This is a story about a faithful love and a beautiful fairy. And how jealousy destroys all.
In times long past there lived a couple with three children. They had little but were happy with what they had. The husband’s name was Andoy and the wife’s name was Regi.
Andoy would amuse himself by luring wild hens and roosters under a nearby Balete tree and shooting them. One day, a beautiful woman with a whip appeared under the tree. The fairy was looking for her lost hens and roosters and immediately Andoy apologized for what he had done.
The fairy, had a change of heart and instead of punishing Andoy, showed him her beautiful home and gave him some food and money.
Time passed and the fairy fell in love with Andoy. She told him that she would provide for his family if he consented to live with her once in a while. Andoy agreed.
But what of the wife? Regi and the fairy actually had conversations and became close friends, though Regi was never able to see the face of the fairy for the fairy would not allow it.
Regi, Andoy and their three children lived with riches and peace because of the fairy. But with riches come resentment, and jealous people from all around wanted to make sure Regi and her family would not profit from the fairy’s riches.
One relative managed to convince Regi to find out the face of the fairy with a bright light. It was then that Regi asked the fairy to sleep in their house, the fairy consented but under the condition that there would be no light throughout the whole night.
The merriment and celebration lasted through the night, when the fairy was finally asleep, Regi took a match and put it in front of the fairy’s face. The fairy rushed out the door and Andoy followed her. The tears of the fairy could be heard all throughout the house.
The fairy would get her revenge. She took Andoy and they were never seen again.
Regi was left with her three children, without the riches that the fairy provided. She lived a life of misery and pain until the end.
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Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Retold from “Andoy and the Beautiful Lady.” in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.
Engkantada illustration by Ysa Peñas
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