*Note this story is in Kapampangan

Dening mensaheru daratang la bala deng batwin.

Makalukluk ku kening lele balun kaybat panayan kulang datang. Balu ko reng alamat, ing malating babai, deng mensaheru, lumwal la at miye lang sulu ning landas papunta king karelang panimanman. Atin lang bwak a bala mung api kaybat susulapo anti mo ning batwin.

Ing apung kung babai ing sasabyan nana kanaku unyang anak ku pa, nung makananu la mamyeng mensahi kareng aliwaliwang diwata. Ngana, ajang nokarin do idala deng karelang mensahi, karin la mu munta, uling ita mu ing balu dang katungkulan da.

King kabila ning eganagana, ya mu kabud ing atsu king isip ku, nung makananu ing kesantingan ning biye na a mesira uling kareng malelyari. Nung makanu naku gewang pakiramdam na alang mikigawang aliwa, o magyapang kanita pa. Peburen ke mu ing pamagsisi a balutan naku anti mo ning ulas, magpakapali kanaku king marimlang bengi ngening kaleldo.

Tutulu lamu deng luwa ku, king bawat patak ay aliwaliwa la reng alaala ku kaya. Nung makananu yang lumawe, nung makananu yang kumayli, deng pamanyisip na tungkul king hinaharap. Mangayna naku mu rugu, bala kagigisanan nakumu.

Bala da reng kaluguran ku mamumurit ku kareng pamangawan ku. Pero ala nakung balung gawan, eku man dugu asabi kaya inyang mabiye yapa, oras na inyang eke buring paniwalan. Pero alipa oras para sabyan tamu na kaluguran tala deng lulugaran tamu.

Ayni ngeni, makalukluk ku kasiping ning balun, panayan ko reng mensaheru na bala mu deng bulalacao, mamagasa ku rugung sana dingin de ing kanakung iling.

Menakit kung sala king lub na ning balun tinuknang ya kabut ing pusu ku, tambing yang atsu keni ing malating babai. Pamiklawen keng mayap metung yamu palang alitaptap.

Mebalbal ya ing sarili ku, pero manindigan kupa mu rin. Manenaya ku magyapang kapilan man, datang la sa deng mensaheru.

Pamikaisipan kung mayap king sarili ku na ining bageng gagawan ku ay malati yamung bage na agawa ku para king metung taung luluguran ku.

=——————-=

English Version

The messengers come like the stars.

I sit by the well and I wait for them to come. I know the legends, how the small women, messengers all would come forth and light the path to their destination. They had hair like a flame and would fly like a shooting star.

Lola told me about them when I was young, how they would deliver messages from and to the different diwatas. She said that no matter where their message would take them, they would go, for that was the only duty that they knew.

Through it all I can only think of her, how her beautiful life was cut short by circumstance. How she made me feel like no one else ever could, or ever has since. I let regret envelop me like a blanket, warming me through this chill summer night.

My tears flow, each drop a different memory I have of her. The way she looked, the way she smiled, the ideas she would have about the future, all draining out of me, leaving me feeling weak and empty.

My friends think I’m crazy for doing this, but there’s no other way. I could never tell her when she was alive, and I refuse to believe that it’s too late. It will never be too late to tell someone you love them.

So here I sit, next to the well, waiting for the messengers to come like shooting stars, hoping they will grant my one request.

I see a light from inside the well and my heart stops, the small women are finally here. Until I look closer and see that it’s only a firefly.

I feel crushed, but I keep my resolve. I will wait as long as I have to until one of the messengers shows herself.

I breathe and think to myself it’s the least I could do for someone I love.

=———————-

Inspired by the Burulakaw myths from Central Panay. Described in Sta. Cruz Serag, Sebastian. (1997). The remnants of the great Ilonggo nation. Quezon City: Rex Book Store, Inc., p. 61. and Tagbanuwa Religion and Society. Fox. 1982

Burulakaw Illustration by Maku Felix
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Watercolor by Yanna Gemora
FB: Yannami

*Note this story is in Kapampangan

“Keni na, malapit na!” Pupulayi ya I Jason king burul. King panamdaman ng Nick maybug ya rugung makbung ing keyang pusu. Alya kasi itang atletikung anak, at ena buring payalala da kaya ing katutwan nayta, oneng kaluguran ne I Jason, pane yang malelyari ita at kadwa na ne king biye ing pamagsubuk ka reng panibayung bage.

Memagkasakit ya rugu I Nick king pamanukyat na kaybat tambing ne mung miragsa karas na king babo. Atsu ne man pane I Jason king siping na, kukutnan ne nung ayus ya mu, kanyan, ene makapaninaya king tula ng ipakit kaya ing itsura king lalam ning burul, “Nanung ke astigan na niting pepaglakaran mu ku kareng burul burul a reni kaybat —–” Saka na ikit Nick.

Libingan ya pala, pero alya itang karaniwan a sukuan. Atsu king dosi, bala dina-dinalang butul ning damulag ing makalatag king paligid ning kabitisan ning burul. “O siya, istu ka pin, astig ya pin ini,” bulung ng Nick. “Akuna keka e,” ngana namang Jason, “Pero ali me pa akakit ing pekamabias a parti.”

Etad nong Jason king gubat a butul. Apansinan ng Nick na ela kumpletu deng butul, ating mangadagul a pirasung mababating, lalu na king gulut. Ena iisipan na masanting yang pamikiran ini, pero atsu ne man ing pamagtiwala na kang Jason, at pane naman masale, maralas.

“E tamu masigla, atsu keni,” pangabulung ng Jason. “Siryosu?” Lalawen neng Nick ing pamaglupa ning batu a buri ng ukyatang Jason. “E ta masigla akuna, eme buring migising ini” tekap neng Jason ing gamat na king asbuk ng Nick. “Siryosu kung mayap.”

Sinaguli kanyan, ginalo ya ing gabun kaybat pingwa neng Jason ing gamat ng Nick saka ne binili king lalam na ning punu, “Nanu ita!?” Manganerbyusan ne rugu ing Nick. Saka neng tirung Jason ing babo at ikit neng Nick ing rasun. Makatakut yang tutu, mas maragul ya pa ka reng punu saka ya mangulisak bala mung kulug.

“Enaka ta akit king lalam ning punung ayni, keni tana manaya manga man king mibalik ya king pamanudtud na.” Nganang Jason. “Magdala kung pamangan.”

Migbuntung pangisnawa ne I Nick, makanini talaga ing malelyari patse kayabe ne I Jason.

=————————=
English Version

“Come on it’s over here!” Jason was running over the hill. Nick felt his heart almost burst. He wasn’t the most athletic child and he didn’t like being reminded of that fact, but this was always how it went and Jason was his best friend so being pushed to do new things was a fact of life.

Nick struggled up the last few steps of the hill and he dropped as soon as he reached the top. Jason was by his side as always, asking if he was okay, but this time he was more exited to get Nick to look below the hill. “What could be so cool that you made me walk through a bunch of hills and—–“ Then Nick saw it.

It was a graveyard, but not by any normal standards. Dozens, maybe hundreds of carabao skeletons were scattered around the foot of the hill. “Okay, you were right, this is really cool,” Nick whispered. “Told you so,” Jason replied, “But you haven’t seen the coolest part.”

Jason led them though the skeletal forest. Nick noticed that the bones were never complete, there were giant chunks of them missing, mostly from the back, he didn’t think this was a good idea, but he trusted Jason and that always worked out fine. Mostly.

“Be very quiet. It’s through here,” Jason whispered. “Seriously?” Nick was looking at the rock face Jason wanted them to climb. “I said be quiet, you don’t want to wake it up.” Jason clamped his hand over Nick’s mouth. “I’m dead serious.”

Suddenly the ground shook. Jason grabbed Nick’s arm and he dragged him under a nearby tree. “What was that?!” Nick was starting to get frantic. Jason pointed upwards and Nick saw the cause. It was terrifying. It towered over the trees and it roared with a voice like thunder.

“It won’t see us from under this tree, we should wait until it goes back to sleep again,” Jason said. “I brought food.”

Nick sighed. Stuff like this always happened with Jason.

=—————————-=

Inspired by the Bungisngis entry in  Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971. and in 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang. Samar. 2015

Bungisngis Illustration by Leandro Geniston fromAklat ng mga Anito
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