*Note this story is in Tagalog
Mahigpit ang kapit ng mga kadena sa pulso ng bilanggong ito. Dinala siya sa isang bagong silid. Sa simula pa lang ng pag-apak niya sa palasyo, alam na niyang hindi maganda ang kahahantungan ng mga pangyayari. Napakahangal din naman kung tutuusin ang pagpunta sa lalawigan ng Buso, pero gagawin niya ito para sa kadakilaan – kung nagawa lang niyang nakawin iyon.
Nakakasilaw ang liyab ng mga sulo, ngunit natatabunan ito ng alab mula sa trono. Marami nang narinig na kwento ang bilanggo tungkol sa nilalang na ito, pero wala pa ito sa kalingkingan ng kilabot na makikita sa harapan niya.
May pumapatak na dugo mula sa bibig ng Datu. Nakarinig ang bilanggo ng nakakangalisag na tunog at bumaling ang pulang mata ng Datu sa kaniya. Hindi niya naintindihan ang winika nito, pero pinalaya ang bilanggo sa pagkakakadena. Kung ano man ang nangyayari, sa dami ng kamalasan niya, alam niyang hindi maganda ang kahihinantnan nito.
Ang mga bantay ng Buso ay nagbigay daan sa kaniya, at iniwang bukas ang pintuan. Tumakbo ang bilanggo. Hindi niya papalampasin ang pagkakataong ito. Baka pinapakawalan siya ng mga bantay, kung hindi naman ay sayang pa rin ang pagkakataon niyang makatakas.
Makakalabas na sana siya tungong patyo, ngunit bigla siyang nilamon ng malalaking apoy.
Nag-aapoy ang mga sungay ng Datu. Sinakmal nito ang ulo ng bilanggo at saka sinimulang pagpiyestahan. Isang palaisipan sa mga bantay kung bakit hilig ng Datu na paglaruan mga pagkain nito, pero pinipili nilang manahimik. Nasusunod palagi ang gusto ng isang Maharlika.
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English Version
The chains felt heavy on the prisoner’s wrists. He was led into a new room. The prisoner knew that he was already dead the moment he stepped in the palace. It was foolish of him to even consider going to the city of the buso, but he knew glory was on the line. If only he had managed to steal it.
The torches in the room were burning brightly, but they were dwarfed by the blaze radiating from the throne. The prisoner had only heard stories about this creature, but those words could not do justice to the horror that sat before him.
Blood dripped from the Datu’s mouth. The prisoner heard a sickening crunch and the Datu stared at him with its one red eye. It mumbled something in its language and the prisoner’s chains were set loose. He wasn’t sure what was happening, but, with his luck, it wasn’t something good.
The buso guards gave way and left the doorway open. The prisoner ran. He wasn’t going to let his chance go to waste. If they were letting him go then this was what they wanted, if this was something else then he would at least have a chance.
He almost got to the courtyard before a large flame overtook him.
The Datu’s ivory horn pulsed with flame. It grabbed the prisoner’s head and started eating. The guards wondered why the Datu always played with his food, but they kept silent.
Royalty does what it will.
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*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 Jillianne Santos
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Jillianne Santos
Inspired by the Datu of the Buso in ‘Adventures of Tuglay’ reprinted in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.
Datu of the Buso Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
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