Lam-ang - Page 2 of 3

(an Iloko epic)

Bilingual (Tagalog-English) version

Sa kanyang pag-uwi sa Nalbuan ay napadaan siya sa ilog ng Amburayan.  Doon ay naligo siya sa tulong ng kanyang mga kaibigang babae na pinupunasan ang kanyang katawan upang maalis ang mga dumi at dugo, ngunit ito'y nakapatay sa lahat ng nabubuhay na hayop sa ilog.  Nang siya ay nasa hustong gulang na upang mag-asawa ay may nakilala siyang isang magandang babae, si Ines Kannoyan at umibig siya rito.  Pumunta siya sa bahay nila Ines upang umakyat ng ligaw kasama ang kanyang puting tandang at ang kanyang paboritong aso.  Nang makarating siya sa bahay ay nainis siya sa dami ng naunang manliligaw sa kanya.

Inutusan niyang tumilaok ang kanyang tandang at sinunod naman siya nito.  Noon din ay gumuho ang bahay nila Ines at nangamatay ang lahat ng kanyang manliligaw.  At inutusan naman niyang tumahol ang kanyang aso at tumahol nga ito.  Mabilis na bumalik sa dati ang gumuhong bahay.  Lumabas si Ines at ang kanyang mga magulang upang salubungin siya.  Ipinaramdam ng tandang ang pagmamahal ni Lam-ang kay Ines Kannoyan.

Ang aking panginoon na si Lam-ang ay iniibig ka at gusto ka niyang pakasalan, sabi ng puting tandang kay Ines sa lenggwaheng naiintindihan niya.

Pakakasalan kita kung matutumbasan mo ang aming kayamanan, sagot ni Ines Kannoyan.

Ang pagsubok na ibinigay ni Ines ay hindi nakapagpahina kay Lam-ang.  Umuwi siya kaagad at bumalik kasama ang isang malaking bangka na puno ng ginto, hinigitan nito ang halaga ng kayamanan nila Ines.  Ikinasal sila at namuhay ng masaya.  

On his way home to Nalbuan, he passed by the Amburayan River.  There he took a bath with his lady friends scrubbing his body of dirt and blood that eventually killed all the living creatures in the river.  When he was old enough to marry, he heard of the beautiful Ines Kannoyan and fell in love with her.  He went to Ines' place to court her taking with him his white rooster and his favorite dog.  When he arrived at her house, he was annoyed to see Ines' many suitors in front of the house.

He asked his rooster to crow and the rooster did.  At once, Ines' house crumbled to the ground killing all her suitors.  Then he asked his dog to bark and the dog did.  The crumbled house stood again at once.  Ines and her parents went out of the house to meet him.  The white rooster expressed Lam-ang's feelings for Ines Kannoyan.

My master, Lam-ang, loves you very much and he wants to marry you, the white rooster said to Ines in the language she clearly understood.

I'll marry you if your wealth could equal our riches, answered Ines Kannoyan.

Ines' challenge to him did not dampen Lam-ang's spirit.  He went home at once and came back with a big boat full of gold, the value of which surpassed Ines' family's wealth.  Then they were married and they lived happily.

Learn this Filipino word:

matigás ang butó