“Duendes are wealthy and powerful spirits. They can perform magic. If you are the friend of one of them, you will be a most fortunate man.”
“How did you come into the world?” said Mabait.
“Listen! When Lucifer was an angel, a contest in creating animals arose between him and God. He and his followers were defeated and thrown into hell. Many angels in that contest belonged neither to God’s side not to Lucifer’s. They were dropped on the earth. Those that fell in the forests became tigbalangs, ikis, and mananangals;[5] those in the seas became mermaids and mermen; and those in the cities became duendes.”
“Ah, yes! I know now what duendes are.”
“Now let our friendship last forever,” said the duende. “I am ready at any time to help you in your undertakings.”
From that time on Mabait and the duende were good friends. The duende gave Mabait two or three isabels[6] every day, and by the end of the month he had saved much money. He bought a fine hat and a pair of wooden shoes.
Masama wondered how Mabait, who was very poor, could buy so many things. At last he asked, “Where do you get money? Do you steal it?”
“No, my friend gives it to me.”
“Who is your friend?”
“A duende.”