*Note this story is in Ilocano

Buaya

Daytoy ti disso.

Ginaw-at ni Miguel ti umuna a nakalapanna sa  immanges ti nauneg. Maysa a dakkel nga ikan, banag a mabalinna nga ipagpannakkel kadagiti dadduma a mangngalap, ngem makauray ti sabali nga aldaw dayta panagpasindayag.

Ar-aramidenna ti panangyatang ket saan a mabalin a madistorbo.

“Nono*,” idatagko daytoy a regalo kenka. Sapay ta awatem daytoy datonko.”

Naguray ni Miguel, masapul a respetuenna ti tradisyon babaen ti panangimatangna iti panangibus daytoy iti nakalapanna.

Limmabas ti maysa nga oras, isun ti pannakakitana iti kahon. Ti daton ket inawatna sa nagsubli daytoy iti adalem tapno nanamenna ti kanenna.

Saan nga ammo ni Miguel ti nangruggian dayta a tradisyon. Kanayon idi a masmasdaaw no apay nga ited dagiti mangngalap dagiti umuna a maalada, uray kasano ti kadakkel daytoy.

Ammona nga dayta a buwaya ket gayyem ti aswang ken makipagbagi met iti lasag ti tao no nakaro ti bisinna, ngem ti simple a panagbuteng ket saan nga umanay a mangiladawan iti panagiyatang.

Daytoy ket panagdaydayaw, awan mulitna ken nanumo. Adda banag iti buwaya nga mangawis ti panagdaydayaw. Napanunotna ti rason no apay a maawagan iti lilong ti buwaya.

Siguro ket dati daytoy a tao, nga inlunod dagiti didiosen, ket sapulenna ti panagraem dagiti kaputotanna.

Mabalin a daytoy ket agpaspasyar nga espiritu a mangted iti nawadwad a makalapan kadagiti makalagip  ti tradisyon.

Mabalin a maysa a mawaw ti dara nga animal a masapul a mapakan sakbay a mapanna biruken ti anupenna.

Ngem ania dayta kahon iti likodna? Idulinna ngata dagiti biktimana dita sakbay a kanenna ida, wenno adda nakarkaro a misterio nga aggungunay?

No aniaman dagiti sungbat, makagin-awa ni Miguel nga awan isuna iti uneg ti kahon, ken naragragsak ta makaawiden.

“Agpakadaak pay, Nono, agingga iti sumaruno,”inyarasaasna iti karayan.

*Kayatna a sawen lilong wenno aswang

=——————————-=

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

————————–————————–————————–————

*Ilocano is the third most-spoken local language of the Philippines.An Austronesian language, it is related to such languages as Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tetum, Chamorro, Fijian, Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Paiwan and Malagasy. It is closely related to some of the other Austronesian languages of Northern Luzon, and has slight mutual intelligibility with the Balangao language and the eastern dialects of the Bontoc language.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Ilocano translation by Maria Jesusa Villaruz
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Maria Jesusa Villaruz

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

The post Buwaya – Ilocano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Ilocano

Bayat ti pannakaidisso ti daton iti baba ti kayo, inted ti maysa a naulimek nga espiritu ti bendisionna.

Rimkuas ti naidumduma a pigsa ti agtutubo ket innalana ti pagan-anupna a pika tapno agrubbuat a mapan iti kabakiran.

Nangted ti bendision ti espiritu, nagtung-ed  kas pananganamongna agingga a saanen a makita ti agtutubo.

Idi metten a nagampayag  ti maysa a taripnong dagiti espiritu nga agturong iti kayo.

“Pada a bakayauwan, mabalin kadi ti makisarita kenka?” Nagallangugan ti koro dagiti espiritu.

Nagtung-ed ti naulimek nga espiritu ket nagampayag a nagturong  iti abay ti kayo.

“Intedmo kadaytoy nga agtutubo dagiti bendision iti adun nga agsapa.  Awan pay met   laeng ti natiliwanna,” kinuna ti maysa kadagiti padana nga espiritu.

“Dina pay unay ammo a biruken ti anupenna, nakitak a namimpito a nanglikmut iti maysa a bato sakbay a napanunotna a pinanawanen ti simsimadanna,” insaoang ti maysa nga espiritu.

Nagsao met ti sabali pay nga espiritu, “Kadagupan ti  amin nga aganup ditoy isu ti kakapsutan. Nakitak a pinadasna a pikaen ti baboy idi kalman ngem ti kayo ti natiruanna… namindua.”

Ket nagkatawa dagiti espiritu (wenno kas kaarngi  ti  panagkatawa dagiti espiritu).

“Awan ti naisangsangayan iti daytoy nga agtutubo,” ti pinagtutunosan dagiti espiritu ket impakaammoda iti kapatadanda ti dida pananganamong.

Iti daytoy simmungbat ti agmaymaysa nga espiritu. “Ad-adda pay a rason a tumulong tayo kaniana. Dagidiay sigud a napigsa ket saandan a kasapulan dagiti bendisiontayo. Daytoy a mangnganup ket sumarungkar iti kayok tunggal agrubbuat nga agturong iti kabakiran. Saan laeng a siak ti tratuenna  ti panagraem no di ket ti intero a daga. Ti natiliwna—-”

“—no adda masarakanna.” Inyallawat ti maysa nga espiritu.

“….Ti maanupanna ket kanayon a maidaton kadagiti espiritu, ta ammona a saan laeng nga isu ti  akinkukuana iti daga, kukuatayo amin a pagbibingayan.”

“Ammo  koman dayta dagiti tattao, ket no saanpay, maammuandanto babaen ti pungtottayo.”

“Ngem dikay kadi kaykayat ti makipagtrabaho kadagiti tattao tapno mariknada ti kinaragsak ti nakaparsuaan? Saan laeng a maipapan daytoy iti mangnganup no di pay ket ti amin a tattaona. Isuronanto ti kanta dagiti angin babaen kadagiti sanga, dagiti delikado a dalan nga agturong kadagiti kristal a karayan ken ti nalinaay a dignidad dagiti naulimek a kararag kadagiti didiosen ken espiritu.”

Nagari ti ulimek iti bunggoy dagiti espiritu bayat ti panangpanunotda dagiti sasao ti kapadada.

Ngem nagtakder ti maysa nga espiritu nga di umannugot.

“Dakami ti guardia ti panaganup! Babaen laeng iti pigsa a makitada ti pannakabalintayo! Datayo a napigsa ket ibinglaytayo ti pannakabalintayo kadagidiay natibker tapno maammuanto dagiti tattao ti tumakder! Bay-an a maparmek dagiti nakapuy ket ti darada sibugan dagiti kayo tayo.”

“Ti kayo a nasibugan iti dara saanto nga agsabong a kas iti mataripato. Dagidiay agkasapulan unay iti tulongtayo makitadanto dagiti bendisiontayo kas pammaneknek nga agbibiagtayo a kas maymaysa.”

Nagngilangil ti managduadua nga espiritu. “Aramidenyo ti masapul ket kitaenmi no ania ti mapasamak.” Ket iti kasta nagtayab nga immadayo.

Nagsasaruno a nagampayag dagiti espiritu tapno mangtedda ti bendision kadagiti mangnganup iti bukodda a sakup.

Ket nagallangugan dagiti sasao ti espiritu.

“Saan laeng nga isu ti agtagikua iti daga, kukua tay aming a pagbibingayan.”

=—————————–=

English Version

As the offering was set below the tree a silent spirit gave its blessing.

A sense of strength surged through the young man and he took his hunting spear to set out into the wilds.

The spirit that gave its blessing nodded in approval until the young man was out of sight.

It was then that a congregation of spirits floated towards the tree.

“Fellow bakayauwan, can we speak with you?” The chorus of spirits echoed.

The silent spirit nodded and floated beside the tree.

“You have given this young man blessings for many daybreaks now. He still hasn’t caught anything,” said one of the fellow spirits.

“He can barely track prey, I saw him go around the same rock seven times before he realized his quarry had left him behind,” A spirit intoned.

Another spirit chimed “Out of all those that hunt here he is the weakest. I saw him try to spear a boar yesterday and he hit a tree… twice”

And the spirits laughed (or as close to laughing as a spirit can get).

‘There is nothing special about this young man’ was the consensus of the spirits and they let their peer know of their disapproval.

To this the lone spirit answered “All the more reason to help him. Those that are already strong have no need for our blessings. This hunter has visited my tree every time he would set out to the forest. He treats not only me with respect but the entire land. His catch—-”

“—if he can find any.” A spirit interrupted.

“—His catch is always dedicated to the spirits, for he knows the land is not his alone, it is ours to share.”

“The humans should already know that, and if they don’t, they will know through our wrath.”

“But would you not rather work with the humans to let them feel nature’s bliss? It is not just about this hunter but also his entire people. He will teach the song of the winds through the branches, the delicate pathways that lead to crystal rivers and the quiet dignity of the hushed prayers to the gods and spirits.”

Silence fell among the host of spirits as they ruminated on their fellow’s words.

One spirit still stood unconvinced.

“We are the sentinels of the hunt! It is only through strength that they will see our power! We who are strong shall share our power with those that are strong then the humans will know to rise up! Let the weak fall and their blood water our trees.”

“A tree watered with blood will not blossom as one that is tended. Those that need our help the most will see our blessings as proof that we live as one.”

The doubtful spirit shook his head. “Do what you must and we shall see what will happen.” And thus it floated away.

One by one the spirits floated away to give blessings to hunters in their own domains.

And the words of the spirit resonated.

“The land is not his alone, it is ours to share.”

=————————————————————=

Illustration by Shiela Rae Co
IG: @naitinta

Inspired by the Bakayauwan description in Jocano, F. Landa. (1969). Outline of Philippine Mythology. Manila: Centro Escolar University Research and Development Center, p. 16.

The post Bakayauwan – Ilocano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Ilocano

Alikamen:

Buneng – maaramat tapno mauluyan ti aswang kalpasan a maparmek daytoy.

Ipus ti Pagi – maaramat tapno saanen a makakuti ti aswang. Mangted kaniada iti nakaro unay a sakit.

Kalamansi – kalasag tapno saannaka a mapidut ti aswang. Dayta ti mangpadagsen kaniada.

Dapo – Iwaras iti bagi ti aswang no agsina ti bagida. Saanen nga maisubli ti Aswang ti naisina a bagina no naikkan ti dapo daytoy.

Gabon/Sambong/Bukadkad/Subsob (Blumea balsamefera) – Daytoy a mula ket mausar tapno mabugaw ti aswang. Masapul a kapurpuros ken ikabil a kanayon iti bulsa.

Bawang – Saan a maanusan ti aswang ti angot ti bawang. Kanayonen ti mangitugot.

Asin- Maaramat kasmet la iti dapo. Mausar met tapno maiyadayo  ti aswang kadagiti dadduma a lugar.

Ramramit –  Nabendisionan a banbanag, bendita, ken anting-anting a masapul iti panangiyadayo kadagiti nakabutbuteng a parsua.  Masapul a kasarita ti maysa a padi sakbay ti amin.

Dagiti ritos:

Mabalin a matiliw ti aswang babaen ti panangurnos ti tallo a dadakkel a bato iti sirkulo a kasla paglutuan. Inton mapasungadan ti ‘kak kak’ nga awag ti naparsua , baliksen ti Kredo dagiti Apostoles. Inton makadanon iti parte ti Kredo maipapan  iti pannakailansa  ni Cristo iti  krus, mangpidot ti maysa a bato ket ipak-ol ti maysa a lansa iti daga. Agpababanto ti naparsua ket agdisso iti tallo a bato, ket ditoy mabalinen a patayen.

Adda ritos  iti panangikkat ti lunod ti panagbalin ti maysa nga aswang; daytoy ket ti panaginum iti lemon ken danum, pannakaibitin a baliktad tapno maisarwada ti maysa a kasla billit a pinarsua ket daytoy maiwa-iwa iti pedaso.

Dagiti Palagip:

Usaren dagiti ramramit tapno mapasardeng dagiti encantasionda.  Padsuen  ida  babaen iti ut-ot manipud iti ipus ti pagi sa ipungsay ti uloda babaen ti panggibus a tagbat ti buneng.

Dagiti lunod  ti aswang ket mabalin a mapasingkedan babaen ti panangaramid ti ‘ritual ti itlog’ no sadinno a no makita dagiti marka ti mata ken dara iti itlog, kayatna a sawen a ti tao ket ‘inaswang’ (naallilaw).

Mabalin a maikkat dagiti ilusion iti taraon babaen ti panangipis-it iti calamansi kadagita. Dagiti masida a kas iti sinigang ket agbalin  a malukong a napno iti ramay ti tao ken dara.

Dagiti lunod  ti aswang ket mabalin nga agturong  iti  agsumbangir a dalan,  isu a no ti biktima ket masapsaplitan wenno masugatan iti aniaman a pisikal a wagas, ti aswang ti makarikna iti dayta.

Saan a nalawa daytoy a listaan ​​dagiti wagas iti panangtiliw iti naparsua. Adu pay dagiti ritual ken ramramit a maus-usar a manglaban kadagitoy a nakabutbuteng a parsua. .

Iwanwan koma ti Apo ti dalanmo.

Bendisyonannaka  ti Dios.

=——————————-=

Engilsh version

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

The post Aswang – Ilocano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Ilocano

Ti Babai a Nakamangisit

“Saanmo a pulos a maala dagitoy agingga a dika agsimbeng,” kinuna ni Mimi kabayatan ti panangalana iti tulbekko.

Kanayonko nga ibaga kaniada nga nasayaatakon; nagbyaheak metten  iti nakarkaro pay a kasasaad; ket ti balayko sangapulo a minutos laeng ti kaadayona; kaskarina met a madisgrasyaak. Saanda a dumngeg ket adda bassit a parte ti bagik  ti agyaman gapu iti kaadda ti gagayyemko a kas kaniada, ngem dakdakkel ti parte ti bagik ti masuron gapu ta masapul a magnaak  nga agawid iti katengngaan ti rabii.

Indiaya da Jherick ken Deng ti panangkuyogda  kaniak sumagmamano a bloke agingga iti balayko, ngem ti nabartek a pasetko ti mangibaga nga umatrasda laengen, nupay iti nalawlawag a wagas. Diak ammo no apay a kastoyak, diak koma idurduron nga umadayo dagiti pagayamko nangnangruna ita.

Manipud idi nagsinakami kenni  Grace, kanayonnakon nga umin-inom ken maysaak a napeklan a langgong  iti sinuman nga aggandat a makisarita kaniak. Kayatdak a tulungan  ngem saan a maikari ti lalaki a kas kaniak a laplapdanna ti pannakipagayamda.

Nangnangruna kenni Mimi, ti nasam-it, napintas a Mimi.

Manipud iti suli ti matak, nakitak manen isuna. Siguro nabartekak la ngamin. Ti babai a nakamangisit ket mangbuybuya iti amin a kinadaksanggasatko, kasla koma naindaniwan ngem makapasuron unay.

“Naragsak ka kadi itan? Maragsakanka a mangbuybuya ti panagsagsagabak?”

Ti al-alia ket nakamattider iti sirok ti poste ti silaw, saan nga aggargaraw. Awanen ti sabali pay a namnamaek. Manipud idi nakisinaak, kadarato a makitak isuna iti  naladaw a rabii, iti batog ti maysa a poste ti silaw.

Iti daytoy a kanito, nabartekak unayen tapno  mangikankanoak pay, timmaraynak iti ayanna a makalulua.

“Apay nga pinanawannak isuna?”

Ginammatak ti nangisit a badona ket nagsanod. Daytoy ti umuna a reaksion a naalak kaniana. Pagammuan ta agtakder ti atiddog a buokna. Napasanudak ket dagus a namunawanak.

Ania ti pampanunotek? No aniaman daytoy ket saan a mannakigayyem. Inurnongko amin a riknak saak impan ti amin a kabaelak a tumaray iti adayo. Nabaelak ti makaadayo a dagus idi madlawko nga awan sumursurot kaniak.

Adda laeng a nakatakder a mangmatmatmat kaniak.

No aniaman isuna ket awan kaipapananna.  Ad-adu ti importante a panunotek. Nagawidak ket nakaturog a mangtagtagainep kadagiti babbai iti biagko.

Mimi. Grace. Ti Babai a nakamangisit

Nagbalinda a maymaysa a ladawan a kayatko a gaw-aten ngem adayo unay.

Nagkuringring ti alarm ko ken nariknak a kasla bumtak ti ulok. Napanak iti banyo tapno agdiram-os ket nalagipko nga adda gayam kenni Mimi ti tulbek ko.

Uray ta adda rason tapno makasaritak isuna.

Rimmuarak iti balayko ket uraynak la nakariaw. Nasikkarodko ti sintas ti sapatosko ket naidaramudomak iti daga.

Adda pay laeng ti babai a nakamangisit.

Kasla saan nga aggargaraw, ket manipud idi rabii, diak gagaran ti makiringgor kaniana iti mabiit. Linissiak ti mangmatmat kaniana ket nagluganak iti dyip a mapan iti balay ni Mimi.

Pinagunik ti doorbell ni Mimi saak kimmita iti arubayan. Adda ti babai a nakamangisit a mangsursurot kaniak. Adda isuna iti bangir a kalsada a mangkitkita kaniak. Diak ammo no ania ti kayatna ngem ad-adu ti banag a pakaseknak.

Kasapulan a maammuan ni Mimi ti kaririknak.

Inlukatna ti ridaw, dagiti naalumanay nga imana ken ti  naragsak nga isemna ti nangkablaaw kaniak.

Ney, adda met gayam nakapanunot a bumangon,” kinunana. Isalakannak ti Dios iti dayta nga isem.

“Mimi, mabalinta ti agsarita?

“No maipanggep iti tulbek, intedko kenni Jherick. Umayna koma idagas didiay balaymo inton pangngaldaw.

“Saan a dayta ti gapuna. Mabalinak a sumrek?” Nangrugi nga agling-et ti dakulapko ken umirteng ti panagangesko, ngem naladawen nga agsanudak pay.

Sige, ania kadi dayta? Inturongnakami iti naulimek a parte ti balayda ket imbagakon ti amin.

No kasano a saanak pay a nakaam-ammo ti maysa a balasang a kas katan-ok na. No kasano nga uray no addaak iti denna ni Grace , isuna ti pampanunotek ket pagpagarupen dagiti ania koma. No kasano nga ita ta agpadakamin a single ket mabalin nga ikkan ti bagimi ti gundaway.

Kasla nakigtot ngem saan a nasdaaw.

“Ron, addan  kasarsarakko.”

Iti dayta a kanito, narba ti lubongko.  Imbagak kaniana nga nasyaatak, ken no mabalin ket saanen a madakdakamat pay daydiay.

“Sapay koma ta naragsak kayo a dua,” nabaelak nga imbaga iti baet dagiti luak.

“Ni Jherick.”

Kasla naipana ti saem a nangsarut iti pusok. Saan pay kadi nga umanay a ti babai nga ay-ayatek ket saan a mabalin a makadennak, ngem isuna ket kaddua ti nasinged a pagayamko? Kasla nadagsen unayen.

Dinarasko ti rimmuar iti balay nga saan a timmaltaliaw. Nakakitaak ti naulimek nga eskinita nga nangipennekak ti nagsangit ngem nakitak manen isuna.

Ti babai a nakamangisit.

Siguro ket nagbuybuya lattan. Sige, no pagragsakanna ti mabuyana. Daytoy ti biagko itan, nasugatan a puso nga aggandat nga agpakalalaki.

Saan. Saan koma a kastoy ti pagpatinggaan ti amin.

Nagtakderak ket inummongko ti amin a tured. Agsubliak ket kasaritak ni Mimi.Siguro, makaibalikasak iti makapagbalbaliw iti kapanunutanna. Masapul nga adda wagas tapno dakami ti agkatuluyan.

Dinarasko ti nanglasat iti kalsada a mapan iti balayna.

Nalabit,  no naan-annadak, napakadaak koma ti kotse a sumabet kaniak.

Ti maudi a nakitak ket ti babai a nakamangisit, umis -isem.

=——————————-=

English Version

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

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

Especially Mimi, sweet, beautiful Mimi.

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

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

“Why did she have to leave me?!”

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

She’s just standing there looking at me.

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

Mimi. Grace. The Woman in Black.

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

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

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

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

The woman in black is still there.

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

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

Mimi needs to know how I feel about her.

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

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

“Mimi, can we talk?”

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

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

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

She looks shocked but not surprised.

“Ron, I’m seeing someone.”

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

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

“It’s Jherick.”

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

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

The lady in black.

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

No. This can’t be how it ends.

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

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

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

————————–————————–————————-

*Ilocano is the third most-spoken local language of the Philippines.An Austronesian language, it is related to such languages as Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tetum, Chamorro, Fijian, Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Paiwan and Malagasy. It is closely related to some of the other Austronesian languages of Northern Luzon, and has slight mutual intelligibility with the Balangao language and the eastern dialects of the Bontoc language.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Ilocano translation by Maria Jesusa Villaruz
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Maria Jesusa Villaruz

Inspired by a story told by Harold Juab

Illustration by likhatsining

Deviant Art: https://likhatsining.deviantart.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/likhatsining/

The post Black Lady – Ilocano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Ilocano

Iddiay Amianan, iti lugar nga maaw-awagan Lagui, nagnaed ti maysa a billit a managan ti Apan. Ni Apan ken dagiti kapadana ket naggapu iti adayo nga amianan-a-daya, ngem gapu iti nakaro a winter iti dayta a lugar, nagturongda iti umabagatan, iti lugar dagiti “windmills.”

Maysa nga aldaw, kabayatan a waywayaan ti init ti idadateng ti bulan, nakasirpat ni Apan iti maysa a tumatayab nga saannapay a nakitkita iti napalabas.. Addan uppat a winter manipud nai-pessa, ket impapanna nga ammona aminen a klase ti billit a sumangbay iti Lagui. Daytoy a billit ket saan met a “kingfisher,”  “starling,” wenno billit-tuleng. Mangipalagip  daytoy kadagitii kuago ti ruot nga agan-anup iti asidegna, ti kinaatiddog  dagiti payak ken ti rupana, ngem ditan nga aggibus ti pagpadaanda.

Awan kadagiti billit ti naranniag kas kadagiti bituen.

Nabannogen ni Apan gapu ti nagmalmalem nga panagbirokna iti taraon. Ngem saan daytoy a nanglapped ti panagtayabna nga agturong iti ayan ti billit, tapno mapennek ti panagusiusona.

Saan unay met a  dakkel daydiay a billit, mangipalagip kadagiti pato ken ul-ullaw nga kanayonna nga ad-adayoan. Uray iti adayo, mabalinna nga suroten ti billit, banag nga nanam-ay para ken ni Apan. Inwardas ti billit dagiti payakna sa nagdisso iti maysa a sanga.

Bayat iti panangipangatona kadagiti payakna, nakita ni Apan ti paggapuan ti lawagna. Iti sirok dagiti payak ket adda saggaysa a bola nga umap-apoy, Nagsiddaaw ni Apan no kasano nga saan a mauram ti apoy ti billit. Nagtayab iti ababa ta ipagarupna nga saan a makita ti billit, ket nagdiso iti maysa a sanga iti ngatuen ti billit.

Kasla maysa nga estatwa ti billit. Ti saan nga agkutkuti nga langa daytoy ken kasla nangpaseggar kenni Apan. “ Ania ngata ti maaramid daytoy a billit,” nasaludsodna.

“ Ammok nga addaka dita,” nagsao met laeng.

Saan a naggaraw ni Apan. Ammona nga adda isuna iti disso a di makita ti billit.

“Umayka ditoy ta agsaritata, “ imbilin ti billit.

Insigida a nagtayab iti ngato ni Apan ket nagdisso iti abay ti billit. Saan a narruam a sirriing iti rabii ket kasla dumagsen ti payakna iti panagtulid ti oras, ngem saanna nga maiyebkas ti ragsakna. Naidumduma ti pannakabirokna iti maysa a baro a banag a mabalinna a sukimaten.

Sinangona ti billit ket nagsaludsod, “ Aniaka kadi?”

Nagkatawa ti billit, “ Diretso ka, ania?”

Imbabana dagiti payakna ket nalingdan dagiti bola nga umap-apoy.

“Maysaak met a billit a kasla kenka.’

“Saanka a kas kadagiti gagangay a billit a nakitkitakon, ken uppaten a winter nga um-umayak ditoy.

“Maysaak a naipangpangruna a billit, “ insungbatna.

“Apay nga adda apoy iti sirok dagiti payakmo? Kasano a dika mapuoran?”

“Maysaka a nausisa a billit,” nakunana. “ Apay a kayatmo a maammuan?”

“Saanak pay a pulos a nakaimatang ti nakadadaeg a tumatayab iti law-ang. Kayatko nga ibaga kadagiti dadduma a billit iti katiponak ti maipapan kenka. “

“ Ala ngarud, “ ti sungbat ti billit. “ Ibagak kenka ti maipapan kaniak. Ngem sakbayna, masapol nga sungbatam daytoy a saludsod.”

“ Sige, “ ti sungbat ni Apan, “ uray ania tapno mangngegko ti pakaestoriaam.”

“ Ania ti pammatim iti gasat?”

Saan a napakadaan ni Apan daytoy. Saanna a ninamnama daytoy a saludsod ti billit, Dagiti kasla kaniana ket saan a mangdakdakamat kadagiti nangato a kapanunotan kas iti gasat. Kontentodan nga agturong kadagiti nabara a lugar ken mangbirok ti sumaruno a taraonda.

Isu nga idi sumungbat..

“Diak ammo no adda kasta.Ti gasat ket para laeng kadagiti bannuar ken ari, saan a nanumo a billit kas kaniak.”

Nagkatawa ti billit.” Pudno kadi a dayta ti patpatiem?”

“Wen, mamatiak.”

Makaassian ti billit a nangkita ken Apan.” Amin a parsua ket adda gasatda a sursurotenda.Ti panangtalikod kadayta ket panangtalikod iti bukod a bagi.”

“Ket sika? Ania ti kapanunotam maipanggep iti gasat?”

“Ti gasat ket kasla angin. Mabalinna ti agpayogpog a kasla bagyo wenno pumoyot a kas iti arasaas kadagiti dutdotmo. Saan a mapagkedkedan, mangisangpet iti masakbayan a maagka no  dimo ikaskaso.”

Nagulimek ni Apan. Awan ti mabirokna a sao nga isungbat iti billit.

Intuloy ti billit.

“Amin a biag ket parte iti maysa a nangatngato a banag.Ti apagdarikmat a panagbalbaliw ti angin a gapuen ti panagpayakpak dagiti payakmi ket mangitunda iti maysa a ngilaw iti lugar nga dina pay naad-addakan. Nalawag nga amin a biag ket  apektaran nga inaldaw dagiti puwersa nga saan tayo pulos a matukod. Inton maawatan tayon dayta, masapul nga agrukma  tayon..

“ Ket ania ngarud ti gasatmo?” sinaludsod ni Apan.

“Makitamto.” Kasla umis-isem ti billit.” Ket gaputa addaka ditoy, sungbatak ti saludsodmo.”

“Daytoyak,” kinunana.

“Maysaka nga apoy?” Ginandat nga awaten ni Apan ti kayat nga ibaga ti billit.

“Siak ti apoy ken mangallilaw.”

“Ngem maysaka a billit. Kasano koma a dua ti kinataom?

“Kumitaka iti ngato,” imbilin ti billit.”Dandanin ti orasna.”

“Oras para iti anya?”

“Para iti tudo.”

Iti dayta a kanito, narikna ni Apan ti tedted ti tudo iti ulona. Ken dagiti nagsasaruno.

Kasla nalipatan ti billit ti saritaanda ken nagtayab a nagpangato iti ayan dagiti ulep a paggapuan ti tudo.

Ginandat ni Apan a pukkawan ti billit, tapno damagenna ti kayatna a sawen.

Naawatna ti sungbat babaen iti ranniag a dandani nangbulsek kaniana.

Nagbalin nga apoy ti billit, maysa a bola ti nakarangrangrang a gil-ayab a nakabitin iti law-ang. Saanen nga ammo ni Apan no mano nga oras a mangbuybuya iti bola ti apoy. Apagapaman nga binittak ti init ti sipnget, nagpukawen ti apoy ken nagsubli metten ni Apan iti pangenna.

Saannan a mauray nga ibaga  kaniada ti maipapan iti billit.

Ngem nadagsen dagiti sao ti billit kaniana.

“ Ti kinatao tayo kadi ket maibasar laeng iti gasat tayo?

=——————————=

English Version

In the North, in a place called Lagui, there lived a bird called Apan. Apan and her kind were from the far northeast, but the harsh winters in that land made them migrate southwards to the land of windmills.

One day, as the sun was giving way to the moon, Apan caught a glimpse of a bird she had never seen before. It had been four winters since she had been hatched and she thought she knew all the birds that came to flock in Lagui. The bird was not a kingfisher, a starling, nor a sparrow. It did remind her of the grass owls that hunted near her perch, with its wingspan and face, but the similarities ended there.

None of those birds ever glowed like starlight.

Apan was tired, having spent the whole day foraging for food. That didn’t stop her from flying towards the bird to sate her curiosity.

The bird was not that large, it reminded Apan of the ducks and kites that her kind avoided. Even from far away the bird could be followed which was convenient for Apan. The bird spread its wings and perched on a nearby branch.
As it lifted its wings up Apan saw the source of its glow. Under each of its wings there was a ball of intense fire. Apan wondered how the fire didn’t consume it. She flew low thinking that the bird would not see her and roosted on a branch under the bird.

It seemed like the bird was a statue. The unmoving countenance of it gave Apan chills. “What would this bird do?” she wondered.

“I know you’re there,” it finally spoke.

Apan did not move. She was sure she was in a place where the bird could not see her.

“Come here and we shall talk,” the bird said.

With that, Apan flew above and rested beside the bird. She was not nocturnal and the hours of night felt heavy upon her wings, but she had never felt such exhilaration. It was rare to find something completely new that she could explore.

She faced the bird and asked, “What are you?”
The bird laughed, “Straight to the point, aren’t you?”
It put its wings down, covering the balls of fire.
“I am, like you, a bird.”

“You are not like any kind of bird I have ever seen, and I have been going here for four winters,” said Apan.
“I am a special kind of bird,” it replied.

“Why do you have fire under your wings? How does it not consume you?”

“You are a very curious bird,” it answered, “why do you want to know?”

“Never have I seen such majesty flying through the skies, I would like to tell the other birds of my flock about you.”
“Very well,” said the bird, “I will tell you my story. But first you must answer a question.”

“Of course!” Apan said, “anything to hear your story.”

“What do you believe about destiny?”

Apan was caught off guard. She had not expected this kind of question from the bird. Her kind did not think of grand things such as destiny, they were content to fly to warm places and find their next meals.

And thus she answered:

“I do not know if it exists. Destiny is a word that describes heroes and kings, not a lowly bird such as I.”

The bird laughed. “Do you truly believe that?”

“Yes, I do.”

The bird looked at Apan with pity, “Every living being has a destiny that they follow. To deny that is to deny yourself.”

“What about you? What do you think about destiny?”

“Destiny is like the wind. It can blow with the wild abandon of a hurricane or the smallest of whispers on your feathers. It cannot be denied, it brings a future that would be foolish to ignore.”

Apan fell silent. She could not find the words to reply to the bird.

The bird continued, “All life is part of something much larger. A brief change in the air caused by the flap of our wings could make it so that a fly would end up where it might never have gone. It is clear that all life is affected every day by forces beyond our comprehension. And once we realize that, we must surrender.”

“And what is your destiny?” Apan asked.

“You will see it later.” The bird almost looked like it was smiling. “And since you are here I will answer your question.”

The bird once again raised its wings so that the balls of fireballs were visible. Apan was worried that her feathers would burn being so close to fire, but she was surprised at the warm glow that washed over her form.

“This is what I am,” said the bird.

“You are the fire?” Apan tried to understand what the bird was trying to tell her.

“I am the fire and a deceiver.”

“But you are a bird. How can you be both?”

“Look up,” the bird said, “it is almost time.”

“Time for what?”

“For the rain.”

At that moment Apan could feel a raindrop hit her head. And another. And another.

The bird seemed to forget their conversation and flew high towards the rainclouds.

Apan tried to shout at the bird, to ask what it meant.

She received her answer in a luminescence that nearly blinded her.

The bird became fire, a ball of bright flame hanging in the sky. Apan didn’t know how many hours she had spent staring at the ball of fire. Once the morning sun broke through the twilight the light disappeared and Apan made her way back to her flock.

She couldn’t wait to tell them about the bird.

But the bird’s words weighed heavy on her.

Are we only what our destiny is?

————————————————————————–

*Ilocano is the third most-spoken local language of the Philippines.An Austronesian language, it is related to such languages as Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tetum, Chamorro, Fijian, Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Paiwan and Malagasy. It is closely related to some of the other Austronesian languages of Northern Luzon, and has slight mutual intelligibility with the Balangao language and the eastern dialects of the Bontoc language.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Ilocano translation by Maria Jesusa Villaruz
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Maria Jesusa Villaruz

Inspired by the Sansilmo bird legends from Ilocos and “Sansilmo, the Light Deciever.” in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002. and an Interview with Migo Luis (2015)

The Sansilmo Bird Illustration by Alvin Gasga
FB: Art of Alvin

The post The Sansilmo Bird – Ilocano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Ilocano

Maysa a napakumbaba a tao ni Gregorio. Saan a mangngegan ti reklamo iti panagtrabahona kas maysa a barbero. Umanayen ti masapulanna para kadagiti pagkasapulan ti asawa ken annakna, ken magustuanna ti makisarsarita kadagiti kostumer, ti panangam-ammona iti kabibiagda. Daytoy ket banag nga makaagas para kaniana.

Maysa nga aldaw, imbilin ti Presidente a pukisanna. Kinablaawan dagiti gagayyemna ni Gregorio gapu iti trabahona, ta ti panagbalinna nga mammukis iti importante a tao ket adu ti maaramid iti negosyona.

Saan met nga impapan ni Gregorio a maysa daytoy a dakkel nga aramid. No makisaritaka iti sino man a tao dita a lugar, mangngegmo dagiti arasaas maipanggep iti kinatao ti Presidente.

Ni Erlinda Cuntapay, naliwayanna ti nagbayad ti buwis iti maysa a bulan, ket iti tengnga ti rabii, nagparang ni Presidente iti balayna sana innala dagiti dadduma a sanikuana,“tapno maiserbi iti ili,”kas kunana.

Idi maysa kadagiti kabalyona ket nagsardeng iti tengnga ti dalan gapu iti nakaro a bannog, binilin ti mayor dagiti taona a paltoganda daytoy ken isukatda ti maysa pay a kabalyo.

No sumangbay ti panawen ti eleksyon, uray ni Gegorio ket saan a natalged iti panagbisita ti presidente. Adda pa la pasa iti takkiagna ken maysa a nabtak a vase a mangipalagip kadagiti wagas ti presidente a pangibabana iti bagina.

Nauneg ti anges ni Gregorio nga iti panunotna ket isun ti kamauddiananna, sa simrek iti balay ti presidente.

Naalliaw iti nakitana.

Iti ulo ti presidente ket nagtubo ti dua a dadakkel a sara, nga kasla kadagitay nuang. Nagtugaw ti presidente sana nuray ni Gregorio a mangpukis kaniana.

Iti napalalo a buteng ni Gregorio, awan ti maisaona.Naituredna ketdi a pinukisan daytoy tapno sumayaat ti langana.

Timmakder ti presidente ket nagtung-ed. Nadlawna ti rupa ni Gregorio iti sarming ket imbagana:

“Ibilinko ti pannakabitaymo no adda makaduktal iti nakitam ita.”

Napalpalalon ti buteng ni Gregorio. Nagpakadan sa rimmuar iti balay ti presidente.

Saan a tsismoso ni Gregorio. Dina kayat ti agiwaras ti maipapan iti sabali a tattao. Ngem daytoy a palimed ket nadagsen para iti piman a tao, ket nagbirok iti pangiyebkasanna tapno lumag-an ti imi-imtenna.

Nagturong iti taltalon ket nakakita iti pinuon ti kawayan. Nangala iti pala ni Gregorio ket nangkali ti abot iti sirok ti kawayan, sa simrek iti unegna. Iti uneg ti abot, inyikkisna,” Adda sara ti presidente! Adda sara ti presidente!”

Idi napneken a nangiruar ti im-imetenna iti sangalubongan, ginaboran ni Gregorio ti abot ket nagnan a nagawid.

Ngem dina ammo nga adda dagiti tao a limmabas iti kakawayanan ket nakangngegda iti maysa a boses iti kasamekan. Ni Pedro Alejandro ti immuna a nakangngeg, sa simmaruno ti gayyemna a ni Sonny Biazon, a nangibaga met kenni Sofia Antonio, a nangibaga kenni Leona Hilario, nga isu ket dina met nailimed kenni Carlo Ildefonso, nga nangibaga kadagiti kabsatna a Conchita ken Ces.

Di bumayag, naammuanen ti sibubukel nga ili ti agsarsarita a kawayan. Uray dagiti konsehal ket napanda met iti kasamekan tapno denggenda dagiti pukkaw nga “ Adda sara ti presidente!”

Naammuan ni Gregorio nga adu a tao ti nagturong iti balay ti presidente, ngem dina kayat ti makibiang. Nagtalinaed iti naulimek a biagna kas barbero.

Napunnuan siguron dagiti tattao iti presidente gapu ta naangay dagiti eleksyon a saan a naam-ammuan ti presidente.

Nagragsak dagiti umili gapu ta awanen ti nauyong a presidente, ket nakaanges iti nalukay ni Gregorio.

Saanna a naammuan nga idi nabirokan dagiti tattao ti nagsara a presidente, pinatayda a dagus, gapu ta impapanda nga ti kinadakesna ket nagwarasen iti langana.

Nagbiag a siuulimek ti barbero nga saanna a naammuan ti papelna iti panangpaksiat ti umili iti dakes a lider.

=—————————=

English Version

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What he saw shocked him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

————————–————————–————————–——-

*Ilocano is the third most-spoken local language of the Philippines.An Austronesian language, it is related to such languages as Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tetum, Chamorro, Fijian, Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Paiwan and Malagasy. It is closely related to some of the other Austronesian languages of Northern Luzon, and has slight mutual intelligibility with the Balangao language and the eastern dialects of the Bontoc language.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Ilocano translation by Maria Jesusa Villaruz
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Maria Jesusa Villaruz

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

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

The post The Horned Presidente – Ilocano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Ilocano

Idi un-unana a panawen, kas insarita dagiti panglakayen, adda agnaed a maysa a nakabutbuteng nga ayup iti Amianan. Daytoy dakkel nga animal ket nailadawan a maysa nga uleg nga addaan payak nga agtaytayab iti ngato dagiti ulep. No aggaraw,makaluban ti dakkel nga anniniwanna ti lubong a mangipakdaar kadagiti tattao ditoy baba nga umadanin ti peggad.

Awan ti makadangran iti dragon. Saan a matudok dagiti siksikna babaen kadagiti igam ti tao ket dagiti maag, wenno dagiti natutured a manggandat a mangkarit iti animal.

Naglabas ti panawen ket sagpaminsan laengen a makita dagiti tattao ti animal.  Babaen laengen kadagiti sarsarita nga insalaysay dagiti naglabas a kaputotan a napagtalinaed a sibibiag ti estoriana.

Awan ti makaammo no ania ti nagbalinan ti dragon, ken adda pay ketdi dagidiay arasaas nga adda natured a bannuar a nangpapatay kadaytoy, nupay pulos a di mapaneknekan.

Ket ngarud, naglabas ti panawen ket nagtultuloy ti biag dagiti tattao. Adu a panagbalbaliw ken riribuk ti inyeg dagiti siglo iti Amianan. Ti baro a pammati ket nangiyeg kadagiti templo a bato. Dagiti obra ti asero ken alambre ti nagkukuros iti daga.

Dimmakkel ken immadu dagiti tattao. Iti baet dagitoy, nagulimek ti dragon.

Agingga a dagiti ginggined ti nangyugyugyog iti Amianan a nangrippuog kadagiti pasdek,  nangdadel kadagiti ili ken nangbingay iti daga. Adu ti naipadamag a nasugatan ket nagtalinaed dayta a trahedia iti panunot dagiti tattao kadagiti sumaganad a tawen.

Kalpasanna adda dagidiay mamati a daytoy a pasamak ket pakdaar manipud iti Mannakabalin-amin. Narebba ti maysa a lugar a pagdaydayawan ket nagsurat dagiti agbabawi  iti Apoda nga agpakpakaasi iti pammakawan.

Maysa kadagitoy ket ti agtutubo nga agnagan Mariano. Minatmatanna dagiti narba iti sanguananna ket nagkararag tii rosario bayat ti panangidatagna iti insuratna a nota a mangipakpakaasi iti panangibabaet kadagitoy a narikut a panawen.

Bayat ti panangikararagna  iti maika-20 nga Ave Maria, nakigtot iti panagdisso ti maysa nga ima iti abagana. Dayta ti maysa a baket a dina am-ammo.

“Hello lola, ania kadi ti maitulongko?” sinaludsod ni Mariano.

Blangko laeng ti pinangmatmat ti babai kenkuana.

Napukawka kadi? Addaka kadi ditoy a kaduam ti pamiliam? Makatulongak kenka a mangsapul kadakuada.”

Bigla nga iniggaman ti baket ti takiag ni Mariano ket pinerrengna dagiti matana.

“Nagsubli,” kinunana.

“Ania ti nagsubli?” Mariro ni Mariano, awan ti maawatanna nga ibagbaga ti baket.“

Ti dakkel a phantom. Ti higante nga espiritu. Ti nakabutbuteng.”

Nagtuang ti baket iti takiag ni Mariano. Narabaw ti panagangesna, ken nakapsut ti pulsona.

Nagpukkaw ni Mariano ti tulong ket naayaban ti ambulansia.

Kabayatan ti panagdengngegna iti angesna, nabaelan daytoy iti nangiarasaas, “Olimaw.”

Inserrek dagiti paramedics ti baket iti ambulansia ket nabang-aran ni Mariano. Impagarupna a nalpasen.

Iniggamanna ti rosariona ket intuloyna ti panagbantayna. Sumagmamano pay la a minuto idi nadlawna nga adda naiduma. Sabali ti narikna dagiti ramayna. Kinita ni Mariano ti rosariona ket nadlawna a nabaliwan dagiti nalinis a kuentas iti nakersang a kakasla bato. Minatmatanna ti rosario ket pinampanunotna no kasano koma a napasamak dayta.

Iti dayta a kanito adda anniniwan a nangsallukob kenkuana. Kimmita iti langit ket awan met ti nakitana no di laeng maysa a grupo dagiti ulep nga apagapaman a nangkalob iti init.

Pinampanunotna ti maipapan iti baket ken no ania ti imbagana.

Nalagipna iti kinaubingna idi intugot da lolo ken lolana iti parola idiay Cape Bojeador.

Ti langit ket maysa a tapestry a naabel manipud iti lawag ti bituen. Di pay nakakitkita ni Mariano ti kastoy iti napalabas.  Intudona ti nagduduma a konstelasion ket isalaysay ti lolona ti tunggal estoriada.

Iti ngudo ti isasarungkarda, idi naladaw unayen a siririing ti maysa nga agtawen iti innem, intudo ni Mariano ti bulan ket kiniddawna iti lolo-na nga isalaysayna kenkuana ti pakaestoriaan daytoy.

Immannugott ti lolona ket sinaklotna ni Mariano iti luppona. Isun ti damo a pannakangngeg ni Mariano ti sao nga ‘Olimaw’  ket kabayatan ti pannakailibayna, imbaga kenkuana ti lolona nga awan ti nakakita iti uleg iti adu a siglo. Natalged ti bulan ken dagiti tattao ti Amianan manipud kadagiti pangana.

Idi dayta.

Kadagiti simmaruno a lawas kasla lallalo nga ngimmisit ti langit iti rabii. Kasla aglemlemmeng dagiti mismo a bituen iti di makita a mangraut. Ti lawag ti bulan ket saan a marikna dagidiay immay a mangnamnama kadagiti lumamiis a sinamarna.

Iti las-ud dagitoy, umaw-aweng iti lapayag ni Mariano amin a balikas ti baket.

“Olimaw.”

Iti panaglabas ti ginggined, naglukat ti higante a rengngat iti asideg ti Simbaan ti Paoay. Yamanpay  ta nailasat ti simbaan iti pannakadadael a napasamak iti dadduma pay nga estruktura, ket nangted kenni Mariano iti gundaway a mapan sadiay tapno agkararag.

Makunkuna a naisadya a naaramid ti simbaan tapno makibagay iti ginggined a mapaspasamak iti Pilipinas. Makita daytoy kadagiti nakadkadlaw a buttress iti aglawlaw ti simbaan

Iti sabali a kanito,agsidsiddaw koma ni Mariano iti arkitektura, ngem iti daytoy a gundaway adda sabali a rason ti kaaddana ditoy.

Siaannad nga immasideg iti higante a regkang a dina ammo no ania ti masarakanna. Minarkaan dagiti opisial ti lugar kas napeggad a disso ken imbagada iti publiko nga umadayoda, nupay saan a nainget a naipatungpal daytoy.

Awan ti tao iti aglawlaw idi intuloy ni Mariano ti panagsukisokna. Iti uneg ti 50 metros nasarakanna ti sapsapulenna. Dakkel a nangisit a siksik a kas kadakkel ti bagina. Simmilap daytoy iti panagdisso ti rimat ti init. Napanganga ni Mariano ket inruarna ti rosariona. Nagkararag tapno kumalma ti nerbiyosna ket iti panagpampanunotna, saannan a nadlaw nga nagdara dagiti dakulapna.

Bayat ti panagtinnag dagiti tedted ti dara iti daga maysa daranudor ti  naggapu iti regkang. Insardeng ni Mariano ti kararagna, nagparintumeng sa inabbonganna ti ulona. Inkidemna dagiti matana ket ninamnamana a bassit laeng daytoy nga aftershock.

Saan a nagbayag ti panagginggined ket idi linuktanna dagiti matana, ti nalamuyot a silnag ti nangpunno iti panagkitana.

Iti sanguananna ket kasla adda maysa a tao, numanpay naabungotan iti lawag. Intudo daytoy ti siksik.

“Aniaka?” sinaludsod ni Mariano.

Imisem ti lalaki ket intudona ti rosario ni Mariano. “Maysaak kadagita,” kinunana.

“Ania ti kayatmo a sawen?”

“Iti napalabas a panawen, maawaganak koma iti naindaklan nga espiritu, wenno uray—”

“Maysa a Dios.”

Immisem ti lalaki ket nagtung-ed.

“Dios met kadi ti Olimaw?”

“Kadagiti dadduma.”

“Adda ditoy saan kadi? Nakulong? Mabalin kadi a maikulong manen?”

Ti lalaki ket kimmita iti langit.“Mabalin,” kinunana.

“Saanto nga agsardeng, di ngata?”

Nagngilangil ti lalaki.

“Ania ti masapul nga aramidek?”

“Ti naaramidmon.” Intudo manen ti lalaki ti rosario.

“Agkararag?”

“Mapanka iti pagtulidan dagiti ulep ket aramidem ti inaramidmo.”

“Agurayka! Ania ti kayatmo a sawen—-”

Ket iti apagdarikmat, nagpukawen  ti lalaki.

Minatmatan ni Mariano ti rosario; namantsaan iti darana. Ammona no sadino ti masapul a papananna, ngem saanna nga ammo no  ania ti rumbeng nga aramidenna.

Kabigatanna, nagtakder ni Mariano iti igid ti rangtay Gilbert. Nayanninaw ti karayan Laoag ti natayengteng a kahel ti umad-adanin a ilelennek ti init. Manipud ditoy makitana ti kabambantayan ti Apayao ken ti baybay dagiti ulep nga agtaytayab iti nagbaetan dagiti pantok.

Inur-urayna ti panagtayengteng ti sipnget, inton rumkuas ti uleg iti nagbaetan dagiti ulep ket pagbalinenna a kasta unay ti kinasipnget ti rabii.

Nagpigerger dagiti ramay ni Mariano nga mangig-iggem ti rosariona.

Bayat ti panaglennek ti init iti baba dagiti bantay, rimmuar daytoy. Marikna ti natan-ok a talugading daytoy, maysa nga ari a dragon nga agtaytayab iti langit iti rabii, nga agsalsala iti nagbaetan dagiti ulep.

Oras nan.

Inrugi ni Mariano ti “‘Amami” a mangnamnama nga adda maaramidanna. Tudoken dagiti natadem a batbato ti rosario dagiti dakulapna bayat ti panangpetpetna kadagiti dakulapna.

Kaskasdi a nagsala ti dragon.

Nagparintumeng ni Mariano. Ania ti pagimbagan ti kararag ditoy? Awan ti mabalin a mangpasardeng iti uleg. Aglalo ti panagmaymaysana.

Kimmita iti bulan ket  nakitana ti sipnget  a nangabbong kadayta. Di agbayag awanton ti mabati, maysanto  laengen  a canvas a nangisit.

Idi kuan, adda nalagipna.

Saan laeng a ni Olimaw ti adda kadagiti sarita ni lolona.

Impukkawna iti nakapigpigsa, “Amman! Saguday! Cabuyaran! Revenador! Anianihan! Bulan!”

“Pangngaasiyo, denggendak!”

Nangrugi a nagparang ti nalamuyot a puraw a silnag iti aglawlawna. Kalpasan ti sumagmamano a kanito, nagparang ti maysa a babai iti sanguananna ket iniggamanna dagiti imana. Apaman nga inaramidna, immimbag dagiti dakulapna.

Iti dayta a kanito,  ammonan nga adda iti sanguanan dagiti didiosen.

Nakitana ida nga agtayab nga agturong iti dragon ken inusarda ti nalamuyot a silnag ti bulan a nangbalkot iti daytoy. Ti narungsot nga angin ken panagdaranudor ti gurruod ti nangiduron iti uleg a mangibbet iti bulan.

Natinnag ti uleg iti lubong ket nagkintayeg ti daga. Nagtalinaed ni Mariano ti ayanna ket inurayna ti panagtalna ti aglawlawna.

Pinunno ti lawag ti bulan ti tangatang ket nagdisso iti agyamyaman a rupa ni Mariano.

“Agyamanak,” kinunana iti langit.

Intakderna ti bagina ket inwagsakna ti dadagsen ti napalabas a sumagmamano a lawas manipud kadagiti abagana.

Saan a nabirukan ni Mariano ti rosariona ket iti maminsan, saan daytoy a napateg.

Ammona itan ti agkararag.

*Anianihan ti dios ti apit, Cabuyaran ti diosa ti panangagas, Saguday ti dios ti angin, Revenador ti dios ti gurruod ken kimat, Amman ti dios ti init (ti init ti matana) ket ni Bulan ti dios ti kappia.

=————————————=

English Version

Long ago, as the elders have said, there lived a monster in the North. This great beast was said to be a winged serpent that flew above the clouds. When it moved a huge shadow was cast on the earth giving warning to the people below that danger was looming.

Nothing could hurt the dragon. Its scales could not be pierced by human weapons and only the very foolish, or the very brave would even think of challenging the beast.

Time passed and the beast was seen less and less by the people of the North. It was only through the tales told by the fading generations that its story was kept alive.

No one knew what became of the dragon, and there were even those that whispered that some brave hero had slain it, though it could never be proven.

And so, time passed and people moved on. Centuries brought much change and upheaval to the North. A new faith brought with it temples of stone. Works of steel and wires crisscrossed the land. People grew and multiplied.
Through all of this the dragon remained silent.

Until shocks rocked the North destroying buildings, damaging towns and splitting the earth. Many casualties were reported and it was a tragedy that would stay in people’s minds for years to come.

In the aftermath there were those that believed this event was a warning from the Almighty. A place of worship was shattered and its penitents wrote letters to their Lord begging for forgiveness.

One of these was a young man named Mariano. He stared at the rubble before him and prayed the rosary as he set down a handwritten note pleading for intercession in these trying times.

As he said his 20th Hail Mary, he was startled by a hand that rested on is shoulder. It was that of an old woman that he did not know.

“Hello lola, can I help you?” Mariano asked.

The woman just stared blankly at him.

“Are you lost? Are you here with your family? I can help you look for them.”

Just then the old woman grabbed Mariano’s arm and stared into his eyes.

“It is back,” she said.

“What is back?” Mariano was confused, he didn’t understand anything the old woman was saying.

“The great phantom. The giant spirit. The terror.”

The old woman crumpled into Mariano’s arms. Her breathing was shallow, and her pulse was weak.

Mariano shouted for help and an ambulance was called.
As he listened for her breath, she managed to let out a whisper, “Olimaw.”

The paramedics ushered the old woman into the ambulance and Mariano breathed a sigh of relief. At least it was over.

He grasped his rosary and continued on with his vigil.

A few minutes in he noticed something was different. His fingers felt a different texture. Mariano looked at his rosary and noticed that the smooth beads had been changed to rough, almost rock-like ones. He stared at the rosary and wondered how that could have happened.

In that moment a shadow was cast over him. He looked towards the sky and saw nothing but a group of clouds temporarily blocking the sun.

He wondered about the old woman and what she said.

It took him back to his childhood when his grandparents brought him to the lighthouse at Cape Bojeador.

The sky was a tapestry weaved out of starlight. Mariano had never seen anything like it before. He pointed towards the different constellations and his lolo would tell each of their stories.

At the end of their visit, when it was getting far too late for a six-year-old to stay awake, Mariano pointed towards the moon and asked his lolo to tell him a story.
His lolo obliged and put Mariano on his lap. It was then that Mariano first heard of the word ‘Olimaw’ and as he drifted to sleep, his lolo told him that no one had seen the serpent in centuries. The moon and the people of the North were safe from its jaws.

That was then.

In the weeks that followed the night sky seemed to grow darker. It was as if the very stars were hiding from an unseen predator. The moon’s light was left unfelt by those that had come to expect its cooling rays.

And through it all the words of the old woman ringed in Mariano’s ears.

“Olimaw.”

In the wake of the earthquake a giant fissure opened near Paoay Church. Thankfully the church was spared the damage that had befallen so many other structures, and Mariano took the time to go there to pray.

It was said that the church was specifically made to adapt to the seismic conditions of the Philippines. This was obvious with the striking buttresses around the church.

At any other time, Mariano would have marveled at the architecture, but this time he was here for a reason.
He approached the gigantic fissure with care, not knowing what he was going to find. Officials called the area a safety hazard and had told the public to stay away, though this was not strongly enforced. There were no people around when Mariano went on with his reconnaissance.

50 meters in he found what he was looking for. A large black scale the size of his torso. There was a shine to it when the sunlight hit. Mariano gasped and took out his rosary. He prayed to calm his nerves and he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t realize his palms were bleeding.

As the droplets of blood fell to the ground a tremor went through the fissure. Mariano stopped his prayers, knelt down and covered his head. He closed his eyes and hoped that this was just a small aftershock.

The tremor didn’t last long and when he opened his eyes a soft glow filled his vision.

Before him was what seemed to be a man, though he was covered in light. He pointed towards the scale.
“What are you?” Mariano asked.

The man smiled and pointed to Mariano’s rosary. “I am one of many,” he said.

“What do you mean?”

“In times long past, I would have been called a great spirit, or even—“

“A god.”

The man smiled and nodded.

“Was the Olimaw a god too?”

“To some.”

“It was here wasn’t it? Trapped? Can it be trapped again?”

The man looked towards the sky. “Maybe,” he said.

“It won’t stop will it?”

The man shook his head.

“What must I do?”

“What you have already done.” The man pointed to the rosary again.

“Pray?”

“Go to where the clouds roll by and do as you have done.”

“Wait! What does that mean—-”

And in an instant the man vanished.

Mariano stared at the rosary, stained with his blood. He knew where he had to go, but not what he had to do.

The next afternoon Mariano stood at the edge of the Gilbert bridge. The Laoag river reflected the dark orange of the impending sunset. From here he could see the Apayao mountain range and the sea of clouds that floated between the peaks.

He waited for dusk to settle in, when the serpent would burst through the clouds and make the night just that much darker.

Mariano’s fingers quivered has they tried to grasp his rosary.

As the sun nestled itself below the mountains, it emerged. It had a certain sense of majesty about it, a regal dragon swooping across the night sky, dancing in between the clouds.

It was time.

Mariano started with an ‘Our Father’ hoping that it might do something. The sharp stones of his rosary were digging into his palms as he clenched his fists.

Still the dragon danced.

Mariano fell on his knees. What good was prayer here? There was no way to stop the serpent. Not when he was alone.

He looked to the moon and saw that darkness was covering it. Soon there would be nothing left, only a canvas of black.

And then he remembered.

The Olimaw was not the only being in his lolo’s stories.

He shouted at the top of his lungs, “Amman! Saguday! Cabuyaran! Revenador! Anianihan! Bulan!”

“Please, hear me!”

A soft white glow started to appear around him. After a few moments a woman appeared in front of him and grasped his hands. As soon as she did his bloody palms healed.

In that instant he knew he was in the presence of the gods.

He saw them fly towards the dragon and use the soft glow of the moon to envelop it. A fierce gust of wind and peals of thunder led the serpent to release its grip on the moon.

The serpent fell towards the earth and the land shook. Mariano held his ground and waited until he was sure it was over.

Moonlight filled the sky and settled on Mariano’s grateful face.

“Thank you,” he said to the sky.

He picked himself back up and shrugged the weight of the past few weeks off his shoulders. Mariano couldn’t find his rosary and for once it didn’t matter.

He knew now how to pray.

——————————————————

*Anianihan is the god of the harvest, Cabuyaran is the goddess of healing, Saguday is the god of wind, Revenador is the god of thunder and lightning, Amman is the god of the sun (the sun is his eye) and Bulan is the god of peace.

*Ilocano is the third most-spoken local language of the Philippines.An Austronesian language, it is related to such languages as Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tetum, Chamorro, Fijian, Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Paiwan and Malagasy. It is closely related to some of the other Austronesian languages of Northern Luzon, and has slight mutual intelligibility with the Balangao language and the eastern dialects of the Bontoc language.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Ilocano translation by Maria Jesusa Villaruz
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Maria Jesusa Villaruz

Story inspired by the Oilmaw description in
Gelade, George P. I993. Ilokano-English dictionary. Quezon City, Philippines: CICM Missionaries, Inc.

Olimaw Illustration by Manuel Liwanag
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The post Olimaw – Ilocano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Ilocano

Idi un-unana a panawen, adda nataengan nga agassawa nga saan a maaddaan iti anak. Kada rabii, itag-ay da ti kararagda iti langit agingga a naammuan ti babai isun ket masikogen. Idi maipasngay ti anakda, napalalo ti kinapintas daytoy ket naidir-i dagiti nagannak,” Awanen ti napimpintas pay ngem ti anak ta. Uray daytay kapintasan a tumawo ket saan a maidilig iti anak ta.”

Intayab ti angin dagiti balikasda iti nasipnget a kabakiran ken kadagiti kangangatuan nga ulep agingga a nakadanon dagitoy iti lapayag dagiti tumawo nga agnanaed iti maysa a narabaw a bubon, saan unay nga adayo iti pagtaengan dagiti agassawa.

Saan nga impagarup dagiti agassawa a daydiay naisawang da ket rubroban na ti panagapal dagiti espiritu. Napagnunumuan dagiti espiritu nga masapul nga bayadan ti ubing dagiti naisasao ti nagannak na.

Dagitoy a tumawo ket naanos kas iti kina-agnanayonda.. Naimatangan da ti panagdakkel ken ad-adda nga ipipintas ti ubing.  Uray dagiti adda iti adayo a lugar ket nadamagda ti maipapan iti ubing ken ti awan agpaiduma a kinapintas daytoy.

Kimmaro ti panagilem dagitoy a tumawo. Nangngeg da dagiti senyales a maibugas iti samiweng dagiti billit.

“ Isu ti init nga agpangato iti law-ang. Mabendisyona nga agnanayon dagiti masagid ti lawagna.”

“ Saan a maartapan dagiti amin a sabsabong iti lubong ti kinaraniagna.”

“Nagtaud kadagiti matana dagiti rimat ti kinaagnanayon. Awan ti makakitakit iti imatangna.”

“Saan nga masarmingan ti danum ti pudno nga daeg na.”

Ita, dagiti maudi a balikas ket nangted ti nauneg a sugat iti kaunggan dagiti espiritu nga aggigian iti narabaw a bubon. Para kaniada, nasagraduan unay ti danum ket ti pangibbet iti kasdiay a sasao ket mangparnuay ti pungtot.

Iti maika-sangapulo ket lima nga tawen ti panagkasangay ti balasitang, inrussuat dagiti espiritu ti panggep da.

Iti dayta a rabii, rimmuar ti balasitang idi makaturogen ti pamilya na, ket linagip na ti kinasangsangayan dayta nga aldaw. Adu ti naawat na a sagut manipud kadagiti agraraem kaniana- narimat nga al-alahas ken nakaayayat a balitok. Imbilangna dagiti init ken bulan kas tulnek laeng  nga mangsilnag iti pigura na.

Nasinga ti panaglaglagipna  gapu iti maysa a samiweng a  kasla mangay-ayab kaniana.  Saan na a malappedan ti kinapintas dayta nga uni ket rinuggian na ti nagna a nangsurot iti gubbuayan daytoy.

Iti bubon, nagsusupiat dagiti espiritu.

“Ilemmes tayo dayta nga nakasur-suron nga kattubo. Bassit la a minutos, ket malpasto aminen; satayto ipatulod ti nabulok a bangkayna kadagiti dadduma nga tattao tapno mabuyada no kasano a talaga ti kinapintas daytoy a prinsesa.”

“Saan! Rumbeng nga maikkan ti dusa nga atiddog ken in-inut. Iti unos  ti sangapulo ket lima nga tawen, inibturan tayo dagiti insulto iti langa tayo. Kayatko nga agsagaba met kas kadatayo.

Naglalaban ken nagpipinnasagid dagiti espiritu, ngem awan latta ti naurnos da a katulagan.

Agingga a maysa a timek ti naguni manipud iti uneg ti bubon. “Kakabsatko a tamawo, dagitoy patangan tayo maipanggep iti dusa ken panangparigat ket saan na masebseban ti pungtot tayo. Immanamong dagiti tattao  nga awan ti makaasping ti pintas daydiay a balasitang. Masapul a paneknekan tayo a nagbiddut da.

“Ania ti kayatmo ngarud nga aramiden mi?”

“Makitayonto.”

Nagtakder ti balasang iti abay ti bubon. Ammona no ania ti mapaspasamak ti bagina ngem saan na nga makontrol daytoy.

Manipud iti bubon, rimsua ti maysa a napintas a babai. Ammo iti puso ti balasang a maysa a datdatlag daytoy a babai, kas iti pannakaestorya ti apongna a lakay.

“Pangngaasim ta palusposannak,” impakaasi ti balasang.

“Adda nadagsen unay a basol ti pamilyam kadagiti espiritu.”

“Ania ti kayat mo a sawen?Awan ti inaramidmi a pakadangran da.”

“Saan kadi a pudno nga inwarwaragawag  dagiti tattao iti kabangibang a lugar a napinpintas ka ngem dagiti espiritu?”

“Wen, ngem ang-angaw laeng daydiay. Agpas-pasaw da laeng.”

“Ti pagarupek ket saan. Kas met ti inaramid mo.”

“Awan ti imbagbagak!”

“Kasta kadi? Ngem ania ti napasamak iti panagkasangay mo?”

“Awan ti napasamak!”

“Ania ti imbagam kalpasan a naawat mo dagidi sagutmo?

“Awan. Ang-angaw ko laeng!”

“ Ania. Ti. Imbagam?”

Nagayus ti lua iti pingping ti balasang.

“Imbagak a siak laeng ti napateg. Nga awan ti naparsua, awan ti espiritu, awan ti uray maysa a didiosen a makaartap ti pintas nga adda kaniak.

“ Tinupraam ti rupa dagiti espiritu. Awan ti makaartap ti kinapintas nga adda kadakami. Maysaka laeng a tao, ken saan nakam to a pulos na makapada.

Nagulimek ti balasang. Nariknana ti panagkapsut ti engkantasyon a mangigawgawid kaniana, ngem imbes nga agtaray, sinangona ti espiritu.

“Saan mo nga ammo ti ibagbagam.Sika nga maag a baka! Saan mo kadi nga ammo no kasano ti kinapintasko wenno awan kadi ti matam? Maaramid mo ti kaykayatmo kaniak, ngem kanayon, kankanayonto nga maammuam  a napimpintas daytoy a tao ngem ti aniaman a tumawo!”

“Maituredmo ti di mangrespeto.”

“Saan. Ibagbagak laeng ti kinapudno. Malaglagipdanto a siak ti kapipintasan iti daytoy a  lugar ken iti sabsabali pay, ngem dayta rupam, awan man la ti agka-interes a kadaywan a tao.

“Maag a balasang! Ngem mabalin nga husto ka. Napinpintas ka nga amang ngem ti panangipagarupko kenka. Ngem adda ammok a wagas tapno ibaga dagiti tattao ken espiritu nga dagiti tumawo ti kapipintasan iti daytoy nga pagturayan ken iti sabali pay.”

“Ania ti aramidem kaniak?”

“Makitam to… kabsat a babai.”

Adu a tawen a pinadas ti agassawa a biroken ti balasangda agingga a ti pannakasair ti pusoda ti nangdadael iti nakapsuten a bagida. Saan a nasungbatan dagiti kararagda ket nagtutuokda gapu iti saem ti panagpukaw ti anakda  agingga iti panungpalan da. Naitabonda iti asideg ti pagtaenganda, kadagiti tanem nga awan markana.

Kuna ti dadduma a nalmes ti balasitang iti karayan a saan unay nga adayo ket makita ti al-aliana nga agdaldaliasat kadagiti naliday a daldalan.

Kuna ti dadduma a maysa kadagiti nagarem ti nangitaray kenkuana iti adayo a daga , ket sadiay isu itan ti reyna, kontento a mangusar kadagiti aldawna a mangiranud iti kinapintasna kadagiti iturayanna.

Ngem adda dagiti mamakdaar a maiparit ti mapmapan iti naiputputong a bubon iti asideg ti kabakiran. Kunada a dagiti napintas nga espiritu ti agtataeng dita.. Adda dagiti di mangikankano kadagita a pakdaar ta kunada met a maysa kadagita nga espiritu ti kapipintasan a parsua iti amin a pagturayan. Dagidiay addaan iti sentido komon, ipangagda dagitoy a pakdaar ngem kadagidiay awanan iti rasrasunen, awan ti manglapped kadakuada a mangsirpat uray ti apagdarikmat iti kinapintasna.

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English Version

Once there was an old couple who had a difficult time conceiving. Every night they lifted their prayers to heaven until one day the woman found herself pregnant. When their child was born, she was of such profound beauty that her parents exclaimed, “There are none more beautiful than our daughter. Even the fairest tomawo could not compare to her!”

The wind carried their words through the somber forests and lofty clouds until they settled on the ears of those that tamawo that dwelt in a shallow well a fair distance from the couple’s house.

It never crossed the couple’s mind that an exclamation such as that could inflame the envy of those spirits. The spirits agreed that the child would pay for her parent’s words.

These tomawo were as patient as they were eternal. They watched as the child matured, growing even more beautiful. Even those from far-off lands knew of the girl and her unsurpassed loveliness.

The spirits grew even more embittered. They could hear the signs carried in the melodies of the songbirds:

“She is the sun ascending from the horizon. Those who are touched by her light are blessed forever.”

“All the flowers in the world cannot match her radiance.”

“In her eyes are the flickers of the infinite. No one can resist her gaze.”

“Mere water cannot reflect her true elegance.”

Now those last words cut a deep wound in the spirits’ pride for they dwelt in a shallow well. To them, water was so sacred that to even utter that statement would invoke their wrath.

On the girl’s fifteenth birthday the spirits began their plot.

That night, after her family had gone to sleep, the girl sat outside and reflected on how amazing the day was. She had received gifts from many suitors, dazzling jewels and breathtaking gold. She felt that the sun and moon were mere dots that served to light her figure.

Her rumination was interrupted by a sweet harmony, beckoning her near. She could not resist the sound’s charm and started walking to its source.

In the well the spirits bickered.
“We should drown that irritating upstart. A few minutes and it will all be over, then we can send her bloated corpse to the other humans to show just how pretty this ‘princess’ actually is.”

“No! We should make her punishment long and slow. For fifteen years we had to endure those insults that were thrown at our own beauty. I want to her to suffer as we have.”

The spirits fought and threw taunts at each other, but they were still no closer to an agreement.

Until one voice reverberated through the well.
“My tamawo sisters, all this talk of pain and suffering will not sate our resentment. The humans agreed that there was no spirit that could ever be as beautiful as this girl. We must prove them wrong.”

“What would you have us do then?”

“You shall see.”

The girl stood beside the well. She was fully aware of what her body was doing, but she could not control it.

From the well rose a beautiful woman. In her heart the girl new that the woman was a supernatural like her grandfather would tell of in his stories.

“Please let me go,” the girl begged.
“Your family has committed a grave sin against the spirits.”

“What do you mean? We’ve done nothing to harm you.”

“Is it not true that the humans across this land and others have proclaimed you as more beautiful than the spirits?”
“Yes but that was just a joke, they were exaggerating.”

“I don’t think they were. Or you were, for that matter.”

“I didn’t say anything!”

“Oh really? Then what happened at your party?”

“Nothing happened!”

“What did you say after you received your gifts?”
“Nothing! It was just a joke!”

“What. Did. You. Say.”

Tears welled out down the girl’s cheeks.

“I said that I was the only thing that mattered. That no being, not a person, not a spirit, not even a god could ever reach the beauty I have.”

“You spit in the face of the spirits. There are none that hold beauty such as we do. You are nothing but a human and you will never equal us.”

The girl grew silent. She could feel the spell that kept her still fade away, but instead of running she faced the spirit.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about! You stupid cow! Do you know how gorgeous I am or do you not have eyes! You can do what you want with me, but you will always, ALWAYS, know that this human is more beautiful than any tomawo will ever be!”

“You dare throw disrespect?!”

“No, I am just telling the truth. I will be remembered as the greatest beauty in this land and others, while your stupid face can’t even interest a normal person!”

“Foolish girl. But you may be right. You are beautiful, more than I care to admit. I do know one way to have humans and spirits alike say that the tamawo are more beautiful than anything  in this realm and others.”

“What are you going to do to me?”

“You shall see…. Sister.”

The couple spent years trying to find their daughter until their heartbreak took a toll on their frail bodies. Their prayers were unanswered and they were tormented with the pain of loss until the end. They were buried near their home, in unmarked graves.

Some say the girl drowned in a river not too far away and her ghost could be seen roaming lonely paths.

Others say that one of her suitors carried her to a far-off land where she is now queen, content to spend her days sharing her beauty with her subjects.

But there are those that warn against going to an isolated well near the forest. They say that beautiful spirits make it their home. There are those that ignore those warnings for it is also said that one of those spirits is the most beautiful being in all the realms. Those with common sense would heed these warnings but for those without logic, nothing will stop them from seeing a glimpse of her beauty.

*Tomawo are beautiful spirits like the engkanto.

*Ilocano is the third most-spoken local language of the Philippines.An Austronesian language, it is related to such languages as Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tetum, Chamorro, Fijian, Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Paiwan and Malagasy. It is closely related to some of the other Austronesian languages of Northern Luzon, and has slight mutual intelligibility with the Balangao language and the eastern dialects of the Bontoc language.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Ilocano translation by Maria Jesusa Villaruz
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Maria Jesusa Villaruz

Inspired by the Manbukay description in The Remnants of the Great Ilonggo Nation. Sebastian Sta. Cruz Serag. 1997.

Manbukay illustration by Gabrielle Solera

IG: @gbsolera

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