*Note this story is in Tagalog
Ang mga sugat at pilat sa kanyang braso ay Isang maliwanag na patunay ng buhay na kanyang tinahak. Hindi alam ng babaing ito kung bakit naging masubgit Ang tadhana sa kanya, kung bakit binigyan sya ng isang asawang malupit at ni hindi nagbibigay ng ano mang suporta para sa kanila anak. Pero sa kabila Ng lahat ng ito ay mas pinili nyang magpatuloy.
Pumapanatag ang kanyang kalooban pag sya ay nasa tabing dagat. Sa may pampang ay may isang malaking bato na nagiging kublihan nya at ng kanyang anak, tuwing sya ay sinasaktan ng kanyang asawa. Dun ay humahalo ang patak ng kanyang mga luha sa alon ng dagat. Wala syang ibang matatakbuhan, ang dagat ang nagdadala ng kapayapaan sa kanya, hindi man nya alam kung hanggang kailan tatagal ang kapayapaang ito.
Mayroon syang tungkulin bilang asawa, ang mahalin at paglingkuran ang lalaking kasama nyang nanumpa sa harap ng dambana. tungkulin sa Isang lalaking sugarol at lassengo, bagama’t mabigat ay tungkulin pa rin. Tanggap ng babae ang kanyang naging kapalaran, ngunit ang mga pilat at sugat ay unti unti nang nanunoot sa kaibuturan ng kanyang buong pagkatao.
Isang Gabi, sumagad ang pananakit ng kanyang Asawa. “Sapat na!” wika ng babae sa kanyang sarili, dagling tinungo ng babae ang dalampasigan, karga ang kanyang anak, mabilis silang nagtago sa malaking bato. Kasabay ng paghagulgol ay pagsusumamo nya sa may hawak ng Tadhana maging ng malawak na karagatan. Iniiyak nya ang kanyang naging Buhay at ang kalupitang sinapit sa kamay ng lalaking itinuring nyang asawa. Ngunit mas naghihinagpis ang kanyang puso dahil hindi nya alam kung anong buhay ang kaya nyang ibigay sa kanyang anak.
Sya ay patuloy na nanangis, Hanggang ang pagtangia na ito ay mayroong nakarinig.
Sa pusod ng karagatan, sa ilalim ng mga alon, ang kanyang pag iyak ay binitbit ng alon tungko sa pandinig ng Dyos ng dagat. Ang Dyos ng dagat ay namangha, ngayon lamang sya nakarinig ng ganitong pagtangis na punong puno ng hinagpis at paghihirap, kaya nagdalang awa sya sa babae at sa anak nito.
Mula sa pinakamalalim na bahagi ng karagatan, umahon ang Dyos ng dagat at hinarap Aang babae. Dagli nya itong pinapili, manatili sa lupa o sumama sa kanya at manirahan sa ilalim ng dagat, kung saan maglalahong lahat ang kanyang kalungkutan.
Dahil alam ng babae na ang pananatili sa lupa ay patuloy nyang malalasap ang lupit ng kanyang asawa, ay dagling pumayag ang babae na sumama na lamang sa ilalim ng dagat. Sa Isang kisapmata ay binago ng Dyos ng dagat ang kanilang anyo, ang mag Ina ay mabilis na naging nilalang ng karagatan.
Ayon sa mga kwento ang babae at ang kanyang anak ay maligaya at malayang nanirang sa ilalim ng dagat, habang buhay, kaisa ng mga alon, hanggang sa dulo ng walang hanggang.
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English Version
The bruises on the woman’s arms were a testament to the life that she led. She did not know why fate had chosen to give her a cruel husband that would not even provide for the needs of her and her child, but she had decided to persevere.
She had always found peace in the beach. By the shore there was a big rock where she would bring her baby after each beating her husband gave. There her tears would join the ocean. There was nowhere else she could run, but the sea afforded her some measure of comfort, for however long that would last.
She had her duty as a wife, a duty to a man who was a gambler and a drunkard, but a duty nonetheless. The woman accepted her fate, but the scars were taking their toll.
One night, too much was enough. To save her life and the life of her child the woman fled to the beach and went by the large rock and cried. She cried to the fates and the oceans. She cried about her life and her scars. But mostly, she cried for her child, for what future would await the poor baby.
She cried until she was heard.
Far beneath the sea, the woman’s cries were carried by the waves to the ears of the god of the sea. He had never heard such a tale of sadness and woe and decided to take pity on the woman and her child.
From the depths of the oceans the god of the sea emerged and faced the woman. He gave her a choice, to stay on land or to go with him, underneath the waves where the woman’s sadness would vanish.
There was no choice to be made. Immediately the woman nodded and the god of the sea transformed the woman and her baby into creatures of the sea.
So it came to pass that the woman who found solace in the sea, was embraced by its ruler, forevermore to be one with the waves and the sea foam, until the end of time.
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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 Rem Faustino
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Rem Faustino
Inspired by “The Origin of the Duyong.” in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.
Duyung illustration by Seika Mitsuya
https://www.instagram.com/seikart/