Folks narrative from jovellar, Albay

The Golden Bell

In the times of yore, village Tigis was a woody place with different animals. It was also rich in natural resources. The people had strong faith in God, so they built a chapel where they could pray and thank God for all the blessings they received every day. During harvest season, they could obtain natural goods more than what they need for the year. Every one of them lived a tranquil and prosperous life.

This place was located along a river. The river was rich in natural resources with loads of fish and sparkling water ideal for bathing.

Because of their strong faith in God, the chapel was given a purely golden bell. This was donated by someone whom people were not able to remember except his last name, Tolosa.

One day, the village was attacked by vicious pirates. These bandits wanted to invade the place, but the people tried hard not to let them. They fought back to drive away the invaders. The people were united, agreeing that the golden bell would be struck each time the pirates would arrive. The ringing sound of the golden bell became an indication that everyone, especially the women, must hide for safety.

So it happened. Each time the pirates arrived, the bell was struck, and everyone had the chance to hide. The golden bell had excellent quality that its sound could reach far places like Mindanao.

One day, the pirates found out the scheme of the villagers. This made the pirates more furious and became more obsessed in getting not only the village but also the golden bell. Because of fear, the villagers hid the bell in Linaw, which is part of the river.

Time passed by, and the people triumphantly drove away the pirates. Since the village was secure, they decided to bring the golden bell back to the chapel’s belfry. However, each time they attempted to get the bell, their place would become submerged by the river. Since then, no one could get the bell.

One time, fishermen discovered that when they could not catch any fish, they would just go to Linaw. Incredibly, they could get so many fish from this spot where they believed the golden bell was hidden. People started to believe that an enchanted being owned that place and did not want to give back the golden bell to them. Until now, they believe that the golden bell is still hidden there.