Mythical creatures

It seems every time I go to the Philippines I get sick. I don't know for what reason, but I just end up usually for a week with like flu symptoms and a high fever. One time I was really sick, and my nose was bleeding heavily (I was already on medicine and placed in "quarantine" in my grandfather's house). They eventually called a family friend and they brought some sort of herb and burned it around my bed (no i was not possessed), but my sickness left immediately. My mom would later tell me that I had been jumping on 'lakay', the old man of the mount, a spirit that takes the form of a mound of dirt that will mysteriously appear and disappear at as he travels. Apparently, by not asking him if I could jump on him this gave him the right to get me sick. Go figure. Now for the Philippines, the majority being Christian, it is ironically a very superstitious and mythologically based culture. They believe that natural disasters (mudslides etc.) are caused by someone upsetting the spirits that dwell in the area. The large inactive volcano that is visible from where my parents' lived in the Philippines is said to be the home to one such spirit. The story goes on to say that if someone is gets lost while journeying near the mountain, a beautiful lady will come and give you water and food and help direct you to your destination. There are stories like these that sound like the European fairytales and there are stories that frankly, scare me so bad that I hate sleeping alone when I go to the Philippines. The myths and the stories (which i can't judge to be false or true) give people in the Philippines reason to think about their actions (especially kids) , regardless of which higher power they believe is responsible for the repercussions. Finally, it reinforces the mystique and attitude of Filipino culture, which without these stories and mythology would be unable to answer.