Ambahan: Childhood

Sweet are the memories of our childhood. For the Mangyan child, it is a time of unconcern and carefreeness, even if the child has to take his share of the family duties to the measure of his capacities. It is with feelings of sentimentality and homesickness that a young man recalls the happy years of his youth that passed away too fast. It is also with pride that he remembers the love and kindness shown to him by his parents.

Hanunuo-Mangyan	English	Filipino
	That time, when I was still young,(I was just a baby still)when I sat on mother's lap,when she rocked me in a crib,in a cradle newly made.Mommy lulling me asleep,did not leave me in a crib,in her arms she cradled me.Oh, how sweet these memories!wish I could climb once againin the cradle lovely made!So I could be showing offhow I grew so beautifully!You, the people from the shore,people from the mountains too,could you just come here this way!Visit me just once again,the unfolding, blooming tree!I'll recall this all my life.	Noong ako'y muraanSanggol na sanggol pa langKarga pa sa kandunganInuugoy sa duyanSa kagagawang duyanHinehele ni NanayHindi n'ya iniiwanSapo n'ya sa kandunganO kay gandang nagdaan!Muli sanang mahimlaySa banayad na duyanNang tunay kong mamasdanPaglaki kong kariktanKayong taga-baybayanMaging taga-burulanKung maaring puntahanPasyalan at pagmasdanPunong namumukadkadAlaala kailanman!

But there is also the obedient child who has his important task in the whole of the family work: watching that the products in the field will not be destroyed by the wild animals.

Hanunuo-Mangyan	English	Filipino
	The reason why I am here,walking along hills and vales,because Mother has told meand my Father he just said:"Better go and have a look,at the field we have prepared.Monkeys might be eating thereand the pigs destroying plants."So I went and had a lookat the field we have prepared.But no monkeys eating there,and no pigs destroying plants.However, what I did see,was a bird, still rather small,sitting on the field we have,at the borders of the field.Maybe one day it'll be there,when the rice is ripe and fair.	Sanhi po ng paglakadsa kabundukanAng bilin po ni InangKay Ama'y kawikaan:"Pumar'on iho't tingnanKaingin nating hawanBaka matsi'y lamunanBaboy ay mag-arumbang"Akin nang pinuntahanKaingin nating hawanMatsin ay wala namanNi baboy na ligaw manAnu't aking namasdanMerong ibong 'liitanSa kainging hinawanSa gilid na tanimanBaka bukas nandiyanPagdatal ng anihan!

Children, however, are the same everywhere. Romping around with their playmates, they produce a deafening noise, often to the despair of their parents.

Hanunuo-Mangyan	English	Filipino
	Sure, the kids they are not bad,but, say, who would not get mad!When from morning until nightall this noise, right at your side,and those fights on top of that!	Kahit bata'y mabaitSinong di maiinisBuong araw at gabiIritan d'ya't kagalitAwayan d'yan sa inggit!