Legend of Mainit
Mainit Version:
Long time ago in the days of our forefathers, there lived in the virginal forest of the Diwata Mountains, a group of enchanted people or the “diwatas” and their beautiful pet birds, the hornbills or the “kalaws”. They lived harmoniously together, but as their number increased, troubles began. The hornbills, known as the clocks of the mountain, become so noisy with their incessant calls. Bickering started between the “diwatas” and the pet birds, the “kalaws”. The “diwatas” got fed up and they decided to part ways.
One night, when the moon was full, the “diwatas” met and wished their mountain homes away from the old place. The eldest of them took his wooden staff and tapped the ground three times. Immediately, the ground where the y gathered rose ad flew westward to open sea. The vacated spot was deep and soon it was filled with water coming from the veins of the mountains. The body of water of water became a lake and it is now the Mainit Lake. The piece of the land flew westward was caught by daybreak and it dropped into the open sea. Some say it became the CamiguinIsland.
Jabonga Version:
Long, long time ago, there was no Lake Mainit. Instead, there was a fertile and productive land which was inhabited by animals with their supernatural King and Queen.
King Camig and Queen Ding were very happy with their kingdom full of assorted animals that every full moon, they had a merry-making. In one occasion, the hornbills which were beside the king and queen created loud and boisterous sound irritating the royal couple. King Camig and Queen Ding decide to leave the place at that instant in the middle of the special occasion.
Supernatural as they were, King Camig and Queen Ding were able to bring their land and find a peaceful palce were they can transferred their land. In their hurry, a small portion of the land was left behind. An unattended teapot boiling with water tilted empting its content and the golden ladle was thrown out. When the royal couple was already in the Butuan Bay going to Misamis, King Camig remembered the golden ladle, so he commanded a small piece of land to fetch it; reminding it to hurry and comeback before the sun rises because something might happen. Unfortunately, it was caught by the sun rise and thru to its form; the land froze in its place and cannot move distance anymore. This land as they saw is now called Tubay-tubay because it only reached the Municipality of Tubay. Tubay-tubay is now a fixture of Tubay.
Right after the couple left, there was a heavy rainfall which made the vacated land filled with rainwaters. Apparently, it became a lake. On the other hand, the water from the boiling teapot made the lake hot sometimes, thus, the lake called Lake Mainit. The word “Mainit” is a Filipino term for hot.
It is believed that Camiguin Island was the new kingdom of King Camig and Queen Ding. Seen at an aerial view,the shape of this island is similar to the shape of the Lake Mainit. The flora and fauna of these two places are the same. The birds are all alike, except that there are no hornbills in Camiguin because they were purposely left behind.