the fairy in the Brook

 

The Diwata of the Brook

Tale from Bikol

Once upon a time, in the quiet barrio of Mabatya, nestled in the town of Polangui, Albay, there was a magical brook that flowed from the foot of a hill. Atop the hill stood a grand and shady tree, so vast that even at the height of noon, its cool shade kept the brook below serene and inviting. The villagers often came here to bathe and fetch water, and it was said that the brook held a special enchantment.

One sunny afternoon, a young man named Jose went to the brook to collect water. As he approached, his eyes widened in wonder. There, by the edge of the brook, was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her skin was as fair as moonlight, and her long, flowing black hair gleamed as she washed it in the water. A soft, sweet fragrance surrounded her, and tiny fireflies danced in the air above her head, adding to her ethereal beauty.

To Jose's surprise, the girl turned to him and greeted him by name. He was taken aback, for he had never seen her before. “How does she know me?” he thought. But being young and curious, he approached her with a smile and began to speak. He asked her where she was from, and she told him that she had always lived in the barrio.

Jose found this strange. He knew nearly everyone in the small village, and there were only a few families—most of them his own relatives. Still, there was something enchanting about the girl, and he soon forgot his questions as they talked by the water's edge. Over time, Jose and the mysterious girl became close friends, meeting frequently at the brook. Each day, they would talk and laugh together in the dappled shade, their bond growing stronger.

But one day, something unusual happened. Jose went to the brook to fetch water, as he always did, but this time he did not return home. Hours passed, and when his father realized that Jose was missing, he went to the brook to find him. All he saw was the bamboo tube Jose used to carry water—there was no trace of his son.

Worried and confused, the whole village was thrown into a panic. The men searched every corner of the barrio, calling out for Jose, but no one could find him. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, but still, there was no sign of the young man. Ninety days passed in sorrowful waiting.

Then, on the exact day and hour that Jose had disappeared, something remarkable happened. As if by magic, Jose appeared at his family's doorstep. His mother was busy working on abaca threads when she looked up and saw her son standing there. Overcome with joy, she rushed to embrace him. But as she hugged him, she noticed something strange—Jose was still wearing the same clothes he had on the day he disappeared, and they were perfectly clean, as if no time had passed.

Jose, too, was puzzled by his family’s reaction. He insisted that he had only been away for a short while, visiting his friend, the beautiful girl by the brook. With his family gathered around, he shared his extraordinary tale.

Jose explained that the girl had taken him to her home, a grand palace atop a mountain. They had traveled in a golden carriage, and when they arrived, Jose was awestruck by the sight of her home—a magnificent house made entirely of crystal, sparkling like the stars. Inside the palace, he saw many servants, all of them Aetas, who attended to their every need. Jose was given all kinds of delicious food, but he was warned never to eat the black rice. The girl told him that if he did, he would never be able to return home.

Jose said that the days passed like a dream, but one day, the girl noticed that his family and the villagers were searching for him in distress. Seeing this, she gently told him it was time to return to his world. As soon as he descended the crystal staircase of her palace, he found himself back at the brook, where he had first met her. But when he looked around, the bamboo tube he had left was gone, and so, with a heavy heart, he made his way home.

As Jose finished his story, his mother and the villagers realized the truth. The girl by the brook was no ordinary mortal. She was a Diwata, an enchanted being, a guardian of the land who had taken a liking to Jose. The village spoke in hushed whispers about his encounter, knowing that Jose had been touched by the magic of the unseen world, where time flowed differently, and where the Diwata still watched over their beloved brook.

From that day on, the brook was treated with even greater reverence. The villagers would often come to its waters, but with a newfound respect for the magic that lingered there, knowing that in the shade of the great tree and the cool waters of the brook, the spirit of the Diwata still dwelled, watching over them all.