PHILIPPINE FOLK LITERATURE-The MYTHS
COSMOGONY AND COSMOLOGY
18. THE GIANT THAT SUPPORTS THE WORLD* (Bikol)
Current among the simple folk of Albay is the belief that the world is supported by a huge giant. This is one of the first stories I have heard in my childhood. But nobody has been able to tell me what his name is or where he is and some other things necessary to the story.
Suffice it to say that when this giant moves his finger he causes earthquakes. This belief is prevalent even today. People learn to be afraid of him. A little earthquake they say is caused by moving the index finger (guiguis). A stronger earthquake is caused by the third finger (manlabao) meaning topping the rest. People especially fear the time when the giant will get tired holding the world and he will want to move all of his body. The world will then be annihilated, and it will then be the end of everything.
People believe that only when the giant gets angry does he move his fingers. And because of this, they are very cautious not to make him angry. But up to this time I haw not been able to clarify the vagueness of this story. It might be that the Albayanos, especially those of my town, Bacacay, are afraid to say something more about this giant.
On some other occasion I learned that this giant for displeasing the powers has been doomed to bear the weight of the world as punishment.
* H. Vibal, Bikol Paper No. 66, in Beyer, Ethnography of the Bicol People," Vol. II (Manila, 1923).