Studies in Moro History, Law, and ReligionSaleeby, Najeeb M. (Najeeb Mitry)
History
Studies in Moro History, Law, and Religion
Saleeby, Najeeb M. (Najeeb Mitry)
Law -- Philippines; Mindanao Island (Philippines) -- History; Muslims -- Philippines
He urged her to lead him to the cave and show him the people,
and she did so. The cave was very large, and on one side of it were
the apartments of the datu and his family. He was ushered into the
presence of the datu and was quickly surrounded by all the people who
were in the cave. He related to them his purpose and his mission and
what he had accomplished and asked them to come out and reinhabit the
land. There he saw again the beautiful girl whom he had observed at
the opening of the cave. She was the daughter of the datu, and the
datu gave her to him in marriage in appreciation of the good he had
done for them and the salvation he had brought to the land. The people
came out of the cave and returned to their homes, where they lived
in peace and prosperity again. At this time the sea had withdrawn
and the lowland had appeared.
One day as Raja Indarapatra was considering his return home he
remembered Sulayman's ring and went out to search for it. During
the search he found a net near the water and stopped to fish to
replenish his provisions for the continuation of the march. The net
caught a quantity of buganga fish, some of which he ate. Inside one
of the fish he found his ring. This cheered Raja Indarapatra's heart
and completed his joy. Later he bade his father-in-law and his wife
good-bye and returned to Mantapuli pleased and happy.
Raja Indarapatra's wife was pregnant at the time of their parting and
a few months later gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. The boy's
name was Rinamuntaw and the girl's name was Rinayung. These two persons
are supposed to be the ancestors of some of the Ranao tribes or datus.
This narration was secured from Datu Kali Adam, who learned it from
the late Maharaja Layla of Magindanao and from Alad, one of the oldest
and most intelligent Moros living. Alad says that Mantapuli was a very
great city far in the land of the sunset; where, exactly, he does not
know, but he is sure it was beyond the sea. Mantapuli was so large,
he said, and its people were so numerous, that it blurred the eyes
to look at them move; they crushed the bamboo very fine if it was
laid in the street one day.
Raja Indarapatra is the mythological hero of Magindanao and Mantapuli
is his city. These names are very frequently mentioned in Moro stories,
and various miracles are ascribed to them.
Kabalalan, Matutun, Bita, and Gurayn are the most prominent and
picturesque peaks of Mindanao and Ranao with which the Moros are
familiar. The whole narration is native and genuine, and is typical
of the Magindanao style and superstitions. Some Arabic names and
Mohammedan expressions have crept into the story, but they are really
foreign and scarcely affect the color of the story.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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