Indarapatra and Sulayman
A long, long time ago, Minadanao waa covered with water, and the sea cover all the
lowlands so that nothing could be seen but the mountains jutting from it. There were many people
living in the country and all the highlands were dotted with villages and settlements. For many years
the people prospered, living in peace and contentment. Suddenly there appeared in the land four
horrible monsters which, in short time has devoured every human being they could find.
Kurita, a terrible creature with many limbs, lived partly on the land and partly on sea, but its favorite
haunt was the mountain where the rattan palm grew; and here it brought utter destruction on every
living thing. The second monster, Tarabusaw, an ugly creature in the form of a man, lived on Mt.
Matutum, and far and wide from that place he devoured the people, laying waste the land. The third,
an enormous bird called Pah, was so large that, when on the wing, it covered the sun and brought
darkness to the earth. Its egg was as large as a house. Mt. Bita was its haunt; and there the only
people who escaped its voracity were those whi hid in the mountain caves. The fourth monster was
also a dreadful bird, having seven heads and the power to see in all directions at the same time. Mt.
Gurayan was its home and like the others, it wrought havoc to its region.
So great was the death and destruction caused by these terrible creatures that at length, the news
spread even to the most distant lands - and all nations grieved to hear the sad fate of Mindanao.
Now far across the sea, in the land of the golden sunset, was a city so great that to look at its many
people would injure the eyes of men. When tidings of these great disasters reached this distant city,
the heart of King Indarapatra was filled with compassion, and he called his brother, Sulayman, and
begged hem to save the land of Mindanao from the monsters.
Sulayman listened to the story and as heard it, was moved with pity. "I will go", zeal and enthusiasm
adding to his strenght, "and the land shall be avenged," said he.
King Indarapatra, proud of his brother's courage, gave him a ring and a sword as he wished him
success and safety. Then he placed a young sapling by his window and said to Sulayman "By this
tree I shall know your fate from the hour you depart from here, for if you live, it will live; but if you
die, it will die also."
So Sulayman departed for Mindanao, and he neither waded nor used a boat, but went through the air
and landed on the mountain where the rattan grew. There he stood on the summit and gazed about
on all sides. He looked on the land and the villages, but he could see no living thing. And he was
very sorrowful and cried out: "Alas, how pitiful and dreadful is this devastation."
No sooner had Sulayman uttered those words than thw whole mountain began to move and then
shook. Suddenly out of the ground came the horrible creature Kurita. It sprng at the man and sank
its claws at his flesh. But Sulayman knowing at once that this was the scourage of the land, drew his
sword and cut Kurita to pieces.
Encourage by his first success, Sulayman went on to Mt. Matutum, where conditions were even
worse. As he stood on the heights viewing the great devastation, there was a noise in the forest and
a movement in the trees. With a loud yell, Tarabusaw forth leaped. For the moment they looked at
each other, neither showing any sign of fear. Then Tarabusaw used all his powers to try to devour
Sulayman, who fought back. For a long time, the battle continued, until at last, the monster fell
exhausted to the ground and Sulayman killed him with his sword.
The nest place visited by Sulayman was Mt. Bita. Here havoc was present everywhere, and though
he passed by many homes, he saw that not a single soul was left. As he walked, sudden darkness
fell over the land, startling him. As he looked toward the sky he beheaded a great bird that swooped
upon him. Immediately he struck, and the bird fell dead at his feet; but the wing fell on Sulayman and
he was crushed.
Now at this very time King Indarapatra was sitting at his window, and looking out he saw the little
tree witcher and dry up.
"Alas!" he cried, "my brother is dead" and he wept bitterly.
Then although he was very sad, he was filled with a desire for revenge. Putting on his sword and
belt, he started for Mindanao, in search for his brother.
He, too, traveled through the air with great speed until he came to the mountain where the rattan
grew. There he looked about, awed at the great destruction, and when she saw the bones of Kurita
lowlands so that nothing could be seen but the mountains jutting from it. There were many people
living in the country and all the highlands were dotted with villages and settlements. For many years
the people prospered, living in peace and contentment. Suddenly there appeared in the land four
horrible monsters which, in short time has devoured every human being they could find.
Kurita, a terrible creature with many limbs, lived partly on the land and partly on sea, but its favorite
haunt was the mountain where the rattan palm grew; and here it brought utter destruction on every
living thing. The second monster, Tarabusaw, an ugly creature in the form of a man, lived on Mt.
Matutum, and far and wide from that place he devoured the people, laying waste the land. The third,
an enormous bird called Pah, was so large that, when on the wing, it covered the sun and brought
darkness to the earth. Its egg was as large as a house. Mt. Bita was its haunt; and there the only
people who escaped its voracity were those whi hid in the mountain caves. The fourth monster was
also a dreadful bird, having seven heads and the power to see in all directions at the same time. Mt.
Gurayan was its home and like the others, it wrought havoc to its region.
So great was the death and destruction caused by these terrible creatures that at length, the news
spread even to the most distant lands - and all nations grieved to hear the sad fate of Mindanao.
Now far across the sea, in the land of the golden sunset, was a city so great that to look at its many
people would injure the eyes of men. When tidings of these great disasters reached this distant city,
the heart of King Indarapatra was filled with compassion, and he called his brother, Sulayman, and
begged hem to save the land of Mindanao from the monsters.
Sulayman listened to the story and as heard it, was moved with pity. "I will go", zeal and enthusiasm
adding to his strenght, "and the land shall be avenged," said he.
King Indarapatra, proud of his brother's courage, gave him a ring and a sword as he wished him
success and safety. Then he placed a young sapling by his window and said to Sulayman "By this
tree I shall know your fate from the hour you depart from here, for if you live, it will live; but if you
die, it will die also."
So Sulayman departed for Mindanao, and he neither waded nor used a boat, but went through the air
and landed on the mountain where the rattan grew. There he stood on the summit and gazed about
on all sides. He looked on the land and the villages, but he could see no living thing. And he was
very sorrowful and cried out: "Alas, how pitiful and dreadful is this devastation."
No sooner had Sulayman uttered those words than thw whole mountain began to move and then
shook. Suddenly out of the ground came the horrible creature Kurita. It sprng at the man and sank
its claws at his flesh. But Sulayman knowing at once that this was the scourage of the land, drew his
sword and cut Kurita to pieces.
Encourage by his first success, Sulayman went on to Mt. Matutum, where conditions were even
worse. As he stood on the heights viewing the great devastation, there was a noise in the forest and
a movement in the trees. With a loud yell, Tarabusaw forth leaped. For the moment they looked at
each other, neither showing any sign of fear. Then Tarabusaw used all his powers to try to devour
Sulayman, who fought back. For a long time, the battle continued, until at last, the monster fell
exhausted to the ground and Sulayman killed him with his sword.
The nest place visited by Sulayman was Mt. Bita. Here havoc was present everywhere, and though
he passed by many homes, he saw that not a single soul was left. As he walked, sudden darkness
fell over the land, startling him. As he looked toward the sky he beheaded a great bird that swooped
upon him. Immediately he struck, and the bird fell dead at his feet; but the wing fell on Sulayman and
he was crushed.
Now at this very time King Indarapatra was sitting at his window, and looking out he saw the little
tree witcher and dry up.
"Alas!" he cried, "my brother is dead" and he wept bitterly.
Then although he was very sad, he was filled with a desire for revenge. Putting on his sword and
belt, he started for Mindanao, in search for his brother.
He, too, traveled through the air with great speed until he came to the mountain where the rattan
grew. There he looked about, awed at the great destruction, and when she saw the bones of Kurita
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