Bicol

                 

Legend of Mt. Mayon

The legend tells the story of the most beautiful maiden named Daragang Magayon in Bikolandia or Kabikolan, long before the separation of the Philippines to mainland Asia. During those times, it is prohibited for a maiden to marry a man living outside the Kabikulan. Though Daragang Magayon had a native and rich but selfish suitor named Paratuga, she fell in love with a stranger, a Tagalog, named Panganoron.

One night, she told her father Tiong Makusog about her love affair with the stranger and though it is prohibited and it hurts the father's heart to know that his only daughter is in love with a stranger he still told her that he will find the best way to fulfill the wish of his daughter. Unfortunately, Paratuga kidnapped Tiong Makusog and demanded Daragang Makusog to marry him in exchange of the life of his father. When Daragang Makusog learned about this, she hurriedly went to the house of Paratuga and agreed to marry him.

Then the date of the marriage is announced. When the news finally reached Panganoron he planned to save the girl he loves and decide to throw a war against Paratuga. The war happened on the day of the wedding and there Daragang Magayon was killed with a stray arrow and when Panganoron is holding the weak body of the beloved, he was attacked from behind. Both of them were killed.

Tiong Makusog buried his daughter along with all her belongings including the bride price given by Paratuga. The inhabitants of the land were surprised to the grave of Daragang Magayon into a hill. Also at the top of that hill were clouds that busrt out rain. And at night the people experience thundering noises of rolling stones and earthquakes. The hill kept growing and growing. Today, it is now known as The Mayon Volcano, deriving its name from "Magayon" and the name of the town Daraga is derived from Daragang.

The war of the dragonflies and the monkeys

ONE day, when the noonday sun was very hot, a poor dragonfly, tired from a long journey, alighted on a tree. A great many monkeys lived there.

While she was fanning herself with her wings, a monkey discovered her and said, ?Aha! What are you doing here, wretched creature??

?O sir! Please allow me to rest on this branch while the sun is hot,? said the dragonfly. ?I have been flying all morning, and I am so hot and tired that I can go no farther.?

?Indeed!? exclaimed the monkey in a mocking tone. ?We don?t allow any weak creatures such as you to stay here. Go away!? Taking a dry twig, he threw it at the poor creature.

The dragonfly, being quick, flew away before it could hit her. But she went to the king of the dragonflies and told him what had happened. The king became very angry and resolved to make war on the monkeys. He dispatched three of his dragonfly soldiers to the king of the monkeys with this challenge: ?Sir, as one of you has treated my subject so cruelly, we have resolved to kill you all.?

The Monkey King laughed at the challenge. He said to the messengers, ?Let your king and his soldiers come to the battlefield and see how well my troops fight.?

?You don?t mean what you say, cruel king,? answered the dragonflies. ?You should not make judgment before the fight.?

?What fools! What fools!? laughed the king of the monkeys. ?Go to your ruler and tell him my answer!? And he drove the little creatures away.

When the king of the dragonflies received the reply, he immediately ordered his soldiers to go to the battlefield, unarmed.

Meanwhile the monkeys came, each armed with a heavy stick. Then the Monkey King shouted, ?Strike the flying creatures with your clubs!?

When King Dragonfly heard this order, he commanded his soldiers to alight on the foreheads of their enemies. The monkeys began to strike at the dragonflies who were on the foreheads of their companions. The dragonflies were quick, and so they were not hurt at all. The monkeys were all killed. Thus the light, quick-witted dragonflies had the victory over the strong but foolish monkeys.