*Note this story is in Bicol
“Kagayon kaining babayi.”
Nakatukaw si Sisoy sa tahaw kan kadlagan, pig-huhurop-huropan an saiyang mga sala. Aram niya na kaipuhan niya gibuhon an tama.
Guinirumdon niya an enot na beses na nahiling niya ining babayi, kun pa’no siya nagkakarigos kairiba an duwa pang magagayon man na babayi. An saindang mga pakpak asin mga bado nasa ibabaw sana kan magapo sa gilid kan salog, asin si Sisoy dae namatunong na dae ikiton an mga pakpak huli sa saindang kagayunan. Ini an enot niyang sala.
Guinirumdom niya an mga luha na tuminuro sa mabuot na pandok kaining babayi, kun pa’no siya kinahuron kaini na dae na siya makakahuli sainda ta dae niya nahahanap an saiyang mga pakpak, lugod man inagda ni Sisoy an babayi na maging saiyang agom. Huli ta dae siyang ibang pagpipilian, nag-iyo ini. Ini an panduwang sala ni Sisoy.
Nakuwa niya an saiyang mga pakpak asin tulos nang binayaan si Sisoy, sarong aldaw habang tigapakaturog kaini an saindang aki. Pighanap ni Sisoy an saiyang agom maski saen, hanggang uminabot siya guiraray sa kadlagan kasabay kan pag-hurop-hurop niya kan saiyang mga kas’alan.
Kan panahon mang ito, may luminayog asin tuminug’don na agila sa hampang niya nanggad. Tig-isp niyang dae mang mawawara saiya, naghagad siyang tabang duman sa agila ngani maanap an saiyang agom. Inilayog man siya kaining agila sa kalangitan saka binutasan sa may dakulaong harong sa langit.
Hinampang siya kan ama kan saiyang agom sa may pintuan. Pig-isturya ni Sisoy an saiyang mga inagihan, kaiba kan buot niyang magbago asin magbawi para sa mga kasa’lang nagibo niya saiyang agom. “Dae mo makukuwa an saimong mga muya kun dae mo tutubudon ining tulong tugon ko”, sabi kan ama.
Sobra an pagkamoot ni Sisoy asin gigibuhon niya maski ano pa man mahiling sana liwat an saiyang agom.
“Darahon mo ini gabos na butil ki mais duman sa ibong na harong sa laog ki sarong aldaw.” an enot na tugon. Rinuluya si Sisoy huli ta garu bulod sa dakol an mais asin imposible maibalyo na siya sana.
Nag’rani an hade kan mga tanga asin tinabangan siyang ibalyo gabos na mais, pasalamaton si Sisoy sa hade kan mga tanga saka tulos pinu’nan an sunod na gibuhon.
“Daraha gabos ining bagas sa ibong na harong sa laog ki sarong aldaw.” Magabat an panduwang tugon siring kan enot, maray ta nakuka liwat ki katabang si Sisoy. Tinabangan siya kan hade ki mga kino tapuson ining gibuhon sa laog ki sarong aldaw.
“Putula gabos na puon sa kadlagang ini sa laog ki sarong aldaw.” Magabaton ining tugon huli ta ining kadlagan sobra kadakula, hanggan kun ano man an mahiling kan mata mo, kaiba pa sa kadlagang ini. Huminagad ki tabang si Sisoy sa hade ki mga baboydamo na hinapod man an saiyang pagiriba para putulon an mga puon gamit an saindang matatarom na ngipon.
An ama kan saiyang agom timunugot na umiba an saiyang aki kay Sisoy na magbalik sa daga.
Uminiba na an paghiling saiya kan saiyang agom. Dae niya nanggad malilingawan an mga salang ginibo saiya ni Sisoy, pero kaya niya na ining patawadon.
Nangalas ini sa pigpahiling kan saiyang agom na paghinguwa ngani itama an mga sala, bagay na pwedeng maukudan kan saindang aki.
Nagkaputan ki mga kamot an duwa saka buminalik sa daga.
English Version
“She was so beautiful.”
Sisoy sat in the forest and dwelt on his mistakes. He knew that he had to make things right.
He remembered the first time he laid eyes on her, how she was taking a bath with two other lovely women. Their wings and dresses were on the stones by the wayside and Sisoy could not help but take a pair of wings because of their beauty. That was his first mistake.
He thought back to the tears that fell on her gentle face, how when she told Sisoy she could not go back because she couldn’t find her wings, Sisoy had asked her to be his wife.
Having no other option, she said yes. That was his second.
She had found her wings eventually and left him, one day while putting their baby to sleep. He searched everywhere for his wife until he ended up in the forest, thinking back on the wrongs he had done.
Just then, an eagle swopped in front of him. With nothing to lose, he asked the eagle for help in finding his wife. The eagle flew him to the skies and set him off at a large house in the heavens.
The father of his wife met him at the door. Sisoy told him his story, how he wanted to repent for the wrong he had done to his wife. “You cannot have what you want unless you obey my three commands,” said the father.
Sisoy was a man in love and he would do anything to see his wife again.
“Bring all these grains of corn to another house in just one day.” Was the first command. Sisoy was at a loss, the mountain of corn was impossible to move by himself.
The king of ants came near him and helped him transport all the corn, Sisoy was grateful to the ant-king and set on to the next task.
“Bring all the rice to another house in just one day.” The second command was as difficult as the first, but Sisoy had a benefactor as well. The king of rats helped him finish the work in one day.
“Cut down all the trees in this forest in one day” The command was difficult, as the forest stretched as far as the eye could see. Sisoy asked the help of the king of wild pigs who called on all his followers to cut down the trees with their sharp teeth.
The father of his wife then agreed to have her return to earth with Sisoy.
The wife looked at him with new eyes. She could not forget what he had done to her, but she was able to forgive.
She was impressed by her husband’s dedication to make things right, something she thought their child could learn from.
They took each other hand in hand and then returned to earth.
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*The Bikol languages or Bicolano languages are a group of Central Philippine languages spoken mostly in the Bicol Peninsula in the island of Luzon, the neighboring island province of Catanduanes and the island of Burias in Masbate. There is a dialect continuum between the Visayan languages and the Bikol languages; the two together are called the Bisakol languages.
The Tabaco-Legazpi-Sorsogon (TLS) dialect is spoken in the eastern coast of Albay and the northeastern part of Sorsogon. TLS is the dialect that has been most influenced by the Inland Bikol languages.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Bikol Translation by Kevin Parado
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Kevin Parado
Adapted from ‘Sisoy and his Enchanted Wife’ in Negros Oriental and Siquijor Island Legends, Beliefs and Folkways. Aldecoa-Rodriguez. 2000.
Engkantada Illustration and Watercolor by Marc Magpantay
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