I will serialize starting today WHY AM I BROWN? a storybook published in 1995 featuring legends about the Philippines. The launching of the book which is authored by Miguelita Hufana Costes took place in the Harbourfront, Toronto on February 1995. I found the original disk containing the WP files, thus making it easier for electronic publishing..Today you will read the intro and the first story of the book. Enjoy!
WHY AM I BROWN?
"Why am I brown?" my grandaughter once asked me.
"You are brown, my love, because your parents are brown."
"And why are my parents brown?"
"Because their ancestors came from a place of endless summer.
There is no winter in this land. The kind sun is always smiling on the
trees, plants and people. Thus, the people here have brown skin." Then I
took out an old picture book about my native country which I brought
with mewhen I left.
"Tell me more about the pictures, Grandma."
"Because of the sun, the land is blessed with beautiful flowers
and tall, shady trees. There are many clear rivers where you can swim. Many
of the trees bear delicious fruit, which children love to eat."
"What is the name of this land?"
"Nobody knows the first name of the land. Later on, Ferdinand
Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, named it the Philippines in honor of King
Philip of Spain. King Philip gave him money to spend for the voyage. Would
you like to hear some stories about the people of this land?"
"Oh sure, Grandma. Please ..."
THE LEGEND OF THE FIRST GIANT
In the beginning, the planet was made up of one big land mass with vegetation and animals and one big body of water full of sealife.
Bathala, the local god taking care of the world, saw the need for somebody to enjoy it. So he created the very first man. He was so big that he could run around the world in less than an hour. His name was Higante and had everything a giant could wish for. He owned the whole place. He lived by eating fruits, fish and sea weed. He never harmed the animals, for the animals were friendly to him.
Higante was so big that his head sometimes touched the clouds.And the deepest part of the water reached only up to his waist.
Ah, what a life he had. During the day, the sun came out and Higante could see Bathala riding on it. Bathala would smile at him and ask how he was. And Higante would always answer: "I'm fine, thank you..."
At night, he would sleep under two moons: one was a full moon and the other was a crescent one like a big C. He would lie down on the beach with the sea-breeze blowing on his face and the moonlight caressing his body.
Then one day, something happened. He got bored.
On that day, Bathala asked him: "How are you today?"
Higante answered: "I am bored. Why can't I be where you are, sitting so nicely on top of the sun, seeing other things that I could not see? Its not fair. I can only see the sky, the land, and the sea. I want to be able to go anywhere just like you too."
Bathala said: "I am very, very old. I created most of the things you see: the world, the two moons, the stars, and other living creatures out there. You are only a few days old with a very exciting life ahead of you. Be patient. Wait until you've grown up."
"But I am already big."
"I mean grow up inthinking."
"I do not know what you mean."
"That is exactly what I am talking about. Well, I have to go. I am going to check on other things I created on that Constellation to the right." With that Bathala floated like a cloud and disappeared from Higante's sight.
That night, Higante could not sleep. He kept staring at the twin moons. Then he decided to do something, not knowing or caring about its possible consequences.
Morning came, and he took all the vines from all the trees that he could see. Higante twisted a long rope out of them and formed a lasso at one end.
When the two moons appeared that following night, he waited for the crescent moon to come close to the earth. Then he threw the rope with a lasso, catching onto the moon's sharp end. Higante tugged the rope. Finding it quite strong, he started climbing up.
When dawn came he saw himself far above the earth. The earth looked like a big ball: half of it brown, which was the land and the other half blue, which was the water.
The sun rose and on top of it was Bathala. He didn't look very happy.
"Where do you think you are going?"
"I am not happy in this place. I want to ride on the back of the
moon to where the sun goes at the end of the day. I want to see where the sun sleeps"
"You can not do that!"
"I can do it. I will do it..." Higante answered defiantly.
Just then the crescent moon broke into two large pieces. It was not strong enough to carry Higante's weight. He fell, like a big rock thrown high off of a cliff . He crashed into the land. Pieces of the moon fell with him.
Higante died instantly. The impact of his body made the earth shake and crack. It was the first earthquake, and it was a strong one! Part of the ocean went inland and pieces of the land went to the water. A few hours later, the earth stopped shaking, but it never looked the same anymore. All the existing continents were formed. And only one moon was left in the night sky.
Bathala grieved when he carried his beloved Higante. He buried him in the part of the sea where he loved to catch fish. It was close to what is now the Asian continent. Bathala placed his body on a spot south of what will become Japan. In time, his body became soil, because Higante was formed from it. His face
became what is now known as Luzon, the biggest of the Philippine Islands. The other parts of his body became Visayas and Mindanao, the lesser isles.
They say his nose is now Mount Banahaw, a towering mountain. His eyes turned into bodies of water: Laguna de Bay and Taal lake,two of the most picturesque spots in the country. And his hair became the jungles of the Sierra Madre mountains.---#
(MORE TO COME!)
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