*Note this story is in Bicol-Legazpi

Ginuno’ sa suraton ni Mari Bas:

Uminagi ako kaito sa rona kan Bikol kan makasabat ako ki sarong klase ki asbo na orog na makaintresantehon para sakuya.
An lawason kainiyo kabaing kan kada’luman kan banggi, makakurabon sagumsomon. Alagad ini, bakong lalagon bako agid kan lain pang kaarog niya.

Taramon kan manga gurang, an manga naghehelang nanggad an dapat mahahandal kainiyong sinasa’ban na ini ta’ dae man ini nangangayam ki laman.

Hinarapot ko sinda kun ano’n pigkakan kainiyo dangan an simbag ninda “hati’ ki tawo”. Huli ta dae ko nasabutan na maray an boot ninda sabihin, pigikog-ikogan ko ki sarong semana su saro sa linalang, sa kamuyahan ko man na maisihan an manga kahiloman kainiyo.
Narumduman ko an sakuyang kaaraman manungod sa organong pamarong. An makapamarong nagpupuon hali sa panhimationg suldan pasisiring sa alintak. An parong minaabot sa lanob-lanob kan dungo o sa agihan kan paros na minasugpon sa ngaragngag kan halunan pasiring man sa dungo. An pangnamit buda an pamarong magkatabang. Kun punod man an dungo, an parong dae makaantos sa panhimationg suldan na pigpaurog pa kan sango.

An kahayagang ini ginibong orog na makahati’on pa an sakong naaraman manungod sinasa’ban.

Pano’pano’ ki makasumosumo na parong an linalang na ini, muyahon ki surusi’pon buda hati’hati’ ki igwang helang. Dawa an makadurudismayong namasta’ nang parong dadarahon an linalang sa kaugmahan. Muyahon nanggad ini kan linalang, nangangayam baya na garo lalaw na gadya, parong an pigsususogan.

Paladan man ako ta saro sa partidaryo kan parangurag ko malain an pagmati, huli kaini naobserbaran ko an gibogibo kainiyo mantang ini nangangayam.

An sinasa’ban hali sa manga puon ki kahoy na pigharung-harungan kainiyo. Sa labilabing pagkahipno sa namasta nang parong, nasususog kainiyo an kagharong na igwang helang. Dangan, garu man sana igwang pigsunod na oras, burubangging pigpapara’ kainiyo an labilabing punaw. An naghehelang na kaito minarara pa lugod an namamatian.

Naghururonhuron kami kan manga gurangan kan barrio, an taramon ninda luwayluway na pigsusurop kan linalang an burabod nin buhay kan saiyang pigbiktima, sagkod na an helang kan makaherakonon na kalag luminakop na.

Dae ko na naobserbaran pa na maray an linalang kan ini biyong pinarayo kan manga tawo buda kan parangurag ko, buda maraoton man baga kaya sa sakuyang lado kun mumuyahon ko na igwa pa ki naghehelang an madipisilan buda maghingagdan ta muya ko pa maobserbaran na maray an mampak na ito.

Naghali ako sa rona kan Bikol makarihis an pirang aldaw, sa natatadang oras pigparasagunsong ko na sana an kadlagan ta naglalaom man giraray ako na madudukayan nu manunutaran ko an sinasa’ban duman sa saiyang pigiistaran. Nagpatabang ako sa sakuyang parangurang na magkua ki udo ki karabaw, pantaon lamang nganing magluwas an linalang sa saiyang pigsasalagan.

Dae ko biyong mataram an makadidigwaon na pangyari kan mahiling ko an pagkakan kan linalang ki hati’ kan ibang linalang mantang ini garu ugmahonon pa. Mala nanutaran ko na napapagalunong maray an karabaw kun minakakan an linalang na naunambitan, tamaonon nanggad an tina’wang duon kan manga gurangan duman.

An sinasa’ban makangangalas na linalang, makadidiskwido sa sadiri kainiyong paagi.

Lugod man dae ko na maparong nuarin pa man an namasta nang presensya kainiyo.
=————————————————————=

English Version

From the notes of Mari Bas:

As I was going through the Bicol region I came across a particular kind of aswang that piqued my interest.

Its form was a being as black as night, terrifying to behold. Yet it was not as aggressive as others of their kind.

The elders say that only the sick should fear the sinasa’ban since it does not hunt for flesh.

I asked them what it feeds on and they simply said “the waste of humans”. Not knowing what they meant, I followed one of the creatures for a week, seeking to know its secrets.

I recall my knowledge about the olfactory organs. That the ability to smell comes from sensory cells directly connected to the brain. Smells reach either through the nostrils or through the channel that connects the roof of the throat to the nose. The sense of taste goes hand in hand with the sense of smell. When the nose is congested odors can’t reach the sensory cells stimulated by smell.

That information made my discoveries about the sinasa’ban all the more disgusting.

The beast is intoxicated by fetid smells, particularly the phlegm and excreta of the sick. Even the faintest scent sends it into a state of elation. It seeks the cause of the smell, hunting like a rabid dog, guided by the smell.

It was fortunate that one of my guide’s family members fell ill. I was able to observe the creature during its hunt, as it were.

The sinasa’ban came from the trees it called its home and, seemingly possessed by the smell, locates the sick person’s abode. And then, like clockwork, every night satiates its unnatural hunger. I saw that the ill person had taken a turn for the worse once the sinasa’ban started to feed.

I consulted with the elders of the village and they said that the creature slowly absorbs the victim’s life essence, causing the poor soul’s illness to progress.

I was not able to observe the creature further as my guide and others from his village chased it away, and it would be remiss of me to want to have the sinasa’ban claim a life just so I may know more about the beast.

I leave the region in a few days, time I spent going into the forest hoping to find the sinasa’ban in its natural habitat. I asked my guide to help me collect the dung of carabaos, which lured the creature out from its hiding place.

It cannot be put into words the sheer nausea I had watching the creature eat excrement and it seemingly enjoying it. I noted that the carabaos seemed to get more exhausted as the creature was feeding, it seemed that the elders were correct in their assertion.

The sinasa’ban remains a curious creature, dangerous in its own way.

I hope I will never have to smell its presence ever again.

=———————————————————————=

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
Translation by Brian Nalagon
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Brian Nalagon

Inspired by the Sinasa’ban description in Merito B. Espinas, ‘The supernatural world of the ancient Bikols,’ in Unitas, vol. 41, no. 2, 1968 pp. 188-189 in Intersections: Gender and Sexuality in Asia and the Pacific
Monograph 1: The Philippines at the Turn of the Sixteenth Century – Malcolm W. Mintz (2011)

Illustration by Rob Cham

FB: https://www.facebook.com/robocham

Website: robcham.com

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IG: instagram.com/robcham

*Note this story is in Bicol-Legazpi

Mga gagamiton:

Sundang – Ginagamit ini para maitao an pinal na atake pagkatapos makadakop nin aswang.

Ikòg-pagì – Ini ginagamit tanganing an aswang dai makahiro. Nagdadara ini nin sobrang kulog pag ini nakatama sa sainda.

Suwa – Sarong pangontra tanganing makasigurong dai ka masasaklot. Ini nakapagabat sa sarong tawo.

Abo – Ginagamit para ibudbud sa kabanga kan lawas kan aswang en kaso ini magbanga sa duwa. Sinda dai makakasulit sa kabanga nindang lawas kun ini nabubudbudan na nin abo.

Gabon/Sambong/Bukadkad/Subsob/Lakad-Bulan(Blumea Balsamefera) – Ang tinanom na ini ginagamit man na pangontra sa aswang. Magpudo nin bagong dahon kaini asin ilaag sa saindong mga bulsa.

Bawang – An parong kaini dai kayang tagalon nin mga aswang. Magdara kaini sa gabos na oras.

Asin – An gamit kaini parehas kan paggamit sa abo. Puwede man ining gamiton tanganing proteksyonan an mga lugar na puwedeng tuyuhun o dumanun nin mga aswang.

Mga Pangontra – Mga benditadong gamit, holy water asin mga anting-anting, gabos ini  epektibong pangontra sa mga aswang asin iba pang nilalang nin kadikluman. Marhay na makipaghilingan muna sa padi bago an gabos.

An mga ritwal:

An aswang o asbo pupuwedeng madakop sa pagpakarhay nin tulong dakulang gapo. Ini gibuhun na pabilog arog kan piglulutuan. Pag namati na an ‘kak kak’ kaini, magpangadyi kan Minatubod. Oras na makaabot duman sa parte kan pangadyi kun sain ipinako na sa krus si Kristo, magkua nin saro sa mga gapo asin ini gamiton pamukmok sa sarong pako diretso sa daga. An aswang iyo mabulosok paibaba asin matugdon sa tulong gapo kun sain puwede na ining gadanon.

An sumpa kan pagiging aswang puwedeng mahali sa sarong tawo. Ini sa paagi kan ritwal na kinakaipuhan nin dayap asin tubig. Ini iinomun asin an nag-inom kaipohan bitayon nin pabaliktad tanganing maisùka ninda an garo bayong na nilalang. Pag ini nailuwa na, kaipohan ining gadanon asin piridasohun.

Pagiromdom:

Gamiton an mga pangontra tanganing an mga aswang dai makagamit kan saindang mga orasyon. Gamiton an ikòg-pagì tanganing dai sinda makahiro dangan tigbason an saindang payo gamit an sundang.

Makukumpirma kun an tawo ‘inaswang’ sa paggibo kan ‘ritwal sa bunay’. Sa ritwal na ini, pag nahiling an markang garo mata asin dugo sa bunay iyo an patotoo na pig-aasawang an sarong tawo.

An mga ilusyon sa pagkaun puwedeng mahali kun ini papagaan nin suwa. An isira arog kan sinigang, magiging mangkò na pano nin murò asin dugo nin tawo.

Puwedeng mag-tablada sa aswang an saiyang gibo. Ini kun lalatiguhun o makulugan sa lawas sa anoman na paagi ang saiyang inaswang, siya an makakamati kan kulog kaini.

An listahan na ini bako halaba asin en punto sa kun pano magdakop nin aswang. Kadakul man na iba pang mga ritwal asin pangontra an pupuwedeng gamiton panlaban sa mga nilalang nin kadikluman.

Bantayan man lugod nin Kagurangnan an saimong paglakaw.

Dios Mabalos.

=——————————————————=

English Version

Equipment:
Bolo – used to give a final blow after incapacitating the aswang.
Stingray Tail – used to incapacitate the aswang. Causes great pain to them.
Kalamansi – A ward to ensure that the aswang cannot pick you up. It weighs them down.
Ashes – Used to sprinkle on the aswang’s body if they self-segment. Aswang cannot reattach if ashes are scattered on their other half. 
Gabon/Sambong/Bukadkad/Subsob (Blumea Balsamefera) – This plant is used to ward off aswang. Pick it fresh and keep it in your pocket.
Garlic – Aswang cannot stand the smell of garlic. Keep some with you at all times.
Salt – Used in the same way as ashes. Can also be used to ward certain places away from aswang.
Wards – Blessed objects, holy water anting-anting are all useful to keep away the monsters. Make sure to see a priest beforehand.

*Note this story is in Bicol-Legazpi

“Dai mo ini makukua sagkod bako ka ubat.” iyo ini an pigsabi sako ni Mimi kan kinua niya an liyabi ko.

Nakapirang beses na akong nagtaram sa inda na okay lang ako, naka-maneho ngani ako sa mas maraut pang kondisyon saka para diyes minutos ang harayo kan sakong harong, kaniguan man na madisgrasya pa ako. Pero dai sinda nagdangog, sadit na parte kan sadiri ko an nagpapasalamat na may mga amigo akong arog ninda, pero an mas dakulang parte iyo an nauuyam ta kaipuhan kong maglakaw sa katahawan nin banggi.

Nagpresentar si Jherick asin Deng na ihatod ako pauli, pero an buyong na ako tinaraman sinda na dai na sa malain na paagi. Dai ko aram kun nata arog ako kaini, dai ko dapat tinutuklang paharayo an sakong mga amigo lalo na ngonyan.

Poon kan nagbulagan kami ni Grace, sige ko na sana an inom asin aburido sa maski sisay man na muya maki-istorya sako. Gabos sinda tigsusuportahan ako pero tigkokontra ko sinda, bako ako dapat sa saindang pagmakulog.

Lalo na kay Mimi, an malanyag asin magayon na si Mimi.

Sa gilid kan sakong mata, nahiling ko na naman siya. Talagang buyong gayod ako. An babaying nakaitom na pigmamasdan ang sakong mga kadimalasan, puwede na kutang pantula kun bako sana makauyam.

“Ano, maugma ka na?! Nauugma ka na nahihiling mo akong nagsasakit?!”

An aparisyon dai lamang naghiro sa irarom kan poste nin ilaw. Dai naman ako nagpinsar nin ano pa man. Poon kan pagsuwayan mi, nahihiling ko na ini lalo na pag hararom na ang banggi, pirming  nasa irarom nin maski anong poste nin ilaw.

Sa kabuyongan ko, wara na akong pakiaram sa mga oras ini. Nagdalagan ako pasiring sa iya na may luha sa sakong mga mata

“Nata kaipuhan niya akong bayaan?!”

Hinakbot ko ang saiyang itom na bado, uminatras ini. Iyo ang inot na reaksyon na nakua ko hali digdi. Biglang nag-tirindog ang saiyang halabang buhok. Tulos na napaatras man ako asin an sakong kabuyongan nawara.

Ano man daw ang naglaog sa payo ko? Kun ano man ini, bako ini marhay. Pinirit kong magbalik sa huwisyo asin magdalagan paharayo digdi. Nakakaharayo na ako sa pagdalagan kan mamalisyahan kong  dai man ki nagsusunod sako.

Siya nakatindog man giraray duman, pighihiling sana ako.

Kun ano man siya, bako na ito importante. May mga  bagay na mas dapat kong inoton na isipon. Nag-uli na ako, nagkaturog asin nangiturogan kan mga babayi sa buhay ko.

Si Mimi. Si Grace. Ang babaying nakaitom.

Gabos sinda nagbiyo sa sarong pigura na pigbalo kong abuton pero harayuon na siya sako.

An sakong alarm nag-ribok, an payo ko garu mabuhang unong kan hangover. Nagsa-banyo  ako para maglabar. Narumduman ko na niyaon pa palan kay Mimi an sakong  liyabe.

May rason na ako na kaistoryahon siya.

Naglalakaw na ako sa luwas kan sakong harong kan diit pa akong makasuriyaw. Nasingkog pa ako kan sadiri kong sintas asin nadasmag sa daga.

Ang babaying nakaitom ituon pa nanggad!

Dai ini naghihiro pero pagkatapos kan mga nangyari kasubanggi,wara akong kusog nin boot na komprontahun ini. Dai ko ini hiniling asin nagdiretsong magsakay sa jeep paduman sa harong nira Mimi.

Tigpindot ko ang doorbell nira Mimi asin pighiling ko ang palibot. Pigsusunod ako kan babaying nakaitom. Sarong tinampo na sana ini asin nakahiling sa direksyon ko. Dai ko aram kung anong kaipuhan kaini pero sa ngonyan mas may importanteng bagay na dapat inoton.

Kaipuhan ni Mimi na maaraman kun ano namamatian ko para saiya.

Binukasan niya ang pinto, an saiyang magayang-gayang ulok iyo an nagsabat sako.

“Nom? Garu ubat na ah.” sabi niya. Dios ko, isalbar Nindo ako sa ulok  niya.

“Mimi, puwede ba kitang magistoryahan?”

“Kung unong duman sa liyabe mo, tinao ko ito kay Jherick. Ihapit niya daa duman sa indo diyan na udto.”

“Bako ini unong duman. Puwede maglaog?” ang sakong palad nagpoon ng pagdaplosun asin naging mapagal an paghangos ko, pero dai na ako puwedeng umatras pa.

“Dagos na, ano ito?” Dinara niya ako sa silensyong parte kan saindang harong asin duman nagtuga ako saiya kan gabos.

Kun panong dai pa ako nakamidbid nin babaying arug niya. Kung panong maski kaiba ko si Grace, siya ang nasa utak ko, pig-iisip an mga posibilidad na puwedeng mangyari samo. Kun panong pareho kaming warang ka-trato sa ngonyan na baka puwede ming tawan nin panahon ang kada saro

Medyo nabigla ini pero dai man nakigkig.

“Ron, igwa na ako.”

Kan mga oras na ito, garo ako binagsakan nin mundo. Sinabi ko saiya na okay lang, na dai mina lang ini pagistoryahan maski nuarin.

“Sana maging maogma kamong duwa.” nasabi ko sa tahaw kan mga luha ko.

“Si Jherick ito.”

Garu ginurumos sa kulog ang sakong puso. Dai ko na ngani makakaibahan su babaying namomotan ko, tapos ngonyan sinda pa kan sakong pinakaamigo? Grabe. Grabeng kulog ang namatian ko

Ruminabas ako paluwas sa harong, ni dai na ako naghiling-balik. Nakahanap ako nin sadit na iskinita kun sain digdi ko pinabulos an sakong mga luha kan nahiling ko siya.

An babaying nakaitom.

Siguro sa bilog na oras, pighihiling niya an gabos na pangyayari. Mag-ugma na siya kun ano man ang nahiling niya. Iyo na ini ang buhay ko ngonyan, sarong pasang puso na nagpapakatawo na sana.

Dai. Dai ini puwedeng matapos lang nin arog kaini.

Nagbuhat ako asin nagtipon nin kusog ki boot, kaipohan kong magbalik asin kaistoryahon giraray si Mimi. Baka may maitaram ako na makapabago kan saiyang isip.  Dapat magkaigwa nin paagi na kami an magkaibahan.

Nagdalagan ako sa tinampo pabalik sa harong niya.

Siguro kun mas naging maingat ako, nahiling ko kuta an sakayan na padangadang sako.

An babaying nakaitom, nakaulok. Ini iyo an hudyan na nahiling kan sakong mga mata.

=——————————————————-=

“You’re not going to get these back until you’re sober,” that’s what Mimi said as she took my keys.

I keep telling them I’m okay, I’ve driven under worse conditions anyway, besides my house is just 10 minutes away, there’s no way I could get into an accident. They don’t listen and a small part of me is thankful I have friends like those, but a bigger part of me is annoyed that he has to walk home in the middle of the night.

Jherick and Deng offer to walk me a few blocks to my house but the drunk in me tells them to back off, though in a more explicit way. I don’t know why I’m like this, I shouldn’t be pushing my friends away especially now.

Ever since Grace and I broke up all I’ve been doing is drinking and being a complete ass to anyone that tried to talk to me. Everyone’s been so supportive and they don’t deserve a guy like me fighting off their friendship.

Especially Mimi, sweet, beautiful Mimi.

Out of the corner of my eye I see her again. I guess I’m just that drunk. The lady in black watching over all my misfortune, it would be poetic if it wasn’t so damn annoying.

“Are you happy now?! Do you enjoy watching me suffer?!”
The apparition stands still under the light post, unmoving. I didn’t expect anything more. Ever since my breakup I’ve been seeing her late at night, always under some sort of lamp post.
This time I’m too drunk to care, I run up to her with tears in my eyes.

“Why did she have to leave me?!”

I grab her black dress and she steps back. The first reaction I’ve ever gotten from her. Suddenly her long hair stands on end. I instinctively back away and in that moment I sober up.
What was I thinking? Whatever this is can’t be friendly. I gather my senses and run as far away as I possibly can. I manage to get a running start before I notice that I’m not being followed.

She’s just standing there looking at me.

Whatever she is it doesn’t matter. I have more important things to think about. I head home and fall asleep dreaming of the women in my life.

Mimi. Grace. The Woman in Black.

All of them form into one figure that I try to reach, but she’s so far away.

My alarm rings and my head is splitting from the hangover. I go to the bathroom to wash my face and remember that Mimi still has my keys.

At least I’ll have a reason to talk to her.

I walk outside my house and almost shout. I trip on my own shoelaces and fall to the ground.

The woman in black is still there.

She doesn’t seem to be moving and after last night I don’t think I’ll be confronting her anytime soon. I avoid looking at her and make my way to the jeep to go to Mimi’s house.

I ring Mimi’s doorbell and look around. The lady in black is following me. She’s a street away and staring in my direction. I don’t know what she wants but right now there are more pressing matters.

Mimi needs to know how I feel about her.

She opens the door, her gentle hands and radiant smile greeting me.

“Well it looks like someone finally got up,” she says. God save me from that smile.

“Mimi, can we talk?”

“If it’s about your keys I gave them to Jherick. He’s supposed to drop them by your house at lunch time.”

“No it’s not about that. Can I go in?” My palms start to sweat and it gets hard to breathe, but it’s too late to go back now.
“Of course, what is it?” She leads us to a quiet place in their house and I tell her everything.

How I’ve never met any girl as amazing as her. How even when I was with Grace I would think about her and wonder what if. How now that we’re both single maybe we could give it a chance.

She looks shocked but not surprised.

“Ron, I’m seeing someone.”

And in that moment my universe collapsed. I tell her it’s fine, to just not mention it anymore.

“I hope you two are happy,” I manage to say in between my tears.

“It’s Jherick.”

A shooting pain goes through my heart. It wasn’t enough that the girl I loved couldn’t be with me, but her together with my best friend? It was almost too much.

I rush out of the house without looking back. I find a quiet alleyway to let my tears loose and I see her.

The lady in black.

She was probably watching the whole time. Well she can enjoy the show. This is my life now, a broken heart trying to be a man.

No. This can’t be how it ends.

I stand and muster all the courage I have to go back and talk to Mimi. Maybe I can say something that would change her mind. There has to be a way we could be together.
I rush through the streets to her house.

Maybe if I was more careful I would have seen the car coming towards me.

The last thing I see is the lady in black, smiling.

=———————————————-=

*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
Translation by Wella Guianan
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Wella Guianan

Inspired by a story told by Harold Juab

Illustration by likhatsining

Deviant Art: https://likhatsining.deviantart.com/
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*Note this story is in Bicol-Legazpi

Daing nakamidbid saimo arog kan pagkamidbid ko saimo

Midbid taka na bago ka pa man pinangaki. An saimong ina, sarong magayon na babayi.  Siya pirming nagduduman sa may salog, hinihiling an pagbulos kan tubig pasiring sa sunlupan. Niyaon ako kan an saimong ama, an maginoo, nag-atang nin kasal. Ginibo niya ito harani sa kahoy na an.

Kan ika sadit pang aki, muyahonun mong magkawat sa may tubigan. Pirmi mong pigmamasdan an pagdalagan kaini, an saimong mga bantay dai ka pigbabayaan nganing masiguro ninda dai ika maaano. Dai man sindang dapat ikahadit, ta sagkod niyaon ako warang makakulog sa saimo.

Nagdakula ika na an salog harani saimong boot. Sa edad na anom, ika makaraw na aki. Saimong kinakarawan an mga gurang na kapadian asin ika minadulag pasiring sa salog kung sain dai ka ninda madadakop. Saro kang matibay na paralangoy. Wara saimong mga kakawat an kayang magsabay sa saimong kaskas. Na-oogmang maray an sakong puso na an tubig saimong namomotan.

Niyaon ako kan ang saimong puso inot na nakulogan. Marhay kang lalaki para sa babaying ito. Naromdoman ko na ika nagparaisip kung nata arog kaito ang nangyari. Ang bilog na bulan nagsisirdang sa kamatangaan nin banggi kan ika pighanap kan saimong mga bantay. Haloy ka nindang pighanap pero dai ka ninda nakua ta niyaon ako, sinisiguro na igwa kang oras para saimong sadiri. Kinaagahan, nagimata ka na maray an kamugtakan, tulos man na ika nag-uli sa saimong mga magurang.

Nagdakula ka na sarong marhay na lalaki, makusog an boot asin may itsura. Niyaon ika pirmi sa may salog, duman sinusurat mo an saimong mga tula asin sa piling mga okasyon ini saimong binabasa. Ang saimong boses kalmado asin mayumhok sa pamati. Ini ang sakong pampakaturog sa kada banggi na minaagi.

Duwang bulan na an nakaagi kan makusog mong pigtula ang saro sa saimong mga gibo. Ini patungkol sa buhay, kun pano ini nakalugad nin hararom sa kalag nin kada sarong tawo. “Arog kan sarong kutsilyong nakatusok sa kalag”, iyan an saro sa mga linya kan saimong tula. An salog nagliko asin padagos na nagbulos sa pagsabay sa saimo. Sa mga oras na ini, aram ko na kun ano an dapat kong gibohun.

Kan an satuyang mga mata nagsabatan, bako namatian mo man? Kun panong kitang duwa an dapat na magibahan. Dai ka nakahiro sa saimong tinitindugan, an satong mga mata dai ta mahali sa kada saro mientras na ang salog nagkakanta. Ini naglangkaw, naglangkaw sagkod maabot an saimong mga mata asin  nahiling mo  kun ano ako.

Siyempre, nakigkig ka. Gabos man na tawo pag nahiling ninda an totoo kong itsura. Dai tulos nag-laog sa isip mo na kaya ako nakasul-ot nin bugkos nin uhot asin sapad nin mga batag tanganing maitago ko an kabanga kan sakong lawas. Nadara ka kan sakong gayon asin ako sa imo man. Nahihiling ko an pungaw sa saimong kalag. Dai na bale na an sakuyang kulit itom asin abo an kolor o ini pano nin tunok. Muya mo ako, iyo ang importante.

Sagkod sa aldaw na ini, isinusumpa ko an saimong bantay. Pano naaraman nin sarong tawo na magkua nin sundang asin tigbason an tubig sa korteng krus? An kaaraman na ini dapat itinatago  sa mga tawo.

Ah, pero dai dapat ako magpahiling nin kaluyahan saimong hampang, sakong namomotan.

Diit na panahon na sana, kitang duwa magiibahan na. Sagkod an salog nagbubulos, an sakong puso saimo sana.

Ngonyan asin sagkod pa man.

=—————————————————–=

English Version

Nobody knows you like I do.

I’ve known you since before you were born. Your mother was such a beautiful woman. She would spend time by the river, watching it run into the horizon. I was there when your father, the gentleman, proposed. He did it right by that tree.

When you were a little baby you loved to play by the water. You’d always be watched of course, your guardians would hover around you to make sure you were alright. They didn’t need to worry, as long as I was there nothing would be able to harm you.

You grew up with the river by your side. At six years old you were a mischievous little boy. You would play tricks on the old priests and run away to the river where they couldn’t catch you. You were a great swimmer. None of your playmates could match your speed. It made my heart swell with pride knowing that you took to the water so well.

I was there during your first heartbreak. You were too good for that girl anyway. I remember you trying to find sense in what had happened. It was midnight and the moon full in the sky when your guardians came to look for you. Try as they might they couldn’t find you, of course, I was there to make sure you had your privacy. You woke up the next day, not a scratch on you, and went back home to your parents.

You grew into a fine young man, so dashing and handsome. You would stay by the riverside and write your poems, even orating them on some occasions. Your voice was so soothing and calm. It was my lullaby every night.

Two moons ago you spoke one of your poems out loud. It was about life, how it cuts deep into the soul of every person. “Like a knife through the soul”, that was one of the lines from your poem. The river bent and flowed to match your oration. It was then I knew what I had to do.

When our eyes met you could feel it couldn’t you? How we were meant to be together. You stood there, solid on the ground as we locked our gaze and the river sang. It rose higher until it reached your eyes and you saw me for what I was.

You were surprised, of course. Most humans are when they see my true form. You didn’t realize that I wore the bundle of rice straws and cluster of bananas to hide my lower half. You were enthralled by my beauty and I, by you. I could see the longing in your soul. It didn’t matter that my skin was black and grey or that it was covered with spines, you wanted me and that was all that mattered.

To this day I still curse your guardian. How did a human know to get a bolo and slash at the water with a cross? That knowledge should have been hidden from humans.

Ah but I should not show weakness in front of you, my love.

We will be together soon enough. As long as the river flows, my heart will belong to you.

Always and forever.

=—————————————————————————-=

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
Translation by Wella Guianan
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Wella Guianan

Adapted from a story from Abra, Calaba River told by Guillermo Guillen Crisologo

Berberoka Illustration by Guillermo Guillen Crisologo

*Note this story is in Bicol-Legazpi

Sa inot na beses, siya napagal

Halaba ang saiyang naging aldaw. Panù ang saiyang utak kan mga suriyaw asin iriwal, kan mga kadakul na gibuhun na dai na niya puwedeng palampason. Ang saiyang mga ulunan ina-agda  siya na mag-iba sa inda. Mag-iba sa saindang paglakaw-lakaw pasiring sa mga lugar na dai siya ma-aabot, dai siya ma-aapudan kan saiyang amo. Kung sain sa wakas, makakakua siya nin katuninungan. Ang hudyan na bagay na saiyang nahiling iyo ang ilaw kan sa iyang telepono na nagluway-luway ng magdiklom.

Sa pangaduwang beses, siya nakadangog nin tugtog.

Natatakot siya sa maraut na pangaturog, pero ang saiyang kapagalan iyo ang nanginutan. Sa iyang namatian ang gabat kan kinaban, padagos siyang tinutuklang pasiring sa kairaruman asin kinakalot ang sa iyang lubungan.  ‘Ang bang-gi na ini magiging lain kaysa sa mga naka-agi’ ang huring niya sa saiyang ulunan. Makakapahingalo man giraray siya sa wakas. Sa pagwara-wara kan saiyang huwisyo, siya nag-ngalas kung nata nagpapa-tugtog nin makusog ang saiyang mga kataraning. Sa iyang imahinasyon, nahiling niya ang sadiri na nag-reklamo kina-agahan.

Sa pangatulong beses, may mga anino.

Tulòng aldaw na ang naka-agi na dai niya magibong mag-katurog. Dai niya kayang magbalik sa lugar kung sain siya nag-duduman pag nakapiyong ang saiyang mga mata. Sa lugar kung sain dai dai nakahiro ang saiyang bilog na lawas. Sa lugar kung sain wara siyang kontrol. Napahiling siya sa gilid kan saiyang higdaan, sa salug na may mga mantsa asin tinag-duan nin kape, sa mga gumok na pakete nin asukar. ‘Magiging marhay ang gabos.’ Ini ang sinabi niya sa saiyang sadiri. Ipinapangadyi niya na magiging marhay ang gabos.

Sa ika-apat na beses, siya nag-ngarakngak

Nag-uulok ang gurang na babayi habang pighihiling ang sa iyang gibo, sarong kalag na naman ang saiyang makukua. Sa pag-muklat ninda, naglalaug tulos sa saindang mga isip na tapos na ang maraut na pangaturog, pero sa giraray na pagpikit kan saindang mga mata, niyaun siya. Magsisirbing ulang sa saindang agihan. Nagtindog ang gurang na babayi, dara ang saiyang magabat na lawas siya naglakaw, tapos na ang saiyang trabaho. Inagihan niya ang iba pang ispirito na naglalagaw-lagaw sa mundo nin pangaturogan. Sarong daligmata ang makaskas na uminagi asin diit pang makadasmag sa saiya, sa uyam niya, minuda niya kada saro kan kadakul kaining mata. Halaba nang maray ang bang-gi na ini, kaipuhan na niyang mag-pahingalo.

=——————————————————-=

English Version

The first time, she was tired.

The day had been too long. Too many memories of shouting and fights, too many deadlines she couldn’t ignore. It had been pure joy when she finally saw her bed. The pillows invited her to journey with them to places where her boss couldn’t call her, somewhere she could finally be at peace. The last thing she saw was the light from her phone gently going dark.

The second time, she heard music.

She was afraid of the nightmare, but exhaustion overtook her senses. The weight of the world felt like it was pushing her down and digging a grave for her. Tonight would be different, she told her pillow. She would finally be able to rest. As she drifted off, she wondered why her neighbors were playing such loud music. In her head, she imagined complaining the next day.

The third time, there were shadows.

It was three days and still she did not sleep. She could not bring herself to go to the place she had been when her eyes were closed. It was a place where she couldn’t move her body. It was a place where she had no control. She looked at her bedside, at the coffee stained floor and the crumpled packets of sugar and she told herself she would be okay. She prayed she would be okay.

The fourth time, she laughed.

The old woman smiled at her handiwork, another soul for her to claim. They would always wake up and think that the nightmare has passed, but once they close their eyes, she would be there to block the door. She hauled her corpulent frame, and passed the other spirits roaming through the dream world. A daligmata rushed through, nearly ran into her and she cursed each eye on the beast. This night had gone on for too long, she needed some rest.

=————————————————————————–=

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
Translation by Wella Guianan
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Wella Guianan

Story inspired by Batibat entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Batibat Illustration by Leandro Geniston
FB page: That Guy With A Pen

Watercolor by Alexa Garde
Website: www.Lexa.us

*Note this story is in Bicol-Legazpi

Paagi sa mabakawang lati, lagpas sa salog, igwang sadit na kadlagan. Ngunyan, kadaklan sa mga tawo, wara man maiiling na sala duman. Mas maaaraman pa ngani na igwang sala kun warang puno sa gilid nin salog.

Pag-iniling nindang maray, maaaraman ninda kun nyata makatakot an mga bangkay na ini. Kada sarong puno nakakaros an mga pandok kan tawong nagapururipot sa saindang pasakit. An balat kan puno tigapailing an saindang dinimalas na mga itsura.

An mga lokal na tawo, tigaapod nindang sumpa ini, asin an iba naggigibo nin maray nganing marayuan an mga punong ini.

Ugaring may sarong oragon an warang takot na tigharap an ilang nganing makahanap nin mga simbag na su mga puno sana an makaka-inging saiya.

Ini an saiyang istorya.

Abuonon ni Simeon Boñaga an saiyang pangaran. An saiyang kapangaran sarong bayani, an panghudyan na heneral na nag-suko kan panahon kan giyerang Pilipinas laban Estados Unidos, asin ini sana sya, sarong 27-anyos na sawi, an saiyang mga mararahay na aldaw tarapos na.

Sya an inot sa saiyang pamilya na makatapos sa sarong unibersidad. Ali sa sadit na baryo na dae ka mabubuhay kun dae ka manira, saro na utong dakulang tagumpay. Ugaring, sagkod uto kan pag pailing kan kinaban an saiyang makanos na itsura.

Sa dakulang multinational na kompanya an saiyang inot na trabaho pagkatapos sa unibersidad, saro uto sa mga lugar na pirmi nya nadadangod kaso dae sya nagkakaigwang oportunidad na mailing arani. Sakto sana an bayad saiya asin sakto man an mga oras, kaya sa pag-una nya yaon na saiya gabos.

Ugaring, pirming may boses sa saiyang payo na nag-nagtitikwil saiya. Gari gabat na nagbubutong saiya urualdaw. Natinuhan nya uto sagkod kan ika-limang bulan nya sa trabaho. Dae sya nakakaisip nin makaskas, dagitunon sya asin naiirita na sa saiyang mga katrabaho asin dae sya nakakaturog.

Una nya mawawara man sana uto, na saro man sana utong pangiturugan na magigimatahan nya. Saka uminabot an ikaduwang bulan asin paraot na nin paraot an mga bagay. An saiyang eyebags duminakulaon asin ilingunon kaya tigpapara komentaran ini kan mga tawo.

Huli kaito, mas naging marauton na lugod an itsura nya. Tig-baluan nyang dae tinuhon an mga chismis na nadadngog nya, ugaring an mga boses sa luwas kasing kusog man sana kan mga boses sa saiyang payo. Natinuhan ni Simeon na an saiyang mga katrabaho nagapuon nang magrayo saiya. Pagnaglalakaw sya paduman sa may pahingaluan, garo nagaarali gabos na tawo sa palibot nya.

Naapektuhan na kan saiyang kamugtakan an saiyang pag-trabaho. Sa puon pa sana kan taon, nagigibo nya pang mag asikaso nin mga spreadsheets asin sobra an tubod nya sa sadiri pag may mga presentasyon. Sa pag-agi kan panahon, mas naparayo si Simeon sa sadiri nya, pipaali an saiyang mga barkada na muya kutang magtarabang saiya.

Kun nag-agad kuta syang tabang kan atab pa, dae nya kuta nasuriyawan an saiyang amo. Kun tig tuga nya kuta na may igwa saiya, dae kuta sya nawaran nin trabaho. Kun bako kuta sya nagin ambugon, igwa pa kutang paagi nganing ipadagos an saiyang buhay.

Tig-hohorop-horop utong mga panahon ni Simeon habang nakailing sya sa salog arani sa arong nya. Abo nya man sana kuta mag-uli talaga sa probinsya, kaso pagkatapos kan ginibo nya, wara naman syang magiginibo.

Grabe an saiyang pagkamundo, nagtutukaw sana sya sa mga gapo asin tiga-iling an pag-agos kan tubig paduman sa kadlagan.

Dae man nasasabutan kan saiyang mga magurang kun ano an nangyayari sa saindang aki. Tinaraman pa ngani ninda ini na nasa utak nya man sana an gabos. Muya nya kutang sabihun, “iyo man talaga, nasa utak ko uto gabos, sa iling nindo nasain an alimantak ko?” pero bako naman uto kaipuahan. Ka-simple sana kan saiyang mga magurang, warang salak na medical jargon na naging bago nyang reyalidad.

Saro itong buhay na dae nya ma-aagad sa maski kisay.

Nagbuntong hininga sya asin nagpuon lakawon an arayong agihan paduman sa sunod na baryo. Abo ni Simeon na mag-saro kaiba an saiyang mga tig-iisip. Saro utong pagabat na kinaag sa saiyang mga abaga na sana kuta pwede nyang iinda na sana. Sa paglaog nya sa baryo, nailing nya an mga tawong nagtitiripon palibot sa may sentro. Sa kadiit na momento, nagpurunduhan an mga boses sa saiyang payo asin naka-pokus na sya sa nangyayari sa saiyang palibot.

Grabe sa pagpara-ibi an sarong babae na napandukan nya na si Aleng Norma. Suriyaw nya, “Angongolood! Angongolood!” habang daeng ribok na tigpaparairiling sya kan mga tawo.

Aram nya an alamat nanggad. Kada sarong tawo sa baryo, aram. Su higanteng garo gorilyang bakulaw na nambibiktima nin mga parasira sa may ngimot kan salog.

Gabos man sana uto mga pamahiin, mga istorya na ginibo nganing takuton an mga parasira na parayuon sa mga delikadong parte kan lati. Kaso garo si Aleng Norma tubudunon duman sa istoryang uto. Pirming marurumduman ni Simeon an pandok kan babaeng namarahan na nin luha, nagpaparaibi para sa saiyang agom.

“Jherick! Jherick nyata dae ka nag dangog?! Ano na an mangyayari samuya ngunyan? Nyata dae mo naisip an sadiri mong mga aki?!” An saiyang ibi nagaalingawngaw sa buong sentro kan baryo, mas kinusog pa ta grabeng silensyo kan mga tawong nakapalibot saiya.

Garo man sana nakontento an mga tawo sa pagiling kan nangyayari asin si Simeon dae mapugulan an sadiri na mairak sa mga tawo maski kay Aleng Norma. Bako man dapat arog kato an senaryo. Rinanihan nya si Aleng Norma nagtukro sa kataning nya, kinaag an saiyang kamot sa abaga nya.

Nakigkig si Aleng Norma sa kapot ni Simeon. Puminundo na sya sa pagibi asin nagbagsak sa saiyang mga takyag nin aloy.

Dae nya aram kun gurano kaaloy nya na tigkakaputan si Aleng Norma. Nag-arali na su mga tawo, padiit-diit sagkod an natada na sana sina Simeon asin Aleng Norma pati an ibang mga paralaw lakaw sana.

Iniling ni Aleng Norma si Simeon na may pagal sa mata. Tigpakaray nya an sadiri nya asin tigpasalamatan sya para sa pag-konsolar saiya. Tinaraman ini ni Simeon na wara man uto, Ugaring dae si Aleng Norma nagtutugot. “Wara man lamang may makusog na boot na magrani sakuya kan naaraman nindang nawawara na an sakuyang agom. Salamat.”

Dae aram ni Simeon an saiyang tataramon. Dae nya mataram sa babae na nagiibi man sya burubanggi arog kan pag-ibi nya. O pano nagkaigwang bagyo na nagpaparatalibong sa saiyang payo asin nakatabang man an pagtabang nya sa iba nganing malingawan nya an paglala kan emosyon nya na diit n asana masabog na.

Inapot nya si Aleng Norma kun nyata sa iling nya angongolood an nagkuwa kan saiyang agom asin sinimbag nya, “Nagduman sya sa may mga puno.”

“Aring mga puno?” apot ni Simeon.

“An kupo kan angongolood igwang lason pagnadutan ka, sisay man an madakop sa saiyang mga takyag magiging makanuson na mga puno,” taramon nya, may mga bagong luha an nagtururo sa saiyang mga mata.

“Aram ko maiiling man sana ninda yan.”

“Dae na man. Udyan na gabos. Sobrang udyan na.” Iniling ni Aleng Norma si Simeon sa mata asin an saiyang mapanasong iling natamaan an saiyang kalag. “Dae ka magduman sa lati, warang maray an maitatao kan lugar na uto.”

Nagtindog sya asin binayaan si Simeon na nakatindog magsaro sa tahaw kan sentro kan baryo. Tigrumdum nya an mga taramon kan babae asin na-iro sya kan saiyang garantiya na an pagkawara kan saiyang agom konektado sa sarong bakulaw kan alamat. Ugaring si Simeon sarong lalaking nagtutubod sa lohika. Igwang sarong bagay o sarong tawo an responsable digdi.

May saro dapat na mag-iro asin igwang mapiritong boses sa saiyang payo na sya daw uto. An namamatian nya uminagi nanaman asin nagging alipin nanaman si Simeon kan saiyang emosyon. An pagmati nya kan puro kamunduan uminuran saiya asin dae nya marumduman kun nyata yaon sya sa baryo.

“May saro dapat na mag-iro,” tigtaram nya sa sadiri nya sa pagpuon nya maglakaw sa arayong agihan pauli.

“Buwat na! Maaga na!”

Nakabungkaras si Simeon huli kan saiyang ama. Dae nya namumuyahan an pagmatang atabunon. Tinaraman sya kan saiyang ama na kaipuhan nindang dakol na oras magkaibahan, na maggibo nin tapat na trabaho, asin puminayag man si Simeon. Arog man kaini an nangyari kan aki pa sya, an ama nya tigpaparamata sya sa kinaagahan asin parehas sinda maluwas paduman sa may salog nganing makadakop nin labas na mga sira.

Priniparar ninda an mga silo asin nag-agab si Simeon sa pag-guyod ninda kan bangka paduman sa tubig.

Magayunon sa pangiling an mga bakawa sa irarom kan aldaw asin pareho sinda daeng ribok na nagsagwan paarayo. An am ani Simeon bako talaga maribok na tawo asin dae nya mataram nin maray an mga muya nyang taramon. Sa bilog na pagbangka ninda, binalo kaurunon si Simeon kan saiyang ama na magbalik sa syudad asin maghanap nin trabaho, kun pano kamarhay an mga gigibo nya asin baka oras na na i-balo nya liwat.

Dae sya tig-tino ni Simeon. Ano an aram kan saiyang ama sa saiyang tig-aagihan, ano an aram kan iba? Tigrumdom nya an ika-hudyan nyang parabulong sa payo na tig-dudumanan nya. Mas may pakiaram pa sya sa sadiri nya kaysa sa kamugtakan ni Simeon asin dagit pa nanggad sya ngunyan na nagpara gastos sya para sa mga sesyon na mas pinadipisil pa an gabos.

Asin igwa pang mga bulong. Minsan namamatian ni Simeon na garo sya sombi na minasabay sana sa agos kan buhay. Dae sya nakakaisip nin tanos, pirmi syang paha asin nasusuka asin dae uto nakatabang sa saiyang padusa burubanggi.

Siguro mabalik sya sa syudad para maghanap nin saykayatrista na makakatabang nanggad saiya, ugaring makakaalat man sana uto. Ngunyan an oras para sa pagdakop nin mga sira.

Tinapok ninda an mga silo asin nag-alat na may makukuwa sindang maray, maski tuna sana. An pagdakop ninda medyo bigo, ta puro man sana mga saraday na sira asin naglipat n asana sinda sa kabilang parte kan salog. Tigpaparaulit ninda ini nin pirang oras, wara pa nanggad sindang nakukuwa sagkod nauuyam na si Simeon.

Nagsagwan sinda arani sa may lati na aram nindang dae sindang may makukuwang maray na kuha. Baka saro sana ini sa mga paagi kan ama nya nganing magkaigwa sindang sadiring oras na magkaiba, kaso dae man ini namuyahan ni Simeon.

Abo nya man digdi, bako sa saiyang baryo, bako sa saiyang pamilya. Nagpaparapangadyi si Simeon na makasuriyaw kuta sya sa bilog na kinaban, ugaring aram nyang wara man madangog. Kaipuhan nya pang magtios sa katahimikan asin magsulog pa kan itsurang ‘ayos’ sana sya. Muya nya sa gabos an masabutan sya maski kan sarong tawo sana, maski sisay.

Tuminalikod sya sa saiyang ama asin nag-angos. Turo kan saro sa saiyang mga parabulong na an pag-angos nakakatabang mabawasan an saiyang pagparahadit. Tulong ararom na angos asin makakayanan nya na gabos, tigaasahan nya man.

Kan priparado na sya, tuminalikod liwat sya nganing ampangon an saiyang ama. Mas kalmado na sya ngunyan. Una nya ngani madadagit an saiyang ama, dae man pano nasasabutan kan saiyang ama an kamugtakan nya, kaya mas kaipuhan nya mag-sabot.

Kan pagtalikod nya, nakigkig sya ta wara na an ama nya. Kinuskosan ni Simeon an mata nya nganing makasigurado na dae sya nangingiturugan o saro utong utik sa saiyang mga tig-iinom na bulong, ugaring wara talaga asin paros na sana an igwa sa kabilang parte kan bangka.

Inapod nya an ama nya, nagsusuriyaw sagkod magkaparaos. Kaso wara man nangyari, tanog sana kan kalikasan an nagsisimbag saiya.

Magsaro na sana si Simeon.

Madali sana asin taimtim an serbisyo.

Sarong taon na an nakaagi puon kan nawara an saiyang ama asin panahon na nganing pahingaluan an saiyang memorya.

Daeng pundo an pag-ibi kan in ani Simeon sa burol. Dae nya mailing sa mata si Simeon arog kan dati bago mangyari an insidente. Naiiling nya sa mata kan ina nya na sana sya na sana an nawara.

Bako marahay an taon para kay Simeon. An pagkawara kan saiyang ama mas nadara sana sya paarayo sa kinaban. Sa pagkakaaram nya, wara naming igwa sa luwas kan apat na kanto kan saiyang kwarto.

Kun mas may pakiaram kuta sya, mas nasabutan nya kuta na an saiyang mga tigipunan paubos na asin kaipuhan nya nang mag-hanap nin ibang trabaho. Kaso, dae sya makaali sa lati na yaon sa sadiri nya. Mas nagpaparakusog an mga boses sa saiyang payo asin tigpangadyi nya sana may paagi pa nganing ma-aali ini gabos sa payo nya. An mga bulong dae naman naggagana saiya asin naisip nyang magpundo na sana sa pag inom kan mga uto.

Muya nya sana mailing an saiyang ama liwat. Muyang sabihon ni Simeon sa saiyang ama na nagaagad sya nin tawad ta dae sya naging maray na aki asin dinara nya pa an kasusupgan sa pamilya ninda. Muya nyang mag agad nin tawad para sa saiyang kamugtakan, maski garo na inda pag dangugon. Muya nya sana maging normal.

Dae naman uto mangyayari ngunyan, bibaba na ninda an kabaong sa saiyang lubungan. Dae na ninda naaram o nailing an ama nya.

May mga chismis, syempre. An mga gurang sa baryo, tigiiring-ing ninda na angongolood daa ta sigi nang dakol an mga nawawara.

Ugaring wara man labot si Simeon.

Pagmati nya, garo sya naglalakaw sa dugi. An mga simple sanang mga bagy arog kan paglimpya kan arong o pagbuwat sa igdaan, padipisil nin padipisil para saiya. Tiga-iling uto kan ina nya na saro nanamang kaugakan, sarong pagabat na kaipuhan nya mang darahon.

Para saiya, madayaon gabos. Nawara saiya an padaba nya sa buhay asin an saiyang aki nagrarayo na sa reyalidad. Aram nyang may dapat syang gibuhon.

Sarong aga sa pagsakat kan aldaw, kinuwa nya an bangka kan agom nya asin duminuman sa may lati.

Nagimata si Simeon asin una nya maiiling nya an ina nyang nagpipriparar nin pamahawan. Naghuna sya kun nyata wara sya duman. Kan pag-iling nya sa luwas asin naaraman na nawawara an bangka, aram nya kun sain nagduman an ina nya.

Madali man sana kuta para kay Simeon na dae uto intindihon, na magpakalugmok sa saiyang kamunduan asin magluksa sa saiyang sadiring ina. Naka-anap sya nin kusog dae una nya wara sya, asin nagduman sa saiyang kapitbahay nganing magsubli nin bangka para hanapon an saiyang ina.

Sa pag-sagwan nya pairarom sa salog, tigsunggaban kan takot an saiyang puso. Dae nya aram an saiyang gigibo, hahanapon nya an saiyang ina tapos ano? Nyata man nanggad nagduman sa lati an ina nya? Nganing hanapon an ama nya?

Dae sya priparado na kaurunon an saiyang ina na mag-uli, ugaring uminangos sya asin duminerecho. Nawara nya na an ama nya, dae nya na mawawara an saiyang ina.

Nakuwa ni Simeon an bangka na ginamit kan saiyang ina sa may mabakawang lati. Wara utong laog asin garo duminerecho pa an ina nya sa kadlagan na naka bitis.

Nagbaba sya sa bangka nya asin sinundan an bakas na nawalat kan ina nya.

Makapalon an paros asin naglalagkit asin nagpupuon namang madumog nin daplos si Simeon. An pag-agi nya sa may lati, narurumduman nya an mga tig-agihan nya buong buhay. Pagduman nya sa may mamarang daga, pagmati nya na kada tungtong nya digdadara sya asin namamatian nya na bako na sya komportable.

Wara na syang oras mag-horop-horop mangongod duman, ta nadangog nya na an maluway na pag-ibi sa inutan nya.

An nailing nya, sarong makagirabong ilingon. Sarong puno na may pandok kan saiyang ama, nagapuripot sa kulog, asin an saiyang ina nag-iibi sa irarom kan punong uto.

“Dae ka na kuta nagdigdi,” taramon kan ina nya habang nag-iibi.

Warang simbag si Simeon, makasakason an mga nangyayari. Dae nya masabutan kun nyata may pandok an puno kana ma nya, naka-karos sa balat kaito.

Nagpawalat sinda duman nin pirang oras sagkod nagkaigwang kusog nin buot si Simeon na aputon an saiyang ina na magsabay na saiya pauli.

“Nyata nagdigdi ka?” apot ni Simeon.

“Muya kong maaraman.”

Buminalik sinda asin sa pagbaba kan aldaw, dae sana sindang ribok, muyang makuwa an saktong mga taramon na makakadiskribiha sa nailing ninda.

Kan naka-antos sinda sa saindang bangka, nailing ninda uto. Sa madikom, garo sya tawo, alangkaw asin dakulang lalaking nakadungaw sainda. Aram ni Simeon kun ano uto, asin preparado na sya.

“Kwaon mon a ining bangka, mag-uli ka na,” taramon nya sa ina.

“Dae ta ka babayaan.”

“Kaipuhan ko ining gibuhon.”

Nagrani sya sa bakulaw na nakabukas an mga kamot. Ini an saiyang tig-papara alat. An ikahudyang paglaya sa priso na tiga apod nyang buhay.

Nagsuriyaw an ina nya nganing magpundo sya. Pero dae sya nagmati.

Sa pagkupo kan halimaw kay Simeon, namamatian nya na an pagtagas kan saiyang balat asin an saiyang mga bitis nagigi nang mga ugat.

Nakakurit na sa balat an nakangirit nyang pandok.

Sa wakas, malaya na sya.

=——————————————————————————————————=

English Version

Through the mangrove ridden swamps, past the riverbanks, lies a small grove of trees. Now, most people would find nothing strange about it, they would probably find it stranger if there weren’t any trees by the riverside.

As they look closer, they can see what makes this copse so horrifying. Each tree is etched with the face of a person, twisted in agony. The bark of the tree outlines their wretched visages.

Locals call the area cursed and most do well to avoid these trees.
But one brave soul dared to brave the wilderness to seek answers that only the trees can whisper.

This is his story.

Simeon Boñaga always hated his name. His namesake was a hero, the last general to surrender during the Philippine-American war and here he was, a 27-year-old burnout, whose best days were behind him.

He was the first of his family to graduate university. Coming from a small town where you either became a fisherman or starve, it was a big accomplishment. That is, up until the real world turned its ugly head.

His first job after university was in a large multinational company, the kind of place that he had always heard about but never got the opportunity to see up close. The pay was good and the hours were reasonable, he finally felt he had it all.

But there was always that voice in his head that nagged him. It was like a weight that slowed him down every day. He noticed it after the fifth month of work. His mind didn’t think as fast, he was angry and irritable to his coworkers and he couldn’t sleep.

He thought it would pass, that it was just a bad dream he would wake up from eventually. Then the second month came and things started to get worse. His eyebags got so big and obvious that people couldn’t help but comment on them.

That made him feel more terrible. He tried to ignore the gossip floating around, but the voices outside were just as loud as the voices in his head. Simeon noticed that his officemates started to avoid him. Whenever he would walk up to the lounge people seemed to disperse.

His mood affected his performance at work. At the start of the year he could glide through spreadsheets and was confident with presentations. As the months went by Simeon retreated more into himself, pushing away even his friends that tried to help.

If he had gotten help early maybe he could have avoided shouting at his boss. If he admitted that there was something wrong, he could have kept his job. If he wasn’t so prideful, there would have been a way to continue the life he was living.

Simeon thought back to those days as he stared at the river by his home. He didn’t want to have to go back to the province, but after what he did there was no choice. He felt alone now more than ever, sitting by the rocks and watching the water flow through the forest.

His parents didn’t understand what was wrong with him. They told him it was all in his head. He wanted to reply, “of course it’s in my head, where do you think my brain is?” but that would be unnecessary. His parents were simple people, far removed from the medical jargon that became his new reality.

It was a life he wouldn’t have wished on anyone else. He sighed and started the long to the nearby town. Simeon hated being alone with his thoughts. It was a burden put upon his shoulders that he wished he could just shrug off.
As he entered the town, he saw people gather around the square. For a few brief moments the voices in his head quieted down and he was able to focus on what was happening before him.

A woman who he recognized as Aling Norma was sobbing hysterically. She shouted, “Angongolood! Angongolood!” as the crowd watched silently.
He knew the legends, of course. Every person in town did. The giant gorilla-like beast preying on fishermen at the mouth of the riverbank.

It was all just superstition, a story made up to scare fisherfolk away from dangerous areas in the swamp. But it seemed like Aling Norma believed every word of it. Simeon would always remember the look on her tear-stained face as she cried out for her husband.

“Jherick! Jherick why didn’t you listen?! What will happen to us now? Why didn’t you think about your children?!” Her cries echoed through the town square, made even louder by the silence of the bystanders.

It seemed that people were just content to watch the spectacle and Simeon couldn’t help but feel pity for the crowd as well as Aling Norma. This scene wasn’t meant to turn out like this. He walked towards Aling Norma and bent down beside her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

Aling Norma was surprised by Simeone’s touch. She stopped crying long enough to crumple into his arms.He didn’t know how long he held Aling Norma. The crowd dispersed, bit by bit until the only people left were Simeon and Aling Norma as well as a few stragglers.

Aling Norma looked at Simeon with tired eyes. She composed herself and thanked him for comforting her. Simeon said it was nothing, but she disagreed. “No one would even come near me when they found out my husband went missing. Thank you.”

Simeon didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t tell her that he would cry himself to sleep every night the way she did. Or how there was a storm brewing inside him and it helped to be of help to others to forget the emotional buildup that threatened to burst.

He asked Aling Norma why she thought it was the angongolood that took her husband and she replied, “He went to the trees.”

“What trees?” Simeon asked.

“The angongolood’s embrace is poison to the touch, anyone caught in its arms is twisted into a horrible tree,” she said, new tears forming in her eyes.
“I’m sure they’ll be able to find him.”

“They won’t. It’s too late. Far too late.” Aling Norma looked Simeon in the eye and her piercing gaze shot to his soul. “Do not go out to the swamp, nothing good can come from that place.”

She stood up and left Simeon standing alone in the town square. He thought back to her words and he was moved by her assurance that her husband’s disappearance was tied to a mythical beast. But Simeon was a man of logic.
There had to be something or someone responsible. Someone had to do something and there was a persistent voice in his head that it should be him. The feeling passed though and once again Simeon was a slave to his emotions. The feeling of ennui showered over him and he couldn’t even remember why he went to the town.

“Someone else has to do something,” he said to himself as he started the long walk home.

————————————————————————

“Get up! It’s nearly sunrise!”

Simeon was jolted awake by his father. He didn’t appreciate being woken up this early. His father had said that they needed to spend more time together, to do honest work, and Simeon reluctantly agreed. It was like this when he was younger, his father waking him up at the break of dawn and both of them going out to the river to get a fresh catch.

They got ready with their nets and Simeon yawned as they pushed out into the river.

The mangroves were radiant in the morning sun and they both were silent as they went upriver. Simeon’s father was a man of few words and he couldn’t express as much as he would like to. Throughout the boat ride his father had tried to talk Simeon into going back to the city and finding work, how he was doing so well and it was about time he tried again.

Simeon ignored him. What would his father know about what he was going through, what did anyone know? He thought back to the last therapist he was seeing. She cared more about herself than she did Simeon’s well being and he was still mad that he spent too much money on sessions that made things more difficult.

And there was the medicine. Half the time Simeon felt like a zombie going through the motions of life. He couldn’t think straight, he was always thirsty and nauseous and it didn’t help with his night terrors.

Maybe he would go back to the city to find a psychiatrist that would help, but that would have to wait. Now was the time for fishing.

They cast out the nets and hoped that they would find something good, maybe tuna. The catch was disappointing, nothing but small fish and they moved on to another area. They repeated this for hours, finding nothing all while Simeon was getting frustrated.

They had drifted near the swamp where it was sure they wouldn’t get a good catch. Maybe this was his father’s way of giving them some alone time, though Simeon didn’t appreciate it.

He didn’t want to be here, not in this town, not with his family. Simeon wished so hard that he could scream out into the world, but he knew no one would listen. He had to suffer in silence and put on a façade of being ‘alright’. More than anything he wanted to be understood by someone, anyone.
He turned his back to his father and tried to breathe. One of his older therapists had taught him breathing exercises to minimize anxiety. Three deep breaths and he would be able to handle things, or so he hoped.

When he was ready, he turned back to face his father. He was calmer now. He had expected his father to be angry, his father never understood anything about his condition, so he had to be more patient.

He turned and was surprised to find his father missing. Simeon rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t dreaming or a trick of his medication, but there was nothing more than empty air on the other side of the boat.

He called out for his father, screaming until his lungs gave out. It didn’t matter though, there was only the sounds of nature that answered him.
Simeon was alone.

————————————————————————–

The service was brief and solemn.

It had been a year since his father had disappeared and it was time to put his memory to rest.

Simeon’s mother didn’t stop crying through the funeral. She never looked at Simeon the same way since the incident. He could see in her eyes that he should have been the one that vanished.

The year was not kind to Simeon. His father’s disappearance only led to him retreating from the world. As far as he was concerned there was nothing outside the four walls of his room.

If he had cared more, he might have realized that his savings were dwindling and he would have to look for a job soon. Unfortunately, he couldn’t move past the mire he found himself in. The voices in his head were getting louder and he wished he could find some way to make them stop. The meds weren’t working anymore and he had decided a few months ago to stop taking them.

He just wanted to see his father one more time. Simeon wanted to tell him that he was sorry he was a bad son and that he brought shame upon the family. He wanted to apologize for his condition, as strange as it sounds. He just wanted to be normal.

That would never happen now, as they slowly lowered an empty casket into the grave. They hadn’t even found a trace of his father.

There were rumors of course. The elders in town would whisper of the angongolood as more disappearances happened.

But that didn’t matter to Simeon.

He felt like he was moving through mud. The simplest things like cleaning the house or getting out of bed were getting more and more difficult for him. His mother saw it as laziness, a burden that she had to bear as well. To her, nothing was fair. She had lost the love of her life and her son was retreating from reality. She knew that something had to be done.

One morning as the dawn began, she took her husband’s boat and made her way to the swamp.

Simeon woke up and expected to find his mother making breakfast. He was puzzled why she wasn’t there. As soon as he looked out and saw the boat was missing, he knew where she had gone.

It would have been easy for Simeon to just ignore it, to wallow in his own sadness and grieve for his missing mother. Where he found strength, he didn’t know, and he went to his neighbor’s house and asked to borrow their boat to find his mother.

As he delved deeper into the swamp fear gripped his heart. He didn’t know what he was doing, he would find his mother and then what? Why had she gone to the swamp in the first place? To find his father?

He wasn’t prepared to talk his mother off that ledge, but he breathed in deep and pushed forward. He lost his father, he wouldn’t lose his mother too.
Simeon found the boat his mother used by the mangrove trees. It was empty and it looked like she had gone deeper into the swamp on foot.

He got out of his boat and followed the trail that she left.The air was thick and humid and Simeon began to sweat through his shirt. Trudging through the bog reminded him of how he felt every day. Moving through rough terrain, feeling like every step forward took everything within you and being uncomfortable through it all.

He didn’t have time to reflect on that as he heard soft sobbing ahead of him.
What he saw was a macabre sight. A tree with the face of his father, twisted in pain, stood with his mother weeping under it.

“You shouldn’t have come,” his mother said through the tears.
Simeon had no answer, things were happening too fast. He didn’t understand why the tree had the face of his father etched in its bark.

They stayed there for hours until Simeon was brave enough to ask his mother to go back home.

“Why did you come here?” he asked.

“I needed to know for sure.”

They made their way back and as the sun set, they sat in silence, desperately trying to find the words to describe what they had seen.

As soon as they reached their boats, they saw it. In the dark it looked almost human, like a tall, burly man hunched over. Simeon knew what it was, and he was prepared.

“Take the boat and go home,” he told his mother.

“I won’t leave you.”

“This is what I have to do.”

He walked towards the creature with open arms. This was what he was searching for. A final release from the prison he called life.

His mother screamed for him to stop. He didn’t listen.As the monster embraced Simeon, he could feel his skin harden and his legs turn to roots.
The bark etched his face in a solemn smile.

Finally he was free.

=————————————————————————————————-=

*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

Translation by Jeremiah Cordial

Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Jeremiah Cordial

Based on the Angongolood description in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.

Angongolood Illustration by Justine André Villapa

Instagram: @art.justineandrev

Sarong mapahunod na tawo si Gregorio. Tiga-gibo nya an saiyang trabahong paragupit na daeng reklamo. Sakto sana an saiyang sahod nganing may maitao sya sa saiyang agom asin mga akî, asin muyahon nyang makipaguron sa saiyang mga parabakal, pati maaraman an saindang mga buhay. Nakakatabang uto para saiya.

Sarong aldaw, an presidente nin banwâ nag-apot saiya kun pwede syang gupitan. An mga barkada ni Gregorio tigbarati sya sa trabahong ini tâ nakakatabang nin maray sa negosyo nya an paggupit sa sarong tawong sikat asin kilala.

Ugaring dae man tigaisip ni Gregorio na swerte uto. Kun kakaurunon mo maski sisay sa banwâ ninda, madadangog mo sainda an kauyaman ninda sa presidente.

Si Erlinda Cuntapay nganî dae nakabayad kan saiyang buwis sa sarong bulan kayâ nagduman an presidente sa saiyang arong maski matangâ na asin ‘kinuwâ’ an saiyang ari-arian ‘para sa ikararahay kan banwâ’ an tinaram nya.

Kan nagpundo an saiyang kabayô sa sobrang pagal sa tahaw kan dalan, sinugô kan alkalde sa saiyang mga tawo na badilon ini asin palitan kan sarô pang kabayô na maguyod sainda.

Kan panahon na kan eleksyon, maski si Gregorio bakô ligtas sa pagbisita kan presedente. Igwa pa syang mga lugad sa saiyang takyag sagkod ngunyan, asin may pasâ pang pasô na sarong pagirumdom sa mga kayang gibuhon kan president.

Nag-angos nin ararom si Gregorio, garo man sana pang-udyan nya na utong inangos, asin luminaog na sya sa arong kan president.

Nakigkig sya sa nailing nya.

Sa payo kan presidente may duwang dakulaong sungay, arog nanggad kan sa karabaw. Nagtukaw an presidente sa saiyang tukawan asin nag-alat kay Gregorio na gupitan an saiyang buhok.

Takutunong maray si Gregorio kayâ dae makataram. Nagibo nya mang gupitan sa palibot kan sungay nganing magkaigwang presentableng itsura.

Nagtindog an presidente asin nag-tao nin pa-iyong tangô. Natînuhan nya an pandok ni Gregorio sa salamin asin nagtaram:

“Papabigtîon ta ka pag may ibang tawong nakaaram sa nailing mo ngunyan.”

Tigpalibutan nin takot si Gregorio. Nagpaaram na ini asin uminali sa arong kan presidente.

Bakô man tsismoso si Gregorio, abô nya man parakaurunon an mga tawo masyado. Pero sa sobrang gabat kan sikreto sa abaga kan kairak na lalaki, muya nyang paluwason ini.

Nagduman sya sa kabâsan asin may nailing na sarong butong. Nagkua sya nin pala asin nagkalot sa irarom kan botong asin naglaog sya. Duman sa luhô, suminuriyaw sya, “May sungay an presidente! May sungay an presidente!”

Namarayan sa ginibo nyang pag-ali kan gabat sa kinâban, tinakluban nya su luhô asin uminulî.

An dae nya aram, may mga tawong nagaragi sa may butong asin nadangog an boses alî duman. Si Pedro Alejandre an inot na nakadangog kâto asin tinaram nya ini sa saiyang amigo na si Sonny Biazon, na tinaram man kay Sofia Antonio, na tinaram man kay Leona Hilario na dae man matago kay Carlo Idelfonso na tinaram man sa mga tugang nyang sina Conchita asin Ces.

Makalagpas an pirang oras, nakaabot na sa buong banwâ manongod sa nagtataram na botong. Maski an mga tawuhan kan presidente nagduman sa may botong, madangog sana an “May sungay an presidente!”

Nadangog ni Gregorio na nagatiripon an mga tawo sa arong kan presidente, pero aram nyang wara man uto kinaaraman saiya. Buminalik sya sa daeng ribok nyang buhay barbero.

Napagal naman garo an mga tawo sa presidente tâ nangyayari an mga bâgong eleksyon na dae naiiling an nakaaging presidente.  

Nagugma an bilog na banwâ tâ warâ na an presidente ninda asin nakaangos na nin maray si Gregorio.

Dae nya aram na kan naaram kan mga tawo an sungay kan presidente, ginadan ninda ini tulos, tâ unâ ninda an saiyang sogot nakaabot na sa saiyang itsura.

Nabuhay nin may kamurawayan an barbero na dae aram an saiyang ginibo sa pagpalayas kan sogot sa banwâ alî sa demonyong presidente.

English Version

Gregorio was a humble man. He did his work as a barber without any complaints. He made enough to provide for his wife and children and he liked talking to his customers, getting to know their lives. It was therapeutic for him.

One day, the presidente of the town asked him to cut his hair. Gregorio’s friends congratulated him on this job, being the barber of such an important man would do wonders for his business.

Gregorio didn’t think that it was any sort of accomplishment. If you talked to any person in the town you would hear hushed tones of the kind of man the presidente was.

Erlinda Cuntapay failed to pay her taxes one month and the presidente showed up to her house in the middle of the night and ‘repossessed’ some of her belongings ‘for the benefit of the town’ as he said.

When one of his horses stopped in the middle of the street due to exhaustion, the mayor ordered his men to shoot it and to have the other horse pick up the slack.

When it came to election time, even Gregorio wasn’t safe from one of the presidente’s visits. There was still a bruise on his arm and a broken vase that served as reminders to the methods that the presidente would stoop to.

Gregorio took a breath he thought might be his last and entered the presidente’s house.

What he saw shocked him.

On the presidente’s head were two very large horns, very much like that of a carabao’s. The presidente sat down on his chair and waited for Gregorio to cut his hair.

Gregorio was too afraid to say anything. He managed to cut around the horns to have a presentable appearance.
The presidente stood up and gave an approving nod. He noticed Gregorio’s face in the mirror and simply stated:

“I will give the order for you to be hanged if anyone finds out about what you saw today.”

Fear enveloped Gregorio. He said his goodbyes and walked out from the presidente’s house.

Gregorio wasn’t a gossip, he didn’t like to talk about other people. But this secret weighed on the poor man’s shoulders so much that he had to find some sort of release.

He went to the field and saw a bamboo thicket. Gregorio took a shovel and made a hole under the bamboo and he went inside. There, in that hole he shouted at the top of his lungs “The presidente has horns! The presidente has horns!”

Satisfied that he unloaded his burden to the world, Gregorio filled up the hole and made his way home.

What he didn’t know was that there were people that passed by the bamboo and heard a voice through the thicket. Pedro Alejandre was the first to hear it and of course told his friend Sonny Biazon, who told Sofia Antonio, who told Leona Hilario who couldn’t keep it from Carlo Idelfonso who told his sisters Conchita and Ces.

Soon enough the whole town knew about the talking bamboo. Even the councilmen went to the thicket to hear the shouts of “The presidente has horns!”

Gregorio heard that people were gathering at the house of the presidente, but he wanted nothing to do with that. He retreated to his quiet barber’s life.

The people must have had enough of the presidente for new elections were being done without sight of the previous presidente.

The town rejoiced that the cruel presidente was no more and Gregorio breathed a sigh of relief.

He did not know that when the townspeople discovered the horned presidente they killed him on sight, as they thought his wickedness had finally spread to his appearance.

The barber lived out his days in peace, never knowing his role in ridding the town of an evil man.

————————–————————–————————–——-

*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

Translation by Jeremiah Cordial

Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Jeremiah Cordial

Adapted from ‘The Presidente Who Had Horns’ in Philippine Folklore Stories. Cole. 1916. full text can be seen at http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/pft/pft52.htm

The Horned Presidente Illustration by Armie Loraine Corpuz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armieraine/

*Note this story is in Bicol
Ali sa sinapupunan nin daga ako minatalubo Naga-kintab arog nin araw sa maagahonSa saimong kamot lilason ko an mga kalag Asin tiga-dara an mga tawo sa karaotanAno ako?

Ali sa sinapupunan nin daga ako minatalubo Naga-kintab arog nin araw sa maagahonSa saimong kamot lilason ko an mga kalag Asin tiga-dara an mga tawo sa karaotanAno ako?

“Mata na.”

“Anong..? Anong nangyayari?”

“Nagtataram ka nanaman kan turog ka pa.”

“Ah, pasensya na tabi. Nagpamatanga garo ako kasubanggi.”

“Nagpundo na baga su uran.”

“Nagpundo na? Maray yan ta nganing makakuha na kita nin mga maray na litrato.”

“Ma-ayos na ako. Ika mag-taga-ayos ka naman ta igwa pa kitang diit na oras nin liwanag.”

“Sige. Masanli muna ako. Sana man lamang matapos ta na ining shooting na dae tigaantala nin uran.”

“Oh wow.”

“Nyata?”

“May budlangaw sa likod mo.”

“Siguro bako man nanggad maraot ang panahon ngunyan.”

Malipot sa pakiramdamWara akong tunay na liwanagUgaring dae ako mawawaraAno ako? Na-gimata siyang daplusunon. Su pangiturugan niya nanaman kaya tungkol sa mga laad, su mga dilaw na kino asin su kakanusang maraot-raot. Tig-paalala niya sa sadiri niya na aloy na ito, mas dakul pang mga bagay an kailangan kan saiyang atensyon.

Alangkawon ang saiyang tindog, an saiyang garing na sungay maliwanagon an kintab sa kadikluman kan kwebang tiga-istaran niya. May mga yamang maiiling sa mga bulod na ini, asin kukuwaon niya gabos na kaya niyang dar’hon.

Ugaring may mga kislap man gilayon kan nakaagi na na dae naa-ali sa saiyang isip. Narurumduman niya an saiyang lumang pangaran asin kun pano an saiyang gayon nakakaapod kan iling maski kan mga pinakamakukusog na diyos. Tig-basang-basang niya ang pangaran ni Burigadang Pada Sinaklang Bulawan asin naglustab sa salog. Siguro kun bako dahil saiya, yaon pa garo ang gayon niya.

Pagnakuha niya na an saiyang kayamanan, magiging marhay na gabos. Mabalik na siya liwat sa dati niyang itsura. Dae na kailangan magpara-tambay sa kadikluman kan saiyang kweba. Dae na kailangan magpara-alat mag-uraw para makadakop nin mga hayop na makakaon. Dae na kailangan magpara-iling sa saiyang sadiring repleksyon asin marumduman na saro na palan siyang halimaw.

Sa kaarayuan, may nailing siyang kislap nin mga liwanag. Kayamanan? Dae kakayanun kan puso nya an kaugmahan niya. Nag-uraw na, ugaring dae na siya maalat sa saiyang manliligaw. Ta oras niya na para maghanap nin pagkaon.

Minasabay ako sa agosSa bilog na kinabanDae ako arayo sa kapangyarihanTa ako nanggad ang kapangyarihanAno ako?

An maliwanag na diyos nag-dungaw ali sa langit asin nag-himutok. Mamundo siya ta nagluwas nanaman su tig-liligawan niya na dae siya kaiba. Nakatukaw siya sa mga panginoron sa Mundong Itaas asin tiga-rumdom an mga nakaagawang selosong diyos.

Marahayrahay na hapon nin tag-init kan nangyari ito, an maliwanag na diyos tig-ta’wanan an babae nin kapangyarihang gamiton an saiyang prismatikong ilaw asin ginamit ini kan babae imbis masapawan an gayon nin mga diyosa. Ang kaherak na babaeng ini, mas dakol pa an kasakiman kaysa sa kadunungan, sa saiyang ka-ambugan naisipang kalabanon an sarong diyosa. Maswerte pa ngani siya, maski purupano. Ta kun si Ynaguinid an kinalaban niya, dae na siya mabubuhay para kwaon an mga napasang pidaso kan saiyang miserableng buhay.

Ugaring bako man iyan digdi o duman.

Ginibo kan maliwanag na diyos an gabos, syempre. Tig-tao niya liwat an saiyang kagayunan sa abot kan makakaya niya. Ugaring dae kayang madaog kan saiyang kapangyarihan ang sumpa kan babae. An diyosa nin ka-agasan may ugaling dae nagpapatawad ta arog kaito an saiyang kayang gibuhon.
Ka-itaasan kan iling. Kasakiman. Ka-ambugan. An mga diyos mas may pagkaparehas pa sa mga tawo kaysa sa pagtaram ninda nin totoo.

Kun dae sana luminampas an babaeng ini sa banal na gubat nin diyosa.
Kun dae niya sana nailing an mga dwendeng burubitbit an mga kayamanan.
Kun dae niya sana tig-ambog na siya an pinakamagayon.

Dae kuta mararaot an saiyang puso. Dawa ano pang mangyari, an saiyang pagpadaba sa babaeng uto, dae man giraray nasuklian. Nag-aasa man gilayon siya na kung matabangan niyang maibwelta an tunay na anyo kan babae, maiiling niya na an nararamdaman niya para saiya.

Ugaring dae niya kakaputan an saiyang pag-asa na arog kaito kaaloy. Naghimutok an maliwanag na diyos asin padikit-dikit binutasan ang saiyang ilaw paduman sa kinaban. Baka mailing niya na nanggad kun ano an tiga-hanap niya.

An sakuyang pangako sarong pangituruganNa may kabasoganAsin katiwasayanSarong testimonya sa maray na pagtiwala Ano ako?
“Nailing mo uto?!”

“Una ko baga ataason na kita para makailing pa king mga kabayo?!”

“Iyo baga, dae ko sana aram kun nyata yaon yan digdi.”

“Tig-iling mong maray?”

“Masyado siyang makaskas, kaso garo nakuha ko man sa kamera.”

“Mag-ali na kita ta abo kong maabutan kita pag nag-balik pa uto. Dae kaya ako sanay sa mga hayop.”

“Oh sige na. Bati prinsesahun ka pa. Sapat naman garo ining mga nakuha ta para pagpilian kan mga editor. Mag-palit ka na tapos mababa na kita. Makakaabot man garo kita bago mag-banggi.”

“Sige, madali lang ako.”

Igwa kutang makukuwang kayamanan, ugaring bako ito su tig-paparahanap niya. Madayaon man ini gabos. Nyata siya pa an tig-sumpa sa makanusong anyong ini? Su diyosa ngani magayunon kaso makauyam man. Nagbulos an saiyang luha sa dati niyang makinisong pandok habang sunod-sunod an tagiting nagtatagdo sa daga.

Aram kan maliwanag na diyos an sarong igwa sa sumpa na dae aram kan babae. Kinaganang ginto kan diyosa nin ka-agasan an mata kan babae imbis pirmi niyang pagparahanapon an kayamanang dae niya makukuwa maski nuarin. Saro ito sa natadang insulto saiya para madagdagan an sumpa niya. Gigibuhon man kan maliwanag na diyos an gabos, ta sa saiyang puso nagpapara-antabay siya sa saiyang presensya.

“Ayos ka na?”

“Iyo, pero mas maray kung alaton ta na lang na mag-uraw.”

“Abo ko lamang mag-agi sa madugi.”

“Dae ka na magpara-reklamo. Maray ngani ta may nakuha kitang mga magayong litrato.”

“Pailing daw…. Iyo, tama ka, maray ngani ta magayon an itsura ko jan. Alat, dae ko marumduman ining saro.”

“’Yan garo su kabayo. Makaulok lamang ta magkaparehas ang buhok nindo.”

“Tiga-apod mo akong kabayo?”

“Alo daw jan. Alaton ta na sanang mag-uraw-uraw an langit tapos maali na kita.”

Duminarusdos an dugi sa bulod sa pag-uli kan babae sa kweba niya. Sarong aldaw, mababalik man sana an saiyang gayon asin ipapailing niya sa gabos na mga diyos kun ano an nararapat para saiya.

English Version

Out of earth’s womb I grow
Glistening like the morning sun
In your hands I poison souls
And lead all men to ruin
What am I?

“Wake up.”

“Wha..? What’s happening?”

“You’re talking in your sleep again.”

“Oh, sorry. Must have been up too late.”

“It stopped raining.”

“Did it? That’s good we can finally take some nice pictures.”

“I’ll get everything set up. Get yourself ready, we still have a few more hours of sunlight.”

“All right. Let me get dressed. Hopefully we can finish this shoot without the weather getting in the way.”

“Oh wow.”

“What?”

“There’s a rainbow behind you.”

“Maybe the weather’s not so bad after all.”

Cold to the touch
I have no true light
Yet I will never be lost
What am I?

She wakes up with a cold sweat. It was that dream again, the flashes of light, the yellow field mice and the wretched ugliness that followed. She reminded herself that it was in the past, there were more important things that needed her attention.
She stood tall, her ivory horn shining bright in the dark cave that housed her. There was treasure to be found in these mountains, and she would take all that she could carry.

Still, flashes of the past crept into her thoughts. She remembered her old name and the way her beauty would inspire love in even the mightiest god. She cursed the name of Burigadang Pada Sinaklang Bulawan and spat at the floor. If it wasn’t for her she would still have her beauty.

Once she had her treasure all would be well, she would finally be whole again. No more passing time in the darkness of this cave. No more having to wait after the raindrops for her chance to hunt. No more looking at her reflection and staring into the monster that she had become.

In the distance she could see flashes of light. Treasure? Her heart could barely contain itself. The rain had stopped, but she would not wait for her suitor. It was time to hunt.

I flow in a current
Throughout the world
I am never far from power
For power is what I am
What am I?

The bright god looks down from the heavens and sighs. She has gone without him again. He sits among the clouds of the Skyworld and reminisces about old rivalries and jealous gods.

It had been a warm summer afternoon when it happened, the bright god had given the girl the gift of his prismatic light and she used it to make her beauty rival the gods’. The poor girl, more vain than wise, it was in her hubris that she thought to challenge a goddess. She was lucky, in a way. Had she offended Ynaguinid she would not be alive to pick up the pieces of her broken life.

But that was neither here nor there.

He did his best, of course. He gave her back what beauty he could. But there was no fighting the power of her curse. The goddess of greed was as prideful as she was powerful.

Pride. Vanity. Hubris. Maybe the gods had more in common with mortals than they would like to admit.

If only the girl had not passed by the goddess’ sacred grove.

If only she had not seen the dwarves carrying the sacks of treasure.

If only she had not claimed that she was the fairest.

His heart would still be broken. In the midst of everything his love was still unrequited. He hoped that if he could help her return to her true form she would finally see that they could be together.

But he would not hold out hope for that. The bright god sighed and set loose his light towards the earth. Maybe she would finally find what she was looking for.

My promise is a dream
Of full stomachs
And freedom
A testimony to good faith
What am I?

“Did you see that?!”

“I thought we were too high up for horses?!”

“We are, I don’t know what that thing is doing here.”

“Did you get a good look at it?”

“It was too fast, I think I got it on camera.”
“We should go, I don’t want to be here when it gets back. I’m not good around animals.”

“Alright, princess. I think we have enough shots for the editors to choose from anyway. Get changed and we can start hiking. I think we can make it down before sunset.”

“Fine, I’ll be fast.”

There was treasure to be had, but not what she had been looking for. None of this was fair. Why was she the one that was cursed to stay in this horrible form? The goddess was petty and despicable. Tears flowed from her once-beautiful face as the raindrops pattered on the ground.

The bright god knew one aspect of the curse that the girl did not. The goddess of greed blew gold into the girl’s eyes so that she would forever chase treasure that she could not find. It was a final insult to add to her injury. He would do what he could, for in his heart he longed to have her near.

“Are you good?”

“Yeah, but I think we have to wait for the rain to stop.”

“I’m not looking forward to the muddy trek.”

“Stop complaining, at least we got some good shots out of this trip.”

“Let me see…. Fine, you’re right, at least I look good. Wait, I don’t remember this one.”

“I think that was the horse. Funny, its mane almost looks like your hair.”

“Did you just call me a horse?”

“Relax. Let’s just wait for the clouds to clear and we can get out of here.”

Mud splashed though the mountain as the girl returned to her cave. Someday she would have her beauty back and then she would show all the gods what she truly deserved.

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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
Translation by Jeremiah Cordial
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Jeremiah Cordial

Inspired by the myth of the Anggitay and the Visayan goddess of greed, Burigadang Pada Sinaklang Bulawan.

Anggitay Illustration by Abe Joncel Guevarra
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joncel/