MYTH

The Mermaid Queen

San Carlos, Pangasinan
In the olden days, Binalatongan whose main product was mongo beans
(balatong) hence its name. It was a wealthy settlement of 2,000 houses where
ordinary people wore the finest Chinese silk for daily use and gold flowed in the
rivers surrounding the region.

The name of their sovereign ruler was Maginoo Palasipas, who was unhappy in
spite of his vast wealth and power brought by his exemplary rulership. His
greatest desire was to be conquered by the heart of a woman and share his
kingdom with a soul mate. This woman had to be the fairest of the fair, whose
beauty and character was unmatched by no other. His loyal datus sought the
fairest maidens in the land and presented their beauty to the King. Tagalog
chieftains sent envoys with a message offering their secluded royal daughters to
be his bride. Chinese, Japanese and Bornean merchants volunteered to sail back
to their native lands to bring back princesses of pure royal blood. But he refused
all their offers and suggestions.
 One evening, Maginoo Palasipas strolled by the riverbank and laid down on the
dewed grass to admire the fullness of the moon. He heard a faint and mystical
melody from afar. Following the sound of the music, he came upon a maiden
sitting on a rock with her back turned. She was combing her thick ankle length
hair and sang with the most enchanting voice. He noticed a crown of pearls
adorning her head and she wore a silk robe embroidered with gold beads, pearls
and diamonds. The maiden instinctively turned around and he beheld the face of
a goddess with flawless olive skin, blue green eyes like the waters and blood red
lips. Instantly smitten Maginoo Palasipas asked who she was. She answered, “I
am the mermaid of Binalatongan” Palasipas replied, “I have heard about your
kindness towards my people. Thank you for guiding my fishermen back into
shore during a storm, for rescuing Datu Angat’s only son from drowning and
leaving a string of pearls to Datu’ Bakat’s widow after he was killed by raiding
Tirong pirates.” By this time Palasipas got down on his knees and asked the
mermaid to be his wife and rule as the Queen of Binalatogan. The mermaid
smiled, nodded her head and gave her hand to the Palasipas. Renouncing her sea
life and begun the long and glorious reign of the once mermaid and the powerful
Maginoo Palasipas.

MALAKAS AND MAGANDA

 When the world first began there was no land; there was only the Sea and
the Sky, and between them flew a huge, beautiful Kite (a bird similar to a
hawk). One day, the bird, which had nowhere to land and rest, grew tired of
flying about, and in frustration stirred up the Sky in a quarrel against the Sea.
The Sky threw rain, thunder, and lightning that reached the Sea, who in turn rose
up and hurled waves and hurricanes that reached the Sky.

In order to restrain its fury, the Sky showered a multitude of massive boulders
down upon the Sea, which became the islands that formed the Philippines.
These islands prevented the waters from rising any more - instead causing them
to flow back and forth, and thereby creating the tides. Afterwards, the Sky then
ordered the Kite to light on one of the newly-formed islands to build her nest, and
to leave the Sea and the Sky in peace.

Now at this same time the Land Breeze and the Sea Breeze were married, and
they had a child which they named Bamboo. One day, when Bamboo was
floating against the sea, it struck the feet of the Kite. Shocked, hurt, and
angered that anything should strike it, the bird furiously pecked at the bamboo
until it split in half. Out of one section came a golden-bronze colored man,
named Malakas  (Strong One) and from the other half came a similarly hued
woman, named Maganda  (Beautiful One).

The earthquake then called on all the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea to
see what should be done with these two, and the animals decided that they
should marry each other. Together, Malakas  and Maganda  had many children,
and from them eventually came all the different races of people.

After a while the parents grew very tired of having so many idle and useless
children around. They wished to be rid of them, but they knew of no other place
to send them off to. Time went on and the children became even more numerous
that the parents could no longer enjoy any peace. One day, in an act of pure
irritation and desperation, Malakas  seized a stick and began beating them on
all sides.

This so frightened the children that they all fled in different directions; seeking
some place to hide both within and outside the house. Some of the children ran
into hidden rooms in the house, several concealed themselves within the actual
walls, while others hid in the fireplace. Some ran outside and the rest fled out to
the sea.

Now it happened that those who went into the hidden rooms of the house later
became the chiefs of the islands (Maharlikas); and those who concealed
themselves in the walls became slaves (Alipins). Those who hid in the fireplace
became the Negritos  and the Aetas; and those who ran outside turned into free
men (Timawas). As for those who fled to the Sea; they were gone many years,
and when their children eventually came back, they had become the white
foreigners.
 BATHALA: The Story of Creation
In the beginning of time there were three powerful gods who lived in the
universe. Bathala was the caretaker of the earth, Ulilang Kaluluwa (lit. Orphaned
 Spirit), a huge serpent who lived in the clouds, and Galang Kaluluwa (lit.
Wandering spirit), the winged god who loves to travel. These three gods did not
know each other.
Bathala often dreamt of creating mortals but the empty earth stops him from
doing so. Ulilang Kaluluwa who was equally lonely as Bathala, liked to visit
places and the earth was his favorite. One day the two gods met. Ulilang
Kaluluwa, seeing another god rivalling him, was not pleased. He challenged
Bathala to a fight to decide who would be the ruler of the universe. After three
days and three nights, Ulilang Kaluluwa was slain by Bathala. Instead of giving
him a proper burial, Bathala burned the snake’s remains. A few years later the
third god, Galang Kaluluwa, wandered into Bathala’s home. He welcomed the
winged god with much kindness and even invited him to live in his kingdom. They
became true friends and were very happy for many years.

Galang Kaluluwa became very ill. Before he died he instructed Bathala to bury
him on the spot where Ulilang Kaluluwa’s body was burned. Bathala did exactly
as he was told. Out of the grave of the two dead gods grew a tall tree with a big
round nut, which is the coconut tree. Bathala took the nut and husked it. He
noticed that the inner skin was hard. The nut itself reminded him of Galang
Kaluluwa’s head. It had two eyes, a nose, and a round mouth. Its leaves looked
so much like the wings of his dear winged friend. But the trunk was hard and
ugly, like the body of his enemy, the snake Ulilang Kaluluwa.

Bathala realized that he was ready to create the creatures he wanted with him
on earth. He created the vegetation, animals, and the first man and woman.
Bathala built a house for them out of the trunk and leaves of the coconut’ trees.
For food, they drank the coconut juice and ate its delicious white meat. Its
leaves, they discovered, were great for making mats, hats, and brooms. Its fiber
could be used for rope and many other things.
 SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS

Philippines Superstitious Beliefs on Good Luck

When you see the first star in the evening, you wish
something nice.
It is a good sign if you have big ears, because you will
have a long life.
All odd numbers are lucky numbers, especially number
7.
You'll have luck if, the snake cross your path.
You'll have luck if, someone gifts to you a jade stone.
You'll have luck in business if, someone gifts to you a
diamond.
You'll have luck if, in the early morning you open the
window - according to the Philippines superstitious
beliefs.

Philippines Superstitious Beliefs on Bad Luck

Seven years of bad luck for those who kill a
cat.
Pearls on the dress brings tears.
Bad luck is when the picture falls from a wall.
Do not break the mirror, because you will be unhappy.
Do not tell jokes about saints.
Do not throw the stone at night.
Do not play at night, it brings misfortune.
Do not whistling at night.
Do not comb hair at night, because your parents can die.
Do not sleep with wet hair, because you can become crazy.
Do not cut your nails at night
Do not stand in front of the burned houses, because your house may burn down, too.
Do not tell what you dreamed before you eat breakfast.
A bad sign is if someone sees a duck to fly.
A bad sign for newlyweds and marriage is if thundered at the wedding.
A bad luck is if your house stairs is on face the sun - according to the Philippines
superstitious beliefs.
 Philippines Superstitious Beliefs about Money
Do not spend money on Monday, because you will be a whole week without money.
Do not give money out the window, because it brings poverty.
Do not pay your debts at night.
Do not scrub the floor at night, because you will become a poor man.
Count the money at midnight of December 24 to January 1 and you will have enough
money all over the next year - according to the Filipino superstitious beliefs.

Philippines Superstitions about New Year

On New Year's Eve scatter coins all over the house and around the house to have
money all year.
Do not eat fish or chicken on New Year's Eve because you will be poor in the coming
year.
Turn on all lights in the house and the whole year will be nice and bright.
To keep away evil spirits you need to make as much noise as you can.
On 31st December clean everything, on New Year's day don't clean anything.