In our town there was a wealthy man named Don Valintin. He was in his early seventy's and his house was the biggest stone-house in our island The islanders respected this man for they believed that he was the lord of an occult animal called Sigbin. Most of the land on the island belongs to him for he purchased it from various owners even in great price. The islanders believed that the basement of his house were stockpiled with gold of antiquity. Gold from Chinese junks that sank at sea a long time ago, gold from galleons in early Spanish time, and buried gold stashed by the pirates.
The islanders believed that the old man found this sunken and buried treasures because of the magical power of the animal called Sigbin that was in his care. This man also has a wide plantation of squash and this fact bolstered the beliefs of the islanders for the favorite food of the Sigbin were squash flowers and young small fruits of this plant.
They said the Sigbin can trace the element of gold even if it was buried and will pinpoint its exact location to its lord.So, the islanders believed that the old man had found a lot of gold for his forefathers were just poor fishermen like those of the islanders.
The islanders also believed that the old man can travel from the island to Manila which is 20- hours away distance by boat travel, in few minutes only because the Sigbin was his personal magic transporter that carry him to other places that he wished to go. It was proven to the islanders when he brought home a newly published newspaper from the city within that day. It was a mystery for us for we have no airport to where a plane can land in order to bring that newspaper.
So, the beliefs of the islanders about this creature magnified and everyone believed that the old man indeed has this kind of magical pet.
From the oral account of Eugenio Conanan of San Jose Island, Romblon, Philippines.
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