*Note this story is in Tagalog

Ang mga sugat at pilat sa kanyang braso ay Isang maliwanag na patunay ng buhay na kanyang tinahak. Hindi alam ng babaing ito kung bakit naging masubgit Ang tadhana sa kanya, kung bakit binigyan sya ng isang asawang malupit at ni hindi nagbibigay ng ano mang suporta para sa kanila anak. Pero sa kabila Ng lahat ng ito ay mas pinili nyang magpatuloy.

Pumapanatag ang kanyang kalooban pag sya ay nasa tabing dagat. Sa may pampang ay may isang malaking bato na nagiging kublihan nya at ng kanyang anak, tuwing sya ay sinasaktan ng kanyang asawa. Dun ay humahalo ang patak ng kanyang mga luha sa alon ng dagat. Wala syang ibang matatakbuhan, ang dagat ang nagdadala ng kapayapaan sa kanya, hindi man nya alam kung hanggang kailan tatagal ang kapayapaang ito.

Mayroon syang tungkulin bilang asawa, ang mahalin at paglingkuran ang lalaking kasama nyang nanumpa sa harap ng dambana. tungkulin sa Isang lalaking sugarol at lassengo, bagama’t mabigat ay tungkulin pa rin. Tanggap ng babae ang kanyang naging kapalaran, ngunit ang mga pilat at sugat ay unti unti nang nanunoot sa kaibuturan ng kanyang buong pagkatao.

Isang Gabi, sumagad ang pananakit ng kanyang Asawa. “Sapat na!” wika ng babae sa kanyang sarili, dagling tinungo ng babae ang dalampasigan, karga ang kanyang anak, mabilis silang nagtago sa malaking bato. Kasabay ng paghagulgol ay pagsusumamo nya sa may hawak ng Tadhana maging ng malawak na karagatan. Iniiyak nya ang kanyang naging Buhay at ang kalupitang sinapit sa kamay ng lalaking itinuring nyang asawa. Ngunit mas naghihinagpis ang kanyang puso dahil hindi nya alam kung anong buhay ang kaya nyang ibigay sa kanyang anak.

Sya ay patuloy na nanangis, Hanggang ang pagtangia na ito ay mayroong nakarinig.

Sa pusod ng karagatan, sa ilalim ng mga alon, ang kanyang pag iyak ay binitbit ng alon tungko sa pandinig ng Dyos ng dagat. Ang Dyos ng dagat ay namangha, ngayon lamang sya nakarinig ng ganitong pagtangis na punong puno ng hinagpis at paghihirap, kaya nagdalang awa sya sa babae at sa anak nito.

Mula sa pinakamalalim na bahagi ng karagatan, umahon ang Dyos ng dagat at hinarap Aang babae. Dagli nya itong pinapili, manatili sa lupa o sumama sa kanya at manirahan sa ilalim ng dagat, kung saan maglalahong lahat ang kanyang kalungkutan.

Dahil alam ng babae na ang pananatili sa lupa ay patuloy nyang malalasap ang lupit ng kanyang asawa, ay dagling pumayag ang babae na sumama na lamang sa ilalim ng dagat. Sa Isang kisapmata ay binago ng Dyos ng dagat ang kanilang anyo, ang mag Ina ay mabilis na naging nilalang ng karagatan.

Ayon sa mga kwento ang babae at ang kanyang anak ay maligaya at malayang nanirang sa ilalim ng dagat, habang buhay, kaisa ng mga alon, hanggang sa dulo ng walang hanggang.

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English Version

The bruises on the woman’s arms were a testament to the life that she led. She did not know why fate had chosen to give her a cruel husband that would not even provide for the needs of her and her child, but she had decided to persevere.

She had always found peace in the beach. By the shore there was a big rock where she would bring her baby after each beating her husband gave. There her tears would join the ocean. There was nowhere else she could run, but the sea afforded her some measure of comfort, for however long that would last.

She had her duty as a wife, a duty to a man who was a gambler and a drunkard, but a duty nonetheless. The woman accepted her fate, but the scars were taking their toll.

One night, too much was enough. To save her life and the life of her child the woman fled to the beach and went by the large rock and cried. She cried to the fates and the oceans. She cried about her life and her scars. But mostly, she cried for her child, for what future would await the poor baby.

She cried until she was heard.

Far beneath the sea, the woman’s cries were carried by the waves to the ears of the god of the sea. He had never heard such a tale of sadness and woe and decided to take pity on the woman and her child.

From the depths of the oceans the god of the sea emerged and faced the woman. He gave her a choice, to stay on land or to go with him, underneath the waves where the woman’s sadness would vanish.

There was no choice to be made. Immediately the woman nodded and the god of the sea transformed the woman and her baby into creatures of the sea.

So it came to pass that the woman who found solace in the sea, was embraced by its ruler, forevermore to be one with the waves and the sea foam, until the end of time.

————————–————————–————————––

*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Rem Faustino
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Rem Faustino

Inspired by “The Origin of the Duyong.” in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Duyung illustration by Seika Mitsuya
https://www.instagram.com/seikart/

*Note this story is in Bicol-Naga

Ang manga pila asin bakrus sa takyag kan babaye testamento kan naging buhay niya. Dae niya maintindihan kun tano pinalad siyang makakua nin maisog na agom na dae ngani makatao saiya asin sa manga aki kan saindang panganga-ipo, pero nagdesision siyang mag-tsaga.

Ang baybayon pirme nang natao saiya  nin katuninongan.  Duman sa baybayon may dakulang gapo na kun saen dinadara niya ang saiyang umboy kada tapos nin pagbudal saiya kan agom.  Duman ang saiyang manga luha nasumaro sa dagat.  Mayo siyang madadalaganan, alagad ang dagat nakaka-tao nin ginhawa, maski para mentras o maghaloy pa man.

Bilang agom may tungod siya, sarong obligasyon sa sarong lalake na parasugal asin buratsero, pero tungod pa nangad.  Inako kan babaye ang saiyang palad alagad magabaton na ang manga pila asin bakrus.

Sarong banggi, ang sobra ─ tama na.  Ang babaye nagdulag, nagduman sa baybayon para isalbar ang sadire asin buhay kan saiyang aki.  Asin duman sa may dakulang gapo nagparahibe.  Hinibian niya ang manga palad asin manga dagat.  Alagad ang mas hinibian niya ang saiyang aki, ta anong futuro ang naghahalat sa pobreng umboy.

Nagparahibe siya sagkod na may makadangog.

Ang manga hibion kan babaye dinara kan manga alon sa kairarum-iraruman abot sa talinga kan diyos nin dagat.  Nungka pa si diyos nin dagat naka-danggog na mamundoon na istorya sagkod pano nin dusa asin kina-hirakan niya ang babaye y ang saiyang aki.

Hale sa kairaroman kan kadagatan and diyos nin dagat nagbutwa asin hinapang ang babaye.  Pinapili niya ang babaye, magistar digde sa daga o mag-iba saiya, sa irarom kan mga alon na ang kamundoan kan babaye mawawara.

Mayong puedeng pagpilian.  Ora mismo ang babaye tuminango asin si diyos kan dagat binago ang babaye asin aki niya.  Ang mga ine naging mga nilalang kan kadagatan.

Padagos sinasabi na itong babaye na naka-kuang consolasyon sa dagat, na inako kan saindang hadi, sagkod pa man nagsusumaro sa manga alon asin manga sabo-sabo, sagkod na sa katapusan nin panahon.

=————————————————–=

The scars and bruises on the woman’s arms were a testament to the life that she lad. She did not know why fate had chosen to give her a cruel husband that would not even provide for the needs of her and her child, but she had decided to persevere.

She had always found peace in the beach. By the shore there was a big rock where she would bring her baby after each beating her husband gave. There her tears would join the ocean. There was nowhere else she could run, but the sea afforded her some measure of comfort, for however long that would last.

She had her duty as a wife, a duty to a man who was a gambler and a drunkard, but a duty nonetheless. The woman accepted her fate, but the scars and the bruises were taking their toll.

One night, too much was enough. To save her life and the life of her child the woman fled to the beach and went by the large rock and cried. She cried to the fates and the oceans. She cried about her life and her scars. But mostly, she cried for her child, for what future would await the poor baby.

She cried until she was heard.

Far beneath the waves the woman’s cries were carried by the waves to the ears of the god of the sea. He had never heard such a tale of sadness and woe and decided to take pity on the woman and her child.

From the depths of the oceans the god of the sea emerged and faced the woman. He gave her a choice, to stay on land or to go with him, underneath the waves where the woman’s sadness would vanish.

There was no choice to be made. Immediately the woman nodded and the god of the sea transformed the woman and her baby into creatures of the sea.

So it went that the woman who found solace in the sea, was embraced by its ruler, forevermore to be one with the waves and the sea foam, until the end of time.

=——————————————–=

*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 Patricia P. SanJose
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Patricia P. SanJose

Inspired by “The Origin of the Duyong.” in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Duyung illustration by Seika Mitsuya
https://www.instagram.com/seikart/

The bruises on the woman’s arms were a testament to the life that she led. She did not know why fate had chosen to give her a cruel husband that would not even provide for the needs of her and her child, but she had decided to persevere.

She had always found peace in the beach. By the shore there was a big rock where she would bring her baby after each beating her husband gave. There her tears would join the ocean. There was nowhere else she could run, but the sea afforded her some measure of comfort, for however long that would last.

She had her duty as a wife, a duty to a man who was a gambler and a drunkard, but a duty nonetheless. The woman accepted her fate, but the scars were taking their toll.

One night, too much was enough. To save her life and the life of her child the woman fled to the beach and went by the large rock and cried. She cried to the fates and the oceans. She cried about her life and her scars. But mostly, she cried for her child, for what future would await the poor baby.

She cried until she was heard.

Far beneath the sea, the woman’s cries were carried by the waves to the ears of the god of the sea. He had never heard such a tale of sadness and woe and decided to take pity on the woman and her child.

From the depths of the oceans the god of the sea emerged and faced the woman. He gave her a choice, to stay on land or to go with him, underneath the waves where the woman’s sadness would vanish.

There was no choice to be made. Immediately the woman nodded and the god of the sea transformed the woman and her baby into creatures of the sea.

So it came to pass that the woman who found solace in the sea, was embraced by its ruler, forevermore to be one with the waves and the sea foam, until the end of time.

————————–————————–————————––

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by “The Origin of the Duyong.” in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Duyung illustration by Seika Mitsuya
https://www.instagram.com/seikart/