How the World Began A Popular Bukidnon Folktale, Retold
A long long time ago, when there was yet no world, there were three gods who lived in a small circular space of great brightness called a banting, and encircled by a rainbow. The space was just large enough for the two gods, Magbabay M agbabayaa and Dadanyahan, Dadanyahan, to sit across each other. The third god, the winged Makabughaw, sat precariously between the two and had to flap his wings continuously to maintain his balance. Makabughaw’s flapping of his wings created the first wind.
Taking pity on Makabughaw, the one-headed Magbabaya (meaning you will be done) decided to build an extension so the poor Makabughaw could rest. To this, he had to scoop soil from under the ten-headed Dadanyahan. He asked Makabughaw to do his for him. After studying the situation, Makabughaw swooped into Dadanyahan mouths and divided right through him so he could get soil from that point. He gave the soil to Magbabaya who created earth from it. However, the earth was dry. How could it be turned lush and green? As Magbabaya puzzled over the problem, he happened to glance at Dadanyahan’s ten drooling mouths. Suddenly, he realized where he could get enough water to sprinkle over the earth. Dadanyahan agreed to the plan. Magbabaya blessed Dadanyahan’s saliva and the rain poured. Water washed over the earth. It shaped the mountains, hills, valleys, and plains; it made the streams, rivers and huge seas and oceans. Soon, vegetation began to sprout and grow. But this huge garden needed someone to take care of it. The two gods scooped some earth, and saliva, turned it into sticky clay to form a figure. They with the the help from Dadanyahan’s saliva, collected wood for its bones, rattan for its blood vessels and water for its blood. They molded seven figures on Magbabaya’s image. After the seventh figure was molded, Magbabaya had to leave to take care of a few things. But before leaving, he told Dadanyahan no to tamper with the figures. Left alone with the figures, Dadanyahan could not help touching them up the way he thought they should look. Magababaya returned to find Dadanyahan using his creative talents on the figures. This triggered a fight between them, which Makabughaw tried to arbitrate in vain. The two gods dueled with each other until their metal weapons sank to the ground. The human race later forged these minerals into its own weapons and modes of transport. Finally, the warring gods reached an agreement. Because Dadanyahan had made the final form of the figures, he kept the six figures while Magbabaya had only one since it was he who thought up the idea. Dadanyahan’s six figures became the various engkanto of guardians of the soil, water, and marine life, the plants, forests and creatures of the for est. Magbabaya’s lone figure became the first human being. The bits of clay cut from the figures as they were being molded became lower forms of animals, Thus, did the world begin.
Source: Language Literature pp. 4-5 st
1 year Philippine Literature Revised Edition
Lourdes M. Ribo, Linda D. Reyes et.al
How the World Came to Be (Ancient Visayan Legend)
In the beginning, there was only water and sky. The Water Kingdom belonged to the god Maguayan, who had a daughter named Lidagat. The Sky Kingdom belonged to Captan, who had a son named Lihangin. To bring peace about their domains, Captan and Maguayan proposed that their children marry. So this was done. Lidagat and Lihangin had four children: 3 sons (Licalibutan, Liadlao, and Libulan) and a daughter (Lisuga). Licalibutan had the body of hard rock, and he was strong and brave; Liadlao was made of gold and was always so cheerful; Libulan had a copper body and was weak and timid; Lisuga was made of pure silver and had a sweet and gentle disposition. It came to be that the aging Lihangin and Lidagat soon passed away. Before he died, Lihangin gave his eldest son Licalibutan control of the winds. But a long time had passed in peace, and Licalibutan became greedy. He wanted more than just the winds at his beck and call. So he plotted against Captan, ruler of the Sky. After forcing his brothers to join in the plot, Licalibutan stormed at the gates of Captan’s realm and attempted to invade. Almighty Captan, infuriated at this betrayal, summoned the forces of nature and struck each of the brothers in turn. All of them tried to run, but to no avail, they were destroyed. Licalibutan’s rock body shattered into pieces of v aried size. The pieces fell into the water, and it later became known as land. Missing her brothers, kind and gentle Lisuga headed towards the heavens, only to be attacked by a rampaging Captan, who also struck her dead. When the deed was done, the King of the Sky confronted Maguayan about this attack. The Sea God was more patient and logical, and eased Captan’s mind. Soon both gods began to despair at the loss of their grandchildren. In honor of their grandchildren’s destruction, Maguayan and Captan set parts of their bodies into the sky. Liadlao became what was now the sun, Libulan the moon, and Lisuga shone brightly as the stars. Only the greedy Licalibutan remained where he was, for his wicked deeds deserved no honor. Instead, it was decided that his body would become the support for Captan and Maguayan’s new offspring. And in so doing, the two gods planted on the land a bamboo tree. From this tree’s hollow branch emerged the first man (Sicalac) and the first woman (Sicabay). The two married and in turn had many offspring. Source : https://sites.google.com/site/phillegends/lesson-1 John Maurice Miller, Philippines Folklore Stories (Boston: Ginn and Company, 1904), pp. 57-64 Mabel Cook Cole, Philippine Folk Tales (Chicago: A. C. McClurg and Comopany, 1916), pp. 99-101, 124
Bukidnon Legend of How the World Began
Characters:
Ancient Visayan Legend of How the World Came to Be
Protagonist:
Makabughaw
Protagonist:
Water Kingdom god Maguayan The Sky Kingdom god Captan
Antagonists:
Magbabaya and Dadanyahan
Antagonists:
Licalibutan, son of Lidagat and Lihangin
Protagonist:
Characteristics:
Calm, Unbiased and Equal
Protagonist:
Both are powerful, patient and logical
Antagonists:
(Magbabaya) Creative yet conceited and impatient
Antagonists:
Strong ang mighty yet greedy and thirsty for power
(Dadanyahan) Creative as well yet unruly Setting:
In a small circular space of great
In the beginning a long
brightness called a banting, and
long time ago, there was
encircled by a rainbow a long long time
only water and sky
ago. Problem:
Resolution:
The two gods namely Magbabaya ang
Licalibutan became greedy
Dadanyahan fought due to
and stormed at the gates
misunderstanding regarding the
of Captan’s realm and
creation and design of 7 figures.
attempted to invade
After Makabughaw’s arbitration, the
King of the Sky knew
two gods fell into an agreement of
everything about
imparting the figures to them, 1 for
Licalibutan’s plans and
Magbabaya and 6 for Dadanyahan,
decided to pay tribute to
which eventually was said to be the
the remaining siblings
first man.
which was said to be the rise of the world
