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VOLCANO OF LOVE AND DEATH 

Brought to you by Areté at Ateneo Basic Education in 
partnership with Tahanan Books, ​Volcano of Love and Death 
from the book, ​The Termite Queen and other Classic Philippine 
Earth Tales​, written by Sylvia Mendez Ventura, published by 
Tahanan Books and will be read to us by Jenny Jamora. 

 
Once upon a time, in a province known as Albay, a 
baby girl is born to Chief Makusog and his wife, 
Dawani. They named the baby Daragang Magayon, 
which means “beautiful maiden.” Dawani died soon 
after childbirth, leaving her daughter in the care of 
her father, the tribal chief of Ibalong. 

Daragang Magayon was so lovely that young men from all over the province tried to win her heart. 
One of the most insistent suitors was the famed hunter, Chief Pagtuga of Iraga. He courted 
Magayon by giving her father gifts of gold and precious stones. But the princess wasn’t interested in 
any man, least of all the powerful Pagtuga. 

Reports of Magayon’s beauty reached Ulap, the handsome warrior son of Chief Kaliraya. He 
traveled all the way from the Tagalog region just to see her. He often watched her strolling to the 
Ravis River for her daily bath together with her ladies-on-waiting. 

One morning, on the way to her bath, Magayon tripped over slippery rock and fell into the river. 
“Help! Help!” she screamed, as she was swept away by the current. Ulap dived in and carried her 
safely to shore.  

From that day on, Ulap and Magayon spent many happy hours together. He told her that her people 
are called Tagalogs because they were taga-ilog, meaning “from the river.” This explained why he 
was an excellent swimmer. He could even dive from the top of the highest waterfall in his region.  

Magayon told Ulap about life in Ibalong. Every morning she woke up to the sight of birds perched 
on coconut palms. Her favorite bird was a homing pigeon that pecked grains of rice from her hand. 
She trained the bird to deliver letters to her friends in other villages. 

One evening Ulap went to Chief Makusog's house and thrust his spear into the staircase. This meant 
that he was asking the chief for his daughter's hand in marriage. 

The tribal chief thought that the two lovers were well-matched. You have my blessing," he told 
them. 

Ulap returned alone to his faraway village to announce his engagement. His parents were overjoyed 
with the news. 

Ulap's rival, Pagtuga, was outraged. He felt that the Chief Makusog had betrayed him and vowed to 
avenge himself. 

The next day Pagtuga set a trap in the forest where Makusog usually wen hunting. He took pair 
antlers from a dead deer and fastened them to the branches of the bush. Underneath it he dug a 
deep hole and covered it up with leaves.  

The next morning Makusog went to the forest alone. He spied the antlers among the bushes. 
Suspecting that a deer was hiding behind the bush, the chief tiptoed forward and fell headlong into 
Pagtuga's trap. Pagtuga stepped out of his hiding place and laughed at the helpless Makusog. Pagtuga 
ordered his men to tie up the prisoner. They slung Magayon's father onto a bamboo pole and carried 
him back to the village. There they locked him up in a cage just big enough for a dog. 
Then Pagtuga sent Daragang Magayon this warning: "I have your father. Marry me, or I'll chop off 
his head." 

Daragang Magayon cried tears of fear and sorrow. She imagined her poor father's head rolling off a 
cliff. She wrote to Pagtuga: "Yes, I'll marry you. Please don't hurt my dear father." 

And to her beloved Ulap she wrote this sad note: "My dearest Taga-ilog, we must break our 
engagement, or my father will die. But I shall love you always." 

Pagtuga gleefully set about making wedding plans. He told his servants to decorate his palace with 
white blossoms. He ordered two village weavers to use a special fabric for Magayon's bridal gown 
and headdress. 

Meanwhile, Ulap received Magayon's message from her homing pigeon. In anger and bitterness, he 
banged his fist on a table, splitting it in half. He lost no time sending the homing pigeon back with 
his reply: “I will not give up the woman I love. I'm coming to save you.” 

Ulap immediately set up for Iragawith his warriors. They arrived just as the marriage ceremony was 
about to begin. The wedding hall was crowded with guests. Pagtuga held his bride’s elbow in a tight 
grip while she looked away with tears in her eyes. 

“Stop!” thundered ulap from the doorway. 

“You fool!” Pagtuga shouted back. “Get out before I kill you.”  

The hall quickly turned bloody as both enemy tribes battled one another with spears and bows and 
arrows. Ulap managed to dodge Pagtuga's spear many times, but Pagtuga was not as nimble. Ulap's 
spear struck him in the forehead, killing him instantly. Wedding quests screamed and scampered out 
of the hall. Only Magayon dared stay behind. She ran to embrace Ulap. 

Alas, arrows were still flying in the air. One of them struck Magayon in the heart.  

She collapsed in Ulap's arms. 

Ulap bent over Magayon and desperately tried to breathe life into her dead body.  

He became an easy target for Linog, Pagtuga’s henchman. Linog charged at Ulap from behind and 
drove a spear through his back. Ulap crumpled to the floor. 

Meanwhile, Magayon's father, Chief Makusog, had managed to escape from his cage. He rushed to 
the battle scene and hacked Linog to death with his bolo. 

The battle ended. There were no victors. 

Makusog laid Magayon and Ulap in a grave, their arms locked in a loving embrace. He buried gold 
and precious stones with the bodies.These were the gifts he received from Pagtuga. He covered the 
grave with a mound of soil in which he planted plants and ferns.  

One day, while laying flowers on the grave, Makusog noticed that the mound was growing. At first 
it swelled into a roundish hill. In a few days it grew into a rumbling mountain. Red-hot lava erupted 
from the peak and cascaded down the mountain slopes. Rolling boulders toppled trees and houses 
in their path.  

The mountain rapidly shaped itself into a perfect cone. Then it stopped growing. "A most marvelous 
grave!” exclaimed the people. They named it Mount Magayon, after the beautiful maiden buried 
inside. Some years later they shortened the name to Mayon. 

From time to time Mayon Volcano erupts, spreading death and destruction throughout the 
countryside. The people of Albay believe the eruptions are caused by Chief Pagtuga, helped by his 
henchman Linog. The furious Pagtuga shakes the volcano to get back the gifts that Makusog buried 
with the lovers. Pagtuga is a Bicolano word meaning "when the volcano erupts." Linog means 
"earthquake. 
Bicolanos also believe that whenever Mayon Volcano's peak is covered with clouds, Ulap is kissing 
Magayon. Ulap means “cloud.” And when rainwater flows down the mountain slopes, it is Ulap 
weeping for his beloved. 

*** 
Source: Volcano of Love and Death. The Termite Queen and Other Classic Philippine Earth Tales. 
Sylvia Mendez Ventura. Ilaw ng Tahanan Books. 1997 
 
 
 
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Ang Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang ni Severino Reyes:  Tahanan Books: 

Ang Pitong Tanga  Ang  Babaeng  Nahulog  Mula  sa  Langit  at  Iba  Pang 
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The Termite Queen and other Classic Philippine Earth Tales 
Volcano of Love and Death 
 

Stay in tune for the other stories in this podcast series! 

 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
Areté 
Ma. Mercedes Rodrigo  Executive Producers  
Ricardo Abad 

D Cortezano  Producer 

John Robert Yam  Overall Sound Designer 

 Harold André Santos  Theme Music Composer 

Jethro Nibaten  Episode Sound Designer 

John Robert Yam  Sound Engineers 

Nilo Beriarmente 

Ivy Baggao  Talent Coordinator and Production Associate 

Adriane Ungriano  Sound Design and Technical Team 

Rey Sotto 
Duane Ligot 
Justine Ray Santos 
Ralph Joseph Adarlo 
Carlos Hombrebueno 

Vannessa Reventar  Logistical Support 

Ross Du  Illustrator 

   
Arielle Acosta  Brand Developers 
Lazir Caluya 

Dreamlist Digital  Web developers 

Jenny Jamora  Theater Artist 

(voice actor for the episode) 
 
Ateneo de Manila Basic Education  
Fr. Joaquin Jose Mari C. Sumpaico III SJ   Vice President for Basic Education 

Ateneo Grade School   

Fr. Emerito Salustiano R. de la Rama, SJ.  Headmaster 

Jervy M. Robles  Assistant Headmaster for Academic Affairs 

Ateneo Junior High School   

Jose Antonio P. Salvador   Principal 

Genalyn S. Sanvictores  Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs 

Paolo Ven B. Paculan  Senior Teacher, Subject Area Coordinator, Filipino  

Kristine Ann P. Valdellon  Master Teacher, Subject Area Coordinator, English  

Ateneo Senior High School   

Ma. Victoria P. Dimalanta  Principal 

Luis Allan B. Melosantos  Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs