MURTO IN CABATUAN

       Murto (Bisayan) - A general term for bad spirits living in neglected houses. They are spirits of the dead. They dress in black or white. Confesor says that a house near his own, only twenty or thirty yards away, was visited by them. One night, at about eight o'clock, a woman was lying in her bed, which was violently shaken. Much frightened, she arose and made a search ; nothing was found. The bed was shaken again.

       It is quite proper and customary for people to pray for the dead. In another room people were so praying. They were disturbed by noises, and water was violently splashed in their faces. At the same time, someone cried out that a person dressed in black was wandering around the house and peeping in the window.

       The woman who had been shaken appeared and told her story. There was much excitement; a large crowd gathered and a thorough search was made; nothing was found. The disturbances continued nightly for a fortnight. The house was deserted. When the Americans took Cabatuan the house was burned. --- These events had a prelude. A baua had for some time been in the habit of appearing under this house and making a noise there. A camonsil tree grew near the house, and it was common belief that the creature lived in it. Only after it had been seen several times did the murto appear.

       — Sometimes several murto live together in one house. They may be an actual family, parents and children. Such walk out at night ; one sometimes hears the clatter of dishes in their house at a late hour, when they are dining.

       — Murtos delight to visit houses and cause disturbance, upsetting chairs, rattling and smashing dishes, scattering things about ; they can even remove cleaned and ordered clothing etc. from locked chests, and leave them strewn in disorder over the floor.