A Bikol Folktale From Tabaco, Albay by Esperanza F. Bonto

Transcribed from the Beyer Ethnographic Collection of the National Library of the Philippines this tells the tale of a golden mortar and pestle found in a river that alludes anyone close in obtaining it. In the Philippines, folktales about golden items being found in rivers proliferated across the country and time. Even the famous Golden Tara of Butuan and the Laguna Copper Plate were found in rivers.

A Golden Mortar and Pestle

Away up in the source of the Santo Domingo River in Tabaco, Albay was a place said to be enchanted. Many years ago three hunters came to the bank. They looked down and saw that the water was very clear.

“Look at the rainbow in the water”, said the first man. “The rainbow must be drinking water.”

“No, it is not a rainbow,” replied the second man. “Something at the bottom of the water is shining.”

“That must be the rays of the sun”, continued the third man, “shining into the water.”

“Look, I can see something at the bottom”, exclaimed the second man, “It must be gold.”

They began to dispute over the matter, each claiming to be right. At last the first man suggested that they should give in order to know which of them was right. They agreed and so they all jumped into the water. They swam to the bottom from whence the brightness came. All came out at once, assuring one another that it was gold. They climbed to the bank of the river and talked about the means by which they could get it. They agreed that the two of them should dive and tie the gold to one end of 1 piece of rattan while the other man should hold the other end of the rattan.

As the two men were tying the piece of gold to the end of the rattan the other man was pulling the other end. When the two men came out to the surface of the water both remarked that the gold was in the form of a mortar and beside it was a piece of gold in the form of a pestle. They tied both the mortar and the pestle and they went to help their companion pull the rattan. When they had almost pulled both the mortar and pestle to the bank of the river, they were so excited that they shouted. No sooner had they shouted than a huge wave rolled down the river, which, because of the strong current, untied the mortar and pestle from the rattan. The three were so terrified that they ran up to the mountains to save their lives. From that time the people of the neighboring villages have tried to search for the gold. Many have seen it but their efforts to obtain it have been fruitless because the river always swelled to its bank every time they almost succeeded in getting it.

Manila

September 29, 1931

Source:

"A Bikol Folktale from Tabaco, Albay." National Library of the Philippines. Accessed on March 23, 2024. URL: https://nlpdl.nlp.gov.ph/OB01/NLPOBMN0002002070/bs/home.htm