Aisah Natangcop

Paramata Bantogen was resting on Talatakan a Wato in the middle of the sea when, all of a sudden, a nori named Sampiri Kagadongan appeared, flying gracefully near Lakongan Malipantaw. Bantogen was amazed by the sight of such a beautiful bird and thought that it might belong to a beautiful royal princess. Curious, he asked the nori about her queen and the kingdom from which she had come. However, the bird remained silent, leaving his questions unanswered.

The nori apologized for not answering him directly. Instead, she asked Bantogen about his name, his ruler, his homeland, and whether he had a sister. Believing that the bird might reveal her secrets in return, Bantogen politely answered her questions.

He introduced himself as Paramata Bantogen of Iliyan a Bembaran. He told the nori that Pasandalan a Morog was his king and that Princess Lawanen was his sister. After hearing his answers, Sampiri Kagadongan finally revealed that she came from Babalayan a Anonen, where Bolentay a Maginar was her queen.

The nori then warned Bantogen not to cross into that mysterious land. Anyone who dared to enter, she explained, would lose his name and eventually die. Instead of frightening Bantogen, however, the warning strengthened his desire to visit the place. Determined to see the beautiful princess, he asked the nori to describe the way to Babalayan a Anonen.

Sampiri Kagadongan explained that Bantogen would first have to pass through a valley with a dangerous, raging river. Beyond it lay a plain crossed by a deep stream. He would then encounter an overgrown path surrounded by enormous palm trees. As he approached the kingdom, he must also beware of the flowers growing on top of a huge rock, for they released a rare perfume capable of casting a powerful spell.

After giving these instructions, Sampiri Kagadongan flapped her wings, bade farewell to Bantogen, and flew away.

Prince Bantogen courageously began his journey. He eventually reached the valley and heard the rattling sound of the dangerous river. After crossing the deep stream, he encountered the tall palm trees described by the nori. Soon, he became trapped among them and could find no way to escape.

Realizing the danger, Bantogen called upon the tonong named Inaikat a Lonsan for help. Suddenly, a powerful wind swept through the area. Darkness covered the surroundings, and heavy rain lashed against the towering trees, opening a way for the prince to continue.

Bantogen quickened his pace until he reached a dreaded ring of enormous flames. Refusing to turn back, he made a tremendous flying leap over the great monolithic rock and escaped the blazing fire.

Beyond it, he reached a vast area covered with cogon grass, a mysterious place of perpetual daylight. For five long days, Bantogen remained trapped beneath the burning glare of the sun. There was neither a tree nor a bush to provide him with shade. He had only his shield to protect his forehead from the intense heat.

Exhausted and suffering, Bantogen called upon his own Pinatola i Kilid, a crocodile, and asked for rain to refresh him. He also requested Inodar a Magaog to bring him toward the vast seashore.

Suddenly, the surroundings changed. A curtain of darkness descended upon the land, followed by a shower of hailstones. Bantogen eventually arrived at enchanted waters where the rocks appeared like human heads, the gravel resembled human teeth, and the long seaweeds floating upon the water looked like the hair of the dead.

Still determined to continue, Bantogen searched for a way out. He made another tremendous leap toward Lakongan Mariyamat and turned to the left. There, he saw the huge Palaw a Polo Manggar beside a yellow sea with green waters, a mysterious place where witches were said to dwell.

Not long afterward, Bantogen reached an igang tree with enormous roots where giant crabs hid. He then arrived at Talatalak a Wato, a place used as a mortar for pounding flowers by the women of Babalayan a Anonen.

Bantogen carefully surveyed his surroundings but found no people and no beautifully painted torogan. The only thing before him was an ancient balete tree. Tired from his difficult journey, he rested beneath it and soon fell asleep.

While sleeping, Bantogen dreamed of a beautiful princess who warned him to leave immediately because he would be killed if he remained in Lakongan Mariyamat.

Bantogen suddenly awakened. To his surprise, five enormous crocodiles stood before him. They questioned him about his name, homeland, and ruler. Bantogen truthfully identified himself and answered their questions. Upon hearing his answers, the crocodiles moved aside and opened a path for him along the vast seashore.

As Bantogen continued walking, he saw what appeared to be the roofs of houses in the distance. When he came closer, however, he discovered that they were not houses at all but giant rocks. Once again, he realized that the tonongs were deceiving him.

After some time, a very old and unattractive woman appeared before him. She called Bantogen her sweetheart and offered him a betel-nut quid. Angered by her behavior, Bantogen glared at her and reached for his kampilan i pagerag.

Suddenly, darkness descended once more. When the darkness lifted, the old woman had disappeared. Bantogen realized that he had again been deceived by the tonongs.

Just then, Sampiri Kagadongan appeared and flew directly toward him. The nori told Bantogen that the time had finally come for him to visit the spacious lamin of her queen, Walain a Maginar of Babalayan a Anonen.

When Bantogen entered the palace, a little girl greeted him. She praised him for his extraordinary bravery and persistence, explaining that others who had dared to visit the palace had lost their lives.

Bantogen looked carefully at the little girl. Before his eyes, she suddenly transformed into a beautiful princess. After all the supernatural tricks he had encountered, Bantogen became cautious and called upon Diwata i Ndawan and Diwata Makapanton, asking them not to allow anyone to play more tricks on him.

Almost immediately, the mysterious princess disappeared.

Before Bantogen could climb the five steps leading farther into the lamin, another princess appeared and offered him slices of betel-nut quid. Bantogen was delighted by her beauty. However, the princess addressed him as her dear brother and declared that she was his sister. To emphasize her words, she held a sharp knife toward her own head.

Faced with her declaration, Bantogen finally accepted what she had said. The princess then invited him to proceed to the upper part of the lamin, where Walain a Maginar was waiting for him.

There, Bantogen was finally brought closer to the woman whose mysterious kingdom had inspired his dangerous journey. Walain a Maginar’s younger sister, Limbowan, asked her to offer the prince a betel-nut quid as a gesture of hospitality. Walain a Maginar, however, refused.

She remembered that Prince Bantogen had once caused her grief.

After surviving dangerous rivers, enchanted forests, blazing fire, relentless sunlight, mysterious waters, crocodiles, witches, and the deceptions of the tonongs, Bantogen had finally reached Walain a Maginar. Yet his arrival did not immediately bring the welcome he might have expected. Instead, he discovered that an unresolved sorrow remained between them.