*Note this story is in Cebuano/Bisaya

Gwapa kaayo siya.

Nilingkod si Sisoy sa kalasangan ug nagpuyo sa iyang mga sayop. Kahibaw siya nga kinahanglan niya ihusto ang iyang mga sayop.

Nakahinumdom si Sisoy sa unang beses na nakit-an niya siya, kauban niya sa pagligo ang duha ka laing mga babaye. Ang ilang mga pako ug mga sinina kay anaa sa mga bato sa daplin. Dili nakatabang si Sisoy sa pagkuha sa usa ka pares ng nindot na mga pako. Mao kadto and iyang unang sayop.

Naghuna-huna pagbalik si Sisoy sa mga luha nga nahulog sa iyang maaghop nga nawong, giunsa niya pagsultihan si Sisoy nga dili siya makabalik tungod kay dili niya makit-an ang iyang mga pako. Gihangyo siya ni Sisoy nga mahimong iyang asawa. Nisugot siya kay wa na siya’y kapilian. Mao kadto ang ikaduhang sayop ni Sisoy.

Kinahanglan kay nakit-an din ng babaye ang iyang mga pako ug gibiyaan niya si Sisoy usa ka adlaw nang iya gipatug ang ilang anak. Gipangita ni Sisoy ang iyang asawa bisan asa hangtod sa nakaadto siya sa lasang. Iyang nahinumduman ang iyang mga sayop.

Pila pa ka oras, usa ka agila and milukop sa kaniyang atubangan. Kay wala na’y kapildihan, gihangyo niya ang agila na tabangan siyang pangitan-on ang iyang asawa. Gilupad siya ng agaila kadto sa kalangitan ug gi-da siya sa dakong balay.

Gisugat siya sa amahan sa iyang asawa sa pultahan. Gi-istorya ni Sisoy ang mga nahitabo ug gisulti na gusto niya maghinulsol sa mga sayop na nahimo niya sa iyang asawa. “Dili nimo maangkon ang imong gusto kon di nimo sundon ang akong tulo ka mga sugo,” niingon ang amahan.

Si Sisoy ay usa ka laki nga labis na nahigugma ug himuon niya bisan nano para makit-an ang iyang asawa pag-usab.

“Dad-a kaning tanang mga lugas sa mais didto sa laing balay sa usa lang ka adlaw,” mao ang unang sugo. Daw na-wa ang pagsalig ni Sisoy kay imposibleng mabalhin niya na usa ang kabundok ng mais.

Niduol kay Sisoy ang hari sa mga langgam ug gitabangan siyang ibalhin ang tanang mais. Nagpasalamat si Sisoy sa hari ug nagpadayon na sa sunod na buluhaton.

“Dad-a ang tanan nga bugas didto sa laing balay sa usa lang ka adlaw,” ang ikaduhang sugo kay sama ka lisud sa una, pero ara’y usa pang tig-amlig si Sisoy. Gitabangan siya sa hari ng mga ilaga sa pagtapos sa buhat sa usa ka adlaw.

“Putla ang tanan nga mga puno dinhi sa lasang sa usa lang ka adlaw,” lisud ang sugo kay gituyhad ang kalasangan kutob sa makit-an sa mata. Nagpangayo sang tabang si Sisoy sa hari ng ilahas nga mga baboy, nga gisugo ang tanan niyang tagasunod na putla ang puno gamit ang ilang mga ngipon.

Nisugot ang amahan sa iyang asawa na mukusog ang iyang anak kay Sisoy sa yuta.

Gitan-aw ng babaye si Sisoy na ara na’y pagbabago sa iyang mga mata. Dili niya malimtan ang iyang mga nabuhat, apan nakapagpasaylo siya.

Nakadayeg siya sa dedikasyon ng iyang bana mahimo lang na wasto ang tanan, usa ka butan nga iyang gihuna-huna nga pagkat-on sa ilang anak.

Ilang gikuha ang kamay sa usag usa ug nibalik sa yuta.

 


English Version

“She was so beautiful.”

Sisoy sat in the forest and dwelt on his mistakes. He knew that he had to make things right.

He remembered the first time he laid eyes on her, how she was taking a bath with two other lovely women. Their wings and dresses were on the stones by the wayside and Sisoy could not help but take a pair of wings because of their beauty. That was his first mistake.

He thought back to the tears that fell on her gentle face, how when she told Sisoy she could not go back because she couldn’t find her wings, Sisoy had asked her to be his wife. Having no other option, she said yes. That was his second.

She had found her wings eventually and left him, one day while putting their baby to sleep. He searched everywhere for his wife until he ended up in the forest, thinking back on the wrongs he had done.

Just then, an eagle swopped in front of him. With nothing to lose, he asked the eagle for help in finding his wife. The eagle flew him to the skies and set him off at a large house in the heavens.

The father of his wife met him at the door. Sisoy told him his story, how he wanted to repent for the wrong he had done to his wife. “You cannot have what you want unless you obey my three commands,” said the father.

SIsoy was a man in love and he would do anything to see his wife again.

“Bring all these grains of corn to another house in just one day.” Was the first command. Sisoy was at a loss, the mountain of corn was impossible to move by himself.

The king of ants came near him and helped him transport all the corn, Sisoy was grateful to the ant-king and set on to the next task.

“Bring all the rice to another house in just one day.” The second command was as difficult as the first, but Sisoy had a benefactor as well. The king of rats helped him finish the work in one day.

“Cut down all the trees in this forest in one day” The command was difficult, as the forest stretched as far as the eye could see. Sisoy asked the help of the king of wild pigs who called on all his followers to cut down the trees with their sharp teeth.

The father of his wife then agreed to have her return to earth with Sisoy.

The wife looked at him with new eyes. She could not forget what he had done to her, but she was able to forgive.

She was impressed by her husband’s dedication to make things right, something she thought their child could learn from.

They took each other hand in hand and then returned to earth.


 

*The Cebuano language, alternatively called Cebuan and also often colloquially albeit informally referred to by most of its speakers simply as Bisaya (“Visayan”, not to be confused with other Visayan languages nor Brunei Bisaya language), is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 21 million people, mostly in Central Visayas, western parts of Eastern Visayas and most parts of Mindanao, most of whom belong to various Visayan ethnolingusitic groups, mainly the Cebuanos. It is the by far the most widely spoken of the Visayan languages, which are in turn part of wider the Philippine languages. The reference to the language as Bisaya is not encouraged anymore by linguists due to the many languages within the Visayan language group that may be confused with the term. The Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino, the official regulating body of Philippine languages, spells the name of the language as Sebwano.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Cassandra Dizon
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Cassandra Dizon
 
Adapted from ‘Sisoy and his Enchanted Wife’ in Negros Oriental and Siquijor Island Legends, Beliefs and Folkways. Aldecoa-Rodriguez. 2000.
 
Aghoy Illustration and Watercolor by Marc Magpantay
FB: Murcy Murc Art
Tumblr: Glassy-draws.tumblr.com

 

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