Grandma's Story about Manananggal

Hello there 👋 It is time again for some creepy stories.

Last night, my grandmother went to our house then we talk a lot. An hour later, we ran out of something to talk about then she opened a story about Manananggals that was told to her by her mother when she was still a kid.

My grandmother said,

Back in the old days, my grandmother's mom has a relative who was an albularyo, paltera and a healer. She has a third eye and was recognized in his town for making herbal medicines and caring the ill. She always love walking home at night from work. But because she enjoyed the quiet, reclusive life, she specialized in assisting women giving birth in a village without access to Western medicine or hospitals.

She was born and raised in Sara, Iloilo, in a very small Barangay. And since she was out late at night, enjoying the glory of the full moon as she walked home. She then heard an odd noise from above, but she couldn't see anything. Her ears were pierced by a tremendously loud sound. She quickly recognized what it was since tales of missing persons, particularly pregnant ladies, had been spreading around the area. She refused to believe what her mother's and ancestors' stories passed down to her. It was the Manananggal, she knew.

She kept walking because she had faith and knew she would be safe. She had also forgotten to use a specific oil which is lana. She devised it to protect herself from the Manananggal. The unusual noise became fainter as she continued walking, until it was simply a whisper. She came to a halt in terror, knowing what that meant. Many people are unaware of this life-saving truth.

THE MORE QUIET THE SOUND, THE CLOSER IT IS

The noise was coming from a nearby house. Since houses were made of bamboo back then, it was easy to gaze inside someone's home. She sensed something wasn't quite right, so she peered between the bamboo slats. She had seen something horrible. She saw creature with a woman's face. Long black hair, black wings, a long tongue, and sharp teeth adorned this creature. The fact that its body was split in half was the most disturbing at all. Its upper and lower halves were separated.

She spotted the Manananggal, and following further inspection of its glands, she saw it was devouring a woman. The Manananggal raised her head, but was too preoccupied with her meal to notice the healer. She then bolted from the house and dashed into town to inform everyone. With garlic, salt, and the tail of a sting ray, a bunch of individuals stormed inside the house where she saw it. Because the Manananggal despises garlic and salt, putting it into where the lower torso splits will kill it. The whip of a sting ray's tail can potentially kill it. The party had intended to burn it as well, but the Manananggal had vanished. Blood stains were the only thing that remained.

The healer was constantly afraid of running into the Manananggal once she moved to a bigger town. As a result, she made sure that her house was covered in herbs and garlic strings hung from the roof and windows. She also carried her special lana with her at all times. That was full of spices and would bubble whenever a Manananggal came close. It's difficult to spot them during the day because they dress like regular ladies and conceal their true identities.

They are said to have all been burned off and are no longer in existence. However, you can never be too certain. One night, you might encounter them especially if you are living in the farm.

*Albularyo - they are said to be gifted and have the talent to drive away spirits and mythical creatures. They can also heal curses.

*Paltera - a term in Iloilo which means a midwife

*Lana - coconut oil mixed with special spices that can be used against mythical creatures. When it bubbles, it is believed that a mythical creature is nearby.

Lead image credits to SFWmonstergirls

This article is free from plagiarism