Philippine Folk Tales - Clara Kern Bayliss, Berton L. Maxfield, W. H. Millington,
1. "Philippine Folk-Tales," Clara Kern Bayliss, JAFL 15 : 46-53.
2. "Visayan Folk-Tales," Berton L. Maxfield and W. H. Millington,
JAFL 19 : 97-112; JAFL 20 : 89-103; JAFL 20 : 311-318.
3. "Tagalog Folk-Tales," Fletcher Gardner, JAFL 20 : 104-120;
20 : 300-310.
(including two shorter articles, 4. "A Filipino (Tagalog) Version
of Aladdin" and 5. "Some Games of Filipino Children" by the same
author.)
6. "Bagobo Myths," Laura Watson Benedict, JAFL 26 : 13-63.
All are in the public domain.
The multipart articles are joined together.
This etext has been produced by Jeroen Hellingman
Contents
Philippine Folk-Tales.
The Monkey and the Turtle.
How the Farmer Deceived the Demon.
Benito, the Faithful Servant.
Visayan Folk-Tales.
Introduction.
How Jackyo Became Rich.
Truth and Falsehood.
Camanla and Parotpot.
Juan, the Student.
The Two Wives and the Witch.
The Living Head.
Juan Pusong.
The Enchanted Ring.
The Enchanted Shell.
The Three Brothers.
The Datto Somacuel.
Magboloto.
Why Dogs Wag Their Tails.
The Eagle and the Hen.
The Spider and the Fly.
The Battle of the Crabs.
The Meeting of the Plants.
Who Brings the Cholera?
Masoy and the Ape.
Arnomongo and Iput-Iput.
The Snail and the Deer.
Story of Ca Matsin and Ca Boo-Ug.
Tagalog Folk-Tales.
Juan Gathers Guavas.
Juan Makes Gulay of his own Child.
Juan Wins a Wager for the Governor.
Juan Hides the Salt.
The Man in the Shroud.
The Adventures of Juan.
The Aderna Bird.
The Story of Juan and the Monkey.
Juan the Drunkard who Visited Heaven.
The Juan who Visited Heaven.
The Sad Story of Juan and Maria.
The Fifty-one Thieves.
The Covetous King and the Three Children.
The Silent Lover.
The Priest, the Servant Boy, and the Child Jesus.
The Story of Juan del Mundo de Austria and the Princess Maria.
The Artificial Earthquake.
The Queen and the Aeta Woman.
The Child Saint.
Tagalog Babes in the Woods.
The King, the Princess, and the Poor Boy.
Hidden Treasure.
The Battle of the Enchanters.
A Filipino (Tagalog) Version of Aladdin.
Some Games of Filipino Children.
Bagobo Myths
Myths Associated with Natural Phenomena
Cosmogony
In the Days of the Mona
Why the Sky Went Up
Why the Sky Went Up
The Sun and the Moon
Origin of the Stars
The Fate of the Moon's Baby
The Black Men at the Door of the Sun
Story of the Eclipse
The "Ulit:" Adventures of Mythical Bagobo at the Dawn of Tradition
Lumabat and Mebu'yan
Story of Lumabat and Wari
How Man Turned into a Monkey
The Tuglibung and the Tuglay
Adventures of the Tuglay
The Tuglay and the Bia
The Malaki's Sister and the Basolo
The Mona
Folk-Lore of the Buso
How to See the Buso
Buso and the Woman
The Buso's Basket
The Buso-Child
The Buso-Monkey
How the Moon Tricks the Buso
The Buso and the Cat
How a Dog Scared the Buso
Story of Duling and the Tagamaling
The S'iring
How Iro Met the S'iring
Animal Stories: Metamorphosis, Explanatory Tales, Etc.
The Kingfisher and the Malaki
The Woman and the Squirrel
The Cat
Why the Bagobo Likes the Cat
How the Lizards got their Markings
The Monkey and the Tortoise
The Crow and the Golden Trees
An Ata Story
Alelu'k and Alebu'tud
PART I
Philippine Folk-Tales. [1]
By Clara Kern Bayliss.
CHAPTER 1
The Monkey and the Turtle. [2]
One day a Monkey met a Turtle on the road, and asked, "Where are
you going?"
"I am going to find something to eat, for I have had no food for
three whole days," said the Turtle.
"I too am hungry," said the Monkey; "and since we are both hungry,
let us go together and hunt food for our stomachs' sake."
They soon became good friends and chatted along the way, so that the
time passed quickly. Before they had gone far, the Monkey saw a large
bunch of yellow bananas on a tree at a distance.
"Oh, what a good sight that is!" cried he. "Don't you see the bananas
hanging on that banana-tree? [pointing with his first finger toward
the tree]. They are fine! I can taste them already."
But the Turtle was short-sighted and could not see them. By and by
they came near the tree, and then he saw them. The two friends were
very glad. The mere sight of the ripe, yellow fruit seemed to assuage
their hunger.
But the Turtle could not climb the tree, so he agreed that the Monkey
should go up alone and should throw some of the fruit down to him. The
Monkey was up in a flash; and, seating himself comfortably, he began
to eat the finest of the fruit, and forgot to drop any down to the
Turtle waiting below. The Turtle called for some, but the Monkey
pretended not to hear. He ate even the peelings, and refused to drop
a bit to his friend, who was patiently begging under the tree.
At last the Turtle became angry, very angry indeed: "so he thought
he would revenge" (as my informant puts it). While the Monkey was
having a good time, and filling his stomach, the Turtle gathered
sharp, broken pieces of glass, and stuck them, one by one, all around
the banana-tree. Then he hid himself under a cocoanut-shell not far
away. This shell had a hole in the top to allow the air to enter. That
was why the Turtle chose it for his hiding-place.
The Monkey could not eat all the bananas, for there were enough to
last a good-sized family several days; "but he ate all what he can,"
and by and by came down the tree with great difficulty, for the glass
was so sharp that it cut even the tough hand of the Monkey. He had a
hard time, and his hands were cut in many places. The Turtle thought
he had his revenge, and was not so angry as before.
But the Monkey was now very angry at the trick that had been played
upon him, and began looking for the Turtle, intending to kill him. For
some time he could not find his foe, and, being very tired, he sat
down on the cocoanut-shell near by. His weariness increased his anger
at the Turtle very much.
He sat on the shell for a long time, suffering from his wounds, and
wondering where to find the Turtle,--his former friend, but now his
enemy. Because of the disturbance of the shell, the Turtle inside could
not help making a noise. This the Monkey heard; and he was surprised,
for he could not determine whence the sound came. At last he lifted
his stool, and there found his foe the Turtle.
"Ha! Here you are!" he cried. "Pray now, for it is the end of your
life."
He picked up the Turtle by the neck and carried him near the riverbank,
where he meant to kill him. He took a mortar and pestle, and built a
big fire, intending to pound him to powder or burn him to death. When
everything was ready, he told the Turtle to choose whether he should
die in the fire or be "grounded" in the mortar. The Turtle begged for
his life; but when he found it was in vain, he prayed to be thrown
into the fire or ground in the mortar,--anything except be thrown
into the water. On hearing this, the Monkey picked the Turtle up
in his bleeding fingers, and with all his might threw him into the
middle of the stream.
Then the Turtle was very glad. He chuckled at his own wit, and laughed
at the foolishness of the Monkey. He came up to the surface of the
water and mocked at the Monkey, saying, "This is my home. The water
is my home."
This made the Monkey so angry that he lost his self-possession
entirely. He jumped into the middle of the river after the Turtle,
and was drowned.
Since that day monkeys and turtles have been bitter enemies.
CHAPTER 2
How the Farmer Deceived the Demon. [3]
Very many years ago, in a far-away land where the trees never changed
their green leaves and where the birds always sang, there lived
on an island a farmer with a large family. Though all alone on the
island and knowing nothing of people in the outer world, they were
always happy,--as happy as the laughing rills that rippled past their
home. They had no great wealth, depending from year to year on the
crops which the father raised. They needed no money, for they lacked
nothing; and they never sold their produce, for no people were near
to buy.
One day in the middle of the year, after the crops were well started,
a loud, unusual roar was heard. Suddenly a stiff gale blew up from
the southwest, and with it came clouds which quickly hid the entire
sky. The day turned to night. The birds ceased to sing and went to
their nests. The wild beasts ran to their caves. The family sought
shelter in the house from a heavy downpour of rain which continued
for many days and nights. So long did it last that they became very
anxious about the condition of things around them.
On the eighth day the birds again began to sing, and the sun was,
as usual, bright. The farmer arose early and went out to look at his
fields, but, lo! his crop was all destroyed. He went back to the house
and told the family that the water-god was angry and had washed away
all that he had hoped to have for the coming year.
What were they to do? The supply in the house was getting low and it
was too late to raise another crop. The father worried night and day,
for he did not know how he could keep his children from starvation.
One day he made a long journey and came into a place that was strange
to him. He had never before seen the like of it. But in the midst of
a broad meadow he saw a tree with spreading branches like an elm,
and as his legs and back were stiff from walking, he went over and
sat down under it. Presently, looking up, he discovered that on the
tree were large red fruits. He climbed up and brought some down,
and after satisfying his hunger he fell asleep.
He had not slept long when he was awakened by a loud noise. The owner
of the place was coming. He was fearful to look upon. His body was like
that of a person, but he was of enormous size; and he had a long tail,
and two horns growing out of his head. The farmer was frightened and
did not know what to do. He stood motionless till the master came up
and began to talk to him. Then he explained that he had come there
in search of food to keep his family alive. The monster was delighted
to hear this, for he saw that he had the man and the man's family in
his power. He told the traveller that in return for a certain promise
he would help him out of his troubles.
The demon, as he was called by some travellers to that land, showed
the farmer a smooth, round stone, which, he said, gave its possessor
the power of a magician. He offered to lend this to the farmer for
five years, if at the expiration of that time the farmer and family
would become his slaves. The farmer consented.
Then the demon was glad. He said to the farmer, "You must squeeze
the stone when you wish to become invisible; and must put it in your
mouth when you wish to return to human form."
The man tried the power of the magic stone. He squeezed it, and
instantly became invisible to the demon; but he bade him farewell,
and promised to meet him in the same place at the appointed time.
In this invisible form the man crossed the water that washed the shore
of the island on which he lived. There he found a people who lived in
communities. He wanted something to eat, so he went into the shops;
but he found that a restaurant owned by a Chinaman was the one to
which most people of the city went. He put the stone in his mouth,
thus appearing in visible form, and, entering the restaurant, ordered
the best food he could find. He finished his meal quickly and went
out. The waiter, perceiving that he did not pay, followed him. The man
had no money; so he squeezed the stone and shot up into the air without
being seen. The Chinaman, alarmed by the cry of the waiter, came out
and ran in all directions, trying to find and catch the man. No one
could find him; and the people thought he must indeed be a fast runner
to escape so quickly, for they did not know of the gift of the demon.
Not far from that place he saw groups of men and women going in and out
of a large building. It was a bank. The farmer went in to see what he
could find. There he saw bags of money, gold and silver. He chuckled
with joy at this opportunity. In order to use his hands freely, he put
the stone in his mouth; but before he could fill all his pockets with
money, he was discovered by the two guards, who began to pound him on
the head. He struggled to save his life, and finally took the stone
out of his mouth and squeezed it. Instantly he vanished from their
sight; but he was vexed at the beating he had received, so he carried
off all the gold they had in the bank. The people inside as well as
outside the building became crazy. They ran about in all directions,
not knowing why. Some called the firemen, thinking the bank was on
fire; but nothing had happened, except that the farmer was gone and
the two guards were "half dead frightened." They danced up and down
the streets in great excitement, but could not utter a word.
Straight home went the farmer, not stopping by the way. His wife and
children were awaiting him. He gave them the money, and told them
all about the fortune which he had gotten from the man on their own
island,--told all his secrets. Prosperous they became, and with the
money which he had brought they purchased all they needed from the
city just opposite them.
The time passed so pleasantly that the man was surprised to discover
that his promise would be due in two more days. He made preparations
to go back to the land of his master. Arrived there, he met the same
monster under the same tree. The demon was displeased to see the
old man alone, without the family which also had been promised. He
told the man that he would shut him in a cave and then would go and
capture those left at home.
But the farmer would not go to the cave. The demon tried to pull him
into a deep hole. Both struggled; and at last the farmer squeezed
the magic stone and disappeared. He took a green branch of the tree
and beat the demon. The demon surrendered. He begged for mercy.
The farmer went home, and from that day thought no more of the
demon. He knew that while he held the stone the monster would never
come to trouble him. And the family lived on in peace and happiness,
as they had done before the water-god became angry with them.
CHAPTER 3
Benito, the Faithful Servant. [4]
On a time there lived in a village a poor man and his wife, who had
a son named Benito. The one ambition of the lad from his earliest
youth was that he might be a help to the family in their struggle
for a living.
But the years went by, and he saw no opportunity until one day, as
they sat at dinner, his father fell to talking about the young King
who lived at a distance from the village, in a beautiful palace kept
by a retinue of servants. The boy was glad to hear this, and asked
his parents to let him become one of the servants of this great
ruler. The mother protested, fearing that her son could not please
his Royal Majesty; but the boy was so eager to try his fortune that
at last he was permitted to do so.
The next day his mother prepared food for him to eat on the journey,
and be started for the palace. The journey was tiresome; and when he
reached the palace he had difficulty in obtaining an audience with
the King. But when he succeeded and made known his wish, the monarch
detected a charming personality hidden within the ragged clothes,
and, believing the lad would make a willing servant, he accepted him.
The servants of his Majesty had many duties. Theirs was not a life of
ease, but of hard work. The very next day the King called Benito, and
said, "I want you to bring me a certain beautiful princess who lives in
a land across the sea; and if you fail to do it, you will be punished."
Benito did not know how he was to do it; but he asked no questions,
and unhesitatingly answered, "I will, my lord."
That same day he provided himself with everything he needed for the
journey and set off. He travelled a long distance until he came to the
heart of a thick forest, where he saw a large bird which said to him,
"Oh, my friend! please take away these strings that are wrapped all
about me. If you will, I will help you whenever you call upon me."
Benito released the bird and asked it its name. It replied,
"Sparrow-hawk," and flew away. Benito continued his journey until he
came to the seashore. There he could see no way of getting across, and,
remembering what the King had said if he failed, he stood looking out
over the sea, feeling very sad. The huge King of the Fishes saw him,
and swam toward him. "Why are you so sad?" asked the Fish.
"I wish to cross the sea to find the beautiful Princess," replied
the youth.
"Get on my back and I will take you across," said the King of the
Fishes.
Benito rode on the back of the Fish and crossed the sea. As soon as he
reached the other side, a fairy in the form of a woman appeared to him,
and became a great aid to him in his adventure. She knew exactly what
he wanted; so she told him that the Princess was shut up in a castle
guarded by giants, and that he would have to fight the giants before
he could reach her. For this purpose she gave him a magic sword,
which would kill on the instant anything it touched.
Benito now felt sure he could take the Princess from her cruel
guardsmen. He went to the castle, and there he saw many giants round
about it. When the giants saw him coming, they went out to meet him,
thinking to take him captive. They were so sure that they could easily
do it, that they went forth unarmed. As they came near, he touched
the foremost ones with his sword, and one after another they fell
down dead. The other giants, seeing so many of their number slain,
became terrified, and fled, leaving the castle unguarded.
The young man went to the Princess and told her that his master had
sent him to bring her to his palace. The young Princess was only
too glad to leave the land of the giants, where she had been held
captive. So the two set out together for the King's palace.
When they came to the sea they rode across it on the back of the
same fish that had carried Benito. They went through the forest,
and at last came to the palace. Here they were received with the
greatest rejoicings.
After a short time the King asked the Princess to become his wife. "I
will, O King!" she replied, "if you will get the ring I lost in the
sea as I was crossing it."
The monarch called Benito, and ordered him to find the ring which
had been lost on their journey from the land of the giants.
Obedient to his master, Benito started, and travelled on and on till
he came to the shore of the sea. There he stood, gazing sadly out
over the waters, not knowing how he was to search for what lay at
the bottom of the deep ocean.
Again the King of the Fishes came to him, asking the cause of his
sadness. Benito replied, "The Princess lost her ring while we were
crossing the sea, and I have been sent to find it."
The King-Fish summoned all the fishes to come to him. When they had
assembled, he noticed that one was missing. He commanded the others
to search for this one, and bring it to him. They found it under
a stone, and it said, "I am so full! I have eaten so much that I
cannot swim." So the larger ones took it by the tail and dragged it
to their King.
"Why did you not come when summoned?" asked the King-Fish. "I was so
full I could not swim," replied the Fish.
The King-Fish, suspecting that it had swallowed the ring, ordered it
to be cut in two. The others cut it open, and, behold I there was the
lost ornament. Benito thanked the King of the Fishes, took the ring,
and brought it to the monarch.
When the great ruler got the ring, he said to the Princess, "Now that
I have your ring, will you become my wife?"
"I will be your wife," replied the Princess, "if you will find the
earring I lost in the forest as I was journeying with Benito."
Instantly Benito was called, and was ordered to find the lost jewel. He
was very weary from his former journey; but, mindful of his duty,
he started for the forest, reaching it before the day was over. He
searched for the earring faithfully, following the road which he and
the Princess had taken; but all in vain. He was much discouraged, and
sat down under a tree to rest. To his surprise a mouse of monstrous
size appeared before him. It was the King of the Mice.
"Why are you so sad?" asked the Mouse.
"I am searching for an earring which the Princess lost as we passed
through the forest, but am unable to find it."
"I will find it for you," said the King-Mouse.
Benito's face brightened at hearing this. The King-Mouse called all
his followers, and all but one little mouse responded. Then the King
of the Mice ordered some of his subjects to find the absent one. They
found him in a small hole among the bamboo-trees. He said he could not
go because he was so satisfied (sated). So the others pulled him along
to their master; and he, finding that there was something hard within
the little mouse, ordered him to be cut open. It was done; and there
was the very earring for which the tired servant was looking. Benito
took it, thanked the King of the Mice, and brought the earring to
his own King.
When the monarch received it, he immediately restored it to its owner
and asked, "Will you now become my wife?"
"Oh, dear King!" responded the Princess, "I have only one more thing
to ask of you; and if you will grant it, I will be your wife forever."
The King, pleased with his former successes, said, "Tell me what it
is, and it shall be granted."
"If you will get some water from heaven," said the Princess, "and
some water from the nether-world, I will become your wife. That is
my last wish."
The King called Benito, and commanded him to get water from these two
places. "I will, my King," said Benito; and he took some provisions
and started. He came to the forest; but there he became confused,
for he did not know in which direction to go to reach either of the
places. Suddenly he recalled the promise of the bird he had helped
the first time he entered the wood. He called the bird, and it soon
appeared. He told it what he wanted, and it said, "I will get it
for you."
He made two cups of bamboo, and tied one to each of the bird's
legs. They were very light, and did not hinder the bearer at all. Away
the bird flew, going very fast. Before the day was ended, it came
back with each cup full of water, and told Benito that the one tied
to its right leg contained water from heaven, and the one tied to
its left leg contained water from the nether-world.
Benito untied the cups, taking great care of them. He was about to
leave, when the bird asked him to tarry long enough to bury it, as
the places to which it had been were so far away that it was weary
unto death.
Benito did not like to bury the bird, but he soon saw that it really
was dying, so he waited; and when it was dead, he buried it, feeling
very sorry over the loss of so helpful a friend.
He went back to the palace and delivered the two kinds of water to his
master. The Princess then asked the King to cut her in two and pour
the water from heaven upon her. The King was not willing to do it,
so she did it herself, asking the King to pour the water. This he did,
and, lo! the Princess turned into the most beautiful woman that ever
the sun shone on.
Then the King was desirous of becoming handsome; so he asked
the Princess to pour the other cup of water over him after he cut
himself. He cut himself, and she poured over his body the water from
the nether-world; but from him there arose a spirit more ugly and
ill-favored than imagination could picture. Fortunately, it soon
vanished from sight.
The Princess then turned to Benito, and said, "You have been faithful
in your duties to your master, kind to me in restoring the jewels I
lost, and brave in delivering me from the cruel giants. You are the
man I choose for my husband."
Benito could not refuse so lovely a lady. They were married amid
great festivities, and became the king and queen of that broad and
fertile land.
Benito gave his parents one of the finest portions of his kingdom,
and furnished them with everything they could desire. From that time
on they were all very happy,--so happy that the story of their bliss
has come down through the centuries to us.
PART II
Visayan Folk-Tales.
Introduction.
These stories are intended to bring before the American public a
few of the tales related by Visayan parents to their children, or by
the public story-teller in the market, as the people gather to buy
the material for the evening meal. It was only toward the close of a
three years' stay in the Islands, in one province, and in neighboring
places, and after a fair acquaintance with Spanish and a little
knowledge of the native dialect had enabled us to obtain a closer
insight into the home life of our pupils than would otherwise have
been possible, that we ventured upon the collection of these tales,
hoping that they might prove of interest to people at home. Many of
the stories were written by our boys and girls as part of their work
in English composition. Others were prepared by the native teachers,
some of whom had been well educated by the Spaniards and had already
learned to write very fair English. Indeed, a few were able, at about
the time that these stories were written, to pass the civil service
examination for appointment as insular teachers. The articles on the
superstitious beliefs of the people were prepared by one of these
teachers, so that they might be as nearly correct as possible.