*Note this story is in Tagalog
niya ito, labag man ito sa kaniyang kalooban.
Walang sinabi si Marabi.
Sinubukan ulit ng matanda na isalaysay ang kuwento. Mukhang magandang magsaya sa ilog ng Tanjay, ngunit mayroong dahilan kung bakit walang gustong maiwan nang mag-isa sa piling ng kadiliman.
Tumingin si Marabi sa kaniyang lolo nang may panghahamon sa kaniyang mukha. Pero napakaganda niya.
Hindi ka dapat magtiwala sa kagandahan. Iyon ang ginagamit niya para akitin ka.
Tila nainsulto si Marabi, na para bang minamaliit siya dahil isa siyang bata. Hindi ako naniniwala sa inyo.
Mabilis na nainis ang kaniyang lolo at kitang-kita ito sa mukha ng matanda. Bakit hindi mo maintindihan na ginagawa ko ito para protektahan ka?
Hindi na bagong maliitin si Marabi ng kaniyang lolo. Noong namatay ang mga magulang niya, ang lolo na lamang niya ang natitira niyang kadugo. Sana ay mas marami pa siyang kamag-anak.
Kinasusuklaman niya ang kaniyang lolo.
Puwede bang ipangako mo na lang sa akin na hindi ka pupunta sa ilog nang mag-isa?
‘Yun lang ba? Sige. Pangako.
Tumayo siya at umalis.
Hinilot ng matanda ang kaniyang sentido. Napabuntong-hininga siya. Mamamatay siya dahil sa batang iyon.
Mapayapa at nakakahalina ang ilog na palikaw-likaw na sumalubong kay Marabi. May mga tao ngayon na nagkakainan sa tabing-ilog.
Napabuntong-hininga siya at naghintay hanggang lumipat ng puwesto ang araw sa kalangitan.
Naghintay siya hanggang magligpit at umalis ang mga nalalabing tao.
Naghintay siya hanggang mag-isa na lamang siya.
Nga ba?
Malapit sa pampang ng ilog, naroon ang babae. Naaaninagan siya ng liwanag na mula sa mga bituin.
Hindi kailanman hiningi ni Marabi ang kaniyang pangalan. Marahil ay wala siya nito. Ang alam lang ni Marabi ay siya ang pinakamagandang babaeng nakita niya.
Napasinghap siya at lumapit nang ilang hakbang.
Sumenyas ang babae kay Marabi na mas lumapit pa. Aking magandang alaga, pinag-uusapan n’yo ba ako?
Nanikip ang lalamunan ni Marabi. Alam niya ‘yon, siyempre. Malalaman ng uri niya kung pinag-uusapan sila, iyon ang sabi sa kaniya ng lolo niya.
Ngumiti ang babae. Ayos lang iyon. Sinubukan ng lolo mo ang lahat ng makakaya niya, hindi ba? Ngunit alam nating dalawa ang kagustuhan ng puso mo.
Naglakad papalapit si Marabi at hinawakan niya ang balat ng babae.
Dapat ay malamig at basa ito dahil nasa ilog siya, ngunit tila ito ang pinakamakinis na sutla, na may kaunting init.
Ibig ni Marabi na maramdaman ito habambuhay.
Halika, aking alaga. Magsayaw tayo.
Paulit-ulit itong naisip ni Marabi.
Habambuhay.
Idla! Lumayo ka riyan.
Tumawa ang batang babae habang nagbabalanse siya sa mga bato sa ilog, nang lubhang nag-iingat para hindi mahulog. Hindi niya naiintindihan kung bakit hindi siya pinapayagang maglaro ng matatanda, at kung bakit ganoon ang buhay.
Hindi ‘yan puwede! Bumalik ka rito ngayon din!
Makinig ka sa nanay mo.
Muntikan nang madulas sa bato si Idla. May dumating na matandang lalaki na hindi niya kilala. Mapula at maga ang kaniyang mga mata, na para bang kani-kanina lamang ay umiiyak siya.
Bakit ko po ba kailangang makinig sa matatanda? Palagi lamang nila akong pinagbabawalang maglaro.
Gusto niya lamang ang makabubuti para sa iyo.
Paano po ninyo iyon nalaman?
Ang makabubuti lang din para sa kaniya ang hinangad ko.
Napatahimik si Idla. Naiintindihan na niya ang nangyayari. Ito ang lolo ng nawawalang batang babae.
Pasensya na po, pupuntahan ko na po ang nanay ko.
Mabuti pa nga. At tandaan mo, mapanganib ang ilog na ito.
Opo, lolo.
Maliksing nagtatalon ang batang babae sa mga bato sa ilog, papunta sa kaniyang ina.
Tumitig ang lolo sa ilog hawak ang kaniyang bolo. Sapat na dapat ito para ngayong gabi.
Malabo ang mga pangyayari.
Kulay pula, iyon ang naaalala ni Marabi. Tanda rin niyang sumasayaw siya kasama ang magandang babae sa ilalim ng ilog, sa isang palasyong yari sa ginto. Masaya siya noon.
‘Di katagalan, sa kaniyang pagsisisi, nahimasmasan siya. Nakaupo siya sa bahay habang hinihintay ang kaniyang lolo, nang mabilis na bumalik ang mga alaala.
Nakita niya ang babae sa harap niya na sumasayaw sa himig ng awiting doon niya lamang napakinggan. Nakahawak ang babae sa baywang ni Marabi. Nagpaikot-ikot sila hanggang marinig niya iyon.
Ang boses ng kaniyang lolo.
Dagliang bumalik ang ulirat niya at namulat siya sa katotohanan. May taglay pa ring kagandahan ang babae, ngunit mabagsik ito sa ilalim ng liwanag ng mga bituin. Mahaba ang kaniyang mga kuko, matulis ang kaniyang mga ngipin at nagsisipulupot sa tubig ang kaniyang buhok.
Suminghal ang babae at tumuro paitaas. Maliwanag ang buwan at naaninag ni Marabi ang bolo ng lolo niya na inihahampas sa tubig para bumuo ng krus.
Habang nangyayari ito, ang naririnig lamang ni Marabi ay ang paulit-ulit na pagtawag sa kaniyang pangalan.
Umuwi ka na, Marabi.
Umuwi ka na.
Agad siyang lumayo sa babae at lumangoy paahon ng ilog. Sa pangambang baka siya ay sundan nito, lumingon siya sa likod.
Hindi makakilos ang babae, wari ba’y nakagapos siya. Batid ni Marabi na dahil ito sa ginawa ng kaniyang lolo, ngunit kung paano iyon nagawa ay hindi niya alam.
Nakalabas at nakaahon si Marabi sa ilog. Suminghap siya sa hangin.
Buhay ka. Salamat sa Diyos at buhay ka.
Binawi niya ang naubos na hangin at sinubukan niyang tumayo.
Lolo! Nasa ilalim ako ng ilog at naroon ang babae at—
Alam ko, iha, alam ko. At sisiguraduhin kong hindi ka na niya muling masasaktan.
Ano po’ng ibig ninyong sabihin?!
Pumunta sa pampang ng ilog ang lolo niya at lumusong sa tubig.
Pasigaw na tinawag ni Marabi ang kaniyang lolo. Wala siyang ibang gusto kundi ang mayakap siya.
Ngunit ganoon ang buhay.
Hindi na babalik ang lolo niya. Hindi katulad ng nangyari sa kaniya.
Sa kaniyang pagsisisi, umiyak siya, habang iniisip na sana ay nakinig siya sa mga kuwento ng kaniyang lolo.
=—————————————————=
English version
They’ll drown you without a second thought. That’s just the kind of monsters that they are.
Marabi brought her hands to her ears and shuts out the noise from her lolo. She thinks about flowers and how beautiful they are. Something that beautiful could never hurt her.
Her lolo grabs her hands and tells her to listen. She is old enough now to be told the story of the river and he will make her listen whether she wants to or not.
Marabi says nothing.
Her lolo tries again. The Tanjay river might seem like a place to have your fun, but there is a reason no one wants to be left alone in the darkness.
Marabi looks up defiantly at her lolo. But she’s so beautiful.
You mustn’t trust beauty. That’s how she lures you in.
Marabi looks insulted, as if she’s being talked down to because she’s a child. I don’t believe you.
In an instant her lolo’s face is twisted with annoyance. Why can’t you understand that I’m doing this to protect you?
It’s just like her lolo to condescend to Marabi. After her parents died he was all she had left. She wished she had more.
She despises him.
Look, just promise me you won’t go to the river alone?
Is that it? Fine. I promise.
She gets up and leaves.
Her lolo rubs his temples and sighs. Someday that girl will be the death of him.
The winding river greets Marabi with quiet charm. Today there were people out having picnics by the riverside.
She sighed and waited until the sun travelled across the sky.
She waited until the last few people packed up their things and left.
She waited until she was alone.
Or was she?
By the river bank, reflected in the starlight was her.
Marabi never asked what her name was, maybe she didn’t have one. All Marabi knew was that she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.
She gasped and took a few steps forward.
The woman beckoned Marabi to come closer. Hello there my pretty pet, have you been talking about me?
Marabi felt a lump in her throat. She knew, of course she knew. Her kind would know if they were being talked about, that’s what her lolo told her.
The woman smiled. It’s no matter. Your lolo tries as hard as he can doesn’t he? But we both know where your heart lies.
Marabi took a few steps forward and touched the woman’s skin.
It should have felt cold and damp from the river, but at her touch it was like the smoothest silk with a hint of warmth.
Marabi wished she could feel it forever.
Come now my pet. Let us dance.
The thought echoed in Marabi’s head.
Forever.
Idla! Get away from there.
The young girl laughs as she balances on the river rocks, being extra careful not to fall in. She doesn’t understand why the adults won’t let her play, and such is life.
I won’t have you doing that! Now get back here!
You should listen to your mother.
Idla almost slips off the rock. A stranger appears, an old man. His eyes are red and puffy, as if he had been crying recently.
Why should I listen to the grownups? All they do is tell me not to play.
She only wants what’s best for you.
How do you know that?
It’s what I wanted for her.
In that moment a quiet understanding fell over Idla. This was him, the lolo of the girl that went missing.
I’m sorry, I’ll go to my mother.
Please do. And remember, this river is dangerous.
I will lolo.
The girl gracefully skips among the river rocks, bounding towards her mother.
And the lolo stares at the river, holding his bolo. Tonight it would have to be enough.
It passes in a daze.
Marabi remembers the color red. She sees herself dancing with the beautiful woman in the bottom of the river, in a palace made of gold. She was happy then.
It is only later, in the harsh light of day that things come into focus. Sitting at home waiting for her lolo the recollections come flooding back.
She sees the woman in front of her, dancing to an unknown song. He hands are on Marabi’s waist. They spin around until she hears him.
Her lolo’s voice.
In that moment the spell is broken and she sees things for the way they are. The woman’s beauty remains, but it is cruel in the starlight. Her nails have grown, her teeth have sharpened and her hair coils violently in the water.
The woman screams and points towards the surface. Through the moonlight Marabi can see the glint of her lolo’s bolo cutting the water in a cross shape.
Throughout all of this Marabi hears only her name, over and over.
Come home Marabi.
Come home.
In an instant she pushes away from the woman and swims towards the surface. She is afraid that she will be followed, and she looks behind.
The woman remains unmoved as if chained to her position. Marabi knows that this is her lolo’s doing, but she doesn’t know how.
Marabi breaks the river’s surface and gasps for air.
You’re alive. Thank Jesus you’re alive.
She hungrily devours more life-giving air and she tries to stand.
Lolo! Please, I was underwater and the woman was there and—
I know iha, I know. And I will make sure she never hurts you again.
What do you mean?!
Her lolo goes by the riverside and dives in.
Marabi screams for her lolo. She wants nothing more than to be in his embrace.
But such is the way life is.
Her lolo is not coming back. Not like she did.
And in the harsh light of day she cries, wishing that she had listened to his stories.
*Tanjay River is located in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental
**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 Maui Felix
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Maui Felix
Based on The Mermaid of Tanjay River. Historcal Data of Tanjay, Negros Oriental. in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.
Illustration by Brylle Infante Patiu
Instagram: @bryllepatiu.dwg