How the Angels Built Lake Lanao

Long ago there was no lake in Lanao.  On the place where it is now situated, there flourished a mighty sultanate called Mantapoli.  During the reign of Sultan Abdara Radawi, the greater grandfather of Radia Indarapatra (mythological hero of the Lanao Muslims), this realm expanded by military conquests and by dynastic marriages so that in time its fame spread far and wide.
The population of Mantapoli was numerous and fast increasing.  At that time the world was divided into two regions: Sebangan (East) and Sedpan (West).   The mighty sultanate of Mantapoli belonged to Sebangan.  Because this sultanate rapidly increased in power and population as well, the equilibrium between Sebangan and Sedpan was broken.
This dis-equilibrium soon came to the attention of Archangel Diabarail (Gabriel to the Christians).  Like a flash of sunlight, Diabarail flew to the Eighth heaven and told Allah, "My Lord, why have you permitted the unbalance of the earth?   Because of the power of Mantapoli, Sebangan is now larger than Sedpan."
"Why, Diabarail," replied the Sohara (Voice of Allah), "what is wrong with that?"
"My Lord, Mantapoli has a vast population countless as the particles of dust.  If we will allow this sultanate to remain in Sebangan, I fear that the world would turn upside down, since Sebangan is heavier than Sedpan."
"Your words show great wisdom, Diabarail," commented the Sohara.
"What must we do, my Lord, to avert the impending catastrophe?"
To this query, the Sohara replied, "Go right away to the Seven-Regions-Beneath-the-Earth and to the Seven-Regions-in-the-Sky and gather all the angels.  I will cause a barahana (solar eclipse) and in the darkness let the angels remove Mantapoli and transfer it to the center of the earth."
Upon receiving the mandate of Allah, Archangel Diabarail, traveling faster than lightning, rallied the millions of angels from the Seven-Regions-Beneath-the-Earth and the Seven-Regions-in-the-Sky.  With this formidable army, he presented himself to Allah, saying, "My Lord, we are ready to obey Your command."
The Sohara spoke, "Go to Sebangan, and lift the land of Mantapoli."
Diabarail, leading his army of angels, flew to the east.  In the twinkle of an eye, the sun vanished and a terrible darkness as black as the blackest velvet shrouded the universe.  The angels sped faster than arrows.  They swooped on Mantapoli, lifting it with great care and carried it (including its people, houses, crops and animals) through the air as if it were a carpet.  They brought it down at the center of the earth, in accordance with the command of Allah.  The very spot vacated by the sultanate of Mantapoli became a huge basin of deep, blue water-the present Lanao Lake.
The waters coming from the deep bowels of the earth rose higher and higher.  Archangel Diabarail, seeing the rising tides immediately returned to the Eighth Heaven and reported to Allah, "My Lord, the earth is now balanced.  But the place where we removed Mantapoli is becoming an ocean.  The waters are rising fast, and unless an outlet for them can be found, I fear that they might inundate Sebangan and drown all Your people."
In response, the Sohara said, "You are right, Diabarail.  Go out, then, and summon the Four Winds of the World: Angin Taupan, Angin Besar, Angin Darat, and Angin Sarsar.  Tell them to blow and make an outlet for the overflowing waters."
Obeying the Master's command, the faithful messenger summoned the Four Winds.  "By the Will of Allah," he told them, "blow your best, and make an outlet for the rising waters of the new lake."
The four winds of the world blew, and a turbulence swept the whole eastern half of the earth.  The surging waters rolled swiftly towards the shores of Tilok Bay to the southeastern direction.  But the towering ranges impeded their onrush.   The Four Winds blew, hurling the waves against the rocky slopes but in vain; no outlet could be cut through the mountain barrier.
Changing direction, this time eastward, the Four Winds blew harder driving the raging waters towards the shores of Sugud Bay (situated east of Dansalan, now Marawi City).  Once again, the attempt to create an outlet failed because the bay was too far from the sea.
For the third time, the Four Winds changed direction and blew their hardest.  The waves, plunging with ferocity, rolled towards Marawi.  Day and night, the Winds blew as the waters lashed against the shoreline of Marawi.  This time the attempt succeeded.  An outlet now called Agus River was made, and through the outlet, that water of Lake Lanao poured out to the sea, thereby saving Sebangan from a deluge.
It came to past that there was a high cliff at the outlet, and over the cliff the waters cascaded in majestic volume.  Thus, arose the beautiful falls which, aeons later, was named Maria Cristina, after a famous queen of Spain.

THE BOY WHO BECAME A STONE

One day a little boy named Elonen sat out in the yard making a bird snare, and as he worked, a little bird called to him: "Tik-tik-lo-den" (come and catch me).
"I am making a snare for you," said the boy; but the bird continued to call until the snare was finished.
Then Elonen ran and threw the snare over the bird and caught it, and he put it in a jar in his house while he went with the other boys to swim.
While he was away, his grandmother grew hungry, so she ate the bird, and when Elonen returned and found that his bird was gone, he was so sad that he wished he might go away and never come back. He went out into the forest and walked a long distance, until finally he came to a big stone and said: "Stone, open your mouth and eat me." And the stone opened its mouth and swallowed the boy.
When his grandmother missed the boy, she went out and looked everywhere, hoping to find him. Finally she passed near the stone and it cried out, "Here he is." Then the old woman tried to open the stone but she could not, so she called the horses to come and help her. They came and kicked it, but it would not break. Then she called the carabao and they hooked it, but they only broke their horns. She called the chickens, which pecked it, and the thunder, which shook it, but nothing could open it, and she had to go home without the boy.

When I Was No Bigger Than A Huge

When, I, was, no, bigger, than, a, huge,
Star, in, my, self, I, began, to, write,
My,
Theology,
Of, rose, and,

Tiger: till, I, burned, with, their
Pure, and, Rage. Then, was, I, Wrath-
Ful,
And, most,
Gentle: most,

Dark, and, yet, most, Lit: in, me, an,
Eye, there, grew: springing, Vision,
Its,
Gold, and,
Its, wars. Then,

I, knew, the, Lord, was, not, my, Creator!
--Not, He, the, Unbegotten—but, I, saw,
The,
Creator,
Was, I—and,

I, began, to, Die, and, I, began, to, Grow.

Indarapatra at Sulayman (Buod)

Noong araw ay may isang dakilang hari. Siya ay si Indarapatra, hari ng Imperyo Mantapuli. Ang Mantapuli ay matatagpuan sa kanluran ng Mindanao, doon sa ilayong lupain kung saan ang araw ay lumulubog. Si Indarapatra ay nagmamay-ari isang mahiwagang singsing, isang mahiwagang kris, at isang mahiwagang sibat. linagud, aking sibat, magtungo ka sa silangan at lupigin ang aking mga kaaway!" utos I hari. Pagkatapos magdasal, inihagis niya si Hinagud nang malakas. Pagkatapos akarating ni Hinagud sa Bundok Matutun, bumalik ito sa Mantapuli at nag-ulat sa myang panginoon.
Aking panginoon, maawa kayo sa mga taga-Maguindanao. Sila'y pinahihirapan at pinaglalamon ng mga halimaw. Sinira ng mga halimaw ang kanilang mga pananim at ang kanilang mga kabahayan. Binabalot ng mga kalansay ang kalupaan!" ulat ni Hinagud.
Nagalit si Indarapatra sa narinig. "Sino ang mga halimaw na iyon? Sino ang mga valang-awang pumapatay sa walang kalaban-labang mga taga-Maguindanao?" galit w tanong ni Indarapatra.
"Una'y si Kuritang maraming paa at ganid na hayop sapagkat ang pagkaing laan sa limang tao'y kanyang nauubos," sagot ni Hinagud. "Ikalawa'y si Tarabusao. Isa siyang halimaw na mukhang taong nakatatakot pagmasdan. Ang sinumang taong kanyang mahuli'y agad niyang kinakain. Ikatlo'y si Pah, isang ibong malaki. Ang bundok ng Bita ay napadidilim niya sa laki ng kanyang mga pakpak. Ang lahat ng tao'y sa kweba na nananahan upang makaligtas sa salot na itong may matang malinaw at kukor matalas. Ikaapat ay isa pang ibong may pitong ulo, si Balbal. Walang makaligtas sa bagsik ng kanyang matalas na mata pagkat maaari niyang matanaw ang lahat ng too sunud-sunod na paliwanag ng sibat.
Nang marinig ito ni Indarapatra, nagdasal siya at inutusan ang kapatid na Sulayman, ang pinakadakilang mandirigma ng kaharian, "Mahal kong kapatid, huma> ka at tulungan ang mga taga-Maguindanao. Ito ang aking mahiwagang singsing at Juru Pakal, ang aking mahiwagang kris. Makatutulong ang mga ito sa iyong pakikidigmc Kumuha si Indarapatra ng isang batang halaman at ipinakiskis niya ang singsing r ibinigay kay Sulayman sa halaman at kanyang sinabi, "Ang halamang ito ay mananatilir buhay habang ika'y buhay at mamamatay kung ika'y mamatay."
At umalis si Sulayman sakay ng kanyang vinta. Lumipad ang vinta pasilangan c lumapag sa ka-Maguindanaoan. Biglang dumating si Kurita. Biglang tumalon si Jur Pakal, ang mahiwagang kris, at kusang sinaksak si Kurita. Taas-baba. Taas-baba Juru Pakal hanggang namatay si Kurita. Sa pakikidigma ni Sulayman, nawala niya ar kanyang singsing.
Pagkatapos ay kinalaban ni Sulayman si Tarabusao. "Lisanin mo ang lugar r ito... kung hindi, mamamatay ka!" utos ni Sulayman.
"Lisanin ang lugar na ito! Nagkasala ang mga taong ito at dapat magbayad!" sage ni Tarabusao.
"Nandito ako upang alisin ang lagim mo rito sa Maguindanao . . . ang aking Diyos ay mabait sa mga nagdurusa at pinahihirapan ang mga demonyo," sabi ni Sulayman.
"Matalo man ako, mamamatay akong martir!" sagot ni Tarabusao. Naglaban si at duguan si Tarabusao. "Binabati kita sa iyong kagalingan, sa iyong kapangyarihai Paalam," huling sambit ni Tarabusao at tuluyan na siyang namatay.
Naglakad si Sulayman sa kabilang bundok upang sagupain si Pah. Ang Bundok Bita ay balot ng mga kalansay at ng mga naaagnas na bangkay. Biglang dumating: Pah. Inilabas ni Sulayman si Juru Pakal at pinunit nito ang isang pakpak ni Pal Namatay si Pah ngunit nahulog ang pakpak nito kay Sulayman. Namatay si Sulaymai
Sa Mantapuli, namatay ang tanim na halaman ni Indarapatra. Agad siyang nagtung sa Maguindanao at hinanap ang kapatid. Nakita niya ito at siya'y nagmakaawa s Diyos na buhay in muli ang kapatid. Tumangis siya nang tumangis at nagdasal kc Allah.
Biglang may bumulwak na tubig sa tabi ng bangkay ni Sulayman. Ipinainom ito ni Indarapatra kay Sulayman na biglang nagising. "Huwag kang umiyak, aking kapatid napatulog lamang ako nang mahimbing," sabi ni Sulayman. Nagdasal sina Indarapatr at Sulayman upang magpasalamat sa Diyos. "Umuwi ka na, aking kapatid. Ako na ar tatapos kay Balbal, ang huling halimaw," utos ni Indarapatra. Umuwi si Sulayman c nagtungo si Indarapatra sa Bundok Suryan at doon nakipaglaban kay Balbal.
sa-isang pinutol ni Indarapatra ang mga ulo ni Balbal hanggang isa na laman ang natira. Matapos ito, lumisan si Balbal na umiiyak. Inakala ni Indarapatra n namatay na si Balbal habang ito'y tumatakas. Ngunit ayon sa mga too ngayon a buhay pa si Balbal... patuloy na lumilipad at humihiyaw tuwing gabi.
Pagkatapos ng labanan, naglakad si Indarapatra at tinawag ang mga taong nagtago sa kuweba ngunit walang sumagot. Naglakad siya nang naglakad hanggang siya'y nagutom at napagod. Gusto na niyang kumain kaya pumulot siya ng isda sa ilog at nagsaing. Kakaiba ang pagsaing ni Indarapatra. Inipit niya ang palayok sa kanyang mga hita at umupo siya sa apoy upang mainitan ang palayok. Nakita ito ng isang matandang babae. Namangha ang matandang babae sa taglay na kagalingan ni Indarapatra. Sinabihan ng matanda na maghintay si Indarapatra sa kinalalagyan sapagkat dumaraan doon ang prinsesa, ang anak ng raha. Umalis ang matandang babae dala ang sinaing ni Indarapatra.
Pagkalipas ng ilang sandali ay dumaan nga ang prinsesa at nakuha ni Indarapatra mga tiwala nito. Itinuro ng prinsesa kung saan nakatago ang ama niya at ang nalalabi sc kaharian nifa. Nang magkita si Indarapatra at ang raha, inialay ng raha ang innyang pag-aari kay Indarapatra. Ngunit tinanggihan ito ni Indarapatra bagkus knyang hiniling ang kamay ng prinsesa.
Nanatili si Indarapatra nang maikfing panahon sa Maguindanao. Tinuruan niya kg mga too kung paano gumawa ng sandata. Tinuruan niya rin sila kung paano maghabi, magsaka, at mangisda. Pagkalipas ng ilang panahon pa, nagpaalam na si Indarapatra. tapos na ang aking pakay rito sa Maguindanao. Ako ay lilisan na. Aking asawa, manganak ka ng dalawa, isang babae at isang lalaki. Sila ang mamumuno rito sa inyong kaharian pagdating ng araw. At kayong mga taga-Maguindanao, sundin ninyo ang aking mga kodigo, batas, at kapangyarihan. Gawin ang aking mga utos hanggang may isang mas dakilang haring dumating at mamuno sa inyo," paalam ni Indarapatra.
Habang kumakain, nakita ni Indarapatra ang kanyang mahiwagang singsing na naiwala ni Sulayman sa isdang ulam. Pagkatapos nito ay bumalik na siya sa kanyang kaharian sa Mantapuli.

The Happy Hoi Polloi by: Kerima Polotan Tuvera

“In the Luneta, all colors blend ‚ the brown and the white and yellow of people; the green and blue and red of shrubs. Towards the sea, the great sward stretches, and the globes of light hang like huge pearls, are caught in the waters of the lake. People flow by, stop and eddy, break and whirl again. Across the pond, a band plays; a balloon breaks loose from some child’s grasp and floats towards an early star. Here, the land lies flat and green, broken only by stone; there, it rises in a series of small hills that hide the curving tips of a pagoda. The doves come, cooing and beating their wings around a man, dressed in a tiger’s suit, and giving away candy. The lovers try not to be conspicuous. A family spreads the contents of a bag — kropeck, juice, biscuits. One mother lies on a mat, unashamedly nursing her baby. On other mats, men and their wives, kicking their heels at the sky. The park guards  watch when they can but soon grow weary and give up. The sky is like a canvas washed clean, gray along the edges, and you think, looking over the heads around you, how distant the heat of living is — tonight’s dishes, tomorrow’s bundy clock. Joy is a fitful moment, but better that than nothing.”

A New Yorker in Tondo by: Juan Torres

New Yorker in Tondo" is a classic Filipino Play by Marcelino Agana, Jr. It is a satire written in the 50's. It is a story about a girl named Kikay who goes to New York and fell in love with it. She acquires all the New Yorkish things - style, looks, language and manners. These things are very obvious when she arrives in the Philippines specifically in Tondo.

Aling Atang, mother of Kikay, has been carried away by her daughters way of living. She tries to converse with everybody in broken English.

Tony, childhood sweetheart of Kikay, decides to visit and catch things up with her friend. He is a simple guy who got secretly engaged with their other childhood friend, Nena.

Nena is a tomboyish type of girl. On her visit in Kikay's house, she finds her friend different and weird. She gets irritated and even imitates Kikay's ways.

Totoy, the Tondo "canto boy" is their other friend who is funny and has a secret love for Nenan which has only been revealded when the two females had a clash.

Near the end, the secret love of the characters in the story is revealded. And the two pairs end up in each other's arms. Kikay is back to her old self -- simple and kind. Most of all, the Filipino value learned by the protagonist which is "there is no place like home", is a lesson on love of country and its culture.