Sarikaw

Long time ago when the Bicol deities favored the enkantos and enkantadas with the task of guarding and protecting the forests at the foot of Mount Sumagang,  stories about a bow-legged hunter named Sarikaw, spread throughout the duluhan in the plains.  Old men and women alike would pass on stories of how magnificent the skills of this young man were. Children who were playing in the yard would hear words such as “ata manay  malang ganting talaga kuno (I tell you sister I heard he is really a sharpshooter)”. These children would imagine Sarikaw holding a bow and an arrow or sometimes a spear; and imitate him in their plays.

Stories of his own greatness reached Sarikaw who lived alone with his dog, Bagsik, by the bank of the river Barit. Sarikaw was of humble beginnings but as stories of his prominence spread, he became vain and arrogant.  This led him to become more adventurous and daring. So he began hunting in forbidden parts of the forests. This angered the enkantos, especially the group of the Irago, who are half-man and half-snake, like Ayupan.  Ayupan called for an assembly of the enkantos to discuss what to do to Sarikaw.

“This man is challenging us. He knows that our forests are forbidden for hunting, yet he crossed our territories and savagely killed my sawa!!!” thundered the enraged Ayupan. “We should judge him at once before he slew all of our animal friend,” he argued. Ayupan’s position was approved by some enkantos while others were still murmuring and discussing the issue.

One of them, Maboot, a peace-loving enkantada stood up and spoke. “Before we act rashly, why don’t we first give him a warning. Maybe if someone reminds him of the boundaries, then, he will refrain from hunting in our territories,” she said calmly. “Let us all remember that the gods gave us our territories to protect, but that does not mean that we should destroy anyone to fulfill that stewardship,” she reminded the assembly.

This made the assembly of enkantos calm down. Ayupan, though still seething with anger, agreed.  “Maboot, you are really kind. Go ahead, talk to this man.”

Maboot smiled and nodded her head in agreement. On her way back to her territory after the assembly ended, she met Tarok, her favorite deer who runs so gracefully as if it were dancing.  Tarok told her of all the places she had been into. Maboot patted its head, and together, they walked back to their sanctuary.

The following morning, Maboot disguised herself as an old woman in ragged clothing and waited outside the forest for Sarikaw.  Not long afterwards, she saw Sarikaw with his dog, heading towards the forest.  She stopped him and said, “Young hunter… you are indeed skilled, but please refrain from stepping into the land of theenkantado and enkantadas. You might draw their anger and be judged for that.”

Sarikaw gave her a mocking smile, “There are too many animals in the forest. Why would they be too selfish to share some of them to us, mortals?” he said, shrugging and laughing while walking away, with Bagsik, on his trail, barking.

That night, Ayupan met with Maboot. “I told you, that man is arrogant. Let’s judge him now… I cannot wait to turn him into a stone,” he said.

Maboot shook her head, “No. Let’s give him another chance.”

The next day, Maboot disguised herself as a young girl and waited for Sarikaw, hoping that she would be able to stop him from his stubbornness. An hour passed by and she saw the hunter with his dog, running to her direction. She called out to him and said, “Sir Hunter, please don’t hunt at the land of the enkantos. They might end up judging you.”

Sarikaw gave her a mocking look, “Child, go home. The enkantos do not own the forest,” he said proudly and looked at his dog, “Bagsik, let’s go.” The dog barked and ran after him.

Maboot shook her head and went back to the forest. That night, Ayupan did not come to see her but she heard the wailing of enkantadas like her, mourning for the loss of their animal friends. It echoed in the forest. Maboot looked at her lap and patted Tarok, who was asleep. “Ay Sarikaw, tomorrow, I must warn you to stop before it is too late.”

The morning came. After telling Tarok, to be careful, Maboot went on her way to stop Sarikaw. This time, she did not bother to disguise herself. Maybe this time, she was hoping he will reconsider his acts since an enkantada will talk to him in person.

“Male Hunter, you have to stop. The enkantadas are angry,” she warned.

Sarikaw looked at her, “I am not doing anything wrong. I am a hunter; therefore, I hunt,” he said and went to the forest.

Maboot watched as the hunter walked away. She walked back to the forest. However, she paused and folded her hands to pray, “Forgive us gods, if we are forced to give Sarikaw judgment.” After her prayer, she heard a familiar painful cry. She looked around, Tarok, is that you? She ran back to her sanctuary knowing that her favorite friend will run there if something bad happened. She noticed tracks of blood along the way.  Then, her fear was confirmed, No…not Tarok!!!

Tarok was lying down with an arrow stuck on the part where its heart is. She caressed the dying deer for the last time as it closed its eyes and breathed its last. Because of pain and anger, the peace-loving enkantada screamed. This called the attention of the justice-seeking, Ayupan. He appeared to her.

“What should we do to the Hunter?” Ayupan asked.

Maboot firmly said, “He needs to be judged.”

Ayupan nodded and together, they went out of the forest to follow the arrogant Sarikaw.

Sarikaw was on his way back to the duluhan when Bagsik started barking loudly. He looked at the direction his dog was barking at and he saw two creatures, one of whom, the lady he saw this morning.

“I warned you three times to stop. You thought you can challenge everything. Theenkantos despise your arrogance.  How dare you break boundaries? You should have listened to the wailing and the cries of the animals you killed!!! For that, you will be judged!!!”

Sarikaw only remembered looking at the eyes of the half-man, half-snake creature. Then, his body started to harden. The last he heard was the surprised and pained howl of Bagsik.

One day, a boy who was fond of imitating Sarikaw, went to the foot of Mount Sumagang to look for the Hunter. There he saw a woman talking to a huge monolith that wasn’t there before.  He overheard her saying, “You should have heeded our warnings, young Hunter. Each time I come, this stone will grow larger to show your arrogance.”  When the woman vanished, the boy noticed the stone became bigger. The boy raced down the plains, his hair standing on their ends, and told his mother what he saw and heard.  From then on, stories about Sarikaw spread throughout the nearby villages. Today, people visit the foot of Mount Sumagang to see the stone and each time the stone appeared to have grown bigger than before.

source:https://izavelle.wordpress.com/2010/10/28/sarikaw-a-childrens-story-english-version/

Rinconada Version: https://izavelle.wordpress.com/2010/10/28/sarikaw-a-childrens-story-iriga-dialect-version/