Global Legends: Stories without borders

• Aswang:

Imagine a quiet, rural Filipino village nestled among thick forested hills. The moon casts a dim glow over small bamboo houses with thatched roofs. Families huddle indoors, whispering stories of Aswang sightings, while elders hang garlic and salt at doors and windows to ward off the creature. A young couple, newly married, has their first child asleep in a hammock near the window. They have heard the stories but dismiss them as mere superstitions—until tonight.

As the clock strikes midnight, an eerie silence falls over the village. The trees sway unnaturally, casting long, claw-like shadows. Suddenly, a faint, sinister scratching sound comes from the roof, and the couple freezes. A shape slips through the shadows, and they catch a glimpse of the Aswang—a tall, emaciated figure with glowing red eyes, slithering along the roof, its thin, sinister tongue extending toward the child.

The couple rushes to their child, clutching him close as the creature hisses, thwarted by the charms and protective symbols they had neglected. They had never believed the tales, but now, face-to-face with the creature, they understand the true terror of the Aswang.

The Aswang is a legendary creature from Filipino folklore, known for its terrifying appearance and predatory nature. It's typically depicted as a shapeshifting monster, blending traits of various mythological creatures—part vampire, part ghoul, part witch. Aswangs are feared for their ability to take on human form during the day and transform into horrific creatures at night, often hunting unsuspecting villagers.

In stories passed down for generations, Aswangs are described as living among people by day, masking their monstrous identities. They are said to crave human flesh, especially that of unborn children, and use their long, thin, retractable tongues to reach through windows and roofs in the dead of night to drain the life essence from sleeping victims. They are cunning, intelligent, and extremely difficult to identify, blending seamlessly into rural communities until nightfall.

Aswangs are feared across the Philippines, particularly in the Visayas region, and come in different forms depending on the local legends. Some Aswangs transform into giant birds or dogs, others into pigs or cats, all with a sinister, otherworldly twist. Despite the variations, all Aswangs share a common reputation for preying on the vulnerable under the cover of darkness.