*Note this story is in Bicol Naga

Tighiling ni Manay Paul an surat na tigwalat ni Lolo Ambo saiya. Gusto niya mang respetuhon an mga kagustuhan ni Lolo Ambo, masakit. Kaipuhan niyang ipabakal an daga para may kwarta sinda maglipat sa ibang lugar para sa kinabukasan kan saiyang pamilya. Naglakaw si Paula sa kahoy nin Balate sa may boundary kan uma. Mayong ilaw sa mga sanga ngunyan na banggi. Dae niya sigurado kun an ibig sabihun kaini na kung mahali man an mga tao sa kahoy.

“Sorry.” Nagdadakol na an mga luha sa mata ni Paula. “Aram ko na pinangako ni Lolo Ambo na mayong mangyayri sa saindong kahoy asin pinakiulay niya na gibuhon mi an pangakong ito, pero kaipuhan kong pilion an ikakarahay kan sakong pamilya. May makulog si Lila, dae mi kaya mabakal an saiyang bulong. Si Roberto, dae makahanap trabaho. Ako…ako ang ina, kaipuhan kong itao sa sakuyang mga aki an magayon na buhay sainda.” Tigpunasan ni Paula an saiyang mga luha, “Patawadon nindo ako.”

Maliwanag an bulan sa madiklom na langit. Oras na an nakaagi asin mayong nangyari. Mayong senyas, mayong senyas na pwede magsabi na nadangog kan mga tao sa kahoy an saiyang sinabi. Dae niya aram kung ano ang pwede mangyari pero sana may sabihon sinda saiya ning dawa ano. Kung anuman.

Naghalat siya hanggang aga asin pagkatapos, naglaog siya sa saiyang harong, nagpuon nang mag-impake.

Tulong bulan na an nakaagi, tigmamasdan ni Manay Paula an saiyang mga aki, ngunyan nanaman lang siya naugma ni arog kaini sa kahaluyan nin panahon. Nagdadalgan si Lila kaiba an saiyang mga pinsan. Nagirumduman ni Manay Paula kung gano kaluya ang itsura kan aking babae sa ospital asin nagsabi sya nin pangadyi ning pasasalamat na maluhay sana. Nagtukaw siya asin pinunan niyang gibuhon an tradisyon niyang pagkakaaga-an magbasa nin diyaryo.

An headline, “Bagong Kaganapan Sa Rali Kan Mga Nagpoprotesta” na mayo mang pinagbago; naakusahan nin korapsyon an kumpanyang nagpapatugdok kaiba an mga lokal na opisyales para dae na ninda pansinun an kararatan na dulot kaini sa kapaligiran, pero may sarong letrato na halos nagpatindog ki Paula sa saiyang pagkatukaw.

Letrato in ikan sarong magayon na aking babae na nakapula habang nanginginutan sa mga nagpoprotesta laban sa bulldozer.

Nagngirit si Manay Paula. Kaya man pala ninda an saindang mga sadiri.

=——————=

Engilsh Version

Manang Paula looked at the letter that Lolo Ambo left her. As much as she wanted to respect his wishes, times were hard. She had to sell the land to have enough money to move where it would be a better future for her family. Paula walked to the Balete tree in the edge of the field. There weren’t any lights in the branches tonight. She didn’t know if that meant the people in the tree were going toleave as well.

“I’m sorry.” The tears were starting to swell up in Paula’s eyes. “I know that Lolo Ambo promised that nothing would happen to your tree, and he asked all of us to keep that promise alive, but I have to choose what’s best for my family. Lila is sick and we can’t even afford her medicine anymore. Roberto can’t find a job. I… I am a mother and I need to give my children the life they deserve.”

Paula wiped away the tears from her cheek, “Please forgive me.

The moon was still in the night sky. Hours passed and nothing happened. There was no sign, nothing to tell Paula that the people in the tree heard her. She didn’t know what to expect, but she had hoped that they would tell her something. Anything.

She waited by the tree until morning and afterwards, she went to her house and started packing.

Three months later, Manang Paula was looking at her children and she was happy for the first time in a long while. Lila was running around playing with her cousins, Manang Paula remembered how weak her little girl looked in the hospital bed and she said a soft prayer of thanksgiving. She sat down and started her morning tradition of reading the newspaper.

The headline read “Protesters Rally New Development” which wasn’t surprising; the construction company had been accused of bribing the local officials so they could ignore the environmental destruction they were causing, but a certain picture almost made Manang Paula jump out of her seat.

It was of a beautiful girl in red leading the protesters against a bulldozer.

Manang Paula smiled. They could take care of themselves after all.

————————–————————–————————–

*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Angela Arnante
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Angela Arnante

Inspired by ‘The Fairy of Balete Tree’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Mariang Ilaya Illustration by Laura Katigbak
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*Note this story is in Bicol-Naga

“Nahahandal ako.”

“Dai kaipuhan, aki. Mangyayari an mga muya kan espiritu.”

“Ano an mangyayari sa sakuya?”

“Kitang duwa maduman sa puon kan Balete, asin babayaan taka duman. Matindog ka sa irarom kan puon sagkod dadarahun ka sa itaas kan kinaban pati na sa irarom kaini.”

“Tano?”

“Ngarig mabuhay kang liwat.”

“Makulugan daw ako?”

“Da… dai ko rumdom. Haluy na kan ako nag agi sa sakuyang reinkarnasyon. Pero dai ka maghandal, aki. Ipapahiling ninda saimo an kinaban.”

“Iyo ba iyan an rason kun tano ika nakakalayog?”

“Iyo, aki. Iyan sagkod kadakol pa. Hale ako sa kairaruman kan dagat pati na sa kalaog-laogan kan mga taho. Nakaulay ko na an mga kalag sa kinaban na ini asin sa minasunod pa. Nagbiyahe ako sa mga lugar na mayo ni isay ang makakahiling pa. Asin ako pagalun na.”

“Yaon na kita.”

“Danguga an mga kalag. Sinda an ma giya saimo arog kan pag giya ninda sa sakuya.”

“Maghilingan pa daw kita?”

“Sisay nakakaaram kun ano an itutugot kan mga espiritu? Paaram aki, ibabaya ko an sakong mga taho saimo.”

“Paaram, Lola.”

An duros dagos na nagtama sa aki habang siya nakatukaw sa irarom kan puon kan Balete. Mga aldaw na uminabot nin mga semana asin dai siya naghiro ni sarong pulgada. An mga inagihan siya, aram na dai dapat istorbohun an inaagi niya. Kan natapos an huring banggi para magtaong dalan sa bagong aga, tuminindog siya asin luhay na nagpasalamat sa mga espiritu.

An saiyang bagong mga mata lugod na nahiling an kinaban na nungka niya nahiling sa dati niyang buhay. Dai siya nakaisip mag ngirit.

Ugwa pa siyang gibo na kaipuhan matapos.

=—————————=

English Version

“I’m scared.”

“You don’t need to be, child. The spirits will do as they will.”

“What will happen to me?”

“We will both go to the Balete tree and I will leave you there. You will sit underneath the tree and be taken to the Skyworld and the Lower World.”

“Why?”

“To be reborn.”

“Will it hurt?”

“I…. don’t remember. It has been so long since I went through my initiation. Don’t be scared child, they will let you see a new world.”

“Is that why you can fly?”

“Yes, child. That and much more. I have been to the depths of the sea and inside the bodies of humans. I have spoken to the spirits in this world and the next. I have traveled to places that no human will ever see again. And I am tired.”

“We are here.”

“Listen to the spirits. They will guide you as they have guided me all my life.”

“Will I see you again?”

“Who knows what the spirits will allow? Goodbye child, I leave my people to you.”

“Goodbye, Lola.”

The winds buffeted the girl as she sat beneath the Balete tree. The days stretched into weeks and she did not move a single inch. Those that passed by knew better than to interrupt her journey. When the last night finally gave way to a new dawn she stood up and quietly thanked the spirits.

Her new eyes finally saw the invisible world that surrounded her old life. She did not think to smile.

She had work that needed to be done.

————————–————————–————————–—–

*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Sam Jornales
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Sam Jornales

Inspired by the Baylan initiation ritual as described in The Soul Book. Demetrio & Cordero-Fernando 1991.

Babaylan Illustration by emirajuju
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Watercolor by Catherine Chiu
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*Note this story is in Hiligaynon

Indi mapinsaran sang iban ang mga trahedya nga dala sang mga tinuga nga ini. Nagakadumduman ko sa gihapon ang mga sugilanon nga ginasugid sadto ni lola, mga sugilanon sang pagtimalos kag kapirdihan. Ginasundan nila ako sa akon mga hupa.

Nag-umpisa ang tanan sa akon nga lolo. Nagdesisyon sia nga magkaingin sa gamay nga bahin sang duta sa kabukiran agud ihanda ini para sa tigtalanum. Wala ko nahibaluan kon ngaa ginpili nia magkado sa malayo nga bahin sang bukid, mas malayo sa masami nia nga ginaplastaran. Malapit ato sa busay nga ginatawag nila nga “lamesa,” tungod sa tapan nga bato sa idalum.

Ginsunog nia ang kahoy nga ara didto kag amo ato ang umpisa sang mga ginamo.

Pagkatapos, ginkadtuan sia sang akon lola kag nanay sa payag agud dal-an sia sang panyapon kag updan sia sa gab-i. Nagakadumduman kuno nila gihapon ang mabaskog nga mga tunog sang mga tiil sang kabayo. Nagalanog sa ila nga memorya ang pamatyag sang kakulba sang ginpalibutan sila sang amo to nga mga tunog bag-o sila magtulog kon gab-i.

“Benito, gwa! Kinahanglan ka namon estoryahon!” Ginatinguhaan ni lola kag nanay nga ilugon ang tingug kada isugid nila ang sugilanon, apang indi nila ini mahimo sang husto. “Grabe ang kaakig nga ara sa tingug,” siling nila, “sobra pa sa amon sarang mailog.”

“Masanag ang bulan sadto nga gab-i.” Sa bahin nga ini ginalaragway ni lola ang mga tinuga. “Tawo sila halin ulo tubtob sa hawak, apang kabayo halin sa hawak tubtob sa ila mga tiil.” Ginpanumdom ko ang mga mito nga naggikan sa lain-lain nga bahin sang kalibutan, kon sa diin may mga tinuga nga tunga-tunga nga kabayo kag tawo nga nagabulig sa katawhan. Siling sa akon ni lola indi gid mabinuligon ang mga espiritu nga ini. Nagkari sila agud magtimalos.

“Gabaan ka gid sang imo pagkamatinaastaason kag indi pagtahod.” Gintudlo sang manugmando sang mga kabalan si lolo. Ginhambalan sia sini nga napatay ang iya utod sang ginsunog ni lolo ang kahoy nia. Nagpakitluoy ang lolo ko para sa iya nga kabuhi. Indi man nia kon tani pagsunugon ang kahoy kon nahibaluan nia nga may taglugar ini.

Wala sang labot ang mga tinuga.

Sa amo nag-umpisa ang trahedya.  Naghalin ang mga tinuga sadto nga gab-i, apang nagpabilin ang ila nga sumpa. Indi mahambal sang mga doctor kon ano gid man ang masakit sang akon nga lolo. Nag-untat sia kaon tungod kada magkaon sia nagaubo sia kag nagasuks sang dugo. Nagakasunog kuno ang tutunlan nia kon nagasuka sia.

Wala sang mahimo ang akon nga lola, nagpakonsulta sila sa manog bulong, sa amon lokal nga faith healer. Gintinguhaan sang manog bulong nga dal-on sa estoryahanay ang mga tinuga. Hambal ni lola kada gab-i nagagamit ang manog bulong sang lain-lain nga ritwal, apang wala sang pulos ang mga ini.

Indi gid mauloulohan ang mga tinuga.

Matapos napatay si lolo, naigo sang kilat ang magulang nga lalaki ni mama samtang ara sia sa ibabaw sang puno sang lubi sa gwa sang ila balay. Matapos ang tatlo ka tuig na patay sia sa iya katulugon.

Nadula ang kalabanan sa mga pagkabutang sang pamilya ni nanay kag nagpabilin sila nga pigado tubtob napatay si lola tungod sa cancer.

Wala nakabalo ang mga tinuga nga ini kon ano ang buot silingon sang kaluoy, mangita sila sang balos tubtob nabayaran sila paagi sa dugo.

Maghalong sa mga kabalan, kay indi sila mamati sa inyo pagpangayo sang kapatawaran. Kag maghalong sa palibot sang mga kahoy sa babaw sang kabukiran, indi mo lang mabal-an kon may taglugar dira, indi tubtob ulihi na.

=———————=

English Version

The tragedies that these creatures bring are unimaginable to some. I still remember the stories that my lola used to tell, stories of vengeance and loss. They follow me in my nightmares.

It all started with my lolo. He decided to kaingin a small piece of land in the mountains, to prepare it for the planting season. I don’t know why he decided to go further up the mountain, away from his usual spot. It was near the waterfall they called “lamesa”, relating to the flat rock on the bottom.

He burned the tree that was there and that was the start of the troubles.

My lola and mother joined him in the payag (nipa hut) afterwards to bring him dinner and to spend the night with him. They still remember the loud hoofbeats. The feeling of dread when the sound circled their small hut still echoes in their memories before they sleep at night.

“Benito, come out. We need to talk to you.” My mother and lola tried to replicate the voice every time they told the story, but they said they could never get it right. “There was too much anger in the voice,“ they said, “more than we can mimic.”

“The moonlight was bright that night.” This was the part of the story where lola describes the creatures. “They were human from head to trunk, but were horses from their trunk to their feet.” I thought back to myths from a different part of the world, where half-human half-horse beings would help humankind. Lola told me that these spirits weren’t helpful at all. They came seeking vengeance.

“You will pay for such arrogance and disrespect.” The leader of the kabalans pointed to my lolo. It told him that my lolo killed its brother when he burned his tree. My lolo begged for his life. He would not have burned the tree had he known there was something living there.

The creatures didn’t care.

Thus began the tragedy. The creatures left that night but their curse lingered. Doctors were never able to tell what exactly was wrong with my lolo. He stopped eating because every time he ate he would vomit and cough up blood. He said it would burn his throat every time he vomited.

My lola had no other choice, she consulted the manggagamot, our local faith healer. The faith healer tried to reason with the creatures. My lola said that night after night the faith healer would try another ritual, but it was all for naught.

The creatures would not be appeased.

After my lolo died, my mom’s elder brother was struck by lightning while he was at the top of the coconut tree outside their house. After three years he died in his sleep.
My mother’s family lost most of their properties and were trapped in poverty until lola died of cancer.

These creatures don’t know the meaning of mercy, they will seek their vengeance until they are repaid in blood

Beware the kabalans, for they will not listen to your pleas of forgiveness. And be careful around the trees high up in the mountains, you will never know if one makes its home there, not until it’s too late.

————————–————————–———————

*The Hiligaynon language, also colloquially referred often by most of its speakers simply as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 9.1 million people, mainly in Western Visayas and SOCCSKSARGEN, most of whom belong to the Visayan ethnic group, mainly the Hiligaynons. It is the second-most widely spoken language and a member of the so-named Visayan language family and is more distantly related to other Philippine languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Hiligaynon translation by Paul Aries Valera
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Paul Aries Valera

Adapted from a Story told by Grace Collantes

Kabalan Illustration by Ysa Peñas
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*Note this story is in Bicol Naga

“Unfair ini” an hibi ni Sasha ay nag-echo sa kakahuyan. Tighiling niya an siyang letrato kaiba an saiyang mahal sa buhay. Ex-love, tigkorek niya an sadiri. Dae sya makapaniwala sa nangyari, kung papano nadurog an saiyang puso asin kung papano niya ini ibabalik.

Alas tres nin maagahon, aram niya na an saiyang pamilya ay nahahadit na saiya pero mayo siyang pake. An siyang kulog, iyo sana an totoo sa saiyang buhay asin dae niya aram kung papanohon ini. Puro kasinungalingan sana an gabis niyang sinabi? Pantasiya sana an mga oras na ibahan sinda? O takot lamang siyang tanggapon na dae man talaga sya namomotan saiya?

Dae niya kaya, habo niyang isipon an bagay n aini. Gusto niya na lang magkamang sa sarong labot asin Magadan. Mayo naming tada para saiya. At least sa mundong ini. Iniisip niya na mas maray para sa gabos kung tapuson niya na an buhay niya.

Dae napansin ni Sasha an ambon na namumuo sa kataed niya. Dae niya pati na narisa na mayo na siya sa kakahuyan. Nagbabagong anyo an ambon habang siya naghihibi. Luhay-luhay sanang may nabuong hugis nin babae habang pinapatahan an sadiri sa tahaw nin kakulgan.

“Aram mo, dae siya nararapat saimo.” Nagtingala si Sasha asin may nahiling siyang magayon na babae na garo nabuo hale sa ambon nin kagubatan. Kadaklan siguro mahuhmaling sa kababalaghan na ini pero sabi ni Sasha, na may halong pait sa saiyang boses, “Pabayaan moa ko. Dae moa ram kung ano sinasabi mo.”

“Sa hiling ko mas dakol ang aram ko kaysa saimo.” An aparisyo ay nagluwa ning kapidaso nin tela, “Uni, punasa mo luha mo.”

“Pano mo nasabi?” Kinua man sana ni Sasha an kapidasong tela. Dae niya aram kun siisay o ano ito. Baka multo, baka guni-guni, pero mayo na siyang pakiram. Dawa gadanon pa siya kaini, mapapamray pa an saeyang pagmati. Mayo na siyang boot para aramon.

“Hali na ako diyan,” sabi kan babae habang nakahiling kay Sasha pero mate ni Sasha na garo lagpas an paghiling kaini saiya. “An minamahal ko sa buhay ay namoot sa sakuyang tugang na babae.”

“Sako, winalat ako, pinalit sako an bestfriend ko.” Dae bisto ni Sasha kung siisya ni pero ngunyan garo mate niya na pamilyar an ispiritu.

“Dae.” Sigurado an ispirirtu sa saiyang pagkasabi, namate nanaman ni Sasha an pagkadurog kan sarong parte kan saiyang puso. “Pero padagos ka pa  man giraray.”

“Pinano mo magpadagos kun sobrang kulog?” Mahigpit an pagkakapot ni Sasha sa tela asin napaluha nanaman siya.

“Iyo ta bako yan an katapusan.” Kinaputan kan babae an saiyang kamot asin nahiling ni Sasha an pagkamakulog sa saiyang mga mata. “Permeng may ibang katapusan, dawa ika pa magsurat.”

Naglaho na sana an babae asin nawalat nanaman nin solo si Sasha.

=—————————–=

English Version

“It’s not fair,” Sasha’s sobs echoed through the forest. She looked straight into the picture of her and her love. Ex-love, she corrected herself. She couldn’t believe what had happened, how her hear broke into a million little shards and how she didn’t think she could put them back together again.

It was 3am, she knew that her family would be worried about her, but she didn’t care. Her pain wasthe only real thing in her life now and she didn’t know how to deal with it. Was everything he said a lie? Was all the time they spent together a fantasy? Was she just afraid to face the truth that he was never in love with her?

She couldn’t, didn’t want to think about any of this. She just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. There wasn’t anything left for her. Not in this world anyway. She thought it would be best for everyone if she just ended it all.

Sasha didn’t notice the fog build up next to her. She probably didn’t even realize she was in the forest anymore. The dew and the mist were changing next to her, in between her tears. The softly formed into a woman’s form, all while she was seeking comfort in the pain she held close to her.

“He isn’t worth it you know.” Sasha looked up from her hands and she saw a beautiful woman, almost formed out of the mist of the forest. Most people would marvel at this supernatural wonder, but Sasha just held a hint of bitterness in her voice as she said, “Leave me alone. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think I know more than you know.” The apparition brought out a piece of cloth, “Here, this should dry your tears.”

“How would you know?” Sasha took the cloth anyway. She didn’t know who—or what this was. Maybe a ghost, maybe a hallucination, but she didn’t care. Even if this thing came to kill her, it would be a welcome relief from what she was feeling. She couldn’t find the will to care anymore.

“I’ve been there,” the woman was now looking at her, though it seemed to Sasha that she was looking through her. “The love of my life fell in love with my sister.”

“Mine left me for my best friend.” Sasha didn’t know who this was, but now she sensed a kindred spirit. “Does it get any easier?” She didn’t know what to ask, but she knew that she wanted to keep talking.

“No.” The spirit was firm in her voice, Sasha felt a piece of her heart break again. “But you keep going anyway.”

“How can you when it hurts so much?” Sasha gripped the cloth in her hands and felt the tears start to come again.

“Because it’s never the end.” The woman held her hands this time and Sasha could see the sincerity in her eyes. “There’s always another ending, even if you have to write it yourself.”

With that, the woman vanished and Sasha was left alone again.

————————–————————–————————–—-

*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Angela Arnante
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Angela Arnante

Story inspired by ‘Mariang Binokong’ in Negros Oriental and Siquijor Island Legends, Beliefs and Folkways. Aldecoa-Rodriguez. 2000.

Mariang Binokong Illustration by Nadine Cabe
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*Note this story is in Bicol-Sorsogon

“Mama, inhihimo na naman niya utro,” ansabi ni Justo habang inhuhugnot an bado san kaniya ina.

“Okay lang* pabay-an mo lang siya magsayo. Danunan mo na lang ako maghanda san ato pamahaw, makadto pa kita sa plasa,” an simbag san ina.

“Pero atabon pa man! Gusto ko pa magturog”. Kontra ni Justo.

“Pareho kita na duwa gusto pa magturog, pero kun dire kita magkadto sa plasa wara na kita kakaunon na pamahawon. Kumanhi ka na, lutuan ko ikaw san paborito mo.”

“Longganisa?!**sige mama! Hamos na!”

Naghanda na si Justo pagkadto sa plasa pero hapot niya sa utak niya, “Akay irog sun si ate? An pirmi niya inhihmo ay magtan-aw sa luwas san bintana.”

Dire man siya irog sun dati. Nadumduman pa ni Justo san dire pa siya nakaistorya at an magayunon na boses san kaniya kamanghod. Gustuhon niya na inkakarga siya, na maling siya intataas para maimod niya an kalangitan nan an bilog san mundo.

Pero wara na an mga adlaw na yun tapos dire ko aram kun akay. Sayo na gab-i, nabati ko an ako ina na nagngungusngos sa kwarto tapos naimod ko an ako kamanghod na babaye na nakatindog sa piliw san bintana, maling nagkukurukintab an kaniya mga mata.

Dire lang yun an mga nangyari. Nadumduman ko pa na sabi san ina ko na magpirmi lang ako sa kwarto, maski nano an mangyari.Kinandado ni Mama an intiro na pinto nan sinarado an mga bintana nan sinigurado na an intiro ay magpirmi lang kun diin dapat sira.

Nakabati siya sin maluwayon na tunog na nagging intiresado siya. Dire niya mapigilan an kuryusidad kaya dinukot pa niya sin mayad an kaniya talinga sa pinto san kwarto nan naghulat siya.

Nakabati siya san sing-git san kaniya kamanghod nan siyak san kaniya ina.

Pagkatapos, tahimikon na.

An ako ina dire man in-aamin na may-on sin dire mayad na nangyayari. Liliwanan niya an kamanghod ko na babaye uruadlaw sa aga tapos bayaan na siya sa bintana.

Niyan, dire pagihapon aram ni Justo kun akay.

Nano an nangyari sa ako kamanghod? Akay irog siya suon?

“Mama handa na ako! Nakasul-ot bado si Justo na pang uran. Nagdara siya sin kaniya maswertihon na payong basi dire sira mahulos.

“Hala kagwapo man sine na bata! Kanana, kaskason ta lang basi makauli kita tulos basi makapasok ka na sa eskwelahan.

“Mao po Mama”

Dire matios ni Justo na tan-awon mun-a an kaniya kamanghod bag-o  sira maghali sa balay. An mata san kaniya kamanghod ay nakatutok sa bagay na dire man niya naiimod.

Gustuhon pirmi ni justo na magkadto sa plasa. Daghanon an kaniya naiimod nan nababaho. Gustuhon niya magkadto sa isdaan tapos tusok tusukon an mata san mga isda. Naiimod man niya an iba na mga gurang na inhihimo man yun tapos naisip niya na mao yun an paraan para matesting kun isda talaga un.

Habang si Mama ay nakipagtawadan sa nagtitinda sin bonay para sa kanira pamahawon, Si Justo sige man an libot libot sa plasa. Mga bag-uhon pa an mga sulihon tapos sige lang niya an katusok tusok sa mga sayote kun bag-o pa.

An tindera san mga sulihon kay dire nlang inririparo an bata na inuuyagan an mga sulihon niya tapos nagngangalas man siya akay dira pa siya in papahali. Awat awat pa mao natimala sin paratinda na dire man siya mabakal kaya inpahali na siya.

Mao na nariparo ni Justo na inpaparaimod na sira san Mama niya sin maraot san mga tawo sa plasa. Iimudon sira nan mahuring huring sa kanira kaupod bag-o maghali.

“Justo, kumanhi ka dine!” gahoy san kaniya ina sa plasa.

“Pakaon na Mama!” Dunalagan si Justo pakadto sa kaniya ina, gusto na niya mag-uli. Niyan kay namamatian niya na inpaparaiimod sira maski diin.

Pagkatapos bayadan san ina an bonay, naghuring si Justo, “ Mama akay inpaparaimod kita nan intitinaw-an kita nira?

“Pabay-i lang sira. Irog talaga sun an iba na tawo,” simbag san ina niya na di man sigurado.

Pero inpirit pagihapon ni Justo na mabati kun nano an insasabi sa kanira. Sayo lang an kaniya nababati, uru-utro.

“Atros”

Uruadlaw. An kamanghod na babaye ni Justo kay pirmi inliliwanan sin bado san ina tapos mangingkuran sa bintana, dire nagtitigmok maski kankanay. Minsan, Natamaan ni Justo sin bola sa ulo an kamanghod pero dire man lang punikit.

Uruadlaw pirmi ko inhahapot an kaniya ina akay irog sun pero pirmi man inbabag-o an istoryahan.

Sayo na adlaw ay tama na.

An in ani Justo kay bisihunon maghugas sin mga pinggan san dire na siya nakatios,

“Mama, nano an Atros?”

Sa kusina kay umalingawngaw an tunog san nabuka na pinggan.

“Diin mo yun nabati ha, anak?”

“Pan-o… An iba na tawo sa plasa sige an iristoryahan habang nagiimod sira saato.”

“Dire ka mamati sa kanira, anak, dire nnira aram kun nano an insasabi nira.”

“Pero nano yun Mama? Tungkol ine kan Manay?

“Kaipuhan mo na pumasok sa eskwelahan dire mao? Kanana, magliwan ka na.”

“Nakaliwan na ako Mama. Sige na, Sabiha na baya saako. Kay kun madanunan pa si Manay”

Dire masabi ni Justo kun nano kaawat an momento, pero maling an wara katapusan. Nagimudan sira na duwa, halos wara gusto maghali sin imod.

Sa wakas, wara nahimo an kaniya ina.

“Oras na para pumasok ka na sa eskwelahan.”

“pero Mama—–”

“Wara na iba na storya, kaipuhan mo na kumadto sa eskwelahan.”

“Mama—-”

“Dire. Dire ka na maghapot sine utro maski san-o.”

Sa dis oras san gab-i kay nakabati si Justo sin ibahon na tunog na hali sa luwas san bintana. Maling an nagpopokpok sin mga tambol.

Nangalas si Justo kun parada yun, pero nano man na parada an mangyayari san dis oras sin gab-i.

Grabe an kaniya kuryusidad kaya inabrihan niya an kandado san pinto nan sunikop sa luwas.

Nakaimod siya sin grupo san mga tawo, mga haragbabaon sira, mapution, an mga mata kay budlot nan maling an tiyan na buy-ayan na nakapatong sa paso. Nakasakay sira sa maling kabayo nan an tunog san tambol kay sige nira an bungyod maski diin magkadto.

Aabrihan na kunta ni Justo an pintuhan san may kunapot sa kaniya nan tinakupan an kaniya hiwa.

Wara na siya pakahiwag nan an misteryoso na itsura kay natumba sira na duwa sa salog habang kapot si Justo hanggang sa nawara na an tunog san mga tambol.

“Mama!” buranghat ni Justo san maimod niya kun sin-o an tunklang sa kaniya. “Nano Yadto.”

Nagparaturo na an luha san kaniya ina. “ Habo ko na na mawaraan pa ako sin sayo pa dahil sa kanira. Habo ko.” Inhinguha ni Justo na patindugon an kaniya ina na naghihibi.

“Mama,” sabi ni Justo, “ Sige na, Sabiha na saako kun nano an nangyayari.”Nano yadto? May-on sira sin kinaraman sa nangyayari kan manay?”

“Gusto ko lang maging mayad na ina. Nabati ko an mga tambol at aram ko an mga istorya. Aram ko kun nano an kanira kinuwa.”

“Nano an kanira kinuwa Mama?”

“Kinuwa nira an kaluluwa san ate.”

Batog sadto na gab-I, dire na nagtitiwala si Justo kapag bagong buwan. Nagpapadumdum sin simbolo san nawaraan nan pasakit.

Kay pan-o uruadlaw naiimod niya an kamanghod niya na tulala pirmi na nagtatan-aw sa bintana na aram niya kun akay.

Dire na mauuli kun nano an nakuwa sa kaniya.

Nan ito ay sumpa, maski aram niya an nagyari, pero wara siya mahimo, kundi an imudon at maghulat. Para sa pagbabalik ng bagong buwan.

Para maimod an halimaw na kunuwa sa kaniya kamanghod.

=————————————=

English Version

“Mama, she’s doing it again,” Justo says as he pulls his mother’s dress.

“It’s okay anak*just leave her alone. Now help me with breakfast, we have to go to the market,” his mother replies.
“But it’s so early in the morning! I want to sleep more,” protests Justo.

“We both want to sleep more, but if we don’t go to the market there will be no breakfast. Now come along, I’ll make your favorite.”

“Longganisa?!** Ok mama! Let’s go!”

Justo prepares himself for the trip to the market and in the back of his mind he asks, “Why is ate*** like that? All she does is stare outside the window.”

It wasn’t always like that. Justo could remember to the times he wasn’t able to talk and the beautiful serenade of his sister’s voice. He liked the way she would hold him up, as if she was lifting him to the heavens so he could see the entire world.
Those days were gone and he didn’t know why. One night, he heard the soft weeping of his mother from his room and he saw his sister standing by the window side, her eyes glazed.

That wasn’t all that happened. He remembered that his mother told him to stay in his room, no matter what may happen. She locked all the doors and closed the windows and made sure that everyone in the house was where they were supposed to be.

There was a faint sound of something he couldn’t make out. Justo couldn’t keep his curiosity hidden so he pressed his ear against the door to his room and waited.

There was a scream from his sister and a shout from his mother.

And then, silence.

His mother wouldn’t admit that anything was wrong. She would dress up his sister every morning and leave her by the window.

And still, Justo didn’t know why.

What happened to his sister? Why was she like that?

“Mama I’m ready!” Justo was dressed for the rain. He brought his lucky umbrella along to make sure they both would stay dry.

“Oh what a handsome boy! Now come with me, let’s be fast so we can get back early so you can get ready for school.”

“Okay mama.”

Justo couldn’t help but glance at his sister as they left the house. Her eyes locked on something Justo couldn’t see.

Justo always loved the wet market. There were so many things to see and smell. He liked going by the fish vendors and poking the fish in their eyeballs. He had seen older people do this and he thought it was their way of testing if the fish was really fish.

While his mother was haggling over some eggs for their breakfast, Justo had a look around the market. The
vegetables were especially bright today and he spent his time poking some sayote to see if they were fresh.

The vegetable vendor didn’t look particularly amused at the young boy’s playing with his produce and Justo was wondering why he hadn’t been shooed away yet. Usually it would take a few minutes before the vendors realized he wasn’t going to buy anything and they would tell him to go somewhere else.

It was then that Justo realized that the people in the market were looking at him and his mother strangely. They would give a glance and mumble something to their companions before walking away.

“Justo, come here!” his mother called from across the market.

“Coming mama!” Justo ran to his mother’s side, he wanted to go home. Now, he could feel the stares pulling him in different directions.

After his mother paid for the eggs, Justo whispered, “Mama why are people looking at us funny?”

“Don’t pay them any mind. That’s just how some people are,” his mother said with a hint of uncertainty.

But Justo perked his ears and tried to make out what some of them were saying. He could only hear one word, repeated.

“Atros.”

It was the same day in and day out. Justo’s ate would be dressed by their mother and she would sit by the window, unresponsive to anything. One time, Justo threw a ball at her head and she didn’t even flinch.

Every day he would ask his mother what happened and every day she would change the subject.

One day enough was enough.

Justo’s mother was busy washing the dishes when he blurted out,

“Mama, what’s an Atros?”

The kitchen echoes with the sound of the breaking plate.

“Where did you hear that, anak?”

“It was just…. Some people in the market were talking about it when they were looking at us.”

“Don’t listen to them anak, they don’t know what they’re talking about.”

“But what is it mama? Does it have something to do with ate?”

“You have to get ready for school don’t you? Come on, get dressed.”

“I’m already dressed mama. Please, tell me. Maybe we can help ate.”

Justo couldn’t tell you how long the moment lasted, but it seemed like five forevers. His mother and he had their gazes locked, both not backing down to the other’s will.

Finally, his mother broke the stalemate.

“It’s time for you to go to school.”

“But mama—-”

“No other words, you have to go to school now.”

“Mama—-”

“No. And don’t ask about this ever again.”

It was the middle of the night when Justo heard something strange from outside his window. It was like the beating of drums.

Justo wondered if it was a parade, but what kind of parade would happen in the middle of the night.

Fueled by curiosity he unlocked the front door and peered outside.

He saw a group of people, though they were very short. They had fair skin, eyes that bulged and big pot bellies. They were riding what looked like horses and the sound of beating drums followed them where they went.

Justo was just about to open the door when someone grabbed him and put their hand over his mouth.

He didn’t have time to react and the mystery figure pushed them both to the ground holding Justo down until the sound of the drums faded.

“Mama!” Justo exclaimed after he saw who it was that pushed down. “What are they?”

His mother was in tears. “I won’t lose another one to those things. I won’t.” Justo managed to pick up through her sobs.
“Mama,” Justo said, “Please. Tell me what happened. What are those things? Do they have anything to do with ate?”

“I was just trying to be a good mother. I heard the drums and I knew the legends. I know what they take.”

“What did they take mama?”

“They took her soul.”

Ever since that night, Justo never trusted the new moon. He saw it as a symbol of loss and pain.

Because every day he would see his sister stare blankly out the window and he knew.

She could never get back what was taken from her.

And it was a curse, knowing what happened, for he couldn’t do anything about it, except watch and wait. For the coming of a new moon.

To see the monsters that took his sister from him.

*Child
**Filipino sausage
***Older sister

*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
Bicol Translation by Jem Pogado
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Jem Pogado

Story inspired by the Atros legends from La Union

Artros Illustration by Michael Sean B. Talavera
IG: @maykelshan
Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/isaneleach13

The post Atros – Bicol Sorsogon Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Bicol-Albay

Pagkadisganar. Iyan sana an taramon na nagdadalagan sa isip ni Ari.

Baku dahil sa dai siya tatao magbayle, an saiyang mga hiro pareho pa man gilayon kan dati. Nawara na an saiyang mahika. Garu de numero ang saiyang mga hiro. Maski anong pirit niya dai niya maisapuso an pagbayle.

Sinabihan siya kan mga barkada niya na bumalik sa pinakaprimero ngani maiparumdom sa sadiri kung nata namomo’tan niya an pagbayle. Dai na mabilang an palabas buda mga video na may mangiba-ibang istilo an saiyang hiniling, pigaporbaran na mahanap an silyab ta ngani maging masuripot gilayon an nawarang pagkamoot.

Kada banggi nagapraktis siya, buda kada banggi na naghahale man siya sa studio nakakamati siya ki pagkadisganar. Napapahiling sa salming buda pigsasabi sa sadiri na namemental block sana siya, saro pa na pagsubok na malalampasan niya.

Nasa isip mo sana iyan. Ibayle mo, aram mo na kaya mo.

Pauruutro niyang pigasabi bago magpoon an kada palabas. Wara siya ki labot kung ini garu hababaw pagdangungon, kaipuhan niyang may gibuhon, maski ano na pwedeng makatuwang ngani magpadagos.

Habang patapos na an pagparakpakan kan sa pangSabado na palabas siya paduman na man sa dressing room. Si Ari namamanhid na nagtukaw sa hampang kan saiyang salming. Wara siya ki labot sa iba pa na mga parabayle, maski an pangbanggi na dyanitor dai niya namati kan nagsabi na palsukon ang ilaw pag tapos na siya.

“Kumusta, nawawara ka?” Sarong boses ki babaye an nagalingawngaw sa kasilensyohan.

Dai nagsimbag si Ari, nagtukaw na garu warang labot sa saiyang tukawan. Dai man lamang siya nakigkig kan nagtukaw an babaye sa may kataning niya.

“Kakaiba ka.” An tono kang boses kan babaye nangiinsulto.

Nakapirmi sana an parabayle, nagtatagdo an mga luha sa mata, dangan nagtukaw habang nakahiling sa sadiri niyang repleksiyon.

“Dai ako makabayle,” sabi ni Ari sa sadiri. “Nata dai ako makabayle?!” tuminusok an mga pidaso kan pasa na salming sa saiyang kulit kang sinuntok niya an saiyang repleksiyon diretso sa pandok.

“Ahh saro ka sainda.” Namumundo na pighiling kan babaye an problemado na daraga. “Mari digdi.” An babaye nagpasabot na makupo buda si Ari nagsunod man.

“Nata dai ako makabayle!?” An hibi ni Ari nagalingawngaw sa teatro na ngunyan wara na ki ibang tawo. Nakamati ki lipot an kulit kan babaye sa saiyang hapros dangan naisip ni Ari kung nakalakop na man ang pamamanhid sa kulit niya.

“Yan, yan. Iluwas mo, iluwas mo. Warang saysay na itago an gabos.” Ginibo kan babaye an makakaya niya na pakalmahon si Ari, pero an daraga dai namamatunong. An mga suriyaw kan kapagalan huminalo sa saiyang hibi kan kamunduan.

Labi-labi na an kulog kan boot ni Ari. Pirmi niya pigahanap an pagbayle para mabuhay siya. Yaon na ini kan nagadan ang mga magurang niya, yaon sa kada pakikipagbulagan sa soltero na dai pigasimbag an saiyang mga apod. Dai niya mamatian an koneksiyon sa sarong bagay na nagtao ki katuyuhan sa saiyang buhay.

Naghiling siya sa saiyang tagapagpala. Magayon an babaye. Igwa siyang maitom, hararom na mga mata na makakahali kan mga panlaban ni Ari.

Namangnuhan niya na sana na ipigaistorya niya an saiyang pagkatawo sa babaye, manungod sa kung nata wara na siyang namamatian maski ano pag nagabayle.

“Parabayle man ako dati, pero haluyon na itong panahon.” Luay-luay na inaprus kan babaye an buhok ni Ari. “Dai ko maisip kung ano an dapat na mamatian mo.”

An pagistorya ni Ari kan entablado garu ini na an naging buhay niya. Naistorya niya an saiyang primero na padis kang sapatos na pangbayle buda an kaogmahan na namamatian niya pag nahihiling na nagaliwanag an pandok kan mga parahiling sa kada pagbayle niya na solo. Naistorya niya man an mga banggi buda agang atabon siya nagaunat kan lawas niya antos sa saiyang limitasyon. Nagsabi siya tungkol sa pagkamoot dangan kung pa’no namamatian niya sana ini pag siya nagabayle.

“Dapat mo ining dumanan, padaba ko.” May itinurol an babaye ki sarong pidaso na papel “May nagsabi sakuya na natutuwangan an nagadigdi na mga tawo arog saimo.”

Napahiling siya sa kamot niyang may dugo dangan binasa ki makusog, “Kiblawan.” Nagtangad si Ari dangan nagpoon maghapot sa babaye kung ano an muyang sabihon kaito, pero nawara na siya. Nangiinsulto an tukawan sa kataning niya sa kawaraan kaini.

An saiyang adrenaline pahale na dangan nagpopoon ng mamatian ang kulog kan kamot. Pinuntok niya an pidaso kan papel dangan pagkatapos siya namili.

Natuparan ni Ari an sadiri sa sarong saday na banwa na matutuparan sa probinsiya kan Davao Del Sur. Natuparan niya an pamati na matuninong sa katahawan kan mga poon ki niyog dangan mga tindahan.

Tibaad digdi siya nararapat.

Nagpirmi siya sa nagsosolo na hotel sa lugar dangan napapahanga sa mga tawo na nasa palibot niya. Wara sindang ginibo kundi kabootan. Nagpapasalamat siya na dai sinda naghahapot kung pa’no siya nagkaigwa ki benda sa tuong takyag.

Sa kabilugan, matuninong ang lugar, harayo sa ribok kan siyudad, bagaman baku sa warang selebrasyon. Nagabot siya sa oras kan sarong kapistahan, maski na dai niya masabi kung para sa ano. Maski digdi an mga tawo naghahanap ki dahilan para magporma dangan magbayle kaya siya naoogma sa katotohanang ini.

Nariparo niya an sarong grupo ki mga babaye na nagabayle pabilog. Pigsabi saiya kan mga tawo na ini an Maral Fieu awas, an bayle kan magagayon na mga nimpa.

Dai mapugulan ni Ari na arugon an saindang mga hiro. Pinabwelo siya kan mga tawo na nasa palibot niya habang pigapahiro niya an saiyang mga takyag dangan utro pigarog an saindang bayle.

Duman niya ito namatian.

Garu mainit na kupo ki sarong dati na barkada. Suminaklob saiya an pamati dangan naglakop sa saiyang lawas. Buminulos dangan nagpatakig sa mga guramoy.

Napangirit siya sa enot na pagkakataon sa kahaluyan na panahon.

Natapos an bayle buda nagautnga siya sa katahawan kan mga tawo buda mga parabayle. Nakamati siya ki supog, sarong turista na dai aram an saiyang lugar, pero an mga tawo todo ngirit, pati an mga parabayle pinarakpakan siya.Kan bangging ito dai si Ari nangangaturog, an kaogmahan garu dai mawara. Nagluwas siya sa tinampo dangan nagpoon baylehon an Maral Fieu Awas.

Nagirumduman kan kalamnan niya an kada hiro na garu saro siya sa parabayle kasubago. Warang tugtog para baylehan niya, pero ini bakung importante.

Pagkamoot. Kuryente. Kagayonan. Katuyuhan.

Baku ito an eksaktong namatian niya buda dai niya maipaliwanag an nakakabua na crescendo na nakakapano sa saiyang puso.

Habo niyang matapos an saiyang namamatian. An kada hiro nakakaparumdom saiya kung ano talaga an muyang sabihon kan pagbayle sa buhay niya. Hiniro niya an saiyang takyag paitaas dangan bigla siyang naging sadayot na aki na limang taon, nagaadal kung pa’no ang pirouette. Ilinuwas niya an saiyang bitis dangan siya naman kinse anyos, nagapreparar para sa saiyang audition para sa Swan Lake an paghadit may halong kaogmahan. Nagtalibong siya dangan niya narumduman an banggi na si Rolly inagda siyang magpakasal, nagbayle siya ta ngani malingawan an hitsura kan pandok kaini kan sinabi niya na habo.

Kakulugan. Kakalmahan. Kapagalan. Katrangkiluhan.

Ini an saiyang mga namamatian buda iba pa na nagalakop poon sa mga guramoy sa bitis hanggang sa gulugod. An kada pangyayari garu sarong kapalaran na dai niya pighahaditan na mapaghurup-hurupan.

Namangnuhan niya na sana na dai siya nagsosolo. An paghuna ni Ari sinda an mga parabayle na babaye kasubago. Nagiba sinda saiya sa pagbayle kan Maral Fieu Awas.

Warang bulan kan bangging ito buda an mga bituon sana an testigo sa kaelegantehan na nabukasan. An kada miyembro nakisuksukan sulog an saindang mga puti na bado, nagintra sa iristoryahan na warang taramon kundi mga parabayle sana an nakakasabot.

=—————————-=

English Version

Frustration. That was the only word racing through Ari’s mind.

It’s not that she couldn’t dance, her moves were still as sharp as ever. She had lost her magic. Her movements felt mechanical. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t put her heart into her dancing.

Her friends told her to go back to the basics to remind herself why she loved to dance. Ari watched countless shows and videos of every style, trying to find the spark to reignite her lost love. There wasn’t even a flicker.

Every night she would train, and every night she would leave the studio disappointed. She would look in the mirror and tell herself that it was only a mental block, another challenge that she could overcome.

It’s all in your head. Dance through it, you know you can.
She repeated these words before every show. She didn’t care that they sounded hollow, she just needed to do something, anything to push her through this obstacle.

As the audience’s applause faded from Saturday night’s show she retreated to the dressing room. Ari sat numb in front of her mirror. She didn’t mind the rest of the dancers, she didn’t even hear the night janitor tell her to switch the lights off when she was done.

“Hello, are you lost?” A woman’s voice pierced through the silence.

Ari did not answer, she sat unmoved in her chair. She didn’t even flinch when the woman sat next to her.

“You’re a strange one.” The woman’s voice had a mocking tone.

The dancer remained still, tears were rolling down her eyes, but she sat gazing at her reflection.

“I can’t dance,” Ari said to herself. “Why can’t I dance?!” shards of glass dug into her skin as she punched her reflection straight in the face.

“Ahh you’re one of those.” The woman gave a sad look to the troubled girl. “Come here then.” The woman motioned for a hug and Ari complied.

“Why can’t I dance!?” Ari’s sobs echoed through the now empty theater. The woman’s skin felt cold to her touch and Ari wondered if the numbness had spread to her skin.

“There, there. Let it out, let it out. No sense in keeping it all in.” The woman tried her best to comfort Ari, but the girl was inconsolable. Her screams of anguish mixed with her sobs into a mournful aria.

Ari was broken inside and out. She had always looked to dancing to get her through life. It was there when her parents died, there for every breakup with a boy that wouldn’t return her calls. She couldn’t feel connected to the one thing that gave her life purpose.

She looked at her benefactor. The woman was beautiful. She had dark, deep set eyes that seemed to strip away Ari’s defenses. She found herself baring her soul to the woman, about how she couldn’t feel anything when she danced.

“I was a dancer once too, but that was very long ago.” The woman gently stroked Ari’s hair. “I can’t imagine what it is you must be feeling.”

Ari spoke of the stage like it was her entire life. She spoke of her first pair of dancer’s shoes and the rush she would get when the audience’s faces lit up during her solos. She spoke of late nights and early mornings stretching her body to its limits. She spoke of love and how she only felt that way when she danced.

“You should go here, my dear.” The woman handed Ari a piece of paper “I’ve been told that going here helps people like you.”

She looked at her bloody hand and read out loud, “Kiblawan.” Ari looked up and began to ask the woman what it meant, but she was gone. The chair beside her mocked her with its emptiness.

Her adrenaline was leaving her and she started to feel the pain from her hand. She stared at the piece of paper and made a choice then and there.

Ari found herself in a small town nestled in the province of Davao del Sur. She found a feeling of peace in between the coconut trees and the sari-sari stores.

Maybe this was where she was supposed to be.

She stayed at what seemed to be the only hotel in the area and came to admire the people around her.
They treated her with nothing but kindness. She appreciated that they didn’t ask her how she came to get bandages on her right arm.

All in all it was a peaceful place, far away from the troubles of the city, though not without celebration. She had come at the time of a festival, though for what she couldn’t tell. Even here people wanted an excuse to dress up and dance and she stood comforted with that fact.

What caught her eye was a group of girls dancing in a circle. The people told her that it was Maral Fieu Awas, the dance of the beautiful nymphs.

Ari could not help but imitate their movements. The people around her gave her room as she moved her arms and recreated their steps.

That was when she felt it.

It was like the warm embrace of an old friend. The feeling enveloped her and coursed through her body. It flowed through her and made her fingertips tingle.

She smiled for the first time in ages.

The dance finished and she stood breathless between the crowd and the dancers. She felt embarrassed, a tourist that didn’t know her place, but the people were all smiles, even the dancers gave her a round of applause.
That night Ari couldn’t sleep, the rush didn’t seem to fade. She walked outside to the street and started to dance the Maral Fieu Awas.

Her muscles remembered each movement as if she was one of the dancers from earlier in the day. There was no music for her to dance to, but it didn’t matter.

Love. Electricity. Beauty. Purpose.

That wasn’t exactly how she felt and words failed to describe the maddening crescendo that filled her heart.

She wanted these feelings to never end. Each action made her recall what dance had meant to her all her life. She moved her arms upward and suddenly she was a little girl of five, learning how to do her first pirouette. She put her leg out and she was fifteen, preparing for her audition for Swan Lake the nervous energy mingling with excitement. She twirled and remembered the night Rolly had asked her to marry him, she danced then to forget the look on his face when she told him no.

Pain. Comfort. Torment. Peace.

These feelings and more flowed from her toes through her spine. Each moment felt like a destiny she was not afraid to realize.

She soon noticed she was not alone. Ari thought they were the dancer girls from earlier in the day. They joined her in the Maral Fieu Awas.

There was no moon that night and the stars were the only witness to the elegance that unfolded. The starlight was dim compared to the warm glow that permeated the euphoric dance. Each new member flowed through the throng with their white robes, joining a wordless conversation that only dancers could understand.

Ari woke up the next morning in the middle of the street. Dirt surrounded one side of her face and soreness blanketed her muscles.

She greeted the new day with newfound purpose. She noticed her hand didn’t hurt anymore and was not surprised to find her wounds healed.

She said a soft prayer of thanks to the woman that told her to come here.

“I can dance.”

She rushed to her room to pack her bags. If she hurried she could make it back in time for the matinée.

————————–————————–————————–—–
Albay Bikol, or simply Albayanon is a group of languages and one of the three languages that compose Inland Bikol. It is spoken in the southwestern coast of Albay, (Pio Duran, Jovellar) and northwestern Sorsogon. The region is bordered by the Coastal Bikol and Rinconada Bikol speakers.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Judy Azul
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Judy Azul

Inspired by the B’laan Fieu Awas legends

Fieu Awas Illustration by Colleen Matti

FB: The Art of Colleen

The post Fieu Awas – Bicol Albay Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Bicol-Naga

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Tahan na aki ko, ipirong mo na an saimong mga mata, dae na maghadit, magiging okay kita.” Inaalalayan kan babae an saiyang tulak para siguraduhon na ligtas an saiyang aki.”

“Sana dae ka maging arog ni ama mo, dae ka maging maraoton asin makanuson arog kadtong ibang lalaki, perme sanang hanap an bagay na ito tapos mahali kapag nakua na ninda.” An sabi ngani ninda, ‘Boys will be boys’, pero dae ninda nasasabutan na an mga babae an permeng nawawalat.”

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Aram ko na medyo banggi na pero kaipuhan ni mama magluwas para gibuhon an saiyang dapat gibuhon. Kaipuhan niyang ipahiling sa mga mararaot na lalaki na dae ninda basta-basta winawalat an mga babae. Maraot an mundo sa luwas at may reserba akong kabayolentehan para sa inda. “

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Iyo ta nararapat yan sainda. An saindang ati an naglaog sako. Inosente man sana akong daraga na may kinabukasan pero nguyan uni ako. Uni kita. Pareho kitang nakalubong asin magkaibahan hanggang sa wakas kan panahon, pero kung magiging arog ako kaini, dae ko kaipuhan magsakit nin solo.

Kukuanon ko an pinakaimportanteng bagay na igwa sinda. An saindang pinakahahalagahang pagkalalake asin magiging kaugmahan ko an pagdalan kan saindang pagkaubos nin dugo.

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Shhh, shhh. Dae na matakot. Yaon na si mama. Sisiguraduhun niya na ligtas an mundo sa mga mararaot na lalaki. Aram mo mabubuhay kuta kita kung bako lang dahil sainda. Kuta pwede kita mag-ibahan, ika asin ako, laban sa mundo na naghulma sato.”

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Tahan na! May nahiling akong lalaki padigdi. Dae na maghadit, dae man ini mahaloy. Pagktapos pwede ka nang makikawat ki mama ah? Dae na magribok ta sasalubungon ko na siya.”

=—————————-=

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Hush little child, close your eyes, don’t worry we will be alright.” The woman holds her belly tight, making sure that her child is safe.

“Please don’t be like your father, don’t be like any of those hideous men, always looking for one thing then leaving when they get it. ‘Boys will be boys’ they always say, but they never realize that girls are always going to be the ones left behind.”

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“I know it may seem late, but mommy’s going out to do what she has to do. She has to let all those evil men know that you can’t just leave women behind. It’s a cruel world out there and I reserve a special kind of cruelty for them.”

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Because they deserve it. It was their filth that entered me. I was just an innocent young woman, with her whole life ahead of her, and now here I am. Here we are. We were buried together and we will be together until the end of time, but if I have to be this way, then I will not suffer alone.

I will take what they think is the most important thing that they have. Their precious ‘manhood’ and I will enjoy watching them bleed out.”

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Shhh, shhh. I didn’t mean to scare you. But it’s okay, mama’s here. She’ll make sure the world is safe from those cruel men. We could have lived you know? If not for them. We could have been together just you and me, against the world that made us what we are.”

WAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!

“Now hush! I see a man on his way. Now don’t worry this won’t take long. And afterwards you can play with mama alright? Now stay quiet while I go say hello.”

————————–————————–————————–—

*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Angela Arnante
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Angela Arnante

Inspired by the Mantiyanak legends from Mindanao

Mantiyanak illustration by Julia Kristen Delos Santos
FB: JKTD

The post Mantiyanak – Bicol Naga Transaltion appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Waray

Magigin maupay an ngatanan.

Nahampak an mga balod ha ulo han parupangisda. Nag-atentar hiya nga umabante ha katubigan kundi gin-ulang hiya han bagyo. Yukut kamilyon nga mga tarahiti an naigo ha waray korte nga kadagatan, kundi bisan sugad, maaram hiya nga maundang liwat ini. Waray hiya dad-a ngadto agud malumos, ngan matapod hiya ha ira tubtub ha iya kamatayon.

Nahinumduman niya an mga luha ha mga mata han iya iroy han ginlabay niya an rosaryo hini. Nahadlok ini para ha iya, kundi dugang nga nabaraka para ha iya kalag. Anak an parupangisda han iya amay ngan padayon nga natuod ha kadaan nga mga pamaagi tungod kay aada an tubig ha iya dugo.

Nakimaluoy an iya iroy nga tumapod hiya ha iya tagatalwas, ha ira tagatalwas. An pirme ginpapahinumdom ha iya samtang ginpapatubo hiya ha gugma ngan lamrag, kundi waray niya mahimo nga mamati ha iya iroy. Waray masabtan han iya iroy an ira kinabuhi ha dagat, an mga bantay nga naprotehir ha ira.

“Aswang han Dagat” – amo an ira tawag ha mga sugad. Sering nira, gin-aagda an mga parupangisda ngadto ha tubig pinaagi han ira mga kanta agud lumuson ngan kaunon hira. Nasosorpresa pa gihapon hiya kun ano kaiha na nga nalastar iton nga buwa ngan kun ano kadamo an mga tawo nga padayon nga natuod didto. Maaram an mga parupangisda kun ano iton nga mga istorya: usa nga pagkilala/paghatag hin kangaranan ha pira kasiglo nga pagrespeto ngan pagdayaw ha mga ispiritu.

Kundi waray na gud hiya mahihimo. Ginbag-o na han mga tuig an ginalalauman han mga tawo ha panahon nga nanginginahanglan hira. Waray na mga halad ha dagat, o mga pangadi ha mga balod. Hiya nala an nasalin. An urhi nga anak han natikamatay nga tuluohan.

Natikaluya na an mga braso han parupangisda. Nadadara na an iya lawas han waray kahumanan nga paghampak han mga balod ngan uran. Ginhinumdom niya an iya iroy ngan nagdig-on ha iya panindugan. Ginluwas niya tikang ha iya im-im an urhi nga dasal antes malumos an iya ulo ha mga balod:

An tubig an magdudul-ong ha akon ha balay

Matapod ako ha imo O ispiritu han bagyo ngan dagat

An kasisidman magigin lamrag

Makalma an mga balod

Magigin kaupod ako han dagat

Magigin maupay an ngatanan.

=—————————————–=

English Version

“They will save me.”

The waves crash over the fisherman’s head. He tries to tread water but the storm will not let up. Thousands upon millions of raindrops batter the ocean’s shapeless form, but he knows they will pass. They did not lead him here to drown and he will trust in them until the end of his days.

He remembers the tears in his mother’s eyes when he tossed her rosary aside. She was scared for him, but more concerned for his soul. The fisherman was his father’s son and carried on believing in the old ways because the water was in his blood.

His mother begged him to trust his savior, their savior. The one she had raised him to remember in love and light, but he couldn’t listen to her. She could never understand the life they had at sea, the guardians that protected them.

“Aswang ng Dagat” – that’s what they called them. They say that the spirits lured fishermen into the water with their songs to drown and eat them. It still surprised him how long that lie had lasted and how many people still believed in it. The fishermen knew those stories for what they were: a brush used to paint over the centuries of respect and admiration of the spirits.

There was nothing he could do though. The years had changed what people turned to in their times of need. There were no more offerings by the sea, or prayers to the waves. What was left was him. The last son of a dying belief.

The fisherman’s arms are getting weak now. His body is finally surrendering to the endless onslaught of the waves and the rain. He thinks back to his mother and stays firm in his conviction. His lips release one final prayer before his head goes beneath the waves:

The water will lead me home
I will trust in you
O spirits of storm and sea
The darkness will turn into light
The waves will calm
I will be with the sea

————————–————————–————————–—

*Waray is the fifth-most-spoken native regional language of the Philippines, native to Eastern Visayas. It is the native language of the Waray people and second language of the Abaknon people of Capul, Northern Samar and some Cebuano-speaking peoples of eastern and southern parts of Leyte island. It is the third most spoken language among the Visayan languages, only behind Hiligaynon and Cebuano.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Waray translation by Joan Sebastian
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Joan Sebastian

Inspired by the Magindara entry in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.

Magindara Illustration by emirajuju
IG: https://www.instagram.com/emirajuju/

Watercolor by Mykie Concepcion
Tumblr: http://mykieconcepcion.tumblr.com/

The post Magindara – Waray Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Cebuano

Ang bulan, nahadlok musilak sa iyang kahayag, misibog luyo sa panganod.

Hingpit. Hunahuna ni Sonja. Unta wala pa sila magsugod nga wala ko.

Ang mga yuring tingog sulod sa baluyot nagkakusog, apan wala’y dili masulbad sa usa ka lasking patid.

Nasayod siya nga aduna’y panglamat nga iyang magamit pagpakatulog kanila, gibatokan ugaling kini niya. Kanunayng nagtuo si Sonja nga ang ginagmayng kahadlok makahimo’g mga katingalahan sa panglasa.

Ang alabtanan anaa sa usa ka kakahoyan sa hilit-hilit sa dakbayan. Sukad pa sa mga adlaw sa mga karaang gingharian magkitaay sila ug mag-inambitay sa bangaw. Usa kadto ka makapahimuot nga kasulian nga ang bangaw atol sa adlawng natawhan sa anak sa ulay.

Giguyod ni Sonja ang baluyot ngadto sa suloran sa kakahoyan. Buntagay ang bangaw ug dili siya buot murisgo. Iyang ibilin iyang mga bitiis sulod sa kakahoyan ug magasaulog tibuok gabii.

Ang nagabantay karon sa kakahoyan usa ka mangingilaw, “Layo man ka sa pinuy-anan,” ingon si Sonja.

“Muadto ko’g asa ko sangpita,” tubag niya.

“Unsa’y imong dala?” Giitsa ni Sonja ang baluyot sa tiilan sa higanti.

“Lab-ason.”

“Alang-alang, mao na’y ampay sa imong matang. Naulhi ba ko?”

“Dayon, manananggal, wala pa mi kasugod.”

Nangagho si Sonja sa kahumpay. Ang sinugdanang panumanan mao’y labing maanindot. Iyang gibilin iyang mga bitiis sa haduol nga kahoy ug miusbong paibabaw.

Didto mitipon siya sa panon, nagatulutuliyok ibabaw sa mga kahoy.

Di-maihap nga mga alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut ug uban pang mga kahadlokang manglupad ang nanagpanglihok nga nanag-abay. Sa kawalad-on sa bulanong kahayag aduna lamang sila’y ilang panimuot nga mugabay kanila sa ilang daotanhong sayaw.

Uban niini ang magahob nga hugyaw sa mga yutan-ong dumuduaw sa gabii. Ang bungisngis, kiwig, ug kulukupap, pipila sa daghan, ang nanagpaulos sa ilang mga tingog alang sa kasaulogan.

Ang panumanan natapos samtang ang hari sa mangkukulam mipahaluna sa truno sa mga bukog ug dugo.

Natingala si Sonja kon unsa ka hapsay ang tanan, matag pundok aduna’y kaugalingong luna sa kakahoyan sa pagtigom og unod alang sa bangaw.

Buot siyang musulay sa lainlaing mga halad ug wala mahibalo og asa mag-una. Ang alimyon sa dugo gikan sa suok sa mga mandurugo nakapalaway kaniya, ang tinagingting sa kulon sa mga pirotso nagtimaila og lab-as nga kabataan, atua’y hugpong sa mga ulo sa saga-ih nga gangkap sa bug-os unod.

Aduna usab ing ‘kinabag-ong’ pag-isip sa mga kinadan-an: Kagumkumong dinuguan nga may pinirito’g ayo nga tinai, tudlo ug kalimutaw ug mga nagauros-uros nga kasingkasing nga may sinalsang utok.

Nagkagutom si Sonja sa matag gutlo ug gipili niya ang dapit tupad kaniya diin ang tigabulak nagbarog. Nagatindog kini atubangan sa talad nga aduna’y dakong tadtaran ug kutsilyo. Mga singgit sa tabang ang nagaaningal sa baluyot likod kaniya nga nakapasadya kang Sonja. Kining unorang pagkalab-as nga hinikay sa tigabulak makaon-kaon gayod unya, gipapili pa ngani niya si Sonja og haing bataa ang iya.

Samtang mitudlo si Sonja sa gamayng babayi, mga lima ka tuig, usa ka kaguliyang ang nagdalugdog duol kaniya.

Ang tigabulak, tataw nga naitok, miingon, “Kinsa’y nagdapit ‘ana dinhi?”

Milupad si Sonja aron tan-awon kon unsa’y nahitabo ug iya dayong nailhan ang mamam, nagasampak sa iyang dalan latas sa bangaw.

Sukad-sukad sa panghitabo mga pila ka bulan niadto, tanan sa mga kahadlokan ang mihanayak pagtago sa bangaw gikan sa mamam, tingali unya og ang kasaulogan mahimong katalagman.

Ang ubang mga higanti ingon sa mangingilaw ug timu-timu namugong-pugong niini, apan ang binuhat di-mapugngan og pagkaon na’y ibayang atubang niini. Dili ngani kini muundang batok sa isigkasapat.

Makita ni Sonja nga isigpangikyas na ang kadaghanan, dala ang ilang bahin sa bangaw uban kanila. Miudyong pa ngani ang usa ka alan labay kaniya, dala ang usa ka gamayng bata.

Kinabuot mao’y nagsugyot kang Sonja nga angay siyang mudalagan og halayo ug madagmit, apan dili niya mapalagiw iyang mata gikan sa talan-awon.

Usa na ka takna sukad ang mamam nagsugod sa iyang pangdagmal. Ang dugoang mga patay nga lawas sa mga bungisngis ug ogro nagdayandayan sa pagpamatay. Kadtong mga nanagpabilin aron bantayan ilang pagkaon nakig-away sa usa ka pildihonong gubat.

Ang mamam wala’y nailhang pag-unong gawas sa kagusla.

Aswang o tawo, gikaon niya kining tanan.

Makita ni Sonja nga aduna’y mga utokang tawo ang nanagpahimulos sa kagubot ug nanagpanalagan alang sa ilang kinabuhi. May mabdos pang babayi ang nakasuot ngadto sa kalasangan samtang nalingag iyang tigdakop nga wakwak.

Wala’y kusog ni panglamat ang makapaundang niini. Ang hari sa mangkukulam nagsugo sa iyang mga babaylan nga manulay pagpahamtang og kasakit sa maong binuhat apan nakapasamot lamang kini sa iyang kagutom. Duha ka mangkukulam ang nahadangat sa ilang kataposan sa dihang gilamoy sila sa mamam og tibuok.

Sa hinagdawan ang mamam mibarog. Wala’y minatay, wala’y bukog aron sa pagtimaan sa agi sa iyang paglabay.

Gipanguha ni Sonja ang mga pinamatay ug mikalagiw ngadto sa iyang mga bitiis, ang iyang tiyan haw-ang sa gabii sa bangaw.

=———————————–=

English Version

The moon, afraid to shine its light, retreated behind the clouds.

Perfect. Sonja thought. I hope they didn’t start without me.

The muffled voices inside the bag were starting to get louder, but nothing a swift kick wouldn’t fix. She knew there was magic that she could use to put them to sleep, she decided against it though. Sonja always thought that a little fear did wonders for flavor.

The meeting spot was in a grove in the outskirts of the city. Since the days of the old kingdoms they would meet and share in the feast. It was an amusing irony that the feast was on the same day as the birth of the virgin’s child.

Sonja dragged the sack to the entrance of the grove. The feast would take all night and she didn’t want to take any risks. She would leave her legs inside the grove and celebrate throughout the night.

Guarding the grove this time was a mangingilaw. “You’re far from home,” Sonja said.
“I go where I am invited,” he replied.

“What did you bring?” Sonja tossed the bag to the giant’s feet.

“Something raw.”

“Of course, that’s what your kind likes. Am I late?”

“Enter, mananaggal, we have not yet started.”

Sonja sighed with relief. The opening ceremony was the best part. She left her legs by a nearby tree and soared upwards.

There she joined the flock, swirling above the trees.

Countless alibadut, abat, kubot, alan, bannog, magkukutud, kalibadut and other flying horrors moved in tandem. Without moonlight they only had their intuition to guide their sinister dance.

Accompanying this was the raucous roar of the terrestrial guests of the night. The bungisngis, kiwig and kulukupap, among many others, lent their voices to the celebration.

The ceremony ended as the king of the mangkukulam took his place on the throne of bones and blood.

Sonja was surprised how orderly everything was, each group had their own space in the grove to gather meat for the feast.

She wanted to try the different offerings and didn’t know where to start. The scent of blood from the mandurugo corner made her salivate, the clang from the pirotso’s pot signaled fresh children, there was a collection of heads by the saga-ih complete with the flesh intact.

There were also more ‘modern’ takes on the classics: Crispy dinuguan with deep fried lamang-loob, finger and eyeball bulalo and sizzling hearts with brain sauce.

Sonja was getting hungrier by the minute and she chose the spot beside her where a tigabulak stood. He was standing in front of a table with a large cutting board and a cleaver. Cries of help were echoing from the sack behind him, filling Sonja with glee. Such fresh meat prepared by a tigabulak would be quite a delicacy, he even let Sonja choose which child.

As Sonja was pointing to a small girl, about five years old, a commotion was thundering near her.

The tigabulak, visibly annoyed, said, “Who invited that here?”

Sonja flew up to see what was happening and she immediately recognized the mamam, pushing its way through the feast.

Ever since the incident many moons ago, all of the horrors decided to hide the feast from the mamam, lest the celebration turn into disaster.

The other giants like the mangingilaw and timu-timu were trying to hold it off, but the creature was unstoppable once food was placed in front of him. It would not even stop against a fellow halimaw.

Sonja could see that most were already trying to escape, taking their share of the feast with them. An alan even darted past her, carrying a small child.

Instinct told Sonja that she should run far and run fast, but she couldn’t take her eyes away from the spectacle.

It had been an hour since the mamam started its rampage. The bloodied corpses of the bungisngis and ogro decorating the slaughter. Those that stayed to guard their food were fighting a losing battle.

The mamam knew no allegiance apart from hunger.

Aswang or human, it ate them all the same.

Sonja could see clever humans taking advantage of the chaos and running for their lives. A pregnant woman even managed to slip into the forest while her wak-wak captor was distracted.

No might or magic could stop it. The king of the mangkukulam had his witches try inflicting pain on the creature but that only seemed to make it even hungrier. Two mangkukulam met their end when the mamam swallowed them whole.

In the aftermath the mamam stood. No corpses, no bones to mark the trail of its passing.

Sonja took in the carnage and fled to her legs, her stomach empty on the night of the feast.

*The Cebuano language, alternatively called Cebuan and also often colloquially albeit informally referred to by most of its speakers simply as Bisaya (“Visayan”, not to be confused with other Visayan languages nor Brunei Bisaya language), is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 21 million people, mostly in Central Visayas, western parts of Eastern Visayas and most parts of Mindanao, most of whom belong to various Visayan ethnolingusitic groups, mainly the Cebuanos. It is the by far the most widely spoken of the Visayan languages, which are in turn part of wider the Philippine languages. The reference to the language as Bisaya is not encouraged anymore by linguists due to the many languages within the Visayan language group that may be confused with the term.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Cebuano Translation by Francis Triexl Kyle Gobi
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Francis Triexl Kyle Gobi

Inspired by the Mamam description in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.

Mamam Illustration by Jesus Miguel Ofalsa

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

The post Mamam – Cebuano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Bicol-Naga

Takoton akong marhay.

Nakabalik pa nanggad duman si Papa kaiba an maligno. Pinurbaran kong magin maisog asin nagdalagan sainda, alagad dai mayo akong magigibo. Saro sana man akong sadit na babaye na padagos na nanraraot sa buhay kan manga tawo. Mayo akong naginibong toltol.
Madiklomon na marhay an kadlagan para maagihan ko kaya nagtinir na sana ako sa sarong lugar. Pigsabi sakuya kadto ni Kuya na madudukayan ako kan mga tawo kun magtunong ako sa sarong lugar. An magigibo ko sana iyo an paghibi, Pagkatapos kan nangyari ki Aura, kun pa’no kulgan kan omboy si Mama, kun pa’no nawara si Kuya asin ngunyan, nagdudulag si Papa sa sarong maligno, dai ko sana aram kun anong igwa sakuya.

Ako sana man si Teleia, sarong sadit na babaye na dai kayang imantinir na ligtas an saiyang pamilya. ‘Kompleto’ an boot sabuton kan Teleia. Pinangaranan ako nin arog kaiyan kan sakong Mama ta sabi niya kan namundag daa ako, bilog na an pamilya mi, alagad sa hiling ko, niraot ko sana. Sa kaangutan ko nin marhay nagkua ako nin gapo dangan ginapo ko!

Nakadangog ako nin makusog na kurahaw dangan may kun anong nakakatakot na nagluwas sa mga poon. Garo ini aki, arog ko, alagad naglalakaw ini sa saiyang manga kamot. Madiklomon man kaini, garo gibo sa manga anino. Pinurbaran kong magdulag parayo, alagad nagpuon na magkulog an sakuyang manga piad. Makulugon. Dai ko mahiro an sakong mga piad, kaya nagpuon na sana ako gamiton an sakuyang manga kamot. Nangalas talaga akong marhay na ini madalion. Ni dai ko ngani kaidto magibo an wheel-carti-cartwheels! Alagad ngunyan, naglalakaw ako sa sakong manga kamot, talagang, marikason. Sa pagkarikas kong marhay, nakarayo na ako sa nakakatakot na bagay nin dai sa oras!

Amang-ugma ko. Sa hiling ko aram ko na an gigibuhon ngunyan. Magayunon kan kadlagan pag banggi. Maninigo kang magtago dawa sain! Kaipuhan ko sanang magpadagos sa paglakaw sa sakong manga kamot ta makulog pa nanggad talaga an sakuyang piad. Makulog talaga kun pupurbaran kong maglakaw nin normal alagad ayos lang. Arog ako kaini ngunyan!

Magigin maugma ini. Magigin marhay an sakuyang pamilya kun mayo ako. Naaraman kong maninigo akong magkaigwa nin manga bagong katood. Kaipuhan ko sanang maghiling nin bagong kakawat dangan makulog man an saindang mga piad! Asin malakaw sinda sa saindang manga kamot arog ko!

Maninigo akong magkaigwa nin kadakulon na bagong katood.

Kaipuhan ko sanang maghanap nin kadakol na aki na mapagkakalwagan.

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English Version

I’m so scared.

Papa’s still back there with the monster. I tried to be brave and run after them, but there was nothing I could do. I’m just a little girl who keeps ruining people’s lives. I can’t do anything right.

The forest is too dark for me to walk through, so I just stayed in one place. Kuya told me before that if I stay in one place then people can find me. All I could do was cry. After what happened with Aura, how the baby hurt Mama, how Kuya disappeared and now Papa’s running away from a monster, I just don’t know what’s wrong with me.

I’m just Teleia, the little girl that can’t keep her family safe. Teleia means ‘complete’. My Mama named me that because she said that when I was born it made our family complete, but I think I just tore it apart. I was so angry I took a rock and I threw it!

I heard a loud scream and something scary came out of the trees. It was like a child, like me, but it was walking on its hands. It was also very, very dark, like it was made of the shadows. I tried to run away, but my knees started to hurt. It was so painful.

I couldn’t move my legs, so I just started using my hands. I was really surprised that I found it so easy. I couldn’t even do wheel-carti—-cartwheels before! But now I was walking on my hands, really, really fast. I was so fast that I was away from the scary thing in no time!

I was so happy. I think I know what to do now. The forest is so nice when it’s night. You can hide anywhere! I just need to keep walking on my hands because my legs still really hurt. It’s really painful if I try to walk normal but it’s ok. This is how I’m gonna be now!

It’s going to be great. My family’s going to be fine without me. I found out I can make new friends. I just need to look at a new playmate and their legs will hurt too! And they’ll walk on their hands just like me!

I can make so many new friends.

I just need to find more kids to play with.

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Story continued from the Harimodon’s Tale

*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Joseph Villanueva Ciudadano
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Joseph Villanueva Ciudadano

Inspired by the Bugsok entry in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010..

Bugsok illustration by Nia Cortezano
Tumblr: http://niakawa.tumblr.com/

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