*Note this story is in Kapampangan
Ginulis la reng pisi ning sala king alapaap niyang bengi, ala lang bulad a magmasid king panalbeng pareung kakatwa ampong karaniwan: ing metung a sapni na babai ning sala ning bulan ampong sapni ning tau, makalukluk miarapan. Linapit la ring alipatpat banta makiramdam.
“ Ikit da ka napun. “
“Tutu? “
“Teterak ka king lalam na ning sala ning bulan. “
“ E ku isipan na ating manalbe. “
“ Maibug ku nang akalingwan nung makananu ka kalagu. “
“Ali mu gagawan ini. “
“ Kikislap ka kareng bulan, gagalo king kapamilatan ning sala. Buri da ka pakisabyan, oneng penandit, ala na ka. “
“ Mibalik na ku dapat. “
“ Makanian mu rin ing sinabi mu kaku kanita. “
“ Ining tutu kanita ampong ngeni, pamagkamali ya ini. “
“ Sabyan mu mu kaku. Sulit ya ba?”
“ Sulit ing nanu? “
“ Ika ampong aku. “
“….”
“ Lawen mu ku, makisabi ku. Mipagtipanan tamu king metung at metung na maging tutu tamu.
“ Malwat na panaun na ita. “
“ Oneng agaganaka me pa. “
“…”
“ Makisabi ku. “
“ Wa. “
“E mu buring sabyan. Ali mu agaganaka nung makananu ing kanita? Ika mu ampung aku. “
“Tutu bang bulag na ka at ali mu akakit ing malalalyari? Ali ya malyaring isundu ing makantini. “
“ Mikalugud tamu. “
“ Mamamate ka kanita. “
“…”
“ E mu ku lalaweng makanyan. Makantini mu talaga. Nung malsinta ya ing metung kekami kareng kalupa yu-“
“ Mapupus ya ini. “
“ Mapupupus ya parati. “
“ Malyaring keni ka pa? Diyang saguli mu? “
“ Agyu ke ita. “
Ginulis ya ing sala ibat kareng adwa. Balu da reng alipatpat na dimdam ning sapni ning sala ning bulan ing karelang pamakiramdam, oneng ala lang pakialam. Sinulapo la king banua ampong tinerak ing karelang sulu, sasabyan ing kesaysayan na ning pangawala ampong lugud kareng ninumang mamye panawun makiramdam.
=———————=
English Version
English Version
Wisps of light streaked through the night sky, standing silent witness to a sight both strange and not: a daughter of moonlight and a son of man sitting across from each other. Curiosity filled the fireflies and they flew closer to the pair to hear.
“I saw you yesterday.”
“Did you?”
“You were dancing in the moonlight.”
“I didn’t think anyone was watching.”
“I almost forgot how beautiful you were.”
“Don’t do this.”
“You were flickering between the moonbeams, moving through the light. I wanted to say hello, but in a moment, you were gone.”
“I needed to go back.”
“That’s what you told me before.”
“It was as true then as it is now. This was a mistake.”
“Just tell me one thing. Was it worth it?”
“Was it worth what?”
“You and me?”
“….”
“Look at me, please. We promised each other that we’d be honest.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“But you still remember.”
“…”
“Please?”
“Yes. It was.”
“You can’t mean that. Don’t you remember how things were? It was just you and me—“
“Are you so blind that you couldn’t see what was happening? There was no way things could have continued.”
“We were in love.”
“You were dying.”
“…”
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s the way things are. If one of us falls in love with one of you—“
“It will end.”
“It always ends.”
“Could you stay, just for a little while?”
“I can do that.”
Light streaked from the direction of the pair. The fireflies knew that the daughter of moonlight heard them eavesdropping, but they didn’t care. They flew to the skies and danced with their lights, telling a story of loss and love to anyone that would take the time to hear it.
=————————————–=
* Kapampangan, Pampango, or the Pampangan language is a major Philippine language. It is primarily spoken in the province of Pampanga, southern Tarlac, and northeastern Bataan. Kapampangan is also spoken in some municipalities of Bulacan and Nueva Ecija, by various Aeta groups of Central Luzon, and in scattered communities within the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. The language is known honorifically as Amánung Sísuan (“breastfed, or nurtured, language”)
Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Sam Carreon
Inspired by the Engkanto description in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.
Engkanto Illustration by Pia BMorante