Folk literature, Philippine; Folklore -- Philippines
After a time, Licalibutan, proud of his power over the winds, resolved
to gain more power, and asked his brothers to join him in an attack on
Captan in the sky above. At first they refused; but when Licalibutan
became angry with them, the amiable Liadlao, not wishing to offend
his brother, agreed to help. Then together they induced the timid
Libulan to join in the plan.
When all was ready the three brothers rushed at the sky, but they
could not beat down the gates of steel that guarded the entrance. Then
Licalibutan let loose the strongest winds and blew the bars in every
direction. The brothers rushed into the opening, but were met by
the angry god Captan. So terrible did he look that they turned and
ran in terror; but Captan, furious at the destruction of his gates,
sent three bolts of lightning after them.
The first struck the copper Libulan and melted him into a ball. The
second struck the golden Liadlao and he too was melted. The third
bolt struck Licalibutan and his rocky body broke into many pieces
and fell into the sea. So huge was he that parts of his body stuck
out above the water and became what is known as land.
In the meantime the gentle Lisuga had missed her brothers and started
to look for them. She went toward the sky, but as she approached the
broken gates, Captan, blind with anger, struck her too with lightning,
and her silver body broke into thousands of pieces.
Captan then came down from the sky and tore the sea apart, calling
on Maguayan to come to him and accusing him of ordering the attack on
the sky. Soon Maguayan appeared and answered that he knew nothing of
the plot as he had been asleep far down in the sea. After a time he
succeeded in calming the angry Captan. Together they wept at the loss
of their grandchildren, especially the gentle and beautiful Lisuga; but
with all their power they could not restore the dead to life. However,
they gave to each body a beautiful light that will shine forever.
And so it was that golden Liadlao became the sun and copper Libulan
the moon, while the thousands of pieces of silver Lisuga shine as
the stars of heaven. To wicked Licalibutan the gods gave no light,
but resolved to make his body support a new race of people. So Captan
gave Maguayan a seed and he planted it on the land, which, as you will
remember, was part of Licalibutan's huge body. Soon a bamboo tree grew
up, and from the hollow of one of its branches a man and a woman came
out. The man's name was Sicalac, and the woman was called Sicabay. They
were the parents of the human race. Their first child was a son whom
they called Libo; afterwards they had a daughter who was known as
Saman. Pandaguan was a younger son and he had a son called Arion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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