It is only a Folktale
A long time ago, there lived in Kilod, Bontoc, a splendid girl named Bangan. She was kind and gentle and honest in words and in deeds. Despite her fine character she was shunned by everyone. That was because she had a skin disease, ringworms all over her body. She was sixteen, but no one cared for her. She had been lonesome since her childhood. She pondered on what she would do to have the company of people.
One day, she went to the farthest mountain to isolate herself and to look for companionship. There she enjoyed listening to the songs of the birds, the wonderful sounds of nature and carefully considred the trees and their uses to mankind. These thoughts made her forget her skin disease which worried her so. She then knelt down and prayed fervently, “Oh, Kabunian, Maker of all things, please turn me into a pine tree. That will make me useful and happy on earth. Men who come to this forest look for a certain kind of wood to carry home. Make me a pine tree, so that birds, beasts and other living creatures will be my friends.” Then she peacefully lay down and slept in the sunshine.
As she lay fast asleep, she heard a gentle voice saying, “My child, you shall be as you wish.” She rubbed her eyes and looked around, but no one was in sight. Later she heard, “Pine wood is needed in this world. Every hair of your body shall be turned into a pine needle.”
The next morning the lonely young girl disappeared. A small pine tree grew on that spot. The tree grew in different parts of the mountains. Thus Bangan became very happy. She whispered and whistled with the wind all through her life.
Several years later, Kabunian appeared and asked, “Bangan, would you remain as you are, or become a girl again?”
Bangan begged, “Oh, Father, let me be as I am. I am contented with my life now. I thank thee for changing me into a pine tree.”
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