Folk narratives from Jovellar, Albay

The Bolinao Spring

In a place called Rizal, there was a spring known as Bolinao. People of that place were afraid to pass along the spring, since they believed it was enchanted. There were unusual creatures that lived there such as a dog and a pig both of large sizes.

One morning while leaving for a neighboring town, a young woman witnessed one of the mysteries of Bolinao. She saw flame floating in the air, termed as santilmo. People believed that santilmo was a human spirit attempting to convey message to its observer. Since then, no one inhabited near the Bolinao.

One day, a battalion of army decided to camp on that vacant lot surrounding the Bolinao. Since the military started their encampment, the strange creatures started disappearing. People believed that these creatures were afraid of the gun’s bullets. Eventually, the mystery of the spring ended.