Philippinische Märchen/Philippine Fairy Tales (I)

DIE DAME DER NACHT

Davon erfuhr Sultan Baranggay; er wollte es nicht zulassen, dass die Prinzessin das Schicksal mit einem einfachen Gärtner teile. Er beschloss, den Jüngling zu verjagen. Man vertrieb ihn in den Abendstunden aus dem Palast, als er sich mit der Liebsten treffen wollte. Prinzessin  Bartuha ahnte nicht, was ihr Vater getan hatte und ging ruhig in den Garten  zu ihrem Stelldichein.

Der Jüngling kam jedoch nicht. Stunde um Stunde verrann, und er war nirgends zu sehen. Da begriff die Prinzessin , dass sie ihn nie wiedersehen würde. Sie brach in Tränen aus und flehte zu Gott: "Gott, du weisst, wie schwer es mir um's Herz ist. Ich will ohne meinen Liebsten nicht leben. Verwandele mich in eine Blume, die in den Nächten, die der heutigen Nacht gleichen werden , ihren Duft über den ganzen Garten  verbreiten wird. Ich will mich in eine Blume  verwandeln, ich will hier in Treue auf meinen Liebsten warten."

Der Sultan, der seiner Tochter gefolgt war, erstarrte vor Grauen, als er sah, wie sich Prinzessin Bartuha in eine Pflanze verwandelte. Gleich darauf sprossen auf ihre Blüten, die einen feinen Duft ausströmten. Der Sultan schrie auf, doch es war zu spät.

Die Pflanze, die nachts so lieblich duftet, wird 'Dame der Nacht' (Lady of the Night) genannt.

[Translation (C) Dr. Anna Fialova, 1978 - erschienen im Verlag Werner Dausien, Hanau/Main und im Verlag Mlade leta, Bratislava, CSSR.]

THE LADY OF THE NIGHT

Sultan Baranggay found out about this; He didn't want to allow the princess to share her fate with a simple gardener. He decided to drive the young man away. He was driven out of the palace in the evening hours when he wanted to meet his sweetheart. Princess Bartuha had no idea what her father had done and calmly went into the garden for her tryst.

However, the youth did not come. Hour after hour passed and he was nowhere to be seen. Then the princess realized that she would never see him again. She burst into tears and pleaded with God: "God, you know how heavy my heart is. I don't want to live without my loved one. Turn me into a flower that in the nights that will be like tonight, will spread its scent over the entire garden. I want to transform myself into a flower, I want to wait here faithfully for my loved one."

The Sultan, who had been following his daughter, froze in horror when he saw Princess Bartuha turn into a plant. Immediately afterwards, their flowers sprouted and exuded a delicate scent. The Sultan screamed, but it was too late.

The plant that smells so sweet at night is called 'Lady of the Night'.

PAGASA: Most of PH may experience rains due to shear line, 'amihan'

BY LIZST TORRES ABELLO

Nov 21, 2023 09:25 AM

  

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The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Tuesday, Nov. 21 said most of Luzon and parts of Visayas and Mindanao may continue to experience scattered light rains due to the prevalence of the shear line and northeast monsoon or "amihan."

Photo credit to MB Visual Content Group

PAGASA said Bicol Region, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to shear line—an area where the cold northeasterly winds and warm easterlies converge.

The public is warned of possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy rains in the affected areas.

Due to the amihan, cloudy skies with light rains will prevail over Cagayan Valley and Quezon, while partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains will affect Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.

PAGASA said the rest of Mindanao will also have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers caused by localized thunderstorms.

The public is advised that flash floods or landslides may also occur during severe thunderstorms. 

Mindanao earthquake is a reminder of the importance of disaster preparedness

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Nov 21, 2023 06:52 AM 

Among the various natural calamities mankind may face, earthquakes stand out as the most perilous due to their suddenness. Despite the possibility of high-magnitude quakes providing subtle warnings, the recent earthquake last Nov. 17, 2023, at 4 p.m. that affected a large area of Mindanao exposed our weakness when it comes to disaster preparedness.

According to a primer from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS), the earthquake registered a magnitude of 6.8, with its epicenter located 28 kilometers southwest of Sarangani, Davao Occidental. The agency attributed the earthquake to the Cotabato Trench and reported a total of 58 aftershocks by 8 a.m. on Nov. 18.

Online videos depicting the seismic activity reveal the forceful shaking of the land, so strong that even a crane on top of a building collapsed. However, what's worrisome is that people have apparently forgotten the “Drop, Cover, Hold” protocol, a fundamental rule during earthquakes where one must drop to the ground or crawl under a desk, find something hard to cover the head, and hold on to something stable until the shaking stops.

Despite being taught in schools and offices during earthquake drills, this protocol was thrown to the wind as people shouted, panicked, and ran aimlessly. Chaos ensued in public spaces like malls and gymnasiums. When the lights went off in one supermarket, a video showed everyone shouting and elbowing their way to the nearest exit. There were reports of injuries due to these incidents.

This unfortunate scenario underscores a critical issue — disaster preparedness is not deeply ingrained in our “lifestyle.” When faced with a natural calamity, we forget that staying calm is the best way to save our lives — and the lives of others.

The DOST-PHIVOLCS also emphasized another peril during earthquake events: the rapid spread of rumors causing panic. It urged citizens to rely only on information from verified sources such as DOST-PHIVOLCS and respective Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (DRRMOs).

While the full impact of the earthquake is yet to be assessed, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has already activated emergency preparedness and response protocols. The Civil Defense Regional Offices are closely coordinating with affected LGUs to provide real-time updates.

Addressing the situation, the President said, “Following the (earthquake), I assure you that the government is actively responding to ensure the safety of our citizens. In these challenging times, my commitment to your safety and recovery is unwavering, and I have instructed every relevant government agency to fully contribute to ongoing efforts.”

With the government response in place, those affected by the earthquake would find the timely assistance they need. However, this incident should serve as an early warning for the entire country — earthquakes and similar calamities are unpredictable and will not be the last of their kind. Even with the latest technologies, no one knows where and when the next earthquake will strike. 

What we can do in the meantime is to make sure that our family, friends, and the community where we belong are prepared for any disaster and aware of early warnings; otherwise, there will be great loss — and greater regrets.

Magnitude 5.6 earthquake hits Calbiga, Samar | INQToday

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology says a magnitude 5.6 earthquake hit Calbiga, Samar on Monday. Read more: https://inqnews.net/56quakeSamar

Massive ground fissures appear in Glan, Sarangani after quake | ANC

Is there a specific reason why Germans eat sausages with bread?

Volker Eichener

Most of the time, when we eat Bratwurst, it is just a snack, fast food from a street stand, served on a cardboard tray and eaten with fingers.

The bread serves as a holder. And it compensates for the protein and fat content of the sausage.

Or, when we eat our versions of sandwiches (Butterbrot), the bread stands in the foreground. Bread used to be the main food staple for thousands of years. Historically, the word “bread” simply stands for food. Think of the Last Supper.

To make bread more interesting, you may eat it with butter and a slice of sausage. The Butterbrot is probably Germany’s most-eaten food item, for breakfast, in breaks, sometimes even for dinner.

When we eat sausage as a main dish (what we rarely do as sausage is considered a cheap, simple dish) we usually eat it with hash brown, mashed potatoes or potato salad.