Once there was an old couple who had a difficult time conceiving. Every night they lifted their prayers to heaven until one day the woman found herself pregnant. When their child was born, she was of such profound beauty that her parents exclaimed, “There are none more beautiful than our daughter. Even the fairest tomawo could not compare to her!”
The wind carried their words through the somber forests and lofty clouds until they settled on the ears of those that tamawo that dwelt in a shallow well a fair distance from the couple’s house.
It never crossed the couple’s mind that an exclamation such as that could inflame the envy of those spirits. The spirits agreed that the child would pay for her parent’s words.
These tomawo were as patient as they were eternal. They watched as the child matured, growing even more beautiful. Even those from far-off lands knew of the girl and her unsurpassed loveliness.
The spirits grew even more embittered. They could hear the signs carried in the melodies of the songbirds:
“She is the sun ascending from the horizon. Those who are touched by her light are blessed forever.”
“All the flowers in the world cannot match her radiance.”
“In her eyes are the flickers of the infinite. No one can resist her gaze.”
“Mere water cannot reflect her true elegance.”
Now those last words cut a deep wound in the spirits’ pride for they dwelt in a shallow well. To them, water was so sacred that to even utter that statement would invoke their wrath.
On the girl’s fifteenth birthday the spirits began their plot.
That night, after her family had gone to sleep, the girl sat outside and reflected on how amazing the day was. She had received gifts from many suitors, dazzling jewels and breathtaking gold. She felt that the sun and moon were mere dots that served to light her figure.
Her rumination was interrupted by a sweet harmony, beckoning her near. She could not resist the sound’s charm and started walking to its source.
In the well the spirits bickered.
“We should drown that irritating upstart. A few minutes and it will all be over, then we can send her bloated corpse to the other humans to show just how pretty this ‘princess’ actually is.”
“No! We should make her punishment long and slow. For fifteen years we had to endure those insults that were thrown at our own beauty. I want to her to suffer as we have.”
The spirits fought and threw taunts at each other, but they were still no closer to an agreement.
Until one voice reverberated through the well.
“My tamawo sisters, all this talk of pain and suffering will not sate our resentment. The humans agreed that there was no spirit that could ever be as beautiful as this girl. We must prove them wrong.”
“What would you have us do then?”
“You shall see.”
The girl stood beside the well. She was fully aware of what her body was doing, but she could not control it.
From the well rose a beautiful woman. In her heart the girl new that the woman was a supernatural like her grandfather would tell of in his stories.
“Please let me go,” the girl begged.
“Your family has committed a grave sin against the spirits.”
“What do you mean? We’ve done nothing to harm you.”
“Is it not true that the humans across this land and others have proclaimed you as more beautiful than the spirits?”
“Yes but that was just a joke, they were exaggerating.”
“I don’t think they were. Or you were, for that matter.”
“I didn’t say anything!”
“Oh really? Then what happened at your party?”
“Nothing happened!”
“What did you say after you received your gifts?”
“Nothing! It was just a joke!”
“What. Did. You. Say.”
Tears welled out down the girl’s cheeks.
“I said that I was the only thing that mattered. That no being, not a person, not a spirit, not even a god could ever reach the beauty I have.”
“You spit in the face of the spirits. There are none that hold beauty such as we do. You are nothing but a human and you will never equal us.”
The girl grew silent. She could feel the spell that kept her still fade away, but instead of running she faced the spirit.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about! You stupid cow! Do you know how gorgeous I am or do you not have eyes! You can do what you want with me, but you will always, ALWAYS, know that this human is more beautiful than any tomawo will ever be!”
“You dare throw disrespect?!”
“No, I am just telling the truth. I will be remembered as the greatest beauty in this land and others, while your stupid face can’t even interest a normal person!”
“Foolish girl. But you may be right. You are beautiful, more than I care to admit. I do know one way to have humans and spirits alike say that the tamawo are more beautiful than anything in this realm and others.”
“What are you going to do to me?”
“You shall see…. Sister.”
The couple spent years trying to find their daughter until their heartbreak took a toll on their frail bodies. Their prayers were unanswered and they were tormented with the pain of loss until the end. They were buried near their home, in unmarked graves.
Some say the girl drowned in a river not too far away and her ghost could be seen roaming lonely paths.
Others say that one of her suitors carried her to a far-off land where she is now queen, content to spend her days sharing her beauty with her subjects.
But there are those that warn against going to an isolated well near the forest. They say that beautiful spirits make it their home. There are those that ignore those warnings for it is also said that one of those spirits is the most beautiful being in all the realms. Those with common sense would heed these warnings but for those without logic, nothing will stop them from seeing a glimpse of her beauty.
*Tomawo are beautiful spirits like the engkanto.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Inspired by the Manbukay description in The Remnants of the Great Ilonggo Nation. Sebastian Sta. Cruz Serag. 1997.
Manbukay illustration by Gabrielle Solera
IG: @gbsolera
