There was once a woman named Bugan who lives alone in a hut. She
cooks her own meals, fetches her own water and gathers her own firewood.
Moreover, her "habal" (farm up the mountain) is what keeps her busy
most hour of every.
One time on her way home one late afternoon from the mountain,
she noticed a duck that seemed to be following her. Every time she stops, she
noticed that the duck stops too. But whenever she goes back towards it, the
duck would hide in the bushes. She just proceeded her way simply concluding
that the duck might just be some wild one.
When she arrived home, she realized that she has not yet washed
her plate and spoon as she was rushing to the habal this morning. She used the
water from her "aluwog" (water container) to wash them leaving only
enough for drinking and for cooking the next morning.
Morning came and she used what is left in the aluwog to cook
breakfast and her baon in the habal. She noticed that there would no longer be
firewood after cooking. But she has to go today at her habal as she has not yet
finished weeding it. She plans to arrive home early in the afternoon to fetch
water and gather firewood.
When she stepped outside the house, she noticed the duck seated
behind one of the posts. (The Ifugao native house is a one-room abode elevated
by four posts.) The duck's head is coiled to its wing, probably asleep. She did
not disturb it and went to her day's chore.
Arriving home in the afternoon, she noticed the duck still to be
at her yard. She went inside the house and noticed that her aluwog was filled
and the "huguhog" (an area for firewood above the fireplace) was also
full. She is thankful but has no idea on who did it.
The following day, she proceeded to habal again. When she
arrived home, she noticed that the tete (ladder) is new, sturdier than the
previous one. Also, the rotting post was replaced. And even the cogon roofing
is fresh. She is happy but has no idea who did it.
This time, she has no boga (uncooked rice) although she still
has a lot of grains at the pala (storage area for rice grains). She intentionally did not pound and left her
rice container empty. When she arrived in the afternoon, the container was
full. She continued to be surprised and
intends to know who did the favors for her.
The afternoon the following day, she knew she had firewood,
water, and rice. And the house is in
good condition. She thinks there would
no longer be surprises. But when she
arrived home, her chicken were already gathered in their coops while the duck
was still in the yard feeding itself from some grasses. (In Ifugao, chicken are allowed to roam around,
freed from their coops in the morning and gathered in the afternoon.)
She is already suspecting that it was the duck. But wonders how the duck can do it.
The next day, she pretended going to habal but hid herself
behind the bananas near the “ho’b” (a low part of the fence that serves as
entrance to the yard). When it was nawod
(midway to noon), she saw the duck slowly transforming to a muscular
gentleman. Her heart pumped first in
fear but she knew that the man she is now seeing is a kind one.
She barged into the yard.
And the gentleman is startled, even ashamed that he is there. He introduced himself as Guinid who was a
victim of a spell. She thanked him for
the favors that he did. But he was more
thankful because the appreciative words is what he needs not go back as a duck.
They decided to live as husband and wife and they were happy ever after.
