*Note this story is in Maguindanaon
“Saki menem! Enggay nengka sa laki e korona a nan!”
“Dyako! Nya mapya bagelen sya sa laki!”
Pedsakit den menem e ulo ni tuwa Nena kanu galbek na mga apo nin. Da den mon madalem a sabap na kabagukag ni Aina endo Alisa ka kabagagawa bu sa kapegka “putri”.
“Embalingan nengka nan!” inikisek ni Alisa. “Sya e nan det sa laki!”
“Dyako! Katidtu na katidtu! Saguna na saki menem e putri, endo da makalawan sa laki a putri!” pindila dilan pan ni Aina si Alisa a maken nakoman sa kasakit na ginawa ni Alisa.
“Di ka mapakay a mombal a putri! Da sabut nengka sa kape mapulo! Endalatan nengka bu e bamunwan nengka!”. Tinukawan semumag ni Alisa su suled nin uway na nya malangakas lon, na nakasumek sekanin makin.
“Eb-pyapya kanu pan sa bamelyu sa ngali nu anan! Da kano kapamandoy sa kadtalo sa mawag sa kaped no!” sinemapal den si tuwa Nena.
“Laki e nya!” binidteg ni Aina su suled nin a nadsabapan na kina tunggad nu mapulo e alaga nin a tamok.
Nakineg kineg sa kawalayan su uni na kinapesa nu tamok. Uway na da den mon madsuliman nu edsuled su mga nangad-tagayak nilan, initalos nilan pan makin e kabagagawa nilan kanu korona.
Taman sa nasemu den si tuwa Nena kanu galbek nilan.
“Sugat kanu den! Ludop kanu lo!” Matag matuwa den si tuwa Nena na malangkas pon e gagalbekan nin. Kinwa ni enggagan so korona sa untol nu ulo ni Aina. “umengka di kanu temelen na da makin mombal a putri sa lekanu dwa!”. Makin tinebi ni tuwa Nena so korona lu sa kasangulan nilan.
Da den pagidsan na kinasakit sa pamusungan nu mga wata kano pinakedan ni tuwa Nena kano korona nilan. Nalimengan so dwa a wata uway na pinakategas ni tuwa Nena su paninindeg nin. Bamagugulyang a limudop kano bagigan nilan su duwa a wata. Makin inisumek nilan e ginwa nilan kano bagigan nilan ka endo kalipatanan nilan lawa su nasabpet nu bagagawan nilan.
“Sabap e nya ba sa leka langon! Babal! u dikena sabap sa leka na aden pon lawa mumbal a putri sa lekita dwa!” di ged kakineg sa matanog so kinadtalo ni Alisa sabap sa kinadtanggub nin sa manta.
“Ha! Katusan ged a pedo pan e nasabutan negka! Dikena bu nya kapedtawag sa leka sa putri e aden pan korona nengka!” inisumpat ni Aina.
“Babal! Panon pan e kataw na mga taw a putri ka? Korona na namaba e tanda a aden kapulwan nengka!”
“Korona na korona bu taman! Dikena den nasisita na tidtu a putri e pamedtinang pan san a tatanusan. U tidtu a putri ka na katawan nengka den e tu sa ginawa nengka”
Da den sumpat ebpaluman si Alisa. Tinalima ni Aina sa ginawa nin a sekanin den e nakataban sa kapedsumpata nilan ka da den makasumpat si Alisa. Napagitong nin a galbek ged na wata e pinggula ni Alisa ato a kabagagawa sa korona. Apya leping den mon silan a dsuled, na nya bon kelay ni Aina an sekanin bon e matuwa e ginawa nin, salta sekanin bon e nona pimbata sa lima ka minutos.
Inimatayan den ni Aina su palitan endo midtanggub den sa manta ka endo pakatulog den silan.
Nya nilan da madsuliman na aden besen limayog a mana bulawan a papanok a minukit sa liyu na palyongan nilan.
Midsimbul a palas na taw endo papanok e palas nu baniling kano palyungan na walay nilan. Mibpapak sa bulawan su mama.
Pegkadalem den su gay endo kagutem den sekanin. Su balikayan endo da ged talu talo nin a babay e natago sa ginawa nin a ipeng-gabi nin, uway na sabap kano nakineg nin a pakingel na da mabaloy so pebplanon nin.
Sabap sa nagepan nin na makin pibpawangan nin si nabpunan nu makengel.
Endo pinagikineg nin.
Lagun lagunan den e kuget nin iganat nu noli a kinemwa sekanin sa binilanggo nin a putri nin.
Nuget den ged iganat sa lekanin.
Inibpipideng nin su mga mata nin endo pinagitong nin su mga nuget den ged a nangang gula.
Kanu tuba a gay na tidto a kinolan sa mabagel lu kanu da ngala nin a dalepa a nakabetad sa ubay na lagat, a mana den silan nalipungetan nu kigkwan sa mabagel a ulan. Namedsilong su mga taw lu kanu ludop na mga walay nilan ugaid na apeg na tu ba na da bon makagaga. Tidtu e kinambagel lu kano lagat, kabagel nin a mana makaled den kano mga taw nu dalpa nilan.
Da den katawan nu mga taw a kaped a ukit sa kapatelen kanu ulan, taman sa aden babay a timukaw den lemyu endo midtimbulan kanu mabagel a ulan.
Kimesek sekanin temawag lu kanu langit sa kisek a di matag mapakay a di madsusuliman na entayn e makakineg lon.
“Sugati ka den e inged name anya! Saki den e kwa ka! Taman sa mapaulipen ako pan sa leka!”
Inisampay nu sambel su katigan nu babay. Da den matag nanggula nu kigkwan kanu ulan. Inenggay nin su kyug nu babay.
“Seka e kadenan?” inidsa nu babay.
“Tu ba e kelay nu kaped sa laki” inisumpat nin
“Edtabangan nengka so mga taw nu inged ko sa nya egkatamanan?”
“Umengka seka e sambi nin na uway, tabangan ko silan”
Kinapetan nin sa lima su babay tupan ka timelen su mabagel a sambel endu ulan. Dikena silan limayog papulo sa langit uway na lu kanu didalem na lagat sila mibpawang. Lu kanu bagulyan nin.
Mapya a kinapaguyag e kanelan. Aden mga gay a peb-panudtula endo pedsengala bu e galbek nilan. Sobla e kapya nu kadsuswala nu babay a apya kena ta pagidsan na malilini kanu swala nin. Su kanisan nin na nakadsasanga nu kategel nin.
Napamanudtol nu babay su mga tutdtulan kano mga mangawatan a inged, kanu mga alimaw endo kano mga manusya a temekaw semegkim kanu tu a mga alimaw.
Sa sobla nu kinalini nin kanu katamanan nilan na inipelay nin su tidto nin a palas. Su palas nin a taw.
Uway na langon na manggula na aden bun katamanan nin. Apya ngin e enggulan ni sa kapakalendo nin kano umol nu babay na di bun makagaga sabap sa taw bu so babay. Dikena nin pagidsan sa kalendo na umol. Taman sa numa su gay na kinapatay nu babay.
Minimaman sekanin sa kabagitong kanu mga nuget den a mga nangang-gula. Tupan ka natademan nin su deyt a penggalbeken nin.
Pegkwa sekanin sa putri nin.
“Ngin—?” nakapangiseng sa mata si Aina endo nin madsuliman so bulawan a papanok a banutok kanu pinto nu palyongan nilan.
Nya nin kataw na pedtaginepen nin bu su nelay nin, na inukan nin su palyongan.
“Seka su putri?” inidsa nu papanok.
“Saki—“
“dikena sekanin!” timekaw semumpat si Alisa “da labi a salakaw ka saki bu e putri sya!”
“aw, na mapya ka natun ko seka mapulo a putri.”
“Di ka bagubaya e nan Alisa” nadsuliman ni Aina a mana aden sakabyas kanu mga egkanggula. Napagitong nin a mana dikena den e nya papagelina a taginep. Mana nakagedam sekanin sa gilek a di nin egkasabutan.
“Nelay nengka? Mapya pan sekanin ka katawan nin panon e kapembityala sa mapya kanu kapulwan nu putri” midtindeg gagan si Alisa endo inubay nin makin su bulawan a papanok.
“Mapakay a munot ka sa laki lu kanu nabpunan ko, putri?”
“Dika! Alisa di ka bagunot! Dikena den e nya—“
“Sugat ka pedtalo! Taman sa taman na nya nengka bu galbek na kapedsapal sa langun na pegkyugan ko penggula! Dekyug nin u matuwa ka sa laki sa lima ka minutos! Magidsan ta bun sa edad! Na sugati akon nengka bamandu sa panon e det a penggulan ko sa ginawa ko!”
“Pakikineg ka sa laki Alisa! Dikena e nya papagelina—“
“Da den laki lon! Apya makesa bu na katukawan ku den panon e det a kapeb-pyapya sa laki.”
“Nya bun det na putri na aden korona nin” timukaw kemwa sa pedtinang a korona lu kanu didalem nu papak nin su bulawan a papanok.
“Nasugat nengka! Esya nengka nan!”
“Alisa! telen ka!”
Uway na da den ma sot. Nangagan ged e kinagendel nu wata kanu korona lu kano kemel nu papanok a bulawan. Nya nin den kinatukaw na pedtatanggit den sekanin nu paanok lemayog.
Nangeni sa tabang si Aina eng-gagan endo nanudtol kani tuwa nin a Nena. Uway na ten e maginugot sa aden bulawan a papanok a timekaw den embwat sa da mataw sa nabpunan nin, endo timekaw den menggay sa korona kano apo nin?
Nakapayapat su tuladan ni Alisa sa embyas byas den a latalan. Menggay silan sa masla a balas kanu ten e makatutulo sa nabetadan ni Alisa.
Na si Aina?
Katawan nin sa ginawa nin a dikena papagelani e kimwa kanu suled nin. Makin inilipalado nin su ginawa nin sa katabang nin endo kakwa nin kano suled nin a natadin. Da den mapakay a makasapal pan sa lekanin sa kapangilay nin kanu suled nin. Madakel e nukitan nin a mapasang kanu pila lagon a kinapangilay nin labi den su lawas nin. Madakel a mga libro e pinangalayan nin sa mga katigan, taman sa nasampen nin su bangilen nin.
Garuda.
Inidsapa nin sa ginawa nin a pangelen nin su suled nin.
Uway na sa temundog bu menem I tu a tudtulan.
English Version
“It’s my turn! Gimme the crown!”
“No way! It looks better on me!”
The girls were being a handful again and it was getting on Lola Nena’s nerves. There was no reason for Aina and Alisa to be fighting this much over something as silly as being a princess.
“Give it back,” Alisa screamed, “the crown belongs to me!”
“No, fair is fair, now it’s my turn to be the princess, and I’m going to be the best princess ever!” Aina stuck her tongue out at Alisa and that just made her angrier.
“You can’t be the best princess, you don’t even know how to rule! You’re just gonna make your kingdom suck.” Alisa tried to tackle her sister, but she was too fast and Alisa stumbled through empty air.
“Now girls watch your language! We don’t say ‘sucks’ to each other,” said Lola Nena, trying to inject a measure of civility into the fight.
“It’s mine!” Aina deftly dodged her sister sending Alisa right into the path of a very expensive vase.
The crash could be heard throughout the house. The sisters didn’t even notice the chaos that they caused, continuing to play their game of catch the crown.
Lola Nena had enough.
“That’s it! Both of you to your room!” Lola Nena may have been old but she was fast. She snatched the crown from Aina’s head and grasped it tight. “If you two won’t behave then no one gets to be the princess.” And with that Lola Nena broke the crown in two.
There isn’t a word to describe the sound of two girl’s hearts breaking, but ‘crestfallen’ comes pretty close. The girls were disconsolate and Lola Nena would not budge. They cried all the way to their room, burying themselves in their sheets, trying to forget what had happened.
“This is all your fault stupid!” Alisa muffled scream forced its way through her blankets. “If it wasn’t for you one of us would still be the princess.”
“Ha shows what you know! You don’t need a crown to be a princess,” Aina said, haughtily.
“Stupid! How else will people know you’re royalty? The crown is a symbol of your power!” Alisa replied.
“A crown is just a crown; real royalty doesn’t need fancy jewelry. You just know what you are.”
Silence followed. Aina took this as a sign that she had won the argument and readied herself for sleep. It was so childish the way Alisa kept trying to get the crown. Even though they were twins Aina always thought that she was the more mature one, it paid to have been born five minutes earlier.
Aina switched off the lamp and put her blanket over her head, trying to get some sleep.
And outside the window a golden figure hovered.
He was half a man, with wings of gold, peering through the windows the human homes.
The hour was late and he was getting hungry. He had decided on a particularly mousey girl to be his dinner, but a noise in the distance interrupted his plans.
Curious, he flew towards the sound.
And he listened.
It had been decades since he had last taken a princess to be his prisoner. Not since…
Not since her.
He closed his eyes and thought to the past.
The storm gods were angry that day and rain battered an unnamed village by the coast. The people of the village tried to hide from the rain in their huts, but it was of no use. Waves, tripling in size, threatened to drown the villagers.
It seemed like there was nothing they could do, nothing until she walked out towards the rain.
She shouted to the heavens in a voice that not even gods could ignore.
“Spare this village and take me instead! I will be your servant!”
The winds carried her prayer and what else could he do but answer?
“Are you a god?” she asked.
“To some,” he answered.
“Will you spare my people from this storm?”
“In exchange for you? I will.”
He took her hand and with his power the storm ceased to be. They did not fly towards the heavens as she expected, instead diving to the bottom of the ocean. His home.
Their days were spent in story and song. She had a voice that would make angels flush with envy and her beauty was matched by her quick wit.
She told tales of far off lands, magical beasts and those that sought to tame them.
In time he felt comfortable enough that he took his true form, his human shape.
But all things come to an end. No matter how hard he tried to keep her alive, humans were fragile beings. The sands of time fell not in her favor and she was lost to dust.
He shook off the past and remembered that his prey was waiting.
He would have his princess.
“Wha—?” Aina rubbed her eyes and saw a large, golden bird knocking at her window.
She thought she was still dreaming and opened the window.
“Are you the princess?” the bird asked.
“I—-”
“No she’s not!” Alisa screamed. “I’m the only princess here!”
“Well, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, your majesty,” said the bird.
“Alisa, stay back.” Something wasn’t right, this didn’t feel like a dream. A spark traveled through Aina’s spine and lingered.
“See? Here’s someone that knows how to treat royalty!” Alisa sprang up from her bed and stood in front of the golden bird.
“Will you come with me to my palace, your majesty?”
“No Alisa! Don’t—-this isn’t——”
“Quiet! All my life all you do is stop me from doing things, I don’t care if you’re five minutes older, we’re still the same age and you can’t tell me how to live my life!”
“Alisa listen to me, this is dangerous—-”
“I don’t care, for once in my life I’m finally going to be treated the way I deserve.”
“And what is a princess without her crown?” From his wings the bird produced a tiara of glistening gold, enveloping the room in a soft glow.
“Yes, now we’re talking! Give it to me!”
“Alisa! Stop!”
But it was too late. The young girl greedily snatched the crown from the claws of the bird and before she knew it she was being carried away.
Aina tried to call for help. She told Lola Nena what had happened, but would you believe that a golden bird came out of nowhere and offered your granddaughter a crown?
Alisa’s picture was spread through social media and the newspapers. A sizable reward was put forward for information on her whereabouts, but they would never find her. They were looking in the wrong places.
And Aina?
She knew what monster took her sister and she prepared herself. Nothing was going to stop her from rescuing her twin. The years were hard for her, putting herself through the most physically demanding training and diving through books until she found what she was looking for.
Garuda.
She swore that she would find her sister.
But that’s a story for another time.
*This story is not “word for word” or “translated literally” since there are English words that has no exact equivalent in Maguindanaon language. It was translated as to how an old Maguindanaon would re-tell the story. But nonetheless, the content and dialogue in the original and the translated version are all the same.
-Riyusen
Written by Karl Gaverza
Traslation by Riyusen
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Riyusen
Inspired by the Garuda description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Garuda Illustration by Paul Medalla
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