Stories for Children 1

2 21st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Stories for Children i
ii 21st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Table of
Contents
Editor’s Note v

Tim Tam and the Witch Who Lives by the Quingua 2

River Felicidad P. Galang-Pereña

The Day the Farmers Marched 10

Cheeno Marlo M. Sayuno

Bulanglang 20
The Parable of the Ancient Balete Tree and the 24
Woodcutter
Will P. Ortiz

Si Mabait at ang mga Daliri ng Liwanag 34

Eugene Y. Evasco

47

The Monkey Who Bought a River 48

Francis C. Macansantos

Si Binag, Si Elod, at ang mga Palay ng 58

Gabaldon
Bernadette Villanueva Neri

Mestizo Igorot 66
Conviron Altatis (with translation by the
Author)

79

Ang Dalawa Kong Lola 80

Leah Dominno Manzano

I Bunduk Tudtud (Si Bundok Tudtud) 86

Stories for Children iii

Ding Mipagsisting Gumamela (Ang Nagpipintasang 98
Gumamela)
Ing Maputing Itu (Ang Puting Hito) 106
Juliet C. Mallari (with translations by the Author)

How Lakan Cried for His Father

114
Cheeno Marlo M. Sayuno

Ang Musang nina Uye at Mai

124
Liwliwa Malabed

An Payong ni Ayong (Ang Payong ni Ayong)

130
Pejay A. Padrigon (with translation by the Author)

135

Si Ani, ang Manugdala sang Kasanag (Ani, the Lightbearer)

136
Alice Tan Gonzales (with translation by the Author)

Si Isay kag ang Kalampay (Isay and the Kalampay)

146
Eliodora L. Dimzon (with translation by the Author)

Paiburong and the Golden Bamboo

158
May Anne T. Jaro

Hi Andoy nga Masag (Andoy, the Crab)

164
Allen Mae Montablan (with translation by the Author)

An Kamiyapian ha Kataisan (The Mangroves in Kataisan)

170
Janis Claire B. Salvacion (with translation by Michael Carlo C. Villas)

An Karag nga Mumo (Wasted Grain of Rice)

178
Firie Jill T. Ramos (with translation by the Author)
 185

Si Tanya, Ang Uwak na Gustong Pumuti

186
German Villanueva Gervacio

The Authors 197

National Committee on Literary Arts (2020-2022)

201

Acknowledgment 202

iv 21st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Editor’s
Note

…
mazing Treasures Abound In The Limitless Galaxies—A Of The
Mind
Magical World where all creatures and creations talk, react, and
interact;
friendships that go beyond the boundaries of age, language, and
species;
the wisdom of elders and the sincerity of children that save human
relationships and Mother Earth; and these innocent children’s candid, pure
and simple thoughts and views that bring forth fresh ideas about boring and
ordinary life experiences.

The storytelling tradition began many years ago. It was inspired by the
elders’ love for children whose curiosity and natural desire for entertainment
and leisure activities prompted the need to tell stories. Myths and legends
were told to answer their questions about how things began or came to exist.
Epics were told to teach them the beliefs and ideals of their tribe. Songs were
sung for them to have fun or be lured to sleep. Riddles were part of their

Stories for Children v

recreational activities. And they received the wisdom of the elders through
parables and fables.

With this book of children’s stories from 21 st century Philippine

literature, we commemorate the beautiful mind, which gives birth to
narratives that accompany our children as they encounter strange new
worlds, puzzling realities, the first taste of heartache, curious practices,
valuable tradition, instances of human happiness, and realization of the
possibility for them to contribute simple efforts to save and preserve the
environment, the family, and the nation’s identity.

May young readers enjoy and learn from the stories in this collection,
as they read or listen to someone else read to them.

MAY ANNE T. JARO, Ph.D.

Execon Member, NCCA-NCLA

vi 21st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Stories for Children 1
 Tim Tam and the Witch
Who Lives by the
Quingua River

2 21st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Written by Felicidad P. Galang-Pereña

Stories for Children 3

 IS PARENTS CALL HIM Tim Tam, short for
Timothy, as they named him after the
disciple of St. Paul on whose feast day he
was born. Maybe Tim’s grandmother, the
terribly wise Lola Viring, his father’s mother, was right
after all—that naming a child after a
saint would make him smart. He was indeed a bright boy but like his
saint, was shy and timid.

His Grade Three teacher, Mrs. Samson, agreed that he was

intelligent, but saw the sadness in the boy’s eyes. Thus, she would
always send him on errands, especially looking after the cooking of the
oats behind their classroom in the newly-built building named after the
president. Tim Tam liked doing this errand because he got bored
sitting too long in the hard wooden desks that they cleaned with the
pakiling leaves.

“Turn, turn, turn,” chanted Tim Tam as he moved the ladle in

clockwise motion as the oats boiled in the caldero.

Tim Tam fed the fire with little sticks he and his classmates would
gather from the woods behind the school building. He stirred the oats
with all his might, taking care not to get too close to the fire. He would
help Mrs. Samson blend vanilla and buttermilk to the oats that came
from a brown bag with the picture of two hands, one holding the flag of
the Philippines and the other, the United States. When the porridge is
done, they ladled it into cups stored in the health corner of the room.
The children could not wait for the recess bell to ring so they could eat
to their heart’s delight. Tim Tam heard Mrs. Samson say many of the
children are thin and needed to eat more.

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 But while mesmerized by the boiling porridge, Tim Tam felt
something drop from the leaves of the camachile tree that shaded the
stone tripod where the porridge was boiling. And he saw the hairy
caterpillar that was quickly spreading rashes on his arms. He shouted
in pain as the welts began to throb in his skin.

“Itch, itch, itch,” he yelped as he run to and fro, remembering Lola

Viring’s warning not to scratch the parts where the higad has fallen. He
was in that state of panic when the old woman appeared, holding a
frasco with a cloudy liquid. “Hold still,” she told Tim. Then she poured
the liquid on the rashes and Tim smelled the pungent acid of the
vinegar that gave him instant relief. Then the old woman took out from
her long skirt a little tin canister and rubbed a pinch of the ointment it
contained on Tim’s subsiding rashes. What a relief the soothing
calamine lotion gave to his skin!

“Munch, munch, munch,” the old woman kept masticating nganga

in her mouth. She spat the red juice of the betel nut mixed with apog
and ikmo leaves on the gravel that covered the roots of the camachile
tree. Before Tim Tam could thank her, she was walking towards the
Quingua river where her little kubo stood, nestled among the old
mango trees.

When Tim Tam was walking home with his Ate and Kuya, he told
them of the misfortune with the higad. When they heard him describe
the old woman who helped him, they, both gasped: “Witch!” They told
him he should never go near the witch because she eats children.

Tim Tam could not believe what his Ate and Kuya told him, so
when they passed by their mysteriously quiet Lola Paning in her house
with a store in front of the monument of Gregorio del Pilar, he asked
them to stop. They kissed the hand of their mother’s mother, who, like

Stories for Children 5

the witch was also munching nganga. Tim Tam asked her: “Lola, is it
true that the old woman who lived in the hut by the
Quingua River is a witch?” His Lola Paning stopped from arranging her
paninda in the shelves of the sari-sari store, untied the bulsikos from
the waist of her San Antonio frown saya, and gave the three children
some coins. “This is for your baon tomorrow. Try not to disturb the old
woman near your school, as she prefers to live alone. Run along, your
mother is waiting for you.”

The three continued on their way to their house right in front of the
village chapel. Their mother was cooking supper in the clay stove at
the back of the house when they got home. At the table, while eating
daing na bangus with salted eggs and tomatoes, Tim Tam’s Kuya and
Ate told their mother of their little brother’s encounter with the old
woman. “Is it true that she is a witch?” Tim Tam asked their mother.
“Hush,” she said. “It is not good to talk about people that way. She is
old; she must be respected,” she gently admonished.

That night, Tim Tam dreamt of the old woman and her frasco of
vinegar and tin can of calamine lotion. He woke up sadder than usual.

Every time Mrs. Samson would ask Tim Tam to tend to the
porridge at the back of their school room, his eyes would always
wonder towards the river, trying to see if the old woman was there. But
all that he could see was the smoke of the siga, the dried leaves of the
trees that the old woman would diligently rake with her piruya, for a
bonfire that would coax the kalabaw mango trees to bloom and bear
big sweet fruits in the summer.

Tim Tam’s Kuya and Ate also told him that the old woman had a
magic well where she could see the future. This excited the boy so
much. Who would not want to know what will happen? So, one

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afternoon when Mrs. Samson was busy with the visit of the District
Superintendent from the capitolio, he left the classroom and walked
towards the house of the old woman. She was washing some bottles
and tin cans by the well when he approached her. “Thank you for
curing my pantal from the higad,” Tim Tam told her, trying very hard
to overcome his diffidence. “Is it true you can see the future in that
well?”

“There are many things that we hear, but are not true,” she
answered, still rinsing and scrubbing the bottles and tin cans. “Nobody
but God can see the future, as He is the one who holds our life. We can
only do good things and hope that God will know that we are following
his teaching: to love one another,” she continued. Tim Tam, though
smart could not really understand what the old woman meant, but
somehow, he felt the sadness in his little heart fading.

Just then, shouts were heard from the banks of the Quingua River.
“Nalunod, nalunod!” The shouts came. A young boy in Tim Tam’s class
who also left the classroom while the teacher was away was being
dragged to shore by men who were quarrying sand in the pantalan
owned by the chief of the village where the coconuts grew.

The old woman quickly got up and told Tim to bring some leaves
that were hanging to dry by the silong of the kubo. She also carried her
takba, a small woven bag where she kept bottles and tin cans of
potions.

The little boy who almost drowned was as white as saha, the
banana plants’ watery pseudostem. The old woman told the men to lay
the boy on his back. She seemed to be whispering some magic words
while with both hands, she pounded on the boy’s back until they heard

Stories for Children 7

him cough. Then she turned him over, rubbed his head and back with
her salves until the color came back to his cheeks. He was alive.

She took the leaves from Tim Tam and wrapped the boy’s head in
them, covering them with katsa that she took from her takba. “Bring
him home to his parents now,” the old woman told the men who were
watching, speechless. “Tell his parents to wrap him in kumot and
make him inhale the vapor from boiling water with salt and this
medicine, “and the old woman gave the man holding the boy a small
bottle. “This suob must be done for one week, until the boy regains his
strength,” she further instructed.

The Grade One class had a long sermon from Mrs. Samson when
they got back to her classroom. The teacher was very worried about
the boy who almost drowned. “There should have been a fence by the
river a long time ago as we were begging for this, countless times for
the sake of the children,” Tim Tam heard her sobbing while being
consoled by other teachers.

Tim Tam also got a scolding from his mother and father that night.
During their six o’clock prayer, his parents thanked God that all their
children are safe, especially their bunso, who witnessed how his
classmate almost died. “See, the old woman is a healer, not a witch,”
their father, who was fond of reading books, said. Tim Tam’s Kuya and
Ate kept quiet.

That night, the boy dreamt of the old woman again, this time that
she was playing with the children, her takba of bottles and tin cans
also filled with the fat camachile pods bursting with the sweet white
pulp. Tim Tam woke up with a
smile. 🙜🙜

8 21st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Guide Questions and Activities
1. Why do you think the people in the village considered the old
woman a witch?
2. What was the old woman’s true calling?
3. What does this story reveal about human nature?
4. Create a Graphic Organizer/Map of Tim Tam’s village and trace
his routine from school, home, and his side adventure at the old
woman’s hut by the river.
5. Using a Venn diagram, draw Tim Tam’s two dreams about the old
woman. Make your inference/interpretation of these dreams.

Stories for Children 9

1021st Century Philippine Literature Reader
Stories for Children 9
 The Day the

1221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Farmers Marched Written by Cheeno Marlo M.

Sayuno
Stories for Children 13
 ID YOU KNOW, Banwa, that this land is
ours?” Tata talks to his little daughter
as they tread the dirty road from the
poblacion to their house. He is pointing
at what seems to be a private property, with barb wires
constricting an endless mass of land
that stretches to the horizon. The rich soil is damp from the rain from
early that day, but without plants and trees that drink the rainwater,
Banwa can see nothing but mud, puddles, and occasional frogs and
insects frolicking by the abandoned lot.

“Really, Tata?” Banwa is surprised, “But why don’t we use the

land for farming? Teacher Chad teaches us a lot about planting and
science. Maybe, my friends and I can help! The other kids in our tribe
can help, too!”

“I’m sure that you could!” Tata responds, cringing at the site of a
No Trespassing sign. “You can even sing some verses from olaging,
like the ones your Nana used to sing to you when you were a baby.”

“I can teach them to the preschoolers who would join their

parents while farming!” Banwa exclaims, as if already imagining the
chorus of Higaonon children in multiple tones. They must be rowdier
than Banwa’s class in grade school, even if they are only two years
apart.

“It must be a wonderful site to watch,” Tata says before turning

silent for some time, thinking about how best to explain what has
happened to the land.
“Alas! The lands that are rightfully ours are taken from us.”

According to Tata, the tribe has long fought for their land for
many years now. He shares how the elders would travel to the courts
1421st Century Philippine Literature Reader
in the city to face lawyers and judge and government officials in long
hours of sessions behind closed doors.

The wives and the rest of the men would send them off with food and
prayers, and they would return defeated. Some parts of the land were
awarded to them only to be taken away again. Many presidents of the
country have promised help, but no help has reached their humble
tribe.

Banwa was younger then, but she could recall how Tata would
come home, his shoulders slouched in defeat. His clothes would smell
of sweat dried by the unforgiving sun during the travel to the
courthouse with the other elders. Nana would offer him cold water,
which the kids had fetched earlier from the river. There would be
moments of silence, interrupted by the rustling sound of Banwa’s
pakabo as she tried to hide behind the door. Tata would approach and
Banwa would pretend to be awaken by the flickering light from the
kitchen. The truth was that Banwa could not sleep without Tata.

Tata’s embrace would be reassuring, and little Banwa’s small

arms would wrap around Tata’s neck in turn. In that brief moment,
Tata’s hopelessness would vanish.

“Is there something else that we can do?” Banwa asks. The fences
enveloping the land stretches up to this portion of the road, the entry
to their barangay.

“We have done a lot,” Tata answers.

“We should not give up, Tata!”

Stories for Children 15

 “WE SHOULD NOT give up!” Tata’s voice echoes down the hall,
jolting awake some tribe members who are otherwise sleepy or
hopeless from the endless meetings with the elders. Tata, as soon as
he declares this, feels the same warmth that he felt when Banwa told
him the exact same thing when they were walking near the lands some
days ago. Many farmer leaders are present, some drinking coffee to
relieve their feelings of tiredness. They have been in this fight to claim
back their land for quite some time now.

“We can request for another meeting with the landowners,” one
suggests. Another right away disagrees, seeing that this was pointless,
and the crowd becomes a battlefield among warriors of the same
cause.

Banwa, who is among the kids attempting to eavesdrop from the

silong, shushed the other kids who are also starting to stir a clamor of
their own. Gayok accidentally steps on Magat’s foot, causing him to
scream right near Lindaw’s ear.

“Quiet!” Banwa stops her friends, “We have to hear what they are
going to do, so that we can help!”

“We should take it to the streets!” Up in the hall, someone

exclaims.

“We should do a peaceful protest!” Another farmer adds.

“We should make ourselves be heard, loud and clear!” Someone

follows. Banwa is sure that it is Tata’s voice.

Little by little, the farmers reach a consensus. They agree to do

walk from Sumilao to Manila to protest against the decision to take
away their own land. They hope to share their stories to people whom
they will meet along the way.
1621st Century Philippine Literature Reader
 “Walk to Manila?” Gayok is surprised, “That is far, right?! Wait,
how far is that?”

All the other kids shrug, while Banwa answers, “Maybe, it’s like
crossing Mt. Sayawan and Mt. Palaopao a hundred times, or swimming
down the Culaman river a thousand times.”

“And what will that do?” Magat says, his left ear still flat on the
wall so that he can hear more.

“If the powerful people can see how tired our farmers are, then
maybe they will pity them and give our land back,” Lindaw guesses.

“And maybe, other people will help us, too!” Banwa adds.

The plan for the march to Manila easily reaches households and
afternoon chatter among neighbors. Some are skeptical, while many
are hopeful.

“Tata, will this really help?” Banwa asks her father as soon as the
meeting finished.

“We cannot say for sure, but we should not give up, right?”
Tata smiles.

Banwa nods and then wonders, “Then how can we help, Tata?”

Tata hesitates but speaks, “Just study well while we are gone, and
pray to Magbabaya. Take care of Nana and your siblings, too!”

THE WHOLE TRIBE becomes busy in the days that followed. Men
hunt wild boars and gather fruits and vegetables from the small lots
that they farm by the backyard. Women prepare clothes and other

Stories for Children 17

supplies for those who volunteered to march. Farmer leaders conduct
more meetings to further plan their route.

Banwa and her friends volunteer to look after the younger kids at
the tribe as the adults busy themselves with preparation. The kids
recall many of the songs taught to them in school: Gayok tries singing
what he can recall from the limbay song that Teacher Aya taught
them. Magat tells tultolanon stories, and the kids laugh about the
comedic endings that Magat composes for them. Lindaw is about to
sing a tabok song, when Banwa stands all of a sudden. Her eyes,
brimming with unshed tears, twinkling like the shiniest balaring
necklace of a datu’s wife. Her smile is blinding, and she seems to be
resisting to gallop in excitement. Banwa has a bright idea!

“Everything okay?” Gayok asks. Banwa gathers her friends into a

huddle to share how they can help the men and women of the tribe.

As soon as the kids under their care have become busy with their
own playtime, the older kids go to work. Banwa goes home to collect
anahaw leaves, which she has noticed growing near their house. Gayok
and Magat talk to their older sisters to borrow scarves. Lindaw brings
the bowl that they used when they learned about the proper steps to
dugso in class.

“Teacher Chrice,” Banwa shot her hand up the air one time during
their PE class, “a dance with no music? Is that possible?”

“Well, there are usually no instruments played when we perform

dugso in kaliga-on or kaamulan, our tribal gatherings,” the teacher
explained, “but it does not mean that there is no music at all.”

And true enough, the lack of percussion instruments like the set of
kulintangan gongs did not make the dancers less graceful. Teacher

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Chrice invited some of her woman friends, many were also teachers in
their small school in the middle of the farms and forests, to
demonstrate how dugso was performed. The stomping of the feet
among women, the chiming of the bells tied on their feet, and the
occasional swoosh from the dried leaves fashioned into thick pompoms
were the perfect company to the solemn dance for their gods. As soon
as the performers finished their demo, Banwa wanted to learn it right
away.

“When we know how to perform the dance, can we join in our

community feasts?” Banwa asked while raising her hand again.

“Of course,” the teacher responded, “when the time comes.”

Banwa’s idea is to perform dugso to send off the farmers to their

protest.

“NANA, DON’T I have a batadyong that I have not yet worn? The
one similar to the skirts you wear when you perform dugso for the
tribe?” Banwa asks her mother.

“Ah, yes!” Nana responds as she rummages one of the closets,

“You said that you are saving this for a special occasion, which you do
not yet know at that time.”

“Yes! That one, Nana!”

“Do you now know when you will use it?”

Banwa beams but leaves before her Nana can ask further.

Banwa and her friends spend the days leading to the start of the
farmers’ march practicing and recalling what the teachers and tribe

Stories for Children 19

dancers taught them. Banwa invited their other classmates from the
tribe to also join. They also prepare their headdress, which are colorful
feathered combs that make them even taller.

They choose their best skirts and borrow brass bells to other women in
their homes. Banwa also seeks the blessings of their baylan so that
they can perform on the day of protest.

“Step, brush, step, brush. Hold hands, kick and sway!” Banwa
leads the dancers who perform in silence, as expected in dugso.
Meanwhile, Gayok and Magat, the only two boys in the group, wave
and throw dried leaves at the back, the sounds matching the solemn
bells as the female dancers walk.

THE DAY OF the march has come. Parents bid goodbye to their
kids. Grandparents bless the farmers, both men and women, who shall
join the protest. Mothers and young boys and girls help in preparing
food and other supplies. Prayers and well wishes are exchanged from
one tribe member to another.

As the protesters gather, the sound of a single set of bells

dangling on one’s foot bring both surprise and solemnity to the whole
tribe. There is a small smoke coming from the center clearing of the
tribe, where members usually gather, emanating from a small bowl of
fire ignited from anahaw leaves. Banwa, all dressed in their traditional
garment, starts walking silently to the center. She raises the bowl of
fire as she walks in circles, ending centerstage.

The rest of the young female dancers walk slowly, the matching
sounds of bells drowning the chatter of the adult tribe members. In
that instant, everyone pays respect to the children’s performance of

2021st Century Philippine Literature Reader

dugso. The hushed sounds of footsteps and dried leaves bring the
whole tribe into silent prayers.

Banwa waves her hand, the scarves attached to her gracefully

swaying along, as the other dancers circle her in the ritual. Tata and
Nana watch in tears.

The crowd remains silent even after the kids have finished
performing dugso, everyone whispering prayers to the gods. Some
clench their fists stronger; others feel a twinkle in their eyes or a
burning in their hearts. May Magbabaya bless them as they embark on
this journey, the fight for their lands.

“Tata, Nana!” Banwa reaches for her parents after their dance.

“Banwa, is this what you have been busying yourself with for the
past days?” Nana asks.

“Yes, my classmates and I have been practicing,” Banwa says,

“we wish for blessings, but we also perform as a thanksgiving. We are
thankful to our gods because we know that we will succeed in this
fight.”

“And if not?” Tata asks.

“Then we will try again, Tata,” Banwa replies, “we will not
give up.”

Tata and the rest of the farmers leave to start their long walk. As
they did, the smoke from the bowl that Banwa is holding wafts in the
air, as if extending its
arms to Tata for one more embrace. 🙜🙜

Stories for Children 21

Guide Questions
1. What is Banwa’s tribe fighting for?
2. Do you think that the dance of Banwa and her classmates will be
able to help the farmers? How?
3. Does your family own a piece of land? Supposing that you do, what
use will you have for that piece of land?

2221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Stories for Children 19
 Bulanglang
Written by Will P. Ortiz

2421st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 AG-ULAN na naman. Nagkukumpuni ng bubong si
Matsing.
Namimitas ng gulay si Pagong.

“Ano ang lulutuin natin?” Tanong ni Matsing.

“Bulanglang. Ang dami kong naaning kalabasa, sitaw, talong at

okra sa ating hardin,” sagot ni Pagong.

“Naku, ang sarap ng amoy ng bulanglang,”sabi ni Pagong.

“Luto na rin ang ating sinaing,” sabi ni Matsing.

Tok, tok. Tok. Tatlong malalakas na katok.

“Ang lakas ng ulan, Maya, bakit ka pumarito?” Tanong nina

Pagong at Matsing.

“Baha na at hindi pa kumakain ang pamilya ko,” paliwanag ni

Maya.

“Ipagbabalot ka namin ng pagkain,” sagot ng magkaibigan.

“Maraming salamat, kahit ‘di ako makabalik, babalik din sa inyo

ang biyaya,” sabi ni Maya.

“Hayan, makakakain na tayo,” sabi ni Matsing.

“Oo nga, marami pa rin tayong kanin at ulam,” sabi ni Pagong.

Tok. Tok. Tok. Tatlong malalakas na katok.

“Ang lakas ng ulan, Musang, bakit ka pumarito?” Tanong nina

Pagong at Matsing.

“Baha na at hindi pa kumakain ang pamilya ko,” paliwanag ni

Musang. “Ipagbabalot ka namin ng pagkain,” sagot ng
magkaibigan.
Stories for Children 25
 “Maraming salamat, kahit ‘di ako makabalik, babalik din sa inyo
ang biyaya,” sabi ni Musang.

“Hayan, makakakain na tayo,” sabi ni Matsing.

“Oo nga, marami pa rin tayong kanin at ulam,” sabi ni Pagong.

Tok, tok. Tok. Tatlong mahihinang katok.

“Naku, Malmag, alam na namin kung bakit ka naparito,” sabi ni

Pagong.

“Heto, baunin mo ang bulanglang at kanin para sa iyong pamilya,”

sabi ng magkaibigan.

“Maraming salamat, kahit ‘di ako makabalik, babalik din sa inyo

ang biyaya,” sabi ni Malmag.

“Wala na tayong bulanglang at kanin,” sabi ng magkaibigang

Pagong at Matsing.

Tok. Tok. Tok. Tatlong mahihinang katok.

“Kaibigang Pagong at Matsing, magsalo tayo ng niluto kong

bulanglang at kanin,” sabi ni Aso.

“Mas ganadong kumain nang may kasalo,”nakangiting sabi nina

Pagong at
Matsing. 🙜🙜

Ang kuwentong ito ay unang nalathala ng Lampara Publishing

House, Inc., 2016.

Mga Gabay na Tanong

1. Ano ang pagkaing hinanda nina Matsing at Pagong?
2. Sinu-sino ang mga binigyan nila ng pagkain?

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3. Naubusan ba ng pagkain sina Pagong at Matsing? Ipaliwanag ang
iyong sagot.
4. Kung ikaw ang nasa kalagayan nina Pagong at Matsing, magbibigay
ka ba ng pagkain sa iba kahit ikaw ay mauubusan na?
5. Anong aral ang natutunan mo sa kuwento?

Stories for Children 27

 The Parable of the

2821st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Ancient Balete Tree

Stories for Children 29

 and the Wood Written by Will P.

cutter
Ortiz

3021st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 any birds come to learn from
the wisdom of the Ancient
Balete even if they say
malignos live in the tree. The
Balete is sturdy, intelligent, and calm. Then the
woodcutter came to cut the tree down because he
is threatened by the Balete and the birds who have
learned to become intelligent, free, and able to speak and think for
themselves. In contrast to the Balete, the Woodcutter is very violent
and thinks that anyone who does not think like him should perish. In
the end, the woodcutter is paralyzed because of his own folly. The
birds, like dutiful sons and daughters, continue to protect the tree and
tell the parable of the Ancient Balete and the Woodcutter.

ANYONE who has ears should listen.

There was once an Ancient Balete tree. It was more than a century
old. Its trunk has scars that were marks from lightning, crowbars, and
even cigars but it still grew tall and strong. Because of its experience
and wisdom, many birds were attracted to the ancient tree.

The Ancient Balete tree has many branches, and the birds love to
stay, rest, and learn from the Balete’s ancient branches.

The Agila wanted to study Math under the care of the Ancient
Balete. The Balete nurtured him until he could fly with his ideas.

“Always remember the bayan, the land that nurtured us,” was
always the tree’s plea.

The Mayang-Bato wanted to study history under the care of the

Ancient Balete. The Balete nurtured her until she could fly with her
ideas.

Stories for Children 31

 “Always remember the bayan, the land that nurtured us,” was
always the tree’s plea.

The Kurukutok wanted to study ecology under the care of the

Ancient Balete. The Balete nurtured him until he could fly with his
ideas.

“Always remember the bayan, the land that nurtured us,” was
always the tree’s plea.

The Martines wanted to study acting under the care of the Ancient
Balete. The Balete nurtured her until she could fly with her ideas.

“Always remember the bayan, the land that nurtured us,” was
always the tree’s plea.

The Pipit-puso and Uwak wanted to study how to become a poet

and playwright under the care of the Ancient Balete. The Balete
nurtured them until they could fly with their ideas.

“Always remember the bayan, the land that nurtured us,” was
always the tree’s plea.

The Pirruka wanted to study music, under the care of the Ancient
Balete. The Balete nurtured her until she could fly with her ideas.

“Always remember the bayan, the land that nurtured us,” was
always the tree’s plea.

The Anluage wanted to learn engineering under the care of the

Ancient Balete. The Balete nurtured him and until he could fly with his
ideas.

“Always remember the bayan, the land that nurtured us,” was
always the tree’s plea.

3221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 Most of the birds remembered the Ancient Balete’s plea. Some
helped the farmers and the fishermen. Some cared for the plants and
trees. Some helped heal the sick. Some made laws to help their
country progress. Some forgot the plea and flew to other countries. But
all the birds are free and can fly as far as the eyes can see.

One day, the woodcutter came. He said to the Ancient Balete, “The
only birds we want to see are birds in the zoo and birds in cages. Like
the Parrot, they’re beautiful to look at, their songs sing the truth.”

The birds on the branches of the Ancient Balete were staring at the
woodcutter.

“Whose truth?” The Ancient Balete asked

“My truth, it’s the only truth!” The angry woodcutter said.

“Truth can’t be possessed. It just is,” said the Ancient Balete

calmly.

“Well, my truth is the only truth, use your ancient brain, it’s
already addled,” insulted the woodcutter.

“My ancient brain is fine; it’s functioning well and it can see truth,”
said the Ancient Balete who can never be insulted by guns or axes.

“You don’t know truth! I want my birds to sing when I tell them to
sing, and it should always parrot my song!” Said the woodcutter with
the crumpled face. “Birds sing when they want to sing, they write
when they want to write, they say what they want to say, nobody
should dictate what they should do,” explained the Ancient Balete.

“I Can Dictate What They Should Do! All Your Birds Are Malignos!
You Are Teaching Them To Be Rebels!” The woodcutter shouted until
his voice was hoarse. Deep inside his heart, the woodcutter wanted to
Stories for Children 33
chop the tree for he thinks that it is too intelligent for its own good.
Ancient trees should not think, only a man like him should.

“We will cut all the Baletes all over this land. If need be, we will cut
all the Baletes all over the world!”

“I have stood here for more than a century. Look, I have a lot of
battle scars. People came to me for shelter during the Japanese
invasion; they wanted to burn me, but I recovered. When there were
flash floods, my roots help to absorb water. I’m still here. I’m still
standing. I am.”

“We shall make laws to prevent the planting of Balete. I shall ask
my brothers who know how to make laws against planting Balete. Then
I shall cut you down!”

“Maybe you’ve been using your ax for too long that you have
forgotten to sharpen it,” said the Balete.

“What?! I sharpen this ax every day and every night, not even a
day goes by without me sharpening it,” the Woodcutter said. He
thought and thought and thought but he could not understand what
the Balete was saying.

“What do you mean?” The woodcutter asked.

“Even if I explain it, you have no ears,” said the Ancient Balete.

“What do you mean?” The woodcutter asked again, perplexed.

“I have ears, can’t you see them?” The woodcutter asked angrily.

“Yes, I can see your ears, but you have no ears. Beware that one
day you will lose those ears. You will lose what you do not use,” said
the Ancient Balete.

3421st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 “I will chop you down, I will kill you,” threatened the woodcutter.

“Then do so. My seeds have already sprouted.”

This time the woodcutter has no time to ask, what he should do is

to use his ax! And the woodcutter aimed his sharpened ax on the trunk
of the tree.

The Ancient Balete just stood, not one hanging root shaking. The
birds in the branches were ready to do their war dance.

Then the Ancient Balete’s leaves started to dance with the wind.
The birds danced with the leaves of the Balete. They started singing
and chanting with the wind.

The woodcutter started to hear whispers.

“Are you sure the blade of your ax won’t come off?” The whispers
carried by the wind asked.

“Are you sure the blade won’t boomerang?” The whispers behind
his left ear asked.

“Are you sure that the birds won’t come to pluck your eyes in the
night?” The whispers behind his right ear asked.

The woodcutter started to feel his hands shaking. He felt like there
are drums inside his heart. He felt his hands perspiring. The
woodcutter thought, what if it’s true?

The wind blew cold. He felt his body quivering and shivering. His
braveness left him.

“Blagadag.” The shaking ax fell on the ground, its teeth chipped.

Stories for Children 35

 “Aray, Aguy, araguy!!” The woodcutter’s little toe got hit by the ax.
He hopped up and down, his hand trying to hold his little toe. He felt
tears stinging his eyes. He saw his little toe bleeding.

“Huhuhu,” sobbed the woodcutter. Feeling ashamed, he picked up

his ax.

“One day I will come back to cut you down,” said the woodcutter
threateningly.

“And I will be here, standing,” said the Ancient Balete calmly.

The woodcutter went home, angry, ashamed, and alone.

Meanwhile, the birds who witnessed what happened between the

Ancient Balete and the woodcutter started telling the story to different
birds all over the land.

Every time a bird hears the story, they plant a Balete seed.

Soon young Baletes were blooming all over the land. The whole
land was green because of the Balete trees. The birds were flying from
tree to tree singing their wonderful, colorful stories.

“What happened to the woodcutter?” A hatchling chirped.

“Well, one day, he went to the Ancient Balete tree and tried to
chop it down. But in his anger, he did not even see the tree’s very
large root, and he tripped. He tried to get up, but I, and my fellow
uwaks attacked him. You should have seen us; we were like a one big
black giant cape that surrounded him. He tried to use his axe on us,
but we pecked his hands. Some pecked his eyes. Agila, Pirruka, and
Kurukutok helped, too. He held on to his axe and swung it from left to
right… and then we flew away.”

3621st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 “O Uwak, then, what happened?” The hatchling asked.

“He cut himself with his own axe. Now, he wears a black patch on
his right eye and he can no longer walk nor talk.”

“Maybe it’s not good to hatch your anger,” said the hatchling.

“Yes, one can be angry, but not mad. One should use the head,
but don’t forget your heart,” said the Uwak.

“One day, I can help scatter the seeds of the ancient Balete, too,”
said the hatchling.

This is the parable of the Ancient Balete and the woodcutter. Anyone
who has
ears should listen. 🙜🙜

Guide Questions
1. Have you seen a Balete tree? How would you describe it?
2. What do you think of the Balete tree in the story? Why are there
many other creatures that want to learn from the Balete tree in the
story?
3. Can you compare anyone you know to a Balete tree? How is that
person similar to the Balete tree?

Stories for Children 37

3821st Century Philippine Literature Reader
Stories for Children 33
 Si Mabait
at ang mga Daliri
ng Liwanag
Sinulat ni Eugene Y. Evasco

4021st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 AY ISINILANG na anim na daga sa kailaliman
ng antigong aparador. Ang bunso, ang
ikawalampu’t apat na anak, ang ikinabahala
ng mag-asawang daga. Hinawi ng bagong silang ang kumot ng
lumang damit, sumilip sa siwang, at
kinilala ang paligid. Mulat niyang tinitigan ang liwanag. Hinding-hindi
siya pumikit. Hindi siya kumurap.

Biglang-bigla, bumuhos ang liwanag. Tumalsik ito sa mata ng mga

daga. Nakabubulag. Walang magawa ang mag-asawang daga kundi
tumalilis at nanalanging hindi mapahamak ang kanilang mga sanggol.

“May mabait!” Nabingi ang ikawalumpu’t apat na daga sa hampas

ng walis at talsik ng tsinelas. Agad siyang nagsumiksik sa
magkakapatong na kumot. Naiwang himbing ang limang bulag niyang
kapatid. Lantad sila sa harap ng dambuhalang anino. Sa pagsilip, isa-
isang isinilid sa kahon ng sapatos ang nahihimbing niyang kapatid.

Ang pangyayaring iyon ang nagpakilala sa bunsong daga ng

mahiwagang salita. Mabait! Mabait! Musika iyon sa pandinig. Namugad
sa puso ni Mabait ang katutuklas niyang pangalan. Mmma-bait. Ma-ba-
it. Mabait.

Kumalat sa madidilim na sulok ang lagim sa kailaliman ng

antigong aparador. Limang bagong silang na daga ang dinagit ng
dambuhalang anino. Ngunit ang kamangha-manghang balita,
nakaligtas ang pinakabunsong daga— malago ang mga balahibo,
mapantuklas ang mga tainga, at mulat ang kumikislap na mata. Si
Mabait ang dagang nakaligtas.

Lagi na lamang nakadungaw sa siwang si Mabait. Nais niyang

humilata sa tabi ng siwang na pinaglalagusan ng sinag-araw. Napailing
na lamang ang kaniyang magulang. Walang hilig sa bugok na itlog, sa
Stories for Children 41
inaamag na keso, sa maasim at bumubulang sabaw ng repolyo ang
ikawalumpu’t apat nilang supling. “Kumain ka naman at walang
sustansiya ang iyong kinakain!” hikbi ng dagang inang napakababaw
ng luha. Hilig kasing nguyain ni Mabait ang isang hiwang karot, piraso
ng papaya, at kung suwerte’y isang bungang bayabas at kamatis.

Wala ring hilig si Mabait sa paghahasa ng ngipin at kuko. Kay

tutulis ng ngipin at kay tatalas ng kuko ng mga kababata niyang daga.
Madalas nga siyang tuksuhing, “Nandiyan na si Mapurol.” At bigla
silang maghahagikhikan. “Biruin n’yo, laging nginangata ang hangin.”

Sa mga pagsasanay sa mahahalagang dokumento at mamahaling

kurtina, nangingitngit ang ngipin ng mga batang daga habang naliliyo
naman si Mabait— fsssssk, fsssssk. Walang tigil silang nagngingitngit
na ngatngat-nguya-ngasabngabngab-ngata-ngalot, tila nang-iinis pa
kay Mabait.

Isang gabi, habang naghahapunan ang mag-anak ng makunat na

keso de bola at lusaw na kesong puti, nagtanong si Mabait sa
magulang at mga kapatid—

“Mabait ba talaga tayong mabait?”

Nanginig ang mag-anak sa tanong na iyon. Agad silang nagpatuloy

sa pagngatngat ng makunat na keso de bola. Nagngingitngit sila sa
pagnguya.

Pakiramdam ni Mabait, silang mga mababait ay nakatira sa tiyan

ng pusa. Nagsisiksikan sila sa loob. Kinukumutan sila ng dilim—
napalilibutan ng kalansay ng butiki, basag na itlog ng ipis, at lagot na
sapot ng gagamba.

4221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 Makailang beses na rin niyang hinimok ang mga daga na tuklasin
ng liwanag. Nais niyang sabay silang mamamangha sa mga bituin,
buwan, at araw.

Ngunit nakagapos sa dilim ang leeg, binti, at buntot ng mga daga.

Tumakas ma’y hinihila sila pabalik sa mga lungga. Maliban kay Mabait.

Kaya sa halip na kumupit ng danggit, mangangalkal si Mabait sa

tambakan ng mga larawan, selyo, at retaso ng ano-anong kulay. At
saka niya ididikit at isasabit ang mga ito sa mga limot na sulok. Kahit
papaano, nakapapasok ang kulay sa lungga.

Sa tuwing may pagtatanghal, nangunguna si Mabait sa pag-awit.

Hindi siya aawit ukol sa keso ang buwan at tsokolate ang mga bituin.
Hindi siya aawit ukol sa pagkabigo sa paghahanap ng tinapa. Sa halip,
aawit siya ukol sa mga daliri ng liwanag. Gagapang ito sa paligid,
dadakmain ang mga anino, at nagkakakulay ang anumang masasalat.

Sa pag-awit ni Mabait, tumatagos ang mga daliri ng liwanag sa

pinakamadilim na sulok ng lungga. Naluluha ang mga daga sa
pakikinig. ‘Di alam ni Mabait kung dahil ito sa rikit ng kaniyang awit o
sa liwanag na sumuot sa isip ng mga daga.

At ang magulang at mga kapatid ni Mabait? Hihikab lamang sila,

muling ngangatngat-ngunguya-ngangasab ng sirang keso, at saka
magsusumiksik sa madilim nilang lungga, kasingdilim at kasinlagim ng
loob ng tiyan ng pusa.

Isang araw, bumilog tulad ng itlog ng butiki ang mata ni Mabait.

Karga ng bata ang isang dagang kosta. “Tisay,” parang umaawit ang
bata. “O aking, Tisay.”

Sinusuklay ng bata ang makintab nitong balahibo. Napapikit si

Mabait. Sa kaniyang isip, siya, si Mabait, ay alaga rin ng bata—
Stories for Children 43
kinakalong, idinuduyan sa bisig, pinakakain sa palad, pinatutulog sa
balikat, at hinahaplos ang ulo.

Lagi’y nakatanaw si Mabait sa kahong salamin. Sa loob nito’y may

mahiwagang palaruan. May padulasan. May tubong pasikot-sikot. At
may munting tsubibong gulong nang gulong! Sa loob nito, takbo nang
takbo si Tisay nang di umaalis sa pinagtatakbuhan.

Pinaghehele si Mabait ng langitngit ng tsubibo—kriiits, kriiits,

kriiits. Walang tigil sa pagbungisngis si Tisay. Naalimpungatan na
lamang si Mabait sa nagngingitngit na pagngatngat ng kaniyang
magulang at mga kapatid.

“Dumarami ang mabait dito sa bahay!” himutok ng lola habang

ibinabasura ang mga pagkaing nginatngat-nginuyanginasab-
nginabnab-nginata-nginalot ng mga daga. Iniangat ni Mabait ang
kaniyang ilong sa hangin at tumayo ang kanyang tainga.

“At lalong tumatalino!” palahaw ng lola. Lumiyad ang dibdib ni

Mabait. Nakarinig na naman siya ng magandang puna sa kanilang
pangalan. “’Di man tinikman ang mga pulang butil. Ni ‘di man lang
maakit sa malagkit na banig.”

Lumapit ang bata sa kanyang lola. “Bakit po sila tinatawag na

mabait?” Tumigil ang lola sa ginagawa at may ibinulong.
Mahinangmahina. May inililihim. Hindi iyon marinig ni Mabait kahit
lalong tumulis ang tainga. Kita niyang nangingiti ang lola. At saka
nagpakawala ito ng malusog na bungisngis.

Nang gabing iyon, kitang-kita ni Mabait ang mga kahindikhindik

ngunit katawa-tawang larawang idinidikit ng lola. Pinili ng lola ang mga
butas sa dingding, ang mga siwang sa aparador, ang mga sulok sa
bodega. May larawan ng apo niyang nagduduling-dulingan. May

4421st Century Philippine Literature Reader

larawan ng masungit na mukha. May mukhang pikon. May mukhang
nalugi. May gulat na gulat. May nakapikit. May nandidilat. May bungi.
May maiitim ang ngipin. May sungki-sungki ang ngipin. May mukhang
nakalawit ang nakarolyong dila.

Imbes na mangilabot sa mga larawan, naghagalpakan,

naghagikhikan, at naghalakhakan ang mga daga. Nang himbing na ang
lola, naglabasan ang mga kapatid ni Mabait. Balak pa tayong takutin?
Sino ang tinakot niya.

Nilusob ng mga daga ang kahon sa tabi ng kama. Dito nakatago

ang mga paboritong balabal ng lola. Pinag-agawan at pinagpasa-
pasahan nila ang balabal—trrrrk, trrrrk, trrrk. Pinirapiraso nila ito at
hinimay, kabaligtaran ng maingat na paggagantsilyo. Tinangay din nila
ang pustiso ng lola na nakalubog sa baso ng tubig!

Pagkaraan ng kanilang misyon, marahang kinagat ng pinaka-kuya

ni Mabait ang talampakan ng lola. Kumaripas sila ng takbo patungo sa
madidilim na sulok. ‘Di malaman ng lola kung bakit siya nagising. Di rin
niya alam kung sino ang nanggising. Nang malamang hindi panaginip
ang lahat, tumili nang tumili ang lola sa nakita. “An bayabay ke! An
bayabay ke!” Di siya makabigkas nang husto dahil sa nawawalang
pustiso.

Pero ang huling sigaw niya ay napakalinaw, “Pesteng daga!

Peste!”

May sibat na tumarak sa dibdib ni Mabait. Asintang-asinta.

Kinilabutan si Mabait. Para siyang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig.
Paanong magiging peste ang mabait? Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon,
nginatngatnginuya-nginasabnginabnab-nginata-nginalot niya ang
kesong paborito ng magulang.

Stories for Children 45

 “Peste tayo,” pahayag ng ina kay Mabait. “Masakit pero totoo.”

Inilahad naman ng ama ang kasaysayan nilang mga daga sa tao.

“May pinageeksperimentuhan ng doktor. Aguy! Aguy! May nilulunod sa
kumukulong tubig. Aguy! Aguy! May pinatutuka sa ahas. Aguy! Aguy!
May pinalalapa sa pusa. Aguy! Aguy! At may pinahahanap ng
kapalaran sa roleta.”

May lihim na sulok sa kailaliman ng antigong aparador. Dito

iniimbak ng mga mababait ang basag na puting porselana mula sa
plorera, pigurin, baso, pinggan. Ito ang lunggang hitik sa ningning at
salamangka. Nakasalansan ang pinakamakinis na porselana na
kumukutitap sa katiting na piraso ng liwanag, sa munting piraso ng
liwanag.

Minsan nang natuklasan ni Mabait ang sulok na ito. Madalas, nais

ni Mabait na saliksikin ito at hawakan ang kinis ng mga piraso ng
porselana. Ngunit bata pa lamang daw siya at mapurol pa ang mga
kuko at ngipin. Kailangan pa niya ng ensayo.

Masusing pinag-aralan ni Mabait ang batang may alaga ng dagang

kosta. Tahimik tulad ng anino, lumikha si Mabait ng mapa ng silid ng
bata. Sa mga dingding, kabinet, salamin at ibabaw ng kama nito,
nakapaskil ang mga larawan ng dagang nasa tabi ng kastilyo,
nakabihis tulad ng madyikero, nakalaso, nagbibisikleta, at nagpipiknik
sa tabing-dagat. Naisip ni Mabait, “Mahilig siya sa mababait. Mukhang
mabait ang batang ito sa tulad kong mabait.”

Naghintay si Mabait ng tamang panahon. Nag-iisa lamang sa silid

ang bata. Inilabas ni Mabait ang kaniyang nguso sa butas, sumunod
ang kanang tainga, at ang kaliwang tainga. “Magpakilala kaya ako?”
bulong niya sa sarili. Bumalik muli siya sa butas. “Bulyawan kaya niya

4621st Century Philippine Literature Reader

ako?” Lumusot ang kaniyang buong ulo sa butas. “Hindi kaya siya
matakot?” Nakalabas na ang kaniyang kalahating katawan.

Sa wakas, nagpakawala si Mabait ng matinis na “Eeeeeep!”

Napalingon ang bata. Nagkatinginan sila. Mata sa mata. Lumitaw mula
sa butas ang daga.

Isang munting hakbang ni Mabait, isang dakilang lundag ng

sangkadagaan.

Mula sa dilim, lumuwa ang mata ng magulang at mga kapatid ni

Mabait. Pinigil nila ang kanilang hininga. Huminto ng ilang sandali ang
orasan. Sa sobrang tahimik, dinig ang dugong dumadaloy sa kanilang
mga leeg.

Kitang-kita ng bata ang kaanyuan ni Mabait—isang dagang malaki

pa sa mukha ang ngiti. Dahan-dahang lumapit ang daga at pinagbuhol
na parang laso ang kaniyang buntot. “Ako si Mabait,” nahihiyang wika
ng daga. “Hindi peste o mapurol. Mabait.”

“Tamang-tama!” May lumulundag na daga sa dibdib ng bata. “May

bago na kaming kaibigan. Ako at si Tisay.”

May bago na namang salitang namugad sa puso ni Mabait—

kaibigan.

Kinurot ni Mabait ang sarili sa takot na ito’y panaginip. Kung anong

ligaya ang kaniyang nararamdaman. Nagpadakma siya sa mga daliri
ng liwanag. Kumislap ang bawat hibla ng kaniyang balahibo. Sumilay
ang bahaghari sa kaniyang mga mata. Nagniningning ang paligid.
Ngayon lamang nakaramdam si Mabait na hindi niya kailangang
kumaripas ng takbo at magtago sa ilalim ng mga kumot.

Stories for Children 47

 Matapos siyang subuan ng tsokolate, inilapag siya ng bata sa
balikat nito. Pakiramdam ni Mabait, nasa duyan siya. Nais niyang
umidlip ngunit baka bawiin ng panaginip ang nangyayari. Iniangat siya
ng bata. Saka inilapag sa kahong salamin.

Nagtatalon naman sa galak si Tisay. “May kaibigan na ako!” Halos

tili nito.

Sumampa si Mabait sa tsubibo. Kriiits, kriiits, kriiits. Pagkaraa’y

naglambitin siya sa tulay na lubid. Nagpalukso-lukso pa siya sa kahon
ng itlog. At kasabay sa paghalakhak ni Tisay, nagpagulong-gulong at
nagsabuyan sila ng mga kusot.

“May mabaiiiiit!” Dinig sa buong tahanan ang palahaw ng lola,

umabot hanggang sa mga lihim na lungga. Kitang-kita niya ang
bagong daga—kakulay ng alikabok, kakulay ng putik. Ang hiyaw na
iyon ay nasa pagitan ng pagkagulat at pangingilabot. “Itapon mo iyan!
Maghugas ka ng kamay! Marami iyang mikrobyo at magkakasakit ka!”

“Pero alaga ko siya,” naluluhang paliwanag ng bata.

Kay bilis ng mga pangyayari. Tulad ng magagandang panaginip,

hindi nagtagal ang pagiging alaga ni Mabait.

Hiyang-hiyang kumaripas ng takbo si Mabait sa inaakala niyang

loob ng tiyan ng pusa. Sumambulat ang dilim. Kung anu-anong usap-
usapan ang kaniyang narinig. ‘Di na nahiya. Ang lakas ng loob. At
gusto pang maging alaga!
Pasalit-salit iyon sa kaniyang pandinig hanggang sa hinablot ng dilim si
Mabait.

Isang araw, narinig ni Mabait ang hiling ng batang kumupkop sa

kaniya.

Mabait, kaibigang Mabait,

4821st Century Philippine Literature Reader
 Palitan itong bulok kong ngiping nalagas
Ng bagong ngiping maputi, maningning, at matalas.

Pagkaraang humiling, inihagis ng bata ang ngipin sa bubungan ng

kanilang bahay.

May nagningas sa isip ni Mabait—lihim na sulok na puno ng

porselana, ngipin, kuko, lubid. Hinihimas niya ang nguso habang nag-
iisip. Nagniningning ang kaniyang mukha, may sumasayaw na liwanag
sa kalooban niya.

Dali-daling inakyat ni Mabait ang bubungan at inangkin ang

nalagas na ngipin. Pasan-pasan niya ito hanggang sa kanilang lungga.
Sinukat niya ang lapad at ang taas ng ngipin. Sinuyod ni Mabait ang
pinakamaputi at pinakamakinis na porselana.

Gamit ang kanyang ngipin at kuko, lumilok si Mabait ng ngipin

mula sa piraso ng porselana. Tinularan niya ang hubog at hugis ng
nakaw na pustiso ng lola. Galak na galak si Mabait sa nililikha—
nginatngat-nginuya-nginasabnginabnab-nginata-nginalot. Hindi niya
namalayang tumatalas ang kaniyang mga ngipin at kuko habang
lumililok.

Kinagabihan, habang himbing ang bata, dahandahang inakyat ni

Mabait ang kama. Dahan-dahan. Dahandahan. Yakap-yakap ni Mabait
ang bagong ngipin. Hindi niya pinahihintulutang magasgasan ito o
sumayad sa sahig.

Pagkuwa’y sumuot siya sa bibig ng bata. Hinawi niya ang mga

sukal sa gilagid, humukay sa bunging bahagi, at itinanim ang bagong
ngipin.

Kaibigan, kaibigan,

Stories for Children 49

 Papalitan ko ang bulok mong ngiping nalagas
Ng bagong ngiping maputi, maningning, at matalas.

Gabi-gabi, inip na inip na naghihintay si Mabait na tumubo ang

ngiping itinanim. Sa simula’y may lumitaw na puting tuldok. Kinabahan
si Mabait. Di na siya makatiis. Gamit ang lubid, hinila niyang paangat
ang ngipin. Kaybilis tumubo ang bagong ngipin!

Lumipas pa ang mga pagkakataong umuga at nahulog ang ngipin

ng bata. Tuwing humihiling ang bata, tutuparin agad ito ni Mabait. Sa
ikalimang pagkabungi, nahuli si Mabait ng bata. Huli siya sa akto ng
pagsalo. Mahigpit na napayakap ang daga sa ngipin.

“Totoo pala ang sabi-sabi,” bulong ng bata at hinimas ang ulo

ni Mabait.

Takang-taka ang magulang at lola sa pantay, matibay, at

mapuputing ngipin ng bata. Inisip nila ang mga ngipin ng kanilang
ninuno. Napatakip sila ng bibig. Nasa lahi nila ang sungki-sungki,
bukbukin, at dilaw na ngipin. Ligid pa ng alambre ang mga ngipin ng
magulang. At ang lola’y hindi ngumingiti kapag walang pustiso.

Nais magpaliwanag ng bata. Paniwalaan kaya siya? Baka naman

pagtawanan lang siya. Inis na inis ang bata sa pagkilatis sa kanyang
ngipin. Nabigkas niya ang pangalan ng kaibigang daga. Mabait.

Pinandilatan siya ng lola, nagsalubong pa ang manipis at

abuhing kilay.

“Totoo,” pagtatanggol ng bata. Mula sa kinatatayuan, kitang-kita

niya si Mabait sa sulok ng aparador, may hawak na porselana,
kumakaway at naglululundag.

5021st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 “Kaya ba niyang palitan,” hamon ng lola, “ng totoong ngipin ang
aking pustiso?”

Nangiti ang bata. “Humiling po kayo,” payo niya sa magulang at

lola. Itinuro niya ang awit. Matapos ang mabilisang ensayo, agad
hinugot ng magulang at lola ang kanilang mga pustiso. Humumpak
ang kanilang pisngi; lalong tumulis ang kanilang baba. Muntik nang
maiyak ang bata sa takot. Mukhang bungo ang nakita niya sa
magulang at lola.

Sabay nilang inihagis sa bubungan ang mga naninilaw na pustiso.

Mabait, kaibigang Mabait,

Palitan ang aming pustisong nalagas
Ng tunay na ngiping maputi, maningning, at matalas.

Pitong tulog ang lumipas, naglulundag ang mag-anak sa kanilang

mga bagong-tubong ngipin. Para silang mga batang nakatanggap ng
sorpresa. Nagkislapan pang lalo ang mga bagong ngipin nang nahipo
ito ng mga daliri ng liwanag.

“Pangako,” pahayag ng lola. “Ngiti na ang isasalubong ko sa

mabait.”

Dito isinilang ang alamat ng ikawalumpu’t apat na mabait. Wala

nang kasamang walis at tsinelas habang binibigkas ang pangalang
Mabait. Naglaho na ang salitang peste sa anumang pananalita. Hindi
na nakagapos sa dilim ang mga buntot, leeg, at paa ng daga.
Pinaliliguan na sila ng pinakamatingkad na liwanag, pinagniningning
pang lalo ng mga ngiping inuukit ni Mabait.

Kapag inaalala ng mag-anak ang pagkakaibigan nila sa mga daga,

paulit-ulit ibinibida ng bata ang kagila-gilalas na pakikipagsapalaran ni
Mabait. Nakapaligid sa kanya ang lahat—sariling magulang, lola, at
Stories for Children 51
ang mga daga. Matipid namang ngingiti si Mabait. Nakakandong sila ni
Tisay sa bata. Magkabuhol na tila laso ang buntot nila ng dagang
kosta. Ganito laging sinisimulan ng bata ang alamat:

“May isinilang na anim na daga sa kailaliman ng antigong

aparador. Ang bunso, ang ikawalampu’t apat na anak, ang ikinabahala
ng mag-asawang daga.

Hinawi ng bagong silang ang kumot ng mga retaso, sumilip sa butas,

at kinilala ang paligid. Mulat niyang tinitigan ang liwanag. Hinding-hindi
siya pumikit. Hindi siya kumurap.” 🙜🙜

Mga Gabay na Tanong

1. Ano ang pinagkaiba ni Mabait sa kanyang mga kapatid?
2. Bakit kaya Mabait ang tawag ng mga tao sa mga daga? Mabait nga
ba sila?
3. Paano naging magkaibigan si Mabait at ang bata sa kuwento? Paano
naging mabait ang mag-anak sa mga daga?
4. Ano ang tinutukoy na “mga daliri ng liwanag”?

5221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Stories for Children 53
5421st Century Philippine Literature Reader
The Monkey

Stories for Children 55

 Who Bought a River
Written by Francis C. Macansantos

5621st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 IMEON MACACAN JR., the monkey who bought
a river, was the richest monkey in the town of
Unggoyan, in a land where monkeys lived.
Lots of things made him decide, one day, to
buy the river.

The town was located along the coast, where monkeys caught
fish and crabs and gathered sea-shells. But salt water is not good for
drinking. It cannot help plants to grow. Only fresh water is good
enough for plants and animals—and monkeys, as we all know, are
animals.

In the monkey-town of Unggoyan, there was a big, lovely river that

gave fresh water to those who lived there. It was called the Dalisay, a
word that means fresh and clean. The river began up in the mist-
covered mountain called Mount Amu, where many hidden springs and
brooks poured water into the river all year long. Trees, birds, and
flowers kept it company as it flowed down the valley through the town
until it reached the sea.

Jun Macacan inherited his father’s money and property. He owned

all the banana plantations from which came the main food of the
monkeys in town. He also owned most of the stores and shops in town.
He even owned boats that brought bananas to other countries. Most of
the monkeys of Unggoyan worked in his shops and plantations. If they
displeased him, he could easily fire them. Then they would have no
money, and no bananas to eat.

Jun Macacan did not only inherit his riches. On his own he became
even richer. What was his secret? He was selfish, of course. But he was
also very smart. He was nice and friendly and helpful to monkeys
whom he knew could help him make even more money. He was close

Stories for Children 57

friends, for example, with the town mayor and the members of the city
council. He needed them to approve his projects.

He made friends with them by treating them to big parties and

giving them gifts, sometimes even cars and houses. In return, they
allowed him to do what he liked to become richer—like giving very low
pay to his workers. He was connected to many friends who helped
keep him rich. If you were a close friend of his whom he trusted,
maybe he would tell you his secret: “I have connections!”

But what about the river, the sweet, fresh and clean Dalisay—did it
have connections?

For sure it had. Close to where it began was a monkey-made lake

called a reservoir. The water in this lake came from pipes connected to
the Dalisay river. In this reservoir water for the town was stored. Many
pipes, long and short, connected this clean river water to the houses
and buildings downtown. The water was clean because it came from
that part of the river close to the forest where no one lived—no one to
make it dirty.

But where did the river get all that water? Rain, of course. But
without the mountain and its forest, rain would just fall fast and away
to the sea. It could not be stored. A mountain forest sucks in the rain
with its roots and stores the water in pools underground. From these
pools rise springs that slowly pour into the river, keeping it from drying
up even in the summer where not much rain falls. In this way was the
Dalisay connected to the clouds, the rain, the mountain, and the forest.
The river was rich with water. But it was not selfish. It gave water to
the town, to all the plants and animals.

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 One morning, though, the monkeys noticed something wrong with
the water that came out of their faucets. There was a muddy stain in it
that wouldn’t go away, no matter how long they let the water run.

The following day there was a heavy rainstorm. The river flooded
as never before. Monkey families living by the riverbank climbed to the
roofs of their houses, even to the treetops, to avoid being swept away
by the flood. Luckily for them, monkeys are so good at climbing.

Why had the tap water become murky? Above all, why was the
flood so heavy and so sudden? The monkey who discovered the
answers to these questions was a retired school teacher who lived
alone in a hut along the foothills of Mt. Amu. His name was Mr.
Solomonky, and he used to teach Science at Unggoyan High School
long, long ago, when Jun Macacan was a student there.

Sometime before the flood, Mr. Solomonky caught some

lumberjacks cutting down giant trees close to the source of the river.
He had been awakened from his siesta by the loud buzzing of
chainsaws. But before he caught up with them, they had brought down
a good number of trees. With a menacing glare, Mr. Solomonky
threatened to have them arrested. They said they were sorry and
hurriedly left. But before they left, they showed Mr. Solomonky a
permit to cut trees given to Simeon Macacan Jr. by the mayor and the
town council and signed by them.

Mr. Solomonky walked all the way from Mt. Amu to the town hall to
report the tree cutting on Mt. Amu.

The ancient trees—he reminded the mayor and the council—were

guardians of the land and the water and the air. By their leaves, they
kept the air clean. By their roots, they absorbed the water to keep the
river from flooding fast, and to keep the soil from breaking up into
Stories for Children 59
mud. By these wise ways, the trees—these ancient guardians—allowed
the rain to sink deep down into the soil, to feed underground pools with
water from where springs poured out water into the river, keeping it
alive, not allowing it to dry up, even in the summer when very little
rain falls.

If Jun Macacan continued to cut down the old guardian trees, water
would become muddy and not safe to drink. Worse, without the trees
and their roots, there would be nothing to keep the water from flowing
down in a flood, murky and dangerously swift.

Unfortunately, it was only after the flood that they sent Jun
Macacan a notice to stop cutting trees. It was too late to stop the
destructive flood.

But when Jun Macacan received the notice of cancellation, he was

the one to get angry, as if he had not caused the flood by his tree-
cutting. He phoned the mayor, Homer Erecto, who was his former
classmate and long-time friend.

“Homer,” he said, “explain this notice you sent.”

“Well, Jun, it was Mr. Solomonky, you see.”

“Who is this Solomonky?”

“The retired teacher. Don’t you remember him? He taught us

Science and Geography.”

“Never mind what he taught. Why did you cancel my permit—after

all I’ve done to get you elected Mayor?”

“He convinced the councilors that you caused the flood by your
tree-cutting.”

6021st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 “And they believed him?”

“Not all—we did take some time to decide—but after the flood
happened, everyone voted to cancel the permit.”

Macacan banged the phone.

But after a while, a thought made his face light up into a smile. He
had a very smart plan: He would buy the Dalisay river. This way, he
could cut the trees on the mountain where the river began in little
springs and streams. Then he would float the logs down the river to the
sea. If he owned the river, he would also own the trees that grew
where the river began. He could even make the logs float down the
river to the sea where boats could pick them up and take them out to
sea to sell to other countries. He knew he could make a lot of money
this way.

If anyone complained, he could always say he could do anything

with the river because he owned it. Even if they said the trees high up
on the mountain did not belong to him, he could own them by buying
the mountain itself. He was sure he had enough money even for that.

The very next day he went to the town council to present his offer
to buy the river, “From the mountain springs where it begins, to the
sea where it ends.”

The sum of money he offered for the sale was huge. It was large
enough to build ten new schools, five new athletic bowls, and pave all
the dirt roads in town. The councilors were about ready to accept the
offer when Leviticus Austral, an old and learned councilor remembered
that there was an old forgotten law which prohibited the sale of the
river.

Stories for Children 61

 “Can you not change the law in some way?” Jun Macacan asked,
hopefully.
“The council is not allowed to decide on that,” replied Austral. “All
the monkey residents of the town must decide by a secret vote if they
want to sell the river.”

At this, Jun Macacan’s face brightened with hope. He always felt it

was easier to deal with ordinary monkeys, anyway, than to deal with
the town officials.

“But the vote is very strict,” Austral continued. “Even if only ten
will vote against it, the sale cannot push through.”

About a month after this, Jun Macacan brought a circus to

entertain the town. Admission was free, so it attracted large crowds.
He also had a stage built in the center of the circus. One night, after
the jugglers and clowns finished their act, he himself went up the stage
to talk to the audience. He told them about the many good things he
would give them if they all agreed to let him own the river. Most of
those who heard him were convinced that it is for the good of everyone
if they allow him to buy the river.

However, one night, Mr. Solomonky came to the circus. He went up

the stage and talked to the audience to explain that selling the river
was bad for everyone. It was the worst that the monkey-folk could do,
he said. He did convince many in the audience to his side.

Day after day, and night after night, Jun Macacan would mount the
stage to present what he called “good things that would come” if they
sold him the river. The audience was delighted by the promises he
made, with the big amount of money he would pay to own the river.

6221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 But Mr. Solomonky always had a nice way of making Macacan
seem stupid and funny. For example, one night, they had this nice
discussion:

Jun Macacan: I own most of the land in Unggoyan. I am allowed to

own land. Why can’t I own the water? I have the right to buy the river.

Mr. Solomonky: No one can own anything. Things are given for us
to use only for a while—like water.

Jun Macacan: If I can put all the air there is into one big balloon, I
could own all the air.

Mr. Solomonky: So no one else can breathe but you? Pride puts a
lot of air into some monkeys. It turns them into big balloons.

See? Mr.Solomonky was so wise. But he was also strange. He often

said things the monkeys found hard to understand. Most of them
agreed that it was best to sell the river.

On the day of the secret vote, only a handful voted against the
sale. So, after Jun Macacan paid a big amount of money to the town
council, he received a piece of paper signed by the mayor to show that
he was now the owner of the river. The council was so happy with the
big payment that they decided to allow him to cut trees once more.

Strangely, this victory did not make Jun Macacan completely

happy. With sad, sad eyes, he often watched the river flow away to the
sea. He remembered what Mr. Solomonky once said: “You can never
own the river. It goes away all of the time to the sea.

To prevent this flowing away of his property, he had a dam built at

the river mouth. This partly stopped the flow of the water.

Stories for Children 63

 When the wet season came, it rained heavily almost every day.
The sparse forest could not absorb much rainfall. It couldn’t hold back
the floodwaters that rushed wildly downstream. The dam prevented
the water from flowing out to sea, so the water level rose, flooding the
town on both sides of the river. The banana plantation was destroyed.
Most of the houses were damaged beyond repair.

Fortunately, some of the giant trees that had been cut floated
down the river and rammed the dam to pieces. The water rushed out
to sea. The flood was over.

But without the plantation there were no jobs and no food. Most of
the monkeys gave up on the town and left it. In the dry season that
followed, the river dried up. The drought killed off all that was left of
the plants in town. The town was deserted. Jun Macacan was left alone
in Unggoyan. He had nowhere else to go.

“I have lost all my connections!” He cried out as he went around

the ruined plantation.

One day in his wanderings, he reached the lower slopes of Mt.

Amu. There he saw Mr. Solomonky planting forest-tree seedlings.

“The river is all dried up, Sir,” said Jun Macacan, “Is it dying?”

“It is sick—but it will recover,” Mr. Solomonky replied with a gentle

smile.

“What I told you once,” he continued, “that the river always goes
away to the sea…is true. But it does not stay there for long. The river
water in the sea loves forests. It will rise up in the air, become clouds,
and come down as rain on the mountains where forests grow. Some of
the water will stay under the roots of trees and pour out as springs into

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brooks that will join to become, once again, a living river. The river
loves the land where it lives. But we must take care of it.”

“How do we do that, Sir?”

“We must plant trees where they have been cut down here, close
to where the river begins, where some springs have dried up. The work
will take a long time. The seedlings will take a long time to grow into
trees.”

And so, they planted trees.

Together they take care of the growing trees. Slowly the river is
recovering. A few monkeys are planting bananas again beside the
river. The mountain, the river, and the town are in good hands. Its two
leaders, Mr. Solomonky and Mr.
Simeon Macacan, Jr., are called by the monkey-folk “The Great
Guardians.” 🙜🙜

Guide Questions
1. Why did Simeon Macacan want to buy the river? Why did Mr.
Solomonky, the retired teacher, try to stop the people in the
community from allowing Simeon Macacan to buy the river?
2. Is the rule that does not allow anyone to own a river a good rule?
Why/ why not?
3. Was it wise for Mr. Solomonky to oppose the sale of the river, even
if this was going against the vote of most of the people in the
community? Would you do the same if you were in his position?
Why?

Stories for Children 65

6621st Century Philippine Literature Reader
Si Binag, Si

Stories for Children 67

 Elod, at ang mga Palay
ng Gabaldon
Written by Bernadette Villanueva Neri

6821st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 A PAANAN ng nakakalbong bundok ng Sierra
Madre, may maliit na bayang kung tawagin ay
Gabaldon. Kay lulusog ng mga puno roon.
Presko at mabango ang simoy ng hangin. Palaging umaawit
ang mga ibon. Tila paraiso!

Nobyembre noon. Palapit na ang kapaskuhan. Lalong pinalamig

ng amihan ang umagang gumising kay Binag. Nag-inat siya at
bumangon. Agad niyang itiniklop ang pinaghigaang banig. Madilim pa
ang paligid ngunit damang-dama niya ang mamasa-masang dampi ng
hangin. Sinabayan iyon ng pagtilaok ng mga manok. Naisip niyang
paraiso nga talaga ang mga umaga sa Gabaldon.

Nalanghap ni Binag ang pinakukuluang kape ng kaniyang nanay.

Dali-dali siyang nagtungo sa kusina upang sumabay sa agahan.
Pinahiran niya ng margarina ang mga pandesal at isinawsaw sa kape.
Magana siyang kumain. Kailangan kasi niya ng lakas dahil bibisita sila
sa bukid. Nasasabik na siyang makita ang mga ipinunla niyang palay
sa gilid ng mga pitak lalo’t nalalapit na ang anihan!

Mahal na mahal ni Binag ang kaniyang mga palay. Palagi niya

itong dinadalaw sa tuwing maghahatid siya ng pananghalian sa
kaniyang mga magulang. Nasubaybayan niya ang paglaki ng mga ito.
At ngayon, halos hindi siya makapaniwalang hitik na sa uhay ang
kaniyang mga tanim.

Kinuha ng tatay niya ang gulok na nakasabit sa dingding nilang

sawali. Ibinalot naman sa dahon ng saging ng kaniyang ina ang kanin,
tuyo, at ilang piraso ng kamatis para sa pananghalian. Samantala,
agad lumabas si Binag at nagtungo sa pinasusugahan ng antuking si
Elod, ang kanilang kalabaw. Tuwangtuwa niyang pinagmasdan ang
gumegewang-gewang na tiyan ng paborito niyang kaibigan.

Stories for Children 69

 “Nay, lumalaki po ’ata ang tiyan ni Elod?”

“Buntis ang kalabaw natin, anak,” tugon ng kaniyang ina.

“At malapit na itong manganak,” sabi naman ng kaniyang ama.

“Talaga po?” Hindi makapaniwala si Binag. “Narinig mo iyon, Elod?

Magkakaroon ka na pala ng baby kalabaw!”

“U-ngaaaaaa!” Galak na hiyaw ni Elod.

Ngumiti ang mag-asawa at malambing na kinusot ang buhok ng

kanilang anak. Niyakap naman ni Binag si Elod bago siya sumakay sa
likod nito.

Masayang-masaya ang mag-anak nang makita nila ang mga

namimintog na uhay ng kanilang mga pananim. Pinuntahan ni Binag
ang mga palay na nakahilera sa tabi ng pilapil.

“Nay, Tay! May bunga na rin po ang mga tanim ko!”

“Kaunting araw na lang at maaari na silang anihin,” sabi ng

kaniyang ama.

“Tutulong po ako sa pag-ani!” Boluntaryo ni Binag.

“Napakasipag talaga ng anak ko!” Pagmamalaki ng kaniyang ina.

“U-ngaaaa!” Malakas na pagsang-ayon ni Elod.

Naging makulimlim ang mga sumunod na araw. Hindi nakalabas

ng bahay si Binag dahil sa lakas ng ulan. Nagputik sa loob ng kubo
dahil nagkabutas-butas ang bubong nitong kugon. Unti-unti ring
pumasok ang baha. Hindi magkandaugaga ang nanay niya sa
pagliligpit ng kanilang mga gamit. Abala naman si Binag sa pag-aayos

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ng mga sakong paglalagyan ng aanihing palay. “Nay, nasa’n po si
Tatay?”

“Dumalaw sa bukid,” sagot ng kaniyang ina. “Hindi kasi maganda

ang malakas na ulan lalo’t malapit na tayong mag-ani.”

“E, bakit po ba kasi ulan nang ulan?”

“Dahil sa bagyong Unding at Violeta,” sabi ng kaniyang ina. “May

dalawa pa nga raw na paparating.” Bigla itong nag-antanda ng krus at
bumulong, “Ay,
Apo, basagin nawa ng Sierra Madre ang mga bagyo.”

Kumunot ang noo ni Binag. “Paano po ’yon gagawin ng bundok?”

“Parang bakod ng Gabaldon ang Sierra Madre, anak,” paliwanag

ng nanay niya. “Hinaharang ng mismong bundok ang hangin, at
sinisipsip naman ng mga puno nito ang ulan. Pero kakaunti na lang ang
mga kahoy ngayon sa bundok.”

Nagpatuloy si Binag sa pagtitiklop ng mga sako. “Hindi po ba

puwede ang mga mangga natin sa bakuran?”

“Malaki ang tulong ng mga iyan,” buntong-hininga ng kaniyang

ina. “Pero kapag nagkataon ay hindi nito mapipigil ang pagragasa ng
tubig na hindi nasipsip ng Sierra Madre.”

Humahangos na pumasok sa kubo ang ama ni Binag suot ang

isang sakong ginawang kapote.

“Kamusta na ang mga palay?” Nag-aalalang tanong ng nanay

niya.

“Halos lubog na ang palayan,” malumbay na tugon ng kaniyang

ama.

Stories for Children 71

“Kapag nagpatuloy ang pagtaas ng tubig sa ilog, wala na tayong
maaani.” Nalungkot si Binag sa narinig. Naisip niya ang kaniyang mga
palay. Huwag naman po sanang malunod ang mga ito, dasal niya.

Ilang saglit pa’y tumatakbong dumating ang kapitbahay nilang si

Mang Goryo. Agad itong pinagbuksan ng nanay ni Binag.

“Mare, pare, doble na ang itinaas ng ilog Bugnan at Dupinga,” sabi

nito. “Nagpahanda na si Kapitana ng dalawang trak na sasakyan natin.
Bilisan ninyo’t kailangan na nating lumikas.”

Dali-dali silang nagbalot ng mga damit. Hanggang hita na ng

kaniyang ina ang baha nang lumabas sila sa kubo. Natanaw ni Binag
ang giniginaw nilang kalabaw.

“Nay, si Elod―,” sabi ni Binag habang kalong-kalong siya ng kaniyang

ina.

“Maraming taong sasakay sa trak, anak. Walang lugar para sa

isang kalabaw,” nanghihinayang nitong sagot. “Pero―,” humigpit ang
yakap ng kaniyang ina. “Humawak kang mabuti.”

Lalong yumakap si Binag habang sinusuong nila ang baha upang

kalagin ang tali ng kalabaw.

“Babalik kami agad, Elod,” bulong ni Binag sa alaga. “Maglalaro

tayo ulit pag-uwing-pag-uwi namin.”

“U-ngaaaa!” Pamamaalam ni Elod habang tinatanaw ang

papalayong maganak.

Lalo pang lumakas ang ulan at hangin. Mabagal ang naging pag-
usad ng trak na kanilang sinasakyan dahil sa mga natumbang
punongkahoy na nakaharang sa daan. Natakot si Binag para sa

7221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

kaniyang mga palay at sa mga bunga nito. Kung nagsisitumbahan ang
malalaking puno, paano pa kaya ang mga palay sa bukid? At paano si
Elod? Pag-aalala niya.

Patuloy na tumaas ang bahang nanggagaling sa bundok. Ilang

saglit pa’y sumayad na ito sa sahig ng malaking sasakyan. Muntik
nang makabitaw si Binag sa kaniyang ina nang mabalaho ang trak.
Lumambot daw ang daan dahil sa ragasa ng tubig.

Nagsibabaan ang matatanda at nagtulong-tulong sa paggawa ng

tulay na kahoy upang may madaanan ang trak. Tinipon naman ni
Binag ang kaniyang mga kalaro sa gitna ng sasakyan. Nagkapit-kapit
sila upang walang mahulog habang itinutulak ang trak.

HALOS ISANG LINGGO ANG LUMIPAS bago nakabalik sa Gabaldon

ang mga nagsilikas. Mangilan-ngilan na lamang ang mga nakatayong
punongkahoy sa gilid ng daan. Maging ang mga poste ng kuryente ay
nagsidapaan din.

Sira-sira na ang sawaling dingding ng bahay nina Binag nang

datnan nila ito. Tabingi na ang mga poste, at puno ng putik ang loob
ng kanilang kubo. Agad na nagtungo si Binag sa likod ng bahay upang
tingnan ang punong pinagsugahan kay Elod. Nabunot ito sa lupa.
Hinanap niya ang kaibigang kalabaw ngunit wala ito sa paligid. Wala
rin siyang narinig na “unga.”

Pinuntahan ni Binag ang kaniyang ina na nag-aayos ng mga bagay

na maaari pang gamitin sa loob ng kanilang tahanan. Mababakas sa
mukha nito ang matinding kalungkutan. Napalingon si Binag sa
bintana. Natanaw niya ang mga nakadapang puno ng palay, ang mga
pitak na natatabunan ng putik. Napansin niya ang kaniyang amang
marahang naglalakad patungo sa kanilang taniman.

Stories for Children 73

 Hindi makangiti si Binag. Naaalala niya ang sira-sira nilang bahay,
ang alaga niyang si Elod, at ang mga tanim niyang palay. Alam niyang
gayon din ang nararamdaman ng kaniyang mga magulang.

Tahimik na lumipas ang hapong iyon.

Mahimbing na natutulog si Binag nang maalimpungatan siya dahil

sa isang pamilyar na ingay. Idinilat niya ang kaniyang mga mata.
Kinakabahan siyang nagabang na maulit ito.

“U-ngaaaaa!”

Dali-daling bumangon si Binag. Agad niyang pinuntahan ang

pinanggagalingan ng tunog.

Nagising din ang kaniyang mga magulang at napabalikwas mula

sa pagkakahiga. Agad nilang sinundan ang bata.

Sa likod ng sira-sira nilang bahay, naluha ang mag-asawa nang

makita ang anak na nakayakap sa alaga nilang kalabaw.

“Nakaligtas siya,” humihikbing sabi ni Binag habang sabik na

niyayakap si Elod.

Nagsimulang tumilaok ang mga manok. Sinabayan ito nang isa

pang mahinay na pag-unga. Nagtaka sila dahil hindi ito nanggagaling
kay Elod. Napaiyak ang lahat sa tuwa matapos masilayan ang isang
guya na tila nahihiyang lumapit sa kanila.

Nang umagang iyon, sa saliw ng musikang likha ng mga hayop at

sa yakap ng masamyong ihip ng hangin, sinalubong nina Binag ang
anak ni Elod, at
ipinakilala sa tila nagbabalik na paraiso ng Gabaldon. 🙜🙜

7421st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 Alay sa mga taga-Gabaldon na nasalanta ng sunod-sunod na
bagyong Unding, Violeta, Winnie, at Yoyong noong 2004.

Mga Gabay na Tanong

1. Bakit umalis ang pamilya nina Binag at ang kanilang mga
kapitbahay sa Gabaldon?
2. Bakit hindi kayang dalhin ng pamilya ang alaga nilang si Elod?
3. Ayon sa nanay ni Binag, ano ang dahilan kung bakit hindi na kayang
sipsipin ng Sierra Madre ang ulan?
4. Ano ang maaari nating gawin upang mapigilan ang pagbaha?
5. Paano tayo makatutulong sa pagpapalagu ng mga kagubatan na
siyang sumisipsip ng tubig ulan sa tuwing may bagyo?

Stories for Children 75

Mestizo
7621st Century Philippine Literature Reader
 Igorot
Written by Conviron Altatis
NGGAY nenpraktisak ay ring bearer di
kasar da Uncle Chamberlane ya Auntie
Elvie ngem bigla ay inmali din kasinsin
mi ay nagapo ed Texas, si Joss. Kanan da ay adi da kanu
makaali
yaket bigla da ay nawada isna Baguio. I-surprise da uppay dakami.
Dadama din ragsak si Lola idi naila na si Joss ed kugaban. “Ay inmali
uppay din apok ay kagugwapuan! Sisya et adi san ring bearer.”

Lima kami ay apon Lola- si Joss, si ugtan na ay si Kirsten, din duwa

ay uugtan ko ay babae, da Kenken ken Maybel, ya saen. Tulo san anak
Lola. Yun-a si Daddy. Maikadwa si Auntie Crystal, inanda Joss ya
Kirsten. Buridek si Uncle Chamberlane.

Intapi da abe si Kirsten sin flower girls. San prinaktis mi et si

Maybel san mensango tay sisya san kaaptikan. Ngem sin kasar, si
Kirsten din naisango uray sisya din kaaanduan. Napigsan palakpak
dadi guests ed chapel idi binmala da Joss ya Kirsten. Napigpigsa nu san
palakpak da idi binmala din maikasar.

Nakasango sin kanigid din kakabsat Auntie Elvie. Si ama da ya si

ina da, kaman metlang ken Lolo- anggay wada ed langit ay kanan Lola.
Sin kanawan, nakasango da Lola, si Daddy, si Auntie Crystal ya din
asawa na ay Amerikano, si Uncle Donald. Dakami pay ken Mama et
wada ed likod ay nakatugaw. Dadaman agan da Uncle Chamberlane ya
Auntie Elvie idi nensinnukat da si singsing, dadin singsing ay inawit
Joss ay awitek kuma. Nen-aga abe si Mama.

Stories for Children 77

 “Din pamilyan abe din groom!” Tinmakdeg kami lang ken Mama idi
panagpi-picture. Pinatakdeg din photographer da Lola, Uncle Donald,
Auntie Crystal, Joss ya Kirsten sin abay din naikasar sipay na inpaey
saen, si Daddy, si Mama ya san duwa’y uugtan ko sin mensinumbangir
ay igid. Idi nalpas din pictorial, nailak din tapina ay kakabagyan mi ya
kakabagyan Auntie Elvie ay menpappa-picture kenda Joss ya Kirsten.
Kananda, “Aye, mengaluluwapo ay unga! Mestizo Igorot! Menpalilintas
ay unga! Mestiza Igorota!”

Maid inmali ay nenpa-picture ken sak-en ya sin uugtan ko.

Magapo sin chapel, inmalis am-in ay bibisita ed baey mi para sin

reception. Nakitapi da Uncle Donald ya Auntie Crystal sin kanyaw sin
batawa mi. Nakiinom da si tapey kadwada da Daddy ya ad-adu ay
amam-a ya nanabbakes. Wada da Joss ya Kirsten ed salas ay makiay-
ayam sin teken ay ungung-a. Sak-en pay ya din uugtan ko, binadangan
mi si Mama ay men-iwaras si watwat sin bibisita ay anggay sumaa.

Adin maki-in-inom si Lola ngem nakitapi sisya sin bibbisita.

Paypay-an na si tapey din bason Uncle Donald ngem egay ko naila ay
inyat na di sin teken ay bisita. Kanana ken sisya, “I am originally from
Mountain Province, the only province in the Philippines with an English
name!”

Nadngek ay inbagan Lola di ed kasin ken Pastor Roy, din

Amerikano ay pastor ay mangbisbisita ken dakami nu mamingsan.
Maid sisya tay sinmaa kanu ed Amerika.

“You and the new president of the U.S. have the same name!”
Kanan Lola ken Uncle Donald.

“Yes but I did not vote for him!” Sungbat Uncle Donald.

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 “I did,” kanan Auntie Crystal sipay nen-inom si tapey.

Egay ko naawatan.

Inayagan Mama sak-en ya si Kenken. Inmey kami nen-uto si

pinikpikan ed kusina. Baka kumurang kanu din nauto tay umad-adon
umal-ali ay bisita. Mamadnge ed kusina nan ngalawngaw ed batawa.
Nansid-ipak san tawa. Manganggangsa da Auntie Crystal ya Uncle
Chamberlane. Masis-iyek ya manpalpalakpak nan bibbisita ya ivid-
video da si Uncle Donald ay nakawanes. Ititduan Daddy si Uncle
Donald si salan di Igorot. Inmali ed kusina si Maybel egem na din
cellphone Lola. “Mama, nalinglingan kasin Lola din password na sin
Facebook. Laydena ay men-live.”

“Namantikan imak,” kanan Mama. Mentadtadtad sisya’s karnin di

manok. Men-uk-ukis kami pay ken Kenken si sayote.

“Password Lola? Nagan Daddy ya din tawen ay naianak sisya,” kanan

Kenken. “Cornelio 1982.”

“All caps,” kanan Mama. “Ibagam ay adi na ud ilag-log out kasin.”

Idi nalpas ay ipisok am-in Mama dadin karnin di manok, sili ya laya
sin dakedake ay kaldero, inbati mi si Kenken ed kusina ta sisyan men-
ipisok sin sayote nu lumukneng din manok. Inmey kami ken Mama ed
sirok. Inurnos mi din esay kuwarto isdi. “Ay isna kaseypan da Uncle
Donald?”

“Maga. Isna san kaseypan da Uncle mo ay Chamberlane ya

Auntiem ay Elvie edwani ay labi.”

“Ngem insingpa ta et din guest room ay kaseypan da yan.”

Stories for Children 79

 “Da Uncle mo ay Donald ya Auntiem ay Crystal han meseyep isdi
edwani ay labi. Isna ay man-honeymoon da Chamberlane ya Elvie.”

“Hinon honeymoon?”

In-ginek si Mama bassit. “Honeymoon. Siya sa din awag da sin

umuna ay labi ay mendaag han man-asawa.”

Nentang-ed ak. “Ay isna kayo abe ken Daddy ay nan-honeymoon?

Isna sirok?”

Nanngasiit si Mama. “Maga. Nankasar kami pay ed Mountain

Province. Ammom, sin labin di kasar mi, egay kami pulos naseyseyep

ken amam. Inasikasu mi han bibbisita mi enggana agsapa. Pati din

nagapo sin teken ay baranggay ay adi mi am-ammo et inmali.”

“Kaman edwani?” Nasiyek si Mama.

Sin labi ay dey, inmali si Joss sin kuwartok. “Hey, Kip, I forgot to
bring night clothes. Can you lend me some?”

“Yes,” kanak dakpay mantang-ed ya insin-eng ko si Joss. Dakkel ya

round san mata na ay blue, ken saen et nangisit ya singkit. Ando ya
nenkurba han kurimatmat na, ken saen et anggay kaman adi kaila.
Natangos san eng na, ken saen et ban-eg. San kudil na et medyo pink
ay napudaw ya wadan marmarka na ay brown, ken saen pay et brown
ya maid marmarka na. Blonde san buok na, ken saen et nangisit.
Karuprupana dadin ungung-a sin pepelikulan dadi Amerikano ay
laylayden Lola ay buybuyaen. Naiyanak kami sin men-is-so ay buwan,
saen isna Baguio, sisya ed Texas. Simpo san tawen mi ay duwa ngem
adayo ay an-ando sisya nu saen. Wadan ibagbagana ngem adiak
mendengdengnge. Nentang-edak.

8021st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 Katagtag pay si Joss et nadngek ay kananna ken ina na, “I think
Kip doesn't speak English. Go talk to him.”

“Let's just borrow some clothes from your Uncle Cornelio,”

Sungbat si Auntie Crystal. “You have the same size, anyway.”

Kinaagsapaan na, nasapa ay binangon Mama saen ya din uugtan

ko. Dinalusan mi din batawa ya nan-innaw kami si dadakke ay kaldero
ya bilbilig di namamantikaan ay kapalapalato ya kabasobaso.
Inpapudot mi din nabati ay pinikpikan. Adin layden da Joss ya Kirsten
din pinikpikan isunga nen-uto si itlog ya bacon si Uncle Donald para
ken dayda.

“Kunak gamin kanyayu,” kanan Daddy idi mangmangan kami.

“Kitanyu? 100 plus ti inmay, baka tupay 200. Ngem 50 lang met
invited!”

“Sapay kuma met ta nagsupon dagita 100 nga inmay. Wenno uray
anya nga regalo kuma met, uray momma kuma,” Nen-angaw si Lola.
Nasiyek da Daddy, Mama, Auntie Crystal, Uncle Chamberlane ya
Auntie Elvie. Saen, din kakabsat ko, din kakasinsin ko ya si Uncle
Donald, adi mi naawatan. In-explain Lola nu sinon siniyekan da.

Idi nalpas kami ay nangan, niyaan Joss sak-en si regalo- din

sapatos ay inusar na ay inmali. Mayamayat ngem dake-dake. Kanana
ken sak-en, “Maybe after two years, you will be big enough to use
these. Hide it first and don’t let anyone use it.”

“Thank you! I have a gift for you also,” adik ammo nu apay nga
kinwanik di.

“Really?”

“Yes, wait!” Inmey ko inanap si Mama ta damagek nu sinun

mabalin ay iregalok ken Joss. Inmeyak ed kusina. Wada da Daddy ya si
Stories for Children 81
Uncle Donald ed isdi ay menngalngalngal si momma kadwa da si Lola
ay menvid-video. Inmeyak ed batawa. Wada da Kenken ya Maybel isdi
ay men-ib-ibaw. Inmey ko inanawa dayda. Niregaluan Kirsten dayda si
duwa ay Barbie dolls. Puraw din esa, kaman ken Kirsten. Brown din
esa, kaman sin uugtan ko. Pan-in-innibawan din uugtan
ko din puraw. 🙜🙜

Translated from Kankanaey by Conviron Altatis

ALREADY rehearsed as the ring bearer of Uncle

Chamberlane and Aunt Elvie’s wedding but Joss,

8221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 my cousin from Texas, suddenly arrived. They said they could
not make it but now, they are here in
Baguio. They wanted to surprise us. Grandma was very
happy to see Joss yesterday, "My handsomest grandson is here! Make
him the ring bearer."

Grandma has five grandchildren—Joss, his younger sister Kirsten,

my two younger sisters Kenken and Maybel, and me. Grandma has
three children. Daddy is the eldest. Joss and Kirsten’s mother, Aunt
Crystal, is the second. Uncle Chamberlane is the youngest.

They included Kirsten in the group of flower girls. In the rehearsal,

Maybel was first in line because she is the shortest. During the
wedding, Kirsten was first in line although she is the tallest. The guests
in the chapel clapped very loudly for Joss and Kirsten. It was louder
than when the bride appeared.

The bride’s siblings were in front on the left side. Their parents are
just like Grandpa—they are already in heaven, according to Grandma.
On the right side in front were Grandma, Daddy, Aunt Crystal, and her
American husband Uncle Donald. I sat at the back beside Mama. The
bride and the groom cried when they exchanged rings, the rings Joss
carried, the rings I was supposed to carry. Mama also cried.

“Now, the family of the groom!” Mama and I stood up only when it
was time to take photos. The photographer asked Grandma, Uncle
Donald, Aunt Crystal, Joss, and Kirsten to stand beside the newlyweds
then asked me, my two sisters, and our parents to be on both ends.
After the pictorial, I saw some of our relatives and Aunt Elvie’s relatives
take photos with Joss and Kirsten. They said, “Wow!
What a handsome boy! Mestizo Igorot! What a beautiful girl! Mestiza
Igorota!”

Stories for Children 83

 Nobody took photos with me and my younger sisters.

From the chapel, all the guests went to our house for the
reception. Aunt Crystal and Uncle Donald joined the kanyaw in our
yard. They were with Daddy drinking tapey with many old men and old
women. Joss and Kirsten were in the living room playing with other
kids. My younger sisters and I helped Mama to give watwat to the
visitors who were leaving.

Grandma was not drinking but she joined the visitors. I saw her
pouring wine in Uncle Donald’s cup, but I did not see her do that to
other visitors. She told him, “I am originally from the Mountain
Province, the only province in the Philippines with an English name!”

I heard Grandma say that before to Pastor Roy, the American

pastor who sometimes visits us. He couldn’t attend the wedding
because he was in the U.S.

“You and the new president of the U.S. have the same name,”
Grandma said to Uncle Donald.

“Yes, but I did not vote for him!” Uncle Donald said.

“I did,” Aunt Crystal said then drank tapey.

I didn’t understand it.

Mama called me and Kenken. We went to the kitchen to cook

pinikpikan. Mama said the food may not be enough because more
visitors were arriving. In the kitchen, we could hear the noise from the
yard. I peeked through the window. Aunt Crystal and Uncle
Chamberlane were playing gongs. The visitors were laughing and
clapping and taking videos of Uncle Donald who was wearing wanes.
Daddy was teaching Uncle Donald an Igorot dance. Maybel came in the

8421st Century Philippine Literature Reader

kitchen with Grandma’s cellphone. “Mama, Grandma forgot her
Facebook password again. She was to go live.”

“My hands are oily,” Mama said. She was slicing chicken meat.
Kenken and I were peeling chayote.

“Grandma’s password? It’s Daddy’s name and birth year,” Kenken

said.
“Cornelio 1982.”

“All caps,” Mama added. “Tell her not to log out again.”

After Mama put all the chicken meat, ginger, and pepper in the
pot, Kenken was left in the kitchen to add the chayote once the meat
became tender. Mama and I went to the basement to fix the room
there. I asked Mama, “Uncle Donald’s family will sleep here?”

"No, your Uncle Chamberlane and Aunt Elvie will sleep here
tonight.”

“But we already fixed the guest room for them.”

“Your Uncle Donald and Aunt Crystal will sleep there tonight.
Chamberlane and Elvie will have their honeymoon here.”

“What’s honeymoon?”

Mama paused. “Honeymoon. That’s what you call the first night a
husband and a wife sleep together.”

I nodded. “Did you and Daddy also have your honeymoon here?
Here in the basement?”

Mama smiled. “No. We got married in the Mountain Province. You

know what? In the evening of our wedding, your Daddy and I did not

sleep at all. We took care of our guests until the next morning. Even
Stories for Children 85
strangers from other barangays came.” “Just like now?” Mama

laughed.

Later that night, Joss came to my room. "Hey, Kip, I forgot to bring
night clothes. Can you lend me some?"

"Yes." I just nodded and looked at him. Joss has big round blue
eyes; mine are slanted and black. His eyelashes are long and curved;
mine are hard to notice. He has a long, pointed nose; mine is small. His
skin is pinkish white with some brown dots; mine is brown, no dots. His
hair is blonde; mine is black. He looks like those kids in the American
movies that Grandma loves to watch. He was born in Texas, and I was
born here in Baguio in the same month. We are both 10 years old, but
he is a lot taller than me. He was saying something, but I wasn't paying
attention. I just nodded.

Joss suddenly ran away. I overheard him talking to his mother, "I
think Kip doesn't speak English. Go talk to him."

"Let's just borrow some clothes from your Uncle Cornelio,” Auntie
Crystal replied. “You have the same size, anyway."

The next morning, Mama woke me and my two younger sisters up

early. We cleaned the yard and washed big pots and mountains of
greasy plates and cups. We reheated the remaining pinikpikan. Joss
and Kirsten didn’t like pinikpikan, so Uncle Donald cooked eggs and
bacon for them.

“I told you,” Daddy said while we were eating breakfast. “See? A

hundred plus people came, maybe even 200. But only 50 were
invited!”

8621st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 "I hope all those 100 guests gave supon or any gift, at least.
Momma will do," Grandma joked. My parents, Aunt Crystal, Uncle
Chamberlane, and Aunt Elvie laughed. My sisters, my cousins, Uncle
Donald, and I didn’t get it. Grandma explained why they laughed.

After breakfast, Joss gave me a gift—the shoes he used when he

came here. They were beautiful but too big for me. He told me, “Maybe
after two years, you will be big enough to use these. Hide it first, and
don’t let anyone use it.”

“Thank you! I have a gift for you also.” I don’t know why I said
that.

“Really?”

“Yes, wait!” I looked for Mama to ask her what gift I can give to
Joss. I went to the kitchen. Daddy and Uncle Donald were there
chewing momma together while Grandma was taking a video. I went to
the yard. Kenken and Maybel were there fighting. I went there to stop
them. Kirsten gave them two Barbie dolls as gifts. One was white just
like Kirsten. The other one was brown just like my sisters.
My sisters were fighting over the white one. 🙜🙜

Guide Questions
1. Why was Kip no longer the ring bearer of the wedding?
(comprehension)
2. If you were in the reception and you knew everyone, where would
you rather be and why: in the kitchen with Kip’s mother, in the living
room with Joss and Kirsten or in the yard with the other visitors?
(reflection)
3. What should Kip tell his two younger sisters who are fighting over
one white Barbie doll? (synthesis)

Stories for Children 87

8821st Century Philippine Literature Reader
Stories for Children 89
 Ang Dalawa
Kong Lola
Sinulat ni Leah Dominno Manzano

9021st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Northern
Luzon ASASABI kong mapalad akong bata ‘pagkat dalawa
ang lola ko. Ang isa ay si Lola Magda, nanay siya ng
papa ko, at ang isa naman ay si Lola Luding, ang
nanay ng mama ko.

Maraming bagay ang pagkakatulad ng dalawang lola ko. Pareho

silang Naalala ko pa nu’ng nakaraang bertdey ko, puring-puri ng

magaling magluto.

mga klasmeyt ko
ang sarap ng mga pagkaing handa
ko.

Si Lola Magda ang nagluto ng pinaltaw (ginataan) na sinahugan

niya ng manamis-namis na saba. Kung ilang ulit na nagpabalik-balik sa
mesa sina Ipong, Mayet, at Tintin para pakargahan uli ang mga
pinggan nila. Ganu’n kasarap ang pinaltaw ng aking Lola Magda.

Di rin malilimutan ang puto at kutsinta na gawa ni Lola Luding.

Lalo na’t binudburan niya ito ng kinalos na niyog. Di ko mapigil ang
mapahagikhik habang pinagmamasdan sina Ada, Elmo, at Perla na
halos di makapagsalita sa dami ng putong nakasalpak sa kanilang mga
bunganga. At lalo pa silang natuwa nang sabihin ni Lola Luding na
ibabalot niya ang mga natira para maiuwi ng mga kasama kong bata,
para naman sa mga kapatid nila.

Kaya naman ang mga klasmeyt ko ay talagang tuwang-tuwa!

Pareho ring magaling manulsi ang dalawang lola ko. Kapag dumadalaw
sa bahay, sasabihin ni Lola
sila “Anita, apo, akin na yaong mga panyolito mo at buburdahan ko ng
Magda…
pangalan mo.”

Sasabihin naman ni Lola Luding…

Stories for Children 91

 “Anita, apo, dalhin mo na rine ang mga may tastas na T-shirt mo,
at susulsihan ko.”

Hanep talaga sa galing manulsi ang dalawang lola ko. Ang mga
dating Tshirts ko na may tastas ay mukhang hindi kailanman nasira
dahil sa galing manulsi ni Lola Luding.

Ang mga panyolito ko namang binurdahan ni Lola Magda ay

hinahangaan ng mga klasmeyt ko sa iskul.

“Ang ganda niyan, Anita… sana may ganyan din ako.”

“Hindi kailanman mawawala ang mga panyolito mo, Anita kasi

nakaburda ang pangalan mo.”

Lagi ko ring ibinibida sa iskul ang mga kuwento sa akin ng

dalawang lola ko.

“At pinugutan ng prinsipe ang serpiyente… hiyaaaahhhh! Tanggal

ang pitong ulo! At sa wakas, nailigtas ng prinsipe ang kaniyang
prinsesa.”

Palakpakan ang mga klasmeyt ko pagkatapos ng kuwento.

Tumunog ang bell, hudyat na tapos na ang rises at magsisimula na uli
ang klase. Nilapitan ako ni Ipong.

“Ang ganda ng kuwento mo, Anita. Bukas uli, ha?”

“Sige ba.” Nakangiting sagot ko.

Dahil din sa dalawang lola ko ay nakapaglalakbay ako pabalik sa

panahong mga bata pa sina papa at mama na gaya ko.

Nalaman ko kay Lola Magda na mabait at matalinong bata pala

noon ang papa ko. Namana ko daw sa kaniya ang pagiging bibo ko.

9221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 Nalaman ko naman kay Lola Luding na magalang na bata ang mama
ko.
Bukod pa doon ay maganda siya at palaayos sa sarili.

Sabi ni Lola Luding, nakuha ko daw ang mga katangiang iyon ni

mama. Sasabihin niya: “Kamukhang-kamukha mo ang mama mo
nu’ng nasa ganyang edad siya.”

Bilib na bilib din talaga ako sa dalawa kong lola. Matalas ang
kanilang memorya. Kahit paulit-ulit ko silang pagkuwentuhin, walang
bahagi ng kanilang kuwento ang nalalampasan. Sabi ni mama’t papa,
makinig daw ako lagi sa mga kuwento nila. Ang gustong-gusto raw kasi
ng mga matatanda ay may nakikinig sa mga kuwento at anumang
sinasabi nila.

Kaso, mula nang magkaroon ng TV sa bahay at naging paborito ko

ang larong piko eh, nawalan na ako ng panahon para sa dalawang lola
ko. Madalas na pag dumadalaw sila sa bahay ay wala ako dahil abala
ako sa paglalaro ng piko sa plasa kasama ng mga kaibigan ko. Habang
tumatagal ay di ko napapansing unti-unti na palang napapalayo ang
loob ko sa kanila.

Hanggang sa nagkaroon ng di pagkakaunawaan ang mga

magulang ko. Hindi sila nagkikibuan. Naalala ko ang sabi ni Titser Beth,
masama raw na nagaaway ang papa’t mama ng isang bata. Dapat daw
lagi silang nagmamahalan para manatiling masaya at buo ang
pamilya. Ayokong maging malungkot kami.

Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. Naalala ko sina lola. Umiiyak na

nagtatatakbo ako sa kanila. Pinatahan nila ako at sinabing matulog
muna ako at paggising ko ay maaayos din ang lahat.

Stories for Children 93

 Para akong nananaginip. Nakita ko sina Lola Magda at Lola Luding
na nagluluto ng espesyal na hapunan sa aming bahay. Magkatulong
silang nagluto ng iba’t ibang putahe… may adobong manok, sinigang
na bangus, may hinog na mangga na katakam-takam ang
pagkakahiwa’t pagkakahanda. Umuusok din ang mabango at bagong
lutong kanin.

Inutusan nila ako na mamitas ng mga tanim nilang rosas sa

bakuran. Ibinigay ko iyon kay Lola Luding. Inilagay niya ang mga rosas
sa isang magandang plorera at ipinagitna sa mesa. Hanep, parang may
bertdey. Ang ganda ng pagkakahanda ng mga pagkain sa mesa.

Panghuli ay naglagay sina lola ng dalawang magkatapat na upuan.

At binulungan akong tumahimik dahil sorpresa daw iyon para kina
mama’t papa.

Sabi ng dalawang lola ko, surprise date daw iyon, isang paraan
para magkabati sina mama’t papa.

Hanggang sa ilang saglit ay narinig na namin ang mga yabag

papasok sa bahay. Sina mama’t papa tiyak iyon! Dali-daling nagtago
ang dalawang lola ko sa silid ko habang hinayaan nila akong
salubungin ang dalawa.

Sinalubong ko sina mama’t papa. Halatang hindi pa rin sila

nagkikibuan. Nagkakatampuhan pa rin sila. Kanina ay kinabisado ko na
ang mga sasabihin ko sa kanila. At siyempre pa, turo ng dalawa kong
lola.

Kinuha ko ang mga kamay nilang dalawa bago nagsalita. “Mama,

papa, please po magkabati na kayong dalawa. Nalulungkot na po kasi
ako dahil hindi na tayo masaya gaya dati.” Humarap ako kay mama.

“Mama, hindi mo na po ba mahal si papa?”

9421st Century Philippine Literature Reader
 Bumaling naman ako kay papa. “Papa, hindi mo na po ba mahal si
mama?”

Mangiyak-ngiyak na tanong ko. Nagkatinginan sina mama’t papa.

Naramdaman ko na totoo na sa loob ko ang pag-iyak. Namalisbis ang
aking mga luha. Hindi ko maintindihan ang aking sarili pero
naramdaman ko ang totoong lungkot.

Magkapanabay na pinatahan ako nila mama’t papa. Saka lang nila

ako tuluyang napatahan nang mapansin kong magkahawak na pala
sila ng kamay. Natutuwang niyakap ko silang dalawa. Mula naman sa
silid ko ay nakita kong nakasilip sina Lola Luding at Lola Magda.
Kinindatan nila ako at saka tuwangtuwa na nag-apiran pa sila.

Mabuti na lang talaga at nariyan ang dalawang lola ko. Sila ang
mga tagapayo ko. Ipinapangako kong aalagaan at mamahalin ko sila
lagi.

At hindi na uli ako aalis kapag dadalaw sila sa amin. Lagi na uli
akong makikinig sa mga kuwento nila.

At tatandaan ko rin lagi ang mga bilin at pangaral nila. 🙜🙜

Mga Gabay na Tanong

1. Bakit naging malungkot ang bata sa kuwento?
2. Paano nakatulong ang kanyang mga lola?
3. Mayroon ka rin bang mga lola na maaaring matakbuhan kung ikaw
ay malungkot?

I Bunduk
Stories for Children 95
 Tudtud
(Si Bundok Tudtud)
Sinulat ni Julieta C. Mallari

9621st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Luzon

ETANG minunang panaun makakalat na

la king yatu ring bunduk a aliwa-liwa
dagul ampong maki sari-sariling
pamanugali. Ating malagu at magayut a
bunduk. Anti ya mong buntuk ning diyosang ating
makabang buak uli da ring makapal
a baging ding pun dutung king kayang gubat at ding kumpul- kumpul
at aliwaliwang kule sampaga ampong prutas ding mangalabung a
tanaman. Ating bunduk a maragul a maragul, balamu higanteng
dadagundung ustung kikidlat at duduldul. Atin namang bunduk a
kambal, katamtaman mu dagul a tahimik mung magumasid karing
malapad at malagintung asikan.

Ating metung a malating bunduk king Pilipinas a meyaus Bunduk

Tudtud uling pane yang mitutundu at matudtud. Agya mang asneng
kalati, ing gubat na pupugaran de ring miyayaliwang lelangang
maswelung mipamiyalung karin.

“Tweet, tweet, tweet,” ing pasyuk dang agnan-agnan ding ayup.

“Rih-rih-rih-rih-rih,” ngara naman ding kuliglig a balamu korong

lalung migpatundu king malating bunduk.

Ding aliwang animal maralas lang magsigla.

Oynk, oynk!

Kabug,kabug, kalabug!

Pulaying alang patugut ding mitatagalang babing dikut ampong

usa ban gisingan de ing bunduk. Masaya la ngan ustung makagising ya
uling pane yang magpatula.

”Gising na ka! Gising na ka! Matas ne ing aldo!

Stories for Children 97

 “Bunduk Tudtud! Paynuman mu na la ring tanaman a kawang
danum,” sasyo la ring aliwa-liwang klasing matsing ampong tugak.

Pungas-pungas ya pa ing bunduk. Uling mapali ne ing aldo,

mipapawas yang migising. Asnong kaburi ring tanamang mitutugtugan
king pawas na ustung kaleldo.

Nung ali ya mipapawas, ing gawan na labulan no ring biga ban

muran. At ding mangatas a pun papaspas la at teterak kabang
tutukyan da ing byung ning angin kayagnan ning masikan a uran.

Malugud ya karing atyu king karinan nang Bunduk Tudtud anya

pakasesen na la.

Miski ring dikut palabungan na la ban maging manyaman at

mamye sustansya karing mamangang aliwa-liwang animal at insektu.
Potang ding mangalating insektu dugpa la king dikut a mapusyo
pangaberdi, balamu bitones lang makakalat king babo ning malapad a
ulas. Malingapngap ya ing bunduk ustung agnan agnan lang mangan
ding insektu. Anti re mong gagamusan ban patudturan.

King kabitisan ning bunduk makatuknang la ring tribung Katutubu.

Mangalati, mangatuling ampong kulut la buak. Mangaliksi la at
mapagpatula.

Anti mo ring tanaman, karin na la migkauyat at mengabyayan. Balu

rang palpatundu ya ing bunduk at peburen da ya mu.

Ustung matudtud ya, ila naman tahimik lang managtal bunga da

ring tanamang karelang kakanan. Maburi la karing kapaya, saging,
abukadu, santul, kaimitu ampong sirigwelas. Kukulkulan da la mu
naman ding aliwa-liwang kamuti ampong ubi. Sagana ing karelang
pamangan. Abe-abe la ring tumpuktumpuk dang pamilya king aldo-
aldo rang gagawan.
9821st Century Philippine Literature Reader
 Mikalugud la ring bunduk at ding Katutubu. Masaya lang
miyabe-abe.

“Tara, terak at magkanta ta na. Gisingan ta ne.”

Masigla lang maggitara at pakyapusan da la king terak da ring

galo ring labuyu, matsing at aliwa-liwang animal a manuknangan king
bunduk. Asneng kaswelu ing bunduk manalbe karelang alang patugut
a pamagsaya.

“O, aku naman ing alben yu,” ngana ustung yang bisang
magpatula.

Labulan no ring biga a makatulid kaya. Balamu mo eskultor yang

magpalto aliwa-liwang porma karing maputing biga.

Ating korting sampaga, o kaya batwin, o kaya buntuk a ating kulut-

kulut a buak kalupa ring Katutubu. Gigigit la ustung awari rang
puporma no ning pamaglabul na ing tabas ning karelang buntuk at
katawang mangalati.

Masaya ya ing Bunduk Tudtud at ding manuknangan king kayang

gubat, Dapot misan a aldo, tinipa la ring mapilan a Katutubu king
kapatagan. Migbakal lang prutas ampong kamuti. Kakuldas ra,
asalubung do ring taung matulid a buak.

“Oy mangalating tao, nanu la reng dadala yung alang kwentang

kakanan a ren? Antalu. Ibye yu la kekami. Atin kaming sabyan kekayu.

” Binida ra ring tiga-kapatagan ing karelang pamangan a manyaman

Mekatakman na kayung de-lata, pindang ampong nasi?

“Ali pa,” agnan agnan lang mekibat ding Katutubu.

Stories for Children 99

 “Balu yung ing panangab mi bang manyaman ing lulutu mi awsan
mi
uling?”

“Oyni pala, takman ye ing sardinas. Agyang e ya lutu apangan ye,

Manyaman yang lalu ini ustung igisa yang sibuyas ampong kamatis,”

Tikman de pin. Agnan-agnan lang mipagulisak, “Kanyaman!”

Lalu lang meengganyu king anggang sasabyan da ring

makatuknang kapatagan.

“O sige turwanan da kayung gawang uling ampong pamananam

pale a maging nasi ban alutu yu.”

“Pamututan yo ring tanaman king bitis ning bunduk. Patagan ye.

Karin kayu gawang pitamnan yung pale.”

“Gawa kayung uling karing pun dutung a makatanam king bunduk.

Siguradung dakal kayu akwa.”

Tirwanan da la ring Katutubu nung makananu ing gawang uling.

“Keng kuldas kong pasibayu, dalan yu ing uling a gewa yu. Libayan
ming de-lata.”

“Masanting panangab ing uling ustung maglutu kami, lalu ustung

magderang asan ampong karni. At kalderu ampong kawali ing
kekaming gagamitan. Ali kwayan. Marayu kayu king sibilisasyun.”

Meniwala la ring Katutubu at agad lang mibalik bunduk.

Kabang matudtud ya ing bunduk, mabilis lang menabas pun

dutung king kabitisan na ban gawang sakulan o pitamnan dang pale.

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 “Umpisan tana ing pamangawang uling! Sige, deni pa mung pun
king gilid ning bunduk ding kekatamung pamututan.”

Putut keni, putut keta. Silab keni, silab keta.

Mekintal ya ing matudtud a bunduk king dapug a tumpuk tumpuk

makapadurut king kayang katalindikan.

“Aray, aray! Ahu, ahu!” Mengasanipan yang migising king kapal ning
asuk.

King kayang pamanggalo at pamanguku, apansin ding aliwang

Katutubu a kanita pa milyari ing pangasanipan na. Penintun da ing
sangkan. Anyang abalu ra ing gewa ring karelang katribu, bewalan do
reti.

”Nanu ing gagawan yu? E yu balung susugatan ye ing bunduk at

malyaring mipahamak tamu keng daraptan yo?” ngana ning
pekamatua karela.

“Bibye na ngan ing kailangan tamu, obat ali ko pa mekuntentu?”

“Ali yu kami pakialaman,” at belaus da pa king aliwang dake ning

bunduk ing pamamutut tanaman at pamanyilab. Uling malati ya ing
bunduk, sinaguli apandalas da ing mismung babawal da karela.

“Aray ku! Aray ku!,” gulisak ning bunduk.

Memakbung yang bigla, memanyuka, at ing linwal king asbuk na

bubukal a burak ampong makamateng asupri. Dinagus ini karing
lelangan a makatuknang kaya, pati na karing Katutubung e
mekiramdam king babawal karela. Mengamate la. Ding mitagan a
Katutubu megbakwit la at nung nuka-nukarin la miras.

Stories for Children 101

 Lalu yang melati ing bunduk anyang tinuknang yang mamakbung.
Melapnus ne ing kayang gubat inya pin ala nang mekatuknang kaya.
Meging tahimik ya ing sadyang masayang karinan da ring aliwa-liwang
lelangan.

Metudtud na ya mung manyaman a manyaman I Bunduk Tudtud.

🙜🙜

Patnubeng Kutang
1. Obat ing pamiyabe ra ring bunduk ampo ring makatuknang kaya
masaya?
2. Ilarawan ing pamibye-bye ra ring Katutubu a memye mu naman
saya king bunduk.
3. Nanu ing meging problema ra ring Katutubu? Nanu ing meging
resulta?
4. Nanu ing malyaring aral a abalu king kwentu?

Salin mula sa Kapampangan ni Julieta C. Mallari

10221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 OONG unang panahon, nakakalat sa buong
mundo ang mga bundok na iba’t iba ang laki at
pag-uugali. Mayroong maganda at maarteng
bundok. Katulad niya ay ulo ng diyosa na may
mahabang buhok dahil sa makapal na mga baging ng mga
punongkahoy sa kanyang gubat, sa mga kumpol-kumpol na mga
bulaklak na may iba’t ibang kulay at sa mga bunga ng iba’t ibang mga
mayayabong na halaman. Mayroong napakalaking bundok na tila
higanteng dumadagundong kapag may malakas na kidlat at kulog.
Mayroon ding kambal na bundok na katamtaman ang laki at tahimik
lamang na nagmamasid sa malawak at kulay gintong palayan.
May isang maliit na bundok sa Pilipinas na tinawag na Bundok
Tudtud (tulog) dahil palagi siyang inaantok at natutulog. Kahit siya ay
ubod ng liit, pinamumugaran siya ng iba’t ibang nilalang na masayang
naglalaro sa kanyang gubat.
“Tweet, tweet, tweet,” ang sabay-sabay na huni ng mga ibon.
“Rih-rih-rih-rih-rih,” naman ang mga kuliglig na tila umaawit na
koro at lalong nagpapaantok sa maliit na bundok.
Ang ibang mga hayop ay maiingay naman.
“Oynk, oynk!”
“Kabog, kabog, kalabog!”
Walang tigil sa katatakbo at paghahabulan ang mga baboy-damo
at mga usa para gisingin ang bundok. Masaya sila kapag gising siya
dahil palagi siyang nagpapatawa.
”Gising ka na! Gising ka na! Mataas na ang araw!”
“Bundok Tudtud, painumin mo na ang nauuhaw na mga
halaman,” sigaw ng mga iba’t ibang klase ng unggoy at palaka.
Pupungas-pungas pa ang bundok. Dahil mainit ang sikat ng araw,
siya ay pinapawisan sa kanyang paggising. Tuwang-tuwa ang mga
halaman na nadidiligan ng pawis niya kapag tag-araw.

Stories for Children 103

 Kung hindi siya pinapawisan, hinihipan niya ang mga ulap upang
umulan. At ang matataas na mga punongkahoy ay pumapagaspas at
sumasayaw habang sinusundan ang ihip ng hangin na kasabay ng
malakas na ulan.
Mahal ni Bundok Tudtud ang mga nakatira sa kanyang gubat at
inaalagaan niya ng mabuti.
Maging ang damo ay kanyang pinalalago para maging masarap
at masustansiya sa mga kumakaing iba’t ibang hayop at insekto.
Kapag ang mga maliliit na insekto ay dumarapo sa luntiang damo, tila
makukulay na butones sa malapad na kumot ang matatanaw. Nakikiliti
ang bundok kapag sabay-sabay na kumakain ang mga insekto. Para
siyang kinakamutan upang patulugin.
Sa paanan ng bundok nakatira ang tribong Katutubo. Sila ay
maliliit, maiitim at kulot ang buhok. Maliliksi rin sila at mapagpatawa.
Tulad ng mga halaman, doon na rin sila nagkaugat at kumukuha ng
kanilang kabuhayan. Alam nilang antukin ang bundok at siya ay
hinahayaan lamang.
Kapag tulog siya, sila naman ay tahimik na pumipitas ng mga
kinakain nilang bunga ng mga iba’t ibang puno. Gustong-gusto nila ang
mga papaya, saging, abokado, santol, kaymito, at sinigwelas.
Hinuhukay rin nila ang sarisaring kamote at ube. Sagana ang kanilang
pagkain. Sama-sama ang mga tumpoktumpok nilang pamilya sa
gawain nila araw-araw.
Nagmamahalan ang bundok at mga Katutubo. Masaya ang
kanilang samahan.
“Halina, tayo ay sumayaw at umawit. Gisingin na natin siya.”
Masigla silang naggigitara habang ginagaya sa kanilang sayaw
ang galaw ng mga labuyo, unggoy, at iba’t ibang hayop na nakatira sa
bundok. Malugod na nanonood ang bundok sa kanilang walang tigil na
pagsasaya.

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 “O, ako naman ang panoorin ninyo,” wika niya kapag gusto
niyang magpatawa.
Hihipan niya ang mga ulap na nasa tapat niya at tila eskultor na
nagpapalitaw ng iba’t ibang porma ng mapuputing ulap.
Merong hugis bulaklak, o kaya bituin, o kaya ulo na may kulot-
kulot na buhok tulad ng mga Katutubo. Tawa sila nang tawa kapag
nawari nilang ang nahuhugis sa kanyang pag-ihip ay ang kanilang ulo
at katawang maliliit.
Palaging masaya si Bundok Tudtud at lahat ng nakatira sa
kanyang gubat. Subalit isang araw, bumaba ang ilang Katutubo sa
kapatagan. Nagbaon sila ng mga prutas at kamote. Pagkababa,
nasalubong nila ang mga taong may unat na buhok.
“Hoy mga pandak, ano ’yang dala-dala ninyong walang
kuwentang pagkain na ’yan? Amin na nga. Ibigay ninyo sa amin. Meron
kaming sasabihin sa inyo.”
Binida ng mga taga-kapatagan ang kanilang masasarap na
pagkain.
“Nakatikim na ba kayo ng de-lata, tosino, at kanin?”
“Hindi pa,” sabay-sabay na sagot ng mga Katutubo.
“Alam n’yo ba na ang panggatong namin sa aming masasarap
na luto ay tinatawag naming uling?”
“Eto pala, tikman ninyo ang sardinas. Makakain ninyo kahit di pa
luto. Mas masarap ito kapag igigisa sa sibuyas at kamatis.”
Tinikman nga nila ito. Sabay-sabay na napasigaw, “Ang sarap
nga!”
Lalo silang naengganyo sa lahat ng sinasabi ng mga taga-
kapatagan.
“O sige, tuturuan namin kayong gumawa ng uling at magtanim
ng palay na ginagawang kanin para maluto ninyo.”
“Putulin ninyo ang mga halaman sa paanan ng bundok. Dapat
patag ito. Doon kayo gagawa ng tatamnan ninyo ng palay.”

Stories for Children 105

 “Gagawa kayo ng uling mula sa mga punong nasa bundok.
Siguradong marami kayong makukuha.”
Tinuruan nila ang mga Katutubo kung paano gumawa ng uling.
“Sa muli ninyong pagbaba, dalhin n’yo ang uling na inyong
ginawa. Papalitan namin ng de-lata.”
“Magandang panggatong ang uling sa aming pagluto, lalo sa pag-
ihaw ng isda at karne. Kaldero at kawali ang gamit namin. Hindi
kawayan. Malayo kayo sa sibilisasyon.”
Napaniwala ang mga Katutubo na agad nagbalik sa bundok.
Habang tulog ang bundok, mabilis nilang pinutol ang mga
punongkahoy sa paanan niya upang gumawa ng lugal na tatamnan
nila ng palay.
“Simulan na natin ang paggawa ng uling! Sige, ito munang mga
puno sa gilid ng bundok ang ating putulin.”
Putol dito, putol doon. Sunog dito, sunog doon.
Simulang napaso ang tulog na bundok sa tumpok-tumpok na siga
na nakapalibot sa kanyang tagiliran.
“Aray, aray! Ahu, ahu!” Nasamid at inubo siyang nagising sa kapal ng
usok.
Sa kanyang paggalaw at pag-ubo, napansin ng ibang Katutubo na
noon lang nangyari ang pagkasamid nito. Hinanap nila ang dahilan. At
nang malaman nila ang ginawa ng kanilang mga katribo, pinagbawalan
ang mga ito.
”Ano ang ginagawa ninyo? Di n’yo ba alam na sinusugatan ninyo
ang bundok at maaaring mapahamak tayo sa gawain ninyo?” wika ng
pinakamatanda sa kanila.
“Binibigay niya lahat ang ating mga kailangan, bakit di pa kayo
makontento?”
“Huwag ninyo kaming pakialaman,” at itinuloy pa nila sa ibang
bahagi ng bundok ang pagputol ng mga puno at pagsunog. Dahil maliit

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lang ang bundok, madali nilang nagawa ang mismong ipinagbabawal
sa kanila.
“Aray ku! Aray ku!” sigaw ng bundok.
Bigla itong pumutok, nagsuka, at ang lumabas sa kanyang
bunganga ay kumukulong putik at nakamamatay na asupre. Dumaloy
ito sa mga nilalang na nakatira sa kanya, pati na sa mga Katutubong
hindi nakinig sa pagbawal sa kanila at sila ay nangamatay. Ang mga
natirang Katutubo ay nagbakwit at kung saansaan napunta.
Lalong lumiit ang bundok nang huminto ang kanyang pagputok.
Nalapnos na ang kanyang gubat kaya wala nang tumira roon. Naging
tahimik ang dating masayang tirahan ng maraming mga nilalang.
Natulog na lang nang mahimbing na mahimbing si Bundok
Tudtud. 🙜🙜

Stories for Children 107

 Ding Mipagsisting
Gumamela
Central (Ang Nagpipintasang
Luzon Gumamela)
Sinulat ni Julieta C. Mallari
BAK pang maranun mipamusit na la ring
adwang gumamelang makatanam king
mula a malapit bunduk ning Arayat.

“Asna kang kaputla, balamu mamamate na ka,” ngana ning

malutung gumamela.

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 “O ika, asna kang kalutu, balamu daya kang makatakut lawen,”
ngana naman ning maputing gumamela.

Mekibat ya ing malutung gumamela:

Malutu kung malutu,

Mapusyo ing kule ku

Balamu labi naku

Dalagang asnang lagu.

Ali ya peysambut ing maputing gumamela:

Maputi kung maputi

Anya dakal makiburi

Aku pin ing kawangki

Ning malinis a puri. “Aro, ing

alang kule, makananu ra kang

buring lawen? Balamu multu

ka!”

“O ika, agyang ditak alang magkainteres keka. Kabud na ka

malutu. Balamu mibulusnan kang pintura.”

Ala lang patugut mipagsisti ding adwang gumamela.

Stories for Children 109

 Kanita dimdam na la ning Diwata ring Sampaga a tinipa ibat king
bunduk ning Arayat ban makagawang mayap karing makapatulug a
lelangan. Banayad yang linapit karing gumamela.

“Nanung pisasabyan yu? O bakit alang bisang paysambut

kekayu?” kutang ning Diwata.

“Ya pu kasi!” agnan lang mekibat ding adwang sampaga.

“Ika ne?” pagulisak lang miagnan pasibayu.

Tikpan no ning Diwata ring balugbug na karing gamat na.

“Aru, kagulu yo.”

“O sige, patugut kong mipapate. Dapat masanting ko pamiyabe

uling parehu kayung sampagang mangalagu. Ing kule yu pinili no ning
Miglalang ban ating pamialiwa. Nung metung kayu kule, sumawa la
ring manakit.”

Lepitan no ning Diwata ring tangke da ring gumamela a ating

sampaga. Minagtal yang metung a maputi ampong metung a malutu.
Kabang tatalnan no ring adwang sampaga, inisip na nung nanung
masanting gawan.

“Balu ku na,” ngana, “piyabayan ku la ring sampaga yu.

Siguradung masanting ya ing kule ring kumbinasyun ning malutu at
maputi.”

Dinuku ya at tenam no ring adwang sampaga. Kaybat bagya-

bagya nong lebulan. Kinislap la ring mangalating batwin king labul ning
Diwata. Kanita mu rin metung yang tanamang gumamela ing tinubu at
menyampaga. Rosas ya ing kule ning sampaga ning bayung tinubung

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gumamela. Pedurutan de ring marakal a sula-sulapo at maniglong
mariposa.

“Ay kalagu na!” agnan lang ginulisak ding maputi ampong

malutung gumamela.

“Lawen yu,” ngana ning Diwata. “Ustung ating mayap a pamiyabe,

malagu ya ing maging bunga.

Manibat kanita ali no mitultulan ding adwang gumamela. Kayabe

ra ne ing gumamelang miki sampagang kule rosas. Pane lang
mamoesya:

Gumamela, gumamela,

Nanu mang kule sampaga

Mangalagu at masaya

Kayabe no ning Diwata. 🙜🙜

Patnubeng Kutang
1. Nanu ing pipagsistyan da ring gumamelang malutu ampong
maputi?
2. Nanu ing migpatuknang karela?
3. Nanu ing aral a pepasyag ning Diwata karela? Makananu yang ilapat
ini king tune bye?

Salin mula sa Kapampangan ni Julieta C. Mallari

Stories for Children 111

 AAGA pa lamang ay nag-aasaran
na ang dalawang gumamelang
puti at pula na nakatanim sa
bakurang malapit sa bundok ng Arayat.

“Sobrang putla mo, parang mamamatay ka na,” wika ng pulang

gumamela.

“E ikaw, sobrang pula mo, para kang dugo na nakakatakot

tingnan,” wika naman ng puting gumamela.

Sumagot ang pulang gumamela:

Pulang-pula nga ako

Mapusyaw ang kulay ko

Tila labing mapula

Ng magandang dalaga.

Hindi nagpatalo ang puting gumamela:

Puting-puti nga ako

Marami ang may gusto

Ako ay winawangis

Sa puri na malinis. “Aro,

ang walang kakulay-kulay,

bakit ka gugustuhing

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 tingnan? Para ka ngang

multo!”

“E ikaw, kahit konti walang magkakainteres sa iyo. Basta ka lang

mapula.
Para kang nabuhusan ng pintura.”

Walang tigil sa pamimintas sa isa’t isa ang dalawang gumamela.

Narinig sila ng Diwata ng mga bulaklak na bumaba mula sa

bundok ng Arayat upang gumawa ng mabuti sa mga nakapaligid na
mga nilalang. Dahandahan niyang nilapitan ang mga gumamela.

“Ano ba ang pinag-uusapan ninyo? Bakit walang nais magpatalo sa

inyo?” tanong ng Diwata.

“Siya po kasi!” sabay na sumagot ang dalawang bulaklak.

“Ikaw sana,” pasigaw na sabay uli sila.

Tinakpan ng Diwata sa kanyang mga kamay ang kanyang tenga.

“Aru, ang gulo n’yo.”

“O sige, tumigil kayo sa pag-aaway. Dapat mahusay ang inyong

samahan dahil pareho kayong magandang bulaklak. Ang kulay ninyo
ay pinili ng Manlilikha upang may pagkakaiba kayo. Kung iisa ang
inyong kulay, magsasawa ang mga makakakita sa inyo.”

Nilapitan ng Diwata ang tangkay ng mga gumamela na may

bulaklak. Pumitas siya ng isang puti at isang pula. Habang hawak niya
ang dalawang bulaklak, nag-isip siya kung ano ang magandang gawin.

Stories for Children 113

 “Alam ko na,” sabi niya, “pagsasamahin ko ang inyong bulaklak.
Siguradong maganda ang kulay ng pinagsamang pula at puti.”

Yumuko siya at itinanim ang dalawang bulaklak. Pagkatapos ay

dahandahan niyang hinipan. Kumislap ang maliliit na bituin sa ihip ng
Diwata. Noon din ay isang halamang gumamela ang tumubo at
namulaklak. Rosas ang kulay ng bulaklak ng bagong tubong
gumamela. Inikutan siya ng maraming lumilipad at tuwang-tuwang
mga paruparo.

“Ay kay ganda niya!” sabay na sigaw ng puti at pulang gumamela.

“Tingnan ninyo,” sabi ng Diwata. “Kapag mabuti ang samahan,

maganda ang nagiging bunga.”

Mula noon hindi na nag-asaran ang dalawang gumamela. Kasama

na nila ang gumamelang may kulay rosas na bulaklak. Palagi silang
tumutula:

Gumamela, gumamela,

Kahit anong kulay ka

Maganda at masaya

Kasama ng Diwata. 🙜🙜

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 Stories for Children 105

Ing
Maputing
Itu
(Ang Puting Hito
)
Sinulat ni Julieta C. Mallari
 AWE-KAWE la ring itu king sapa. Ating
mangalati, ating mangaragul. Matuling la
ngan. Ing kikintab at matalusad dang
katawan misasamut la king kislap ning danum kabang
agnanagnan lang magpati-agus king palalam a
pupuntalan ning sapa.

Metung yang makayaliwang itu ing kakawe marayu karing kayabe

nang asan. Maputi ya ing itu. Anti ya mong mepaliling lelangan king
karinan ding matuling a itu. Ustung ating lumapit kaya ban makiagnan
kawe, tatabi ne. Ing agad ng sabyan,

“E ka lalapit kanaku, pota miyawa ku king tuling mu.”

Ding mangatuling a itung manakit kaya, marirya la uling maputi

ya, Kikislap ya ing katawan na ustung mituturan ya king aldo. Ustung
kakawe neman, balamu sirena yang malati a makayamang lalawen.
Mangapamulala la ngan kaya ring aliwang itu anya pin inisip na iya pin
ing reyna ra at dapat mamintu la kaya.

Buri na ning maputing itu pagsilbyan de ring aliwang itu. Utusan

na lang dinan deng lumut ustung bisa yang mangan.At ustung kakawe
neman, dapat panalben de nung makananu ya kalagu ampong
kalambut magkawag-kawag antimong teterak king danum.

Misan lepitan ne ning metung a matuling a itu.

“Makananu kung puting kalupa mu ban pagmulalan da ku

naman?” Sinagakgak ya ing maputing itu.

“Agyang kaskas me paningapun ing katawan mu king batu, ali ka

puting kalupa ku. Aku kabud ing maputi kekayu anya pin dapat suyuan

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yu ku. Mayap pa linisan me karing balbas mu ing kanakung iki. Nung
ali, lakwan da kayu at ala na kayung maputing itu”

Memintu na yamu ing matuling a itu uling balu na mas igit ya kaya
ing maputing itu. Dapat neng panusigan king buri na.

“Kaylangan ku ing mamantabe kanaku,” ngana ning maputing itu.

“Sige, buri ra kang kayabe. Sana mirinan ku king puti mu,” pakibat
ning matuling a itu.

Manibat kanita meging kayantabe ne ning maputing itu ing

matuling a itu. Balamu ipus neng alang patugut piutus-utus.

Misan mipalabas ya king sapa ing metung a Ayta. Dadalan ne ing

bisti ng pandakap asan. Anyang dinulung ne king sapa, apansinan na
la ring adwang itung miyayabe.

“Aba, adwa lang tambing deni. Aru, atin pa lang maputing itu.
Manyaman ya siguru ini,” ngana king sarili na.

Asneng katula at selukban na lang agad ring adwang itu king kayang
bisti.
Mabilis yang minuli uling maranup ne.

Karas na king bale ra, binili no ning Ayta king palanggana ring
adwang itu. Migdapug yang tambing. Kaybat, linawe na lang pasibayu
ring adwang itung kawe-kawe king palanggana.

“Agyang palang kareng asan ating makaaliwa kule. Siguru kalupa

re ring king kapatagan ining maputing itung ini a isip na mas igit ya
karing matuling a itu. Lawen ta ngeni nung ing puti mu mandatun
kaybat da kang ningnang.” Kinangwa yang akbak a matilus at tinungi

Stories for Children 117

ne ing maglipasag a maputing itu. Ningnang neng agad. Ditak ditak
maduduluk ya ing maputing itung makabili king dapug,

Ala yang akarapat ing matuling a itu king palanggana nune

panalben ing gagawan ning Ayta.

Anyang menangnang ne ing maputing itu, meging matuling ya

naman ini. Kanita ikit ning itung matuling a kalupa na na yamu kule ing
paniglon nang
maputing itu. 🙜🙜

Patnubeng Kutang
1. Nanu ing meging paglalawe ra ring matuling a itu king maputing
itu? Bakit?
2. Uling mesubi ya ugali ing maputing itu, nanu ing meging bunga na
niti?
3. King katatawliyan, makananu ya migising a isip ing matuling a itung
meging ipus ning maputing itu?
4. Nanu ing aral a makapalub king kwentu?

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 Salin mula sa Kapampangan ni Julieta C. Mallari

UMALANGOY ang maraming hito sa sapa.

May maliliit, may malalaki. Itim lahat sila.
Ang makintab at madulas nilang katawan ay
humahalo sa kislap ng tubig habang sabay-sabay silang
nagpapaagos sa malalim na bahagi ng sapa.

Isang kakaibang hito ang lumalangoy na malayo sa kapwa niya

mga isda. Puti ang hito. Para siyang napaligaw na nilalang sa tirahan
ng mga maiitim na hito. Kapag may lumalapit sa kaniya upang
sumabay sa paglangoy, itinataboy niya. Ang agad niyang sinasabi,

“Huwag kang lumapit sa akin, baka mahawa ako sa kulay mo.”

Ang mga maiitim na hitong nakakakita sa kaniya ay inggit na

inggit sa kaniyang pagiging maputi, Kumikislap ang kaniyang katawan
kapag nasisinagan ng araw. Kapag naman siya ay lumalangoy, tila
maliit siyang sirena na nakakaaliw tingnan.

Namamangha ang lahat ng hito sa kaniya kaya sa isip niya ay siya

ang kanilang reyna, at lahat sila ay dapat sumunod sa kaniyang utos.

Nais ng puting hito na paglingkuran siya ng ibang hito. Inuutusan

silang bigyan siya ng lumot kapag gusto niyang kumain. At kapag
naman lumalangoy siya, dapat nanonood sila kung gaano siya kaganda
at kalambot ang kumakawagkawag niyang katawan na tila sumasayaw
sa tubig.

Stories for Children 119

 Minsan nilapitan siya ng isang itim na hito .

“Paano ako magiging puting katulad mo para hangaan din ako?”

Humagalpak sa tawa ang puting hito.

“Kahit maghapon mo pang ikuskos ang katawan mo sa bato, hindi

ka puputing katulad ko. Ako lang ang nag-iisang maputi sa inyo kaya
dapat paglingkuran mo ako. Mabuti pa linisin mo ng iyong balbas ang
aking buntot. Kung hindi, iiwan ko kayo para wala na kayong maputing
hito.”

Sumunod na lang ang itim na hito dahil alam niyang nahihigitan

siya ng maputing hito. Dapat palagi siyang pagbibigyan.

“Dapat may umaantabay sa akin,” wika ng puting hito.

“Sige, gusto kitang kasama. Sana mabigyan ako ng kaputian mo,”

sagot ng itim na hito.

Mula noon naging kasa-kasama na ng puting hito ang itim na hito.

Para siyang alila niya na walang tigil kung utusan.

Minsan napadaan sa sapa ang isang Ayta. Dala niya ang bisti na
panghuli ng isda. Nang lumusong na siya sa sapa, napansin niya ang
magkasamang dalawang hito.

“Aba, dalawa agad ang mga ito. Aru, meron palang puting hito.
Masarap
siguro ito.”

Tuwang-tuwa siyang sinukluban agad ang dalawang hito sa

kaniyang bisti.
Mabilis na umuwi dahil gutom na siya.

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 Pagdating sa bahay, inilagay ng Ayta sa palanggana ang dalawang
hito. Agad siyang gumawa ng siga. Pagkatapos, tiningnang muli ang
dalawang hito na palangoy-langoy sa palanggana.

“Kahit pala sa mga isda may kakaibang kulay. Siguro kamukha ng

mga nasa kapatagan itong puting hito na isip n’ya mas higit s’ya sa
maiitim na mga hito. Tingnan natin ngayon kung mananatili ang puti
mo pagkatapos kitang ihawin.”

Kumuha siya ng matulis na patpat at tinuhog ang pumapalag na

puting hito. Agad niya itong inihaw. Unti-unting nasunog ang puting
hito habang nakalagay sa siga.

Walang magawa ang itim na hito na nasa palanggana kundi

panoorin ang ginagawa ng Ayta.

Matapos maihaw ang puting hito, naging maitim din ito. Nakita ng itim
na
hito na katulad na lang ng kulay niya ang hinahangaan niyang puting
hito. 🙜🙜

Stories for Children 121

Stories for Children 113
 How
Lakan
Cried
for His
Father
Written by Cheeno Marlo Sayuno

Stories for Children 123

Southern
Luzon

AKE UP! Wake up!” his older brother says as he

forcefully shakes Lakan’s shoulders, “Tatay is
dead.”
“
As Lakan opens his eyes, he sees everyone
moving around with noticeable haste.

He is surprised that his Nanay is putting clothes into bags without

carefully rolling each garment, the way she taught him how to pack
during camping.

He is surprised that Kuya Magiting and Ate Mayari are changing

into their clothes from last Christmas even without taking a bath. This
should have enraged Lola Viniang, but she is busy arranging their
packed food and even the thermos filled with brewed coffee into a
picnic basket.

But what surprised him the most is what his brother told him. Tatay is
dead.
As far as he knows, they do not have a father.

“Come on, Lakan,” Nanay calls, “Hurry! We’re going to Cavite.”

“But why, Nanay?” Lakan asks as he drags himself up, “Kuya said
that Tatay is dead, but we don’t have a Tatay, right?”

Nanay stops and approaches the little boy, “I understand your

confusion, but we have to go now. I’ll explain later, OK?”

Lakan notices the tears that are starting to form in his mother’s
eyes. So, he nods and changes clothes quickly.

As the expressway welcomes them with ease in their early-

morning travel to Cavite, the smog of the city evident in the clear skies
12421st Century Philippine Literature Reader
from where they came from, Lakan shifts uncomfortably amid the
silence inside their owner-type jeep. The roaring engines of the big
trucks travelling beside them become Lakan’s only companion. The
hum lulls him into deep thought about the father that he is supposed
to have.

I don’t have a father, he thought, remembering how his mother

said the same three years ago.

“NANAY, NANAY!” Four-year-old Lakan came running up the stairs,

“Can you also make me a playhouse like Cheska’s?”

Nanay was busy hanging clothes at the rooftop of their apartment

building, while Magiting, who was fixing his bicycle, answered, “It’s
going to be hard, but we can try.”

“Maybe if we have a father, he can make one,” Lakan said.

“YOU DON’T HAVE A FATHER, OK?” Nanay shouted, choking as she

tried not to cry, “He left us already. He went overseas. For good.”

It was silent after that. Lakan hugged his mother, to which

Magiting followed. Nanay embraced her sons in return, tighter even.
Then, Magiting touched Lakan’s face with his greasy hand.

“EWWW! KUYA!” Lakan exclaimed, “’Nay oh!”

And Lakan ran after Magiting, who has already gone to hide inside the
house.

Nanay’s tears turned into laughter.

A week after, Lakan was surprised with a wooden playhouse. In the

dining area of that little home, he placed an old Darna figurine, which

Stories for Children 125

was a toy from a fastfood chain, on the head of the tiny table. She was
the head of his toy family.

“IS THIS LAKAN already?”

“The last time I saw him, he was just a very small baby!”

“Too bad he wasn’t able to see his father.”

During the wake, Lakan is greeted by the Titos and Titas and Lolos
and Lolas whom he didn’t even know. Lakan would notice Nanay
sobbing whenever someone would talk to her, but she would always
try to hide it. Even Magiting and Mayari are teary-eyed.

Lakan starts to worry. He wonders why he isn’t sad. He wonders

why he doesn’t feel like he would cry.

Should I cry, too? Lakan thought, maybe I should.

Lakan starts sobbing and scratching his eyes, so his Nanay holds
her youngest son close to her. But he is just pretending.

Maybe, I should cry.

But how will he cry for his father?

LAKAN RUNS TO the kitchen the next morning. This time, I will cry,
he told himself.

The women in the kitchen are preparing breakfast for the visitors.
Big pots are already placed on the coal stove, and the smell of garlic
and raw meat wafts in the air. Lakan remembers something because of
this.

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 “Good morning, iho!” One of the women greets him. The little boy
cannot remember who she is, “Hungry already?”

“Not yet po,” he says, “What are you cooking po?”

“Dinuguan,” another old lady responds, “Do you eat Dinuguan?”

“Ay, opo! My favorite.” Lakan answers as he walks closer to his

target. One of them, apparently, is chopping onions.

“Oh, don’t come too close,” the woman warns him, “this hurts
the eye.”

“It’s OK,” he says as he tries to draw his face a little closer to the
chopping board. It stings, but he tries to endure a little longer.

As soon as he feels that tears are about to fall, he runs to the

coffin, jostling through the busy people preparing meals and the
visitors who stayed the whole night. He can smell the flowers and the
candles that have become the coffin’s company.

“Don’t cry, Lakan,” another Tita says from behind, comforting the little
boy.

EVEN IF LAKAN’S tears fell that morning, he thinks that he did not
actually cry. So, he goes to the kitchen again that evening to look for a
way for him to finally cry. He can already smell Binut-ohan for dinner,
and the big pot of rice with pandan seems to already be cooking. No
one is chopping onions anymore, so he looks for another way.

The smoke from the stove starts to fill in the kitchen, and Lakan
feels a familiar pain in his eyes. It’s similar to the pain of the onions! It
stings, but he endures a little longer. As soon as he feels that tears are
about to fall, he runs back to the coffin.

Stories for Children 127

 “Oh, little Lakan,” someone tries to comfort him as his tears fall. It
is one of his Titos, but he doesn’t know him really.

THE NEXT DAY, Lakan decides that the tears are not enough
because he doesn’t feel like he is actually crying. At the same time, it’s
too painful.

Lakan rushes to the kitchen. He patiently waits for one of his Titas
who is washing some vegetables at the sink. As soon as she’s done,
Lakan starts washing his hands, but he doesn’t dry his hands. He
rushes back to the living room, but before he enters, he damps his
eyes with his wet hands.

“Oh, is this your youngest child?” greets one of the relatives. “He’s
so big now.” The lady reaches for a hug and whispers, “Be strong, little
boy.”

The others look at Lakan with sympathy. They might have noticed
the tears in his eyes.

LAKAN FINALLY REALIZES that his acts are useless because there
are all tears but no crying. Seeing how his Nanay always tries not to
cry but ends up releasing sobs that resonate her pain, this time, he
really wants to cry.

On the morning of the burial day, Lakan wakes up early to the

smell of brewed coffee, the product of the town of Amadeo. Instead of
going to the kitchen, he searches the bedrooms for a television. When
he finds one, he searches for channels that he could watch, and he
comes across a drama show. He thinks that, maybe, if he sees
something sad, it can make him cry.

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 However, he has already finished the show and he still doesn’t feel
like crying. He sees children begging for food on the streets, a woman
and her mother patching things together, a family who has lost a
father, just like them, but still, his tears won’t shed.

THE CEMETERY IS full of people, most of them wearing dark

colored shirts. As Lakan tries to straighten his white polo from his
Kindergarten moving-up ceremonies last month, the priest blesses the
coffin, ready to be buried, with holy water. Lakan hears a symphony of
sobs and wails.

They are given one last time to see the body inside the coffin. A
Tito carries Lakan so that he can see his father. The dead man’s face,
unfamiliar to the boy, is stretched, a layer of face powder evident. The
chest seems to be breathing in and out inside the glass and the lips
seem to smile, but maybe, Lakan is only imagining it.

Lakan tries to bring forth his tears. But he still cannot. He finds it
hard to cry for someone whom he never met, someone whom he
doesn’t really know. He knows very well that it was his Tatay, his own
father, but he doesn’t know him.

The cries of his Lolos and Lolas, Titos and Titas, and the relatives
whose faces he has only seen now join the creak of the lever used to
lower the coffin into the pit where it will stay forever. In the sea of
criers and sympathizers, Lakan hears his mother and siblings. They are
crying louder this time. Nanay no longer tries to hide her tears. Lakan
realizes how much his mother was hurt by what happened.

He wants to ask her why she feels that way, since Tatay left them.
She should be mad instead, because Lakan thinks that this is what one
should feel to those who leave. As for him, he doesn’t feel anything. He
Stories for Children 129
isn’t mad, but he doesn’t feel anything. He wants to ask Nanay why
she feels so sad and why he doesn’t feel anything at all.

Lakan reaches for his weeping mother and hugs her tight. The
sun’s rays glow from afar, sending a glint of light to Nanay’s tears. He
thinks that Tatay must be really close to them even for a short while.

He realizes that this man, his father, a man he never knew, is

somehow special to the people close to him. For the first time, he feels
sad that the man is gone. He will never get to know the man who is his
father.

“I’m sorry, Nanay,” Lakan whispers to his mother after the burial.

“Why, iho?” Nanay asks, kneeling down to her little boy.

“I really tried to cry, but I can’t,” Lakan says.

“Oh, bunso!” Nanay replies, holding Lakan’s little hands. “It’s all
right if you cannot cry. You don’t have to be sorry. I am sorry because
you were not able to meet your Tatay. But know that he was a good
man.”

Nanay hugs Lakan, and Magiting and Mayari join them. As the
embrace tightens, tears start falling from Lakan’s eyes.

“Nanay, we should visit Cavite more often,” Lakan says, “so that
we will get to know Tatay’s family.”

“We will, Lakan,” Nanay tells him. “We will.” 🙜🙜

Guide Questions
1. How old is Lakan, and is it true that he's not yet capable of grieving?
2. What does it mean by Lakan having "all tears but no crying"?

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3. Why did Lakan shed real tears eventually for his dead father?

Stories for Children 131

 Stories for Children 123

13221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Ang Musang
ina Uye at Sinulat ni Liwliwa Malabed Mai
13421st Century Philippine Literature Reader
Southern
Luzon

AHAN-DAHANG gumapang si Uye sa lupa

at tumabi sa kaibigang si Mai. Marahang-
marahang hinawi ni Mai ang mga damong
nagkukubli sa kanila. Palubog na ang araw
pero
naaaninag pa nila ang mga hugis sa gubat. Hinihintay nilang may
mahuling abukay ang kanilang patibong.

Mayamaya pa ay may narinig silang kaluskos. Isang musang ang

nagpupumiglas at nagpupumilit makaalpas sa kawayang kulungan.
Lumapit sila dito. Tumigil ito sa pagngangatngat ng kulungan at
nagmistula itong batong may mga mata.

“Ano kaya ang magandang pangalan?”

“Bakit? Aalagaan mo ba siya? Papayag ba ang iyong Tatang?”

“Hindi ko siya puwedeng iuwi. Ayoko siyang iuwi. Lulutuin siya ni

Ima.”

Binuksan ni Uye ang patibong. Nanatiling parang bato ang abukay.

Hinila niya si Mai papalayo, sa likod ng puno ng mabolo.

“Papagalitan ako ni Tatang.”

“Wala naman tayong nahuling musang kaya kukuha nalang tayo

ng kamote at gulay sa bakuran namin.”

Ngumiti si Mai. Pagsilip nila muli sa patibong, wala na ang musang.

 Stories for Children 125

Mula noon, tuwing palubog ang araw, pumupunta sina Mai at Uye
sa punong mabolo upang mag-iwan ng prutas para sa musang. Minsan,
dumarating ito. Minsan, hindi. Pero kapag mangga, aratiles at tsiko ang
dala nila, mayamaya pa ay may kaluskos na silang maririnig.

Mahigit isang linggo na mula noong huling nagpakita ang kanilang

kaibigang musang. Kahit pa paborito nito ang bitbit nilang pagkain.
Nag-aalala na si Uye. Naghuhugas siya ng mga prutas sa sapa nang
dumating si Mai.

“Baka may sakit. Parang si Bibo...”

“Baka may nakahuli na sa kaniya...”

“Baka naroon na at hinihintay tayo!”

“Unahan!”

Tumakbo nang mabilis sina Mai at Uye. Naging ilog silang

rumaragasa, naging bagyo, naging kidlat. Pero nang matanaw na ang
punong mabolo ay bigla silang naging paruparo, naging hangin
amihan, naging sinag ng araw.

Naroon nga ang kaibigan nilang musang! Pero hindi na ito

tumakbo at nagtago noong papalapit sila. Hindi na ito gumagalaw.

Parang nalantang gulay sina Uye at Mai. Tahimik nilang ibinaon sa

lupa ang musang. Pagkatapos, umawit si Mai ng isang ingalu para sa
kanilang munting kaibigan.

Kinabukasan, muli silang bumalik sa gubat. Binisita nila ang

himlayan ng kaibigang abukay.

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 “Hindi man lang natin siya nabigyan ng pangalan...”

“Sabi ni Ima, ang buhay ng mga hayop katulad ng musang ay

nakaugnay sa buong kagubatan. Ito ang kaniyang tirahan at kapag
namatay siya, magiging parte siya ng gubat. Lalo niyang
pagyayamanin ang kaniyang tahanan.”

“Sabi lang ‘yan ng Ima mo para ‘di ka malungkot.”

“Pero totoo, ‘di ba? Ang katawan ng musang ay magiging lupa. Ito
ay pataba para sa mga puno. Magiging bahagi siya ng mga puno dito
sa gubat.”

Tumingin ang magkaibigan sa mga higanteng puno sa paligid nila,

pilit tinatanaw ang mga ituktok nito. May mga ibon na dumapo sa mga
matatabang sanga ng mga puno.

“At ang mga puno ay magiging bahay ng ibang hayop.”

Namilog ang mga mata nina Uye at Mai. Nagkatinginan sila at

ngumiti.

Araw-araw, pumupunta ang magkaibigan sa gubat. Nagtatanim

sila ng mga buto ng rambutan, langka at bariba. Inaalagaan nila ang
mga may sugat na hayop hanggang manumbalik ang lakas ng mga ito.
At nilalagyan nila ng pangalan ang mga puno, pati ang mga
pakinabang ng mga ito para malaman ng mga taong umaakyat.

Isang hapon, binalikan nila ang himlayan ng kaibigang abukay.

Isang
munting puno ang umusbong mula dito. 🙜🙜
 Stories for Children 127

Mga Gabay na Tanong

1. Ano ba ang "abukay"?
2. Ano ba ang "ingalu" at kailan inaawit ito?
3. Ano ang kahulugan ng puno na umusbong mula sa himlayan ng
abukay?
4. Ano ang magandang naidudulot sa kapaligiran ng ginagawang pag-
alala nina Uye at Mai sa kaibigan?

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Stories for Children 129
An Payong ni

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Ayong
Sinulat ni Pejay A. Padrigon
 AG NAPANDUNGAN nin panganuron si
“ Mayon, magdara nin payong,” tugon pirmi
sako ni Nanay, kun mahali sa harong.

Maski tig-init, payong man giraray an sakong gamit.

Pansagang sa saldang na malanit sa kublit.

Kun naglalakaw man ako sa hapon, sugkod ko an sakong payong.

Pantakot sa nanghahapag na ayam.

Alagad, mas maugma kun tig-uran. Ta pag-ibiniklad ko na an

payong na pula, nakikisirong si Lala asin Tara...

Kaya, arualdaw kong dinadara an sakong payong.

Asin arualdaw ko man tinatanaw si Mayon.

Tama si Nanay, na pagdai nagpahiling si Mayon, mabulos an uran.

***

Sarong aldaw, inaandam ni Nanay an samong mga bado.

Ginakudan asin ginuyod man ni Tatay an samong ataman na kanding.
Asin sarabay kaming naghali sa harong.

Gabos na nasasabatan mi naghihidali asin nagdadaralagan bitbit

an saindang gamit asin ataman. Pigpapalunad sinda sa puting truck.

“Halat muna po, nawalat ko po si sakuyang payong,” taram ko ki

Nanay mantang kabit-kabit an sakong takyag pasiring sa puting truck.

“Pabayaan mo muna to, Ayong saka ta na sana balikan.”

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 “Dai po pwede, Inay mayo akong gagamiton kun mag-uran.”

Dai na nagtaram si Nanay, hanggan makalunad kami sa

puting truck.

Tinanaw ko si Mayon. Natatahubad sya nin maitum na

panganuron.

Pareho kan dati, pag-aban-aban nagbulos an makusog na uran.

Alagad, ngunyan igwa ining kasabay na abo.

“Pag napandungan nin panganuron si Mayon, magdara nin

payong alagad, mayo po kita nin payong,” taram ko ki Nanay, mantang
tinatakopan niya nin basang panyo an sakong dungo asin nguso. 🙜🙜

Salin mula sa Bikol ni Pejay A. Padrigon

Stories for Children 143

 AG NATAKPAN ng maitim na ulap si Mayon,
“’ magdala ka ng payong,” bilin sa akin lagi ni
Nanay ‘pag aalis ako ng bahay.

Kahit tag-init, payong din ang aking bitbit.

Panangga sa sinag ng araw na mainit sa balat.

‘Pag naglalakad ako tuwing hapon, tungkod ko ang aking payong.

Panakot ko sa mababangis na aso.

Ngunit, mas masaya tuwing tag-ulan. ‘Pag ibinubuka ko na ang

payong kong pula, nakikisilong sina Lala at Tara…

Kaya, araw-araw kong dinadala ang aking payong.

At araw-araw ko rin tinatanaw si Mayon.

Tama si Nanay. ‘Pag hindi nagpakita si Mayon, bubuhos ang ulan.

***

Isang araw, hinanda ni Nanay ang aming mga damit. Tinalian din
ni Tatay ang alaga naming kambing. At umalis kami sa aming tahanan.

Lahat ng nasasalubong namin ay nagmamadali at tumatakbo,

bitbit ang kanilang gamit at mga alaga. Pinapasakay sila sa puting
truck.

“Saglit lang po, naiwan ko po ang aking payong,” sabi ko kay

Nanay habang hawak-hawak ang aking braso papunta sa puting truck.

“Hayaan mo muna iyon, Ayong saka na natin balikan.”

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 “Hindi po puwede, Nanay. Wala po akong gagamitin ‘pag

umulan.” Hindi na nagsalita si Nanay hanggang makasakay kami

sa puting truck.

Tinanaw ko si Mayon. Natatakpan siya ng napakaitim na ulap.

Katulad ng dati, bumuhos ang napakalakas na ulan. Ngunit, may

kasama na itong abo.

“’Pag natakpan ng maitim na ulap si Mayon, magdala ka ng

payong, pero wala po tayong payong,” sabi ko kay Nanay habang
tinatakpan niya ng basang
panyo ang aking ilong at bibig. 🙜🙜

Mga Gabay na Tanong

1. Bakit pinipilit ni Ayong na lagi niyang dala ang kanyang payong?
2. Anong sakuna ang nangyari sa kuwento?
3. Anong kahulugan ng sinabi ni Ayong na "mas masaya tuwing
umuulan"?

Stories for Children 145

14621st Century Philippine Literature Reader
Si Ani, ang Manugdala sang

Stories for Children 147

 Kasanag
(Ani, the Lightbearer)
Sinulat ni Alice Tan Gonzales

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Visayas

ANG UNA nga panahon, sang lamhad pa ang

kalibutan, may magabyan nga sapatsapat nga
amo sanday Kati kag Ani. Dungan sanday Ani
kag Kati nga nagtuon sa paglupad kaupod sa
iban pa nga mga sapatsapat. Naghampang sila bilog nga
adlaw. Naghugyaw sila
tanan. Naglagsanay palibutlibot sa mga tanum. Ang iban nagtaklas sa
likod sang ila kaupod.

Malipayon sila kayo, ilabi na gid si Ani. Daw ano kalapad sang
kalibutan para kay Ani! Daw ano kasanag sang kasisidmon! Daw ano
katahum sang nagtuhaw nga kasanag gikan sa bulan kag bituon sa
langit!

Masadya sanday Ani kag Kati sa ila pagdagyang kaupod sa iban

tubtob nga nakabatyag si Kati sang kagutom. Gin-updan ni Ani ang
abyan sa pagpangita sa pagkaon.

Nagtilaw si Kati sang dugos sang mga bulak. Indi sya makauyon.

Naglupad sila nga naglupad tubtob nakasulod sila sa kuweba nga

puloy-an sang mga tawo.

Naghapon si Kati sa salin nga pagkaon sang mga tawo. Nabilin si

Ani nga nagatan-aw sa matahom kag makasililaw nga kasanag sa
sulod sang kuweba. Naganyat sia magpalapit sa matahom nga
kasanag. Apang tuman kainit sang kasanag, gani nagdulog sya.

Indi si Kati makauyon sang pagkaon sang tawo. Nakita niya ang
lapsag nga nagakatulog sa salog sang kuweba. Iya ini ginlibutlibotan.
Nagyuhom si Kati.
Nakita na niya ang gusto niya nga pagkaon.

“Hoy, Ani!” Singgit ni Kati.

Stories for Children 149

 “Ha?” Sabat ni Ani nga nag-untat sa pagtulok sa kalayo.

“Nabatyagan mo bala ang nabatyagan ko?” Pamangkot ni Kati.

“Ang ano?”

“Luyag ko magkagat sa panit sang bata nga ini kag magsuyop

sang iya dugo,” nagangisi nga sabat ni Kati.

Amo kag nakita ni Ani ang lapsag nga nagahigda sa salog.

Katahom sang lapsag. Daw ano katahom sang lapsag nga nagatulog sa
salog!

“Hoy, Ani!” Reklamo ni Kati. Naano ka man? Kaina ka pa

naurongan.” “Ano ang siling mo?” May kakibot nga sabat ni Ani.

“Gusto ko gid kagton ang bata nga ini. Sa banta ko ang dugo sang
tawo labing manamit sangsa dugos sang mga tanum.”

Indi si Ani luyag magkagat sa lapsag.

“Dali, Ani, madugay na nga wala kita makakaon. Masuyop kita

sang iya dugo,” hambal ni Kati nga naghana nga magkagat sa bata.

“Indi, Kati! Indi pagkagta ang bata.”

“Kag ngaa indi?”

“Naluoy ako magkagat sang bata. Nahibal-an ko nga masakit ina.”

“Kon masakitan man bala sya,” pangyam-id ni Kati. Kag naglupad

palapit si Kati sa pagkagat sa bata.

“Indi, Kati!” Naglupad si Ani sa atubang ni Kati agud indi

pagpaagyon ang iya abyan.

“Maluoy ka man.”

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 “Pabay-i ako, Ani,” pangakig ni Kati. “Nagutom na gid ako. Indi ako
paghawiri.”

Ginpaagi ni Ani si Kati. Ginkagat ni Kati ang nagatulog nga lapsag

sing madugay. Tuman lang magtan-aw si Ani nga wala sing mahimo
bisan naluoy sya sa lapsag.

Nagdulog lang si Kati sa pagkagat sang magbutingting ang iya

tiyan. Halos indi na sya makalupad sa tuman nga kabusog.
Nagpahunayhunay na lang sya sa salog.

“Ay, kanamit! Kanamit gid kaayo,” hambal pa niya nga

nanginamkinam.

Nagbugtaw ang bata kag nagsugod sa paghibi. Nagsulod ang iloy

sini sa kuweba kag mapinalanggaon nga ginkungkong ang bata.
Nalagyo ang magabyan pagwa sa kuweba.

“Kapintas sa imo, Kati,” hambal ni Ani sa abyan. “Wala ka sing

kaluoy.”

“Ano pa ang kaluoy ko kay ginagutom na ako,” pangatarungan ni

Kati.”

“Bisan ginagutom ako indi gid ako mamintas kasubong mo.

Ginakahuya ko ang imo ginbuhat, Kati. Ginakahuya ko nga abyan ko
ikaw. Sugod karon, indi na ako mag-upod sa imo.”

Nadumdoman ni Ani ang katahom sang kalibutan sa kasanag sang

kasisidmon kag ang nagbulos nga kasanag sang bulan kag mga bituon.
Nadumdoman niya ang matahom nga kasanag sa sulod sang kuweba.
Nadumduman niya ang matahom nga lapsag kag ang mapinalanggaon
nga iloy sini.

Stories for Children 151

 “Indi gid ako luyag mangin kaangay ni Kati,” nasambit niya sa
madulom nga palibot. “Indi ko mabatas nga mangagat sang tawo kag
magtuga sang kasakit.” Kag naghibi sya.

Daw nagadalamgohanon sya nga nagsiling, “Indi ako gusto

magdala sang kasakit. Gusto ko magdala sang katahom.” Kag
nagaamat luya ang iya tingog. “Luyag ko magdala sang kasanag sa
madulom nga kalibutan. Bisan dyutay lang nga kasanag, agud
madumdoman sang mga tinuga ang katahom sang kalibutan sang
wala pa magdulom.”

Maluya na sya sa kapin nga kagutom. Tubtob nadulaan sya sang

pangalibutan.

Nagbalik ang pangalibutan ni Ani sang nakabatyag sya sang

maalabaab nga haplos sa iya lawas. Gin-usisa ni Ani ang iya
kalawasan. Nakapisik sya sa kakibot. Nagdako ang iya lawas,
nagbakod ang iya mga pakpak, kag sa iya buli may kasanag nga
nagasigasiga. Isa ka kasanag nga wala sing kainit!

Naglupad si Ani. Padayon ang pagsigasiga sang kasanag sa iya

buli. Daw ano katahom! Nagpadayon si Ani sa paglupad. Pasaka.
Panaog. Palibotlibot.

Nahibal-an niya nga ang tanan nga tinuga sang kagab-ihon nga
makakita sa iya nagadayaw sa iya kasanag.

May gahom sa kalibutan nga nakabati sang matahom nga handom

ni Ani kag naghatag sang iya ginpangayo. Nagpasalamat si Ani paagi
sa paglupadlupad sa mga sanga sang Talisay nga kasubong nga sya
nagaambahanon. Naglupadlupad sya nga naglupadlupad, tubtob nga
nakadumdom sya nga magkaon.

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 Kag nagsuyop sang dugos sang bulak si Ani, ang una nga
aninipot. 🙜🙜

This children’s story is published with the author’s permission. The

original publication, Si Ani, ang Manugdala sang Kasanag (Ani, the
Lightbearer), is an illustrated storybook in English and in Hiligaynon. It
was published in 2018 by Kasingkasing Press. The story was written by
Dr. Alice Tan Gonzales and illustrations in the storybook (not used in
this publication) were by Gil S. Montinola.

Mga Pamangkot (Questions)

1. Nga-a indi na si Ani gusto mag-upod kay Kati? (Why did Ani not
want to be with Kati anymore?)
2. Ano ang handum ni Ani? (What was Ani’s wish?)
3. Paano nangin matuod ang handum ni Ani? Ano nga pagbaylo ang
natabu sa iya?
(How did Ani’s wish come true? What is the change that happened
to her?)
4. Nakakita ka na bala sang aninipot? Kon nakakita ka, ilaragway ini.
(Have you seen a firefly? If you have seen one, describe it.)
5. Ano nga balatyagon ang ginahatag sa imo sang isa ka aninipot?
(What feeling does a firefly give you?)

Translated from Hiligaynon by Alice Tan Gonzales

ONG AGO when the world was young, there

were two insects, Kati and Ani, who were
friends. Together with other insects, they

Stories for Children 153

 learned to fly. They played all day long. They cheered
joyfully.
They chased one another around the plants. Some climbed on the
back of their companion.

They were very happy, Ani most of all. How wide the world was for
Ani! How bright the twilight! How beautiful the light from the moon and
the stars in the sky.

Ani and Kati frolicked happily with others, until Kati started to feel
hungry.
Ani went with her friend to look for food.

Kati tasted the nectar of flowers. She did not like it.

They flew and flew until they came inside a cave that was home to
people.

Kati alighted on people’s leftover food. Ani was left admiring the
gleaming brightness inside the cave. She was tempted to come near
the beautiful light. But it was too hot, so, she stopped herself from
coming too close.

Kati did not like people’s food. She saw a baby sleeping on the
floor of the cave. She flew around the baby. She smiled. Now she had
found the food she wanted to eat.

“Hey, Ani!” Kati called out.

“Huh?” Ani replied as she stopped staring at the light.

“Do you feel what I feel?” Kati asked.

“What?”

“I’d like to bite this baby’s skin and take a sip of its blood,” Kati
said grinning.

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 It was then that Ani saw the baby lying on the floor. The baby was
beautiful. How beautiful was the baby sleeping on the floor!

“Hey, Ani!” Kati complained. “What’s wrong with you? You’ve been
staring a long time.”

“What did you say?” Ani said startled.

“I’d really love to bite this baby. I think human blood is more
delicious than the nectar of plants.”

Ani did not want to bite the baby.

“Come, Ani, we haven’t eaten in a long while. Let’s sip its blood,”
Kati said as she prepared to bite the child.

“Don’t Kati! Don’t bite the child.”

“And why not?”

“I pity the child so much I can’t bite it. I know it’s going to be
painful.”

“Who cares if it’s in pain!” Kati said making faces. And Kati flew
near to bite the child.

“No, Kati!” Ani flew in front of Kati to keep her from moving
forward. “Have pity.”

“Leave me be, Ani,” Kati scolded. “I’m so hungry. Don’t hold

me back.”

Ani allowed Kati to pass. Kati bit the sleeping child for a long time.
Ani could only watch helplessly, pitying the child.

Kati stopped biting only when her stomach got so big. She could
hardly fly because she was so full. She could only rest on the floor.

Stories for Children 155

 “Ah, delicious! So very delicious,” she said smacking her mouth.

The child woke up and started to cry. Its mother entered the cave
and lovingly lifted the child. The two friends flew out of the cave.

“You are so cruel, Kati,” Ani said to her friend. “You have no pity.”

“How could I have pity when I was so hungry?” Kati said. “And you,
because you took pity, you are still hungry.”

“Even if I’m hungry, I’ll never be cruel like you. I’m ashamed of
what you’ve done, Kati. I’m ashamed that you are my friend. From now
on, I won’t go with you anymore.”

Ani remembered the beauty of the world in the light of the early
evening and in the light of the moon and the stars. She remembered
the beautiful light in the cave. She remembered the beautiful baby and
its loving mother.

“I don’t want to be like Kati ever,” she uttered in the darkened

surroundings.
“I can’t bite a human and cause pain,” and she wept.

Dreamily she said, “I don’t want to be bringing pain. I want to be

bringing beauty.” Her voice was getting weaker. “I want to bring light
to the dark world. No matter if it is only a small light, so that the
creatures in the world will remember the beauty of the world before
darkness came.”

She was weak from severe hunger. Until she fell into a swoon.

Ani’s consciousness returned when she felt a warm caress on her

body. Ani examined her body. She was startled to find that her body
had grown bigger, her wings had grown stronger, and her bottom had a
flickering light. A light without heat!

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 Ani flew. The light in her bottom continued to flicker. How
beautiful! Ani continued flying. Upward. Downward. Around and
around. She knew that creatures that saw her light in the night
admired her.

There was a power in the world that heard Ani’s beautiful wish and
granted it. Ani showed her thankfulness by flying round and round the
branches of the Talisay tree like she was singing. She kept flying and
flying, until she remembered to eat.

And Ani, the first firefly, sipped the nectar of a flower. 🙜🙜

Stories for Children 157

Si Isay kag ang

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Western Kalampay (Isay
Visayas and the Kalampay)
Sinulat ni Eliodora L. Dimzon
AB-OT sa dulunggan ang bangirit ni Isay sina nga aga.
Subong gid lang sya ginpaupod ni Tatay Inyas sa
pagpanungya. Madugay sya nga naghulat sang adlaw
nga ini.

Bag-o sila maglakat ginpungyosan sya ni Nanay Piling malapit sa

sidsid sang iya kamiseta sang luy-a nga daw kamalingking ka dako.

“Para sa ano ang luy-a, Nay” pamangkot ni Isay samtang

ginapungyosan sang iloy.

“Agud indi ka pagtuyawan sang mga taglugar sa katunggan,”

sabat ni Nanay Piling.

“Mariit ang katunggan kag una mo pa lang nga kadto didto. May
alom ka sa mata Isay kag kon may makita ka nga indi kinaandan didto
sa katunggan, indi ka magsagad ka muno ha? Agud indi ka
matuyawan.”

“Huo Nay,” sabat ni Isay samtang ginakuha ang alat nga nasab-it
sa dingding.

Bitbit ang alat daw pista sa kasadya nga nagalumpat-lakat si Isay

sa likod ni Tatay Inyas nga nagadagon-dagon pakadto sa katunggan.
Dala ni Tatay Inyas ang iya sungya.

Pag-abot didto, nanabitabi anay si Tatay Inyas:

“Tabitabi mga abyan; mangayo lang kami inugsud-an.”

Stories for Children 159

 Samtang nagasungya ang iya amay, daog pa ni Isay ang isa ka
soldado sa kadasig sa paghanda sang iya alat para sa mga balaskugay,
gamya, dalodalo, paitan, kag iban pa nga sarang makuha sang sungya.
Apang, madugay na sila sa katunggan, wala pa gid sila sang kuha.

“Nga-a wala gid kita sang kuha ‘Tay?” Pamangkot ni Isay samtang
ginahabyog-habyog ang alat nga wala sing unod.

“Kay kadamo na gid sang nagapanungya kag pati diri

ginapangisogan na sang mga tawo nga panungyahan bisan mariit.
Maghipos ka lang anak, ang mga taglugar basi magahuran, kag ila kita
hikawan.”

Naghipos si Isay samtang wala mag-untat sa panungya si Tatay

Inyas tubtob nagtaas na ang adlaw. Sang hinali lang, may isa ka
kalampay nga nakasulod sa sungya. Ginsulod ni Tatay Inyas sa alat ni
Isay ang kalampay, gintakloban ini, kag dayon balik sa pagpanungya.

Nagpabilin anay sila sa katunggan kag gin-isip ni Isay sa iya

lamang panumduman kon kapila nagsungya si Tatay niya: isa, duha,
tatlo, apat, lima, anom, pito, walo, siyam, napulo. Kanapulo nagsungya
si Tatay niya apang, wala na gid sya sang dugang nga nakuha.
Nagatagiti na ang init sa udto kag nagtaob na. “Mapauli na lang kita
Isay,” pamat-od sang amay.

Indi pa ugaling gusto magpauli si Isay. “Wala man kita sang isud-
an Tay, nga-a mapauli na kita? Gusto ko pa magpabilin dira sa malapit
nga suba kag maglangoy,” ayo ni Isay.

“May lalaswahon pa man kita kag uga nga paitan.Mainit na kaayo

kag mangakig karon si Nanay mo kon mag-ilitom ka sang langoy sa
udtong adlaw. Dali na,” hambal sang amay kag dayon takas sa suba
kag subayon ang banas pauli.

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 Nagakusmod si Isay kag nagasogodsod ang tiil sa dalan samtang
mahinay nga nagalakat kag malayo ang antad sa amay. Sang hinali
lang, may tingog nga nagpanawag—“Inday!”

“Ay Inday!” hinali nga namitlang ni Isay sa tuman nga kakibot kag
nabuyan niya ang bitbit nga alat. Maayo lang kay may taklob ini kag
wala makagwa ang kalampay. Iya ginpulot ang alat kag sa liwat,
gintawag sya nga “Inday.” Nagmurahag ang iya mga mata sang iya
makita kag mabatian nga ang nagatawag gali sa iya amo ang
kalampay.

“Indi ako si Inday, ako si Isay kag ngaa nagahambal ikaw?”

“Ikaw lang ang makabati sa akon. Indi anay ako paglutoa, ibutang
lang anay ako sa kalalaw,” pakitluoy sang kalampay.

Nanumdom si Isay. Uyon gid abi niya nga isud-an ang kalampay
nga linusgusan kag ginsawsaw sa langgaw nga may asin kag dyutay
nga kalamay, kapin pa kon kalokalo ang kan-on. Naglaway si Isay kag
hinali sya gingutom. Ugaling naluoy sya sa kalampay. “Sige, hambalon
ko si Tatay, apang indi ako makapangako.”

Pag-abot sa balay, dayon kag ginhambal ni Isay ang iya amay nga
nagabagabaga sang uga nga paitan para isud-an sa panyaga samtang
si Nanay niya nagatimpla sang laswa. “Tay, tutal isa man lang ini ang
kalampay, indi lang anay naton paglutuon. Akon na lang bala sya nga
huptan.”

“May sud-anon man kita nga baga-baga. Huo Isay, isa man lang
ina ka bilog. Imo na lang ina sya,” sabat sang amay samtang
nagatahop sang uga nga paitan kag baga sa sartin nga plangganita.
Kag ginbutang ni Isay ang kalampay sa kalalaw.

Stories for Children 161

 Pagkaaga, nagmurahag naman liwat ang mga mata ni Isay. Ang
kalampay daw kalalaw na kadako. “Manami man ayhan ang lalim sang
kalampay nga amo sini kadako? Makatilingala gid ang kalampay nga
ini,” himulong niya sa kaugalingon. Kag gulpi naman naghambal ang
kalampay. “Inday, indi lang anay ako paglutoa, ibutang lang anay ako
sa lugayan.”

Nagkuha si Isay sang lugayan kag ginpasaylo didto ang kalampay.

Pagkaaga, ang kalampay daw lugayan naman ka dako. “Paano ka
namon lutuon kon amo na ikaw sina kadako?” Pamangkot ni Isay sa
kalampay. “Ikaw lang ang makakita sang akon kadako. Para sa iban,
kaangay lamang ako ka gamay sa kinaandan nga kalampay.” Dayon
naman pakitluoy sini, “Indi lang anay ako paglutoa, ibutang lang anay
ako sa amakan.” Gani gintumba ni Isay ang nabalulon nga amakan nga
napahilay sa dingding, ginhumlad ini kag ginpasaylo didto ang
kalampay.

Pagkaaga, ang kalampay daw amakan na ka dako. Nangako ini

kay Isay.

“Nahamuot ako sa bata nga makahibalo maghulat kag magpaiway,

Inday. Updi ako pabalik sa katunggan kay samtang may madabong
nga mga bungalon kag bakhaw nga sarang ko mapasilongan, indi ako
madula kag padayon nga magahatag sang madamo kag manamit nga
kalampay.”

Gin-updan ni Isay pabalik sa suba ang kalampay. Sugod sadto,

matutom nga gin-atipan ni Isay ang mga bungalon kag bakhaw nga

ilistaran ni Kalampay nga matutom man sa paghatag sang sud-an sa

adlaw-adlaw. 🙜🙜 Glosari

alat - basket nga kawayan

16221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

amakan - malapad nga ginlala nga kawayan nga ginabuladan sang
humay kag kopras baga-baga - kinaradto nga pagluto sang uga nga
magagmay nga isda kon sa diin ginaimpon ini sa baga sa sulod sang
manabaw kag malapad nga metal nga bulutangan kaangay sang
plangganita kag ginatahop tubtob maluto ang uga balaskugay - isa
ka sahi sang pasayan bungalon kag bakhaw - mga tanom nga
makita sa suba, katunggan, kag baybay dalodalo - isa ka sahi sang
isda nga makita man sa mga suba kag katunggan gamya - isa ka sahi
sang isda nga makita sa suba ukon punong kalalaw - gamit sa
pagtahop sang bugas kag himo sa ginlala nga sukdap sang kawayan
lugayan - nagaanggid apang mas dako sang sa kalalaw
mariit – ginapuy-an sang mga taglugar ukon engkanto nga sarang
makatuga sang balatian kag kamatayon gani ginalikawan sang mga
tawo
paitan - magagmay nga isda sa suba kag punong nga sarang
makuha sang sungya sungya - gamit sa pagpangisda nga
human sa kawayan taob - mataas ang tubi sa suba kag baybay
tuyaw – paghatag sang mga taglugar sang isa ka balatian kon sila
matandog ukon mahilabtan

Mga Pamangkot (Questions)

1. Diin ang pamilya ni Isay nagakuha sang ila sulod-anon? (Where do
Isay and her family get their viand?)
2. Ano ang nakuha nanday Isay kag sang iya Tatay? (What did she and
her tatay catch?)
3. Ngaa ginpunggan ni Isay nga maluto ang kalampay? (Why did Isay
keep the kalampay from being cooked?)

Stories for Children 163

4. Ano ang ginpromisa sang kalampay sang ini ginbalik ni Isay sa
suba? (What did the kalampay promise when Isay brought it back to
the river?)
5. Ano nga leksyon ang imo natun-an sa sugilanon? (What lesson have
you learned from the story?)

Translated from Hiligaynon by Eliodora L. Dimzon 1

HIS MORNING, Isay smiles from ear to ear.

This is the first time that her Tatay Inyas will
take her with him to the river to catch fish
and crabs with a sungya2. She has long been
waiting for this day.

1 A river crab
2 A bamboo fish trap
16421st Century Philippine Literature Reader
 Nanay Piling ties a small piece of ginger near the hem of Isay’s
shirt.

“What is the ginger for, Nanay?” Isay asks while her mother tightens
the tie.

“So that you will not be subdued by the enchanted beings in the
swamp,” answers her Nanay Piling.

“The swamp is enchanted and this is your first time there. You
have a mole in your eye and you might see something unusual there.
Never ever say a word about it or the spirits will harm you.”

“Yes Nay,” replied Isay while taking the alat3 that is hung on the
wall.

Carrying the alat, Isay’s face is as merry as a fiesta and she hops
behind her Tatay who walks swiftly to the swampy part of the river.
Tatay Inyas carries his sungya with him.

As soon as they get to the swamp, Tatay Inyas makes the panabi-
tabi4:

“Tabi-tabi mga abyan,

mangayo lang kami inugsud-

an.”

(“Tabi-tabi, our spirit friends

We shall catch some fish.”)

3 A circular bamboo basket

4 Salutation and asking for permission to the nature spirits for one’s purpose in their realm
Stories for Children 165
 While her father fishes with the sungya, Isay is more watchful than
a soldier, holding out the alat for the balaskugay, gamya, dalodalo,
paitan, and other kinds of fish and crustaceans that may be caught by
the sungya. Yet, they have not caught anything after fishing in the
river for so long.

“Why have we not caught anything ‘Tay?” Isay asks her father
while swaying the empty alat in her hand.

“Because many have been fishing and some have even tried their
luck in enchanted and dangerous spots like this swamp where we are
now. Just keep quiet, Isay because the enchanted beings might hear
you and won’t give us any catch at all.”

Isay does not say a word while Tatay Inyas keeps on fishing with
his sungya. Just then, a little kalampay is caught in the sungya. Tatay
Inyas puts it inside Isay’s alat and covers it afterwards. Then, he gets
back to fishing with his sungya.

Isay counts in her mind the number of times that her Tatay has
scooped the water with the sungya: one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine, ten. Her father has scooped for another ten times,
but he has not caught anything. The

sunlight at noon is scorching and the water has risen. “Let us go home
now, Isay,” says Tatay Inyas.

Isay does not want to go home yet. “We have no sud-an 5 for lunch,
why are we going home now? I want to stay and swim in the river,”
Isay pleads.

5 A dish that is taken with rice; usually fish, meat, and vegetables
16621st Century Philippine Literature Reader
 “We have vegetables for laswa6 and dried paitan7. It is so hot now
and your mother will get mad if your skin turns dark should you go
swimming at noon. Let us go home now,” says the father who gets up
from the water and heads for home.

Isay frowns and drags her slippers noisily while walking slowly far
behind her father. Suddenly, a voice calls her ---“Inday 8!”

“Ay Inday!” Isay blurts out frightened and the alat falls from her
hand. Good thing that it has cover, so the kalampay stays inside. She
picks it up and again, someone calls her “Inday.” Her eyes widen when
she sees that it is the kalampay that calls her.

“I am not Inday. My name is Isay and how come you could talk?”

“Only you can hear me talk. Please don’t cook me yet, and put me
in a kalalaw9,” the kalampay pleads.

Isay thinks hard. She really likes boiled kalampay dipped in vinegar
with salt and a little sugar which goes very well with fried rice. Her
saliva flows and she suddenly feels hungry. “Sige, I will ask my father
but I cannot promise you.”

As soon as she gets home, Isay talks to her father who cooks
paitan in a metal pan with embers while her mother tastes her laswa.
“Tay, since the kalampay we caught is only one and is so tiny, can I
keep it for a pet?”

“We have paitan cooked through baga-baga10. Yes Isay, it is yours

now,” answers Tatay Inyas while winnowing the ashes from the cooked
6 Vegetable stew
7 A species of tiny river fishes
8 A girl’s nickname for endearment just like Neneng and Nene
9 A woven bamboo winnowing tray
10 Means of cooking tiny dried fish with the use of a metal. pan with embers
Stories for Children 167
dried paitan and the embers in a metal pan. Then, Isay puts the
kalampay in a kalalaw.

In the morning of the following day, Isay is wide-eyed again. The

kalampay is now the size of the kalalaw. “Does a kalampay of this size
also taste good? This kalampay is certainly mysterious,” she tells
herself. The kalampay speaks again. “Inday, please don’t cook me yet
and put me in a lugayan11.”

Isay takes a lugayan and puts the kalampay in it. The following
morning, the kalampay has grown again to the size of the lugayan.
“How are we going to cook you if you are this big?” Isay asks the
kalampay. “Only you can see me this big. To others, I look like any
other tiny kalampay.” Then, the kalampay pleads again, “Please don’t
cook me yet, and put me in an amakan12.” So, Isay pushes down a
rolled amakan standing against a wall and unrolls it for the kalampay.

The following morning, the kalampay grows bigger again to the

size of the amakan. Then, it makes a promise to Isay.

“I am pleased with a child who can wait and restrain herself, Inday.
Please take me again to the swamp. For as long as there are lush
bungalon and bakhaw13

that can shelter me, I will never perish and will continue to provide
people with abundant and delicious kalampay.”

Isay takes the kalampay back to the river. From then on, Isay
devotes herself to tending the bungalon and bakhaw that shelter the

11 Looks like a kalalaw but is way bigger in size

12 A wide woven bamboo mat used for drying
copra, palay, and other grains 13 Bungalon and
bakhaw are local species of mangrove.
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giant kalampay who does not
fail to provide a variety of sud-an everyday. 🙜🙜

Stories for Children 169

 Paiburong
and the

Golden
Bamboo
Written by May Anne T. Jaro

17021st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 UYONG PAIBURONG woke up very early. He had to
prepare the things needed for the hunting trip. His
brother, Buyong Dumaraog, was going with him.

From the room, Paiburong could hear his wife, Uwang

Bulawanon. She was working in the kitchen. He was amused to listen
to her talking to their dog. She was speaking as if the dog, Tikum
Kadlum, were a person. And the dog was barking like it was really
talking.

Buyong Paiburong was one of the most respected nobles in Sulod.

(Sulod is a place by the mouth of River Halawod.) He was dear to those
close to him. He had a caring wife, a loyal brother, and a trusty hunting
dog.

But Paiburong was a man who listened to no one. He was proud of

was
hisvery
lovely wife, Uwa Bulawanon. But sometimes, he thought that she
superstitious.
worried too much. She

omen. But he did not

listen.
That day, she called him for breakfast. Then, she warned him

But she
about an “Uwa,” he said. “Don’t believe in premonitions. Don’t
insisted.

believe in omens.”

“Be careful, Buyong,” she said. “Beware of the hermit monster in the
forest.”

But Paiburong simply smiled.

Dumaraog intervened. The couple might end up fighting.

Stories for Children 171

 “Don’t worry, my dear sister-in-law. I will make sure that my
brother do as you say,” he said.

So, Paiburong, bearing his long-bladed sharp knife and carrying his
shield, left the house. He headed to the forest with Dumaraog and
Tikum Kadlum.

Tikum Kadlum was a magical dog. He could hear things that others
could not hear. At the forest, he heard sounds of dancing. So, he kept
on barking.

He kept on barking before a tall golden bamboo. The bamboo was

very high. One could no longer see its tip. And Tikum Kadlum barked at
it without stopping. It annoyed Paiburong.

“Stop barking, foolish dog,” shouted Paiburong. “I will cut down

that bamboo if you don’t!”

But Tikum Kadlum kept on barking.

“No,” said Dumaraog to Paiburong. “Don’t cut down the bamboo.

Something bad might happen.”

Still, Tikum Kadlum continued barking.

“Stop! You foolish dog,” shouted Paiburong. “I will really cut down
that bamboo now.”

“No!” shouted Dumaraog.

But Paiburong refused to listen. He really cut down the bamboo.

The Buriraw bamboo was not an ordinary bamboo. It was a golden

bamboo.
It had a bell of gold tied to it. And its string also connected it to the
owner’s house. The owner was Buyong Makabagting.

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 Makabagting was a noble warrior like Paiburong. But he was very
big. Seven full fingers. His chest was that wide. And it was said that he
had eaten human flesh.

It was a bursting sound that he heard with his sister, Amburukay

just by the window of their house. They knew right then that someone
has cut down the Buriraw bamboo. Truly angry, they appeared before
the brothers.

“Whoever has cut down the bamboo must pay with his life. That
bamboo is a tuos. The sign of a sacred pledge. And the culprit must
pay. I will rip him to pieces,” Makabagting thundered.

Paiburong became scared. He asked Makabagting to forgive him.

He begged for his life.

Makabagting listened to him. But he also listened to his own sister,

Amburukay.

“I will set you free,” Makabagting told Paiburong.

“Oh! Thank you very much,” Paiburong said quickly.

“But on one condition,” Amburukay added. “You must give us your

daughters.”

Paiburong loved his daughters. But then, he saw no other way out
to save his life. He had to accept the condition.

Makabagting told him to cut the golden bamboo completely. He

could bring it home with him. It was his in exchange for his daughters.

Paiburong did as he was told. He was afraid. He could not tell his
wife what really happened. But Dumaraog advised him to speak the
truth. Paiburong must be honest to his wife.

Stories for Children 173

 Paiburong told Bulawanon. And she got very angry.

“You should have fought. You should have paid for it with
your life!”

The girls ran to them. Bulawanon hugged them both as she cried
hard. “No! Please, not our children. How can we save them now?”

“He will come, Bulawanon,” Paiburong said very sadly.

“Makabagting will take our daughters Matan-ayon and Surangga-on.”

If only Paiburong listened to warnings. If only he listened to his

wife. If only he listened to his brother’s advice.

Was there still a way to save his beloved children?

Bulawanon did not lose hope easily. She still tried to help her
husband keep their children. They blackened the children’s bodies
with soot ashes. Then, they dressed them up like the slaves.

But Makabagting could not be fooled.

“Where are your children? Don’t try to trick me, Paiburong. We had
a deal,” he said.

Soon, Makabagting found Paiburong’s children. He found them

with the help of a very huge fly.

“These are your children,” he said as the fly landed on them. “I

shall take them now.”

Uwa Bulawanon felt very sad. She just bathed her children. Then,
she made them wear beautiful clothes. They had to look lovely.

Perhaps, the hermit would also be nice to them. She prayed that
they will be treated well.

17421st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 Paiburong’s heart was crushed. He had no one else to blame. His
pride was as tall as Makabagting’s bamboo. As tall as the Buriraw
bamboo. If only it wasn’t.

He hated himself. He was very sorry. But it was too late now. Their
children
had been taken. 🙜🙜

An adaptation of the epic Tikum Kadlum based on the publication

of Dr. Alicia Magos and her team. The storybook, Paiburong and the
Golden Bamboo, is written in three languages—Filipino, English, and
Hiligaynon. It is one of the outputs included in the author’s
dissertation, Rewriting Oral Tradition for Multilingual Learners.

Guide Questions
1. What did Bulawanon warn her husband about? Did Paiburong listen
to his wife and his brother? Why?
2. What happened when Paiburong cut down the golden bamboo?
3. How did he save his life? What did he have to give up in order to
live?
4. Was there any way for Paiburong to have avoided getting into
trouble? Why do you think did he get into trouble in the first place?
5. Do you listen to your elders? What usually happens when you
disobey your elders

Stories for Children 175

 Hi Andoy nga

17621st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Masag
(Andoy, the Crab)
Written by Allen Mae Montablan

Stories for Children 177

Visayas

A KAHILADMAN han Kankabatok, may-ada

usa nga masulobon nga masag, hi Andoy.

Usa ka adlaw, gumawas hi Andoy han ira balay.

“Mamimiling ako hin bag-o nga mga sangkay!”

siring ni Andoy.

Mintras napungko hi Andoy ha bato, may umagi nga usa nga nuos.
“Andoy, kay ano ka masulob-on?” pakiana han nuos.

“Karuyag ko gad kumadto ha igbaw hit dagat,” baton ni Andoy. “Ha

isla?
Ayaw! Delikado ngadto,” sagdon han nuos.

Nuroniyan, umagi an duha nga pasayan.

“Oy, kay ano ka masulob-on?” pakiana liwat han duha nga pasayan.
“Karuyag ko gad kumadto ha igbaw hit’ dagat,” baton ni Andoy.

“Ha isla? Aguy, ayaw! Delikado ngadto,” sagdon han duha nga
pasayan.

Mintras napungko hi Andoy ha bato, may umagi nga tulo nga

tamban. “Andoy, kay ano ka masulob-on?” pakiana han mga tamban.
“Karuyag ko gad kumadto ha igbaw hit kadagatan,” baton ni Andoy.

“Ha isla? Ayaw! Delikado ngadto. Gindadakop it mga sugad ha

aton!” sagdon han mga tamban.

“Diri ito tinuod,” siring ni Andoy ha iya kalugaringon. Lumangoy

hiya tipaigbaw han dagat. Nagkamang hiya ha kabarasan hin pira ka
adlaw ngan gabi.

Pag-abot ha pangpang, kumita hi Andoy hin mga tawo.

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 “Bangin amo na ini an akon magiging sangkay!” hunahuna ni
Andoy. Pero dali-dali hi Andoy nga gindakop han mangirisda ha dako
nga taklob.

“Bulig! Bulig!” kurahab ni Andoy.

“Diri unta ako madadakop kun tumuod la ako han mga sagdon ha
akon.
Mabalik na ako ha dagat. Karuyag ko na umuli,” hangyo ni Andoy.

Nagtinuok hi Andoy pero waray may nakakabati ha iya.

Nuroniyan, gin-alsa han mangirisda an taklob kun nadiin hi Andoy.

Duro an kahadlok ni Andoy!

Ginpurot hi Andoy han mangirisda, “Sus gutiay pa man ini’n nga

masag.
Ibabalik ko la anay ini ha dagat.”

Gin-itsa han mangirisda hi Andoy tibalik ha dagat.

Duro an kalipay ni Andoy! Nasalbar hiya han dako nga peligro!

Lumangoy tipailarom han dagat hi Andoy. Nakatapo niya utro an

iya sangkay nga nuos,an duduha nga pasayan, an tutulo nga tamban.

Nakahunahuna hi Andoy nga diri na niya kinahanglan kumadto ha

isla kay aadi ha ilarom han dagat an iya mga sangkay! 🙜🙜

The story is part of a series produced by Save the Children and

Amandiwing Books to help develop the love of reading in young
children through engaging story lines in their mother tongue and
colorful illustrations by the Katig Writers from Tacloban, Leyte. This
storybook series is the first of its kind to be written in the mother
tongue of children in Eastern Visayas.

Save the Children encourages the use of mother tongue in learning

and instructional materials for children. The storybook series is
intended for reading camps in communities to be facilitated by
Stories for Children 179
volunteer parents and fellow community members. This book or any
part of it is not meant for sale. On the contrary, Save the Children and
its partners are hoping that even more children will get to read and
enjoy this book.

Mga Pakiana (Questions)

1. Kay ano masulob-on hi Andoy? (Why is Andoy sad?)
2. Ano an nahitabo kan Andoy ha kabarasan? (What happened to
Andoy while he was on the shore?)
3. Ano an kan Andoy ginbasulan? (What did Andoy regret?)
4. Kay ano it pareho kan Andoy kanihanglan ibalik ha dagat? Ano it
mahitatabo kun diri hira igbalik ha dagat? (Why should small crabs
like Andoy be tossed back to the sea? What will happen if they are
not flung back to the sea?)
5. Ano an napamalandungan ni Andoy han nakabalik na hiya ha
dagat? (What did Andoy realize when he returned to the sea?)

Translated from Waray by Allen Mae Montablan

n the deep waters of Kankabatok lived a crab named

Andoy. One day, Andoy went out of their house.

“I’m going to look for new friends!” Andoy said.

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 While Andoy was crouched on a rock, a squid came waggling by.
“Andoy, why do you look sad?” The squid asked.

“I want to swim up the surface,” Andoy answered.

“On the island? Don’t! It’s a dangerous place,” warned the squid.

After a while, two shrimps came wiggling by.

“Hey, why do you look so sad?” The two shrimps asked. “I want to
go up the surface,” Andoy answered.

“On the island? Oh, please don’t! It’s dangerous up there,” warned
the two shrimps.

While Andoy was gripping onto a rock, three fishes came

swimming by.
“Andoy, why do you look so sad?” The three fishes asked.

“I want to go up the surface,” Andoy answered.

“On the island? Don’t! It’s dangerous up there. They’ll trap you!”
Warned the three fishes.

“That’s not true,” Andoy said to himself. So, he swam up the

surface.

He crawled unto the sands for countless days and nights.

When he reached the shore, Andoy saw men. “They might be my

new friends!” Andoy thought. But a fisherman swiftly seized Andoy
with a trap.

“Help! Help!” Andoy cried.

Stories for Children 181

 “If only I listened to their warnings, I won’t be trapped like this. I
need to go back to the sea. I want to go home now,” Andoy pleaded.
Andoy cried, but there was no one to hear him.

Before long, the fisherman lifted the trap. How terrified Andoy
was!

The fisherman then picked Andoy up, “This crab’s too small. I’m
tossing it back to the sea.”

Andoy was flung back into the water. Andoy’s heart burst with joy!
Andoy was spared from great danger!

Andoy swam to the seabed. There he saw his friends again, the
squid, the two shrimps, and the three fishes.

Andoy got to thinking that he didn’t need to go to the island

because his friends were right here in the sea. 🙜🙜

18221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Stories for Children 183
 An Kamiyapian ha
Kataisan
Eastern(The Mangroves in Kataisan)
Visayas ni nga
Written by Janis Claire B. Salvacion
istorya subay han historikal nga mga kamatuuran
tikang ha mga obra ni Rolando O. Borrinaga.

NATAD-AN ni Sabel an munyika han iya manghod nga hi

Ana ha kamiyapian han Alimasag. Usa ini nga barangay nga
naatubang ha
baybayon han Kankabato. Nasangot an buhok han munyika ha
naungot nga
gamot han miyapi.

Ginpurot ni Sabel an munyika ngan nanumdom hiya kan Ana. Hi

Ana. Pira na hiya ka gab-i nga nag- iinop kan Ana. Ha iya inop,
nagtatago-tagoay hira ha kamiyapian atubangan han ira balay. Lahos
alas singko na hin kulop. Asul an bugos nga kalibutan, asul an dagat,
asul an langit.

“Ana, Ana!” an iya siyagit. Pero waray na katad-i an iya bugto.

Hasta yana, usa ka tuig kahuman han bagyo Yolanda, ginbabalik-

balikan la gihapon ni Sabel an kamiyapian kun diin niya nabilngan an
munyika ni Ana. Upod hi iya Apoy Magda, napakanhi hira agud
mananom hin mga bag-o nga udlot han bakhaw ngan miyapi.

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 “Hadto’n una nga panahon, han waray pa nangungukoy ha rawis
han San Jose,” an istorya ni iya Apoy Magda, “kamiyapian, kamiyapian,
puros kamiyapian an naturok hini nga lugar.”

“Kamiyapian?” nandadagko an mga mata nga pakiana ni Sabel.

“Oo, bisan diin kinikita an natais nga turok han bakhaw. Bisan diin
nasaringsing an miyapi. Salit hadto nga panahon, Kataisan kun
tawagon ini nga aton lugar,” an dugang ni Apoy Magda.

“Tinuod, Apoy Magda?” naniniguro nga pakiana ni Sabel.

“Uday, han Kataisan pa an tawag han San Jose, may ada dinhi
duduha nga danaw. Ngan bisan diin ka lumingi kamiyapian,
kamiyapian, kamiyapian,” an baton ni Apoy Magda.

“Katima? Ano an natabo? Kay ano San Jose na an tawag dinhi?” an

sigidas nga pakiana ni Sabel kan iya Apoy Magda.

“Umulpot an mga busag nga tawo nga hagtaas an irong. Ira

gintahoban hin tuna an mga danaw han Kataisan. Gintukdawan hin
paluparan an dapit han rawis nga naatubang han Dagat Pasipiko.”

“Nagtukod hira hin kabablayan. Ginliwanan an ngaran han

Kataisan,” dugtong ni Apoy Magda.

“Ngan hinay-hinay nga napuo an kamiyapian?” an utro nga pakiana ni

Sabel.

Tumangdo hi Apoy Magda ngan bumaton, “Sugad ha akon in

nagtitikalagas na an kalibutan. Gawas han Yolanda damo pa an bagyo
nga maulpot.

Ginpupusak han kamiyapian an lapdos han dulok. Salit, Sabel,

pirmi panumdom.”

Stories for Children 185

 Gamit an sanga han talisay gintusok ni Sabel an hanang harani
han kamiyapian. Didto, ginlubong niya ha tuna an gamot han bag-o
nga turok nga bakhaw.

“Diri ako mangangalimot han imo mga istorya, Apoy Magda. Ini
nga bakhaw para han akon manghod nga hi Ana.”

Pumurot hiya hin usa pa nga udlot hin miyapi. Sugad han bakhaw,
ginlubong ini niya ha tuna. “Ini liwat para kan Elena, an akon kamulay
hin Chinese garter.”

“Magtatanom ako hin kamiyapian, Apoy Magda. Usa ka baybayon

hin kamiyapian. Magtatanom ako hin miyapi para han nga tanan nga
bata nga gindara han balud.”

Hadto nga kulop ha may baybayon han Kankabato, hinay-hinay

nga nagaasul an kalibutan, an dagat, an langit. Ngan an mga dahon
han kamiyapian,
nainggat ha nasasalin nga sirak. 🙜🙜

Gahî which is a three-book series developed by the Amandiwing

Books for the Leyte Normal University. Amandiwing Books is the
children’s literature component of the KATIG Writers Network Inc.

The Publisher, Leyte Normal University, is a government institution

of higher learning. It is the leading teacher training institute in the
Eastern Visayas Region. As a university, it is mandated to perform the
four-fold functions of instruc- tion, research, extension, and production.
LNU offers undergraduate and graduate courses in the fields of
education and other related degree courses. It further provides higher
professional and special instructions in education, management, and
other related disciplines. The university has been serving the people of
Eastern Visayas since 1921.

18621st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Mga Pakiana (Questions)
1. Ano an natad-an ni Sabel ha kamiyapian? (What did she find in the
mangroves?)
2. Hin-o an nahinumduman ni Sabel pakakita han munyika? (Who did
she remember upon seeing the doll?)
3. Hin-o hi Ana? Ano an nahitabo ha iya? (Who is Ana? What
happened to her?) 4. Hin-o an umabot ha ira lugar? Ano an
nahitabo han ira duduha nga danaw ha
Kataisan? (Who arrived in their place? What happened to the lakes in
Kataisan?)
5. Kay-ano napuo an mga kamiyapian? (Why did the mangroves die?)
6. Ano an siring ni Apoy Magda parte han gamit hit kamiyapian? (What
is the importance of mangroves according to Apoy Magda?)
7. Ano it kanihanglan buhaton yana nga panahon nga damo it bagyo
nga umurolpot? Pag-istorya hin imo kaagi hin usa nga bagyo. Ano
an nahitabo ha imo pamilya? Han iyo libong/komunidad? (What
should be done in these times when lots of typhoon strike our place
the whole year round? Narrate your experience during a typhoon?
What happened to your family? To your environment/community
after the typhoon?)

Stories for Children 187

 Translated from Waray by Michael Carlo C. Villas

ABEL found her sister Ana’s doll in the

mangroves of Alimasag, a barangay facing the
bay of Kankabato. The doll’s hair was
entangled in a distended mangrove root.

Sabel picked the doll up, and she remembered Ana. Ana. It’s
been many nights that she’s been dreaming of Ana. In her dream, they
are playing hide and seek among the mangroves in front of their
house. It’s past five in the afternoon. The whole world is blue: blue sea,
blue sky.

“Ana, Ana!” She screamed. But she never found her sister.

Until now, a year after typhoon Yolanda, Sabel keeps returning to

the mangroves where she found Ana’s doll. With her Apoy Magda, she
comes here to plant new bakhaw and miyapi seedlings.

“One day, a long time ago, when no one lived in the peninsula

of San Jose,” Apoy Magda’s story goes, “mangroves, mangroves,

all
mangroves grew in this place.”

“Mangroves?” Sabel’s eyes widened in amazement.

“Yes, everywhere you look, you’ll see a pointed bakhaw seedling.

Mangroves flourished everywhere. And at that time, our place was
called Kataisan,” Apoy Magda added.

“Is that true, Apoy Magda?” Sabel eagerly asked.

18821st Century Philippine Literature Reader
 “Uday, when San Jose was called Kataisan, there were two lakes
here. And anywhere you look, mangroves, mangroves, mangroves,”
answered Apoy Magda.

“Then? What happened? Why do they now call this place San
Jose?” Sabel’s persistent question to her Apoy Magda.

“The white people with tall noses came. They covered the lakes of
Kataisan with earth. An airport was built in the peninsula facing the
Pacific Ocean.”

“They built houses. They changed the name of Kataisan,” Apoy

Magda continued.

“And the mangroves slowly died?” Sabel asked again.

Apoy Magda nodded in confirmation and replied, “Like me, the

world is getting older. Aside from Yolanda, more storms will come.
Mangroves break the strength of the storm surge. So, Sabel, always
remember.”

Using a talisay branch, Sabel dug in the mud near the mangroves.
There, she planted the root of a newly sprung bakhaw.

“I will never forget your story, Apoy Magda. This mangrove is for
my younger sister Ana.”

She picked up another mangrove seedling. Like the bakhaw, she

planted it in the ground. “This one is for Elena, my constant Chinese
garter playmate.”

“I will plant mangroves, Apoy Magda. A shore of mangroves. I will

plant mangroves for all the children that the wave took away.”

Stories for Children 189

 In that afternoon, on the shore of Kankabato, the world, the sea,
and the sky gently turned blue. And the leaves of the mangroves
glistened in the receding
light. 🙜🙜

19021st Century Philippine Literature Reader

An Karag
nga Mumo
(Wasted Grain of Rice)
Written by Firie Jill T. Ramos

Stories for Children 191

Visayas
BADAW, Budoy, waray mo na liwat ubusa an imo kan-
“ on, “Maaram ka ba nga an kada mumo nga nakakarag
ngan nahuhulog ha pinggan in nadulo, natuyo,
naugday,” yakan han Nanay ni Budoy.

“Kay busog na ako Nanay,” an baton ni Budoy. Ginduso ni Budoy

an pinggan. An mga karag nga mumo, iya ginpaspas ngan
nagkahudlog inin ha lamisa, ngan ha salog.

Naghimsaw hi Budoy, nagsepilyo, nagliwan, ngan humigda na ha

katre. “Nanay makaturog na ako”, siring ni Budoy kan iya Nanay.

Nakakita hi Budoy hin dagko nga mga mumo. Dagko-dagkoan hira

hin duro, parehos hin multicab kadagko. Inin nga mga mumo
nagkinarida, nagkinarida tikadto ha pungkay han Danglay.

Pag-abot ngadto ha Danglay, nagkinurahab an mga mumo,

“Kagutom, kagutom!” Ngan an mga gani hin humay nga nakabati,
waray na manurok. An mga isda nga nakabati, waray na mamunay.
Pati an mga puno ngan pananom nga nakabati, waray na mamunga.
An kabakahan, kakandingan, og kakarabwan, waray na magpagatas.
An mga baboy, waray na manubo.

Ngan waray gin-ani nga humay, ngan waray na nadakop nga isda,
ngan waray na mga prutas og utanon, ngan waray na gatas tikang ha
mga hayop, ngan waray na karne nga lulutoon.

Waray na ginkakaon an mga tawo. Nag-garasa hira ngan magluya

hin duro.An mga bata nagtitinuok, “ Magutom, Nanay magutom!”

An mga nanay nabaton, “Ayaw hin saba anak. Inom tubig ngan
katurog”.

Nahadlok hi Budoy han iya nakit-an. Nagdinalagan hiya. “Nanay,

Nanay!

19221st Century Philippine Literature Reader

Diri ako dinhi hit katgutom”

“Shhh, Budoy, nag-iinop ka la. Aadi ako.”

Namangno hi Budoy. “Salamat Nanay, aada ka. Makaharadlok an

akon inop, ‘Nay,” Budoy said.

“Ayaw kabaraka, inop la iton. Hala tukdaw na, paghiram-os,

paglimugmog, ngan pamahaw kay maeskwela ka na,” siring ni iya
Nanay.

Pagdaop ni Budoy ha lamisa, sumiring hiya, “Pasayloa ako Nanay,

diri ngayan maupay pagkarag hin mumo. Pirmi ko uubuson it akon kan-
on.”

Tikang hadto, pirmi na gin-uubos ni Budoy an iya pagkaon. Ngan pirmi

nahuring hin pagpapasalamat hi Budoy han kan-on ha iya pinggan. 🙜🙜

This story belongs to a series produced by Save the Children and

Amandiwing Books to help develop the love of reading in young
children through engaging story lines in their mother tongue and
colorful illustrations by the Katig Writers from Tacloban, Leyte. This
storybook series is the first of its kind to be written in the mother
tongue of children in Eastern Visayas.

Mga Pakiana (Questions)

1. Ano an pamatasan ni Budoy kun nakaon hin kan-on? Ano an siring
ni iya nanay parte hito? (What is the attitude of Budoy towards the
rice that he eats? What did his mother say about it?)
2. Ano an nakit-an ni Budoy ha iya inop? Ig-istorya an nahitabo. (What
did Budoy see in his dream? Narrate what happened.)

Stories for Children 193

3. Ano an maoobserba nga kaibahan kan Budoy ha pagkaon kahuman
han iya inop? (What changes were observed in Budoy during meal
time?)
4. Ano it kanihanglan nga pamatasan ha pagkaon nga ginseserbe ha
lamesa? (What should be the right attitude towards the food that we
are served on the table?)

Translated from Waray by Firie Jill T. Ramos

BADAW, Budoy, you did not eat up the rice I gave

“ you again. Do you know that each grain of rice you
waste that falls off the plate gets offended, sad,
and disappointed,” said Budoy’s mother.

“But I am full, Nanay,” Budoy answered.

Budoy pushed the plate away. He brushed off the grains of rice
which fell off the table and down to the floor.

Budoy washed his arms and feet, brushed his teeth, and changed
into his pajamas, then he went to bed. “Nay, I will go to sleep now,” he
called to his mother.

Budoy saw grains of rice that were so big. They were as huge as
multicabs. These giant grains of rice were running and running towards
the peak of Danglay.

When they reached Danglay, the giant rice grains shouted,

“Hunger, hunger!”

19421st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 The rice plantlings that heard stopped germinating. The fishes that
heard stopped laying eggs. The fruit trees stopped bearing fruits. The
cows, goats, and carabaos did not give milk. The pigs stopped growing.

Then there was no more rice to harvest, and there were no more
fishes to catch and no more fruits and vegetables and there was no
more milk from the animals and there was no more meat to cook

The people had no food to eat. They became thinner and weaker.
The children cried, “Nanay, Nanay we are hungry!”

“Shhh, quiet, my child. Here drink some water and go to sleep,”

the mothers said.

Budoy was scared by what he saw. He started running. “Nanay,

Nanay! I don’t want these times of hunger.”

“Shhh , Budoy, you’re dreaming. I am here.”

Budoy woke up. “Thank you Nanay, you’re here, I had a scary
dream,” Budoy said.

“Don’t worry it’s just a dream. Get up now and rinse your mouth.
Then eat your breakfast, so you can go to school,” Nanay said.

When Budoy sat on the dining table he said, “Nanay forgive me, I
know now that it’s not good to waste rice. From now on, I will eat the
rice served on my plate.”

Since then, Budoy always finished his food.

He always whispered words of thanks to the rice on his plate. 🙜🙜

Stories for Children 195

19621st Century Philippine Literature Reader
18421st Century Philippine Literature Reader
19821st Century Philippine Literature Reader
Si Tanya, Ang
Uwak na Gustong

Stories for Children 199

Pumuti
Sinulat ni German Villanueva Gervacio

20021st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 A PUSOD ng isang birheng kagubatan sa Puerto
Princesa ay may isang puno ng Molave.
Nananahan sa pinakamatibay na sanga ng
puno ang dalawang pamilya ng mga uwak. Sa may
paanan naman nito ay may isang dalisay na lawa.
Maaliwalas ang umagang iyon at
matindi ang sikat ng araw, kaya makikita ang mga tagak sa lawa.
Nagkakasiyahan ang mga ito at nagsasabuyan ng tubig habang nag-
aawitan. Mula naman sa sanga ng Molave ay makikitang
nakatanghod sina Bianca, ang bunsong anak nina Nognog at Nagnag
Uwak at si Tanya, na bunsong anak naman nina Ik-Ik at Ak-Ak Uwak.

“Hoy Jol,” bati ni Maggie sa kaibigan. “Mukhang lalo yatang

pumuputi ang iyong balahibo?”

“Syempre naman, Maggs,” sang-ayon ni Jolinang Tagak, sabay

bulong kay Maggie. “Huwag kang maingay, ha? Bago yata ako
matulog at pagkagising na pagkagising sa umaga ay nagpapahid ako
ng dagta ng Narra.” “Ikaw rin,” dagdag pa ni Jolina. “Mukhang lalong
kuminis at nagkulay-rosas ang binti mo.”

“Atin-atin lang din ito, ha?” Inilapit ni Maggie ang kaniyang tuka
sa tenga ng kausap. “Hindi rin kasi ‘ko pumapalya sa paglalagay ng
dagta ng Acasia gabigabi. Kaya tingnan mo naman, pang-Little
Princess Songbird ang legs ko,” pagyayabang pa ni Maggie.

Sumali na rin sa usapan nila ang iba pang tagak at nagkaniya-

kaniya sila ng pagtatapat sa sikreto ng kanilang mapuputing balahibo
at makikinis at mala-rosas na kutis. Bukod sa ginagamit nina Maggie
at Jolina, ang iba’y gumagamit din ng dagta ng Kaymito, Bayabas,
Mangga, Papaya, maging ng maninipis na sanga ng
Ipil-Ipil.

Stories for Children 201

 “Hindi ka ba naiinggit sa kanila?” Tanong ni Tanya kay Bianca.

“Bakit naman?” Patanong na sagot ni Bianca. “Tayo nga ang

pinakamadalas maghilamos sa lawang iyan, a?”

“Hindi iyon,” untol ni Tanya. “Tingnan mo ang mga balahibo nila.

Ang puputi at mamula-mula ang kanilang kutis. Hindi tulad ng sa atin
na kakulay ng mga linta sa lawa, parang uling—ang itim-itiiim!”

“E, ano naman? Maganda rin naman ang balahibo natin, a?”
Pagtatanggol ni
Bianca. “Kakulay natin ang mga anino ng puno—ang lamig sa mata.”

“Pero ‘yung balahibo nila,” ani Tanya. “Kakulay ng ulap. Parang

ang linislinis tingnan. Hindi tulad ng sa atin, na kahit bagong hilamos
tayo ay para pa ring maruming tingnan,” pabuntung-hiningang sagot
ni Tanya.

“Haay, naku Tanya, wala naman tayong magagawa pa kung

ganito ang ibinigay sa ating balahibo, e. Kasi naman po, e uwak tayo,
uwak. At sila’y mga tagak. Umikli man ang leeg ni Gerry Giraffe o
pumayat man si Ely Elepante, hindi pa rin magiging puti ang balahibo
natin, ‘no?” Medyo naiinis na ring paliwanag ni Bianca.

“Pero hindi mo ba narinig yung pinag-uusapan nila?” Hirit pa ni

Tanya. “Nagpapahid daw sila ng dagta ng mga puno para pumuti ang
kanilang balahibo at kuminis ang kutis. E kung magpahid din kaya
tayo?”

“Alam mo kung ano ang dapat mong ipahid?” Tanong ni Bianca.

“Ano?” Sabik na tanong ni Tanya.

“Ano pa? E di, yung panis na laway ni Buboy Buwaya, para

magising ka sa masama mong panaginip, hi-hi-hi,” panunukso ni
Bianca.
20221st Century Philippine Literature Reader
 “Ikaw talaga!” Sabay tuka ni Tanya sa tagiliran ng kaibigan na
gaganti sana pero nakalipad na siya at nagpasikutsikot sa mga sanga
ng Molave papunta sa Narra, Acacia, Kaymito at iba pang puno,
kabuntot ang humahagikgik na rin ngayong kaibigan.

Noong gabing iyon ay hindi makatulog si Tanya. Hanggang

ngayon ay malinaw pa rin ang larawan ng mga tagak na naliligo,
lalung-lalo na si Maggie. Ang puti-puti ng balahibo nito lalo na kapag
tinatamaan ng sikat ng araw. Maging ang mahaba at makinis na binti
nito ay parang makopa. Sigurado ngang bukas, sa pyesta, ay si
Maggie na ang itatanghal na Little Princess Songbird ng Puerto
Princesa. Madalas din, ay nangangarap siyang tanghaling Little
Princess Songbird. Nakasuot siya ng dahon ng Ipil-Ipil at mayuming-
mayuming aawit sa entablado. At siya ang magwawagi. Puputungan
siya ng pinagtuhug-tuhog na bulaklak ng Bougainvilla sa gitna ng
palakpakan at “twiiiiiit-twiiiiiiiit” ng mga manonood. At ipagmamalaki
siya ng Tatay Ik-Ik at Nanay Ak-Ak niya dahil maiuuwi niya rin ang
gantimpalang isang latang uod at isang latang bulate.
Makakatulog siyang nakangiti.

Kinaumagahan, sa pugad nina Bianca, naghahanda na ang Tatay

Nognog at Nanay Nagnag niya para sa paghahanap ng uod at bulate
at tuyong dayami para sa kanilang pugad. Patingin-tingin si Bianca sa
abalang mga magulang nang masulyapan siya ng kaniyang ina.

“O, bakit kanina pa nakatitig ang bunso ko sa maganda niyang

ina?” Pagbibiro ni Nanay Nagnag.

“Wala po. Iniisip ko lang po kung sakali kaya’t puti ang balahibo
n’yo, ano kaya ang inyong itsura?” Sagot ng bunso sa ina.

Stories for Children 203

 “O, naisip mo naman ba?” Singit ni Tatay Nognog. “Kamukha ba
ni Tweety ang ina mo, o ni Patty Kalapati?” Panunudyo nito sabay tawa
at dampi ng banayad na tuka sa pisngi ni Nanay Nagnag.

“Hindi nga po, e,” sagot ni Bianca. “Mukha kayong ano...mukhang

manok...na namumutla sa takot, hi-hi-hi.” Nagtawanan sila nang

sabay-sabay.

“Teka nga,” putol ni Nanay Nagnag. “Bakit naman po iniisip n’yo

na puti ang balahibo ko, aber?”

“Si Tanya, kasi ‘Nay. Kahapon ay nakita namin sina Maggie na

naliligo diyan sa lawa at hangang-hanga siya sa puting-puting balahibo
nito at kutis. Sabi niya, gusto rin daw niyang maging ganoon,”
pagtatapat ni Bianca.

“Anak, wala namang masama sa kulay natin, a. At saka, kung

hindi dahil sa kulay natin, mahihirapan tayong makapagtago sa mga
tao. At baka ngayon ay kinakatay na tayo at iniihaw ni Andokito, ha-
ha-ha,” nakatawang pagpapaliwanag ng ama.

Si Andokito ay ‘yung batang taga-Baliwag na mahilig manirador ng

mga hayop at ibon sa kagubatan.

“Oo nga naman, ‘nak,” sang-ayon ng ina. “At saka, ito ang bigay
sa ating kulay ng Dakilang Lumikha kaya dapat natin itong
ipagpasalamat. Masdan mo nga ang Nanay mo. Hindi ba’t black byuti,
parang si Nora Aunor? Hi-hi-hi,” at kumanta pa si Nanay Nagnag.

“Iyon nga rin po ang sabi ko kay Tanya, e,” sabi ni Bianca. “At
saka di po ba, masama ‘yung ginagawa nina Maggie na pangunguha
ng dagta?”

20421st Century Philippine Literature Reader

 “Bakit, ano naman ang ginagawa nila sa dagta?” Tanong ni Tatay
Nognog.

“E ‘yung dagta po kasi ang ginagamit nila sa pagpapaputi ng

balahibo at pagpapakinis ng kutis,” paliwanag ni Bianca.

“Kaya pala kapag nadadaan kami ng Tatay mo sa lugar ng mga

tagak, balibali ang mga sanga ng puno at sugat-sugat ang mga
katawan. Maging ang mga Narra’t Acasia ay nangakatumba na rin,”
sumagi sa alaala ni Nanay Nagnag.

“Pati kamo mga Ipil-Ipil ay hindi pinatawad ng mga tagak na iyon,”

pagdidiin ni Tatay Nognog. “Tingnan lang natin, kung dumating na
ang tag-ulan, at sila rin ang magkakaroon ng malaking problema.”

“At saka ‘di ba, ‘Tay, ganoon ang nangyari sa gubat ng mga
Korokokok sa Puerto Ormoc? Naubos ang mga puno nila kaya
nagka...ano nga ba’ng tawag do’n, ‘Tay?” Nababahalang tanong ni
Bianca.

“Flash flood ang tawag do’n. Kaya kailangan, mapanatili nating

buhay at malusog ang mga puno, para may sumipsip sa ulan at hindi
magbaha at hindi tayo mawalan ng pugad,” pagtatapos ni Tatay
Nognog sabay haplos sa ulo ng bunso.

Noong hapong iyon ay sabik na sabik na ibinalita ni Tanya kay

Bianca na sasali siya sa Little Princess Songbird. At nagpapatulong ito
sa pagkuha ng dagta ng puno na ipapahid para pumuti ang kaniyang
balahibo. Ipinaliwanag ni Bianca sa kaibigan ang ikinuwento ng
kaniyang ama’t ina at sinabi pa niyang kayangkaya namang manalo ni
Tanya, kahit pa hindi ito maputi, lalo pa nga’t di hamak na mas
magaling kumanta si Tanya kaysa mga tagak, maski kay Maggie.

Stories for Children 205

 “E, ang hirap naman kasi, kapag nakasuot na ‘ko ng dahon ng Ipil-
Ipil,” pagpapaliwanag ni Tanya. “Mahahalata, na maitim ang balahibo
ko.”

“E ano naman ang masama no’n? Paligsahan naman ng pag-awit

iyon, a? At hindi paputian. Kung ayaw mong makita ‘yang ikinahihiya
mong kulay, ang isuot mo ay dahon ng Gabi!” Naiinis nang sagot ni
Bianca.

“E kung ayaw mo ‘kong tulungan, e ‘di huwag!” Galit na rin si

Tanya. “‘Kala mo yata, e hindi ko pa kayang pumutol ng sanga at
kumuha ng dagta? Hoooy, kaya ko na pooo! Mamayang gabi, kapag
ako na ang itinanghal na Little Princess Songbird, e huwag kang
makapunta-punta sa pugad namin, ha? Hindi kita bibigyan ng de-
latang uod at bulate!” Sabay lipad nito para kumuha na ng dagta at
naiwan si Biancang maluha-luha.

Lumipad din si Bianca upang magpalipas ng sama ng loob sa

kaibigan. Lumipad siya nang lumipad habang tumutulo naman nang
tumutulo ang luha sa mata. Nakarating siya sa kasukalan ng gubat.
Para siyang wala sa kaniyang sarili. Dinamdam niyang mabuti ang
pagkakagalit nila ng matalik na kaibigan. Mayamaya’y naramdaman
niyang may kung anong dumaplis sa kaliwa niyang pakpak at tuloy-
tuloy siyang bumagsak sa lupa. Ang huling narinig niya ay yabag ng
sapatos at tuluyan na siyang nawalan ng malay-ibon.

Samantala’y tuka-tuka na ni Tanya ang isang bao ng Niyog na

pinaglagyan niya ng dagta ng Papaya. Hindi kasi niya maputol ang
sanga ng Narra o Acasia kaya’t ito na lamang ang kaniyang kinuha.
Malayu-layo rin ang narating niya bago siya makakita ng puno ng
Papaya. Nakapapagud pero masaya na rin siya dahil mamaya, sa
tanghalan na gagawin sa lugar ng mga tagak, ay hindi siya
mapapahiya kahit magsuot man siya ng dahon ng Ipil-Ipil. Pauwi na
20621st Century Philippine Literature Reader
siya sa kanilang pugad para gumayak nang may marinig siyang siyap
ng ibon. “U-waak! Uuu-waaakk! Uuuu-waaaakkk!” “Siyap
ng uwak, iyon a?” Tanong niya sa sarili.

Nagpalinga-linga siya at nilipad ang pinanggagalingan ng siyap.

Habang lumalakas ang siyap, natitiyak na niyang galing nga ito sa
isang uwak, at parang pamilyar pa ang siyap na iyon. Sa gawi pa
roon ay may natanaw siyang usok. Nilapitan niya ito at mula sa
tuktok ng isang punong Mangga ay may natanaw siyang tao na
nagpapakulo ng tubig sa kalderong nakagatong sa nagdiringas na
pinagsibak-sibak na kahoy.

“Si Andokito!” Halos mahulog ang tuka-tuka niyang bao ng Niyog

sa pagkagulat niya.

Napatingala naman si Andokito sa puno ng Mangga at itinutok

ang hawak nitong tirador nang may mapansing gumagalaw sa may
sanga. Mabilis namang nakapagtago si Tanya sa lilim ng dahon.
Hindi siya natanaw ni Andokito dahil kakulay niya ang anino ng mga
dahon sa sanga.

Sa may likuran ni Andokito ay may napansin si Tanyang kulungang

gawa sa kawayan.

“Nakup...! Si Bianca!” Kinakabahang nasambit niya.

Inilapag niya sa malapad-lapad na sanga ng Mangga ang dala-dala

niyang bao ng Niyog. Dahan-dahan siyang lumipad sa kinaroroonan ng
kaibigan.
Namataan siya nito at lalong lumakas ang pagsiyap.

“Ssshhh...” Saway ni Tanya sa kaibigan. “Huwag kang maingay

at baka marinig tayo ni Andokito. Kakalagin ko ang tali ng kulungan
at itatakas kita riyan.”

Stories for Children 207

 At sinimulan na ngang tuka-tukain ni Tanya ang abakang
ipinantali ni Andokito sa kulungan ni Bianca. Subalit napakaganit ng
abaka at mahigpit ang pagkakatali.

“Tan,” mahinang sabi ni Bianca. “Salamat sa tulong mo, pero

bago mo mapatid ang taling iyan ay kukulo na ang tubig at kukunin
na niya ‘ko rito. Mabuti pa ay iwan mo na lang ako at iligtas mo ang
iyong sarili. Baka madamay ka pa at dalawa pa tayo ngayong
maihaw. Sige na, lipad na. At baka mahuli ka pa sa sasalihan mong
kontes. At saka ‘di ba, galit ka sa akin?” Nag-aalala pero
nagdaramdam na sabi ni Bianca.

“SShhhh...sabi, e. Huwag ka na ngang magdrama diyan. Hindi

ako aalis dito nang hindi ka kasama. Tingnan mo, o. Malapit ko nang
mapatid,” pag-aalo ni Tanya. “Teka sandali, may kukunin lang ako,”
sabay lipad ni Tanya pabalik sa puno ng Mangga.

Nang linguning muli ni Tanya ang kulungan ni Bianca ay papalapit

na rito si Andokito dahil kumukulo na ang tubig sa kaldero. Dali-dali
niyang tinuka ang labi ng bao ng Niyog na may lamang dagta at
inilipad papunta kay Andokito. Nasa tapat na siya ng ulo ni Andokito
nang biglang tumingala ito pagkarinig sa pagaspas ng kaniyang
pakpak. Walang sinayang na sandali si Tanya at ibinuhos niya sa
mukha nito ang dagta sa bao. Tumapon lahat sa mukha ng batang
mangangaso ang dagta at hilam na hilam ang kaniyang mga mata.
Nagsisigaw ito at nangapa-ngapa ng makakapitan. Sa pag-atras-atras
ni Andokito ay natalisod siya sa isang panggatong at una ang puwitan
niyang bumagsak sa kumukulong tubig ng kaldero. Lalong
nagngangawa ito at kumaripas ng takbo at nagkandabunggu-bunggo
sa malalapad na katawan ng mga punong hindi niya nakikita dahil sa
dagta sa mata. Inihit ng tawa sina Tanya at Bianca sa nasaksihan at
pinagtulungan na nilang patirin ang tali ng kulungan ni Bianca.

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 Nang makalag nila ang tali at makalabas sa kulungan si Bianca,
mahigpit na nagyakap ang magkaibigan.

“Salamat, Tan,” maluha-luhang sabi ni Bianca. “‘Lika na,

tutulungan na kitang kumuha uli ng dagta.”

“Hindi na lang. Sa oras na ito ay baka matatapos na ang kontes.

Parang ayoko na nga ring sumali, e. Uwi na lang tayo,” yaya ni Tanya.

Lilipad na sana ang dalawang magkaibigan nang biglang kumidlat

at kumulog. Maya-maya pa’y bumuhos na ang napakalakas na ulan.
Sumilong sila sa makapal na dahon ng puno ng Mangga. Habang
naghihintay ay ginamot ni Tanya ng nginuya niyang dahon ng Mangga
ang sugat sa kaliwang pakpak ni
Bianca na mabuti ay daplis lamang. Madilim na ay hindi pa rin
tumitila ang ulan. Makalipas ang halos apat na oras ay saka pa
lamang tumigil ito subalit patuloy pa rin ang pag-ambon. Nagpasya
silang suungin na ang ambon dahil baka nag-aalala na ang kanilang
mga magulang. Sa malayo pa lamang ay natanaw na nila sina Tatay
Nognog at Ik-Ik at Nanay Nagnag at Ak-ak na nakaabang sa harapan
ng kanilang pugad. Naalis ang pangamba sa mukha ng mga
magulang na uwak nang makita ang kani-kanilang mga bunso.

“Akala namin ay kung napaano na kayo?” Halos sabay-sabay na

usal ng mga naghihintay.

Ikinuwento nina Tanya ang buong pangyayari at napahagikgik sila,

lalo na sa eksenang bumunggo-bungo si Andokito sa mga puno.

Noong gabing iyon ay sa higaan ni Bianca natulog si Tanya.

Magkatabi ang magkaibigan dahil nakituloy sa pugad nina Tanya ang
minamalat na si Little Princess Songbird, si Jolina at iba pang mapuputi
at makikinis na mga tagak, na ang tahanan ay tinangay ng bahang
bunga ng katatapos na bagyo. 🙜🙜
Stories for Children 209
Mga Gabay na Tanong
1. Ano ang nararamdaman ni Tanya tungkol sa kulay ng kanyang
balahibo? Ilarawan ang kanyang nararamdaman.
2. Ilarawan ang panahong masasabi mong naging isa kang Tanya.
Bakit mo nasabing ikaw ay hindi nakuntento sa kung anong meron
ka? Ibahagi kung paano mong nalampasan ang panahong iyon.
3. Paano mapalalakas ang self-confidence at matatanggap sa sarili
ang mga bagaybagay na hindi mo na mababago sa iyong pagkatao.
Magmungkahi ng mga maaring gawin.

The
Authors
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

FELICIDAD P. GALANG-PEREÑA, author of Tim Tam and the Witch Who

Lives by the Quingua River, finished all academic degrees from bachelors
to doctorate at the University of Santo Tomas, Philippines. She was a scholar
of Israel’s Golda Meir Mt. Carmel Institute on early childhood education. She
served in government as editor at Land Bank of the Philippines and
21021st Century Philippine Literature Reader
consultant to the Tourism Division of the Quezon City local government unit.
She is a full professor at the Department of Literature and Humanities of the
Faculty of Arts and Letters and a fellow of the Research Center for Culture,
Arts and Humanities (RCCAH) of the University of Santo Tomas and at the
same time a contributing writer for the Philippine Star. She has presented
papers on Philippine Studies for international fora, including Malaysia,
Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, Portugal and Ireland. Her book “Portraits and
Portals in H.O.P.E. Journalism” was recently published.

CHEENO MARLO M. SAYUNO, author of The Day the Farmers Marched

and How
Lakan Cried for His Father, is an Assistant Professor at the University of
the Philippines Los Baños. He has won awards for his children's stories The
Magic Bahag, Si Tiya Salome, and The Missing Blanket. His research
interests also include discourse analysis, communication research, and
dance.

WILL P. ORTIZ, author of Bulanglang and The Parable of the Ancient

Balete Tree and the Woodcutter, loves writing children’s literature as
well as caring for dogs and cats. She is a professor at the Departamento ng
Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas at UP Diliman. Her collection of short stories,
Bugtong ng Buwan at Iba Pang Kuwento, took home the Madrigal-Gonzalez
Best First Book Award for 2012, an award given by the UP Institute of
Creative Writing; her winning book of short stories, which talks about
marginalized children, was originally published by UP Press in 2011.

EUGENE Y. EVASCO, author of Si Mabait at ang mga Daliri ng

Liwanag, is a writer, editor, translator, and collector of children’s books. A
full professor at the College of Arts and Letters in UP Diliman, he teaches
Malikhaing Pagsulat at Panitikan. He is currently a columnist for Liwayway
and a fellow of the UP Institute of Creative Writing. He was inducted into the
Hall of Fame of the Don Carlos Memorial Awards for Literature in 2009 and is
a two-time winner of the Grand Prize at the PBBY Salanga Writers Prize for
Best Short Story at the Catholic Mass Media Award.

CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

FRANCIS C. MACANSANTOS, author of The Monkey Who Bought a

River, is a native of Zamboanga City and a sometime resident student of
Silliman University in Dumaguete. Francis (Butch) Macansantos called
Baguio City home from 1981 until his demise in 2017. With the late National
Artist Cirilo Bautista, he co-founded the Baguio Writers Group in the late
1990s. Francis was a five-time Palanca award winner in English Poetry, and
has four books of poetry: The Words and Other Poems (UP Press 1997),

Stories for Children 211

Womb of Water, Breasts of Earth (NCCA 2007), Balsa: Poemas Chabacano
(NCCA 2011) and Snail Fever (UP Press 2016). Snail Fever won the National
Book Award for Poetry in English in 2017. Balsa - a collection of 31 poems in
Chabacano, with translations into English - was finalist in the National Book
Award in 2012 for Poetry in English. An avid mentor to young writers, he
served in panels of critics in creative writing workshops throughout the
Philippines. In 2007 and 2014, he was elected as Baguio/Cordillera
representative in the Executive Committee for Literary Arts of the NCCA. At
his urging, the Cordillera Creative Writers Workshop was first held in 2007 at
UP Baguio.

BERNADETTE “DET” VILLANUEVA NERI, the author of Si Binag, Si Elod,

at ang mga
Palay ng Gabaldon. She is a teacher in the Departamento ng Filipino at
Panitikan ng Pilipinas, University of the Philippines Diliman. She writes
children's short stories, essays, plays, and lesbian short stories that she calls
“naratibô” or narratives of the tibôs. She has won the Don Carlos Palanca
Memorial Awards for Literature six times, was a finalist in the Madrigal-
Gonzalez First Book Award at the National Children's Book Awards. The
Metro Manila Commission gave her a Professorial Chair Award for her study
on the local history of the town of Gabaldon, and she was also one of the
recipients of the UP Artist Award. She also wrote Ang Ikaklit sa Aming
Hardin, an illustrated children's book about the experience of a child with
two mothers, and Ang Misteryo ng Patongpatong na Damit ni Hulyan, a
children's book about online sexual exploitation of children in the
Philippines.

CONVIRON ALTATIS, author of Mestizo Igorot, was born in Quezon City,

Metro Manila to Igorot parents who are both from Mountain Province. He
earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Benguet State
University in La Trinidad, Benguet. He wrote Brilliante Mendoza’s films
“Everlasting” (2017) and “Desfocado” (2018) and co-wrote the GMA Network
series “My Guitar Princess” (2018).

LUZON

LEAH DOMINNO MANZANO, author of Ang Dalawa Kong Lola, is a high

school teacher from Salcedo, Ilocos Sur. She has published fifteen short
stories in Liwayway, and one, in Bannawag under the titles Friendship
(2016), Si Inay (2014), Paghihintay (2012), Ang Bungangerang si Inang
(2011), Ang Silid ni Kuya Eman (2011), Pag-asa (2011), Paniniwala (2011),
Usbong nga Pag-asa (2011), Pang-unawa (2011), Dagiti dua a Lilangko
(2011), Friendhip (2009), Family Life (2009), Kalamay (2009), Si Tiya Margie
(2009), Sa Aking Pagtanda (2009), and Handog na Pagmamahal (2009).

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JULIETA C. MALLARI, author of I Bunduk Tudtud (Si Bundok Tudtud),
Ding Mipagsisting Gumamela (Ang Nagpipintasang Gumamela), and
Ing Maputing Itu
(Ang Puting Hito), has written coffee-table books, essays published in
local and international journals, and biographies of two known Filipino
lawyers. She is the Editor-in-Chief of Lirip, journal of UP Pampanga, and
Tuglung, an anthology of Kapampangan literary writings. Now a retired
professor, Dr. Mallari is an active cultural worker involved in activities
promoting Kapampangan language/literature as well as Ayta culture. She is
the former UP Pampanga Director who holds a doctorate in Comparative
Literature. Currently, she serves as the Head of the NCCA Committee on
Literary Arts.

LIWLIWA MALABED, author of Ang Musang nina Uye at Mai, has

written about ten books including 100 Questions Filipino Kids Ask, and
Handa Ako!, a manual for disaster preparedness for children. Her first story,
“Anya and Her Tears,” won in MMPI Dreamweaver’s Contest for original
bedtime story and illustration (published in Family Reader Magazine), and
got her the job as a staff writer for Eskwela ng Bayan, a curriculum-based
children’s show. Her love for children’s literature inspired her to take up MA
in Teaching in the Early Grades at UP College of Education.

PEJAY A. PADRIGON, author of An Payong ni Ayong, is a Senior High

School (SHS) teacher at Nabua National High School. He graduated in
Philosophy from Holy Rosary Minor Seminary and earned his Master of Arts
degree in Education Major in Guidance and Counseling at the University of
Nueva Caceres. He is an active member of Parasurat Bikolnon Inc.

VISAYAS

ALICE TAN GONZALES, author of Si Ani, ang Manugdala sang Kasanag

(Ani, the
Lightbearer), a multi-awarded writer known to deal with genres like the
binalaybay, drama, and short stories. Her publications include Sa
Taguangkan sang Duta kag Iban Pa nga Sugilanon, May Isa ka Kuring nga
Hari kag Iban Pa nga Sugilanon para sa Kabataan, Ilongga: Madamo nga
Guya (mga binalaybay), kag Istoryahan Ta Ka Uli (mga sugilanon para sa
kabataan). Dr. Gonzales is a professor at the Humanities Division, College of
Arts and Sciences of UP Visayas. Her storybook, Si Ani, ang Manugdala sang
Kasanag, illustrated by Gil Montinola, was published in 2018 by Kasingkasing
Press. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Don Carlos Memorial
Awards for Literature in 2014.

ELIODORA LABOS DIMZON, author of Si Isay kag ang Kalampay (Isay

and the

Stories for Children 213

Kalampay), is a faculty member of UP Visayas. She hails from Carles, Iloilo.
She earned her
Bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature from UP Visayas and her
Master’s degree, also in Comparative Literature, from UP Diliman. Her
illustrated storybook, Si Yanila kag ang Gataw, was launched in July 2021 by
the UPV TEACH DRR and was featured as Book in Focus during the Iloilo
Mega Book Fair 2022 at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Arts (ILOMOCA).
Her work, Si Isay kag ang Kalampay, that is featured in this collection, was
inspired by the trope of a “growing kalampay” in Panayanon folklore.

MAY ANNE T. JARO, author of Paiburong and the Golden Bamboo, is

an associate professor at the University of San Agustin. She loves to write
fiction, but most of her publications are studies that integrate literary
criticism and the development of educational materials. Her illustrated
storybook in three languages from which the English version featured in this
collection was taken, is part of her dissertation research, Rewriting Oral
Tradition for Multilingual Learners. She currently serves as principal of the
University of San Agustin Senior High School, and as coordinator of the
National Committee on Literary Arts for Western Visayas.

ALLEN MAE MONTABLAN, author of Hi Andoy nga Masag (Andoy, the

Crab), is a graduate of B.A. Communication Arts from UPV Tacloban
College. She hails from Tacloban City. Allen loves books, and by writing this
story she hopes to share the love of reading to the children of Eastern
Visayas.

JANIS CLAIRE B. SALVACION, author of An Kamiyapian ha Kataisan,

won the Writer’s Prize for poetry of the National Commission for Culture and
Arts in 2011. She authored the poetry collection entitled Siso Sakradang
published by the Ubod New Author Series of the Ateneo Institute of Literary
Arts and Practices and the NCCA. Janis owns a book store called Book Storm.

MICHAEL CARLO C. VILLAS, translator of An Kamiyapian ha Kataisan

(The
Mangroves in Kataisan), by Janis Claire Salvacion, teaches writing and
literature at the Department of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences at
Visayas State University in Baybay City, Leyte, where he lives. He has been
published in the Philippines Freepress, Corpus, Asia Literary Review,
Humanities Diliman, Under the Storm: An Anthology of Contemporary
Philippine Poetry edited by Joel Toledo and Khavn de la Cruz and Sa Atong
Dila: Introduction to Visayan Literature edited by Merlie Alunan.
(https://www.asiancha.com/content/view/2211/526/)

FIRIE JILL T. RAMOS, author of An Karag nga Mumo (Wasted Grain of

Rice), writes poems, fiction/susumaton, and children's stories in Waray. Her
poems appeared in Lunop: Haiyan Voices and Images (NCCA, 2015), Tingog
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Nanay (Bathalad Press, 2016), Memories of Water (Ateneo de Naga, 2016),
Tinalunay: Hinugpong nga Panurat ha Waray (UP Press, 2017), and
Sustaining the Archipelago: An Anthology of Philippine Ecopoetry (UST Press,
2017). Her translation work can be found in An Paglaum: Mga Europeo nga
Susumaton ha Waray (Ateneo de Naga Press). She lives in Tacloban City,
Philippines. (Source: https://www.asiancha.com/content/view/3223/677/)

MINDANAO

GERMAN VILLANUEVA GERVACIO, author of Si Tanya, Ang Uwak na

Gustong
Pumuti, currently works at the Department of Filipino, Mindanao State
University - Iligan
Institute of Technology. German does creative works and research in
Philippine Literatures and
Literary Theory. His most recent publication is 'Sandosenang Sendong: Ang
Talinghaga ng
Pagwasak at Pagbuo'. (Source:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/German-Gervacio)

NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON LITERARY ARTS

Executive Council Members
(2020-2022)

JULIETA C. MALLARI, Ph.D.

Head/Executive Council Member - Central Luzon

JOHN B. BENGAN
Vice Head/Executive Council Member - Eastern and Southern Mindanao

JOYCE L. ARRIOLA, Ph.D.

Secretary/Executive Council Member - National Capital Region

YVONNE M. ESPERAS
Assistant Secretary/Executive Council Member - Eastern Visayas

LUNA S. CLETO, Ph.D.

Executive Council Member - National Capital Region

MERDEKA D. MORALES
Executive Council Member - National Capital Region

PRISCILLA S. MACANSANTOS, Ph.D.

Executive Council Member - Cordillera Administrative Region

NEYO E. VALDEZ
Executive Council Member - Northern Luzon

Stories for Children 215

 NILES JORDAN D. BREIS
Executive Council Member - Southern Luzon

HAIDEE EMMIE K. PALAPAR

Executive Council Member - Central Visayas

MAY ANNE T. JARO, Ph.D.

Executive Council Member - Western Visayas

SHARA ROSE VIRGINI O. DIONALDO

Executive Council Member - Northern and Central Mindanao

FLORAIME O. PANTALETA
Executive Council Member - Western Mindanao

Acknowledgment
The NCLA 2020-2022 ExeCon members

would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Chrisse Joy Delos

Santos
for her inspiring dedication and valuable contributions
to the accomplishment of all the projects during their 3-year term.

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Stories for Children 203
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