Once upon a time, a couple had three children: a girl and two boys. Maria, Juan and Jose. The three children helped their mother with household chores. The boys sometimes helped their father in getting firewood from the forest.
The house had a yard with several plants and trees. There was a big kalyos tree and under the tree was a punso or hillock. People believed that inside a punso was an old man, who when angry, cursed those who caused his anger.
It was on the way of the path of the forest. So when the family needed to go to the river or wash their clothes or gather firewood, they would always say “Sir, may I please pass?” with their arms stretched forward.
The family never caused the ire of the nuno. Their neighbors however did! One did not believe this, and took some leaves near the tree by the punso. He also urinated near it. When he got home, he became very ill and the following day he was found unconscious. His thighs were very big and he was barely breathing. Another man took leaves from the area without asking the nuno’s permission. He lost his way back and could not find home, not until he turned his clothes he was wearing inside out. Upon returning home, he asked the nuno for forgiveness.
One day, the couple’s son Jose went missing. They searched and could not find him, the entire town joined in to help them. They created a procession with lighted candles around the punso. They prayed, led by the elders. After this group prayer, they went back to the couple’s house. They saw Jose fast asleep under the stairs. He woke up very thirsty and tired. He related what happened to him.
He had gathered some alagaw leaves, Jose ran after a firefly. He reached the nearby kalyos tree and the firefly turned into an old man with flowing white hair and a long beard. The man asked him if he wanted to go to a place with toys and food. He went with the old man. They walked together hand in hand, to a beautiful field of flowers. The old man took him to a great palace made out of clothes, where Jose ate and ate for days.
The old man told him that there were many nuno sa punso who were sent by Bathala to watch over and protect forests from people and their lack of regard towards the natural world. The people were destroying so many valuable things in the forest. The nunos were sent to punish those who take thoughtlessly from nature.
At this moment, he heard the word “BLESSING!” shouted and the man took him back to the forest. Jose watched the procession, and followed the lights of the candles. His companion told him to rest and when he awoke, he was back home.
Jose lived up to a good, old age. He could always hear the exclaim “Blessing!” coming from the ground beneath him.