*Note this story is in Kapampangan

Apansin nang Anselmo a mangalgal la deng gamat na anyang binaldug ne ing mumunang bini. Balu na kasi na labag king lub na ning ari ning bunduk ing keyang gagawan at balu na din malyari yang miparusan. Oneng  agyang makanita, balu na din na mas igit pa ing akwa nang kapalit.

Nung dakal mu sanang ortilanung maglakas lub a sumubuk, mas dakal pa sanang apatubung Tobacco king babo bunduk.

Megambul ne ing gabun, metanam na la deng bini.

Anyang benging ita, apaninap ne ing ari. Atiu la kanu king gubat kabang miarapan la. Timpa ne ning ari ing gabun maka-atlung besis at saka anti mong linwal a taung mangalati. Atin yang sinambit ing ari oneng ali na masiadung dimdam Anselmo saka la pinulayi deng tawu palwal kung gubat.

Melakwan ya i Anselmo ampo ing ari. Mangatakutan ne i Anselmo oneng mengaring ali ne aakit ning ari. Tinampa ne pa ning ari ing gabun maka-atlu pang besis at kalupa na ning milyari nandin, dakal na namang tawung sinibul keng gabun. Ngeni, migtaka ne i Anselmo kaya tikyan na na la deng tawung mangalati nung nokarin la mumunta.

Anyang mekaratang ne king dulu ning gubat, mengapasingap iya king ikit na. Asnang kalawak ing pananam a Tobacco mamangga king dulu ning panakit na ning mata. Kanita ya mu menakit kadakal a Tobacco. Detang taung malati pala deng mananam. Dina-dinalan (o baka libu!) a tawung mangalati ing mananam ampong manarul king asikan.

Dikma ne ing metung a taung malati saka ne kitnangan nung nanu ing gagawan na. “Para king ari ini. Siempre kailangan na ning ari ing Tobacco para atin iyang isindi.” Saka ne ginulut in taung malati saka ya  mengapakaili king kutang nang Anselmo a balamu mulala yamu ing mangutang king kitang na.

Meyari ne ing paninap na anyang meyari no din menanam Tobacco. Dudugdug ya pusu i Anselmo. Aganaka na ing bining tenam na napun. Mipaisip ya nung nanung kaparusan na nita.

Eya mipaindatun pilang aldo. Mipapaisip ya nung bawian ne ba ing tenam nang bini. Angga king bulan na ing milabas a aiisip na ini.

Ala. Ala naman milyari. Milabas ing pilang aldo at bulan. Pilang tilauk na ing manuk ing milabas, tinubu la pa rin deng Tobacco king palibut ning Kanlaon kalupa ning dati.

Ali linwat, aulata da reng tau a lagpas ne king gulus ing tanam nang Anselmo. King inggit a atin kapalit a gintu ing panananam Tobacco, tinanam nala naman nung nokarin ya naman menanam i Anselmo.

Ikwa nang sinapak Tobacco ning Kanlaon oneng ala din namang milyari.

Atin din naman sinabi kareng ortilanu. “Tandanan yu nung nanu ing sinabi ning ari. Nung tanam tamu keni baka pang-uanan nala mu ning ari ing Tobacco saka no ngan isindi!”

Alang pinansin king sinabi da. Agyang ding simpleng tau, mabubulag murin karas king pera.

Patye bengi, magkumpulan la deng aliwa keng dapug saka magkwentu tungkul king ari ning bunduk. Sabi da, ing ari mu ing tune makapangyarian king yatu oneng  mas pinili nang lumakad kayabe tamu kesa king sakupan naka tamu.

Aganaka da nung makananung e na buri ning ari a mananam lagpas king gulis a gewa da reng taung mangalati pabilug king babo bunduk. Melungkut la deng tawu king utus ning ari anyang meko ya.

Anapaya ning ari, “Makisabi kung mayap kekayu, ekayu tatanam lagpas king gulis. Nung gawan yu yan, kunan ku ngan ing Tobacco at alang tumubu metung man anggat ali ku ngan agigisan isindi ing egana-gana.” Mibuklat ya ing gabun kaybat neng tinampa ning ari saka ne meko.

Tinupad no man deng tau… angga king depat nang Anselmo.

Kapabibatan na nita, menanam ya pa din Tobacco i Anselmo. Aganaka ne ing apaninap na… sana  kasingdakal na nitang apaninap na ing tanam na king keyang asikan.

Pilang banua na ing milabas, akalingwan de rin deng tau ing ari ning bunduk kayabe ning pangaku da kaya.

Sinapak ya ing Kanlaon Tobacco. Deng tawu naman mikwalta la keng karelang pupul.

Dakal taung mekyabe king karelang fiesta. Ala napin sigurung makapigil king karelang pamagsaya ampong keng karelang pamikwalta.

Angga king binuklat ya ing gabun at mibalik ya ing ari ning bunduk.

Minuna neng pinulayi i Anselmo. Mangatug ya butul uling balu na ini na ing aldo ning pamag-atul. Ali ne linawe pagulut king pamamulayi na king lalam ning bunduk.

At milyari na pin ing katatakutan na. Ing dating sapak Tobacco, ngeni, ala neng laman ing Kanlaon. Ali la makapaniwala deng ortilanu na mewala lang bigla deng tanam da. Akalingwan da na tune makapangyarian ya pin ing ari.

Menaimik ngan ing egana-gana uling balu da na ing malyari. Disuldit, sinabug ya ing bunduk at mekulkul ya iti saka sinapak api ampong asuk.

Agyang deng pekamatapang, mengatakutan. Misalbag la deng tau king takut da king mua na ning ari.

Pangabenging ita, meninap ya I Anselmo… ating makapal a asuk a linto king arap na. Menguku ya anggang ikit ne ing ari sisinding Tobacco.

Siniklod ya ampong menyad tawad.

Pasibayu, ali na ne na naman apasin ning ari i Anselmo. Tinampa ne ing gabun maka-atlung besis saka la linto deng mangalating tau.

Mamagdala lang Tobacco deng mangalating tau para isindi ning ari.

Sinapak yang asuk ing bunduk. King sobrang kapal, balamu makbung ne salu i Anselmo.

Anggang mipagising ya.

Milabas ing pilang banwa, atin memagbalik king bunduk. Menalakad lang baryu king gilid bunduk oneng ala nang sinubuk mananam Tobacco.

Alang mikabalu nung nanung milyari kang Anselmo. Atin sasabi, dinukut ne ning ari. Ing aliwa naman sasabyan da, tinakas ya kanu.

Nanu pa man, balu da reng tawu a kasabwat la king depat na. King makabang panaun, alang makatanam king Kanlaon.

Anggat sisindi ya pang Tobacco ing ari.

=————————-=
English Version

Anselmo felt his hands quiver as he planted the first seed. He knew what he was doing was against the wishes of the king of the mountain, and he was fearful of the price. Yet, there was so much to gain. Tobacco plants could stretch until the mountaintop if only the farmers had enough backbone to take the leap.

The earth was parted and the seed buried.

That night he dreamt of the king. They were in a forest facing each other. The king tapped the ground three times and small men sprang from the earth. The king said something Anselmo couldn’t hear and the small men ran towards the edges of the forest.

Anselmo and the king were left alone, but it seemed that the king couldn’t see the scared man. The king tapped the ground three more times and even more small men appeared. Alfonso was curious so this time he followed the small men to see what they were doing.

As he reached the end of the forest he gasped at the sight, rows of tobacco plants that extended towards the horizon. He had never seen so many tobacco plants. The small men were busy planting even more tobacco. Anselmo counted hundreds, no thousands of small men toiling in the fields.

He grabbed one of the small men and asked what they were doing. “Why this is for the king, of course,” said the small man, “the king needs his tobacco to smoke.” The small man then turned his back on Anselmo snickering at such a stupid question.

The dream ended there, with the small man and the tobacco plant. Anselmo’s heart was pounding, it was yesterday when he planted the first seed and he wondered what his punishment would be.

He agonized for days, wondering if he should take back the seed he planted. His mind raced for months about what his punishment would be.

Still, nothing happened. The sun still rose and the moon faded into the night. The roosters crowed at the same time every day and the tobacco plants grew around Kanlaon as they always have.

Soon, others noticed that Anselmo was planting above the line. Their eyes grew greedy with the promise of gold and they too took tobacco seeds and planted where Anselmo did.
And again, nothing happened. Kanlaon was filled to the brim with tobacco.

There were those that tried to warn the farmers. “Remember what the king said! If we plant here then he would carry all the tobacco away and smoke it all!”

Their cries fell on deaf ears. Money blinds even the most humble of men.

In the night there would be those that huddled around campfires and told the story of the king of the mountain. How he had absolute power over the earth, but sought to live alongside humans rather than rule over them.

They recounted how he had asked the people not to plant above a certain line that he had ordered his small men to draw around the mountain near the top. They told of the day when the king left. How the people shed tears at the kings pronouncement.

“I only ask that you will not plant above the line, if you do I will take all the tobacco away and no more shall grow along the mountainside until I have smoked it all.” The king tapped the ground and opened the earth, disappearing into the mountain.
The people kept their promise until Anselmo, of course.

Throughout all this he planted more tobacco. He remembered the dream, how he wished that his fields would look like the king’s, stretching until the horizon.

Years passed and the people forgot about the king of the mountain and their promise to him.

The mountain of Kanlaon was covered entirely by tobacco plants and the people grew rich and fat from their harvests.
Even the most humble of the people joined in the lavish fiestas that were held. It seemed like nothing could stop their celebrations of the people’s newfound wealth.

That is, until the earth opened and the king of the mountain returned.

Anselmo was the first to flee. He could feel the rumble in his bones and he knew the day of reckoning had come. He didn’t even look back as made a dash for the foot of the mountain.
It was a terrible sight to behold. Once filled with tobacco, Kanlaon was now bare. The farmers could not believe that their crops had disappeared so easily, but they had forgotten the true power of the king.

There was silence among the people, as if they knew what was about to happen. Suddenly the mountaintop exploded into the air, creating a crater filled with smoke and fire.

This was too much for even the bravest of them. The people fled in all directions, fearful of the king’s wrath.

That night Anselmo dreamed.

A thick cloud of smoke appeared before Anselmo. He coughed until he saw the king smoking tobacco. He went down on his knees and asked for forgiveness.

Again, the king did not notice his presence. He tapped the ground three times and small men appeared. The small men then brought more tobacco for the king to smoke.

Smoke filled the mountain, filling each crevice. It was an oppressive force. Anselmo felt his chest about to explode from inhaling so much smoke.

Then he awoke.

Years passed by and there were those that returned to the mountain. They set up their villages along the sides, but no one was brave or foolish enough to grow tobacco on the mountain.

No one knows what became of Anselmo, some say the king stole him away for special punishment. Others say that he moved far away, trying to escape the king’s wrath.

It does not matter, for the people know they are complicit in his crime. Nothing will be planted on Kanlaon for generations.

Not until the king is done smoking his tobacco.

Story adapted from THE TOBACCO OF HARISABOQUED http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/pfs/pfs03.htm

Hari sa Bukid Illustration by Camille Chua
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*Note this story is in Tagalog

Nadinig mo ang kanilang boses na tinatawag ang iyong pangalan at ikaw ay napangiti. Naisip mong ito ay isa na namang gabi ng kasiyahan sa labas ng siyudad. Hindi mo na maalala kung saan mo sila nakilala o kung kailan nangyari iyon, pero hindi na mahalaga, dahil ang alam mo lang ay ang kasabikan – kung paano tumibok ang iyong puso kapag kasama mo sila, at kung paano ang mundo ay tila bukas at maganda muli.

Maganda. Sila ay napakaganda… at mayaman. Sila ay halos sobrang ganda para maging totoo. Mayroon silang mga mata na kaya kang akitin sa loob ng segundo na ito ay iyong tingnan. Halos takot kang hawakan ang kanilang damit – na parang masisira kapag hinawakan mo ang maselang tela. Lumiliwanag sila sa ilaw at tingin mo ay parang gawa sila sa ginto. Baka nga totoo.

Ngayon gabi, dinala ka nila sa ibang lugar. Sinabi nila na may pagdiriwang sa bahay. Sa iyong pagdating, hindi mo maihalintulad ang bahay sa mga nakita mo noon. Ito ay marilag, napakalaki, at mamahalin. Hindi mo lubos na maisip ang akmang salita para ilarawan ang iyong paghanga na nakapasok ka sa loob.

Puno ang pagdiriwang ng mga kahalintulad nila ang kagandahan, pero may ilan din na kakaiba ang anyo. Walang nagsabi sa iyo na ito ay isang pagtitipon kung saan ang mga kasali ay nakabihis ng nakakatakot na kasuotan. Nakararami ang nagbihis bilang mangkukulam o aswang, kaya pakiramdam mo ay hindi akma ang iyong kasuotan para sa okasyon. Hindi naman ito inalintana ng iyong mga bagong kaibigan. Sinabi nila na napakahalaga na ikaw ay nakarating.

Binigyan ka nila ng pagkain na parang isang uri ng itim na kanin, pero mas alam mo kung ano iyon.  Nasa kanila ang pinakamagagandang bagay, pati pinakamagandang mga droga. Kumain ka ng walang pag-aatubili. Ang lakas ng iyong tama ay kamangha-mangha. Naramdaman mo na nagsisimulang magbago at gumalaw ang iyong kapaligiran. Ang lahat ng tao ay parang nagbabago – ang kanilang mga buhok at mga mata ay nagiging kulay puti. Ikaw ay nakaramdam ng paglutang – parang ikaw ay inaangat mula sa sahig. Ang tugtugin ay tila lalong lumalakas.

Tumingin ka sa iyong relo. Alas-dos na ng umaga. Masyado ka nang ginabi. Alam mong dapat ka nang umuwi. Kailangan mo nang bumalik sa karaniwan at nakakasawang buhay na kasama ang iyong karaniwan at nakasasawang mga kaibigan. Kahit papaano ay wala ka na ding pakialam. Mukhang hindi masamang isipin na manatili na lamang.

Ayaw mo nang umuwi ng bahay.

Tingin mo ay hindi mo na ito magagawa.

=——————————————————————=

English Version

You hear their voices calling your name and you smile. Another night of fun out in the city, you think. You don’t remember where you met them or when that was, but it doesn’t matter, all you know is the thrill. How it makes your heart beat when you’re with them, how the world is somehow open and beautiful again.

Beautiful. They’re so beautiful. And rich. These people are almost too good to be true. They have eyes that just captivate you within a second of looking at them. You’re almost afraid to touch their clothes, like touching them might destroy the delicate fabric. They shine so brightly in the light you almost think they might be made of gold. Maybe they are.

Tonight they take you somewhere different. They say it’s a house party. When you arrive it’s unlike any house you’ve ever seen before. Regal, spacious, luxurious, you can’t even find the words to describe how amazing it is just to be inside.

The party is filled with equally beautiful people, but also some strange ones. No one told you it would be a costume party. So many people dressed as witches and aswang that you feel under-dressed at this occasion. Your new friends don’t mind though, they say it’s so great to have you here.

They offer you some food, it looks like some kind of black rice, but you know better. They have all the best things, including the best drugs. You eat it without a second thought. The high is amazing. You feel things start to change and move around you. Everyone seems to be changing, their hair and eyes turning white. You can feel yourself floating, like you’re being lifted off the floor. The music feels like it’s getting louder.

You look at your watch. It’s 2am. Getting late. You know you have to get home. Have to go back to your normal, boring life, with your normal, boring friends. But somehow you don’t care anymore, it doesn’t seem like a bad idea to stay.

You never want to go home.

You don’t think you can.

=——————————————–=

Story inspired by the Dalaketnon entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos.

Illustration and Watercolor by Laura Katigbak
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*Note this story is in Waray

Ak urom kada gab-e kay pareho la pirme.

Magtitikang pirme sa ak higdaan. Dire maaram an mga paragbulong kun nano an nahitabo sa ak. Pirme sira nagsusugad nga yaon na lat sira sasarihan nga paagi mao nga pirme ko sira ginpapatawa. Maaram ak nga magigin masuol tanan para sa ak, pero dire ko mabasol an mga doctor kay ginhihimo manla nira an kanra trabaho.

Inabot na an dagom. Gintusok tusok ak ngan ginsarihan sa pira ka oras. Ginsisiguro man ak sa mga nars. Sige an kanra sugad nga magigin maupay ngan mahuhuman gihapon an tanan. Di sira naghihimo mga butang nga maaram sira makakadugang sa kakuri mao nga wara ak iba nga mahimo kundi an humangos nala abot sa mahuman.

An pinakamakuri sa tanan kay an kahuman sa ngatanan. Kahuman sa ngatanan nga pagsari ngan pagbulong, ako nala magsasayuan sa ak higdaan sa hospital. Mao gihapon kun diin nagtikang an tanan. Masugad sira nga ira ak oobserbahan ngan yaon mga doctor nga mag iimod saak kada pira ka oras.

Didto ko iton maiimdan, baga ngan halaba nga tikang sa atop. Dire ak maaram kun nano iton siya ngan kun nakadugtong iton siya sa sayo nga butang, pero nakilwag siya nga mali may kinabuhi. Dire ak makakilwag. Sa kadamo sa ginhimo saak, maluya ak ura-ura para dire ak labtan sa kun nano man iton.

Didto ko iton nakaptan. Sa oras nga ginlabtan ak siton nga baga nga butang, grabe ak dalagan nga mali nakirumbaanay. Tanan nga ak kusog kay ginawas hangtod sap agal na ak ura-ura para magin hadok. An pagtukod nala siton nga baga nga butang an ak nahimo. Mapinit siya kun kaptan ngan sige an kilwag abot sa naabat na niya an tanan nga parte sa ak lawas.

Ginsarihan ko nga gumasod pero pagal na ak ura-ura. An malain nga pamati kay naabat ko na saak bug-os nga kalawasan pero dire ak maaram kun gaanano na kaiha. Karuyag ko la makabalik saak pag katurog.

Tigda may sinulod nga nars. Tigda liwat nawara an baga nga butang sa ak pangimod. Ginapangutan-an ak niya kun okay la ak pero wara ak kusog para makasugad manla nga dire.

“Ay kabahala kay ine nga bulong pamamatahon ka la dali tapos makaka-katurog ka na gihapon,” mao an kanya bagaw.

Naruyag ak gumasod pero wara nagawas.

=———————————————————=

English Version

Every nightmare I have is the same.

It all starts in my bed. I’m in the hospital, as always. The doctors still don’t know what’s wrong with me. They say that they’re going to try another test and I humor them. I know it’s going to be painful for me, but I don’t blame the doctors, they’re just trying to do their jobs.

Then the needles arrive. I get poked and prodded for hours. The nurses try to reassure me. They tell me that everything’s going to be fine and it will all be over soon. They wouldn’t do anything that would make things worse so all I have to do is breathe, just until it’s over.

The worst part comes when it’s all over. After the tests and the treatments, I’m alone in my hospital bed. Back where I started. They tell me I’ll be put on observation and there will be a doctor checking on me every few hours.

That’s when I see it, something long and red coming from the roof. I don’t know what it is and I don’t know if it’s attached to anything, but it moves like it was alive. I can’t move. I’m too weak from all the tests to stop it from touching me.

Then I feel it. The moment the red thing touches me, it’s like I ran a marathon. The energy flows out of me until I’m too tired to even be afraid. All I do is stare at the red thing. It feels cold to the touch and it moves around until it touches every part of my body.

I try to scream but I’m too tired. The strange sensation is all over my body now and I don’t know how long it’s been. I just want to go back to sleep.

Then suddenly, a nurse walks in. The red thing disappears from my sight. She asks me if I’m okay and I can’t muster the strength to say no.

“Don’t worry the medicine will only keep you awake for a little while longer then you can sleep,” she says.

I try to scream again but nothing comes out.

=——————————————————-=

*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 Jmee Juanerio
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Jmee Juanerio

Inspired by the Mansusopsop legends

Mansusopsop Illustration by NightmareSyrup
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*Note this story is in Waray

Kun diin kit tinuok

Didi liwat kit magtitikang

An Muya

An Bayi-Bayi

An kanya ngaran, Amburukay

An kanya tinago nga kadaragan-an

Gintatago niya sa tor-re

An Muya

An Bayi-bayi

Kun sin-o man an makakuha sa kanya tuos

Sa kanya bulawan nga dutdot

Aasawahon niya

Taghoy, an duwende

An Espiritu nga taga tugway

Ni Labaw Donggon

Ginsugaran siya nga upayon

An kanya wakay nga bidya

An tuos la

San Muya

San Bayi-bayi

Kanya ginkuha

Di siya maaram sa tuos

San Muwa

San Bayi-bayi

Dapat niya asawahon

Amburukay

An adlaw sa kasal

Sa kanya balay

Sa balay san lalaki

Gindara ngadto sa Muwa

Ngadto sa Bayi-bayi

Grabe nga haya ni Labaw Donggon

Dire an Muwa

Dire an Bayi-bayi

Dire ko siya kaya nga pakaslan

Amburukay

Wara siya didto

Kanya la binukot

Kanya la mga tinago nga mga kadaragan-an

Kanya mga anak nga babaye

Naglipay si Labaw Donggon

Kun diin kit tanan tinuok

Didi lat kit mahuhuman

=—————————————————————=

English Version

Where we all pause
Here shall we begin

The Muwa
The Bayi-bayi
Her name, Amburukay
She hides her kept maidens
Hides them in her tower

The Muwa
The Bayi-bayi
Whoever gets her tuos*
Her golden pubic hair
Will marry her

Taghoy, the duwende
The spirit guide
Of Labaw Donggon
Tells him to fix
His broken bidya

With only the tuos
Of the Muwa
Of the Bayi-bayi
He takes it

He knows not of the tuos
Of the Muwa
Of the Bayi-bayi
He must marry
Amburukay

The wedding day
His house
The house of the groom
Is brought to the Muwa
To the Bayi-bayi

Labaw Donggon cries in despair
Not the Muwa
Not the Bayi-bayi
I cannot marry her

Amburukay
Is not there
It is her binukot
Her kept maidens
Her adopted daughters
Labaw Donggon rejoices

Where we all pause
Here shall we end

=———————————————————=

*A tuos is a sacred vow or pledge. (This is in reference to the story wherein anyone that gets Amburukay’s golden pubic hair must marry her, as was the sacred magical binding contract of her parents)

*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 (In the style of a Sugidanon [Epic] of Panay)
Waray translation by Jmee Juanerio
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Jmee Juanerio

Story adapted from Amburukay: Sugidanon (Epics) of Panay. Caballero & Caballero-Castor translation by Magos. 2015.

Amburukay Illustration by Patmai De Vera
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