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Indarapatra & Sulayman (Maranao Epic) Sword and Ring – Indarapatra gave to Eros/Love – came from a silver egg of
Bartolome “Ome” Del Valle, a Fil-Spanish Sulayman from being proud of his Night. The beginning of light, life and joy.
Najeeb M. Saleeby, 1908 brother’s courage as he wished him Gaia – mother earth, the one who gave
success and safety. sickle to Cronus.
Hara & Rajah – couple who ruled the Small Jar of Water – sent from heaven and Uranus – father heaven, wounded by
Komara/Kingdom of Mantapuli. Guardians poured the water into Sulayman’s bones Cronus and exiled; the sky has never come
of Indarapatra and Sulayman. and came to life again. near the earth again. He said to Cronus as
Indarapatra – king of Mantapuli. He can Pot of Uncooked Rice with a Big Fire – he fled upwards, “You’ll get the same
fly and a compassionate, brave, wise, Indarapatra saw while resting down on a treatment from one of your children
knowledgeable, and skillful in hunting. rock. someday. Beware!”
Sulayman – obedient to his king, also Hollow Tree – where the old couple hid. Giants and Erinyes/Furies – came for the
brave and can fly at incredible speed. blood of Uranus, terrible creatures had
Without mental reservation, he sets forth Datu – a title for native royalty in live snakes for hair and they chased
to defend and protect his countrymen. Mindanao. wrong-doers about until they were
Kurita – a terrible creature with many Durungawan – window punished.
limbs, lived partly on land and partly in sea, Kampilan – single edged sword used by Monsters – the first three offspring; each
but its favorite haunt was the mountain ethnic groups in the Philippines. had fifty heads and hundred hands.
where the rattan grew. Here it brought Kaang – flower pot Uranus shut them up inside the earth.
utter destruction on every living thing. Balangay – traditional boat in Mindanao. Cyclopes – next three offspring; each had
Tarabusaw – an ugly creature in the form Banga – traditional pot for storage of one enormous glassy eye in the middle of
of a man, lived on Mt. Matutum, and far water. his forehead. They’re skilled at making
and wide from that place he devoured the Kapay – wings weapons from metal. Uranus shut them
people, laying waste the land. away, too.
Pah – an enormous bird was so large that Greek Mythology Titans – six sons and six daughters were
when on the wing it covered the sun and The Creation the last of Uranus and Gaia’s children.
brought darkness to the earth. Its egg was Chaos – nothingness, lack of either things Became known as the Elder Gods. They
as large as a house. Mt. Bita was its haunt or order. However, lay the possibilities of were good-looking and well-behaved;
and people just hiding in caves to escaped order and these were like seed from which,
its voracity. in time, all things grew. 1. Thea – goddess of sight
Balbal – a dreadful bird that has seven Night/Nyx – first thing to grow out of 2. Rhea – goddess of motherhood, queen
heads and power to see I all directions at chaos, spreading its wings of darkness like of titans, wife of Cronus.
the same time. Mt. Gurayan was its home. a giant bird. 3. Themis – goddess of justice
Sapling – a young tree placed in Erebus – next to emerge, the bottomless 4. Mnemosyne – goddess of memory
Indarapatra’s window to know if Sulayman place where Death lives. 5. Phoebe – goddess of prophetic radiance
is still alive or dead already.
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6. Thetis – goddess of war Rhea was very upset by this. She went to Prometheus – a Titan, son of Lapetus, who
7. Hyperion – god of heavenly light, Gaia, and asked how she would put a stop could see the future. Asked other Titans
Cronus gave him the power to control the to this. Gaia told Rhea to go to the Island for a truce but nothing happened and
light. He had 3 children; Selene/Moon, of Crete and hide the newborn baby in a went to Zeus instead and told him about
Helios/Sun, and Eos/Dawn. secret cave on Mount Ida. She was to give the monstrous children of Gaia and
8. Oceanus – god of water, Cronus gave Cronus a stone wrapped in blankets, Uranus. He said to Zeus, “If you release
him the power to control river and ocean. instead of the baby. them, they will fight on your side.”
9. Lapetus – god of morality
10. Coeus – god of north Zeus – the unswallow child who was well Monsters fought against the Titans with all
11. Crius – god of heavenly constellation cared by nymphs and shepherds. The god their strength, and Cyclopes made armor
12. Cronus – the youngest son, god of of the sky. and weapons for Zeus and his brothers.
time, king of titans, husband of Rhea. The Metis – the messenger sent by Rhea to
one who made his father out of throne by teach Zeus how to brew strong poison Zeus – thunderbolts
attacking him and eventually made his from herbs, and to put into Cronus’ wine Hades – helmet that made him invisible
brothers as his general. cup. Poseidon – three pronged spear

The Golden Age Cronus got sick that up came his first five The younger gods now quickly won the
A time of perfect peace and happiness. children. Hades and Poseidon quickly tied war. Some of the Titans were flung into
Everyone is living like gods and goddesses their father to his chair, he soon shouting the underworld, some escaped and
without having problems, they are all for his brother Titans. And this began a disappeared forever. Atlas was made to
wealthy. battle that lasted for years. stand at the western edge of the world,
holding up the heavens. Only Prometheus
The War in Heaven Titan Atlas – son of Lapetus, led the Elder and one or two of the Titan women were
Cronus and Rhea became husband and Gods/Titans saved.
wife. They had 6 children and since Cronus Zeus – led the Younger Gods /Olympians
never forgets about his father’s warning,
he swallowed the 5. Elder gods seem to always won, Zeus
decided to see his grandmother to seek
1. Hestia – goddess of heart, domestic life and advice. Gaia said to Zeus, “You have
2. Demeter – goddess of earth freed your mother’s firstborn children,
3. Hera – goddess of marriage, life of but until you free mine, you will not be
women victorious.”
4. Hades – god of underworld
5. Poseidon – god of the sea
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The Reign of Zeus 4. Hera She had an embroidered girdle or sash

Zeus said that he would be the head of 5. Athena which could cause anyone to fall in love
gods and men because he had done the 6. Hephaestus with her when she wore it. Zeus made her
most to overthrow the Titans and lead the 7. Aphrodite married to Hephaestus for being grateful
Younger Gods to victory. He divided the 8. Apollo of the god’s services. However, she spent
rule of Kingdom; Poseidon for the ocean, 9. Artemis a lot of time flirting with Ares, the son of
Hades for underworld, and him who ruled 10. Hermes Zeus and Hera, the god of war. She found
the heavens. All of them settled 11. Ares him more interesting than her plain,
themselves on Mount Olympus, their new 12. Hestia hardworking husband.
home.
Zeus married his sister Hera, who became Ares – often drunk. Always quarrelsome
Zeus kept on eye on everything, the queen of the gods. She spent much of and not very well thought of by the other
everywhere. her time nagging Zeus or spying on him for gods and goddesses.
she was vain and jealous. Zeus spent a Phoebus Apollo and Artemis – the twins
Poseidon – looked after the sea, enjoy great deal of time away from home of Zeus and Leto, a Titan woman. Both are
riding waves in his golden chariot. When in changing himself into a bull, an eagle, a skilled in archery and carried bows and
bad mood, he stirred up storms with his cloud or whatever fancy struck him so that arrow golden for Apollo, and silver for
trident and three pronged spear, wrecking Hera couldn’t find him. Artemis. They were also good at healing
ships and drowning sailors. He would go to almost any illness. Though, they were the
Mt. Olympus when he was bored, playing Athena – goddess of war and wisdom, the opposites of one another.
games and gossiping. offspring of Zeus, she sprang forth from Apollo – the most handsome of the gods,
Hades – god of the underworld, he rarely his head completely armed and she was the sun god and god of light. He disliked
left home and became a gloomy fellow. He his favorite child. any sort of darkness and trickery so he
spent most of his time making list of his Hephaestus – tossed out of Olympus was also god of truth, prophecy, and music.
wealth and sorting the dead into their because of a quarrel with Zeus. He fell 9 Artemis – goddess of the moon and
proper groups. days and 9 nights before finally landed in hunting, the guardian of children and
the Island of Lemnos, the fall made him young animals. She had no desire to get
There were 12 important Olympian gods lame in one foot. He was very good at married for she preferred hunting and
and goddesses, all so different but each forging things out of metals, Zeus saw running thru the woods doing household
was an expert on something; what skilled artisan he was and brought matters.
back to Olympus. Hermes – son of Zeus and Maia, daughter
1. Zeus Aphrodite – goddess of love came out of of Atlas. When he was few hours old, he
2. Poseidon the foam of the sea, appeared in a seashell stole cattle from Apollo and used it across
3. Hades one day, floating off the coast of Cythera. a tortoise shell to make a kind of harp that
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he called, lyre. Since Apollo needs it, he be half mortal, he died each year. After
promised to forgive Hermes, in one the grapes had been harvested and the First, Epimetheus made the birds, the fish,
condition, Zeus would find him something wine made, Dionysus was torn to pieces and then the animals. He fashioned each
more useful than stealing property. Zeus by his own drunken followers but each creature as carefully as if it were the only
made him god of merchants and trade. He spring, he was reborn. He can sometimes one. To each he gave the gift of some fine
gave him winged sandals and winged cap looked like a carefree, laughing youth but quality. Cunning to the fox, swiftness to
to travel more quickly. at other times he appeared an evil old the antelope, wings to the eagle, hard
Hestia – Zeus’ sister, the goddess of home drunkard. shell to the turtle, and so on. Warm, furry
and family. The most peaceful of the 12 hide, to the bear, fierce claws to the tiger.
Olympians gods and goddesses. Fires in While, Pan was a solitary god. Sometimes, Sharp horns, leathery skin, eyes that can
her honor were kept burning on all the he wasn’t seen by the shepherds whom he see in the dark – he tried desperately but
hearts in the world. protected and they could only hear the there was nothing left to give to man. He
Demeter – Zeus’ sister, the goddess of music of his red pipe. He invented the begged Prometheus to help him. “It’s too
harvest. pipe himself that could sound sad and gay, bad you didn’t think about this when you
Dionysus – Zeus’ son with a mortal named lonely and sweet. He often admired girls began, but if man is going to be soft, weak,
Semele. God of wine, god of joy and he saw as he wandered through the naked and slow, the least I can do is see
madness. woods and fields but since he was half that he isn’t stupid.”
Pan – god of the shepherds. man and half goat, the girls ran from him
Persephone – daughter of Demeter, she because he was so ugly. Prometheus took a bit of clay and shaped
was very beautiful. Hades snatched her it into a small likeness of the noble gods.
and carried her home to the underworld Prometheus Creates a Man He stood man upright so that he might
and made her as his wife. The quarrelsome men of the Silver Age always look up to the heavens. He
had all been drowned in the great flood breathed life into the clay and gave man a
Demeter was so unhappy and refuses to now that the war between Titans and superior mind with which he could reason,
tend her garden. Persephone was Olympians was over, the time was right for plan, remember, and dream. In this way,
unhappy too, she refuse to eat anything a new race of men to be created. The gods he set man above all the other creatures.
except for six pomegranate seeds. Finally, assigned this task to the sons of the Titan
Hades let her visit her mother on Earth for Lapetus; Prometheus and Epimetheus. Prometheus Brings Fire to Man
six months and she had to return to live The great flood that ended Silver Age not
with him for the other six months. This Prometheus – the “fore-thought” since he only destroyed the men, it also shook
was the beginning of the seasons. could see the future. loose all the ice and snow which had been
Epimetheus – the “after-thought” since he struck up in the northern part of the world.
On the other hand, perhaps because was always changing his mind about things. The climate of the earth was no longer
Dionysus was the only important god to A scatter-brained and impulsive. mild. The best thing Prometheus could
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think of to make men’s live better was the destined to overthrow him. But round with ropes and padlocked shut with
gift of fire. They could warm him, cook his Prometheus said that he had already done a thick chain. One by one, Pandora cut it
food, and forge metal for tools and more favors to Zeus than Zeus had ever and let them fall. She takes ring of keys
weapons. He could make lights at night. done for him, and that he would not from the closet. She tried nearly hundred
Prometheus knew that Zeus would never submit to blackmail. This answer made before turned in the lock.
agree to this so he made his plans secretly. Zeus wild with anger, but he could do
nothing more than rave. She lifted the lid just a crack, thinking to
He gave a glance or last look at Olympus take a quick peek and shut it again. In an
for he knew he could never return, and he Pandora’s Box instant, all sorts of evil things rushed out
told Athens good bye. She had been his Zeus ordered Hephaestus to design a and flew into the world; old age, sickness,
best friend. Prometheus set out for the beautiful creature, a woman. Hestia gave envy, revenge, worry, pain, greed, hate
fiery home of the sun, he broke from the the woman gentleness, Hermes made her and everything else. Man has never been
sun a fragment of glowing coal and, light-footed, Aphrodite made her lovable, completely happy. But Prometheus had
hiding it in the hollow giant fennel-stalk, and Apollo gave her a musical nature. foreseen the day when someone might
and he carried it down to earth. He They named her Pandora, “all-gifted.” unloose these evils, and he had out into
showed men how to make it for the bow one thing – hope.
themselves by rubbing sticks together. Zeus sent Pandora as a gift to Epimetheus
Men didn’t know how they had survived that had been warned not to accept Bathala/Abba
before, without this fine thing, fire. presents from Zeus but when he saw Bathala – the highest ranking deity of the
Pandora he forgot the warning entirely. He ancient Tagalogs.
The Punishment of Prometheus married her on the spot. For a short time Kaluwalhatian – the highest realm of the
Zeus was terribly angry when he learned the live happily. ethereal space where Bathala dwelt.
about what Prometheus did. He ordered
Prometheus to be seized and chained to In his house, there was a box left where His origin wasn’t known but was said to
the face of a great cliff in the Caucasian the evils were still stored. Prometheus said have been heralded one day by flood, fire,
Mountains. A giant vulture was sent to that he should guard the box with his life and turbulent earthquakes and announce
eat Prometheus’ liver all day long, each but Epimetheus forgot, leaving the box to his lordship over mankind. Bathala
day his liver grew back. There was no end stand, gathering dust in an unused attic. gradually became the accepted
to his suffering. representative deity of the whole nation.
Pandora made him happy by singing sweet
Zeus was a great schemer. He sent Hermes songs, arranging cushions and bringing Bathala was said o be the creator of all
to Prometheus. He’ll stop the punishment him good tidbits in golden platters. One things – the sea, sky, earth and
in one condition; Prometheus will say the day when Epimetheus was gone, Pandora vegetation around us. He was said to be
identity of the mother of the child found the box. It was tied round and the sustainer, keeper, nourisher and
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protector of mankind. He welcomed gifts Idianale married Dumangan. They had two Mapulan – god of seasons
from people with deep appreciation and children. Anagolay – goddess of lost things. She
was pleased when men were helpful and married Dumakulem and had two children;
obedient to his moral laws. He was lavish Dumakulem – strong, agile hunter who Apolake – god of the sun and patron of
in his love toward those who kept his became the guardian of created warriors
commandments and paid him homage. mountains. Dian Masalanta – goddess of lovers
Anitun Tabu – fickle minded goddess of
Bahala Na or Let the Future Care – the wind and rain. Anito – or ancestral spirits sent by Bathala
philosophy of life. This underlies the major to help these different divinities minister
character trait of Filipinos, to take Amanikable – the husky, ill-tempered to the needs of the people on the Earth.
unnecessary risk in difficult situations, ruler/lord of the sea, have never married Each of it had a special office. Some of
reckless or courageous in time of danger. after his love was spurned by a beautiful them were assigned as war guardians,
mortal maiden, Maganda. He swore while others were assigned to protect
Bathala was said to be compassionate and vengeance against all mortal beings, the people from illness.
forever understanding to contrite hearts reason why he sends turbulent waves and Catalonan – or priest whom performed
seeking forgiveness, he was equally horrible tempest every now and then to sacrifices for anitos. Among the principal
exacting and unforgiving in his punishment wreck boats and to drown men. anito of Bathala were Tawotawo, Al
to sinners. He didn’t hesitate to send Priapo and Matlupa.
thunder and lightning to strike the Mayari – the most beautiful divinity in the
transgressors of his laws. He presided the court of Bathala, goddess of the moon. Divinities of the Lower World. Early
lesser divinities that cared for the needs of She had two charming sisters; Tagalogs believed in life after death. The
the people and guarded the general Hanan – goddess of the morning. belief in transmigration of souls was one
welfare of the reverent families. Tala – goddess of the stars. the reasons why people offered sacrifices
and performed rituals. Earthly belongings
Lesser Divinities Assisting Bathala They are said to be the daughters of were buried with a deceased person
Bathala by a mortal wife who dies after because it was believed that the spirit of a
Bathala had many minor divinities she had given birth. So he took the three person would need these during his
assisting him. Among these lesser deities to his celestial court. journey to the other world. In some,
lived in the sky; slaves were buried with their masters and
Ikapati – goddess of cultivated land, the dead man’s wife in others.
Idianale – goddess of labor and good most understanding and kind among the
deeds. deities. Her gift to man was agriculture. They also believed in the final judgment of
Dumangan – deity of the good harvest. She was said to have married Mapulan, men that is punishing the evil and
and they had a daughter. rewarding the good.
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Maca – village of rest which resembled the Mankukulam – third agent whose duty Asuan – natives swore that they had seen
Christian Paradise, where they enjoyed was to emit fire at night, when it was dark him fly at night, murder men, eat their
eternal peace and happiness, and the weather was not good. He often flesh and drink their blood. He has four
Kasanaan – village of grief and affliction assumed human form and went around as brothers;
where they were tortured forever, and priest-doctor then he would wallow in the Mangagayuma – specialized in charms out
deserved punishment. filth beneath the house of his victim and of herbs stones and wood which when use
Sitan – chief deity who kept these souls. emit fire. If the fire was extinguished by lovers, had the power to infuse the
Assisted by many mortal agents; immediately, the victim would die. heart with love thus, he did deceive
Hukloban – she had the power to change people. Although sometimes through
Mangagaway – the most wicked and herself into any form she desired. She had intercession of a good anito, his skill
responsible one for the occurrence of greater power than Mangagaway. She wouldn’t work.
disease. She possessed a necklace of skull, could kill anyone by simply raising her Sonat – well known priest
and her girdle was made up of several hand however, if he wanted to heal those Pangatahuyan – soothsayer
severed human hand and feet. She would whom she made ill by her charms, she Bayugin – work was to tempt women into
change herself into human being and could do so without difficulty as well as a life of shame.
roam about the countryside as a healder; destroying a house.
she could induce maladies with her Story of Maykapal
charms. If she wishes to kill someone, she Priest of the Tagalog Divinities. Some of In the beginning the sky was very slow; it
did so by her magic wand. She could also these priests were wicked and evil. They was possible to touch it with a long
prolong death by sampling binding to the were sent to earth in order that they bamboo pole. Everything on earth was
waist of her patient a live serpent which would carry out the plans of the deities burnt by the intense heat of the sun. The
was believe to be her real self or effectively. rivers and the seas were boiling
substance. Silangan – his duty was to tempt people tremendously.
Manisilat – known as goddess of broken and to eat the liver of all those who wear
home. She was restless and mad white clothes during mourning and to take Suddenly, a huge man appeared on earth
whenever here was a happy home. She their souls down to the depth o Kasanaan. called Maykapal. Some said that he was
would disguise as a woman healer or an This was the reason why ancient Tagalogs the lord of the universe who came down
old beggar. With the aid of her charms and usually wore vary-colored tapis of barrel to earth to correct some mistakes in his
magic powers, she would turn the skirts. He had a sister named Magtatangal. work. However, unable to get rest from
husband and wife against each other. She Magtatangal – this fiend could be seen the intense heat, Maykapal got mad and
was most happy when the couple walking along lonely paths without her with his hands, he raised the sky to its
quarreled and would dance in glee when head, hands or feet because her work was present height.
one of them would leave the conjugal to frighten people to death.
home.
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The heat was still unbearable. In those At the third day of his pondering, he The First People (Sikalak and Sikabay)
days, it was said that the sun had two eyes decided to make human beings to Kaptan and Maguayan – rulers of the
and the heat it gave was twice as much as cultivate the hillsides and valleys for him. Skyworld. They fell in love and got married.
we have now. In his disgust, Maykapal
took his bolo and pierced one of the sun’s He sat down on a big stone by the hillside One day, they quarreled. Kaptan drove
eyes. Since then, it generated just enough of Mount Pulog and although it was Maguayan away; she left with a heavy
light to sustain life on earth. However, he getting dark, took a handful of soft clay heart. When she did not return, Kaptan
was not contented with the sight of the called linong and molded it into human. felt lonely. To forget his sorrow, Kaptan
cold and barren earth made him lonely. He Since it was past evening, the dark hue of planted a bamboo tuber in a garden
took some curious looking seeds from his the night sank deep into the skin of the called Kabilyawan. He also planted rice,
pocket and sowed them. He tore the clay man and it became dark. He’ll wait for corn, and sugar cane. Among those, the
clouds and the first rain came. A few days the marrow to fashion a better one. bamboo grew the fastest. It grew beautiful
later, the earth was covered with plants with tender trunks and green, feathery
and flowers. Early before dawn, he woke up. He leaves.
instantly set to work even when it was still
He decided to furnish the world with light. a little dark. He finished it just as dawn He decided to make creatures. The
The darkness at night made him insecure. was gathering more light in the east. The bamboo broke into two sections. From a
So he picked up some queer-looking and pale reflection of the morn struck the slit in the node stepped out the first man
glittering shells from the beach, willed model and it became white. named Sikalak which means “the sturdy
that they should have light, and hung one” since then men have been called Si
them in the sky. Contended now, he In disgust, he took another handful of clay. Lalaki or Lalaki for short.
returned to his abode by way of Mount The sun was now high across the clear
Arayat. blue sky. He placed his work in the For the other half stepped out a woman
sunlight to dry. It was nearly noon and the called Sikabay. Since then women have
Coming of Kabunian warm breeze sweeping across his face been called Si Babaye or Babae for short.
Becoming weary and lonesome in heaven, mode Kabunian sleep. After Kaptan left to look for Maguayan,
Kabunian decided to descend to the earth. Sikalak asked Sikabay o marry him but she
While strolling along the ridge of Mount When he woke up, he beheld standing refused.
Pulog, he beheld the picturesque hillsides, before him a sturdy, and perfectly molded
lying desolate beneath the rising clouds of form of a little brown fellow. The first They are siblings but they need children to
mists coming from the depths of the valley model became the father of the black help them take care of the wide place.
below. He was fascinated by the sight. people, the white one became ancestor of After much argument, they asked the
the white men, and brown one the first of tunas of the sea and doves of the air if
the brown race. they could marry. They said, yes. Still
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unconvinced, Sikalak asked earthquake if They gathered it and tasted it was indeed
he could marry Sikabay and it said yes. So like rice, only it had a burnt taste. So the
they were married. Their first child was a man’s plan was frustrated for now the
boy called Sibu and their daughter named villagers had rice and could gather it for
Samar. From these early people came the free. Today, this same field of black rice
population of the world. still grows on the shores of Puerto Galera.

The Legend of the Black Rice

Once there lived a man who had vast
fields of rice and owned the biggest
granary in the town located near the sea
in order to facilitate loading whenever he
sold his harvest to other towns.

Famine struck the town and after while,

he was the only man in the entire place
who had still plenty of rice stored. The
people went to him to open his granary
and sell his grain. He agreed and sells it at
an exorbitant price. The village soon
became impoverished.

The people began to murmur and got

angry. They planned to go to him to force
him to open his granary and distribute the
grain free. The man heard their plans and
taking a can of kerosene, he set his
granary fire. Everything burned down.

Next morning, when the people went

down to the shore to view the remains,
they found a whole field of what looked
like rice plants only it didn’t have the usual
brown husks but like black or burnt rice.