*Note this story is in Masbatenyo

Permi na ni Arturo nababatian ina na kinasadtu na isturya na kung paano mapapaanad ina na klasi san hayup na tanan na gusto mu iya sususnod nadaw bagan suruguon.

An dapat mo lang na paga himuon kay makuha na dili nya aram an iya na tuloy na dulae na buhik sa ulo, samtang nakasakay sa iya likod na dli ka makita hasta na mag- udong siya sin kakalukso na bagan maabut na niya an langit kag pakadtu sa kabukidan kag hasta sa kadagatan sa kasakit na iya nababatyagan.

Samok- samok na an iya isip, kay tungod sa kinahanglan niya san kuwartakag an iya nalang nabibilin na aram niya himuon na makabulig saiya kay an tikbalang. Pero aram niya man sa sadiri na may dili man maayu na mangyayari saiya kay kabalyu sani kay an iya na buhay. Magkakaigwa sya san sakit, pero nanu paman ba an iya na kinahanglan na kahadlokan? Dati naman sya may sakit na ina batyag, bilang nalang an iya na nga oras kinahanglan na igwa siya san pagahimuon. Kay sa tungod na habo niya mawara siya sa kalibutan na utang an iya nga maibilin kag problema sa iya nga pamilya.

Tumindog si Arturo sa atubang san Puno san danakit kag tinawag niya ini na lumuwas saiya nga balay. Pira man ka oras na nagahulat siya kag iya inparakita didtu sa madulom, napaus nalang siya san kakasiyak. Tapos may bigla nagpakita.

” Hoy buang na tawo, nanu kay adi ka didi,” hunga sani saiya.

“Nagkadi ako para mapapaanad ka nakon.” Sabat man ni Arturo.

Tumawa an tikbalang san grabe sa iya na mga sinabina makaharadlok bation, na miski san-o dili niya pa nabatian sa bilog na buhay niya.

” Damu na san mga tawo an nagtisting na himuon ina saakon pero tanan sinda wara sinewertehan. Kag nanu man an sumulod sa utok mo na naisip mo ako na mapapaanad?”

” Dili na kinahanglan pa na isipon ina kay nanu, Basta kay ako hihimuon ko an akon na gusto.”

“Sige tistengan ta daw an katag mo.”

Linumpatan ni Arturo sa likodan an tikbalang, graben likot sani, kaya nalilisodan siya na makahuyot sa buhok sani. Hapit na makabuhi an mga kamot ni Arturo maayu nalang gani kay nakabalik huyot siya san maayu para dili siya mahulog. Inadumdum niya an iya na pamilya kag aram niya na kinahanglan sya sani. Kaya dili gaud pwede na wara siya san himuon para sainda.

Pira ka sigundo an natapos si Arturo maayus na niya ini na kinabayuhan sa likod samtang inahuyotan an buhok sani sa likod. Binugnot ni Arturo an una na dulae na buhik. Sumiyak-siyak san grabe an tikbalang sa sobra na kasakit, pero dili gihapon umuding si Arturo, dili niya ini inpansin.

“Nanu kay inahimu ninyu ini saakon ha ,tawo?” Kahuna koba mabuot ka.” Nagbilog an boses san tikbalang na makusog-kusog kasabay sani an iya kakalumpat-lumpat.

“Hihimuon ko ini para sa akon na pamilya, Basta dili moko masasabutan.” Ginalaom ni Arturo na mapugongan nya ini hasta sa makuha niya. Kay pagamay- gamay na nagaluya na an iya kusog. Nababatyagan na niya na nagahuros na siya sa likod sani. Kag batyag niya an iya nga dughab na grabe an tulin san pitik sani.

” Nanu aram ninyu na mga tawo sa pamilya? Nasiraan naba kamu san isip.”

“Wara ako pakiaram kung nanu imu paga-isip. Kinahanglan ko na may mahimu ako para sainda ”

“Daw nababahuan kona lapit kana mawara, bilang nala imu nga mga oras didi sa duta. Dili kana madugay, Tama hanu ako?”

Wara magsabay si Arturo. Kay Tama man an isturya san tikbalang, tuna sa tuna may ina dara-dara na siya na sakit, pero Yana dili na ina imporante, an imporante mapaanad niya an tikbalang.

Nabugnot na niya an panduha na dulae na buhik kag amu niya pala napansun wara na gali sinda sa umahan banda na kung Hain an danakit. Dili niya aram kung na sinda banda san kabukidan na indarhan sani san tikbalang, nabigla siya sa tanan na nangyayari dara nalang pod san iya na pagtaka.

” Anna! Reymark! Julia!”

” Naga ayu kaba san bulig sainda?”

“Dili! Nadumduman kolang kung kasin-o ko ini inahimu!”

” Miski sin- o dili ko gaud kamu na tawo maabutan.”

Kag didto medyu nagkunay-kunay an tikbalang san kakalukso kag kakalukot pero dili man ini nagdugay. Napansun ni Arturo na may asu didtu banda sa may danakit.

” Balay ko ina, pero san nag abut kamu,” nababatyagan ni Arturo na may kaurit ini basi sa boses sani. “An gusto ko manla tani pabay- an ninda ako mag-usad, pero nanu inda inhimu pati an balay ko inda pa ginlabutan. Pati an akon pamilya.”

May usad pa na bibilin na dulae na buhik. An pagahuyot nya sa buhok san tikbalang kay inbalhin nya sa may liog banda kay dili sya masyado nakakapugong maayu.

” Pamilya ko yana an mas importante,”

Nadumduman ni Arturo na an inda balay nakabaligya na kay para nakabayad sa mga  bulong kag gasto sa pagkaospital niya, kag paano si Reymark kag Julia nagbalhin san eskwelahan dahil man saiya.

Inpiyung niya an iya nga mata kag nanghuyot san maayu sa tikbalang.

Hanalapit na mag maaga, nagapakita na gamay an sikat san adlaw kag dili makatuod siya na nakadugay siya sa likod san tikbalang. Nagaluya naman ini sa kakapoy, naghinat na an iya napagahiwag kag dili na gaud malikot-likot parehu sa una.

San pawa na gaud an adlaw napaingkod ini tungod sakakapoy sa atubang san danakit. Kinita sani si Arturo, na huyot na sani an tulo na dulae na buhik

“Nahimu mo,”

Napahuyot si Arturo sa iya nga dughab, nababatyagan niya naga piot ini sa kasakit hasta iya likod pakadtu sa iya nga liog. Nagatulin an iya napaga ginhawa pati iya nga ulo naga Gaan na.

Nagkuot siya sa iya nga bulsa kag inluwas niya an isad na piktyur.

“Luwasa sinda”

” Sige akon Ikaw pagasunodon.”

Tungod sana bigla na nawara an tikbalang.  Naabutan na san sirak san adlaw si Arturo. Kag makikita mo man saiya nga bayhun na malipayun na siya tungod sa nahimu na niya an iya na handom.

“Salamat”.

=————————–=

Arturo had heard the stories before. How the creatures could be tamed to become your loyal servants.

All he had to do was snatch the three golden hairs at the top of its head and then stay on its back until it was done jumping into the sky and going over the mountains and seas, easier said than done.

He was desperate, he needed money and he knew that the tikbalang could help him. He also knew that they would not forget him if he failed. They brought sickness, but what did he need to fear? He was already sick, time was slipping away from him and he needed something to hold on to. He didn’t want to leave his family behind with debt and regret.

Arturo stood in front of the Balete tree and called the creature out. It had been hours staring in the dark, his throat almost raw from shouting, but then he saw a figure.

“Foolish human, why have you come here,” the figure said.

“I am here to tame you,” was Arturo’s reply.

A wild laughter erupted from the creature, like nothing Arturo had ever heard before.

“Many humans have tried and failed. What makes you think you will be the one to tame me?”

“It doesn’t matter what I think, only what I will do.”

“Very well then.”

Arturo launched himself at the tikbalang, its chaotic movement challenging his grip. Arturo arms seemed to be failing him, but he held on. He thought about his family and how they needed him. He would not let them down.

Arturo managed to position himself holding the creature by the mane.

He picked the first golden hair. The tikblang screamed in pain, but Arturo didn’t mind it.

“Why are you doing this, human? I thought we were forgotten by your kind.” The creature’s wild movements matched the tone of its voice.

“I’m doing this for my family, something you will never understand.” Arturo hoped his strength would last, already he felt like he was slipping. He could feel his heart beating through his chest.

“What do humans know of family? All your kind does is destroy.”

“I don’t care what you think. I have to leave something behind for them.”

“I thought I smelled the stench of death upon you. You don’t have long do you, human?”

Arturo didn’t answer. Since the diagnosis, his whole life was defined by his sickness, today that didn’t matter. Nothing did except taming the tikbalang.

He picked the second hair and saw that they weren’t in the field with the Balete tree anymore. He didn’t recognize the mountain that the creature had taken them to, and he shook off the curiosity.

“Anna! Reymark! Julia!”

“Asking for help, human?”

“I’m remembering who I’m doing this for!”

“I will never understand creatures like you.” The creature calmed down just a bit, long enough for Arturo to look at the burnt husk of what he thought was a balete tree.

“That used to be my home, that is, until your kind came along” Arturo could sense the disgust in the tikbalang’s voice “All I wanted was to be left alone, but they took my home. My family.”

There was still one more hair left. The tikblanag’s mane didn’t give him a lot of traction, and he held tight against the creature’s neck.

“My family is all that matters.” Arturo remembered how they had to sell their house to pay for the medical bills, how Reymark and Julia had to transfer school because of him. He closed his eyes and gripped against the tikbalang.

The rising sun was visible in the distance and Arturo was surprised he lasted hours on the tikbalang’s back. The creature was getting tired, its movements slower and less erratic.

As the sun rose the tikbalang fell exhausted in front of its Balete tree. It looked at Arturo, now holding its three golden hairs.

“You have won.”

Arturo clutched at his chest; he could feel the pressure building up in his heart, spreading to his back and neck. His breaths were rapid, and his head felt light.

He reached into his pocket and took out a photo.

“….save them.”

“I will obey.”

With that, the tikbalang disappeared. Sunlight rested on Arturo, his face showing a look of contentment. He allowed himself one last smile.

“Thank you.”

=———————=

*Masbateño or Minasbate is a Bicol-Visayan language spoken by more than 600,000 people, primarily in the province of Masbate in the Philippines. It is very close to Capiznon, Hiligaynon/Ilonggo and Waray-Waray, all three spoken in Visayas. It is considered a Bisakol language, meaning a language intermediate between Visayan languages and Bicolano languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Masbatenyo Translation by Angel Papilosa
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Angel Papilosa

Inspired by the Tikbalang description in  Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Tikbalang Illustration by Ysa Penas

*Note this story is in Masbatenyo

” An buhay san isad ka midwife kay dili gaud madali laki,” isturya ni Carina sa iya nasadiri. Bibisitahun niya an iya nga upat na pasyente yana na simana. An isad nya na pasyente kay babaye na naga edad nan dise- nuwebe kag naga preparar na ini para sa iya pagaanak sa panganay niya. Gina para isturyahan ni Carina an babaye para mapakalma niya ini kag magkunay kunay gamay an iya inabatyag na sakit. Basta gani una na anak malisod gaud an pagabudos hasta sa pag-anak sani, samu san dapat na ikabalaka, damu man pod san naiisip nakung nanu-nanu, pero ini si Carina aram niya gaud an dapat na pagahimuon. Halos pira na kadekada na naga serbisyu bilang isad ka midwife. Kag makikita mo man gani sa iya sadiri dayun na ekpersyado na klasi san midwife. ” Ayaw mahandal, kay adi man ako. Magiging ayus an tanan.”

Ginkuha ni Carina an malabaab na tuwalya kag ginbutang sa idalum san likod san babaye. “Ibutang ko ini ha kay agud dili ka matugnawan, samtang nagahulat kita sa imu pagbata.” Amu ini an sabi ni Carina sa iya nga pasyente. ” Kay nanu dli paba nakon ini e iri?” Hunga san babaye sa iya na napahiyum nala si Carina. ” Ayaw anay. Kinahanglan natun gihapon na hulatun na ansakto na kung san- o niya gusto na maglabas. Kay dili pa niya oras. Sige samtang nanagahulat kita mag uru isturyahan anay kita, kwento kadaw tungkol sa imu nga asawa.”

An pakikipag-isturyahan an permi na nakakapakalma gaud sa mga iloy kag dida man si Carina matibay makiupod kag bilang usad na taga pamati. An babaye kag an iya nga asawa nga lalaki nagtaban lang gali ini hali sa inda nga lugar, kay dili intugutan san inda mga guinikanan na mag- upod bilang usad namag- asawa. An asawa man nalalaki naga paningkamot gaud, halos pira nagani kabulan na wara uli- uli kay nagtrabahu sa syudad. Naghinulat an asawa nababaye na makauli ini siya kay mauli kuno ini sa yana nasimana kaso wara paman naga abut pa. Dili niya maattendiran an pagluwas san inda na panganay na anak. ” Aram mo, miski sino man gaud ginalaom gaud natun na dapat ada gaud atun asawa kay miski sina lang napamaagi makabulig manla atun asawa”, sabay tawa ni Carina kag amu man an babaye. Tungod sana midyu nawara na an hadlok.

Aram ni Carina na dili magiging madali an pagaanak sani kag mas madudugayan pa dili parehu san iba. ” Mas maayus na Lang gani kay preparado na nakon an tanan na kinahanglanon,” isip niya. Dapat permi gaud handa sa miski nanu na mangyayari.

Pero bigla nalang na may natakdag saiya nga abaga banda ni Carina, kag didto na bagan bigla nakaudong siya sa pagginhawa kalit kay kinalasan siya. Pero nagtawa nala siya. Kay kinahanglan na dili siya makitaan san kahadlok kag luya san iya nga pasyente, lalo na nakikita nya na nalilisodan ini sa iya nga pag- anak.

Tapos napamuda nala bigla si Carina san maduduman niya na an iya lemon kay nabilin sa trysikle san naga byahi siya. ” Cge lang, maisip nala ako iba pana pamaagi na pwede magamit.” Sabi ni Carina sa sadiri. Igwa paman pano siya san kawayan na matarom sa iya bag. Mas maayu na inan preparado sa nanu man na mangyari.

” Sige tistengan natun ini, pikit mo imu nga mata ha!” Kag ayaw gaud pag imuklat samtang dili kopa nainasabi ha?” Kusog na tingog na sugo niya sa babaye. Miski sa nanu na bagay makikita mo gihapon na bagan may kung nanu siya na inasabi. ” Kay nanu, may problema ba ?” Hunga san babaye na may kahadlok.

” Ah wara man, kinahanglan kolang na tangkason an pesti ,” sabat ni Carina sabay tahub san mga bata sani. Pasalamat nalang gaud kay adtu si Carina. Amu an iya nga kaupod sadtu na gab-e.

” Sa yana, ipadayun mona imu paga kwento tungkol sa imu nga asawa. Kay daw dugay pa bago mag-aga.”

=———————————-=

English Version

“The life of a midwife isn’t so hard,” Carina reflects. She’s seeing her 4^th patient this week. The woman is only 19 years old and preparing for the birth of her first child. Carina speaks calmly and reassures the woman. It’s always difficult for first timers, so many fears going through their heads, but Carina knows what she’s doing. She’s been a midwife for more than a decade and she speaks with a voice sharpened by experience, “It’s going to be okay, I’m here.”

She grabs the warm towels and puts them underneath the woman’s back. “This should keep you comfortable while we wait for the baby,” Carina reassures her patient. “Should I push now?” the woman is calmer now, Carina smiles, “Not yet, we still have to wait. Why don’t you tell me about you husband?”

Talking always helps the mothers calm down and Carina is a good listener. The young woman and her husband eloped to this part of the country, their parents didn’t approve of their marriage. The husband had been trying to find work for months and went to the city to see if there was anything there. He was expected back next week and the woman is disappointed he won’t be here for the birth of their child. “Oh you can always expect that from husbands,” Carina laughs. The woman laughs as well, humor wins over fear most of the time.

Carina knows this is going to be a hard labor, and it will take a few hours before the actual work will happen. “It’s a good thing I prepared everything,” she thinks to herself. It always paid to be prepared.

Something wet suddenly falls on Carina’s shoulder and her breath stops for a moment. She smiles. Carina can’t let the woman see any hint of fear, childbirth is already hard enough without worrying about something like this.

Carina silently curses under her breath for forgetting about the suha. She must have left it in the tricycle on her way here. “No use worrying about that now,” she thinks. There’s still the sharpened piece of bamboo in her bag. It always paid to be prepared.

“Okay, we’re going to try something, so just close your eyes okay? And don’t open them until I say so,” Carina’s voice is sterner now, but the edge of experience still shines through. “Is something wrong?” The woman voice has a hint of fear.

“Oh no, nothing wrong. I just need to take care of a pest.” Carina closes the woman’s eyelids, thankfully she was looking at Carina the whole night. “Now just keep telling me about that husband of yours. We have a long night ahead of us.”

=———————————–=

*Pomelo fruit

*Masbateño or Minasbate is a Bicol-Visayan language spoken by more than 600,000 people, primarily in the province of Masbate in the Philippines. It is very close to Capiznon, Hiligaynon/Ilonggo and Waray-Waray, all three spoken in Visayas. It is considered a Bisakol language, meaning a language intermediate between Visayan languages and Bicolano languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Masbatenyo Translation by Angel Papilosa
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Angel Papilosa

Inspired by the Wak-wak entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Wak-wak (Surigao) Illustration and Watercolor by Nightmaresyrup
Tumblr: http://nightmaresyrup.tumblr.com/

*Note this story is in Masbatenyo

Batyag ko an matugnaw na bakal na nakadikit saakon na panit.

” Nagtuna an tanan mga alas singko san kagab- ehun. Dili man gayod madugay an naging kanam sa bakestbolan kaya naka uli man dayun ako san atab lalo na kay nagtugon si mama na mag- uli gaud san atab. Kaya nag dali- Dali man ako Pauli. Miski maghinay lang an boses nababatian ko gihapon ini kag aram ko na adi lang gaud sa halapit an nagatunog. Naglingi- lingi ako, paglingi ko sa tuo nakita ko an puno san santol kag didtu ko naaraman na didtu gaud nagahali an nagatunog kag adtu siya.

” Wak …wak….wak..”

Makaburungol na sa talinga an boses san aswang kag bigla nalang ako nakabalik saakon nga sadiri san nabatian ko naan boses ninda lola kag Lolo. ” Pag an huni gani san aswang graben tuda big sabihun sana huruharayo ina siya saimu pero maghimat ka kung an huni naman sana kay graben hinay kay ada lang ina sa halapit.” Nanugnaw na ako gaud sadtu sa sobra na kahadlok san pagsulod ko sa balay.

Nagdali- Dali ako dalagan pakadtu sa kusina para magkuha san kutsilyo, na magaan lang sa kamot paggamiton kay aram ko na gaud kung nanu an dapat pagahimuon sa mga oras na ini. In tago ko sa akon short an kutsilyu, kag umingkod ako sa katakin ni mama samtang nagahulat na magpakita an aswang na may huruhalaba na dila.

Naghinulat ako pira ka oras.

Nahuman an tryanta minutos sa pagabantay ko. Tryanta minutos ma. An in about bago ako magkadtu sa labas kag inkita didtu banda sa may santol kung adtu gihapon siya

Pero nawara na gali.

=——————————=

English Version

I could feel the cold steel of the knife pressing against my skin.

It started at 5:30 pm. The basketball game didn’t take too long and my mom wanted me home early so I rushed home as soon as I could. The sound was faint, but very distinct. I looked towards my right and when I saw the santol tree I knew exactly what it was.

“Wak….wak…..wak….”

The sound rang in my ears and suddenly I was hit with my grandparents voices, “If the wakwak sound is loud then that means the creature is far, but be careful if the voice is soft, for that means it is very near.” My blood ran cold the moment I entered the house.

The santol tree was right above the bedroom of my parents, so I knew I had to see if there was anything there that the wakwak might want. When I saw my pregnant mother watching TV, that’s when I knew. The fight had begun.

I raced to the kitchen to get a knife, it felt light in my hand, probably because I was sure of what I had to do. I hid the knife in my shorts, and sat next to my mother, waiting for the moment the monster would let loose its red tongue.

I waited.

I waited.

It was 30 minutes that I stayed on guard. 30 minutes until I ventured outside to the santol tree to hear if the voice persisted.

I waited and it was gone.

To this day, I’d like to think the creature sensed that I was ready for a fight and that my mother wouldn’t be easy prey. But there are still shivers down my spine every time I look at that santol tree, half expecting to hear a soft falsetto of

“Wak…..wak…..wak….”

=———————=

*Masbateño or Minasbate is a Bicol-Visayan language spoken by more than 600,000 people, primarily in the province of Masbate in the Philippines. It is very close to Capiznon, Hiligaynon/Ilonggo and Waray-Waray, all three spoken in Visayas. It is considered a Bisakol language, meaning a language intermediate between Visayan languages and Bicolano languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Masbatenyo Translation by Angel Papilosa
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Angel Papilosa

Inspired by a story told by Ian Quirante

Wak-wak Illustration by Ian Quirante
FB: Ian Quirante Illustrations

*Note this story is in Masbatenyo

Wara San miski sin- o an naga kusog buot na labutan o miski kuhaon an umang. Kay gin taga san inda agaron na magkaigwa san gahum na pangunahan kami.

Dili parehas san mga kupo na medyu hapit na makaitsura namon. Idto na mga bugo, dili ninda aram pagsinda nadakpan kakaonon gaud sinda san mga tawo. Kita mo ina? Gin buying lang bigla Hali sa lapukan, parehu san permi ninda na inahimu. Nabatian ko man pod gali sa mga tawo na inalabay man gani ninda an iba na kupo balik sa tubig pero iba na naklasi san tubing.

Tubig na graben init na makakapatay na sainda nga buhay. Dili man sinda dayun na matitiwas tama lang namakasiyak pa samtang inabutang sa tubig na mainit. Kag paghuman sana , kaunon san tawo an inda na mga unod kag pati na an mga guramoy. Makaharadlok gaud.

An mga kupo maburulag- bulag na sainda lawas. Pero dili lang ina dida matatapos an himu san tawo na makaharadlok. Sige pa ninda kakalabay san kung nanu-nanu sa suba. An iba maayus man namakabulig pa saamon paghimu balay kag dekorasyon samtang an iba makapatay na kay saka luod kag makakarigma kitaon.

Kag kung minsan amu pa ini an naga pabaho kag makarigma san lasa san tubig. Sa pira ka simana naga iba na dayun an itsura san suba tungod sa sobra kaati. Minsan gani nagatambak sinda san pagamay- gamay na ati hasta nalang na magdamu ini na daw bukid nakadako sa kakatambak san ati hali sani na mga tawo. Ati, bagan amu ina tawag ninda sa bagay na habo naninda gamiton o kung nanu. Amu ina an batian ko hali sa mga isturya san isda.

Kaya gani kami namga umang in hatag namon an amon nga duta sa mga engkanto. Kay aram ninda kung pa anhunun ninda an pag atu sa mga tawo naini kag matagaan ninda kami san gahum na makabalos man miski sa pamaagi san pagahatag san sakit na indababatyagon. Kaya dili gaud sinda nagakusog buot na disturbuhon amun na mga luho san balay.

=-=———————————-=

English Version

No one would ever dare touch a tulayhang. We are blessed by our masters with some power over our domain.

Not like those mud crabs we look like. Those idiots don’t even know when they’re being caught to be eaten by the humans. See that one? Just grabbed from the mud, just like their kind always are. I’ve heard that humans throw crabs back into the water, but not regular water.

The water’s so hot it kills them. Not instantly though, there’s enough time to scream. Then the humans eat the muscle and the claws off. Terrible.

The mud crab will come back in pieces, but that’s not the only thing the humans will throw. Oh they throw so many things back into the river some are nice and you can decorate your home with them, but others are just nasty.

Sometimes they smell and taste disgusting and the water just feels different for weeks on end, other times they just pile up what they throw until we’re all living on a gigantic mountain of human trash. Trash, I think that’s what they call the things they don’t want to have anymore, I heard it from some fish.

That’s why we tulayhang threw our lot in with the enkantos. They know what it’s like to have to deal with the humans and so gave us the power to give illness to any human that dares disturb us in our holes.

Now don’t look at me like that! The humans deserve it for aggravating the natural order, always throwing their trash around like it’s not going to bother anyone. I heard that way out in the ocean even the siyokoys are suffocating on their garbage. That’s another word for trash. Humans have so much of it that they need more than one word to describe it.

I guess that’s the lesson. Humans are just terrible beings that we have to watch out for. Never be afraid to use the powers your master gave you to defend yourself, because you never know when the humans will think you’re a mud crab.Then you’ll be swimming in pieces in the water, wondering why you didn’t listen to the wise old tulayhang.

=—————–=

*Masbateño or Minasbate is a Bicol-Visayan language spoken by more than 600,000 people, primarily in the province of Masbate in the Philippines. It is very close to Capiznon, Hiligaynon/Ilonggo and Waray-Waray, all three spoken in Visayas. It is considered a Bisakol language, meaning a language intermediate between Visayan languages and Bicolano languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Masbatenyo Translation by Angel Papilosa
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Angel Papilosa

Inspired by the Tulayhang myths from Central Panay

Tulayhang illustration by Harold Juab
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