Region 10

Legend

The Battle at Tagoloan

It was a chilly night but Regino was sweating in his foxhole in the beach of Tagoloan, a

town in northern Mindanao. It would be his first encounter against the formidable

Japanese imperial army. He prayed the prayers that his grandfather taught him, as he

pondered what would happen to his family if he dies or is captured. His unit was part of

the Filipino-American forces, thinly stretched over a long coastline, tasked to defend

northern Mindanao against the Japanese forces.

Weeks earlier, the American intelligence warned of an impending Japanese invasion of

northern Mindanao. Anticipating a naval-led attack, the American army commander in

Mindanao ordered the erection of barriers, during low tides, along a long coastline as far

as possible seaward. Materials and time limited, they could only come up with a

makeshift structure- barbwires stringed to wooden poles planted into the seabed. The

commander just wanted to put up a good fight. He knew that their defense preparations

could not stop a determined attack by the better-armed Japanese.

Past midnight, the tide was peak high when Regino observed silhouettes of scores of

warships, the invasion fleet. Then artillery bombardment started coming from the ships.

Mercifully, they were off the mark though some landed just behind his foxhole. He

tightened his grip around his machine gun, slid his finger into the trigger and waited.
They have limited ammunition and were ordered not to fire back until the lead boats

reach the barriers.

Regino saw the attack barges emerging in front of the ships. Artillery bombardment

continued as the barges raced toward the beach. The Japanese invasion commander

was probably surprised that there was no return fire from the American side; then was

puzzled why the barges were stalled. The barriers held and the barges stopped moving

forward. The defenders took advantage and rained fire on them, aiming at the

unarmored sides. Regino fired his machine gun at will and was exhilarated at being able

to fight an army known for its courage and many victories. The attackers must have

suffered huge casualties as the barges turned back to the warships.

The defenders’ seeming triumph was short-lived. A second wave of barges returned.

Regino saw divers latch chained hooks to the barbwires. Then the barges tugged them

away, dismantling the impediment across his sector. Other units in the long defense line

did not face an attack. The invaders concentrated on particular stretches intending to

punch holes across the defense line. Regino’s section was one of those they selected to

break through.

The barges speeded towards the beach and the defenders were fast running out of

ammunition. Regino, had to regulate his machine gun fire in short bursts to conserve his

remaining bullets. Four hours after the attack begun, the defenders ran out of

ammunition.
As previously instructed, Regino removed the pin from his machine gun, abandoned his

foxhole and proceeded to the rendezvous point. The attackers quickly established a

beachhead. Some even shouted the Japanese war chant as they chased the retreating

adversaries.

At the rendezvous point, the American commander advised the surviving combatants

that they can choose to join the surrender to the Japanese forces or revert to civilian

status and later join the guerilla movement. Regino and most of the Filipino soldiers

opted for the later.

Regino changed to civilian clothes and visited the scene of battle the following day. He

was promptly captured, made to help bury the dead, Japanese, American and Filipino,

in a mass grave and was released by a dignified looking Japanese officer.

Myths

Evil Aswang

The myth of the inherently evil aswang, a ghoul characterized as a kind of vampire that

hunts for young children, unborn fetuses or dying persons, is well known throughout the

country,

September 2004, a 16-year-old boy in Tantangan, South Cotabato witnessed that his 14

year old brother was attacked by an aswang, which was disguised as a big black dog

with red eyes. The two boys were sleeping in a small shack, guarding their farm ducks;

all of a sudden they heard a squeaking sound outside the makeshift hut. The teenager

said that a big black canine, about three feet-high, was about to bite the neck of his
younger brother when the creature set its glowering eyes on him. The youngster

grabbed his father's rifle and shot the beast, which fled in the darkest part of the rice

field. The younger brother was accidentally hit in his right leg and brought to the local

hospital. The description given by the bloke fits the physical appearance of a human

flesh eating aswang, a supernatural being who has the ability to transform itself into

different forms while devouring a prey.

Folktales

THE FLOOD STORY

Once upon a time, when the world was flat and there were no mountains, there lived

two brothers, sons of Lumawig, the Great Spirit. The brothers were fond of hunting, and

since no mountains had formed there was no good place to catch wild pig and deer, and

the older brother said:

"Let us cause water to flow over all the world and cover it, and then mountains will rise

up." 97

So they caused water to flow over all the earth, and when it was covered they took the

head-basket 98 of the town and set it for a trap. The brothers were very much pleased

when they went to look at their trap, for they had caught not only many wild pigs and

deer but also many people.

Now Lumawig looked down from his place in the sky and saw that his sons had flooded

the earth and that in all the world there was just one spot which was not covered. And
he saw that all the people in the world had been drowned except one brother and sister

who lived in Pokis.

Then Lumawig descended, and he called to the boy and girl, saying:

"Oh, you are still alive."

"Yes," answered the boy, "we are still alive, but we are very cold."

So Lumawig commanded his dog and deer to get fire 99 for the boy and girl. The dog

and the deer swam quickly away, but though Lumawig waited a long time they did not

return, and all the time the boy and girl were growing colder.

Finally Lumawig himself went after the dog and the deer, and when he reached them he

said:

"Why are you so long in bringing the fire to Pokis? Get ready and come quickly while I

watch you, for the boy and girl are very cold."

Then the dog and the deer took the fire and started to swim through the flood, but when

they had gone only a little way the fire was put out.

Lumawig commanded them to get more fire and they did so, but they swam only a little

way again when that of the deer went out, and that of the dog would have been

extinguished also had not Lumawig gone quickly to him and taken it.

As soon as Lumawig reached Pokis he built a big fire which warmed the brother and

sister; and the water evaporated so that the world was as it was before, except that now

there were mountains. The brother and sister married and had children, and thus there

came to be many people on the earth.

Region 9

Legend

ANG DALAWANG BUNBOK

(alamat ng dalawang bundokna nakatayo sa karatagan sa pagitan ng Zamboanga at Jolo.)

Noong unang panahon, may isang mag-asawang bagong kasal lamang. Gustong-gusto nilang

bisitahin ang mga magulang sa Zamboanga. Isang araw, nagpaalam sila sa mga magulang ng babae

na pupunta sila sa Zamboanga. Nang sila ay payagan, hiniram nila ang vinta at layag ng ama ng

babae.Inayos ng lalaki ang vinta at layag. Sinibukan niya ang layag na ito at maayos

naman.Pagkatapos nila sa paghahanda ng vinta, pinuno nila ito ng pagkain at sila ay naglayag isang

araw ng Biyernes. Umaga pa lamamg ng araw ay nagsimula na silang maglayag. Habang sila ay

naglalayag naitulak ng malakas ng hangin ang kanilang vinta patungo sa karagatang ng Sulu

hangang marating nila ang Lampinigan sa Basilan. Pagkatapos ng isang lingo ay narating din nila ang

Zambaoanga, nagtungo sila sa bahay ng magulang ng lalaki .Masaya ang mga magulang ng lalaki at

ang kanilang anak ay nakapangasawa ng mabait at magandang babae.

Isang araw, pagkalipas ng isang taon, nagpaalam naang babae sa kanyang biyenan. Araw din ng

Biyernes ng sila ay umalis patungo sa Jolo. Ang dagat ay tahimik at walang makitang alon. Naghintay

sila na umihip ang hangin. At nagsimula nga umihip ang hanging amihan. At nang hatinggabi na, ang

ihip ng hangin ay nagbago at ang kapaligiran ay dumilim bigla, nagkaroon ng bagyo. Wala na silang

masisilungan dahil sila nasa gitna ng karagatan. Hindi nila mapigil ang kanilang vinta

sa lakas ng hagin. Habang hinahampas ang kanilang bangka ng mga alon, sila ay nagdarasal na

lamang sa Diyos. “ O Diyos ko pagpalain mo po kami. At kung kami po ay mamamatay, sana po ang

katawan namin ay maging dalawang kabundukan”, sabi ng lalaki. Pagkatapos nilang magdasal sa

Diyos at sa propeta nilang si Mohammed, nagyakapan silang dalawa. Pagkalipas ng isang sandali
tinamaan sila ng malakas na alon at sila ay tumilapon sa dagat. Hindi na sila nakita. Pagkatapos ng

bagyo ay lumitaw ang dalawang bundok sa gitna ng karagatan. Ito ang pinagmulan ng dalawang

kabundukan na nakatayo sa karatagan sa pagitan ng Zamboanga at Jolo.

FOLKLORE

“Tale of the Dragon and the Three Brothers”

A long time ago, so it is said, in a place far away, there was a reyno-reyno, or, (I) mean to say, a

kingdom. There in the kingdom, all the people, they were always happy. And there in the kingdom

there was also a king. And this king, he had three princesses—daughters. Uh, those princesses were

very beautiful. Of course, isn’t that so, since they were princesses, naturally they were beautiful. Now

then, there in the kingdom, they didn’t have many problems. There was plenty of food. As for the

people, all of them there were not in the habit of quarreling with one another. But the one—there was

just one thing there; they had a difficulty. Because on a certain island there was a dragon. And that

dragon had twelve heads. Every year, that dragon, since he could fly, went there to the kingdom and

seized one person to take there to his island, and there he ate that person. Now this year, they say, that

dragon went, and of all the many people there, he happened to take the princess, the youngest of them,

the most beautiful of them. Now the king became very sad indeed. So he said, The fellow who is able to

free his child from the dragon, the princess will become his wife. And if he (the king) dies, the husband

of that princess will be the one who will become king. That’s how it is. Since all the people knew that

the princess was very, very beautiful, they all had an interest in being able to get that girl. Now, what

did they do, they went in a group and they went there to the island. But when they saw the dragon, they

were afraid. There was nothing they could do. What did they do, they just went back again to the

kingdom. And now, that dragon, he was very smart, he didn’t eat that girl yet. He said, If that girl was

there in his possession, many people would try to go and get her. Well, if there are many people

approaching near to him, those people are the ones he’ll eat. He won’t need to go to the kingdom every
year. So, what did they do, what did all the people do, they were trying to find someone who could lead

them. But very many weeks passed, they all wanted to go get the girl, but they were all afraid. Now

there in the kingdom, there was a father there, a man who was already a widower. His wife was already

dead. And this widower had three young bachelor sons. The name of the oldest was Pedro. Next, the

second was Pablo. And the third was Juan. Okay? Now, that oldest son of them all, Pedro, his skill—

uh, he was a very good marksman. If he had his rifle, even if he was a great many meters away, if he

wanted to shoot the eye of a fly, he would hit it precisely. A great marksman this Pedro was. Okay? I

mean to say, he was very much a sharpshooter. Wherever he wanted to shoot, right there was where he

would hit. Now that Pablo, his profession was tailor. And as a tailor, even if he opened a stomach—the

doctor, I mean—before the blood flowed, he could sew it up again. It seems he was pretty quick, he

sewed pretty well. Now, as for the profession of that Juan, the youngest of them all, he was a good

thief. No matter what he wanted to steal, no matter who was watching him, he could steal it. A chicken

is laying eggs, huh? The chicken is laboring right there, huh? The chicken doesn’t feel a thing if he

steals the chicken’s eggs. So, those are the skills of the three brothers. Now, they said, it would be

better if we three try to go get that girl. So what did they do, they prepared a small boat, but a rubber

one, that kind which you just put air in—like a lifeboat, huh? Merely of rubber. Well, okay. They set

out there for the island. When they arrived there at the island, they could see that dragon. There he

was, watching the girl. As for the girl, she couldn’t get away. That princess, she couldn’t get away,

because the dragon, he was there. But that dragon, it so happened, that dragon was sleeping there.

Okay, even if six heads were sleeping, the other six heads—uh-oh!—they were awake. But since this

Juan, well, he really steals well, right? He’s really an expert thief, right? He said to his brothers, You

wait here in the boat, okay? Because I will go steal that girl. Now, since that Juan was a very good

thief, even though the six heads were watching, they didn’t manage to see Juan stealing that princess.

He was able to get her. Good. He ran carrying that princess toward the boat. When they reached the

boat, what did he do—since it took place a long time ago, the boat didn’t have a motor, like a

motorlaunch, like that kind of boat, right? They just rowed. But the distance of that island from the
kingdom was a little far. For sure it was a few days they would row before they would reach the

kingdom. Now, after so many hours had passed, all the twelve heads of that dragon, they woke up.

They looked for the girl. She was no longer there. So, what did the dragon do, he flew up into the air

and was looking for where the princess had gone, because he did not know where she had gone. One of

his twenty-four eyes—since he had twelve heads—chanced to see. Aba! So there they were in the boat.

What did the dragon do then, he swooped down because he wated to make them all sink but get the

princess back. Juan, since he had already done his work, he had stolen the girl, said to his two

brothers, You take care to do your work. I have done my part. Pedro said, Don’t worry. I’ll take care of

that dragon. What did he do, he took his rifle, even though the dragon was still far away, he aimed his

rifle and snapped off a shot. Oh, straight in the eye he hit. Well, since the one eye of that dragon was

blinded, that dragon fell down, but when it fell, it fell right on top of their little boat. Their boat was

split in two. But before the water got in, this Pablo because he sewed so well—he was a sastrero, a

tailor, right?—the water had not come in before he finished sewing (the boat back together). Now, the

dragon flew again. When it was near again, Pedro fired another shot. It fell there again onto their

boat. But what happened was just like the other time. Before the water got in such that they would

drown, Pablo finished sewing it up. After so many repetitions, all the twenty-four eyes of the dragon,

Pedro finished shooting them. Well, the dragon died. Now, they arrived there at the kingdom. When

they arrived there at the kingdom, all the people were there and they met them and everybody was

happy. And now in that place there was a great problem because of the king’s promise: If someone

could free his girl from the dragon, he would marry that girl. Even if he was able to steal the girl, if

Pedro had not been there the dragon would have gotten her from them again. Now, even though Pedro

shot (the dragon), when it fell on top of their boat, if Pablo weren’t there they all would have drowned.

Now, the problem, huh? The problem: Who is to marry the princess? That is the great problem. Well,

since many were unable to decide, the king—since he of course was, uh, the equal of Solomon, right?

very wise, right? equal to Solomon—he said, We certainly have a solution for this problem. You,

Pedro, if you had not been there, (you) would not have been able to get the princess because the dragon
would have killed you. But if Juan had not been there, you wouldn’t have been able to get the girl

either. And if not for Pablo, you all would have died. Now, since your father is a widower, has no wife,

it would be better if your father marries the princess. Well, the three brothers did not quarrel (with

this). The father married the princess. For sure, they all were happy. There were no bad feelings one

toward the other. They simply had done a favor for their father. In the end, the father became king.

Goldish gold, the tale’s been told.

Reunion Almost Undone

“Young man, you have just transgressed the law of my kingdom,” the king declared. “You entered my

domain without permission, but worse, you violated the privacy of the princess. You have to defend

your life now.”

“Soldiers, get him!” the king command.

But before the soldiers could strike, the cornered Isa I Palad summoned his magical powers. From out

of nowhere a swam of bees came and went with their poisonous sting for the eyes of the soldiers, except

the king. There was chaos inside the room. The king and the princess stood by speechless, watching the

helpless soldiers flailing their arms about, groping and stumbling over each other in blind escape

towards the hallway.

At length both king agreed they will be decide their quarrel by single combat. But before they could

come to grips, Isa I Palad betrayed a slight limping and hopping as he poised for the fight. Nabi

Maldaya looked down and saw the wooden leg of his opponent. Isa I Palad saw the King’s reaction and

they both laughed instantly the memory of their common childhood flashing through their minds. Nabi

Maldaya was Dua I Palad and the intruder Isa I Palad. They embraced.just then, Sabandal and Gugu

arrived, all tired and hungry from their long journey, not knowing they were almost too late. But as

they could see, everything had been settled. All they could do was add their confirmations and share

the joy of the reunited brothers.

There was jubilation in the whole kingdom that day. The dancing and feasting lasted for several days
more. And when life had settled to a more usual pace, Isa I Palad made known his desire to marry the

princess. Dua I Palad readily gave his consent and the marriage was solemnized with pomp and

splendor unsurpassed in the whole kindom. And the new couple took in Isa I Palkad’s adopted mother

Kabayan to keep watch over their household.

Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Mundai Bulawan, the queen had grown old almost giving up for lost

her two sons. She was so forlorn thinking about them and feared she wouldn’t see them at all before

she dies.

But things didn’t have to turn out as sad as they seemed. One day to her amazement, her two sons

appeared at the gates of the palace with their lovely wives.

The old queen could hardly recognize them for they were both grown and handsome.

And she couldn’t believed her happiness until she took them in her arms, the sorrow of all the years

vanishing as if it was never there at all.

And to complete the blessings, the queen steadily regained her health until she was almost as hale and

hearty as before. and she enjoyed the rest of her life watching over her growing brood of grandchildren

and the prosperous and happy kingdoms of her reunited sons.

thus ended the tale of two brothers who, against all odds, never gave each other up for lost.

MYTHS

Indarapatra and Sulayman

A long, long time ago Mindanao was covered with water, and the sea

extended over all the lowlands so that nothing could be seen but

mountains. Then there were many people living in the country, and all

the highlands were dotted with villages and settlements. For many years

the people prospered, living in peace and contentment. Suddenly there

appeared in the land four horrible monsters which, in a short time,

had devoured every human being they could find.

Kurita, a terrible creature with many limbs, lived partly on land and

partly in the sea, but its favorite haunt was the mountain where the

rattan grew; and here it brought utter destruction on every living

thing. The second monster, Tarabusaw, an ugly creature in the form

of a man, lived on Mt. Matutun, and far and wide from that place he

devoured the people, laying waste the land. The third, an enormous

bird called Pah, [142] was so large that when on the wing it covered

the sun and brought darkness to the earth. Its egg was as large as a

house. Mt. Bita was its haunt, and there the only people who escaped

its voracity were those who hid in caves in the mountains. The fourth

monster was a dreadful bird also, having seven heads and the power

to see in all directions at the same time. Mt. Gurayn was its home

and like the others it wrought havoc in its region.

So great was the death and destruction caused by these terrible animals

that at length the news spread even to the most distant lands, and

all nations were grieved to hear of the sad fate of Mindanao.

Now far across the sea in the land of the golden sunset was a city

so great that to look at its many people would injure the eyes of

man. When tidings of these great disasters reached this distant city,

the heart of the king Indarapatrawas filled with compassion,

and he called his brother, Sulayman, begging him to save the

land of Mindanao from the monsters.

Sulayman listened to the story, and as he heard he was moved with pity.

"I will go," said he, zeal and enthusiasm adding to his strength,

"and the land shall be avenged."

King Indarapatra, proud of his brother's courage, gave him a ring and

a sword as he wished him success and safety. Then he placed a young

sapling by his window [145] and said to Sulayman:

"By this tree I shall know your fate from the time you depart from

here, for if you live, it will live; but if you die, it will die also."

So Sulayman departed for Mindanao, and he neither walked nor used a

boat, but he went through the air and landed on the mountain where

the rattan grew. There he stood on the summit and gazed about on all

sides. He looked on the land and the villages, but he could see no

living thing. And he was very sorrowful and cried out:

"Alas, how pitiful and dreadful is this devastation!"

No sooner had Sulayman uttered these words than the whole mountain

began to move, and then shook. Suddenly out of the ground came the

horrible creature, Kurita. It sprang at the man and sank its claws

into his flesh. But Sulayman, knowing at once that this was the

scourge of the land, drew his sword and cut the Kurita to pieces.
Encouraged by his first success, Sulayman went on to Mt. Matutun

where conditions were even worse. As he stood on the heights viewing

the great devastation there was a noise in the forest and a movement

in the trees. With a loud yell, forth leaped Tarabusaw. For a moment

they looked at each other, neither showing any fear. Then Tarabusaw

threatened to devour the man, and Sulayman declared that he would kill

the monster. At that the animal broke large branches off the trees

and began striking at Sulayman who, in turn, fought back. For a long

time the battle continued until at last the monster fell exhausted

to the ground and then Sulayman killed him with his sword.

The next place visited by Sulayman was Mt. Bita. Here havoc was present

everywhere, and though he passed by many homes, not a single soul

was left. As he walked along, growing sadder at each moment, a sudden

darkness which startled him fell over the land. As he looked toward

the sky he beheld a great bird descending upon him. Immediately he

struck at it, cutting off its wing with his sword, and the bird fell

dead at his feet; but the wing fell on Sulayman, and he was crushed.

Now at this very time King Indarapatra was sitting at his window,

and looking out he saw the little tree wither and dry up.

"Alas!" he cried, "my brother is dead"; and he wept bitterly.

Then although he was very sad, he was filled with a desire for revenge,

and putting on his sword and belt he started for Mindanao in search
of his brother.

He, too, traveled through the air with great speed until he came to

the mountain where the rattan grew. There he looked about, awed at

the great destruction, and when he saw the bones of Kurita he knew

that his brother had been there and gone. He went on till he came to

Matutun, and when he saw the bones of Tarabusaw he knew that this,

too, was the work of Sulayman.

Still searching for his brother, he arrived at Mt. Bita where the

dead bird lay on the ground, and as he lifted the severed wing he

beheld the bones of Sulayman with his sword by his side. His grief

now so overwhelmed Indarapatra that he wept for some time. Upon

looking up he beheld a small jar of water by his side. This he knew

had been sent from heaven, and he poured the water over the bones,

and Sulayman came to life again. They greeted each other and talked

long together. Sulayman declared that he had not been dead but asleep,

and their hearts were full of joy.

After some time Sulayman returned to his distant home, but Indarapatra

continued his journey to Mt. Gurayn where he killed the dreadful bird

with the seven heads. After these monsters had all been destroyed

and peace and safety had been restored to the land, Indarapatra began

searching everywhere to see if some of the people might not be hidden

in the earth still alive.

One day during his search he caught sight of a beautiful woman at a

distance. When he hastened toward her she disappeared through a hole

in the ground where she was standing. Disappointed and tired, he sat

down on a rock to rest, when, looking about, he saw near him a pot

of uncooked rice with a big fire on the ground in front of it. This

revived him and he proceeded to cook the rice. As he did so, however,

he heard someone laugh near by, and turning he beheld an old woman

watching him. As he greeted her, she drew near and talked with him

while he ate the rice.

Of all the people in the land, the old woman told him, only a very

few were still alive, and they hid in a cave in the ground from whence

they never ventured. As for herself and her old husband, she went on,

they had hidden in a hollow tree, and this they had never dared leave

until after Sulayman killed the voracious bird, Pah.

At Indarapatra's earnest request, the old woman led him to the cave

where he found the headman with his family and some of his people. They

all gathered about the stranger, asking many questions, for this

was the first they had heard about the death of the monsters. When

they found what Indarapatra had done for them, they were filled

with gratitude, and to show their appreciation the headman gave his

daughter to him in marriage, and she proved to be the beautiful girl

whom Indarapatra had seen at the mouth of the cave.

Then the people all came out of their hiding-place and returned to
their homes where they lived in peace and happiness. And the sea

withdrew from the land and gave the lowlands to the people.