One of the well known local folk tales of Panay Island retold.
Juan Ayawan was a good fisherman. He lived in the mainland of Panay Island on the nortwestern point of the island.
He was using a crude outrigger boat with triangular sail called paraw. The boat could be propelled by paddling when it entered into tidal streams and the sail was employed in the open sea.
One time he was informed that his grandfather was sick and dying and said that he wanted to see all his grandchildren before he died. His grandfather lived on the western part of the island in the lowland plains of Bubokon. He was still a small boy when he left the place in search of adventure.
Juan decided to return to his hometown to visit his grandfather and also to renew ties with his relatives in the lowland. So he prepared his paraw, strengthened its outriggers and patches its sail. He also rubbed beeswax on the hull of his boat so that waters would not seeped onto it. He calculated that it would take him a whole day to sail westerly to his destination on good wind. So he prepared his provisions and loaded it on his boats. He also brought with him sacks of dried fish as presents to his relatives.
After whole day of sailing Juan reached the mouth of the river of the town. But their village was more than four miles upriver. The river could not be traverse upriver by boat because of its strong currents. So Juan removed the outrigger of his boat and hid it under the bushes. He then tied a rope to the hull of his boat and dragged it upriver against the current. After many hours he finally arrived at his grandfather's home.
But to Juan's dismay, the old man was still strong and healthy. He was told later that his grandfather only wanted to see them while he was strong. He also wanted to have a reunion of his clan.
"I summoned you for I was informed that you're now a fisherman. I have something to give to you of great import, Juan," said the old man with an apologetic tone.
Then he gave Juan a ukelele.
"What shall I do with this, Papu?" puzzled Juan
"This instrument will save you from drowning," explained the old man. "Just strum this ukelele and you will float on the water. And after floating you can now walk above the water while strumming."
Juan simply smiled as he accepted the ukelele. He didn't want to disappoint the old man.
"Take good care of this for this is a gift of a witch to me. In fact the strings in it were her pubic hairs."
Juan burst out a laugh.
Many years passed and Juan never thought anymore of that ukelele which he hanged on the post of his paraw.
One time a storm caught him up while fishing. It damaged his paraw and slowly his boat was taking waters. Then he was sinking rapidly. He was in the middle of the sea.
Then he recalled the words of his grandfather. Immediately he grabbed the ukelele. He strummed its black strings and to his amazement he floated and stood above the waters. He continued strumming as he walked. When he stopped he sank. So he played it for many hours until he reached a small island. He rested but then he noticed that the black hairs strings on the ukelele started to snap.
Where in the world can you find pubic hairs so strong that can withstand non-stop strumming, he joked himself.
Later on that island he built a raft in order to return to the mainland.
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