The concept for this week's ASEAN Hive Community Challenge is about Local Legends/Myths. I like reading stories related to these stuff especially mythology. Unfortunately, I don't know a lot of stories from our local area aside from urban legends or scary stories.
I won't be sharing urban legends in this challenge, but I want to share some stories related to Sto. Niño de Cebu who we sometimes call Sto. Niño Palaboy. The word palaboy means wanderer in English, so I'll explain how he got this nickname in a bit.
In Roman Catholicism, Santo Niño is the child Jesus. However, aside from the belief based on religion, there are several interesting stories related to Him, but I'm going to share two of them. Let's start with the first story...
The Dark-Skinned Boy with Curly Hair
One day an old fish vendor was passing by a church (probably Basilica del Sto. Niño Church in Cebu). She was walking with her nigo basket full of fish on top of her head when a young dark-skinned boy with curly hair asked her to stop.
The young boy wanted to buy some fish from her. She stopped and tried to sell him some fish, but he said he didn't have any money with him. He asked her to come back in the afternoon and collect the money. She decided to trust him and gave him some fish.
Later in the afternoon, she went back to the church to find him. She asked the priest about the boy she saw that morning, but the priest didn't know of such boy. When she described him, the priest got an idea and decided to pay her. He then went to the altar, and saw some fish bones near Sto. Niño's feet.
When I heard of this story before, I laughed because He was such a naughty kid. Good thing the priest understood the assignment. haha
Sto. Niño Palaboy (the Wanderer)
When I first knew of this nickname, I got a bit curious as to how He got it. I've heard several stories like some people from the church wondering why the statue suddenly goes missing at night and would come back in the morning with some mud or amorseco grass on His clothes. There were several reasons and stories, but this one I'm about to share is really nice.
In the countryside, there was a couple who were sad because their cow died. Their cow was a huge help for them especially as a source of income in the farm. The wife was crying and praying to Sto. Niño for help. They wanted His guidance about what to do next now that their main source of income is gone.
Despite being sad, they offered Him prayers before going to bed. The next morning, they were surprised because when they checked the farm, their cow was well and alive. They didn't know how it happened, but then a neighbor told them that earlier that morning, she saw a little boy pass by her house riding the couple's cow.
She was in tears for she felt happy. She went to her house to pray and say her gratitude and she noticed that their Sto. Niño's clothes were muddy and there were a bunch of amorseco grass attached to it. Seeing that state, she knew who that young boy their neighbor saw really was.
This story really warmed my heart.
Not everyone believe in gods, goddesses, a supreme being, but it's a choice and we have to respect that. Although I'm Catholic by religion, I don't consider myself religious. I don't go to church every Sunday and I don't abide with the rules and holy days of obligations, but I have my own belief.
Sto. Niño has worked His wonders on my family, especially on me. When I was young, I was really sickly that the hospital has become my second home. However, for some unexplained reasons, I became healthy after my parents promised their devotion to Sto. Niño. So, every time it's my birthday, we have to go to Sto. Niño Church in Cebu or any church that are devoted or made for Him.
It might be a coincidence, but we want to believe that it was Him. :)
Thanks for reading this post. :) See you around! (^^,)/