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Mariang
Makiling
( as retold by Gat. Jose P. Rizal from Northern
Luzon ) |
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| There
are many stories woven about this guardian spirit. Most
of them deal with her helping the poor and the sick,
in the guise of a peasant girl. The precious things
she lend the country folk are said to be returned to
her, along with the offering of a young pullet with
feathers white as milk.
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| A
hunter has recounted a face-to-face encounter with the
enigma herself. He was hunting a wild boar, he said,
deep into the forest where Mariang Makiling lived. The
boar suddenly crashed into some bushes and the hunter,
fearing that he would not find it again, dived in after
it. When he came to his feet he saw a small hut, and
witnessed his prey entering it. He followed the boar
into the hut, thinking it deserted, and then he came
face to face with a beautiful maiden standing by the
boar, who was meek in her presence. The maiden said
"This boar is mine and you must not harm it. But
I see that you are tired and hurt. Come in, eat, and
then go your way."
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| The
hunter felt compelled to obey her. He sat down at her
table, and she served him a porridge that he found was
unlike anything he had ever tasted. It invigorated him,
and after eating, he felt healed. As a parting gift,
Mariang Makiling filled his peasant hat, called a salakot,
with yellow ginger.
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| The
hunter, on his way home from the forest, found that
his salakot was growing heavier and heavier, and so
he broke a few pieces of ginger in half and threw some
bits away. Upon coming home, he handed Maria Makiling’s
gifts to his wife, who found that the salakot, instead
of containing ginger, as her husband claimed, contained
gold. The hunter regretted having thrown away a few
bits of ginger/gold along the way.
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| Mariang Makiling is said to be more
than compassionate. Once, there lived a young farmer
who always seemed to be blessed. His fields were never
touched by any calamity, and his livestock were always
in good health. The people of his village say he is
endowed with a charm, or mutya, as it is called, that
protected him and his from harm. The young man himself
was good at heart and simple in spirit. But he was quiet
and secretive, and would not say much of his stranger
activities, which included frequent visits into the
wood of Mariang Makiling.
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| But
there came a terrible time for him and his family. War
had come to his fair land, and army officers came, recruiting
unmarried young men who were in perfect health. So that
the young man would stay safely in the village, his
mother arranged for him a marriage with a most beauteous
daughter of a wealthy family. Upon finding this out,
the young man became more sullen than ever.
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| He
visited Mariang Makiling’s wood one last time,
a few days before his marriage. Mariang Makiling lent
him a dress and some jewelry, for his wife to wear on
their wedding day. "I would that you were consecrated
to me," she said sadly, "but you need an earthly
love, and you do not have enough faith in me besides.
I could have protected you and your family." This
having been said, she disappeared. The young man went
back to his village with Mariang Makiling’s gifts,
and presented them at once to the girl he would marry.
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| But
the girl did not care for Mariang Makiling’s gifts.
Instead she wore the pearls and dresses her mother had
handed down.
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| Mariang
Makiling was never seen by the peasants again, nor was
her humble hut ever rediscovered. |
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