Legend of the Crocodile
- by: Lampara Books
Once upon a time in a faraway place, there lives a woman who did nothing but eat and consume all the wealth of the people, in every village, she goes by pretending to be a beggar. Until they run out of resources, she would only happily leave them before they even discover her evil scheme and if it happened - it was too late because they were already suffering from hunger or diseases.
There is still one village left that she never set foot yet which is located across the mountain. She purposely went there quietly carrying the sacks of treasure she had collected from every village she went to and put up a small hut in a forest near the lake.
She then changed her appearance by wearing torn clothes, putting on a wig and applied some dirt on her body to make her look more like a beggar. She also changed her name to Aling Aya.
Every morning she would sit in front of the church begging while crying to make people feel sorry for her. Most of the people passed by the church were compassionate and she was given alms. That was her daily routine but sometimes because of her greed, she would go further by visiting one home to another asking for food, money or goods. She was good at weaving stories making people believe her.
One night when she passed by the park she saw a bird called Mr. Owl on top of a tree. She asked him for an alms with tears flowing on her face. Despite being hungry, Mr. Owl decided to gave her the fish he was holding out of pity because it's easy for him to find food again with him having wings.
Aya was overjoyed that she again had fooled someone. On that same night, Mr. Owl who happened to be in the forest looking for food saw Aya walking and no longer the beggar he saw in the park. Gradually Aya removed her torn clothes, wiped-out the dirt on her face and removed her wig.
He followed Aya to her hut and there he discovered her true form. Her sacks of money and treasure while grinning in the mirror and talking to herself.
The next morning Mr. Owl quickly reported what he had witnessed about Aya but the villagers did not believe him. But soon the villagers started to experience a shortage of their harvest, food, and money.
Making Mr. Owl to be alarmed and decided to take the matter in his hand by revealing Aya's identity to them.
One day while Aya still doing her daily begging activity in the crowded church. Mr. Owl went flying to her direction and started removing her wig, tapping her face with his wings until the dirt was removed showing her true self. He also, removed her clothes until it reveals the pieces of jewelry she was wearing.
People were furious with Aya for her disguise and demanded to return all they have given to her.
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Aya was terrified and went running to her hut to get her belongings and treasures to escape. But people caught up with her as she approached the lake. She has no choice but went down the lake and started swallowing everything inside her sacks - food, money, and jewelry until her mouth went wide and full. People were amazed at what Aya had done. Until she was so heavy and eventually swallowed by the lake. Suddenly a tail with thick and rough skin similar to a monster appeared. The villagers were terrified and they left the lake.
From then on the villagers no longer visit the lake which they called "Lawa ni Aya" (Lake of Aya). Time passed and Aya's story shifted through people's mouths that eventually they called Lawa ni Aya as Buwaya (Crocodile).