*Note this story is in Tagalog
May mga munting liwanag na gumuhit mula sa madilim na kalangitan – mga piping saksi sa tanawin na parehong may hiwaga at wala: isang dalaga na isinilang ng liwanag ng buwan at isang binata na isinilang ng tao ang nakaupo sa harap ng isa’t isa. Naudyok na mag-usisa ang mga alitaptap at sila ay lumipad papalapit upang pakinggan ang usapan ng magkapares.
“Nakita kita kahapon.”
“Ginawa mo?”
“Ikaw ay sumayaw sa ilalim ng liwanag ng buwan.”
“Hindi ko naisip na may taong nanonood.”
“Muntik ko nang makalimutan kung gaano ka kaganda.”
“Huwag mong gawin iyan.”
“Ikaw ay kumukuti-kutitap sa pagitan ng liwanag ng buwan at gumalaw patungo sa liwanag. Gusto sana kitang batiin, pero sa isang iglap, nawala ka.”
“Kinailangan kong bumalik.”
“Iyan din ang sinabi mo sa akin noon.”
“Iyon ang katotohanan noon, tulad ngayon. Ito ay isang pagkakamali.”
“Sabihin mo lang sa akin ang isang bagay. Naging mahalaga ba iyon?”
“Ang alin ang naging mahalaga?”
“Ikaw at ako?”
“….”
“Nakikiusap ako na ako’y tingnan mo. Ipinangako natin na tayo ay magiging tapat sa isa’t isa.”
“Matagal na panahon na iyon.”
“Pero naaalala mo pa.”
“…”
“Pakiusap?”
“Oo. Iyon nga.”
“Hindi iyan ang gusto mo talagang sabihin. Hindi mo ba maalala kung paano ang nangyari dati? Noon ay ikaw lang at ako –”
“Bulag ka ba para hindi makita ang mga nangyayari? Walang ibang paraan para ang mga pangyayari ay magpatuloy.”
“Nagmamahalan tayo noon.”
“Ikaw ay nagkaroon ng malubhang karamdaman.”
“…”
“Huwag mo akong tingnan ng ganyan. Ganoon talaga ang mangyayari. Kapag ang isa sa amin ay umibig sa isa sa inyo –”
“Ito ay matatapos.”
“Lagi itong natatapos.”
“Maari ka bang manatili, kahit sandali lang?”
“Kaya kong gawin iyan.”
Gumuhit ang liwanag sa direksyon ng magkapares. Alam ng mga alitaptap na narinig ng dalaga na isinilang ng liwanag ng buwan na sila ay nakikiusisa, pero wala silang pakialam. Lumipad sila patungo sa kalangitan at sumayaw sa kanilang liwanag, habang sinasabi ang kuwento ng pagkabigo at pag-ibig sa sinuman na nagnanais na makinig.
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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.
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Inspired by the Engkanto description in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.
Engkanto Illustration by Pia BMorante