Pre-Colonial Philippine Literature

Pre-colonial Philippine Literature The Creation Story (Tagalog Version)
THE STORY OF THE CREATION Tagalog
Bilaan (Mindanao) When the world first began there was no land,
but only the sea and the sky, and between them was a
In the very beginning there lived a being so
kite. (154) One day the bird which had nowhere to
large that he cannot be compared with any known
light grew tired of flying about, so she stirred up the
thing. His name was Melu, and when he sat on the
sea until it threw its waters against the sky. The sky, in
clouds, which were his home, he occupied all the
order to restrain the sea, showered upon it many
space above. His teeth were pure gold, and because
islands until it could no longer rise, but ran back and
he was very cleanly and continually rubbed himself
forth. Then the sky ordered the kite to light on one of
with his hands, his skin became pure white. The dead
the islands to build her nest, and to leave the sea and
skin which he rubbed off his body was placed on one
the sky in peace.
side in a pile, and by and by this pile became so large
that he was annoyed and set himself to consider what Now at this time the land breeze and the sea
he could do with it. breeze were married, and they had a child which was
a bamboo. One day when this bamboo was floating
Finally Melu decided to make the earth; so he
about on the water, it struck the feet of the kite which
worked very hard in putting the dead skin into shape,
was on the beach. The bird, angry that anything
and when it was finished he was so pleased with it
should strike it, pecked at the bamboo, and out of one
that he determined to make two beings like himself,
section came a man and from the other a woman.
though smaller, to live on it.
Then the earthquake called on all the birds
Taking the remnants of the material left after
and fish to see what should be done with these two,
making the earth he fashioned two men but just as
and it was decided that they should marry. Many
they were all finished except their noses, Tau Tana
children were born to the couple, and from them
from below the earth appeared and wanted to help
came all the different races of people.
him.
After a while the parents grew very tired of
Melu did not wish any assistance, and a great
having so many idle and useless children around, and
argument ensued. Tau Tana finally won his point and
they wished to be rid of them, but they knew of no
made the noses which he placed on the people upside
place to send them to. Time went on and the children
down. When all was finished, Melu and Tau Tana
became so numerous that the parents enjoyed no
whipped the forms until they moved. Then Melu went
peace. One day, in desperation, the father seized a
to his home above the clouds, and Tau Tana returned
stick and began beating them on all sides.
to his place below the earth.
This so frightened the children that they fled
All went well until one day a great rain came,
in different directions, seeking hidden rooms in the
and the people on the earth nearly drowned from the
house--some concealed themselves in the walls, some
water which ran off their heads into their noses. Melu,
ran outside, while others hid in the fireplace, and
from his place on the clouds, saw their danger, and he
several fled to the sea.
came quickly to earth and saved their lives by turning
their noses the other side up. Now it happened that those who went into
the hidden rooms of the house later became the
The people were very grateful to him, and
chiefs of the Islands; and those who concealed
promised to do anything he should ask of them.
themselves in the walls became slaves. Those who ran
Before he left for the sky, they told him that they
outside were free men; and those who hid in the
were very unhappy living on the great earth all alone,
fireplace became negroes; while those who fled to the
so he told them to save all the hair from their heads
sea were gone many years, and when their children
and the dry skin from their bodies and the next time
came back they were the white people.
he came he would make them some companions. And
in this way there came to be a great many people on
the earth.

Pre-Colonial Philippine Literature

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Pre-Colonial Philippine Literature

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Pre-colonial Philippine Literature The Creation Story (Tagalog Version)

THE STORY OF THE CREATION Tagalog

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