The Monkey & the Turtle

Ang Unggoy at ang Pagong (The Monkey and the Turtle) is a folk tale of
theIlocano people. It explains why monkeys dont like to eat meat. This tale may
seem morbid to Western sensibilities but it does impart moral lessons. Heres the
story:

A monkey, looking very sad and dejected, was walking along the bank of the river
one day when he met a turtle.
How are you? asked the turtle, noticing that he looked sad.
The monkey replied, Oh, my friend, I am very hungry. The squash of Mr. Farmer
were all taken by the other monkeys, and now I am about to die from want of
food.
Do not be discouraged, said the turtle; take a bolo and follow me and we will
steal some banana plants.
So they walked along together until they found some nice plants which they dug
up, and then they looked for a place to set them. Finally the monkey climbed a
tree and planted his in it, but as the turtle could not climb he dug a hole in the
ground and set his there.
When their work was finished they went away, planning what they should do with
their crop. The monkey said:
When my tree bears fruit, I shall sell it and have a great deal of money.

And the turtle said: When my tree bears fruit, I shall sell it and buy three varas of
cloth to wear in place of this cracked shell.
A few weeks later they went back to the place to see their plants and found that
that of the monkey was dead, for its roots had had no soil in the tree, but that of
the turtle was tall and bearing fruit.
I will climb to the top so that we can get the fruit, said the monkey. And he
sprang up the tree, leaving the poor turtle on the ground alone.
Please give me some to eat, called the turtle, but the monkey threw him only a
green one and ate all the ripe ones himself.
When he had eaten all the good bananas, the monkey stretched his arms around
the tree and went to sleep. The turtle, seeing this, was very angry and
considered how he might punish the thief. Having decided on a scheme, he
gathered some sharp bamboo which he stuck all around under the tree, and then
he exclaimed:
Crocodile is coming! Crocodile is coming!
The monkey was so startled at the cry that he fell upon the sharp bamboo and
was killed.
Then the turtle cut the dead monkey into pieces, put salt on it, and dried it in the
sun. The next day, he went to the mountains and sold his meat to other monkeys
who gladly gave him squash in return. As he was leaving them he called back:
Lazy fellows, you are now eating your own body; you are now eating your own
body.
Then the monkeys ran and caught him and carried him to their own home.
Let us take a hatchet, said one old monkey, and cut him into very small
pieces.
But the turtle laughed and said: That is just what I like, I have been struck with a
hatchet many times. Do you not see the black scars on my shell?
Then one of the other monkeys said: Let us throw him into the water.
At this the turtle cried and begged them to spare his life, but they paid no heed to
his pleadings and threw him into the water. He sank to the bottom, but very soon
came up with a lobster. The monkeys were greatly surprised at this and begged
him to tell them how to catch lobsters.
I tied one end of a string around my waist, said the turtle. To the other end of
the string I tied a stone so that I would sink.
The monkeys immediately tied strings around themselves as the turtle said, and
when all was ready they plunged into the water never to come up again.
And to this day monkeys do not like to eat meat, because they remember the
ancient story.

The Spider and the Fly

This is a Visayan childrens story. (The Visayan islands are in the central part of
the Philippine archipelago.)
This is one of those stories that explains why certain things in nature are the way
they are. For example, why are spiders the mortal enemies of flies?

Mr. Spider wanted to marry Miss Fly. Many times he told her of his love and
begged her to become his wife, but she always refused for she did not like him.
One day when Miss Fly saw Mr. Spider coming again. Miss Fly closed all the
doors and windows of her house and prepared a pot of boiling water. Then she
waited, and when Mr. Spider called, begging her to allow him to enter, she
answered by throwing boiling water at him. This made Mr. Spider very angry and
he cried:
I will never forgive you for this. I and my descendants will always despise you.
We will never give you any peace.
Mr. Spider kept his word, and even today one can see the hatred of the spider for
the fly.

Aponibolinayen and the Sun

This is a folk tale of the Tinguian tribe of the Philippines
.

One day Aponibolinayen and her sister-in-law went out to gather greens. They
walked to the woods to the place where the siksiklat grew, for the tender leaves
of this vine are very good to eat. Suddenly while searching about in the
underbrush, Aponibolinayen cried out with joy, for she had found the vine, and
she started to pick the leaves. Pull as hard as she would, however, the leaves did
not come loose, and all at once the vine wound itself around her body and began
carrying her upward.
Far up through the air she went until she reached the sky, and there the vine set
her down under a tree. Aponibolinayen was so surprised to find herself in the sky
that for some time she just sat and looked around, and then, hearing a rooster
crow, she arose to see if she could find it. Not far from where she had sat was a
beautiful spring surrounded by tall betel-nut trees whose tops were pure gold.
Rare beads were the sands of the spring, and the place where the women set
their jars when they came to dip water was a large golden plate. As
Aponibolinayen stood admiring the beauties of this spring, she beheld a small

house nearby, and she was filled with fear lest the owner should find her there.
She looked about for some means of escape and finally climbed to the top of a
betel-nut tree and hid.
Now the owner of this house was Ini-init, the Sun, but he was never at home in
the daylight, for it was his duty to shine in the sky and give light to all the world.
At the close of the day when the Big Star took his place in the sky to shine
through the night, Ini-init returned to his house, but early the next morning he was
always off again.
From her place in the top of the betel-nut tree, Aponibolinayen saw the Sun when
he came home at evening time, and again the next morning she saw him leave.
When she was sure that he was out of sight she climbed down and entered his
dwelling, for she was very hungry. She cooked rice, and into a pot of boiling
water she dropped a stick which immediately became fish, so that she had all
she wished to eat. When she was no longer hungry, she lay down on the bed to
sleep.
Now late in the afternoon Ini-init returned from his work and went to fish in the
river near his house, and he caught a big fish. While he sat on the bank cleaning
his catch, he happened to look up toward his house and was startled to see that
it appeared to be on fire. He hurried home, but when he reached the house he
saw that it was not burning at all, and he entered. On his bed he beheld what
looked like a flame of fire, but upon going closer he found that it was a beautiful
woman fast asleep.
Ini-init stood for some time wondering what he should do, and then he decided to
cook some food and invite this lovely creature to eat with him. He put rice over
the fire to boil and cut into pieces the fish he had caught. The noise of this
awakened Aponibolinayen, and she slipped out of the house and back to the top
of the betel-nut tree. The Sun did not see her leave, and when the food was
prepared he called her, but the bed was empty and he had to eat alone. That
night Ini-init could not sleep well, for all the time he wondered who the beautiful
woman could be. The next morning, however, he rose as usual and set forth to
shine in the sky, for that was his work.
That day Aponibolinayen stole again to the house of the Sun and cooked food,
and when she returned to the betel-nut tree she left rice and fish ready for the
Sun when he came home. Late in the afternoon Ini-init went into his home, and
when he found pots of hot rice and fish over the fire he was greatly troubled. After
he had eaten he walked a long time in the fresh air. Perhaps it is done by the
lovely woman who looks like a flame of fire, he said. If she comes again I will try
to catch her.
The next day the Sun shone in the sky as before, and when the afternoon grew
late he called to the Big Star to hurry to take his place, for he was impatient to
reach home. As he drew near the house he saw that it again looked as if it was
on fire. He crept quietly up the ladder, and when he had reached the top he
sprang in and shut the door behind him.
Aponibolinayen, who was cooking rice over the fire, was surprised and angry that
she had been caught; but the Sun gave her betel-nut which was covered with
gold, and they chewed together and told each other their names. Then

Aponibolinayen took up the rice and fish, and as they ate they talked together
and became acquainted.
After some time Aponibolinayen and the Sun were married, and every morning
the Sun went to shine in the sky, and upon his return at night he found his supper
ready for him. He began to be troubled, however, to know where the food came
from, for though he brought home a fine fish every night, Aponibolinayen always
refused to cook it.
One night he watched her prepare their meal, and he saw that, instead of using
the nice fish he had brought, she only dropped a stick into the pot of boiling
water.
Why do you try to cook a stick? asked Ini-init in surprise.
So that we can have fish to eat, answered his wife.
If you cook that stick for a month, it will not be soft, said Ini-init. Take this fish
that I caught in the net, for it will be good.
But Aponibolinayen only laughed at him, and when they were ready to eat she
took the cover off the pot and there was plenty of nice soft fish. The next night
and the next, Aponibolinayen cooked the stick, and Ini-init became greatly
troubled for he saw that though the stick always supplied them with fish, it never
grew smaller.
Finally he asked Aponibolinayen again why it was that she cooked the stick
instead of the fish he brought, and she said:
Do you not know of the woman on earth who has magical power and can
change things?
Yes, answered the Sun, and now I know that you have great power.
Well, then, said his wife, do not ask again why I cook the stick.
And they ate their supper of rice and the fish which the stick made.
One night not long after this Aponibolinayen told her husband that she wanted to
go with him the next day when he made light in the sky.
Oh, no, you cannot, said the Sun, for it is very hot up there, and you cannot
stand the heat.
We will take many blankets and pillows, said the woman, and when the heat
becomes very great, I will hide under them.
Again and again Ini-init begged her not to go, but as often she insisted on
accompanying him, and early in the morning they set out, carrying with them
many blankets and pillows.
First, they went to the East, and as soon as they arrived the Sun began to shine,
and Aponibolinayen was with him. They traveled toward the West, but when
morning had passed into noontime and they had reached the middle of the sky
Aponibolinayen was so hot that she melted and became oil. Then Ini-init put her
into a bottle and wrapped her in the blankets and pillows and dropped her down
to earth.
Now one of the women of Aponibolinayens town was at the spring dipping water
when she heard something fall near her. Turning to look, she beheld a bundle of
beautiful blankets and pillows which she began to unroll, and inside she found
the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Frightened at her discovery, the
woman ran as fast as she could to the town, where she called the people

together and told them to come at once to the spring. They all hastened to the
spot and there they found Aponibolinayen for whom they had been searching
everywhere.
Where have you been? asked her father; we have searched all over the world
and we could not find you.
I have come from Pindayan, answered Aponibolinayen. Enemies of our people
kept me there till I made my escape while they were asleep at night
All were filled with joy that the lost one had returned, and they decided that at the
next moon they would perform a ceremony for the spirits and invite all the
relatives who were mourning for Aponibolinayen.
So they began to prepare for the ceremony, and while they were pounding rice,
Aponibolinayen asked her mother to prick her little finger where it itched, and as
she did so a beautiful baby boy popped out. The people were very much
surprised at this, and they noticed that every time he was bathed the baby grew
very fast so that, in a short time, he was able to walk. Then they were anxious to
know who was the husband of Aponibolinayen, but she would not tell them, and
they decided to invite everyone in the world to the ceremony that they might not
overlook him.
They sent for the betel-nuts that were covered with gold, and when they had
oiled them they commanded them to go to all the towns and compel the people
to come to the ceremony.
If anyone refuses to come, grow on his knee, said the people, and the betelnuts departed to do as they were bidden.
As the guests began to arrive, the people watched carefully for one who might be
the husband of Aponibolinayen, but none appeared and they were greatly
troubled. Finally they went to the old woman, Alokotan, who was able to talk with
the spirits, and begged her to find what town had not been visited by the betelnuts which had been sent to invite the people. After she had consulted the spirits
the old woman said:
You have invited all the people except Ini-init who lives up above. Now you must
send a betel-nut to summon him. It may be that he is the husband of
Aponibolinayen, for the siksiklat vine carried her up when she went to gather
greens.
So a betel-nut was called and bidden to summon Ini-init.
The betel-nut went up to the Sun, who was in his house, and said:
Good morning, Sun. I have come to summon you to a ceremony which the
father and mother of Aponibolinayen are making for the spirits. If you do not want
to go, I will grow on your head.
Grow on my head, said the Sun. I do not wish to go.
So the betel-nut jumped upon his head and grew until it became so tall that the
Sun was not able to carry it, and he was in great pain.
Oh, grow on my pig, begged the Sun. So the betel-nut jumped upon the pigs
head and grew, but it was so heavy that the pig could not carry it and squealed
all the time. At last the Sun saw that he would have to obey the summons, and
he said to the betel-nut:
Get off my pig and I will go.

So Ini-init came to the ceremony, and as soon as Aponibolinayen and the baby
saw him, they were very happy and ran to meet him. Then the people knew that
this was the husband of Aponibolinayen, and they waited eagerly for him to come
up to them. As he drew near, however, they saw that he did not walk, for he was
round; and then they perceived that he was not a man but a large stone. All her
relatives were very angry to find that Aponibolinayen had married a stone; and
they compelled her to take off her beads and her good clothes, for, they said, she
must now dress in old clothes and go again to live with the stone.
So Aponibolinayen put on the rags that they brought her and at once set out with
the stone for his home. No sooner had they arrived there, however, than he
became a handsome man, and they were very happy.
In one moon, said the Sun, we will make a ceremony for the spirits, and I will
pay your father and mother the marriage price for you.
This pleased Aponibolinayen very much, and they used magic so that they had
many neighbors who came to pound rice for them and to build a large spirit
house.
Then they sent oiled betel-nuts to summon their relatives to the ceremony. The
father of Aponibolinayen did not want to go, but the betel-nut threatened to grow
on his knee if he did not. So he commanded all the people in the town to wash
their hair and their clothes, and when all was ready they set out.
When they reached the town they were greatly surprised to find that the stone
had become a man, and they chewed the magic betel-nuts to see who he might
be. It was discovered that he was the son of a couple in Aponibolinayens own
town, and the people all rejoiced that this couple had found the son whom they
had thought lost. They named him Aponitolau, and his parents paid the marriage
price for his wifethe spirit house nine times full of valuable jars.
After that all danced and made merry for one moon, and when the people
departed for their homes Ini-init and his wife went with them to live on the earth.

Juan Gathers Guavas

Nang Namitas ng Bayabas si Juan (When Juan Picked Guavas) is a short
vignette about the naughty boy Juan. Its a funny story when you hear it in
Tagalog for the first time. Reading it may give you some idea of Filipino humor.

One day Juans father sent him to get some ripe guavas, for a number of the
neighbors had come in and he wanted to give them something to eat.
Juan went to the guava bushes and ate all the fruit he could hold, and then he
decided to play a joke on his fathers guests instead of giving them a feast of
guavas. A wasps nest hung nearby. With some difficulty he succeeded in taking
it down and putting it into a tight basket that he had brought for the fruit. He
hastened home and gave the basket to his father, and then as he left the room
where the guests were seated he closed the door and fastened it.
As soon as Juans father opened the basket the wasps flew over the room; and
when the people found the door locked they fought to get out of the windows.
After a while Juan opened the door, and when he saw the swollen faces of the
people, he cried.
What fine, rich guavas you must have had! They have made you all so fat!

Juan Wearing a Monkeys Skin

This Filipino story was recorded in English based on a Kapampangan
(Pampango, from the province of Pampanga) version in the early 20th century.
There is also a Bicolano (Bikulano, from Bicol) version of this story.
Once upon a time there was a couple which was at first childless. The father was
very anxious to have a son to inherit his property: so he went to the church daily,
and prayed God to give him a child, but in vain. One day, in his great
disappointment, the man exclaimed without thinking, O great God! let me have a
son, even if it is in the form of a monkey! and only a few days later his wife gave
birth to a monkey. The father was so much mortified that he wanted to kill his
son; but finally his better reason prevailed, and he spared the child. He said to
himself, It is my fault, I know; but I uttered that invocation without thinking. So,
instead of putting the monkey to death, the couple just hid it from visitors; and
whenever any one asked for the child, they merely answered, Oh, he died long
ago.
The time came when the monkey grew to be old enough to marry. He went to his
father, and said, Give me your blessing, father, for I am going away to look for a
wife. The father was only too glad to be freed from this obnoxious son, so he
immediately gave him his blessing. Before letting him go, however, the father
said to the monkey, You must never come back again to our house.
Very well, I will not, said the monkey.
The monkey then left his fathers house, and went to find his fortune. One night
he dreamed that there was a castle in the midst of the sea, and that in this castle
dwelt a princess of unspeakable beauty. The princess had been put there so that
no one might discover her existence. The monkey, who had been baptized two
days after his birth and was named Juan, immediately repaired to the palace of
the king. There he posted a letter which read as follows: I, Juan, know that your
Majesty has a daughter.
Naturally the king was very angry to have his secret discovered. He immediately
sent soldiers to look for Juan. Juan was soon found, and brought to the palace.
The king said to him, How do you know that I have a daughter? If you can bring
her here, I will give her to you for a wife. If not, however, your head shall be cut
off from your body.
O your Majesty! said Juan, I am sure that I can find her and bring her here. I
am willing to lose my head if within three days I fail to fulfil my promise. After he
had said this, Juan withdrew, and sadly went out to look for the hidden princess.
As he was walking along the road, he heard the cry of a bird. He looked up, and
saw a bird caught between two boughs so that it could not escape. The bird said
to him, O monkey, if you will but release me, I will give you all I have.
Oh, no! said the monkey. I am very hungry, and would much rather eat you.
If you will but spare my life, said the bird, I will give you anything you want.
On one condition only will I set you free, said the monkey. You must procure for
me the ring of the princess who lives in the midst of the sea.

Oh, thats an easy thing to do, said the bird. So the monkey climbed the tree
and set the bird free.
The bird immediately flew to the island in the sea, where fortunately it found the
princess refreshing herself in her garden. The princess was so charmed with the
song of the bird, that she looked up, and said, O little bird! if you will only
promise to live with me, I will give you anything you want.
All right, said the bird. Give me your ring, and I will forever live with you. The
princess held up the ring; and the bird suddenly snatched it and flew away with it.
It gave the ring to the monkey, who was, of course, delighted to get it.
Now the monkey jogged along the road until finally he saw three witches. He
approached them, and said to them, You are the very beings for whom I have
spent the whole day looking. God has sent me here from heaven to punish you
for your evil doings toward innocent persons. So I must eat you up.
Now, witches are said to be afraid of ill-looking persons, although they
themselves are the ugliest beings in all the world. So these three were terribly
frightened by the monkeys threat, and said, O sir! spare our lives, and we will
do anything for you !
Very well, I will spare you if you can execute my order. From this shore you must
build a bridge which leads to the middle of the sea, where the castle of the
princess is situated.
That shall be speedily done, replied the witches; and they at once gathered
leaves, which they put on their backs. Then they plunged into the water.
Immediately after them a bridge was built. Thus the monkey was now able to go
to the castle. Here he found the princess. She was very much surprised to see
this evil-looking animal before her; but she was much more frightened when the
monkey showed her the ring which the bird had given him, and claimed her for
his wife. It is the will of God that you should go with me, said the monkey, after
the princess had shown great repugnance towards him. You either have to go
with me or perish. Thinking it was useless to attempt to resist such a mighty foe,
the princess finally yielded.
The monkey led her to the kings palace, and presented her before her parents;
but no sooner had the king and queen seen their daughter in the power of the
beast, than they swooned. When they had recovered, they said simultaneously,
Go away at once, and never come back here again, you girl of infamous taste!
Who are you? You are not the princess we left in the castle. You are of villains
blood, and the very air which you exhale does suffocate us. So with no more ado
depart at once!
The princess implored her father to have pity, saying that it was the will of God
that she should be the monkeys wife. Perhaps I have been enchanted by him,
for I am powerless to oppose him. But all her remonstrance was in vain. The
king shut his ears against any deceitful or flattering words that might fall from the
lips of his faithless and disobedient daughter. Seeing that the king was obstinate,
the couple turned their backs on the palace, and decided to find a more
hospitable home. So the monkey now took his wife to a neighboring mountain,
and here they settled.

One day the monkey noticed that the princess was very sad and pale. He said to
her, Why are you so sad and unhappy, my darling? What is the matter?
Nothing. I am just sorry to have only a monkey for my husband. I become sad
when I think of my past happiness.
I am not a monkey, my dear. I am a real man, born of human parents. Didnt you
know that I was baptized by the priest, and that my name is Juan? As the
princess would not believe him, the monkey went to a neighboring hut and there
cast off his disguise (balit cayu). He at once returned to the princess. She was
amazed to see a sparkling youth of not more than twenty years of agenay, a
princekneeling before her. I can no longer keep you in ignorance, he said. I
am your husband, Juan.
Oh, no! I cannot believe you. Dont try to deceive me! My husband is a monkey;
but, with all his defects, I still cling to him and love him. Please go away at once,
lest my husband find you here! He will be jealous, and may kill us both.
Oh, no! my darling, I am your husband, Juan. I only disguised myself as a
monkey.
But still the princess would not believe him. At last she said to him, If you are my
real husband, you must give me a proof of the fact. So Juan [we shall hereafter
call him by this name] took her to the place where he had cast off his monkeyskin. The princess was now convinced, and said to herself, After all, I was not
wrong in the belief I have entertained from the beginning,that it was the will of
God that I should marry this monkey, this man.
Juan and the princess now agreed to go back to the palace and tell the story. So
they went. As soon as the king and queen saw the couple, they were very much
surprised; but to remove their doubt, Juan immediately related to the king all that
had happened. Thus the king and queen were finally reconciled to the at first
hated couple. Juan and his wife succeeded to the throne on the death of the
king, and lived peacefully and happily during their reign.
The story is now ended. Thus we see that God compensated the father and
mother of Juan for their religious zeal by giving them a son, but punished them
for not being content with what He gave them by taking the son away from them
again, for Juan never recognized his parents.

The Miraculous Cow

This is a Tagalog story recorded in English in the early 20th century. This tale
may strike Western sensibilities as mean, but making fun of simple folk is not
uncommon in Filipino oral stories. Its a moral story on cleverness contrasted with
the stupidity of believing in superstition.

There was once a farmer driving home from his farm in his kariton. He had tied
his cow to the back of his cart, as he was accustomed to do every evening on his
way home. While he was going along the road, two boys saw him. They were
Felipe and Ambrosio. Felipe whispered to Ambrosio, Do you see the cow tied to
the back of that kariton? Well, if you will untie it, I will take it to our house.
Ambrosio approached the kariton slowly, and untied the cow. He handed the
rope to Felipe, and then tied himself in the place of the animal.
Come on, Ambrosio! Dont be foolish! Come on with me! whispered Felipe
impatiently.
No, leave me alone! Go home, and I will soon be there! answered the cunning
Ambrosio.
After a while the farmer happened to look back. What a surprise for him! He was
frightened to find a boy instead of his cow tied to the kariton. Why are you
there? Where is my cow? he shouted furiously. Rascal, give me my cow!
Oh, dont be angry with me! said Ambrosio. Wait a minute, and I will tell you my
story. Once, when I was a small boy, my mother became very angry with me. She
cursed me, and suddenly I was transformed into a cow; and now I am changed
back into my own shape. It is not my fault that you bought me: I could not tell you

not to do so, for I could not speak at the time. Now, generous farmer, please give
me my freedom! for I am very anxious to see my old home again.
The farmer did not know what to do, for he was very sorry to lose his cow. When
he reached home, he told his wife the story. Now, his wife was a kind-hearted
woman; so, after thinking a few minutes, she said, Husband, what can we do?
We ought to set him free. It is by the great mercy of God that he has been
restored to his former self.
So the wily boy got off. He rejoined his friend, and they had a good laugh over
the two simple folks.

The Clever Husband and Wife

This Filipino folktale is said to have been derived from the Arabian 1001 Nights.
Here it is in English as recorded in the early 20th century.

Pedro had been living as a servant in a doctors house for more than nine years.
He wanted very much to have a wife, but he had no business of any kind on
which to support one.
One day he felt very sad. His look of dejection did not escape the notice of his
master, who said, What is the matter, my boy? Why do you look so sad? Is there
anything I can do to comfort you?
Oh, yes! said Pedro.
What do you want me to do? asked the doctor.
Master, the man replied, I want a wife, but I have no money to support one.
Oh, dont worry about money! replied his master. Be ready tomorrow, and I will
let you marry the woman you love.
The next day the wedding was held. The doctor let the couple live in a cottage
not far from his hacienda, and he gave them two hundred pieces of gold. When
they received the money, they hardly knew what to do with it, as Pedro had never
had any business of any sort. What shall we do after we have spent all our
money? asked the wife. Oh, we can ask the doctor for more, answered Pedro.
Years passed by, and one day the couple had not even a cent with which to buy
food. So Pedro went to the doctor and asked him for some money. The doctor,
who had always been kind to them, gave him twenty pieces of gold; but these did
not last very long, and it was not many days before the money was all spent. The
husband and wife now thought of another way by which they could get money
from the doctor.
Early one day Pedro went to the doctors house weeping. He said that his wife
had died, and that he had nothing with which to pay for her burial. (He had
rubbed onion-juice on his eyes, so that he looked as if he were really crying.)
When the doctor heard Pedros story, he pitied the man, and said to him, What

was the matter with your wife? How long was she sick? For two days,
answered Pedro.
Two days! exclaimed the doctor, why did you not call me, then? We should
have been able to save her. Well, take this money and see that she gets a
decent burial.
Pedro returned home in good spirits. He found his wife Marta waiting for him at
the door, and they were happy once more; but in a month the money was all
used up, and they were on the point of starving again.
Now, the doctor had a married sister whom Pedro and his wife had worked for off
and on after their marriage. Pedro told his wife to go to the doctors sister, and tell
her that he was dead and that she had no money to pay for the burial. Marta set
out, as she was told; and when she arrived at the sisters house, the woman said
to her, Marta, why are you crying?
My husband is dead, and I have no money to pay for his burial, said Marta,
weeping.
You have served us well, so take this money and see that masses are said for
your husbands soul, said the kind-hearted mistress.
That evening the doctor visited his sister to see her son who was sick. The sister
told him that Martas husband had died. No, answered the doctor, it was Marta
who died. They argued and argued, but could not agree; so they finally decided
to send one of the doctors servants to see which one was dead. When Pedro
saw the servant coming, he told his wife to lie flat and stiff in the bed as if she
were dead; and when the servant entered, Pedro showed him his dead wife.
The servant returned, and told the doctor and his sister that it was Marta who
was dead; but the sister would not believe him, for she said that perhaps he was
joking. So they sent another servant. This time Marta made Pedro lie down stiff
and flat in the bed; and when the servant entered the house, he saw the man
lying as if dead. So he hurried back and told the doctor and his sister what he
had seen. Now neither knew what to believe. The next morning, therefore, the
doctor and his sister together visited the cottage of Pedro. They found the couple
both lying as if dead. After examining them, however, the doctor realized that
they were merely feigning death. He was so pleased by the joke, and so glad to
find his old servants alive, that he took them home with him and made them stay
at his house.
*hacienda, a very large tract of land, like a giant ranch

THE DOG AND THE CROW

There was a crow who saw meat drying in the sun. He picked it up and flew far
away.
On the edge of a tree branch, he started eating the meat.
But then he heard the loud voice of a dog saying: Of all the birds, the crow is the
greatest. Incomparable!
The crow was gladdened and opened his mouth to guffaw.
What happened was the meat fell from his mouth. It fell to the ground where the
dog quickly went for it.
Now we know that praise can also be a form of trickery.

Abadeha, Filipina Cinderella

The story of Abadeha is the Philippine version of Cinderella.

Abadeha is a kind and hardworking young woman. Her wicked stepmother and
stepsisters abuse her and ask her to carry out impossible tasks. Abadeha asks
for the help of Bathala (the creator God), her ancestors and her dead mother. At
the river, her cries for help are heard by the Spirit of the Forest (counterpart of
the fairy godmother). With her guidance, Abadeha is able to accomplish all that
her step-family demands of her.
One day, a prince out hunting in the forest comes upon the enchanted tree by the
grave of Abadehas mother. He sees a ring among the branches and puts it on.
By the time he returns to the palace, his finger has become swollen and painful.
The king calls for the Babaylan, the priest-healer of the land, but even he cannot
take the ring off.
That night, the Prince learns in a dream that only a girl can remove the ring from
his finger. Upon hearing this, the king announces to his people that any girl who
can take the ring off his sons finger will be offered marriage to the prince.
Of all the maidens who tried, only Abadeha was successful. And thats how she
became a princess!

The Legend of Mount Kanlaon

There once lived on the island of Negros a princess named Anina who lived a
very sheltered life.
One day, Anina overheard her father talking to the kingdoms chief priestess. The
priestess was frantic about a report that they could not find a single maiden who
was unblemished.
Later, Anina asked her father what it was all about, and the king finally broke
down. There had long been a seven-headed dragon threatening the kingdom,
and the monster could only be appeased if an unblemished maiden was
sacrificed to it.
In fear, all the women in the kingdom had cut themselves to disqualify
themselves from the sacrifice. Parents cut their own baby girls so as to spare the
infants from the sacrifice. But the king and the queen couldnt bring themselves
to mar their daughters beauty, and so Anina was the only remaining unscarred
female in the kingdom.
Anina did not weep. Instead, she willingly offered herself for the sacrifice.
Fortuitously, on the day she was to be brought to the mountain where the dragon
lived, a man calling himself Khan Laon appeared. (Khan in his language meant a
noble lord.) He said he came from a kingdom far away in order to slay the dragon
and spare Aninas life.

No one believed the dragon could be killed, but Khan Laon insisted that his ability
to talk to animals would help him. He asked the help of the ants, the bees and
the eagles.
The ants swarmed over the dragons body and crept under its scales to bite its
soft, unprotected flesh, while the bees stung the fourteen eyes of the dragon till it
was blind. The largest eagle carried Khan Laon to the mountain where he was
able to easily chop off the seven heads of the writhing beast.
In gratitude, the king gave Khan Laon his daughter Anina to be his bride, and the
people named the mountain after the noble lord.
And that is how, according to the story, Mount Kanlaon got its name. That it is a
volcano is because of the spirt of the dead dragon.

1. The Story of the Pia

Pinang was a beautiful but lazy girl. One day, her mother got sick and asked her to cook
food for them. Having never really done anything around the house, Pinang refused at
first. She finally relented through her mothers insistent shouting, but had trouble finding
the ladle. Frustrated, Pinangs mother wished a hundred eyes to grow on her for being so
lazy. After this, Pinang was never seen again. A strange yellow fruit with a hundred eyes,
however, was soon found growing in their backyard.
Like all folk tales, the story of the pia has several versions. According to Ong, the
popular version is didactic or moralistic thats what you get for being lazy and
unmotivated. Tahanans version has Pinang doing her best, but her mother just assumed
that she was being lazy again.
For Ong, the story of the pia is a cautionary tale for both parent and child.
Find this story in Tahanan Books Why The Pia Has A Hundred Eyes
and Other Classic Philippine Folk Tales About Fruits, available at
National Bookstore, Fully Booked, and The Learning Basket.
2. The Monkey and the Turtle

A monkey and a turtle were once friends. One day, they saw a banana-plant floating on
the water. They decided to split it and planted each half. Monkey thought the top part was
better, so he planted it and watched in dismay as it died. Turtle planted the roots and was
rewarded with a fine tree with fruits. But since he could not climb to get the bananas
himself, he asked Monkey to get it for him.The cunning simian, however, ate all of the
fruits! In retaliation, Turtle put sticks around the tree and then tricked Monkey to go
down, killing him. Monkeys friends then tried to exact revenge on Turtle, who deceived
them into throwing him into the lake, his home.
According to Ong, this folk tale could be the most famous Philippine folk tale because
Jose Rizal published an illustrated retelling in Trubners Oriental Record. She says that
part of the appeal of the story is that it's a battle between the strong and selfish, and the
physically weak but crafty. Children might identify with and root for the turtle.
Find this story in Tahanan Books The Carabao-Turtle Race and Other
Classic Philippine Animal Folk Tales, available at National Bookstore,
Fully Booked, and The Learning Basket.
3. The Necklace and the Comb

In the early days, the sky hung low and people could easily reach the clouds. Inday, a
beautiful girl who was given family heirlooms for her sixteenth birthday, loved to wear
her precious necklace and comb even while she worked. One day, as she was husking rice
with a mortar and a pestle, she put her jewelry on a cloud to avoid spoiling them. As she
pounded on the rice with her pestle, one end also pounded the sky. Before she knew it,
the sky went up high with her heirloom pieces. In time, her comb became the quarter
moon and the beads of her necklace became the stars.
Folktales being stories that people created to explain the natural world, The Necklace
and the Comb is a charming tale on how the moon and stars were formed. Ong likes this
story especially because the imagery is so charming and fanciful.
Find this story in Tahanan Books The Warrior Dance and Other Classic
Philippine Sky Tales.Available at National Bookstore, Fully Booked,
and The Learning Basket.
4. Why the Fish has Scales

Once there was a very beautiful girl who was born to a farmer and his wife. She was so
beautiful that her parents refused to let her do any work. She grew up to be vain and
spoiled. One day, as she was by the river admiring her reflection, the chief of the crabs
was drawn to her beauty and spoke to her. The girl screamed and drove the ugly crab
away. Humiliated, the chief of the crabs scratched the girls face with his claws and
cursed her to become a fish covered with scales. This is why it is said that instead of
admiring their reflection, fishes dart around and avoid it.
This cautionary tale about beauty and vanity is something little girls need to know about.
Find this story in Tahanan Books The Girl Who Turned Into A Fish and
Other Classic Philippine Water Tales, available at National Bookstore,
Fully Booked, and The Learning Basket.
5. Mother Mountain

In one of the islands in Batanes, a widow lived with her two daughters who only wanted
to play the whole day. The only thing that the mother asked of her daughters was to have
supper ready by the time she got home from working in the fields. One night, when she
got home and her daughters were nowhere to be seen, she made dinner herself. When the
girls returned and saw their mother busy in the kitchen, they decided to play some more.
The mother could not take it anymore and calmly walked away from their house. Though
the girls eventually followed her, it was already too late. The mother had taken the shape
of a mountain, now called Mount Iraya.
Mother Mountain resonated with Ong because it's a story that deals witha basic
childhood fear: if youre not good, your mother will leave. It is also a wonderful tale
about how a mountain that looks like a woman was formed.
Find this story in Tahanan Books The Termite Queen and Other
Classic Philippine Earth Tales, available at National Bookstore, Fully
Booked, and The Learning Basket.