The Giant Slayers

He was fascinated by the reddish glow of their skin. He watched them walk towards his hut with mouth agape. Everything he wants he gets that's what's in his mind. And he is determined to know the secret behind the glowing youthful look of the two young men.

While the kids were enjoying grilling some hotdogs and marshmallows on New year's Day, I was reminded of this story while looking at the glowing embers of the charcoal. I asked my siblings if they can remember the story because I can't recall the name of the giant our grandfather told.

The village was young after the great flood had wiped human from the face of the land. Lumawig, the god of all deity saw the wickedness of the people below and decided to punish them.

Many moons had passed that the man and woman who survived the great flood bore children until they again filled the land.

The villagers live by toiling the land. Their kaingins were on the mountain sides and planted with sweet potatoes, beans and legumes, millet, cassava, and other root crops that could be grown. They work diligently and happily.

The crystal clear river that runs in between the mountains provide them with potable water to drink. It didn't fail to give them water creatures as an additional food. This includes gadiw- small fishes that the river is plenty of, crab, appun, and other water creatures that the natives catch.

There was this gigantic man who live close to the village who has an unjust treatment to the villagers. He was feared by the people who live close by. With his gigantic figure that he was so abusive. He imposes fear to anyone that no one dared to ignore his words. Everything he wants he gets. He depends on the peoples crops and catch to live. And all he does is to sleep and wakes up to eat whatever he took from the villagers. He loves gadiw much that whoever he saw at the river catching his most favourite food is not spared from him. He takes it from him with his mouth watering in pleasure. His name was Volalakho.

On a fine sunny day, two young men went up the mountain to gather firewoods. They happen to run into a wild plant which bears small berries, the size of pellets. The fruits' color is a tinged of purplish red. They thought it was some sort of food but when they picked it, it crushed into their fingers coloring them. It was called vahhat.

Their witty mind told them to do something about it. They gathered much which is enough to cover their whole body. Then, they rubbed it from their face to toe.

Men only wear bahag that this two young men looked like they bathed with blood. Their color was made more strikingly noticeable by the shining sun. They carried the firewoods and head down to the village where they will passed by the giants hut.

Volalakho at this time of the day is awake and is waiting outside his hut for anyone to passed by. It was his routine to do so he can have something for midday meal.

From where he is seating prettily, he saw the two young men approaching. Their color caught his attention.

He was fascinated by the reddish glow of their skin. He watched them walk towards his hut with mouth agape. Everything he wants he gets that's what's in his mind. And he is determined to know the secret behind the glowing youthful look of the two young men.

The giant spoke with his thunderous voice when the men were almost near his hut. It caused them to look terrified and they walked to a halt.

The young men are pretending to be horrified when in fact they are itching to perform the task. The giant asked them how they got their color and they are much willing to show him how.

These two young men led the Volalakho to the mountains.

Before they headed home from the mountains, they had gathered and readied some firewoods and itlid. This itlid is a type of vine which hangs from the trees. It is or the same vine as what Tarzan used to hang and swing from tree to tree. This type of vine is what they used to bind the firewoods they collect. It is still fresh which indicates that it is strong enough to hold something and can't just be cut.

The men ask the giant to position himself in a big tree where he could stand. He oblige with no any rejection as long as he will attain the color of the two. One man is fixing the dried firewoods below the giant's feet while the other took the itlid and started to tie him up as tight as he might.

They lit the firewoods and watch as the giant tolerate the fire. They keep on putting more wood and the giant started to shout. "Stop. Stop. That's enough!" The two replied, "It's not done yet! Your color isn't as good as ours."

The fire started to consume the pine tree (saleng) which made the giant agonize more in pain as his skin and flesh were eaten by the fire that got even bigger. "Stop! Stop! Stop!" He cried pitifully as he struggles to get loose from the itlid that binds him.

"No. It's not done yet," was the men's reply.

The ordeal had taken some time until the giant was burned to death successfully by the two. They went home and announced the death of the giant in their hands.

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A very big man with a peanut of a brain, eh?

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Lesson: Do not belittle and underestimate those smaller than you, because their little act which you asked them for will lead you to your down fall. Do not only think of benefiting from them. Remember that everything has an end.

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It was one bed time story from my late grandfather. I just added some to make it more entertaining.

Image used from pixabay

01-09-22

Z_Graeden