"The tale of Moon Dancer"

"The Tale of Aya, The Moon Dancer"

This tale is based on the folklore from Bicol about mythical creature, the Bakunawa, a supernatural creature that guards the underworld.

On a small island in Bicol, there live a small group of tribe called the Dumagats. The tribe leader of this small tribe is Lamot with his wife Helen whom is pregnant; they ruled and lead the small tribe with peace. The Dumagats are known to be amazing musicians and great fishermens, for there island was abundant of fishes. The Dumagats are happy and hardworking people but sadly they are afraid of the dark and loved the moon for it shines brightly in the dark sky. Every night they celebrate under the moon light to thank their Bathala for their long period of prosperity in their small island; they would dance and sing under the moon.

One night as the Dumagats where about to celebrate, the ground shook and Lamot signaled everyone to be silent and stay in the big nipa house of Lamot. As Lamot was outside alone holding a bolo in his right hand, a Huge beast came. Lamot was being brave and aked the beast to leave, but the beast attacked Lamot instead. Lamot was badly wounded; Helen held her screams so the Beast won’t find her and their tribe.

Suddenly an elder whispered “I know that beast that is the Bakunawa.” Everyone looked at the old man. “Bakunawa?” They asked. Long time ago the Bakunawa came to this island and attacked our ancestors and some of our ancestors manage to hide and escape including me. Till one night when the Bakunawa was really hungry, he ate the moon. Everyone was so afraid, so we prayed to Bathala for help. Bathala told us to play some music and dance for the Bakunawa to sleep. When the bakunawa is already asleep, Bathala replaced the moon. But the one who will dance is not just anyone, but your bloodline Helen, as the moon chose your ancestors long ago, and they were called “the moon dancers” the elder explained.

“Me?” Helen asked. "There’s no time to lose, we must prepare the ritual now or else the beast might eat the moon and we will have to live in eternal darkness again." Said the old man.

Helen did the ritual and made the Beast sleep. She find this amazing at first but every night she had to do it made her realize that there was something wrong.

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One night Helen gave birth. “One last big push!”

The matron shouts at the woman in immerse pain. Sweat and tears running down her face as her grip on the bamboo bed frame tightens. Then she screeches loudly giving her all. After the long hours of labor the nipa hut is enveloped by the sound of wailing cries from the new life, a healthy baby girl is born.

Her hair is black as night and eyes that are blue as the ocean. Everyone gasped at the sight of the infant, an addition to their little fishing tribe. The male elder walks forward taking the baby in his arms, wrapping it in white cloth. “Do you want to see your daughter?” The matron asks the mother whose breathing is raspy and weary. “No, I don’t want to see how unfortunate she is”.

The woman says with so much spite. That was her final words then her soul departed from her body. The moon then appears full and bright in the night sky, blessing the baby in its light.

Slowly the tribe elder left the hut, carrying the new life with so much care. Outside the small hut is surrounded by people, anticipating the news. He raised the bundle up in the air and exclaim.

“Behold, the moon dancer!” The people rejoice of their now savior.

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Seventeen years passed like a blink of an eye. The baby grew up inrto a fine young woman. The elders of the tribe named her Aya, a short beautiful name fit for her looks. Aya was treated special, respected and treasured by the council of elders. Dumagats were a small fishing tribe by the sea. They were away from the city for they have traditions that they strictly follow. And most of them are extraordinary.

Aya lets out a long sigh as she looks out of the small hole in her room, watching people her age play instruments and fool around, “A beautiful morning play”. Then she heard steps coming up the stairs, Aya quickly comes the hole with painting and lies on her bed, pretending to sleep. The door creaks open, and a disappointing sigh echoed in the dark room “Aya I know you’re awake” the teen just gave up pretending as she is caught red handed. “You aren’t allowed to be awake in the morning, you know that.”

“What change does it make if I do?” Aya rudely talks back to Delma her caretaker. She was so sick and tired of being in the four corners of her room in her entire life. “Death will happen.” Delma straightforwardly told the maiden. Aya kept her mouth shut as Delma founds a small hole behind the painting. Her little haven was patched up, making her world small. “Go to sleep, you have a performance tonight.” The caretaker reminds her as the door closes shut. Aya lies back to her big bed closing her eyes listening to the happy people outside. “So unfair.” she said as she tries not to cry. She had no freedom for her bloodline was special people, they call themselves moon dancers, and their duty is carried by blood. Moon dancers have an important role and Aya os the one carrying it all. It was always the same with Aya’s day to day life. Every night except when the moon is not present, she had to perform a special dance, an old ritual from her ancestors. By the stuck of 6 pm, a group of tribe women will prepare her for the ritual. Setting up a bath of fragrant flowers they picked. They will dress her in beautiful weaved fabrics and brushed her hair up.

After that, she sits on a special chair, where young men of their tribe will carry her to a secret lake, a lake where only their tribe knew. Behind her, are fish they freshly caught and musicians with their instruments. Aya lead the way carrying a lantern, lighting their way.

When they arrived by the clean lake, they began to play music as they pour their offering to the deep blue lake. The waters shake as they empty their baskets; sometimes they would hear a loud growl of a hungry beast.

Aya walk to the stone stage barefoot. She sits there in silence as she waits until the music stops. The forest then trembles in fear as the earth shook when the beast rises from the calm waters of the lake. Teeth larger than a human’s tongue red as blood, scales green as envy. Eyes yellow like the moon that stared at the young girl. Her tribe cower in fear as always but Aya did not.

Aya then moves her hands gracefully mesmerizing the huge beast and said, “Oh, bakunawa that envies the light of the moon, this I offer you.” Music begins to play as she dances the moonlight accompanied her as she says, glimmering the jewels on her neck and arms. The moon eater's eyes slowly becomes heavy to sleep, her dance was lulling it. With the last bang of the drum, the dragon has finally gone back to the depths of the lake in deep slumber.

The people cheered and prepare to make their way back to their village by the sea. But Aya didn’t budge from her place, staring at her unhappy reflection. “We should head back” the elder of the tribe spoke to the moon dancer but she did not respond. “Is there something wrong Aya?”

“Why can’t we kill the beast with our own hands?” She points out as she face the leader of the tribe with such anger. Aya just wanted freedom from her duties, a normal life. “The Bakunawa isn’t just any beast. It guards the gate of the underworld. Keeping it alive was important than killing it for having the want of devouring the moon and eating their fellow men. Aya the moon gave you a gift and you are using it for the better.” The old tribe leader looks at happy people rejoicing from the successful ritual. “And you know what happened to your father when he tried to fight the Bakunawa.” The old mam said. “We are forever in your family’s debt." He added. Then the leader bow to show his gratitude and left. Aya felt hopeless that is settled in her heart, her blue eyes look up to the moon in the night sky. The same moon that picked her ancestors to carry the burden of a moon dancer. Tears started to fall from her eyes as she whispers to the moon above.

“This is not a gift but an eternal curse.”

-THE END-