Laingan and the Ambagissen

Once upon a time, there was a woman named Laingan who went to  her kaingin,  a garden dubbed for women where camote or sweet potatoes, vegetables, and other root crops are planted.

In the borderline of her kaingin, there were a lot of 'gallod,' a wild ube. She chose to gather that which had the largest trunk. It  could be more mature for cultivation. Its roots were large and deeply rooted.

Determined that she'd be able to gather some 'gallod,'  she started digging up with her shovel as she patterned its roots from beneath.

When she reached a hole beneath the soil, she became more determined to dig it as she thought the wild ube could be nearly found. However, she fell into a large hole and was trapped there.

That hole was an opening trap to the house of 'ambagissen,' a group of wild creatures that reside beneath 'gallod' roots. These creatures consume animals and human for food. They are joyful creatures accustomed into feasts. Whenever they burst into laughter, their lips cover their faces.

As she fell into the kitchen of the 'ambagissen,' a mermaid-slave of the ambagissen was surprised and worried.

She handed a 'liga-o,' a round, bamboo-woven equipment used to separate rice from rice bran.

"Come. Quick! Take this 'liga-o' and hide at the back of the door immediately. Otherwise, you are fragrant and the 'ambagissen' will eat you when they smell and find you."

Laingan followed and hid herself quickly with the ligao at the back of the door.

After a few minutes, the ambagissen arrived.

The mermaid-slave of the ambagissen prepared their food as she carefully moves in order that Laingan's presence in the house may not be noticed.

The mother-ambagissen was, however, late in returning home. The rest had to wait for her arrival before they could start eating.

As they waited, their hunger became worse and their senses heightened. They smelled Laingan.

"What is that fragrant smell? Is their any other food reserved there?" Said the eldest ambagissen.

The mermaid-slave denied and attempted to divert their attention. However, the ambagissen were aggressive at what they've smelt.

They started searching inside the house until they found Laingan.

"Here it is!" shouted the youngest ambagissen. "Let us eat this while we wait for mother to arrive," he added.

"Hold on. Let it stay there until your mother arrives. She'll tell you how you'd prepare it for our dinner." The father-ambagissen instructed.

Instead, they danced joyously as if there was a feast.

When the mother-ambagissen arrived, she instructed them not to touch the woman. She will be their breakfast for the next day.

They left Laingan in the kitchen. That night was horrible for Laingan. She kept on looking for ways in order to escape. She thought of her family. Her infant could've been hungry by that time.

The next day, the mother-ambagissen woke up early to prepare her as their food for breakfast. But Laingan pleaded for mercy.

She explained that she was in search of food for her family when she fell into the trap connected to their house and had no intention to cause harm to them. She further asked that she be allowed to go home as her infant needs to be breastfed.

The mother felt empathy to Laingan and said, "That will be granted in three conditions. Once you surpass our trials, you'll be assisted to climb back to your home. Otherwise, you'll be served as my children's food."

The ambagissen said, "We do not have water."

She handed a kalaw, a bamboo-woven carrier of chicken.

"This will be the first trial. Fetch some water down the creek using this kalaw. In an hour, you should be able to bring this back fully filled with water."

Laingan knew it would be impossible to do it but she didn't waste time. She took the kalaw and immediately ran into the creek.

Her tears fell as she kept turning the kalaw into the flowing creek in attempt to be able to fill it water.

But she cried as she knew it would be impossible to do so. "Poor am I. How can I fill this with water? What about my family if I will not be able to return to them?"

Suddenly, a spider came. The spider said, "Come. Give me that kalaw. I'll spread my web into it to cover its holes in order that you could fill it with water."

She joyfully expressed her gratitude to the spider who came to her rescue.

The 'ambagissen' were surprised upon the woman's return.

She was then handed a sack of rice mixed with sand. It was the second trial.

"You were saved from our breakfast. But you will be our food this lunch if you'll not be able to separate the rice grains from the sand in six hours." The ambagissen instructed. "No ligao shall be used." She added.

During the first hour, Laingan separated the rice grains from the sand with her bare fingers as if counting the grains.

However, three hours have passed and yet she had not gone half-way with the task.

Again, tears fell into the rice grains as she knew she'd not be able to do it at the the given time. "This is too difficult to separate," she said as she patiently separates the rice from the sand.

While she carefully picks the rice grains against the sand, a frog came in. "I understand how difficult it is to separate it. Don't worry," the frog said.

"Quickly caress my back and take the rice grains as I keep rolling on this rice grains mixed with sand." The frog added.

Laingan, with the help of the frog was able to separate the half sack of rice from the half sack of sand. She whispered, "The Almighty didn't forsake me."

To be continued...
What could have been the 3rd trial? Will be able to escape the ambagissen!
Find it out. :)