#malinao

“A very long time ago when there were very few people yet on the face of the earth, many queer things were wont to happen. It was because the people were yet very ignorant. 

Mayon volcano was only then a mountain and as such had no fire or smoke. She was not as beautiful as she is now nor was she rich in vegetation; in fact, she got what she wanted mostly from borrowing from her neighbors as the Malinao Volcano and the Isarog Mountain. The Malinao Volcano (for she was then a volcano) being nearer to Mayon was the one mostly annoyed by the latter for her wants. In all Malinao Volcano was complacent and aided Mayon in all her needs, though at times, she felt like throwing her out of her window, but as by nature she was hospitable, she tried to do her best for her. Mayon, however, took advantage of this and abused the good character of Malinao and went to the extent of even talking what she wanted.

One day Mayon unexpectedly received some visitors and as it was already dinner time she had to prepare food for them but unfortunately there was no more fire in the oven. In haste, she went to her neighbor Malinao and asked for some fire to heat her oven. When she arrived, Malinao had already dined and all the fire in the oven was extinguished; however, she could very well give Mayon some for she had eternal fire in her crater. Malinao, tired of her fastidious neighbor, refused and thus incurred the hatred of Mayon who was more irascible and impulsive. At the time, Malinao was weaving a piece of cloth and beside her lay a big bolo. Mayon insisted on asking for help. Malinao however, was tired and would not yield to her pleadings even an inch. Mayon, thinking of her visitors and the advancing time, made a desperate effort to get the fire without Malinao's consent but Malinao was successful in wresting from her the fire. In desperation, Mayon grabbed the bolo and closing her eyes struck with all her might at Malinao and moments later, on opening her eyes, saw to her fright that she had beheaded Malinao.

Mayon hurried home with the fire and supplied her visitors' needs. She did not return the fire, for Malinao was dead. To this day Mayon sends forth fire from her crater while the Malinao Volcano is now only a mountain without any smoke coming out of its crater. To this day too, the conical crater of Malinao can be seen at her foot where it fell when Mayon cut it off.”

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The view going there is breathtaking – old growth forests intermixed with coconut plantations, mountain peaks and … rice terraces! The flora is rich with unidentified ferns and ground orchids and there is a river that runs through the valley below. The village itself is situated in a valley along the river. From what I know, this barrio was/is always a progressive one, winning the cleanest and greenest barangay in our town several times.

As for fauna, I saw a few interesting (but common) birds such as the blue-throated bee eater and wood swallow and a captive Brahminy Kite (banog). Up in the forested moutains to the west to the barrio, the Visayan hornbill makes its home but according to the people I talked to, they are there, but are quite rare. Colasisis (Philippine hanging parrots) may also be found sometimes in the forest.

Wood swallow on a wire, on the way to Osman

Blue-throated bee eater at the junction between San Dimas and Osman