The story of the mystical milkfish of the hidden lagoon in the Caramoan.
A long time ago when the gods walked among men and when the colonies of Ibalong were newly purged from beast and monsters, in one of its colonies lived a young fisherman. He was handsome and bronzed from the sun as he was kind, and had all the robust appeal of his youth.
One day as he went fishing with the other fishermen he caught something on his net, to everyone's surprise, it was a mermaid. Beautiful as she was fierce. All the fishermen ready their spears to kill the sea monster, but the young fisherman told them to halt and he jumped into the water and freed the mermaid. All the other fishermen thought he was either very brave or very stupid to have dived and freed the sea monster that was the mermaid.
A few weeks later as the fishermen were out at sea suddenly the skies darkened and a great storm came, it flipped all the boats. The young fisherman was sure it was his end when suddenly he saw a beautiful and familiar face, it was the mermaid. The lovely mermaid with her long flowing hair kissed the fisherman and dragged him to safety. The other fishermen were not so lucky as they were eaten by the ''magindara'' vicious flesh-eating mermaids who had awoken and had surfaced because of the storm.
The young fisherman was the only survivor of the tragedy. starting from that day the young fisherman would always have a bountiful catch, and each night when all his work is done he would go to the beach and meet his now beloved mermaid.
Some of the townspeople became suspicious of the young fisherman luck, some even envious.
Another storm has passed by the colony and people were devastated they were distraught and angry at the destruction caused by the storm, they were looking for someone to blame. Until one day they saw him with the mermaid. Rumors spread and they thought he had sold his soul to the god of chaos and evil ''Asuang'' and had a nightly tryst with a flesh-eating Magindara. The people of the colony grew enraged and blinded by jealousy and mix emotions rallied carrying torches. They soon found the young fisherman and his mermaid at a near shore. They were going to kill them both for they blamed the mermaid and the young fishermen for the deaths of all the fishermen. With their torches and their weapons, they carried the young fisherman and the mermaid with murder in their mind.
Meanwhile, in a nearby island, a celestial god had descended. The luminous and comely lunar god Bulan had come down from the heavens for his night bath and swim in a hidden lagoon. He was radiant as the moon itself and his long black hair brushed by mermaids. The lunar god was enjoying his bath with the mermaids and his entourage of wind nymphs (tawong lipod) when he heard the commotion from the other island. Curious and a little irritated of the noise he flew to the nearby island to check what was the cause of all that commotion.
Back in the shore, the mob of people was about to burn the young fisherman and the mermaid when a gusting wind blew out their torches. they were in shock to see wind people hovering above them. All bowed down when they realized a god was coming, luminous and fair the god of the moon slowly descended clothed in diaphanous white fabrics that floated in the air, and behind him, an entourage of wind people followed. The lunar god asked in his child-like voice why the people would burn a mermaid and the young fisherman.
The people awed by the beauty of the lunar god was now calm and they explained that they think that the relationship between mermaid and mortal was the cause of the colony's misfortune. The lunar god replied to them at it was nonsense and that the couple was not to blame. The lunar god asked them to release the mermaid and the young fisherman.
The young fisherman once released prostrated himself before the lunar god. He cried and begged to the lunar god that he does not want to be part of this colony which hated and tried to kill him and his mermaid just for being in love. he begged the lunar god to take him and his mermaid where they can live in peace together.
The lunar god said that he would turn the young fisherman and the mermaid into fishes that they would live together both in fresh water and salt water together.
Bulan turned the young fisherman and the mermaid into milkfishes, and he personally carried them in a bubble filled with water. the two tiny milkfish happily swam inside the bubble. The lunar god told the people that he shall give them bountiful harvest and he shall command his wind nymphs to fend off storms that might pass their colony and islands in the condition that they leave the lovers (now turned fish) be. The people of the colony praised and rejoiced as the lunar god gracefully flew away.
Bulan holding the bubble of water with the tiny milk fish descended in the lake(Matukad) where he was bathing. Here you shall spend your days together and happy. As he popped the bubble containing the milkfishes and as they fell on the water they grew in size. The became as large as a small boar or pig. The moon god was happy and he swam with the milkfish lovers as his wind people danced above them. Bulan said that they would be the guardian of his bathing lagoon.
Many many years have passed and when the god Bulan had decided to go on a deep slumber with his consort Sidapa in a faraway mountain, the people forgot about the god and their promise to not bother the milkfish alone. One day a fisherman discovered the hidden lake and saw the lovely and huge milk fish swimming there. He tried to capture them but couldn't. Fuelled by termination and greed he succeeded in capturing one of the huge milkfish. Seeing his partner captured the other milkfish surrendered itself to the fisherman and spoke that he should take him as well. The fisherman angry left the other milkfish so that he would be isolated all his life. That night the village celebrated the majestic catch, a celebration for huge milkfish. Wine and singing.
The next day half of the village including the fisherman who caught the milkfish died. All who had tasted the meat of the huge milkfish had died.
Other variant
In a time when gods strolled with men,
And Ibalong's colonies, free from monstrous den,
Lived a bronzed fisherman, youth in his prime,
Kind and robust, under the sun's golden climb.
One day, amidst fishing with comrades so true,
His net entwined a mermaid, a breathtaking view.
Beautiful, yet fierce, the sea's creature rare,
Spears poised to strike, a perilous affair.
But the young fisherman, brave in his stand,
Halted the others, a decision unplanned.
Into the waves, he leapt without fear,
Freed the mermaid, as her eyes held a tear.
Weeks passed, a storm arose, skies turned gray,
Boats overturned, a dire display.
The fisherman, trapped, saw a familiar face,
The mermaid saved him, in that storm's embrace.
Vicious Magindara, flesh-eating and cruel,
Devoured his comrades, a fate so cruel.
He, the lone survivor, fate turned his way,
Bountiful catches, each and every day.
Under the moon's gentle, silvery gleam,
He met his mermaid by the ocean's soft seam.
But envy and suspicion, like shadows, crept near,
As rumors spread, whispered words in the ear.
Another storm struck, wrath upon the land,
Seeking blame, torches flared in the hand.
The young fisherman, his mermaid so fair,
Accused of dealings with Asuang's dark lair.
Torches ablaze, weapons raised high,
The mob sought vengeance, to make them both die.
Unaware, on a nearby island's shore,
Bulan, the lunar god, heard the uproar.
Luminous and fair, he descended with grace,
A celestial presence, radiance in his face.
Wind nymphs followed, in the moonlit night,
As the people bowed, in awe and in fright.
"Why harm a mermaid and this mortal so dear?"
Bulan inquired, his voice pure and clear.
Explanations given, jealousy laid bare,
He declared innocence, the couple to spare.
Released by the lunar god's divine decree,
The fisherman pleaded, his heart filled with plea.
He begged to depart, from this hateful abode,
To live in peace, away from envy's cruel code.
Bulan smiled, granted their plea so sweet,
Turned them to milkfish, a fate replete.
In a bubble of water, they joyfully swam,
Protected by wind nymphs, in their newfound realm.
Promising bountiful harvests, storms they'd repel,
If the villagers vowed, their secret to quell.
As Bulan departed, in grace and delight,
The milkfish guardians embraced their new night.
In the lake of Matukad, their haven so fair,
Tiny milkfish transformed, water they'd share.
Bulan wished them joy in their aquatic embrace,
Guardians of his lagoon, in their watery grace.
Centuries passed, memories faded away,
Bulan in slumber, in a mountain's stay.
The pact forgotten, greed took its toll,
A fisherman discovered, the lake's hidden soul.
One milkfish captured, a triumph declared,
But greed's consequence, a fate they shared.
The village feasted, unaware of the cost,
For those who partook, in death were lost.
REMINDER
The orally transmitted mythology of the Philippines is intended for sharing and understanding, not for appropriation, commercial exploitation, or the promotion of foreigners and foreign products. It is a dynamic narrative tradition that evolves over time, distinct from the standardized mythologies found in Western and European cultures. Unlike these established mythologies, the Philippine government has not mandated standardized versions of stories and legends.
Orally transmitted stories undergo variations and evolve over time, resulting in numerous different versions. There are many different version told by Filipinos,and retold by Filipinos.
