His name was Sulayman, called from far across the sea in the land of the golden sunset to save the land of Mindanao from the wrath of four terrible creatures.
The first was Kurita, a creature of both land and sea, it chose to cause destruction on the mountain where the rattan grew.
Sulayman traveled through the air to the mountain and saw nothing alive. The villages and forests were silent.
As he cried out in sorrow at the devastation, Kurita rose from the ground and clawed at Sulayman.
Knowing that this was the creature that massacred the villages, Sulayman wasted no time in doing battle. He drew his sword.
The mountain was not silent that day. The Kurita’s final roar echoed through the empty forests.
Sulayman sheathed his sword and continued on to the next mountain.
The second was Tarabusaw.
Nabi crawled from under the tree he was hiding. His family was dead, he was sure of hit. The adrenaline started to pump through his small frame. A boy should not have to see this, he shouldn’t have to run from the safety of his village, now drenched in blood.
The boy ran as fast as his small legs could take him. He thought of jumping into the river for surely the monster could not swim, but Nabi realized neither could he. His father was supposed to teach him how, but he was too young for it this summer. Now he may never know.
As the last light of the day petered out, Nabi finally felt safe. He stopped by a large boulder and rested his tiny frame against the rock. It was mercy that he was asleep when the brute found him.
From Mount Matutum the beast spread devastation and annihilation. Nothing and no one was safe from its tempestuous fury, so much so that even the land started to wither from the murders it had committed.
The earth would not be nurtured by the blood it had spilled and it cried out for justice.
Its wish was granted in the form of a hero.
After saving the land from the ferocity of the Kurita, Sulayman ventured to Mount Matatum to avenge the second beast’s victims. It did not take him long before he followed the blood to its source. He found the monster was slowly devouring the arm of a small child.
Sulayman surveyed his opponent. It was more beast than man, though he saw a glimmer of intelligence in the blood soaked eyes. Intelligence far more cruel and cunning than the most heinous criminal he had ever known.
“I will end this,” Sulayman made a vow.
And he kept his promise.
Among the ashes of Mount Bita, Sulayman stood resolute. He passed the empty homes and his heart was filled with sadness. There were toys but no children, there were farms, but no one to tend them, there were families here once.
But no more.
Sulayman cursed at the sky. Whatever beast did this would pay. The sky darkened and seemed to grant his wish.
The third was Pah.
The sky was blotted out by the enormous frame of a great bird, like nothing that was ever seen before. Sulayman was quick, he drew his sword and managed to hit its wing. The great bird spiraled towards Sulayman, and he was able to dodge its massive body, but forgot about the wing he had cut off. That part of the beast crushed Sulayman and would have ended his journey.
But there was another.
King Indarapatra watched in agony as the sapling by his window withered and died. He recalled the day his brother, Sulayman, set forth on his journey to Mindanao. He mouthed the words that he said when Sulayman left: “By this tree I will know of your fate. If you will live, it will live, and if you die, it will die also.”
King Indarapatra’s heart was filled with revenge. He gathered his belongings, including his most trusted sword and went on a quest to find his brother.
Like Sulayman, he traveled through the air and found himself on the mountain where the rattan grew. He saw evidence of his brother’s victory against the Kurita. The bones of the monster littered the area and he was filled with pride.
Next was Mount Matutun. The rotting corpse of the Tarabusaw told him all he needed to know. The surrounding areas were still barren of life, but the monster would never be able to hurt anyone again. King Indarapatra continued on his journey and thoughts of the monsters plagued his mind.
The great deaths caused by these creatures were told of in faraway lands, even reaching his court in the land of the golden sunset. It was King Indarapatra that pleaded with Sulayman to cross the seas and rid the land of Mindanao of these great beasts.
It was Sulayman’s choice to go to the distant land and avenge her people, that much was true. But King Indarapatra felt a pang of guilt that he had lead his brother to certain death.
He shook those thoughts away as he approached mount Bita.
The body of the great bird Pah lay on the ground. He noticed the severed wing of the bird and lifted it up, revealing the bones of his brother. King Indarapatra wept for the blood of his blood, so consumed with grief was he.
The heavens replied with an answer to his silent prayer. As he looked up, he saw a small jar filled with water. Knowing what he must do, he poured the water over Sulayman’s bones and his brother lived again.
Joy filled the mountain as the brothers reunited. Sulayman explained that he was not completely dead, but sleeping. King Indarapatra didn’t care, he heart was filled with great happiness that his brother was alive and well.
Sulayman returned to their home in the land of the golden sunset, but King Indarapatra stayed. He wanted to finish what his brother started. There was still the matter of the fourth great beast on Mount Gurayn.
King Indarapatra bade his brother farewell and sharpened his sword. He swore the same oath that Sulayman did and upon his kingdom, he would see it fulfilled.
King Indarapatra readied himself. The sun reflected against the blade in his hands and he breathed in deep. His mind was filled with tales of the creature being all-seeing, but he would face the beast no matter how fearsome it was.The fourth was the dreadful bird of Mount Gurayn.King Indarapatra deftly dodged the head coming towards him, the sharp beak missing its mark by only a few inches. He rolled on the ground avoiding another two heads and tried to strike at a third, but the beast’s hide was tougher than King Indarapatra thought.Surprise was the one thing King Indarapatra could not count on. In each direction, one of the seven heads would be watching. So the king resorted to applying his strength to the problem. As another head bared down upon him, King Indarapatra held his sword with two hands and used all his strength to cut the monster’s head in half.The screams of the other six heads echoed through the mountain range, a combination of pain and anger. King Indarapatra was exhausted from the effort, his every muscle screamed in agony, but there was no time to rest. The monster still had six other heads, all preparing to take a vengeful strike at him.
The nights blended with the days, blood from both sides was spilt on the barren rocks of the mountains. King Indarapatra’s blade was almost blunt from hacking away at the bird’s hide, but his strikes were true and the monster did fall.
He stared at the body of the beast and closed his eyes, content with what he had done.
King Indarapatra awoke with a thought. What if not all were slain in these lands? Surely there must be some survivors among the hills and forests. Thus, the king sheathed his sword and went on another journey.
One day he saw, in the distance, a beautiful woman. King Indarapatra did not know if it was an illusion, but he was delighted to see the sight of another human being. The woman disappeared before the king could get near and he sat on a nearby rock, tired and hungry.
He prayed for relief and, surveying the area, he saw a pot of uncooked rice and a large fire on the ground in front of it. As he cooked the rice, he heard loud laughter. His heart rejoiced! An old woman was watching him. He greeted her and they talked as King Indarapatra ate his rice.
“There are other survivors,” the old woman told the king, but very few. She described a cave in which the people were sheltered, far from the fearsome might of the four beasts. The old woman and her husband hid in a hollow tree and were only able to venture outward when Sulayman killed the bird, Pah.
The old woman led King Indarapatra to the cave and the people gathered around the stranger and listened to his tale. He told of his brother, Sulayman and how he slew the beasts Kurita, Tarabusaw and Pah. He told of how his brother was crushed under the wing of the great bird and how he journeyed from his lands to avenge his brother. He told of how he slew the seven headed bird of Mount Gurayn.
The people gave thanks to the strangers that rid their land of the monsters. The headman of the people gave his daughter’s hand in marriage to the king, and King Indarapatra was surprised to find that it was the beautiful woman that he had seen before.
Others eventually came out of their hiding places and returned to their homes, living in peace and happiness for the rest of their days.
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Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Kurita Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
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The Bird of Mount Gurayn Illustration by Julius Arboleda
Watercolor by Catherine Chiu
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