The Legend of Lake Danao

(The origin of Kantayoktok, Cabalian, Magkasa and Tunlob)

There lived in the land called Selani a datu named Toktok. He was known all over the
land as a wise and a brave ruler. He built his house on top of the mountain so he can always
watch over his vast land and his people, and the seas that surround the island. The lowlanders
named the mountain peak where he built his home Kang Toktok.
No one exactly knew how Toktok became their ruler, and no one bothered to ask. All
they knew was Toktok was already there on the highest peak when the first man settled in
Selani. Old folks said that Bathala created him when he made the mountains and the seas.
Others said he came out of the sky in a bolt of lightning.

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Wherever Toktok went he carried with him a sungkod (staff). It is said that the staff

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was his twin brother and the source of his power. In times of battles, he just raises his staff

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and strikes his enemies with bolts of lightning. When he wanted to water the lowlands, he
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raises his staff and the rain clouds gather at the mountaintop. When he is angry, he strikes a
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stone with his staff and the earth moves. He was kind-hearted and just. He protected his
people from the attacks of sea pirates, showered rain for their crops, and provided counsel for
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those in need. He had a soft heart for the weak and righteous, but he was equally stern with
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the wicked and the bad.

Toktok had a beautiful wife named Danao. She was a fair-skinned maiden with a
flowing, raven-black hair. Her beauty was truly enchanting. People compared her to the
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morning star; others said she was a goddess. During moonlight nights, people claimed that
they could hear Danao’s velvety voice from the mountaintop to the lowland by the gentle
amihan. It appeared that Toktok met Danao from the land in the south across the seas. He
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captured the woman’s heart with his prowess in battle and his charm. Even after their
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marriage, many warriors still fell for Danao’s beauty.

Not long after their marriage, Danao gave birth to a healthy boy. Toktok proudly
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named his son Tunlob. Many years passed, the boy grew up like his father - a handsome,
brave warrior. Tunlob was friendly and easy-going. In one of his hunting trips in the
neighboring mountains, he befriended a warrior named Magkasa. He was a young and
handsome warrior, and not a few maidens wished him to be their husband. Tunlob brought

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 him to his home at the mountaintop. He introduced Magsaka to his father and mother, and
accepted him warmly like their son. But the brave datu Toktok, from the moment he met
Magsaka, knew that he was up to something suspicious. Nevertheless, Magsaka enjoyed the
company of his new home.
Toktok, who customarily visits his younger brother, Tamar, who lived in the uplands
of Hinundayan, informed the household that he would be out for a week. Magkasa, who
eventually yearned for Danao, thought about Toktok’s departure his chance of abducting her.
When Toktok left, Magkasa coaxed Tunlob into a bout of drinking coconut wine. Early that
evening, Tunlob was already dead drunk and asleep. Magkasa went on to his plan and carried
away Danao by force.
Toktok, by a strange coincidence, forgot to take along his staff. He returned to his

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house and found Tunlob asleep and, Danao and Magkasa missing. This incident proved his

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suspicion about Magsaka right and believed that his wife was also unfaithful to him. In his

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rage, he shouted at the top of his voice calling Danao. The mountain trembled as streaks of
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lightning tore the evening sky. Tunlob woke up from his slumber and fled from his raging
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father. Magkasa was not far behind the second mountain peak going down at Kaginkingan
when the first bolt struck him and he got wounded. Danao fell from his hands into a deep
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cliff.
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Toktok caught up with the fleeing Magkasa and took him by his neck, slit his throat
and screamed, “You ungrateful beast!” The datu threw the rogue with such force that his
body landed far, in the ravines of Panangkilon. Toktok, burning with anger, faced his dying
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wife. The gravely injured Danao effetely told his husband how she was abducted by
Magkasa, and not for long did she live. The datu felt horrified by the punishment he had
struck his wife. In despair, Toktok asked the gods to keep the faithful Danao in their
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mountain abode. He also asked the gods to turn his son into a river so he could be near his
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mother. Then he asked the gods to take away his life as well. He raised his staff and struck it
on a large stone. The sungkod broke and the mountain erupted. A rain of fire fell on the
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lowlands as the earth moved and shook and buried people alive.
For many days, the mountain breathed smoke and fire. When it was over, the
survivors noticed the change in the shape of the mountains. The mountain peak beside Kang
Toktok was gone. In its place was a beautiful lake of blue, pristine waters. The people named

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 the place Danao to immortalize the beautiful lass of the mountain. Tunlob became a river,
cascading across rocks and ravines, still fleeing from the wrath of his father. As for Magsaka,
his blood drenched the hills of Somoje and turned the earth into red clay. He too, was turned
into a river. Even today, the waters that flow in the Magsaka River still carry the tinge of red
and yellow – a grim reminder of his violent end.
The place where Toktok broke his sungkod was named Guikabalian. Later, it became
Cabalian. Mt. Kantoktok (also called Kantayoktok) is still the highest peak (900 meters
above sea level) looking over the spot where the tragedy happened a long time ago. Mt.
Cabalian, at 860 meters above sea level, is beside Lake Danao.
During summer nights, some folks nearby the lake claim they hear the rushing of
waves and the faint sound of voices in the lake. They say that Danao is still there combing

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her long tresses by the lakeshore. They say that the mist that wraps the mountaintop hides a

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sorrowful Toktok, eternally tormented by the death of his wife. And the gods granted Toktok

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his last wish. Lake Danao is forever hidden in the mountaintop, forever close to his ill-fated
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This story is from a copy of a reprint from previous fiesta souvenir programs written
by Pablo V. Suarez. The Legend of Lake Danao was first published in San Juan
Comprehensive High School (SJCHS) Herald. The author picked up the story from Antonino
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Lesiguez who got the material from old folks. It was submitted as a research article in his
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literature class.
I could not provide for a transcript of interview since the source documents where I
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got the story were just a few pages of the publication scanned and sent to me via e-mail by a
resident of Cabalian. Nevertheless, shown below is information about the resident whom I
requested for a copy of the story.

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 Ang kuwentong ito ay mula sa kopya ng panibagong limbag ng mga nagdaang
programa ng mga pista na isinulat ni Pablo V. Suarez. Ang Alamat ng Lawa ng Danao ay
unang inilathala sa San Juan Comprehensive High School (SJCHS) Herald. Kinuha ito ng
may-akda mula sa kwento ni Antonino Lesiguez, na kinuha naman niya mula sa mga
matatanda sa lugar. Ipinasa ito bilang paksa ng pagsasaliksik sa kanyang klase sa literature.
Wala akong maibibigay na pagsasalin ng pakikipagpanayam dahil ang kuwentong ito
ay buhat lamang sa isang espesyal na lathala mula sa Cabalian at naipadala sa akin ng
isang mapagkakatiwalaang mamamayan ng bayang nakasaad. Gayunman, nakasaad sa
ibaba ang impormasyon ng nagbigay ng kopya ng kuwento.

Name: Rosalina G. Ouano

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Age: 44 yrs. old

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Address: San Juan (formerly Cabalian), Southern Leyte

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Social and Educational Status: Graduate of BS MedTech; currently working as Med.
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Lab Technician in the Rural Health Unit of San Juan, Southern Leyte
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Reference: Sesquicentennial Celebration Souvenir Program of Cabalian (now San Juan)
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ABOUT THE NARRATIVE

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Title of the Oral Narrative:

The Legend of Lake Danao
(Origin of Kantayoktok, Cabalian, Magkasa and Tunlob)
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Name of the Characters:

Toktok, Danao, Magkasa, Tunlob
Origin of the characters:
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Mainly from the Municipality of San Juan, Southern Leyte (formerly known
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as Cabalian), and surrounding towns

Place where the character lives:
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Setting is primarily in a land called Senali, specifically in the mountaintop

called by the lowland occupants as Kang Toktok.
Physical description of the characters:

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 • Toktok – first man who settled Selani; born out of the sky in a bolt of
lightning
•

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