The Legend of Sapang Bato

The Legend Of Sapang Bato

Many, many years have passed, but the beautiful
story of sapang Bato is still unknown to most people. The
time has come for all people to know the story and the
secret of Sapang Bato.

There once lived in a place called Sapang Bato a
a beautiful maiden named Claudia. She had many suitors,
but she like Badillo most of all. Badillo was a farmer. He
was kind, thoughtful, and industrious.

The love of the two for each other knew no bounds.
They were faithful to each other, and they vowed that they
would love each other till the end of time.

Unfortunately, Claudia's father. Mang Borong, did not
favor on Badillo's courtship. For he had another
suitor of Claudia in mind as the better son-in-law. Anselmo
was the name of this other suitor who, by the way, Claudia
did not like, much less love.

One day before sunrise, Badillo, as usual went to
the farm to work. Before leaving, he left word with his
younger brother to take his breakfast to the place of work.
Badillo worked for sometime.

Later that morning. Badillo's brother came, carrying
Badillo's meal. After eating, Badillo noticed his brother cry-
ing.

"Why are you crying?" asked Badillo.
The brother hesitated at first, but Badillo prodded
him on and soon the former was relating what he had dis-
covered which was the reason why he was crying.

"This morning, Anselmo's parents went to see
Claudia's parents," the brother began. "They asked for
Claudia's hands in marriage to their son Anselmo."

"How did you come to know about this?" Badillo
asked.

"I happened to be passing by Anselmo's house," the
boy replied. "I heard everything because they talked very
loud. I even heard Claudia's voice, she was crying."

"Yes, she refused" the boy said. "But what could
she do. You know how cruel her father is. Her pleas were
in vain. In short, she had to follow Mang Borong's wish.
wheter she like it or not."

"And what was Mang Borong's wish?"
"To have Claudia get married to Anselmo.
Tomorrow morning at 6 o'clock," the boy answered.

The preparations for the wedding were elaborate and
quite expensive. Many of Claudia's friend came to help - to
decorate the house and do many things. In order to be sure
that Claudia's wedding gown would turn out to be the most
elegant, the town's four best dressmakers joined hands in
preparing it.

Amidst the busy prepartion, Claudia managed
somehow to be left alone in her room. Then from her trunk
she took a small box.

It was late evening when it was discovered that
Claudia was no where to be found. She could not be found
in her room. She could not be found elesewhere in the house.
Everybody became jittery. Even Claudia's father, Mang
Borong, collapsed when he learned of her missing daugh-
ter. He had to be given first-aid treatment.

Afterwards a young maiden, one of Claudia's close
friends, came upon a letter under Claudia's pillow. She gave
the letter at once to Mang Borong. The letter reads as
follows.

"Father, it is sweeter to die to marry a man I
don't love. Maybe in death, I shall find happiness. I will
wait for my one and only love, Badillo, in heaven. Goodbye
and forgive me. Claudia."

Without any further delay, Mang Borong left the house
to look for her daughter. Just a little beyond the house, he
saw Anselmo's coming. Anselmo was riding in a cart.

"Where are you going?, Mang Borong" asked
Anselmo.

"To look for Claudia," replied Mang Borong.
Anselmo turned pale. Turning to some of the men,
he asked them to join him in the search for Claudia. They
immediately followed Mang Borong who had already left.
Other search parties were organized. The search went on
in the dark of night.

It was Anselmo's group which found the dead bodies
of Claudia and Badillo. With a sad and heavy heart, he
ordered the men to take the bodies to Claudia's home. It
was a night of sorrow and tears.

The next morning on the spot where the bodies of
Claudia and her lover Badillo were found, there was disco-
vered a rock bearing the form of a man and that of a woman.
The people could not help uttering the names of Claudia
and Badillo.

Latter on, barrio folk started to built their homes
near the spot. The place soon grew in to a village and the
residents also grew in number. This is the place that is now
called Sapang Bato.