*Note this story is in Chavacano Zamboanga

“Este ya el lugar.”

Ya agarra si Miguel su primero pescao y ya resolla ondo. Grande el pescao, bien bale gad era manda envidia con aquellos otro pescadores, pero para otro día ya lang anay.

Ta resa ele el “panangyatang” y no quiere le manda man distorbo.

“Nono*, este pescao ya puede yo cogi, mi ofrenda, por favor recibi”

Ya espera si Miguel, necesita respeta el tradicion y mira hasta caba ele come su pescao.

Un hora ya pasa, y despues ya mira le el cajon. El su ofrenda ya acepta y ya volve ya ele na maga ondo parte para caba come su comida.

No sabe si Miguel si cuando gayot ya empieza el tradicion. Ta asombra lang ele pirmi, porque necesita dale el una cogida, maski pakilaya pa de grande.

Sabe ele na el cayuman amigo del aswang y ta come carne de gente cuando ta tiene hambre, pero simple miedo hinde bastante para explica el “panangyatang”.

Este respeto, puro y simple. Tiene cosa sobre el cayuman na ta manda dale reverencia con ele.

Ya pensa ele porque ta llama con el cayuman ‘nono’.

Baka gente ele antes, un maldicion del dios, y ta busca ele respeto del su maga descendientes.

Baka ele un espiritu vagante na ta lleva un abunda cogida de pescao con ellos quien ta recuerda el tradicion.

Baka ele un bestia sangriento na necesita alimenta antes ele empesa busca carne de gente.

Y cosa sobre aquel cajon na su detras? Ta guarda ba le su victimas alli hasta el hora de come, o baka tiene cosa mas misterioso ta sucede?

Maski cosa pa el contestacion, Alegre si Miguel na hinde ele el adentro del cajon, y mas alegre ele na pa volvida ya ele para su casa.

“Adios nono, hasta el proximo vez,” ya susurra ele suave con el rio.

• Nono: Means grandfather or ghost

=———————–=

English Version

“This is the spot.”

Miguel reached for his first catch and breathed deep. It was a large fish, something that he would be proud to show to the other fishermen, but pride could wait another day.

He was performing the panangyatang and he would not be disturbed.

“Nono* I present this catch to you. Please accept my offering.”

Miguel waited, he had to respect the tradition by witnessing it finish eating his catch.

An hour passed, then he saw the box. The offering had been accepted and it would be going back to the depths to enjoy its meal.

Miguel didn’t know when the tradition started. He always wondered why fishermen would give up their first catch, no matter how big.

He knew that the buwaya was a friend to the aswang and partook of human flesh when it was particularly hungry, but simple fear wasn’t enough to explain the panangyatang.

This was respect, pure and simple. There was something about the buwaya that commanded reverence. He thought to the reason why the buwaya was called ‘grandfather’.

Maybe it was human once, cursed by the gods, and it seeks the respect of its descendants.

Maybe it is a wandering spirit bringing a bountiful catch to those that remember the traditions.

Maybe it is a bloodthirsty beast that needs to be fed before it seeks out human prey.

And what of the box on its back? Does it just keep its victims there, until it is time to feed, or is there something more mysterious at work?

Whatever the answers, Miguel was glad not to be in that box, and even gladder that he was on his way home.

“Goodbye nono, until the next time,” he whispered softly to the river.

*Means grandfather or ghost

=———————-=

*Chavacano or Chabacano refers to a number of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in  Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speakers. Chavacano is the only Spanish-based creole in Asia.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Chavacano-Zamboangueño Translation by Iñigo Jaldon

Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright Iñigo Jaldon

Inspired by the buwaya description in El Folk-lore Filipino. Isabelo de los Reyes, trans. Dizon and Peralta-Imson. 1994. (Original Spanish Manuscript Printed 1889)

Buwaya Illustration by Kael Molo of Agla – The Graphic Novel

*Note this story is in Chavacano Zamboanga

Chene maga momento ta keda anyos si kere kita. El hora muchu amo,pero el bien mapwersa kon todo el meido. Ese iyo ya aprende kwanto anyos ya ya pasa.

Ele… Ele.. Nusabe iyo quilaya iyo detalla si konsa man akel. Ensegida le ya aparese.

No, Hendeh presto. Ta akorda yo el sunor del bayle de maga ojas. El blando risas de un hombre, y el olor de tabako. Ese hendeh gad iyo ay puede ulvida.

Alto ele. Mas alto kontra na maskin quien gente ay pwede keda. Ya supla le humo del de suyu sigarilyo y ya mira le kumigo.

Bien muchu iyo kosa ta ase de akel diya. Ta trabaha yo na un palayan serka na buukan. Mientras ta ase seka kunel maga ropa. kay para timing el ani si sinta ya yo na sombra de pono de balete

Ya dispierta yo y talya ele. Yan mirahan kame na unu y otro, que ya tarda como kwanto dia. Despues, ya kiembra el silencio cuando ya komberza le.

“Hola, Ta ama iyo kuntigo”

Chene maga cuentos acerca na maga kapre ta kere na maga mojeres. Ta acorda gane yo el cuento del un mojer kun nombre Juana. Que ya pursuegi kunele el un kapre y ka converti el kapre de suyu itsura y forma na nobyo di Juana. Ya tira kunel kapre maga bala estaba na pusil de maga pulis. Pero cuando ya mira sila kunel kapre ya incuntra sila pono de saging kun maga aguero de bala.

Hendeh con migo puede ayuda el maga bala ahora. Nusabe yo si kosa ay puede. Tres palabras lang kel pero ya ase con migo paralisao na miedo y ya empesa yo llura cuando ya kontesta yo.

“Nukere iyo kuntigo, nukonose gane yo kuntigo”

El itsura del de suyu kara ya abla con migo el kosa yo debe sabe. Ya ase yo kunele sinti duele. Mas de dolor na puede saka si ya tira kunele bala de un pusil.

Ya puma le otra vez y yan sonrisa.

“Konose lang tu con migo, y ama tambien tu con migo”

Despues ya perde para alya na suyu pono.

El kosa maka estranya na todo, que amo el kosa le ya abla. Cuantos anyos ya pasa, ya expectao yo chene con migo pursuigi un burujo, Ni nuay yo expectao kay ele ay keda miyo amigo, y mas pa.

Na de atun vida, chene gad maga kosas quita ta expecta que hendeh na sosede. Muchu gad sorpresa na di atun maga vida.

El kapre talya na primer vez  ya sinti duele el miyo corazon, kada playto del di miyo pamilya. Talya ele cuando ya muri el miyo mayor anak y cuando ya keda grande el miyo otro .

Ta dale le sinti suyu presensya na kada ulan de pyedra na di amun kasa, El olor de sigarilyo que ta liba el biento. Sabe yo tali lang ele pirmi. Ta protehe na silencio.

Ta devolve yo kuneste na manera que to pricura yo proteje kunel di su yu kasa, El pono de balete como kasa ya tambien di miyo. Cuantos notches ta mira yo maga estrellas na ciello mientras tanto ele ta mira con migo.

Ta sinta iyo aki, Otchenta verano ya ya pasa na miyo vida, y taki iyo na pono del bale junto kunel miyo amor.

“Konose yo kuntigo y ta ama yo kuntigo”

=—————–=

English Version

There are moments that stretch into years if you let them. Time has many masters, but none more potent than fear, this I learned many years ago.

It….He… I don’t know how to describe whatever it was. It just suddenly appeared before me, no, not suddenly. I remember the sound of rushing leaves, the soft laughter of a man and the smell of tobacco. I could never forget it.

He was tall, taller than any human had any right to be. He took a puff from his cigar and just stared at me.

I’m getting ahead of myself. I was doing chores in the field next to the forest, drying the laundry and making sure that the harvest would be ready when I sat under the Balete tree for some shade.

I woke up and he was there. We stared at each other for what felt like days, until he broke the silence.

“Hello, I love you.”

I had heard stories of the Kapre falling in love with human women before. I even remember a story of a girl named Juana who was stalked by her Kapre and the creature even changed form to be that of her lover. It was shot at by police officers but when they looked at the creature they only found a tall banana tree with bullet holes.

Bullets couldn’t save me now, I didn’t know what could. Three simple words were all that it took to paralyze me with fear and I cried as I said my reply.

“I don’t love you, I don’t even know who you are.”

The look on the Kapre’s face told me all I needed to know. I had hurt it. Far more than if I had taken a gun and shot it.

He took another drag out of his cigar and smiled.

“You will know me, and you will love me.”

Then, he vanished into his tree.

The strange part was he was right. Years had passed and I expected to be stalked by a monster, I had never expected that it… he… would become my friend, and then something more.

Life is full of expectations that are never met; it is even more full of surprises.

The Kapre was there through every broken heart, every fight with my family. He was there when I lost my first child, and when my other children grew to be strong.

He would show his presence in the small ways, a shower of stone outside my house, the smell of his cigar wafting on the wind, but I always knew he was there. A silent protector.

In return I would never let anyone harm his home, the Balete tree was as much my home as it was his. I spent countless nights, watching the stars with him watching over me.

And here I sit, 80 summers have passed through my life and I am under the Balete tree with my love.

“I know you, and I have loved you.”

=———————–=

*Chavacano or Chabacano refers to a number of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in  Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speakers. Chavacano is the only Spanish-based creole in Asia.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Chavacano-Zamboangueño Translation by JC Duterte
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © JC Duterte

Inspired by the Kapre Myths and description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

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

*Note this story is in Chavacano Zamboanga

Un noche, un cuago ya man tika de este cabeza desde un gueco na pono. El ulan ya man hinay na un taliti.

Siendo con hambre, ya estrecha este su maga alaz y ya vola na maga rama donde puede este encontra presa.

Ya imagina este su una sena este noche, quilaya hinde ya este ta puede espera machaca su presa y traga con este entero. El idea ya hace conele realmente almareao.

Ahora el cuago tiene bien bueno sentido de oida, de echo este experto oi maskin el pinakadiutay movimiento para cogi de este presa.

Mientras ya vola este encima de un sitio, ya puede este oi un sonor familiar.

El claro ritmo de ‘kik kik kik’.

Ay hinde era con este pone atencion el cuago como igual este pirmi ta hace, pero este curioso y ta queda ya fuerte el ulan. El maga cuago de vejes ya habla con el maga bata que este maga criatura hinde ta mete kanila, solamente na maga gente. Ya describe sila con detalle de este largo lengua, perchando na maga techo de maga casa de gente y el diila sonor otro clase.

Cerrando de este maga ojos, el cuago ya concentra para busca dond estaba el sonor, acordando cosa debe este busca.

Cuantos momentos despues, este confianza que ya puede loca donde el criatura.

Entonces, ya esta este donde el ventana y ya mira con el maga siguiente suceso.

Tiene tres gente ta dormi na costao de a uno’y otro. Un bata, un mujer que claro kay preñada y un hombre.

Maskin entrey alboroto del ulan, el cuago claro ta puede oi el sonor del tulo del un liquid na barriga del mujer. El cuago ya mira con ele levanta y pone tabo donde le parte. El mujer ya move y ya encontra otro lugar donde para dormi, pero otra vez el cuago ta puede oi el tulo ta tupa na su barriga na un tempo familiar.

Y aqui ya queda listo el orejas del cuago.

Y talla. ‘kik kik kik’

Dol aquel este un hutik, como el sonor ya traveza grande distancia para llega na diila maga orejas.

Ya enfria el sangre del cuago.

El hombre y el bata ya desperta na sonor y por instinto, el hombre ya saca un bolo y ya corre pa afuera.

Ya vola el cuago en frente del casa para mira cosa hace el hombre.

Ya grita el hombre, “Si ebo hinde deja dimiyo familia, ay anda yo na de bos casa mañana!” Este mientras ta taya le con su bolo el ulan.

En seguidas este ya para, y el cuago ta oi ya lang el taliti mientras ta dale este baña con el luna del medianoche.

El criatura ya sale, incapaz de sacar de este comida, y el cuago ya habla su cuerpo na este ay hinde socede conele este noche.

Mientras el cuago ya vola para busca presa, este ya pensa:

Sabe ba gayot el hombre donde el casa del tiktik?

=———————–=

English Version

One night, an owl poked its head out of its tree hole. The rain was weakening into a manageable shower.

Hungry as it was, it stretched its wings and flew to the perches where it could find prey.

It imagined its first meal of the night, how it couldn’t wait to crush their prey and swallow it whole. The thought made it positively giddy.

Now the owl had a very good sense of hearing, in fact it was adept at listening for even the slightest hints of movement to catch their quarry.

As it flew over a human village it heard a familiar sound.

The unmistakable cadence of ‘kik kik kik’.

The owl would have ignored it as it always had, but it was curious and the rain was starting to get stronger. The elder owls told the young that these creatures are harmless to their kind, only targeting humans. They described in detail the long tongue, perching on the roofs of human houses and their confusing sound.

Closing its eyes, the owl concentrated to find the source of the sound, remembering what it should be looking for.

After a few moments it was confident that it located where the creature would be.

So, it stayed by the window and watched the events unfold.

There were three humans sleeping side by side. One child, a woman that was clearly pregnant and a man.

Even through the noise of the raindrops the owl could clearly hear the sound of some liquid dropping on the stomach of the woman. The owl saw her stand up and put a dipper where she was. The woman moved and found another place to sleep, but again the owl could hear the same sound of droplets hitting her stomach in a familiar tempo.

And then the owl’s ears piqued.

There it was. ‘kik kik kik’

It was almost like a whisper, as if the sound traveled great distances to settle on their ears.

The owl’s blood ran cold.

The man and the child both woke up to the sound and almost through instinct the man grabbed a bolo and rushed outside.

The owl flew to the front of the house to see what the man would do.

The man shouted “If you don’t leave my family, I will go to your house tomorrow!” All the while swinging his bolo through the rain.

And in an instant, it stopped, the owl could only hear the pitter-patter of the drizzle as it washed over the midnight moon.

The creature left, unable to get its meal, and the owl scoffed and told itself that wasn’t going to happen to it tonight.

As the owl flew to its hunting grounds it wondered.

Did the man really know where the tiktik’s house was?

=————————-=

*Chavacano or Chabacano refers to a number of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speakers. Chavacano is the only Spanish-based creole in Asia.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Chavacano-Zamboangueño Translation by Marion Bais Guerrero
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Marion Bais Guerrero

Story inspired by a story told by Gil Geolingo

Tiktik Illustration by Gil Geolingo

*Note this story is in Chavacano-Zamboangueño

Tiene un niño quien jende ta puede durmi.

Todo’l noche, acostao lang le dispierto, esperando con el tiempo cuando ay puede ya le durmi. Cosa-cosa medecina ya yan reseta conele el maga doctor pero nuay lang siempre epecto.

Ya cumbinsi conele el disuyo amiga pruba otro solusion. Ya manda conele concentra na un cosa, na un cosa lang para queda calma disuyu pensamiento y resuello.

Ya pensa le na nuay ay cosa perde conele si pruba le. Na primer noche, ya pensa le con el dos luz na camino na ta puede le mira estaba na ventana. Ya mira le buenamente con esos y ala mañana, ya espanta kay buenamente le ya dispierta.

Ya continua le con ese na cuatro noche pa y ya obserba kay epektibo gayot. Na ika-cinco noche, ya obserba le kay ta queda ya iscuro el maga luz como ta queda pundido, pero ya concentra lang siempre le con estos y ya puede durmi.

Ala mañana, ya atraca le na ventana para mira si tiene ba problema el maga luz. Serca perde el su rusuello cuando ya mira le con el maga marca de cambras na ventana.

Na mismo noche, ya tapa le manta con el entero cuerpo disuyo y ya pensa otro cosa. Pero bien de ficil gat ‘ste ace.

Ya bira el maga luz.

Y mas arde ya ahora.

————————–————————–————————–—–

English Version

There was once a boy who had a terrible case of insomnia.

Night after night he would stay awake, trying to pass the time until he could finally get to sleep. The doctors tried to give him different drugs so he could sleep better but they didn’t help.

Finally, his friend suggested another method to help him deal with his problem. She told him to find something to focus on, just one thing and to see it in his mind’s eye. To think about it until his body was calm and his breath was slow.

The boy didn’t have anything to lose so he tried it. The first night when he was in his room he decided to focus on two street lights he saw from his window. He looked right into them, focused as much as he could and to his surprise, the next day, he woke up after a good night’s rest.

For four nights the boy continued this new method and every time it worked. On the fifth night, he noticed that the lights were fading in and out, like something was broken, but he focused anyway and he managed to get some sleep.

The next morning he went to his window to see what was wrong with the lights. He almost couldn’t breathe when he saw the claw marks by his windowsill.

That night he put his blanket over his head and he tried to focus on something else. But that was a very difficult thing to do.

The lights were back.

And they were brighter than ever.

————————–————————–————————–—–

**Chavacano or Chabacano refers to a number of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speakers. Chavacano is the only Spanish-based creole in Asia.

Chavacano-Zamboangueño Translation by May Temple Maravilles
Translation Copyright © May Temple Maravilles

Story adapted from Kubot entry in Myth Museum. Medina. 2015. And a half-remembered Creepypasta

Kubot Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
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Watercolor by Nicole Chiu
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