Bowaon and Totoon (Falsehood and Truth)--Waray Folktale

 An aerial view of the San Juanico Bridge; with the Leyte part on the bottom of the picture and the Samar portion on top. (Image from Skyscrapercity.com)

Bowaon at Totoon—Falsehood and Truth—is a folktale from Samar and Leyte. Spanning between the two islands in the eastern Visayas is the San Juanico Bridge, the longest (over-water) bridge in the Philippines. It is 2.16 kilometers or 1.34 miles (7,200 feet) long and a height of 41 meters or 131 feet. It crosses the scenic San Juanico strait between Samar and Leyte.

 

Bowaon and Totoon

Once upon a time, there were two friends, Bowaon and Totoon. They couldn’t find work so they decided to go away from their place to look for their fortune somewhere. They brought with them some rice and then they mounted their horses. As they went on, they got hungry. From a distance, they saw a coral reef. They got off their horses and headed for the reef to catch some fish. They caught schools of fish but these were very tiny. Totoon forgot his hunger. He returned the fish he caught to the reef. Bowaon got angry. “How will we able to eat?” he scolded Totoon. “Never mind Bowaon, they are so tiny; they will still grow bigger,” Totoon replied.

They rode on their horses again. After a distance, they saw a dead man. Totoon asked Bowaon to stop so they could bury the body. But Bowaon got angry, “Are you out of mind? If somebody sees us, he’ll think we killed him.” “But we should show mercy. There is a way of finding the truth. Well, if you won’t help me, then I will bury him by myself. You may go onward if you please. I’ll follow later,” said Totoon.

Bowaon went ahead while Totoon dug a grave for the body. Then he carried the dead person and buried him. He prayed over it then went on his journey. Bowaon could not bear to leave him so he returned for Totoon. They therefore, set out together again. Trotting along, they heard babies crying. They went towards the direction of the sounds. They found hungry baby eagles in a nest.

“Let’s stop for a while and feed the eagles,” suggested Totoon. Then Bowaon saw that Totoon was going to kill his horse. “Are you foolish? When they grow up they’ll prey on you. Let’s go on, we’re already delayed,” Bowaon said. “Don’t mind me. I pity these baby eagles. Anyway, no debt goes unpaid. Go ahead, I’ll just follow.”

“If you go on with your silly ideas, I’ll not give you a ride,” threatened Bowaon.

“Then I’ll walk,” decided Totoon. “Even if I go slowly, I’ll still reach my destination.”

After killing his horse, he fed the eagles. When they feel asleep, Totoon left. Bowaon again returned to give Totoon a ride. Far ahead, they sighted a palace. “Let’s go,” suggested Bowaon. “Let’s ask the king for work.”

They knocked at the palace door. They were told to enter, but since it was late, they were not granted any audience with the king. They slept in the palace. “You see,” taunted Bowaon, “if you did not delay our trip, we should’ve been able to eat. You are the cause of all this.” They went to sleep nevertheless since they were so tired from their journey.

After a while, Totoon heard someone calling his name. “Rise, Totoon, and listen: In the morning, when the king calls you for breakfast, don’t eat at once. On the table you’ll see a pen and some cooking utensils. Sit near the pen, and your future will be bright. Don’t be surprised. I am the dead person whom you have buried. I have come back to pay you back the favor you showed me.” Everything went silent and Totoon feel asleep again.

In the morning, the two friends were called for breakfast by the king. As he was told the night before, he saw the pen and some cooking utensils on the table. Bowaon sat down and just as soon began eating.

“You, Totoon, will become my secretary; while you, Bowaon, will become my cook,” announced the king.

At first, Bowaon was glad with his work for it meant plenty of food. He would not go hungry. But as time went on, he began to envy Totoon for the latter was not fatigued much. He thought of smearing the name of his friend.

One day, Bowaon went to the king to report that he heard Totoon say that the latter would be able to find the ring the king lost within three days and that the reward will be marriage to the princess. Of course, the king got angry for he did not say anything like that. He had Totoon summoned to his hall. Totoon protested the accusation but the angry king would not listen to him.

“Go, look for the ring then and if you find it you will have the princess for a reward but, if you fail you will lose your head,” announced the king.

Totoon did not say anything. He got a paddle and rode far out to the sea. There, he cried because of his fate. No longer after, he heard a voice. It was a fish asking him why he as crying. Totoon unburdened his problem. After listening, the fish dived deep into the sea. When it surfaced, many fishes came up with it, each one with a ring in its snout. Totoon looked among the rings. The king’s ring was not there. The fishes dived again. When they came up, they were bringing the king’s ring. Totoon thanked the fish.

Don’t mention it,” said the fish. Actually we are only paying the favor you showed us before when you threw us back into the reef.” Then they left.

The king rejoiced that the ring had been found. He held a banquet. Now, Bowaon had plenty of work again. He did not like it. In the banquet, the king announced the forthcoming marriage of Totoon and the princess. Bowaon was very angry. There would be much work ahead. He thought of a plan to thwart the wedding. But it did not succeed.

After the wedding, Bowaon went to the king. “Your majesty,” he said. “I heard Totoon say that on the third day, the princess will give birth.”

The king got mad. He once more summoned Totoon. “Do you mean to say that you had an affair with the princess even before you got married? You scoundrel! But since you’re already my child, I can’t do anything. However, do what you’ve said---that the princess will give birth three days from now. If not, you’ll surely lose your head.”

Totoon cried in despair. The princess comforted him by saying she’d talk with her father, but he couldn’t be calmed. After a while, an eagle came. “Don’t cry, Totoon,” she began. “This time I’ll help you in payment for help you extended my children. Get a midwife and talk to her. I’ll bring you a newly-born child.” Then the eagle flew away.

When she came back, she had an infant, still dripping with blood. In the bedroom, the midwife acted as if there really was a delivery. When the king awoke he heard the ones of an infant. He was amazed that the princess did give birth. He forgot his anger. “It must be a miracle,” he muttered.