one filipino dish a week

I came upon this story which peaked my interest because this would be a kind of story that I would’ve been told as a young boy. I’ve heard many mythical stories like this growing up in the Philippines and I wanted to share with everyone a glimpse of how traditions are passed down and life lessons are taught.

Bugan and Malinayu: Why Pork is Scarce and Has to be Hunted
(adapted from a story translated by Francis Lambrecht)

Hungry Bugan discovered a magical wild pig that directed her to his home where a piece of pork meat dripped blood. She was instructed to collect the blood in a jar and promised it would become delicious meat, but she was not to wring  the raw slab or the wild pig would die. Obedient Bugan returned home and feasted.

An envious Malinayu encountered the same wild pig, only she wrung the meat, killing the heavenly pig, making his descendants forever wary of people who suddenly had turned into hungry hunters.

But the pig was not unkind, even after Malinayu’s fatal mistake. Bugan discovered a rat where the wild pig died. She buried it, and up came a calabash. Not knowing what to do with it, she beat the fruit until a hole was made in its skin: inside was husked rice which she learned to cook into a delicious meal. But she missed the pig, it had provided a mysteriously ready-to-eat meal with the mess.