*Note this story is in Tagalog

“Isang beses pa! Yan na lang ang maibibigay ko sayo bago kita tanggalin sa trabaho!” Kumalabog ang pinto nang isara at naiwan si Josh na nag-iisip kung paano niya maaayos ang sitwasyon.

Apat na buwan na bangungot sa trabaho niyang logistics ang nakikipagtitigan sa kaniya. Wala nang magagawa pang paraan para maayos pa ang problema matapos ang mga problema, o pananabotahe gaya ng laging pinapaliwanag ni Josh sa boss niya. Masyadong maraming pangyayari ang nagtutugma para mauwi ito sa ganito.

Nagkaroon ng landslide noong unang buwan na nakaabala sa kalsada. Tatlong linggo silang pinahirapan at naantala dahil sa paglilinis ng kalsada sa napakamahal na halaga. Malapit nang ma-overbudget ang project.

Ilang linggo matapos ang insidenteng yon, nanakaw ang mga trak at walang makapagturo kung sino ang may kagagawan. Walang saysay ang pagpapataas ng seguridad dahil patuloy lang na nangyayari ang pagkawala at lalo lang tumataas ang gastos. Isang bagay ang masisi sa ginawang kasalanan ngunit alam ni Josh na ginawa niya ang lahat ng tama. May tao sa likod ng mga ito, pinaninindigan niya to.

Naghintay si Josh sa construction site. Alam niyang baliw na ang tingin sa kaniya ng mga tauhan niyia, ngunit wala na siyang pakialam lalo ngayon na sigurado siya sa ginagawa niya. Mabigat ang camera sa kamay niya, matigas ang ulo niya pero hindi siya inutil. Napahamak na siya sa trabaho niya, hindi na niya hahayaang lumala pa ito. Kahit na anong ebidensya ng pananabotahe ay sapat na para malinis ang pangalan niya.

Alas dos na ng madaling araw nang may maamoy siyang usok. Ito na ang pagkakataon niya; may nagbabalak na magsimula ng sunog sa compound.  Tumakbo siya patungo sa pinanggagalingan ng amoy habang nakahanda ang camera niya.

Tatlong araw ang nakalipas, itinapon ng boss ni Josh ang mga gamit nito sa basurahan. “Sayang.” Kailanman ay hindi inisip ng boss ni Josh na siya ay duwag ngunit may mga paraan talaga ang mga tao para madismaya ka. “Tumakbo na siguro yon dahil sa sobrang dami ng dapat gawin,” sinabi niya ito kahit wala siyang kausap. “Ngayon, kailangan kong imisin ang mga problema niya.”

The last thing that was left was Josh’s camera. His boss looked through the pictures and saw nothing but tree trunks. “Useless,” He said as he tossed it in the trash.

Ang tangi lang na natira sa gamit ni Josh ay ang camera niya. Tiningnan niya ang mga pictures at wala siyang ibang nakita kundi mga punong kahoy. “walang kwenta” at tinapon ang camera sa basurahan.

=————————————–

English Version

“One more chance! That’s all I’m giving you before you’re fired!” The door slammed shut and Josh was left wondering how he could salvage the situation.

Four months of logistical nightmares were staring him in the face. There was no way the development could be completed after the setbacks, or sabotage as Josh kept trying to convince his boss. Too many coincidences were happening for it to be anything else.

The first month a landslide happened, completely cutting off the road. 3 painstaking weeks of clearing the rocks had to be done at a very expensive cost. The project was already dangerously close to becoming over budget and that tipped the scales.

A few weeks later whole trucks were being stolen and no one could find the culprit. Increasing the security was useless since it just kept happening and more money was being spent. Josh couldn’t handle it anymore. It was one thing to be blamed for your own mistakes, but he knew he did everything right. There was someone behind this, there had to be.

Josh waited at the construction site. He knew his workers were thinking he was crazy, but he couldn’t care about that, not when he had work to be done. The camera felt heavy in his hands, he was stubborn, but he wasn’t stupid. His job was already at risk, he wasn’t going to take chances on his life. Any evidence of sabotage would be enough to clear him of any fault.

It was about 2 AM when he smelled smoke. He knew this was his chance; someone was trying to set the compound on fire. He ran towards the acrid smell with his camera ready.

Three days later his boss tossed the remains of Josh’s belongings in the garbage. “What a waste.” The man never thought that Josh would be a coward, but people had a way of disappointing you. “He probably ran away because it was too much responsibility,” he said to no one in particular “Now I have to clean up his mess.”

The last thing that was left was Josh’s camera. His boss looked through the pictures and saw nothing but tree trunks. “Useless,” He said as he tossed it in the trash.

=——————————=

*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 Reina Mikee
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Reina Mikee

Inspired by the Aniani entry in Myth Museum. Medina. 2015.

Aniani Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

*Note this story is in Tagalog

Sa lahat ng mga nilalang mula sa Kanluran ng Visayas, ang bagat ang pinakakakaiba.

Ang mga bagat ay may kakayahang magpalit-anyo, maaari silang maging kasindak-sindak na hayop na may malaking sukat (karaniwan ay ang mga maaamong uri) o iba pang nakatatakot na pangitain gaya ng paglutang ng kandila o ng ataul.

Mararamdaman sila sa mga mapanglaw na lugar. Hindi na kakaiba na makita sila kung kabilugan ng buwan o kung madilim ang langit sa gabi matapos ang kaunting patak ng ulan.

Kalimitan, sila ay di mapaminsala, gaya ng nabanggit sa itaas na anyo ng mga alagang hayop. Ngunit huwag magpakakampante dahil may mga ilan ring dapat na alalahanin.

May mga bagat na alaga ng ilang kagila-gilalas na nilalang at kung makakaalitan mo ang mga ito ay paggagantihan ka ng mga bagat para sa kanilang amo.

Nagiging delikado rin ang mga bagat sa mga pagkakataon na sila ay masasaktan.

May nagsasabi rin na ang ilang mga aswang ay ginagaya ang anyo ng mga bagat. Kadalasang nakatayo ang mga ito nang ang buhok ay nakatirik at ang mukha ay sadyang nakakatakot, habang ang mata nito ay nakatingin lang sa harapan.

Now it has to be noted about bagat and aswang. In some cases, there are bagat that are aswang and in others there are aswang that take the form of the bagat. There is a strange relationship that I wish I had more time to study, but that will have to wait for a future time.

Kailangan tandaan ang tungkol sa bagat at aswang. May mga pagkakataon na may mga bagat na asawang at may mga aswang na ginagaya ang anyo ng mga bagat. May kakaibang relasyon ito na sana ay may mas oras pa ako para pag-aral, ngunit kailangan muna itong maipagpaliban.

Those that encounter true bagat should know that they are prone to terrifying lone travelers. Some bagat may even chase or wrestle their scared quarry. If one is wrestled this way then the victim should bite the bagat’s thumb hard until it yields and begs to be freed.

Sa mga nakatagpo na ng totoong bagat ay alam nila na karaniwan itong nananakot ng mga nag-iisang manlalakbay. May ilang bagat na nanghahabol o nakikipagbuno sa mga takot na dayo. Kung makipagbuno ang bagat, dapat na gawin ng biktima ay kagatin ang hinlalaki ng bagat hanggang sa huminto ito at magmakaawa na palayain na siya.

May ilan ring kwento na nagsasabing naduduwag o humihinto ang bagat sa pamamagitan ng pagbati rito na parang kakilala. Sa ganitong paraan, nalilito ang nilalang kaya nahihirapan itong gumawa ng kilos.

May narinig akong kwento kung saan nag-anyong malaking aso ang isang bagat at hinarang ang mga manlalakbay na dumaraan sa pook nito isang gabi. Wala namang napahamak sa pagkakaalam ko at di rin nagtagal, umalis na rin ang ang bagat at naghanap na ng bagong lugar na paglalagiman.

Pagkatapos ng lahat, hindi ko pa rin alam kung ano ang itsura o anyo ng totoong bagat at baka hindi ko na talaga malaman pa dahil aalis na ako sa Mindanao ngayong linggo.

Ano man ang mangyari, mag-ingat sana ang mga makatatagpo ng bagat.

Walang nakakaalam sa gagayahin at gagamitin nitong anyo.

Sana lang ay yung hindi kakaiba.

-Mula sa sulat ni Mari Bas

=——————————–=
English Version

Among the creatures from Western Visayas, the bagat is most peculiar.

The bagat are shapeshifters in the common nomenclature, changing between monstrous animals of huge proportions (mostly those of the domesticated variety) or other frightful apparitions such as floating candles or coffins.

They haunt lonely trails. It is not uncommon for them to be sighted when the moon is full or if it is completely dark after a light drizzle in the evening.

Normally, they are harmless, assuming the aforementioned form of domesticated animals. But one must not let their guard down as there are special considerations to note.

There are bagat that are pets of other supernatural creatures and if you cross these creatures then the bagat will have no choice but to retaliate for their masters.

What is common in most cases is that the bagat is very dangerous when harmed.

It is also said that some aswang take on one of the forms of a bagat. These are often encountered walking with their hair standing on end and their faces a terrifying sight, with the creature’s eyes staring ahead.

Now it has to be noted about bagat and aswang. In some cases, there are bagat that are aswang and in others there are aswang that take the form of the bagat. There is a strange relationship that I wish I had more time to study, but that will have to wait for a future time.

Those that encounter true bagat should know that they are prone to terrifying lone travelers. Some bagat may even chase or wrestle their scared quarry. If one is wrestled this way then the victim should bite the bagat’s thumb hard until it yields and begs to be freed.

There are also tales of discouraging the bagat by greeting them as if they were someone familiar. This presumably confuses the spirit, making it hard for it to react.

I have heard of a strange situation wherein a bagat took the form of a large dog and waylaid travelers walking its path at night. There were no casualties that I am aware of and eventually the bagat moved on, looking for another place to haunt.

Throughout all of this I still do not know what the true form of the bagat is, and I may never know as I leave for Mindanao this week.

Whatever happens I wish luck to those that encounter the bagat.

You never know what form it will take.

Pray it is a familiar one.

-From the notes of Mari Bas

=———————————————–=

*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 Reina Mikee
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Reina Mikee

Story inspired by the Bagat description in  The Encyclopedia of Philippine Folk Beliefs and Customs Vol. 1 , F.R. Demetrio S.J., Xavier University, 1990

Bagat Illustration by Michael Sean B. Talavera
IG: @maykelshan
Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/isaneleach13

*Note this story is in Tagalog

“Anong nakita mo?!”

“Lolo, tama na, marami na siyang pinagdaanan.”

“Inilalagay niya sa panganib ang pamilya natin. Hindi pa ba sapat na namatay ang tatay niya?! Ngayon naman binubulabog niya ang mga kaluluwa. Hindi ninyo naiintindihan kung gaano ito delikado.

“Lolo, hindi niya alam kung ano ang ginagawa niya. Curious lang siya.”

“Ni hindi natin alam kung anong ginawa niya, baka—”

“Nakita ko.”

“….Kuya, anong nakita mo?”

“Anong ginawa mo?”

“Sinunod ko yung instruction. Pinuntahan ko ang pinutol na puno para sa ataul ni Papa tapos inilagay ko ron yung mga gamit na dala ko.”

“Anong mga gamit kuya?”

“Galing sa ataul ni Papa. Noong gabi ng lamay niya, pumunta ako ron at nakita ko mismo.”

“Sabihin mo sa akin anong nakita mo.”

“Nakakita ako ng mga alitaptap at nakita ko rin ang pagtapon ng mga bituka. Mayroon ding lumulutang na mga ulo, mga braso at mga binti. Nakita ko uli si Papa, pero nilampasan niya ako. Nakita ko ang mga anino na nabuhay at pinalibutan ako. At doon nakita ko.”

“Anong nakita mo?!”

“Nakita ko ang buso.”

=—————————————=

English Version

“What did you see?!”

“Lolo, please, he’s been through enough.”

“He’s put this family in great danger. Wasn’t it enough that his father died?! Now he goes invoking the spirits. Neither of you understand how dangerous this is.”

“Lolo, he didn’t know what he was doing, he was just curious.”

“We don’t even know what he did, he could have—“

“I saw.”

“….Kuya what did you see?”

“What did you do?!”

“ I followed the instructions. I went to the tree that was cut down for Papa’s coffin then I put the pieces that I took there.”

“What pieces kuya?”

“The ones that I took from Papa’s coffin. On the night of his funeral I went there and I saw.”

“Tell me what you saw.”

“I saw the swarm of fireflies and I saw the intestines being spilled. I saw floating heads and arms and legs. I saw Papa again, he walked right past me. I saw the shadows come alive and wrap around me. And then I saw it.”

“What did you see?!”

“I see the buso.”

=——————————————-=

*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 Reina Mikee
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Reina Mikee

Story inspired by the Buso entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971. and Bagobo Myths. Journal of American Folklore. 1913.

Buso Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito

Watercolor by Mykie Concepcion
Tumblr: http://mykieconcepcion.tumblr.com/

FB: That Guy With A Pen