SarimanokThe Bird Between Two Worlds
Sari, a princess of Bayabao who carves in secret, follows the messenger bird Itotoro across Lake Lanao to mend the bridge between the seen and unseen worlds. Info boxes explain Maranao words as you read.
1 of 5 chapters out80 pagesEarly 1600s, Lake LanaoEnglish, Filipino · free
Chapters
Chapter 1 · 16 pages
The Feast on the Lake
On the day of her coming-of-age feast, a bird of fire lands in Sari's courtyard and becomes a young man.
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Chapter 2 · 16 pages
The Unseen Twin
Itotoro says the bridge between the seen and unseen worlds is breaking, and only Sari can mend it. Her father forbids it.
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Chapter 3 · 16 pages
Across the Water
Sari and Itotoro cross Lake Lanao and dive through its heart into the grey, unseen world.
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Chapter 4 · 16 pages
The Seven Skies
At the edge of the first sky, Sari carves a new bridge from her memories and joins the twin birds again. It costs her the way home.
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Chapter 5 · 16 pages
The Carving
The grieving Sultan has the bird carved. Sari's message arrives, and the sarimanok is never shown alone again.
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About this retelling
From the Maranao tellings
Sari’s feast and the bird that takes her. Itotoro and its unseen twin, Inikadowa. The fish in the talons or beak. The bird never shown alone.
New in this retelling
AI illustration, lettered by PinasDex
Sari as a carver, the journey across the lake, the naga guardian and the forgetting. Characters other than Sari are made up.
The legendSarimanokBird of good fortune, with a tail that curls like flames.Read the legend
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