Photo Duel: Mt. Makiling and Mt. Sleeping Beauty

This Photo Duel is dedicated to those who love legends and mountains!

I have here Mt. Maria Makiling from Laguna and Mt. Sleeping Beauty from Kalinga.

Maria Makiling // Sleeping Beauty

Both these mountains are shaped as reclining women. Some don’t notice this but it should be obvious on the photos below. Interestingly, these mountains have tales of their own. I will try to tell the stories as it was passed on to me.

Mt. Maria Makiling, Laguna

Maria Makiling, a lovely maiden who lives in the mountain. Her beauty is like that of a fairy, it was told that she takes care of the mountain and the creatures that lives in it- deers, boars, monkey, etc. A lot of stories says that they were able to see Maria after storms because that’s the time she brings to life fallen trees and plants. Maria is known to have a good heart, helping people too, sometimes lends money to the poor, the sick and those who are to marry.

Mt. Makiling as viewed from Calamba City. Now obstructed because of SM mall.  :(

There is a story when he met a hunter and fed him inside her hut. Before the hunter went back home, she gave her some garlics for his wife. But when the hunter was on his way back home he noticed that the garlic became heavier, so he threw some of it. The next day, the wife learned that the garlic were gold nuggets.

Maria was also a lover. There was this instance where she fell in love with one of the hunter. But then came a time where army officers came to the towns to recruit unmarried men, one of the supposed to be recruit was this young hunter. So this hunter in order to stay in the village entered an arranged marriage. Before he got married, he went to Maria the one last time. Maria was saddened by the fact that this hunter was getting married to an earthly woman. After this meeting, Maria was no where to be find.

You can also read how Dr. Jose Rizal told about Mariang Makiling.

Mt. Sleeping Beauty, Kalinga

Also known as Mount Patukan, Mount Mating-oy Dinayao,Mount Mantingoy. Mt. Sleeping Beauty was supposed to be Edonsan’s beauty. Here’s the story: Once there was a strong man named Banna from Tinglayan, Kalinga who is looking for a lifetime partner. He went up to Mt. Patukan and heard a woman singing an ullalim, her voice was beautiful! An ullalim is a kind of song about someones life and longing, an oral tradition. But knowing that the place where he heard it was a different tribe, he was very cautious. If he go into the other village his life would be terribly in danger, but the longing is just too much compared to his dear life. So by nightfall, he went into the village and knocked on the house where he heard the ullalim.

Mt. Sleeping Beauty as viewed from Tinglayan. Obstructed only by mountains and most of the times clouds.

To make the long story short, the two got married and after seven days of staying in Edonsan’s village they planned to go to Tinglayan, Banna’s hometown. But then when they are on the mountain, they heard a noise in Banna’s village. Turned out there was a tribal war, to protect Edonsan, Banna told her to just stay on the mountain and wait for his return, he would go his village to help. But a sad thing happened, Banna was killed by the invading tribe. He was able to ask someone to report to Edonsan before he died but then that one was also killed. Edonsan waited and waited but then Banna didn’t come back. She became weak and her grief was too much she died on the mountain. After that, legends say that two waterfalls sprang which was said to be tears of Edonsan.

You can read more of the Legend of the Sleeping Beauty as passed on by tradition.

So what do you like more, Makiling or Sleeping Beauty? Have you been to any of the mountains?