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