Darangan
(an epic of Maranao)
Bilingual (Tagalog-English) version
Mayroong isang hari sa isang malayong kaharian sa Mindanao ang may dalawang anak na lalaki. Ang nakatatanda ay si Prinsipe Madali at ang nakababata ay si Prinsipe Bantugan. Sa murang edad ay nagpakita si Prinsipe Bantugan ng magagandang katangian na higit sa kanyang nakatatandang kapatid na si Prinsipe Madali. Laging sinasabi ng kanilang guro sa kanilang ama na si Prinsipe Bantugan ay napakatalino. Mabilis siyang matuto, kahit sa paggamit ng espada at palaso. Taglay niya ang lakas na kayang makipaglaban sa tatlo o limang tao sa mano-manong labanan.
Ang unang tanda na siya ay magiging isang magaling na sundalo ay nang makita siya nang mapatay niyang mag-isa ang isang malaking buwaya na nakapatay sa ilang taong-bayan. Hindi makapaniwala ang mga taong-bayan sa kanilang nakita pagkatapos ng pagtutuos.
Napakalakas niya!
ang sabi ng isang matandang lalaki nang makita ang patay na buwaya.
Paano nakaya ng isang tao na ganito kabata na patayin ang buwaya? Sinasapian siguro siya ng mga diyos!
sabi naman ng isa.
Halika, pasalamatan natin ang prinsipe sa pagpatay niya sa halimaw!
sabi ng pinuno ng bayan.
There was a king in a faraway kingdom in Mindanao who had two sons. The elder was Prince Madali and the younger one was Prince Bantugan. At a very early age, Prince Bantugan had shown superior qualities over his elder brother Prince Madali. Their tutors would always tell their father that Prince Bantugan was very intelligent. He was a fast learner, even in the use of sword and bow and arrow. And he possessed such great strength that he could subdue three to five men in a hand-to-hand combat.
The first indication that he would soon be a formidable soldier was seen when he single-handedly killed a big and ferocious crocodile that had killed several villagers. The villagers could not believe their eyes after the very short struggle.
He is so strong!
an old man blurted out upon seeing the dead crocodile.
How could a man so young as he is can kill a killer crocodile? He must be possessed by the gods!
another villager said in awe.
Come on, let's thank the prince for killing the beast!
the chieftain of the place said to all the villagers.