Beyond

Serenading a Kapre

'Serenading a kapre.' Have you ever heard something like this? Perhaps never, because doing it is unthinkable, ridiculous and horrible. But it did happen and what do you think was the result?

This is one story that my father loved telling us because he knew nobody could ever do it again.

It was in the early 1930's in San Quintin, Pangasinan when Damian, a young farm boy, decided to serenade Maria, a beautiful lass living in a nearby barrio. After seeing Maria in a market day, he never missed returning to the place just to see her. But he had never had the guts to know her.

Damian was lucky to know my father who was just thirteen then. It was he who brought the news to Maria and her parents that Damian would serenade their daughter.

During those days, serenading a woman was the common and acceptable practice of courting. Since Damian was not gifted for this kind of undertaking, he decided to bring along his two closest friends: Pindong, to be the singer and Karpo as the guitarist.

The long awaited night arrived and the three assembled in front of Damian's house. They wore their favorite suits of loose collared shirts and equally loose long pants with their pairs of white rubber shoes. Damian looked handsome with his well combed hair laden with pomade.

After his parents wished Damian a good luck, the three went on their way. The two were giggling with jokes but Damian remained silent and anxious. He was as nervous as someone going to a courtroom to receive his sentence. Well, it was his first time to be in love, anyway.

The moon seemed to be in approval, being full and bright, as it guided their path. The road traversed an open clearing planted with young corn. Small glimmering lights showed signs that there are also houses from afar that stood far from each other.

Their unexpected misadventure began when they sighted a bamboo cluster on their left along the road. The stems were swaying with the gentle wind. It was a normal occurrence and nothing to worry about. But when they were about fifty meters away, the longest stem of the bamboo bent down across the road. No way could they pass through. A monstrous human figure was seated on top of the bent stem as if putting a checkpoint bar on their path. It was a wonder how a bamboo so thin could bear the weight of this giant. He was puffing a huge tobacco underneath a huge buri hat. His huge muscular body and dark skin shimmering under the moonlight created a sudden and unexpected fear in their hearts. Their feet were petrified.

News of kapre appearing on moon nights was common during those times but it was their first time to see one.

"We better return home; he didn't like us to pass." Pindong's voice could not hide his fright.

"No, he's alone and we are three. He will leave if we continue walking." Damian tried to be brave; he wouldn't drop the idea of not seeing Maria.

"What if...he won't leave?" Karpo whispered.

"He will, believe me." Damian pulled his two companions forward and forced them to walk...even gingerly. "Walk normally; we couldn't frighten him the way you make your steps."

"He's not moving." Karpo was breathing fast but continued to walk abreast with them, their elbows touching.

"I have a plan but keep on walking," Damian seemed to find his wit. Strum your guitar, Karpo and sing." Damian looked at the trembling Pindong. "Let's serenade him."

The two were hesitant but Damian prodded them again and again as they came closer. The two did as what Damian said but still the Kapre didn't move. He just continued puffing his tobacco.

They were just a stone throw away when Damian thought of another plan. "Strum your guitar very hard, Karpo. This time we frighten him."

Karpo could no longer think for himself and did what he heard. With all his might he strummed his guitar as Damian sang on top of his voice. His out of tune voice irritated the Kapre and he finally reacted.

Damian's face lighted up when he saw the Kapre stood up, releasing the bamboo stem to its original form.

"See? He is leaving. Come on, keep on walking...faster!" Damian persuaded his two friends. The two were still walking with Damian but were lagging a step behind. They were preparing for the worst move of the Kapre.

While Damian was rejoicing, the two held their breath as they watched the Kapre walked slowly. Then he ran...but into their direction. With no instructions from Damian, the two turned around and burst into speed that they had never done in all their lives.

Damian, now alone, had no choice but to run also, but the problem is, he forgot to turn around. He swung to his left in time to elude the Kapre's clumsy fingers over his head. He ran into the field of growing corns and on to a distant light which he knew was a hut. He could hear the corn stalks behind him trampled to the ground as if ravaged by a raging bull. He never looked back as he scampered like a scared rabbit.

As soon as he reached the hut, he jumped up into the porch without using the stairs anymore. And with his quick trembling hands, he pushed the door. The lock was displaced and it swung with full force. He closed it and leaned on it with his full weight.

A frightened old woman jumped behind a wooden chest at a corner of the house. She was almost unrecognizable from the dim light of a single gas lamp but her voice made Damian aware that finally he had a company. "Have mercy. I am alone with nothing to give. Please don't hurt me and spare my life." It was a plea from a trembling widow in her seventies. She was clutching her chest while grasping for her breath.

In halting words, Damian asked forgiveness for his intrusion and explained what happened. What more could the old woman do but believed the story of this pitiful young man and allowed him to stay because she herself was once a frightened victim of that creature.

His two companions were able to return home together. They, including Damian's relatives, were worried for him all throughout the night.

As the sun rose, the news of the missing Damian spread throughout the sparsely populated barrio. It was quickly dosed when a horse carriage (kalesa) passenger brought the news that he spotted him walking in the middle of the corn plantation.

An hour later, the three were reunited. There was no more fear in their hearts but laughter all over their faces as they recounted their misadventure in the midst of interested market-goers-including my father.