*Note this story is in Tagalog
Sa maliit na sitio ng Tinamnan Gabe, naroon ang isang malalim na kuweba na katabi ng palayaan ng yumaong Kapitan Colas Jumawan.
Maraming kuwento tungkol sa kuweba, may mga nagsasabi na tirahan daw ito ng mga mahihiwagang nilalang. Tuwing alas onse raw ng tanghali, lumilitaw ang tatlong magagandang babae na nakaupo sa ibabaw ng bato sa kuweba at nawawala rin sa isang iglap.
Isang araw, ang pangulong mangungupa ng palayan, ang lalaking si Eyo ay sunod-sunod na tinawag ng kung sino sa kabilang dulo ng palayan. Sinadya niyang huwag itong pansinin, pero hindi ito tumigil.
Lumingon si Eyo sa kabilang dulo ng palayan at nagulat siya nang makita niya ang isang makisig na ginoo. Sabi nito, “Dapat tayong pumunta sa Candanay dahil may nahuli roon na malaking balyena.”
Nang sinabi ni Eyo sa ginoo na hindi siya maaring pumunta roon dahil abala siya, bigla na lang itong naglaho.
Doon sa Candanay, pinaghahatian na ang balyena. Nandoon ang ginoo, nakikihati. Siya ay namukhaan ng mga mangingisda. Ang isa sa kanila ay nadismaya nang tila nawala ang kaniyang parte.
Ang ginoo ay nagtungo sa bahay ni Eyo at ibinahagi nito sa kaniya kung paano nagalit ang isa sa mga mangingisda dahil walang makapagpaliwanag kung saan napunta ang hati nito sa balyena. Inimbitahan ng ginoo si Eyo na maghapuan sa tirahan niya, ngunit siya ay tumanggi.
Nang sumunod na umaga, nasaksihan ng mga nangungupahan sa palayan ang mga magagandang babae sa ibabaw ng kuweba na nagpapatuyo ng karne ng balyena.
Hindi maintindihan ni Eyo kung bakit nagkaroon ng interest sa kaniya ang ginoo. Maraming ibang nangungupahan sa palayan na puwede nitong abalahin, pero siya ang napili nito na huwag lubayan. Araw-araw, iniimbitahan ng ginoo si Eyo na sumama sa iskursiyon o niyayang kumain, ngunit siya ay hindi sumasama rito.
May mga pagkakataon na naririnig ni Eyo sa utak niya ang boses ng kaniyang lola. “Huwag kang sumama sa mga mahihiwagang nilalang, huwag mo silang saluhang kumain. Makukulong ka sa kanilang mundo.”
Sinunod ni Eyo ang mga maalam na salita ng kaniyang lola at hindi niya pinaunlakan ang mga hiling ng ginoo. Tuwing lumilitaw ang tatlong magagandang babae sa may kuweba, pinigipigan niya ang kaniyang sarili na tingnan ang mga ito, dahil kaniyang alam na hindi tao ang mga ito.
Binaggit ni Eyo sa ibang mga nangungupahan sa palayan ang tungkol sa ginoo, ngunit hindi katulad niya, hindi ito nakita ng mga ito.
Naisip ni Eyo na maaring siya ay isinumpa, at siya nga sa ibang paraan. May mga tao na napag-iinteresan ng mga mahihiwagang nilalang. Para sa marami, ito ay malaking biyaya sapagkat nakatatanggap ng labis na regalo ang mga napili ng mga mahihiwagang nilalang, pero para sa ilan isa itong nakakikilabot na sumpa kung saan patuloy kang paglalaruan ng mga mahihiwagang nilalang hanggang sa mabagot ang mga ito.
Kinonsidera ni Eyo na siya ay masuwerte—siya ay lulubayan ng mahiwagang ginoo kung kaniyang hihilingin. Pero may munting takot ang palaging mananatili sa kaniyang puso.
Paano kung napagdesisyunan nila na tumigil sa paglalaro?
Ano ang mangyayari?
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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?
*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 Chona Robles
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Chona Robles
Adapted from The Legend of Tinamnan Gabe in Negros Oriental and Siquijor Island Legends, Beliefs and Folkways. Aldecoa-Rodriguez. 2000.
The Engkanto of Tinamnan Gabe Illustration by Armie Loraine Corpuz
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