Whispers In My Life

….  My own version of one of the most told stories of my youth in the Philippines.

Maria Makiling: A Great Spirit
by Marcelina

So many stories have been told about a young and compassionate being that lived in the forest. Most of them speak of her helping the sick, the meek and the unfortunate ones. In return the country folks would give her a young hen with white feathers as white as a mother’s milk. She was usually guised as a young peasant girl.

Her name was …  Maria Makiling: A great spirit

Once upon a time, a young man was hunting a wild boar that took him deep in the forest.  “Oh no, you’re not going to get away from me!” He cried. He pursued the boar until it crashed into some bushes. Determined to catch the boar, he dived in after it. He missed! When he got on his feet, he saw the boar entering a small hut. He followed it into the hut. To his surprise a young beautiful maiden appeared with the boar by her side. “The boar is mine and you must not harm it.” She declared. “But, you look tired and exhausted. Come and eat, then you can go your way.” 

Compelled to obey the young lady, he sat down at the table and she served him with rice cake that he found was unlike anything he had ever tasted. He felt a sudden invigorating sensation throughout his body after eating; no sign of tiredness from the whole experience of chasing the boar. He made her aware of his family’s lack of food and had hoped to give them some special treat if he did bring home something from hunting. After a few exchanges of pleasantries the hunter thanked the young maiden of her hospitality. He bid his leave and as a parting gift, the young lady filled his salakot, a peasant hat with yellow ginger.

On his way home, the hunter felt his salakot was growing heavier and heavier so he broke off a few pieces of the ginger and threw bits of them on the ground. When the hunter got home, he handed his wife the young maiden’s gift of ginger. To her surprise, she saw nothing related to ginger, instead, she saw nuggets of gold. Only then, did the hunter realize that he had encountered Maria Makiling, the compassionate being who lived in the forest.                                     

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The Philippines was known to have had plenty of gold before the Spanish colonialism some 300 hundred years ago.