*Note this story is in Ilocano / Ilokano
Natalna nga banbantay ni Gonzalo ti pagtaengan da. Maysa isuna nga bulldog, nayanak nga natibker ken natangsit nga aso. Linikaw na man maminsanen ti pagtaengan tapno masigurado na nga natalna ti bigat da.
“Agalwad ka!” Ngangani naipati leb tay ubing nga bassit, imbag langenen ta napartak nga naiposisyon ni Gonzalo ken diay bag nga nalaka na lang nga nagaw at.
“Naglaing ka nga talaga !” Awit awit na tay rosas nga kolor nga bag na, napan nagturong ni Lila diay kusina. Ni Gonzalo sumasaruno met kanyana tapno siguraduen nga awan mapasamak nga madi ken Lila.
Natalna nga nalpas ti pannangan da ti pammigat. Naimasan la unay ni Lila ti nangan ti pammigat na nga champorado. Ken ni Gonzalo nasdaaw tay pammigat na, ta adda laok na nga hotdog diay makan na, ” ni nasyaat sa tay riing na atoy baket” nakuna na.
Ngem ita nga aldaw sabali ti panagrikna na. Kas idi kalman han nga makauray ni Lila diay dakkel nga kiaw nga balay. Haan nga makatalna tay ubing, inarakop na ni Gonzalo san to nagpukkaw ” mapan tayo diay parke!”
Manen, kagura la unay ni Gonzalo ti rumuar. Agpayso nga makawalay , makataray taray , ngem madanagan la unay ni Gonzalo ti aksidente wenno didigra nga mabalin mapasamak kanyada gapu ti panagwalay da. Kinita ni Gonzalo niLila ken naginsasangit.
“Agtalna ka man, mapan tay lang diay parke!” Pinadpadas ni Lila nga ikabit tay galot ni Gonzalo ngem han na maipan. Imbag laengen ta singmangpet tay baket , ket intarimaan na diay galot ni Gonzalo, idi nakasagana dan napan da diay parke’n.
Ngem uray asideg da pay lang diay balay da madanaganen ni Gonzalo, kasta la unay ti panaka alerto na. Adda maangot na nga madi, ngem haan na mailadawan no anya nga klase ti angot na. ” Gonzalo agtalna ka man, sumardeng ka nga agtaol! Han ka man mangbutbuteng.” Haan da pinapati tay ballaag ni Gonzalo, ngem ni Gonzalo agnanayon latta nga naka alerto.
Marikna na, adda nabangsit nga angin nga mangsursurot kanyada. No makita na la kuma.
Diay pagtugawan binilin tay baket ni Lila, ” haan ka nga umad adayo, agay ayam ka ngem ditoy ka lang asideg ko, diay nalaka ka lang nga makita.” Nag wen isuna ti ulo na ken nagisem , ni Gonzalo ammo nan nga attidog man daytoy nga aldaw para kanyana. Ket tay baket inruwar na tay bassit nga kahon nga agsilaw silaw sana rinugyanan ti nagay ayam. Masid daawan la unay ni Gonzalo no anya daydiay nga banag, naminsan pinadas na nga nginal ngal daytoy, ngem na ungtan lang isuna. Anya la kadi unay daydiay nga banagen? Apay han ko mabalin nga ay ayamen?
Agkat katawa nga nagtaray ni Lila nga agturong diay pagay ayaman nga pagpagalisan. Adda latta tay madi nga angot didiay hangin, masursuron ni Gonzalo’n no ayan na ti pag gapgapwan na. Awan sabali nga maaramidan nan no saan ket abantay nga nalaing kenni Lila ken aguray.
Aguray nga malpas agay ayam diay pagpa galisan. Aguray nga malpas nga maki ay ayam ti tago taguan kadagiti ka ay ayam na. Ken aguray nga malpas da a mangan ti meryenda da.
Adu met ti saba sabali nga aso diay parke kaday diay nga aldaw, ket ammo ni Gonzalo nga maangot da met diay maang angot na. Masiddaawan latta dagidiay tattaon no apay nga natalna tay taraken da nga aso’n. Haan da ammo nga tay taraken da adda marikna da nga didigra nga haan da makita.
“Ayan mo?” Haan nga makatalna tay panunot ni Gonzalo no ayan na tay palemlemmengan tay maang angot na.
“Lila! Agawid tayo’n!” Pukkaw tay baket. Rumab rabii gayam’en. Panag kuna met ni Gonzalo natalna ti lubong dan no agawid dan, ngem saan, ta diay mangring ringgor nga angot nga birbiruken na, simmurot kanyada.
Aglut luto ti adobo nga pangmalem da Lila ken tay baket. Nariribok ni Gonzalo kaday diay angot ti adobo, haan na maangot tay birbiruken nan. Ngem ammo na ti rumbeng nga aramiden nan, agbantay isuna diay kusina. Ammo na ti obligasyon na, isuna ti ulo, isuna ti protektor da.
“Lila umuna ka nga manganen, rumuar nak pay lang biit, mangan ka nga nalaing, ibusem ta labay mo.” Rimwar tay baket nga awit awit na manen tay bassit nga kahon nga agsilaw silaw. Ammo ni Gonzalo daytoyen,pumanaw manen sunan.
” Adda sabali ditoy! Apay haan mo maangot?” Taol ni Gonzalo, ngem haan met isuna maawatan tay baket. Panagkuna na mabisin lang tay tarakena, tapno agtalna inserbian na ti makan.
Ngem awan pay gan ganas na nga mangan. Maang angot na latta tay nabangsit nga angin. Nadennaan ti agong nan tay makaringgor nga angin nga maang angot na. Sigurado ni Gonzalo ag gap gapo tay angot diay kwarto ni Lila. Pinartakan na nga rimwar diay kusina tapno suroten tay maang angot na.
Haan nga ekspektaren ni Gonzalo tay nakita na. Dakkel ken natayag, atir tirter tay tengged nan ti sobra katayag na. Agkuskusilap dagita dadakkel nga kiaw nga mata na kayana, naka nga-nga tay ngiwat na,agpaparang dagitay natatadem nga pangil na.
Ngem natibker ni Gonzalo, situtured nga niraut na tay nakabutbuteng nga ayup. Sipipigsa nga kinagat ni Gonzalo tay tengnged ti ayup ket nagbuteng daytoy ken ni Gonzalo. Nakita ti ayup diay tawa, didiay timmaray tay ayup. Uray kasanu kaddakel na tay ayup takrot met gayam ti panag puspuso na.
Ka daydiay nga rabii nagpapatangan ti karkaruba tay nakaskasdaaw nga kiblaaw nga nang ngeg da di madama ti pangmalem da. Kunada maysa lang daydiay nga naiyaw awan nga ayup, diay dadduma imbaga da adda lang simmabog nga tubo.
Ngem uray anya pay iti kuna da ti napasamak, ni Gonzalo mayat ken natalna ti lubong nan. Naimas ti turog na, diay baba ti katre ni Lila.
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English Version
Gonzalo surveyed his domain with the quiet dignity that was unique to his breed. He was a bulldog, born to be resolute and courageous. He took one more lap around the house to make sure everything was in order for the morning.
“Watch out!” Lila almost tripped over herself. Gonzalo deftly dodged the slight frame of the kindergartener and positioned himself and her bag just within reach.
“Good boy!” She grabbed her rose-colored backpack and headed to the kitchen. Gonzalo trailed behind her to make sure she didn’t fall again.
Breakfast passed without incident. Lila enjoyed her champorado with the kind of gusto a child gets when they realize that they’re having chocolate for a meal. Gonzalo noshed on his kibble and was surprised to find hotdogs mixed in with his food. “The lady must still be in a good mood,” he thought.
Today was different and Gonzalo put himself on guard for anything suspicious. Lila didn’t wait for the big yellow house like she did yesterday. Instead, she hugged Gonzalo and shouted “We’re going to the park!”
Outside; Gonzalo always hated going outside, sure there was the daily walk and the occasional chase around the nearby streets, but there was a sense of danger that surrounded the outside. He looked at Lila and whimpered.
“Silly doggie! Let’s go to the park!” Lila tried clumsily to attach the walking harness onto Gonzalo but it was no use. The lady stepped in and fixed it up and she, Gonzalo and Lila were all set to go to the park.
It was only a short distance from the house and Gonzalo grew increasingly more cautious. There was a strange smell that he could not place. “Stop barking doggie, don’t be scary!”
Gonzalo’s warnings were dismissed, but he was on high alert.
Something was out there, if he could only figure it out.
The lady set Lila and Gonzalo next to a bench. “Don’t go too far, always be somewhere I can see you.” Lila nodded and smiled like she was supposed to and Gonzalo knew that this was going to be a long day. The lady had already took out her small light-box and started playing with it. Gonzalo didn’t know what the appeal was, he had once gotten scolded for chewing it up. If he couldn’t play with it what was the point?
Lila ran towards the slide, laughing along the way. The strange smell was still in the air, almost mocking Gonzalo with its mystery. He kept a keen eye on Lila, and waited.
He waited as Lila went down the slide. He waited as she played hide and seek with the other neighbor children. He waited as they all had some snacks.
There were many dogs in the park that day and Gonzalo knew that they smelled it too. The humans would sit and wonder why their dogs were so well behaved, completely unaware of the looming danger.
“Where are you?” His mind raced through the possibilities.
Suddenly the Lady shouted “Lila! Time to go home!” the sun was already setting, thick beams of orange light were peeking through the clouds.
If Gonzalo thought that going home would ease his worries, he was mistaken. The smell had followed them from the park.
The lady and Lila were getting ready for dinner now, the scent of adobo failing to mask what kept the bulldog’s hair on end. He stationed himself by the kitchen, he knew what his duty was and he would not shy away from it.
They were his pack and he was their protector.
“Lila, I’m just going to step out for a few minutes. Be a good girl and eat your dinner.” The lady takes her light-box and her fingers race. Gonzalo had seen this before, it meant that the lady would be out for a while.
“There’s something here! Can’t you smell it?!” His barks fell on deaf ears. The lady thought he was hungry so she gave him some food and left the kitchen.
Gonzalo didn’t have any appetite, he was too focused on the smell. His nose had picked up the scent coming from Lila’s room. There was no hesitation as the dog bolted out of the kitchen and raced towards the smell.
It was bigger than Gonzalo expected, it was so tall that it had to crouch to fit in the room. Its long neck twisted around and a large, yellow eye greeted him with a menacing glare. The mouth opened to reveal rows of pointed fangs.
Brave was the bulldog as he lunged to the monstrous creature before him. The creature recoiled in terror as the hound bit it right in the neck. It spotted the window and ran. As big as it was, it had a coward’s heart.
That night the neighbors discussed the strange sound they heard around dinnertime. Most say it was a wild animal that somehow got into the village, others think it was a burst pipe.
Whatever the answer, the night yielded to a tired Gonzalo sleeping at the foot of Lila’s bed, dreaming the dreams of a very good dog.
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*Ilocano is the third most-spoken local language of the Philippines.An Austronesian language, it is related to such languages as Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tetum, Chamorro, Fijian, Maori, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Paiwan and Malagasy. It is closely related to some of the other Austronesian languages of Northern Luzon, and has slight mutual intelligibility with the Balangao language and the eastern dialects of the Bontoc language.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Ilocano translation by Anonymous
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Anonymous
Inspired by the Tigbanua entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Tigbanua Illustration by Jowee Aguinaldo
