*Note this story is in Bicol-Sorsoganon

“Tabi tabi po.”

“Sabayi ako.”

“Tabi tabi po.”

“Dapat sabihun mo ina pag magi ka didi.”

“Bawal kita didi magsamhod, mama?”

“Bawal. Mayad kay narumduman mo.”

“Nano kay bawal? Saaton man ini balay.”

“Balay ta ini. Yadi an mga gamit ta. Pero sain ini nakatindog?”

“Sa duta?”

“An duta, an kinab-an, dili ina saaton.”

“Binakal ta ini na duta. Kabas-an ta ina! Didi pa ngani ako nagkakanam.

“Amu binakal ta ini. Igwa kitang mga papeles. Pero an duta dili saaton, may mga tagsadiri sada na dili ta nakikita.”

“Bakalon ta na lang sainda!”

“May mga bagay na dili nababakal. Awat na sinda didi nakaistar nan maistar sinda didi maski wara na kita. Kaipuhan ta makisama sainda.”

“Pano kung habo ko? Habo ko sainda. Pag dili kita nagtaram ‘tabi tabi po’ nan nagsilhig kita nagkakasakit kita. Habo ko sin arug sada.”

“Pano kung habo man ninda na makiistar kita sainda?”

“…”

“Siguro dili mayad pag isipon o pagkitaon pero maging mabuot na lang kita sa kada saro. Pag mabuot kita sainda mabuot man sinda saaton. Nano ulit dapat ta sabihon?”

“Tabi tabi po.”

=—————————————————————————–=

English Version

“Kayu-kayu, madayu kayu.”

“Now say it with me.”

“Kayu-kayu, madayu kayu.”

“Good. Now remember, we always have to say that whenever we pass this place.”

“We also can’t sweep here right mama?”

“Yes, it’s good you remembered. I have such a smart boy!”

“But why do we have to follow these rules mama? I thought this was our house?”

“It is, it’s our place with all our things, but what is the house on?”

“….the ground?”

“Good job! Now the ground and all the earth, doesn’t belong to us.”

“But I thought this was our land? Isn’t this our farm? And isn’t this where I play?”

“Yes, yes, we bought this land, and we have all the papers to prove it, but then it gets complicated. See the land belonged to some other… people, long before we came here, before any humans started a town in this area.”

“But can’t we just buy it from those people?”

“There are just some things you can’t buy with money. This place is their home and always will be, long after you and I are gone. We have to learn to live with them.”

“What if I don’t want to? They seem mean. If we don’t say these things and if we just clean around our house we get sick. How is that fair?”

“How is it fair that they have to share their home with us?”

“…”

“It isn’t an ideal situation for either of us, but we have to learn to be kind to one another. If we are kind to them, they will be kind to us. Now what do we say?”

“Kayu-kayu, madayu kayu.”

“Good boy.”

————————–————————–————————

*Kayu-kayu, madayu kayu is Ilokano for “You there please go away.” (Kayo-kayo, malayo kayo)

*The Bikol languages or Bicolano languages are a group of Central Philippine languages spoken mostly in the Bicol Peninsula in the island of Luzon, the neighboring island province of Catanduanes and the island of Burias in Masbate. There is a dialect continuum between the Visayan languages and the Bikol languages; the two together are called the Bisakol languages.

The Tabaco-Legazpi-Sorsogon (TLS) dialect is spoken in the eastern coast of Albay and the northeastern part of Sorsogon. TLS is the dialect that has been most influenced by the Inland Bikol languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Sara Grace C. Fojas
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Sara Grace C. Fojas

Story inspired by Ansisit description in 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang. Samar. 2015

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

Watercolor by Catherine Chiu
FB: Wildling Child
IG: https://www.instagram.com/wildlingchild/

The post Ansisit – Bicol Sorsogon Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Bicol-Sorsogon

Nanu kay hadlok ka magadan?

Isturyahan ko ikaw.

San sadto, may mayaman na babaye na nakaistr harani sa dagat? Wara saiya nagbibisita. Gusto niya pirmi lang mahilom sa dako niya na balay. Pirmi siya nasa dagat, nagbibilang san mga bituon, san mga baybay.

Saro lang an amiga niya nan dili idto tawo. An anino san kamatayan an pirmi noya kaupod sa saiyang kamunduan. Nakilala niya san namatay an ina niya. Dili siya nahadlok san nakita niya siya.

“Nano kay dili ka hadlok saakon?” hinapot siya san anino. “Pinapagayon mo an buhay.” Simbag niya.

An anino kan kamatayan naugma sa sinabi niya. Dili niya binayaan an babaye hanggang sa matapos niya an ritwal para sa proteksyon san mama niya pagkamatay niya. Namuot saiya  an anino san kamatayan. Niyan lang siya nakakakilala san arug niya.

Madali magselos an anino san kamatayan. Gusto niya saiya lang an babayi. Pirmi siya nakasunod saiya.

An babayi aram an plano san anino san kamatayan. Naghali siya sa balay ninda nan nagadto sa lola niya na may kapangyarihan. Hinatagan siya san kapangyarihan. Batog sadto dili na mamamatay an babayi.

Pero dili binayaan san babayi an anino san kamatayan. Gusto niya magbalos sa amiga niya. Nawara an respeto niya sa kamatayan.

Dili ka dapat mahadlok sa kamatayan.

Mahadlok ka sa puwede mangyari pagkatapos mo mamatay.

English Version

Why should you fear death?

Let me tell you a story.

A long time ago, there was a rich woman who lived by the sea. She would not have any visitors, for she liked the quiet that her large house gave her. She would spend her days and nights by the beach, counting each star and each grain of sand.

She had but one friend, not like any person in the world, for it was not a person at all. The shadow of death would spend time with her to ease her loneliness. They first met when death’s shadow claimed the woman’s mother. She was not afraid as most people would have been and greeted the shadow politely.
“Why are you not running in fear?” The shadow asked. “You are part of what makes life beautiful.” The woman answered.

Death’s shadow had never been called beautiful before and it stayed until the woman finished the larao, the ritual ceremony to protect her mother’s body from those that would harm it after death. The shadow fell in love with the woman then, for it had never met a human who respected death such as she did.

Death’s shadow was a jealous thing and it wanted the woman all to itself. It had followed her to the seaside and had planned to drown the woman, so that she may be in death’s embrace forever.

The woman was no fool, though and knew what the shadow had planned. She left her house and visited her grandmother. For you see, the old woman had great power that was once rejected by her granddaughter. The woman had no choice, death’s shadow was approaching.

When the shadow caught up to the woman it was surprised. She had become deathless, she would never know the shadow’s embrace.

The woman would not leave death’s shadow though. She had known the betrayal of a trusted friend, and she would not rest until she had her revenge. Every time death was not respected through the larao, she would be there. Desecrating what would have been the shadow’s prize.

You should not fear death.

Fear what comes after.

*The Bikol languages or Bicolano languages are a group of Central Philippine languages spoken mostly in the Bicol Peninsula in the island of Luzon, the neighboring island province of Catanduanes and the island of Burias in Masbate. There is a dialect continuum between the Visayan languages and the Bikol languages; the two together are called the Bisakol languages.

The Tabaco-Legazpi-Sorsogon (TLS) dialect is spoken in the eastern coast of Albay and the northeastern part of Sorsogon. TLS is the dialect that has been most influenced by the Inland Bikol languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Sara Grace C. Fojas
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Sara Grace C. Fojas

Inspired by the Aswang (Capiz) description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Aswang (Capiz) Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

Watercolor by Catherine Chiu
FB: Wildling Child
IG: https://www.instagram.com/wildlingchild/

The post Aswang (Capiz) – Bicol Sorsogon Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Bicol Sorsogon

“Duwang minuto lang yada na ako. Haranihon lang ina nan makaskas man ako magdalagan.” Makusog na tibok san puso, mahagkot na kamot, nan an balhas nagtuturo. Hangos san hararom, batog san lakat.

“Basi urhi ko na ini na hangos.” Kada lakat pamate mo ikaw an pinamakaskas na tawo sa kinab-an. Maugma ang saimong pamati. “Amu na ini,” naisip mo, “Nakaya ko.” Diyot na lakat na lang.

“Hala!” Yada na tulos. Huna mo mauunahan mo siya. Inkita ka niya kan saiyang mga mata. “Ayaw!” Naisip mo, “Dili ini puwede!”

Nagbalyo ka san lakat, pabalik sa puno. “Dapat dili na lang ako nagluwas!” Inisip mo ang naging desisyon mo. “Dapat dili na ako nagdalagan! Nanu kay ginibo ko ini? Dapat dili na lang ako nagbati sainda!” Dili ka inuudungan san utak mo.

Harani ka na sa puno. “Dili man ina makalagpas.” Wara pa limang minuto an dinalagan mo. Wara pa limang minuto nagbag-o an buhay mo.

“Harani na. Diyot na lang.” Dili ka mapadakob. Dili ka mapatumba. Dili mo namamatian an pagal “Buhay pa ako.” Dakol an saimong pasasalamat.

Kapot sa dughan. “Dili ini puwede.” Nawawara ka na sa sadiri mo. “Kakaskas man.” Nagtuturo na an dugo sa kamot mo nan sa bado mo. “Nagibo ko. Dapat maayos an kamutangan ko.”

Inulit ulit mo na dapat nasa mayad an kamutangan mo hanggang sa paubos na an saimong dugo. “Dapat nasa maayos an kamutangan ko.” An urhi mo na sinabi.

English Version

“I can make it in two minutes. It’s only a few feet to the next building and I can run fast.” You can feel your heartbeat reverberate to your feet, your hands are cold and sweaty and the chill down your spine has been there for the better part of an hour. The muscles in your legs start to tighten and you take one deep breath before starting your sprint.

“This might be the last breath I’ll ever take.” The adrenaline surges through your body. Each step makes you feel like you’re the fastest person in the world. Your face betrays a smile, “This is it!” you think, “I made it!” Your objective is just a few steps away.

“Oh no.” You don’t know how it got there so fast. You were so sure that you were going to outrun it. The woman stares at you with her bulging red eyes and her hideous face twists in a scream. “No!” The voice in your head shouts “It wasn’t supposed to be this way!”

Your legs take you in the opposite direction, back to the relative safety of the tree. “Why didn’t I stay indoors?” The decisions all start coming back to haunt you “Why didn’t I take up running?”, “Why am I in this place?”, “Why didn’t I listen when I had the chance.” The voices in your head won’t stop screaming.

The tree is in sight now. “It won’t be able to get past the branches.” You realize it’s been less than five minutes since you started running. Less than five minutes would make the difference between now and the rest of your life.

“One more step and I’m there.” Just one last dash and it won’t be able to grab you. There is a moment of doubt before you lunge under the tree and crash into the roots. You don’t feel much of the pain because of your adrenaline. “I’m still alive.” You’ve never been more grateful.

Until you put your hand to your chest. “No, no, no…” Your mind trails off. “It couldn’t have been that fast.” The blood starts to trickle down your fingers onto the rest of your clothes. “I made it, I’m supposed to be safe.”

You repeat those words in your head until there’s too much blood loss.

“I should be safe.” Was what you thought before you closed your eyes, maybe for the last time.

*The Bikol languages or Bicolano languages are a group of Central Philippine languages spoken mostly in the Bicol Peninsula in the island of Luzon, the neighboring island province of Catanduanes and the island of Burias in Masbate. There is a dialect continuum between the Visayan languages and the Bikol languages; the two together are called the Bisakol languages.

The Tabaco-Legazpi-Sorsogon (TLS) dialect is spoken in the eastern coast of Albay and the northeastern part of Sorsogon. TLS is the dialect that has been most influenced by the Inland Bikol languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Sara Grace C. Fojas
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Sara Grace C. Fojas

Inspired by the Abat entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Abat illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

The post Abat – Bicol Sorsogon Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Bicol – Sosogon

“Grrrah,” sabi san buwaya.

“Ssssh, ayaw lang kay pag-abot san pagkaon ta mawawara na ina na gutom,” sabi san aswang sa alaga niya.

Mapagal niyan ang paghanap san pagkaon. Aram san mga tawo na didi pirmi naghahanap an aswang san pagkaon ninda san buwaya pero wara makapugol sa gutom niya.

“Pag harani na kita sa mga balay makakakuwa na kita pagkaon.” Sobrang gutom na san buwaya pero an aswang dili mapabaya saiya. “Makakakita man kita batit taud taud. Paborito mo baga an mga batit.

Hiwag hiwag man an buwaya san ikog niya sa ugma. Awat na siya lain nakakaon batit.

“Marani kita sa mga balay tapos dadakopon ta an mga naglalangoy harani sa salog!” sinabihan san aswang an buwaya habang naglalalkat sinda sa gilid san salog.

Grabe na an gutom na namamatean ninda san buwaya. Nag-iingat na ang mga tawo na nakaistar harani sainda kaya mapagal maghanap pagkaon. An urhi ninda na pagkaon san may nakita sinda na parasira na naglubog sa salog. Payaton an parasira, dili lamang sinda nabusog.

Pero niyan maugma an aswang. Aram niya na may makakaon sinda niyan. An buwaya an madakop san pagkaon ninda kay habo niya manhadlok sa mga tawo.

An tawag saiya “aglapon hayopan,” o aswang may alaga na buwaya para magdakop san pagkaon niya. Sabi san iba na aswang hugak daw siya pero dili man ninda aram na mapagal magpadako buwaya.

Nagrereklamo na an buwaya, natatawa na lang siya. Awaton na sinda mag-upudan batog pa san bunay pa lamang an buwaya. Kilalahunon na niya an mga namamatean niya. Kilalahunon na ninda an kada saro. Makakaon lang an buwaya, mabalik na ini sa kahugakan niya.

“Yadi na kita,” sabi san buwaya.

“Madakop na kita san kaunon ta.”

“Grrrah,” simbag san buwaya.

English Version

“Grrrah,” The crocodile groaned.

“Hush now, the food will come by soon, then we will both have something to eat.” The aswang said lovingly to her pet.

Prey was hard to come by these days, the humans knew that this place in the swamp was the hunting ground for the aswang and her pet, but that wasn’t about to stop her from finding a meal.

“We just have to go closer to the village, and then everything will be better,” The crocodile grunted again and the aswang reassured him. “I know, we’ll find some children, I know how much you like the taste of those.”

The crocodile wagged its tail with joy; it had not had that treat in many months.

“Yes, let’s go nearer to the village and set a trap. We can catch the ones swimming by the river!” The aswang walked alongside her pet to the riverbank.

She was hungry, and so was her pet. Due to the human’s caution, food was hard to find. The last meal they both had was a fisherman that strayed too far into the swamp. He was stringy and tough, not a dinner that either of them savored.

The aswang was all smiles though. She knew that prey would be plentiful. She had always relied on the strength of her pet to catch their meals, she was not like the other aswang who would fly around the village terrorizing the humans.

She was an agalon hayopan, a kind of aswang that would raise crocodiles to hunt their prey for them. The other aswang would often jeer and call their kind lazy, but they would never know the hardship one would take just to raise a single crocodile from an egg.

Her pet grumbled again and she laughed. They spent years together and she had raised this one ever since he was a hatchling. She knew his quirks and quips just as well as he knew hers. They were inseparable. She knew that once he had something to eat, he would change back to his lazy self.

“We’re here,” The aswang and her pet stood by the river.

“Time to get some food.”

“Grrrah,” replied her pet.

————————–————————–———————–

*The Bikol languages or Bicolano languages are a group of Central Philippine languages spoken mostly in the Bicol Peninsula in the island of Luzon, the neighboring island province of Catanduanes and the island of Burias in Masbate. There is a dialect continuum between the Visayan languages and the Bikol languages; the two together are called the Bisakol languages.

The Tabaco-Legazpi-Sorsogon (TLS) dialect is spoken in the eastern coast of Albay and the northeastern part of Sorsogon. TLS is the dialect that has been most influenced by the Inland Bikol languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Sara Grace C. Fojas
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Sara Grace C. Fojas

Inspired by the Agalon Hayopan legend from Bicol: Filipinas Volume 12, Page 53, Filipinas Pub., 2003

Agalon Hayopan Illustration by NightmareSyrup
Tumblr: http://nightmaresyrup.tumblr.com/

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