BAKUNAWA

The story of Bakunawa in the Philippines

Once upon a time, in a small fishing village on the coast of the Philippines, there lived a young boy named Juan. He was fascinated by the sea and would spend hours playing by the shore, collecting shells and watching the waves crash against the rocks.

One day, as he was walking along the beach, he noticed a dark shadow moving in the water. As he looked closer, he saw that it was a massive serpent-like creature with scales as black as night. It was the Bakunawa, the moon-eating dragon that the villagers had always feared.

Juan was both terrified and fascinated by the creature, and he couldn't take his eyes off it. He watched as it slithered along the shore, looking for a way to reach the moon high in the sky.

As he watched, Juan noticed that the dragon seemed to be in pain. Its scales were dull and cracked, and it let out a low, mournful moan. Juan realized that the Bakunawa was suffering, and he knew he had to help.

He ran to the village and told the elders what he had seen. They were skeptical at first, but when they saw the concern in Juan's eyes, they knew he was telling the truth. They decided to hold a council to discuss how they could help the Bakunawa.

After much deliberation, they came up with a plan. They would offer the dragon a gift, something that would soothe its pain and help it to heal. They decided to offer it a rare gemstone that they had been keeping in their temple for generations.

Juan volunteered to be the one to deliver the gift. He was nervous, but he knew it was the right thing to do. He made his way back to the shore and called out to the Bakunawa.

To his surprise, the dragon appeared before him. It hissed at him, but it didn't attack. Juan held out the gemstone, and the Bakunawa sniffed it cautiously. Then, to Juan's amazement, it ate the stone and disappeared back into the ocean.

The next day, Juan went to the shore again and saw the Bakunawa swimming peacefully in the water. Its scales were shiny and new, and it seemed to be happy. Juan smiled, knowing that he had made a difference.

From that day on, the villagers no longer feared the Bakunawa. They saw it as a creature that could be both dangerous and vulnerable, and they knew that they had a responsibility to care for it. And the Bakunawa, in turn, became a symbol of hope and redemption, reminding the villagers of the power of compassion and forgiveness.