Bakunawa and the seven moons

Bakunawa and the Seven moons according to the Tagalogs

 In the ancient days when the heavens were adorned with seven radiant moons, the world basked in their soft, silvery glow. These moons were gifts from Bathala, the Supreme God, who governed the balance of the universe and watched over the earth. Each moon shone with a distinct light, guiding and comforting the people who lived under their celestial watch.

Deep in the ocean’s darkest depths resided Bacunawa, a giant eel-dragon of formidable power. Her immense, sinuous body was cloaked in scales that shimmered like obsidian, and her eyes burned with a relentless hunger. For as long as she could remember, Bacunawa had watched the seven moons from her underwater lair, her desire for their light growing with each passing night. She longed to possess their brilliance, to consume their light and bring it into her shadowy world.

One fateful evening, her patience gave way to obsession. Bacunawa rose from the ocean with a powerful surge, her colossal form cutting through the night sky. As she approached the first moon, her jaws opened wide, and with a swift gulp, she devoured it. The sky darkened slightly, and the people below looked up in horror, their fears becoming reality.

Undeterred, Bacunawa continued her ascent. The second moon fell victim to her insatiable hunger, followed by the third. Each moon that vanished into her cavernous maw dimmed the night further, and panic spread among the earth’s inhabitants. The once luminous sky grew increasingly shadowed as Bacunawa consumed the fourth moon, then the fifth. The remaining moons shone faintly, their light struggling against the encroaching darkness.

By the time Bacunawa swallowed the sixth moon, the world was plunged into near-total darkness. Only one moon remained, its light a fragile beacon in the night. The people, now in a state of utter despair, realized that if Bacunawa consumed this final moon, the world would be lost to eternal night. They knew they had to act swiftly to save what was left.

Desperate and fearful, the villagers turned to ancient legends that spoke of the power of their collective cries to reach the divine. According to these stories, if the people united in a great outcry, their voices could summon Bathala, who would intervene in their darkest hour. With no other options, they gathered in their villages, grabbing anything that could produce sound—drums, gongs, pots, and even their own voices.

As the last moon hung precariously in the sky, the villagers began to create a cacophony of noise. The rhythm of drums, the clang of gongs, and the clamor of pots filled the night, their voices rising in a desperate plea. “Bathala! Great Bathala! Hear our cries! Save the last moon! Stop Bacunawa before it is too late!”

The clamor reached such intensity that it shook the heavens. Bathala, residing in his divine realm, heard the urgent cries of his people. His divine heart was stirred by their desperation and the plight of the final moon. He gazed upon the scene with concern, seeing Bacunawa poised to consume the last celestial light.

With a gesture of divine will, Bathala descended from the heavens. His presence was overwhelming, a burst of radiance that cut through the encroaching darkness. The sky was filled with a blinding light as Bathala appeared, his form majestic and glowing with the brilliance of countless stars.

“Bacunawa!” Bathala’s voice echoed like thunder, resonating across the sky and sea. “You have already consumed six moons, and now you seek to devour the last? Your greed threatens the balance of the universe. Return what you have taken and cease your destruction!”

Bacunawa, her hunger still driving her forward, hesitated as Bathala’s divine presence engulfed her. The light of the final moon, though faint, seemed to flicker in the face of such overwhelming power. Bacunawa hissed defiantly, “I will take the last moon! Its light will be mine, and the darkness will be complete!”

Bathala’s eyes blazed with righteous fury. “You will not touch the final moon, nor will you plunge the world into eternal darkness. Return the moons you have stolen and face the consequences of your actions.”

With a wave of his hand, Bathala summoned a torrent of divine energy. A brilliant beam of light struck Bacunawa, searing her scales and driving her back. The serpent-dragon roared in pain and anguish as the divine fire burned through her, forcing her to release her hold on the last moon.

The people, witnessing the celestial battle, renewed their cries of relief and gratitude. As Bacunawa writhed in the divine light, the final moon was spared from her grasp. Bathala’s power ensured that the last moon remained safe in the sky, its light a beacon of hope and renewal.

Defeated and humiliated, Bacunawa was driven back to the depths of the ocean by Bathala’s divine might. The serpent-dragon, now filled with despair, sank into the dark waters, her hunger for the moons unfulfilled. 

With Bacunawa banished, the last moon remained.  shining brightly once more and illuminating the world. The people rejoiced, their voices filled with gratitude as they celebrated the return of the moon

From that day forward, the people remembered the power of their unified cries and their faith in Bathala. Whenever the darkness threatened to encroach upon their world again, they would come together, making noise and calling out to the Supreme God, knowing that their voices could summon divine intervention and protect the light of the heavens. And the  moon continued to shine over the world

Bacunawa and the Seven moons

 A folktale from Sorsogon

In the time when the skies were home to seven moons, each one brighter and more beautiful than the last, the world below was bathed in a celestial glow. These moons were the guardians of the night

The seven moons sailed across the heavens in harmony, bringing peace and wonder to all.

But deep in the dark ocean depths, hidden from the light of the moons, there lived a creature of great power and sadness—Bacunawa, the serpent-dragon. Bacunawa was a monstrous eel-like dragon, her scales as black as the sea at midnight, her eyes glowing like embers. Though feared by the people, Bacunawa was not born of evil. She had once roamed the seas freely, content in her realm beneath the waves.

But one night, as Bacunawa surfaced from the deep, her eyes were caught by the beauty of the moons. She watched them glide through the sky, their radiant glow dancing on the water’s surface. But it was not just their light that captured her—it was Bulan, the god who ruled over them. His beauty was beyond anything Bacunawa had ever known. His light filled her heart, awakening something she had never felt before: love.

Night after night, Bacunawa watched Bulan and his moons from the depths of the ocean, her heart aching with desire. But she was of the sea, and he of the sky. No matter how she yearned, they were worlds apart. Consumed by her longing, Bacunawa’s love turned into obsession. If she could not be with Bulan, she would take his moons and bring them down into her watery realm.

One fateful night, Bacunawa rose from the sea. Her massive form coiled through the sky like a dark storm, blotting out the stars. Her jaws, large enough to swallow mountains, stretched wide as she lunged toward the nearest moon.

Bulan, sensing the disturbance, appeared in the sky. He watched in shock as Bacunawa devoured the first of his moons, its light swallowed by her dark form. The sky dimmed, and the world below trembled in fear as one by one, the moons began to vanish.

"Bacunawa, stop!" Bulan called out, his voice gentle yet filled with sorrow. "Why do you take what is not yours?"

Bacunawa turned her glowing eyes to Bulan, her heart beating wildly. "I love you, Bulan. I have watched you for so long, and my heart can no longer bear the distance between us. If I cannot have you, I will take the moons to keep me company in my lonely depths."

Bulan’s heart ached for the dragon, for he saw the pain that twisted her soul. But he could not let her destroy the balance of the heavens. "Bacunawa, I belong to the sky, and you to the sea. We cannot be together. Release the moons, for they are not yours to take."

But Bacunawa would not listen. Driven mad by her unrequited love, she struck again, devouring a second moon. The sky grew darker still, the once brilliant night now shrouded in shadow.

Desperate, Bulan called out to Gugurang, the Supreme God, ruler of the heavens and protector of the cosmic order. Gugurang, with his fiery eyes and voice of thunder, heard Bulan’s plea and descended from his mountain of flame. His presence shook the heavens and the earth alike.

"Bacunawa!" Gugurang’s voice boomed, echoing across the seas. "You dare disrupt the balance of the universe? Release the moons at once, or face my wrath!"

But Bacunawa, lost in her desire, would not be swayed. "I will take them all!" she roared, lunging for the third moon. Her jaws closed around it, and the sky dimmed further, casting the world into a cold, eerie twilight.

Gugurang’s eyes blazed with fury. He raised his mighty hand, summoning the fire that burned in the heart of the world. With a gesture, he sent a wave of flame roaring across the sky. It struck Bacunawa with such force that she recoiled, hissing in pain.

"You cannot defy the will of the gods!" Gugurang thundered. "The moons are not yours to devour!"

But Bacunawa was undeterred. Her love for Bulan had twisted into something darker—an insatiable hunger. She coiled through the sky again, snapping at the remaining moons, determined to drag them into the sea.

Seeing her relentless attack, Gugurang unleashed his full power. The heavens erupted in a storm of fire and lightning, striking Bacunawa with divine force. The serpent-dragon screamed in agony, her massive form writhing as she was driven back into the depths of the ocean.

Gugurang’s power was too great, and Bacunawa, though strong, could not withstand it. With a final, desperate glance at Bulan, she sank beneath the waves, her heart broken, her hunger unfulfilled. The three moons she had swallowed were lost to the ocean, but the remaining four were saved by Gugurang’s intervention.

"She will rise again," Gugurang warned. "Her hunger will never be sated, and her love for you, Bulan, will continue to drive her madness. But each time she tries to steal the moons, I will stop her."

Bulan nodded, his heart heavy with sorrow. "I wish I could ease her suffering, but love cannot be forced, and she must learn this."

Gugurang turned to the four remaining moons, restoring their light to the darkened sky. The world breathed a sigh of relief as the night was once again illuminated by their silver glow.

From that night onward, Bacunawa would rise from the ocean depths during certain times, attempting to devour the moons in her eternal longing for Bulan. And each time, the people of the world would sound their gongs and bang their drums, hoping to drive her away. They knew that Gugurang, the Supreme God, would always be watching, ready to protect the balance of the heavens.

And though Bacunawa would forever yearn for the moon god, her love remained as distant as the stars, a reminder that even the greatest of desires cannot bend the order of the universe.