*Note this story is in Bicol
Nangyari sa katahawan kan mauran na panahon, kan an mga tagdô kan uran, piglalayap kan duros, an magtugang na lalaki matrangkilong nagtutukaw sa saindang harong – nagngangalas kun pâno sinda makakatalingkas sa remalaso na saindang nalaogan.
An magtugang, nawâran nin sarong pinaka-importanteng bagay sa saindang amâ, sarong mahalagang sundang na ginunting na naresebi niya sa saiyang amâ bilang regalo.
“Kasâlan mo kaya náwarâ ito”, kuslab kan matuang tugang. Daí niya gustong atubangon an saiyang amâ nin huli kaini. Sabi niya sa sadíri niya,” Ako an matua. Sakuya kutâ an trabaho. Cierto ako na babasolon ako ni papa.”
“Dai ka maghâdit. Mahahanap ta iyan, ” simbag kan kangodhan. Pirmi kan sadit na aki pighihiling an positibong parte kan gabos na bagay. ”Kaipohan ta na sanang bumalik sa lugar kun saen kita nagkawat. Garo duman ito sa lugar na harani sa tibô. Kaya ta itong hanapon bago si papa umuli sa harong nganing garo man sana dai nin nangyari. ”
”Dangag ka man naggad. ” Nagsîrip sa bintana an matuang tugang. Nagkukusog an uran asin aram niya na delikado na kun lumuwas pa siya pasiring sa kadlagan.
“Gusto mo ika na sana logod an magtaram kay papa,” nakangisi an kangodhan.
Nagrabas pasiring sa kadlagan an magtugang dawa na nag-uuran.
“Yaon digdi!” Dalî-daling nagpasiring an kangodhan sa nakatumbang kahoy. Garo igwa akong nahiling.”
“Pag-ingat. Tibaad makulogan ka!” Suminunod an matuang tugang. Nahiling niya man an sarong bagay na garo bakal paghilingon sa likodan kan kahoy alagad nakadangog na siya nin istorya manongod sa bagay na naka-istar sa parting ini kan kadlagan. Dai pa niya gustong mamidbidan siya.
Daí naotob an saiyang kamâwótan.
Nagtindog an matuang tugang sa irarom kan troso asin nahiling niya an saiyang tugang na kahampangan an sarong halimaw na igwang halabang maitom na buhok sa bilog niyang hawak, mapanas na talinga asin matatarom na kuko sa saiyang mga kamot asin bitis.
An saiyang lalawgon an pinakaterible, an anggot na pamandokon nagpapagiromdom sa matuang tugang nin sarong gorilya, alagad orog pa na mas halimaw.
Sa saiyang pagkatakot, nahiling kan matuang tugang an halimaw na kapot-kapot an ginunting.
“Pakibalik tabì iyan samuya. Importante iyan na marhay sa samuyang amâ. “ Naisip kan kangodhan na puede siyang masabotan kan halimaw. Tibaad baga igwa man siya nin amâ asin aram na sinda namomondô tâ an sarong bagay na saindang piglilikayan, náwarâ.
Hiniling nin puntok kan kangodhan an halimaw. Daí niya aram kun ano an gigibuhon. Aram niya na an mga bagay na ini puedeng mangulog nin maski siisay na tawo na makakadulok sa saindang pinag-eerokan alagad bakô siya preparado sa kun ano man an masunod na mangyayari.
Itinao kan halimaw an ginunting sa kangodhan na tugang asin pinahale sinda.
“Dios mabalos.” Sabi kan kangodhan na tugang na nakangising nagpapasalamat. “Dalî-dali na! Puede pa kitang maka-puli sa harong antes makabalik si Papa.”
Nagparadalagan an magtugang pasiring sa harong ninda. Binayaan nindang nawalat an halimaw. Nagsoro-subli-an sinda sa pagdara kan magabat na ginunting tanganing maka-antos tulos sinda sa saindang harong.
Alagad antes pa sinda makapuli, igwa sainda nin maraot na nangyari.
Ramog nin buhok na hale sa halimaw an ginunting. An dai aram kan magtugang na an mga buhok na ini puedeng maka-apektar sa mga tawo.
Nagparadalagan an magtugang dawa nag-uuran, alagad igwa sinda nin namate na makulog na gatol mientras sinda nagdadangadang pasiring sa saindang harong. Nakagaratol sinda sagkod sa tumunong sinda sa pagdalagan.
“Manoy, ano an nangyayari?!” Nagpaparahibi an kangodhan na tugang. Daí niya mapugulan na daí magkagaw. An saiyang mga takyag asin tabay ramog nin mapupulang mga burutog-butog.
“Dai ko aram!” Nagpaparakagaw nin marahay an matuang tugang. An nasa isip niya sana iyo an magparakagaw sagkod na maogkad. Daí niya napaghorophorop na yaon sinda sa gilid kan sálog asin an uran nagkukusog.
Kan bangging ito an saindang amâ nakapuli asin naglibotlibot sa laog kan harong nagngangalas kun saen nagduman an saiyang duwang aki.
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English Version
It was the middle of the rainy season, when the raindrops were tossed by the winds, that two brothers sat quietly in their house – wondering how they would get out of their predicament. You see, the brothers had lost something very important to their father, a precious ginunting sword that he received from his father as a gift.
“It’s your fault we lost it!” The older brother yelled. He didn’t want to face his father because of this. He thought to himself “I’m the older one I’m supposed to be in charge, surely papa will put all the blame on me.”
“Don’t worry we can find it.” The little brother replied. The small boy always tried to see the bright side of things. “We just have to go back to where we were playing. I think it was by the part near the swamp. We can find it before papa comes home and it will be like nothing ever happened.”
“That’s a stupid idea!” The older brother looked out the window. The rain was getting stronger by the minute and he knew it would be dangerous to go to that part of the forest.”
“Do you want to be the one to tell papa then?” The little brother smiled.
And so the two brothers braved the storm and went out into the forest.
“Over here!” The younger brother dashed towards a fallen tree. “I think I see something.”
“Be careful! You’re going to hurt yourself!” The older brother followed swiftly behind. He had also seen something that looked like a glint of steel from behind the tree, but he had heard stories about the things that dwelt in this part of the forest. He wasn’t eager to meet them.
His wish did not come true.
The older brother stood under the log and saw his little brother face to face with a monster. It had long black hair over most of its body, pointed ears and sharp claws on its hands and feet. The most terrible part was its face, the angry features reminded the older brother of a gorilla, but much more monstrous.
To his horror, the older brother saw that the monster was holding the sword.
“Please give it back to us. It’s very important to our father.” The younger brother thought that the monster would understand. Surely it would have a father as well and it would know that they would be sad if something they cared about was lost.
The older brother stared at the monster. He didn’t know what to do. He had heard that these things would attack any human that would go near their homes, but he wasn’t prepared for what happened next.
The monster gave the sword to the little brother and pointed away.
“Thank you!” The little brother said with a grateful smile. “Hurry up! We can get home before papa comes back.”
So the two brothers ran towards their home, leaving the monster behind. They took turns carrying the heavy sword so they could get home faster.
But before they could get to their house, something terrible happened.
You see, the sword was now covered with small, black hairs that came from the monster. What the brothers didn’t know was that these hairs were very harmful to humans.
The brothers ran through the rain, but they felt a very painful itch as they got closer to their home. They itched and they itched until they had to stop running.
“Brother what is happening?!” The little brother was crying. He couldn’t stop scratching. His arms and legs were covered with bright red spots.
“I don’t know!” The older brother was scratching just as furiously. All he could think about was scratching until he could find relief. He didn’t even realize that they were next to the river and the rain was getting stronger.
That night their father came home and frantically searched their house, wondering where his two boys had gone.
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Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Karl Ian Basilla Basallote
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Karl Ian Basilla Basallote
Inspired by the Onglo description in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.
Onglo Illustration by Leandro Geniston
FB: That Guy With A Pen
Color by Yanna Gemora
FB: Yannami