*Note this story is in Maguindanaon

“Kaka, mapakay a idual engka i sabun a nan?”

“Uway mambu.”

Di ku katawan entertain i pedtindeg a nan a babay sa sangulan ku, ugaid katawan ku a benal a kena i nan i suled ku a babay. Tu pan i kinailay ku sa lekanin sa pangagian sa nakalepas a kutika endu di manggula i magagan a benal i kinambalingan nin. Wagib a katantu ku a di ku sekanin mapaangel a benal, entain i pakakataw sa ngin a balangan na manginggilek i makasulut sa palas na katiwalayan ku.

“Pina, enduken ka sangat i kalimeng engka? Masu kena den benal a pedtalu.”

“Padtaday ka den, pagitungen ku bu i pantag sa nganin-nganin.”

“Na uway pabila pidtalu nengka.”

Da madakel a kapamilian a kana laki sia. Masu katawan ku ngin inia. Tatap a pedtaluan kami ni tua babay sa manga tudtulan na encanto sa dalem a kayu na Bantungon. Napagitung ku na su mapamili ku bu na i kaawa.

“Balapantag ku den a lemu.”

“Tantu ka Pina? Wagi a labi ta embitiala, Ka masu di ta den pakadtanggunuta dua.”

“Labi a madakel i penggulan ku sa walay.”

“Pedsanggilan aku nengka.”

Su engkanto minebpun a midtulik sa buntal nin endu sa manga buk sa taligkudan ku na midtindeg. Midsambi bun su suara nin endu di den sekanin pamamantag sa kapagakal nin sa laki. Inawan ku den i pamipian sa lagilayan endu midtalaguy sa malengkas sampay sa walay.

Masu di aku nin pedtundugen, a mapia a tanda i nan. Midtulik aku sa langit endu magan den i kapedsedep nu senang, Ya temu da ku den pamamantag i kutika a lu pan sa engkanto.

“Kaka, kaka mebpun aku den keman saguna?”

Kimapet aku sa laleb ku, ugaid na napagitung ku na sa kutika na kauma na suled ku a babay. Su tidtu ku a suled a babay. Mingginawa aku endu mingemen-gemen. Napasad den su batalu.

“Oh Uping, di aku nengka palityalan sa ngin i nanggula.”

“Ngin i nanggula kaka?”

“Lu aku sa lagilayan endu aden nailay ku a kabuntal engka”

“Katawan ku.”

“….Ngin?”

“Di mapia i kaawa sa da pagetaw nin.”

=——————-=

English Version

“Ate, could you hand me the soap please?”

“Sure.”

I don’t know who the woman standing in front of me is, but I sure as hell know it isn’t my sister. I just saw her off to school a few hours ago and there’s no way she could have come back this fast. I have to make sure that I don’t upset her too much, who knows what kind of monster can wear the guise of my family.

“Pina, why are you so serious? You don’t seem to be talking much.”

“It’s fine, just thinking about things.”

“Okay if you say so.”

There aren’t many choices for me here. I think I know what this is. Lola always told us stories of encanto in the woods of Bantungon. I think that the only choice I have is to leave.

“I think I need to go.”

“Are you sure Pina? We should talk more, I don’t think we spend enough time together.”

“There are more errands that I have to do at home.”

“Are you trying to avoid me.”

The engkanto starts to get a look on her face and the hairs on my back stand on end. Her voice changes as well and I don’t think she’s concerned about tricking me anymore. I leave the laundry by the brook and run as fast as I can back home.

She doesn’t seem to be following me, which is a good sign. I look up and it’s almost sunset, I must not have paid attention to the time while with the engkanto.

“Ate, ate should I start with dinner now?”

I clutch my chest, but then I remember it’s around the time my sister comes home. My real sister. I breathe and smile. The ordeal is finally over.

“Oh Uping, you won’t believe what happened to me.”

“What’s wrong ate?”

“I was by the brook and I saw someone that looked exactly like you”

“I know.”

“….What?”

“It isn’t nice to leave without saying goodbye.”

=-===================—-

**Maguindanao or Maguindanaon is an Austronesian language spoken by majority of the population of Maguindanao province in the Philippines. It is also spoken by sizable minorities in different parts of Mindanao such as the cities of Zamboanga, Davao, and General Santos, and the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, as well as Metro Manila. This was the language of the historic Sultanate of Maguindanao, which existed before and during the Spanish colonial period from 1500–1888.

*This story is not “word for word” or “translated literally” since there are English words that has no exact equivalent in Maguindanaon language. It was translated as to how an old Maguindanaon would re-tell the story. But nonetheless, the content and dialogue in the original and the translated version are all the same.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Traslation by Datu Hashim
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Datu Hashim

Inspired by “The Encanto at Baguntod” in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Engkantada Illustration by Ysa Peñas
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theonechitect/

*Note this story is in Maguindanaon

Sa inia inged a migkasela su tua mama ku, sa apia entain na di kapakayan embitiala sa magabi.

“Kakineg ku pan su uni na guyudan a putaw nin,” pidtalu na tua mama ku.

Kapegkasela a kaped sekanin na bida. Kanu kutika a wata kami pan endu pegumbal kami sa uni sa magabi edtalaguy sekanin sa lekami endu tantu a kena makaingel, di pegumbal sa ingel sa ginawa nin.

Tatap a pedsendit aku sa kapegidsa sa enduken.

Sa nan a inged pebpawang intu sa magabi, pegketengen nin su guyudan a putaw nin. Su guyudan na napenu sa takembangan nu nauna a pimbunu nin.

“Su manga manusia a di mataw papedtelen sa ngali nilan.”

Sa ukit a kinapanudtul nu tua mama sa tudtul, Natawan ku a aden kaped nin a nabunu lu. Da nin embitiala i ped, ugaid isa kutika, sa magabi sa kinatulug nin na kakineg ku sekanin.

“Ernesto, suled ku a Ernesto, tagak ka sekanin.”

Pidtalu nin sa laki na minukit sa walay nilan. Su suled nin na mawalaw endu babal, katig nin na di kalabian. Su kabenal na kangudan na mabagel sa dalem nin.

“Inenggat nin su manginggilek endu binayadan nin i alaga.”

Su Tua mama ku na tatap a pedtalus pantag sa alaga.  Sa panun intu a nganin-nganin a nabayadan pabila naukit intu. Da ku katuntayi i ngin a benal intu sampay sa inipatuntay nin.

“Da bun intu sa lekitanu a su manginggilek kimua bu sa nyawa, ugaid kinua nin su nganin-nganin a su kamatayan bu wagib a pedtalima.”

Su suled ni tua mama ku naawa su nyawa sa intu.

Saguna, Di aku a benal pebparitiaya sa nganin-nganin mana su nyawa endu manginggilek a pegkikineg sa magabi, ugaid kamudian na kinabpatay ni tua mama minebpun su manga uni.

Kakineg ku su manga takembangan a pebpupuka sa kaped sa guyudan nin. Kakineg ku su manga kisek nu manga pimbunu nin, pangeni sa abadi a kapapembutawa. Kakineg ku su ulian a sengka nu tua mama ku, pangeni-pangeni sa kanu nyawa nu suled nin.

“Mapakay, temu saki kua ka.”

Pangenin-ngenin ku na matading den su manga uni. Di ku katawan enduken ka pedtundugen nilan su tua mama ku endu enduken ka pedtundugen aku nilan. Pidtepengan ku a di pamamantag silan, ugaid di ku kagaga.

Uman magabi na labi pegkabagel

=————————-=

English Version

In the town where my lolo was raised, no one was allowed to talk at night.

“I can still hear the sound of its iron cart,” my lolo used to say.

Growing up with him was strange. When we were kids and we would make a sound at night he would run towards us and make sure we were quite, trying not to make noise himself.

I always regretted asking him why.

In that town it traveled at night, pulling its iron cart. The cart was filled with the skulls of its previous victims.

“The ones that didn’t know how to keep their mouths shut.”

The way my lolo told the story, I knew that he had lost
someone to the monster. He never spoke of it much, but sometimes, at night while he was asleep I could hear him.

“Ernesto, my brother Ernesto, leave him alone.”

He told me it passed by their house. His brother was brave and foolish, he thought he was invincible. The truth of youth was strong within him.

“He challenged the monster and paid the price.”

Lolo would always go on about the price. How it was something that was paid when it got its way. I never understood what it really was until he explained.

“It would not matter to us had the monster only taken lives, but it took something that only death should claim.”

My lolo’s brother had lost his soul to it.

Now, I don’t really believe in things like souls and monsters that listen in the night, but after lolo died the sounds began.

I could hear the skulls knocking against each other in its cart. I could hear the screams of its victims, begging for their eternal release. I could hear the last gasp of my lolo, pleading for his brother’s life.

“Please, take me instead.”

I wish the sounds would go away. I don’t know why they followed lolo and why they’re following me. I try to ignore them, but I can’t.

Every night they get louder.

————————–————————–————————–———–

**Maguindanao or Maguindanaon is an Austronesian language spoken by majority of the population of Maguindanao province in the Philippines. It is also spoken by sizable minorities in different parts of Mindanao such as the cities of Zamboanga, Davao, and General Santos, and the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, as well as Metro Manila. This was the language of the historic Sultanate of Maguindanao, which existed before and during the Spanish colonial period from 1500–1888.

*This story is not “word for word” or “translated literally” since there are English words that has no exact equivalent in Maguindanaon language. It was translated as to how an old Maguindanaon would re-tell the story. But nonetheless, the content and dialogue in the original and the translated version are all the same.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Traslation by Datu Hashim
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Datu Hashim

Inspired by the Kuraret legends from La Union

Kuraret Illustration by Leandro Geniston
FB: That Guy With A Pen

Colors by Alexa Garde

Website: Lexa.us

*Note this story is in Maguindanaon

Isa a magabi, midtabed su surga. Aden ru a maha i naulug sa lupa endu natabanan.

Minendud intu sa kapalawan, katawan den a nanggula intu nakamagatus kali-di, nakasangibu kali paganay.

Kalinian nin bu na kapendegka sampay sa kapeguma nu tundug a ulan-ulan.

Ugaid sa tu a magabi na aden salakaw a nakatagu.

Kimekep su ru kanu ubay nu isa a takub endu mibpipideng sekanin, pedsinganin su mamis a katana nu tulug.

Endu mapasad den intu pabila kena bu sabap sa suara na napagedam.

“Ampun aku?”

Su ru na midtulik sa kaligidan ka pinangilay nin su ebpunan na ingel. Da malayam sa kapangingilay sa nganin-nganin a labi lawan i kadidu nin sa ulan-ulan.

Kimisek intu, “Entain i san?! Pailay ka!”

“Kena den wagib i kapegkisek. Sia aku bun.”

Su ru na limengi kanu bungawan nu takub aden manisan a mama.
Mabagel a ginawa, napikir nu ru. Isa sa kanilan.

Su ru na da atu nin ebpun kanu manga manisan, sa didalem nin silan, . Katawan pan nilan labi lawan sa kapembitiala kanu ru, basi malasay silan su mulka nin.

“Pendalungan nengka su takub,” pedtalu nu manisan.

“Pengenin nengka a mawa aku?” su ru a maha pedtulik sa kalasayan.

“Pengenin ku a mangay ka sa kaped, mapakay a mukit ka sa langit mana papanuk. Di ka pendalungi i takub ku.”

“Bali enduken mangay aku sa apia endaw? Ngin i sabapan a napikir nengka a da guna nin a ru mana ginawa nengka i aden hak nin a edtalu sa endaw ebpawang i Kedu”.

“Mapakay bu, Kiyugan ku a tagak aku engka sa isa bu.”

“Kena sekitanu bun langun.”

“Bali, mangay tanu den?”

“Di, di aku pelu”

Mimbagel sa ginawa su manisan a ru. Natawan nin i da den lalan a makataban sekanin. Nakakedu sekanin sa pinadtaday ni Kedu sekanin edtalu sa mauget. Sa aden basal a bagel na mapakay a makabinasa sa manisan a ru sa magagan. Da bun mambu masama sa matading kanu manisan a ruh bali naatul nin a mayan sa ubay a watu endu mimbitiala sekanin kaped su ru a maha.

“Enduken napili nengka inia a inged sa kapendegka?”

“Nailay ku sa ebpun sa pulu and nailay ku a mapia, ngin pan i ped a sabapan ku a kaangay sia?”

“Masu sangat a kalugat.”

“Saki”

“Ngin i nanggula?”

“Pagidsan sa tatap. Kasigkem ku su ulan-ulan ugaid na di ku kakapetan.”

“Enduken engka di?”

“Ngin i bida a kaaden nin?”

“Kiugan ku a matawan”

Mimbagel sa ginawa su Kedu endu napikir nin a da nin madtalu i manga tudtul kana madakel a manga ulan-ulan. Su manisan a ru na nawan na kaya midsa, mindamangias bun sekanin.

“Minebpun sa kutika sa unan pan na manga waktu. Sa manga ru a labi lawan i kamaha nin sa leka atawa laki a aden kamal nin sa langun-langun paganay, saguna endu tundug pan.”

“Mana nengka na kena ka ganat sa inia inged?”

“Di kena, madidu a ru, kena saki.”

“Su manisan a ru na nakakedu. Sa manga kadatuan nilan kena den baraguna su ebpunan. Pibpikir intu, apia ngin a ru ka, tatap a bad ka na inia inged. Su kaitungan nin na nagedam endu kiyugan nin pan matawan.

Initalus ni Kedu, “Madakel i manga diwa bali su manga saitan bun. Su manga bunua nilan na mawalaw endu labi madakel a dara i naudud. Kena intu labi mapia kanu kutika a migatul silan a egkaisa. Aden kutika a napikir ku ngin den i manggulan pabila ped bu a atul i naumbal ku. Basi saguna na maganap aku pan.”

“Maganap?”

“Katawi ka su tampat nengka. Padtalu aku nengka sa tudtul.”

“Ampun aku ru a maha, mapakay a talus ka.”

“Napianan kami sa talad a kaabadian. Endu sekami manga babal sa mibparityaya kami sa dalebut nilan. Sa maha kaludan a pedtindegan nami, pegidtung su manga bagel sa mabagel a papeliyu na kabagal tanu. Su kaabadi na nakalepas den, sampay su hadia tanu mimbangun ebpun sa kadaleman. Su Amrita.”

“Amrita?”

“Su unga teneb nu kaabadian. Su sabapan bu a enggalbek tanu sa kaped silan.”

“Bali ngin i nanggula?”

“Da nilan enggi su bagi nami. Timuga su lipunget ku sa manga ugat dara tanu a mana su mambitialan a kasuli. Apia bida a lalan i napili ku.”

Tinangguban nu katana su manga ru a mana su namug a kaaden sa laun.

“Ru a maha? Aden san mawag a kanggula?”

“I—” Midtatawa si Kedu. “Di ku bun katanudan ngin i ngala ku.”

“Ngin i mana nengka?”

“Su manga ngala na den baraguna nin. Bida intu sa waktu. Maganap aku paganay. Su ped menem sa lekami na mibpasad, Minebpun aku enggalbek. Mibpakilala ku su ginawa ku a isa sa kanilan, kemua sa unga teneb endu masampay su kahanda ku.”

“Mabaluy ka a abadi.”

“Sa apia ngin a  mapia a pinggula. Su dua na nailay nilan su kinadtalimbut ku endu pinatuntay nilan su sangat a mabagel sa kanilan. ”

“Su dua?”

“Su senang endu su ulan-ulan, mambu.”

Su manisan a ru na mindangu-dangu. Tatap a napikir nin na su Kedu endu su ulan-ulan na alung-alung nu dunya, da kapupusan nin a sagayan a malung nu langit. Makakedu intu pabila matawan tatap nin a napikir na si Kedu endu su ulan-ulan na alung-alung nu kasipatan, taman-taman a kapedsagayan sa malung nu langit. Makakedu ka pabila katawan na sangat a kena mapakay matawan.

Si Kedu na timalus, “Ngin pan san i mapakay a edtalun? Natebped su ulu ku endu na inia aku saguna, badan a maganap. “Enduken minangay ka sa inia inged?”

“Tinundug ku su senang endu su ulan-ulan sa endaw silan pedsigay sa palitan nilan. Su kaped a manga inged su ulu ku i pedtundug sa ulan-ulan, kaped na pabila ngin i kasama kanu badan na temundug sa mga babal. Ugaid di tanu makapetan silan, su dua na sinusup nilan su unga teneb. Basi taman-taman a nakambagi a enggulalan sa kapembuntal-buntal.”

“Sukran sa tudtul nengka, ru a maha. Kakedam ku i kabarabangsa sa kapegkakineg lun.”

“Mapia, bali matay ka a kaped i kabarabangsa.”

Sa paidu a kutika, su masela ikug nu Kedu na naulug sa lupa nu manisan a ru.

Sa timundug a katana kani Kedu na migkulut sa hadapan na takub, sa katamatan na nasampay nin bun su kapendegka a pengilayn nin.

=———————-=

English Version

One night, the heavens churned. A great spirit fell to the ground and was defeated.

It retreated to the mountains, keenly aware that this had happened a hundred—no, a thousand times before.

All it wanted to do was rest until the next moon would come.

But that night had something else in store.

The spirit huddled beside a cave and closed its eyes, hoping for the sweet tranquility of sleep.

And it would have succeeded if not for a voice that jolted it awake.

“Excuse me?”

The spirit looked around for the source of the noise. It was not accustomed to looking for things smaller than the moon.

It bellowed, “Who is there?! Show yourself!”

“You don’t need to shout. I am right here.”

The spirit tuned its head and at the entrance of the cave was a beautiful man.

Sigh, the spirit thought. One of them.

The spirit had nothing against the beautiful ones, they were beneath him, both literally and metaphorically. They also knew better than to engage with the spirit, lest they suffer its wrath.

“You’re blocking my cave,” the beautiful one said.

“Are you demanding that I leave?” the great spirit eyed this inconvenience.

“I’m asking you to go somewhere else, you can move through the sky as easily as a bird. Please do not block my cave.”

“And why would I go elsewhere? What makes you think that an insignificant spirit such as yourself has any right to tell Kedu where to go.”

“Please, I would just like to be left alone.”

“Don’t we all.”

“So, will you move?”

“No, I don’t think I will.”

The beautiful spirit sighed. He knew there was no way he could win. He was also surprised that Kedu let him speak this long. With its enormous power it could destroy the beautiful spirit in an instant. There was nothing left to lose for the beautiful spirit anyway so he decided to sit on a nearby rock and have a conversation with the great spirit.

“Why did you choose this place to rest?”

“I saw it from above and it looked comfortable, why else would I go here?”

“You seem very tired.”

“I am.”

“What happened?”

“The same as always. I caught the moon but could not hold it.”

“Why couldn’t you?”

“What difference does it make?”

“I would like to know.”

Kedu sighed and realized he had not told that story for many moons. The beautiful spirit was brash enough to ask, might as well humor it.

“It started in the time before times. Where spirits greater than you or I held dominion over everything that was, is, and will be.”

“You mean that you were not from this land?”

“No, small spirit, I was not.”

The beautiful spirit was surprised. In their realms origins did not matter. It was assumed that, whatever spirit you are, you had always been a part of this land. His curiosity was piqued and he wanted to know more.

Kedu continued, “There were many gods then as well as demons. Their battles were fierce and much blood was spilt. Though it was not any better when they decided to work together. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had made different choices. Maybe then I would still be complete.”

“Complete?”

“Know your place. Let me tell my story.”

“I apologize great spirit, please continue.”

“We were enticed by the promise of immortality. And fools we were for believing their lies. By the great ocean we stood, tossing the waves as violent as our powers allowed. The eternities passed by, until our prize rose from the depths. The Amrita.”

“Amrita?”

“The nectar of immortality. The only reason why we would ever work with them.”

“What happened then?”

“They denied us of our share. Anger flowed through our veins as we planned our revenge. Though I chose a different ploy.”

Silence blanketed the spirits like dew settling on leaves.

“Great spirit? Is there something wrong?”

“I—” Kedu let out a chuckle. “I don’t even remember what my name was.”

“What do you mean?”

“Names do not matter. It was a different time. I was complete then. While others of my kind planned, I set out into action. I disguised myself as one of them, taking in the nectar and achieving my goal.”

“You became immortal.”

“For whatever good that did. The two had seen through my ruse and warned the most powerful of their kind.”

“The two?”

“The sun and the moon, of course.”

The beautiful spirit nodded. He had always assumed that the Kedu and the moon were reflections of nature, an endless dance in the cloak of the sky. It was surprising to find out it was so personal.

Kedu carried on, “What else is there to say? My head was severed and now I am what I am, a body left incomplete.”

“And why did you come to this land?”

“I follow the sun and moon wherever they shine their light. In some lands it is my head that hunts the moon, in others what is left of our body pursues those fools. But we cannot hold them, the two had also imbibed the nectar. Maybe we are forever destined to carry out this charade.”

“Thank you for your story, great spirit. I feel honored to have heard it.”

“Good, then you will die with that honor.”

In a split second Kedu’s massive tail crashed onto the beautiful spirit’s form.

In the silence that followed Kedu curled up in front of the cave, finally able to get the rest that he sought.

**Maguindanao or Maguindanaon is an Austronesian language spoken by majority of the population of Maguindanao province in the Philippines. It is also spoken by sizable minorities in different parts of Mindanao such as the cities of Zamboanga, Davao, and General Santos, and the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, as well as Metro Manila. This was the language of the historic Sultanate of Maguindanao, which existed before and during the Spanish colonial period from 1500–1888.

*This story is not “word for word” or “translated literally” since there are English words that has no exact equivalent in Maguindanaon language. It was translated as to how an old Maguindanaon would re-tell the story. But nonetheless, the content and dialogue in the original and the translated version are all the same.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Traslation by Datu Hashim
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Datu Hashim

Inspired by the Ketu/ Kedu descriptions in Tagalog Borrowings and Cognates by Jean Paul Potet (2016) and Diccionario mitológico de Filipinas in
Volume 2 of Retana, W.E. Archivo del bibliófilo filipino by Ferdinand Blumentritt, Ed Jordan Clark Aswang Project. (2021)

Kedu Illustration by Yuriko Yoshida
IG: @yumiro45

FB: Yumiro45

*Note this story is in Maguindanaon.

Tatap a kalinian ku i kapedtulik kanu ulan-ulan. Aden su rahasia sa entain sekanin. Papedsigay nin bu su palitan nin sabap sa baraguna? Pembaba i pagedan a kuda nin kanu dunya? Abadi sekanin?

Da den kutika ku a pendalmet a ped su manga kaped a wata, tatap a aden sakit atawa kaped pan a sabapan na di ku kapeliyu. Di ku den mambalasa su mayaw a sigay nu senang, ugaid sa magabi, sa pageletan nu sahaya nu bitun endu su sambel a malemek, su ulan-ulan bu i pakat ku.

Su manga kalukesan na pedtudtul silan sa pabila su ulan-ulan na temelen sa kapagkaaden sa langit, inia nin mana na pembangkit su dunya. Midtatawa aku kanu manga tudtul, ka panun i kapedtelen na ulan-ulan kanu abadi a libet nin? Sekanin su taginep a naaden kanu kabenalan, su panudtul a sampurna sa palitan.

Nan intu, sampay sa mailay ku su singa.

Pembedtuan sekanin sa Arimaonga nu manga kalukesan. Di ku katawan i madtalu ku su badan ku na napenu na gilek. Labi a masela intu pan kanu katig ku a binatang. Endu pegkapetan nin su papedtayan ku a ulan-ulan.

Su waktu na midtegas den, Pidtulikan ku i isa-isa ku a pakat na sinepa nu binatang. Kanu kaped a lalan, su singa na pendalmet sa dalmetan, da katawi a tu den i sabapan na   kabinasa tanu langun.

Labi a nagilekan pan sekanin sa laki. Kagedam ku su penggiginawan nin a mana da den arap kanu kapegkapet lun sa pageletan na baka nu singa. Minebpun aku mulyang sa intu kutika.

“Singa butawani ka su ulan-ulan atawa embangkit su dunya!”

Di ku katawan enduken a minebpun aku edtalu sa intu ugaid na mana sipat ku den, a mana pedtalun.

“Singa butawani ka su ulan-ulan atawa embangkit su dunya!”

Su kaped a manga maginged na minebpun mamung sa laki sa sengal. Su manga kalukesan na pidtanggit nilan su manga tagungu endu manga agung nilan endu su ingel na makasampay sa surga.

“SINGA BUTAWANI KA SU ULAN-ULAN ATAWA EMBANGKIT SU DUNYA!”

Su manga bakelengan nami na linegawan, magan kami den di makaginawa ugaid da kami telen. Di ku sekanin tagaken kanu singa, inia inged na di bun pedtagak sa lekanin.

Kanu kutika a binutawan nu singa su ulan-ulan na su nakalepas a nanggula na mana abadi. Kinapetan nin su takilidan nin endu midsaluman sekanin sa penggulan sa kanu surga.

Endu saki, mapagumbaba a wata pedsukur-sukur kanu Kadenan sabap su isa-isa ku a pakat na kurma bun.

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English Version

I have always liked staring at the moon. There’s just the mystery of what she is. Does she shine her light only on the worthy? Is she dressed by the stars? Is she eternal?

There was never a chance for me to play with the other children, there was always some sickness or another that kept me indoors. I could never appreciate the sun’s harsh rays, but in the night, among the starlight and the gentle breeze, my only friend was the moon.

The elders tell stories that if the moon were to cease being in the sky, the world would end. I laughed at those stories once upon a time, for how could the moon ever stop her perpetual cycle? She was the dream made into reality, the perfect harbinger of light.

That is, until I saw the lion.

It was called the Arimaonga by the elders. I didn’t know how to react as terror filled my entire body. It was larger than I thought any animal could ever be. And it was clutching my beloved moon.

Time froze then, I stared helplessly as my only friend was being devoured by the beast. In some perverse way, the lion was playing a game, not knowing that it may just be the doom of us all.

She was more scared than I was. I could feel her hopelessness as she was clutched between the jaws of the lion. I started crying then.

“Lion release the moon or the world will come to an end!”

I don’t know why I started saying those words but it felt natural, like they needed to be said.

“Lion release the moon or the world will come to an end!”

The other villagers stared joining me in the chant. The elders brought out their drums and gongs to make the noises reach the heavens.

“LION RELEASE THE MOON OR THE WORLD WILL COME TO AN END!”

Our throats were hoarse, our breath almost gone but we did not stop. I will not abandon her to the lion, this village will not abandon her.

The lion finally released the moon after what seemed like an eternity. She clutched her sides and resumed her track along the heavens.

And I, a humble child thanked the gods that my only friend was safe.

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**Maguindanao or Maguindanaon is an Austronesian language spoken by majority of the population of Maguindanao province in the Philippines. It is also spoken by sizable minorities in different parts of Mindanao such as the cities of Zamboanga, Davao, and General Santos, and the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, as well as Metro Manila. This was the language of the historic Sultanate of Maguindanao, which existed before and during the Spanish colonial period from 1500–1888.

*This story is not “word for word” or “translated literally” since there are English words that has no exact equivalent in Maguindanaon language. It was translated as to how an old Maguindanaon would re-tell the story. But nonetheless, the content and dialogue in the original and the translated version are all the same.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Traslation by Datu Hashim
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Datu Hashim

Inspired by the Arimaonga description in Philippine Folk Literature: The Myths. Eugenio. 2001.

Arimaonga illustration by Lou Pineda
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