O marcupo, marcupo, with your royal red crest
O marcupo, marcupo, guarding your nest
In the highest of mountains in all the ancient lands
Between Marapara and Canlaon is where it stands
Your song travels through the rivers and the lakes
On days that are clear the melody quakes
O marcupo, marcupo, what treasure do you guard
In your perch up high, why is the door barred
I know of your cousin, such venom with he
For under the tree did his victims come to be
They stayed under their refuge, a tree as they say
Called Kamandag, where they were treated as prey
O marcupo, marcupo, why, with poison so dire
Soaked within the branches to set souls afire
Your song ended, yielded to your furious bite
Coursing through their veins in a torrent of blight
Marcupo, marcupo, sing to us your song
Stay in your trees where you belong
Keep your tongue and thorns away, no more bloodshed
Stay away with your tusks and tail and crest so red
For victims we shall not be
We will take fire to your tree
And burn it until you are no more
O, marcupo, marcupo, this we swore
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Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Inspired by The Marcupo description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Marcupo Illustration by Edrian Paolo T. Baydo
Colors by Catherine Chiu
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