Complete Text of Lam-ang (an Iloko epic) - Page 6 of 16

(English version)

Lam-ang became angered
And speared it once
He slung it on his back
And then surfaced Lam-ang.
And he told the young ladies:
Ay my young friends,
Pull out its teeth
And string them at once
For they are talisman on the road.
Ay my young friends,
Now it is time
That we return
To the house we left.

And when they arrived
He told the woman Namongan
Ay mother Namongan,
Please give a reward
To my young friends
A peso for every step
To and from the river.

And when they were rewarded:
Dear mother Namongan,
Please open
The second cabinet
And bring out
My most beautiful clothes
For I'll do everything needed
The stringed pants
And the decorated shirt
The crocheted handkerchief
Embroidered all
By my young lady friends.

Then after he had finished:
Mother, kindly open
The third cabinet
And bring out
The chains of gold wire
Coiled nine times
That melts in the heat
Of the burning sun
That scorches the feet
Ancient heirlooms
From great grandparents.
For I'll use it to string
My white rooster
With yellow legs [23]
My hairy spotted dog
With colored collar fur
So joyful to see.

For I should like to pay court
In the town of Calanutian [24]
Where I am told
Lives Doña Ines Cannoyan.
Ay she is a pure lady
Like nine constellations, it is said
That sparkle
In an evening.

And Namongan said,
My son Lam-ang
Please do not go
Because Doña Ines Cannoyan
Would not care
To love a man like you.
Because many richer men
Even Spaniards have gone
And she cared not
And Doña Ines Cannoyan
Would not care
For a man like you.

And Lam-ang replied:
Ay mother Namongan,
I am going and not miss a chance
To try my luck
In the town of Calanutian
Because I just might win the love
Of Doña Ines Cannoyan.

Namongan answered back:
My son Lam-ang,
If ‘tis a wife you want
Many a girl there is
In this town
That you can choose
To like and to love.

And this is what he said
The man Lam-ang:
Ay mother Namongan,
If that is what you say
I do not care
For any of the ladies you mentioned
So please do not detain me
For I shall surely go.

[23] My white rooster With yellow legs = Special rooster believed to have magic power and sometimes used for anitos.

[24] town of Calanutian = A small barangay of the town of Sinait, Ilocos Sur.

Learn this Filipino word:

buháy ang loób