U RANUM NU ANITU

Wilma Alcantara

From Ichbayat Folktales

Dr. Yukihiro Yamada

 Miyan kunu su michavaxayan du Kasaxuytan a minyaran su Aprijarijang. Nu mavakes awi am minyaran su Orayen. Si Orayen am ammaay du ranum du Ri’yang. Kwanasawi am maynun sa a mia’sa am miyan sa su anak da Orayen. Nu mateneng am ninyaranan su Gumaram. Ah nu vekeveken pa am arak u ah manakem.

 A’sa a ka araw am payhay ni Orayen du ranum du da Orak. Vatah na siya ni Orayen, “Ranum ka ninuh ta pangxapan ku imu su iranum ku rira du anak ku.” “Iranum mu yaken alih dira ta michanukanuka sira,” kwan na. Ah hay ni Orayen a misapasapa am nakachta su ranum. Vatah na siya du ranum aya, “Ranum ka ninuh ta pangxapan ku imu,” kwan naam “Pangxa’ap” kwan na. Patavu na ah ka uli na rana du vaxay da. Sira u kayvan na awi am pachmahaxayan da a makavili a minpuranum.

 Du a’sa a ka araw am nay a mapatavu su ranum am miyan su um’u’uy siya. Du naka’panmu da rana siya u puranuman na awi am dawi dana u pirmi da a hayan. A’sa ka piyanderak am min’a’xep a may du ranum u mavakes aya am miyan su nadngey na a umparasapas. Nihay na a paharihariden am miyan su mariyus a anitu. Kwan n ani mavakes aya du maryus awi a anitu, “Atu ka maryus.” “Owen,” kwan na. “Padira aku su ranum an ara namen ichapya.” “Owen, pangxapi’i am ichapiya niyu iya.” Nakayapu dawi am nu ninyaran aya du ranumen awi dawi am ranum nu anitu.

U KAMANGANAKAN NU DI A CHINASIASI A MANGANAK

Zita Calderon

 Kaychuwa kunu am miyan u asa vahay a matda du Idiang di San Vicente. Miyan muyvuhen da anak a mavakes amna nimyapuyapu a di pa naychakuvet as dawa uyud da isuli! Vatan kunu siya ni hakay, “May avang aku as mamuspus ka, mu vakes ta pahawran tas anak ta aya may anak du ahas.”

 As dawa namarin su avang si hakay as namuspus si vakes.

 Matayuka kunu u avang aw ni hakay am kumavus kapamuspus ni vakes. Pasakayen da su anak da aya as kapaduyduy da siya pahawren. Ari du mayraya a panayrinan u avang as ari makedked du simsiman. Amna du kapahawud daya siya am mirupirwa mayvidi du simsiman as dawa pirwahen da a paduyduyen a pahawren. Du kapsuk na aya siya nu manganak da aya u kapirupirwa daya siya a pahawren am nikteb na u pinuspus aya.

 “Pamsuk da ama kani ina a mapahawuhawud diyaken!”

 Ichavidin na rana du idaud as du nakasi siya ni Pasindyayan am nirarayan na du avang.

 Asa karaw am vinata na, “Kawukawud pa, mu Pasindyayan ta mangay tapa du payapasuan na aya.”

  Pangawud ni Pasindyayan as kapayparaya da du Kapasawan. Tuvuyan na umtidib siya an ara u tatakad nu tawu, pakaraya na a umtidib siya du kanayan aw an ara u tatakad nu tawu am muyvuh na navuya am tatakad nu pusak a navuya na am hahawahen dana. Ipirwa da mangawud, makarapit sa du Puway am tiban da an ara u tatakad nu tawu am muyvuh da navuya am tatakad nu chitu am hahawahen dana. Ipirwa da mangawud as makarapit sa du Turun am pirwahen na tuvyen si Pasindyayan a umtidib siya an ara u tatakad nu tawu am turi tatakad nu tawu a mavavayu pa. Pakaraya dawri as kangay da du Idiang as kavidin da rana dawri.

 Mayendes dana araw am hapen na sa u anak na sa aya sa Kumalakal as kani Panayidan as kangay da manta su paryusan na sira. Isunget da du Matu takan dawri yanan da nu minanga. Makarapit sa du manuma a minanga am iyahes na, “Angu ka ranuranum mu aya ranum ta paryusan ku pa sa Kumalakal as kani Panayidan?”

 Vatan na siya nu ranum aw, “Ranum aku a mapakararahet su manganak.”

 Ipirwa da a maypatu. Marapit daw umunut aw a minanga am iyahes na, “Angu ka ranum muaya mu ranum ta paryusan ku pa sa Kumalakal as kani Panayidan?”

 Itbay na nu ranum, “Ranum aku a mapakanunuka.”

 As dawa minirwa sa a maypatu. Makarapit sa du umunut aw a minanga am iyahes na, “Angu u ka ranum muaya ta paryusan ku pa sa Kumalakal as kani Panayidan?”

 Itbay nu ranum, “Ranum aku a mapakavuvuta.”

 As dawa minirwa sa a maypatu, makarapit sa du mamanitu aw a minanga am iyahes na, “Angu paru ka ranum muaya a ranum ta paryusan ku pa sa Kumalakal as kani Panayidan?”

 Itbay nu ranum, “Ranum aku a mapakapipya su manganak.”

 As dawa niryus na sa diyaya sa Kumalakal as kani Panayidan. U pinabhesan naya sira am navidin a naurma u atang da.

 Du katayuka da a maryus am naypawdi da na sa as du kabusbus dawri du Matu am miyan kunu nauya da a sumayap a sayay. Vatan kunu siya ni ina daw, “Pangadingadidis pa, mu sayay ta yayam da paymu da Kumalakal as kani Panayidan.”

 Dekey as ka pangavuvudis nu sayay aw as dawa nahap da. Ipaypawdi da ra na du Idiang. An pasayapen da kunu u sayay aya am masa sa isayaw rakay da sira du panahanan da. Masngen sa makarapit am pirwahen da pasayapen am kasa da sumayaw nu rakay da sa aya paray. Vatan kunu siya nu asa aya, “Manganak kamu ninu a umpasayap aya su yayam niyu aya sayay du rakay kuaya?”

 Itbay da Kumalakal as kani Panayidan, “Kamanganakan kami nu diya chinasiasi a manganak!” As katayara da du Idiang.

 Du matarek dana araw am tuvuyen na sira ni ina da u dadwa aya ka manganak na di apu da a umhap su tinunan na pa kaychuwa du ka ja da pa siya pahawren. Iyusuk da di apu da am makarapit sad vahay aya am mavuya dava an dinu u pantaw na as dawa inahes da, “Dinu u pantaw mu Muapu ta hapen pa u tinunan ni ina?”

 Itbay nu apu da, “Ari du sayerwan!”

 Pandindivun da a umchita siya am aravaw mavuya da a pantaw as dawa pinirwa da iyahes, “Du siyu na u pantaw mu muapu ta hapen namen pa u tinunan ni ina?”

 Itbay ni apu da, “Ari du sayerwan!”

 Vatan da siya, “Na madivun namen danaw vahay muaya muapu am ara kami ava makavuya su pantaw!”

 Itbay na, “Nayahen niyu ta manguhat aku pa su ranum a iryus ku dinyu ta an tud kamu anti maywawakwak a ja kahkuhatan am uyud u kapay inapu ku dinyu.”

 Kakuhat nu ranum am pasakuyan na dira amna tud sas maywawakwak a ja kakuhatan. Vatan na siya “Na uyud sawen u ka inapu ku dinyu!”

 As kayan dana nu pantaw a ja da chinapatak an naypaypangu nakywang na. Hapan da ra na su tinunan ni ina da as katayara da ra na. Dekey as katawag ni apu da, “Nayahen niyu yaken ta hapen niyu pa u mamahen ni ina niyu as payadadkan ta pa!”

 Itbay da, “Mangyet ka muapu ta du kadasan mu diyamen am dawri u hapan namen siya u mamahen ni ina as payadadkan ta!”

 Amna madas na sa ava as dawa naywayam. Nakavuya su vahay nu valutuvut as gulugulwan na siya as ka vatavata na siya, “Akma pa kunu santi su valutuvut aya su ka aru nu mangay a sumdung dinyu.”

 Du kawara da di ina da am nivahey da u nivata na aya nu apu da aya. Nivata na nu ina da, “Andelak am iyangay niyu yaken panta su vaad ku.”

 Kapaysesehdang na am sumunget sa du Kalang. Du kayam da aya am nakavuya sa su matava a kayu nu hateng. Ahsan da siya, “Mangdeet ka as matwa ka ta vaad ka ni ina.”

 Atbay na “Mangdeet aku na am mangdengdet paw miyan aya du atuatu ku aya.”

 Ipaypatu da as kavuya das matava aya hateng am niyahes da, “Mangdeet ka ta vaad ka ni ina.”

 Itbay na “Mangdeet aku am mangdengdet pa u miyan du atuatu kuaya.”

 Ipirwa da mayam a maypatu, Mapaspang da u husung na aya am mavuya da u matava aya a hateng. Ahsan sa siya, “Mangeet ka ta vaad ka ni ina.”

  Itbay na “Ara pavaw maypangdet pa kaniyaken!” kwana as dawa tiningeh da as kawdi da siya.

 Vatan siya ni ina da “Vadahen niyu daw ta mamuspus aku.”

 Tayuka da vadahen am tayuka mamuspus si ina da. Kulamiyan diya ni ina da as kasuhed na siya am ngangaran nu araw a masuhed.

 Vatan siya ni ina da “Pirwahen niyu vadahen!”

 As dawa pinirwa da vadahen. Matayuka da vadahen am ivahey da di ina da. Suhdan siya ni ina da am naychasariyan a masuhed. Sumdep danaw araw am taytu pa masuhed.

 Mawara dana u araw aya kawara da nu sumdung sa aya dira am kavaheng da kunu du ka aru! As kasitnan da rana kumayat a umrarayaw sat ranchera. Marapit da rana u chadadima nu tranchera am ivahey da di ina da, “Taytu da ra na nahap ichadadima na aya nu tranchera!”

 Vatan siya ni ina da, “Inulay niyu pa sa daw!”

 Mahap daw ichaapat, ichatdu am ravaw vata ni ina da. Kwana saw am vatahen da “Asa dana u miyan aya tranchera!”

 Hapan na ra na siya ni ina da aya u vaad aya as kasuhud na siya. Ichararayaw da ranas manawdi aw a tranchera as kasitnan da rana sumdep nu umasdung sira aw amna makasngen sa ava ta sumdep kunu am mahap nu vaad aw as iwakdit na sa du kagtin aw. As aravaw nakasdep dira ta sumdep dana u araw am masuhud pa u vaad aw. As dawa nasdung da sa ava. As ara pava u minirwa a sumdung sira.

 1. Avang – boat

 2. Mandung – intruders

 3. Minanga – basin-like part of the river

 4. Payadadkan – kissing

 5. Sayay – eagle

 6. Sayerwan – to the next corner

 7. Tinunan – treadmill

 8. Tranchera – fence, trenches

U PINAKAYAPUWAN NU KAYU A NATU

Manuel Z. Fajardo

 THE "nato" is a kind of tree growing wild in Batanes with milk-white sap and bearing small zeppelin-shaped fruits with sweet luscious pulp. The edible fruit ripes in midsummer and is relished by children. The following story is an account of how the first "nato" came to exist.

 LONG before the Spaniards came to Batanes, the natives grouped themselves in tribes and lived in villages. A village was called an "idjang" in the native dialect. The tribes were hostile to one another and tribal wars were often waged among the villages.

 IN one of the idjangs situated near the present site of the town of Basco there lived a young couple. This couple had a beautiful young daughter. Though she was yet of a tender age, her beauty and charm made her popular in Ivatan song and story.

 ONE day their village was invaded by an extremely hostile tribe so that all the men had to take up arms against the foe while the women, the sick, the aged, and the children had to evacuate to the woods. The young mother and her daughter ran to hide in the forest. Day after day as the battle raged on hunger and suffering held the refugees in an ever-tightening grip. At last the young mother and her daughter could hold no longer. Unable to retreat further into the woods, the mother, summoning all her knowledge of incantations and charms, turned herself into a "vasong" tree and told her daughter to hide among her branches. Seeing themselves almost perfectly safe, the mother and her child stood upon the hillside to watch the fight go on. When the battle was over, the mother and her child waited and waited for the father. But the waiting was in vain for the poof man perished in the fight. As their waiting was in vain the mother decided to remain a tree and enclosed her child in the hollow of her trunk. There the daughter and her mother lived enchanted lives.

 THE termination of hostilities was followed by a period of reconstruction as most of the houses in the villages were burned.

 ONE day a young man went to the woods to get timber for building his house. He found the enchanted "vasong" tree. Not knowing that the tree was enchanted he soon started cutting it down. But, as he was chopping at the trunk he was disappointed to find it hollow. In it he was surprised to find a pair of human feet. He turned away. Then curiosity made him gather courage and he got nearer again to the tree to investigate. He was soon chopping again at the tree trunk, now, with much care lest he hurt the human feet inside. When the tree fell, he cut off the branches and proceeded to split the trunk open. When the trunk was cut open there was released the beautiful maiden of eighteen summers, at last, to behold again the beauty of nature around her – the foliage of the woods, the blue of the sky, the fleecy white clouds sailing across the heavens, the chirping of the birds, and the soft breeze sighing among the leaves.

 THE young man laid down his ax and fell upon his face, to worship her. "I am no goddess!" she said. "I am a human being. I had been imprisoned in that tree-trunk for the last three years by the cruelties of man." The young man rose to behold the beauty and charm of the maiden. Love conquered his heart. Losing no time, he asked her to be his wife. She consented on condition that he should never tell anyone the strange story of where she came from. They went down to the village and lived her happily together with the man’s mother.

 LATER on a baby boy was born to them. As the child grew older he was often left under the care of his grandmother whenever the parents went to work in the fields. Whenever the child cried the grandmother sang a lullaby, part of which ran thus, "Stop crying, little one. Sleep soundly, little one. Your mother was chopped out of a "vasong" tree in the woods." As if by magic, the child would stop crying immediately upon hearing the song, laugh or smile and then drift off to dreamland.

 BUT, one day, the child’s mother heard the grandmother singing the song. This made her very, very sorry. With tears rolling down her cheeks she took the child and departed for the woods. Her husband followed them at a distance. He lost sight of them as she rounded the ridge of a hill where she had been formerly chopped out from her wooden prison. When he reached the place he last saw her then he found her already on the other side of the hill nursing the child. He was about to speak to her when she said, "Please take our child now, or else he will become a tree also." He saw that from her feet up to her waist was already changed into a tree trunk. He wept saying, "How shall I take care of our child at such a tender age?"

 HIS wife replied, "Fear not. Although I will never come back to you, my love for you and our child shall continue forever. As he is still young, feed him with my white sap for this is milk. When he will grow older, I will give him my sweet fruit to eat. But, beware! Let no other child drink of my sap after our child shall have eaten of my fruit. Goodbye!"

 AS she said the last word she placed her loving arms tenderly around the shoulders of the grieving father and child. Then, all of a sudden, her arms stretched out and stiffened. She was completely changed into a tree.

 THE father took the child in his arms and plucked off a twig from the new tree from which milk-like sap oozed. This he gave to the child. Then followed an everyday visit of the father and child to the tree. After a year the tree bore fruits which later ripened in midsummer. They were sweet, nourishing fruits that the seeds were spread out over the land by both man and animals to grow and bear fruits. That was the first "nato" tree.

U VUHAWAN A GUWARDIYAN NU MAYAM A KAWA

The text is a composite from narration by Sabina Rasco, Marcela Rasco, and Cornelio Agresor From The Glitter of Gold

Dr. Florentino H. Hornedo class="font3"

 Du kakawaan aya du atu ayan’ rarahan a mangwan ji Vasay am taytu dawri u tulyang am miyan kunu vuhawann daw. Du mamanitu naw nu tulyang aya am tawri u kawa vata daya mayam a kawa. An miyan kunu sumdep daw a amangay a mahap su vuhawan aw am musuk a mayam aw a kawa as ka angay na umseseng su aschip aw as ka ji na rana makahbetan. Ara ava u makey a umhawahaway siya asdepan u tulyang aw.

U VUHAWAN A YAPU DU TAAW

Narrated by Rosario E. Meonada

From The Glitter of Gold

Dr. Florentino H. Hornedo

 Miyan kunu ya u tawu du ji Mananiyuy am pakavuya na su rumayangirang a miyan du peptaan. Angu paru ya, kwana aw as paynedengedet na a maypangay du payvahan aw tapiyan masesngen kavuyan na siya. Am kapayparaya kapayparaya ni rumayangirang aya.

 Makarapit du kanayan si navuya na aya am nivayat na, as kavuyan na aya siya u ka vuhawan na aya akmay dukay su karakurakuh. Ahapan na siya as kasavat na niya, am mililyak kunu ava uri du aran sinnu. Niyeng na kunu a iyangay a dimanen u rakuh a kuyis da as ka iju na jiya., as kapiraraya na am niyeng na kunu a psuksuken su vuhawan aya tapiyan angayan nu raya aw ta isayasayang na siya.

 Vahvahyan na rana kunu niya uri du mangpus u nakapakabuya naw su vuhawan, as vatan da aw siya jiya u kapya nu pinarin naw. As yukuyukuran dawri niya am’ payatay su vuhawn aw as katuruh na niya ji mangpus aya u karakuhan na as jira na u rayay na.

 Pinamwamuhen na jira du apwapu na u vuhawan aw. Pinavuya pa jiyaken nimna ama u maydubang a huvay a natay da kunu uri nu apuwapu namen du navuya aw a vuhawan amna ‘ra pa ava jamen sichanguya.

U VUHAWAN DI CHAWA

Eduardo M. Balasbas

 Many, many years before the arrival of the first Spanish Dominican Missionaries in Batanes, the people were living in small groups of different tribes. The tribe of Imahatahataw are nearest the rockhill at Chawa. They traverse the rocky beach to gather seaweeds calld “Kayñongo” a delicious sea grass that grows on the rock near the sea. Some if these fishermen, sometimes witness a brilliant glitter on one point at Chawa. They wondered what cause the glitter. One curious villager scaled the rocks to investigate. He found a small cave brilliantly shining, but before he could go nearer the cave, a piece of flat rock slid from the upper part and close the cave.

 That very evening, the villager had a nightmare. He dreamed that the brilliant light he saw was a big piece of gold and the gold told him that if he wants to get it, he should scale again the rock, but he should bring along a long woman raincoat (vakul) and a clean skinned tugue (Mayid su vakul kanu madadaas a chindasan a dukay). When the man woke up, he started to make a long vakul and got a big dukay and remove its outer skin (Kahachichas). He proceeded to the point and climb the rock. This time the stone shutter did not slip down, but when the gold saw the long raincoat (vakul) and skinned tugue, the flat stone shutter graciously slid down and close the cave. On the second night, the villager had the same dream, but when daytime came, again he wove additional length to the raincoat. It was longer than the original and part of it is drag when he walked wearing the raincoat, and instead of one tugue, he brought two. When he arrived at the site, the stone shutter slipped to close the cave. The third night, he dreamed again and the gold told him, the same description. Once more he added the raincoat. It was too long already that he has to drag it in bringing it. He also added the tugue to one basketful, then he started again to bring it. All he thought was that the gold will be pleased. When the man arrived at the point, he could hardly scale the rock to the cave, because gis supposed gifts were too heavy. When he finally reached the cave, the gold was very disappointed and told the man “So you do not really like me because you are only teasing me. You do not guess what I wanted in exchange of me. The long vakul is a male goat with long beard (Putputan a kaddin) and the clean skinned dukay is a roasted pig clearly scraped (Pinasu a bagu a madadaas a nichischisan). Since you did not guess my wish, I will leave your island and go to another place to enrich other people who know how to take care of me. The gold went out of the cave and walked over the sea glittering brightly across the South China Sea towards the island of Itbayat. Now tha flat rock that guarded the gold is still just laid without any visible attachment. It is just above the National Road facing Northwest. Several earthquakes have rocked Batan Island, but the gold shutter has bever been moved from its original place. The cave where the gold stayed is below the National Road and the sit/place is named or called “Rachin’ Vuhawan” or Gold Rust.

U VUHAWAN JI’NADAPIS

Narrated by Bienvenida H. Hornedo and Emilia L. Hontomin

From The Glitter of Gold

Dr. Florentino H. Hornedo

 Naypisa kunu am miyan u tawu a pintayaynep nu vuhawan du ji Nadapis. Vinata kunu ni vuhawan aya ji tawu aya: Yangay mu’chi yaken a chiban an mahep as ka ahap mu jaken, as manghap ka ava su rarayay mu. Maychatanyi cha. As an miyan sa u madidiyaw mu a kumayab jimu am inulay sa ta kutu ku saw.

 Maheo dana aw am yangay aw ni tawu aya, amna mamu anchu uri as nanganuhed ava as nanghap su rarayay na, a manawji anchi uri a makarayi. Kasesngen na kunu ni tawu aya du yana aya nu vuhawan aya’m ‘tu na rana mavuya naytutwaw am kumayaraw kunu. Ahapan na rana kunu siya uri as kapaynulay naw sira su kutu aw nu vuhawan aw a kumayab jiya. Am du kataytyu narana kunu aya umlakem siya u vuhawan aya am paypasngen dana kunu aya nirarayay na aya. Kavuya kunu siya ni vuhawan aya si rarayay na aw niyeng dana mayayu as kapaypakwan na rana kunud’ taw. As dawa ara’va u nahap na.

U VUHAWAN A NANURUH SU TACHI DU ASA KA MAHAKAY

Narrated by Rosario E. Meonada

From The Glitter of Gold

Dr. Florentino H. Hornedo

 Miyan kunu kaychuwa u Imahataw am miyan u nituvuyan da siya du ji Vasay. Tumnayara du Kulatin du adan pa rarahan, as kapanahan na du Ji Chawa aw (am ari pa mipupsu manipun.) Mawara kunu daw am mavuya na si vuhawan aya mitutwaw du tana. Bunbunbunan na kunu jiyaw nu yabnuy as kavata na kunu su: “Miyab ka pa daw mu Ap uku ta iyangay chu pa patungtungen u pachirawat da aya jiyaken.”

 Mirwa dana aw a mayvidi am yangay na aw a lidliren am ji na ahap. Iyudi na rana aw a manghap su barita ikadi na siya. Am du kakadi naw siya tud miparahem. Karwan na rana jiya as kawdi na. As mahep dana aw am yangay na patayaynepen, as kavata na kunu su: “Ichasi ku imu, mu apu ku am ji mu yaken a niyavayava, as kumaru aku na anchi a mangay du kavahayan namen ji Chavuhawanan. Mangay ka anchi du chinadisnan ku aw a chinavuyan mu aw jiyaken ta tawri daw u dadwa a ka tachi ku a lapus. Ahapen mu u asa aw ta vuhawan uri as ahapen mu ava u asa aw ta vuhawan avaw.”

 Iyanagy na aw ni tawu aw am mawara awri am tawri dana kumarukaru su vuhawan aw a rumayangirang a maypangay du kaydawran. As katalamad na rana aw siya kumaru a makahawud a mandad’ kaji na rana makavuyan siya. As ahapan na rana su vata naw a pinabhes na nu vuhawan aw, amna rumanes a vuhawan. (Am uyuyd ys naparin.)