Manananggal
Description
Manananggal is an aswang that can fly after separating itself from the lower half of its body. It eats babies and fetuses from a mothers womb. It eats babies by means of passing their long tongue through a small hole from the roof of a house. The sharp end of the tongue touches the mother's navel to suck the blood of the fetus or unborn child. This creature's name was derived from the Filipino word, tanggal, which means "to separate" because of the manananggal's ability to separate itself from its lower body.
A manananggal can also be a sorceress that visits villages and barrios. To feed, the self-segmenter chooses an isolated place where she will leave her lower torso while she hunts at night. When she separates from her lower torso, she then gains her ability to fly. She then goes off in search of houses where pregnant women reside. Upon choosing a suitable victim, the Manananggal alights on the house and inserts her tongue through the roof. The tongue is long, hollow and extremely flexible. She uses it to puncture the womb of the sleeping woman and to suck out the fetus. At other times, she seduces men with her beauty and lures them to a private place before eating them alive. She usually eats the insides, like the heart, stomach or the liver. Sunlight is deadly to the Manananggal when she is in her monstrous form. Should her two halves still be separate with the coming of dawn, she will be destroyed. According to legend, to destroy the Manananggal, one should search for the lower torso that she leaves behind during her nightly hunts. Salt, ash, and/or garlic should then be placed on the exposed flesh, preventing the monster from combining again and leaving it vulnerable to sunlight. Small containers of salt, ash and raw rice, and the smell of burning rubber are said to deter the Manananggal from approaching one's house.
Stories of close encounter with the manananggal
To the rest of the world, this may sound more like fiction. But to Filipinos in any part of the world, this is a common story. One that is a known fact and one that is treated with both reverence and fear. This story happened to my mom when she went on a vacation in Cotabato City with relatives as a child.
Description
Manananggal is an aswang that can fly after separating itself from the lower half of its body. It eats babies and fetuses from a mothers womb. It eats babies by means of passing their long tongue through a small hole from the roof of a house. The sharp end of the tongue touches the mother's navel to suck the blood of the fetus or unborn child. This creature's name was derived from the Filipino word, tanggal, which means "to separate" because of the manananggal's ability to separate itself from its lower body.
A manananggal can also be a sorceress that visits villages and barrios. To feed, the self-segmenter chooses an isolated place where she will leave her lower torso while she hunts at night. When she separates from her lower torso, she then gains her ability to fly. She then goes off in search of houses where pregnant women reside. Upon choosing a suitable victim, the Manananggal alights on the house and inserts her tongue through the roof. The tongue is long, hollow and extremely flexible. She uses it to puncture the womb of the sleeping woman and to suck out the fetus. At other times, she seduces men with her beauty and lures them to a private place before eating them alive. She usually eats the insides, like the heart, stomach or the liver. Sunlight is deadly to the Manananggal when she is in her monstrous form. Should her two halves still be separate with the coming of dawn, she will be destroyed. According to legend, to destroy the Manananggal, one should search for the lower torso that she leaves behind during her nightly hunts. Salt, ash, and/or garlic should then be placed on the exposed flesh, preventing the monster from combining again and leaving it vulnerable to sunlight. Small containers of salt, ash and raw rice, and the smell of burning rubber are said to deter the Manananggal from approaching one's house.
Stories of close encounter with the manananggal
To the rest of the world, this may sound more like fiction. But to Filipinos in any part of the world, this is a common story. One that is a known fact and one that is treated with both reverence and fear. This story happened to my mom when she went on a vacation in Cotabato City with relatives as a child.
It was a quiet moonlit night and to anybody who's used to life in the big city, a peaceful night like this one is indeed a sight to behold. The moon seemed especially bright tonight without the blinding lights of the city. I couldn't keep my eyes off the moon! I feel like I was staring at it for the first time.
I don't know how long I was admiring its beauty when suddenly; I saw a dark speck that was slowly becoming larger and larger. I went closer to the window to have a better look. What I saw next was something I will never forget all my life!
I saw an old woman and she was flying with huge bat wings! She only had the upper half of her body and she had flaming red eyes and mouth, long crooked hands and pointed fingernails. Her skin was dark as the night itself. It was the most horrifying thing I have ever seen!
She was coming towards the window and fast! I could only think of my younger brothers, how she would definitely devour us if she got to us! I mustered the remaining courage I had and I locked the thick glass windows and curtains.
I heard her shriek as she segued around our house. I stayed still, trying my best not to make a sound and listened to the deafening sound of her huge wings. It felt like forever! Then all of a sudden, she was gone. I didn't close my eyes until I saw the sun shining. It was then that I realized that no matter how advanced society has become, there are still places and entities you should never mess with.
You may all think that this is just fiction, but let me reassure you that this is 100% factual. I will do my best to tell you more stories like this one. Hope you enjoyed this.
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