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Ambahan: Birth and infancy

Since the aim of this collection of ambahans is to present a cross-section of the Mangyan poetic verse with respect to the life-cycle of the Mangyans, the first ambahans, to be chronological, should pertain to the first chapters of human life.

The following series of common cradle songs in ambahan style might be a fine illustration of how the songs can be different in rhyme and metaphor whereas the underlying theme is the same.

Ambahan 3
Hanunuo-Mangyan English Filipino
Handwritten version of ambahan 3

My dear baby, do not cry
'cause the wild cat might hear us!
The big one from over there,
with his awful long-stretched howl!
Helpless are we if he comes.
Our spear is broken still
and our bolo bent and blunt!

Huwag ka ngang umiyak
Hala ka at mapukaw
Pusang-ligaw sa gubat
Ngumiyaw, maghihiyaw
Wala kitang pambugaw
Sibat nati'y nawasak
Gulok nati'y nabingaw!
Ambahan 4
Hanunuo-Mangyan English Filipino
Handwritten version of ambahan 4

Don't be noisy, baby dear!
The wild iro might come here.
The one out of the deep woods.
How to fight him when he comes?
Broken is our spear in two
and our bolo disappeared!

H'wag ka ngang magulo
May laog nanunubok
Mula gubat susugod
Wala kitang panghamok
Sibat nati'y napulpol
Itak ay anong purol!
Ambahan 5
Hanunuo-Mangyan English Filipino
Handwritten version of ambahan 5

You, my baby, don't make noise!
Some strange animal might come,
coming from across the streams.
Knocking on the house, he will,
with his glittering sharp claws,
No weapons for us to kill;
our bolo we cannot use,
rusty is our spear and blunt.

Anak, 'wag kang ngumalngal
Hala ka, may bakulaw!
Sa dahilig do'n buhat
Tutuktok sa suliras
Kay tulis ng galamay
Wala kitang pamatay
Tong itak walang saysay
Kinalawang 'yang sibat!