Mga Sugilanon ng Central Visayas

Welcome to Mga Sugilanon ng Central Visayas! This place is a collection of few of the many stories in the sixth region of the Philippines: Central Visayas. It will be covering narratives that range from legends, myths, and folklore such as fables. This site will explore mostly on the four provinces of the region - Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor; and Lapu-lapu, an urbanized city. Our team, which is tasked to compile these stories for our LITSTOR class, chose to work on this region since it is known for having various tales and legends that have been passed on for so many generations and are still being told in the present.

The stories in this region are replete with tales and legends about the Creation and heroism, moral conflict, and the triumph of good over evil. These stories, just like other regions, include Filipino values and traditions that may be used in understanding the message of the tales better which makes these folklore interesting. Keeping these alive is important because it is a way of connecting to the culture of these areas and it also tells the origin of some places and the history or lifestyle of a group of people in these provinces.

List of Stories About the members/Sources of the stories

To nagivate through the blog, you can search for these hashtags in this blog:

#storylist #about

#cebu #bohol #negros #siquijor #lapulapu

Cebu

Legends

Maria Cacao

The Tuba Gatherer

The Origin of the Black Sto. Nino

Myths 

The Origin of the Sinulog Dance

Noah and the Owac

Other Folklore

Why Chickens Scratch the Ground

The Viscera-sucking Mother-in-law

Bohol

Legends 

A Fog Delivers a Town from Disaster

The Legend of the Chocolate Hills

The Duendes

The Lost Juanito

Orphan Isidro and Bungot

Myths

Tailor and the Torch

The Rice Myth

Fables

Why Mosquitoes Hum

Negros Oriental

Legends

The Strange Delivery Call

Catalina of Dumaguete

Julia in Fairyland

The Mermaid of Tanjay

The Mermaid of Lake Mantuhod

Myths

The Origin of the Spring at Mabinay

Siquijor

About Us

We are the team of Mga Sugilanon, a blog that serves as a compendium for folklore and stories in the Philippines, particularly Central Visayas or Region 6. This site is created for our LITSTOR (The Art of Storytelling) class in De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde.

Members:

Seatiel A. Marcelo

Illustration, Research

[email protected]

Bianca Isabelle V. Olvina

Introduction, Research

[email protected]

Moon Cairo Peralta

Design

[email protected]

Hyacinth Nicole V. Vipinosa

Illustration, Research

[email protected]

Sources

Cebuano and Visayan Folktales. (n.d.). Retrieved February 5, 2020, from http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Cebu%20Culture/cebu_folklore_fs.html

Damiana, Eugenio L. (1993). Philippine Folk Literature: The Myths. Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press

Damiana, Eugenio L. (1996). Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends Volume III. Office of Research Coordination, University of the Philippines

Damiana, Eugenio L. (2001). Philippine Folk Literature: The Myths. University of the Philippines Press

Fansler, Dean S. (2008). The Project Gutenberg EBook of Filipino Popular Tales. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8299/8299-h/8299-h.htm#xd0e12375.

Ramos, Maximo D. (1990). The Aswang Complex in Philippine Folklore. Phoenix Publishing House

Region 7 (Central Visayas) | Philippines Cities. (n.d.). Retrieved February 5, 2020, from https://philippinescities.com/region-7-central-visayas/

The Legend of the Chocolate Hills

Bohol Island

Two giants from each end fight for the land that soon turned to be the Chocolate Hills of Bohol.

“In the region of Visayas, the island of Bohol was once a flat land. In the very early days in the island of Bohol in the Visayas region, the area covering most of its rice fields was originally flat land. What bothered the farm folks at length even up to now, is the extreme climatic changes affecting the region which have caused untold difficulties for them. During the onset of the dry seasons, much of the ground there would be extremely dry and hard, they nearly always broke their backs trying to plow the fields.

Even more troublesome was that the local farmers had to force themselves to work the fields while sweating continuously under the tremendous heat of the sun. On the other hand, during the progress of the rainy seasons, the fields and the inroads would be extremely muddy, it was slippery to walk around. It was only during the autumn harvest time that the rice fields come alive once more with the tall palay shoots growing everywhere that makes the whole terrain look verdant green – so pleasant a sight to see, or readily forgets about the hardships one had to go through in the previous months.

One day, according to the old folks there, there came two giants from two opposite sides of the island. One came from the south end and the other from the north tip of the island. Fearing for their lives, the people left and settled in remote areas of the island.

‘Hey, you there! This is my land!’ declared the giant from the south. ‘Get out of my land at once! Find your own elsewhere!’

‘No! I am not going to leave. I came here first!” insisted the giant from the north. “You should be the one to leave!’

‘No! I am not going anywhere! Just get away from my land!’ shouted the furious giant from the north thumping his feet on the ground at the same time.

It had just rained a while ago that the field was muddy everywhere. The giant from the north began to pick some of the mud, made a ball out of it and then hurled it at the giant from the south. It hit his left shoulder. Wanting to get even with him, the giant from the south quickly retaliated by throwing a similar ball of mud right into the face of the other giant. For some time, they kept hurling these balls of mud at each other that hit their bodies then fell to the ground that went on for hours. Then both went out of their wits and charged towards each other. The people just stood and watched the fist-to-fist fierce fighting between the two giants with no one letting up. Finally, they punched each other out for good. One after the other fell to the ground and died.

What was left of their fighting were hills upon hills of the round balls of mud they hurled at each other. After the fight, the farmers came back to the fields, first to bury the two giants, and then went on to lead a peaceful farm life once again.

During the dry seasons up to now, one can see for himself these brown hill ranges stretching for miles and miles across the island that looked like candy chocolates when watched from an elevated viewpoint. These hills are now more popularly referred to as the ‘Chocolate Hills’ of Bohol, one of the marvels of nature, making it one of the prime tourist spots to wit. Nonetheless, as harvest time comes, these chocolate-colored hills turn verdant green once again as the palay shoots out from the hills that make up these fields, giving everyone a renewed zest for living.”

The Strange Delivery Call

Tanjay, Negros Oriental

This story is about a midwife named Manay Juana who took a delivery call late one night from two strangers.

In the early days, when Tanjay had no doctors yet, midwives attended deliveries. These midwivanswered night calls only from people they personally knew. One such midwife was 

One night, two strangers came to Manay Juana's house asking her to attend to a sister of theirs who was having labor pains. The men were mestizos and Manay Juana was not sure she could trust them. She then refused, telling them she usually did not go on night calls. 

"Manay, please go with us. We'll accompany you back," they replied. Finally Manay Juana consented. As far as she could remember, they were going to the sitio of Pancil. It was pitch dark. Later on they were wading in knee-deep mud. 

"Where are we?" asked Manay Juana. "Just go on," the strangers prodded. "We'll get out of this very soon and arrive at a nice place." After a few minutes, they reached a really big and beautiful house. Bright lights were everywhere. The woman was bewildered all the more when she saw that the people living in the house were all mestizos and handsome. She asked for their sister who they said was about to deliver her baby. Manay Juana was brought to a room where a beautiful woman lay. In spite of her fear, she examined the patient.

"She's not going to deliver yet. It's going to take some weeks yet. I think I better go home. Just call me when the time really comes," Mangy Juana declared. 

"We'll take you home, then. But first let us have our supper," the men invited Manay Juana began to feel queer. Her hair began to stand on end. She looked at the people around her. She began to tremble. Their looks to her were unearthly. Then she remembered her "carmen" and the medal she always carried with her. Hurriedly she placed them on her mouth and began to pray. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, help me." She repeated and repeated this simple prayer. Suddenly everything turned black. She could not see anything at all. When she came to, she was on a branch of a big balete tree. She came down and after much patience and courage, she finally reached home full of scratches from the bushes and thorns. Mangy Juana never answered a delivery call again. As for the balete tree, it still stands but no one dares to go near it because it still has the brand of being enchanted. 

Julia in Fairyland

Cangmating, Negros Oriental

A girl named Julia met a fair lady who lived in a balete tree. She persuaded Julia to live with her.

“In the heart of Cangmating is a clear spring. Its water forms a little creek which connects with Tubtubon river. Just around one hundred meters northeast of the spring stands a big balete tree. The trunk is covered with vines. It has wide spreading branches. Around the tree are nipa and buri palms. It is believed that fairies dwell in this tree.

Once a brave man tried to cut down this tree, but he immediately fainted and later died. Sounds of merry making were heard many times by people living in nearby houses. About six years ago Juan Ramos made a farm near this tree. He planted his field to corn. His daughter Julia used to watch the field to drive the chickens and pigs away. There were guava trees near the balete tree. The fourteen-year-old girl gathered some ripe guava fruits. All of a sudden a fairy lady appeared before her. She talked sweetly and kindly to her. Julia wondered who this stranger and beautiful lady was.

“I am your friend,” said the fair lady, “I love to be with you as a friend and a playmate.”

"We are just neighbors. Look at my house," replied the fair lady as she pointed to the balete tree.

The lady held Julia's hand and invited her to visit her house. Suddenly the girl was brought to the foot of the stairs of a beautiful palace. Inside the house were fair maidens and handsome men. There was music and dancing. "Come up," invited the fair lady. Julia went up. She saw that the stairs, the rooms, the furniture, and other things were exceedingly beautiful and golden. She was welcomed by beautiful women. Then she was brought to the dining room. There were delicious foods and drinks on the table. There was music. The men and women were eating and then dancing. It was a paradise. "Sit down and let us eat," invited Julia's friend. Julia sat down, but refused to eat. The fair lady told her of beautiful things and life found in this beautiful house. She was persuading Julia to live with her. She was invited to go out to enjoy walking along her beautiful garden. When Julia reached the ground the lady disappeared and all at once she was just among the guava trees again.”

A Fog Delivers a Town from Disaster 

Valencia, Negros Oriental

The Japanese, upon arriving at Valencia, are forced to leave due to the thick fog in the area.

“During the last World War, the Japanese chose the town of Valencia for their first landing place in Bohol.

At that time a fiesta was going on in the neighboring town of Garcia-Hernandez. The teams from the different towns in Bohol participated in the games and other competitions. People from the interior and southeastern towns were gathered that night in Valencia.

Meanwhile, Japanese battleships had been seen that afternoon maneuvering into positions. The Japanese had known about this festivity through their intelligence service. Just when they were about to shell the town, preparatory to landing, a thick fog descended on it, rendering visibility impossible. The Japanese were forced to move to the next town. Dimiao, where they were finally stranded in shallow water.

The next day, Japanese troops arrived at Valencia from Dimiao. They told the story of the mysterious fog and the change of maneuvers resulting from it. Knowing that there had been no fog in Valencia, the people smiled and concluded that it must have been the work of their beloved Santo Nino.”

The Origin of the Spring at Mabinay

Negros Oriental

Maybinay, a young and beautiful woman, lived in solitude until she met Yabonan, a strong prince.

“Once there was a young maiden named Maybinay, who was very beautiful. She had dark skin, and long, thick black hair. She reigned as queen over the ants and other creatures of that place. Having lived alone all her life, she had never experienced love for another human being.

Yabonan was a handsome man who lived in the town which is now known as Bato. He was also dark skinned. He had a fine physical build and was of proportionate height. He was a hunter. A very strong man, he was skillful in the use of the bow and arrow. He had never failed to hit a target he aimed at. One day, Yabonan strayed far from his village. He had been chasing a big wild bird. He had shot at it but failed to hit it. Like the good hunter that he was, he would not admit defeat for he had never failed to bag his prey in the past. He ran as fast as the bird flew and finally caught it in Namanyan. The river of Namanyan flowed past his village and the place where Maybinay lived.

Just as he was about to slay the bird, he heard a loud voice ring out in the forest. “Stop!” it commanded him. He was caught by surprise because no one had ever commanded him like this. Yabonan was a prince; his father was king where they lived. Gazing upward, he saw a woman standing not too far away from him, her eyes fiery in anger. Yabonan stayed his hand which was about to slay the animal, and bowing to the girl, he asked, “Who are you?” “I am Maybinay, ruler of this place. This bird is one of my most beloved servants.”

Staring more closely at the girl, Yabonan saw how beautiful she was and immediately fell in love with her. From that time on, he kept visiting Maybinay and ardently wooed her in the hope of winning her for his wife.

Maybinay refused his suit, but the young man’s persistence won in the end, just as water constantly dropping on the rock, eventually breaks it. So it was that Maybinay loved Yabonan in return.

One day, Yabonan suddenly went home when his ailing father called to him. A long time passed. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, months to years. At his deathbed, the father had begged his son: “This is my last request of you, Yabonan. In the neighboring kingdom, there is a king who has a very beautiful daughter named Loyang. That king is my friend and we vowed that our children should be joined in marriage.

After serious deliberation on his part, Yabonan realized that his duty to his father was greater. So he went to visit Loyang and set their wedding date the following month. Loyang’s beauty made him forget Maybinay.”

Orphan Isidro and Bungot

Bohol

The orphan Isidro comes to a church asking for food in front of the image of Christ. He gets what he was asking for.

“This is a story of a boy about seven years old whose parents died while he was very young. He begged for food from one house to another until nobody cared to receive him anymore.

One day he went to the town and happened to get inside a big building. He thought that he was just inside an ordinary house where he could ask for his noon day meal. He saw no living soul inside the church except a man nailed to the cross. He did not know what to call Jesus, but when he saw that the image had a long beard, he just called him “Bungot.”

“Bungot, please give me something to eat. I am very hungry,” the child begged.

All of a sudden the right hand nailed to the cross moved and extended a loaf of bread to the child. From that time on, Isidro kept staying in the church even late in the evenings. This forced the sacristan to investigate the boy. The sacristan became suspicious of Isidro’s continued presence in the premises. One time he hid and told the parish priest what he had seen. The priest became jealous and angry. He warned the bot not to get inside the church anymore or else he would be imprisoned.

Jesus told the boy not to worry because they were going to heaven. Before they started for Heaven, Jesus instructed Isidro to bring a pair of scissors. They walked and passed hills, mountains and valleys until they reached a pool of fire. Jesus told the boy that the place was called Hell. Isidro was surprised to see the people from his hometown there. He saw the priest, the sacristan, and the people who refused to help him, on fire. Jesus told him to cut a part of the hem of their dresses and keep them until they reached Heaven.

When they reached there, the boy saw that Heaven was a very beautiful place and Isidro wanted to stay there.

“We cannot stay here for our mission is not yet through,” said Jesus/ “We must go back to the world.”

They went back after visiting Heaven. And when they reached the town the child saw again the same people he saw in Hell. He told the people what he witnessed. This made the people more angry and thought of Isidro as a fool. But Isidro showed them the pieces of cloth cut from their dresses. The people were surprised to see them for they were the same cut from their dresses. They felt sorry and begged Isidro for his forgiveness. They resolved to change their unchristian deeds and to live in the grace of God. The people were very thankful to Isidro and Bungot.”

The Tailor and the Torch

Calape, Bohol

Digno the tailor was sewing at night and was left a torch from a kind man. The next morning, he discovered something shocking.

One dark night, Digno, the tailor, was still sewing a pair of pants at half past twelve. Soon his light went out. Upon investigation he found out that the kerosene lamp was empty. He poured kerosene into his lamp but when he wanted a light he could not locate his match. He looked out of the window and saw a man with a torch made from dried coconut palms. He went out to meet the man. "Good evening, may I light my lamp?" he said. “Certainly," the stranger answered. "I will just leave my torch until tomorrow night," he added. The tailor could not believe his luck, for with the light from the torch he was able to finish his pants at two o'clock at dawn.

The following morning, his wife woke him up and asked for the match as she was to prepare their breakfast. He said that he could not locate the match; it was a good stranger who left him a torch. was "What torch?" The wife was surprised. "That one I tied at the post near the door." To support his statement he went to the post but he saw a horrible thing, for instead of the dried coconut palms there was a big human skeleton. He went to the priest for advice and he was told that the stranger was only a lost soul who wandered to look for somebody to pay for his misdeeds while he was alive. This horrified the tailor. "Padre," he inquired, "tell me how to save myself when the stranger comes for the torch.”

"Borrow a newly born child. Have her hold the bone at one end, then through a hole on the wall the bone should be stuck out for the stranger to see. As soon as he comes pinch the baby very hard until it cries. Its cries will scare the lost soul away," the priest advised him carefully. The tailor went home and borrowed the newly born babe of their neighbor and followed strictly the instructions of the priest.

The Rice Myth

Bohol

A merciful goddess named Sappia once helped Bohol after the province experienced bad weather and rainless moments. 

“From Bohol comes a story which tries to explain why rice is white. However, rice which has the same myth also attempts to explain. A long, long time ago, a famine gripped Bohol. The people begged Sappia, the goddess of mercy, to give them food. Sappia took pity on them and came down to earth. All the land was brown and sear. A long drought left the land parched. Only the most hardy weeds survived the long, rainless months, and already, people were dying of hunger.

Her heart welling nth compassion, Sappia bared her bosom and squeezed a drop of milk into each barren ear of the weeds. She emptied one breast, then the other, but alas! There were still a few more weeds with empty ears. She implored heaven to give her more milk, but when she pressed her breast again, blood and not milk dropped into the remaining sterile ears. Having given her all to the plants, she bent low and whispered: “Oh, plants! Bear thou in abundance, and feed my hungry people.” So saying, Sappia vanished from the earth. She returned to heaven where everyday she watched the useless weeds grow heavy with grain. She watched as the hungry gathered the ripened stalks. When the people pounded the harvest, most of the grains were milky white.

These came from the ears which Sappia filled with her milk. Some grains were red, and these came from those which were filled with her blood. But red or white, the people cooked the grains, found them good to eat, and best of all, these nourished them back to strength. They saved some of the seeds which they planted when the rains came soon after. The seeds gave a bountiful harvest as the first. From her heavenly home Sappia rejoiced with the people. This life-giving grain which was her gift into the famine-stricken people of Bohol is what we now know as rice.”

The Mermaid of Tanjay River

A young lady once saw a mermaid in the river where she was washing her clothes. She was asked not to tell anyone about her.

“Tanjay has a wide winding river where people bathe, wash, and hold picnics once in a while. It is a busy place where people work, laugh, and gossip on its banks. It is full of activity during the day and when the darkness comes, everyone hurries home—afraid to be left alone. There's a reason why they do so. 

A young woman once went to the river to wash her clothes. Since many of her dirty clothes were white, she decided to bleach them along the river bank. She stayed there the whole day. By four o'clock, she began to gather the bleached clothes for or rinsing. She was halfway through when the sun began to disappear. She was all alone.

Suddenly she heard a splash and when she turned around, she was struck dumb with fright. She saw a beautiful woman but to her horror she saw that the woman's body was that of a fish with a tail. She could not move. 

The mermaid smiled and asked. "Are you afraid of me?" 

"No," the girl replied, "but I'm in a hurry. It's getting late." 

"Won't you go with me for a short while?" the mermaid invited. "Not now. Mother will be waiting for me," the girl politely refused. 

"All right. I'm going to give you something but don't ever tell your mother about me. Wait here awhile."  With that the mermaid plunged into the water and vanished under the shadow of a big tree.

The girl blinked her eyes. Her fear grew worse. Practically, she placed all her washed clothes in her basin and ran blindly away. It was already dark when she reached her house. Pale and frightened, she faced her mother but she could not say a word. Her mother, sensing something wrong, asked her' what happened. The poor girl did not want to tell her mother but she was afraid her mother would suspect her of other bad things. So she told her story. '‘ 

As soon as she finished, she was slapped in the face by an invisible being. From that time on, the girl never bathed in the river again.”

The Mermaid of Lake Mantuhod

Negros Oriental

The people of Barrio Villegas were told not to go near Lake Mantuhod, for there resides a mermaid.

“Barrio Villegas is a hilly place. Besides being elevated, it is also covered with trees. Near the summit is a beautiful lake surrounded with a steep cliff and large trees with wide-spreading branches. The water of the lake is fresh and cool. Lake Mantuhod is attractive and inviting. Although it is attractive and inviting, nobody likes to bathe in it. Neither does one like to go near it. Nobody who lives in Barrio Villegas wants to hear or mention anything about this lake. They do not want to see its surroundings because they believe that this lake is enchanted. A beautiful mermaid lives in this lake. 

Once upon a time Mantuhod was thickly populated. The people loved to bathe and wash their clothes in the lake. Picnics were held here before. In one of these picnics, one of the beautiful lasses of the group of picnickers disappeared after she dived into the lake. Many saw her when she dived but she never appeared at the surface again. The picnickers feared that she had drowned. But she was a good swimmer. They made noises produced by beating cans and bamboo tubes to drive the evil spirits who hid her away. 

Norma, as she was affectionately called, was mourned by the people of the barrio. They butchered domestic animals and offered them as sacrifices to the evil spirits if the place but this did not produce positive results. Since then, parents would not allow their children to go to the lake for fear of harm that may befall them.

One moonlight evening, a traveler by the name of Ricardo Montes, by chance passed by the lake. He was on his way to the next barrio. As he reached the balete tree which grew near the lake, he saw a creature which was half-fish and half-woman lying at the edge of the lake. She was beautiful to behold. Ricardo stopped. He was attracted. He was speechless. Then the creature started to swim. As she swam she sang “Tirana sa Bukid,” a historical and sentimental song. Her voice was so sweet that Ricardo started to swim in the lake to catch up with her.

Like Norma, Ricardo disappeared completely. He never reached his destination. He was nowhere to be found. Today, Lake Mantuhod suggests fear. It is synonymous with death. Parents mention the name of the lake to frighten their problem children.”

The Duendes

Tagbilaran, Bohol

Duendes are small people who were known to have supernatural abilities. This is the story of a man who offended the duendes.

“The old house of the Clarins in Tagbilaran was believed to be inhabited by duendes, small clever people who are fond of playing pranks. One day the servant of the house was drunk. He became very noisy and talked against the duendes. Finally he fell asleep. When he woke up in the morning he found himself naked and lying under the coconut trees. He ran away to his home with an astonished wife waiting for him. When he was about his regular work in the house, he also looked for his trousers. 

After much searching, he found them around one of the posts of the house. Who could have placed them there without ripping the seams? The seams were intact. The pants could not be taken now without ripping them. The poor man cut the parts with a pair of scissors. They ascribed the presence of these duendes to supernatural powers. At other times, the owner of the house who was a businessman heard mysterious messages of warning, which when followed, business ventures became successful. The owner never drove these duendes away because they brought fortune and good luck. They endured the pranks played upon them without a murmur. Sometimes they could not eat their breakfast on time, for these mysterious little beings would hang the chocolate pots on the ceiling to the annoyance of all concerned.”

Why Mosquitoes Hum and Try to get into the Holes of our Ears

Cebu

Mangla, a giant land-crab, wants to sleep without being woken up by noise. However, disturbances came from a few animals and insects. Narrated by Fermin Torralba after hearing the story from a man in Tagbilaran.

A long time ago, when the world was much quieter and younger than it is now, people told and believed many strange stories about wonderful things which none of us have ever seen. In those very early times, in the province of Bohol, there lived a creature called Mangla; he was king of the crabs.

One night, as he was very tired and sleepy, Mangla ordered his old sheriff, Cagang, leader of the small land-crabs, to call his followers, Bataktak, before him. Although the sheriff was old, he brought them all in in a very short time. Then Mangla said to the Bataktak, “You must all watch my house while I am sleeping; but do not make any noise that will awaken me.” The Bataktak said, “We are always ready to obey you.” So Mangla went to sleep.

While he was snoring, it began to rain so hard that the guards could not help laughing. The king awoke very angry; but, as he was still very tired and sleepy, he did not immediately ask the Bataktak why they laughed. He waited till morning came. So, as soon as the sun shone, he called the Bataktak, and said to them, “Why did you laugh last night? Did I not tell you not to make any noise?”

The Bataktak answered softly, “We could not help laughing, because last night we saw our old friend Hu-man carrying his house on his shoulder.” On account of this reasonable reply, the king pardoned the Bataktak. Then he called his sheriff, and told him to summon Hu-man. In a short time he came. The king at once said to him, “What did you do last night?”

“Sir,” replied Hu-man humbly, “I was carrying my house, because Aninipot was bringing fire, and I was afraid that my only dwelling would be burned.” This answer seemed reasonable to the king, so he pardoned Hu-man. Then he told his sheriff Cagang to summon Aninipot. When Aninipot appeared, the king, with eyes flashing with anger, said to the culprit, “Why were you carrying fire last night?”

Aninipot was very much frightened, but he did not lose his wits. In a trembling voice he answered, “Sir, I was carrying fire, because Lamoc was always trying to bite me. To protect myself, I am going to carry fire all the time.” The king thought that Aninipot had a good reason, so he pardoned him also. The king now realized that there was a great deal of trouble brewing in his kingdom, of which he would not have been aware if he had not been awakened by the Bataktak. So he sent his sheriff to get Lamoc. In a short time Cagang appeared with Lamoc. But Lamoc, before he left his own house, had told all his companions to follow him, for he expected trouble. Before Lamoc reached the palace, the king was already shouting with rage, so Lamoc approached the king and bit his face. 

Then Mangla cried out, “It is true, what I heard from Bataktak, Hu-man, and Aninipot!” The king at once ordered his sheriff to kill Lamoc; but, before Cagang could carry out the order, the companions of Lamoc rushed at him. He killed Lamoc, however, and then ran to his home, followed by Lamoc’s friends, who were bent on avenging the murder. As Cagang’s house was very deep under the ground, Lamoc’s friends could not get in, so they remained and hummed around the door.

Even to-day we can see that at the doors of the houses of Cagang and his followers there are many friends of Lamoc humming and trying to go inside. It is said that the Lamoc mistakes the holes of our ears for the house of Cagang, and that that is the reason mosquitoes hum about our ears now.”

Siquijor: The Mystic Island

This legend explains how Siquijor formed and gained its name.

“According to the legend, Siquijor was not part of the islands of the Philippines. One evening, a strong earthquake and thunderstorm occurred and flashes of blinding light laced the sky. While the sea reaged, the ocean's womb gave birth to an island. It is said that even today farmers in the mountains of the island still find giant shells beneath the surface of their farms as proof that the story about Siquijor's birth really happened and not just folklore. Soon after its birth, the island was said to be covered in Molave trees locally known as tugas, earning the name "katugasan." 

Molave trees are said to be the home of fireflies and at night, the trees are lit by these tiny creatures. The Spaniards who were exploring the Visayas area at that time noticed this nocturnal scene and called the island "Isla de Fuegos’' or Island of Fire. The island's evening glow tickled the curiosity of the Spanish explorers so they came to visit the place. Upon their arrival, they met a native and asked for the name of the place. The native, thinking that the visitors wanted to know the name of the place said "So Kihod." The Spaniards found it difficult to pronounce the "c" so eventually "Si Kihod'' became Siquijor. There are also stories that say that King Kihod was the island's legendary ruler.”

A Legend of Lapu-lapu

Mactan Island

This is the story of Lapulapu and his rivals and enemies battling at Mactan.

“A favorite legend about Lapulapu among rural folk on Mactan Island tells of the hero's love for Princess Bulakna. She was the lovely daughter of Rajah Kusgano, king of Ulangga Island near Mactan. Lapulapu had several rivals. Bitadlok was Lapulapu's most aggressive rival. Like Lapulapu, Bitadlok was noted far and wide for his great courage and prowess. 

It was a time-honored custom among the pre-Spanish Filipinos that a young blade should win a woman's hand not only with sweet nothings but with a display of courage and prowess in a duel with his rival. 

So it was ceremoniously announced to all and sundry in the island kingdom of Ulangga by the village criers of Rajah Kusgano that on a certain day after the dapdap trees had flowered, Lapulapu and Bitadlok would fight it out for the hand and heart of his beauteous daughter and heiress, Bulakna.

Lapulapu's other rivals, apparently believing that discretion was the better part of valor, had decided against participating in the contest. Many people, coming from as far as Bohol and Leyte, journeyed to Ulangga Island in their outriggers to witness "the battle of the century." Even the rajahs and lakans of Butuan and Sikijod (Siquijor) eagerly came to Ulangga to see Lapulapu in action. They also came to see and admire the well-known beauty of Bulakna.

But shortly before the eagerly-awaited joust, word came to Lapulapu, the ruler of Mactan, that to Cebu - the kingdom of Rajah Humabon - had come “white people'' whom his Cebuano adversary welcomed and befriended. And to add insult to injury, another of Lapulapu’s arch-enemies, Zula, came from Humabon to demand tribute for Magellan in the name of the King of Spain. Lapulapu’s blood boiled. He turned down the demand for tribute and challenged the "intruders" to physical combat. 

The bloody battle of Mactan followed, resulting in the defeat of the Spaniards and the death of their brave leader, Magellan. Bitadlok sided with Lapulapu and was in the thick of the fight—to impress Bulakna and her father. Lapulapu did not know about his rival's gallantry until much later. "But Magellan immediately killed him with the same bamboo spear which the latter had hurled mightily at the captain, leaving the deadly lance in the Indian's body,” Pigafetta wrote in his account of the battle of Mactan. The "Indian" was Bitadlok.

When he saw that Magellan had killed his rival, Lapulapu was furious. He rushed toward the wounded Magellan and finished him off with a pestle. Incidentally, before Pearl Harbor, the people of Mactan erected an awe-inspiring monument to Lapulapu at the Open City park, showing the Malayan warrior holding a pestle. 

After the bloody encounter with the Spaniard, the legend concludes, the inhabitants of Mactan Ulangga, Santa Rosa, and other neighboring islands, held a double celebration: Magellan's defeat and death, and the royal wedding of Lapulapu and Bulakna in the richly-decorated panting or palace of Rajah Kusgano.”