The Thirteenth Boy (Legends of the Sto. Niño de Cebu) - Part 1

A book entitled “Legends of the Sto. Niño de Cebu” was published in 1965. It was written originally in Cebuano by Manuel Enriquez dela Calzada translated into English by Martin Abellana.

It printed legends about the Sto. Niño handed down through the centuries by word of mouth from generation to generation, starting at the landing of Magellan in old Banawa (now called San Nicolas). Among the legends written is the “Thirteenth Boy”:

“Every year, during the feast of the Holy Child, because of the thick crowd, many children got lost. Not only children but also young folks, middle-aged folks, and old folks, of both sexes, especially those who came to the city for the first time. In order to reunite the lost children and their parents, or the lost folks and their companions, a bandillo (town crier) was sent around the city telling the people to take the lost children or folks to the Ayuntamiento (municipal building) so it would be easier for the parents or companions to locate them.

“The Fiesta Senor of 1888 was the banner year of lost children. Exactly twelve children were lost which were distributed as follows: one from Dulho (now spelled as Duljo, officially called as Barangay Duljo-Fatima), one from Sawang (officially called today as Barangay Sawang Calero), one from Bawod, all in San Nicolas (the barangays were part of the district); one from Tinago, City Proper; one from Mandawe, Cebu; one from Catmon, Cebu; one from Toledo, Cebu; one from Bohol; one from Negros Oriental; one from Leyte; and two from Boljoon, Cebu.

“The parents of these lost children gathered at the municipal hall waiting patiently for their loved ones. To relieve the monotony and the boredom of waiting, they wandered around the city hoping against hope that somewhere they could find their lost offsprings. When their wandering proved fruitless, they hurried back to the Ayuntamiento with the expectation that their lost children might now be there.

“During all this time, the Cabo de Mar (officer watching and guarding the coastlines and seashores of Cebu) gritted his teeth with annoyance. He had been watching a Moro pangko (fast sailing boat) which to his way of thinking was suspicious. His suspicion was aroused by the fact that pangko since first he saw it did not land at all. It dropped off anchor, first at Dulho. By noontime he saw it at Pasil and in the evening at Tinago. What, in heaven’s name, was the pangko up to? The Cabo de Mar scratched the back of his head. But he continued his surveillance. (To be continued)