Dr Abe V Rotor
Co-author, Philippine Literature Today
C and E Publishing Co. Inc.
Philippine Literature Today: A Travelogue Approach (co-authors Abercio V Rotor and Kristine Molina-Doria C and E Publishing Co.)
Philippine legends may vary according to nature and some supernatural forces that inhibit the country, and there is a story behind all of that. Most of our legends talks about the creation of this world and how it affects our society from before until now. We will discuss the legends of Dama De Noche, Philippines Creation, and Balete Drive.
Philippines are famous for its folklore. There are many stories and tales that are recounted by locals. Here are some example of the most famous Philippine legends:
Dama De Noche
This beautiful baby was named Dama (in the dialect, mean "Feel", making reference to her gift of feels other people's feelings).
Also, Dama loved perfumes, when she was a teenager, she would play with different flowers to create various perfumes, and the legend says that Dama even had her own fresh smell, especially at night, which made her have lots of suitors.
One day, Dama got really sick, as days went by, her health was deteriorating, and not even the best medics of the Barangay could do something, finally dying. Her funeral was full of garlands of flowers, and her body bathed in perfume, being buried on her vast garden.
The legend says that one night a unique flower started to grow from Dama's grave that had a really sweet fragrance at night. People started to say that the flower was Dama's paying a visit to them, as time went by, the flower was known as Dama De Noche (Dama of the Night).The Philippines' Creation
The Philippines’ creation myth, says that at the beginning of time, the first three deities that lived on the universe were Bathala, Amihan better known as the North wind and Aman Sinaya, the Goddess of sea and sky.
The three gods divided the universe, so all three could rule over it, Bathala took the sky, Sea was taken by Aman Sinaya and the realm between was given to Amihan. But differences started to grow between Bathala and Aman Sinaya.
Due to these differences, Bathala and Aman Sinaya always tried to win over each other, Aman Sinaya sending typhoons to the sky while Bathala used his bolts. But when Aman Sinaya sent a big storm to the sky, Bathala tried to stop her sending boulders of mountains to stop her, creating lots of islands.
Amihan was very sad for all of these fights, so in an attempt to stop them, she turned herself into a golden bird and started to fly between the sky and sea going back and forth. With this, both started to get close to each other, until finally they met. With this action, both Bathala and Aman Sinaya decided not to fight anymore and became friends.
Balete Drive (White Lady)
Balete Drive legends have well known in our legends. This is a long street that connects E. Rodriguez and N. Domingo Avenues in the city of New Manila, Quezon City. The corner of Balete Drive and E. Rodriguez is a bustling area that has fast food restaurants and other establishments.
The three gods divided the universe, so all three could rule over it, Bathala took the sky, Sea was taken by Aman Sinaya and the realm between was given to Amihan. But differences started to grow between Bathala and Aman Sinaya.
Due to these differences, Bathala and Aman Sinaya always tried to win over each other, Aman Sinaya sending typhoons to the sky while Bathala used his bolts. But when Aman Sinaya sent a big storm to the sky, Bathala tried to stop her sending boulders of mountains to stop her, creating lots of islands.
Amihan was very sad for all of these fights, so in an attempt to stop them, she turned herself into a golden bird and started to fly between the sky and sea going back and forth. With this, both started to get close to each other, until finally they met. With this action, both Bathala and Aman Sinaya decided not to fight anymore and became friends.Balete Drive (White Lady)
Balete Drive legends have well known in our legends. This is a long street that connects E. Rodriguez and N. Domingo Avenues in the city of New Manila, Quezon City. The corner of Balete Drive and E. Rodriguez is a bustling area that has fast food restaurants and other establishments.
Note white lady behind big tree.
The ghost’s stories and legends were traced back in the 1950's, being the most popular the "White Lady" that haunts the avenue, and it seems to haunt cab drivers in particular.
The story begins with a beautiful woman who lives in a house that is close to the balete tree. She loves to play with children; and her neighbor’s thinks that the woman is a witch so they don’t let their child to play with her.
The woman is engaged to a handsome guy that everyone loves in town, but he has issues with alcohol. And when he’s drunk he beats his fiancée until she bleeds. One night the woman goes home from the market, she saw her fiancée with his friends in the streets. The guy and his friends were drunk so they raped the poor woman on the street.
The woman died from exhaustion and shame, and when her spirit rose. She avenges her death by killing his husband’s friends one by one. The man was so scared that he hired lots of guards to protect him. But it came to a point where the spirit found him and then she killed him avenging her death.
And after that, the girl wandered the streets of E. Rodriguez to haunt all the men that ventures in her territory, the balete drive. ~
Acknowledgement: Internet photos
The story begins with a beautiful woman who lives in a house that is close to the balete tree. She loves to play with children; and her neighbor’s thinks that the woman is a witch so they don’t let their child to play with her.
The woman is engaged to a handsome guy that everyone loves in town, but he has issues with alcohol. And when he’s drunk he beats his fiancée until she bleeds. One night the woman goes home from the market, she saw her fiancée with his friends in the streets. The guy and his friends were drunk so they raped the poor woman on the street.
The woman died from exhaustion and shame, and when her spirit rose. She avenges her death by killing his husband’s friends one by one. The man was so scared that he hired lots of guards to protect him. But it came to a point where the spirit found him and then she killed him avenging her death.
And after that, the girl wandered the streets of E. Rodriguez to haunt all the men that ventures in her territory, the balete drive. ~
Acknowledgement: Internet photos
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