Chapter 4: The Surface Is Different From Down Below

That night, Roselda couldn't explain her feelings. She was lying on her bed which was made from plied bamboos and covered with a wide banig1 or sleeping mat made from a softer type of buri2.  She's been trying to sleep but couldn't. Something was troubling her. Perhaps, she couldn't cast her mind off from what happened by the rocky area today.

He's a merman, she said in her mind. She still couldn't believe that she met a creature like him. A known pigment of imagination but in fact, real. Are there more others like him underwater, she asked herself. The questions kept on building in her mind.

She decided to get up and fetch water to drink. When she returned to her room, she opened the window. The moonlight pa.s.sed through the thin curtain hanging like a veil, and then struck the little jar placed on her table. Inside that jar was the black pearl given by the merman. It was soaked in the salt.w.a.ter as it shone under the moonlight.

Roselda came near the jar and peeked at the pearl. She didn't tell her Mamang and Papang about it when she got home.

It was already dark when she returned and her Mamang was waiting by the gate.

“Where did you wander off?” her mother started immediately as she came close. Concern was visible on her face.

She did a mano3 to her mother before politely responding, “Just around the beach, Mang. I picked some sh.e.l.ls and conches.” She showed her net bag that's full to the brim.

The elder didn't reply, only puckering at her.

“I’m sorry, Mang. I returned so late. I was so absorbed in collecting them.”

That's it. After her simple confession, she was then let in.

Roselda didn't really understand why they're so concerned every time she returned late. She knew it's only natural for parents to worry, but it's quite suspicious when they're too concerned about every small thing.

She gazed through the window and stared at the full moon. There were no clouds in the dark sky so she saw the wide expanse of the twinkling stars. So beautiful. She looked back at the black pearl inside the jar. Just as beautiful as this pearl, she thought.

—–

The mermen and mermaids were not allowed inside the palace but their anxiety could be felt around. Something bad had happened to their Head Maayo and everyone wanted to know what it was.

Managat had no idea about anything; yet, he felt grave things must have happened.

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“Please, calm down, everyone!” said one merman.

Although his thin lips can't be seen opening, everyone heard him in their minds. This merman was thin and has long arms and fingers. His bluish-gray skin suited his tail which was also grayish but with spots of black and pale blue colors. He's Umala, the counselor.

(AN: Dialogues of merpeople are originally italicized by the author, most probably since it's made through resonance to communicate instead of simply speaking.)

“Please, listen.” he raised his right arm and continued, “The Head Maayo has contracted a strange illness. A disease which has just appeared again since it was discovered a thousand years ago.”

This news has caused concern from the listeners.

“The Healer,” Umala looked at a stunted and a bit plump merman; white hair almost all fallen out  and with small eyes where vigilance were evident, a tail that's pure white with streaks of gray and light yellow on the side, and a mark on his chest that distinguished him as a healer: two horizontal lines with a dot beneath. He's Maalam, the Healer. Umala continued, “is doing all tests possible to find the cure for our dear Head Maayo.”

The healer nodded. He's one of the experts in this field; whatever disease was sent to him, he can cure them. And because of this, everyone finally calmed down.

“Do not worry,” Umala said while smiling―Managat had the pa.s.sing-thought that he must be pleased with what's happening―as he finished, “we will do everything we can to cure the Head.”

Gradually, the mermen and mermaids began dispersing from the palace door. Some of them were grateful, while others were still visibly shaken. On the other side, Managat was not encouraged by any of Umala’s statement. He knew that everything was much severe than told. He understood when he looked at the healer; he noticed a great deal of anxiousness from his eyes.

“Father!” he immediately called the healer.

The healer turned to him with sadness in his eyes.

Managat neared and asked, “What happened?”

He didn't respond to Managat immediately but instead looked into his eyes. “Son, I have sincerely prayed to Bathala4 to never let this disease appear again. But," he shook his head, “some things couldn't really be evaded, and this is one of them.”

Roselda, on the other side, yawned. Finally, sleep has visited her, she said in her mind. She left her window open and walked back to her bed. Before she fell asleep, she thought once more of the sea and Managat, the merman. What could he be doing now?

—–

1Banig - a hand-woven sleeping mat traditionally made in buri2. It's typically used in earlier times in the Philippines but now could only mostly be found in provincial areas.

2Buri - a type of plant where its leaves are used in making mats and fans ()

3Mano - from Spanish term 'mano' (hand); a traditional gesture of respect to the elders in Filipino culture. The young 'uns take the offered right hand of the elder then presses it to their forehead and say "Mano po".

4Bathala - the supreme G.o.d in the Philippine Folklores (check TLseiji’s earlier post on  for more expository details.)

Chapter 5: The Legend of Dalit-Kamingawan

Managat quietly followed his father through the long corridor that served as the big hall of the palace, then up to the winding staircase to Head Maayo’s room.

The healer stopped in front of the arched entrance with screen made from slender but broad-surfaced kind of moss. Around the entrance was a number growing sponges that bloomed small and white flowers that seemed to dance in the flow of the calm water.

Maalam's gloomy state was noticeable upon parting the screen and entering inside. In the middle of the room, Managat saw the terrible condition of Head Maayo. Her body laid unmoving on a huge sh.e.l.l while her long and blonde hair was spread neatly on it. Her white skin almost looked lifeless and her rosy tail with white and silver streaks on the side has already lost its vitality.

With a heavy heart, Managat closed beside the slumbering Head Maayo. He couldn't believe that their cheerful and always enthusiastic leader had fallen seriously ill.

He knelt on the edge of the sh.e.l.l cot and held the hand of Head Maayo. It felt cold. Like life was fleeing from it. But he saw her chest rising and dropping, a sign that she's still alive.

“Father, please, tell me what happened.”

“Forgive me, my son; but it's regretful to say that we cannot do anything.” The healer was shaking his head.

“How could you say that?” Managat said with great sadness. “You are the most accomplished, the best, healer in Lalawod1. I am sure you can do something!”

“You do not understand, son.” Maalam came next to him and put his hand to his child’s shoulders. “There's no cure for our beloved Head's illness. This is why I have strongly prayed to Bathala2 that no one will ever get this illness again.”

“I do not believe, Father. Everything has a cure. Isn't that what you always say?” Managat then kissed the hand of Head Maayo. “Please do something, Father.”

Managat felt so much grief on this situation especially since he's very close to Head Maayo. She's a good friend, a teacher, and a mother to him. When he was little, she's his playmate and mentor, too. She was also the one who told him the truth that he was an orphan; that he was found from the far south of Lalawod when he's still an egg. Despite that, Maalam, the great healer, has taken him as his true child.

His heart was truly in great pain.

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Managat felt the gentle grip of Healer Maalam on his shoulder. “Son, I’m really sorry. But," he paused. "I have a story that I want to share with you. Will you heart it out? This is a legend that my great teacher told me that was also shared to him by his great teacher and the teacher before him.”

In the olden times, Maguayan, the anito3 of the ocean was inspecting the world after the Great Flood. She stood by the water as she watched the surrounding when she noticed a giant fish. Behind it, sitting on its back was a mortal. It saved and took the mortal off to sh.o.r.e.

The anito, who witnessed the giant fish' kindness, decided to rewarded it. She gave the giant fish a mortal form while half of its body was left on its original form of fish. She was the first mermaid. She was called Daragat by the anito. Since then, Daragat was always found together with the anito, Maguayan.

Time pa.s.sed as Daragat lived in the kingdom of Maguayan under the ocean. They lived in peace. But Daragat’s heart was always hoping that she would again see that mortal she had rescued from the Great Flood.

One night, Daragat decided to take a stroll to the surface to watch the full moon. There, on the top of a protruding single rock, the mermaid sat and gracefully watched the moon as it climbed in the dark sky while at the same time, she sang a melodious song. She was so fascinated by the beauty of the silver moon and even wondered where was its light coming from.

Unknown to her, a mortal was watching her just from afar. After that night, Daragat couldn't be found anywhere. No one knew what had happened to her.

Maguayan was deeply saddened on her disappearance. There's no day or night that she didn't hunger to see her glorious face once again and hear her charming voice since she's already inloved with her.

Seasons had already pa.s.sed when this great anito of the ocean contracted a unique illness that her kind called Dalit-Kamingawan. Bit by bit, her body began disappearing. And because she's an immortal, soon enough, only her soul was left.

One day, it was heard that Daragat had returned. When she visited her revered Maguayan, she realized that she was only left with her hilagyo4. The mermaid was in deep anguish when she learned everything. She was full of regret.

Before Maguayan's hilagyo was taken to Sulad5, they were able to talk to each other. Daragat asked for forgiveness from her which Maguayan readily accepted. But a decree was required of her by the anito; as her successor, Daragat should serve as the ruler for all that she's left behind. The Great Anito gave her blessing to Daragat before finally saying her farewell and went to her final destination.

Daragat promised that while she lived, the whole ocean would remain prosperous and peaceful.

“And that’s what happened,” the healer concluded. “This is also why in every full moon, the Head Maayo has to drift up to the surface to offer her song of salutation to the Great Anito of the ocean to honor his memories.”

Once again, he squeezed the shoulder of Managat and finally went out of the room.

The young merman was left inside as he tightened his hold on the Head Maayo’s hand. Was this illness really that deadly? What exactly was Dalit-Kamingawan’s mystery and its cure? He has to find the cure for it, Managat thought. He couldn't allow the Head Maayo to end up like the anito of the ocean.

——-

1Lalawod - the name of the merpeople's kingdom

2Bathala - the supreme G.o.d in the Philippine Folklores (check TLseiji’s earlier post on  for more expository details.)

3Anito - a deity, a G.o.d or G.o.ddess from Philippine Folklores; sometimes, it can also pertains to enchanted beings or nature spirits (find Maguayan also in TLseiji’s earlier post on )

4Hilagyo - soul; particularly used by Cebuanos or Visayans; other terms 'kaluluwa' or 'spirito'

5Sulad - underworld; particularly used by Cebuanos or Visayans; other term 'huling-hantungan'