*Note this story is in Aklanon

Kato anay hay may isaea ka mangangayam nga nakasaea. Gin eagas nana ro sapat nga anang inugdakop sa tagudtud it Daeogdog, isaeang ka bukid kun siin ga-istar ro mga dyos. Ro pinaka makakagahom sa tanan nga dyos ngara hay si Gamhanan. Imaw hay may pinasahi nga alaga nga si Panigotlo, isaeang ka usa nga kaputi-puti ag may mahanggod nga mga sungay. Sa isang haboy it saeapang, gin bawian ro sapat it kabuhi.

Kato anay hay may isaeang ka baryo nga wa’t mahimo. Ro paghuma ni Panigotlo miyentras bilog ro buean hay gakahueogan it bugana nga adlaw para sa pagtanum sa pagka-aga. Tanan hay naghinugyaw. Pero ro kasadyahan hay gulping nagpundo sa pagkakita nanda it tawong gapaeapit halin sa tabok it suba. Si Dagasanan nga mangangayam, ginapas-an ro baghok ko alaga ni Gamhanan. Indi nanda hibaton ro grabeng saea ngara. Ililimaw sanda nga bumuoe ko andang mga bangkaw ag mga sanduko ag ginpatay nanda si Dagasanan sa may suba. Dato man ro ginubra nanda sa anang ama sa andang baeay.

Kato anay hay may isaeang ka kaeag nga nagahamdom it pagbaeos. Ro kaeag ni Dagasanan nga mangangayam hay indi gid himayang. May puno it inyam nga nagtubo sa pungsod kun siin imaw namatay. Sa handong ko mga sanga, dikato imaw nagapanukot. Isaeang ka unga nga taga baryo ro gabayad sa gin-ubra ko anang mga ninuno. Isaeang ka unga kada dag-on, hasta’t hibatyagan man it banwa ro kasakit it andang kahisa.

Kato anay hay may isaeang ka easkit nga wa gapati sa mga kahaeadlok nga sugilanon. Gin huyo-huyo imaw ko anang mga amigo nga mageangoy sa may puno it inyam pero ginhibaygan eang nana sanda. Hambae nana nga tal-it sanda dahil gapinati sanda sa mga istorya it andang mga lolo ag lola. Sayod nana nga iba imaw. Nga imaw ro pinaka maisog kandang tanan. Wa’t paduha-duha nga nageumpat imaw sa tubi.

Hasta makaron hay may parte gihapon sa isaeang ka suba sa Akean nga ro pangaean hay Dagasanan. Suno kanda, ro daguno halin sa mga bato hay ro anang kaeag nga gaueahab sa kasakit, hamtang gausoy ko anang masunod nga biktima.

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English Version

There was once a hunter who made a terrible mistake. He searched for his quarry in the shadow of Mount Daeogdog, where the gods of his people lived. The most powerful of all the gods was Gamhanan, and he had a special pet. This favored creature of the great god was called the Panigotlo, a pristine, white deer with full antlers. One spear was all it took to silence the majestic sound of this enchanted creature.

There was once a village that had no choice. A full moon and the bleating of the Panigotlo signaled an abundant day for planting the next morning. The festivities and merriment suddenly stopped when they saw a figure approaching across the river. The hunter, Dagasanan, had on his shoulders the carcass of Gamhanan’s pet. They all knew that they could not abide by this sacrilege of the great god. The villagers took their spears and swords and slew Dagasanan by the river and his father in their home.

There was once a spirit that thirsted for vengeance. On the spot where Dagasanan was killed, an inyam tree grew. The hunter’s ghost would not know rest. The tree cast a shadow and on that spot his hunger for revenge would be sated. One child of the village would pay for what their ancestors had done. A child every year until the villagers would know the pain that he felt when his friends betrayed him.

There was once a boy who didn’t believe in ghost stories. His friends dared him to swim by the inyam tree and all he did was laugh. The boy called his friends cowards for believing in the stories that their lolos and lolas told them. He knew he was different and the bravest of their group, so he took the challenge and jumped in the water.

There is still a part of a river in Aklan named after the hunter, Dagasanan and an inyam tree that people avoid. They say that the loud noises that come from the rocks are his spirit crying in pain, looking for his next victim.

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*Aklanon (Akeanon), also known as Bisaya/Binisaya nga Aklanon/Inaklanon or simply Aklan, is an Austronesian language of the Bisayan subgroup spoken by the Aklanon people in the province of Aklan on the island of Panay in the Philippines. Its unique feature among other Bisayan languages is the close-mid back unrounded vowel [ɤ] occurring as part of diphthongs and traditionally written with the letter ⟨Ee⟩ such as in the autonyms Akean and Akeanon. However, this phoneme is also present in other but geographically scattered and distant Philippine languages, namely Itbayat, Isneg, Manobo, Samal and Sagada.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Aklanon Translation by Chi Payba-Suarez
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Chi Payba-Suarez

Story Adapted from ‘Legend of Aklan’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Dagasanan Illustration and Watercolor by Robert Rañosa Del Prado

*Note this story is in Ibanag

Egga gari y tadday nga minangnganuh nga nakaliwah tad dakal. Inala-alek na y anukan na tag gukak na Vukik Daeogdog nu sitaw maddian y dios da ira. Si Gamhanan nga kuruga makapangwa tan nira e egga y neeruma nga ayam na. Tadday yaw nga furaw nga utta, puru-puro enna kompleto y tagguk na. Y ngagan na e Panigotlo. Ngem, y makakkasta enna makabannay nga ngaral naw e ginattah nat tadday nga pana./spear.

Egga gari y tadday nga ili nga awattu pappilyan na. Y nappannuan nav vulan enna y tannug ni Panigotlo ay senyales nan napia nga ammula tak kommanan na. Ngem y gawagawayyan enna gaggrasya nat totolay ira e nagimmang turi ta nasingadda y umara-aranni nga forma nga naggafu tat tangabbagan nab bannak. Di Dagasanan, tadde nga minangnganuh, e egga y kinattu na ta abaga na, yari y baggi nat taron nga ayam ni Gamhanan. Ari makapikah y totolay ira ta ammu ra nga kuruga dakal nga liwah yaw kani Gamhanan. Yatutta inah da ngamin y armas da enna pinate ra si Dagasanan enna y yama na.

Egga gari y tadde nga espiritu nga kuruga karagatan na y mangibaloh. Tari ta natayan ni Dagasanan nga lugar, egga y nattugu nga kayu na inyam. Apiddu y alino na inyam ; tari nga lugar y nangibalattan tan nakaliwatan.Y amang nam minangnganuh e ari makemammoh. Mawak tu tadday nga abbing tari ta ili y mappaga ta liwah nad darakal na. Kada ragun, tadde nga abbing y matay tape ipatagenoh nari na ispiritu nu kunnasi y takih na nepatallikuk nak kakkofun na sa.

Egga gari y abbing nga lalaki nga ari manguruk ta istorya ira na amang. Netubbu-tubbah nak kakkofun na yayya nga mattafuk ta bikoh na kayu na inyam. Negalo-galoh na laman ira. Tarkuh kanu ira ta manguruk ira ta amang ira nga istorya na kakoh enna kakay da ira. Ammu na tu neeruma yayya, tu yayya y kuruga masikan y nonoh na nira ngamin. Nepasingan na nira e nallattu yayya ta danum.

Egga paga y parte nab bannak ta Aklan nga nengagan kani Dagasanan. Y kagiadda, yari y nasikan nga tannug nga maggafu tari tak kabatwan e y ispiritu ni Dagasanan nga maddagin tat takih na enna magalek ta tumunuk nga pabbenggansan na.

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English Version

There was once a hunter who made a terrible mistake. He searched for his quarry in the shadow of Mount Daeogdog, where the gods of his people lived. The most powerful of all the gods was Gamhanan, and he had a special pet. This favored creature of the great god was called the Panigotlo, a pristine, white deer with full antlers. One spear was all it took to silence the majestic sound of this enchanted creature.

There was once a village that had no choice. A full moon and the bleating of the Panigotlo signaled an abundant day for planting the next morning. The festivities and merriment suddenly stopped when they saw a figure approaching across the river. The hunter, Dagasanan, had on his shoulders the carcass of Gamhanan’s pet. They all knew that they could not abide by this sacrilege of the great god. The villagers took their spears and swords and slew Dagasanan by the river and his father in their home.

There was once a spirit that thirsted for vengeance. On the spot where Dagasanan was killed, an inyam tree grew. The hunter’s ghost would not know rest. The tree cast a shadow and on that spot his hunger for revenge would be sated. One child of the village would pay for what their ancestors had done. A child every year until the villagers would know the pain that he felt when his friends betrayed him.

There was once a boy who didn’t believe in ghost stories. His friends dared him to swim by the inyam tree and all he did was laugh. The boy called his friends cowards for believing in the stories that their lolos and lolas told them. He knew he was different and the bravest of their group, so he took the challenge and jumped in the water.

There is still a part of a river in Aklan named after the hunter, Dagasanan and an inyam tree that people avoid. They say that the loud noises that come from the rocks are his spirit crying in pain, looking for his next victim.

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• The Ibanag language (also Ybanag or Ibanak) is spoken by up to 500,000 speakers, most particularly by the Ibanag people, in the Philippines, in the northeastern provinces of Isabela and Cagayan, especially in Tuguegarao, Solana, Abulug, Cabagan, and Ilagan and with overseas immigrants in countries located in the Middle East, United Kingdom and the United States. Most of the speakers can also speak Ilocano, the lingua franca of northern Luzon island. The name Ibanag comes from the prefix “I” which means “people of”, and “bannag”, meaning river. It is closely related to Gaddang, Itawis, Agta, Atta, Yogad, Isneg, and Malaweg.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Edna Sabino
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Edna Sabino

Blogsite: https://ednaremembers.wordpress.com/

Story Adapted from ‘Legend of Aklan’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Dagasanan Illustration and Watercolor by Robert Rañosa Del Prado

A Failed Expedition Part 3

I’m getting tired of running, but it’s either that or ending up like Manuel or even worse, Johann. I can still hear Johann’s screams as that thing tore him apart, but he wouldn’t want me to give up. Not after everything that’s happened.

I ran out of the cave as fast as I could, I don’t know what got Manuel, but I didn’t want to stay and find out. I feel so stupid that I left the shotgun back in the cave, though it might have just weighed me down. I managed to cover more ground without it, so there’s still a silver lining in all this.

I just need to get through this. “Suffer today and live better tomorrow,” that’s what my dad would always say when things got hard. I happen upon a bamboo forest and it looks like there’s a river beside it. I can get some rest and fresh water here, both things that I haven’t had in hours.

My rest doesn’t last long. Thankfully I can hear whatever it is coming towards me. The sound of breaking bamboo and the rustling leaves gives me ample time to prepare a weapon. I grab a piece of bamboo and break it apart to make a makeshift spear, right now all I’m thinking is how I wish I’d brought the shotgun with me.

“Johann?!” I stare at what used to be my friend. He looks exactly like the last time I saw him, blood everywhere from where the thing snapped him in half. “Hi Kevin, I’ve been dying to see you again.” The blood was gurgling out of Johann’s mouth as he tried to speak.

“What happened to you?! This can’t be real!” I shout. This has to be a dream, first I’m being hunted by an unknown animal , then I hear a woman’s voice in my head and now someone who’s supposed to be dead is right in front of me. “Don’t be scared, Kevin, this just takes a lot of DEAD-ication.” Johann laughs through one of his puns. Whatever happened to him hasn’t dulled his sense of humor.

I manage to impale Johann with my spear, which gives me just enough time to run. I don’t know how long the bamboo will hold him, but I have to try. The only thing I can do is run.

BAM

Something heavy strikes my right shoulder. I feel the damp blood seeping its way through my jacket. There’s only enough time for me to turn around to see what hit me.

“I told you we should have never come here.” Manuel has his shotgun pointed directly at my face.

“The forest doesn’t like visitors.”

BAM

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Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Continued from the Bulalacao’s Tale

Story inspired by the Marukpuk legends from Iloilo.

Marukpuk Illustration and Watercolor by Yanna Gemora
FB: Yannami

There was once a hunter who made a terrible mistake. He searched for his quarry in the shadow of Mount Daeogdog, where the gods of his people lived. The most powerful of all the gods was Gamhanan, and he had a special pet. This favored creature of the great god was called the Panigotlo, a pristine, white deer with full antlers. One spear was all it took to silence the majestic sound of this enchanted creature.

There was once a village that had no choice. A full moon and the bleating of the Panigotlo signaled an abundant day for planting the next morning. The festivities and merriment suddenly stopped when they saw a figure approaching across the river. The hunter, Dagasanan, had on his shoulders the carcass of Gamhanan’s pet. They all knew that they could not abide by this sacrilege of the great god. The villagers took their spears and swords and slew Dagasanan by the river and his father in their home.

There was once a spirit that thirsted for vengeance. On the spot where Dagasanan was killed, an inyam tree grew. The hunter’s ghost would not know rest. The tree cast a shadow and on that spot his hunger for revenge would be sated. One child of the village would pay for what their ancestors had done. A child every year until the villagers would know the pain that he felt when his friends betrayed him.

There was once a boy who didn’t believe in ghost stories. His friends dared him to swim by the inyam tree and all he did was laugh. The boy called his friends cowards for believing in the stories that their lolos and lolas told them. He knew he was different and the bravest of their group, so he took the challenge and jumped in the water.

There is still a part of a river in Aklan named after the hunter, Dagasanan and an inyam tree that people avoid. They say that the loud noises that come from the rocks are his spirit crying in pain, looking for his next victim.

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Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Story Adapted from ‘Legend of Aklan’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Dagasanan Illustration and Watercolor by Robert Rañosa Del Prado

Lia didn’t like the weather tonight. It just had to rain on the day when she forgot her umbrella and she was worried about getting home. She had already been waiting for an hour for the rain to stop, but there was no luck there. She decided to flip a coin to see if she would risk the traffic and get a taxi or to wait in her office for another hour. It was heads. She didn’t want to think about how much the taxi would cost and she promised her parents she would be home that night in time for their anniversary dinner.

It only took her a few minutes to get a cab, despite the traffic. Lia rushed into the back seat and apologized to the driver for the rain on the seat. He just smiled and said it was no problem. She was happy that he seemed nice enough and that it was just the traffic that she’d have to deal with. She was tired of getting the obnoxious taxi drivers, always trying to extort extra money out of her. Lia put on her headphones and played a little jazz to lighten her mood. The traffic was bad so it just made sense to take a nap and she closed her eyes.

She was halfway through Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s “Summertime” when she heard a scream. Lia woke up and blinked to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. She took off her headphones and looked around. It was a dark room, the walls were cement and there was rusted steel everywhere. In the middle of the room there was a chair and a woman sitting on it.

The woman was wearing white, though there were red stains all over her dress. Lia approached the woman and asked if she was all right. The woman’s head was facing downwards so Lia couldn’t see her face but she could hear something coming from the woman.

‘Don’t trust him.’ ‘Don’t trust him’ ‘Don’t trust him.’ The woman repeated the words over and over again. Lia tried to get closer but there was something stopping her. She told her legs to move but they wouldn’t obey. She just stood, frozen, in front of the chair.

She could hear other voices now and they were saying the same things. The first came from another woman in white, appearing from behind the chair. This woman’s face was battered beyond all recognition. Lia tried to scream but her voice was as uncooperative as the rest of her body.

The second woman in white had a wound on the left temple of her forehead; it was still bleeding as she walked to the side of the chair. The third woman approached with her hands tied behind her back and her long, black hair covering her face. There was blood on all of the women’s clothes.

She looked at all the women and they pointed to the one still in the chair. Her head moved up so Lia could see her face. I was like looking into a mirror. The woman had her face and Lia felt a chill go down her entire body.

Lia watched as the woman with her face said ‘Don’t trust him.’ One more time.

And then she woke up.

“Summertime” was still playing when she opened her eyes. Lia looked around and she realized that the taxi hadn’t moved much, she was still very near her office. Her hands were shaking from her dream and she reached for her phone and texted her parents that she was sorry that she was going to miss their anniversary.

She told the driver that she would get out at this street. Lia ignored his protests and said that she left something very important. The rain was still pouring when she got out of the taxi and ran to her office. Part of her was thinking that she might slip in the rain, but she didn’t care.

For the first time since her dream, Lia felt safe.

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Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Kaperosa legends

White Lady (Kaperosa) Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

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