![]() In the story, these creatures are composed not only of the mythological characters but also animals, insects and even human beings like the legendary Mariang Makiling, Mariang Sinukuan, Mariang Condende and even the fat but beautiful "her face is like the moon" Dona Geronima. The magic circle is that way going to the deepest part of the tree where the creatures parade one-by-one going to the party. The boy, the oldest boy in town, accidentally discovers it when his dog Galis bumps to the tree while running away (from the boy) with the blouse of a snooty senyora that is being dried for ironing by the boy's mother, a laundrywoman. They are getting married in the underworld that can be accessed via an old tree. In this story, it is the wedding of the tikbalang, the Philippine mythological creature that is half-human, half-beast. The boy, the oldest boy in town, accidentally discovers it when his dog Galis bumps to the tree while running away (from the boy) with the blouse of a snooty senyora that is being dried for i When it is raining and the sun's shining at the same time, beasts are being married in the netherworld. When it is raining and the sun's shining at the same time, beasts are being married in the netherworld. And as an adult, it enthralled me as well -reminding me of how much fun it is to tell stories, to imagine, and to feel compassion for creatures big and small… whether from this world or others.more This is a beautiful piece of literature for children that must be treasured and shared. Who doesn't like a magical story with a very timely message to save the earth? Who doesn't like a story that relives the youthful days of humanity's enchantment with the spirit and elemental world? What the book accomplishes is, in a sense - magical. “The Magic Circle” is a timely reminder of the urgency of caring for the environment. It is a short story about one’s purpose in life, the role that we all play in contributing to the destruction of the environment, and how things die because we have forgotten. It was a wedding that turned into a meeting and then a funeral, where humans happen to be just accessories: topics for conversation, and the reasons for suffering. In the magic circle of Philippine mythological creatures, he was merely an observer to an important gathering. The story starts with a poor boy named Jepoy, but the story isn’t about him at all. We need more of these modern-day adaptations of traditional folklore. ![]() Philippine folklore is a treasure trove of strange and fascinating mythical creatures that are nearly forgotten by modernity - and I am grateful to Gilda Cordero Fernando for showing what we can do with traditional mythology. Yes, I know they are not real! It’s their extinction from the Filipino culture that concerns me. A tikbalang, by the way, is a tall, humanoid creature with the head and hooves of a horse. I guess there has been barely any tikbalang weddings happening, which must be why their population is dwindling. This phrase doesn’t occur frequently anymore. “The Magic Circle” opens with this Filipino belief about sun showers - that is, when the sun is out and rain is falling at the same time, a tikbalang wedding is going on. ![]() Yes, I know they are not real! It “Umaaraw, umuulan. ![]() Kinakasal ang tikbalang.” “The Magic Circle” opens with this Filipino belief about sun showers - that is, when the sun is out and rain is falling at the same time, a tikbalang wedding is going on. ![]()
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