera na bajo de su codo, ele ya serpenteá a travéz del agua como un delfín, esquivando el mana intentos torpes del monstruo, para di capturá ele.

Tan pronto como ya salí ele del agua, ya corré ele mas lejos que ya podí ele na río. Ya ardé sus pulmones , y ya caé ele na suelo.

Ya queda ele despertada na un suave susurro. El muchacho, tá de pie na frente de ele,

Su forma translúcida, el muchacho ya sonreí, y ya tomá su mano, “ sabe yo ta podí yo di confiá na ti ñorita.”

Ya abrasá ele el criatura por cosa ta sentí como un eternidad, hasta ya derretí el muchacho, y el luz ya desvanecí.

El mujer ya retirá na casa, mojao ya mojao ya pedí ele con su aguela un toalla , para di quedá seguro no ele di goteá na dentro del casa. Mientras ele ta secá su cuerpo , ele ya preguntá con su aguela sobre el río.

Su aguela ya respondí “ ¿ aquel lugar ? mucho tiempo que ya pasá un hombre ya andá pescá na quel vanda del río. Nunca ele ya riterá, quel pobre alma. Ya bisá del otro otro, ya quedá un grande bestia cual ya atrapá ele, pero queda probablemente el corriente del agua. A veses di quedá violente el río y ta llevá ese el mana pobre si onde onde que nadie de niso sabe, ‘especialmente el mana criatura, siempre ta jugando na río, ta perdí niso uno, cada unos años.”

Ya dalé ele gratitud con su aguela y ya andá ele na su dormitorio.

¿ Cosa ya buscá ele na río Linothangan ?

Paz

Finalmente

Paz …..

=———————-=

English Version

A woman stood by the riverside looking at the water for answers.

She didn’t know why she was back in this place. It had always been her desire to break the shackles of this small barangay and taking a chance in the bigger world, to spread her wings and fly to the sun.

But, like Icarus, she burned.

Now she was living with her family again, though it didn’t feel like home.

The river’s sound soothed her troubled soul. No matter where she went, water would be the first thing that she sought out.

There was the Danube, of course. The taste of his kiss still lingered, even after all these years. But in a moment, it was all washed away. Her heart could never belong to anyone, at least in her mind.

The cold never sat well with her; the tropics had a hold that she could never seem to break. It was worth it though, to see the sun rise and paint the ice with a scarlet brush.

She rubbed her arms and thought back to the blistering heat of the Nile. Her friends warned her that she might catch the fever, but she didn’t listen. The call of the water was too strong for her to fight.

Enlightenment was what she found in the Ganges.

Fear in the rapids of Chilko.

Lifelong friends cruising down the Mississippi.

Wonder at the Naga lights of the Mekong.

And what would she find in the Linothangan? She didn’t know.

She didn’t want to know.

It was late in the afternoon and she chided herself. She had done nothing the whole day. The time could have been spent finding work or doing chores or…. Nothing. That was what her life was now anyway.

She closed her eyes and breathed deep.

When she opened them, she was surprised to find a visitor intruding on her… nothing.

It was a small boy, her hair and clothes dripping on the river rocks.

“Hello,” he said. “Who are you?”

Her soul almost escaped her body. “Don’t do that! You startled me!”

“I’m sorry. I just want someone to play with.”

“Well…”

“Please, miss. I’ve been so lonely here by the river. No one goes here and I’m so alone.”

She stood up and got a better look at the boy. He reminded her of one of her cousins, same age and same energy. This was the type of child that would fight a ‘no’ even in the face of failure.

“What do you want to play?”

“….I know! Here, grab this ball and throw it in the river so I can catch it!”

“Really? You think that’s fun?”

“Pleeeeaaaasseee”

“Okay, okay.”

Her face betrayed a smile, the first since she got back. He was right, this was fun. It almost made her forget about what happened.

She tossed the ball again for the 10^th time and it washed away to the right of the boy. He tried to swim as fast as he could, but suddenly froze as the ball drifted.

“Hey, why aren’t you chasing the ball? Isn’t that the whole game?”

“I can’t go there miss, not in that part of the river.”

“What do you mean?”

“They say it’s dangerous to go there. All the old people forbid it.”

“Well they’re not here are they? Let’s get your ball.”

The boy still didn’t move.

“I went there once miss. It was a long time ago, but I can still remember. There’s something in the river.”
“Do you know what that something was?”

“Maybe it was the dark man.”

“What are you talking about?”

“My lola said that there was a dark man living by the river. He doesn’t want anyone to go to his place.”

She had been around the world a dozen times and was no stranger to tall tales. The boy looked really nervous, but there was strength in numbers.

“Hey, go with me. I’m sure whatever it is it can’t take the both of us.”

Her second smile of the day made the boy nod and take her hand.

“Okay miss. I trust you.”

They walked down the river following the current. The boy had been out of the water for a while but it seemed that he would never stop dripping.

“Just walk next to me okay? I don’t want to get my clothes wet.”

“Alright.”

It was nearing sundown and after a few miscalculated attempts at grabbing the ball, luck finally shined on them. The current stopped, which left the sphere static on the river.

“Well what are you waiting for?” she said. “You’re a pretty good swimmer, the ball’s not that far. You can grab it and go home.”

“I don’t think I should be here miss.”

“Hey, come on, let’s get your ball alright? There’s nothing here.”

“I’ve been here before miss. I can remember.”

“Remember what?”

“It’s going to come here! Please miss run!”

“Wait—–”

At that moment a figure emerged from the water. It had tentacles and reminded her of an octopus. It held the ball and the boy cried out, “The dark man doesn’t like people to come to his place.” He clutched his head and dropped to his knees.

“Let’s go!” she grabbed the boy’s arm but it was as if he was made of stone, nothing could move him.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please just let me leave!!” The boy cried out even harder, his tears mixed with the moisture dripping to the ground.

“We have to run! It can’t catch us if we go away from the river.”

The boy looked at the woman with despair in his eyes.

“I can’t leave the river. I never could. Not as long as—–”

“As long as what?!” The monster was moving towards them now, she didn’t want to know how long its tentacles could reach.

The boy pointed at the ball.

Her mind was a whirlwind. She should run, there was no way that she could fight the monster. It wasn’t her problem, if the boy didn’t want to follow that was on him. She should think of herself.

Just herself.

Just like then.

The creature was inching closer to the riverbank still holding the ball. In defiance of her instincts, she ran towards it. The monster’s tentacles darted towards her but they only hit empty water.

She spent her life around rivers and with that came a dexterity that surprised even the most experienced of swimmers.

She rounded the creature, trying to confuse it and plunged to the tentacle that had the ball.

At this point she was out of ideas. She could hold her breath for longer than a normal person, but would that be enough time to wring the ball from the monster.

She grabbed the ball and felt a gentle heat surround her.

“I trust you miss.” The boy’s voice echoed in her ears.

A bright flash suffused the ball and tore it away from the tentacle.

With the orb under her elbow she weaved through the water like a dolphin, dodging the monster’s clumsy attempts to catch her.

As soon as she surfaced, she ran as far as she could away from the river.

Her lungs burned and she fell to the ground.

She was awakened with a gentle whisper.
The boy stood in front of her, his form translucent. He smiled and took her hand.
“I knew I could trust you miss.”

She hugged him for what felt like an eternity, until he melted away and the light faded.

The woman returned home, soaked. She asked her lola for a towel to make sure she didn’t drip inside.

As she was drying herself, she asked her lola about the river.

“Oh that place? A long time ago a man went fishing in that part of the river. He never came back, the poor soul. Some say it was a giant beast that got him, but it was probably the current. The river gets violent sometimes and carries them off to who knows where. ‘specially the kids, always playing in the river, we lose one every few years.”

She thanked her lola and went into her room.

What had she found in the Linothangan river?

Peace

Finally

Peace

=—————————=

*Chavacano or Chabacano is a group of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speakers.  Currently existing varieties are found in Cavite City and Ternate, located in the Cavite province on the island of Luzon. Chavacano is the only Spanish-based creole in Asia.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Stacy Paredes Foote
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Stacy Paredes Foote

Inspired by the tale ‘The Monster’ in Negros Oriental and Siquijor Island Legends, Beliefs and Folkways. Aldecoa-Rodriguez. 2000.

The Monster of Linothangan River Illustration by Fam Telmo

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The post The Monster of Linothangan River – Chabacano/ Chavacano Caviteno appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

Ilang taon na akong hindi nakapunta sa bahaging ito ng kagubatan.

Hindi na magmula noong nangyari ang…

Gumagalaw ang lupa habang binubuo ng tagapagsilbi ang katawan nito. Sinabi sa akin na maraming engkanto ang gumagamit nitong mga elemental na nilalang bilang mga bantay at sa tuwing nakakakita ako ng isa, inilalapit ko ang aking rosaryo at iniintindi ang babala.

Itong bahagi ng probinsiya ay nagtataglay ng mga mahahalagang alaala para sa akin.

Naalala ko noong una ko siyang nakilala, napakagwapo niya, tulad ng kanyang uri.

Dinala niya ako sa kanyang mundo at wala akong naranasan na ganoong kaligayahan noon, o kailanman.

Hindi nga lang ako simpleng kabataan. Alam ko ang mga kuwento—kung paano ang pagkain ng itim na bigas sa kanilang lugar ay magkukulong sa akin doon magpakailanman o kung paano ang pagdarasal sa nag-iisang Diyos ay magpapawala ng kanilang mahika.

Masyado akong maraming nalalaman, at napakakaunti din.

Pagkatapos, ako ay umibig.

Isang batang-isip na pagkakamali.

Kapag ang engkanto ay umibig sa tao, magsisimula itong magpakita ng pisikal na kaanyuan. Ang taong biktima (o dapat bang sabihing iniibig?) ay magkakasakit. Kapag nanligaw ang engkanto, unti-unting humihina ang katawan ng tao, hanggang sa puntong mawalan siya ng malay

Sinasabing kung ang taong iniibig ng engkanto ay namatay, ang ibig sabihin nito ay  tumawid na siya sa mundo ng engkanto.

Mas malugod kong tinanggap ang kamatayan kung siya ang katabi ko.

Kami lang, magkasama.

Pero natakot ako. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin kaya ang likas kong reaksiyon ay magdasal.

Dahil doon, ang mahika ng kanilang kaharian ay nawala.

Ang tanging alaala ng kanyang mundo, ang bato-bato, ay tumingin sa akin. Ang mukha nitong hindi gumagalaw ay tila nakaukit ang bahid ng kalungkutan.

Tila kabaliwan na mag-iwan ng bulaklak sa isang alaala, ngunit nandito ako.

Siya iyon. Palaging siya iyon. Hindi ko kayang makasama ang sinuman pagkatapos ng mga araw ng pag-ibig at panganib na kasama ang engkanto.

Ang mga hindi nagtagumpay kong relasyon ay patunay ng pag-ibig na iyon.

Michael, Jaime, Simon, James…

Patuloy ang listahan.

Kailanman ay hindi nila matutumbasan ang karanasan ko sa kanya.

Kung kaya, itinapon ko ang aking rosaryo, isinuot ang aking pinakamagandang damit, at nagtungo sa kagubatan.

Nandoon ang bato-bato, ang piping saksi sa aking pagkatalo.

Nagsimula akong pumasok sa kuweba. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat asahan. Isinigaw ko ang kanyang pangalan.

At pagkatapos, wala.

Ilang oras kong sinubukan na hanapin ang daan papasok sa kanyang mundo. Namaga na ang aking lalamunan, duguan ang mga kamao, lahat para sa pagkakataong masilayan ang nawala kong pag-ibig.

Hindi pa ako nakaramdam ng ganitong katinding pag-iisa.

Pagkatapos ng ilang oras, kinulayan ng araw ang kagubatan ng pula at alam kong oras na para umalis.

Nagtataka pa rin ako

Iniisip niya pa kaya ako?

Ibig bang sabihin na hindi na niya ako iniibig dahil ako ay malusog pa?

Bakit hindi niya ako bigyan ng isa pang pagkakataon?

Alam ko na ang daang papasok sa kanyang mundo ay nandoon pa din sa kuweba.

Kung hindi, bakit nandoon pa din ang bato-bato?

Babalik ako, sa ilalim ng liwanag ng bilog na buwan.

Kasama ang mga dasal at agimat.

Kailanman ay hindi ko susukuan ang aking pag-ibig.

=————————–=

English Version

I haven’t been in this part of the forest in years.

Not since what happened with…

The ground moves as the servant builds its body. I was told that many engkanto use these elemental creatures as guards and every time I chance upon one, I take my rosary close and heed the warning.

This part of the province holds so many dear memories for me.

I think back at the time I first met him, he was too beautiful, as his kind always was.

He took me to his world and I had never had such pleasure before, or since.

I was no mere youth though, I knew the stories, about how eating black rice in their domain would trap me there forever or how praying to the one God would dissipate their magic.

I knew too much, and also too little.

Then I fell in love.

Such a childish mistake.

When an engkanto falls in love with a human, it will start to show physically. The human victim (or should I say lover?) will fall ill. When an engkanto courts, the human’s body becomes progressively weaker, up to the point of the human becoming unconscious.

It is said that if the subject of the engkanto’s love dies then that means he has crossed over to the engkanto’s world.

I would have welcomed death had he been by my side.

Only us, together.

But I was scared. I didn’t know what to do so by instinct I prayed.

And thus, the magic of their realm disappeared.

The only remnant of his world, the bato-bato, looked at me. Its unmoving face etched with what looked to be a twinge of sadness.

It seems crazy to leave a flower on a memory, yet here I am.

It was him, it was always him. I could never be with anyone after spending the days of love and danger with the engkanto.

My failed relationships are a testament to that love.

Michael, Jaime, Simon, James…

The list goes on.

They could never come close to giving me what I had with him.

And so, I tossed my rosary, wore my best clothes and ventured into the forest.

The Bato-bato was there, a silent witness to my lost cause.

I take the first steps into the cave. I didn’t know what to expect. I shouted his name.

And then, nothing.

I spent hours trying to look for an entrance o his world. My throat was sore, my knuckles bloody, all for the chance to see a glimpse of the lover I lost.

I had never felt so alone.

After a few hours the sun painted the forest red and I knew it was time to go.

I still wonder:

Does he think of me?

Is the fact that I’m healthy means that he stopped loving me?

Why won’t he give me another chance?

I know the portal to his world is still there by the cave.

If it wasn’t why was the bato-bato there?

I will return, by the light of the full moon.

With incantations and agimats.

I will never surrender my love.

=———————————–=

Story inspired by the Engkanto Myths

Bato-bato Illustration by Michael Sean B. Talavera
IG: @maykelshan
Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/isaneleach13

The post Bato bato – Tagalog Translation 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 Kapampangan

Case # KGMJ4852

Ating mengabating a anak anyang July 17, 1961, ala una na ning ugtu. Miglawe la reng Rangers king Orang National Park oneng pilang oras na ing milabas bayu da abalu nung nanu ing milyari karela.

Dapat normal a field trip yamu naman ita. Pipilang gradeschool titser ampong estudyante a papuntang park para gawang paper tungkul king park. Atin lang abeng atlung bante detang anak.

Itang mumunang bangke, metung ya karetang titser. Balamu mete ya king sakal. E pa balu nung nanu ing kemate na oneng ating pruebang mete ya dail king “violent compression on the neck as well as presence of bruising.” Balamu pilan mung minutu ing kemate na oneng ala naman meg-aliwa king itsura na o king katawan.

Detang mitagan, ikit dala ketang metung tanaman. Ketang “rainbow eucalyptus grove”. Balang metung, atin lang pasa kalupa na nitang minunang bangke a atin pasa a balamu sekal. Atin din buak-buak a ikit da king batal da. Linto naman king post-mortem, atin lang balamu pile o “fracture” detang anak. Sabi king Autopsy, pilang minute mu, mete la agad deng biktima.

Suma total, disisyete la deng mete. Siyam anak a lalaki, limang anak a babai, ampong atlung babaing titser.

Ni-lock-down de ing park saka dala ininspeksyun deng egana-ganang kotse a lulwal oneng ala lang ikit na magpatune na atin ginamit ”murder weapon”. Alang migtugma a buak kareng bangke saka kareng “visitors” a linub king park.

Angga ngeni, ali ya pa din “solved” in kasu.

=—————————————–=

English Version

Case # KGMJ4852

The children went missing July 17, 1961 at about 1pm. Rangers searched the Orang National Park for hours before they discovered what had happened to them.

It was supposed to be a routine field trip, a bunch of grade schoolers and their teachers going through a park and making papers about it after. The children were lead by 3 chaperons.

The first body was of one of the teachers, she looked like she had died from strangulation. The cause was unknown, but there was evidence of violent compression on the neck as well as presence of bruising. It seemed that death was within minutes with no disfiguring physical findings. Strands of soft hair were found on the victims neck, mirroring later findings.

The rest of the victims were found all in the same place, a rainbow eucalyptus grove. Each victim had the same marks as the first body and all showing signs of strangulation, with the presence of the hair on their necks. The child victims show fractures and bruising that were found to be postmortem. Autopsy showed the times of death of all the victims were within minutes of each other.

In total there were 17 victims. 9 boys, 5 girls and 3 female teachers.

The park was put on lockdown and all exiting vehicles were searched but nothing was ever found that would match the presumed murder weapon. No hairs that matched the ones found were present on any of the other park visitors.

The case remains unsolved to this day.

————————–————————–———————

Story inspired by Ikugan entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Ikugan Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

The post Ikugan – Kapampangan 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.

I haven’t been in this part of the forest in years.

Not since what happened with…

The ground moves as the servant builds its body. I was told that many engkanto use these elemental creatures as guards and every time I chance upon one, I take my rosary close and heed the warning.

This part of the province holds so many dear memories for me.

I think back at the time I first met him, he was too beautiful, as his kind always was.

He took me to his world and I had never had such pleasure before, or since.

I was no mere youth though, I knew the stories, about how eating black rice in their domain would trap me there forever or how praying to the one God would dissipate their magic.

I knew too much, and also too little.

Then I fell in love.

Such a childish mistake.

When an engkanto falls in love with a human, it will start to show physically. The human victim (or should I say lover?) will fall ill. When an engkanto courts, the human’s body becomes progressively weaker, up to the point of the human becoming unconscious.

It is said that if the subject of the engkanto’s love dies then that means he has crossed over to the engkanto’s world.

I would have welcomed death had he been by my side.

Only us, together.

But I was scared. I didn’t know what to do so by instinct I prayed.

And thus, the magic of their realm disappeared.

The only remnant of his world, the bato-bato, looked at me. Its unmoving face etched with what looked to be a twinge of sadness.

It seems crazy to leave a flower on a memory, yet here I am.

It was him, it was always him. I could never be with anyone after spending the days of love and danger with the engkanto.

My failed relationships are a testament to that love.

Michael, Jaime, Simon, James…

The list goes on.

They could never come close to giving me what I had with him.

And so, I tossed my rosary, wore my best clothes and ventured into the forest.

The Bato-bato was there, a silent witness to my lost cause.

I take the first steps into the cave. I didn’t know what to expect. I shouted his name.

And then, nothing.

I spent hours trying to look for an entrance o his world. My throat was sore, my knuckles bloody, all for the chance to see a glimpse of the lover I lost.

I had never felt so alone.

After a few hours the sun painted the forest red and I knew it was time to go.

I still wonder:

Does he think of me?

Is the fact that I’m healthy means that he stopped loving me?

Why won’t he give me another chance?

I know the portal to his world is still there by the cave.

If it wasn’t why was the bato-bato there?

I will return, by the light of the full moon.

With incantations and agimats.

I will never surrender my love.

=———————————————–=

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Story inspired by the Engkanto Myths

Tanggae Illustration by Michael Sean B. Talavera
IG: @maykelshan
Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/isaneleach13

The post Bato-Bato appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

“Isang beses pa! Yan na lang ang maibibigay ko sayo bago kita tanggalin sa trabaho!” Kumalabog ang pinto nang isara at naiwan si Josh na nag-iisip kung paano niya maaayos ang sitwasyon.

Apat na buwan na bangungot sa trabaho niyang logistics ang nakikipagtitigan sa kaniya. Wala nang magagawa pang paraan para maayos pa ang problema matapos ang mga problema, o pananabotahe gaya ng laging pinapaliwanag ni Josh sa boss niya. Masyadong maraming pangyayari ang nagtutugma para mauwi ito sa ganito.

Nagkaroon ng landslide noong unang buwan na nakaabala sa kalsada. Tatlong linggo silang pinahirapan at naantala dahil sa paglilinis ng kalsada sa napakamahal na halaga. Malapit nang ma-overbudget ang project.

Ilang linggo matapos ang insidenteng yon, nanakaw ang mga trak at walang makapagturo kung sino ang may kagagawan. Walang saysay ang pagpapataas ng seguridad dahil patuloy lang na nangyayari ang pagkawala at lalo lang tumataas ang gastos. Isang bagay ang masisi sa ginawang kasalanan ngunit alam ni Josh na ginawa niya ang lahat ng tama. May tao sa likod ng mga ito, pinaninindigan niya to.

Naghintay si Josh sa construction site. Alam niyang baliw na ang tingin sa kaniya ng mga tauhan niyia, ngunit wala na siyang pakialam lalo ngayon na sigurado siya sa ginagawa niya. Mabigat ang camera sa kamay niya, matigas ang ulo niya pero hindi siya inutil. Napahamak na siya sa trabaho niya, hindi na niya hahayaang lumala pa ito. Kahit na anong ebidensya ng pananabotahe ay sapat na para malinis ang pangalan niya.

Alas dos na ng madaling araw nang may maamoy siyang usok. Ito na ang pagkakataon niya; may nagbabalak na magsimula ng sunog sa compound.  Tumakbo siya patungo sa pinanggagalingan ng amoy habang nakahanda ang camera niya.

Tatlong araw ang nakalipas, itinapon ng boss ni Josh ang mga gamit nito sa basurahan. “Sayang.” Kailanman ay hindi inisip ng boss ni Josh na siya ay duwag ngunit may mga paraan talaga ang mga tao para madismaya ka. “Tumakbo na siguro yon dahil sa sobrang dami ng dapat gawin,” sinabi niya ito kahit wala siyang kausap. “Ngayon, kailangan kong imisin ang mga problema niya.”

The last thing that was left was Josh’s camera. His boss looked through the pictures and saw nothing but tree trunks. “Useless,” He said as he tossed it in the trash.

Ang tangi lang na natira sa gamit ni Josh ay ang camera niya. Tiningnan niya ang mga pictures at wala siyang ibang nakita kundi mga punong kahoy. “walang kwenta” at tinapon ang camera sa basurahan.

=————————————–

English Version

“One more chance! That’s all I’m giving you before you’re fired!” The door slammed shut and Josh was left wondering how he could salvage the situation.

Four months of logistical nightmares were staring him in the face. There was no way the development could be completed after the setbacks, or sabotage as Josh kept trying to convince his boss. Too many coincidences were happening for it to be anything else.

The first month a landslide happened, completely cutting off the road. 3 painstaking weeks of clearing the rocks had to be done at a very expensive cost. The project was already dangerously close to becoming over budget and that tipped the scales.

A few weeks later whole trucks were being stolen and no one could find the culprit. Increasing the security was useless since it just kept happening and more money was being spent. Josh couldn’t handle it anymore. It was one thing to be blamed for your own mistakes, but he knew he did everything right. There was someone behind this, there had to be.

Josh waited at the construction site. He knew his workers were thinking he was crazy, but he couldn’t care about that, not when he had work to be done. The camera felt heavy in his hands, he was stubborn, but he wasn’t stupid. His job was already at risk, he wasn’t going to take chances on his life. Any evidence of sabotage would be enough to clear him of any fault.

It was about 2 AM when he smelled smoke. He knew this was his chance; someone was trying to set the compound on fire. He ran towards the acrid smell with his camera ready.

Three days later his boss tossed the remains of Josh’s belongings in the garbage. “What a waste.” The man never thought that Josh would be a coward, but people had a way of disappointing you. “He probably ran away because it was too much responsibility,” he said to no one in particular “Now I have to clean up his mess.”

The last thing that was left was Josh’s camera. His boss looked through the pictures and saw nothing but tree trunks. “Useless,” He said as he tossed it in the trash.

=——————————=

*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Reina Mikee
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Reina Mikee

Inspired by the Aniani entry in Myth Museum. Medina. 2015.

Aniani Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

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

*Note this story is in Cebuano

Usa nalang ka higayon! Mao ni ang kinataposang abiso nga akong ihatag kanimo una tika
tangtangon sa trabaho!” Ming lamba ang pultahan samtang si Josh naghunahuna unsaon niya
pag salba ang sitwasyon.

Upat ka bulan nga Logistical Nightmare ang mingtutuk kaniya. Dili gyud mahimo nga mahuman
ang pagmugna tungod sa mga nahitabong kalangan og sabotahe nga maoy gi himong rason ni
Josh sa iyang boss. Daghan ra kaayong mga pag-atol ang nahitabo nga mura bag gi plano.
Sa unang buwan, adunay pagdahili sa yuta nga nahitabo. Ming-abot og tulo ka semana ang
paghabwa sa mga bato og yuta nga nag ali sa kalsada aron magamit pag balik ang dalan, unya
kini pirte pagyung mahala. Tungod aning panghitabo, minlapas na siya sa budget.

Pipila ka semana human aning hitaboa, mga truck napud ang mga gipangkawat unya wa gyud
masakpan ang kawatan. Kini maoy hinungdan sa pag pasaka sa seguridad apan kini usab
nanghinanglan og dako-dako nga kantidad. Wa nani nakaya ni Josh. Pwede ra siyang basulon
sa ubang buntang apan siya mismo kahibaw nga iya nang gibuhat ang tanan. Naka-antigo siya
nga aduna gyud nagpaloyo ani iyang nasinati.

Nag atang-atang si Josh sa Construction Site. Kaibaw na siyang nag hunahuna na iyang mga
trabahante nga tingale na buang na siya pero wa na niya panumbalingi. Bug-at ang camera sa
iyang mga kamot. Balirusu si Josh apan dili siya bogo. Hapit na siyang mawad-an og trabaho,
maong wa na siya nag duha duha sa pagkuha og ebidensya nga makatangtang sa pagbasol
nga gihatag kaniya.

Alas dos sa kabuntagon sa dihang nakapanimaho siyag aso. Mao na kini iyang gi paabot nga
higayon. Adunay gusto sunogon ang compound. Ming dagan siya pa-ingon saa aso samtang
nagkupot sa iyang camera.

Tulo ka adlaw ang ming-agi, gilabay na sa boss ni Josh ang iyang mga gamit. “Sayanga.” Nag
tuo siya nga dili talawan si Josh apan naa gyuy usahay nga mutalaw ang ka taw unya daganan
niya iyang mga responsibilidad. Iyang giyawyaw. “Karun, ako nay mulimpyo sa iyang agi.”
Ang nahabilin nalang kay nga camera ni Josh. Gitan-aw kini sa iyang boss apan wala kini laing
sulod kung di mga hulagway sa mga punuan. “Walay gamit.” Iyang gisulti dungan labay sa
basurahan.

=————————-=

English Version

“One more chance! That’s all I’m giving you before you’re fired!” The door slammed shut and Josh was left wondering how he could salvage the situation.

Four months of logistical nightmares were staring him in the face. There was no way the development could be completed after the setbacks, or sabotage as Josh kept trying to convince his boss. Too many coincidences were happening for it to be anything else.

The first month a landslide happened, completely cutting off the road. 3 painstaking weeks of clearing the rocks had to be done at a very expensive cost. The project was already dangerously close to becoming over budget and that tipped the scales.

A few weeks later whole trucks were being stolen and no one could find the culprit. Increasing the security was useless since it just kept happening and more money was being spent. Josh couldn’t handle it anymore. It was one thing to be blamed for your own mistakes, but he knew he did everything right. There was someone behind this, there had to be.

Josh waited at the construction site. He knew his workers were thinking he was crazy, but he couldn’t care about that, not when he had work to be done. The camera felt heavy in his hands, he was stubborn, but he wasn’t stupid. His job was already at risk, he wasn’t going to take chances on his life. Any evidence of sabotage would be enough to clear him of any fault.

It was about 2 AM when he smelled smoke. He knew this was his chance; someone was trying to set the compound on fire. He ran towards the acrid smell with his camera ready.

Three days later his boss tossed the remains of Josh’s belongings in the garbage. “What a waste.” The man never thought that Josh would be a coward, but people had a way of disappointing you. “He probably ran away because it was too much responsibility,” he said to no one in particular “Now I have to clean up his mess.”

The last thing that was left was Josh’s camera. His boss looked through the pictures and saw nothing but tree trunks. “Useless,” He said as he tossed it in the trash.

————————–————————–——————–

*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 Julius Cesar Cudera
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Julius Cesar Cudera

Inspired by the Aniani entry in Myth Museum. Medina. 2015.

Aniani Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

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

*Note this story is in Cebuano

Kauban sa mga abo sa Bukid Bita, mibarog si Sulayman nga lig-on. Giagian niya ang walay sulod nga mga balay, ug ang iyang kasingkasing napuno sa kasubo. Adunay mga dulaan apan walay mga bata, adunay mga umahan, apan walay nag-atiman niini; kaniadto, adunay mga pamilya dinhi.

Apan wala na.

Gitunglo ni Sulayman ang langit. Bisan unsa pa’ng klase nga mananap ang nagbuhat niini, kinahangla’ng bayran niya kini. Mingitngit ang langit ug daw mituman sa iyang pangandoy.

Ang ikatulo mao si Pah.

Ang langit natabunan sa daw-higante’ng bayanan sa usa ka dako nga langgam, sama sa wala pa sukad nakita. Abtik si Sulayman, mihulbot siya sa iyang espada ug giigo ang pako niini. Mituyok ang dakong langgam paingon kang Sulayman. Nakalikay si Sulayman sa dako kaayo’ng lawas sa langgam, apan nakalimot sya sa pako niini nga iyang giputol. Kani’ng bahina sa mananap mao’y midugmok kang Sulayman ug motapos sa iyang paglakaw.

Apan naa pa’y lain.

Si Haring Indarapatra nagtan-aw sa kasakit samtang ang gamay’ng tanum sa iyang bintana nalaya ug namatay. Nahinumdoman niya ang adlaw diin ang iyang igsoon, si Sulayman, mibiyahe sa Mindanao. Iyang gibungat ang mga pulong nga iyang gisulti sa dihang mibiya si Sulayman: “Pinaagi niining kahoya mahibaw-an ko ang imong dangatan. Kon ikaw mabuhi, kini mabuhi, ug kon ikaw mamatay, kini mamatay usab.”

Ang kasingkasing ni Haring Indarapatra napuno sa panimalos. Iyang gikuha ang iyang mga butang, lakip ang iyang labing sinaligan nga espada ug milakaw aron nga pangitaon ang iyang igsoon.

Sama kang Sulayman, mipanaw siya sa kahanginan ug nakaplagan niya ang iyang kaugalingon sa bukid kung diin mitubo ang uway. Nakita niya ang ebidensya sa kadaugan sa iyang igsoon batok sa Kurita. Ang mga bukog sa mananap nagkatag sa dapit ug napuno siya sa garbo.

Sunod mao ang Bukid Matutun. Ang nadugta nga patayng lawas sa Tarabusaw miingon kaniya sa tanan nga kinahanglan niya’ng masayran. Ang kasikbit nga mga dapit wala gihapu’y kinabuhi, apan ang mangtas dili na makapasakit pa ug usab ni bisan kinsa. Nagpadayon si Haring Indarapatra sa iyang pagpanaw ug ang hunahuna sa mangtas mao’y nakapasamok sa iyang panumduman.

Ang nagkadaghang mga kamatayon nga gipahinabo niini’ng mga linalang ginabalita sa halayong kayutaan, gani nakaabot pa kini sa iyang gingharian sa yuta sa bulawanong kasadpan. Si Haring Indarapatra ang nangamuyo kang Sulayman nga motabok sa kadagatan aron paslangon sa yuta sa Mindanao kining mga higanti’ng mananap.

Si Sulayman ang nipili nga moadto sa halayong yuta aron manimalos alang sa iyang mga katawhan, kana ang tinuod. Apan gibati ni Haring Indarapatra ang pagmahay nga iyang gidusu ang iyang igsoon sa tinong kamatayon.

Iyang gipalayo ang maong mga hunahuna samtang nagkaduol siya sa Bukid Bita.

Ang lawas sa dakong langgam nga si Pah nagbuy-od sa yuta. Namatikdan niya ang naputol nga pako sa langgam ug giisa niya kini. Nakita niya ang mga bukog sa iyang igsoon. Mihilak si Haring Indarapatra alang sa dugo sa iyang dugo, hilabihan gayud ang iyang kasubo.

Nitubag ang langit sa iyang hilom nga pag-ampo. Sa iyang paghangad, iyang nakita ang usa ka gamay nga banga nga puno sa tubig. Sayud ang iyang angay buhaton, iyang gibubo ang tubig sa mga bukog ni Sulayman ug nabuhi pag-usab ang iyang igsoon.

Napuno sa kalipay ang kabukiran sa dihang nagkita pag-usab ang managsoon. Gipasabot ni Sulayman nga dili siya hingpit nga patay, apan natulog lamang. Si Haring Indarapatra wala manumbaling, ang iyang kasingkasing napuno sa dakong kalipay nga ang iyang igsoon buhi ug libsog.

Mipauli si Sulayman sa ilang balay sa yuta sa bulawanong kasadpan, apan nagpabilin si Haring Indarapatra. Buut niyang tapuson ang nasugdan sa iyang igsuon. Anaa pa gihapun ang ikaupat nga dakong mananap sa Bukid Gurayn.

Nanamilit si Haring Indarapatra sa iyang igsoon ug gibaid ang iyang espada. Nanumpa siya sa samang panumpa nga gihimo ni Sulayman ug alang sa iyang gingharian, iya kining tumanon.

=——————————–=

English Version

Among the ashes of Mount Bita, Sulayman stood resolute. He passed the empty homes and his heart was filled with sadness. There were toys but no children, there were farms, but no one to tend them, there were families here once.

But no more.

Sulayman cursed at the sky. Whatever beast did this would pay. The sky darkened and seemed to grant his wish.

The third was Pah.

The sky was blotted out by the enormous frame of a great bird, like nothing that was ever seen before. Sulayman was quick, he drew his sword and managed to hit its wing. The great bird spiraled towards Sulayman, and he was able to dodge its massive body, but forgot about the wing he had cut off. That part of the beast crushed Sulayman and would have ended his journey.

But there was another.

King Indarapatra watched in agony as the sapling by his window withered and died. He recalled the day his brother, Sulayman, set forth on his journey to Mindanao. He mouthed the words that he said when Sulayman left: “By this tree I will know of your fate. If you will live, it will live, and if you die, it will die also.”

King Indarapatra’s heart was filled with revenge. He gathered his belongings, including his most trusted sword and went on a quest to find his brother.

Like Sulayman, he traveled through the air and found himself on the mountain where the rattan grew. He saw evidence of his brother’s victory against the Kurita. The bones of the monster littered the area and he was filled with pride.

Next was Mount Matutun. The rotting corpse of the Tarabusaw told him all he needed to know. The surrounding areas were still barren of life, but the monster would never be able to hurt anyone again. King Indarapatra continued on his journey and thoughts of the monsters plagued his mind.

The great deaths caused by these creatures were told of in faraway lands, even reaching his court in the land of the golden sunset. It was King Indarapatra that pleaded with Sulayman to cross the seas and rid the land of Mindanao of these great beasts.

It was Sulayman’s choice to go to the distant land and avenge her people, that much was true. But King Indarapatra felt a pang of guilt that he had lead his brother to certain death.

He shook those thoughts away as he approached mount Bita.
The body of the great bird Pah lay on the ground. He noticed the severed wing of the bird and lifted it up, revealing the bones of his brother. King Indarapatra wept for the blood of his blood, so consumed with grief was he.

The heavens replied with an answer to his silent prayer. As he looked up, he saw a small jar filled with water. Knowing what he must do, he poured the water over Sulayman’s bones and his brother lived again.

Joy filled the mountain as the brothers reunited. Sulayman explained that he was not completely dead, but sleeping. King Indarapatra didn’t care, he heart was filled with great happiness that his brother was alive and well.

Sulayman returned to their home in the land of the golden sunset, but King Indarapatra stayed. He wanted to finish what his brother started. There was still the matter of the fourth great beast on Mount Gurayn.

King Indarapatra bade his brother farewell and sharpened his sword. He swore the same oath that Sulayman did and upon his kingdom, he would see it fulfilled.

=———————————————=

*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 Christine Rom
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Christine Rom

Adapted from “Mythology of Mindanao” in Philippine Folklore Stories. Cole. 1916. (Full text can be accessed at http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/pft/index.htm

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