How the World Began
How the World Began A Popular Bukidnon Folktale, Retold
A long long time ago, when there was yet no world, there were three gods who lived in a small circular space of great brightness called a banting, and encircled by a rainbow. The space was just large enough for the two gods, Magbabaya and Dadanyahan, to sit across each other. The third god, the winged Makabughaw, sat precariously between the two and had to flap his wings continuously to maintain his balance. Makabughaw’s flapping of his wings created the first wind. Taking pity on Makabughaw, the one-headed Magbabaya (meaning Your will be done) decided to build an extension so the poor Makabughaw could rest. To this, he had to scoop soil from under the ten-headed Dadanyahan. He asked Makabughaw to do his for him. After studying the situation, Makabughaw swooped into Dadanyahan mouths and divided right through him so he could get soil from that point. He gave the soil to Magbabaya who created earth from it.However, the earth was dry. How could it be turned lush and green? As Magbabaya puzzled over the problem, he happened to glance at Dadanyahan’s ten drooling mouths. Suddenly, he realized where he could get enough water to sprinkle over the earth. Dadanyahan agreed to the plan.
Magbabaya blessed Dadanyahan’s saliva and the rain poured.
Water washed over the earth. It shaped the mountains, hills, valleys, and plains; it made the streams, rivers and huge seas and oceans. Soon, vegetation began to sprout and grow. But this huge garden needed someone to take care of it. The two gods scooped some earth, and with t he help from Dadanyahan’s saliva
, turned it into sticky clay to form a figure. They collected wood for its bones, rattan for its blood vessels and water for its blood. They molded seven figures on Magbabaya’s image. After the seventh figure was molded, Magbabaya had to leave to take care of a few things. But before leaving, he told Dadanyahan no to tamper with the figures. Left alone with
A long long time ago, when there was yet no world, there were three gods who lived in a small circular space of great brightness called a banting, and encircled by a rainbow. The space was just large enough for the two gods, Magbabaya and Dadanyahan, to sit across each other. The third god, the winged Makabughaw, sat precariously between the two and had to flap his wings continuously to maintain his balance. Makabughaw’s flapping of his wings created the first wind. Taking pity on Makabughaw, the one-headed Magbabaya (meaning Your will be done) decided to build an extension so the poor Makabughaw could rest. To this, he had to scoop soil from under the ten-headed Dadanyahan. He asked Makabughaw to do his for him. After studying the situation, Makabughaw swooped into Dadanyahan mouths and divided right through him so he could get soil from that point. He gave the soil to Magbabaya who created earth from it.However, the earth was dry. How could it be turned lush and green? As Magbabaya puzzled over the problem, he happened to glance at Dadanyahan’s ten drooling mouths. Suddenly, he realized where he could get enough water to sprinkle over the earth. Dadanyahan agreed to the plan.
Magbabaya blessed Dadanyahan’s saliva and the rain poured.
Water washed over the earth. It shaped the mountains, hills, valleys, and plains; it made the streams, rivers and huge seas and oceans. Soon, vegetation began to sprout and grow. But this huge garden needed someone to take care of it. The two gods scooped some earth, and with t he help from Dadanyahan’s saliva
, turned it into sticky clay to form a figure. They collected wood for its bones, rattan for its blood vessels and water for its blood. They molded seven figures on Magbabaya’s image. After the seventh figure was molded, Magbabaya had to leave to take care of a few things. But before leaving, he told Dadanyahan no to tamper with the figures. Left alone with