Daily Myth for May 20
Posted by
znufrii
May 20 '24, 05:04
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In the depths of Filipino folklore, there exists a tale of the Bakunawa, a sea serpent believed to cause eclipses. According to the myth, the Bakunawa was a dragon-like creature from the depths of the sea, enamored by the beauty of the seven moons that once graced the night skies of ancient Philippines.
One by one, the Bakunawa rose from the ocean, reaching up and swallowing the moons whole to sate its loneliness and longing. It succeeded in consuming six of the moons, plunging the world into near darkness each time it devoured one. Terrified and desperate, the ancient Filipinos tried to protect the last remaining moon. They clanged pots and pans, hoping to create enough noise to frighten the Bakunawa and prevent it from consuming the final moon.
The cacophony worked; the Bakunawa was startled and spat out the moon it attempted to swallow. From then on, during certain times when the moon seemed to disappear, the people would bang pots, drums, and shout to scare the Bakunawa away, ensuring that the beast would not return to finish its celestial feast. This myth explains both the phenomena of eclipses and the traditional practices associated with safeguarding the heavenly bodies.
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