*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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The post Hari sa Bukid – Kapampangan Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*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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The post Kan’s Serpent – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

Alikas nën Anselmo ya manggiwgiw so lima to nën intanëm to so pilimiron bukël. Amta to ya ag labay na hari na palandëy so gagawaën to, natataktakot mët diad nagawad sikato. Balët, balëg so nagamoran ëd saman. No makpël labat iray managtanëm, sarag dan nisabi ëd tagëy na palandëy so tabakon itatanëm da.

Binukay so dalin insan inkotkot so bukël.

Aman a labi, akogip nën Anselmo so hari. Wala rad katakëlan, mankaarapan. Amitlon tinapik na hari so dalin, insan taloran mëlanting a too so pinmaway diman. Inmësaës so hari balët ag to narëngël nën Anselmo, kasumpal to, binmatik iray mëlanting papaway na katakëlan.

Atilak si Anselmo tan imay hari, balët singa ag nanënëngnëng na hari so lakin natatakot. Tinapik lalamët na hari so dalin na amitlo tan mas amayamay so pinmaway iran mëlanting. Mankëlaw si Anselmo katon tinumbok to iramay mëlanting pian nëngnëngën no antoy gagawaën da.

Nën asabi to so sampot na katakëlan, inmangës sikato ëd samay apatnagan to, adasig so tanëm a tabako anggad nasabi na pakanëngnëng to. Natan labat akanëngnëng sikato na unman a karakël a tabako. Okupadon mantatanëm na mas amayamay nin tabako iramay mëlanting. Binilang nën Anselmo so nilasos a mëlanting a mankikimëy ëd saman a dalin.

Inëmbënan to may sakëy ya mëlanting insan to tinëpët no antoy gagawaën da. “Siyempre, para ya ëd hari,” balikas to may mëlanting, “kaukulaan na hari so tabako pian makasigarilyo.” Binmëneg may mëlanting ëd si Alselmo tan man-ëlëk ëd kaambagëlan na tëpët to.

Diman tinmunda so pankokogip to, ëd samay mëlanting tan samay tanëm a tabako. Manparok so puso nën Anselmo, karuman to labat intanëm imay pilimiron bukël, balët nononotën to la no antoy nagawan dusa ëd sikato.

Pigan agëw ya nan-gonigon sikato, nodnonotën ton ëkalën la may bukël a intanëm to. Ag makarëën so kanonotan to diad dusan onsabid sikato.

Siansia ni, anggapoy nagagawa. Onsasabi ni agëw tan nababalang ni so bulan kaibad labi. Mankukukaok ni so lalong ëd parehon oras inagëw-agëw, tan unbubuna nin siansia iray tabako diad Kanlaon.

Ag binmayag, naimano na arom ya linmampas lad golis so pantatanëman nën Anselmo. Binmalëg so maagom dan mata ëd naalan yaman, katon inawit da mët iray gawa dan bukël na tabako insan nantanëm diad pantatanëman nën Anselmo.

Balët, anggapo nin siansia so agawa. Apanoy tabako so entiron Kanlaon.

Wala ray arom a nampasakbay ëd saray managtanëm. “Nonot yo no antoy imbaga na hari! No dia tayo nantanëm, alaën to so entiron tabako insan to sigarilyoën ya amin!”

Balët anggapoy undëdëngël ëd panangasi da. Anggad maong a too ët napëpërëng ëd yaman.

Diad labi, wala ray nandaragop palibër ëd sakëy ya pool tan man-iistorya nipaakar ëd hari na palandëy. Ta no akin ët walay pakapanyari to ëd mundo balët pinili to so man-ayam kaiba ray totoo nën say man-olëy ëd sikara.

Ninonot da may nën binilin ira na hari ya ag ira mantatanëm diad lampas na linyan impagolis to ëd saray mëlanting palibër tan asinggër ëd tapëw na palandëy. Pantotongtongan da may agëw ya tinmaynan so hari. No panonto may akis na saray totoo nën impaamta man na hari.

“Say bilin ko labat ët ag kayo mantatanëm diad lampas to may golis ëd tagëy, no ag yo ya inonor, alaën kon amin so tabako insan anggapo mët la so balon unboyag diad gilig a palandëy anggad ag ko nasusumpal ya sigarilyoën man ya amin.” Tinapik tan inlukas na hari so dalin, insan abalang sikatod palandëy.

Intoor na totoo imay sipan da balët, siyempre, tinmunda ëd si Anselmo.

Anggano nid amin lan agawa, nantanëm nin siansia sikato na amayamay ya tabako. Anonotan to may kogip to, imay panlabay to na say pasol to ët singa may unman mët ëd hari, onsasabi anggad sampot a pakanengneng.

Kayari na pigan taon ët alingwanan lay totoo so hari na palandëy anggad samay sipan da ëd sikato.

Atanëman lay tabako so entiron palandëy na Kanlaon insan yinmaman la ray totoo lapod saray naaani da.

Anggad saray simplin too ët mikakasakëy ëd saray magarbon pistan gagawaën da. Singa anggapo so makapampatunda ëd panagselebra na totoo diad nala dan balon yaman.

Balët, tinmunda nën linmukas so dalin insan amawil imay hari na palandëy.

Unaan ya tinmaynan si Anselmo. Nalilikna toy giwgiw anggad pukë-pukël to, amta to ya sinmabi la so agëw na pambayaran ton amin so ginawa to. Ag mët la linmingaw sikato nën maplës a binmatik palëksab na palandëy.

Makapaërmen ya nëngnëngen so sinmublay. Nën saman a napnoy tabako, natan ët anggapo la so tanëm a nanëngnëng ëd Kanlaon. Ag makapanisia iray managtanëm ya unman labat kapëlës a nabalang iray tanëm da, alingwanan da lay tuan pakapanyari na hari.

Marëndëën so totoo, singa amta da lay nagawa. Kabëbëkta, sinmabog ëd dagëm so tapëw na palandëy ya nan-gaway abot a napnoy pool tan asëwëk.

Alabas lan maong so nagagawa ya ag mët la nanyarian na anggad say sangkamakpëlan ëd sikara. Nanlumbaan iray totoo ëd amin na direksiyon, natatakot ëd sanok na hari.

Aman a labi, nankogip si Anselmo.

Makapal ya asëwëk so pinmatnag ëd arap nën Anselmo. Inmukok sikato anggad anëngnëng to may hari ya masisisgarilyo na tabako. Tinmalimukor sikato san kinmërëw na perdona.

Balët ag lalamët naimano na hari si Anselmo. Amitlon tinapik na hari so dalin insan pinmaway iray mëlanting. Nan-awit iramay mëlanting na tabakon iyarom dimad samay sigarilyoën na hari.

Apaliberay asëwëk so palandëy na unsësëlëk anggad saray lëtak. Singa puwersan manpapairap. Alikas nën Anselmo ya singa natëtërak so pagëw to lapod samay amayamay ya nasusungap ton asëwëk.

Insan abangon sikato.

Linmipas iray taon tan wala la ray totoon pinmawil ëd palandëy. Nanlëtnëg iray purok dia rad diking to, balët anggapo lay masibëg odino siopan ambagël a mantanëm na tabako diad palandëy.

Anggapoy makaamta no anto lay nanmaliwa ëd Anselmo, ibabaga na arom ya inawit na hari sikato pian naitdan na niduduman dusa. Ibabaga da ray arom balët ya linmad arawi sikato ta babatikan toy sanok na hari.

Balët ag la bali, amta da ray totoo ya kapila mët iran nan-gaway aliwa. Anggapo so naitanëm ëd Kanlaon diad saray onsublay na henerasyon.

Anggapo anggad ag naupot na hari imay tabako to.

=————————————=

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.

*Pangasinan (Salitan Pangasinan) – sometimes called Pangasinense is one of the major languages of the Philippines. It is the language spoken in the province of Pangasinan, on the west-central seaboard of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, the northern portion of Tarlac and southwestern La Union, most of whom belong to the Pangasinan ethnic group. Pangasinan is also understood in some municipalities in Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, and by the Aeta or Aeta of Zambales.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Dean Alfred Narra
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright ©Dean Alfred Narra

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

Hari sa Bukid Illustration by Camille Chua
Instagram: @frillion
Facebook: Frillion‘

The post Hari sa Bukid – Pangasinan Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

The ground she had trodden on sang to her in all its glory.

It had been like this ever since she could remember, as soon as she touched the earth with her bare skin she would know where and how it came to be.

Today her feet rested on the island of Panay.

It only took a moment for a torrent of senses to come grasping at her.

She could see the sky being covered by gigantic wings and the great hero that came up to the challenge.

She could feel the reverberation of the blows coming from both combatants.

She could hear echoes that reached great distances, of grit and determination on one side and a cacophony of feral gibbering on the other.

She could smell the stench of blood in the air.

She could taste his victory.

The sensations were more vivid this time, barely giving her room to rest. She gripped the soil in her hands and waited for another vision.

And the earth responded in kind.

The hero’s name was Dumalapdap, the monster, Ayutang.

Their fight took seven long months as their power and prowess seemed to be equal. But the hero was able to discover the weakness of the monster.

With his magic dagger called Daniwan, he struck with all his might, the armpit of Ayutang.

When it fell the earth opened and swallowed the bat-like creature whole.

The ground shifted.

The rocks in the area sank into the newly formed sea, but jutting out to the surface were two new islands, a symbol of the hero’s victory.

And thus, it was not only the island of Panay that reached its genesis but also of Negros.

She sighed and laid her weary head to rest.

Another story known, another day finished.

=——————————————–=

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the The Hinilawod. Clavel (1972)

Ayutang Illustration by Joel Bulagnir

The post Ayutang appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

Nanginginig ang kamay ni Anselmo habang siya ay nagtatanim. Alam niya na tuligsa sa kahilingan ng hari ng kagubatan ang kaniyang ginagawa at mayroon itong kabayaran. Ganoon pa man, marami siyang aanihin kapag ipagpapatuloy niya pa ito. Kung malakas lang ang loob ng mga magsasaka, lalawak ang tanim ng tabako hanggang sa maabot ang tuktok ng kabundukan.

Hinukay niya ang lupa at itinanim ang buto.

Sa gabing iyon napaginipan niyang magkaharap sila ng hari.Tinapik nito ang lupa nang tatlong beses at may mga maliliit na taong umusbong mula sa lupa. May sinabi ang hari pero hindi ito marinig ni Anselmo at nagsitakbuhan ang mga maliliit na tao sa kaduluduluhan ng kagubatan.

Mag-isa na lamang ang hari at si Anselmo. Mukhang hindi nito napansin na takot si Anselmo kaya ipinapagtuloy pa nito ang kaniyang ginagawa. Tinapik ulit ng hari ang lupa nang tatlong beses at lumabas ulit ang mga maliliit na tao. Dahil palaisipan kay Anselmo kung saan sila pumupunta at ano ang kanilang ginagawa, sinundan niya ang mga ito.

Pagdating niya sa dulo ng kagubatan, nabigla siya sa kaniyang nakita, hile-hilerang tabako ang nakatanim sa kaniyang harapan. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa dami tanim na umaabot hanggang sa kalayuan. Patuloy lang na nagtatanim ang mga nilalang sa bukid at nakita niya na libo-libo silang nagtatrabaho rito.

Kinuha niya ang isa roon at tinanong kung para saan ang ginagawa nito. “Lahat ng ito ay para sa mahal na hari,” sabi ng nilalang. “Kailangan ng hari ang hari ang tabako para sa kaniyang paninigarilyo” ipinagpatuloy pa nito. Tumalikod at tumawa ito dahil para sa kaniya hindi pinag-isipan ang itinanong sa kaniya.

Nagtapos ang kaniyang panaginip sa pangyayaring iyon. Kinakabahan si Anselmo dahil kahapon lang siya nagsimulang magtanim ng tabako at ngayon nagmumuni-muni siya sa kaniyang kaparusahan.

Ilang araw siyang nagdurusa at nagtataka kung tama ba ang ginawa niya o tama lang na bawiin na lang ang itinanim na buto. Buwan-buwan siyang natataranta kung anong nakalaan na kabayaran para sa kaniyang kamalian.

Sumikat at lumubog ang araw wala pa ring nangyayari. Nagpapatuloy lang ang paglawak ng tabako sa kalupaan ng Kanlaon.

Hanggang sa napansin ng ibang magsasaka na lumampas sa linya ang tinataniman ni Anselmo. Dahil sa pangamba na nilalamangan sila sa kíta, ginaya nila siya.

At ulit wala pa ring nangyayaring parusa. Mas lalo lang yumayabong ang tabako sa Kanlaon.

May mga iba na nagbabala sa mga magsasaka. “Naaalala niyo ba ang sinabi ng hari? Kapag nagtanim tayo na lampas sa lupa natin, uubusin niya lahat ang mga ito at gagamitin sa kaniyang paninigarilyo!”

Walang nakinig sa kanilang mga hinaing. Nakakasilaw ang pera sa mga pangkaraniwang tao.

Gumawa sila ng kampo at doon muna sila nanatili. Nang sumapit ang gabi, pumalibot sila sa apoy at nagkuwento tungkol sa hari ng kabundukan. Nagtataglay siya ng kapangyarihan sa buong kalupaan, pero mas pinili niyang mamuhay kasama ang mga tao sa halip na pamunuan ang mga ito.

Binilang nila kung ilang beses silang sinabihan ng hari na huwag magtatanim lagpas sa linya, na nakapaikot malapit sa tuktok ng kabundukan. Kinuwento nila ang araw kung kailan umalis ang hari at kung paano sila nagsiiyakan sa ipinahayag nito.

“Isa lang ang hinihiling ko sa inyo, at iyon ay huwag kayong magtatanim lagpas sa linyang ginawa ko. Kung susuwayin niyo ang aking hiling, kukuhanin ko lahat ng tabakong nakatanim dito, at wala nang tutubo sa buong kabundukan dahil magiging sigarilyo ko na ang mga ito.” Tinapik ng hari ang lupa at bumukas ang buong lupain hanggang naglaho siya sa kabundukan.

Tinupad ng mga tao ang kanilang pangako, at dumating si Anselmo.

Kahit na alam niya ang naganap na kasunduan, patuloy lang siyang nagtanim ng mas maraming tabako. Naalala niya ang panaginip, kung paano niya ninanais na ang kanyang mga bukirin ay magmukha ng sa hari, malawak hanggang sa abot-tanaw.

Lumipas ang mga taon nakalimutan na ng mga tao ang ipinangako nila sa hari.

Nababalot na ng tabako ang kabundukan ng Kanlaon at yumayaman ang mga tao dahil kanilang mga ani.

Dumarami ang mga taong nakikisaya sa mga marangyang kapistahan. Nagmumukhang hindi na magtatapos ang kanilang pagyaman bunga ng kanilang pagsasaka.

Iyon, hanggang sa bumukas ang kalupaan at nagbalik ang hari ng kabundukan.

Si Anselmo ang unang kumaripas ng takbo. Nararamdaman niya ang pagyanig at takot dahil alam niya na dumating na ang paghuhukom para sa kanilang mga kasalanan. Hindi na niya naisipang lumingon habang tumatakbo pababa sa paanan ng bundok.

Kagila-gilalas ang mga kaganapan sa Kanlaon. Ang dating malalagong mga tanim ay naglaho na parang bula. Hindi makapaniwala ang mga magsasaka na biglang mawawala ang kanilang mga pananim, nakalimutan nila kung gaano kalakas ang hari.

Nababalot ng katahimikan ang mga tao, na parang alam na nila kung ano ang mangyayari. Biglang sumabog ng tuktok ng bundok at naglalaman ito ng usok at apoy.

Sa lahat ng naganap, wala sino man ang hindi matatakot pati ang mga matatapang. Natataranta ang mga tao sa iba’t ibang direksyon bunga ng ipinamalas na galit hari.

Nang gabing iyon, nanaginip si Anselmo.

May makapal na usok sa kaniyang harapan. Naubo siya at nakita niya ang haring naninigarilyo. Lumuhod siya tapat nito at humingi ng kapatawaran.

Hindi napansin ng hari ang kaniyang prsensya. Tinapik nito ang lupa nang tatlong beses at may lumabas na maliliit na tao. Nagdala pa sila ng mga tabako para gamitin ng hari.

Nababalot ng usok ang buong kabundukan, at napupuno na rin ang mga butas nito. Napakalakas na yanig ang naramdaman sa paligid ng Kanlaon. Bumigat ang dibdib ni Anslemo dulot ng paghinga niya sa makapal ng usok.

At bigla siyang nagising.

Lumipas ang ilang taon at may namuhay ulit sa lugar. Nagtayo sila ng mga barrio sa gilid ng kabundukan, pero wala ng naglalakas loob na magtanim ulit ng tabako.

Walang nakakaalam sa kinahinatnan ni Anselmo, may nagsasabi na kinuha siya ng hari para sa kakaibang parusa. Ang sabi naman ng iba nagpakalayu-layo na siya para takasan ang hagupit nito.

Hindi na mahalaga kung nakipagsabwatan ang mga tao sa kasalanan ni Anselmo. Wala ng puwedeng maitanim sa kabundukan ng Kanlaon.

Habang hindi pa tapos ang kaniyang paninigarilyo.

=———————————————–=

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.

*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 Emman Bernardino
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Emman Bernardino

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

Hari sa Bukid Illustration by Camille Chua
Instagram: @frillion
Facebook: Frillion‘

The post Hari sa Bukid – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Cebuano

Usa ka adlaw, naay usa ka nagmug-ot nga babae nga walay mapaulian. Usa ka sakit ang ni katap sa lugar ug ang mga katawhan sa iyahang probinsya walay nahimo kung dili ang manirado sa ilang mga balay para dili mo padayon ug katap ang na ingong sakit.

Pero kining lugar kung asa siya karon—dili ang iyang lugar na natawhan. Naa siya’y pamilya pero gi mingaw siya sa mga higanteng taas kaayo nga pwede nila makab-ot ang langit. Gi mingaw siya sa kadaghang tawo nga murag walay kahupasan. Gi mingaw siya sa mga adlaw nga iyang makauban ang iyang mga higala para mag-inom.

Sa dihang ang mga adlaw nahimong semana, ang iyang kamingaw ni samot.

Di siya makabiya sa ilang balay, basin madakpan siya sa mga opisyal sa ilang lugar.

Pwede siya mo basa sa iyang mga libro, pero nahuman na niya ug basa tanan. Ni sulay siya ug lingaw sa iyang kaugalingon sa pag tan-aw sa mga screen nga iyang gi dala gikan sa iyang lugar na natawhan, pero mura man sila ug naguba. Ni sulay siya ug gama ug mga kanta, pero wala siya’y tao nga pwede niyang mahimong inspirasyon.

Nawad-an ug rason ang iyang kinabuhi.

Wa siya’y mahagap nga rason sa kung asa siya karon.

Usa kaadlaw, nabuang siya sa kamingaw. Wa na niya nakaya ang upat ka bongbong sa ilang balay nga walay pasabot sa iyaha.

Ni hulat siya sa iyang pamilya nga makatulog (ug ang mga gwardiya sa baryo) ug ni dalagan sa dalan nga murag gi gukod.

Kung makashagit palang siya sa langit, ganina ra siya ni shagit. Pero nakagawas na siya sa pipila ka adlaw nga pagkapriso sa ilahang balay. Mas importante sa iyaha nga nakagawas siya.

Sukad adto, kada adlaw na siya mo ikyas sa ilahang balay. Iya gi sukod ug unsa iyang kayang mahimo. Ang saunang abi niya di niya mahimo, iya na karong nahimo. Gi himo.

Hangtod ni abot ang usa ka gabii.

Nawagtang sa iyang huna-huna ang estado sa ilang lugar. Nawagtang siya tungod sa iyang gibating kalipay nga gidala sa iyang pagkagawas sa iyang prisohan. Wala siya kabantay sa dan-ag sa flashlight. Ni dalagan siya, pero nawagtang na siya. Wala siya kabalo sa kung asa na siya. Kahibalo na siyang masakpan na siya. Di na siya kabalik sa gawas.

“Psssst. Ali diri.”

Niog ang palibot, wala kaayo’y makit-an ang babae pero ang kangitngit ug ang punuan sa Galawin nga kung asa gikan ang nanitsit niya. Natiman-an niya ang mga gi istorya sa iyang Lola, ang mga espiritung namuyo sa mga punuan.

Pero di siya gusto madakpan. Ni adto siya sa punuan sa Galawin ug ni tago sa kangitngit.

Nakakita siya ug murag hayag sa interyor sa punuan.

Naglingkod sa iyang atubangan ang usa ka nilalang nga nagsuot ug nawong sa usa ka tao, iyang lawas napuno og agup-op ug lumot.

Ang babae ni guba sa kahilom nila, “Hello.”

Gi balikan lang ang babae ug ngisi sa wa na ilhang tao.

“Hello, unsa imong pangalan?”

“Ako si Julie, malipayon kong nagkaila-ila ta ron.”

“Malipayon sad kong nagkaila-ila ta.”

“Pwede mangutana? Pero UNSA diay ka?”

“May unta kahibalo sad ko. Kahibalo ba ka unsa mi?”

Naglibog si Julie sa gi ingon sa nilalang. Napahilom nalang siya.

“HAHAHA, atik ra. Kamong mga tao dali ra gyud mong ma atik.”

“Pasaylo-a ko, dili ko sige—“

“Makakita ug espiritu? Dili bitaw sige makakita ug espiritu ang mga tao. Mao bitaw nga kutob ra mi sa mga istorya nga ipasa-pasa sa mga pila ka henerasyon nga mga tao, nag gikan sa inahan, sa inahan sa inahan. Mga istorya nga isulti para makuha nila ang ilang gusto.”

“Unsa man,” ni tutok si Julie sa espiritu, “ang imong gusto?”

“Gusto lang nako mo tabang,” ni tubag ang espiritu nga dalang ngisi.

“Unsa imong gipasabot?”

“Basin nagkinahanglan ka ug tabang.”

Napaginhawa si Julie, “Di ko gusto mo puyo diri. Kung pwede lang unta magkapako, mo lupad ko para makabalik lang sa lugar nga akong natawhan.”

“Sigurado ka? Kadungog ko wala kaayo’y tao didto.”

“Pero didto ko nagdako, didto ko gi panganak. Ako gihapon tong puluy-anan.”

Ni tando ang espiritu, “Sa mga ing-aning kahimtang kung asa nag atubang ta ug dakong pagsulay, ang atong nailang puluy-anan makadala gyud ug kahupayan.”

“Oo, kana. May gani nakasabot ka. Dili parehas sa akong pamilya.”

“Siguro gusto lang nila ang pinakamaayo para sa imoha.”

“Pinakamaayo? Mura ko og gi tuok. Hapit nako mabuang. Di ko kalakaw, di ko ka huna-huna. Di ko ka istorya sa akong mga higala kay purting hinaya sa signal diri.”

“Gi kapoy naka.”

“Oo.” Ni lingkod si Julie ug gi lubong ang iyang nawong sa iyang mga kamot.

“Nakahuna-huna ba ka nga basin dili lang ni tungod nimo?”

“Mura ka og mga tao nga naa sa balita.”

“Dili ba tinood?”

“Kahibalo man diay ka sa mga nahitabo karon.”

“Basta ing-ani kadakong panhitabo, maki balita gyud ang mga espiritu.”

“Asa nimo na hibaw-an?”

“Sa usa ka langyaw, pero dili na na importante.”

“Nganong naa pa ka diri? Nganong wa ka ni tabang nga mapahawa ning katalagman nga ni palibot aning lugara?”

“Ang pagsulbad anang problemaha dili na apil sa unsa’y mahimo sa akong gahom.”

“Nganong nakipag-istorya pa man ka nako?”

“Kay dili ko kasulbad sa dakong problema, basin naa ko’y matabang sa mas gamay nga problema—“

“Ayuhon ko?”

“Pwede nakong masulayan.”

“Ngano man? Pwede ra man ko mag tanga sa akong kwarto, maghuna-huna sa unsa’y buhaton mintras wa pa ko nabuang.”

“Gusto ra ka ana? Kaysa–“

“Mamatay?”

“….”

“Di ko bogo. Kabalo ko unsa ka risgo. Kung di ko mamatay ana, mamatay siguro ko sa pagkapriso sa akong kwarto. Mabati na nako, padong nako mabuang.”

“Nakakita nako sa mga tao nga parehas nimo. Madasigon. Isog. Mga tao nga andam mo himo ug bisag unsa, bisag isugal pa nila ilang kaugalingon, para lang mabati nilang buhi sila.”

“Diba? Kahibalo ka—“

“Ug sila sad ang mga tao nga dili sad mo bati sa unsa’y bation sa ilang kabanay na mabilin.”

“…”

“Pila ka dughan imong pasakitan? Pila ka tao ang imong isilo kay tungod wala ka’y lain mabuhat ug gusto ka ug bag-ong mahimo?”

“Dili na patas.”

“Ang kamatuoran usahay ra patas.”

Wa na ni tubag si Julie.

“Wa na sila.”

Natiman-an ni Julie nga naa siya karon, sa iyang gi lingkuran, tungod kay ni tago sa mga gwardiya nga nigukod niya.

Ni tan-aw si Julie sa espiritu ug nagpasalamat sa oras nga iyang gi hatag sa ilang pag-inistoyahanay. Sa wala pa siya ni biya, nangutana siya, “Pwede mo balik ugma? Ganahan unta ko makig-istorya nimo utro.”

“Pwede ra man di ka mo anhi diri. Paminawa lang ang kasikas sa hangin.”

Og sa dihang nakita sa Dawinde ang babae nga ni dalagan pabalik sa iyang panimalay, ni ngisi kini.

Kung wala ma’y lain,

Mahimo ning buotan.

=———————————————————–=

English Version

Once there was an angry girl with nowhere to go. A great sickness enveloped the land, and the people in her province had no choice but to close themselves off to avoid its spread.

This place was not her home, she had family there, true, but she longed for the giant girders that reached the clouds, the bustling sea of people that never seemed to end, the long nights spent with friends over a glass of wine.

And as the days passed into weeks, her loneliness only grew.

There was no way she could leave her house, lest she get caught by the officials.

She would have lost herself in books, but she had read them all. She tried to escape into the bright screens she had brought from home, but they didn’t work as fast as she had wanted them to. She tried to make music, but she had no muse.

She had nothing in her life.

Not there at least.

One day the loneliness broke her. She couldn’t stand the four walls of a room that had no meaning to her.

She waited until her family fell asleep (and hopefully the guards as well) and ran through the streets like a madwoman.

If she could she would have screamed at the heavens, finally she had a small bit of freedom.

And that was enough, for at least one night.

This became her routine, trying to stretch her body and pushing the boundaries of what she could do.

Until one fateful night.

She had lost herself in the breeze that she almost didn’t notice the flashlight moving towards her. She tried to run, but this part of the town was unknown to her and she fully expected to get caught.

“Psssssssssst. Over here.”

In the darkness, she could only hear that the sound came from the Galawin tree. She remembered the stories that her lola would tell, about spirit beings that inhabited the trees.

She figured that she’d rather take her chances in the tree than get caught and let the darkness take her.

A small light illuminated (what she assumed was) the interior of the tree.

Sitting in front of her was a creature, human in form, covered with a patchwork of fungus and moss.

She was the first to break the silence.
“Hello.”

The creature replied back with a warm smile.

“Hello, what is your name?”

“I’m Julie, it’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.”

“Excuse me, but, what ARE you?”

“I wish I knew myself. Do we really know what we are?”

Julie met this statement with a confused silence.
“HAHAHA, I’m just kidding. You humans are so touchy when it comes to jokes.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just not used to—”

“Seeing a spirit? Most humans are, there’s a reason why we’re regarded as legends used by people to get what they want.”

“So,” Julie looked at the creature, “what DO you want?”

“I just want to help,” the creature replied with a toothy grin.

“What do you mean?”

“I figured I could lift some spirits,” (Julie later realized this was a joke)

Julie sighed, “I can’t stay here, not in this town, not anymore. I wish I could just grow wings and fly back home.”

“Do you think that would make you feel better? I hear it’s pretty empty there as well.”

“It would still be home.”

The creature nodded, “In times of strife nothing is more comfortable than being where  you can let your heart out.”

“Yes, see you understand. Not like the rest of my family.”

“I’m sure they only want what’s best for you.”

“How? The past few weeks I’ve gotten more broken. I can’t move, I can’t think. I can’t even talk to my friends because the signal here is miserable.”

“And so are you.”

“Yes.” Julie sat down and buried her head in her hands.

“Did you ever think it might not be about you?”

“You sound like everyone on the news.”
“You don’t think they have a point?”

“So, you know what’s going on.”

“When something as big as this is happening, the spirits tend to talk to one another.”

“Where did you hear it from?”

“A travelling breeze, but that doesn’t matter.”

“Then why are you still here? Why don’t you help get rid of it?”

“That is beyond my powers.”

“Why are you even talking to me?”

“Because if I can’t fix the bigger problem then at least I can—”

“Fix me?”

“I can try.”

“Why bother? I’ll probably just melt into my room, trying to figure out what I can do before the walls start to close in.”

“Would you rather that than—”

“Than being dead?”

“……”

“I’m not stupid, I know the risks. If it doesn’t kill me the quarantine just might. I can feel myself slowly slipping away.”

“I’ve met your kind before. The passionate. The brave. The ones willing to set themselves on fire just to feel alive.”

“See—you know—”

“And those that don’t care about the tears they leave in their tracks.”

“……”

“How many broken hearts have you left behind? How many spirits have you shattered just because you became bored and wanted something new?”

“That’s not fair.”

“The truth seldom is.”

Julie sat in silence with the creature.

“They’re gone now.”

It was then that Julie remembered that she was actually running away from the guards.

Julie looked at the creature and thanked it for its time. Before she left she turned to it and asked, “Can I come back tomorrow? I’d still like to talk to you.”

“You don’t have to go all the way here. Just listen to the night air”

And as the Dawinde saw her running back to her house it smiled.

If nothing else,

It would be kind.

=—————————————————-=

Inspired by the story “How Dauin got its Name” in Negros Oriental and Siquijor Island Legends, Beliefs and Folkways. Aldecoa-Rodriguez. 2000.

Dawinde illustration by Marko Mikhal Gomez Deposoy

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The post Dawinde – Cebuano Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

“Ang daya” sabi ni Sasha habang umiiyak sa kagubatan. Tumingin siya sa litrato kasama ang sinisinta niya. “Dating mahal pala” sagot ni Sasha sa sarili. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa mga nangyari, kung paano nadurog ang puso niya na humantong sa kaniyang pagkakamanhid at pagdududa.

Ikatlo na ng madaling araw iyon at nag-aalala na ang pamilya ni Sasha, pero hindi niya ito pinansin. Nahihirapan siya sa kaniyang nararamdaman at hindi niya alam ang gagawin dito. Lahat ba ng sinabi niya ay isang kasinungalingan lamang? Wala bang katotohanan sa kanilang pagsasama? Natatakot ba si Sasha harapin ang katotohanan na hindi siya minahal kailanman ng kaniyang kasintahan?

Ayaw niya nang isipin ang hirap. Gusto na lang ni Sasha humukay ng puntod at malibing ng buhay, dahil wala ng natitira para sa kaniya sa mundo. Mas pipiliin niya na lang na tapusin ang lahat ng sakit.

Hindi napansin ni Sasha na kumakapal ang hamog sa tabi niya. Sa sobrang kapal nito, marahil hindi niya na nakikita ang kagubatan sa paligid. Nagbabago ang anyo ng hamog habang siya ay umiiyak, hanggang sa naghugis babae ito at sinamahan siya sa kaniyang lungkot.

“Hindi siya karapat-dapat iyakan.” Napatingala si Sasha at nakita niya ang isang mahiwagang babaeng nagtataglay ng kagandahan. Mamamangha ang isang pangkaraniwang tao sa kababalaghang iyon pero hindi si Sasha at sumagot siya rito. “Lumayo ka nga sa akin. Hindi mo alam kung ano ang pinagsasabi mo.”
“Sa tingin ko mas marami akong alam kumpara sa iyo.” Nagparamdam ng kabaitan ang mahiwagang babae, nag-abot ito ng panyo at sinabi, “Heto, punasan mo ang iyong luha.”

“Paano mo naman nasabi” sagot ni Sasha habang kinukuha niya ang panyo ng babae. Hindi niya alam kung sino o ano ang kaniyang kaharap. Baka isa itong multo o guni-guni, pero hindi niya na ito inalintala. Dahil kung sakaling papatayin siya nito, papabayaan niya lang ang babae para matapos na ang kaniyang paghihirap. Wala na siyang pakialam dito.

“Napagdaanan ko kasi iyan” sagot ng babae habang nakatingin sa kaniya, kahit na nagmumukhang nakatingin ang babae sa kalooban ni Sasha. Nagpatuloy ang babae, “Minamahal ng aking sinisinta ang kapatid kong babae.”

“Sa akin naman yung matalik kong kaibigan” sabi ni Sasha. Hindi niya pa rin alam kung sino ang kaniyang kinakausap pero nararamdaman niyang mabait ito. “Gagaan naman ba ang pasanin ko?” Hindi na alam ni Sasha kung ano pa gusto niyang itanong, pero isa lang ang ninanais niya at iyon ay ang makipag-usap.
“Hindi” tuwid na isinagot ng babae at nalungkot ulit si Sasha . “Pero kailangan pa ring ipagpatuloy ang buhay” sabi ng babae.

“Paano ako magpapatuloy habang dala-dala itong sakit?” Tanong ni Sasha habang mahigpit ang kapit sa panyo.

“Dahil hindi pa ito ang katapusan.” Sagot ng babae at ngayon hinawakan niya ang mga kamay ni Sasha. Nakikita niya na busilak ang kalooban ng babae at nagpatuloy ulit ito, “Hindi pa tapos ang lahat dahil nagsisimula pa lang ang iyong kuwento at ikaw mismo ang magsusulat kung paano ito magwawakas.”

Pagktapos niya itong sabihin, biglang naglaho ang babae at mag-isa ulit si Sasha sa kagubatan.

=———=———————————=

English Version

“It’s not fair,” Sasha’s sobs echoed through the forest. She looked straight into the picture of her and her love. Ex-love, she corrected herself. She couldn’t believe what had happened, how her hear broke into a million little shards and how she didn’t think she could put them back together again.

It was 3am, she knew that her family would be worried about her, but she didn’t care. Her pain wasthe only real thing in her life now and she didn’t know how to deal with it. Was everything he said a lie? Was all the time they spent together a fantasy? Was she just afraid to face the truth that he was never in love with her?

She couldn’t, didn’t want to think about any of this. She just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. There wasn’t anything left for her. Not in this world anyway. She thought it would be best for everyone if she just ended it all.

Sasha didn’t notice the fog build up next to her. She probably didn’t even realize she was in the forest anymore. The dew and the mist were changing next to her, in between her tears. The softly formed into a woman’s form, all while she was seeking comfort in the pain she held close to her.

“He isn’t worth it you know.” Sasha looked up from her hands and she saw a beautiful woman, almost formed out of the mist of the forest. Most people would marvel at this supernatural wonder, but Sasha just held a hint of bitterness in her voice as she said, “Leave me alone. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think I know more than you know.” The apparition brought out a piece of cloth, “Here, this should dry your tears.”

“How would you know?” Sasha took the cloth anyway. She didn’t know who—or what this was. Maybe a ghost, maybe a hallucination, but she didn’t care. Even if this thing came to kill her, it would be a welcome relief from what she was feeling. She couldn’t find the will to care anymore.

“I’ve been there,” the woman was now looking at her, though it seemed to Sasha that she was looking through her. “The love of my life fell in love with my sister.”

“Mine left me for my best friend.” Sasha didn’t know who this was, but now she sensed a kindred spirit. “Does it get any easier?” She didn’t know what to ask, but she knew that she wanted to keep talking.

“No.” The spirit was firm in her voice, Sasha felt a piece of her heart break again. “But you keep going anyway.”

“How can you when it hurts so much?” Sasha gripped the cloth in her hands and felt the tears start to come again.

“Because it’s never the end.” The woman held her hands this time and Sasha could see the sincerity in her eyes. “There’s always another ending, even if you have to write it yourself.”

With that, the woman vanished and Sasha was left alone again.

=————————————————–=

*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 Emman Bernardino
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Emman Bernardino

Mariang Binokong Illustration by Nadine Cabe
Tumblr: http://nadinecabe.tumblr.com/

The post Mariang Binokong – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

Once there was an angry girl with nowhere to go. A great sickness enveloped the land, and the people in her province had no choice but to close themselves off to avoid its spread.

This place was not her home, she had family there, true, but she longed for the giant girders that reached the clouds, the bustling sea of people that never seemed to end, the long nights spent with friends over a glass of wine.

And as the days passed into weeks, her loneliness only grew.

There was no way she could leave her house, lest she get caught by the officials.

She would have lost herself in books, but she had read them all. She tried to escape into the bright screens she had brought from home, but they didn’t work as fast as she had wanted them to. She tried to make music, but she had no muse.

She had nothing in her life.

Not there at least.

One day the loneliness broke her. She couldn’t stand the four walls of a room that had no meaning to her.

She waited until her family fell asleep (and hopefully the guards as well) and ran through the streets like a madwoman.

If she could she would have screamed at the heavens, finally she had a small bit of freedom.

And that was enough, for at least one night.

This became her routine, trying to stretch her body and pushing the boundaries of what she could do.

Until one fateful night.

She had lost herself in the breeze that she almost didn’t notice the flashlight moving towards her. She tried to run, but this part of the town was unknown to her and she fully expected to get caught.

“Psssssssssst. Over here.”

In the darkness, she could only hear that the sound came from the Galawin tree. She remembered the stories that her lola would tell, about spirit beings that inhabited the trees.

She figured that she’d rather take her chances in the tree than get caught and let the darkness take her.

A small light illuminated (what she assumed was) the interior of the tree.

Sitting in front of her was a creature, human in form, covered with a patchwork of fungus and moss.

She was the first to break the silence.
“Hello.”

The creature replied back with a warm smile.

“Hello, what is your name?”

“I’m Julie, it’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.”

“Excuse me, but, what ARE you?”

“I wish I knew myself. Do we really know what we are?”

Julie met this statement with a confused silence.
“HAHAHA, I’m just kidding. You humans are so touchy when it comes to jokes.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just not used to—”

“Seeing a spirit? Most humans are, there’s a reason why we’re regarded as legends used by people to get what they want.”

“So,” Julie looked at the creature, “what DO you want?”

“I just want to help,” the creature replied with a toothy grin.

“What do you mean?”

“I figured I could lift some spirits,” (Julie later realized this was a joke)

Julie sighed, “I can’t stay here, not in this town, not anymore. I wish I could just grow wings and fly back home.”

“Do you think that would make you feel better? I hear it’s pretty empty there as well.”

“It would still be home.”

The creature nodded, “In times of strife nothing is more comfortable than being where  you can let your heart out.”

“Yes, see you understand. Not like the rest of my family.”

“I’m sure they only want what’s best for you.”

“How? The past few weeks I’ve gotten more broken. I can’t move, I can’t think. I can’t even talk to my friends because the signal here is miserable.”

“And so are you.”

“Yes.” Julie sat down and buried her head in her hands.

“Did you ever think it might not be about you?”

“You sound like everyone on the news.”
“You don’t think they have a point?”

“So, you know what’s going on.”

“When something as big as this is happening, the spirits tend to talk to one another.”

“Where did you hear it from?”

“A travelling breeze, but that doesn’t matter.”

“Then why are you still here? Why don’t you help get rid of it?”

“That is beyond my powers.”

“Why are you even talking to me?”

“Because if I can’t fix the bigger problem then at least I can—”

“Fix me?”

“I can try.”

“Why bother? I’ll probably just melt into my room, trying to figure out what I can do before the walls start to close in.”

“Would you rather that than—”

“Than being dead?”

“……”

“I’m not stupid, I know the risks. If it doesn’t kill me the quarantine just might. I can feel myself slowly slipping away.”

“I’ve met your kind before. The passionate. The brave. The ones willing to set themselves on fire just to feel alive.”

“See—you know—”

“And those that don’t care about the tears they leave in their tracks.”

“……”

“How many broken hearts have you left behind? How many spirits have you shattered just because you became bored and wanted something new?”

“That’s not fair.”

“The truth seldom is.”

Julie sat in silence with the creature.

“They’re gone now.”

It was then that Julie remembered that she was actually running away from the guards.

Julie looked at the creature and thanked it for its time. Before she left she turned to it and asked, “Can I come back tomorrow? I’d still like to talk to you.”

“You don’t have to go all the way here. Just listen to the night air”

And as the Dawinde saw her running back to her house it smiled.

If nothing else,

It would be kind.

——————————————————————-===

Written by Karl Gaverza

Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the story “How Dauin got its Name” in Negros Oriental and Siquijor Island Legends, Beliefs and Folkways. Aldecoa-Rodriguez. 2000.

Dawinde illustration by Marko Mikhal Gomez Deposoy

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Markoriginals/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/mark0riginals

The post Dawinde appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

niya ito, labag man ito sa kaniyang kalooban.

Walang sinabi si Marabi.

Sinubukan ulit ng matanda na isalaysay ang kuwento. Mukhang magandang magsaya sa ilog ng Tanjay, ngunit mayroong dahilan kung bakit walang gustong maiwan nang mag-isa sa piling ng kadiliman.

Tumingin si Marabi sa kaniyang lolo nang may panghahamon sa kaniyang mukha. Pero napakaganda niya.

Hindi ka dapat magtiwala sa kagandahan. Iyon ang ginagamit niya para akitin ka.

Tila nainsulto si Marabi, na para bang minamaliit siya dahil isa siyang bata. Hindi ako naniniwala sa inyo.

Mabilis na nainis ang kaniyang lolo at kitang-kita ito sa mukha ng matanda. Bakit hindi mo maintindihan na ginagawa ko ito para protektahan ka?

Hindi na bagong maliitin si Marabi ng kaniyang lolo. Noong namatay ang mga magulang niya, ang lolo na lamang niya ang natitira niyang kadugo. Sana ay mas marami pa siyang kamag-anak.

Kinasusuklaman niya ang kaniyang lolo.

Puwede bang ipangako mo na lang sa akin na hindi ka pupunta sa ilog nang mag-isa?

‘Yun lang ba? Sige. Pangako.

Tumayo siya at umalis.

Hinilot ng matanda ang kaniyang sentido. Napabuntong-hininga siya. Mamamatay siya dahil sa batang iyon.

Mapayapa at nakakahalina ang ilog na palikaw-likaw na sumalubong kay Marabi. May mga tao ngayon na nagkakainan sa tabing-ilog.

Napabuntong-hininga siya at naghintay hanggang lumipat ng puwesto ang araw sa kalangitan.

Naghintay siya hanggang magligpit at umalis ang mga nalalabing tao.

Naghintay siya hanggang mag-isa na lamang siya.

Nga ba?

Malapit sa pampang ng ilog, naroon ang babae. Naaaninagan siya ng liwanag na mula sa mga bituin.

Hindi kailanman hiningi ni Marabi ang kaniyang pangalan. Marahil ay wala siya nito. Ang alam lang ni Marabi ay siya ang pinakamagandang babaeng nakita niya.

Napasinghap siya at lumapit nang ilang hakbang.

Sumenyas ang babae kay Marabi na mas lumapit pa. Aking magandang alaga, pinag-uusapan n’yo ba ako?

Nanikip ang lalamunan ni Marabi. Alam niya ‘yon, siyempre. Malalaman ng uri niya kung pinag-uusapan sila, iyon ang sabi sa kaniya ng lolo niya.

Ngumiti ang babae. Ayos lang iyon. Sinubukan ng lolo mo ang lahat ng makakaya niya, hindi ba? Ngunit alam nating dalawa ang kagustuhan ng puso mo.

Naglakad papalapit si Marabi at hinawakan niya ang balat ng babae.

Dapat ay malamig at basa ito dahil nasa ilog siya, ngunit tila ito ang pinakamakinis na sutla, na may kaunting init.

Ibig ni Marabi na maramdaman ito habambuhay.

Halika, aking alaga. Magsayaw tayo.

Paulit-ulit itong naisip ni Marabi.

Habambuhay.

Idla! Lumayo ka riyan.

Tumawa ang batang babae habang nagbabalanse siya sa mga bato sa ilog, nang lubhang nag-iingat para hindi mahulog. Hindi niya naiintindihan kung bakit hindi siya pinapayagang maglaro ng matatanda, at kung bakit ganoon ang buhay.

Hindi ‘yan puwede! Bumalik ka rito ngayon din!

Makinig ka sa nanay mo.

Muntikan nang madulas sa bato si Idla. May dumating na matandang lalaki na hindi niya kilala. Mapula at maga ang kaniyang mga mata, na para bang kani-kanina lamang ay umiiyak siya.

Bakit ko po ba kailangang makinig sa matatanda? Palagi lamang nila akong pinagbabawalang maglaro.

Gusto niya lamang ang makabubuti para sa iyo.

Paano po ninyo iyon nalaman?

Ang makabubuti lang din para sa kaniya ang hinangad ko.

Napatahimik si Idla. Naiintindihan na niya ang nangyayari. Ito ang lolo ng nawawalang batang babae.

Pasensya na po, pupuntahan ko na po ang nanay ko.

Mabuti pa nga. At tandaan mo, mapanganib ang ilog na ito.

Opo, lolo.

Maliksing nagtatalon ang batang babae sa mga bato sa ilog, papunta sa kaniyang ina.

Tumitig ang lolo sa ilog hawak ang kaniyang bolo. Sapat na dapat ito para ngayong gabi.

Malabo ang mga pangyayari.

Kulay pula, iyon ang naaalala ni Marabi. Tanda rin niyang sumasayaw siya kasama ang magandang babae sa ilalim ng ilog, sa isang palasyong yari sa ginto. Masaya siya noon.

‘Di katagalan, sa kaniyang pagsisisi, nahimasmasan siya. Nakaupo siya sa bahay habang hinihintay ang kaniyang lolo, nang mabilis na bumalik ang mga alaala.

Nakita niya ang babae sa harap niya na sumasayaw sa himig ng awiting doon niya lamang napakinggan. Nakahawak ang babae sa baywang ni Marabi. Nagpaikot-ikot sila hanggang marinig niya iyon.

Ang boses ng kaniyang lolo.

Dagliang bumalik ang ulirat niya at namulat siya sa katotohanan. May taglay pa ring kagandahan ang babae, ngunit mabagsik ito sa ilalim ng liwanag ng mga bituin. Mahaba ang kaniyang mga kuko, matulis ang kaniyang mga ngipin at nagsisipulupot sa tubig ang kaniyang buhok.

Suminghal ang babae at tumuro paitaas. Maliwanag ang buwan at naaninag ni Marabi ang bolo ng lolo niya na inihahampas sa tubig para bumuo ng krus.

Habang nangyayari ito, ang naririnig lamang ni Marabi ay ang paulit-ulit na pagtawag sa kaniyang pangalan.

Umuwi ka na, Marabi.

Umuwi ka na.

Agad siyang lumayo sa babae at lumangoy paahon ng ilog. Sa pangambang baka siya ay sundan nito, lumingon siya sa likod.

Hindi makakilos ang babae, wari ba’y nakagapos siya. Batid ni Marabi na dahil ito sa ginawa ng kaniyang lolo, ngunit kung paano iyon nagawa ay hindi niya alam.

Nakalabas at nakaahon si Marabi sa ilog. Suminghap siya sa hangin.

Buhay ka. Salamat sa Diyos at buhay ka.

Binawi niya ang naubos na hangin at sinubukan niyang tumayo.

Lolo! Nasa ilalim ako ng ilog at naroon ang babae at—

Alam ko, iha, alam ko. At sisiguraduhin kong hindi ka na niya muling masasaktan.

Ano po’ng ibig ninyong sabihin?!

Pumunta sa pampang ng ilog ang lolo niya at lumusong sa tubig.

Pasigaw na tinawag ni Marabi ang kaniyang lolo. Wala siyang ibang gusto kundi ang mayakap siya.

Ngunit ganoon ang buhay.

Hindi na babalik ang lolo niya. Hindi katulad ng nangyari sa kaniya.

Sa kaniyang pagsisisi, umiyak siya, habang iniisip na sana ay nakinig siya sa mga kuwento ng kaniyang lolo.

=—————————————————=

English version

They’ll drown you without a second thought. That’s just the kind of monsters that they are.

Marabi brought her hands to her ears and shuts out the noise from her lolo. She thinks about flowers and how beautiful they are. Something that beautiful could never hurt her.

Her lolo grabs her hands and tells her to listen. She is old enough now to be told the story of the river and he will make her listen whether she wants to or not.

Marabi says nothing.

Her lolo tries again. The Tanjay river might seem like a place to have your fun, but there is a reason no one wants to be left alone in the darkness.

Marabi looks up defiantly at her lolo. But she’s so beautiful.
You mustn’t trust beauty. That’s how she lures you in.
Marabi looks insulted, as if she’s being talked down to because she’s a child. I don’t believe you.

In an instant her lolo’s face is twisted with annoyance. Why can’t you understand that I’m doing this to protect you?
It’s just like her lolo to condescend to Marabi. After her parents died he was all she had left. She wished she had more.
She despises him.

Look, just promise me you won’t go to the river alone?

Is that it? Fine. I promise.

She gets up and leaves.

Her lolo rubs his temples and sighs. Someday that girl will be the death of him.

The winding river greets Marabi with quiet charm. Today there were people out having picnics by the riverside.

She sighed and waited until the sun travelled across the sky.
She waited until the last few people packed up their things and left.

She waited until she was alone.

Or was she?

By the river bank, reflected in the starlight was her.
Marabi never asked what her name was, maybe she didn’t have one. All Marabi knew was that she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

She gasped and took a few steps forward.

The woman beckoned Marabi to come closer. Hello there my pretty pet, have you been talking about me?

Marabi felt a lump in her throat. She knew, of course she knew. Her kind would know if they were being talked about, that’s what her lolo told her.

The woman smiled. It’s no matter. Your lolo tries as hard as he can doesn’t he? But we both know where your heart lies.
Marabi took a few steps forward and touched the woman’s skin.

It should have felt cold and damp from the river, but at her touch it was like the smoothest silk with a hint of warmth.
Marabi wished she could feel it forever.

Come now my pet. Let us dance.

The thought echoed in Marabi’s head.

Forever.

Idla! Get away from there.

The young girl laughs as she balances on the river rocks, being extra careful not to fall in. She doesn’t understand why the adults won’t let her play, and such is life.

I won’t have you doing that! Now get back here!

You should listen to your mother.

Idla almost slips off the rock. A stranger appears, an old man. His eyes are red and puffy, as if he had been crying recently.
Why should I listen to the grownups? All they do is tell me not to play.

She only wants what’s best for you.

How do you know that?

It’s what I wanted for her.

In that moment a quiet understanding fell over Idla. This was him, the lolo of the girl that went missing.

I’m sorry, I’ll go to my mother.

Please do. And remember, this river is dangerous.
I will lolo.

The girl gracefully skips among the river rocks, bounding towards her mother.

And the lolo stares at the river, holding his bolo. Tonight it would have to be enough.

It passes in a daze.

Marabi remembers the color red. She sees herself dancing with the beautiful woman in the bottom of the river, in a palace made of gold. She was happy then.

It is only later, in the harsh light of day that things come into focus. Sitting at home waiting for her lolo the recollections come flooding back.

She sees the woman in front of her, dancing to an unknown song. He hands are on Marabi’s waist. They spin around until she hears him.

Her lolo’s voice.

In that moment the spell is broken and she sees things for the way they are. The woman’s beauty remains, but it is cruel in the starlight. Her nails have grown, her teeth have sharpened and her hair coils violently in the water.

The woman screams and points towards the surface. Through the moonlight Marabi can see the glint of her lolo’s bolo cutting the water in a cross shape.

Throughout all of this Marabi hears only her name, over and over.

Come home Marabi.

Come home.

In an instant she pushes away from the woman and swims towards the surface. She is afraid that she will be followed, and she looks behind.

The woman remains unmoved as if chained to her position. Marabi knows that this is her lolo’s doing, but she doesn’t know how.

Marabi breaks the river’s surface and gasps for air.
You’re alive. Thank Jesus you’re alive.

She hungrily devours more life-giving air and she tries to stand.

Lolo! Please, I was underwater and the woman was there and—

I know iha, I know. And I will make sure she never hurts you again.

What do you mean?!

Her lolo goes by the riverside and dives in.

Marabi screams for her lolo. She wants nothing more than to be in his embrace.

But such is the way life is.

Her lolo is not coming back. Not like she did.

And in the harsh light of day she cries, wishing that she had listened to his stories.

*Tanjay River is located in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental

**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 Maui Felix
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Maui Felix

Based on The Mermaid of Tanjay River. Historcal Data of Tanjay, Negros Oriental. in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Illustration by Brylle Infante Patiu
Instagram: @bryllepatiu.dwg

The post The Sirena of Tanjay River – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Hiligaynon

Sa gamay nga sitio sang Tinamnan Gabe, may ara isa ka kweba tupad sang humayan sang nagtaliwan nga Kapitan Colas Jumawan.

Madamo nga mga istorya ang ini nga kweba, hambal sang iban ini gina puy-an sang madamo nga enkanto. Mag ala una sang hapon, ang mga tawo maga balita nga may nakita sila tatlo matatahum nga mga babayi naga pungko sa bato sa ibabaw sang kweba kag sa isa lang ka pagpisok, magadula sila sa sulod sang kweba.

Isa ka adlaw, ang mayor nga naga istar sa humayan, isa ka lalaki nga pangalan ay Eyo ginatawag sa piyak nga parte sang humayan. Ginpawala an lang ni Eyo ang tawag, pero gasigi lang ini. Nag talikod sha kag na kibot sang makita ang is aka matahum na lalaki nga gatindog sa piyak nga bahin sang humayan.

Hambal sang lalaki, “Makadto kita sa Candanay kay may nakuha to nga madaku nga balyena.” Sabat ni Eyo nga indi sya kalakat kay sako gid sya. Nadula dayun ang lalaki, nga daw wala da sya kagina.

Sadto sa Candanay ang balyena gina parte-parte na. Ang lalaki ato didto, nagakuha sang iya parte kay siya ginkilala nga miyembro sang mga tinawo sang mga mangingisda, nadismaya ang isa sa mga tinawo sang ang iya parte nadula lang sang wala namu.

Ang lalaki dayun nagkadto sa balay ni Eyo kag gin istorya kun paano nangakig ang matuod nga tag-iya sang parte kay wala sang may maka eksplikar kun sin o nagkuha sang iya parte. Gin agda niya si Eyo nga magkadto sa iya balay para sa panyapon, pero nangindi si Eyo.

Pagkadasun nga aga, ang mga ga istar sa humayan nakakita ang mga matatahum nga mga babayi samtang nagapamala sang karne ka balyena sa bato sa ibabaw lang gid sang kweba.

Indi ma-inchindihan ni Eyo kun nga a nagka interesado ang lalaki sa iya. May iban pa man nga mga naga istar sa humayan nga pwede niya ma istorbo, pero indi niya pag lubayan sang lalaki si Eyo

Kada adlaw, gina imbitahan sang lalaki si Eyo nga mag upod sa iya sa ekskursyon ukon mag paambit sang pagkaon halin sa iya pero indi mag upod si Eyo sa lalaki.

Mabati-an ni Eyo ang tingog sang iya lola sa likod sang iya hunahuna, “Indi ka mag upod sa mga engkantado, indi ka magpaambit sang pagkaon halin sa ila. Indi ka na makahalin sa ila dominyo sa walay katapusan.”

Ginpati ni Eyo ang maalamon nga mga tinaga sa iya lola kag wala niya ginsapak ang gusto sang lalaki. Kun makita niya ang tatlo ka matatahum nga mga babayi lapit sa kweba, wala niya ginatulok, kay kabalo siya nga indi sila matuod nga mortal nga tawo.

Ginapanghambalan niya ang iban nga mga nagapuyo parti sa lalaki kaso wala nila nakita ang lalaki kapareho kay Eyo. Ginapanum dum ni Eyo nga sya nasumpa. May mga engkanto nga maga interesar sa mga espisipiko nga mga tawo, sa kadam-an, daku ni nga oportunidad kay ang mga engkanto magahatag sa ila sang mga managmi nga regalo nga ila gusto, pero sa iban, malain ini nga sumpa kay ginahampangan lang sila sang mga engkanto asta matak-an na sila sa ila hampang.

Gina konsiderar ni Eyo nga swerte siya, ginapabay-an siya sang engkanto nga lalaki kun I hambal ya, pero may kakulba permi sa sulod sang iya tagipusu-on.

Paano kun magdesisyon sila nga mag untat sang ila hampang?

Ano dayun ang matabo?

English Version

In the small sitio of Tinamnan Gabe, there is a deep cave next to the rice field of the late Capitan Colas Jumawan.

There were many stories about this cave, some would say that it was home to many enchanted creatures. At one o’ clock in the afternoon people would report that they saw three beautiful girls sitting on a rock just above the cave and, in a blink of an eye, they would disappear into the cave.

One day, the principal tenant of the rice field, a man named Eyo was called by someone on the opposite side of the rice field. Eyo ignored the calls, but they were insistent. He turned around and was shocked to see a handsome gentleman standing on the opposite side of the field.

The gentleman said, “We should go to Candanay because there is a big whale that was just caught.” Eyo replied that he could not go because he was very busy. The gentleman then disappeared, as if he was never there.

All the way in Candanay the whale was being portioned. The gentleman was there, getting his share as he was identified as a member of the crew of fishermen, much to the dismay of one of the actual crewman who had his share seemingly vanish.

The gentleman then went to the house of Eyo and related the story of how the true owner of the share got angry because no one could explain who had gotten his share. He invited Eyo to come to his house for supper, but Eyo declined.

The following morning, tenants of the rice field could see beautiful girls drying whale meat on a rock just above the cave.

Eyo couldn’t understand why the gentleman had taken such an interest in him. Surely there were other tenants in the field that he could go and bother, but the gentleman would not leave Eyo alone.

Day after day, the gentleman would invite Eyo to go with him on an excursion or ask him to share a meal, but Eyo would not go with the gentleman.

Eyo would hear the voice of his lola in the back of his head, “Do not go with the enchanted people, do not share a meal with them. You will be trapped forever in their realm.”

Eyo heeded his lola’s wise words and ignored the gentleman’s wishes. When he would see the three beautiful women near the front of the cave, he would avoid looking at them, for he knew that they were not as human as they seemed.

He would tell the other tenants about the gentleman, but they did not see him as Eyo did. Eyo began to think that he was cursed, and in a way he was. There are some enchanted beings that take interest in specific humans, for many, this would be a great blessing for the enchanted beings would give lavish gifts upon their chosen, but for others it was a terrible curse where the enchanted beings would toy with their victim until they got bored of their games.

Eyo considered himself lucky, the enchanted gentleman would leave him alone if he asked, but there was always that hint of fear deep in his heart.

What if they decided to stop playing?

What would happen then?

The post The Engkanto of Tinamnan Gabe – Hiligaynon Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.