*Note this story is in Tagalog
Sa gitna ng bagyo, kung saan dinadala ng malalakas na hangin ang mga patak ng ulan, may dalawang magkapatid na tahimik na nakaupo sa kanilang tahanan – iniisip nila kung paano masosolusyunan ang kanilang problema. Ganito kasi, nawala nila ang isang mahalagang gamit ng kanilang ama – isang natatanging espadang ginunting na niregalo ng kaniyang ama.
“Kasalanan mo kaya nawala natin ‘yon!” Sigaw ng nakatatandang kapatid. Ayaw niyang harapin ang kanilang ama dahil dito. Sinasabi niya sa sarili “Ako ang mas matanda, kaya ako ang mananagot sa ating ama.”
“Huwag kang mag-alala, mahahanap natin ‘yon.” Sagot ng nakababatang kapatid. Hilig talaga nito ang pagiging positibo sa lahat ng pagkakataon. “Kailangan lang nating balikan kung saan tayo naglaro. Siguro malapit lang ‘to sa may sapa. Hahanapin lang natin bago makauwi si Itay, at para bang walang nangyari.”
“Napakahangal naman!” Sigaw ng nakatatandang kapatid habang nakasilip sa bintana. Binabayo sila ng malakas na ulan at alam niyang delikado na ang magtungo sa bahaging iyon ng gubat.
“Bakit, gusto mo bang ikaw ang magsabi kay Itay?” Tukso ng nakababatang kapatid.
Kaya naman, sinugod ng magkapatid ang hagupit ng bagyo at nagtungo sa gubat.
“Doon banda!” Wika ng nakababatang kapatid at dali dali itong nagpunta sa nakabagsak na puno. “Baka narito.”
“Mag-ingat ka! Baka madisgrasya ka!” Sumunod ang nakatatandang kapatid. May nakita rin siyang kinang ng bakal sa likod ng puno, pero may sabi-sabi tungkol sa naninirahan dito. Hindi niya nanaising makaharap ito.
Ngunit minalas ang magkapatid.
Nakita ng nakatatandang kapatid na nakatindig ang isang halimaw sa harap ng kaniyang nakababatang kapatid. Balot ng mahaba at maitim na buhok, patusok ang mga tainga, at may matatalas na kuko sa kamay at paa. Mas malala pa ang hitsura ng galit na mukha ng halimaw – hawig ito sa isang unggoy, ngunit higit na nakakatindig-balahibo.
Sagad ang kilabot na naramdaman ng nakatatandang kapatid nang makitang hawak ng halimaw na ito ang hinahanap nilang espada.
“Nakiki-usap po kami, pakibalik na po ito sa amin. Napakahalaga po nito para sa aming ama.” Paliwanag ng nakababatang kapatid. Umaasa ito na maiintindihan sila ng halimaw. Siguro naman ay may ama rin ito at alam niya ang pakiramdam kapag nawalan ng importanteng pag-aari.
Sa kabilang banda, parang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig ang nakatatandang kapatid. Hindi niya alam ang dapat niyang gawin. Base sa sabi-sabi, inaatake ng halimaw na ito ang sinumang lumapit sa tinitirhan niya sa gubat. Hindi niya napaghandaan ang susunod na gagawin ng halimaw.
Inabot ng halimaw ang espada sa nakababata niyang kapatid, at sumenyas na umalis na sila.
“Maraming salamat!” Bati ng nakababatang kapatid. “Dali! Bago makauwi si Itay!”
Kaya naman patakbong umuwi ang magkapatid at iniwan ang halimaw. Nagsalitan pa sila sa pagdala ng mabigat na espada para mas mabilis na makarating sa tahanan nila.
Ngunit, parang sinumpa ang magkapatid.
Ang bitbit nilang espada ay balot ng maliliit at maiitim na buhok ng halimaw. Lingid sa kaalaman ng magkapatid, delikado ang mga hiblang ito sa tao.
Tinakbo ng magkatapid ang lakas ng buhos ng ulan, pero nakaramdam sila ng nakakangalisag na kati sa kanilang balat. Kinamot nila nang kinamot ang kanilang balat, hanggang hindi na sila makatakbo.
“Kuya, ano ang nangyayari?!” Naluluhang banggit ng nakababatang kapatid. Kahit anong gawin nila, hindi nila mapigilang magkamot nang magkamot. Ang mga braso at binti niya ay balot na tuloy ng mahahapding sugat.
“Hindi ko alam!” Sagot ng nakatatandang kapatid, na todo rin sa pagkamot ng sariling balat. Ang tumatakbo na lamang sa isip niya ay magkamot hanggang maibsan ang nadaramang kati. Hindi napansin ng magkapatid na sila ay nahinto sa gilid ng rumaragasang ilog, sa gitna ng walang habas na pagbagyo.
Kinagabihan pag-uwi ng kanilang ama, natataranta na ito kakahanap sa kanilang bahay. Saan naman kaya napadpad ang kaniyang dalawang anak?
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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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*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Jillianne Santos
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Jillianne Santos
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