During our daily late afternoon feedings, my nephew Michael and I went to feed a flake of alfalfa hay to the karabao. Michael carried the box container of hay to the karabao. While I walked ahead to check on him. When we got to the Kamias tree (Pickle Fruit Tree). I told Michael to stop and wait right there by the tree, while I go and untangle, our karabao, Gera.
As I cut numerous vines and branches to free the rope lead, I was speakig Chamoru to Gera. Giving him certain commands in my native language so he doesn't make it too hard to untangle him. Just before I cut the last couple of vines, I told Michael to put the flake of hay next to the drinking trough. At that moment, Gera made one last hard pull to get to his hay.
As we watched Gera eat, Michael was commenting that he wasn't afraid of Gera anymore, and that he would like to ride him one day. I mentioned that he could ride him, when he was ready, and that he doesn't have to be afraid of the karabao.
A bit later, Michael started calling Gera, a girl, a she. I told him that Gera is a male, but he kept calling him, a girl. When Michael walked closer while Gera was still eating. Gera looked up and charged him to chase him away. I've never seen Michael run, that fast. I stepped between Gera and Michael and told Gera in Chamoru to stop. Which he did and went back to eating.
Then I started kasi'ing Michael for kasi'ing the karabao, "See you called him a girl and he chased you. You shouldn't tease Gera. He understands English and Chamoru. Speak to him in Tagalog. He doesn't know that yet".
Michael: "He knows English and Chamoru?"
Me: "Yes. Why do you think he chased you? You called him a girl. Big bulls like Gera are sensitive. Especially when you tease them about their masculinity."
I was laughing to myself all the way back to the house. ROFL... Never saw Michael run that fast before.
Note: In reality, Gera didn't chase Michael because he called Gera a girl. Gera doesn't know him well enough and thought Michael was trying to take his flake of hay. Gera does understand English and Chamoru commands. He is also learning some German.
