Part II
Secret to the people, at that time, the Spaniards had captured a fairy that they were currently subject to exorcism, a church procedure to suppress the evil spirit that had entered the body of the fairy.
Fearing that the rebellion against Bernardo's rule would succeed, the Spanish priests agreed in spirit that they would agree that they would stop exorcism if it would help Bernardo to subdue it. In the belief of the Spaniards, Bernardo's extraordinary strength can only be achieved by the charms of the fairy.
The Spaniards did not waste time. They immediately invited Bernardo to a meeting to allegedly listen to the grievances of the Filipinos. But they have a trap set for Bernardo. En route to a cave, the fairy is waiting to hide behind a pair of gigantic rocks. As Bernardo passes by, the fairy uses her talisman to smash the giant stone with the intention of pinching and killing Bernardo.
Shocked by Bernardo, he was unable to escape and was slowly strangled by the rock. He used his strength to hold back the stones but his strength was proportional to the talisman's magic.
When Bernardo did not return to Hagibis waiting at the foot of the cave, he felt that something was wrong with Bernardo. Hagibis quickly returned to the plains to ask the people for help but it took some time before the people understood the meaning of the horse's moans and caresses. Later when they noticed Bernardo's disappearance, some men decided to follow Hagibis because they were always together.
Hagibis brought the men to the foot of the cave and attempted to enter it. But as they drew near, they were met by falling rocks that some men had wounded and lashed. They looked at the huge pebbles and then they realized that the cave was a fairytale. They panicked and returned to the plain without seeing Bernardo.
Speculation quickly spread that Bernardo was trapped by a pile of rocks and every time he tried to get out, it caused an earthquake in the highlands of San Mateo.
Bernardo's disappearance has been a major blow to the growing rebellion of the Filipinos over the loss of a strong and courageous leader. It took several more years before the Filipinos were reestablished to continue fighting the Spaniards.
In 1895 when the men again met in the cave of Pamitinan and there, in honor of Bernardo Carpio, they made the first cry of rebellion against the Spaniards.
Actual picture where the legend is believed to have occurred.
