*Note this story is in Kapampangan

Apansin nang Anselmo a mangalgal la deng gamat na anyang binaldug ne ing mumunang bini. Balu na kasi na labag king lub na ning ari ning bunduk ing keyang gagawan at balu na din malyari yang miparusan. Oneng  agyang makanita, balu na din na mas igit pa ing akwa nang kapalit.

Nung dakal mu sanang ortilanung maglakas lub a sumubuk, mas dakal pa sanang apatubung Tobacco king babo bunduk.

Megambul ne ing gabun, metanam na la deng bini.

Anyang benging ita, apaninap ne ing ari. Atiu la kanu king gubat kabang miarapan la. Timpa ne ning ari ing gabun maka-atlung besis at saka anti mong linwal a taung mangalati. Atin yang sinambit ing ari oneng ali na masiadung dimdam Anselmo saka la pinulayi deng tawu palwal kung gubat.

Melakwan ya i Anselmo ampo ing ari. Mangatakutan ne i Anselmo oneng mengaring ali ne aakit ning ari. Tinampa ne pa ning ari ing gabun maka-atlu pang besis at kalupa na ning milyari nandin, dakal na namang tawung sinibul keng gabun. Ngeni, migtaka ne i Anselmo kaya tikyan na na la deng tawung mangalati nung nokarin la mumunta.

Anyang mekaratang ne king dulu ning gubat, mengapasingap iya king ikit na. Asnang kalawak ing pananam a Tobacco mamangga king dulu ning panakit na ning mata. Kanita ya mu menakit kadakal a Tobacco. Detang taung malati pala deng mananam. Dina-dinalan (o baka libu!) a tawung mangalati ing mananam ampong manarul king asikan.

Dikma ne ing metung a taung malati saka ne kitnangan nung nanu ing gagawan na. “Para king ari ini. Siempre kailangan na ning ari ing Tobacco para atin iyang isindi.” Saka ne ginulut in taung malati saka ya  mengapakaili king kutang nang Anselmo a balamu mulala yamu ing mangutang king kitang na.

Meyari ne ing paninap na anyang meyari no din menanam Tobacco. Dudugdug ya pusu i Anselmo. Aganaka na ing bining tenam na napun. Mipaisip ya nung nanung kaparusan na nita.

Eya mipaindatun pilang aldo. Mipapaisip ya nung bawian ne ba ing tenam nang bini. Angga king bulan na ing milabas a aiisip na ini.

Ala. Ala naman milyari. Milabas ing pilang aldo at bulan. Pilang tilauk na ing manuk ing milabas, tinubu la pa rin deng Tobacco king palibut ning Kanlaon kalupa ning dati.

Ali linwat, aulata da reng tau a lagpas ne king gulus ing tanam nang Anselmo. King inggit a atin kapalit a gintu ing panananam Tobacco, tinanam nala naman nung nokarin ya naman menanam i Anselmo.

Ikwa nang sinapak Tobacco ning Kanlaon oneng ala din namang milyari.

Atin din naman sinabi kareng ortilanu. “Tandanan yu nung nanu ing sinabi ning ari. Nung tanam tamu keni baka pang-uanan nala mu ning ari ing Tobacco saka no ngan isindi!”

Alang pinansin king sinabi da. Agyang ding simpleng tau, mabubulag murin karas king pera.

Patye bengi, magkumpulan la deng aliwa keng dapug saka magkwentu tungkul king ari ning bunduk. Sabi da, ing ari mu ing tune makapangyarian king yatu oneng  mas pinili nang lumakad kayabe tamu kesa king sakupan naka tamu.

Aganaka da nung makananung e na buri ning ari a mananam lagpas king gulis a gewa da reng taung mangalati pabilug king babo bunduk. Melungkut la deng tawu king utus ning ari anyang meko ya.

Anapaya ning ari, “Makisabi kung mayap kekayu, ekayu tatanam lagpas king gulis. Nung gawan yu yan, kunan ku ngan ing Tobacco at alang tumubu metung man anggat ali ku ngan agigisan isindi ing egana-gana.” Mibuklat ya ing gabun kaybat neng tinampa ning ari saka ne meko.

Tinupad no man deng tau… angga king depat nang Anselmo.

Kapabibatan na nita, menanam ya pa din Tobacco i Anselmo. Aganaka ne ing apaninap na… sana  kasingdakal na nitang apaninap na ing tanam na king keyang asikan.

Pilang banua na ing milabas, akalingwan de rin deng tau ing ari ning bunduk kayabe ning pangaku da kaya.

Sinapak ya ing Kanlaon Tobacco. Deng tawu naman mikwalta la keng karelang pupul.

Dakal taung mekyabe king karelang fiesta. Ala napin sigurung makapigil king karelang pamagsaya ampong keng karelang pamikwalta.

Angga king binuklat ya ing gabun at mibalik ya ing ari ning bunduk.

Minuna neng pinulayi i Anselmo. Mangatug ya butul uling balu na ini na ing aldo ning pamag-atul. Ali ne linawe pagulut king pamamulayi na king lalam ning bunduk.

At milyari na pin ing katatakutan na. Ing dating sapak Tobacco, ngeni, ala neng laman ing Kanlaon. Ali la makapaniwala deng ortilanu na mewala lang bigla deng tanam da. Akalingwan da na tune makapangyarian ya pin ing ari.

Menaimik ngan ing egana-gana uling balu da na ing malyari. Disuldit, sinabug ya ing bunduk at mekulkul ya iti saka sinapak api ampong asuk.

Agyang deng pekamatapang, mengatakutan. Misalbag la deng tau king takut da king mua na ning ari.

Pangabenging ita, meninap ya I Anselmo… ating makapal a asuk a linto king arap na. Menguku ya anggang ikit ne ing ari sisinding Tobacco.

Siniklod ya ampong menyad tawad.

Pasibayu, ali na ne na naman apasin ning ari i Anselmo. Tinampa ne ing gabun maka-atlung besis saka la linto deng mangalating tau.

Mamagdala lang Tobacco deng mangalating tau para isindi ning ari.

Sinapak yang asuk ing bunduk. King sobrang kapal, balamu makbung ne salu i Anselmo.

Anggang mipagising ya.

Milabas ing pilang banwa, atin memagbalik king bunduk. Menalakad lang baryu king gilid bunduk oneng ala nang sinubuk mananam Tobacco.

Alang mikabalu nung nanung milyari kang Anselmo. Atin sasabi, dinukut ne ning ari. Ing aliwa naman sasabyan da, tinakas ya kanu.

Nanu pa man, balu da reng tawu a kasabwat la king depat na. King makabang panaun, alang makatanam king Kanlaon.

Anggat sisindi ya pang Tobacco ing ari.

=————————-=
English Version

Anselmo felt his hands quiver as he planted the first seed. He knew what he was doing was against the wishes of the king of the mountain, and he was fearful of the price. Yet, there was so much to gain. Tobacco plants could stretch until the mountaintop if only the farmers had enough backbone to take the leap.

The earth was parted and the seed buried.

That night he dreamt of the king. They were in a forest facing each other. The king tapped the ground three times and small men sprang from the earth. The king said something Anselmo couldn’t hear and the small men ran towards the edges of the forest.

Anselmo and the king were left alone, but it seemed that the king couldn’t see the scared man. The king tapped the ground three more times and even more small men appeared. Alfonso was curious so this time he followed the small men to see what they were doing.

As he reached the end of the forest he gasped at the sight, rows of tobacco plants that extended towards the horizon. He had never seen so many tobacco plants. The small men were busy planting even more tobacco. Anselmo counted hundreds, no thousands of small men toiling in the fields.

He grabbed one of the small men and asked what they were doing. “Why this is for the king, of course,” said the small man, “the king needs his tobacco to smoke.” The small man then turned his back on Anselmo snickering at such a stupid question.

The dream ended there, with the small man and the tobacco plant. Anselmo’s heart was pounding, it was yesterday when he planted the first seed and he wondered what his punishment would be.

He agonized for days, wondering if he should take back the seed he planted. His mind raced for months about what his punishment would be.

Still, nothing happened. The sun still rose and the moon faded into the night. The roosters crowed at the same time every day and the tobacco plants grew around Kanlaon as they always have.

Soon, others noticed that Anselmo was planting above the line. Their eyes grew greedy with the promise of gold and they too took tobacco seeds and planted where Anselmo did.
And again, nothing happened. Kanlaon was filled to the brim with tobacco.

There were those that tried to warn the farmers. “Remember what the king said! If we plant here then he would carry all the tobacco away and smoke it all!”

Their cries fell on deaf ears. Money blinds even the most humble of men.

In the night there would be those that huddled around campfires and told the story of the king of the mountain. How he had absolute power over the earth, but sought to live alongside humans rather than rule over them.

They recounted how he had asked the people not to plant above a certain line that he had ordered his small men to draw around the mountain near the top. They told of the day when the king left. How the people shed tears at the kings pronouncement.

“I only ask that you will not plant above the line, if you do I will take all the tobacco away and no more shall grow along the mountainside until I have smoked it all.” The king tapped the ground and opened the earth, disappearing into the mountain.
The people kept their promise until Anselmo, of course.

Throughout all this he planted more tobacco. He remembered the dream, how he wished that his fields would look like the king’s, stretching until the horizon.

Years passed and the people forgot about the king of the mountain and their promise to him.

The mountain of Kanlaon was covered entirely by tobacco plants and the people grew rich and fat from their harvests.
Even the most humble of the people joined in the lavish fiestas that were held. It seemed like nothing could stop their celebrations of the people’s newfound wealth.

That is, until the earth opened and the king of the mountain returned.

Anselmo was the first to flee. He could feel the rumble in his bones and he knew the day of reckoning had come. He didn’t even look back as made a dash for the foot of the mountain.
It was a terrible sight to behold. Once filled with tobacco, Kanlaon was now bare. The farmers could not believe that their crops had disappeared so easily, but they had forgotten the true power of the king.

There was silence among the people, as if they knew what was about to happen. Suddenly the mountaintop exploded into the air, creating a crater filled with smoke and fire.

This was too much for even the bravest of them. The people fled in all directions, fearful of the king’s wrath.

That night Anselmo dreamed.

A thick cloud of smoke appeared before Anselmo. He coughed until he saw the king smoking tobacco. He went down on his knees and asked for forgiveness.

Again, the king did not notice his presence. He tapped the ground three times and small men appeared. The small men then brought more tobacco for the king to smoke.

Smoke filled the mountain, filling each crevice. It was an oppressive force. Anselmo felt his chest about to explode from inhaling so much smoke.

Then he awoke.

Years passed by and there were those that returned to the mountain. They set up their villages along the sides, but no one was brave or foolish enough to grow tobacco on the mountain.

No one knows what became of Anselmo, some say the king stole him away for special punishment. Others say that he moved far away, trying to escape the king’s wrath.

It does not matter, for the people know they are complicit in his crime. Nothing will be planted on Kanlaon for generations.

Not until the king is done smoking his tobacco.

Story adapted from THE TOBACCO OF HARISABOQUED http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/pfs/pfs03.htm

Hari sa Bukid Illustration by Camille Chua
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*Note this story is in Tagalog

Noon unang panahon, ang isla ng Negros ay pinamumunuan ng isang mapayapa’t mabuting haring nagngangalang Laon.

Isang araw, bumuhos ang napakalakas na ulan. Umapaw ang mga ilog, at di kalauna’y bumaha nang abot-leeg. Lumapit ang mga tao sa kanilang hari upang humingi ng tulong.

Nagpatawag ng pagpupulong si Haring Laon. Iminungkahi niyang gumawa sila ng bundok ng lupa na di matitinag o malulubog ng anumang baha. Sumigaw ang mga tao, “Wala tayong kagamitan!” Iwinagayway ng hari ang kanyang panyo. Mula sa kawalan ay lumitaw ang pala at asarol. Hindi pa rin nakontento ang mga tao. “Paano tayo gagawa ng bundok nang walang mga bato?” Pumadyak si Haring Laon at muli ay lumitaw ang mga bato.

Nagtulung-tulong ang mga tao upang makabuo ng bundok na umabot nang anim na libong talampakan ang taas. Doon sila nanatili hanggang sa humupa ang baha.

Tila mapaya ang lahat hanggang sa isang umaga nang magising ang hari sa isang kaguluhan. Isang higanteng ahas na may pitong ulo ang papalapit sa bayan. Takot na takot ang mga tao sa pulang mga mata at umuusok nitong ilong. Sa gabi, bumubuga ng apoy ay ahas na siyang pumapatay sa mga tanim at hayop sa bayan.

Nauubos na ang pag-asa ng mga tao hanggang sa isang araw ay dumating ang isang binatang nagngangalang Kan. Sinabi niya kay Haring Laon na papatayin niya ang ahas. Tuwang tuwa naman ang hari sa pangakong ito ni Kan.

Sinabi ni Haring Laon na bibigyan niya ng pabuyang kayamanan si Kan kung matatalo niya ang ahas. Ipinangako din ni Haring Laon ang kamay ng kanyang anak na dalaga upang ipakasal kay Kan.

Si Kan ay hindi ordinaryong tao. Alam niya ang wika ng mga hayop at ibon. Nang dumating ang araw ng sagupaan, dumulog si Kan sa mga ito upang tulungan siya. Kinagat ng mga hayop ang katawan ng ahas at tinuka naman ng mga ibon ang mga mata nito. Nang nalingat ang ahas ay pinutol ni Kan ang pitong ulo nito.

Inihandog ni Kan ang pitong ulo ng ahas kay Haring Laon. Ayon sa kanyang pangako, pinaulanan ng kayamanan si Kan at ipinakasal sa kanya ang anak na dalaga ng hari.

Noong mamatay si Haring Laon, pinalitan siya ni Kan bilang hari ng bayan. Ang bundok na ipinatayo ni Haring Laon ay nananatili pa rin, at tinawag itong Kanlaon bilang pag-alala sa kabayanihan ng binata at kabutihan ng hari.

“At dito natin tatapusin ang kwento.”

Isinara ni Lola Anding ang libro at pinanood ang kanyang mga apo hanggang sa makatulog sila. Ang paborito niyang si Rhai ay laging nagtatanong. Sa yari niya ay magiging iskolar ito balang araw. Umasa si Lola Anding na abutan niya pa ang araw na iyon.

Nagnilay-nilay siya sa istoryang ikinuwento niya sa mga bata. Ang alamat ng Bundok Kanlaon ay isang nakahahangang kwento! Isang binatang nakikipaglaban sa mga higanteng ahas, isang haring may taglay na mahika, ang kanyang bayan na kayang magtayo ng bundok, mga hayop at ibon na tumutulong sa pagpuksa ng kalaban—lahat nang ito’y nagbigay ng kinang sa mga mata ng kanyang mga apo.

Inisip niya kung anong aral ang napulot ng bawat bata sa kwento. Si Rhai, siyempre, ay ginambala ang kanyang pagbabasa upang magtanong. “Bakit may kakaibang kapangyarihan ang hari? Bakit kaya ni Kan ang makipag-usap sa mga hayop? Gaano katagal binuo ng mga tao ang bundok?”

Ang kanyang katalinuhan ay maliwanag sa kanyang mga tanong. Inisip ni Lola Anding kung mapupunan ba ni Rhai ng kanyang imahinasyon ang sarili niyang mga tanong.

Si Faye naman ay natakot sa kwento. Yakap-yakap niya ang kanyang laruang buwaya habang inaarte ni Lola Anding ang pagpatay ni Kan sa ahas. Kaawa-awang bata. Gusto niya lang namang maging magkaibigan ang lahat. “Kung kayang makipag-usap ni Kan sa mga hayop, bakit hindi na lamang niya kinausap ang ahas upang paalisin ito?” tanong ni Faye.

Sinagot naman siya ni Fernando, “Ang ahas ay masama at dapat lamang siyang turuan ng leksyon!” Iwinasiwas ni Fernando ang kanyang laruang espada at napabuntong-hininga na lamang si Lola Anding. Isang araw ay makakasakit ang batang ito at ang laruan niya. Ang simpleng pag-iisip ni Fernando ay isang hiwaga. Inisip ni Lola Anding kung gaano katagal makikita ni Fernando ang mundo mula sa inosente niyang mga mata. Napailing na lamang si Lola Anding, “Marapat lamang sa mga bata ang kanilang kamusmusan,” bulong niya sa kanyang sarili.

Kinumutan niya ang mga bata at isa-isang hinalikan sa noo. Sa kanilang mga panaginip ay haharapin nila ang kani-kanilang bersyon ng ahas—o sa kaso ni Faye ay makipagkaibigan sa kanila.

Ngumiti si Lola Anding. Naalala niya ang unang beses na narinig niya ang alamat mula sa kanyang lolo. Noong mga panahong iyon ay walang ibang pagkakaabalahan kaya’t sabik na sabik siya sa mga kwentong ito.

At ano naman ang nakuha niya mula sa mga ito?

“Sa buhay ay marami kang haharaping mga ahas, at matatalo mo sila sa pamamagitan ng iyong sariling kakayahan. Gamitin mo ang anumang tinataglay mo sa pagharap sa pagsubok at ika’y gagantimpalaan sa huli.”

Pinanghawakan ni Lola Anding ang aral na ito at hindi kailanman kinalimutan kung ano ang kanyang ipinaglalaban.

At sulit nga ba ito?

Muli niyang tiningnan ang natutulog niyang mga apo at siya’y tumango.

“Oo naman,” bulong niya sa kanyang sarili.

=———————————–=

English Version

Long ago, the island of Negros was ruled by a peaceful and kind-hearted king by the name of Laon.

One day heavy rains fell. The river overflowed and as time went on the water became neck-deep. The people went to their king to ask for aid.

Laon called for a meeting. He said that they should build a mound of earth that would overcome any flood. The people shouted, “We have no tools!” and the king waved his handkerchief and a spade and heavy hoe appeared. Still there was discontent. “How can we build this mound without stones?!” and Laon stomped his feet and stones magically appeared.

Together the people built a mound that reached six thousand feet above sea level. It was there that they took refuge until the water went away.

Everything seemed to be alright until one morning a great commotion woke the king from his sleep. A giant serpent with seven heads was approaching the village. Its red eyes and smoking nose frightened the villagers. At night, the snake would breathe fire damaging crops and killing the animals around the village.

It seemed impossible to challenge the serpent until one day a young man named Kan appeared. He told king Laon that he would kill the snake and the king was glad.

Laon said that he would reward Kan with riches and the hand of his beautiful daughter if Kan was successful in ridding the village of the serpent.

Kan was no ordinary man. He knew the languages of the birds and the beasts. And when it came time to fight the serpent he called on them for aid. The beasts bit the serpent’s body and the birds pecked its eyes. They gave Kan enough of an opening and the youth sliced off the serpent’s heads.

With the snake dead, Kan presented the seven heads to king Laon. There he was showered with riches and married the daughter of the king.

When king Laon died Kan became the king of the tribe. The mound that saved the villagers from the flood remains, called Kanlaon in memory of the brave youth and the kind king.

“And there we end our story.”

Loala Anding closed the book and watched her grandchildren fall asleep. Rhai was her favorite, always asking questions. He would probably be a scholar in the future. Lola Anding hoped that she would live to see that.

She reflected on the tale she told the children. The legend of Mount Kanlaon, such a romantic story! A brave youth fighting off giant serpents, a magical king and his village building a mountain, birds and beasts helping to fight off evil, all these things made her grandchildren’s eyes light up with wonder.
She wondered what each child would take from the story.

Rhai, of course, interrupted her a few times and asked her why things were the way they were. “Why did the king have magic?” “Why was Kan able to speak the languages of the animals?” “How long did the people take to build the mound?”
His inquisitive spirit was so evident in his questions, she wondered if he would fill in the blanks with his own imagination.

Now Faye was afraid of the story, she clutched her stuffed crocodile tight while Lola acted out the part of cutting up the serpent’s heads. Poor girl, she just wanted everyone to be friends. She asked, “If Kan could speak to animals, why couldn’t he speak to the serpent to go and leave everyone alone?”

Fernando shot back at her with his usual wit, “The serpent was evil and evil things need to be dealt with!” He swung his toy sword around and Lola Anding sighed. One day he would poke an eye out with that thing. His single mindedness was a sight to see. She wondered how long he would view the world in black and white. She shook her head, “The child deserves his innocence,” she whispered to herself.

She tucked them all in and gave them a kiss goodnight. They were off to fight their own serpents in their dreams, or in Faye’s case make friends with them.

Lola Anding smiled. She remembered the first time she heard this story from her own grandfather. In those days entertainment was hard to come by and she looked forward to these stories with an open mind.

And what did she get from it?

“In life you will fight serpents, and you will have to overcome them with your gifts. Use what you were given to face your challenges and you will be rewarded.”

She took those words to heart and never forgot what she fought for.

And was it worth it?

She looked at her sleeping grandchildren and gave a slight nod.

“Of course it was,” she whispered to herself.

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

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Dana Garcia
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Dana Garcia

Adapted from The Legend of Mt. Canlaon in Negros Oriental and Siquijor Island Legends, Beliefs and Folkways. Aldecoa-Rodriguez. 2000.

Kan’s Serpent Illustration by Paul Medalla
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