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diff --git a/8299-8.txt b/8299-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6421f5d --- /dev/null +++ b/8299-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,23114 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Filipino Popular Tales, by Dean S. Fansler + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Filipino Popular Tales + +Author: Dean S. Fansler + +Posting Date: December 9, 2008 [EBook #8299] +Release Date: June, 2005 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FILIPINO POPULAR TALES *** + + + + +Produced by Jeroen Hellingman + + + + + + Filipino Popular Tales + + Collected and Edited with Comparative Notes + + By + + Dean S. Fansler, + + + 1921 + + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The folk-tales in this volume, which were collected in the Philippines +during the years from 1908 to 1914, have not appeared in print +before. They are given to the public now in the hope that they will be +no mean or uninteresting addition to the volumes of Oriental Märchen +already in existence. The Philippine archipelago, from the very nature +of its geographical position and its political history, cannot but be a +significant field to the student of popular stories. Lying as it does +at the very doors of China and Japan, connected as it is ethnically +with the Malayan and Indian civilizations, Occidentalized as it has +been for three centuries and more, it stands at the junction of East +and West. It is therefore from this point of view that these tales +have been put into a form convenient for reference. Their importance +consists in their relationship to the body of world fiction. + +The language in which these stories are presented is the language +in which they were collected and written down,--English. Perhaps +no apology is required for not printing the vernacular herewith; +nevertheless an explanation might be made. In the first place, +the object in recording these tales has been a literary one, not a +linguistic one. In the second place, the number of distinctly different +languages represented by the originals might be baffling even to the +reader interested in linguistics, especially as our method of approach +has been from the point of view of cycles of stories, and not from the +point of view of the separate tribes telling them. In the third place, +the form of prose tales among the Filipinos is not stereotyped; and +there is likely to be no less variation between two Visayan versions +of the same story, or between a Tagalog and a Visayan, than between +the native form and the English rendering. Clearly Spanish would not +be a better medium than English: for to-day there is more English than +Spanish spoken in the Islands; besides, Spanish never penetrated into +the very lives of the peasants, as English penetrates to-day by way +of the school-house. I have endeavored to offset the disadvantages +of the foreign medium by judicious and painstaking directions to my +informants in the writing-down of the tales. Only in very rare cases +was there any modification of the original version by the teller, +as a concession to Occidental standards. Whatever substitutions I +have been able to detect I have removed. In practically every case, +not only to show that these are bona fide native stories, but also +to indicate their geographical distribution, I have given the name +of the narrator, his native town, and his province. In many cases I +have given, in addition, the source of his information. I am firmly +convinced that all the tales recorded here represent genuine Filipino +tradition so far as the narrators are concerned, and that nothing +has been "manufactured" consciously. + +But what is "native," and what is "derived"? The folklore of the +wild tribes--Negritos, Bagobos, Igorots--is in its way no more +"uncontaminated" than that of the Tagalogs, Pampangans, Zambals, +Pangasinans, Ilocanos, Bicols, and Visayans. The traditions of +these Christianized tribes present as survivals, adaptations, +modifications, fully as many puzzling and fascinating problems as +the popular lore of the Pagan peoples. It should be remembered, +that, no matter how wild and savage and isolated a tribe may be, +it is impossible to prove that there has been no contact of that +tribe with the outside civilized world. Conquest is not necessary +to the introduction of a story or belief. The crew of a Portuguese +trading-vessel with a genial narrator on board might conceivably be +a much more successful transmitting-medium than a thousand praos full +of brown warriors come to stay. Clearly the problem of analyzing and +tracing the story-literature of the Christianized tribes differs only +in degree from that connected with the Pagan tribes. In this volume +I have treated the problem entirely from the former point of view, +since there has been hitherto a tendency to neglect as of small value +the stories of the Christianized peoples. However, for illustrative +material I have drawn freely on works dealing with the non-Christian +tribes, particularly in the case of stories that appear to be native; +and I shall use the term "native" to mean merely "existent in the +Islands before the Spaniards went there." + +In the notes, I have attempted to answer for some of the tales the +question as to what is native and what imported. I have not been +able to reach a decision in the case of all, because of a lack of +sufficient evidence. While the most obvious sources of importation +from the Occident have been Spain and Portugal, the possibility +of the introduction of French, Italian, and even Belgian stories +through the medium of priests of those nationalities must not be +overlooked. Furthermore, there is a no inconsiderable number of Basque +sailors to be found on the small inter-island steamers that connect +one end of the archipelago with the other. Even a very cursory glance +at the tales in this collection reveals the fact that many of them +are more or less close variants and analogues of tales distributed +throughout the world. How or when this material reached the Philippines +is hard to say. The importation of Arabian stories, for example, +might have been made over many routes. The Hindoo beast-tales, too, +might have quite circled the globe in their progress from east to west, +and thus have been introduced to the Filipinos by the Spaniards and +Portuguese. Again, the germs of a number of widespread Märchen may have +existed in the archipelago long before the arrival of the Europeans, +and, upon the introduction of Occidental civilization and culture, +have undergone a development entirely consistent with the development +that took place in Europe, giving us as a result remarkably close +analogues of the Western tales. This I suspect to have been the case +of some of our stories where, parallel with the localized popular +versions, exist printed romances (in the vernacular) with the mediaeval +flavor and setting of chivalry. To give a specific case: the Visayans, +Bicols, and Tagalogs in the coast towns feared the raids of Mindanao +Mussulmans long before white feet trod the shores of the Islands, and +many traditions of conflicts with these pirates are embedded in their +legends. The Spaniard came in the sixteenth century, bringing with +him stories of wars between Christians and Saracens in Europe. One +result of this close analogy of actual historical situation was, I +believe, a general tendency to levelling: that is, native traditions +of such struggles took on the color of the Spanish romances; Spanish +romances, on the other hand, which were popularized in the Islands, +were very likely to be "localized." A maximum of caution and a +minimum of dogmatism, then, are imperative, if one is to treat at all +scientifically the relationship of the stories of a composite people +like the Filipinos to the stories of the rest of the world. + +A word might be added as to the nature of the tales. I have included +only "hero tales, serious and droll," beast stories and fables, +and pourquoi or "just-so" stories. Myths, legends, and fairy-tales +(including all kinds of spirit and demon stories) I have purposely +excluded, in order to keep the size of the volume within reasonable +limits. I have, however, occasionally drawn upon my manuscript +collection of these types to illustrate a native superstition or +custom. + +Columbia University, + +May, 1918. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +I. HERO TALES AND DROLLS. + +1. (a) Suan's Good Luck 1 + (b) Suan Eket 2 +2. The Charcoal-Maker who became King 10 +3. The Story of Carancal 17 +4. (a) Suac and his Adventures 29 + (b) The Three Friends,--the Monkey, the Dog, and the Carabao 31 +5. (a) How Suan became Rich 35 + (b) The King's Decisions 37 +6. (a) The Four Blind Brothers 42 + (b) Juan the Blind Man 43 + (c) Teofilo the Hunchback, and the Giant 46 + (d) Juan and the Buringcantada 47 + (e) The Manglalabas 49 +7. (a) Sagacious Marcela 53 + (b) King Tasio 55 +8. (a) The Story of Zaragoza 64 + (b) Juan the Peerless Robber 69 +9. The Seven Crazy Fellows 75 +10. (a) Juan Manalaksan 79 + (b) Juan the Poor, who became Juan the King 81 +11. (a) Lucas the Strong 89 + (b) Juan and his Six Companions 92 + (c) The Story of King Palmarin 98 +12. (a) The Three Brothers 116 + (b) Three Brothers of Fortune 118 + (c) Pablo and the Princess 120 + (d) Legend of Prince Oswaldo 122 +13. (a) The Rich and the Poor 137 + (b) Lucas the Rope-Maker 140 +14. (a) The King and the Dervish 144 + (b) The Mysterious Book 145 +15. The Miraculous Cow 150 +16. The Clever Husband and Wife 152 +17. The Three Brothers 155 +18. Juan and his Adventures 171 +19. Juan wearing a Monkey's Skin 178 +20. (a) How Salaksak became Rich 183 + (b) Clever Juan and Envious Diego 186 + (c) Ruined because of Invidiousness 188 + (d) The Two Friends 190 + (e) Juan the Orphan 192 +21. Is he the Crafty Ulysses? 197 +22. The Reward of Kindness 207 +23. Pedro and Satan 211 +24. The Devil and the Guachinango 214 +25. Juan Sadut 223 +26. An Act of Kindness 227 +27. The Indolent Husband 231 +28. Cecilio, the Servant of Emilio 237 +29. Chonguita 244 +30. The Golden Lock 248 +31. Who is the Nearest Relative? 257 +32. With One Centavo Juan marries a Princess 262 +33. (a) The Three Humpbacks 265 + (b) The Seven Humpbacks 267 +34. (a) Respect Old Age 271 + (b) The Golden Rule 271 +35. Cochinango 276 +36. Pedro and the Witch 279 +37. The Woman and her Coles Plant 285 +38. A Negrito Slave 287 +39. Alberto and the Monsters 291 +40. Juan and Maria 295 +41. The Enchanted Prince 301 +42. The Prince's Dream 304 +43. The Wicked Woman's Reward 309 +44. The Magic Ring 310 +45. (a) Maria and the Golden Slipper 314 + (b) Abadeja 316 +46. Juan the Poor 319 +47. The Fate of an Envious Woman 323 +48. (a) The Monkey and Juan Pusong Tambi-Tambi 326 + (b) Andres the Trapper 332 +49. Juan the Fool 338 +50. Juan and his Painted Hat 353 +51. Juan and Clotilde 355 +52. The Poor Man and his Three Sons 359 +53. The Denied Mother 361 +54. Tomarind and the Wicked Datu 363 + + +II. FABLES AND ANIMAL STORIES. + +55. The Monkey and the Turtle (three versions) 366 +56. The Monkey and the Crocodile (two versions) 374 +57. The Monkeys and the Dragon-Flies 379 +58. The Monkey, the Turtle, and the Crocodile 382 +59. The Iguana and the Turtle 383 +60. (a) The Trial among the Animals 385 + (b) The Pugu's Case 386 + (c) Why Mosquitoes hum and try to get into the Holes of our + Ears 387 + (d) A Tyrant 388 +61. The Greedy Crow 391 +62. The Humming-Bird and the Carabao 393 +63. The Camanchile and the Passion 394 +64. Auac and Lamiran 395 + + +III. "JUST-SO" STORIES. + +65. Why the Ant is not so Venomous as the Snake 398 +66. Why Locusts are Harmful 399 +67. How Lansones became Edible 401 +68. Why Cocks fight One Another 403 +69. Why Bats fly at Night 404 +70. Why the Sun shines more brightly than the Moon 404 +71. (a) Why the Culing has a Tonsure 407 + (b) The Culeto and the Crow 407 + (c) The Hawk and the Coling 408 +72. (a) Why the Cow's Skin is Loose on the Neck 410 + (b) The First Loose-Skinned Cow and the First Tight-Skinned + Carabao 411 +73. Why the Monkey is Wise 412 +74. (a) The Lost Necklace 414 + (b) The Cock and the Sparrow-Hawk 415 +75. The Story of our Fingers 416 +76. Why Snails climb up Grass 417 +77. Why the Cuttlefish and Squids produce a Black Liquid 419 +78. Why Cocks have Combs on their Heads 420 +79. (a) How the Crow became Black 420 + (b) Why the Crow is Black 421 + (c) The Dove and the Crow 422 +80. Why the Ocean is Salty 425 +81. (a) Why the Sky is Curved 426 + (b) Why the Sky is High 426 +82. An Unequal Match; or, Why the Carabao's Hoof is split 428 + + + +FILIPINO STORIES GIVEN IN THE NOTES. + + +[Only stories from my own manuscript collection are listed here. Titles +of those given in full are printed in Roman; of those given merely +in abstract, in Italics. A "(C)" after a title indicates that the +story is taken from one of the native corridos, or metrical romances +printed in the vernacular.] + + +Pedro's Fortunes 15 +Pusong 23 +Cabagboc 23 +Sandapal 23 +Sandangcal 23 +Greedy Juan 23 +Juan Tapon 23 +Dangandangan 23 +Tangarangan 23 +Kakarangkang 29 +How Piro became Rich 14 +The Cripple and the Blind Man 51 +Marcela outwits the King 56 +Cay Calabasa (C) 57 +Rodolfo (C) 60 +Juan and his Six Friends 78 +Edmundo (C) 87 +The Three Brothers 127 +The Priest and his Pupil 148 +Abu-Hasan (C) 154 +Don Agustin, Don Pedro, and Don Juan (C) 169 +The Adarna Bird (C) (two versions) 169 +Pedro and the Giants 175 +The Monkey becomes King 182 +Juan the Ashes-Trader 195 +Colassit and Colaskel 195 +Juan the Poor 202 +Juan Bachiller (C) 202 +Mabait and the Duende 217 +The Fortunes of Andoy, an Orphan 241 +Peter the Violinist 241 +Duke Almanzor (C) 251 +The Seven Hunchbacked Brothers 268 +Juan and his Father 275 +Pugut Negro (C) 280 +Juan Tiñoso (C) 283 +Juan and Maria (C) 298 +Pitong 299 +The Wonderful Tree 318 +King Asuero and Juan the Poor (C) 322 +Ricardo and his Adventures 347 +Juan and the Robbers 348 +The Adventure of Two Robbers 349 +Juan Sadut 351 +Juan Loco 352 +The Monkey and the Crocodile 377 +The Battle between the Birds and the Beasts 381 +The Bacuit's Case 389 +Why the Ant is not so Venomous as the Snake 399 +The Origin of Locusts 399 +The Origin of Locusts 400 +The Adam and Eve of the Tagalogs 402 +How Lanzones became Edible 402 +The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars 405 +The Sun and the Moon 406 +Origin of the Monkey 413 +The First Monkey 413 +The Deer and the Snail 429 + + +APPENDIX 431 + +INDEX 447 + + + + + +BIBLIOGRAPHY. + + +[The following list includes only such works as are referred to in +abbreviated form in the notes throughout the volume.] + +AARNE, ANTTI. Vergleichende Märchenforschungen. Helsingfors, 1908. + +Arabian Nights' Entertainments. Translated by Sir RICHARD BURTON. 10 +vols., 1885. Supplemental Nights, 6 vols., 1886-88. + +Bahar-i-Danush. Translated from the Persian by JONATHAN SCOTT. 3 +vols. Shrewsbury, 1799. + +BAIN, R. NISBET. Russian Fairy Tales. From the Skazki of Polevoi. New +York, N.D. + +BASILE, G. Pentamerone. Translated by Sir RICHARD BURTON. 2 +vols. London, 1893. + +BATEMAN, G.W. Zanzibar Tales. Chicago, 1901. + +BENFEY, THEODOR. Pantschatantra: fünf Bücher indischer Fabeln, +Märchen und Erzählungen. Aus dem Sanskrit übersetzt, mit Einleitung +und Anmerkungen. 2 vols. Leipzig, 1859. + +BLUMENTRITT, FERDINAND. Diccionario mitológico (in Retana's Archivo +del bibliófilo filipino, Vol. 2, Madrid, 1896). + +BOLTE (JOHANNES) UND POLÍVKA (GEORG). Anmerkungen zu den Kinder- +und Hausmärchen der Brüder Grimm. 2 vols. Leipzig, 1913, 1915. (Cited +Bolte-Polívka.) + +BOMPAS, C.H. Folklore of the Santal Parganas. London, 1909. + +BURTON, Sir RICHARD. See Arabian Nights' Entertainments, and Basile. + +(BUSK.) Sagas from the Far East; or Kalmouk and Mongolian Traditionary +Tales. London, 1873. (Compiled by RACHEL HARRIETTE BUSK.) + +CABALLERO, FERNAN. Cuentos y poesias populares Andaluces. Leipzig, +1866. See also Ingram. + +CAMPBELL, A. Santal Folk-Tales. Pokhuria, India, 1891. + +CAMPBELL, J. F. Popular Tales of the West Highlands. 4 vols. 1890. + +CAMPBELL, KILLIS. The Seven Sages of Rome. Boston, 1907. + +CHILD, FRANCIS J. English and Scottish Popular Ballads. 5 vols. in +10 parts. Boston, 1882-98. + +CLOUSTON, W.A. Book of Noodles. London, 1888. (Cited Clouston 1.) + +--A Group of Eastern Romances. 1889. Privately printed. (Cited +Clouston 2.) + +--Popular Tales and Fictions. 2 vols. London, 1888. (Cited Clouston 3.) + +COLE, FAY-COOPER. Traditions of the Tinguian. Chicago, 1915. (Cited +Cole.) + +COLE, MABEL COOK. Philippine Folk Tales. Chicago, 1916. (Cited +M. C. Cole.) + +COMPARETTI, D. Novelline Popolari Italiane. Rome, 1875. + +COSQUIN, EMMANUEL. Contes Populaires de Lorraine. 2 vols. Paris (1887). + +CRANE, THOMAS F. Italian Popular Tales. Boston, 1885. + +CROOKE, W. Religion and Folklore of Northern India. 2 +vols. Westminster, 1896. + +DÄHNHARDT, OSKAR. Natursagen. Eine Sammlung naturdeutender Sagen, +Märchen, Fabeln und Legenden. 4 vols. Leipzig, 1907-12. + +DASENT, G. W. Popular Tales from the Norse. London, N.D. (The London +Library.) + +DAYRELL, ELPHINSTONE. Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria, West +Africa. London, 1910. + +DRACOTT, ALICE E. Simla Village Tales. London, 1906. + +DUNLOP, JOHN COLIN. History of Fiction. Edited by H. WILSON. 2 +vols. London, 1896. + +EVANS, IVOR H. N. Folk Stories of the Tempassuk and Tuaran Districts, +British North Borneo (in the Journal of the Royal Anthropological +Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, 43 [1913]: 422-479). (Cited +Evans.) + +FANSLER, HARRIOTT E. Types of Prose Narratives. Chicago, 1911. + +FLEESON, KATHERINE NEVILLE. Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India. Chicago, +1899. + +Folk-Lore Journal. Folk-Lore Society. 7 vols. London, 1883-89. (Cited +FLJ.) + +Folk-Lore: A Quarterly Review, current since 1890. (Cited FL.) + +FRERE, M. Old Deccan Days, or Hindoo Fairy Legends Current in Southern +India. London, 1868. + +GEROULD, G.H. The Grateful Dead. (Folk-Lore Society.) London, 1907. + +Gesta Romanorum. Translated by the Rev. CHARLES SWAN. Revised +edition. London, 1906. + +GONZENBACH, LAURA. Sicilianische Märchen. 2 vols. Leipzig, 1870. + +GRIMM, THE BROTHERS. Household Tales: with the Author's +Notes. Translated from the German, and edited by M. Hunt. With an +Introduction by Andrew Lang. 2 vols. London, 1884. + +GROOME, F.H. Gypsy Folk Tales. London, 1899. + +HAHN, J. G. VON. Griechische und albanesische Märchen. 2 vols. Leipzig, +1864. + +HARTLAND, E.S. Science of Fairy Tales. London, 1891. + +HONEY, JAMES A. South African Folk Tales. New York, 1910. + +HOSE (CHARLES) and McDOUGALL (WILLIAM). The Pagan Tribes of Borneo. 2 +vols. London, 1912. (Cited Hose-McDougall.) + +Indian Antiquary--A Journal of Oriental Research in Archaeology, +History, Literature, Languages, Philosophy, Religion, etc. Bombay +(current). + +INGRAM, J. H. Spanish Fairy Tales. Translated from Fernan +Caballero. New York, N.D. + +JACOBS, JOSEPH. Indian Fairy Tales. New York and London, 1913. (Cited +Jacobs 1.) + +--The Fables of Æsop. I. History of the Æsopic Fable. London, +1889. (Cited Jacobs 2.) + +Jataka, or Stories of the Buddha's Former Births. Translated from the +Pali by various hands. Edited by E. B. COWELL. 6 vols. Cambridge, V.D. + +Journal of American Folk-Lore. (Cited JAFL.) + +--Bayliss, Clara K., Tagalog Folk-Tales (JAFL 21 : 45-53). + +--Benedict, Laura W., Bagobo Myths (JAFL 26 : 13-63). + +--Chamberlain, A. F., Notes on Tagal Folk-Lore (JAFL 15 : 196-198). + +--Gardner, Fletcher, Tagalog Folk-Tales (JAFL 20 : 104-116, 300-310). + +--Maxfield, B. L., and Millington, W. H., Visayan Folk-Tales (JAFL 19 : +97-112; 20 : 89-103, 311-318). + +Journal of Philology. + +Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, N.S. (Cited +JRASB.) Katha-sarit-sagara. See Somadeva. + +KINGSCOTE, Mrs. HOWARD. Tales of the Sun, or Folklore of Southern +India. London, 1890. + +KITTREDGE, GEORGE L. Arthur and Gorlagon (in Harvard Studies and +Notes in Philology and Literature). + +KNOWLES, the Rev. J.H. Folk-Tales of Kashmir. 2d ed. London, 1893. + +KOHLER, REINHOLD. Kleinere Schriften. I. Zur Märchenforschung. Edited +by J. BOLTE. Weimar, 1898. (Cited Köhler-Bolte.) + +LAL BEHARI DAY. Folk-Tales of Bengal. London, 1883. + +LANG, ANDREW. Custom and Myth. 2d ed. London, 1885. + +LEGRAND, E. Recueil de contes populaires grecs. Paris, 1881. + +MACCULLOCH, J.A. The Childhood of Fiction: A Study of Folk Tales and +Primitive Thought. London, 1905. + +MCCULLOCH, WILLIAM. Bengali Household Tales. London, 1912. + +MEIER, E. Deutsche Volksmärchen aus Schwaben. Stuttgart, 1852. + +METELERKAMP, SANNI. Outa Karel's Stories: South African Folk-Lore +Tales. London, 1914. + +MIJATOVIES, Mme. Serbian Folk-Lore. London, 1874. + +Orient und Occident, insbesondere in ihren gegenwärtigen Beziehungen, +etc. 3 vols. Göttingen, 1860-64. + +Pantschatantra. See Benfey. + +PANZER, FRIEDRICH. Studien zur germanischen +Sagengeschichte. I. Beowulf. München, 1910. + +Persian Tales: The 1001 Days. Translated by AMBROSE PHILLIPS. 2 +vols. London, 1722. (References are to the 6th edition.) + +PITRÈ, G. Fiabe, Novelline e Racconti Popolari Siciliane. 4 +vols. Palermo, 1875. + +PRÖHLE, H. Kinder- und Volksmärchen. Leipzig, 1853. + +RADLOFF, W. Proben der Volkslitteratur der Turkischen Stämme +Sud-Sibiriens. 6 vols. St. Petersburg, 1866-86. + +RALSTON, W. R. S. Russian Folk Tales. London, 1873. (Cited Ralston 1.) + +--Tibetan Tales. London, 1882. (Cited Ralston 2.) + +RETANA, WENCESLAO. Aparato Bibliográfico. 3 vols. Madrid, 1906. + +RITTERSHAUS, ADELINE. Die Neuisländischen Volksmärchen. Halle, 1902. + +RIVIERE, J. Recueil de contes populaires de la Kabylie. Paris, 1882. + +Romancero General. 2 vols. Ed. DURAN. + +Romania: Recueil trimestriel. Ed. par P. MEYER et G. PARIS. Paris, +current since 1872. + +Rondallayre. Lo Rondallayre. Quentos populars catalans, colleccionats +per Fr. Maspons y Labros. Barcelona, 1875. + +ROTH, H. LING. The Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo. 2 +vols. London, 1896. + +ROUSE, W. H.D. The Talking Thrush and Other Tales from India. London, +1899. + +SCHIEFNER, ANTON VON. See Tibetan Tales. + +SCHLEICHER, AUGUST. Litauische Märchen, Sprichworte, Rätsel und +Lieder. Weimar, 1857. + +SCHNELLER, C. Märchen und Sagen aus Wälschtirol. Innsbruck, 1867. + +SCHOTT, ARTHUR und ALBERT. Walachische Maerchen. Stuttgart, 1845. + +SCOTT, JONATHAN. See Bahar-i-Danush. + +SELLERS, C. Tales from the Land of Nuts and Grapes. London, 1888. + +SKEAT, W. W. Fables and Folk-Tales from an Eastern Forest. Cambridge, +1901. (Cited Skeat 1.) + +SKEAT, W.W. Malay Magic. London, 1900. (Cited Skeat 2.) + +SOMADEVA. Katha-sarit-sagara. Translated into English by +C. H. TAWNEY. 2 vols. Calcutta, 1880, 1884. + +STEEL (F. A.) and TEMPLE (R. C.). Wideawake Stories = Tales of the +Punjab. London, 1894. (Cited Steel-Temple.) + +STEERE, E. Swahili Tales. London, 1870. + +STOKES, MAIVE. Indian Fairy Tales. London, 1880. + +STRAPAROLA, GIOVAN F. Tredici piacevoli Notti. The Nights, now first +translated into English by W. G. WATERS. 2 vols. London, 1894. + +TAWNEY, C.H. See Somadeva. + +THORNHILL, MARK. Indian Fairy Tales. London, 1888. + +THORPE, B. Yule-Tide Stories. London, 1853. + +Thousand and One Nights. See Arabian Nights' Entertainment. + +Tibetan Tales. Translated from the Tibetan of the Kah-Gyur by F. ANTON +VON SCHIEFNER. Done into English from the German, with an Introduction, +by W. R. S. RALSTON. London, 1882. (Cited Ralston 2.) + +Tootinameh; or Tales of a Parrot. Persian text with English +translation. Calcutta, 1792. + +WALDAU, A. Böhmisches Märchenbuch. Prag, 1860. + +WARDROP, M. Georgian Folk Tales. London, 1894. + +WEBSTER, WENTWORTH. Basque Legends. London (2d ed.), 1879. + +WRATISLAW, A. H. Sixty Slavonic Folk-Tales. Boston, 1890. + +WUK. Volksmärchen der Serben. Berlin, 1854. + + + + + + + +FILIPINO POPULAR TALES + + + +PART I + +HERO TALES AND DROLLS. + + +TALE 1 + +SUAN'S GOOD LUCK. + + +Narrated by Macaria Garcia. The story is popular among the Pampangans. + + +There was once an old woman who had an only son named Suan. [2] Suan +was a clever, sharp-witted boy. His mother sent him to school. Instead +of going to school, however, Suan climbed up the tree that stood by +the roadside. As soon as his mother had passed by from the market, +Suan hurried home ahead of her. When she reached home, he cried, +"Mother, I know what you bought in the market to-day." He then told +her, article by article. This same thing happened so repeatedly, +that his mother began to believe in his skill as a diviner. + +One day the ring of the datu's [3] daughter disappeared. All the people +in the locality searched for it, but in vain. The datu called for +volunteers to find the lost ring, and he offered his daughter's hand +as a prize to the one who should succeed. Suan's mother heard of the +proclamation. So she went to the palace and presented Suan to the datu. + +"Well, Suan, to-morrow tell me where the ring is," said the datu. + +"Yes, my lord, I will tell you, if you will give your soldiers over +to me for to-night," Suan replied. + +"You shall have everything you need," said the datu. + +That evening Suan ordered the soldiers to stand around him in a +semicircle. When all were ready, Suan pointed at each one of them, +and said, "The ring is here, and nowhere else." It so happened that +Suan fixed his eyes on the guilty soldier, who trembled and became +pale. "I know who has it," said Suan. Then he ordered them to retire. + +Late in the night this soldier came to Suan, and said, "I will get +the ring you are in search of, and will give it to you if you will +promise me my safety." + +"Give it to me, and you shall be safe," said Suan. + +Very early the next morning Suan came to the palace with a turkey in +his arms. "Where is the ring?" the datu demanded. "Why, sir, it is in +this turkey's intestines," Suan replied. The turkey was then killed, +and the ring was found inside it. + +"You have done very well, Suan. Now you shall have my daughter's hand," +said the datu. So Suan became the princess's husband. + +One day the datu proposed a bet with any one who wished to prove +Suan's skill. Accordingly another datu came. He offered to bet seven +cascos [4] of treasure that Suan could not tell the number of seeds +that were in his orange. Suan did not know what to do. At midnight +he went secretly to the cascos. Here he heard their conversation, +and from it he learned the number of seeds in the orange. + +In the morning Suan said boastfully, "I tell you, your orange has +nine seeds." Thus Suan won the whole treasure. + +Hoping to recover his loss, the datu came again. This time he had +with him fourteen cascos full of gold. He asked Suan to tell him +what was inside his golden ball. Suan did not know what to say. So +in the dead of night he went out to the cascos, but he could learn +nothing there. The next morning Suan was summoned into the presence +of the two datus. He had no idea whatever as to what was in the ball; +so he said scornfully, "Nonsense!" + +"That is right, that is right!" shouted a man. "The ball contains nine +cents." Consequently Suan won the fourteen cascos full of gold. From +now on, nobody doubted Suan's merit. + + +Suan Eket. + +Narrated by Manuel Reyes, a Tagalog from Rizal province. He heard +the story from his grandfather. + +Many years ago there lived in the country of Campao a boy named +Suan. While this boy was studying in a private school, it was said +that he could not pronounce the letter x very well--he called it +"eket." So his schoolmates nick-named him "Suan Eket." + +Finally Suan left school, because, whenever he went there, the other +pupils always shouted at him, "Eket, eket, eket!" He went home, +and told his mother to buy him a pencil and a pad of paper. "I am +the wisest boy in our town now," said he. + +One night Suan stole his father's plough, and hid it in a creek near +their house. The next morning his father could not find his plough. + +"What are you looking for?" said Suan. + +"My plough," answered his father. + +"Come here, father! I will guess where it is." Suan took his pencil and +a piece of paper. On the paper he wrote figures of various shapes. He +then looked up, and said,-- + + + "Ararokes, ararokes, + Na na nakawes + Ay na s'imburnales,"-- + + +which meant that the plough had been stolen by a neighbor and hidden +in a creek. Suan's father looked for it in the creek near their house, +and found it. In great wonder he said, "My son is truly the wisest +boy in the town." News spread that Suan was a good guesser. + +One day as Suan was up in a guava-tree, he saw his uncle Pedro +ploughing. At noon Pedro went home to eat his dinner, leaving the +plough and the carabao [5] in the field. Suan got down from the tree +and climbed up on the carabao's back. He guided it to a very secret +place in the mountains and hid it there. When Pedro came back, he +could not find his carabao. A man who was passing by said, "Pedro, +what are you looking for?" + +"I am looking for my carabao. Somebody must have stolen it." "Go to +Suan, your nephew," said the man. "He can tell you who stole your +carabao." So Pedro went to Suan's house, and told him to guess who +had taken his carabao. + +Suan took his pencil and a piece of paper. On the paper he wrote some +round figures. He then looked up, and said, + + + "Carabaues, carabaues, + Na nanakawes + Ay na sa bundokes,"-- + + +which meant that the carabao was stolen by a neighbor and was hidden +in the mountain. For many days Pedro looked for it in the mountain. At +last he found it in a very secret place. He then went to Suan's house, +and told him that the carabao was truly in the mountain. In great +wonder he said, "My nephew is surely a good guesser." + +One Sunday a proclamation of the king was read. It was as follows: +"The princess's ring is lost. Whoever can tell who stole it shall have +my daughter for his wife; but he who tries and fails, loses his head." + +When Suan's mother heard it, she immediately went to the palace, +and said, "King, my son can tell you who stole your daughter's ring." + +"Very well," said the king, "I will send my carriage for your son to +ride to the palace in." + +In great joy the woman went home. She was only ascending the ladder +[6] when she shouted, "Suan Suan, my fortunate son!" + +"What is it, mother?" said Suan. + +"I told the king that you could tell him who stole the princess's +ring." + +"Foolish mother, do you want me to die?" said Suan, trembling. + +Suan had scarcely spoken these words when the king's carriage came. The +coachman was a courtier. This man was really the one who had stolen +the princess's ring. When Suan was in the carriage, he exclaimed in +great sorrow, "Death is at hand!" Then he blasphemed, and said aloud +to himself, "You will lose your life now." + +The coachman thought that Suan was addressing him. He said to himself, +"I once heard that this man is a good guesser. He must know that +it was I who stole the ring, because he said that my death is at +hand." So he knelt before Suan, and said, "Pity me! Don't tell the +king that it was I who stole the ring!" + +Suan was surprised at what the coachman said. After thinking for a +moment, he asked, "Where is the ring?" + +"Here it is." + +"All right! Listen, and I will tell you what you must do in order +that you may not be punished by the king. You must catch one of the +king's geese to-night, and make it swallow the ring." + +The coachman did what Suan had told him to do. He caught a goose and +opened its mouth. He then dropped the ring into it, and pressed the +bird's throat until it swallowed the ring. + +The next morning the king called Suan, and said, "Tell me now who +stole my daughter's ring." + +"May I have a candle? I cannot guess right if I have no candle," +said Suan. + +The king gave him one. He lighted it and put it on a round table. He +then looked up and down. He went around the table several times, +uttering Latin words. Lastly he said in a loud voice, "Mi domine!" + +"Where is the ring?" said the king. + +Suan replied,-- + + + "Singsing na nawala + Ninakao ang akala + Ay nas' 'big ng gansa,"-- + + +which meant that the ring was not stolen, but had been swallowed by +a goose. The king ordered all the geese to be killed. In the crop of +one of them they found the ring. In great joy the king patted Suan +on the back, and said, "You are truly the wisest boy in the world." + +The next day there was a great entertainment, and Suan and the princess +were married. + + + + + +In a country on the other side of the sea was living a rich man named +Mayabong. This man heard that the King of Campao had a son-in-law +who was a good guesser. So he filled one of his cascos with gold +and silver, and sailed to Campao. He went to the palace, and said, +"King, is it true that your son-in-law is a good guesser?" + +"Yes," said the king. + +"Should you like to have a contest with me? If your son-in-law can +tell how many seeds these melons I have brought here contain, I will +give you that casco filled with gold and silver on the sea; but if he +fails, you are to give me the same amount of money as I have brought." + +The king agreed. Mayabong told him that they would meet at the public +square the next day. + +When Mayabong had gone away, the king called Suan, and said, "Mayabong +has challenged me to a contest. You are to guess how many seeds the +melons he has contain. Can you do it?" Suan was ashamed to refuse; +so, even though he knew that he could not tell how many seeds a melon +contained, he answered, "Yes." + +When night came, Suan could not sleep. He was wondering what to do. At +last he decided to drown himself in the sea. So he went to the shore +and got into a tub. "I must drown myself far out, so that no one may +find my body. If they see it, they will say that I was not truly a +good guesser," he said to himself. He rowed and rowed until he was +very tired. It so happened that he reached the place where Mayabong's +casco was anchored. There he heard somebody talking. "How many seeds +has the green melon?" said one. "Five," answered another. "How many +seeds has the yellow one?"--"Six." + +When Suan heard how many seeds each melon contained, he immediately +rowed back to shore and went home. + +The next morning Suan met Mayabong at the public square, as +agreed. Mayabong held up a green melon, and said, "How many seeds +does this melon contain?" + +"Five seeds," answered Suan, after uttering some Latin words. + +The melon was cut, and was found to contain five seeds. The king +shouted, "We are right!" + +Mayabong then held up another melon, and said, "How many does this +one contain?" + +Seeing that it was the yellow melon, Suan said, "It contains six." + +When the melon was cut, it was found that Suan was right again. So +he won the contest. + +Now, Mayabong wanted to win his money back again. So he took a bottle +and filled it with dung, and covered it tightly. He challenged the +king again to a contest. But when Suan refused this time, because he +had no idea as to what was in the bottle, the king said, "I let you +marry my daughter, because I thought that you were a good guesser. Now +you must prove that you are. If you refuse, you will lose your life." + +When Mayabong asked what the bottle contained, Suan, filled with rage, +picked it up and hurled it down on the floor, saying, "I consider +that you are all waste to me." [7] When the bottle was broken, it +was found to contain waste, or dung. In great joy the king crowned +Suan to succeed him. Thus Suan lived happily the rest of his life +with his wife the princess. + + + +Notes. + +Two other printed variants are-- + +(c) "Juan the Guesser" (in H. E. Fansler's Types of Prose Narratives +[Chicago, 1911], pp. 73-77). + +(d) "Juan Pusong" (JAFL 19 : 107-108). + +This story seems to be fairly widespread among the Filipinos: there +is no doubt of its popularity. The distinguishing incidents of the +type are as follows:-- + +A1 Lazy son decides that he will go to school no longer, and (A2) +with his ABC book or a pencil and pad of paper, he has no trouble in +making his parents think him wise. (A3) He tells his mother that he has +learned to be a prophet and can discover hidden things. (A4) He spies +on his mother, and then "guesses" what she has prepared for supper. + +B He hides his father's plough (cattle), and then finds it for +him. (B1) Plays similar trick on his uncle, thereby establishing his +reputation as a diviner. + +C King's daughter loses ring, and the king sends for Juan to find it +under penalty of death if he fails, or (C1) his mother volunteers +her son's services. (C2) He accidentally discovers the thief by an +ejaculation of sorrow, or (C3) shrewdly picks out the guilty one from +among the soldiers. + +In either case he causes the ring to be hid in a secret place or +swallowed by a goose (turkey), in whose body it is found the next day. + +D Juan marries the princess. + +E By overhearing a conversation, Juan is able to tell the number of +seeds in an orange (melon), and to win a large sum of money from a +neighboring king who has come to bet with hero's father-in-law. + +F Hero required to accept another bet, as to the contents of three +jars. (Method as in E,--swimming out to neighboring king's casco and +overhearing conversation.) + +G Ejaculation guess as to contents of golden ball (bottle). + +H Afraid of being called on for further demonstration of his skill, +hero burns his "magic" book. + +These incidents are distributed among the four forms of the story +as follows:-- + + + Version a A1A4C1C3DEG + Version b A1A2BB1C1C2DEG + Version c A1A2BCC2DE(accidentally hears answer)FH + Version d A1A3A4EB + + +A concluding adventure is sometimes added to version c, "Juan +the Guesser." King and queen of another country visit palace of +Juan's father-in-law and want their newly-born child baptized. Juan +is selected to be godfather. When called upon to sign the baptism +certificate, he instantly dies of shame, pen in hand: he cannot write +even his own name. + + + + + +A connection between our story and Europe at once suggests +itself. "Dr. Knowall" (Grimm, No. 98) is perhaps the best-known, +though by no means the fullest, Western version. Bolte and Polívka +(2 [1915] : 402) give the skeleton of the cycle as follows:-- + +A1 A peasant with the name of Crab (Cricket, Rat), who buys a +physician's costume and calls himself Dr. Knowall, or (A2) who would +like to satiate himself once with three days' eating, (B) discovers +the thieves who have stolen from a distinguished gentleman a ring +(treasure), by calling out upon the entrance of the servants (or at +the end of the three days), "That is the first (second, third)!" (C) +He also guesses what is in the covered dish (or closed hand) while +commiserating himself, "Poor Crab (Cricket, Rat)!" (D1) Through +a purgative he by chance helps to find a stolen horse, or (D2) he +discovers the horse that has previously been concealed by him. (E) He +gets a living among the peasants, upon whom he has made an impression +with a short or unintelligible sermon or through the crashing-down +of the pulpit, which has previously been sawed through by him. + +Bolte lists over a hundred and fifty stories containing one or more +incidents of this cycle. The discovery of the ring inside a domestic +fowl (sometimes animal) is found in most of the European versions, +as is likewise the "ejaculation guess" (our C3 and G). + +These two details, however, are also found in Oriental forms of +the story, which, as a whole, have some peculiarly distinctive +traits. These (see Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 407) are (1) the rôle of the +wife, (2) the collapsing of the room, (3) the burning of the magic +book. The appearance in the Philippine versions of two of these motifs +(one in modified form), together with a third (the betting-contest +between the two kings, which is undoubtedly Eastern in origin), +leads us to believe that our story of "Juan the Guesser" is in large +measure descended directly from Oriental tradition, though it may +owe something to Occidental influence. + +In two of our variants it is the mother who in her fond pride places +her son in jeopardy of losing his head. As the hero is a young +bachelor when the story opens, the exploitation of his prowess would +naturally devolve upon his mother. The burning of the magic book +is found in version c, though the incident of the collapsing of the +room or house is lacking in all our variants. The most characteristic +episode, however, in the Philippine members of this cycle, is the +betting-contest between the two kings. It is introduced five times +into the four tales. Its only other occurrence that I know of in this +cycle is in an Arabian story cited by Cosquin (2 : 192), which follows. + + +One day, when the king was boasting of his conjurer before some other +kings, they said to him, "We too have some diviners. Let us compare +their wits with the wisdom of your man." The kings then buried three +pots,--one filled with milk, another with honey, and the third with +pitch. The conjurers of the other kings could not say what was in +the pots. Then Asfour (the hero) was called. He turned to his wife, +and said, "All this (trouble) comes of you. We could have left the +country. The first (time) it was milk; the second, honey; the third, +pitch." The kings were dumfounded. "He has named the milk, the honey, +and the pitch without hesitation," they said, and they gave him +a pension. + +The close resemblance between this detail and the corresponding one +(F) in "Juan the Guesser" is immediately evident. The fact that the +difficulty in Juan's career is overcome, not by an "ejaculation guess," +but by a providential accident (much the same thing, however), does +not decrease the significance of the two passages. + +That the betting-contest between the two kings is an Oriental +conception (very likely based on actual early custom) is further +borne out by its appearance in a remarkable group of Eastern stories +of the "Clever Lass" type (see Child, English and Scottish Ballads, +1 : 11). "The gist of these narratives," writes Professor Child, +"is that one king propounds tasks to another; in the earlier ones, +with the intent to discover whether his brother-monarch enjoys the aid +of such counsellors as will make an attack on him dangerous; in the +later, with the demand that he shall acquit himself satisfactorily, +or suffer a forfeit: and the king is delivered from a serious strait +by the sagacity either of a minister . . . or of the daughter of his +minister, who came to her father's assistance .... These tasks are +always such as require ingenuity of one kind or another, whether in +devising practical experiments, in contriving subterfuges, in solving +riddles, or even in constructing compliments." + +One other Oriental variant of this story may be cited because of its +similarity to two of our tales (cf. our episodes C and C2). This is +an Anamese version, printed in the "Chrestomathie cochin-chinoise" +(Paris, 1872), 1 : 30:-- + +There was once a man who, being qualified for nothing, and not +knowing how to earn a living, made up his mind one day to become +a diviner. As luck had many times served him, the public came to +believe in his oracles.... He amassed a good round sum, and day +by day his success made him more bold and boastful. Once a golden +tortoise disappeared from the palace of the king. As all searches for +it resulted in nothing, some one mentioned the diviner to the king, +and begged permission to summon him. The king ordered his litter +prepared, the escort and the umbrellas of honor, and sent to have +the conjurer fetched. When the conjurer learned what was the matter, +he was very much disturbed, but he could not resist the commands +of the king. Accordingly he dressed himself, entered the litter, +and set out. Along the road the poor diviner continually bemoaned +his fate. Finally he cried out, "What is the use of groaning? The +stomach (bung) has caused it all; the belly (da) will suffer for it" +(an Anamese proverb). Now, it happened that the two litter-bearers +were named Bung and Da, and it was they who had stolen the king's gold +tortoise. When they heard the exclamation of the diviner, they believed +that they had been discovered. They begged him to have pity on them; +they confessed that they had stolen the tortoise and had hidden it +in the gutter. "Very well," said the diviner, "I will spare you; I +will say nothing; reassure yourselves." When he reached the palace, +he went through some magical performances, found the tortoise, and +was overwhelmed by the king with rewards and honors.--COSQUIN, 2 : 192. + + +It is entirely possible that this story and our two stories containing +the same situation are connected. Trading between Manila and Indo-China +has been going on for centuries. + +The history of the Philippine story has probably been something like +this: To an early narrative about a wager between two neighboring +kings or datus, in which the winner was aided by the shrewdness of +an advisor (originally having a considerable amount of real ability), +were added other adventures showing how the advisor came to have his +post of honor. The germ of this story doubtless came from India via +the Malay migrations; the additional details possibly belong to a +much later period. + +It is, moreover, not impossible that this whole cycle of the lucky +"anti-hero" grew up as a conscious antithesis to the earlier cycle +of the genuinely "Clever Lass" (see No. 7 in this collection). + +In conclusion I might call attention to Benfey's treatment of this +droll in "Orient und Occident" (1 : 371 et seq.). Benfey traces the +story from the Orient, but considers that its fullest form is that +given in Schleicher's Lithuanian legends. The tale is also found in +"Somadeva," Chapter XXX (Tawney, 1 : 272-274). + + + +TALE 2 + +THE CHARCOAL-MAKER WHO BECAME KING. + + +Narrated by José R. Perez, a Tagalog living in Manila, who heard the +story when a boy from his nurse. + + +Once upon a time there lived a king who had one beautiful +daughter. When she was old enough to be married, her father, as was +the custom in ancient times, made a proclamation throughout his kingdom +thus: "Whosoever shall be able to bring me ten car-loads of money for +ten successive days shall have the hand of my beautiful daughter and +also my crown. If, however, any one undertakes and fails, he shall +be put to death." + +A boy, the only son of a poor charcoal-maker, heard this announcement +in his little town. He hurried home to his mother, and said that +he wanted to marry the beautiful princess and to be king of their +country. The mother, however, paid no attention to what her foolish +son had said, for she well knew that they had very little money. + +The next day the boy, as usual, took his hatchet and went to the forest +to cut wood. He started to cut down a very huge tree, which would +take him several days to finish. While he was busy with his hatchet, +he seemed to hear a voice saying, "Cut this tree no more. Dip your +hand into the hole of the trunk, and you will find a purse which +will give you all the money you wish." At first he did not pay any +attention to the voice, but finally he obeyed it. To his surprise, +he got the purse, but found it empty. Disappointed, he angrily threw +it away; but as the purse hit the ground, silver money rolled merrily +out of it. The youth quickly gathered up the coins; then, picking up +the purse, he started for home, filled with happiness. + +When he reached the house, he spread petates [8] over the floor of +their little hut, called his mother, and began shaking the purse. The +old woman was amazed and delighted when she saw dollars coming out +in what seemed to be an inexhaustible stream. She did not ask her +son where he had found the purse, but was now thoroughly convinced +that he could marry the beautiful princess and be king afterwards. + +The next morning she ordered her son to go to the palace to inform +his Majesty that he would bring him the money he demanded in exchange +for his daughter and his crown. The guard of the palace, however, +thought that the youth was crazy; for he was poorly dressed and had +rude manners. Therefore he refused to let him in. But their talk was +overheard by the king, who ordered the guard to present the youth +before him. The king read the announcement, emphasizing the part which +said that in case of failure the contestant would be put to death. To +this condition the charcoal-maker agreed. Then he asked the king +to let him have a talk with his daughter. The meeting was granted, +and the youth was extremely pleased with the beauty and vivacity of +the princess. + +After he had bidden her good-by, he told the king to send the cars +with him to get the first ten car-loads of money. The cars were sent +with guards. The drivers and the guards of the convoy were astonished +when they saw the poor charcoal-maker fill the ten cars with bright +new silver dollars. The princess, too, at first was very much pleased +with such a large sum of money. + +Five days went by, and the youth had not failed to send the amount of +money required. "Five days more, and I shall surely be married!" said +the princess to herself. "Married? Yes, married life is like music +without words. But will it be in my case? My future husband is ugly, +unrefined, and of low descent. But--he is rich. Yes, rich; but what +are riches if I am going to be wretched? No, I will not marry him +for all the world. I will play a trick on him." + +The next day the guard informed her that the riches of the young +man were inexhaustible, for the purse from which he got his money +seemed to be magical. When she heard this, she commanded the guard to +tell the young man that she wished to see him alone. Filled with joy +because of this sign of her favor, the youth hastened to the palace, +conducted by the guard. The princess entertained him regally, and tried +all sorts of tricks to get possession of the magical purse. At last she +succeeded in inducing him to go to sleep. While he was unconscious, the +deceitful princess stole the purse and left him alone in the chamber. + +When he awoke, he saw that the princess had deserted him and that +his purse was gone. "Surely I am doomed to die if I don't leave this +kingdom at once," said he to himself. "My purse is gone, and I cannot +now fulfil my contract." He at once hurried home, told his parents to +abandon their home and town, and he himself started on a journey for +another kingdom. After much travelling, he reached mountainous places, +and had eaten but little for many a day. + +By good luck he came across a tree heavily laden with fruits. The +tree was strange to him; but the delicious appearance of its fruit, +and his hunger, tempted him to try some. While he was eating, he was +terrified to find that two horns had appeared on his forehead. He tried +his best to pull them off, but in vain. The next day he saw another +tree, whose fruit appeared even more tempting. He climbed it, picked +some fruits, and ate them. To his surprise, his horns immediately +fell off. He wrapped some of this fruit up in his handkerchief, +and then went back to find the tree whose fruit he had eaten the day +before. He again ate some of its fruit, and again two horns grew out +of his head. Then he ate some of the other kind, and the horns fell +off. Confident now that he had a means of recovering his purse, he +gathered some of the horn-producing fruits, wrapped them in his shirt, +and started home. By this time he had been travelling for nearly two +years, and his face had so changed that he could not be recognized +by his own parents, or by his town-mates who had been hired by the +king to search for him for execution. + +When he reached his town, he decided to place himself in the king's +palace as a helper of the royal cook. As he was willing to work without +pay, he easily came to terms with the cook. One of the conditions +of their agreement was that the cook would tell him whatever the +king or the king's family were talking about. After a few months +the charcoal-maker proved himself to be an excellent cook. In fact, +he was now doing all the cooking in the palace; for the chief cook +spent most of his time somewhere else, coming home only at meal times. + +Now comes the fun of the story. One day while the cook was gone, +the youth ground up the two kinds of fruit. He mixed the kind that +produced horns with the king's food: the other kind, which caused +the horns to fall off, he mixed with water and put into a jar. The +cook arrived, and everything was ready. The table was prepared, +and the king and his family were called to eat. The queen and the +king and the beautiful princess, who were used to wearing golden +crowns set with diamonds and other precious stones, were then to be +seen with sharp ugly horns on their heads. When the king discovered +that they all had horns, he summoned the cook at once, and asked, +"What kind of food did you give us?" + +"The same food that your Highness ate a week ago," replied the cook, +who was terrified to see the royal family with horns. + +"Cook, go and find a doctor. Don't tell him or any one else that we +have horns. Tell the doctor that the king wants him to perform an +operation," ordered the king. + +The cook set out immediately to find a doctor; but he was intercepted +by the charcoal-maker, who was eager to hear the king's order. "Where +are you going? Say, cook, why are you in such a hurry? What is the +matter?" + +"Don't bother me!" said the cook. "I am going to find a doctor. The +king and his family have horns on their heads, and I am ordered to +find a doctor who can take them off." + +"I can make those horns fall off. You needn't bother to find a +doctor. Here, try some of this food, cook!" said the helper, giving him +some of the same food he had prepared for the king. The cook tried it, +and it was good; but, to his alarm, he felt two horns on his head. To +prevent rumors from reaching the ears of the king, the youth then +gave the cook a glass of the water he had prepared, and the horns +fell off. While the charcoal-maker was playing this trick on the cook, +he related the story of his magical purse, and how he had lost it. + +"Change your clothes, then, and get ready, and I will present you to +the king as the doctor," said the cook. + +The helper then dressed himself just like a doctor of surgery, and +was conducted by the cook into the king's presence. + +"Doctor, I want you to do all you can, and use the best of your wisdom, +to take off these horns from our heads. But before doing it, promise me +first that you will not unfold the matter to the people; for my queen, +my daughter, and I would rather die than be known to have lived with +horns. If you succeed in taking them off, you shall inherit one-half +of my kingdom and have the hand of my fair daughter," said the king. + +"I do promise. But listen, O king! In order to get rid of those horns, +you must undergo the severest treatment, which may cause your death," +replied the doctor. + +"It is no matter. If we should die, we would rather die hornless than +live with horns," said the king. + +After the agreement was written out, the doctor ordered the +treatment. The king and the queen were to be whipped until they bled, +while the princess was to dance with the doctor until she became +exhausted. These were the remedies given by the doctor. + +While the king and queen were being whipped, the doctor who, we must +remember, was the cook's helper--went to the kitchen to get the jar of +water which he had prepared. The cruel servants who were scourging the +king and the queen took much delight in their task, and did not quit +until the king and queen were almost lifeless. The doctor forgot the +royal couple while he was dancing with the princess, and found them +just about to die. He succeeded, however, in giving them some of the +fruit-water he had made ready, and the horns fell off. The princess, +exhausted, also asked for a drink when she stopped dancing, and the +horns fell off her head too. + +A few days afterwards the king and the queen died, and the doctor +succeeded to the throne, with the beautiful princess as his +wife. Then the doctor told her that he was the poor charcoal-maker +who had owned the magic purse that she had stolen from him. As soon +as he was seated on the throne, he made his friend the cook one of +his courtiers. Although the new king was uneducated and unrefined, +he welcomed all wise men to his palace as his counsellors, and his +kingdom prospered as it had never done under its previous rulers. + + +Notes. + +Another Tagalog version, called "Pedro's Fortunes" and narrated by +Facundo Esquivel of Nueva Ecija, represents the hero as inheriting +the inexhaustible purse from his father. + +Pedro, with his wealth, soon attracts the notice of the princess, +who slyly wheedles his purse away from him. Bent on revenge, he sets +out travelling. Hunger soon drives him to eat some beautiful blossoms +he finds on a strange tree in the mountains. No sooner has he eaten, +however, than horns grow out of his forehead. At first in despair, +but later becoming philosophical, he eats some of the leaves of the +tree. Horns disappear. Taking blossoms and leaves with him, he goes +on. He finds another tree with blossoms similar to the first. He +eats: fangs from upper jaw. Eats leaves from the same tree: fangs +disappear. Takes with him specimens of both flowers and leaves. Third +tree: blossoms tail-producing. When he reaches home, he makes a +decoction of the three kinds of flowers, then goes to the palace +and sells "lemonade from Paradise." King, queen, and princess drink: +horns, fangs, tails. All efforts to remove them vain. Proclamation +that princess's hand will be given to whoever can cure the royal +family. Disguised as a doctor, Pedro cures king, queen, and princess +with a decoction of the three kinds of leaves, first, however, +demanding and getting back his purse. Pedro is married to princess. + +These two stories (No. 2 and the variant) belong to the type in which +the hero loses a magic article (or three magic articles) through the +trickery of a princess, but recovers it (them) again by the aid of +fruits (blossoms) which, if eaten, cause bodily deformity,--leprosy, +horns, a tail, a long nose, transformation into an animal, or the +like. The princess, a victim of one of these fruits, which the +hero causes her to eat unwittingly, can be restored to her former +beauty only by eating of another fruit which the hero, disguised as a +physician, supplies on condition that the magic articles first stolen +be given up. A detailed study of this cycle has been made by Antti +Aarne (pp. 85-142). Aarne names the cycle "The Three Magic Articles +and the Wonderful Fruit." After an examination of some hundred and +forty-five variants of the story, all but four of which are European, +he concludes that the tale arose among the Celts (British Isles and +France) and spread eastward (p. 135), and that the farther we go +from these two lands, the more freely are the original details of +the story handled (p. 137). + +The prototype of this folk-tale Aarne reconstructs as follows +(pp. 124-125):-- + +There are three brothers, soldiers. Each comes into the possession of +a specific magic article. One obtains a purse which is never empty; +the second, a horn which when blown raises an army; and the third, a +mantle which transports its owner wherever he commands it to go. (The +owner of the purse begins to lead such a luxurious life, that he +becomes acquainted with the king and his family.) The king's daughter +deprives the hero of his magic purse. He gets from his brother the +second magic article, but the same thing happens again: the princess +steals the horn likewise. A third time the hero goes to the princess, +taking the mantle given him by his brother. With the help of this, +the hero succeeds in punishing the princess by transporting her to +a distant island. But she cheats him again. In the magic mantle she +wishes herself home, leaving him on the island. He happens upon an +apple-tree. He eats some of the fruit, but notices with dismay that +horns have grown from his head. After a time he finds other apples; +and when he has eaten them, the horns disappear, and he regains +his original form. Unrecognized, the youth sets out to sell to the +king's daughter some of the first apples. Without suspecting any evil, +she eats them, and horns appear on her head. No one is able to cure +her. Then the hero appears as a foreign physician at the court of +the king, and makes ready his cure. He gives the princess enough of +the good apple to cause the horns to decrease in size. In this way +he compels her to give him back the stolen articles. + +The Tagalog versions of the story differ considerably from this +archetype. No brothers of the hero are mentioned. There is but one +magic object, an inexhaustible purse: hence there is no magic flight +to an island. In none of Aarne's variants do we find blossoms producing +horns which may be removed only by leaves from the same tree, as in our +variant. The tail-producing fruit is found in nine European versions +(five Finnish, two Russian, two Italian), but the fang-producing +blossom is peculiar only to our variant; likewise the "lemonade from +Paradise" method of dispensing the extract. In thirty-five of the +Finnish and Russian forms of the story the hero whips the princess +to make her give up the stolen articles, or introduces whipping as +a part of the cure (cf. No. 2). Both Filipino versions end with the +marriage of the hero to the princess, a detail often lacking in the +other versions. + +It is impossible to say when or whence this tale reached the +Philippines. The fact that the story does not seem to be widespread +in the Islands suggests that its introduction was recent, while +the separate incidents point to some Finnish or Russian version as +source. The only crystallized elements found in the Philippines are +the poor hero's obtaining a magic purse, his aspiring to the hand +of the princess, her theft of the magic object, and its recovery by +means of horn-producing fruits. The complete story (2) seems to be +more native and less "manufactured" than the variant. + +Besides Aarne, for a general discussion of this cycle see Cosquin, 1 : +123-132; R. Köhler's notes to Gonzenbach's No. 31, and his variants of +this story in Zeitschrift des Vereins für Volkskunde (1896); Von Hahn, +2 : 246-247; Grimm, notes to No. 122, "Donkey Cabbages" (in Tales +[ed. Hunt], 2 : 419-423). F. H. Groome's "The Seer" (No. 23), a part +of which resembles very closely the literary form of the story in +the Gesta Romanorum (ch. 120), seems to have been overlooked by Aarne. + + + +TALE 3 + +THE STORY OF CARANCAL. + + +Narrated by José P. Caedo, a Tagalog from Batangas, Batangas. + + +Once upon a time there lived a couple who had long been married, +but had no child. Every Sunday they went to church and begged God to +give them a son. They even asked the witches in their town why God +would not give them a child. The witches told them that they would +have one after a year, but that when born he would be no longer than +a span. Nevertheless the couple gave thanks. + +After a year a son was born to them. He was very small, as the +witches had foretold, but he was stronger than any one would expect +such a small child to be. "It is strange," said a neighbor. "Why, +he eats more food than his stomach can hold." The boy grew larger and +larger, and the amount of food he ate became greater and greater. When +he became four feet tall, his daily requirements were a cavan [9] +of rice and twenty-five pounds of meat and fish. "I can't imagine +how so small a person can eat so much food," said his mother to her +husband. "He is like a grasshopper: he eats all the time." + +Carancal, as the boy was called, was very strong and very +kind-hearted. He was the leader of the other boys of the town, for +he could beat all of them in wrestling. + +After a few years the family's property had all been sold to buy +food for the boy. Day after day they became poorer and poorer, for +Carancal's father had no other business but fishing. So one day when +Carancal was away playing, the wife said to her husband, "What shall +we do with Carancal? He will make us as poor as rats. It is better for +us to tell him to go earn his living, for he is old enough to work." + +"No, it is a shame to send him off," said the father, "for we asked +God for him. I will take him to the forest and there kill him; and +if the neighbors ask how he died, we will say that an accident befell +him while cutting trees." + +Early the next morning his father led Carancal to the forest, and they +began to cut down a very big tree. When the tree was about to fall, +Carancal's father ordered the son to stand where the tree inclined; +so that when it fell, Carancal was entirely buried. The father +immediately went home, thinking that his son had surely been killed; +but when he and his wife were talking, Carancal came home with the +big tree on his shoulders. + +"Father, father, why did you leave me alone in the forest?" said the +obedient boy. + +The father could not move or speak, for shame of himself. He only +helped his son unload the heavy burden. The mother could not speak +either, for fear Carancal might suspect their bad intentions toward +him. Accordingly she and her husband planned another scheme. + +The next day Carancal was invited by his father to go fishing. They +rowed and rowed until they were far out into the blue sea. Then they +put their net into the water. "Carancal, dive down and see that our +net is sound," said the father. Carancal obeyed. In about a minute the +water became red and began to foam. This made the old man think that +his son had been devoured by a big fish, so he rowed homeward. When he +reached home, his wife anxiously asked if Carancal was dead; and the +husband said, "Yes." They then cooked their meal and began to eat. But +their supper was not half finished when Carancal came in, carrying a +big alligator. He again asked his father why he had left him alone +to bring such a big load. The father said, "I thought you had been +killed by a large fish." Carancal then asked his mother to cook him +a cavan of rice, for he was tired from swimming such a long distance. + +The couple were now discouraged; they could not think of any way +by which to get rid of Carancal. At last the impatient woman said, +"Carancal, you had better go out into the world to see what you can do +toward earning your own living. You know that we are becoming poorer +and poorer." . . . + +"Mother," interrupted the boy, "I really did not wish to go away +from you; but, now that you drive me as if I were not your son, +I cannot stay." He paused for a moment to wipe the tears from his +cheeks. "You know that I love you; but you, in turn, hate me. What +shall I do? I am your son, and so I must not disobey you. But before +I depart, father and mother, please give me a bolo, [10] a big bolo, +to protect myself in case of danger." + +The parents willingly promised that he should have one, and after +two days an enormous bolo five yards long was finished. Carancal took +it, kissed the hands of his parents, [11] and then went away with a +heavy heart. + +When he had left his little village behind, he did not know which way +to go. He was like a ship without a rudder. He walked and walked until +he came to a forest, where he met Bugtongpalasan. [12] Carancal asked +him where he was going; and Bugtongpalasan said, "I am wandering, +but I do not know where to go. I have lost my parents, and they have +left me nothing to inherit." + +"Do you want to go with me?" said Carancal. + +"Yes," said Bugtongpalasan. + +"Let us wrestle first, and the loser will carry my bolo," said Carancal +as a challenge. They wrestled; and Bugtongpalasan was defeated, +so he had to carry the big bolo. + +Then they continued their journey until they met Tunkodbola, [13] +whom Carancal also challenged to a wrestling-match. Tunkodbola laughed +at Carancal, and said, "Look at this!" He twisted up a tree near by, +and hurled it out of sight. + +"That is all right. Let us wrestle, and we will see if you can twist +me," said Carancal scornfully. So they wrestled. The earth trembled, +trees were uprooted, large stones rolled about; but Tunkodbola was +defeated. + +"Here, take this bolo and carry it!" said Carancal triumphantly; +and they continued their journey. + +When they reached the top of a mountain, they saw a big man. This was +Macabuhalbundok. [14] Carancal challenged him; but Macabuhalbundok +only laughed, and pushed up a hill. As the hill fell, he said, "Look +at this hill! I gave it only a little push, and it was overthrown." + +"Well, I am not a hill," said Carancal. "I can balance myself." They +wrestled together, and Carancal was once more the winner. + +The four companions now walked on together. They were all wandering +about, not knowing where to go. When they were in the midst of a thick +wood, they became hungry; so Carancal, their captain, ordered one of +them to climb a tall tree and see if any house was nigh. Bugtongpalasan +did so, and he saw a big house near the edge of the forest. They all +went to the house to see if they might not beg some food. + +It was a very large house; but all the windows were closed, and +it seemed to be uninhabited. They knocked at the door, but no one +answered. Then they went in, and found a table covered with delicious +food; and as they were almost famished, they lost no time in devouring +what seemed to have been prepared for them. After all had eaten, +three of them went hunting, leaving Bugtongpalasan behind to cook +more food for them against their return. + +While Bugtongpalasan was cooking, he felt the earth tremble, and in +a short time he saw a big giant ascending the stairs of the house, +saying, "Ho, bajo tao cainco," [15] which means "I smell a man whom +I will eat." Bugtongpalasan faced him, but what could a man do to +a big giant? The monster pulled a hair out of his head and tied +Bugtongpalasan to a post. Then he cooked his own meal. After eating, +he went away, leaving his prisoner in the house. + +When the three arrived, they were very angry with Bugtongpalasan +because no food had been prepared for them; but they untied him, +and made him get the meal. Tunkodbola was the next one left behind +as cook while the others went hunting, but he had the same experience +as Bugtongpalasan. Then Macabuhalbundok; but the same thing happened +to him too. + +It was now the turn of Carancal to try his wit, strength, and +luck. Before the three left, he had them shave his head. When the +giant came and saw that Carancal's head was white, he laughed. "It +is a very fine thing to have a white head," said the giant. "Make my +head white, too." + +"Your head must be shaved to be white," said Carancal, "and it is a +very difficult thing to shave a head." + +"Never mind that! I want to have my head shaved," said the giant +impatiently. + +Carancal then got some ropes and wax. He tied the giant tightly to +a post, and then smeared his body with wax. He next took a match and +set the giant's body on fire. Thus the giant was destroyed, and the +four lived in the house as if it were their own. + +Not long afterwards a rumor reached their ears. It was to this effect: +that in a certain kingdom on the other side of the sea lived a king who +wanted to have a huge stone removed from its place. This stone was so +big that it covered much ground. The prize that would be given to the +one who could remove it was the hand of the king's prettiest daughter. + +The four set out to try their strength. At that time there were +no boats for them to sail on, so they had to swim. After three +weeks' swimming, they landed on an island-like place in the sea, +to rest. It was smooth and slippery, which made them wonder what it +could be. Carancal, accordingly, drew his bolo and thrust it into +the island. How fast the island moved after the stroke! It was not +really an island, but a very big fish. Fortunately the fish carried +the travellers near the shores of the kingdom they were seeking. + +When the four arrived, they immediately presented themselves to the +king, and told him that they would try to move the stone. The king +ordered one of his soldiers to show them the stone. There a big crowd +of people collected to watch the four strong men. + +The first to try was Bugtongpalasan. He could hardly budge it. Then +Tunkodbola tried, but moved it only a few yards. When Macabuhalbundok's +turn came, he moved the great stone half a mile; but the king said +that it was not satisfactory. Carancal then took hold of the rope +tied to the stone, and gave a swing. In a minute the great stone was +out of sight. + +The king was very much pleased, and asked Carancal to choose a princess +for his wife. "I am not old enough to marry, my lord," said Carancal +sadly (sic!). "I will marry one of my companions to your daughter, +however, if you are willing." The king agreed, and Bugtongpalasan +was made a prince. + +The three unmarried men lived with Bugtongpalasan. By this time they +were known not only throughout the whole kingdom where they were, but +also in other countries. They had not enjoyed a year's hospitality +in Bugtongpalasan's home when a letter addressed to the four men +came. It was as follows:-- + +I have heard that you have superhuman strength, which I now greatly +need. About a week ago a monster fish floated up to the shore of my +town. It is decaying, and has a most offensive odor. My men in vain +have tried to drag the fish out into the middle of the sea. I write +to inform you that if you can rid us of it, I will let one of you +marry my prettiest daughter. + +King Walangtacut. [16] + + +After Carancal had read the letter, he instantly remembered the +fish that had helped them in travelling. The three companions made +themselves ready, bade Bugtongpalasan good-by, and set out for +Walangtacut's kingdom. They travelled on foot, for the place was not +very far away. + +In every town they passed through, the people cried, "Hurrah for +the strong men!" The king received them with a banquet, and all the +houses of the town were decorated with flags. In a word, every one +welcomed them. + +After the banquet was over, the three men marched with the king and +all his counsellors, knights, dukes, and the common people to where the +decaying fish lay. In this test, too, Carancal was the only successful +one. Again he refused to marry; but as the princess was very anxious to +have a strong man for her husband, Tunkodbola was chosen by Carancal, +and he became her husband. + +The fame of the strong men was now nearly universal. All the +surrounding kings sent congratulations. The heroes received offers +of marriage from many beautiful ladies of the neighboring kingdoms. + +One day when Carancal and Macabuhalbundok were talking together, one +of them suggested that they go on another journey. The other agreed, +and both of them made preparations. But when they were about to start, +a letter from another king came, addressed to Carancal. The king +said in his letter that a great stone had fallen in his park. "It +is so big that I thought it was the sky that fell," he wrote. "I am +willing to marry you to my youngest daughter if you can remove it +from its present place," said the king. + +The two friends accepted the invitation, and immediately began their +journey. They travelled by land and sea for many a day. At last +they reached the place. There they found the same stone which they +had removed before. As he knew that he could not move it far enough, +Macabuhalbundok did not make any attempt: Carancal was again the one +who did the work. + +Once more Carancal refused to marry. "I am too young yet to marry," +he said to the king. "In my place I will put my companion." So +Macabuhalbundok was married. + +Carancal remained a bachelor, for he did not wish to have a wife. The +three princes considered him as their father, though he was younger +than any of them. For a long time Carancal lived with each of them +a year in rotation. Not long after the marriage of Macabuhalbundok, +the father-in-law of Bugtongpalasan died, and so Bugtongpalasan became +the king. Then the following year Tunkodbola's father-in-law died, and +Tunkodbola became also a king. After many years the father-in-law of +Macabuhalbundok died, and Macabuhalbundok succeeded to the throne. Thus +Carancal was the benefactor of three kings. + +One day Carancal thought of visiting his cruel parents and of living +with them. So he set out, carrying with him plenty of money, which +the three kings had given him. This time his parents did not drive +him away, for he had much wealth. Carancal lived once more with his +parents, and had three kings under him. + + +Notes. + +Of this story I have eight variants, as follows:-- + + + (a) "Pusong" (Visayan), narrated by Fermin Torralba. + (b) "Cabagboc" (Bicol), narrated by Pacifico Buenconsejo. + (c) "Sandapal" (Tagalog), narrated by Pilar Ejercito. + (d) "Sandangcal" (Pampangan), narrated by Anastacia Villegas. + (e) "Greedy Juan" (Pampangan), narrated by Wenceslao Vitug. + (f) "Juan Tapon" (Ilocano), narrated by C. Gironella. + (g) "Dangandangan" (Ilocano), narrated by Salvador Reyes. + (h) "Tangarangan" (Ibanag), narrated by Candido Morales. + + +The incidents of this cycle may be tabulated thus. + + +A The hero, when born, is only a span in length, and never grows taller +than four feet. He early develops an enormous appetite, and by the +time he is twelve years old he has eaten his parents out of everything. + +B Attempts of parents (or uncle) to get rid of the hero: (B1) by +letting a tree fall on him, (B2) by throwing him into a deep well and +then stoning him, (B3) by commanding him to dive into a river to repair +a fishing-net, (B4) by persuading him to enter wrestling-match with +the king's champion, (B5) by pushing him into the sea or by pushing +rocks on him at the seashore. + +C Hero's first exploits: (C1) carrying tree home on his shoulders, +(C2) killing crocodile in river, or king of fishes in the sea, (C3) +escape from the well, (C4) defeating champion. + +D The hero now decides to leave home, (D1) taking with him a strong +club, an enormous bolo, or an enormous top, sword, and sheath. + +E On his travels he meets two (three) strong men, whom he surpasses +in strength-tests; or (E1) three men, whom he hires. They all journey +along together, seeking adventures. + +F Tasks of the companions: (F1) killing of troublesome giant by +the hero after the monster has worsted the two other strong men, +(F2) removal of large stone from king's grounds, (F3) removal of +enormous decaying fish, (F4) killing of two giants, (F5) killing +seven-headed man, (F6) battering, blowing, and running contest with +king's strong men. + +G Hero marries off his companions, but remains single himself, and +(G1) returns home to live with his parents, either for good or for +only a short time. + + +These incidents are distributed among the different versions thus:-- + + + No. 3 AB1B3C1C2DD1EF1F2F3GG1 + Version a AB1B5D + Version b C1DD1EF3F4F5GG1 + Version c AB5B1B4C1C2C4 + Version d AB1B2C1C3DE1F6 + Version e AB1B3C1C2DG1 + Version f AB4B1C1C4 + Version g AB1B2C1C3DD1EF4G + Version h AB1B2C1C3DD1 + + +Up to the point where the hero leaves home, these various Filipino +stories agree in the main: i.e., the hero is a dwarf of superhuman +strength and extraordinary eating-capacity; his parents (or guardian) +are driven by poverty to attempt to kill him (usually twice, sometimes +thrice), but their efforts are vain; he finally determines to leave +home, often taking with him some mighty weapon. From this point on, +the narratives differ widely. All are alike in this respect, however: +the hero never marries. Obviously this group of stories is connected +with two well-known European cycles of folk-tales,--"Strong Hans" +and "John the Bear." The points of resemblance will be indicated +below in an analysis of the incidents found in the members of our +group. (Variants are referred to by italicized lower-case letters thus: +a [Pusong], b [Cabagboc], etc. No. 3 refers to our complete story of +"Carancal.") + + +A Hero is born as result of childless couple's unceasing petitions +to Heaven (3, a, f, g), and is only a span in length when born (c, +d, g). Three of the tales do not mention anything definite about the +hero's birth (b, e, h). In all, however, his name is significant, +indicating the fact that he is either a dwarf, or wonderfully strong, +or a glutton (3 Carancal, from Tag. dangkal, "a palm;" [a] Pusong, +from Vis. puso, "paunch, belly;" [b] Cabagboc, from Bicol, "strong;" +[c] Sandapal, from Tag. dapal, "a span;" [d] Sandangcal, from Pampangan +dangkal = Tag.; [f] Tapon, Ilocano for "short;" [g] and [h] Tangarangan +and Dangandangan, from Ilocano dangan, "a span"). a describes the +hero as having "a big head and large stomach," but as being "very, +very strong, he ate a sack of corn or rice every day." In b the hero +"had great strength even when an infant." Sandangcal (d) required +a carabao-liver every meal. In e the hero's voracious appetite is +mentioned. The hero in c "would eat everything in the house, leaving +no food for his parents." Juan Tapon (f), when three years old, "used +to eat daily half a ganta of rice and a pound of meat, besides fish and +vegetables;" the quantity of food he required increased steadily until, +when he was fourteen, his parents could no longer support him. However, +he never grew taller than a six-year-old boy. Dangandangan (g) could +walk and talk the day he was born. He could eat one cavan of rice +and one carabao daily. The hero of h was so greedy that by the time +he was a "young man" his father could no longer support him. He is +described as a "dwarf" In c and d there is nothing to indicate that +the hero was not always a Tom Thumb in size. + +Nearly all these details may be found duplicated in Märchen of the +"John the Bear" and "Strong Hans" types. For analogues, see Friedrich +Panzer's Beowulf, pp. 28-33, 47-48, 50-52. In Grimm's story of the +"Young Giant" (No. 90) the hero, when born, was only as big as a thumb, +and for several years did not grow one hair's breadth. But a giant +got hold of him and suckled him for six years, during which time he +grew tall and strong, after the manner of giants. It is interesting +to note that none of the nine Filipino versions make any reference to +an animal parentage or extraordinary source of nourishment of the hero. + +B The poverty of the parents is the motive for their attempts on his +life in a, c, d, e, f, h. In a the mother proposes the scheme; in h, +the father; in g it is the boy's uncle, by whom he had been adopted +when his parents died. This "unnatural parents" motif is lacking in +the European variants. + +B1-5 With the various attempts to destroy the hero may be discussed his +escapes (C1-3). The "falling-tree" episode occurs in all the stories +but one (b). The events of this incident are conducted in various +ways. In a, c, h, the hero is told to "catch the tree when it falls," +so that he can carry it home (in c the hero is pushed clear into the +ground by the weight of the tree). In d the father directs his son to +stand in a certain place, "so that the tree will not fall on him;" but +when Sandangcal sees that he is about to be crushed, he nimbly jumps +aside unobserved by his father, who thinks him killed. In f the tree +is made to fall on the body of the sleeping hero. In g Darangdarang is +told to stand beside the tree being cut: it falls on him. In all the +stories but d the hero performs the feat of carrying home a tree on his +shoulders (C1). This episode is not uncommon in the European versions +(see Panzer, op. cit., p. 35), but there the hero performs it while +out at service. By the process of contamination these two incidents +(B1C1) have worked their way into another Filipino story not of our +cycle,--the Visayan story of "Juan the Student" (see JAFL 19 : 104). + +B2 Of the other methods of putting an end to the hero's life, the +"well" episode is the most common. In d and h father and son go +to dig a well. When it is several metres deep, the father rains +stones on the boy, who is working at the bottom, and leaves him +for dead. In g the hero is sent down a well to find a lost ring; +and while he is there, stones and rocks are thrown on him by his +treacherous uncle. In all three the hero escapes, wiser, but none +the worse, for his adventure (C3). This incident is very common in +European members of the cycle. Bolte and Polívka (2 : 288-292) note +its occurrence in twenty-five different stories. + +B3 In our story of "Carancal," as has been remarked, and in e, +the father commands his son to dive into deep water to see if the +fishing-net is intact. Seeing blood and foam appear on the surface +of the water, the father goes home, confident that he is rid of his +son at last; but not long afterward, when the parents are eating, the +hero appears, carrying on his shoulder a huge crocodile he has killed +(C2). Analogous to this exploit is Sandapal's capture of the king of +the fishes, after his father has faithlessly pushed him overboard into +the deep sea (c). The hero's fight under water with a monstrous fish or +crocodile, the blood and foam telling the story of a desperate struggle +going on, reminds one strongly of Beowulf's fight with Grendel's dam. + +B4 In c, as a last resort, the father takes his son to the king, +and has the best royal warrior fight the small boy. Sandapal +conquers in five minutes. In f the father persuades his son to +enter a wrestling-match held by the king. Juan easily throws all his +opponents. With this incident compare the Middle-English "Tale of +Gamelyn" (ll. 183-270) and Shakespeare's "As You Like It" (act i, +sc. ii). + +B5 In a the father, at the instigation of his wife, pushes large +rocks from a cliff down upon his son by the seashore; but the son +returns home later, rolling an immense bowlder that threatens to +crush the house. + +D, D1 Satisfied that he is no longer wanted at home, the hero sets +out on adventures (a, g, h), taking along with him as a weapon a bolo +five yards long (3), or a mighty bolo his father had given him,--such +a one that none but the hero could wield it (g), or a short stout club +(h). In b the parents are not cruel to their son. The hero leaves home +with the kindest of feeling for his father. He carries along with +him an enormous top, so heavy that four persons could not lift it, +and which, when spun, could be heard for miles; a long sword made +by a blacksmith; and a wooden sheath for it made by the father. In +the European versions of the story the weapons of the hero play an +important part (see Panzer, 39-43). In c the story ends with the sale +of Sandapal to the king. In d, after Sandangcal has escaped from the +well, he comes home at night, and, finding his parents asleep, shakes +the house. Thinking it is an earthquake, they jump from the windows +in terror, and are killed. (This incident is also told as a separate +story; see JAFL 20 : 305, No. 17.) After the hero has eaten up all +the livestock he had inherited by their death, he sells his property +and sets out on his travels. In e the father sells his greedy son to +merchants. In f the parents finally give up attempts on their son's +life, and he goes away to join the army. + +E The companions--Carancal (3), Cabagboc (b), Sandangcal (d), and +Dangandangan (g)--meet with extraordinary men, who accompany them +on their travels. Cabagboc surpasses Cabual ("Breaker") and Cagabot +("Uprooter") in a contest of skill, and they agree to go with him as +his servants. Dangandangan meets two strong men,--Paridis, who uproots +forests with his hands; and Aolo, [17] the mighty fisher for sharks, +whose net is so large that weights as big as mortars are needed to +sink it. But neither of these two can turn the hero's bolo over, +hence they become his servants. Sandangcal (d), who nowhere in the +story displays any great strength, rather only craftiness and greed, +meets one at a time three strong fellows, whom he persuades to go with +him by promising to double the sum they had been working for. These men +are Mountain-Destroyer, who could destroy a mountain with one blow of +his club; Blower, who could refresh the whole world with his breath; +and Messenger, whose steps were one hundred leagues apart. This story, +which seems to be far removed from the other tales of the group, +has obviously been influenced by stories of the "Skilful Companions" +cycle (see No. 11), where the hero merely directs his servants, +doing none of the work himself. On the other hand, in 3, b, g, the +wonderful companions are more or less impedimenta: the hero himself +does all the hard work; they are merely his foil. For the "Genossen" +in other Märchen of "John the Bear" type, see Panzer, 66-74; Cosquin, +1 : 9, 23-27. + +F1 The adventure with the demon in the house in the forest, related +in 3, is not found in the other Filipino versions of the tale. It +is found in the Islands, however, in the form of a separate story, +two widely different variants of which are printed below (4, [a] +and [b]). This incident occurs in nearly all the folk-tales of the +"John the Bear" type. Bolte and Polívka, in their notes to Grimm, +No. 91 (2 : 301-315), indicate its appearance in one hundred and +eighty-three Western and Eastern stories. As Panzer has shown (p. 77) +that the mistreatment of the companions by the demon in the woods +usually takes place while the one left behind is cooking food for the +others out on the hunt, this motif might more exactly be called the +"interrupted-cooking" episode than "Der Dämon im Waldhaus" (Panzer's +name for it). For Mexican and American Indian variants, see JAFL 25 +: 244-254, 255. Spanish and Hindoo versions are cited by Bolte and +Polívka (2 : 305, 314). + +It is pretty clear that the episode as narrated in our stories 3 and +4 owes nothing to the Spanish variants mentioned by Bolte. + +F2-5 The removal of an enormous stone is a task that Carancal has +to perform twice. This exhibition of superhuman strength is of a +piece with the strong hero's other exploits, and has nothing in +common with the transplanting of mountains by means of magic. (F3) +The removal of a monstrous decaying fish is found in b as well as in +3. Cabagboc catches up the fish on the end of his sword, and hurls +the carcass into the middle of the ocean. These exploits of the +rock and the fish are not unlike the feat of the Santal hero Gumda, +who throws the king's elephant over seven seas (Campbell, 59). (F4) +In b the task of slaying the man-eating giant falls upon Cabagboc, +and his companion Uprooter, as the other comrade, Breaker, has been +married to the king's daughter. The giants are finally despatched +by the hero, who cuts off their heads with his sword. In g the two +strong men Paridis and Aolo are about to be slain by the man-eating +giant against whom they have been sent by the hero to fight, when the +hero suddenly appears and cuts off the monster's head with his mighty +bolo. (F5) The killing of a seven-headed dragon is a commonplace in +folk-tales; a seven-headed man is not so usual. Cabagboc, after both +of his comrades have been given royal wives, journeys alone. He comes +to a river guarded by a seven-headed man who proves invulnerable for +a whole day. Then a mysterious voice tells the hero to strike the +monster in the middle of the forehead, as this is the only place in +which it can be mortally wounded. Cabagboc does so and conquers. (F6) +The hero's wagering his strong men against a king's strong men will +be discussed in the notes to No. 11. The task of Pusong (a) has not +been mentioned yet. After Pusong leaves home, he journeys by himself, +and finally comes to a place where the inhabitants are feverishly +building fortifications against the Moros, who are threatening the +island. By lending his phenomenal strength, Pusong enables the people +to finish their forts in one night. Out of gratitude they later make +him their leader. Months later, when the Moros make their raid, they +are defeated by Pusong, and captured with all their slaves. Among the +wounded slaves are the parents of Pusong. On recognizing their son, +they instantly die of shame for their past cruelty to him. Nor can +the hero bear the shock any better than they: he too falls dead. + +ADDITIONAL NOTES.--The three weeks' swim in 3 suggests Beowulf's +swim of a week and his fight with the sea-monsters (Beowulf 535 +ff.). The mistaking of a monster fish for an island seems to be an +Oriental notion. It occurs in the "1001 Nights" ("First Voyage of +Sindbad the Sailor;" see Lane's note 8 to this story). + +G The denouement. Cabagboc finally reaches home, and spends the +rest of his life with his parents (b); Sandapal (c) is bought by the +king, and amuses the court lords and ladies by his feats of strength; +Sandangcal (d) distributes ten billion pesos among his three helpers, +and lives the rest of his days feasting on carabao-livers; Greedy +Juan (e) comes back home with a magic money-producing goat, which he +leaves to his parents, while he by chance finds a wonderful house in +the forest with plenty to eat, and there he remains; Juan Tapon (f) +joins the king's army to fight a neighboring monarch; Dangandangan +(g) becomes a general in the king's army; Tangarangan (h) performs +marvellous deeds abroad, but never returns home again. + + +Two other variants remain to be noticed briefly. One of these I have +only in abstract, the other is avowedly a confusion of two stories +by the narrator. Both are Ilocano tales. The hero's name in both is +Kakarangkang (from kaka, a term of respect given to either a senior +or a junior; and dangkang, "a span"). In both, the hero is a great +eater and prodigiously strong. The only adventure of Kakarangkang +recorded in the abstract is an adventure with a crocodile. Kakarangkang +goes fishing and hooks a crocodile; but, while trying to draw it to +shore, he is thrown into the air, falls into the reptile's mouth, +and is swallowed. He manages, however, to cut his way out. In the +other story, besides some incidents properly belonging to the story +of "The Monkey and the Turtle" (cf. also 4 [b]), we find this same +adventure with the crocodile, the slaying of a seven-headed giant +(F5), and the removal of an enormous decaying fish (F3). The diminutive +hero receives the hand of the king's daughter in return for this last +service,--an honor which the heroes of our other versions decline. The +incident of the small hero being swallowed by an animal and ultimately +emerging into the light of day alive, at once suggests Tom Thumb's +adventure in the cow and the wolf. For "swallow" tales in general, +see Macculloch, 47-51; Bolte-Polívka, 1 : 395-398; Cosquin, 2 : +150-155. The combination of the "interrupted-cooking" episode (F1), +which properly belongs to the "John the Bear" cycle, with motifs from +"The Monkey and the Turtle" and "The Monkey and the Crocodile" stories, +will be discussed in the notes to Nos. 4, 55, and 56. + + + +TALE 4 + +SUAC AND HIS ADVENTURES. + + +Narrated by Anastacia Villegas of Arayat, Pampanga, who heard the +story from her grandmother. + + +Once upon a time, in a certain town in Pampanga, there lived a boy +named Suac. In order to try his fortune, one day he went a-hunting with +Sunga and Sacu in Mount Telapayong. When they reached the mountain, +they spread their nets, and made their dogs ready for the chase, to +see if any wild animals would come to that place. Not long afterwards +they captured a large hog. They took it under a large tree and killed +it. Then Sunga and Suac went out into the forest again. + +Sacu was left to prepare their food. While he was busy cooking, +he heard a voice saying, "Ha, ha! what a nice meal you are +preparing! Hurry up! I am hungry." On looking up, Sacu saw on the top +of the tree a horrible creature,--a very large black man with a long +beard. This was Pugut. + +Sacu said to him, "Aba! [18] I am not cooking this food for you. My +companions and I are hungry." + +"Well, let us see who shall have it, then," said Pugut as he came +down the tree. At first Sacu did not want to give him the food; but +Pugut knocked the hunter down, and before he had time to recover had +eaten up all the food. Then he climbed the tree again. When Sunga +and Suac came back, Sunga said to Sacu, "Is the food ready? Here is +a deer that we have caught." + +Sacu answered, "When the food was ready, Pugut came and ate it all. I +tried to prevent him, but in vain: I could not resist him." + +"Well," said Sunga, "let me be the cook while you and Suac are the +hunters." Then Sacu and Suac went out, and Sunga was left to cook. The +food was no sooner ready than Pugut came again, and ate it all as +before. So when the hunters returned, bringing a hog with them, +they still had nothing to eat. + +Accordingly Suac was left to cook, and his companions went away to +hunt again. Suac roasted the hog. Pugut smelled it. He looked down, +and said, "Ha, ha! I have another cook; hurry up! boy, I am hungry." + +"I pray you, please do not deprive us of this food too," said Suac. + +"I must have it, for I am hungry," said Pugut. "Otherwise I shall eat +you up." When the hog was roasted a nice brown, Pugut came down the +tree. But Suac placed the food near the fire and stood by it; and when +Pugut tried to seize it, the boy pushed him into the fire. Pugut's +beard was burnt, and it became kinky. [19] The boy then ran to a +deep pit. He covered it on the top with grass. Pugut did not stay to +eat the food, but followed Suac. Suac was very cunning. He stood on +the opposite side of the pit, and said, "I pray you, do not step on +my grass!" + +"I am going to eat you up," said Pugut angrily, as he stepped on the +grass and fell into the pit. The boy covered the pit with stones +and earth, thinking that Pugut would perish there; but he was +mistaken. Suac had not gone far when he saw Pugut following him; +but just then he saw, too, a crocodile. He stopped and resolutely +waited for Pugut, whom he gave a blow and pushed into the mouth of +the crocodile. Thus Pugut was destroyed. + +Suac then took his victim's club, and returned under the tree. After a +while his companions came back. He related to them how he had overcome +Pugut, and then they ate. The next day they returned to town. + +Suac, on hearing that there was a giant who came every night into +the neighborhood to devour people, went one night to encounter the +giant. When the giant came, he said, "You are just the thing for me +to eat." But Suac gave him a deadly blow with Pugut's club, and the +giant tumbled down dead. + +Later Suac rid the islands of all the wild monsters, and became the +ruler over his people. + + +The Three Friends,--The Monkey, the Dog, and the Carabao. + +Narrated by José M. Hilario, a Tagalog from Batangas, Batangas. + +Once there lived three friends,--a monkey, a dog, and a carabao. They +were getting tired of city life, so they decided to go to the +country to hunt. They took along with them rice, meat, and some +kitchen utensils. + +The first day the carabao was left at home to cook the food, +so that his two companions might have something to eat when they +returned from the hunt. After the monkey and the dog had departed, +the carabao began to fry the meat. Unfortunately the noise of the +frying was heard by the Buñgisñgis in the forest. Seeing this chance +to fill his stomach, the Buñgisñgis went up to the carabao, and said, +"Well, friend, I see that you have prepared food for me." + +For an answer, the carabao made a furious attack on him. The Buñgisñgis +was angered by the carabao's lack of hospitality, and, seizing him +by the horn, threw him knee-deep into the earth. Then the Buñgisñgis +ate up all the food and disappeared. + +When the monkey and the dog came home, they saw that everything was +in disorder, and found their friend sunk knee-deep in the ground. The +carabao informed them that a big strong man had come and beaten him +in a fight. The three then cooked their food. The Buñgisñgis saw +them cooking, but he did not dare attack all three of them at once, +for in union there is strength. + +The next day the dog was left behind as cook. As soon as the food +was ready, the Buñgisñgis came and spoke to him in the same way he +had spoken to the carabao. The dog began to snarl; and the Buñgisñgis, +taking offence, threw him down. The dog could not cry to his companions +for help; for, if he did, the Buñgisñgis would certainly kill him. So +he retired to a corner of the room and watched his unwelcome guest +eat all of the food. Soon after the Buñgisñgis's departure, the monkey +and the carabao returned. They were angry to learn that the Buñgisñgis +had been there again. + +The next day the monkey was cook; but, before cooking, he made a +pitfall in front of the stove. After putting away enough food for +his companions and himself, he put the rice on the stove. When the +Buñgisñgis came, the monkey said very politely, "Sir, you have come +just in time. The food is ready, and I hope you'll compliment me by +accepting it." + +The Buñgisñgis gladly accepted the offer, and, after sitting down in +a chair, began to devour the food. The monkey took hold of a leg of +the chair, gave a jerk, and sent his guest tumbling into the pit. He +then filled the pit with earth, so that the Buñgisñgis was buried +with no solemnity. + +When the monkey's companions arrived, they asked about the +Buñgisñgis. At first the monkey was not inclined to tell them what had +happened; but, on being urged and urged by them, he finally said that +the Buñgisñgis was buried "there in front of the stove." His foolish +companions, curious, began to dig up the grave. Unfortunately the +Buñgisñgis was still alive. He jumped out, and killed the dog and +lamed the carabao; but the monkey climbed up a tree, and so escaped. + +One day while the monkey was wandering in the forest, he saw a beehive +on top of a vine. + +"Now I'll certainly kill you," said some one coming towards the monkey. + +Turning around, the monkey saw the Buñgisñgis. "Spare me," he said, +"and I will give up my place to you. The king has appointed me to +ring each hour of the day that bell up there," pointing to the top +of the vine. + +"All right! I accept the position," said the Buñgisñgis. "Stay +here while I find out what time it is," said the monkey. The monkey +had been gone a long time, and the Buñgisñgis, becoming impatient, +pulled the vine. The bees immediately buzzed about him, and punished +him for his curiosity. + +Maddened with pain, the Buñgisñgis went in search of the monkey, +and found him playing with a boa-constrictor. "You villain! I'll not +hear any excuses from you. You shall certainly die," he said. + +"Don't kill me, and I will give you this belt which the king has +given me," pleaded the monkey. + +Now, the Buñgisñgis was pleased with the beautiful colors of the belt, +and wanted to possess it: so he said to the monkey, "Put the belt +around me, then, and we shall be friends." + +The monkey placed the boa-constrictor around the body of the +Buñgisñgis. Then he pinched the boa, which soon made an end of +his enemy. + + +Notes. + +The pugut, among the Ilocanos and Pampangos, is a nocturnal spirit, +usually in the form of a gigantic Negro, terrifying, but not +particularly harmful. It corresponds to the Tagalog cafre. [20] +Its power of rapid transformation, however, makes it a more or less +formidable opponent. Sometimes it takes the form of a cat with fiery +eyes, a minute later appearing as a large dog. Then it will turn into +an enormous Negro smoking a large cigar, and finally disappear as a +ball of fire. It lives either in large trees or in abandoned houses +and ruined buildings. + +Buñgisñgis is defined by the narrator as meaning "a large strong man +that is always laughing." The word is derived from the root ñgisi, +"to show the teeth" (Tag.). This giant has been described to me as +being of herculean size and strength, sly, and possessing an upper +lip so large that when it is thrown back it completely covers the +demon's face. The Buñgisñgis can lift a huge animal as easily as if +it were a feather. + +Obviously these two superhuman demons have to be overcome with +strategy, not muscle. The heroes, consequently, are beings endowed with +cleverness. After Suac has killed Pugut and has come into possession +of his victim's magic club, he easily slays a man-eating giant (see +F4 in notes to preceding tale). The tricks played on the Buñgisñgis +by the monkey ("ringing the bell" and the "king's belt") are found in +the Ilocano story "Kakarangkang" and in "The Monkey and the Turtle," +but in the latter tale the monkey is the victim. It would thus seem +that a precedent for the mixture of two old formulas by the narrator +of "Kakarangkang" already existed among the Tagalogs (cf. the end of +the notes to No. 3). + +We have not a large enough number of variants to enable us to determine +the original form of the separate incidents combined to form the cycles +represented by stories Nos. 3, 4, and 55; but the evidence we have +leads to the supposition that Carancal motifs ABCDF1 are very old in +the Islands, and that these taken together probably constituted the +prototype of the "Carancal" group. I cannot but believe that the +"interrupted-cooking" episode, as found in the Philippines, owes +nothing to European forms of "John the Bear;" for nowhere in the +Islands have I found it associated with the subsequent adventures +comprising the "John the Bear" norm,--the underground pursuit of the +demon, the rescue of the princesses by the hero, the treachery of the +companions, the miraculous escape of the hero from the underworld, +and the final triumph of justice and the punishment of the traitors +(see No. 17 and notes). + +For a Borneo story of a "Deer, Pig, and Plandok (Mouse-Deer)," see +Roth, 1 : 346. In this tale, as well as in another from British +North Borneo (Evans, 471-473, "The Plandok and the Gergasi"), it +is the clever plandok who alone is able to outwit the giant. In the +latter story there are seven animals,--carabao, ox, dog, stag, horse, +mouse-deer, and barking-deer. The carabao and horse in turn try in +vain to guard fish from the gergasi (a mythical giant who carries +a spear over his shoulder). The plandok takes his turn now, after +his two companions have been badly mishandled, and tricks the giant +into letting himself be bound and pushed into a well, because the +"sky is falling." There he is killed by the other animals when they +return. With this last incident compare the trick of the fox in the +Mongolian story in our notes to No. 48. In two other stories of the +cunning of the plandok, "The Plandok and the Tiger" (Evans, 474) and +"The Plandok and the Bear" (ibid.), we meet with the "king's belt" +trick and the "king's gong" trick respectively. For an additional +record from Borneo, see Edwin H. Gomes, "Seventeen Years among the +Sea Dyaks of Borneo" (Lond., 1911), 255-261. + + + +TALE 5 + +HOW SUAN BECAME RICH. + + +Narrated by Bonifacio Ynares, a Tagalog living in Pasig, Rizal. + + +Pedro and Suan were friends. Pedro inherited a great fortune from his +parents, who had recently died; but Suan was as poor as the poorest +of beggars that ever lived. Early one morning Suan went to his friend, +and said, "I wonder if you have a post that you do not need." + +"Yes, I have one," said Pedro. "Why? Do you need it?" + +"Yes, I need one badly, to build my house." + +"Very well, take it," said Pedro. "Do not worry about paying for it." + +Suan, who had not thought evil of his friend, took the post and built +his house. When it was finished, his house was found to surpass that +of his friend. This fact made Pedro so envious of Suan, that at last +he went to him and asked Suan for the post back again. + +"Why, if I take it from its place, my house will be destroyed. So +let me pay you for it, or let me look for another post in the town +and get it for you!" + +"No," said Pedro, "I must have my own post, for I wish to use it." + +Finally Suan became so greatly annoyed by his friend's insistence, +that he exclaimed, "I will not give you back your post." + +"Take heed, Suan! for I will accuse you before the king." + +"All right! do as you please." + +"We will then go to the king Monday," said Pedro. + +"Very well; I am always ready." + +When Monday came, both prepared to go to the palace. Pedro, who cared +for his money more than for anything else, took some silver coins along +with him for the journey. Suan took cooked rice and fish instead. Noon +came while they were still on the road. Suan opened his package of +food and began to eat. Pedro was also very hungry at this time, but +no food could be bought on the way. So Suan generously invited Pedro +to eat with him, and they dined together. + +After eating, the two resumed their journey. At last they came to a +river. The bridge over it was broken in the middle, and one had to jump +in order to get to the other side. Pedro jumped. Suan followed him, +but unfortunately fell. It so happened that an old man was bathing +in the river below, and Suan accidentally fell right on him. The old +man was knocked silly, and as a consequence was drowned. When Isidro, +the son, who dearly loved his father, heard of the old man's death, he +at once made up his mind to accuse Suan before the king. He therefore +joined the two travellers. + +After a while the three came to a place where they saw Barbekin +having a hard time getting his carabao out of the mire. Suan offered +to help. He seized the carabao by the tail, and pulled with great +force. The carabao was rescued, but its tail was broken off short +by a sudden pull of Suan. Barbekin was filled with rage because of +the injury done to his animal: so he, too, resolved to accuse Suan +before the king. + +When they came to the palace, the king said, "Why have you come here?" + +Pedro spoke first. "I have come," he said, "to accuse Suan to you. He +has one of my posts, and he won't return it to me." + +On being asked if the accusation was true, Suan responded with a nod, +and said in addition, "But Pedro ate a part of my rice and fish on +the way here." + +"My decision, then," said the king, "is that Suan shall give Pedro +his post, and that Pedro shall give Suan his rice and fish." + +Isidro was the next to speak. "I have come here to accuse Suan. While +my father was bathing in the river, Suan jumped on him and killed him." + +"Suan, then, must bathe in the river," said the king, "and you may +jump on him." + +When Barbekin was asked why he had come, he replied, "I wish to accuse +Suan. He pulled my carabao by the tail, and it was broken off short." + +"Give Suan your carabao, then," said the king. "He shall not return +it to you until he has made its tail grow to its full length." + +The accused and the accusers now took their leave of the king. + +"Give me the carabao now," said Suan to Barbekin when they had gone +some distance from the palace. + +The carabao was young and strong, and Barbekin hated to give it up. So +he said, "Don't take the carabao, and I will give you fifty pesos." + +"No; the decision of the king must be fulfilled," said Suan. Barbekin +then raised the sum to ninety pesos, and Suan consented to accept +the offer. Thus Suan was rewarded for his work in helping Barbekin. + +When they came to the bridge, Suan went down into the river, and told +Isidro to jump on him. But the bridge was high, and Isidro was afraid +to jump. Moreover, he did not know how to swim, and he feared that he +would but drown himself if he jumped. So he asked Suan to pardon him. + +"No, you must fulfil the decision of the king," answered Suan. + +"Let me off from jumping on you, and I will give you five hundred +pesos," said Isidro. + +The amount appealed to Suan as being a good offer, so he accepted it +and let Isidro go. + +As soon as Suan reached home, he took Pedro's post from his house, +and started for Pedro's house, taking a razor along with him. "Here +is your post," he said; "but you must lie down, for I am going to +get my rice and fish from you." + +In great fright Pedro said, "You need not return the post any more." + +"No," said Suan, "we must fulfil the decision of the king." + +"If you do not insist on your demand," said Pedro, "I will give you +half of my riches." + +"No, I must have my rice and fish." Suan now held Pedro by the +shoulder, and began to cut Pedro's abdomen with the razor. He had no +sooner done that, than Pedro, in great terror, cried out,-- + +"Don't cut me, and you shall have all my riches!" + +Thus Suan became the richest man in town by using his tact and +knowledge in outwitting his enemies. + + +The King's Decisions. + +Narrated by José M. Hilario, a Tagalog from Batangas, who heard the +story from his father. + +Once a poor man named Juan was without relatives or friends. Life +to him was a series of misfortunes. A day often passed without his +tasting even a mouthful of food. + +One day, weakened with hunger and fatigue, as he was walking along +the road, he passed a rich man's house. It so happened that at this +time the rich man's food was being cooked. The food smelled so good, +that Juan's hunger was satisfied merely with the fragrance. When the +rich man learned that the smell of his food had satisfied Juan, he +demanded money of Juan. Juan refused to give money, however, because +he had none, and because he had neither tasted nor touched the rich +man's food. "Let's go to the king, then," said Pedro, the rich man, +"and have this matter settled!" Juan had no objection to the proposal, +and the two set out for the palace. + +Soon they came to a place where the mire was knee-deep. There they saw +a young man who was trying to help his horse out of a mud-hole. "Hey, +you lazy fellows! help me to get my horse out of this hole," said +Manuel. The three tried with all their might to release the horse. They +finally succeeded; but unfortunately Juan had taken hold of the +horse's tail, and it was broken off when Juan gave a sudden hard pull. + +"You have got to pay me for injuring my horse," said Manuel. + +"No, I will not give you any money, because I had no intention of +helping you until you asked me to," said Juan. + +"Well, the king will have to settle the quarrel." Juan, who was not +to be frightened by threats, went with Pedro and Manuel. + +Night overtook the three on their way. They had to lodge themselves in +the house of one of Pedro's friends. Juan was not allowed to come up, +but was made to sleep downstairs. + +At midnight the pregnant wife of the host had to make water. She +went to the place under which Juan was sleeping. Juan, being suddenly +awakened and frightened, uttered a loud shriek; and the woman, also +frightened because she thought there were robbers or ghosts about, +miscarried. The next morning the husband asked Juan why he had cried +out so loud in the night. Juan said that he was frightened. + +"You won't fool me! Come with us to the king," said the husband. + +When the four reached the palace, they easily gained access to the +royal presence. Then each one explained why he had come there. + +"I'll settle the first case," said the king. He commanded the servant +to fetch two silver coins and place them on the table. "Now, Pedro, +come here and smell the coins. As Juan became satisfied with the +smell of your food, so now satisfy yourself with the smell of the +money." Pedro could not say a word, though he was displeased at the +unfavorable decision. + +"Now I'll give my decisions on the next two cases. Manuel, you must +give your horse to Juan, and let him have it until another tail +grows.--And you, married man, must let Juan have your wife until she +gives birth to another child." + +Pedro, Manuel, and the married man went home discontented with the +decisions of the king,--Pedro without having received pay, Manuel +without his horse, and the other man without his wife. + + +Notes. + +These two Tagalog stories, together with another, "How Piro +became Rich," which is almost identical with No. 5(a), may +possibly be descended directly from an old Buddhist birth-story +("Gamani-canda-jataka," No. 257),--a tale in which W. A. Clouston +(see Academy, No. 796, for Aug. 6, 1887) sees the germ of the +"pound-of-flesh" incident. An abstract of the first part of this Jataka +will set forth the striking resemblance between our stories and this +old Hindoo apologue, [21] The part of the Jataka that interests us +is briefly the account of how a man was haled to the king's tribunal +for injuries done unwittingly, and how the king passed judgment +thereupon. The abstract follows:-- + +Gamani, a certain old courtier of the ruling king's dead father, +decided to earn his living by farming, as he thought that the new +king should be surrounded with advisers of his own age. He took up +his abode in a village three leagues from the city, and, after the +rainy season was over, one day borrowed two oxen from a friend, with +which to help him do his ploughing. In the evening he returned the +oxen; but the friend being at dinner, and not inviting Gamani to eat, +Gamani put the oxen in the stall, and got no formal release from his +creditor. That night thieves stole the cattle. Next day the owner of +the oxen discovered the theft, and decided to make Gamani pay for the +beasts. So the two set out to lay the case before the king. On the +way they stopped for food at the house of a friend of Gamani's. The +woman of the house, while climbing a ladder to the store-room for rice +for Gamani, fell and miscarried. The husband, returning that instant, +accused Gamani of hitting his wife and bringing on untimely labor: +so the husband set off with Gamani's first accuser to get justice +from the king. On their way they met a horse that would not go with +its groom. The owner of the horse shouted to G. to hit the horse +with something and head it back. G. threw a stone at the animal, but +broke its leg. "Here's a king's officer for you," shouted the man; +"you've broken my horse's leg." G. was thus three men's prisoner. By +this time G. was in despair, and decided to kill himself. As soon as +opportunity came, he rushed up a hill near the road, and threw himself +from a precipice. But he fell on the back of an old basket-maker and +killed him on the spot. The son of the basket-maker accused G. of +murder and went along with the three other plaintiffs to the king. (I +omit here the various questions that persons whom G. meets along the +road beg him to take to the king for an answer.) + +All five appearing in the presence of the king, the owner of the oxen +demanded justice. In answer to the king's question, he at first denied +having seen G. return the oxen, but later admitted that he saw them +in the stall. G. was ordered to pay twenty-four pieces of money for +the oxen; but the plaintiff, for lying, was condemned to have his +eyes plucked out by G. Terrified at the prospect, he threw money +to G. and rushed away. The judgment in the case of the second false +accuser was this: G. was to take his friend's wife and live with her +until she should bear another son to take the place of the child that +miscarried. Again G. was bought off by the plaintiff. In the third +case the owner of the horse at first denied having requested G. to +hit the beast, but later admitted the truth. Judgment: G. was to pay +a thousand pieces (which the king gave him) for the injured animal, +but was also to tear out his false accuser's tongue. The fellow gave +G. a sum of money and departed. The fourth decision was as follows: +inasmuch as G. could not restore the dead father to life, he was to +take the dead man's widow to his home and be a father to the young +basket-maker; but he, rather than have his old home broken up, gave +G. a sum of money and hurried away. + + +It is to be regretted that this Buddhistic birth-story was not known +to Theodor Benfey, who, in his exhaustive discussion of our present +cycle, particularly from the point of view of the "pound-of-flesh" +incident (1 : 393-410), writes, "I may remark that this recital [i.e., +of the decisions], which here borders on the comic, is based upon +serious traditional legends which have to do with Buddhistic casuistry" +(p. 397). Benfey's fragmentary citations are not very convincing; but +this Jataka proves that his reasoning, as usual, was entirely sound. + +An Indo-Persian version called the "Kází of Emessa," cited by Clouston +(op. cit.), might be mentioned here, as it too has close resemblances +to our stories. + +While a merchant is being taken by a Jew before the king because the +merchant will not pay his bond of a pound of flesh, he meets with +the following accidents: (1) In attempting to stop a runaway mule, he +knocks out one of the animal's eyes with a stone; (2) while sleeping on +a flat roof, he is aroused suddenly by an uproar in the street, and, +jumping from the roof, he kills an old man below; (3) in trying to +pull an ass out of the mud, he pulls its tail off. The owner of the +mule, the sons of the dead man, and the owner of the ass, go along +with the Jew to present their cases before the king, whose decisions +are as follows: (1') The owner of the mule, valued at 1000 dínárs, +is to saw the animal in two lengthwise, and is to give the blind +half to the merchant, who must pay 500 dínárs for it. As the owner +refuses, he is obliged to pay the merchant 100 dínárs for bringing in +a troublesome suit. (2') Merchant must stand below a roof and allow +himself to be jumped on by the sons of the dead man; but they refuse +to take the risk, and are obliged to pay the merchant 100 dínárs +for troubling him. (3') The owner of the tailless ass is compelled +to try to pull out the tail of the Kází's mule. Naturally the animal +resents such treatment, and the accuser is terribly bruised. Finally, +to avoid further punishment, he says that his own animal never had a +tail. Hence he is forced to give the merchant 100 dínárs for bringing +in a false suit. + + +In the "Katha-sarit-sagara" (translated by C. H. Tawney, 2 : 180-181) +occurs this story:-- + +One day, when Brahman Devabhúti had gone to bathe, his wife went into +the garden to get vegetables, and saw a donkey belonging to a washerman +eating them. She took up a stick and ran after the donkey; the animal, +trying to escape, fell into a pit and broke its hoof. When the master +heard of that, he came in a passion, and beat and kicked the Brahman +woman. Accordingly she, being pregnant, had a miscarriage; but the +washerman returned home with his donkey. Her husband, hearing of it, +went, in his distress, and complained to the chief magistrate of the +town. The foolish man, after hearing both sides of the case, delivered +this judgment: "Since the donkey's hoof is broken, let the Brahman +carry the donkey's load for the washerman until the donkey is again fit +for work; and let the washerman make the Bráhman's wife pregnant again, +since he made her miscarry." When the Bráhman and his wife heard this +decision, they, in their despair, took poison and died; and when the +king heard of it, he put to death that inconsiderate judge. + +The Tagalog story of "How Piro became Rich," which I have not printed +here, is identical with "How Suan became Rich," with this exception, +that a horse's tail, instead of a carabao's, is pulled off by the +hero. And there is this addition: while travelling to the king's court, +Piro hears cries for help coming from the woods. He rushes to the spot, +and sees a young lady fighting a swarm of bees. Piro helps kill the +bees with his stick, but, in doing so, injures the woman somewhat +severely. Her father, angered, joins the accusers, and requests the +king that he order Piro to cure his daughter. The king rules that if +Piro is to do this, and if the young woman is to get the best care, +she must become Piro's wife. For relinquishing his right to the girl, +Piro receives a hundred alfonsos from the father. + +All in all, the close agreement between our stories and the three +Eastern versions cited above makes it reasonably certain that the +"Wonderful Decisions" group in the Philippines derives directly +from India. + + + +TALE 6 + +THE FOUR BLIND BROTHERS. + + +Narrated by Eutiqiano Garcia, a Pampangan, who said he heard the +story from a boy from Misamis, Mindanao. + + +There was once a man who had eight sons. Four of them were blind. He +thought of sending the children away, simply because he could not +afford to keep them in the house any longer. Accordingly one night +he called his eight children together, and said, "He who does not +provide for the future shall want in the present. You are big enough +and are able to support yourselves. To-morrow I shall send you away +to seek your fortunes." + +When morning came, the boys bade their father good-by. The blind sons +went together in one party, and the rest in another. Now begins the +pathetic story of the four blind brothers. + +They groped along the road, each holding the hand of the other. After +a day of continuous walking, the four brothers were very far away +from their town. They had not tasted food during all that time. In +the evening they came to a cocoanut-grove. + +"Here are some cocoanut-trees," said one of them. "Let us get a bunch +of cocoanuts and have something to eat!" + +So the eldest brother took off his camisa china [22] and climbed up +one of the trees. When he reached the top, the tree broke. + +"Bung!" Down came the poor fellow. "One!" cried the youngest +brother. "Three more!" shouted the rest. + +"Don't come down until you have dropped four!" they all cried at +once. Who would answer them? Their brother lay dead on the ground. + +While they were waiting for the second "Bung!" the second brother +climbed up the same tree. What had happened to the first happened +also to him, and so to the third in turn. As soon as the youngest +brother heard the third fall, he thought of looking for his share. He +crept about to find the cocoanuts. Alas! he discovered that his three +brothers lay dead on the ground. He went away from the place crying +very loud. + +Now, his crying happened to disturb the patianac, [23] who were +trying to sleep. They went out to see what was the matter. When +they found the poor helpless blind man, they were very much moved, +and they gave him food and shelter for the night. They also gave +him the tail of a pagui, [24] which would help him find his fortune, +they said. At daybreak they showed him the way out of the grove. + +The blind man walked on and on, until he was hailed by a lame man +resting under a shady tree. "Friend, carry me on your shoulders, +and let us travel together!" said the lame man to the blind. + +"Willingly," replied the blind man. + +They travelled for many hours, and at last came to a big, lonely +house. They knocked at the open door, but nobody answered. At last +they entered, and found the place empty. While they were searching +through the house, the owner came. He was a two-headed giant. The +blind man and the lame man were upstairs. + +The giant was afraid to enter the house, but he called in a voice of +thunder, "Who's there?" + +"We are big men," answered the two companions. + +"How big are you?" asked the giant. + +"We are so big that the foundation of the house shakes when we walk," +the two replied. + +"Give me a proof that you are really big men!" cried the giant again. + +"We will show you one of our hairs," they answered, and they dropped +from the window the tail of the pagui. + +The giant looked at it in wonder. He was immediately convinced that +they were more powerful than he was. So, picking up the "hair," +the giant went away, afraid to face such antagonists in single combat. + +So the prediction of the patianac came true. The house and all the +property of the giant fell into the hands of the blind man and the +lame man. They lived there happily all the rest of their lives. + + +Juan the Blind Man. + +Narrated by Pedro D. L. Sorreta, a Bicol from Virac, Catanduanes, +where the story is common. + +Many years ago there lived in a little village near a thick forest +eight blind men who were close friends. In spite of their physical +defects, they were always happy,--perhaps much happier than their +fellow-villagers, for at night they would always go secretly to one +of the neighboring cocoanut-groves, where they would spend their time +drinking tuba [25] or eating young cocoanuts. + +One evening a severe typhoon [26] struck the little village, and most +of the cocoanut-trees were broken off at the top. The next afternoon +the joyous party went to the cocoanut-grove to steal fruits. As soon +as they arrived there, seven of them climbed trees. Juan, the youngest +of all, was ordered to remain below so as to count and gather in the +cocoanuts his friends threw down to him. While his companions were +climbing the trees, Juan was singing,-- + + + "Eight friends, good friends, + One fruit each eats; + Good Juan here bends, + Young nuts he takes." + + +He had no sooner repeated his verse three times than he heard a fall. + +"One," he counted; and he began to sing the second verse:-- + + + "Believe me, that everything + Which man can use he must bring, + No matter at all of what it's made; + So, friends, a counter you need." + + +Crrapup! he heard another fall, which was followed by three in close +succession. "Good!" he said, "five in all. Three more, friends," +and he raised his head as if he could see his companions. After a +few minutes he heard two more falls. + +"Six, seven--well, only seven," he said, as he began searching for +the cocoanuts on the ground. "One more for me, friends--one more, +and every one is satisfied." But it was his friends who had fallen; +for, as the trees were only stumps, the climbers fell off when they +reached the tops. + +Juan, however, did not guess what had happened until he found one +of the dead bodies. Then he ran away as fast as he could. At last he +struck Justo, a lame man. After hearing Juan's story, Justo advised +Juan not to return to his village, lest he be accused of murder by +the relatives of the other men. + +After a long talk, the two agreed to travel together and seek a +place of refuge, for the blind man's proposal seemed a good one to +the lame man:-- + + + "Blind man, strong legs; + Lame man, good eyes; + Four-footed are pigs; + Four-handed are monkeys. + But we'll walk on two, + And we'll see with two." + + +So when morning dawned, they started on their journey. + +They had not travelled far when Justo saw a horn in the road, and +told Juan about it. Juan said,-- + + + "Believe me, that everything + Which man can use he must bring, + No matter at all of what it's made; + So, friend, a horn too we need." + + +The next thing that Justo saw was a rusted axe; and after being told +about it, Juan repeated his little verse again, ending it with, "So, +friend, an axe too we need." A few hours later the lame man saw a +piece of rope; and when the blind man knew of it, he said,-- + + + "Bring one, bring two, bring all, + The horn, the axe, the rope as well." + + +And last of all they found an old drum, which they took along with +them too. + +Soon Justo saw a very big house. They were glad, for they thought +that they could get something to eat there. When they came near it, +they found that the door was open; but when they entered it, Justo +saw nothing but bolos, spears, and shields hanging on the walls. After +a warm discussion as to what they should do, they decided to hide in +the ceiling of the house, and remain there until the owner returned. + +They had no sooner made themselves comfortable than they heard some +persons coming. When Justo saw the bloody bolos and spears of the +men, and the big sack of money they carried, he was terrified, for he +suspected that they were outlaws. He trembled; his hair stood on end; +he could not control himself. At last he shouted, "Ay, here?" + +The blind man, who could not see the danger they were in, stopped +the lame man, but not before the owners of the house had heard them. + +"Ho, you mosquitoes! what are you doing there?" asked the chief of +the outlaws as he looked up at the ceiling. + +"Aha, you rascals! we are going to eat you all," answered the blind +man in the loudest voice he could muster. + +"What's that you say?" returned the chief. + +"Why, we have been looking for you, for we intend to eat you all up," +replied Juan; "and to show you what kind of animals we are, here is +one of my teeth," and Juan threw down the rusted axe. "Look at one +of my hairs!" continued Juan, as he threw down the rope. + +The outlaws were so frightened that they were almost ready to run +away. The chief could not say a single word. + +"Now listen, you ants, to my whistle!" said Juan, and he blew +the horn. "And to show you how big our stomachs are, hear us beat +them!" and he beat the drum. The outlaws were so frightened that they +ran away. Some of them even jumped out of the windows. + +When the robbers were all gone, Juan and Justo went down to divide +the money; but the lame man tried to cheat the blind man, and they +had a quarrel over the division. Justo struck Juan in the eyes with +the palm of his hand, and the blind man's eyes were opened so that he +could see. Juan kicked Justo so hard, that the lame man rolled toward +one corner of the house and struck a post. His lameness was cured, +so that he could stand and walk. + +When they saw that each had done the other a great service, they +divided the money fairly, and lived ever after together as close +friends. + + +Teofilo the Hunchback, and the Giant. + +Narrated by Loreta Benavides, a Bicol student, who heard the story +from her aunt. + +Once there lived a hunchback whose name was Teofilo. He was an +orphan, and used to get his food by wandering through the woods. He +had no fixed home. Sometimes he even slept under large trees in the +forest. His one blind eye, as well as his crooked body, would make +almost any one pity his miserable condition. + +One day, while he was wandering through the woods looking for something +to eat, he found a piece of large rope. He was very glad; for he +could sell the rope, and in that way get money to buy food. Walking +a little farther, he found a gun leaning against a fence. This gun, +he supposed, had been left there by a hunter. He was glad to have +it, too, for protection. Finally, while crossing a swampy place, +he saw a duck drinking in the brook. He ran after the duck, and at +last succeeded in catching it. Now he was sure of a good meal. + +But it had taken him a long time to capture the duck. Night soon came +on, and he had to look for a resting-place. Fortunately he came to a +field, and his eye caught a glimpse of light on the other side. He went +towards the light, and found it to come from a house, all the windows +of which were open. He knocked at the door, but nobody answered; +so he just pushed it open and entered. He then began to feel very +comfortable. He prepared his bed, and then went to sleep. He did not +know that he was in a giant's house. + +At midnight Teofilo was awakened by a loud voice. He made a hole in +the wall and looked out. There in the dark he saw a very tall man, +taller even than the house itself. It was the giant. The giant said, +"I smell some one here." He tried to open the door, but Teofilo had +locked it. + +"If you are really a strong man and braver than I," said the giant, +"let me see your hair!" + +Teofilo then threw out the piece of rope. The giant was surprised at +its size. He then asked to see Teofilo's louse, and Teofilo threw +out the duck. The giant was terrified, for he had never seen such +a large louse before. Finally the giant said, "Well, you seem to be +larger than I. Let me hear your voice!" + +Teofilo fired his gun. When the giant heard the gun and saw it +spitting fire, he trembled, for he thought that the man's saliva +was burning coals. Afraid to challenge his strange guest any more, +the giant ran away and disappeared forever. + +And so Teofilo the hunchback lived happily all the rest of his days +in the giant's house without being troubled by any one. + + +Juan and the Buringcantada. + +Narrated by Pacifico Buenconsejo, a Bicol, who heard the story from +his grandmother. + +A long time ago, when the Bicols had not yet been welded into one +tribe, there lived a couple in the mountains of Albay who had one son, +named Juan. Before the boy was five years old, his father died. As +Juan grew up, he became very lazy: he did not like to work, nor would +he help his mother earn their daily bread. Despite his laziness, +Juan was dearly loved by his mother. She did not want him to work +in the field under the hot sun. Because of his mother's indulgence, +he grew lazier and lazier. + +Every afternoon Juan used to take a walk while his mother was +working. She was a kind-hearted woman, and often told her son to help +anybody he met that needed help. One afternoon, while he was walking +in a field, he saw two carabaos fighting. One was gored by the other, +and was about to die. Juan, mindful of what his mother told him, +went between the two animals to help the wounded one. Suddenly the +two animals gored him in the back, and he fell to the ground. A man, +passing by, found him, and took him to his home. When Juan's mother +learned why her son had been gored, she was greatly distressed that +her son was so foolish. + +Juan soon recovered, and one day he invited his mother to go with +him to look for money. He insisted so hard, that finally she agreed +to accompany him. On their way they found an axe, which Juan picked +up and took along with him. They had not gone much farther, when +they saw a long rope stretching across the road. Juan's mother did +not want him to take it, but he said that it would be of some use to +them later. By and by they came to a river, on the bank of which they +found a large drum. Juan took this with him, too. + +When they had been travelling about a week, they came upon a big +house. Juan said that he wanted to go see what was in the house, but +his mother told him that he should not go. However, he kept urging and +urging, until at last his mother consented, and went with him. When +they reached the hall, they found it well decorated with flowers and +leaves. They visited all the apartments of the house; and when they +came to the dining-room, they saw a large hole in the ceiling. Juan +told his mother that they had better hide in the ceiling until they +found out who the owner of the house was. The mother thought that +the plan was a wise one; so they went to the ceiling, taking with +them the axe, the rope, and the drum. + +They had not been hiding many minutes, when the Buringcantada, a +giant with one eye in the middle of his forehead and with two long +tusks that projected from the sides of his mouth, came in with his +friends and servants. When the dinner was ready, the servant called +his master and his guests into the dining-room. While they were eating, +Juan said in a loud voice,-- + + + "Tawi cami + Sa quisami + Qui masiram + Na ulaman." [27] + + +The Buringcantada was very angry to hear the voice of a man in the +ceiling, and he said in a thundering voice, "If you are a big man +like me, let me see one of your hairs!" + +Juan showed the rope from the hole in the ceiling. + +Astonished at the size of the hair, the Buringcantada said again, +"Let me see one of your teeth!" Juan showed the axe. + +By this time Juan's mother was almost dead with fear, and she told +her son not to move. + +After a few minutes the Buringcantada said again, "Beat your stomach, +and let me hear the sound of it!" When Juan beat the drum, the +Buringcantada and all the guests and servants ran away in fright, +for they had never heard such a sound before. + +Then Juan and his mother came down from the ceiling. In this house +they lived like a rich family, for they found much money in one of +the rooms. As for the Buringcantada, he never came back to his house +after he left it. + + +The Manglalabas. + +Narrated by Arsenio Bonifacio, a Tagalog, who heard the story from +his father. + +Once upon a time, in the small town of Balubad, there was a big +house. It was inhabited by a rich family. When the head of the family +died, the house was gloomy and dark. The family wore black clothes, +and was sad. + +Three days after the death of the father, the family began to be +troubled at night by a manglalabas. [28] He threw stones at the house, +broke the water-jars, and moved the beds. Some pillows were even +found in the kitchen the next day. The second night, Manglalabas +visited the house again. He pinched the widow; but when she woke +up, she could not see anything. Manglalabas also emptied all the +water-jars. Accordingly the family decided to abandon the house. + +A band of brave men in that town assembled, and went to the house. At +midnight the spirit came again, but the brave men said they were ready +to fight it. Manglalabas made a great deal of noise in the house. He +poured out all the water, kicked the doors, and asked the men who they +were. They answered, "We are fellows who are going to kill you." But +when the spirit approached them, and they saw that it was a ghost, +they fled away. From that time on, nobody was willing to pass a night +in that house. + +In a certain barrio [29] of Balubad there lived two queer men. One +was called Bulag, because he was blind; and the other, Cuba, because +he was hunchbacked. One day these two arranged to go to Balubad to +beg. Before they set out, they agreed that the blind man should carry +the hunchback on his shoulder to the town. So they set out. After they +had crossed the Balubad River, Cuba said, "Stop a minute, Bulag! here +is a hatchet." Cuba got down and picked it up. Then they proceeded +again. A second time Cuba got off the blind man's shoulder, for he +saw an old gun by the roadside. He picked this up also, and took it +along with him. + +When they reached the town, they begged at many of the houses, and +finally they came to the large abandoned house. They did not know +that this place was haunted by a spirit. Cuba said, "Maybe no one is +living in this house;" and Bulag replied, "I think we had better stay +here for the night." + +As they were afraid that somebody might come, they went up into the +ceiling. At midnight they were awakened by Manglalabas making a great +noise and shouting, "I believe that there are some new persons in my +house!" Cuba, frightened, fired the gun. The ghost thought that the +noise of the gun was some one crying. So he said, "If you are truly +a big man, give me some proofs." + +Then Cuba took the handle out of the hatchet and threw the head down +at the ghost. Manglalabas thought that this was one of the teeth of +his visitor, and, convinced that the intruder was a powerful person, +he said, "I have a buried treasure near the barn. I wish you to +dig it up. The reason I come here every night is on account of this +treasure. If you will only dig it up, I will not come here any more." + +The next night Bulag and Cuba dug in the ground near the barn. There +they found many gold and silver pieces. When they were dividing the +riches, Cuba kept three-fourths of the treasure for himself. Bulag +said, "Let me see if you have divided fairly," and, placing his hands +on the two piles, he found that Cuba's was much larger. + +Angry at the discovery, Cuba struck Bulag in the eyes, and they +were opened. When Bulag could see, he kicked Cuba in the back, and +straightway his deformity disappeared. Therefore they became friends +again, divided the money equally, and owned the big house between them. + + +Notes. + +A Pampango version, "The Cripple and the Blind Man" (I have it only +in abstract), is almost identical with the second part of "The Four +Blind Brothers." A blind man and a cripple travel together, blind +man carrying, cripple guiding. Rope, drum, hatchet, etc. But these +two companions do not quarrel over the distribution of the wealth: +they live peacefully together. + +I have printed in full five of the versions, because, while they +are members of a very widespread family of tales in which a poor but +valiant hero deceives and outwits a giant, ogre, ghost, or band of +robbers, they form a more restricted brotherhood of that large family, +and the deception is of a very definite special sort. The hero and the +outwitted do not meet face to face, nor is there a contest of prowess +between them. Merely by displaying as tokens of his size and strength +certain seemingly useless articles which he has picked up and carried +along with him on his travels, the hero frightens forever from their +rich home a band of robbers or a giant or a ghost, and remains in +possession of the treasures of the deceived one. + +Trolls, ogres, giants, robbers, dragons, are proverbially stupid, +and a clever hero with more wits than brawn has no difficulty in +thoroughly frightening them. Grimm's story of "The Brave Little Tailor" +(No. 20), with its incidents of "cheese-squeezing," "bird-throwing," +"pretended carrying of the oak-tree," "springing over the cherry-tree," +and "escape from the bed," and opening with the "seven-at-a-blow" +episode, is typical of one large group of tales about a giant +outwitted. (For an enumeration of the analogues, see Bolte-Polívka, +1 : 148-165; for a fuller discussion of some of them, see Cosquin, +1 : 96-102.) In another group the hero takes service with the giant, +dragon, etc., keeps up the deception of being superhumanly strong, +but gets the monster to do all the work, and finally wins his way to +wealth and release (see Grimm, No. 183; Von Hahn, No. 18 and notes; +Crane, 345, note 34; Dasent, Nos. v and xxxii). Then there is the +group of stories in which the cannibal witch is popped into her own +oven, which she had been heating for her victim (cf. Grimm, No. 15; +and Bolte-Polívka, 1 : 123). + +Our particular group of stories, however, seems to owe little or +nothing to the types just mentioned. It appears to belong peculiarly +to the Orient. In fact, I do not know of its occurrence outside of +India and the Philippines. That the tale is well known in the Islands +at least as far north as central Luzon, our five variants attest; +and that it is fairly widespread in India,--I refer particularly to +the method of the deception, for on this the whole story turns,--three +Hindoo versions may be cited as evidence. + +(1) "The Blind Man, the Deaf Man, and the Donkey" (Frere, No. 18) +presents many close correspondences to "Juan the Blind Man." In the +Indian tale a blind man and a deaf man enter into partnership. One day, +while on a long walk with his friend, the deaf man sees a donkey with +a large water-jar on its back. Thinking the animal will be useful +to them, they take it and the jar with them. Farther along they +collect some large black ants in a snuff-box. Overtaken by storm, +they seek shelter in a large, apparently deserted house, and lock +the door; but the owner, a terrible Rakshas, returns, and loudly +demands entrance. The deaf man, looking through a chink in the wall, +is greatly frightened by the appearance of the monster; but the blind +man boldly says that he is Bakshas, Rakshas's father. Incredulous, +the Rakshas wishes to see his father's face. Donkey's head shown. On +his desiring to see his father's body, the huge jar is rolled +with a thundering noise past the chink in the door. Rakshas asks +to hear Bakshas scream. Deaf man puts ants into the donkey's ear: +the animal, bit by the insects, brays horribly, and the Rakshas flees +in fright... (Rakshas returns the next morning, and seeing the blind +man, deaf man, and donkey, laden with treasures, leaving his house, +he determines to be avenged; but by a lucky series of accidents +the travellers succeed in discomfiting and thoroughly terrifying +the Rakshas and his six companions summoned to help him, and travel +on). In the division of the spoils, the deaf man attempts to cheat +the blind man, who in a rage gives him so tremendous a box on the +ear, that his hearing is restored! In return, the deaf man gives his +neighbor so hard a blow in the face, that the blind man's eyes are +opened. They are both so astonished, that they become good friends +at once, and divide the wealth equally. + +(2) "The Brahmin Girl that married a Tiger" (Kingscote, No. x). In +this story, three brothers, on their way to rescue their sister who +had been married to a tiger, take along with them an ass, an ant, +a palmyra-tree, and a big iron washing-tub. The sister hides her +brothers and their possessions in a loft. The tiger comes home, +and frightens the brothers into making a noise and thus betraying +their presence. He asks to hear their voice. Youngest brother puts +his ant into the ear of the ass, which, when bit, begins to bawl out +horribly. Asking to see their legs, tiger is shown the trunk of the +palmyra-tree, and, on asking to see their bellies, is shown the iron +tub. Frightened, he runs away, and the sister is rescued. + +(3) "Learning and Motherwit" (McCulloch, No. xxvi). Here Motherwit, +as in the other stories, deceives a Raghoshi by means of a thick rope +(shown for hair), spades (shown for finger-nails), and wet lime +(shown for spittle). At last with sharp-pointed hot iron rods, +Ulysses fashion, he puts out the monster's eyes. + +In another Bengal story, "The Ghost who was afraid of being Bagged" +(Lal Behari Day, No. xx), a barber frightens a ghost with a +looking-glass and becomes rich. + +An interesting parallel to the incident of the death of the blind +brothers by climbing up too high on palm-trees the tops of which have +been broken off, is to be found in the Arabian story of "The Blind +Thief" (JRASB 3 : 645-660, No. iii). A thief who used to steal dates +from off the trees became blind, but he still went on thieving. The +people planned to get rid of him. In the presence of the blind man, +some one praised the dates of So-and-so. (Now, this tree was withered, +and no longer had any leaves.) The covetous thief, with his rope, +started to climb the tree that night; but his rope slipped off over +the naked top of the palm, and he fell to the ground and was killed. + +The situation of a blind man and a lame man joining forces and +travelling together, the blind man carrying the lame man, who directs +the way, is found in the Gesta Romanorum, tale LXXI. + +Certain of the false proofs in the Filipino stories have no parallel +in the Indian tales; viz., duck for louse, gun or horn for voice, +tail of sting-ray (pagui) for hair. The suggestion for this last +comparison may have come from the belief among the Filipinos that the +tail of the sting-ray is a very efficacious charm against demons and +witches. It is a "specific" against the mangkukulam. [30] On the other +hand, there are certain details of the Indian versions lacking in the +Filipino,--the donkey, the palmyra-tree, the wash-tub. Nevertheless +the close agreement, not only of motifs, but of motifs in the same +sequence, makes it certain beyond all reasonable doubt that the story +as we find it in the Islands (most fully represented by the Bicol +"Juan the Blind Man") goes back directly to southern India, possibly +to the parent story of Miss Frere's old Deccan narrative. + + + +TALE 7 + +SAGACIOUS MARCELA. + + +Narrated by Lorenzo Licup, a Pampangan. + + +Long, long before the Spaniards came, there lived a man who had a +beautiful, virtuous, and, above all, clever daughter. He was a servant +of the king. Marcela, the daughter, loved her father devotedly, and +always helped him with his work. From childhood she had manifested a +keen wit and undaunted spirit. She would even refuse to obey unjust +orders from the king. No question was too hard for her to answer, +and the king was constantly being surprised at her sagacity. + +One day the king conceived a plan by which he might test the ingenious +Marcela. He bade his servants procure a tiny bird and carry it to her +house. "Tell her," said the king, "to make twelve dishes out of that +one bird." + +The servants found Marcela sewing. They told her of the order of the +king. After thinking for five minutes, she took one of her pins, and +said to the servants, "If the king can make twelve spoons out of this +pin, I can also make twelve dishes out of that bird." On receiving +the answer, the king realized that the wise Marcela had gotten the +better of him; and he began to think of another plan to puzzle her. + +Again he bade his servants carry a sheep to Marcela's house. "Tell +her," he said, "to sell the sheep for six reales, and with the money +this very same sheep must come back to me alive." + +At first Marcela could not make out what the king meant for her to +do. Then she thought of selling the wool only, and not the whole +sheep. So she cut off the wool and sold it for six reales, and sent +the money with the live sheep back to the king. Thus she was again +relieved from a difficulty. + +The king by this time realized that he could not beat Marcela in +points of subtlety. However, to amuse himself, he finally thought of +one more scheme to test her sagacity. It took him two weeks to think +it out. Summoning a messenger, he said to him, "Go to Marcela, and +tell her that I am not well, and that my physician has advised me to +drink a cup of bull's milk. Therefore she must get me this medicine, +or her father will lose his place in the palace." The king also issued +an order that no one was to bathe or to wash anything in the river, +for he was going to take a bath the next morning. + +As soon as Marcela had received the command of the king and had +heard of his second order, she said, "How easy it will be for me to +answer this silly order of the king!" That night she and her father +killed a pig, and smeared its blood over the sleeping-mat, blanket, +and pillows. When morning came, Marcela took the stained bed-clothing +to the source of the river, where the king was bathing. As soon as +the king caught sight of her, he said in a voice of thunder, "Why do +you wash your stuff in the river when you know I ordered that nobody +should use the river to-day but me?" + +Marcela replied, "It is the custom, my lord, in our country, to wash +the mat, pillows, and other things stained with blood, immediately +after a person has given birth to a child. As my father gave birth to +a child last night, custom forces me to disobey your order, although +I do it much against my will." + +"Nonsense!" said the king. "The idea of a man giving birth to a +child! Absurd! Ridiculous!" + +"My lord," said Marcela, "it would be just as absurd to think of +getting milk from a bull." + +Then the king, recollecting his order, said, "Marcela, as you are so +witty, clever, and virtuous, I will give you my son for your husband." + + +King Tasio. + +Narrated by Leopoldo Faustino, a Tagalog, who says that the story is +popular and common among the people of La Laguna province. + +Juan was a servant in the palace of King Tasio. One day King Tasio +heard Juan discussing with the other servants in the kitchen the +management of the kingdom. Juan said that he knew more than anybody +else in the palace. The king called Juan, and told him to go down to +the seashore and catch the rolling waves. + +"You said that you are the wisest man in the palace," said the +king. "Go and catch the waves of the sea for me." + +"That's very easy, O king!" said Juan, "if you will only provide me +with a rope made of sand taken from the seashore." + +The king did not know what to answer. He left Juan without saying +anything, went into his room, and began to think of some more +difficult work. + +The next day he called Juan. "Juan, take this small bird and make +fifty kinds of food out of it," said the king. + +"Yes, sir!" said Juan, "if you will only provide me with a stove, +a pan, and a knife made out of this needle," handing a needle to the +king, "with which to cook the bird." Again the king did not know what +to do. He was very angry at Juan. + +"Juan, get out of my palace! Don't you let me see you walking on my +ground around this palace without my consent!" said the king. + +"Very well, sir!" said Juan, and he left the palace immediately. + +The next day King Tasio saw Juan in front of the palace, riding on +his paragos [31] drawn by a carabao. + +"Did I not tell you not to stand or walk on my ground around this +palace? Why are you here now? Do you mean to mock me?" shouted +the king. + +"Well," said Juan, "will your Majesty's eyes please see whether I am +standing on your ground or not? This is my ground." And he pointed +to the earth he had on his paragos. "I took this from my orchard." + +"That's enough, Juan," said King Tasio. "I can have no more +foolishness." The king felt very uncomfortable, because many of his +courtiers and servants were standing there listening to his talk +with Juan. + +"Juan, put this squash into this jar. Be careful! See that you do +not break either the squash or the jar," said the king, as he handed +a squash and a jar to Juan. Now, the neck of the jar was small, and +the squash was as big as the jar. So Juan had indeed a difficult task. + +Juan went home. He put a very small squash, which he had growing +in his garden, inside the jar. He did not, however, cut it from the +vine. After a few weeks the squash had grown big enough to fill the +jar. Juan then picked off the squash enclosed in the jar, and went +to the king. He presented the jar to the king when all the servants, +courtiers, and visitors from other towns were present. As soon as +the king saw the jar with the squash in it, he fainted. It was many +hours before he recovered. + + +Notes. + +A third version (c), a Bicol story entitled "Marcela outwits the +King," narrated by Gregorio Frondoso of Camarines, resembles closely +the Pampango story of Marcela, with these minor differences:-- + +The heroine is the daughter of the king's adviser Bernardo. To test +the girl's wit, the king sends her a mosquito he has killed, and tells +her to cook it in such a way that it will serve twelve persons. She +sends back a pin to him, with word that if he can make twelve forks +from the pin, the mosquito will serve twelve persons. The second and +third tasks are identical with those in the Pampango version. At last, +satisfied with her sagacity, the king makes her his chief counsellor. + +In addition to the three popular tales of the "Clever Lass" cycle, +two chap-book versions of the story, containing incidents lacking in +the folk-tales, may be mentioned here:-- + + + +A Buhay nang isang pastorang tubo sa villa na naguing asaua nang hari +sa isang calabasa. ("Life of a Shepherdess who was born in a town, +and who became the Wife of a King because of a Pumpkin.") Manila, +1908. This story is in verse, and comprises sixty-six quatrains of +12-syllable assonanced lines. It is known only in Tagalog, I believe. + +B Buhay na pinagdaanan ni Rodolfo na anac ni Felizardo at ni Prisca sa +cahariang Valencia. ("Life of Rodolfo, Son of Felizardo and Prisca, +in the Kingdom of Valencia.") Maynila, 1910. Like the preceding, +this corrido is known only in Tagalog, and is written in 12-syllable +assonanced lines. + + +Of these two printed versions, I give below a literal translation +of the first (A), not only because it is short (264 lines), +but also because it will be seen to be closely connected with the +folk-tales. For help in making this translation I am under obligation +to Mr. Salvador Unson, which I gratefully acknowledge. The second story +(B) I give only in partial summary. It is much too long to be printed +in full, and, besides, contains many incidents that have nothing to do +with our cycle. It will be noticed that "Rodolfo" (B) resembles rather +the European forms of the story; while A and the three folk-tales +are more Oriental, despite the conventional historical setting of A. + + + +TALE A + + +"Cay Calabasa: The Life of a Shepherdess born in a town, who became +the Wife of a King because of a Pumpkin." + +1. Ye holy angels in the heavens, help my tongue to express and to +relate the story I will tell. + +2. In early times, when Adoveneis, King of Borgoña, was still alive, +he went out into the plains to hunt for deer, and accidentally became +separated from his companions. + +3. In his wandering about, he saw a hut, which had a garden surrounding +it. A beautiful young maiden took care of the garden, in which were +growing melons and pumpkins. + +4. The king spoke to the maiden, and asked, "What plants are you +growing here?" The girl replied, "I am raising pumpkins and melons." + +5. Now, the king happened to be thirsty, and asked her for but +a drink. "We were hunting in the heat of the day, and I felt this +thirst come on me." + +6. The maiden replied, "O illustrious king! we have water in a mean +jar, but it is surely not fitting that your Majesty should drink from +a jar! + +7. "If we had a jar of pure gold, in which we could put water from a +blest fountain, then it would be proper for your Majesty. It is not +right or worthy that you should drink from a base jar." + +8. The king replied to the girl, "Never mind the jar, provided the +water is cool." The maiden went into the house, and presently the +king drank his fill. + +9. After he had drunk, he handed her back the jar; but when the maiden +had received it (in her hands), she suddenly struck it against the +staircase. The jar was shattered to bits. + +10. The king saw the act and wondered at it, and in his heart he +thought that the maiden had no manners. For the impudence of her +action, he decided to punish her. + +11. (He said) "You see in me, the traveller, a noble king, and (you +know) that I hold the crown. Why did you shatter that jar of yours, +received from my hands?" + +12. The maiden replied, "The reason I broke the jar, long kept for +many years by my mother, O king! is that I should not like to have +it used by another." + +13. After hearing that, the king made no reply, but returned (back) +towards the city, believing in his heart that the woman to whom he +had spoken was virtuous. + +14. After some time the king one day ordered a soldier to carry +to the maiden a new narrow-necked jar, into which she was to put a +pumpkin entire. + +15. He also ordered the soldier to tell the girl that she should not +break the jar, but that the jar and pumpkin should remain entire. + +16. Inasmuch as the maiden was clever, her perception good, and her +understanding bold, she answered with another problem: she sent him +back a jar that already had a pumpkin in it. + +17. She delivered it to the soldier, and the upshot of her reply was +this: "The pumpkin and the jar are whole. The king must remove the +pumpkin without breaking the jar." + +18. The soldier shouldered it and went back to the king, and told him +that her answer was that he should take the pumpkin out of the jar, +and leave both whole. + +19. When the king saw the jar, he said nothing; but he thought in +his heart that he would send her another puzzle. + +20. Again by the soldier he sent her a bottle, and requested that it +be filled with the milk of a bull. (He further added,) that, if the +order was not complied with, she should be punished. + +21. The girl's answer to the king was this: "Last night my father gave +birth to a child; and even though you order it, it is impossible for +me to get (you?) any bull's milk (to-day?)." + +22. Who would not wonder, when he comes to hear of it, at the language +back and forth between the king and the girl! For what man can give +birth to a child, and what bull can give milk? + +23. At a great festival which the king gave, attended by knights and +counts, he sent a pipit [32] to the girl, and ordered her to cook +seven dishes of it. + +24. The maiden (in reply) sent the king a needle, and asked him to +make a steel frying-pan, knife, and spit out of it, which she might +use in cooking the pipit. + +25. The king again sent to her with this word: "If you are really +very intelligent and if you are truly wise, you will catch the waves +and bind them." + +26. The soldier returned at once to the maiden, and told her that +the orders of the king were that she should catch and bind the waves. + +27. The maiden sent back word by the soldier that it is not proper +to disobey a king. "Tell the king to make me a rope out of the loam +I am sending." + +28. Again the soldier returned to the palace, and, taking the black +earth to the king, he said, "Make her a rope out of this loam, with +which she will catch and bind the waves." + +29. After the soldier had delivered his message, the king was almost +shaking with rage. "Who under heaven can make a rope out of loam?" + +30. Now he ordered the soldier to fetch the maiden. "And for her +impudence," he said, "I will punish her." + +31. He ordered the soldier to make haste and to return at once. The +maiden did not resist her punishment, and was placed in a well. + +32. Now, this well into which she was cast lay in front of the window +of the king, so that whenever he should look out of the window he +might see her. + +33. One morning, as he looked out and saw her there below him, she +asked him to give her fire. + +34. The king said to her, "I am a world-famed king, and it is not +my desire to descend just because of your request. Go ask fire from +the mountain." + +35. The girl made no answer to his jesting reply. Some time later +the king held some games, and ordered that the maiden be taken out +of the well. + +36. The king told her that she was pardoned for all her offences. "But +as long as I have visitors (?)," he said, "you are to be my cook." + +37. Then this order was given to the girl: "You are to cook the +food. Everything must be well prepared. All the food must be palatable +and tasty." + +38. The maiden, however, deliberately left all the food unsalted; +but she fastened to the bottom of the plate the necessary salt. + +39. When at the table the king and his council were not satisfied +with the food, because there was no salt in it, the maiden was again +summoned. + +40. "I ordered you to cook because you were clever; but you took no +care of the cooking. Why am I thus insulted and my honor destroyed +before my guests?" + +41. The maiden at once returned answer to the council and to his +Majesty: "Look underneath the plates; and if there is not the necessary +salt, my lord, condemn me as you see fit." + +42. She had those near the king lift their plates, and she had him +look under. The salt was found not lacking, and the king ceased from +his contention and thought about the matter. + +43. Then he said, "If you had mixed in a little with the food, then +it would have been good and palatable. Explain to me the significance +of your act." + +44. "O great king!" answered the maiden, "I can easily reply to your +question. By leaving the salt out, I meant me, and no one else [i.e., +she meant to suggest her own case when she was in the well]. + +45. "You instructed me to get fire from the mountain. Why can you +not taste this salt, which is just under the plate? + +46. "Because I am an unfortunate person, an unworthy shepherdess from +the woods. If I were a city-bred person, even though most ordinary, +I should be honored in your presence." + +47. To the reply of the girl the king shook his head, and pressed +his forehead (in thought). He had fallen in love, and his heart was +oppressed. He determined to marry her. + +48. They were married at once, and at once she was clothed as a queen; +although she was only a lowly shepherdess, she was loved because of +the sweetness of her voice. + +49. After living together a long time, they had a quarrel: the king +had conceived a dislike for her cleverness. + +50. "Return at once to your father and mother," he said. "Go back to +the mountains and live there. + +51. "I will allow you to take with you whatever you want,--gold, +silver, dresses. Take with you also two maids." + +52. The queen could not utter a word; silently she let her tears +fall. She thought that bad fortune had come upon her. + +53. To be brief, the king got up from his chair and lay down in his +bed. He pretended to go to sleep in order that he might not see the +queen depart. + +54. When the queen saw that the king was really sleeping, she covered +him up (in her sorrow), and summoned the servants. + +55. She ordered them to lift him up and carry him to the mountains. "In +carrying him, be careful not to wake him until the mountains are +reached." + +56. They lifted the bed and took him downstairs; but when they were +carrying it out of the palace, the bed struck against the front +door. The king awoke in surprise. + +57. He said, "What is the reason for carrying away a sleeping man?" He +asked them whether they intended to throw away their sovereign. + +58. At once he summoned the guards of the palace and ordered the +arrest of the servants; but they protested that they were merely +obeying the orders of the queen. + +59. Then the king asked where the queen was who had ordered that. He +had her brought before him, and demanded of her why she wished to +cast him away. + +60. The queen answered, reminding him thus: "My husband, my beloved, +what did you tell me some time ago when you were driving me away? + +61. "Did you not tell me to select whatever I might desire, including +gold and silver, and take it with me? You are my choice. + +62. "Even if I should become very good and very rich, I should still +be without honor before God and the people. + +63. "It would be shameful to the Divine Word for us married people to +separate. You would be taunted by your counsellors for having married +some one beneath you." + +64. Her reply reminded the king that whatever might happen, they were +married, and should remain together all their lives. + +65. "Forgive me, my wife, light of my eyes! Forgive the wrongs I have +done! I am to blame for the mistake [i.e., for my thoughtlessness]." + +66. From then on, they loved each other the more, and were happy +because they never quarrelled further. + + + +TALE B + +THE STORY OF RODOLFO. + + +Rodolfo was the only son of Felizardo and Prisca, who lived in +Valencia. When Rodolfo was seven years old, he was sent to school, +and proved to be an apt scholar; but his father died within a few +years, and the boy was obliged to abandon his studies because of +poverty. At the suggestion of his mother, Rodolfo one day set out for +the capital, where he sought a place in the palace as servant. In time +he was appointed head steward (mayor-domo) in the royal household. The +king became so fond of this trusty servant, whose bravery, executive +ability, and cleverness he could not help noticing, that finally he +determined to make him his son-in-law by marrying him to the princess +Leocadia. When Rodolfo was offered Leocadio's hand by her father, +however, he respectfully declined the honor, saying that though he +admired the beauty of the princess, he did not admire her character, +and could not take her as his wife. The king was so angry that he +ordered Rodolfo cast into prison; but after a few days' consideration, +he had him released, and promised to pardon him for the insult if +within a month he could bring before the king as his wife just such +a virtuous woman as he had stipulated his wife should be. + +Rodolfo left the palace, taking with him only a pair of shoes and +an umbrella. On his way he saw an old man, whom he invited to go +along with him. Shortly afterwards they saw a funeral procession, and +Rodolfo asked his companion whether the man that was to be buried was +still alive. The old man did not reply, because he thought that his +companion was a fool. Outside the city they met many persons planting +highland rice on a mountain-clearing (kaingin). Again Rodolfo spoke, +and asked if the rice that the farmers were planting was already eaten; +but the old man remained silent. In the course of their journey +they reached a shallow river. Rodolfo put on his shoes and waded +across. When he reached the other bank, he removed his shoes again +and carried them in his hand. Next they passed a great plain. When +they became tired from the heat, they rested by the side of the road +under a big tree. Here Rodolfo opened his umbrella, which he had not +used when they were crossing the hot plain. Once more the old man +believed that his companion was crazy. + +At last the travellers reached the old man's house, but the old man did +not invite Rodolfo to spend the night with him. Rodolfo went into the +house, however, for he saw that a young woman lived in the house. This +was Estela, the old man's daughter, who received the stranger very +kindly. That night, when Estela set the table for supper, she gave +to her father the head and neck of the chicken, the wings to her +mother, the body to Rodolfo, and the legs to herself. After eating +their meal, the old man and his wife left Estela and Rodolfo together +in the dining-room. Rodolfo expressed his love for her, for he had +already recognized her worth. When she found that he was in earnest, +she said that she would accept him if her parents consented to the +marriage. Then they joined the old couple in the main room; but there +the father scolded her for showing hospitality to a visitor whom he +considered a fool. He also felt insulted for having been given only +the head and neck of the chicken. Accordingly the old man told his +daughter how Rodolfo had foolishly asked him if the person to be buried +was still alive, and whether the rice that the farmers were planting +on the mountain-clearing had already been eaten. He also mentioned +the fact that Rodolfo wore his shoes only when crossing the river, +and that he had opened his umbrella only when they were in the shade +of the tree. Estela, in reply, cleverly explained to her father the +meaning of all Rodolfo had said and done. "The memory of a man who has +done good during his lifetime will never be forgotten. Rodolfo wished +to know whether the man to be buried was kind to his fellow-men. If +he was, he will always be remembered, and he is not dead. When Rodolfo +asked you whether the rice which the farmers were planting was already +eaten, he wished to know if those farmers had borrowed so much rice +from their landlords that the next harvest would only be enough to pay +it back. In a river it is impossible to see the thorns which may hurt +one's feet, so it is wise to wear shoes while crossing a river. The +idea of opening an umbrella under a tree is a very good one, because +it forms a protection against falling branches and fruits. I will +tell you why I divided the chicken as I did. I gave you the head +and neck because you are the head of the family; the wings I gave my +mother because she took care of me in my childhood; the body I gave +to Rodolfo, because it is courteous to please a visitor; the legs I +kept myself, because I am your feet and hands." + +The anger of Estela's father was pacified by her explanation. He +was now convinced that Rodolfo was not a fool, but a wise man, and +he invited Rodolfo to live with them. Rodolfo staid and helped with +all the work about the house and in the field. At last, when the old +man realized that Rodolfo loved Estela, he gave his consent to their +marriage; and the next day they became husband and wife. + +After his marriage, Rodolfo returned to Valencia, leaving Estela at +her home in Babilonia, and reported to the king that he had found and +taken as his wife a virtuous woman,--The rest of the story turns on the +"chastity-wager" motif, and ends with the establishment of the purity +of Rodolfo's wife. (For this motif, constituting a whole story, see +"The Golden Lock," No. 30.) + + +An examination of the five representatives of this cycle of the "Clever +Lass" in the Philippines reveals at least nine distinct problems +(tasks or riddles) to be solved. For most of these, parallels may be +found in other Oriental and in Occidental stories. + +(1) Problem: catching waves of the sea. Solution: demanding rope of +sand for the work. This identical problem and solution are found in +a North Borneo story, "Ginas and the Rajah" (Evans, 468-469). In the +"Maha-ummagga-jataka," No. 546, a series of nineteen tasks is set the +young sage Mahosadha. One of these is to make a rope of sand. The wise +youth cleverly sent some spokesmen to ask the king for a sample of the +old rope, so that the new would not vary from the old. See also Child, +1 : 10-11, for a South Siberian story containing the counter-demand +for thread of sand to make shoes from stone. + +(2) Problem: making many kinds of food from one small bird, or twelve +portions from mosquito. Solution: requiring king to make stove, pan, +and bolo (or twelve forks) from needle (pin). Analogous to this task +is Bolte and Polívka's motif B3 (2 : 349), the challenge to weave +a cloth out of two threads. Bolte and Polívka enumerate thirty-five +European folk-tales containing their motif B3. + +(3) Problem: putting large squash whole into narrow-necked +jar. Solution: hero grows squash in the jar (and sometimes demands +that king remove the squash without breaking either it or the jar). I +know of no other folk-tale occurrences of this task; it is not found +in any of the European stories of this cycle, and may be an addition +of the Tagalog narrators. It is a common enough trick, however, +to grow a squash or cucumber in a small-necked bottle. + +(4) Problem: getting milk from bull. Solution: hero tells king that +his father has given birth to a child. Compare "Jataka," No. 546 +(tr. by Cowell and Rouse, 6 : 167-168), in which the king sends his +fattened bull to East Market-town with this message: "Here is the +king's royal bull, in calf. Deliver him, and send him back with the +calf, or else there is a fine of a thousand pieces." The solution +of this difficulty is the same as above. See also Child, 1 : 10-11, +for almost identical situation. This problem and No. 1 are to be +found in a Tibetan tale (Ralston 2, 138, 140-141). + +(5) Problem: selling lamb for a specified sum of money, and returning +both animal and coin. Solution: heroine sells only the wool. + +Two of these problems, (3) and (5), are soluble, and belong in kind +with the "halb-geritten" motif, where the heroine is ordered to come +to the king not clothed and not naked, not walking and not riding, +not in the road and not out of the road, etc. The other three problems +are not solved at all, strictly speaking: the heroine gets out of +her difficulties by demanding of her task-master the completion of +counter-tasks equally hard, or by showing him the absurdity of his +demands. (See Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 362-370, for a full discussion +of these subgroups.) "In all stories of the kind," writes Child, +"the person upon whom a task is imposed stands acquitted if another +of no less difficulty is devised which must be performed first. This +preliminary may be something that is essential for the execution of +the other, as in the German ballads, or equally well something that +has no kind of relation to the original requisition, as in the English +ballads." It will be seen that in the nature of the counter-demands +the Filipino stories agree rather with the German than the English. + +(6) Hero is forbidden to walk on the king's ground. To circumvent the +king, hero fills a sledge with earth taken from his own orchard, and +has himself drawn into the presence of his Majesty. When challenged, +the hero protests that he is not on the king's ground, but his +own. This same episode is found in "Juan the Fool," No. 49 (q. v.). + +(7) The stealing of the sleeping king by the banished wife, who has +permission to take with her from the palace what she loves best, +is found only in A. This episode, however, is very common elsewhere, +and forms the conclusion of more than seventy Occidental stories of +this cycle. (See Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 349-355.) + +(8) The division of the hen, found in B and also at the end of "Juan +the Fool" (No. 49), is fully discussed by Bolte and Polívka (2 : +360). See also R. Köhler's notes to Gonzenbach, 2 : 205-206. The +combination of this motif with the "chastity-wager" motif found in +"Rodolfo" (B), is also met with in a Mentonais story, "La femme avisée" +(Romania, 11 : 415-416). + +(9) For wearing of shoes only when crossing rivers, and raising +umbrella only when sleeping under a tree, see again "Juan the Fool." A +rather close parallel to this incident, as well as to the seemingly +foolish questions Rodolfo asks Estela's father, and the daughter's +wise interpretation of them, may be found in the Kashmir story, +"Why the Fish laughed" (Knowles, 484-490 = Jacob 1, No. XXIV). See +also a Tibetan story in Ralston 2 : 111; Benfey in "Ausland," 1859, +p. 487; Spence Hardy, "Manual of Buddhism," pp. 220-227, 364. Compare +especially Bompas, No. LXXXIX, "The Bridegroom who spoke in Riddles." + +Finally mention may be made of two Arabian stories overlooked by Bolte +and Polívka, in one of which a woman sends supper to a stranger, and +along with the food an enigmatical message describing what she has +sent. The Negress porter eats a part of the food, but delivers the +message. The stranger shrewdly guesses its meaning, and sends back a +reply that convicts the Negress of theft of a part of the gift. The +other story opens with the "bride-wager" riddle, and later enumerates +many instances of the ingenuity of the clever young wife. See Phillott +and Azoo, "Some Arab Folk-Tales from Hazramaut," Nos. I and XVII +(in JRASB 2 [1906] : 399-439). + +Benfey (Ausland, 1859, passim) traces the story of the "Clever Lass" +back to India. The original situation consisted of the testing of the +sagacity of a minister who had fallen into disgrace. This minister +aids his royal master in a riddle-contest with a neighboring hostile +king. Later in the development of the cycle these sagacity tests were +transferred to a wife who helps her husband, or to a maiden who helps +her father, out of similar difficulties. (Compare the last part of my +note to No. 1 in this collection.) Bolte and Polívka, however (2 : +373) seem to think it probable that the last part of the story--the +marriage of the heroine, her expulsion, and her theft of the sleeping +king--was native to Europe. + +The Filipino folk-tales belonging to this cycle appear to go back +directly to India as a source. Incident 4 (see above) seems to me +conclusive evidence, as this is a purely Oriental conception, being +recorded only in India, Tibet, and South Siberia. The chap-book version +(A) doubtless owes much to popular tradition in the Islands, although +the anonymous author, in his "Preface to the Reader," says that he has +derived his story from a book (unnamed),--hañgo sa novela. I have not +been able to trace his original; there is no Spanish form of the tale, +so far as I know. + +Compare with this whole cycle No. 38, "A Negrito Slave," and the notes. + + + +TALE 8 + +THE STORY OF ZARAGOZA. + + +Narrated by Teodato P. Macabulos, a Tagalog from Manila. + + +Years and years ago there lived in a village a poor couple, Luis and +Maria. Luis was lazy and selfish, while Maria was hard-working and +dutiful. Three children had been born to this pair, but none had lived +long enough to be baptized. The wife was once more about to be blessed +with a child, and Luis made up his mind what he should do to save its +life. Soon the day came when Maria bore her second son. Luis, fearing +that this child, like the others, would die unchristened, decided to +have it baptized the very next morning. Maria was very glad to know +of her husband's determination, for she believed that the early deaths +of their other children were probably due to delay in baptizing them. + +The next morning Luis, with the infant in his arms, hastened to +the church; but in his haste he forgot to ask his wife who should +stand as godfather. As he was considering this oversight, a strange +man passed by, whom he asked, "Will you be so kind as to act as my +child's godfather?" + +"With all my heart," was the stranger's reply. + +They then entered the church, and the child was named Luis, after his +father. When the services were over, Luis entreated Zaragoza--such +was the name of the godfather--to dine at his house. As Zaragoza +had just arrived in that village for the first time, he was but too +ready to accept the invitation. Now, Zaragoza was a kind-hearted man, +and soon won the confidence of his host and hostess, who invited him +to remain with them for several days. Luis and Zaragoza became close +friends, and often consulted each other on matters of importance. + +One evening, as the two friends were conversing, their talk turned +upon the affairs of the kingdom. Luis told his friend how the king +oppressed the people by levying heavy taxes on all sorts of property, +and for that reason was very rich. Zaragoza, moved by the news, +decided to avenge the wrongs of the people. Luis hesitated, for he +could think of no sure means of punishing the tyrannical monarch. Then +Zaragoza suggested that they should try to steal the king's treasure, +which was hidden in a cellar of the palace. Luis was much pleased with +the project, for he thought that it was Zaragoza's plan for them to +enrich themselves and live in comfort and luxury. + +Accordingly, one evening the two friends, with a pick-axe, a hoe, +and a shovel, directed their way towards the palace. They approached +the cellar by a small door, and then began to dig in the ground at +the foot of the cellar wall. After a few hours of steady work, they +succeeded in making an excavation leading into the interior. Zaragoza +entered, and gathered up as many bags of money as he and Luis could +carry. During the night they made several trips to the cellar, each +time taking back to their house as much money as they could manage. For +a long time the secret way was not discovered, and the two friends +lost no opportunity of increasing their already great hoard. Zaragoza +gave away freely much of his share to the poor; but his friend was +selfish, and kept constantly admonishing him not to be too liberal. + +In time the king observed that the bulk of his treasure was +considerably reduced, and he ordered his soldiers to find out what had +caused the disappearance of so much money. Upon close examination, +the soldiers discovered the secret passage; and the king, enraged, +summoned his counsellors to discuss what should be done to punish +the thief. + +In the mean time the two friends were earnestly discussing whether +they should get more bags of money, or should refrain from making +further thefts. Zaragoza suggested that they would better first get +in touch with the secret deliberations of the court before making +another attempt. Luis, however, as if called by fate, insisted that +they should make one more visit to the king's cellar, and then inquire +about the unrest at court. Persuaded against his better judgment, +Zaragoza followed his friend to the palace, and saw that their secret +passage was in the same condition as they had lately left it. Luis +lowered himself into the hole; but lo! the whiz of an arrow was heard, +and then a faint cry from Luis. + +"What is the matter? Are you hurt?" asked Zaragoza. + +"I am dying! Take care of my son!" These were Luis's last words. + +Zaragoza knew not what to do. He tried to pull up the dead body of his +friend; but in vain, for it was firmly caught between two heavy blocks +of wood, and was pierced by many arrows. But Zaragoza was shrewd; +and, fearing the consequences of the discovery of Luis's corpse, +he cut off the dead man's head and hurried home with it, leaving +the body behind. He broke the fatal news to Maria, whose grief was +boundless. She asked him why he had mutilated her husband's body, and +he satisfied her by telling her that they would be betrayed if Luis +were recognized. Taking young Luis in her arms, Maria said, "For the +sake of your godson, see that his father's body is properly buried." + +"Upon my word of honor, I promise to do as you wish," was Zaragoza's +reply. + +Meantime the king was discussing the theft with his advisers. Finally, +wishing to identify the criminal, the king decreed that the body should +be carried through the principal streets of the city and neighboring +villages, followed by a train of soldiers, who were instructed to +arrest any person who should show sympathy for the dead man. Early +one morning the military procession started out, and passed through +the main streets of the city. When the procession arrived before +Zaragoza's house, it happened that Maria was at the window, and, +seeing the body of her husband, she cried, "O my husband!" + +Seeing the soldiers entering their house, Zaragoza asked, "What is +your pleasure?" + +"We want to arrest that woman," was the answer of the chief of +the guard. + +"Why? She has not committed any crime." + +"She is the widow of that dead man. Her words betrayed her, for she +exclaimed that the dead man was her husband." + +"Who is her husband? That remark was meant for me, because I had +unintentionally hurt our young son," said Zaragoza smiling. + +The soldiers believed his words, and went on their way. Reaching a +public place when it was almost night, they decided to stay there +until the next morning. Zaragoza saw his opportunity. He disguised +himself as a priest and went to the place, taking with him a bottle +of wine mixed with a strong narcotic. When he arrived, he said that +he was a priest, and, being afraid of robbers, wished to pass the +night with some soldiers. The soldiers were glad to have with them, +as they thought, a pious man, whose stories would inspire them to +do good. After they had talked a while, Zaragoza offered his bottle +of wine to the soldiers, who freely drank from it. As was expected, +they soon all fell asleep, and Zaragoza succeeded in stealing the +corpse of Luis. He took it home and buried it in that same place +where he had buried the head. + +The following morning the soldiers woke up, and were surprised to see +that the priest and the corpse were gone. The king soon knew how his +scheme had failed. Then he thought of another plan. He ordered that a +sheep covered with precious metal should be let loose in the streets, +and that it should be followed by a spy, whose duty it was to watch +from a distance, and, in case any one attempted to catch the sheep, +to ascertain the house of that person, and then report to the palace. + +Having received his orders, the spy let loose the sheep, and followed +it at a distance. Nobody else dared even to make a remark about the +animal; but when Zaragoza saw it, he drove it into his yard. The spy, +following instructions, marked the door of Zaragoza's house with a +cross, and hastened to the palace. The spy assured the soldiers that +they would be able to capture the criminal; but when they began to +look for the house, they found that all the houses were similarly +marked with crosses. + +For the third time the king had failed; and, giving up all hopes of +catching the thief, he issued a proclamation pardoning the man who +had committed the theft, provided he would present himself to the +king within three days. Hearing the royal proclamation, Zaragoza +went before the king, and confessed that he was the perpetrator of +all the thefts that had caused so much trouble in the court. True to +his word, the king did not punish him. Instead, the king promised +to give Zaragoza a title of nobility if he could trick Don Juan, +the richest merchant in the city, out of his most valuable goods. + +When he knew of the desire of the king, Zaragoza looked for a fool, +whom he could use as his instrument. He soon found one, whom he +managed to teach to say "Si" (Spanish for "yes") whenever asked +a question. Dressing the fool in the guise of a bishop, Zaragoza +took a carriage and drove to the store of D. Juan. There he began +to ask the fool such questions as these: "Does your grace wish to +have this? Does not your grace think that this is cheap?" to all of +which the fool's answer was "Si." At last, when the carriage was +well loaded, Zaragoza said, "I will first take these things home, +and then return with the money for them;" to which the fool replied, +"Si." When Zaragoza reached the palace with the rich goods, he was +praised by the king for his sagacity. + +After a while D. Juan the merchant found out that what he thought +was a bishop was really a fool. So he went to the king and asked that +he be given justice. Moved by pity, the king restored all the goods +that had been stolen, and D. Juan wondered how his Majesty had come +into possession of his lost property. + +Once more the king wanted to test Zaragoza's ability. Accordingly he +told him to bring to the palace an old hermit who lived in a cave in +the neighboring mountains. At first Zaragoza tried to persuade Tubal +to pay the visit to the king, but in vain. Having failed in his first +attempt, Zaragoza determined to play a trick on the old hermit. He +secretly placed an iron cage near the mouth of Tubal's cave, and then +in the guise of an angel he stood on a high cliff and shouted,-- + +"Tubal, Tubal, hear ye me!" + +Tubal, hearing the call, came out of his cave, and, seeing what he +thought was an angel, knelt down. Then Zaragoza shouted,-- + +"I know that you are very religious, and have come to reward your +piety. The gates of heaven are open, and I will lead you thither. Go +enter that cage, and you will see the way to heaven." + +Tubal meekly obeyed; but when he was in the cage, he did not see the +miracle he expected. Instead, he was placed in a carriage and brought +before the king. Thoroughly satisfied now, the king released Tubal, +and fulfilled his promise toward Zaragoza. Zaragoza was knighted, +and placed among the chief advisers of the kingdom. After he had been +raised to this high rank, he called to his side Maria and his godson, +and they lived happily under the protection of one who became the +most upright and generous man of the realm. + + + +Juan the Peerless Robber. + +Narrated by Vicente M. Hilario, a Tagalog from Batangas, who heard +the story from a Batangas student. + +Not many centuries after Charlemagne died, there lived in Europe +a famous brigand named Juan. From childhood he had been known as +"the deceitful Juan," "the unrivalled pilferer," "the treacherous +Juan." When he was twenty, he was forced to flee from his native land, +to which he never returned. + +He visited Africa, where he became acquainted with a famous Ethiopian +robber named Pedro. Not long after they had met, a dispute arose +between them as to which was the more skilful pickpocket. They decided +to have a test. They stood face to face, and the Ethiopian was first +to try his skill. + +"Hey!" exclaimed Juan to Pedro, "don't take my handkerchief out of +my pocket!" + +It was now Juan's turn. He unbuckled Pedro's belt and slipped it into +his own pocket. "What's the matter with you, Juan?" said Pedro after +a few minutes. "Why don't you go ahead and steal something?" + +"Ha, ha, ha!" said Juan. "Whose belt is this?" + +Pedro generously admitted that he had been defeated. + +Although these two thieves were united by strong ties of common +interest, nevertheless their diverse characteristics and traits +produced trouble at times. Pedro was dull, honorable, and frank; +Juan was hawk-eyed and double-faced. Pedro had so large a body and so +awkward and shambling a gait, that Juan could not help laughing at him +and saying sarcastic things to him. Juan was good-looking and graceful. + +While they were travelling about in northern Africa, they heard +the heralds of the King of Tunis make the following proclamation: +"A big bag of money will be given to the captor of the greatest robber +in the country." The two friends, particularly Juan, were struck by +this announcement. + +That night Juan secretly stole out of his room. Taking with him a +long rope, he climbed up to the roof of the palace. After making a +hole as large as a peso [33] in the roof, he lowered himself into +the building by means of the rope. He found the room filled with bags +of gold and silver, pearls, carbuncles, diamonds, and other precious +stones. He took the smallest bag he could find, and, after climbing +out of the hole, went home quickly. + +When Pedro heard Juan's thrilling report of the untold riches, he +decided to visit the palace the following night. Early in the morning +Juan went again to the palace, taking with him a large tub. After +lowering it into the room, he departed without delay. At nightfall he +returned to the palace and filled the tub with boiling water. He had +no sooner done this than Pedro arrived. Pedro was so eager to get the +wealth, that he made no use of the rope, but jumped immediately into +the room when he reached the small opening his treacherous friend +had made in the roof. Alas! instead of falling on bags of money, +Pedro fell into the fatal tub of water, and perished. + +An hour later Juan went to look for his friend, whom he found +dead. The next day he notified the king of the capture and death of +the greatest of African robbers. "You have done well," said the king +to Juan. "This man was the chief of all the African highwaymen. Take +your bag of money." + +After putting his gold in a safe place, Juan went out in search of +further adventures. On one of his walks, he heard that a certain +wealthy and devout abbot had been praying for two days and nights +that the angel of the lord might come and take him to heaven. Juan +provided himself with two strong wings. On the third night he made +a hole as large as a peso through the dome of the church. + +Calling the abbot, Juan said, "I have been sent by the Lord to take +you to heaven. Come with me, and bring all your wealth." + +The abbot put all his money into the bag. "Now get into the bag," +said Juan, "and we will go." + +The old man promptly obeyed. "Where are we now?" said he, after an +hour's "flight." + +"We are within one thousand miles of the abode of the blessed," +was Juan's reply. + +Twenty minutes later, and they were in Juan's cave. "Come out of the +bag, and behold my rude abode?" said Juan to the old man. The abbot +was astounded at the sight. When he heard Juan's story, he advised +him to abandon his evil ways. Juan listened to the counsels of his +new friend. He became a good man, and he and the abbot lived together +until their death. + + +Notes. + +The story of "Zaragoza" is of particular interest, because it +definitely combines an old form of the "Rhampsinitus" story with the +"Master Thief" cycle. In his notes to No. 11, "The Two Thieves," of +his collection of "Gypsy Folk Tales," F. H. Groome observes, "(The) +'Two Thieves' is so curious a combination of the 'Rhampsinitus' +story in Herodotus and of Grimm's 'Master Thief,' that I am more +than inclined to regard it as the lost original, which, according to +Campbell of Islay, 'it were vain to look for in any modern work or +in any modern age.'" By "lost original" Mr. Groome doubtless meant +the common ancestor of these two very widespread and for the most +part quite distinct cycles, "Rhampsinitus" and the "Master Thief." + +Both of these groups of stories about clever thieves have been made +the subjects Of investigation. The fullest bibliographical study +of the "Rhampsinitus" saga is that by Killis Campbell, "The Seven +Sages of Rome" (Boston, 1907), pp. lxxxv-xc. Others have treated the +cycle more or less discursively: R. Köhler, "Ueber J. F. Campbell's +Sammlung gälischer Märchen," No. XVII (d) (in Orient und Occident, 2 +[1864] : 303-313); Sir George Cox, "The Migration of Popular Stories" +(in Fraser's Magazine, July, 1880, pp. 96-111); W. A. Clouston, +"Popular Tales and Fictions" (London, 1887), 2 : 115-165. See +also F. H. Groome, 48-53; McCulloch, 161, note 9; and Campbell's +bibliography. The "Master Thief" cycle has been examined in great +detail as to the component elements of the story by Cosquin (2 : +274-281, 364-365). See also Grimm's notes to the "Master Thief," +No. 192 (2 : 464); and J. G. von Hahn, 2 : 178-183. + +F. Max Müller believed that the story of the "Master Thief" had its +origin in the Sanscrit droll of "The Brahman and the Goat" (Hitopadesa, +IV, 10 = Panchatantra, III, 3), which was brought to Europe through the +Arabic translation of the "Hitopadesa." Further, he did not believe +that the "Master Thief" story had anything to do with Herodotus's +account of the theft of Rhampsinitus's treasure (see Chips from a +German Workshop [New York, 1869], 2 : 228). Wilhelm Grimm, however, +in his notes to No. 192 of the "Kinder- und Hausmärchen," says, +"The well-known story in Herodotus (ii, 121) ... is nearly related +to this." As Sir G. W. Cox remarks (op. cit., p. 98), it is not easy +to discern any real affinity either between the Hitopadesa tale and +the European traditions of the "Master Thief," or between the latter +and the "Rhampsinitus" story. M. Cosquin seems to see at least one +point of contact between the two cycles: "The idea of the episode +of the theft of the horse, or at least of the means which the thief +uses to steal the horse away .... might well have been borrowed from +Herodotus's story ... of Rhampsinitus" (Contes de Lorraine, 2 : 277). + +A brief analysis of the characteristic incidents of these two +"thieving" cycles will be of some assistance, perhaps, in determining +whether or not there were originally any definite points of contact +between the two. The elements of the "Rhampsinitus" story follow:-- + + +A Two sons of king's late architect plan to rob the royal +treasure-house. + +(A1 In some variants of the story the robbers are a town thief and +a country thief.) + +A2 They gain an entrance by removing a secret stone, a knowledge of +which their father had bequeathed them before he died. + +B The king discovers the theft, and sets a snare for the robbers. + +C Robbers return; eldest caught inextricably. To prevent discovery, +the younger brother cuts off the head of the older, takes it away, +and buries it. + +D The king attempts to find the confederate by exposing the headless +corpse on the outer wall of the palace. + +D1 The younger thief steals the body by making the guards drunk. He +also shaves the right side of the sleeping guards' beards. + +E King makes second attempt to discover confederate. He sends his +daughter as a common courtesan, hoping that he can find the thief; +for she is to require all her lovers to tell the story of their lives +before enjoying her favors. + + +E1 The younger thief visits her and tells his story; when she tries +to detain him, however, he escapes by leaving in her hand the hand +of a dead man he had taken along with him for just such a contingency. + +F The king, baffled, now offers to pardon and reward the thief if he +will discover himself. The thief gives himself up, and is married to +the princess. + + +In some of the later forms of the story the king makes various other +attempts to discover the culprit before acknowledging himself defeated, +and is met with more subtle counter-moves on the part of the thief: +(D2) King orders that any one found showing sympathy for the corpse +as it hangs up shall be arrested; (D3) by the trick of the broken +water-jar or milk-jar, the widow of the dead robber is able to mourn +him unsuspected. (D4) The widow involuntarily wails as the corpse is +being dragged through the street past her house; but the thief quickly +cuts himself with a knife, and thus explains her cry when the guards +come to arrest her. They are satisfied with the explanation. (E2) +The king scatters gold-pieces in the street, and gives orders to +arrest any one seen picking them up; (E3) the thief, with pitch +or wax on the soles of his shoes, walks up and down the road, and, +unobserved, gathers in the money. (E4) The king turns loose in the +city a gold-adorned animal, and orders the arrest of any person seen +capturing it. The thief steals it as in D1, or is observed and his +house-door marked. Then as in E6. (E5) Old woman begging for "hind's +flesh" or "camel-grease" finds his house; but the thief suspects her +and kills her; or (E6) she gets away, after marking the house-door +so that it may be recognized again. But the thief sees the mark, and +proceeds to mark similarly all the other doors in the street. (E7) +The king puts a prohibitive price on meat, thinking that only the +thief will be able to buy; but the thief steals a joint. + +However many the changes and additions of this sort (king's move +followed by thief's move) rung in, almost all of the stories dealing +with the robbery of the king's treasury end with the pardon of the +thief and his exaltation to high rank in the royal household. In +none of the score of versions of the "Rhampsinitus" story cited by +Clouston is the thief subjected to any further tests of his prowess +after he has been pardoned by the king. We shall return to this point. + +The "Master Thief" cycle has much less to do with our stories than +has the "Rhampsinitus" cycle: hence we shall merely enumerate the +incidents to be found in it. (For bibliography of stories containing +these situations, see Cosquin.) + + +A Hero, the youngest of three brothers, becomes a thief. For various +reasons (the motives are different in Grimm 192, and Dasent xxxv) +he displays his skill:-- + +B1 Theft of the purse (conducted as a droll: the young +apprentice-thief, noodle-like, brings back purse to robber-gang after +throwing away the money). + +B2 Theft of cattle being driven to the fair. This trick is usually +conducted in one of four ways: (a) two shoes in road; (b) hanging self; +(c) bawling in the wood like a strayed ox; (d) exciting peasant's +curiosity,--"comedy of comedies," "wonder of wonders." + +B3 Theft of the horse. This is usually accomplished by the disguised +thief making the grooms drunk. + +B4 Stealing of a live person and carrying him in a sack to the one +who gave the order. (The thief disguises himself as an angel, and +promises to conduct his victim to heaven.) + + +Other instances of the "Master Thief's" cleverness, not found in +Cosquin, are-- + + +B5 Stealing sheet or coverlet from sleeping person (Grimm, Dasent). + +B6 Stealing roast from spit while whole family is guarding it (Dasent). + + +We may now examine the members of the "Rhampsinitus" group that contain +situations clearly belonging to the "Master Thief" formula. These +are as follows:-- + + + Groome, No. II, "The Two Thieves," B2 (d), B4. + F. Liebrecht in a Cyprus story (Jahrb. f. rom. und eng. lit., 13 : + 367-374 = Legrand, Contes grecs, p. 205), "The Master Thief," + B2(a, c, d). + Wardrop, No. XIV, "The Two Thieves," B4. + Radloff, in a Tartar story (IV, p. 193), B4. + Prym and Socin, in a Syriac story (II, No. 42), B4. + + +It seems very likely that the Georgian, Tartar, and Syriac stories +are nearly related to one another. The Roumanian gypsy tale, too, it +will be noted, adds to the "Rhampsinitus" formula the incident of the +theft of a person in a sack. This latter story, again, is connected +with the Georgian tale, in that the opening is identical in both. One +thief meets another, and challenges him to steal the eggs (feathers) +from a bird without disturbing it. While he is doing so, he is in turn +robbed unawares of his drawers by the first thief. (Compare Grimm, +No. 129; a Kashmir story in Knowles, 110-112; and a Kabylie story, +Rivière, 13.) + +The number of tales combining the two cycles of the "Master Thief" +and "Rhampsinitus's Treasure-House" is so small compared with the +number of "pure" versions of each cycle, that we are led to think +it very unlikely that there ever was a "lost original." There seems +to be no evidence whatsoever that these two cycles had a common +ancestor. Besides the fact that the number of stories in which the +contamination is found is relatively very small, there is also to +be considered the fact that these few examples are recent. No one +is known to have existed more than seventy-five years ago. Hence the +"snowball" theory will better explain the composite nature of the gypsy +version and our story of "Zaragoza" than a "missing-link" theory. These +two cycles, consisting as they do of a series of tests of skill, are +peculiarly fitted to be interlocked. The wonder is, not that they have +become combined in a few cases, but that they have remained separate +in so many more, particularly as both stories are very widespread; +and, given the ingredients, this is a combination that could have +been made independently by many story-tellers. Could not the idea +occur to more than one narrator that it is a greater feat to steal a +living person (B4) than a corpse (D1), a piece of roast meat guarded +by a person who knows that the thief is coming (B6) than a piece of +raw meat from an unsuspecting butcher (E7)? All in all, it appears +to me much more likely that the droll and certainly later cycle of +the "Master Thief" grew out of the more serious and earlier cycle of +"Rhampsinitus's Treasure-House" (by the same process as is suggested +in the notes to No. 1 of this present collection) than that the two +are branches from the same trunk. + +In any case, our two stories make the combination. When or whence +these Tagalog versions arose I cannot say. Nor need they be analyzed +in detail, as the texts are before us in full. I will merely call +attention to the fact that in "Zaragoza" the king sets a snare +(cf. Herodotus) for the thief, instead of the more common barrel of +pitch. There is something decidedly primitive about this trap which +shoots arrows into its victim. Zaragoza's trick whereby he fools +the rich merchant has an analogue in Knowles's Kashmir story of +"The Day-Thief and the Night-Thief" (p. 298). + +"Juan the Peerless Robber," garbled and unsatisfactory as it is +in detail and perverted in dénouement, presents the interesting +combination of the skill-contest between the two thieves (see above), +the treachery of one (cf. the Persian Bahar-i-Danush, 2 : 225-248), +and the stealing of the abbot in a sack. + + + +TALE 9 + +THE SEVEN CRAZY FELLOWS. + + +Narrated by Cipriano Seráfica, from Mangaldan. Pangasinan. + + +Once there were living in the country in the northern part of Luzon +seven crazy fellows, named Juan, Felipe, Mateo, Pedro, Francisco, +Eulalio, and Jacinto. They were happy all the day long. + +One morning Felipe asked his friends to go fishing. They staid at the +Cagayan River a long time. About two o'clock in the afternoon Mateo +said to his companions, "We are hungry; let us go home!" + +"Before we go," said Juan, "let us count ourselves, to see that we +are all here!" He counted; but because he forgot to count himself, +he found that they were only six, and said that one of them had been +drowned. Thereupon they all dived into the river to look for their +lost companion; and when they came out, Francisco counted to see if +he had been found; but he, too, left himself out, so in they dived +again. Jacinto said that they should not go home until they had found +the one who was lost. While they were diving, an old man passed by. He +asked the fools what they were diving for. They said that one of them +had been drowned. + +"How many were you at first?" said the old man. + +They said that they were seven. + +"All right," said the old man. "Dive in, and I will count you." They +dived, and he found that they were seven. Since he had found their +lost companion, he asked them to come with him. + +When they reached the old man's house, he selected Mateo and Francisco +to look after his old wife; Eulalio he chose to be water-carrier; +Pedro, cook; Jacinto, wood-carrier; and Juan and Felipe, his companions +in hunting. + +When the next day came, the old man said that he was going hunting, +and he told Juan and Felipe to bring along rice with them. In a little +while they reached the mountains, and he told the two fools to cook +the rice at ten o'clock. He then went up the mountain with his dogs +to catch a deer. Now, his two companions, who had been left at the +foot of the mountain, had never seen a deer. When Felipe saw a deer +standing under a tree, he thought that the antlers of the deer were +the branches of a small tree without leaves: so he hung his hat and +bag of rice on them, but the deer immediately ran away. When the +old man came back, he asked if the rice was ready. Felipe told him +that he had hung his hat and the rice on a tree that ran away. The +old man was angry, and said, "That tree you saw was the antlers of +a deer. We'll have to go home now, for we have nothing to eat." + +Meanwhile the five crazy fellows who had been left at home were not +idle. Eulalio went to get a pail of water. When he reached the well +and saw his image in the water, he nodded, and the reflection nodded +back at him. He did this over and over again; until finally, becoming +tired, he jumped into the water, and was drowned. Jacinto was sent +to gather small sticks, but he only destroyed the fence around the +garden. Pedro cooked a chicken without removing the feathers. He also +let the chicken burn until it was as black as coal. Mateo and Francisco +tried to keep the flies off the face of their old mistress. They soon +became tired, because the flies kept coming back; so they took big +sticks to kill them with. When a fly lighted on the nose of the old +woman, they struck at it so hard that they killed her. She died with +seemingly a smile on her face. The two fools said to each other that +the old woman was very much pleased that they had killed the fly. + +When the old man and his two companions reached home, the old man +asked Pedro if there was any food to eat. Pedro said that it was in the +pot. The old man looked in and saw the charred chicken and feathers. He +was very angry at the cook. Then he went in to see his wife, and +found her dead. He asked Mateo and Francisco what they had done to +the old woman. They said that they had only been killing flies that +tried to trouble her, and that she was very much pleased by their work. + +The next thing the crazy fellows had to do was to make a coffin for +the dead woman; but they made it flat, and in such a way that there +was nothing to prevent the corpse from falling off. The old man told +them to carry the body to the church; but on their way they ran, +and the body rolled off the flat coffin. They said to each other that +running was a good thing, for it made their burden lighter. + +When the priest found that the corpse was missing, he told the six +crazy fellows to go back and get the body. While they were walking +toward the house, they saw an old woman picking up sticks by the +roadside. + +"Old woman, what are you doing here?" they said. "The priest wants +to see you." + +While they were binding her, she cried out to her husband, "Ah! here +are some bad boys trying to take me to the church." But her husband +said that the crazy fellows were only trying to tease her. When they +reached the church with this old woman, the priest, who was also crazy, +performed the burial-ceremony over her. She cried out that she was +alive; but the priest answered that since he had her burial-fee, +he did not care whether she was alive or not. So they buried this +old woman in the ground. + +When they were returning home, they saw the corpse that had fallen +from the coffin on their way to the church. Francisco cried that it +was the ghost of the old woman. Terribly frightened, they ran away +in different directions, and became scattered all over Luzon. + + + +Notes. + +I have a Bicol variant, "Juan and his Six Friends," narrated by +Maximina Navarro, which is much like the story of "The Seven Crazy +Fellows." + +In the Bicol form, Juan and his six crazy companions go bathing in +the river. Episode of the miscounting. On the way home, the seven, +sad because of the loss of one of their number, meet another sad young +man, who says that his mother is dying and that he is on his way to +fetch a priest. He begs the seven to hurry to his home and stay with +his mother until he returns. They go and sit by her. Juan mistakes +a large mole on her forehead for a fly, and tries in vain to brush +it away. Finally he "kills it" with a big piece of bamboo. The son, +returning and finding his mother dead, asks the seven to take her +and bury her. They wrap the body in a mat, but on the way to the +cemetery the body falls out. They return to look for the corpse, +but take the wrong road. They see an old woman cutting ferns; and, +thinking that she is the first old woman trying to deceive them, they +throw stones at her. The story ends with the burial of this second +old woman, whom the seven admonish, as they put her into the ground, +"never to deceive any one again." + +These two noodle stories are obviously drawn from a common source. The +main incidents to be found in them are (1) the miscounting of the +swimmers and the subsequent correct reckoning by a stranger (this +second part lacking in the Bicol variant); (2) the killing of the fly +on the old woman's face; (3) the loss of the corpse and the burial +of the old fagot-gathering woman by mistake. + + +(1) The incident of not counting one's self is found in a number +of Eastern stories (see Clouston 1, 28-33; Grimm, 2 : 441). For a +Kashmir droll recording a similar situation, where a townsman finds +ten peasants weeping because they cannot account for the loss of one +of their companions, see Knowles, 322-323. + +(2) Killing of fly on face is a very old incident, and assumes various +forms. In a Buddhist birth-story (Jataka, 44), a mosquito lights on a +man's head. The foolish son attempts to kill it with an axe. In another +(Jataka, 45) the son uses a pestle. Italian stories containing this +episode will be found in Crane, 293-294 (see also Crane, 380, notes +13-15). In a Bicol fable relating a war between the monkeys and the +dragon-flies, the dragon-flies easily defeat the monkeys, who kill +one another in their attempts to slay their enemies, that have, at the +order of their king, alighted on the monkeys' heads (see No. 57). Full +bibliography for this incident may be found in Bolte-Polívka, 1 : 519. + +(3) The killing of a living person thought to be a corpse come to +life occurs in "The Three Humpbacks" (see No. 33 and notes). + +Our story as a whole seems to owe nothing to European forms, though it +has some faint general resemblances to the "Seven Swabians" (Grimm, +No. 119). All three incidents of our story are found separately +in India. Their combination may have taken place in the Islands, +or even before the Malay migration. + + + +TALE 10 + +JUAN MANALAKSAN. + + +Narrated by Anicio Pascual of Arayat, Pampanga, who heard the story +from an old Pampangan woman. + + +Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a brave and powerful +datu who had only one son. The son was called Pedro. In the same +place lived a poor wood-cutter whose name was Juan Manalaksan. Pedro +was rich, and had no work to do. He often diverted himself by hunting +deer and wild boars in the forests and mountains. Juan got his living +by cutting trees in the forests. + +One day the datu and his son went to the mountain to hunt. They +took with them many dogs and guns. They did not take any food, +however, for they felt sure of catching something to eat for their +dinner. When they reached the mountain, Pedro killed a deer. By noon +they had become tired and hungry, so they went to a shady place to +cook their game. While he was eating, Pedro choked on a piece of +meat. The father cried out loudly, for he did not know what to do +for his dying son. Juan, who was cutting wood near by, heard the +shout. He ran quickly to help Pedro, and by pulling the piece of +meat out of his throat he saved Pedro's life. Pedro was grateful, +and said to Juan, "To-morrow come to my palace, and I will give you +a reward for helping me." + +The next morning Juan set out for the palace. On his way he met an +old woman, who asked him where he was going. + +"I am going to Pedro's house to get my reward," said Juan. "Do not +accept any reward of money or wealth," said the old woman, "but ask +Pedro to give you the glass which he keeps in his right armpit. The +glass is magical. It is as large as a peso, and has a small hole in +the centre. If you push a small stick through the hole, giants who +can give you anything you want will surround you." Then the old woman +left Juan, and went on her way. + +As soon as Juan reached the palace, Pedro said to him, "Go to that +room and get all the money you want." + +But Juan answered, "I do not want you to give me any money. All I +want is the glass which you keep in your right armpit." + +"Very well," said Pedro, "here it is." When Juan had received the +glass, he hurried back home. + +Juan reached his hut in the woods, and found his mother starving. He +quickly thought of his magic glass, and, punching a small stick +through the hole in the glass, he found himself surrounded by giants. + +"Be quick, and get me some food for my mother!" he said to them. For +a few minutes the giants were gone, but soon they came again with +their hands full of food. Juan took it and gave it to his mother; +but she ate so much, that she became sick, and died. + +In a neighboring village ruled another powerful datu, who had a +beautiful daughter. One day the datu fell very ill. As no doctor could +cure him, he sent his soldiers around the country to say that the man +who could cure him should have his daughter for a wife. Juan heard +the news, and, relying on his charm, went to cure the datu. On his +way, he asked the giants for medicine to cure the sick ruler. When +he reached the palace, the datu said to him, "If I am not cured, +you shall be killed." Juan agreed to the conditions, and told the +datu to swallow the medicine which he gave him. The datu did so, +and at once became well again. + +The next morning Juan was married to the datu's daughter. Juan took +his wife to live with him in his small hut in the woods. + +One day he went to the forest to cut trees, leaving his wife and +magic glass at home. While Juan was away in the forest, Pedro ordered +some of his soldiers to go get the wood-cutter's wife and magic +glass. When Juan returned in the evening, he found wife and glass +gone. One of his neighbors told him that his wife had been taken +away by some soldiers. Juan was very angry, but he could not avenge +himself without his magical glass. + +At last he decided to go to his father-in-law and tell him all that +had happened to his wife. On his way there, he met an old mankukulam, +[34] who asked him where he was going. Juan did not tell her, but +related to her all that had happened to his wife and glass while he +was in the forest cutting trees. The mankukulam said that she could +help him. She told him to go to a certain tree and catch the king +of the cats. She furthermore advised him, "Always keep the cat with +you." Juan followed her advice. + +One day Pedro's father commanded his soldiers to cut off the ears of +all the men in the village, and said that if any one refused to have +his ears cut off, he should be placed in a room full of rats. The +soldiers did as they were ordered, and in time came to Juan's house; +but, as Juan was unwilling to lose his ears, he was seized and placed +in a room full of rats. But he had his cat with him all the time. As +soon as he was shut up in the room, he turned his cat loose. When +the rats saw that they would all be killed, they said to Juan, +"If you will tie your cat up there in the corner, we will help you +get whatever you want." + +Juan tied his cat up, and then said to the rats, "Bring me all the +glasses in this village." The rats immediately scampered away to obey +him. Soon each of them returned with a glass in its mouth. One of +them was carrying the magical glass. When Juan had his charm in his +hands again, he pushed a small stick through the hole in the glass, +and ordered the giants to kill Pedro and his father, and bring him +his wife again. + +Thus Juan got his wife back. They lived happily together till they +died. + + +Juan the Poor, Who became Juan the King. + +Narrated by Amando Clemente, a Tagalog, who heard the story from +his aunt. + +Once upon a time there lived in a small hut at the edge of a forest a +father and son. The poverty of that family gave the son his name,--Juan +the Poor. As the father was old and feeble, Juan had to take care +of the household affairs; but there were times when he did not want +to work. + +One day, while Juan was lying behind their fireplace, his father +called him, and told him to go to the forest and get some fire-wood. + +"Very well," said Juan, but he did not move from his place. + +After a while the father came to see if his son had gone, but he found +him still lying on the floor. "When will you go get that fire-wood, +Juan?" + +"Right now, father," answered the boy. The old man returned to his +room. As he wanted to make sure, however, whether his son had gone +or not, he again went to see. When he found Juan in the same position +as before, he became very angry, and said,-- + +"Juan, if I come out again and find you still here, I shall surely +give you a whipping." Juan knew well that his father would punish him +if he did not go; so he rose up suddenly, took his axe, and went to +the forest. + +When he came to the forest, he marked every tree that he thought would +be good for fuel, and then he began cutting. While he was chopping +at one of the trees, he saw that it had a hole in the trunk, and in +the hole he saw something glistening. Thinking that there might be +gold inside the hole, he hastened to cut the tree down; but a monster +came out of the hole as soon as the tree fell. + +When Juan saw the unexpected being, he raised his axe to kill the +monster. Before giving the blow, he exclaimed, "Aha! Now is the time +for you to die." + +The monster moved backward when it saw the blow ready to fall, +and said,-- + + + "Good sir, forbear, + And my life spare, + If you wish a happy life + And, besides, a pretty wife." + + + +Juan lowered his axe, and said, "Oho! is that so?" + +"Yes, I swear," answered the monster. + +"But what is it, and where is it?" said Juan, raising his axe, and +feigning to be angry, for he was anxious to get what the monster +promised him. The monster told Juan to take from the middle of his +tongue a white oval stone. From it he could ask for and get whatever he +wanted to have. Juan opened the monster's mouth and took the valuable +stone. Immediately the monster disappeared. + +The young man then tested the virtues of his charm by asking it for +some men to help him work. As soon as he had spoken the last word of +his command, there appeared many persons, some of whom cut down trees, +while others carried the wood to his house. When Juan was sure that +his house was surrounded by piles of fire-wood, he dismissed the +men, hurried home, and lay down again behind the fireplace. He had +not been there long, when his father came to see if he had done his +work. When the old man saw his son stretched out on the floor, he said, +"Juan have we fire-wood now?" + +"Just look out of the window and see, father!" said Juan. Great was +the surprise of the old man when he saw the large piles of wood about +his house. + +The next day Juan, remembering the pretty wife of which the monster +had spoken, went to the king's palace, and told the king that he +wanted to marry his daughter. The king smiled scornfully when he saw +the rustic appearance of the suitor, and said, "If you will do what +I shall ask you to do, I will let you marry my daughter." + +"What are your Majesty's commands for me?" said Juan. "Build me a +castle in the middle of the bay; but know, that, if it is not finished +in three days' time, you lose your head," said the king sternly. Juan +promised to do the work. + +Two days had gone by, yet Juan had not yet commenced his work. For +that reason the king believed that Juan did not object to losing his +life; but at midnight of the third day, Juan bade his stone build a +fort in the middle of the bay. + +The next morning, while the king was taking his bath, cannon-shots +were heard. After a while Juan appeared before the palace, dressed +like a prince. When he saw the king, he said, "The fort is ready for +your inspection." + +"If that is true, you shall be my son-in-law," said the king. After +breakfast the king, with his daughter, visited the fort, which pleased +them very much. The following day the ceremonies of Juan's marriage +with the princess Maria were held with much pomp and solemnity. + +Shortly after Juan's wedding a war broke out. Juan led the army of the +king his father-in-law to the battlefield, and with the help of his +magical stone he conquered his mighty enemy. The defeated general +went home full of sorrow. As he had never been defeated before, +he thought that Juan must possess some supernatural power. When he +reached home, therefore, he issued a proclamation which stated that +any one who could get Juan's power for him should have one-half of +his property as a reward. + +A certain witch, who knew of Juan's secret, heard of the +proclamation. She flew to the general, and told him that she could +do what he wanted done. On his agreeing, she flew to Juan's house +one hot afternoon, where she found Maria alone, for Juan had gone +out hunting. The old woman smiled when she saw Maria, and said, +"Do you not recognize me, pretty Maria? I am the one who nursed you +when you were a baby." + +The princess was surprised at what the witch said, for she thought +that the old woman was a beggar. Nevertheless she believed what the +witch told her, treated the repulsive woman kindly, and offered her +cake and wine; but the witch told Maria not to go to any trouble, +and ordered her to rest. So Maria lay down to take a siesta. With +great show of kindness, the witch fanned the princess till she fell +asleep. While Maria was sleeping, the old woman took from underneath +the pillow the magical stone, which Juan had forgotten to take along +with him. Then she flew to the general, and gave the charm to him. He, +in turn, rewarded the old woman with one-half his riches. + +Meanwhile, as Juan was enjoying his hunt in the forest, a huge bird +swooped down on him and seized his horse and clothes. When the bird +flew away, his inner garments were changed back again into his old +wood-cutter's clothes. Full of anxiety at this ill omen, and fearing +that some misfortune had befallen his wife, he hastened home on foot +as best he could. When he reached his house, he found it vacant. Then +he went to the king's palace, but that too he found deserted. For his +stone he did not know where to look. After a few minutes of reflection, +he came to the conclusion that all his troubles were caused by the +general whom he had defeated in battle. He also suspected that the +officer had somehow or other got possession of his magical stone. + +Poor Juan then began walking toward the country where the general +lived. Before he could reach that country, he had to cross three +mountains. While he was crossing the first mountain, a cat came +running after him, and knocked him down. He was so angry at the +animal, that he ran after it, seized it, and dashed its life out +against a rock. When he was crossing the second mountain, the same +cat appeared and knocked him down a second time. Again Juan seized the +animal and killed it, as before; but the same cat that he had killed +twice before tumbled him down a third time while he was crossing the +third mountain. Filled with curiosity, Juan caught the animal again: +but, instead of killing it this time, he put it inside the bag he +was carrying, and took it along with him. + +After many hours of tiresome walking, Juan arrived at the castle of +the general, and knocked at the door. The general asked him what he +wanted. Juan answered, "I am a poor beggar, who will be thankful if I +can have only a mouthful of rice." The general, however, recognized +Juan. He called his servants, and said, "Take this wretched fellow +to the cell of rats." + +The cell in which Juan was imprisoned was very dark; and as soon as +the door was closed, the rats began to bite him. But Juan did not +suffer much from them; for, remembering his cat, he let it loose. The +cat killed all the rats except their king, which came out of the hole +last of all. When the cat saw the king of the rats, it spoke thus: +"Now you shall die if you do not promise to get for Juan his magical +stone, which your master has stolen." + +"Spare my life, and you shall have the stone!" said the king of +the rats. + +"Go and get it, then!" said the cat. The king of the rats ran +quickly to the room of the general, and took Juan's magical stone +from the table. + +As soon as Juan had obtained his stone, and after he had thanked the +king of the rats, he said to his stone, "Pretty stone, destroy this +house with the general and his subjects, and release my father-in-law +and wife from their prison." + +Suddenly the earth trembled and a big noise was heard. Not long +afterwards Juan saw the castle destroyed, the general and his subjects +dead, and his wife and his father-in-law free. + +Taking with him the cat and the king of the rats, Juan went home +happily with Maria his wife and the king his father-in-law. After the +death of the king, Juan ascended to the throne, and ruled wisely. He +lived long happily with his lovely wife. + + +Notes. + +These two stories belong to the "Magic Ring" cycle, and are connected +with the well-known "Aladdin" tale. Antti Aarne (pp. 1-82) reconstructs +the original formula of this type, which was about as follows:-- + +A youth buys the life of a dog and a cat, liberates a serpent, and +receives from its parent a wishing-stone, by means of which he builds +himself a magnificent castle and wins as his wife a princess. But a +thief steals the stone and removes castle and wife over the sea. Then +the dog and the cat swim across the ocean, catch a mouse, and compel +it to fetch the stone from out of the mouth of the thief. Upon their +return journey, cat and dog quarrel, and the stone falls into the +sea. After they have obtained it again with the help of a frog, +they bring it to their master, who wishes his castle and wife back +once more. + +In nearly every detail our stories vary from this norm: (1) The hero +does not buy the life of any animals, (2) he does not acquire the charm +from a grateful serpent that he has unselfishly saved from death, (3) +the dog does not appear at all, (4) castle and wife are not transported +beyond the sea, (5) the cat does not serve the hero voluntarily out +of gratitude, (6) the hero himself journeys to recover his stolen +charm. And yet there can be no doubt of the connection of our stories +with this cycle. The acquirement of a charm, through the help of which +the hero performs a difficult task under penalty of death, and thus +wins the hand of a ruler's daughter; the theft of the charm and the +disappearance of the wife; the search, which is finally brought to a +successful close through the help of a cat and the king of the rats; +the recovery of wife and charm, and the death of the hero's enemies, +these details in combination are unmistakable proofs. + +Most of the characteristic details, however, of the "Magic Ring" +cycle are to be found in the Philippines, although they are lacking +in these two stories. For instance, in No. 26 the hero buys the life +of a snake for five cents, and is rewarded by the king of the serpents +with a magic wishing-cloth (cf. E. Steere, 403). In a Visayan pourquoi +story, "Why Dogs wag their Tails" (see JAFL 20 : 98-100), we have a +variant of the situation of the helpful dog and cat carrying a ring +across a body of water, the quarrel in mid-stream, and the loss of +the charm. In the same volume (pp. 117-118) is to be found a Tagalog +folk-version of the "Aladdin" tale. [35] + +Neither "Juan Manalaksan" nor "Juan the Poor, who became Juan the +King," can be traced, I believe, to any of the hundred and sixty-three +particular forms of the story cited by Aarne. The differences in +detail are too many. The last part of Pedroso's Portuguese folk-tale, +No. xxx, is like (b), in that the hero himself seeks the thief, takes +along with him a cat, is recognized by the thief and imprisoned, and +by means of the cat threatens the king of the rats, who recovers the +charm for him. But the first part is entirely different: the charm +is an apple obtained from a hind, and the hero's wife is not stolen +along with the charm. No Spanish version has been recorded. It is not +impossible that the story in the Philippines is prehistoric. "Juan +Manalaksan," which the narrator took down exactly as it was told to +him, clearly dates back to a time when the tribe had its own native +datu government, possibly to a time even before the Pampangans migrated +to the Philippines. The whole "equipment" of this story is primitive to +a degree. Moreover, the nature of the charm in both stories--a piece +of glass and an oval stone instead of the more usual ring--points to +the primitiveness of our versions, as does likewise the fact that the +charm is not stolen from the hero by his wife, but by some other person +(see Aarne, pp. 43, 45). + +For further discussions of this cycle of folk-tales, and its relation +to the Arabian literary version, see Aarne, 61 et seq. Compare also +Macculloch, 201-202, 237-238; Groome, 218-220; Clouston's "Variants +of Button's Supplemental Arabian Nights," pp. 564-575; Bolte-Polívka, +2 : 451-458; Benfey, 1 : 211 ff. Add to Aarne's and Bolte's lists +Wratislaw, No. 54. See also Dähnhardt, 4 : 147-160. + +In conclusion, I may add in the way of an Appendix, as it were, a brief +synopsis of a Tagalog romance entitled "Story of Edmundo, Son of Merced +in the Kingdom of France; taken from a novela and composed by one who +enjoys writing the Tagalog language. Manila 1909." This verse-form of +a story at bottom the same as our two folk-tales is doubtless much +more recent than our folk-tales themselves, and is possibly based +on them directly, despite the anonymous author's statement as to the +unnamed novela that was his source. In the following summary of the +"Story of Edmundo," the numbers in parentheses refer to stanzas of +the original Tagalog text. + + +"Edmundo." + +In Villa Amante there lived a poor widow, Merced by name, who had to +work very hard to keep her only son, the infant Edmundo, alive. Her +piety and industry were rewarded, however; and by the time the +boy was seven years old, she was able to clothe him well and send +him to school. Her brother Tonio undertook the instruction of the +youth. Edmundo had a good head, and made rapid progress. (7-41) + +One day Merced fell sick, and, although she recovered in a short time, +Edmundo decided to give up studying and to help his mother earn their +living. He became a wood-cutter. (42-53) + +At last fortune came to him. In one of his wanderings in the forest in +search of dry wood, he happened upon an enormous python. He would have +fled in terror had not the snake spoken to him, to his amazement, and +requested him to pull from its throat the stag which was choking it. He +performed the service for the reptile, and in turn was invited to the +cave where it lived. Out of gratitude the python gave Edmundo a magic +mirror that would furnish the possessor with whatever he wanted. With +the help of this charm, mother and son soon had everything they needed +to make them happy. (54-91) + +At about this time King Romualdo of France decided to look for a +husband for his daughter, the beautiful Leonora. He was unable to pick +out a son-in-law from the many suitors who presented themselves; and +so he had it proclaimed at a concourse of all the youths of the realm, +"Whoever can fill my cellar with money before morning shall have the +hand of Leonora." Edmundo was the only one to accept the challenge, +for failure to perform the task meant death. At midnight he took +his enchanted mirror and commanded it to fill the king's cellar +with money. In the morning the king was astonished at the sight, +but there was no way of avoiding the marriage. So Leonora became the +wife of the lowly-born wood-cutter. The young couple went to Villa +Amante to live. There, to astonish his wife, Edmundo had a palace +built in one night. She was dumfounded to awake in the morning and +find herself in a magnificent home; and when she asked him about +it, he confided to her the secret of his wonderful charm. Later, +to gratify the humor of the king, who visited him, Edmundo ordered +his mirror to transport the palace to a seacoast town. There he and +his wife lived very happily together. (92-211) + +One day Leonora noticed from her window two vessels sailing towards the +town. Her fears and premonitions were so great, that Edmundo, to calm +her, sank the ships by means of his magic power. But the sinking of +these vessels brought misfortunes. Their owner, the Sultan of Turkey, +learned of the magic mirror possessed by Edmundo (how he got this +information is not stated), and hired an old woman to go to France +in the guise of a beggar and steal the charm. She was successful +in getting it, and then returned with it to her master. The Sultan +then invaded France, and with the talisman, by which he called to his +aid six invincible giants, conquered the country. He took the king, +queen, and Leonora as captives back with him to Turkey. Edmundo was +left in France to look after the affairs of the country. (212-296) + +Edmundo became melancholy, and at last decided to seek his wife. He +left his mother and his servant behind, and took with him only a +diamond ring of Leonora's, his cat, and his dog. While walking along +the seashore, wondering how he could cross the ocean, he saw a huge +fish washed up on the sand. The fish requested him to drag it to the +water. When Edmundo had done so, the fish told him to get on its back, +and promised to carry him to Leonora. So done. The fish swam rapidly +through the water, Edmundo holding his dog and cat in his breast. The +dog was soon washed "overboard," but the cat clung to him. After a +ride of a day and a night, the fish landed him on a strange shore. It +happened to be the coast of Turkey. (297-313) + +Edmundo stopped at an inn, pretending to be a shipwrecked +merchant. There he decided to stay for a while, and there he found +out the situation of Leonora in this wise. Now, it happened that +the Sultan used to send to this inn for choice dishes for Leonora, +whom he was keeping close captive. By inquiry Edmundo learned of the +close proximity of his wife, and one day he managed to insert her +ring into one of the eggs that were to be taken back to her. She +guessed that he was near; and, in order to communicate with him, +she requested permission of the king to walk with her maid in the +garden that was close by the inn. She saw Edmundo, and smiled on him; +but the maid noticed the greeting, and reported it to the Sultan. The +Sultan ordered the man summoned; and when he recognized Edmundo, +he had him imprisoned and put in stocks. (314-350) + +Edmundo was now in despair, and thought it better to die than live; +but his faithful cat, which had followed him unnoticed to the prison, +saved him. In the jail there were many rats. That night the cat began +to kill these relentlessly, until the captain of the rats, fearing +that his whole race would be exterminated, requested Edmundo to tie up +his cat and spare them. Edmundo promised to do so on condition that +the rat bring him the small gold-rimmed mirror in the possession of +the Sultan. At dawn the rat captain arrived with the mirror between +its teeth. Out of gratitude Edmundo now had his mirror bring to life +all the rats that had been slain. (351-366) + +Then he ordered before him his wife, the king, the queen, the crown and +sceptre of France. All, including the other prisoners of the Sultan, +were transported back to France. At the same time the Sultan's palace +and prison were destroyed. Next morning, when the Grand Sultan awoke, +he was enraged to find himself outwitted; but what could he do? Even +if he were able to jump as high as the sky, he could not bring back +Leonora. (367-376) + +When the French Court returned to France, Edmundo was crowned successor +to the throne: the delight of every one was unbounded. (377-414) + +The last six stanzas are occupied with the author's +leave-taking. (415-420) + + +Groome (pp. 219-220) summarizes a Roumanian-Gypsy story, "The Stolen +Ox," from Dr. Barbu Constantinescu's collection (Bucharest, 1878), +which, while but a fragment, appears to be connected with this cycle +of the "Magic Ring," and presents a curious parallel to a situation in +"Edmundo:"-- + +"... The lad serves the farmer faithfully, and at the end of his term +sets off home. On his way he lights on a dragon, and in the snake's +mouth is a stag. Nine years had that snake the stag in its mouth, and +been trying to swallow it, but could not because of its horns. Now, +that snake was a prince; and seeing the lad, whom God had sent his way, +'Lad,' said the snake, 'relieve me of this stag's horns, for I've been +going about nine years with it in my mouth.' So the lad broke off the +horns, and the snake swallowed the stag. 'My lad, tie me round your +neck and carry me to my father, for he doesn't know where I am.' So +he carried him to his father, and his father rewarded him." + +It is curious to see this identical situation of the hero winning his +magic reward by saving some person or animal from choking appearing in +Roumania and the Philippines, and in connection, too, with incidents +from the "Magic Ring" cycle. The resemblance can hardly be fortuitous. + + + +TALE 11 + +LUCAS THE STRONG. + + +Narrated by Paulo Macasaet, a Tagalog, who heard the story from a +Tagalog farmer. + + +Once there was a man who had three sons,--Juan, Pedro, and +Lucas. His wife died when his children were young. Unlike most of +his countrymen, he did not marry again, but spent his time in taking +care of his children. The father could not give his sons a proper +education, because he was poor; so the boys grew up in ignorance +and superstition. They had no conception of European clothes and +shoes. Juan and Pedro were hard workers, but Lucas was lazy. The +father loved his youngest son Lucas, nevertheless; but Juan and Pedro +had little use for their brother. The lazy boy used to ramble about +the forests and along river-banks looking for guavas and birds' nests. + +One day, when Lucas was in the woods, he saw a boa-constrictor +[Tag. sawang bitin]. He knew that this reptile carried the centre of +its strength in the horny appendage at the end of its tail. Lucas +wished very much to become strong, because the men of strength in +his barrio were the most influential. So he decided to rob the boa +of its charm. He approached the snake like a cat, and then with his +sharp teeth bit off the end of its tail, and ran away with all his +might. The boa followed him, but could not overtake him; for Lucas +was a fast runner, and, besides, the snake had lost its strength. + +Lucas soon became the strongest man in his barrio. He surprised +everybody when he defeated the man who used to be the Hercules of +the place. + +One day the king issued a proclamation: "He who can give the monarch +a carriage made of gold shall have the princess for his wife." When +Juan and Pedro heard this royal announcement, they were very anxious +to get the carriage and receive the reward. + +Juan was the first to try his luck. He went to a neighboring mountain +and began to dig for gold. While he was eating his lunch at noon, +an old leper with her child approached him, and humbly begged him to +give her something to eat. + +"No, the food I have here is just enough for me. Go away! You are +very dirty," said Juan with disgust. + +The wretched old woman, with tears in her eyes, left the place. After +he had worked for three weeks, Juan became discouraged, gave up his +scheme of winning the princess, and returned home. + +Pedro followed his brother, but he had no better luck than Juan. He +was also unkind to the old leper. + +Lucas now tried his fortune. The day after his arrival at the mountain, +when he was eating, the old woman appeared, and asked him to give her +some food. Lucas gave the woman half of his meat. The leper thanked +him, and promised that she would give him not only the carriage made +of gold, but also a pair of shoes, a coat, and some trousers. She +then bade Lucas good-by. + +Nine days passed, and yet the woman had not come. Lucas grew tired +of waiting, and in his heart began to accuse the woman of being +ungrateful. He repented very much the kindness he had shown the old +leper. Finally she appeared to Lucas, and told him what he had been +thinking about her. "Do not think that I shall not fulfil my promise," +she said. "You shall have them all." To the great astonishment of +Lucas, the woman disappeared again. The next day he saw the golden +carriage being drawn by a pair of fine fat horses; and in the carriage +were the shoes, the coat, and the trousers. The old woman appeared, +and showed the young man how to wear the shoes and clothes. + +Then he entered the carriage and was driven toward the palace. On +his way he met a man. + +"Who are you?" said Lucas. + +"I am Runner, son of the good runner," was the answer. + +"Let us wrestle!" said Lucas. "I want to try your strength. If you +defeat me, I will give you a hundred pesos; but if I prove to be the +stronger, you must come with me." + +"All right, let us wrestle!" said Runner. The struggle lasted for +ten minutes, and Lucas was the victor. They drove on. + +They met another man. When Lucas asked him who he was, the man said, +"I am Sharpshooter, son of the famous shooter." Lucas wrestled with +this man too, and overcame him because of his superhuman strength. So +Sharpshooter went along with Lucas and Runner. + +Soon they came up to another man. "What is your name?" said Lucas. + +"My name is Farsight. I am son of the great Sharp-Eyes." Lucas proposed +a wrestling-match with Farsight, who was conquered, and so obliged +to go along with the other three. + +Last of all, the party met Blower, "son of the great blower." He +likewise became one of the servants of Lucas. + +When Lucas reached the palace, he appeared before the king, and in +terms of great submission he told the monarch that he had come for +two reasons,--first, to present his Majesty with the golden carriage; +second, to receive the reward which his Majesty had promised. + +The king said, "I will let you marry my daughter provided that you can +more quickly than my messenger bring to me a bottle of the water that +gives youth and health to every one. It is found at the foot of the +seventh mountain from this one," he said, pointing to the mountain +nearest to the imperial city. "But here is another provision," +continued the king: "if you accept the challenge and are defeated, +you are to lose your head." "I will try, O king!" responded Lucas +sorrowfully. + +The king then ordered his messenger, a giant, to fetch a bottle of +the precious water. Lucas bade the monarch good-by, and then returned +to his four friends. "Runner, son of the good runner, hasten to the +seventh mountain and get me a bottle of the water that gives youth +and health!" + +Runner ran with all his might, and caught up with the giant; but +the giant secretly put a gold ring in Runner's bottle to make him +sleep. Two days passed, but Runner had not yet arrived. Then Lucas +cried, "Farsight, son of the great Sharp-Eyes, see where the giant +and Runner are!" + +The faithful servant looked, and he saw Runner sleeping, and the +giant very near the city. When he had been told the state of affairs, +Lucas called Blower, and ordered him to blow the giant back. The +king's messenger was carried to the eighth mountain. + +Then Lucas said, "Sharpshooter, son of the famous shooter, shoot +the head of the bottle so that Runner will wake up!" The man shot +skilfully; Runner jumped to his feet, ran and got the precious water, +and arrived in the city in twelve hours. Lucas presented the water +to the king, and the monarch was obliged to accept the young man as +his son-in-law. + +The wedding-day was a time of great rejoicing. Everybody was +enthusiastic about Lucas except the king. The third day after the +nuptials, the giant reached the palace. He said that he was very near +the city when a heavy wind blew him back to the eighth mountain. + + +Juan and His Six Companions. + +Narrated by Vicente M. Hilario, a Tagalog from Batangas, who heard +the story from an old woman from Balayan. + +Not very long after the death of our Saviour on Calvary, there lived in +a far-away land a powerful king named Jaime. By judicious usurpations +and matrimonial alliances, this wise monarch extended his already +vast dominions to the utmost limits. Instead of ruling his realm as +a despot, however, he devoted himself to the task of establishing a +strong government based on moderation and justice. By his marvellous +diplomacy he won to his side counts, dukes, and lesser princes. To +crown his happiness, he had an extremely lovely daughter, whose name +was Maria. Neither Venus nor Helen of Troy could compare with her in +beauty. Numerous suitors of noble birth from far and near vied with +one another in spending fortunes on this pearl of the kingdom; but +Maria regarded all suitors with aversion, and her father was perplexed +as to how to get her a husband without seeming to show favoritism. + +After consulting gravely with his advisers, the monarch gave out this +proclamation: "He who shall succeed in getting the golden egg from +the moss-grown oak in yonder mountain shall be my son-in-law and heir." + +This egg, whose origin nobody knew anything about, rendered its +possessor very formidable. When the proclamation had been made public, +the whole kingdom was seized with wild enthusiasm; for, though the task +was hazardous, yet it seemed performable and easy to the reckless. For +five days and five nights crowds of lovers, adventurers, and ruffians +set sail for the "Mountain of the Golden Egg," as it was called; but +none of the enterprisers ever reached the place. Some were shipwrecked; +others were driven by adverse winds and currents to strange lands, +where they perished miserably; and the rest were forced to return +because of the horrible sights of broken planks and mangled bodies. + +Some days after the return of the last set of adventurers, three +brothers rose from obscurity to try their fortunes in this dangerous +enterprise. They were Pedro, Fernando, and Juan. They had been +orphans since they were boys, and had grown up amid much suffering +and hardship. + +The three brothers agreed that Pedro should try first; Fernando second; +and Juan last, provided the others did not succeed. After supplying +himself with plenty of food, a good boat, a sword, and a sharp axe, +Pedro embraced his brothers and departed, never to return. He took +a longer and safer route than that of his predecessors. He had no +sooner arrived at the mountain than an old gray-headed man in tattered +clothes came limping towards him and asking for help; but the selfish +Pedro turned a deaf ear to the supplications of the old man, whom he +pushed away with much disrespect. Ignorant of his doom, and regardless +of his irreverence, Pedro walked on with hasty steps and high animal +spirits. But lo! when his axe struck the oak, a large piece of wood +broke off and hit him in the right temple, killing him instantly. + +Fernando suffered the same fate as his haughty brother. + +Juan alone remained. He was the destined possessor of the egg, and +the conqueror of King Jaime. Juan's piety, simplicity, and goodness +had won for him the good-will of many persons of distinction. After +invoking God's help, he set sail for the mountain, where he safely +arrived at noon. He met the same old man, and he bathed, dressed, +and fed him. The old man thanked Juan, and said, "You shall be amply +requited," and immediately disappeared. With one stroke of his axe +Juan broke the oak in two; and in a circular hole lined with down +he found the golden egg. In the afternoon he went to King Jaime, +to whom he presented the much-coveted egg. + +But the shrewd and successful monarch did not want to have a rustic +son-in-law. "You shall not marry my daughter," he said, "unless you +bring me a golden ship." + +The next morning Juan, very disconsolate, went to the mountain +again. The old man appeared to him, and said, "Why are you dejected, +my son?" + +Juan related everything that had happened. + +"Dry your eyes and listen to me," said the old man. "Not very far +from this place you will find your ship all splendidly equipped. Go +there at once!" + +The old man disappeared, and Juan ran with all possible speed to +where the ship was lying. He went on deck, and a few minutes later +the ship began to move smoothly over stumps and stones. + +While he was thus travelling along, Juan all of a sudden saw a man +running around the mountain in less than a minute. "Corrin Corron, +[36] son of the great runner!" shouted Juan, "what are you doing?" The +man stopped, and said, "I'm taking my daily exercise." + +"Never mind that!" said Juan, "come up here and rest!" And Corrin +Corron readily accepted the offer. + +Pretty soon Juan saw another man standing on the summit of a high +hill and gazing intently at some distant object. "Mirin Miron, [37] +son of the great Farsight!" said Juan, "what are you doing?" + +"I'm watching a game of tubigan [38] seven miles away," answered +the other. + +"Never mind!" said Juan, "come up here and eat with me!" And Mirin +Miron gladly went on deck. + +After a while Juan saw a hunter with gun levelled. "Puntin Punton, +[39] son of the great Sureshot!" said Juan, "what are you doing?" + +"Three miles away there is a bat-fly annoying a sheep. I want to kill +that insect." + +"Let the creature go," said Juan, "and come with me!" And Puntin +Punton, too, joined the party. + +Not long after, Juan saw a man carrying a mountain on his +shoulders. "Carguin Cargon, [40] son of the great Strong-Back!" shouted +Juan, "what are you doing?" + +"I'm going to carry this mountain to the other side of the country +to build a dam across the river," said the man. + +"Don't exert yourself so much," said Juan. "Come up here and take +some refreshment!" The brawny carrier threw aside his load; and, +as the mountain hit the ground, the whole kingdom was shaken so +violently that the inhabitants thought that all the volcanoes had +simultaneously burst into eruption. + +By and by the ship came to a place where Juan saw young +flourishing trees falling to the ground, with branches twisted and +broken. "Friends," said Juan, "is a storm blowing?" + +"No, sir!" answered the sailors, amazed at the sight. + +"Master Juan," shouted Mirin Miron, "sitting on the summit of yonder +mountain," pointing to a peak three miles away, "is a man blowing +with all his might." + +"He is a naughty fellow," muttered Juan to himself; "he will destroy +all the lumber-trees in this region if we do not stop him." Pretty +soon Juan himself saw the mischievous man, and said, "Soplin Soplon, +[41] son of the great Blast-Blower, what are you doing?" + +"Oh, I'm just exercising my lungs and trumpeter's muscles," replied +the other. + +"Come along with us!" After blowing down a long line of trees like +grain before a hurricane, Soplin Soplon went on board. + +As the ship neared the capital, Juan saw a man lying on a bed of +rushes, with his ear to the ground. "What are you doing, friend?" said +Juan. + +"I'm listening to the plaintive strains of a young man mourning +over the grave of his deceased sweetheart, and to the touching +love-ditties of a moonstruck lover," answered the man. "Where are +those two men?" asked Juan. + +"They are in a city twelve miles away," said the other. "Never mind, +Oirin Oiron, [42] son of the great Hear-All!" said Juan. "Come up and +rest on a more comfortable bed! My divans superabound." When Oirin +Oiron was on board, Juan said to the helmsman, "To the capital!" + +In the evening the magnificent ship, with sails of silk and damask, +masts of gold heavily studded with rare gems, and covered with thick +plates of gold and silver, arrived at the palace gate. + +Early in the morning King Jaime received Juan, but this time more +coldly and arrogantly than ever. The princess bathed before break +of day. With cheeks suffused with the rosy tint of the morning, +golden tresses hanging in beautiful curls over her white shoulders, +hands as delicate as those of a new-born babe, eyes merrier than +the humming-bird, and dressed in a rich outer garment displaying her +lovely figure at its best, she stood beside the throne. Such was the +appearance of this lovely mortal, who kindled an inextinguishable +flame in the heart of Juan. + +After doffing his bonnet and bowing to the king, Juan said, "Will you +give me the hand of your daughter?" Everybody present was amazed. The +princess's face was successively pale and rosy. Juan immediately +understood her heart as he stood gazing at her. + +"Never!" said the king after a few minutes. "You shall never have +my daughter." + +"Farewell, then, until we meet again!" said Juan as he departed. + +When the ship was beyond the frontier of Jaime's kingdom, Juan +said, "Carguin Cargon, overturn the king's realm." Carguin Cargon +obeyed. Many houses were destroyed, and hundreds of people were crushed +to death. When the ship was within seven miles of the city, Oirin Oiron +heard the king say, "I'll give my daughter in marriage to Juan if he +will restore my kingdom." Oirin Oiron told Juan what he had heard. + +Then Juan ordered Carguin Cargon to rebuild the kingdom; but when +the work was done, Jaime again refused to fulfil his promise. Juan +went away very angry. Again the kingdom was overturned, and more +property and lives were destroyed. Again Oirin Oiron heard the king +make a promise, again the kingdom was rebuilt, and again the king +was obstinate. + +Juan went away again red with anger. After they had been travelling +for an hour, Oirin Oiron heard the tramp of horses and the clash of +spears and shields. "I can see King Jaime's vast host in hot pursuit +of us," said Mirin Miron. "Where is the army?" said Juan. "It is nine +miles away," responded Mirin Miron. + +"Let the army approach," said Soplin Soplon. When the immense host was +within eight hundred yards of the ship, Soplin Soplon blew forcible +blasts, which scattered the soldiers and horses in all directions +like chaff before a wind. Of this formidable army only a handful of +men survived, and these were crippled for life. + +Again the king sued for peace, and promised the hand of his daughter +to Juan. This time he kept his word, and Juan and Maria were married +amidst the most imposing ceremonies. That very day King Jaime abdicated +in favor of his more powerful son-in-law. On the site of the destroyed +houses were built larger and more handsome ones. The lumber that +was needed was obtained by Soplin Soplon and Carguin Cargon from the +mountains: Soplin Soplon felled the trees with his mighty blasts, and +Carguin Cargon carried the huge logs to the city. Juan made Corrin +Corron his royal messenger, and Soplin Soplon commander-in-chief of +the raw troops, which later became a powerful army. The other four +friends were assigned to high positions in the government. + +The royal couple and the six gifted men led a glorious life. They +conquered new lands, and ruled their kingdom well. + + + + +The Story of King Palmarin. + +Paraphrased from the vernacular by Anastacia Villegas of Arayat, +Pampanga. + +[NOTE.--While the following story is not, strictly speaking, +a folk-tale, since it is a native student's close paraphrase of +a Pampango corrido, or metrical romance, it is typically Filipino +in many respects, and is closely connected with the two foregoing +folk-tales. Moreover, it presents significant features lacking in +the other stories. As it is too long to be relegated to the notes, +I take the liberty of printing it here in full. My justification is +the fact that, after all, sagas, or printed folk-tales, are only the +crystallized sources--or products, as the case may be--of folk-tales.] + + + + + +Long, long ago, the kingdom of Marsella was ruled over by the worthy +King Palmarin and his wife Isberta. They were attentive to their duty, +and kind to their subjects, whose love they won. All Marsella admired +the goodness and generosity of the king. To whatever he wanted, +his counsellors agreed; and because of his good judgment, his reign +was peaceful. + +Time came when the queen gave birth to a child. The whole kingdom +rejoiced, and a great feast was prepared. "Let the feast last +six months," said Zetnaen, chief adviser. The new baby was a girl +of peerless beauty. The holy bishop was summoned to baptize the +child. As the Virgin Mary was the patron saint of the king and queen, +they asked the worthy prelate to name the little princess Maria; +and so she was named. + +One day the king went to hunt in the mountains. There was no forest or +cave that the party did not visit. All the animals in the mountains +were thrown into confusion when they heard the great noise. Bears, +tigers, and lions came out of their dens. As soon as these wild beasts +reached the plain, they began to pursue the king and his men. The noise +and confusion cannot be imagined. By the help of God, the king and his +men put to flight their savage foes; and when the chase was ended, +nobody had been hurt. After the hunters had been gathered together +by the sound of the trumpet, they all returned home, thankful that +no one had been injured. The king, however, had unwittingly lost his +favorite reliquary. + +When King Palmarin reached Marsella and discovered that his locket +was missing, he at once sent many of his soldiers back to look for +it. They searched all parts of the mountain and even the valley. At +last they returned to the capital, and said to the king, "We, whom +your Majesty commanded to look for the reliquary, have come to tell +you that, after a thorough search through the entire forest and valley, +we have not been able to find it." The king was very sad to hear this +report; but he kept his sorrow to himself, and did not reveal his +heart to his counsellors. He grieved, not because of the value of the +reliquary, but because it had been handed down to him by his father, +whose will and recommendations it contained. + +As time went on, the king forgot his lost reliquary. He ceased +looking for it. His daughter the princess was now grown up. She was +beautiful, happy, good-natured, and modest. Those who saw her said +that she was not inferior even to Elsa, Judith, or Anne Boleyn. Now, +the king wished his daughter to marry, so that there might be some +one to inherit his throne when he died. He made his desire known to +his counsellors. He told them that, if they agreed, he would issue +proclamations throughout the whole kingdom and the neighboring cities, +towns, and villages. While this meeting with his council was going +on, the king stood up to powder his face. He took his powder-case +out of his pocket; but when he opened it, there inside he found, to +his surprise, a tuma. [43] He could not imagine how this tiny insect +had got into his box to eat the powder. Feeling very much ashamed, +he did not powder his face: he merely closed the box. The meeting +was adjourned without being finished; for when the king stood up, +the counsellors rose from their seats and silently left the room. + +The king retired to his room, and opened his powder-case to look at +the tuma again. He was thoroughly astonished to find that what had +been but a tiny insect a moment before now filled the whole box. He +was indeed perplexed; so he consulted God. Then it came to his mind +to take the tuma from the box and place it in the cellar of the palace. + +After three days the king found that a miracle had happened. The +cellar was filled with the tuma. He was not a little surprised. He +said to himself, "What a wonderful animal it is! In three days it has +grown to such an enormous size! If I let it live, I fear that it will +destroy the whole kingdom." + +Then he heard a voice saying, "You need not fear, for the tuma +you nourish shall not produce bad fruit. But if you let it live, +it will have a long life, and will fill all of Marsella with its +huge body. Listen to me, and obey what I tell you! Let the tuma be +killed. Burn all its flesh, but save its skin. Use the skin for the +covers of a drum. When you have done all these things, write to all +your neighboring kingdoms and bet with them. Let them guess the kind +of skin out of which the heads of the drum are made. If you will but +obey me, and take care not to let any one know what I have told you, +you will become very rich." Then the voice ceased. + +The king comprehended well all that the voice had told him: so he +called his Negro servant, and led him secretly into his room. The king +then said softly, "Let no one know of the secret that I am to disclose +to you, and you shall profit by it. I have a tuma which accidentally +got into my powder-case. One day I put the insect into the cellar, +where it has grown to an enormous size. Now, my command to you is +to kill the tuma, burn all its flesh, and clean its skin. Then have +the skin made into a drum. When everything is done perfectly, I will +repay you." + +Accordingly the Negro servant killed the tuma. He followed minutely +the king's directions. When the drum was finished, he presented it +to the king. Instead of receiving the promised reward, however, the +poor Negro was instantly put to death, for the king feared that he +might betray the secret. + +King Palmarin then summoned all his counsellors. He said to them, +"I want you to spread the news of my desire." Taking out the drum +and putting it on the table, he continued: "Let all the villages, +cities, and kingdoms know of the wager. Any one who can guess of +what skin the covers of this drum are made, be he rich or poor, if +he is unmarried, he shall be my son-in-law. But if he fails to guess +aright, his property shall be forfeited to the crown if he is rich; +he shall lose his head if he is poor." + +The counsellors proclaimed the edict. Many rich nobles, lords, princes, +and knights heard of it. All those who ventured lost their fortune, +for they could not guess what the drum was made of. So the king gained +much wealth. Among them there was one particularly rich, who declared +to the king his great desire to win the princess's hand. King Palmarin +said to this knight, "Examine the drum carefully." After looking at +it closely, he said, "This drum is made of sheep's hide."--"Your +observation has deceived you," said the king. "Now all the wealth +you have brought with you shall be mine." + +"What can I do if fortune turns against me?" said the knight. + +"Let your Majesty send his servants to get all my property from +the ship." + +The names of the hides of all known animals were given, but no one +guessed correctly. At last some of those who had been defeated said +to the king, "Of what is the drum made?" + +"I cannot tell you yet," replied the king. + +In one of the villages where the edict was proclaimed there lived a +young man named Juan. He was an orphan. After the death of his parents, +the property he had inherited from them he gave to the poor. One day +me met the king's messengers, who explained the edict minutely to him, +so that he might tell about it to others. Don Juan then went away. He +was sad, for he had no wealth to take with him to Marsella. Though +he had inherited much property, he had given away most of it, so that +now very little was left to him. + +One day, while he was looking about his farm, he saw all of a sudden +some dead persons lying prostrate in the thicket. They had been +murdered by bandits. He hired men to bury these corpses decently in +the sacred ground, and paid the priest to celebrate masses for their +souls. He then returned home sad, meditating on his bad luck. + +At midnight, while he was sleeping soundly, he heard a voice +saying to him, "Go to Marsella and take part in the wager of King +Palmarin. Do not be troubled because you have no riches. Your horses +are enough. Equip them in the best way you can." Then the voice ceased. + +Don Juan felt very glad. The next morning he prepared materials for +equipping his horses, and hired laborers, whom he paid double so as to +hasten the work. The harnesses were of pure gold, decorated with pearls +and rubies. The saddle-cloths were embroidered. Two of the horses +(they were all very fat, and had long manes) were hazel-colored, +two were spotted, two were orange-colored, and one was white. When +everything was ready, Don Juan mounted the white one, and loaded on +the other six his baggage. + +God rewarded Don Juan for what he had done to the dead bodies. He +called St. Michael, and said to him, "Go to purgatory and get six +of the souls who were benefited by Don Juan, for now is the time for +them to repay him. They shall go back to the world to meet Don Juan +on his way, follow him to Marsella, and provide him with everything +he needs. They must not leave him until you call them back, for +there are many serious dangers on his way." The angel went on his +errand. He selected six souls, and told them to return to the world +to help Don Juan. The spirits were glad to go, for they longed to +repay their benefactor. + +Don Juan was now on his journey. As he rode along, the birds in the +forest sang to cheer him, so that the long journey might not tire +him. By and by he saw a man in the middle of the forest, lying on +his face. "Grandpa, what are you doing there?" said Juan. + +"I am observing the world. Are you not a nobleman? Whither are +you bound?" + +"To Marsella," replied Don Juan. + +"To bet? If that is your purpose, you are sure to lose, for it is +certain that you cannot guess of what the drum is made," interrupted +the man. + +"I entreat you to tell me the right answer, if you know it," said +Don Juan. + +"I will not only tell it to you, but I will also accompany you. That +is why I am here. I was waiting for you to pass," said the man. + +"Grandpa, I'm astonished. You must be a prophet." + +"You are right. I am the sage prophet Noet Noen, [44] who will go +with you to King Palmarin." + +"I appreciate your help and am grateful to you, grandpa," said Don +Juan. "You had better ride on one of the horses." + +Noet Noen and Don Juan rode on together. The prophet then related to +Juan the whole story of the tuma that had got into the powder-case +of the king. While the two travellers were talking, they saw a man +sitting under a tree. As it was very hot, they dismounted so that +their horses might rest. Don Juan was surprised at the stranger. He +was whistling; and every time he whistled, the wind blew strong, +so that the trees in the forest were broken off. This man was Supla +Supling, a companion and friend of Noet Noen. + +"Supla Supling, why are you here?" said Noet Noen. + +"To follow you," was the reply. + +"If that is your desire," said Don Juan, "you will please mount one +of the horses." So the three men went on their journey. They had not +gone far when they met a man walking alone. Noet Noen said to him, +"What are you here for? Come along with us!" This man was Miran Miron, +who had a wonderfully loud voice. When he shouted, his sound was +more sonorous than thunder. He also had very keen sight. He could +see clearly an object, though it were covered with a cover a hundred +yards thick. + +When the four travellers had gone a little farther, they saw a man +walking swiftly on one leg. They spurred up their horses to overtake +him, but in vain. At last Noet Noen said, "I think that is my friend +Curan Curing, so there is little hope of our catching him." + +"Let me call him!" said Miran Miron, and he shouted. + +When Curan Curing heard the voice, he stopped, so they reached +him. Miran Miron said to him, "You are in a great hurry. Where are +you going?" + +"You know that I cannot stop my feet when I walk," said Curan Curing. + +"Why do you hold up one of your legs as if it were in pain?" said +Don Juan. + +"Do not be surprised at my walking on one foot; for, if I should let +loose the other one, I should walk straight out of the world." + +"Will you join us, Curan Curing?" said Noet Noen. + +"Oh, yes! Let me have a horse! If I should walk, you might lose me +on account of my speed," replied Curan Curing. + +So the five adventurers went on together. As it soon grew very warm, +they stopped to rest under a tree. + +Then they saw a wounded deer coming toward them. As they were hungry, +they killed it and cooked it. While they were eating, the hunter +Punta Punting came. He said, "Have you seen a wounded deer?" + +"Oh, yes! here it is. We are eating it already," said Supla Supling, +"for we are very hungry." + +"I'm glad that the deer I wounded relieves your hunger," said Punta +Punting. "What are you all doing here? Where are you going? Why don't +you take me with you?" + +"If that is your wish, we are very glad to have you," said Don Juan. + +The little party rode on, but suddenly stopped; for a mountain was +walking toward them. As it approached, they saw that a man was carrying +the mountain. Don Juan was not a little surprised at this astonishing +feat of strength. "Where have you been, Carguen Cargon? Where did +you get that mountain?" said Noet Noen. + +"I took it from behind the church of Candaba, for I want to transfer it +here, where the land is level. This mountain is not fitted for Candaba; +for the natives, rich or poor, build their houses out of wood,--even +the poorest, who cannot afford such luxury. They desolate its forests, +for they cut down even the young trees." Then with a great thunder +Carguen Cargon dropped his burden on the land of Arayat, just behind +the church. On account of its immense size, this mountain reached +clear to de la Paz. The slopes reached Calumpit, and its base was in +view of Apalit. Thus we see that Mount Alaya (Arayat) has come from +Candaba. The original site of this mountain became a river, swamps, +and brooks. Now Candaba has many ponds. + +"Friend, I entreat you to come with us!" said Noet Noen. + +"I shall be glad to go with you, if I shall only have the opportunity +of serving you with my strength," replied Carguen Cargon. + +Now the little band of seven travelled on. When they came near the +gates of Marsella, Noet Noen said, "Let us rest here first!" There +they hired a house, where they staid at the expense of Don Juan. + +The next morning Don Juan made himself ready to go on alone. Leading +his horses, he was about to start for the palace, when Noet Noen +called to him, and said, "Be sure not to forget the name of the skin +I told you. Put it in the depths of your heart." + +"Have no fear that I shall forget," said Don Juan. "Furthermore, +Don Juan, I want you to undertake to do whatever the king may ask of +you. Do not refuse. No matter how hard the task the king may impose +on you, do not hesitate to undertake it; for God Almighty is ever +merciful, and will help you. If the king requires you to do anything, +just come back here and let me know of it. Now you may go. Take +courage, for God loves a person who suffers," said Noet Noen. + +"Good-by to every one of you!" said Don Juan to his companions. Then +he went on his journey. When he reached the palace, he asked the +soldier who was on guard to announce him to the king. When the king +heard of the message, he said to the soldier, "Let him come in, if +his purpose is to bet; but assure him that, if he loses, he shall +also lose his life." + +Then the soldier went back to the gate, and said to the stranger, +"The king admits you into his presence." + +Don Juan entered the palace. He saluted the king. "What is it that +you want? Tell it to me, so that I may know," said the king. + +"O king! pardon me for disturbing your Majesty. It is the edict your +Highness issued that gives me the right to come here, and that has made +me forget my inferiority; for I do rely entirely on the fact that your +word in the proclamation will never be broken. So now I hope, that, +if fortune goes with me, your Majesty will carry out his promise." + +These words made the king laugh, for he was sure that there was no +one who could beat him in the wager: so he said, "What property have +you with you that you wish to risk?" + +Don Juan replied, "Six horses, of which your Highness can make use." + +The king looked out the window, and there he saw Don Juan's +horses. King Palmarin was much pleased at their beauty, sleekness, and +elegance of equipment. Turning to Don Juan, he said, "Do you really +wish to bet? I feel as if you were already beaten. Princes and wise +kings have taken part in the wager, and all have lost. I tell you +about them because I do not want you to repent in the end. Moreover, +I have pity for your life and your property." + +"What can I do if fortune turns against me? I will never lay the +fault on anybody." + +"Well," said the king, leading Don Juan to the table where the drum +was, "try your skill." + +Holding and sounding the drum, and pretending to examine it carefully, +Juan said softly to the king, "I think that it is made of the skin +of a tuma," and he went on relating to the king the whole story of +the tuma from the time it got into his powder-case, until the king +finally interrupted, + +"Enough! You have beaten me." + +"I am glad if I have. I hope that the terms of the proclamation will +be fulfilled," said Don Juan. + +The king remarked, "You are not fitted to join my royal family. Such +a low person as you would disgrace me, and humble my dynasty. So take +your horses with you and go back to your country." + +"O king! I am not at fault in the least. It is your Majesty who issued +the edict that any one, rich or poor, who could beat you in the wager, +should be wedded to your daughter. Now I only cling to the right your +Majesty has given me," returned Don Juan. "I had been thinking that +the proclamation your Highness signed would be kept; for it is known +far and wide that you are a king." + +By this answer King Palmarin was perplexed. He stopped for a moment to +consider the matter. Then the thought of getting rid of Don Juan--that +is, of killing him--came into his mind: so he said, "Though you are +far below my family, if you can do what I shall ask you to do now, +I will admit you into the royal line." + +"I am always ready to obey your Majesty's command," said Don Juan. + +"I had a reliquary, which I inherited from my royal father. I lost +it while I was hunting once in the forest twenty years ago. Now I +want you to look for it. I will give you three days. If you do not +find it in that time, you shall be severely punished," said the king. + +Don Juan left the court and returned to his companions. He told them +what had passed between him and the king in the palace. Noet Noen +encouraged him, and said, "Do not be sad! for by the aid of God the +reliquary shall be found. Remember, there is nothing difficult if you +call on God.--What do you say, comrades? It is now time for you to +help Don Juan, so as to distract him from his sorrow.--Miran Miron, +as you have keen eyes, it will not take you long to find it. Try your +best, and look everywhere." + +"Trust me; I'll be responsible for finding it," said Miran +Miron. "To-morrow I will set out in quest of it." + +As to the king, he was at ease, for he was sure that Don Juan could +not find the reliquary. + +The next day Miran Miron set out in search of the reliquary, which +he found covered with thirty yards of earth. He dug out the earth +until he reached the locket; then he returned to his companions, +and delivered it to Don Juan. His comrades, seeing him rejoice at +the sight of the reliquary, said, "Again we have beaten the king." + +Noet Noen said, "Don Juan, to-morrow take King Palmarin his reliquary." + +The next day Don Juan set out for the court. When he reached the +palace, he saluted the king, who was astonished. "How! Don Juan, +have you given up so soon? How goes the quest?" + +"Here, I have found the reliquary," said Don Juan, taking it out and +putting it on the table. Then he continued, "Let your Majesty examine +to see if it is the right one." + +The king looked at it carefully. Indeed, it was his own reliquary. He +said to himself, "What a wonder Don Juan is! In two days without any +difficulty he has found the reliquary. I did not even tell him the +exact place where I lost it, and many people failed to come across it +as soon as it was missed. Here in Marsella he has no equal." Then he +said to Don Juan, "I am astonished at the ability you have shown. There +is no tongue that can express my gratitude to you for bringing me +back my reliquary, the delight of my heart." + +Don Juan replied, "If there is yet something to be done, let your +Highness command his loyal vassal, who is always ready to obey." + +"If that is so, in order that you may obtain what you wish," said +the king, "go to Rome and take my letter to the Pope. Wait for his +answer. I will also send another person to carry the same message. The +one who comes after the other shall receive death as a punishment," +said the king. + +"Your loyal subject will try to obey you," said Don Juan. + +So the king wrote two letters to the holy Pope, and gave one to Don +Juan, who immediately left the palace and went to his friends. He +was sad, meditating on his fate. + +The king's messenger, Bruja, [45] set out for Rome that very moment. He +was told to use his charm and to hurry up. So he went flying swiftly, +like an arrow shot from a bow. + +When Don Juan reached his comrades, he said, "I gave the reliquary +to the king. Now he wants me to go to Rome to deliver this letter +to the Pope and wait for his answer. At the same time the king has +sent another messenger. If I come after his arrival in Marsella, +I shall lose my life. You see what a hard task the king has given +me. I do not know very well the way to Rome, and, besides, the wise +Bruja is winged." + +"Do not worry," said Noet Noen. "If God will, we shall defeat the +king. Even if he has Bruja to send, you have some one also: so pluck +up your courage!" + +"What do you say, Curan Curing? Show your skill, and go to Rome flying +like the wind," said Noet Noen. + +"Do not be troubled, Don Juan," said Curan Curing. "I will carry the +letter even to the gates of heaven. For me a journey to Rome is not +far--in just one leap I shall be there. Give me the letter. To-morrow +I will set out. To-day I will rest, so that I can walk fast." Don Juan +gave Curan Curing the letter, and they all went to sleep. Perhaps by +this time Bruja had already arrived at Rome. + +The next morning Curan Curing started on his journey to deliver +the letter to the Pope. When he was half way to Rome, he met Bruja +walking very swiftly, and already returning to Marsella. "Are you +Don Juan?" said Bruja, "and are you just going to Rome now? You are +beaten. Do not waste your energy any more. If you walk like that, +you cannot reach Rome in two months." + +Bruja spoke so, because Curan Curing was walking on only one leg. But +when he heard these words, he let loose his other leg and went faster +than a bullet. He arrived almost instantly at Rome, and delivered +the letter to the holy Pope, who, after reading it, wrote an answer +and gave it to the messenger. + +Curan Curing then made his way back towards his companions. He went as +fast as the wind, and overtook Bruja on the road. "What! Are you still +here? What is the matter? How is it that you have not reached Marsella +yet? Where is that boast of yours, that I am already beaten? Now I +am sure that you will disappoint your king, who relies too much upon +your skill," said Curan Curing. + +Bruja, fearing that he should be defeated, for Don Juan's messenger +was very spry, planned to trick Curan Curing. So Bruja said, "Friend, +let us rest here a while! I have a little wine with me. We will drink +it, if it pleases you, and take a little rest while the sun is so hot." + +"Oh, yes! if you have some wine. It will be a fine thing for us to +drink to quench our thirst," replied Curan Curing. + +The wine was no sooner handed to him than he fell asleep. Then Bruja +put on one of Curan Curing's fingers a ring, so as to insure victory +for the king. Whoever had Bruja's ring would sleep soundly and never +wake as long as the charmed ring was on his finger. So Bruja, with +a light heart, flew away and left the sleeping messenger. Bruja +flew so swiftly, that in a moment he was seen by Curan Curing's +companions. When they saw the king's messenger coming swiftly near +them, they felt very sad. But as soon as Supla Supling was sure that +it was Bruja flying through the air toward them, he said, "Let me +manage him! I will make his journey longer. I will blow him back, +so that he will not win." Supla Supling then breathed deeply and +blew. Bruja was carried back beyond Rome. How Don Juan's companions +rejoiced! Bruja did not sleep during the whole night: he was trying +his best to reach Marsella. + +The next morning Noet Noen said, "I never thought that our friend +Curan Curing would be so slow. He has not come yet. Bruja has made him +drink wine and has put him to sleep. The trickish fellow has placed +on one of Curan Curing's fingers a magic ring, which keeps him in a +profound sleep." + +When Punta Punting heard Noet Noen's words, he shot his arrow, though +he could not see the object he was aiming at. But the ring was hit, +and the arrow returned to its master with the magic ring on it. Such +was the virtue of Punta Punting's arrow. As for Curan Curing, he was +awakened. He felt the ring being moved from his finger; but the charm +was still working in him, and he fell asleep again. + +Noet Noen, knowing that Curan Curing was again asleep, called Miran +Miron, and said, "Pray, wake the sleeper under the tree !" + +Miran Miron then shouted. Curan Curing awoke suddenly, frightened +at the noise. Now, being wide awake, he realized the trick Bruja +had played on him. He looked to see if he still had the Pope's +letter. Luckily Bruja had not stolen it. Curan Curing then began +his journey. Though he went faster than the lightning, he could not +overtake Bruja, who was very far ahead of him. In the mean time Bruja +was seen by Miran Miron. He was enraged, and cried out loud. When Supla +Supling heard his friend shout, he blew strongly. Bruja got stuck +in the sky: he was scorched by the glowing sun. Not long afterwards +Curan Curing arrived, and gave the letter to Don Juan. + +Don Juan at once set out for Marsella. When he reached the palace, +he delivered the Pope's letter to the king. The king, realizing that +he was beaten, said to Don Juan, "Though you have won, I will not +grant your request, for you are too inferior. You may go." + +Don Juan replied, "Great King, nobody ordered your Highness to issue +the decree to which your hand did sign your name. I trusted your +word, and I ventured to take part in the wager. Now, honorable king, +my complaint is that your Majesty breaks his word." + +The king was meditating as to what to do next to check Don Juan. At +last he said, "I want you to show me some more of your wisdom. If +you can sail on dry land, and I can see your ship to-morrow morning +moored here in front of the palace, I will believe in your power and +wisdom. So you may go. My subjects, the queen, and I will be here to +see you sail on dry land to-morrow morning." + +Don Juan did not complain at all. He rose from his seat, sad and +melancholy, and bade the king good-by. When he reached his companions, +Noet Noen said, "You need not speak. I know what is the matter. I +will manage the business, and all our comrades will help, so that our +sailing on dry land to-morrow will not be delayed.--Carguen Cargon, +my friend, go to the inn and fetch a large strong ship." + +Carguen Cargon went on his errand. It was not long before he found the +right ship. So, shouldering it, he brought it back to his companions. + +The next day everything was ready for the journey. Noet Noen said, +"You will be in charge of the rudder, Carguen Cargon, so that the ship +may go smoothly.--Supla Supling, sit at the stern and blow the sails, +so that we may go fast.--The rest of us will serve as mariners. Cry +'Happy voyage!' as soon as we enter the city." + +Accordingly Supla Supling blew the sails. The wind roared, and many +trees fell down. The little band sailed through the kingdom. All the +people who saw them were wondering. They said, "Were this deed not +by enchantment, they could not sail on dry land. Where do you think +this ship came from, if not from the land of enchanters?" + +When the sailors reached the city, they found King Palmarin looking +out of the window of his palace. Don Juan then disembarked from +his ship and went before the king to greet him. Don Juan said, +"Your Majesty's servant is here. He is ready to obey your will: so, +if there is anything more to be done, let your Highness order him." + +The king felt ashamed for being a liar, and did not ask Don Juan to +perform any more miracles. "Don Juan, I have now seen your wonderful +wisdom. You may return to your country, for I will not give you the +hand of my daughter," said King Palmarin. + +"Farewell, O king! Your own order has caused all that has +happened. Though I have not succeeded in accomplishing my purpose, +I have no reason to be ashamed to face anybody. What troubles me is, +that, in spite of your widespread reputation for honor, you do not +keep even one of your thousand million words. After some one has +done you some service, you turn him away. Farewell, king! To my own +country I will return," said Don Juan as he left the palace. + +The king did not say anything, for he realized the truth of the +knight's statement. Don Juan went to the boat. He and his companions +sailed back to their station. As they passed out of the city, the +people hailed them. His companions cheered him up and encouraged +him. When they arrived at their lodging-place, Noet Noen said, "Let +us stay a little longer and wait for God's aid, which He always gives +to the humble! All that has happened is God's will, so do not worry, +Don Juan." + +"I will do whatever you wish," said Don Juan. + +So they staid in the ship. Several months passed by, but nothing was +heard. At last the Moors invaded Marsella. They put to death many +of the inhabitants, and shut up the king and the rest of his men in +jail. He, the queen, and the princess grieved very much, for they +suffered many hardships in their narrow prison. When news of this +conquest reached the seven, Noet Noen said to his companions, "Now is +our turn to help Marsella. Use all your skill; for in driving away +the Moors we serve a double purpose: first, we help the Christians; +second, Don Juan." + +"Let me be general!" said Curan Curing. "If I rush at the Moors, +they will not know what to do." + +Supla Supling said, "As for me, no Moor can stay near me, for I will +blow him away, and he will be lost in the air." + +"Though I have no weapons, no one can face me in battle without +tumbling down in fear," said Miran Miron. + +Carguen Cargon joined in. "I will pull up a tree and carry it with +me; so that, even if all the Moors unite against me, they shall lie +prostrate before me." + +"My arrow is enough for me to face Moors with," said Punta Punting. + +At the command of Noet Noen they set out. Curan Curing walked with +one leg; still he was far ahead of his companions. He then would stop, +return to his friends, and say impatiently, "Hurry up!" + +At last they told him that he would be overtired. "The general ought +to get weary if he commands," said Curan Curing. "But I shall never +get tired from walking at this rate!" + +When they arrived at Marsella, Noet Noen encouraged his +companions. Carguen Cargon pulled up a tree fifteen yards tall and six +yards in circumference. He rushed at the Moors, and, by swinging the +tree constantly, he swept away the enemy. Curan Curing walked with +both his legs. He crushed the enemy, who fell dead as he stepped on +them. Miran Miron shouted. His loud voice frightened the Moors. Punta +Punting shot with his arrow. Whenever it had killed a Moor, it returned +to its master. After many Moors had fallen, the rest could not maintain +the fight, and they fled. Noet Noen then gathered together his men, +and said, "Let us look for the king!" + +They opened all the jails and freed the prisoners. The six victors +cried, "Hurrah for Don Juan!" and said to the released persons, +"All of you who have been held prisoners must thank Don Juan; for, +were it not for him, we should not have come to your aid." + +"Who is this benefactor? We wish to know to whom we owe our lives," +said the king. + +Noet Noen said, "By God's will we gained the victory. It is Don Juan +who brought us here to save you from the hands of the infidels. So +he is indeed the benefactor." + +"Don Juan!" the crowd then shouted. "Our lives we owe to you.--Hurrah +for our savior! Hurrah for the whole kingdom!" + +The king, queen, princess, counsellors, and the victors went to the +palace. They were all happy. When they had taken their seats, the king +spoke thus: "What shall we give the victor? As for me, even the whole +kingdom is too small a reward for saving us. Lend me your advice." + +Noet Noen answered, "Let me make a suggestion, O king! You already +know what Don Juan desires. Do him justice, for he not only beat you in +the wager, but also succeeded in accomplishing all your commands. Now +he saves you and your kingdom, and restores you to power. Let your +issued decree be carried out." The king then consulted the queen, +and said that the stranger was right. + +The counsellors said, "King, Don Juan deserves the reward named in +the edict; for, were it not for him, your people and even you would +now be slaves." + +So at last the king agreed, and, as a bishop was present, the +marriage was performed immediately. After the marriage ceremony, +the king said, "Hear me, counsellors! As I am now too old to rule, +and can no longer perform the duty of king, I am going to abdicate +in favor of my son-in-law.--Don Juan, on your head I lay the crown +with its sceptre. Do whatever you will, for you are now full king." + +The queen rose from her seat, and, taking off the diadem from her +head, she placed it on her daughter, saying, "My darling, receive +the diadem of the kingdom, so that all may recognize you as their new +queen." All the counsellors then rose, and shouted, "Hurrah for the +new couple! May God give them long lives! May they be successful!" The +entire kingdom rejoiced, and held banquets. + +When Don Juan had become king, he made a trip with his six +companions throughout the entire kingdom, giving alms to the needy +and sick. When the royal visit was over, he returned with his friends +to the palace. Then Noet Noen said to the king, "Our king, Don Juan, +do not be astonished at what I am going to tell you. Since you have +now got what you wanted, we now bid you farewell." + +"Why are you going away? What is there in me that you do not like? Pray +do not leave me until I have repaid you!" He then called each of the +six, and expressed his great gratitude to him, and begged him not +to go away. "I will even abdicate the throne if you want me to," Don +Juan said, "for your departure will kill me." The queen also begged +the six men not to leave. + +At last Noet Noen said, "Don Juan, long have we lived together; yet +you know not whence we come, for we have never told you. We cannot be +absent from there much longer." The prophet then related minutely to +the king who they were, and why they had come to his aid. Then the +six men disappeared. + + +Notes. + +The course of events common to these three stories is this: A king +proclaims that he will give the hand of his daughter to the one who +can furnish him with a very costly or marvellous conveyance. The poor +young hero, because of his kindness to a wretched old man or woman (or +corpse), is given the wonderful conveyance. On his way to the palace +to present his gift, he meets certain extraordinary men, whom he takes +along with him as companions. The king, realizing the low birth of the +hero, refuses the hand of his daughter until additional tasks have +been performed. With the help of his companions, the hero performs +these, and finally weds the princess. This group of stories was almost +certainly imported into the Philippines from Europe, where analogues +of it abound. I know of no significant Eastern variants. Parallels +to certain incidents can be found in Malayan and Filipino lore, +but the cycle as a whole is clearly not native to the Islands. + +In a broad sense, our stories belong to the "Bride Wager" formula +(see Von Hahn, 1 : 54, Nos. 23 and 24). The requirement that a +suitor shall guess correctly the kind of skin from which a certain +drum-head is made (usually a louse-skin) is to be found in Italian +(Basile, 1 : 5; cf. Gonzenbach, No. 22; Schneller, No. 31), Spanish +(Caballero, trans, by J. H. Ingram, "The Hunchback"), German (Grimm, +2 : 467, "The Louse," where the princess makes a dress, not a drum, +from the skin of the miraculous insect). Only Basile's story combines +the louse-skin motif with the wonderful companions,--a combination +found in our "King Palmarin." There seems to be no close connection, +however, between these two tales. Although Oriental Märchen turning +on this motif of the louse-skin drum are lacking, the Filipino corrido +need not have got the conception from Europe: it is Malayan. In a list +of the Jelebu regalia occurs this item: "The royal drums (gendang +naubat); said to be 'headed' with the skins of lice (kulit tuma)" +(see Skeat 2, 27). + +We have already met with the extraordinary companions (No. 3; +see especially variant d, "Sandangcal," which relates a contest +between the hero's runner and the king's messenger). For the formula, +see Bolte-Polívka's notes to Grimm, No. 71. Benfey (Ausland, 1858, +pp. 1038 et seq., 1067 et seq.) believes the "Skilful Companions" +cycle as represented by Grimm, Nos. 71 and 134; Basile, Nos. 28 and +36; Straparola, 4 : 1, etc.--to be a kind of humorous derivative +of the cycle we shall call the "Rival Brothers" (q.v., No. 12 of +this collection), and which he shows to have spread into Europe +from India. There are significant differences, however, between +these two groups; and Benfey's treatment of them together causes +confusion. In the "Skilful Companions" cycle, the extraordinary men +are in reality servants of the hero, who sets out and wins the hand +of a princess. They are picked up by chance. In the "Rival Brothers" +cycle, on the other hand, the three (or four) brothers set out to learn +trades and to win their fortunes, often wonderful objects of magic; +the brothers meet later by appointment, combine their skill to succor +a princess, and then quarrel as to which deserves her most. In stories +of the "Strong Hans" type (e.g., Grimm, No. 166) or "John the Bear" +(Cosquin, No. 1), where the extraordinary companions also appear, +they turn out to be rascals, who faithlessly desert the hero. In +our stories, however, the specially-endowed men are supplied by a +grateful supernatural being, to help the kind-hearted hero win in his +contests with the stubborn king. (Compare Gonzenbach's Sicilian story, +No. 74, which includes a thankful saint, with characteristics of the +"Grateful Dead," a "Land-and-water Ship," and "Skilful Companions.") + +The names of the companions in "King Palmarin" and "Juan and his +Six Friends" are clearly derived from the Spanish. In Caballero's +story of "Lucifer's Ear" we find these names: Carguin ("carrier"), +Oidin ("hearer"), Soplin ("sigher or blower"). All three occur in +"Juan and his Six Friends." In the three Filipino tales the total +number of different strong men is only seven,--Know-All, Blower, +Farsight, Runner, Hunter, Carrier, Sharp-Ear. This close conformity, +when we consider the wide variety to be found in the European stories +(see Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 87-94; Panzer, Beowulf, 66-74), suggests an +ultimate common source for our variants. The phrase "Soplin Soplon, +son of the great blower" (in "Juan and his Six Friends") is almost +an exact translation of "Soplin Soplon, hijo del buen soplador" +(Caballero, "Lucifer's Ear"). This same locution in the vernacular +is found in the Tagalog folk-tale of "Lucas the Strong." + +The ship that will sail on land is often met with in European +stories. See R. Köhler, "Orient und Occident," 2 : 296-299; also +his notes to Gonzenbach, No. 74. Compare also the Argonaut saga; +and Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 87-95 passim. + +In two of our stories the hero's runner is almost defeated by +the king's messenger, who treacherously makes use of a magic +sleep-producing ring. One of the other companions, however, discovers +the trick, and the skilful hunter awakens the sleeper with a well-aimed +shot. For this feat of Sharpshooter's, see Gonzenbach, No. 74; Grimm, +No. 71; Meier, No. 8; Ey, Harzmärchenbuch, 116. + +Of native beliefs found in our stories, two are deserving of +comment. The method by which Lucas becomes possessed of great strength +reflects a notion held by certain old Tagalogs. Some of the men around +Calamba, Laguna province, make an incision in the wrist and put in +it a small white bone taken from the end of the tail of the sawang +bitin (a species of boa). The cut is then sewed up. Those who have +a talisman of this sort believe that at night it travels all over +the body and produces extraordinary strength. (For similar Malayan +superstitions, see Skeat 2, 303-304.) The legend (in "King Palmarin") +about the origin of Mount Arayat and the swamp of Candaba is but one +of many still told by old Pampangans. Its insertion into a romance +with European setting is an instance of the Filipino romance writers' +utter disregard or ignorance of geographical propriety. + +In conclusion, attention may be called to the fact that while +these three stories have the same basic framework, each has its own +peculiar variations. The testimony of the narrator of "Juan and his +Six Companions," that his informant, an old Balayan woman, said that +the story was very popular in her section of the country, is a bit of +evidence that the tale has been known in the Philippines for decades, +probably. Whether or not her form of the story was derived from +a printed account, I am unable to say; but I suspect that it was; +the diction sounds "bookish." Nevertheless I have found no external +evidence of a Tagalog corrido treating the story we have printed. + + + +TALE 12 + +THE THREE BROTHERS. + + +Narrated by Clodualdo Garcia, an llocano, who was told the story by +his mother when he was a small boy. + + +There was once an old woman who had three sons. The father died when +Tito, the youngest brother, was only five years old; and the mother was +left alone to bring up her three boys. The family was very poor; but +the good woman worked hard, and her sons grew into sturdy young men. + +One day the mother called her sons before her, and said, "Now, my sons, +as you see my strength is failing me, I want each of you to go into +the world to seek his fortune. After nine years, come back home and +show me what you have learned to do." The three brothers consented, +and resolved to leave home the very next morning. + +Early the following day the three brothers--An-no the oldest, Berto +the second, and Tito the youngest--bade their mother good-by, and +set out on their travels. They followed a wide road until they came +to a place where it branched in three directions. Here they stopped +and consulted. It was at last agreed that An-no should take the north +branch, Berto the south branch, and Tito the east branch. Before they +separated, An-no proposed that at the end of the nine years they should +all meet at the cross-roads before presenting themselves to their +mother. Then each, wishing the others good luck, proceeded on his way. + +Well, to make a long story short, at the end of the nine years the +three brothers met again at the place designated. Each of them told +what he had learned during that time. An-no had been in the company of +glass-makers, and he had learned the art of glass-making. Berto had +been employed in a shipyard, and during the nine years had become an +expert boat-builder. The youngest brother, unfortunately, had fallen +into the company of bad men, some notorious robbers. While he was +with this band, he became the best and most skilful robber in the +gang. After each had heard of the others' fortunes, they started for +their home. Their mother felt very glad to have all her sons with +her once more. + +Shortly after this family had been re-united, the king issued a +proclamation stating that his daughter, the beautiful princess Amelia, +had been kidnapped by a brave stranger, and that whoever could give +any information about her and restore her to the palace should be +allowed to marry her. When the three brothers heard this news, they +resolved to use their knowledge and skill to find the missing princess. + +An-no had brought home with him a spy-glass in which everything hidden +from the eyes of men could be seen. With this instrument, he told his +brothers, he could locate the princess. He looked through his glass, +and saw her confined in a tower on an island. When An-no had given +this information to the king, the next question was how to rescue +her. "We'll do the rest," said the two younger brothers. + +Accordingly Berto built a ship. When it was finished, the three +brothers boarded her and sailed to the island where the princess +was confined; but there they found the tower very closely guarded by +armed soldiers, so that it seemed impossible to get into it. "Well, +that is easy," said Tito. "You stay here and wait for my return. I +will bring the princess with me." + +The famous young robber then went to work to steal the +princess. Through his skill he succeeded in rescuing her and bringing +her to the ship. Then the four sailed directly for the king's +palace. The beautiful princess was restored to her father. With great +joy the king received them, and a great feast was held in the palace +in honor of the rescue of his daughter. After the feast the king asked +the three brothers to which of them he should give his daughter's +hand. Each claimed the reward, and a quarrel arose among them. The +king, seeing that all had played important parts in the rescue of the +princess, decided not to bestow his daughter on any of them. Instead, +he gave half his wealth to be divided equally among An-no, Berto, +and Tito. + + +Three Brothers of Fortune. + +Narrated by Eugenio Estayo, a Pangasinan, who heard the story from +Toribio Serafica, a native of Rosales, Pangasinan. + +In former times there lived in a certain village a wealthy man who +had three sons,--Suan, Iloy, and Ambo. As this man was a lover of +education, he sent all his boys to another town to school. But these +three brothers did not study: they spent their time in idleness and +extravagance. When vacation came, they were ashamed to go back to +their home town, because they did not know anything; so, instead, +they wandered from town to town seeking their fortunes. + +In the course of their travels they met an old woman broken with +age. "Should you like to buy this book, my grandsons?" asked the old +woman as she stopped them. + +"What is the virtue of that book, grandmother?" asked Ambo. + +"My grandsons," replied she, "if you want to restore a dead person +to life, just open this book before him, and in an instant he will +be revived." Without questioning her further, Ambo at once bought +the book. Then the three continued their journey. + +Again they met an old woman selling a mat. Now, Iloy was desirous of +possessing a charm, so he asked the old woman what virtue the mat had. + +"Why, if you want to travel through the air," she said, "just step +on it, and in an instant you will be where you desire to go." Iloy +did not hesitate, but bought the mat at once. + +Now, Suan was the only one who had no charm. They had not gone far, +however, before he saw two stones, which once in a while would +meet and unite to form one round black stone, and then separate +again. Believing that these stones possessed some magical power, +Suan picked them up; for it occurred to him that with them he would +be able to unite things of the same or similar kind. This belief of +his came true, as we shall see. + +These three brothers, each possessing a charm, were very happy. They +went on their way light-hearted. Not long afterward they came upon +a crowd of persons weeping over the dead body of a beautiful young +lady. Ambo told the parents of the young woman that he would restore +her to life if they would pay him a reasonable sum of money. As they +gladly agreed, Ambo opened his book, and the dead lady was brought +back to life. Ambo was paid all the money he asked; but as soon as he +had received his reward, Iloy placed his mat on the ground, and told +his two brothers to hold the young woman and step on the mat. They +did so, and in an instant all four were transported to the seashore. + +From that place they took ship to another country; but when they were +in the middle of the sea, a severe storm came, and their boat was +wrecked. All on board would have been drowned had not Suan repaired +the broken planks with his two magical stones. When they landed, a +quarrel arose among the three brothers as to which one was entitled +to the young woman. + +Ambo said, "I am the one who should have her, for it was I who restored +her to life." + +"But if it had not been for me, we should not have the lady with us," +said Iloy. + +"And if it had not been for me," said Suan, "we should all be dead now, +and nobody could have her." + +As they could not come to any agreement, they took the question +before the king. He decided to divide the young woman into three +parts to be distributed among the three brothers. His judgment was +carried out. When each had received his share, Iloy and Ambo were +discontented because their portions were useless, so they threw them +away; but Suan picked up the shares of his two brothers and united +them with his own. The young woman was brought to life again, and +lived happily with Suan. So, after all, Suan was the most fortunate. + + +Pablo and the Princess. + +Narrated by Dolores Zafra, a Tagalog from La Laguna. She heard the +story from her father. + +Once upon a time there lived three friends,--Pedro, Juan, and +Pablo. One morning they met at the junction of three roads. While +they were talking, Pedro said, "Let each of us take one of these +roads and set out to find his fortune! there is nothing for us to +do in our town." The other two agreed. After they had embraced and +wished each other good luck, they went their several ways. Before +separating, however, they promised one another to meet again in the +same plate, with the arrangement that the first who came should wait +for the others. + +Pedro took the road to the right. After three months' travelling, +sometimes over mountains, sometimes through towns, he met an old +man. The old man asked him for food, for he was very hungry. Pedro +gave him some bread, for that was all he had. The old man thanked the +youth very much, and said, "In return for your kindness I will give +you this carpet. It looks like an ordinary carpet, but it has great +virtue. Whoever sits on it may be transported instantly to any place +he desires to be." Pedro received the carpet gladly and thanked the +old man. Then the old man went on his way, and Pedro wandered about +the town. At last, thinking of his two friends, he seated himself on +his carpet and was transported to the crossroads, where he sat down +to wait for Juan and Pablo. + +Juan had taken the road to the left. After he had travelled for three +months and a half, he, too, met an old man. This old man asked the +youth for something to eat, as he was very hungry, he said. So Juan, +kind-heartedly, shared with him the bread he was going to eat for his +dinner. As a return for his generosity, the old man gave him a book, +and said, "This book may seem to you of no value; but when you know of +its peculiar properties, you will be astonished. By reading in it you +will be able to know everything that is happening in the world at all +times." Juan was overjoyed with his present. After thanking the old +man and bidding him good-by, the youth returned to the meeting-place +at the cross-roads, where he met Pedro. The two waited for Pablo. + +Pablo took the road in the middle, and, after travelling four months, +he also met an old man, to whom he gave the bread he was going to eat +for his dinner. "As you have been very kind to me," said the old man, +"I will give you this ivory tube as a present. Perhaps you will say +that it is worthless, if you look only at the outside; but when you +know its value, you will say that the one who possesses it is master +of a great treasure. It cures all sick persons of every disease, +and, even if the patient is dying, it will restore him instantly to +perfect health if you will but blow through one end of the tube into +the sick person's nose." Pablo thanked the old man heartily for his +gift, and then set out for the meeting-place. He joined his friends +without mishap. + +The three friends congratulated one another at having met again +in safety and good health. Then they told one another about their +fortunes. While Pedro was looking in Juan's book, he read that a +certain princess in a distant kingdom was very sick, and that the king +her father had given orders that any person in the world who could cure +his daughter should be her husband and his heir. When Pedro told his +companions the news, they at once decided to go to that kingdom. They +seated themselves on the carpet, and were transported in a flash to +the king's palace. After they had been led into the room of the sick +princess, Pablo took his tube and blew through one end of it into her +nose. She immediately opened her eyes, sat up, and began to talk. Then, +as she wanted to dress, the three friends retired. + +While the princess was dressing, Pablo, Juan, and Pedro went before +the king, and told him how they had learned that the princess was sick, +how they had been transported there, and who had cured her. The king, +having heard all each had to say in his own favor, at last spoke thus +wisely to them:-- + +"It is true, Pablo, that you are the one who cured my daughter; but +let me ask you whether you could have contrived to cure her if you +had not known from Juan's book that she was sick, and if Pedro's +carpet had not brought you here without delay.--Your book, Juan, +revealed to you that my daughter was sick; but the knowledge of her +illness would have been of no service had it not been for Pedro's +carpet and Pablo's tube. And it is just the same way with your carpet, +Pedro.--So I cannot grant the princess to any one of you, since each +has had an equal share in her cure. As this is the case, I will choose +another means of deciding. Go and procure, each one of you, a bow and +an arrow. I will hang up the inflorescence of a banana-plant. This will +represent the heart of my daughter. The one who shoots it in the middle +shall be the husband of my daughter, and the heir of my kingdom." + +The first to shoot was Pedro, whose arrow passed directly through the +middle of the banana-flower. He was very glad. Juan shot second. His +arrow passed through the same hole Pedro's arrow had made. Now came +Pablo's turn; but when Pablo's turn came, he refused to shoot, saying +that if the banana-flower represented the heart of the princess, +he could not shoot it, for he loved her too dearly. + +When the king heard this answer, he said, "Since Pablo really loves +my daughter, while Pedro and Juan do not, for they shot at the flower +that represents her heart, Pablo shall marry the princess." + +And so Pablo married the king's daughter, and in time became king of +that country. + + +Legend of Prince Oswaldo. + +Narrated by Leopoldo Uichanco, a Tagalog from Calamba, La Laguna. + +Once upon a time, on a moonlight night, three young men were walking +monotonously along a solitary country road. Just where they were +going nobody could tell: but when they came to a place where the road +branched into three, they stopped there like nails attracted by a +powerful magnet. At this crossroads a helpless old man lay groaning +as if in mortal pain. At the sight of the travellers he tried to +raise his head, but in vain. The three companions then ran to him, +helped him up, and fed him a part of the rice they had with them. + +The sick old man gradually regained strength, and at last could speak +to them. He thanked them, gave each of the companions a hundred pesos, +and said, "Each one of you shall take one of these branch-roads. At +the end of it is a house where they are selling something. With +these hundred pesos that I am giving each of you, you shall buy the +first thing that you see there." The three youths accepted the money, +and promised to obey the old man's directions. + +Pedro, who took the left branch, soon came to the house described +by the old man. The owner of the house was selling a rain-coat. "How +much does the coat cost?" Pedro asked the landlord. + +"One hundred pesos, no more, no less." + +"Of what value is it?" said Pedro. + +"It will take you wherever you wish to go." So Pedro paid the price, +took the rain-coat, and returned. + +Diego, who took the middle road, arrived at another house. The owner +of this house was selling a book. "How much does your book cost?" Diego +inquired of the owner. + +"One hundred pesos, no more, no less." + +"Of what value is it?" + +"It will tell you what is going on in all parts of the world." So +Diego paid the price, took the book, and returned. + +Juan, who took the third road, reached still another house. The owner +of the house was selling a bottle that contained some violet-colored +liquid. "How much does the bottle cost?" said Juan. + +"One hundred pesos, no more, no less." + +"Of what value is it?" + +"It brings the dead back to life," was the answer. Juan paid the price, +took the bottle, and returned. + +The three travellers met again in the same place where they had +separated; but the old man was now nowhere to be found. The first to +tell of his adventure was Diego. "Oh, see what I have!" he shouted +as he came in sight of his companions. "It tells everything that is +going on in the world. Let me show you!" He opened the book and read +what appeared on the page: "'The beautiful princess of Berengena is +dead. Her parents, relatives, and friends grieve at her loss.'" + +"Good!" answered Juan. "Then there is an occasion for us to test +this bottle. It restores the dead back to life. Oh, but the kingdom +of Berengena is far away! The princess will be long buried before we +get there." + +"Then we shall have occasion to use my rain-coat," said Pedro. "It +will take us wherever we wish to go. Let us try it! We shall receive +a big reward from the king. We shall return home with a casco full +of money. To Berengena at once!" He wrapped the rain-coat about all +three of them, and wished them in Berengena. Within a few minutes +they reached that country. The princess was already in the church, +where her parents were weeping over her. Everybody in the church wore +deep mourning. + +When the three strangers boldly entered the church, the guard at the +door arrested them, for they had on red clothes. When Juan protested, +and said that the princess was not dead, the guard immediately took +him to the king; but the king, when he heard what Juan had said, +called him a fool. + +"She is only sleeping," said Juan. "Let me wake her up!" + +"She is dead," answered the king angrily. "On your life, don't you +dare touch her!" + +"I will hold my head responsible for the truth of my statement," said +Juan. "Let me wake her up, or rather, not to offend your Majesty, +restore her to life!" + +"Well, I will let you do as you please," said the king; "but if +your attempt fails, you will lose your head. On the other hand, +should you be successful, I will give you the princess for a wife, +and you shall be my heir." + +Blinded by his love for the beautiful princess, Juan said that he would +restore her to life. "May you be successful!" said the king; and then, +raising his voice, he continued, "Everybody here present is to bear +witness that I, the King of Berengena, do hereby confirm an agreement +with this unknown stranger. I will allow this man to try the knowledge +he pretends to possess of restoring the princess to life. But there +is this condition to be understood: if he is successful, I will marry +him to the princess, and he is to be my heir; but should he fail, +his head is forfeit." + +The announcement having been made, Juan was conducted to the coffin. He +now first realized what he was undertaking. What if the bottle was +false! What if he should fail! Would not his head be dangling from the +ropes of the scaffold, to be hailed by the multitude as the remains +of a blockhead, a dunce, and a fool? The coffin was opened. With +these meditations in his mind, Juan tremblingly uncorked his bottle +of violet liquid, and held it under the nose of the princess. He held +the bottle there for some time, but she gave no signs of life. An hour +longer, still no trace of life. After hours of waiting, the people +began to grow impatient. The king scratched his head, the guards +were ready to seize him; the scaffold was waiting for him. "Nameless +stranger!" thundered the king, with indignant eyes, "upon your honor, +tell us the truth! Can you do it, or not? Speak. I command it!" + +Juan trembled all the more. He did not know what to say, but he +continued to hold the bottle under the nose of the princess. Had +he not been afraid of the consequences, he would have given up and +entreated the king for mercy. He fixed his eyes on the corpse, but +did not speak. "Are you trying to joke us?" said the king, his eyes +flashing with rage. "Speak! I command!" + +Just as Juan was about to reply, he saw the right hand of the princess +move. He bade the king wait. Soon the princess moved her other hand and +opened her eyes. Her cheeks were fresh and rosy as ever. She stared +about, and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, where am I? Where am I? Am I +dreaming? No, there is my father, there is my mother, there is my +brother." The king was fully satisfied. He embraced his daughter, +and then turned to Juan, saying, "Stranger, can't you favor us now +with your name?" + +With all the rustic courtesy he knew, Juan replied to the king, +told his name, and said that he was a poor laborer in a barrio far +away. The king only smiled, and ordered Juan's clothes to be exchanged +for prince's garments, so that the celebration of his marriage with +the princess might take place at once. "Long live Juan! Long live +the princess!" the people shouted. + +When Diego and Juan heard the shout, they could not help feeling +cheated. They made their way through the crowd, and said to the king, +"Great Majesty, pray hear us! In the name of justice, pray hear us!" + +"Who calls?" asked the king of a guard near by. "Bring him here!" The +guard obeyed, and led the two men before the king. + +"What is the matter?" asked the king of the two. + +"Your Majesty shall know," responded Diego. "If it had not been for +my book, we could not have known that the princess was dead. Our home +is far away, and it was only because of my magic book that we knew +of the events that were going on here." + +"And his Majesty shall be informed," seconded Pedro, "that Juan's +good luck is due to my rain-coat. Neither Diego's book nor Juan's +bottle could have done anything had not my raincoat carried us here +so quickly. I am the one who should marry the princess." + +The king was overwhelmed: he did not know what to do. Each of the three +had a good reason, but all three could not marry the princess. Even +the counsellors of the king could not decide upon the matter. + +While they were puzzling over it, an old man sprang forth from +the crowd of spectators, and declared that he would settle the +difficulty. "Young men," he said, addressing Juan, Pedro, and Diego, +"none of you shall marry the princess.--You, Juan, shall not marry +her, because you intended to obtain your fortunes regardless of +your companions who have been helping you to get them.--And you, +Pedro and Diego, shall not have the princess, because you did not +accept your misfortune quietly and thank God for it.--None of you +shall have her. I will marry her myself." + +The princess wept. How could the fairest maiden of Berengena marry +an old man! "What right have you to claim her?" said the king in scorn. + +"I am the one who showed these three companions where to get their +bottle, rain-coat, and book," said the old man. "I am the one who +gave each of them a hundred pesos. I am the capitalist: the interest +is mine." The old man was right; the crowd clapped their hands; and +the princess could do nothing but yield. Bitterly weeping, she gave +her hand to the old man, who seemed to be her grandfather, and they +were married by the priest. The king almost fainted. + +But just now the sun began to rise, its soft beams filtering through +the eastern windows of the church. The newly-married couple were +led from the altar to be taken home to the palace; but, just as +they were descending the steps that lead down from the altar, the +whole church was flooded with light. All present were stupefied. The +glorious illumination did not last long. When the people recovered, +they found that their princess was walking with her husband, not an +old man, however, but a gallant young prince. The king recognized +him. He kissed him, for they were old-time acquaintances. The king's +new son-in-law was none other than Prince Oswaldo, who had just been +set free from the bonds of enchantment by his marriage. He had been +a former suitor of the princess, but had been enchanted by a magician. + +With magnificent ceremony the king's son-in-law was conducted to +the royal residence. He was seated on the throne, the crown and +sceptre were transferred to him, and he was hailed as King Oswaldo +of Berengena. + + +Notes. + +I have still a fifth Filipino story (e) of three brothers setting out +to seek their fortunes, their rich father promising his estate to the +son who should show most skill in the profession he had chosen. This +Bicol version, which was narrated by Simeon Paz of Nueva Caceres, +Camarines, contains a long introduction telling how the youngest +brother was cruelly treated by the two older. After the three have +left home in search of professions, the older brothers try to kill +the youngest, but he escapes. In his wanderings he meets with an old +hermit, who, on hearing the boy's story, presents him with a magic +booklet and dagger. These articles can furnish their possessor with +whatever he wishes. At the appointed time the three brothers meet again +at home, and each demonstrates his skill. The oldest, who has become +an expert blacksmith, shoes a horse running at full speed. The second +brother, a barber, trims the hair of a running man. The youngest causes +a beautiful palace to appear instantly. The father, somewhat unfairly, +perhaps, bestows his estate on the youngest, who has really displayed +no skill at all. + +These five Filipino stories belong to a large group of tales to which +we may give the name of the "Rival Brothers." This cycle assumes +various forms; but the two things that identify the relationship +of the members are the rivalry of the brothers and the conundrum or +"problem" ending of the stories. Within this cycle we can distinguish +at least three simple, distinct types, and a compound fourth made up +of parts of two of the others. These four types may be very generally +outlined as follows: (I) A number of artisans (usually not brothers), +by working cumulatively, as it were, make and bring to life a beautiful +woman; they then quarrel as to which one has really produced her and +is therefore entitled to have her. (II) Through the combined skill of +three suitors (sometimes brothers, oftener not), a maiden is saved +from death, and the three quarrel over the possession of her. The +difficulty is solved satisfactorily by her father or by some one +else appointed to judge. (III) A father promises his wealth to the +son that shall become most skilful in his profession; the three sons +seek their fortunes, and at an appointed time return, and are tested +by their father. He judges which is most worthy of the estate. (IV) +A combination of the first part of the third type with the second. + +Benfey (in Ausland, 1858 : 969, 995, 1017, 1038, 1067) has made +a somewhat exhaustive study of the Märchen, which he calls "Das +Märchen von den Menschen mit den wunderbaren Eigenschaften." As a +matter of fact, he examines particularly the stories of our type +II (see above), to which he connects the folk-tales of our types +III and IV as a later popular development. As has been said in the +notes to No. 11 Benfey thinks that the "Skilful Companions" cycle +is a droll or comic offshoot of this much older group. Our type I he +does not discuss at all, possibly thinking that it is not a part of +the "Rival Brothers" cycle. It strikes me, however, as being a part +fully as much as is the "Skilful Companions" cycle, which is perhaps +more nearly related to the "Bride Wager" group than to the "Rival +Brothers." Professor G. L. Kittredge, in his "Arthur and Gorlagon" +(Harvard Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, No. 8), +226, has likewise failed to differentiate clearly the two cycles, +and his outline of the "Skilful Companions" is that of our type +II of the "Rival Brothers." I am far from wishing to quarrel over +nomenclature,--possibly "Rival Brothers" is no better name for the +group of tales under discussion than is "Skilful Companions,"--but, +as G. H. Gerould has remarked ("The Grateful Dead," Folk-Lore Society, +1907 : 126, note 3), Kittredge's analysis would not hold for all +variants, even when uncompounded. However, Mr. Gerould does not +attempt to explain the cause of the confusion, nor was he called upon +to do so in his study of an entirely distinct cycle. Consequently, +as no one else has yet done so, for the sake of clearness, I propose +a division of the large family of sagas and folk-tales dealing with +men endowed with extraordinary powers [46] into at least two cycles, +--the "Rival Brothers" and the "Skilful Companions" (see No. 11). The +former of these, which is the group discussed here, I subdivide, +as has already been indicated, into four types. Of intermixtures of +these types with other cycles we shall not concern ourselves here, +though they have been many. [47] We now turn to an examination of +the four types. [48] + +(I) Type I had its origin in India, doubtless. The oldest form seems to +be that found in the Sanscrit "Vetâlapancavinçati," No. 22, whence it +was incorporated into Somadeva's story collection (twelfth century) +called the "Kathásaritságara." An outline of this last version +(Tawney's translation, 2 : 348-350) is as follows. + + + +Story of the Four Brahman Brothers who Resuscitated the Lion. + +Four Bráhman brothers, sons of a very poor man, leave home to +beg. After their state has become even more miserable, they decide +to separate and to search through the earth for some magic power. So, +fixing upon a trysting-place, they leave one another, one going east, +one west, one north, one south. In the course of time they meet again, +and each tells of his accomplishments: the first can immediately +produce on a bit of bone the flesh of that animal; the second can +produce on that flesh skin and hair appropriate to that animal; the +third can create the limbs of the animal after the flesh, skin, and +hair have been formed; the fourth can endow the completed carcass with +life. The four now go into the forest to find a piece of bone with +which to test their skill; they find one, but are ignorant that it +is the bone of a lion. The first Brahman covers the bone with flesh; +the second gives it skin and hair; the third completes the animal +by supplying appropriate limbs; the fourth endows it with life. The +terrible beast, springing up, charges the four brothers and slays +them on the spot. + +The question which the vetála now asks the king is, "Which of these +four was guilty in respect of the lion who slew them all?" King +Vikramasena answers, "The one that gave life to the lion is guilty. The +others produced flesh, skin, hair, and limbs without knowing what kind +of animal they were making. Therefore, being ignorant, they were not +guilty. But the fourth, seeing the complete lion's shape before him, +was guilty of their death, because he gave the creature life." + + +The "Pancatantra" version (v, 4) varies slightly. Here, as in the +preceding, there are four brothers, but only three of them possess +all knowledge; the fourth possesses common sense. The first brother +joins together the bones of a lion; the second covers them with +skin, flesh, and blood; the third is about to give the animal life, +when the fourth brother--he who possessed common sense--says, "If +you raise him to life, he will kill us all." Finding that the third +brother will not desist from his intention, the fourth climbs a tree +and saves himself, while his three brothers are torn to pieces. For +a modern Indian popular form, see Thornhill, 289. + +In the Persian "Tûtî-nâmah" (No. 5) the story assumes a decidedly +different form, as may be seen from the following abstract. (I think +that there can be no doubt, however, that this tale was inspired +by some redaction of "Vetâlapancavinçati," No. 22, not unlikely in +combination with "Vetâlapancavinçati," No. 2.) + + +The Goldsmith, the Carpenter, the Tailor, and the Hermit who Quarrelled +about a Wooden Woman. + +A goldsmith, a carpenter, a tailor, and a hermit, travelling together, +come to a desert place where they must spend the night. They decide +that each shall take a watch during the night as guard. The carpenter's +turn is first: to prevent sleep he carves out a wooden figure. When +his turn comes, the goldsmith shows his skill by preparing jewels and +adorning the puppet. The tailor's turn is next: he sees the beautiful +wooden woman decked with exquisite jewels, but naked; consequently +he makes neat clothes becoming a bride, and dresses her. When the +hermit's turn to watch comes, he prays to God that the figure may +have life; and it begins to speak like a human being. + +In the morning all four fall desperately in love with the woman, +and each claims her as his. Finally they come to a fifth person, +and refer the matter to him. He claims her to be his wife, who has +been seduced from his house, and hails the four travellers before the +cutwal. But the cutwal falls in love with the woman, says that she +is his brother's wife, accuses the five of his brother's murder, and +carries them before the cazi. The cazi, no less enamoured, says that +the woman is his bondmaid, who had absconded with much money. After +the seven have disputed and wrangled a long time, an old man in the +crowd that has meantime gathered suggests that the case be laid before +the Tree of Decision, which can be found in a certain town. When they +have all come before the tree with the woman, the tree divides, the +woman runs into the cleft, the tree unites, and she has disappeared +forever. A voice from the tree then says, "Everything returns to its +first principles." The seven suitors are overwhelmed with shame. + + +A Mongolian form, to be found in the Ardschi-Bordschi saga (see +Busk, 298-304), seems to furnish the link of connection between the +"Tûtî-nâmah" version and "Vetâlapancavinçati," Nos. 22 and 2:-- + + +Who Invented Woman? + +Four shepherd youths pasture their flocks near one another, and when +they have time amuse themselves together. One day one of them there +alone, to pass away the time, takes wood and sculptures it until he +has fashioned a beautiful female form. When he sees what he has done, +he cares no more for his companions, but goes his way. The next day +the second youth comes alone to the place, and, finding the image, he +paints it fair with the five colors, and goes his way. On the third +day the third youth finds the statue, and infuses into it wit and +understanding. He, too, cares no more to sport with his companions, +and goes his way. On the fourth day the fourth youth finds the figure, +and, breathing softly into its lips, behold! he gives it a soul that +can be loved,--a beautiful woman. + +When the other three see what has happened, they come back and demand +possession of her by right of invention. Each urges his claim; but +they can come to no decision, and so they lay the matter before the +king. The question is, Who has invented the woman, and to whom does +she belong by right? The answer of the king is as follows: "The first +youth stands in the place of a father to her; the second youth, who +has tinted her fairly, stands in the place of a mother; the third, +is he not Lama (Buddhist priest, hence instructor)? The fourth has +given her a soul that can be loved, and it is he alone who has really +made her. She belongs to him, and therefore he is her husband." + + +I cannot refrain from giving a résumé of "Vetâlapancavinçati," +No. 2, because it has been overlooked by Benfey, and seems to be of +no little significance in connection with our cycle: it establishes +the connection between types I and II. This abstract is taken from +Tawney's translation of Somadeva's redaction, 2 : 242-244:-- + + +Story of the Three Young Brahmans who Restored a Dead Lady to Life. + +Bráhman Agnisvámin has a beautiful daughter, Mandáravatí. Three young +Bráhmans, equally matched in accomplishments, come to Agnisvámin, and +demand the daughter, each for himself. Her father refuses, fearing to +cause the death of any one of them. Mandáravatí remains unmarried. The +three suitors stay at her house day and night, living on the sight of +her. Then Mandáravatí suddenly dies of a fever. The three Bráhmans +take her body to the cemetery and burn it. One builds a hut there, +and makes her ashes his bed; the second takes her bones, and goes +with them to the sacred river Ganges; the third becomes an ascetic, +and sets out travelling. + +While roaming about, the third suitor reaches a village, where he is +entertained by a Bráhman. From him the ascetic steals a magic book +that will restore life to dead ashes. (He has seen its power proved +after his hostess, in a fit of anger, throws her crying child into +the fire.) With his magic book he returns to the cemetery before the +second suitor has thrown the maiden's bones into the river. After +having the first Bráhman remove the hut he had erected, the ascetic, +reading the charm and throwing some dust on the ashes of Mandáravatí, +causes the maiden to rise up alive, more beautiful than ever. Then +the three quarrel about her, each claiming her as his own. The first +says, "She is mine, for I preserved her ashes and resuscitated her +by asceticism." The second says, "She belongs to me, for she was +produced by the efficacy of sacred bathing-places." The third says, +"She is my wife, for she was won by the power of my charm." + +The vetâla, who has been telling the story, now puts the question to +King Vikramasena. The king rules as follows: "The third Bráhman must +be considered as her father; the second, as her son; and the first, +as her husband, for he lay in the cemetery embracing her ashes, +which was an act of deep affection." + + +A modern link is the Georgian folk-tale of "The King and the Apple" +(Wardrop, No. XVI), in which the king's magic apple tells three +riddle-stories to the wonderful boy:-- + +(1) A woman is travelling with her husband and brother. The party +meets brigands, and the two men are decapitated. Their heads are +restored to them by the woman through the help of a magic herb +revealed to her by a mouse. However, she gets her husband's head on +her brother's body. Q.--Which man is the right husband? A.--The one +with the husband's head. + +(2) A joiner, a tailor, and a priest are travelling. When night comes, +they appoint three watches. The joiner, for amusement, cuts down a +tree and carves out a man. The tailor, in his turn, takes off his +clothes and dresses the figure. The priest, when his turn comes, +prays for a soul for the image, and the figure becomes alive. Q.-Who +made the man? A.--He who gave him the soul. + +(3) A diviner, a physician, and a swift runner are met together. The +diviner says, "There is a certain prince ill with such and such +a disease." The physician says, "I know a cure." The swift runner +says, "I will run with it." The physician prepares the medicine, +the runner runs with it, and the prince is cured. Q.--Who cured the +king's son? A.--He who made the medicine. + +These three stories, with their framework, appear to be descended in +part from the Ardschi-Bordschi saga. A connection between the third +and our type II is obvious. + +A Bohemian form of this type is No. 4 of Wratislaw's collection. + +(II) Type II, according to Benfey, also originated in India. The +oldest known form of the story is the "Vetâlapancavinçati," No. 5. A +brief summary of Somadeva's version, "The Story of Somaprabhá and +her Three Suitors" (Tawney, 2 : 258-260), may be given here:-- + +In Ujjayiní there lived a Bráhman who had an excellent son and a +beautiful proud daughter. When the time for her to be married came, +she told her mother to give the following message to her father and +her brother: "I am to be given in marriage only to a person possessed +of heroism, knowledge, or magic power." + +A noble Brahman (No. 1) in time came to the father and asked for +his daughter's hand. When told of the conditions, he said, "I am +possessed of magic power," and to demonstrate, he made a chariot and +took the father for a ride in the clouds. Then Harisvámin, the father, +promised his daughter to the Bráhman possessed of magic power, and +set the marriage day seven days hence. + +Another Bráhman (No. 2) came and asked the son for his sister's +hand. When told the conditions, he said that he was a hero, and he +displayed his skill in the use of weapons. The brother, ignorant of +what his father had done, promised his sister's hand to this man, +and by the advice of an astrologer he selected the same day for the +wedding as his father had selected. + +A third Bráhman (No. 3) on that same day asked the mother for her +daughter's hand, saying that he was possessed of wisdom. Ignorant of +what her husband and her son had done, she questioned this Bráhman +about the past and the future, and at length promised him her +daughter's hand on the same seventh day. + +On the same day, then, three bridegrooms appeared, and, strange to say, +on that very day the bride disappeared. No. 3, with his knowledge, +discovered that she had been carried off by a Rákshasa. No. 1 made a +chariot equipped with weapons, and the three suitors and Harisvámin +were carried to the Rákshasa's abode. There No. 2 fought and killed the +demon, and all returned with the maiden. A dispute then arose among +the Bráhmans as to which was entitled to the maiden's hand. Each set +forth his claim. + +The vetâla, who has been telling the story, now makes King Vikramasena +decide which deserves the girl. The king says that the girl ought to +be given to No. 2, who risked his life in battle to save her. Nos. 1 +and 3 were only instruments; calculators and artificers are always +subordinate to others. + + +The story next passed over into Mongolia, growing by the way. The +version in the "Siddhi-Kür," No. 13, is interesting, because it +shows our story already linked up with another cycle, the "True +Brothers." Only the last part, which begins approximately where +the companions miss the rich youth, corresponds to the Sanscrit +above. (This Mongolian version may be found in English in Busk, +105-114.) The story then moved westward, and we next meet it +in the Persian and the Turkish "Tûtî-nâmah," "The Story of the +Beautiful Zehra." (For an English rendering from the Persian, see +"The Tootinameh; or, Tales of a Parrot," Persian text with English +translation [Calcutta, 1792], pp. 111-114.) + +W. A. Clouston (Clouston 3, 2 : 277-288) has discussed this group of +stories, and gives abstracts of a number of variants that Benfey does +not mention: Dozon, "Albanian Tales," No. 4; a Persian manuscript text +of the "Sindibád Náma;" a Japanese legend known as early as the tenth +century; the "1001 Nights" story of "Prince Ahmed and the Peri Bánú;" +Powell and Magnussen's "Icelandic Legends," pp. 348-354, "The Story +of the Three Princes;" Von Hahn, "Contes Populaires Grecs" (Athens +and Copenhagen, 1879), No. II, p. 98. Of these he says (p. 285), +"We have probably the original of all these different versions in the +fifth of the 'Vetálapanchavinsati,'"--but hardly from No. 5 alone, +probably in combination with Nos. 2 and 22 (cf. above). At least, +the Arabian, Icelandic, and Greek forms cited by Clouston include +the search for trades or magic objects by rival brothers, a detail +not found in No. 5, but occurring in Nos. 22 and 2. Clouston calls +attention to the fact that in No. 5 and in the "Tûtî-nâmah" version the +damsel is not represented as being ill, while in the "Sindibád-Námá" +and in the Arabian version she is so represented. + +(III) The third type seems to be of European origin. It is perhaps +best represented by Grimm, No. 124, "The Three Brothers." In his +notes, Grimm calls this story an old lying and jesting tale, and says +that it is apparently very widespread. He cites few analogues of it, +however. He does mention an old one (sixteenth century) which seems +to be the parent of the German story. It is Philippe d'Alcripe's +"Trois frères, excellens ouvriers de leurs mestiers" (No. 1 in the +1853 Paris edition, Biblioth. Elzevirien). As in Grimm, the three +skilled brothers in the French tale are a barber, a horse-shoer, and +a swordsman; and the performances of skill are identical in the two +stories. The French version, however, ends with the display of skill: +no decision is made as to which is entitled to receive the "petite +maison," the property that the father wishes to leave to the son who +proves himself to be the best craftsman. Our fifth story, the Bicol +variant, clearly belongs to this type, although it has undergone some +modifications, and has been influenced by contact with other cycles. + +(IV) The fourth type represents the form to which our four printed +stories most closely approximate. As remarked above, it is a +combination of the third and the second types. This combination +appears to have been developed in Europe, although, as may be seen +from the analysis of "Vetâlapancavincati," No. 2, it might easily have +been suggested by the Sanscrit. Compare also the "Siddhi-Kür" form +of type II, where, although not brothers, and six in number instead +of three, the six comrades set out to seek their fortunes. But here +there is no suggestion of the six acquiring skill: they have that +before they separate. + +The earliest known European version of this type is Morlini's, Nov. 30 +(about 1520). His Latin was translated by Straparola (about 1553) +in the "Tredici piacevoli Notti," VII, 5. In outline his version runs +about as follows:-- + +Three brothers, sons of a poor man, voluntarily leave home to seek +their fortunes, promising to return in ten years. After determining on +a meeting-place, they separate. The first takes service with soldiers, +and becomes expert in the art of war: he can scale walls, dagger in +hand. The second becomes a master shipwright. The third spends his +time in the woods, and becomes skilled in the tongues of birds. After +ten years they meet again, as appointed. While they are sitting in +an inn, the youngest hears a bird say that there is a great treasure +hidden by the corner-stone of the inn. This they dig up, and return +as wealthy men to their father's house. + +Another bird announces the imprisonment of the beautiful Aglea in a +tower on an island in the Ægean Sea. She is guarded by a serpent. The +second brother builds a swift ship, in which all three sail to the +island. There the first brother climbs the tower, rescues Aglea, and +plunders all the serpent's treasure. With the wealth and the lady +the three return. A dispute now arises as to which brother has the +best claim over her. The matter is left undecided by the story-teller. + +At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Basile, working very +likely on oral tradition, and independent of Straparola (with whose +work he does not appear to have been acquainted), gives another +version, "Pentamerone," v, 7:-- + +Pacione, a poor father, sends his five good-for-nothing sons out into +the world for one year to learn a craft. They return at the appointed +time. During the year the eldest son has learned thieving; the second +has learned boat-building; the third, how to shoot with the cross-bow; +the fourth has learned of an herb that will cause the dead to rise; +the fifth has learned the language of birds. While the five sons are +eating with their father, the youngest son hears sparrows saying that a +ghoul has stolen the princess, daughter of the King of Autogolfo. The +father suggests that his five sons go to her rescue. So a boat is +built, the princess is stolen from the ghoul, the ghoul pursues and +is blinded by a shot from the bow, the princess falls in a dead faint +and is restored by the life-giving herb. After the five brothers have +returned the princess to her father, they dispute as to who did the +greatest deed of prowess, so as to be worthy of being her husband. Her +father the king decides the dispute by giving his daughter to Pacione, +because he is the parent-stem of all these branches. + +Benfey thinks that the brother who knows of the life-restoring herb +is an original addition of Basile's or of his immediate source; but +this character is to be found in the cycle from earliest times (see +"Vetâlapancavinçati," No. 2; and "Siddhi-Kür," No. 13). + +The story is next found as a Märchen pretty well scattered throughout +Europe. German, Russian, Bohemian, Italian, Greek, and Serbian forms +are known (see Benfey's article, and Grimm's notes to No. 129). We +may examine briefly six interesting versions not mentioned by Benfey +or Grimm:-- + +Greek (Von Hahn, No. 47).--A king with three sons wishes to marry +off the eldest. He seeks a suitable wife for the prince; but when +she is found and brought to the court, she is so beautiful, that all +three brothers want her. To decide their dispute, the king, on advice, +sends them abroad, promising the hand of the princess to the one who +shall bring back the most valuable article. The three brothers set +out; they separate at Adrianople, agreeing to meet there again at an +appointed time. On his travels, the eldest buys a telescope through +which he can see anything he wishes to see. The second buys an orange +that will restore to life the dying if the sick person but smells +of the fruit. The third buys a magic transportation-carpet. They all +meet as agreed. By means of the telescope one of the brothers learns +that the princess is dying. The magic carpet carries them all home +instantaneously, and the orange cures the maiden. A quarrel arises +as to which brother deserves her hand. The king, unable to decide, +marries her himself. + +Bohemian (Waldau [Prag, 1860], "Das Weise Urteil").--In this there are +three rival brothers. One has a magic mirror; another, a magic chariot; +and the third, three magic apples. The first finds out that the lady +is desperately ill; the second takes himself and his rivals to her; +and the third restores her to health. A dispute arising, an old man +decides that the third brother should have her, as his apples were +consumed as medicine, while the other two still have their chariot and +mirror respectively. (Compare the decision in the Georgian folk-tale +under type II.) + +Serbian (Mme. Mijatovies, 230 ff., "The Three Suitors").--Three +noblemen seek the hand of a princess. As the king cannot make a +choice, he says to the three, "Go travel about the world. The one who +brings home the most remarkable thing shall be my son-in-law." As in +the Greek story, one gets a transportation-carpet; another, a magic +telescope; and the third, a wonder-working ointment that will cure all +diseases and even bring the dead to life. The three noblemen meet, +learn through the telescope of the princess's mortal illness, and, +hastening to her side with the help of the magic carpet, cure her +with the ointment. A dispute arises as to which suitor shall have +her. The king decides that each has as good a claim as the others, +and persuades all to give up the idea of marrying the princess. They +do so, go to a far-off desert, and become hermits, while the king +marries his daughter to another noble. The story does not end here, +but thus much is all we are interested in. + +Italian Tyrolese (Schneller, No. 14, "Die Drei Liebhaber").--This story +is like Von Hahn, No. 47. The magic objects are an apple, a chair, +and a mirror. In the magic mirror the three suitors see the bride +on the point of death. They are carried to her in the magic chair, +and she is saved by means of the apple. The story ends as a riddle: +Who married the maiden? + +Icelandic (Rittershaus, No. XLIII, "Die drei Freier um eine +Braut").--This story, which closely follows the "1001 Nights" version +and is probably derived from it, agrees in the first part with Von +Hahn, No. 47. When a folk-tribunal is called to decide which brother +most deserves the princess and is unable to agree, the king proposes +another test,--a shooting-match. The princess is to be given to the one +who can shoot his arrow the farthest. The youngest really wins; but, as +his arrow goes out of sight and cannot be found, the princess is given +to the second brother. From this point on, the adventures of the hero +are derived from another cycle that does not belong with our group. + +Icelandic (Rittershaus, No. XLII, "Die Kunstreichen Brüder").--Although +this story is very different from any of ours, I call attention to +it here because Dr. Rittershaus says (p. 181) that in it we have, +"in allerdings verwischter Form, das Märchen von 'der Menschen +mit den wunderbaren Eigenschaften,'" and she refers to Benfey's +"Ausland" article. The collector states, however, that the story is +so different from the other Märchen belonging to this family, that no +further parallels can be adduced. As a matter of fact, this Icelandic +story is a combination of the "Skilful Companions" cycle with the +"Child and the Hand" cycle. For this combined Märchen, see Kittredge, +"Arthur and Gorlagon," 222-227. + + + + + +It might be noted, in passing, that a connection between this type of +the "Rival Brothers" and the "Skilful Companions" cycle is established +through Gonzenbach's Sicilian story of "The Seven Brothers who had +Magic Articles," No. 45. (See Köhler's notes to this tale and also +to No. 74; to Widter-Wolf, No. 6 [Jahrb. f. rom. und eng. lit., VII]; +and to V. Tagic, No. 46 [Köhler-Bolte, 438-440].) + + + + + +I have not attempted to give an exhaustive bibliographical account +of this cycle of the "Rival Brothers," but have merely suggested +points that seem to me particularly significant in its history and +development. So far as our four Filipino examples are concerned, I +think that it is perfectly clear that in their present form, at least, +they have been derived from Europe. There is so much divergence among +them, however, and they are so widely separated from one another +geographically, that it would be fruitless to search for a common +ancestor of the four. + +The Ilocano story is the best in outline, and is fairly close to Grimm, +No. 129, though there are only three brothers in the Filipino tale, and +there is no skill contest held by the mother before the youths set out +to rescue the princess. The all-seeing telescope and the clever thief, +however, are found in both. The solution at the end is the same: the +king keeps his daughter, and divides half a kingdom among her rescuers. + +The Pangasinan tale has obviously been garbled. The use of two magic +articles with properties so nearly the same, the taking ship by the +three brothers when they had a transportation-mat at their service, +and finally the inhuman decision of the king, [49]--all suggest either +a confusion of stories, or a contamination of old native analogies, +or crude manufacture on the part of some narrator. It may be remarked, +however, that the life-restoring book is analogous to the magic book +in "Vetâlapancavinçati," No. 2, while the repairing of the shattered +ship by means of the magic stones suggests the stitching-together of +the planks in Grimm, No. 129. The setting appears to be modern. + +In the first Tagalog story (c) the three men are not brothers. They +are given the magic objects as a reward for kindness. The sentimental +dénouement reads somewhat smug and strained after all three men have +been represented as equally kind-hearted. The shooting-contest with +arrows to decide the question, however, may be reminiscent of the +"1001 Nights" version. For the resuscitating flute in droll stories, +see Bolte-Polívka's notes to Grimm, No. 61 (episode G1). The book of +knowledge suggests the magic book in the Pangasinan version. + + + +TALE 13 + +THE RICH AND THE POOR. + + +Narrated by José L. Gomez, a Tagalog from Rizal province. + + +Once upon a time there lived in the town of Pasig two honest men who +were intimate friends. They were called Mayaman [50] and Mahirap, +[51] because one was much richer than the other. + +One pleasant afternoon these two men made up their minds to take a +long walk into the neighboring woods. Here, while they were talking +happily about their respective fortunes, they saw in the distance +a poor wood-cutter, who was very busy cutting and collecting fagots +for sale. This wood-cutter lived in a mean cottage on the outskirts +of a little town on the opposite shore of the lake, and he maintained +his family by selling pieces of wood gathered from this forest. + +When they saw the poor man, Mayaman said to his friend, "Now, which +one of us can make that wood-cutter rich?" + +"Well, even though I am much poorer than you," said Mahirap, "I can +make him rich with just the few cents I have in my pocket." + +They agreed, however, that Mayaman should be the first to try to make +the poor man rich. So Mayaman called out to the wood-cutter, and said, +"Do you want to be rich, my good man?" + +"Certainly, master, I should like to be rich, so that my family might +not want anything," said the wood-cutter. + +Pointing to his large house in the distance, Mayaman said, "All +right. Come to my house this evening on your way home, and I will +give you four bags of my money. If you don't become rich on them, +come back, and I will give you some more." + +The wood-cutter was overjoyed at his good luck, and in the evening +went to Mayaman's house, where he received the money. He placed +the bags in the bottom of his banca, [52] and sailed home. When he +reached his little cottage, he spread out all the gold and silver +money on the floor. He was delighted at possessing such wealth, and +determined first of all to buy household articles with it; but some +dishonest neighbors, soon finding out that the wood-cutter had much +money in the house, secretly stole the bags. + +Then the wood-cutter, remembering the rich man's promise, hastily +prepared his banca and sailed across to Pasig. When Mayaman saw the +wood-cutter, he said, "Are you rich now, my good man?" + +"O kind master!" said the wood-cutter, "I am not yet rich, for some +one stole my bags of money." + +"Well, here are four more bags. See that you take better care of them." + +The wood-cutter reached home safely with this new wealth; but +unfortunately it was stolen, too, during the night. + +Three more times he went to Mayaman, and every time received four +bags of money; but every time was it stolen from him by his neighbors. + +Finally, on his sixth application, Mayaman did not give the wood-cutter +money, but presented him with a beautiful ring. "This ring will +preserve you from harm," he said, "and will give you everything +you ask for. With it you can become the richest man in town; but be +careful not to lose it!" + +While the wood-cutter was sailing home that evening, he thought he +would try the ring by asking it for some food. So he said, "Beautiful +ring, give me food! for I am hungry." In an instant twelve different +kinds of food appeared in his banca, and he ate heartily. But after he +had eaten, the wind calmed down: so he said to the ring, "O beautiful +ring! blow my banca very hard, so that I may reach home quickly." He +had no sooner spoken than the wind rose suddenly. The sail and mast of +his little boat were blown away, and the banca itself sank. Forgetting +all about his ring, the unfortunate man had to swim for his life. He +reached the shore safely, but was greatly distressed to find that he +had lost his valuable ring. So he decided to go back to Mayaman and +tell him all about his loss. + +The next day he borrowed a banca and sailed to Pasig; but when Mayaman +had heard his story, he said, "My good man, I have nothing more to +give you." Then Mayaman turned to his friend Mahirap, and said, "It +is your turn now, Mahirap. See what you can do for this poor man to +enrich him." Mahirap gave the poor wood-cutter five centavos,--all +he had in his pocket,--and told him to go to the market and buy a +fish with it for his supper. + +The wood-cutter was disappointed at receiving so small an amount, +and sailed homeward in a very downcast mood; but when he arrived at +his town, he went straight to the market. As he was walking around the +fish-stalls, he saw a very fine fat fish. So he said to the tendera, +[53] "How much must I pay for that fat fish?" + +"Well, five centavos is all I'll ask you for it," said she. + +"Oh, I have only five centavos; and if I give them all to you, I +shall have no money to buy rice with. So please let me have the fish +for three!" said the wood-cutter. But the tendera refused to sell the +fish for three centavos; and the wood-cutter was obliged to give all +his money for it, for the fish was so fine and fat that he could not +leave it. + +When he went home and opened the fish to clean it, what do you suppose +he found inside? Why, no other thing than the precious ring he had +lost in the lake! He was so rejoiced at getting back his treasure, +that he walked up and down the streets, talking out loud to his ring:-- + + + "Ha, ha, ha, ha! + I have found you now; + You are here, and nowhere else." + + +When his neighbors who had stolen his bags of money from him heard +these words, they thought that the wood-cutter had found out that they +were the thieves, and was addressing these words to them. They ran up +to him with all the bags of money, and said, "O wood-cutter! pardon +us for our misdoings! Here are all the bags of money that we stole +from you." + +With his money and the ring, the wood-cutter soon became the richest +man in his town. He lived happily with his wife the rest of his days, +and left a large heritage to his children. + +So Mahirap, with five centavos only, succeeded in making the +wood-cutter rich. + + +Lucas the Rope-maker. + +Narrated by Elisa Cordero, a Tagalog from Pagsanjan, Laguna. Miss +Cordero says that the story is well known and is old. + +Luis and Isco were intimate friends. They lived in a country called +Bagdad. Though these two friends had been brought up together in the +same school, their ideas were different. Luis believed that gentleness +and kindness were the second heaven, while Isco's belief was that +wealth was the source of happiness and peace in life. + +One day, while they were eating, Isco said, "Don't you believe, my +friend, that a rich man, however cruel he may be, is known everywhere +and has great power over all his people? A poor man may be gentle +and kind, but then he is disdainfully looked upon by his neighbors." + +"Oh," answered Luis, "I know it, but to me everybody is the same. I +love them all, and I am not enchanted by anything that glisters." + +"My friend," said Isco, "our conversation is becoming serious. Let +us take a walk this afternoon and see how these theories work out in +the lives of men." + +That afternoon Luis and Isco went to a town called Cohija. On their +way they saw a rope-maker, Lucas by name, who by his condition showed +his great suffering from poverty. He approached Lucas and gave him a +roll of paper money, saying, "Now, Lucas, take this money and spend +it judiciously." + +Lucas was overjoyed: he hardly knew what to do. When he reached home, +he related to his wife Zelima what had happened to him. As has been +said, Lucas was very poor and was a rope-maker. He had six little +children to support; but he had no money with which to feed them, nor +could he get anything from his rope-making. Some days he could not +sell even a yard of rope. When Lucas received the money from Luis, +and had gone home and told his wife, he immediately went out again +to buy food. He had one hundred pesos in paper money. He bought two +pounds of meat, and a roll of cañamo; [54] and as there was some more +money left, he put it in one of the corners of his hat. Unfortunately, +as he was walking home, an eagle was attracted by the smell of the +meat, and began flying about his head. He frightened the bird away; +but it flew so fast that its claws became entangled in his hat, +which was snatched off his head and carried away some distance. When +he searched for the money, it was gone. He could not find it anywhere. + +Lucas went home very sad. When his wife learned the cause of his +sorrow, she became very angry. She scolded her husband roundly. As +soon as the family had eaten the meat Lucas bought, they were as poor +as before. They were even pale because of hunger. + +One day Luis and Isco decided to visit Lucas and see how he was +getting along. It happened that while they were passing in the same +street as before, they saw Lucas weeping under a mango-tree near his +small house. "What is the matter?" said Luis. "Why are you crying?" + +Poor Lucas told them all that had happened to him,--how the money was +lost, and how his wife had scolded him. At first Luis did not believe +the rope-maker's story, and became angry at him. At last, however, +when he perceived that Lucas was telling the truth, he pardoned him +and gave him a thousand pesos. + +Lucas returned home with delight, but his wife and children were not in +the house. They were out asking alms from their neighbors. Lucas then +hid the bulk of the money in an empty jar in the corner of the room, +and then went out to buy food for his wife and children. While he was +gone, his wife and children returned. They had not yet eaten anything. + +Not long afterward a man came along selling rice. Zelima said to him, +"Sir, can't you give us a little something to appease our hunger? I'll +give you some darak [55] in exchange." + +"Oh, yes!" said the man, "I'll give you some rice, but you do not +need to give me anything." + +Zelima took the rice gladly; and as she was looking for something +with which to repay the man, she happened to see the empty jar in +which her husband had secretly put his money. She filled the jar with +darak and gave it to the rice-seller. + +When Lucas came home, he was very happy. He told his wife about the +money he had hidden. But when he found out that the money was gone, +he was in despair: he did not know what to do. He scolded his wife +for her carelessness. As he could not endure to see the suffering of +his children, he tried to kill himself, but his children prevented +him. At last he concluded to be quiet; for he thought, "If I hurt my +wife, and she becomes sick, I can't stand it. I must take care of her." + +Two months passed by, and Luis and Isco again visited their friend +Lucas. While they were walking in the street, Luis found a big piece +of lead. He picked it up and put it in his pocket. When they reached +Lucas's house, they were astonished to see him in a more wretched +condition than before. Luis asked what was the matter. Lucas related +to him all that had occurred; but Luis just said, "Oh, no! you are +fooling us. We will not believe you." Lucas was very sad. He asked +pardon of Luis for his carelessness, and said, "Don't increase the +burden of my suffering by your scolding!" + +Now, Luis was by nature gentle and pitiful. He could not endure to +see his friend suffering. So he gave him the lead he had found in +the street, saying, "Now, take care of that! Maybe your wealth will +come from it." Luis accepted the lead unwillingly, for he thought +that Luis was mocking him. + +When Lucas went into the house, he threw the lead away in the corner, +and went to sleep. During the night a neighbor knocked at their door, +asking for a piece of lead for her husband. The neighbor said, "My +husband is going fishing early in the morning, and he asked me to buy +him some lead for his line, but I forgot it. I know he will scold me if +I don't have some ready for him." Lucas, who was wakened by the talk, +told his wife to get the lead he had thrown in the corner. When Zelima +found it, she gave it to their neighbor, who went away happy, promising +that she would bring them the first fish her husband should catch. + +The next morning Lucas woke very late. The neighbor was already there +with a big fish, and Zelima was happy at having so much to eat. While +she was cleaning the fish, she found a bright stone inside it. As she +did not know of the value of the stone, she gave it to her youngest +son to play with; but when the other children saw it, they quarrelled +with their brother, and tried to take it away from him. Lucas, too, +was ignorant of the fact that the stone was worth anything. + +In front of their house lived a rich man named Don Juan. When he +heard the noise of his neighbor's children quarrelling, he sent +his wife to see what was the matter. Don Juan's wife saw the stone, +and wanted to have it very much. She asked Zelima to sell it to her, +but Zelima said that she would wait and ask her husband. The rich +man's wife went home and told her husband about the jewel. He went +to Lucas's house, and offered the rope-maker a thousand pesos for the +stone; but Lucas refused, for now he suspected that it was worth more +than that. At last he sold it for twenty thousand pesos. + +Lucas was now a rich man. He bought clothes for his wife and children, +renewed his house, which was falling to pieces, and bought a machine +for making rope. As his business increased, he bought another +machine. But although Lucas was the richest man in town, he was very +kind. His house was open to every comer. He supported crippled persons, +and gave alms to the poor. + +When Luis and Isco visited Lucas the last time, they were surprised +and at the same time delighted to see him so rich. Lucas did not know +how to thank them. He gave a banquet in honor of these two men. After +the feast was over, Lucas told his friends every detail of all that +had happened to him, how he had lent the lead, how his wife had found +the stone in the fish, and how a rich man had bought it for twenty +thousand pesos. + +Luis was now convinced that Lucas was honest, and had told the truth +on former occasions. Lucas lived in his big house happily and in +peace with his wife and children. + + +Notes. + +These two Tagalog stories are probably derived from the same ultimate +source; the second, "Lucas the Rope-Maker," being very much closer to +the original. That source is the "History of Khevajah Hasan al-Habbal" +in the "Arabian Nights Entertainments" (see Burton's translation, +Supplemental Nights, III : 341-366). There is also a Tagalog literary +version of this story,--"Life of a Rope-maker in the Kingdom of +Bagdad," by Franz Molteni. I have at present no copy of this chap-book; +but the work may safely be dated 1902-05, as those were the years in +which Molteni published. This story follows faithfully the "Arabian +Nights" tale. The two rich friends are Saadi and Saad, and the name +of the rope-maker is Cojia Hasan. + +Our second folk-tale (b) seems to stand half way between this literary +version and "The Rich and the Poor,"--not chronologically, to be sure, +but so far as fidelity to the Arabian story is concerned. Although the +events are practically the same in (b) and in Molteni, the proper names +differ throughout. It is possible that (b) derives from an earlier +Tagalog literary version that is no longer extant. (a) is definitely +localized on Laguna de Bay, and the story as a whole seems thoroughly +native. It is likely much older than either of the other two forms. + +A Bengal tale somewhat similar to these is to be found in McCulloch's +"Bengali Household Tales," No. III; it is also connected with +the Dr. Knowall cycle (our No. 1). Caballero has a Spanish story +(see Ingram, "Dame Fortune and Don Money"). For a discussion of the +continuously unlucky hero, see Clouston 2, 489-493. In Ralston 1, I95 +f., may be found a group of stories dealing with luck. Compare also +Thorpe's "Yule-tide Stories," 460 f., for the North German story of +"The Three Gifts." + +For the "ejaculation guess" in No. 13(a), see notes to No. 1 (pp. 7-8). + + + +TALE 14 + +THE KING AND THE DERVISH. + + +Narrated by José M. Hilario of Batangas, Batangas, who heard the +story from his father, a Tagalog. + + +Once there lived a young and brave king with his gentle and loving +wife. Both had enjoyed an easy, comfortable, and, best of all, happy +life. The king ruled his people well. The queen was a good wife as well +as a good sovereign: she always cheered her husband when he was sad. + +One day a dervish came to the palace. He told the king that he +possessed magical power, and straightway they became friends. This +dervish had the power to leave his body and enter that of a dead +animal or person. Now, the king was fond of hunting, and once he +took his new friend with him to shoot deer. After a few hours of +hard chasing, they succeeded in killing a buck. To show his power, +the dervish left his body and entered that of the dead deer. Then he +resumed his former shape. The king was very anxious to be able to do +the same thing; whereupon the dervish gave him minute instructions, +and taught him the necessary charms. Then the king left his body, +and took possession of that of the deer. In an instant the dervish +entered the king's body and went home as the monarch. He gave orders +that a deer with certain marks should be hunted out and killed. The +true king was very unhappy, especially when he saw his own men chasing +him to take his life. + +In his wanderings through the forest, he saw a dead nightingale. He +left the deer's body and entered the bird's. Now he was safe, so +he flew to his palace. He sang so sweetly, that the queen ordered +her attendants to catch him. He gladly allowed himself to be caught, +and to be cared for by the queen. Whenever the dervish took the bird +in his hands, the bird pecked him; but the beautiful singer always +showed signs of satisfaction when the queen smoothed his plumage. + +Not long after the bird's capture, a dog died in the palace. The +king underwent another change: he left the bird's body and entered +that of the dog. On waking up in the morning, the queen found that +her pet was dead. She began to weep. Unable to see her so sad, the +dervish comforted her, and told her that he would give the bird +life again. Consequently he left the king's body and entered the +bird's. Seeing his chance, the real king left the dog's body and +resumed his original form. He then went at once to the cage and killed +the ungrateful bird, the dervish. + +The tender queen protested against the king's act of cruelty; but when +she heard that she had been deceived by the dervish, she died of grief. + + +The Mysterious Book. + +Narrated by Leopoldo Uichanco, a Tagalog from Calamba, La Laguna. + +Once upon a time there lived a poor father and a poor son. The father +was very old, and was named Pedro. The son's name was Juan. Although +they were very poor, Juan was afraid of work. + +One day the two did not have a single grain of rice in the house +to eat. Juan now realized that he would have to find some work, +or he and his father would starve. So he went to a neighboring town +to seek a master. He at last found one in the person of Don Luzano, +a fine gentleman of fortune. + +Don Luzano treated Juan like a son. As time went on, Don Luzano became +so confident in Juan's honesty, that he began to intrust him with the +most precious valuables in the house. One morning Don Luzano went +out hunting. He left Juan alone in the house, as usual. While Juan +was sweeping and cleaning his master's room, he caught sight of a +highly polished box lying behind the post in the corner. Curious to +find out what was inside, he opened the box. There appeared another +box. He opened this box, and another box still was disclosed. One box +appeared after another until Juan came to the seventh. This last one +contained a small triangular-shaped book bound in gold and decorated +with diamonds and other precious gems. Disregarding the consequences +that might follow, Juan picked up the book and opened it. Lo! at once +Juan was carried by the book up into the air. And when he looked back, +whom did he see? No other than Don Luzano pursuing him, with eyes +full of rage. He had an enormous deadly-looking bolo in his hand. + +As Don Luzano was a big man, he could fly faster than little Juan. Soon +the boy was but a few yards in front of his antagonist. It should also +be known that the book had the wonderful power of changing anybody +who had laid his hands on it, or who had learned by heart one of +its chapters, into whatever form that person wished to assume. Juan +soon found this fact out. In an instant Juan had disappeared, and in +his place was a little steed galloping as fast as he could down the +street. Again, there was Don Luzano after him in the form of a big +fast mule, with bubbling and foaming mouth, and eyes flashing with +hate. The mule ran so fast, that every minute seemed to be bringing +Juan nearer his grave. + +Seeing his danger, Juan changed himself into a bird,--a pretty little +bird. No sooner had he done so than he saw Don Luzano in the form +of a big hawk about to swoop down on him. Then Juan suddenly leaped +into a well he was flying over, and there became a little fish. Don +Luzano assumed the form of a big fish, and kept up the chase; but the +little fish entered a small crack in the wall of the well, where the +big fish could not pursue him farther. So Don Luzano had to give up +and go home in great disappointment. + +The well in which Juan found himself belonged to three beautiful +princesses. One morning, while they were looking into the water, they +saw the little fish with its seven-colored scales, moving gracefully +through the water. The eldest of the maidens lowered her bait, but +the fish would not see it. The second sister tried her skill. The +fish bit the bait; but, just as it was being drawn out of the water, +it suddenly released its hold. Now the youngest sister's turn came. The +fish allowed itself to be caught and held in the tender hands of this +beautiful girl. She placed the little fish in a golden basin of water +and took it to her room, where she cared for it very tenderly. + +Several months later the king issued a proclamation throughout his +realm and other neighboring kingdoms, saying that the youngest +princess was sick. "To any one who can cure her," he said, "I +promise to give one-half of my kingdom." The most skilful doctors +had already done the best they could, but all their efforts were in +vain. The princess seemed to grow worse and worse every day. "Ay, +what foolishness!" exclaimed Don Luzano when he heard the news of +the sick princess. "The sickness! Pshaw! That's no sickness, never +in the wide world!" + +The following morning there was Don Luzano speaking with the king. "I +promise to cure her," said Don Luzano. "I have already cured many +similar cases." + +"And your remedy will do her no harm?" asked the king after some +hesitation. + +"No harm, sir, no harm. Rely on my honor." + +"Very well. And you shall have half of my kingdom if you are +successful." + +"No, I thank you, your Majesty. I, being a faithful subject, need no +payment whatever for any of my poor services. As a token from you, +however, I should like to have the fish that the princess keeps in +her room." + +"O my faithful subject!" exclaimed the king in joy. "How good you +are! Will you have nothing except a poor worthless fish?" + +"No more" that's enough." + +"Well, then," returned the king, "prepare your remedy, and on the +third day we shall apply it to the princess. You can go home now, +and you may be sure that you shall have the fish." + +Don Luzano took his leave of the king, and then went home. On the third +day this daring magician came back to the palace to apply his remedy +to the princess. Before he began any part of the treatment, however, +he requested that the fish be given to him. The king consented to +his request: but as he was about to dip his hand into the basin, +the princess boldly stopped him. She pretended to be angry on the +ground that Don Luzano would soil with his hands the golden basin of +the monarch. She told him to hold out his hands, and she would pour +the fish into them. Don Luzano did as he was told: but, before the +fish could reach his hands, the pretty creature jumped out. No fish +now could be seen, but in its stead was a beautiful gold ring adorning +the finger of the princess. Don Luzano tried to snatch the ring, but, +as the princess jerked her hand back, the ring fell to the floor, +and in its place were countless little mungo [56] seeds scattered +about the room. Don Luzano instantly took the form of a greedy crow, +devouring the seeds with extraordinary speed. Juan, who was contained +in one of the seeds that had rolled beneath the feet of the princess, +suddenly became a cat, and, rushing out, attacked the bird. As soon +as you could wink your eyes or snap your fingers, the crow was dead, +miserably torn to pieces. In place of the cat stood Juan in an +embroidered suit, looking like a gay young prince. + +"This is my beloved," confessed the princess to her father as she +pointed to Juan. The king forgave his daughter for concealing from +him the real condition of her life, and he gladly welcomed his new +son-in-law. Prince Juan, as we shall now call our friend, was destined +to a life of peace and joy. He was rid of his formidable antagonist; +he had a beautiful princess (who was no longer sick) for a wife; and +he had an excellent chance of inheriting the throne. There is no more. + + +Notes. + +A third form (c) I have only in abstract; it is entitled "The Priest +and his Pupil:"-- + +A boy learns a number of magic tricks from the priest, his master. He +changes himself into a hog, and is sold to the priest; then he runs +away, transforms himself into a horse, and is again sold to his +master for much money. The horse breaks loose and runs off. The +priest now realizes the truth, and, transforming himself into a +horse, pursues the first horse. When they come to a river, the +first horse becomes a small fish, and the second a large fish, and +the chase continues. Then the two fish become birds wheeling aloft, +the larger chasing the smaller. As he flies over the palace of the +King of Persia, the boy becomes a small cocoanut-ring, and drops +on to the finger of the princess. The defeated priest returns home, +and threatens the King of Persia with war if he will not give up the +ring. When the priest calls at the court, the boy has changed himself +from a ring into a dog. The priest is told that he shall have the +ring provided he becomes a duck. Immediately when he has complied, +the dog seizes him and kills him. The hero later weds the princess. + +A fourth form (d) is the Tagalog story "The Battle of the Enchanters," +printed in JAFL 20 : 309-310. + +Both of these variants (c and d) bear a close resemblance to our +second story of "The Mysterious Book," and all three probably go back +to a common source; but that source is not the "Arabian Nights" (as +Gardner hints, JAFL 20 : 309, note), although the second calendar's +tale in that collection represents one form of the "Transformation +Combat" cycle. These three Filipino variants are members of the large +family of Oriental and European folk-tales of which the Norse "Farmer +Weathersky" (Dasent, No. XLI) or the German "The Thief and his Master" +(Grimm, No. 68) may be taken as representatives. The essential elements +of this form of the "Transformation Combat" cycle have been noted by +Bolte-Polívka (2 : 61) as follows:-- + + +A A father gives his son up to a magician to be taught, the condition +being that the father at the end of a year must be able to recognize +his son in animal form. + +B The son secretly learns magic and thieving. + +C In the form of a dog, ox, horse, he allows his father to sell him, +finally to the magician himself, to whom the father, contrary to +directions, also hands over the bridle. + +D1 The son, however, succeeds in slipping off the bridle, and (D2) +overcomes the magician in a transformation combat (hare, fish, bird, +etc.). D3 Usually, after the hero has flown in the guise of a bird +to a princess and is concealed by her in the form of a ring, the +magician appears to the king her father, who has become sick, and +demands the ring as payment for a cure. The princess drops the ring, +and there lies in its place a pile of millet-seed, which the magician +as a hen starts to pick up; but the hero quickly turns himself into +a fox, and bites off the hen's head. + + +With slight variations from the formula as given above, these elements +are distributed thus in our stories:-- + + + (b) BD2D3 + (c) BCD2D3 + (d) BCD1D3 + + +Bolte and Polívka (2 : 66) cite a number of Oriental versions of +the story (Hindoo and Arabian) which in their main outlines are +practically identical with our variants. In the absence of the story +in any Spanish version, it seems most reasonable to look to India as +the source of our tales; unless, as is possible, they were introduced +into the Islands from Straparola (viii, 5), whose collection of stories +might have found their way there through the Spaniards. For further +discussions of this cycle, see Macculloch, 164-166; Clouston 3, 1 : +413 ff.; Köhler-Bolte, 1 : 138 ff., 556 f.; Benfey, 1 : 410-413. + +Our first story, "The King who became a Deer, a Nightingale, +and a Dog," while containing the "transformation combat" between +magician and pupil, differs from the other members of this group in +one important respect: the transformation cannot take place unless +there is a dead body for the transformer's spirit to enter. It is +also to be noted that, as soon as a spirit leaves a body, that body +becomes dead. There can be no doubt that this story of ours is derived +from the 57th to the 60th "Days" in the "1001 Days" (Persian Tales, +1 : 212 ff.; Cabinet des Fées, XlV, p. 326 f.), the story of Prince +Fadlallah. For other variants of this cycle, see Benfey, 1 : 122 f., +especially 126. The Persian story might have reached the Philippines +through the medium of the French translation, of which our tale +appears to be little more than the baldest abstract. + +Benfey explains the "transformation combat" as originating in the +disputes between Buddhists and Brahmans. Doubtless the story first +grew up in India. A very ancient Oriental analogue, which has not +hitherto been pointed out, I believe, is the Hebrew account of +Aaron's magical contest with the Egyptian sorcerers (see Exodus, +vii, 9-12). Compare also the betting-contest between the two kings +in No. 1 of this collection, and see the notes. + + + +TALE 15 + +THE MIRACULOUS COW. + + +Narrated by Adela Hidalgo, a Tagalog from Manila, who heard the story +from another Tagalog student. + + +There was once a farmer driving home from his farm in his +carreton. [57] 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 +carreton? Well, if you will untie it, I will take it to our house." + +Ambrosio approached the carreton slowly, and untied the cow. He handed +the rope to Felipe, and then tied himself in the place of the animal. + +"Come on, Ambrosio! Don't 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 carreton. "Why are you there? Where is my cow?" he shouted +furiously. "Rascal, give me my cow!" + +"Oh, don't 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. + + +Notes. + +Like the preceding, this story is of Oriental origin. It must +have grown up among a people to whom the idea of metempsychosis +was well known, but who at the same time held a skeptical view of +that doctrine. Whether or not this droll reached the Philippines by +way of the Iberian Peninsula, is hard to say definitely. A Spanish +folk-tale narrating practically the same incident is to be found +in C. Sellers, pp. 1 ff.: "The Ingenious Student." There the shrewd +but poverty-stricken Juan Rivas steals a mule from the pack-train of +a simple-minded muleteer; and while the companions escape with the +animal and sell it, Juan puts on the saddle and bridle, and takes the +place of the stolen beast. His explanation that he has just fulfilled +a long period of punishment imposed on him by Mother Church satisfies +the astonished mule-owner, and Juan escapes with only the admonition +never again to incur the wrath of his spiritual Mother. + +The oldest version with which I am familiar is the "Arabian Nights" +anecdote of "The Simpleton and the Sharper" (Burton's translation, +v : 83). This story is practically identical with ours, except that +the Filipino version lacks the additional final comical touch of the +Arabian. The owner of the ass, after the adventure with the sharper, +went to the market to buy another beast, "and, lo! he beheld his +own ass for sale. And when he recognized it, he advanced to it, and, +putting his mouth to its ear, said, 'Wo to thee, O unlucky! Doubtless +thou hast returned to intoxication and beaten thy mother again. By +Allah, I will never again buy thee!'" The sharper had previously +given as the reason of his transformation the fact that his mother had +cursed him when he, in a fit of drunkenness, had beaten her. Clouston +tells this story in his "Book of Noodles" (81-83). + +Stories of the transformation of a child into an animal because +of a parent's curse are found all over Europe. This motif is also +widespread in the Philippines among both the Christian and the Pagan +tribes. It is usually incorporated in an origin story, such as "The +Origin of Monkeys." For this belief among a non-Christian people in +northern Luzon, see Cole, Nos. 65-67. None of these tales, however, +assume the droll form: they are told as serious etiological myths. + + + +TALE 16 + +THE CLEVER HUSBAND AND WIFE. + + +Narrated by Elisa Cordero, a Tagalog from Pagsanjan, La Laguna. She +heard the story from her servant. + + +Pedro had been living as a servant in a doctor's 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, don't worry about money!" replied his master. "Be ready to-morrow, +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, [58] 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 doctor's 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 Pedro's 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 doctor's 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 sister's 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 husband's 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 Marta's 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 doctor's +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. + + +Notes. + +This droll seems to be derived from the "1001 Nights" (271st to 290th +nights of the Breslau edition, "The Story of Abu-l-hasan the Wag, or +the Sleeper Awakened"). The Arabian story is not only more detailed, +but contains much preliminary matter that is altogether lacking in +our story. In fact, the two are so dissimilar, except for the trick +the husband and wife play on their benefactor to get more money, +that it is hard to demonstrate a historical connection between the two. + +I have in text and translation (the latter unpublished) a Tagalog +metrical version of the Arabian story. This metrical version, which +is told in 1240 lines, is entitled (in translation) "The Story of +Abu-Hasan, Who dreamed when he was Awake. Poem by Franz Molteni. First +edition, Manila." Although this work is not dated, it probably appeared +after 1900. In general, the Tagalog poem agrees with the "1001 Nights" +story, though it differs in details. An analysis of the differences +in the first part of the narratives need not concern us here, as our +folk-tale is connected with only the last third of the romance. + +In the metrical version, after Abu, through the favor of the sultan, +has been married to Nuzhat, one of the ladies-in-waiting, the new +couple begin to live extravagantly, and soon exhaust the dowry and +wedding gifts. Then after much deliberation Abu decides to go to +the sultan, tell him that Nuzhat his wife is dead, and ask for +money for her burial. The ruse succeeds; Abu returns home with +a thousand ounces of gold. He at once counsels his wife to go to +the sultana with a similar story that he is dead and that money is +needed for his funeral. Nuzhat, too, receives a thousand ounces from +the sultana. The sultan now visits his wife, and tells her of the +death of Nuzhat. She insists that it is Abu who is dead, and they +argue violently about the matter. Finally the sultan decides to send +one of his servants to report the truth. When Abu sees the servant +coming, he bids his wife lie on the bier, and the servant is shown +her corpse. He reports that it is Nuzhat who is dead. The sultana +is enraged at the servant's statement, and sends her nurse for the +truth. This time Abu lies on the bier, and Nuzhat shows his body to +the nurse. When the old woman returns with her contradictory story, +the sultan's servant calls her a black falsifying witch. At last the +sultan and sultana themselves go to see. Both Abu and Nuzhat are found +lying as if dead. The sultan and his wife now argue so violently as +to which of their favorites died first, that the deceitful couple, +fearful of the outcome, kneel before their rulers, confess the trick, +and beg forgiveness. The royal pair laugh at the joke, and give Abu +and his wife enough to support them the rest of their days. + +The last part of the Arabian story is substantially as given above, +only Nuzhat goes first to the sultana with the account of Abu's +death, after which Abu visits the sultan and tells him of Nuzhat's +death. Then follows the quarrel between the sultan and his wife over +the contradictory reports brought back by the two messengers. All +four go in person to discover the truth. Both Nuzhat and Abu are +found dead. Sultan: "I would give a thousand pieces of gold to know +which died first." Abu jumps up, says that he died first, and claims +the reward. Ending as above. + +This story of Abu is also told as a folk-tale in Simla, northern India +(Dracott, 166-173), where it retains the Arabic title, "Abul Hussain," +and is almost identical with the "1001 Nights" version. In the Simla +tale, however, the despatching of servants to learn which one is really +dead is lacking. The sultan and his wife together go to Abul's house, +and find both dead. "If we could only find out which died first!" etc. + +Our story, the Tagalog folk-tale, is told almost as an anecdote. The +sultan has been transformed into a doctor; the sultana, into the +doctor's sister; Abu, into a poor servant, Pedro; and Nuzhat, into +Marta. The glitter of the Oriental harem has vanished, as indeed has +also the first two-thirds of the story. The descent in setting and +language has been so great, that I am inclined to suspect that this +droll has existed--at least, in one family--for a long time. It could +hardly have been derived from Molteni's poetic version. For the same +sort of relationship between another folk-tale and an "Arabian Nights" +story, see No. 13 and the notes. + + + +TALE 17 + +THE THREE BROTHERS. + + +Narrated by Gregorio Frondoso, a Bicol from Tigaon, Camarines. The +narrator says, "This story was told to me by an old man who happened +to stay at our house one night. He was a traveller. I was then a +little boy." + + +Once upon a time, when wishing was having, there dwelt in the joyous +village of Delight a poor farmer, Tetong, with his loving wife +Maria. His earning for a day's toil was just enough to sustain them; +yet they were peaceful and happy. Nevertheless they thought that their +happiness could not be complete unless they had at least one child. So +morning and night they would kneel before their rustic altar and pray +God to grant them their desire. As they were faithful in their purpose, +their wish was fulfilled. A son was born to them, and joy filled +their hearts. The couple's love for their child grew so intense, +that they craved for another, and then for still another. The Lord +was mindful of their prayers; and so, as time went on, two more sons +were born to them. The second son they named Felipe; and the youngest, +Juan. The name of the oldest was Pedro. All three boys were lovely +and handsome, and they greatly delighted their parents. + +In the course of time, however, when they were about eight, seven, +and six years old, Pedro, Felipe, and Juan became monstrously great +eaters. Each would eat at a single meal six or seven chupas [59] +of rice: consequently their father was obliged to work very hard, +for he had five mouths to feed. In this state of affairs, Tetong +felt that, although these children had been born to him and his wife +as an increase of their happiness, they would finally exhaust what +little he had. Nor was Maria any the less aware of the gluttony of +her sons. By degrees their love for their sons ripened into hatred, +and at last Tetong resolved to do away with his children. + +One night, while he and his wife were sitting before their dim light +and their three sons were asleep, Tetong said to his wife, "Do you +not think it would be better to get rid of our sons? As you see, we +are daily becoming poorer and poorer because of them. I have decided +to cast them away into some distant wild forest, where they may feed +themselves on fruits or roots." + +On hearing these words of her husband, Maria turned pale: her blood ran +cold in her veins. But what could she do? She felt the same distress +as her husband. After a few moments of silence, she replied in a +faltering voice, "My husband, you may do as you wish." Accordingly +Tetong made ready the necessary provisions for the journey, which +consisted of a sack of rice and some preserved fish. + +The next morning, on the pretext of planting camotes [60] and corn +on the hill some thirty miles away from the village, he ordered his +sons to accompany him. When they came to a forest, their father led +them through a circuitous path, and at last took them to the hill. As +soon as they arrived there, each set to work: one cut down trees, +another built a shed, and the others cleared a piece of land in which +to plant the camotes and corn. + +After two weeks their provisions were almost used up. Tetong then +called his sons together, and said to them, "My sons, we have very +little to eat now. I am going to leave you for some days: I am going +back to our village to get rice and fish. Be very good to one another, +and continue working, for our camotes will soon have roots, and our +corn ears." Having said these words, he blessed them and left. + +Days, weeks, and months elapsed, but Tetong did not reappear. The corn +bore ears, and the camotes produced big sound roots; but these were not +sufficient to support the three brothers. Nor did they know the way +back to their home. At last, realizing that their father and mother +did not care for them any more, they agreed to wander about and look +for food. They roved through woods, thickets, and jungles. At last, +fatigued and with bodies tired and bruised, they came to a wide river, +on the bank of which they stopped to rest. While they were bewailing +their unhappy lot, they caught sight, on the other side of the river, +of banana-trees with bunches of ripe fruit. They determined to get +those fruits; but, as they knew nothing about swimming, they had to cut +down bamboos and join them together to bridge the stream. So great was +their hunger, that each ate three bunches of the ripe bananas. After +they had satisfied their hunger, they continued on their way refreshed. + +Soon they came upon a dark abyss. Curious to know what it might +contain, the three brothers looked down into it, but they could not +see the bottom. Not contented, however, with only seeing into the +well, they decided to go to the very bottom: so they gathered vines +and connected them into a rope. + +Pedro was the first to make the attempt, but he could not stand the +darkness. Then Felipe tried; but he too became frightened, and could +not stay long in the dark. At last Juan's turn came. He went down to +the very bottom of the abyss, where he found a vast plain covered with +trees and bushes and shrubs. On one side he saw at a short distance a +green house. He approached the house, and saw a most beautiful lady +sitting at the door. When she saw him, she said to him in friendly +tones, "Hail, Juan! I wonder at your coming, for no earthly creature +has ever before been here. However, you are welcome to my house." With +words of compliment Juan accepted her invitation, and entered the +house. He was kindly received by that lady, Maria. They fell in love +with each other, and she agreed to go with Juan to his home. + +They had talked together but a short while, when Maria suddenly told +Juan to hide, for her guardian, the giant, was coming. Soon the monster +appeared, and said to Maria in a terrible voice, "You are concealing +some one. I smell human flesh." She denied that she was, but the +giant searched all corners of the house. At last Juan was found, +and he boldly fought with the monster. He received many wounds, but +they were easily healed by Maria's magic medicine. After a terrific +struggle, the giant was killed. Maria applauded Juan's valor. She +gave him food, and related stories to him while he was eating. She +also told him of her neighbor Isabella, none the less beautiful than +she. Juan, in turn, told her of many things in his own home that were +not found in that subterranean plain. + +When he had finished eating and had recovered his strength, Juan said +that they had better take Isabella along with them too. Maria agreed +to this. Accordingly Juan set out to get Isabella. When he came to +her house, she was looking out the window. As soon as she saw him, +she exclaimed in a friendly manner, "O Juan! what have you come here +for? Since my birth I have never seen an earthly creature like you!" + +"Madam," returned Juan in a low voice, "my appearance before you is +due to some Invisible Being I cannot describe to you." The moment +Isabella heard these words, she blushed. "Juan," she said, "come up!" + +Juan entered, and related to her his unfortunate lot, and how he had +found the abyss. Finally, struck with Isabella's fascinating beauty, +Juan expressed his love for her. They had not been talking long +together, when footsteps were heard approaching nearer and nearer. It +was her guardian, the seven-headed monster. "Isabella," it growled, +with an angry look about, "some human creature must be somewhere in +the house." + +"There is nobody in the house but me," she exclaimed. The monster, +however, insisted. Seeking all about the house, it at last discovered +Juan, who at once attacked with his sword. In this encounter he was +also successful, cutting off all the seven heads of the monster. + +With great joy Juan and Isabella returned to Maria's house. Then the +three went to the foot of the well. There Juan found the vine still +suspended. He tied one end of it around Isabella's waist, and then she +was pulled up by the two brothers waiting above. When they saw her, +Pedro and Felipe each claimed her, saying almost at the same time, +"What a beauty! She is mine." Isabella assured them that there were +other ladies below prettier than she. When he heard these words, +Felipe dropped one end of the vine again. When Maria reached the top +of the well, Felipe felt glad, and claimed her for himself. As the two +brothers each had a maiden now, they would not drop the vine a third +time; but finally Maria persuaded them to do so. On seeing only their +brother's figure, however, the two unfeeling brothers let go of the +vine, and Juan plunged back into the darkness. "O my friends!" said +Maria, weeping, "this is not the way to treat a brother. Had it not +been for him, we should not be here now." Then she took her magic comb, +saying to it, "Comb, if you find Juan dead, revive him; if his legs +and arms are broken, restore them." Then she dropped it down the well. + +By means of this magic comb, Juan was brought back to life. The +moment he was able to move his limbs, he groped his way in the dark, +and finally he found himself in the same subterranean plain again. As +he knew of no way to get back to earth, he made up his mind to accept +his fate. + +As he was lazily strolling about, he came to a leafy tree with +spreading branches. He climbed up to take a siesta among its fresh +branches. Just as he closed his eyes, he heard a voice calling, +"Juan, Juan! Wake up! Go to the Land of the Pilgrims, for there +your lot awaits you." He opened his eyes and looked about him, but +he saw nothing. "It is only a bird," he said, "that is disturbing +my sleep." So he shut his eyes again. After some moments the same +voice was heard again from the top of the tree. He looked up, but he +could not see any one. However, the voice continued calling to him +so loudly, that he could not sleep. So he descended from the tree to +find that land. + +In his wanderings he met an old man wearing very ragged, worn-out +clothes. Juan asked him about the Land of the Pilgrims. The old man +said to him, "Here, take this piece of cloth, which, as you see, I have +torn off my garment, and show it to a hermit you will find living at +a little distance from here. Then tell him your wish." Juan took the +cloth and went to the hermit. When the hermit saw Juan entering his +courtyard without permission, he was very angry. "Hermit," said Juan, +"I have come here on a very important mission. While I was sleeping +among the branches of a tree, a bird sang to me repeatedly that I must +go to the Land of the Pilgrims, where my lot awaits me. I resolved +to look for this land. On my way I met an old man, who gave me this +piece of cloth and told me to show it to you and ask you about this +place I have mentioned." When the hermit saw the cloth, his anger +was turned into sorrow and kindness. "Juan," he said, "I have been +here a long time, but I have never seen that old man." + +Now, this hermit had in his care all species of animals. He summoned +them all into his courtyard, and asked each about the Land of the +Pilgrims; but none could give any information. When he had asked them +all in vain, the hermit told Juan to go to another hermit living some +distance away. + +Accordingly Juan left to find this hermit. At first, like the other, +this hermit was angry on seeing Juan; but when he saw the piece of +cloth, his anger was turned into pity and sorrow. Juan told him what +he was looking for, and the hermit sounded a loud trumpet. In a moment +there was an instantaneous rushing of birds of every description. He +asked every one about the Land of the Pilgrims, but not one knew of +the place. But just as Juan was about to leave, suddenly there came an +eagle swooping down into the courtyard. When asked if it knew of the +Land of the Pilgrims, it nodded its head. The hermit then ordered it to +bear Juan to the Land of the Pilgrims. It willingly obeyed, and flew +across seas and over mountains with Juan on its back. After Juan had +been carried to the wished-for land, the eagle returned to its master. + +Here Juan lived with a poor couple, who cared for him as if he were +their own child, and he served them in turn. He asked them about +the land they were living in. They told him that it was governed by +a tyrannical king who had a beautiful daughter. They said that many +princes who courted her had been put to death because they had failed +to fulfil the tasks required of them. When Juan heard of this beautiful +princess, he said to himself, "This is the lot that awaits me. She +is to be my wife." So, in spite of the dangers he ran the risk of, +he resolved to woo her. + +One day, when her tutors were away, he made a kite, to which he +fastened a letter addressed to the princess, and flew it. While she was +strolling about in her garden, the kite suddenly swooped down before +her. She was surprised, and wondered. "What impudent knave," she said, +"ventures to let fall his kite in my garden?" She stepped towards the +kite, looked at it, and saw the letter written in bold hand. She read +it. After a few moments' hesitation, she replaced it with a letter +of her own in which she told him to come under the window of her tower. + +When he came there, the princess spoke to him in this manner: "Juan, +if you really love me, you must undergo hardships. Show yourself +to my father to-morrow, and agree to do all that he commands you to +do. Then come back to me." Juan willingly promised to undertake any +difficulties for her sake. + +The next morning Juan waited at the stairway of the king's palace. The +king said to him, "Who are you, and what do you come here for?" + +"O king! I am Juan, and I have come here to marry your daughter." + +"Very well, Juan, you can have your wish if you perform the task I +set you. Take these grains of wheat and plant them in that hill, +and to-morrow morning bring me, out of these same grains, newly +baked bread for my breakfast. Then you shall be married immediately +to my daughter. But if you fail to accomplish this task, you shall +be beheaded." + +Juan bowed his head low, and left. Sorrowful he appeared before +the princess. + +"What's the matter, Juan?" she said. + +"O my dear princess! your father has imposed on me a task impossible +to perform. He gave me these grains of wheat to be planted in that +hill, and to-morrow he expects a newly baked loaf of bread from them." + +"Don't worry, Juan. Go home now, and to-morrow show yourself to my +father. The bread will be ready when he awakes." + +The next morning Juan repaired to the palace, and was glad to find the +bread already on the table. When the king woke up, he was astonished +to see that Juan had performed the task. + +"Now, Juan," said the king, "one more task for you. Under my window +I have two big jars,--one full of mongo, [61] the other of very fine +sand. I will mix them, and you have to assort them so that each kind +is in its proper jar again." Juan promised to fulfil this task. He +passed by the window of the princess, and told her what the king had +said. "Go home and come back here to-morrow," she said to him. "The +king will find the mongo and sand in their proper jars." + +The next morning Juan went back to the palace. The king, just arisen +from bed, looked out of the window, and was astounded to see the mongo +and sand perfectly assorted. "Well, Juan," said the king, "you have +successfully performed the tasks I required of you. But I have one +thing more to ask of you. Yesterday afternoon, while my wife and I +were walking along the seashore, my gold ring fell into the water. I +want you to find it, and bring it to me to-morrow morning." + +"Your desire shall be fulfilled, O king!" replied Juan. + +He told the princess of the king's wish. "Come here tomorrow just +before dawn," she said, "and bring a big basin and a bolo. We will +go together to find the ring." + +Just before dawn the next day he went to her tower, where she was +waiting for him in the disguise of a village maid. They went to the +seashore where the ring was supposed to have been lost. There the +princess Maria--that was her name--said to him, "Now take your basin +and bolo and cut me to pieces. Pour out the chopped mass into the +water in which my father's ring was dropped, but take care not to +let a single piece of the flesh fall to the ground!" + +On hearing these words, Juan stood dumfounded, and began to weep. Then +in an imploring tone he said, "O my beloved! I would rather have you +chop my body than chop yours." + +"If you love me," she said, "do as I tell you." + +Then Juan reluctantly seized the bolo, and with closed eyes cut her +body to pieces and poured the mass into the water where the ring was +supposed to be. In five minutes there rose from the water the princess +with the ring on her finger. But Juan fell asleep; and before he awoke, +the ring fell into the water again. + +"Oh, how little you love me!" she exclaimed. "The ring fell because +you did not catch it quickly from my finger. Cut up my body as before, +and pour the mass of flesh into the water again." Accordingly Juan +cut her to pieces a second time, and again poured the mass into the +water. Then in a short time Maria rose from the water with the ring +on her finger; but Juan fell asleep again, and again the ring fell +back into the water. + +Now Maria was angry: so she cut a gash on his finger, and told him +to cut her body to pieces and pour the mass out as before. At last +the ring was found again. This time Juan was awake, and he quickly +caught the ring as she rose from the water. + +That morning Juan went before the king and presented the ring to +him. When the monarch saw it, he was greatly astonished, and said to +himself, "How does he accomplish all the tasks I have given him? Surely +he must be a man of supernatural powers." Raising his head, he said +to Juan, "Juan, you are indeed the man who deserves the hand of my +daughter; but I want you to do me one more service. This will be the +last. Fetch me my horse, for I want to go out hunting to-day." Now, +this horse could run just as fast as the wind. It was a very wild +horse, too, and no one could catch it except the king himself and +the princess. + +Juan promised, however, and repaired to Maria's tower. When she +learned her father's wish, she went with Juan and helped him catch +the horse. After they had caught it, she caught hers too. Then they +returned to the palace. Juan and Maria now agreed to run away. So +after Juan had tied the king's horse near the stairway, they mounted +Maria's horse and rode off rapidly. + +When the king could not find his daughter, he got on his horse +and started in pursuit of Juan and Maria, who were now some miles +ahead. But the king's horse ran so fast, that in a few minutes he had +almost overtaken the fugitives. Maria, seeing her father behind them, +dropped her comb, and in the wink of an eye a thick grove of bamboos +blocked the king's way. By his order, a road was made through the +bamboo in a very short time. Then he continued his chase; but just +as he was about to overtake them a second time, Maria flung down +her ring, and there rose up seven high hills behind them. The king +was thus delayed again; but his horse shot over these hills as fast +as the wind, so that in a few minutes he was once more in sight of +the fugitives. This time Maria turned around and spat. Immediately +a wide sea appeared behind them. The king gave up his pursuit, and +only uttered these words: "O ungrateful daughter!" Then he turned +back to his palace. + +The young lovers continued their journey until they came to a small +village. Here they decided to be married, so they at once went to +the village priest. He married them that very day. Juan and Maria +now determined to live in that place the rest of their lives, so they +bought a house and a piece of land. As time went by, Juan thought of +his parents. + +One day he asked permission from his wife to visit his father and +mother. "You may go," she said; "but remember not to let a single drop +of your father's or mother's tears fall on your cheeks, for you will +forget me if you do." Promising to remember her words, Juan set out. + +When his parents saw him, they were so glad that they embraced him and +almost bathed him with tears of joy. Juan forgot Maria. It happened +that on the day Juan reached home, Felipe, his brother, was married +to Maria, the subterranean lady, and a feast was being held in the +family circle. The moment Maria recognized Juan, whom she loved +most, she annulled her marriage with Felipe, and wanted to marry +Juan. Accordingly the village was called to settle the question, +and Maria and Juan were married that same day. The merrymaking and +dancing continued. + +In the mean time there came, to the surprise of every one, a beautiful +princess riding in a golden carriage drawn by fine horses. She was +invited to the dance. While the people were enjoying themselves +dancing and singing, they were suddenly drawn together around this +princess to see what she was doing. She was sitting in the middle +of the hall. Before her she had a dog chained. Then she began to ask +the dog these questions:-- + +"Did you not serve a certain king for his daughter?" + +"No!" answered the dog. + +"Did he not give you grains of wheat to be planted in a hill, and +the morning following you were to give him newly baked bread made +from the wheat?" + +"No!" + +"Did he not mix together two jars of mongo and sand, then order +you to assort them so that the mongo was in one jar and the sand in +the other?" + +"No!" + +"Do you not remember when you and a princess went together to the +seashore to find the ring of her father, and when you cut her body +to pieces and poured the chopped mass into the water?" + +When Juan, who was watching, heard this last question, he rushed from +the ring of people that surrounded her and knelt before her, saying, "O +my most precious wife! I implore your forgiveness!" Then the new-comer, +who was none other than Maria, Juan's true wife, embraced him, and +their former love was restored. So the feast went on. To the great +joy of Felipe, Maria, the subterranean lady, was given back to him; +and the two couples lived happily the rest of their lives. + + +Notes. + +This story, which is a mixture of well-known motifs and incidents, +really falls into two parts, though an attempt is made at the end to +bind them together. The first part, ending with the treachery of the +brothers after the hero has made his underground journey and rescued +the two beautiful maidens from their giant captors, has resemblances +to parts of the "Bear's Son" cycle. The second half of the story is a +well-developed member of the "Forgotten Betrothed" cycle, preserving, +in fact, all the characteristic incidents, and also prefacing to this +whole section details that form a transition between it and part 1. I +am unable to point out any European parallels to the story as a whole, +but analogues of both parts are very numerous. As the latter half +constitutes the major portion of our story, we shall consider it first. + +The fundamental and characteristic incidents of the "Forgotten +Betrothed" cycle (sometimes called the "True Bride" cycle) are as +follows:-- + +A The performance by the hero of difficult tasks through the help of +the loved one, who is usually the daughter of a magician. + +B The magic flight of the couple, either with transformations of +themselves or with the casting behind them of obstacles to retard +the pursuer. + +C The forgetting of the bride by the hero because he breaks a taboo +(the cause of the forgetting is usually a parental kiss, which the +hero should have avoided). + +D The re-awakened memory of the hero during his marriage ceremony or +wedding feast with a new bride, either through the conversation of +the true bride with an animal or through the true bride's kiss. In +some forms of the story, the hero's memory is restored on the third +of three nights sold to the heroine by the venial second bride. [62] + +E The marriage of the hero and heroine. + +Andrew Lang (Custom and Myth, 2d ed., 87-102) traces incidents A and +B as far back as the myth of Jason, the earliest literary reference +to which is in the Iliad (vii, 467; XXIII, 747). But this story does +not contain the last three incidents: clearly they have come from +some other source, and have been joined to the first two,--a natural +process in the development of a folk-tale. The episode of the magic +flight is very widely distributed: Lang mentions Zulu, Gaelic, Norse, +Malagasy, Russian, Italian, and Japanese versions. Of the magic flight +combined with the performance of difficult tasks set by the girl's +father, the stories are no less widely scattered: Greece, Madagascar, +Scotland, Russia, Italy, North America (Algonquins), Finland, Samoa +(p. 94). The only reasonable explanation of these resemblances, +according to Lang, is the theory of transmission; and if Mr. Lang, +the champion of the "anthropological theory," must needs explain in +this rather business-like way a comparatively simple tale, what but +the transmission theory can explain far more complicated stories of +five or six distinct incidents in the same sequence? + +The "Forgotten Betrothed" cycle was clearly invented but once; when or +where, we shall not attempt to say. But that its excellent combination +of rapid, marvellous, and pathetic situations has made it a tale of +almost universal appeal, is attested to by the scores of variants that +have been collected within the last half-century and more. In his notes +to Campbell's Gaelic story, "The Battle of the Birds," No. 2, Köhler +cites Norwegian, Swedish, Italian, German, and Hungarian versions +(Orient und Occident, 2 : 107). Ralston (pp. 132-133), Cosquin (2 : +No. 32 and notes), Crane (No. XV and notes, pp. 343-344), Bolte (in +his additions to Köhler, 1 : 170-174), and Bolte-Polívka (to Nos. 51, +56, 113) have added very full bibliographies. It is unnecessary here +to list all the variants of this story that have been collected, but +we will examine some of the analogues to our tale from the point of +view of the separate incidents. + +After the hero of our present story has been deserted by his +treacherous brothers, and has found himself once more in the +under-world, he is told by a mysterious voice to go to the Land of the +Pilgrims, where he will find his fate. He meets an old man, who directs +him to a hermit. The hermit, in turn, directs the youth to another +hermit, who learns from an eagle where the Land of the Pilgrims is, +and directs the bird to carry the youth thither. While the story does +not state that the Land of the Pilgrims is on the "upper-world," we +must suppose that it is, and that the eagle is the means whereby the +hero escapes from the underground kingdom. In a large number of members +of the "Bear's Son" cycle, to which, as has been said, the first part +of our story belongs, this is the usual means of escape. The incident +is also found in a large number of tales not connected otherwise +with this group (see Cosquin, 2 : 141-144). It is sometimes combined +with the quest for the water of life, with which in turn is connected +the situation of the hero's being referred from one guide to another +(giants, sages, hermits, etc.), as in our story (cf. Grimm, No. 97, +and notes; also Bolte-Polívka to No. 97, especially 2 : 400; Thorpe, +158; Tawney, 1 : 206; Persian Tales, 2 : 171). This whole section +appears to have been introduced as a transition between parts 1 and 2. + +The second part of our story opens with the "bride-wager" incident +(see Von Hahn, 1 : 54, "Oenomaosformel"), though I can point to no +parallel of Juan's method of making love to the princess; that is, +by means of a letter conveyed by a kite. + +The tasks which the hero is obliged to perform vary greatly in the +different members of the "Forgotten Betrothed" cycle. Juan has to +plant wheat and bake bread from the ripened grain in twenty-four hours, +separate a jar of mongo from a jar of sand, and fetch a ring from the +sea. The first task imposed by the king has analogies in a number of +European tales. In Groome's No. 34 the Devil says to the hero, "Here +is one more task for you: drain the marsh, and plough it, and sow it, +and to-morrow bring me roasted maize" (p. 106). In Groome's No. 7 the +king says to the old man, "See this great forest! Fell it all, and make +it a level field; and plough it for me, and break up all the earth; +and sow it with millet by to-morrow morning. And mark well what I tell +you: you must bring me a cake [made from the ripened millet-seed, +clearly; see p. 23] made with sweet milk." Cosquin (2 : 24) cites a +Catalan and a Basque story in which the hero has not only to fell a +great forest, but to sow grain and harvest it. In kind this is the same +sort of impossible task imposed on Truth in a Visayan story (JAFL 19 : +100-102), where the hero has to beget, and the princess his wife to +bring forth, in one night, three children. Helpful eagles solve this +difficulty for Truth by conveying to him three newly-born babes. The +second task is a well-known one, and is found in many members of the +"Grateful Animals" cycle. Usually it is ants, which the hero has +earlier spared, that perform the service of separating two kinds of +seed, etc. (see Tawney, 1 : 361 and note). The mixture of sand and +mongo, in our story, is not a very happy conception. Originally it must +have been either gravel and mongo, or else mongo and some other kind of +lentil nearly resembling it in size. The third task, with the method of +accomplishing it, is perhaps the most interesting of all. In a Samoan +story of the "Forgotten Betrothed" cycle (Lang, op. cit., p. 98), the +heroine bids the hero cut her body into pieces and cast them into the +sea. There she becomes a fish and recovers the ring. In a Catalan tale +(Rondallayre, 1 : 41) the hero is also required to fetch a ring from +the bottom of the sea. His loved one tells him to cut her to pieces, +taking care not to let any part drop to the ground, and to throw all +into the water. In spite of all his care, he lets fall to earth one +drop of blood. The heroine recovers the ring, but lacks the first +joint of her little finger when she resumes her original shape. + +The "magic flight" is discussed by Cosquin (1 : 152-154) and Macculloch +(167 ff.). Two kinds of transformation are to be noted in connection +with this escape: the pursued either transform themselves, and +thus escape detection by the pursuer, or else cast behind them magic +objects, which turn into retarding and finally insurmountable obstacles +in the path of the pursuer. In our story the transformations are of +the second type, as they are in the story of "Pedro and the Witch" +(No. 36). So far as I know, the first type does not occur in Filipino +folk-tales. Both types are found frequently in Occidental Märchen, +but in Oriental stories the second seems to predominate over the first +(see Cosquin's citations of Oriental occurrences of this incident). In +Somadeva (Tawney, 1 : 355 ff.) we have two flights and both types +of escape. As to the details of the flight itself in our story, +we may note that the comb becoming a thicket of thorns has many +analogues. The ring becoming seven mountains suggests with its magic +number an Oriental origin. With spittle turning into a lake or sea, +compare similar transformations of drops of water and a bladder full +of water (Macculloch, 171-172). + +The incident of the "forgetting of the betrothed" is usually motivated +with some sort of broken taboo. When the hero desires to visit his +parents, and leaves his sweetheart outside the city, she usually +warns him not to allow himself to be kissed. In a Gaelic Märchen he +is forbidden to speak; sometimes he is warned by his wife not to eat, +etc. (Köhler-Bolte, 172). In our story the taboo is somewhat unusual: +the hero is to allow no tears of joy shed by his parents to fall on +his cheeks. The idea behind this charge, however, is the same as that +behind the forbidden kiss. With the taboo forbidding the partaking +of food, compare the episode of the "Lotus-Eaters" in the Odyssey. + +In most of the Märchen of this group the re-awakening of the memory +of the hero is accomplished through the conversation of two birds +(doves or hens) which the forgotten betrothed manages to introduce +into the presence of her lover just before he is married to another +(Köhler-Bolte, 172; Rittershaus, 150). In our story the heroine asks +a dog questions about the tasks she had helped the hero perform. I +can point to no exact parallel of this situation, though it agrees +in general with the methods used in the other members of the group. + + + + + +For the first part of our story (with the exception of the +introduction), compare Köhler-Bolte, 292-296, 537-543; Gonzenbach, +No. 58 and notes; F. Panzer's "Beowulf," passim. See also the notes +to Nos. 3 and 4 of this collection. + +In connection with our story as a whole, I will cite in conclusion two +native metrical romances that preserve many of the incidents we have +been discussing. The first is a Pangasinan romance (of which I have not +the text) entitled "Don Agustin, Don Pedro, and Don Juan." This story +contains the pursuit by the three princes of a snake to cure the sick +king their father (the "quest" motif), the descent into the well by +the youngest brother, his fight with monsters in the underworld and +his rescue of three princesses, the treachery of the older brothers, +the final rescue of the hero by the youngest princess. While this +story lacks the "forgotten-betrothed" motif, it is unquestionably +related with the first part of our folk-tale, [63] + +The second romance, which is one of the most popular and widespread +in the Islands, having been printed in at least five of the +dialects,--Tagalog, Pampango, Visayan, Ilocano, and Bicol,--I will +synopsize briefly, because it is either the source of our folk-tale +or has been derived from it. The fact that not all the literary +versions agree entirely, and that the story as a folk-tale seems to +be so universally known, makes it seem more likely that the second +alternative expresses the truth; i.e., that the romance has been +derived from the folk-tale. In the Tagalog version the title runs +thus: "The Story of Three Princes, sons of King Fernando and Queen +Valeriana in the Kingdom of Berbania. The Adarna Bird." The poem is +long, containing 4136 octosyllabic lines. The date of my copy is 1906; +but Retana mentions an edition before 1898 (No. 4169). Briefly the +story runs as follows:-- + +King Fernando of Berbania has three sons,--Diego, Pedro, and Juan. One +night the king dreams that Juan was killed by robbers. He immediately +becomes sick, and a skilful physician tells him that the magic Adarna +bird is the only thing that can cure his illness. Diego sets out to +find the bird, but is unsuccessful; he is turned to stone. A year later +Pedro sets out--meets the same fate. At last Juan goes, seeing that +his brothers do not return. Because of his charity a leper directs +the youth to a hermit's house. The hermit tells Juan how to avoid +the enchantment, secure the bird, and liberate his brothers. Juan +successful. On the return, however, the envious brothers beat Juan +senseless, and, taking the bird from him, make their way back to their +father's kingdom alone. But the bird becomes very ugly in appearance, +refuses to sing, and the king grows worse. Juan, meantime, is restored +by an angel sent from heaven. He finally reaches home; and the Adarna +bird immediately becomes beautiful again, and sings of the treachery of +Diego and Pedro. The king, recovered, wishes to banish his two older +sons; but Juan pleads for them, and they are restored to favor. The +king now charges his three sons with the safe-keeping of the bird, +threatening with death the one who lets it fly away. + +One night, while Juan is on watch, he falls asleep. His envious +brothers open the cage, and the bird escapes. When Juan awakens and +sees the mischief done, he leaves home to look for the Adarna. Next +day the king, missing both Juan and the bird, sends Pedro and Diego in +search of their brother. They find him in the mountains of Armenia. In +their joint search for the bird, the three come to a deep well. Diego +and Pedro try in turn to go down, but fear to make the descent to +the bottom. Juan is then lowered. At the foot of the well he finds +beautiful fields. In his wanderings he comes to a large house where a +princess is looking out of the window. She tells Juan that she is in +the power of a giant; and so, when the monster returns, Juan kills +it. He likewise liberates her sister Leonora, who is in the power +of a seven-headed snake. All three--Juan and the two princesses--are +hoisted to the top of the well; but when Juan starts back for a ring +that Leonora has forgotten, his cruel brothers cut the rope. Leonora +sends her pet wolf to cure Juan, and the two brothers with the two +princesses return to Berbania. Juana is married to Diego; but Leonora +refuses to marry Pedro, asking for a seven-year respite to wait for +Juan's return. + +Meantime Juan has been restored. One day the Adarna bird appears, +and sings over his head that there are three beautiful princesses in +the kingdom "de los Cristales." Juan sets out to find that place. He +meets an old man, who gives him a piece of his shirt and tells him to +go to a certain hermit for directions. The hermit receives Juan on +presentation of the token, and summons all the animals to question +them about the kingdom "de los Cristales;" but none of the animals +knows where the kingdom is. This hermit now directs Juan to another +hermitage. There the holy man summons all the birds. One eagle knows +where it is; and after Juan gets on its back, the eagle flies for a +month, and finally reaches the kingdom sought. There, in accordance +with the bird's directions, while the princesses are bathing, Juan +steals the clothes of the youngest, and will not return them until +she promises to marry him. She agrees, and later helps him perform +the difficult tasks set him by her enchanter father (levelling +mountain, planting wheat, newly-baked bread--recovering flask from +sea--removing mountain--recovering ring from sea [same method as in +our folk-tale]--catching king's horse). Then the two escape, pursued +by the magician. Transformation flight (needle, thorns; piece of +soap, mountain; withe [? coje], lake). The baffled magician curses +his daughter, and says that she will be forgotten by Juan. When Juan +reaches home and sees Leonora, he forgets Maria. On his wedding day +with Leonora, an unknown princess comes to attend the festivities. From +a small bottle which she has she produces a small Negress and Negro, +who dance before the young bridal couple. After each dance the Negress +addresses Juan, and recounts to him what Maria has done for him. Then +she beats the Negro, but Juan feels the blows. Finally, since Juan +remains inflexible, Maria threatens to dash to pieces the bottle, +which contains Juan's life. Juan consents to marry her; but Leonora +protests, saying that her wolf saved Juan's life. Archbishop called +to arbitrate the matter, decides in favor of Leonora. When Maria now +floods the country and threatens the whole kingdom with destruction, +King Fernando persuades Leonora to take his oldest son Pedro. Juan +and Maria are married, and return to the kingdom "de los Cristales." + + +The Visayan version of the "Adarna Bird" is practically identical with +the Tagalog up to the point where Juan rescues the two princesses +from the underworld. When he and they have been drawn to the top of +the well by the two older brothers, Juan tells Pedro and Diego to +return home with the two maidens, but says that he will continue +the search for the magic bird. He later learns that it is in the +possession of Maria, daughter of the King of Salermo. He directs his +steps thither, falls in love with the princess, and, together with +the bird, they return to Berbania. The three brothers are married at +the same time. It will be noticed that here the "forgotten-betrothed" +motif is lacking altogether. + +For a Tagalog folk-tale connected with this romance, but changed +so that it is hardly recognizable as a relative, see the story of +"The Adorna (sic) Bird" (JAFL 20 : 107-108). + +It is interesting to note that the Tagalog romance is definitely +reminiscent of the "Swan Maidens" cycle in the method Juan uses to +win the affections of Maria, the enchanter's daughter. For parallels +to Juan's trick of stealing Maria's clothes while she and her sisters +are bathing, see Macculloch, 342 f. For a large collection of "Swan +Maiden" stories in abstract, see Hartland, chapters X and XI. + +Considering the fact that both parts of our story are practically +world-wide in their distribution, it is almost impossible to say +where and when the two in combination first existed. I am inclined to +think, on the whole, that our Filipino folk-tale is an importation, +and is not native. As to the relationship between the popular and +the literary versions of the story, I believe that in general the +literary has been derived from the popular. + + + +TALE 18 + +JUAN AND HIS ADVENTURES. + + +Narrated by José Ma. Katigbak, a Tagalog from Lipa, Batangas. He +heard the story from Angel Reyes, another Batangueño. + + +Once in a certain village there lived a couple who had three +daughters. This family was very poor at first. Near the foot of a +mountain was growing a tree with large white leaves. [64] Pedro the +father earned their living by selling the leaves of that tree. In +time he got so much money from them that he a ordered a large house +to be built. Then they left their old home, and went to live in +the new house. The father kept on selling the leaves. After a year +he decided to cut down the tree, so that he could sell it all at +once and get much money. So he went to the foot of the mountain one +day, and cut the tree down. As soon as the trunk had crashed to the +ground, a large snake came out from the stump. Now, this snake was +an enchanter, and was the friend of the kings of the lions, eagles, +and fishes, as we shall see. + +The snake said to Pedro, "I gave you the leaves of this tree to +sell; and now, after you have gotten much money from it, you cut +it down. There is but one suitable punishment for you: within three +days you must bring all your daughters here and give them to me." The +man was so astonished at first, that he did not know what to do. He +made no reply, and after a few minutes went home. His sadness was so +great that he could not even eat. His wife and daughters, noticing +his depression, asked him what he was thinking about. At first he +did not want to tell them; but they urged and begged so incessantly, +that finally he was forced to do so. + +He said to them, "To-day I cut down the tree where I got the leaves +which I sold. A snake came out from the stump, and told me that I +should bring you three girls to him or we should all die." + +"Don't worry, father! we will go there with you," said the three +daughters. + +The next day they prepared to go to the snake. Their parents wept +very much. Each of the three girls gave her mother a handkerchief as +a remembrance. After they had bidden good-by, they set out on their +journey with their father. + +As soon as they reached the foot of the mountain, the three daughters +disappeared at once, and the poor father returned home cheerless. A +year had not passed by before a son was born to the old couple. They +named him Juan. When the boy was about eighteen years old, his mother +showed him the handkerchiefs of his sisters. + +"Have I any sister?" said Juan to his mother. + +"Yes, you have three; but they were taken away by a snake," she +told him. Juan was so angry, that he asked his parents to give him +permission to go in search of his sisters. At first they hesitated, +but at last they gave him leave. So, taking the three handkerchiefs +with him, Juan set out, and went to the mountain. + +After travelling for more than ten days, Juan came across three boys +quarrelling over the possession of a cap, a pair of sandals, and a +key. He went near them, and asked them why they all wanted those three +things. The boys told him that the cap would make the person who wore +it invisible, the sandals would give their owner the power to fly, +and that the key would open any door it touched. + +Juan told the three boys that it would be better for them to give +him those articles than to quarrel about them; and the boys agreed, +because they did not want either of the others to have them. So Juan +put the key in his pocket, the cap on his head, and the sandals on +his feet, and flew away. After he had passed over many mountains, +he descended. Near the place where he alighted he saw a cave. He +approached its mouth, and opened the door with his key. Inside he saw +a girl sitting near a window. He went up to her and took off his cap. + +"Who are you?" said the girl, startled. + +"Aren't you my sister?" said Juan. + +"I have no brother," said the lady, but she was surprised to see the +handkerchiefs which Juan showed her. After he had told her his story, +she believed that he was really her brother. + +"You had better hide," said the lady, holding Juan's hand, "for my +husband is the king of the lions, and he may kill you if he finds +you here." + +Not long afterwards the lion appeared. She met him at the door. "You +must have some visitors here," said the lion, sniffing the air with +wide-open nostrils. + +"Yes," answered the lady, "my brother is here, and I hid him, for I +feared that you might kill him." + +"No, I will not kill him," said the lion. "Where is he?" Juan came out +and shook hands with the lion. After they had talked for a few hours, +Juan said that he would go to look for his other sisters. The lion +told him that they lived on the next two mountains. + +Juan did not have much trouble in finding his other two sisters. Their +husbands were the kings of the fishes and the eagles, and they received +him kindly. Juan's three brothers-in-law loved him very much, and +promised to aid him whenever he needed their help. + +Juan now decided to return home and tell his parents where his three +sisters were; but he took another way back. He came to a town where +all the people were dressed in black, and the decorations of the houses +were of the same color. He asked some people what had happened in that +town. They told him that a princess was lost, and that he who could +bring her back to the king should receive her hand in marriage and +also half the property of the king. Juan then went to the king and +promised to restore his daughter to him. The king agreed to reward +him as the townspeople had said, if he should prove successful. + +Early the next morning Juan, with his cap, sandals, and key, set +out to look for the princess. After a two-days' journey he came to a +mountain. Here he descended and began to look around. Finally he saw +a huge rock, in which he found a small hole. He put the key in it, +and the rock flew open. With his cap of invisibility on his head, +he entered. There within he saw many ladies, who were confined in +separate rooms. In the very last apartment he found the princess with +a giant beside her. He went near the room of the princess, and opened +the door with his key. The walls of all the rooms were like those of +a prison, and were made of iron bars. Juan approached the princess, +and remained near her until the giant went away. + +As soon as the monster was out of sight, Juan took off his cap. The +princess was surprised to see him, but he told her that he had +come to take her away. She was very glad, but said that they had +better wait for the giant to go away before they started. After a +few minutes the giant went out to take a walk. When they saw that +he had passed through the main door, they went out also. Juan put on +his sandals and flew away with the princess. But when they were very +near the king's palace, the princess disappeared: she was taken back +by the giant's powerful magic. Juan was very angry, and he returned +at once to the giant's cave. He succeeded in opening the main door, +but he could not enter. After struggling in vain for about an hour, +he at last determined to go to his brothers-in-law for help. + +When he had explained what he wanted, the king of the eagles said to +him, "Juan, the life and power of the giant are in a little box at +the heart of the ocean. No one can get that box except the king of +the fishes, and no one can open it except the king of the lions. The +life of the giant is in a little bird which is inside the box. This +bird flies very swiftly, and I am the only one who can catch it. The +strength of the giant is in a little egg which is in the box with +the bird." + +When the king of the eagles had finished his story, Juan went to +the king of the fishes. "Will you fetch me the box which contains +the life and strength of the giant?" said Juan to the king of the +fishes. After asking him many questions, his brother-in-law swam away, +and soon returned with the box. When Juan had received it from him, +he thanked him and went to the king of the lions. + +The king of the lions willingly opened the box for him. As soon as +the box was opened, the little bird inside flew swiftly away. Juan +took the egg, however, and went back to the king of the eagles, and +asked him to catch the bird. After the little bird had been caught, +Juan pushed on to the cave of the giant. When he came there, he opened +the door and entered, holding the bird in one hand and the egg in the +other. Enraged at the sight of Juan, the giant rushed at him; and Juan +was so startled, that he crushed the egg and killed the bird. At once +the giant fell on his back, and stretched out his legs to rise no more. + +Juan now went through the cave, opening all the prison doors, +and releasing the ladies. He carried the princess with him back to +the palace. As soon as he arrived, a great celebration was held, +and he was married to the princess. After the death of the king, +Juan became ruler. He later visited his parents, and told them of +all his adventures. Then he took them to his own kingdom, where they +lived happily together. + + +Notes. + +A Tagalog variant of this story, entitled "Pedro and the Giants," +and narrated by José Hilario from Batangas, runs thus in abstract:-- + +Two orphan sisters living with their brother Pedro are stolen by +two powerful giants. Pedro goes in search of his sisters, and finds +them. Contrary to the expectations of all, the two grim brothers-in-law +welcome Pedro, and offer to serve him. Pedro later wishes to marry a +princess, and the giants demand her of the king her father. He refuses +to give her up, although she falls in love with Pedro. To punish his +daughter, the king exposes her to the hot sun: but one of the giants +shades her with his eagle-like wings. Then the other giant threatens +the king; but the monarch says he is safe, for his life is contained +in two eggs in an iron box guarded by two clashing rocks. With great +personal risk the giant obtains the eggs; and, upon the king's still +refusing to give his daughter to Pedro, the giant dashes the eggs +to the ground, and the king falls dead. Pedro and the princess are +then married. + +This analogue of our story is not very close in details, yet there +are enough general resemblances between the two to make it pretty +certain that they are distantly related. + +Our story of "Juan and his Adventures" belongs to the "Animal +Brothers-in-Law" cycle, a formula for which Von Hahn (1 : 53) +enumerates the following incidents:-- + + +A Three princes who have been transformed into animals marry the +sisters of the hero. + +B The hero visits his three brothers-in-law. + +C They help him perform tasks. + +D They are disenchanted by him. + + +As Crane says (p. 60), this formula varies, of course. Sometimes there +are but two sisters (cf. our variant), and the brothers-in-law are +freed from their enchantment in some other way than by the hero. For +a bibliography of this group, see Crane, 342-343, note 23, to No. 13. + +Perhaps the best version of this story is that found in Basile, 4 : +3, the argument of which, as given in Burton's translation (2 : 372), +runs thus:-- + +Ciancola, son of the King of Verde-colle, fareth to seek his three +sisters, married one with a falcon, another with a stag, and the +other with a dolphin; after long journeying he findeth them, and +on his return homewards he cometh upon the daughter of a king, +who is held prisoner by a dragon within a tower, and calling by +signs which had been given him by the falcon, stag, and dolphin, +all three came before him ready to help him, and with their aid he +slayeth the dragon, and setteth free the princess, whom he weddeth, +and together they return to his realm. + +This argument does not quite do justice to the similarities between +Basile's story and ours. For instance, in the Italian story, when +the daughters leave, they give their mother three identical rings as +tokens. Then a son is born to the queen. When he is fifteen years old, +he sets out to look for his sisters, taking the rings with him. Nor, +again, does this argument mention the fact that in the end the animal +brothers-in-law are transformed into men,--a feature which is found +in Basile, but not in our story. In the main, however, it will be seen +that the two are very close. In Von Hahn, No. 25, the brothers-in-law +are a lion, a tiger, and an eagle. + +The opening of our story, so far as I know, is not found in any of the +other members of this cycle. Usually the sisters are married to the +animals in consequence of a king's decision to give his daughters to +the first three persons who pass by his palace after a certain hour +(Crane, No. XIII); or else the animals present themselves as suitors +after the death of the king, who has charged his sons to see that +their sisters are married (Von Hahn, No. 25; compare the opening +of Wratislaw No. XLI = Wuk, No. 17). In our story, however, Pedro +is deprived of his daughters in consequence of his greed. With this +situation compare the "Maha-vanija-jataka," No. 493, which tells how +some merchants find a magic banyan-tree. From this tree the merchants +receive wonderful gifts; but they are insatiable, and finally plan to +cut it down to see if there is not large treasure at the roots. The +guardian-spirit of the tree, the serpent-king, punishes them. It is not +impossible that some such parable as this lies behind the introduction +to our story. There is abundant testimony from early travellers in +the Islands that the natives in certain sections regarded trees as +sacred, and could not be hired to cut them down for fear of offending +the resident-spirit. The three handkerchiefs which the sisters leave +with their mother as mementos are to be compared with the three rings +in Basile's version. In a Serbian story belonging to this cycle (Wuk, +No. 5), the three sisters are blown away by a strong wind (cf. our +story of "Alberto and the Monsters," No. 39), and fall into the power +of three dragons. When the brother, yet unborn at the time of their +disappearance, reaches his eighteenth year, he sets out to seek his +sisters, taking with him a handkerchief of each. + +The obtaining of magic articles by a trick of the hero is found +in many folk-tales. In Grimm, No. 197, which is distantly related +to our story, the hero cheats two giants out of a wishing-cap over +which they are quarrelling. In Grimm, No. 92, where we find the same +situation, the magic articles are three,--a sword which will make heads +fly off, a cloak of invisibility, a pair of transportation-boots +(see Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 320 f., especially 331-335). In Grimm, +No. 193, a flying saddle is similarly obtained. In Crane, No. XXXVI +(p. 136 f.), Lionbruno acquires a pair of transportation-boots, +an inexhaustible purse, and a cloak of invisibility. This incident +is also found in Somadeva (Tawney, 1 : 14), where the articles are +a pair of flying-shoes, a magic staff which writes what is going to +happen, and a vessel which can supply any food the owner asks for. In +another Oriental collection (Sagas from the Far East, pp. 23-24), +the prince and his follower secure a cap of invisibility from a band +of quarrelling boys, and a pair of transportation-boots from some +disputing demons. Compare Tawney's note for other instances. This +incident is also found in an Indian story by Stokes, No. XXII, +"How the Raja's Son won the Princess Labam." In this the hero meets +four fakirs, whose teacher (and master) has died, and has left four +things,--"a bed which carried whosoever sat on it whithersoever he +wished to go; a bag that gave its owner whatever he wanted,--jewels, +food, or clothes; a stone bowl which gave its owner as much water +as he wanted; and a stick that would beat enemies, and a rope that +would tie them up." Compare also the "Dadhi-vahana-jataka," No. 186, +which is connected with our No. 27. In the Filipino story of "Alberto +and the Monsters" (No. 39) the hero acquires a transportation-boot +from two quarrelling boys; from two young men, a magic key that will +unlock any stone; and from two old men wrangling over it, a hat of +invisibility. In another Tagalog story, "Ricardo and his Adventures" +(notes to No. 49), appears a flying saddle, but this is not obtained +by trickery. + +For the "Fee-fi-fo-fum" formula hinted at in our story, see +Bolte-Polívka, 1 : 289-292. + +In many of the members of this cycle, when the hero takes his leave +of his brothers-in-law, he is given feathers, hair, scales, etc., +with which he can summon them in time of need. In our story, however, +Juan has no such labor-saving device: he has to visit his brothers +a second time when he desires aid against the giant. + +The last part of our story turns on the idea of the "separable soul or +strength" of the dragon, snake, demon, giant, or other monster. This +idea has been fully discussed by Macculloch (chapter V). As this +conception is widespread in the Orient and is found in Malayan +literature (e.g., in "Bidasari"), there is no need of tracing its +occurrence in the Philippines to Europe. In the norm of this cycle, +the animal brothers-in-law help the hero perform tasks which the +king requires all suitors for his daughter's hand to perform. Here +the beasts help the hero secure the life and strength of the giant +who is holding the princess captive. + +Taken as a whole, our story seems to have been imported into the +Philippines from the Occident, for the reason that no Oriental +analogues of it appear to exist, while not a few are known from +southern Europe. Our two variants are from the Tagalog province of +Batangas, and, so far as I know, the story is not found elsewhere +in the Islands. As suggested above, however, the introduction is +probably native, or at least very old, and the conclusion has been +modified by the influence of another cycle well known in the Orient. + + + +TALE 19 + +JUAN WEARING A MONKEY'S SKIN. + + +Narrated by Lorenzo Licup, a Pampango from Angeles, Pampanga. + + +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 father's 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, that's 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 monkey's 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 king's 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 villain's 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 monkey's 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. Didn't 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 age--nay, a +prince--kneeling before her. "I can no longer keep you in ignorance," +he said. "I am your husband, Juan." + +"Oh, no! I cannot believe you. Don't 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 monkey-skin. 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. + + +Notes. + +A Bicol version, "The Monkey becomes King," narrated by Gregorio +Frondoso, who heard the story from an old man of his province, is +almost identical with this Pampango tale. There are a few slight +differences, however. "In the Bicol, the rich parents give their +monkey-offspring away to a man, who keeps the animal in a cage. Finally +the monkey manages to escape, and sets out on his travels. Now the +king of that country builds a high tower in the middle of the sea, +imprisons his daughter there, and promises her hand to the one who can +take her from the tower. The monkey succeeds, as in the Pampango. The +rest of the story is practically as given in the text, except that +the narrator mentions the fact that the monkey's parents fall into +poverty, and in their distress seek aid from their son, now become +king. However, he refuses to recognize them, because of their former +harshness to him, and drives them away." With both these stories may +be compared two other Filipino tales already in print, "The Enchanted +Shell" (JAFL 20 : 90-91) and "The Living Head" (ibid., 19 : 106). + +The "Animal Child" cycle, of which our story and its variants are +members is widely spread throughout Europe. The main incidents of +this group are the following. + +A In accordance with the wish of the parents, a child in the form +of an animal is brought into the world. This phenomenon usually +takes place in consequence of a too vehement prayer for children, +or an inconsiderate wish for a son even if he should prove to be only +an animal. + +B The animal offspring grows up, is married usually through his own +ingenuity, and is finally disenchanted through the burning of his +animal disguise either with or without his consent. + +European representatives of this type are Grimm, Nos. 108, 144; +Von Hahn, Nos. 14, 31, 43, 57, 100; Wuk, No. 9; Pröhle, No. 13; +Straparola 2 : i; Basile, No. 15; Schott, No. 9; Pitrè, No. 56 (see +also his notes); Comparetti, Nos. 9, 66. Compare also Köhler-Bolte, +318-319. Related Oriental forms of this story are discussed by Benfey, +1 : 254 ff. (section 92). + +Although our stories are related to this large family of "Animal Child" +tales, it appears to be the Oriental branch rather than the Occidental +with which they are the more closely connected. The monkey-child, the +castle in the midst of the sea, the building of the bridge from the +mainland to the island, the retirement of the monkey and his royal +wife to live in the forest,--all suggest vaguely but unmistakably +Indian material. I am unable to point to any particular story as +source, and our tale appears to have incorporated in it other Märchen +motifs; but it seems to be faintly reminiscent of the "Ramayana." The +imprisoning or hiding of a princess, and the promise of her hand to +the one who can discover her, are found in our No. 21 (q.v.). No. 29, +too, should be compared. + +Among the Santals, the theme of a girl's marrying a monkey is common +in Märchen (see Bompas, No. XV, "The Monkey Boy;" No. XXXII, "The +Monkey and the Girl;" and No. LXX, "The Monkey Husband"). In none of +these stories, however, is there a transformation of the animal into +a human being. + + + +TALE 20 + +HOW SALAKSAK BECAME RICH. + + +Narrated by Lorenzo Licup, a Pampango from Angeles, Pampanga. + + +Once upon a time there lived two brothers. The elder was named Cucunu, +and the younger Salaksak. Their parents were dead, so they divided the +property that had been left to them. In accordance with this division, +each received a cow and a piece of land. Salaksak separated from his +brother, and built a small house of his own. + +Now, the rice of Cucunu grew faster than that of his brother: so +his brother became jealous of him. One night Salaksak turned his +cow loose in his brother's field. When Cucunu heard of this, he went +to his brother, and said to him, "If you let your cow come into my +field again, I shall whip you." But Salaksak paid no attention to +his brother's threat, and again he let his cow go into the field of +Cucunu. At last his brother grew so impatient that he killed the +cow. When Salaksak went to look for his animal, all he found was +its skin. As he was ashamed of his deed and afraid of his brother, +he dared not accuse him: so he took the skin and put it into a basket. + +Not long afterward several hundred cows passed him along the road. He +followed them. While the herdsmen were eating their dinner, Salaksak +threw his skin among the cows. Then he went up to the hut where the +herdsmen were, and said to the chief of the herdsmen, "Friend, it is +now a week since I lost my cow, and I am afraid that she has become +mixed up with your herd. Please be so kind, therefore, as to count +them." The chief immediately went over to where the cows were. As +he was counting them, Salaksak picked up the skin, and, shaking his +head, he said, "Alas! here is the mark of my cow, and this must be my +cow's skin. You must pay me a thousand pesos, or else you shall be +imprisoned. My cow was easily worth a thousand pesos; for when she +was alive, she used to drop money every day." In their great fear, +the herdsmen paid Salaksak the money at once. + +Salaksak now went home and told his brother of his good fortune. Hoping +to become as rich as his brother, Cucunu immediately killed his cow. He +took the skin with him, and left the flesh to Salaksak. As he was in +the street calling out, "Who wants to buy a hide?" he was summoned +by the ruler of the town, and was accused of having stolen the hide, +and he was whipped so badly that he could hardly walk home. + +Maddened by the disgrace he had suffered, Cucunu burned the house +of his brother one day while he was away. When Salaksak came home, +he found nothing but ashes. These he put into a sack, however, and +set out to seek his fortune again. On his way he overtook an old +man who was carrying a bag of money on his back. Salaksak asked him, +"Are you going to the ruler's house?" + +"Yes," replied the old man, "I have to give this money to him." + +"I am sorry for you, old man. I, too, am going to the palace. What +do you say to exchanging loads? Mine is very light in comparison +with yours." + +"With all my heart, kind boy!" said the old man; and so they exchanged +sacks. + +After they had travelled together a short distance, Salaksak said, +"Old man, you seem to be stronger when you have a light load. Let me +see how fast you can run." The old man, having no suspicion of his +companion, walked ahead as fast as he could. As soon as Salaksak came +to a safe place along the road to hide, he deserted his companion. He +went to his brother's house, and told him that he had gotten a sack +of silver for a sack of ashes. + +"Why," said his brother, "my house is bigger than yours! I ought to +get two sacks of ashes if I burn it. I think that would be a good +bargain." So he burned his house, too. Then he went through the town, +crying, "Who wants to buy ashes?" + +"What a foolish man!" said the housewives. "Why should we buy ashes +when we don't know what to do with those that come from our own +stoves?" When Cucunu came near the house of the ruler, the ruler said +to his servants, "I think that fellow is the same one I bade you whip +before. Call him in and give him a good thrashing, for he is only +making a fool of himself." So Cucunu was summoned and lashed again. + +Thoroughly enraged, Cucunu determined that his brother should not +deceive him a third time. He thought and thought of what he should +do to get rid of him. At last he decided to throw his brother into +the river. For this purpose he made a strong cage. One day he caught +his brother and confined him in it. + +"I will give you three days to repent," said Cucunu. "Now you cannot +deceive me any more." He then left his brother in the cage by the +bank of the river. + +As a young man was passing by, Salaksak began to cry out, "They have +put me into this cage because I do not want to marry the ruler's +daughter." The young man, who had vainly striven for the hand of the +girl, immediately approached Salaksak, and said, "If you will let +me take your place, so that I may marry her, I will give you all the +cows I have with me." + +So by this trick Salaksak escaped. Cucunu, thinking that the man +in the cage was his brother, would not listen to what he said, but +unmercifully threw him into the river. A few days later, Salaksak +went to his brother's house, and told him that it was quite beautiful +under the water. "There," he said, "I saw our father and mother. They +told me I was not old enough to stay with them, so they sent me back +here with a large number of cows." + +"Well, well!" said Cucunu, "I too must go see our parents." He then +hastened to the river, and threw himself in and was drowned. Thus +Salaksak grew rich because of his craftiness. + + +Clever Juan and Envious Diego. + +Narrated by Pablo Anzures, a Tagalog from Manila, who heard the story +from another Tagalog from Santa Maria, Bulakan. + +There were once two brothers named Diego and Juan. Their father had +died a long time before, so they lived only with their good mother. In +character these two brothers were very different. Diego, the older, +was envious and foolish; Juan was clever. + +One morning, while Diego was away, Juan called his mother, and said, +"Mother, help me fool Diego! Please lie down as if you were dead; +and when he arrives, I will blow air through your nose through +a bamboo tube. As soon as you feel me blowing, get up and try to +look like a woman that has risen from the dead." His mother agreed +to do all that she had been told. Then Juan watched and waited for +Diego. When he saw him coming, he called to his mother and told her +to lie down. Then he pretended to be crying. + +When Diego came in and saw his brother, he said, "Juan, why are +you crying?" + +"Don't you see? Our mother is dead," said Juan. Then Diego felt very +sorry, and he too began to weep. Juan then said, "O brother! I remember +that I have a magic instrument that resuscitates dead persons." He +opened his trunk and took out a short bamboo tube, and began to blow +through it into his mother's nose. His mother then pretended to revive, +as she had been told. Diego rejoiced; he too was very much surprised +at his brother's possession. + +The next day the envious Diego stole the bamboo tube and went to +the churchyard. There he waited for a funeral to pass by. After a +short time the funeral procession of a small boy came along. Diego +stopped it, and called to the mother of the boy, "Don't cry! your son +is only sleeping. Lay him down here, and you will soon see that he +is alive." The mother then ordered the carriers to lay the coffin on +the ground. Diego took out his bamboo tube, and, after he had opened +the coffin, he began to blow air into the boy's nose; but the boy did +not move. He blew harder and harder, but the boy remained as stiff +and lifeless as ever. Then the mother of the dead boy became angry; +she kicked Diego, and said, "You are only trying to fool us!" Diego +was very much ashamed, so he threw away the bamboo tube and ran home. + +Some days later the mother of Diego and Juan became ill and died. She +left her sons two carabaos for an inheritance. As Diego was the +older, he took the fat carabao for himself, and gave the thin one +to Juan. Juan was angry: so he killed his carabao, and decided to +sell the hide. He tried to sell it in the neighboring villages, +but he could not find a buyer. He then walked on and on until he +came to a forest. Not very far off, and coming towards him, he saw +a band of Tulisanes. [65] They were on horseback, and had a large +amount of treasure with them. Juan was afraid: so he climbed a tree, +and hid himself with his hide among the branches and leaves. He +had no more than concealed himself when the Tulisanes came up and +stopped to eat under that very tree. Juan watched them closely. He +unintentionally moved the hide which was on the branch beside him, +and it fell crashing down on the Tulisanes. Frightened by this most +unexpected noise, they ran away as fast as they could, not stopping +to take anything with them. Juan descended quickly, mounted a horse, +and made off with as much as he could carry. + +When he reached home, his brother said to him, "Where did you get +all those riches?" Juan replied that he had been given them by the +neighboring villages in return for his carabao-hide. Again Diego +envied his brother. He went out and killed his fat carabao and dried +its hide. Next he went to the neighboring villages and tried to sell +it; but many days passed, and still no one would buy. + +Now Diego was very angry. He took a wooden box and put his brother +inside. He bound the box and carried it to the seashore. He was about +to throw it into the water when he remembered that it was not locked: +so he left it, and went back to the house to get the key. Meanwhile +a Chinese peddler selling gold rings came along. Juan heard him, and +shouted, "Chino, Chino, come and see these beautiful and precious +things inside!" The Chinaman approached, and opened the box. Juan +came out, and said, "I will put you inside, and you will see many +beautiful things in the bottom." The Chinaman was willing, so Juan +put him in and closed the box. He then took the Chino's gold rings +and ran away. Not many minutes later Diego came up, and, after locking +the box, he threw it into the ocean. + +That same day, while Diego was eating his dinner, Juan came along +with some fine gold rings. Diego was astonished to see his brother, +and said, "How did you manage to get out of the box, and where did +you get those rings?" Juan answered that he sank to the bottom of +the ocean, where he saw his mother, and that she had given him all +those rings. The foolish Diego believed everything that Juan told him, +so he asked his brother to put him into a box and throw him into the +ocean. Juan lost no time in obeying. He got a box, put Diego inside, +took it to the seashore, and there cast it into the deep water. After +that Juan lived happily for many years. + + +Ruined because of Invidiousness. + +Narrated by Facundo Esquivel, a Tagalog from Jaen, Nueva Ecija, +who was told the story when he was a boy. + +In time out of memory there lived two brothers, Pedro and Juan. Pedro +was rich, for he had a large herd of cattle: consequently he did not +have much use for his younger brother, who was very poor. Juan had +nothing that he could call his own but a cow. One day, disappointed +over his life of poverty, he killed his cow, and some days afterward +he set out to find his fortune. He took nothing with him but the +hide of his cow. When he reached the next town, he saw large piles of +cattle-hides in front of a butcher's shop. Late that night he stole +out secretly and put the skin of his cow in one of the piles. The +next morning he went to the shop to talk with the butcher. + +"Mr. Butcher," he said, "I have come here to look for my lost cow. Have +you not killed a cow with a mark J on the right hip?" + +"No," answered the honest man, "all the cows which were killed here +came from my herd out there in the mountains." + +Juan stood musing for a few moments, and then said, "Let us look +through these piles of hide to see whether you killed my cow or not!" + +"All right," answered the butcher, and so they began the investigation. + +When they found the hide which Juan had put there, he began to quarrel +with the man. "You must pay me five hundred pesos for my cow, or else I +shall bring a law-suit before the court against you," he said angrily. + +"I wonder how this could have happened!" the butcher exclaimed. + +"There is no use of wondering," said Juan impatiently. "You stole +my cow, and now you have to pay for it." The man, who was very much +afraid of being brought before the court, gave Juan the five hundred +pesos; and Juan went away with the money in his pocket, and the hide +on his head. + +On his way home he came to a tree standing at a cross-roads. He was +very tired and thirsty, but he could not find a house where to ask +for water. He climbed the tree to look for a place to go to, but, +instead of a house, he saw a company of armed men coming down the +road. The men stopped under the tree to rest. Juan was so terrified +that he hardly knew what to do. As he was trembling with fright, the +hide fell down from the tree and frightened the men away. They thought +that it was a curse from heaven because of their misdeeds. When Juan +realized that the men were gone, he recovered from his fright and +quickly descended. There on the ground he saw a number of sacks full +of money, and, loading a horse with two of the sacks, he started for +his home town. + +As soon as he reached his house, he went to his brother's to borrow a +salop. [66] Then he inserted several pesetas and ten-centavo pieces +in the cracks of the salop, and returned the measure. When Pedro saw +the coins sticking in the cracks of his measure, he said, "What did +you do with the salop?" + +"I measured money," said Juan. + +"Where did you get the money?" Pedro demanded. + +"Where did I get the money?" retorted Juan. "Don't you know that I +went to the neighboring town to sell my cowhide?" + +"Yes," said Pedro. Then he added, "The price of hides there must be +very high, I suppose." + +"There is no supposing about it," said Juan. "Just think! one hide +is worth two sacks of money." + +Pedro, who was envious of his brother's good fortune, killed all +his cattle, old and young, and threw the meat into the river. The +he started with several carretons [67] full of hides; but he +was disappointed when he came to the town, for nobody would buy +hides. Discouraged and tired out, he returned. He found Juan living +comfortably in a fine new home. Thus Pedro lost all his property +because of his invidiousness. + + +The Two Friends. + +Narrated by Tomas V. Vargas (of Iloilo?). + +Once there lived in a certain village two friends, Juan and +Andres. Juan, a very rich man, was tall, big, and strong; while Andres, +a very poor man, was small, weak, and short. Andres worked very hard +to earn his living, while Juan spent most of his time on pleasure. + +One morning Andres went to his friend Juan, and asked to borrow one +of his mules. Juan consented, but told Andres that, if any one should +ask who the owner of the mule was, he should tell the truth. Andres +promised, and went off with the mule. He set to work immediately to +plough his small farm. Very soon two neighbors of Andres passed by, +and, seeing him with a mule, asked him where he got it. Andres said +that he had bought it. The men wondered how a poor man like Andres +could buy a mule, and they spread the news about the village. When +this news reached Juan, he was very angry, and he ordered his servant +to go bring back the mule. The animal was brought back, and Juan was +determined not to lend it to his friend any more. + +A week later two of Juan's mules, including that which Andres had +borrowed, died. Juan threw the carcasses away, but Andres took the +skins of those dead mules and dried them to sell in the next town. + +The next day Andres set out for the town, resting now and then on +account of his heavy load. He was overtaken by night near a solitary +house between his village and the town where he was going to sell the +hides. He knocked at the house, and asked a woman he found there for +a night's lodging. She told him that she could not do anything for him +until her husband arrived. So Andres had to wait on the road near the +house. Not long afterwards a man came towards the house. Andres went +up to him, and asked him if he was the master of the house; but the +man said he was not, so Andres had to go back to the road. From where +he was sitting, Andres could see that the woman inside was preparing +a good supper for the stranger, who meanwhile had entered. While she +and the stranger were sitting at the table, Andres saw another man +approaching in the distance. The woman hastily opened a big empty +trunk and hid the man inside, then she put all the cooked fish in +the cupboard. + +When the other man, who was the husband, arrived, Andres asked for +a night's lodging, and was received kindly. While the husband and +Andres were talking, the wife told them that supper was ready, and +they went to the table to eat: but there they found nothing for them +but rice; so Andres told the husband that he had an enchanted hide, +and that they could have fish if he wished. The husband wished to see +the skin tested. Andres ordered the skin to bring a man into the trunk; +and when the trunk was opened, there was the man. Next he ordered the +skin to bring cooked fish to the cupboard; and when the cupboard was +opened, there was the cooked fish. The husband then offered Andres +a very high price for the enchanted skin, and Andres willingly sold it. + +Early the next morning Andres left the house before the others were +up. It was not long, however, before the husband found out that the +skin was not magic, and he was determined to punish the skin-seller +if he should catch him again. Meanwhile Andres had returned to the +village. There he met Juan, who, noticing the money in his pocket, +asked him where he had gotten it. Andres told him that it was the price +of the skins of his dead mules, which he had sold in the neighboring +town. On hearing this, Juan went directly home, killed all his mules, +and flayed them. As he was passing by the solitary house on his way +to the town, he cried out that he had skins for sale. The husband in +the house thought that it must be the same man who had sold him the +enchanted skin, so he went down and whipped Juan nearly to death. + +After this experience, Juan returned home, determined to kill his +friend. But Andres was very cunning, and avoided him. Finally Juan, +angry beyond all measure, killed the mother of Andres. When Andres +found that his mother was dead, he dressed her very well and took her +to town. Then he went directly to the town doctor, to whom he explained +definitely the sickness of his mother. The doctor immediately prepared +medicine for the patient; but just after she had been given the +medicine, he noticed that the woman was dead. Andres then accused him +of having poisoned his mother; and the doctor, fearing the consequences +if Andres should seek justice, agreed to pay him a large sum of money. + +Andres returned to his village richer than ever. Juan became friendly +again, and asked him where he had gotten his money. Andres told him +that it was the price of his mother's corpse, which he had sold in the +town. When Juan heard this, he went home and killed his mother. Then +he took the corpse to town to sell it; but, as he was passing along +the street, a crowd of men began to abuse him, and he narrowly escaped +with his life. + +Now, Juan was determined not to let Andres escape him. He was after +him all the time. Finally one day he caught Andres. He put him inside +a sack and carried it down to the seashore. On the way to the sea, he +saw a house, and, wishing to have a smoke, he left Andres on the road, +and went to the house to get a light. Meanwhile Andres, who was bound +in the sack, was crying out that he did not wish to marry the daughter +of the king, and that he was being forced against his will. At this +instant a cowboy with his herd of cows passed by. He heard Andres, +and said that he was willing to marry the king's daughter. Andres told +him to unbind the sack, then. He did so, and Andres put the cowherd +in his stead. Then Andres hurried away with the cows. Juan came back, +picked up the sack, and threw it into the sea. When he returned home, +he found Andres there with a fine herd of cows. He asked Andres where +he had found them, and Andres said that he had gotten them from under +the sea. So Juan, envious as ever, ordered Andres to put him in a +sack and throw him into the sea. Andres gladly did so. + + +Juan the Orphan. + +Narrated by Leopoldo Uichanco, a Tagalog from Calamba, La Laguna. + +There once lived a boy whose name was Juan. His parents had died, +leaving Juan nothing but a horse. As he did not have a place at home +in which to keep the animal, he begged his Uncle Diego to let the +horse stay in his stable. From time to time Juan went to the stable +to feed his horse. He loved the animal, and took as great care of it +as a father would of a son. + +One day Uncle Diego noticed that Juan's horse was growing fatter and +more beautiful than any of his own animals. In his envy he killed the +horse of his nephew, and said to the innocent boy that the animal had +been stricken by "bad air." Being thus deprived of his sole wealth, +Juan cut off the best meat from the dead horse, and with this food +for his only provision he set out to seek his fortune in another +country. On his way through a forest he came across an old man dying +of starvation; but the old man had with him a bag full of money. + +"Pray," said the old man, talking with difficulty in his pain and +weakness, "what have you in your sack, my son?" + +"Some dried horse-meat," said Juan. + +"Let me see!" The old man looked into the sack, and saw with watering +mouth the sweet-smelling meat. "Will you exchange your sack of meat +for my sack of money?" he said to Juan. "I have money here, but I +cannot eat it. Nor can I go to the town to buy food, because I am too +weak. Since you are stronger, my son, pray take this sack of money in +exchange, and go to the town and buy meat with it for yourself. For +God's sake, leave this meat to me! I am starving to death." + +Juan accepted the money in exchange for his meat, and pretended to +feel great pity for the old man. He put the heavy bag of money on his +shoulder, and with difficulty carried it home. "Uncle Diego!" Juan +called out from the foot of his uncle's ladder, "come here! Please +come here and help me carry this bag upstairs!" + +"Tremendous sum of money," Uncle Diego remarked to his nephew. "Where +did you get it?" + +"I sold the meat of my dead horse. This is what I got for it," +said Juan. + +The uncle once more became jealous of Juan. "If with only one horse," +he muttered to himself, "he could gain so much money, how much should I +get for my fifteen horses!" So he killed all the horses he had in his +stable and cut the meat from them. Then he placed the meat in bags, +and, carrying two on his shoulders, he cried as he went along the +street, "Meat, meat! Horse-meat! Who wishes to buy fresh horse-meat?" + +"How much?" asked a gray-headed old woman who was looking out of +the window. + +"Three hundred ninety-nine thousand pesos, ninety-nine pesetas, +six and one half centavos a pound," said Uncle Diego. + +The people who heard him only laughed, and thought that something was +the matter with his head. Nobody would buy his meat. Nobody cared to +deal with him in earnest, and all his meat decayed. + +He went home in despair, and planned to take vengeance on his nephew +for the mischief he had done him. He cast the little orphan into +a big sack, and sewed the mouth of the little prison all up. Then +he said that at night he would take the sack and throw it into the +river. However, Juan managed to get out of the bag, and in his place +he put a muzzled dog. When night came, the uncle shouldered the bag, +took it to the river, and hurled it into the deep water. He hoped +that Juan would perish there, and that he himself could gain full +possession of his nephew's money. + +But when morning came, Uncle Diego saw Juan smilingly enter the door +of his house. "Juan," said the uncle, "I am surprised to see you +again. Tell me all about how you managed to escape from the sack." + +"Oh, no, Uncle!" returned Juan, "I haven't time; there is not a moment +to lose. I have only come here to bid you good-by." + +"And where are you going?" + +"Back to the bottom of the river. My love, the Sirena, [68] is waiting +for me." + +"O Juan!" pleaded the uncle, "if I could only go with you!" + +"No, no, no!" protested the boy. "Only one can go at a time. The +Sirena would be angry, and she would consequently refuse to admit to +her glorious habitation any being from this outside world." + +"Then let me go first!" + +"No, no, no!" said the boy. + +But the uncle pleaded so earnestly, that finally the boy yielded with +pretended reluctance. The uncle then covered himself with a rice-sack, +and Juan tied the mouth of the bag securely. "I will fool him," Uncle +Diego said to himself. "When I am under the water and the Sirena +takes me to her house to become her husband, I shall never come back +to Juan. Ha, ha, ha!" + +"I will fool him," Juan said to himself. "There is no such thing as +the Sirena in the river. Thank God, my dreadful uncle will soon be +disposed of!" At midnight Juan hurled his happy uncle into the river, +saying, "There is no one who owes that must not pay his debt. [69] +May my act be justified!" + +The heavy sack sank to the bottom of the river, and nothing more was +heard of Uncle Diego. + + +Notes. + +Two other variants, which were collected by Mr. Rusk, and which I +have only in abstract, run about as follows:-- + +Juan the Ashes-Trader.--Juan, a poor dealer in ashes, was in the woods +when he heard some robbers coming, and climbed a tree for safety. While +they were busy at the foot of the tree, counting their money, he +dropped the sack of ashes among them. They ran away in fright, and he +acquired all their gold. When the people of the town heard Juan tell +how valuable ashes had become, they all burned their houses and took +the ashes to the forest, where they arrived just in time to suffer from +the wrath of the robbers. Only two escaped to accuse Juan; but Juan +was already on a journey, doing good with his money. A dying woman, +whom he helped, gave him a magic cane; and when the angry villagers +at last found him, he summoned a legion of soldiers by means of his +cane, and all of his assailants were killed. [With the second half +of this story, cf. No. 28 and notes.] + +Colassit and Colaskel.--Colassit was good but poor; Colaskel, rich +but bad. Colaskel, quarrelling with Colassit, killed the latter's +only carabao. Colassit skinned his dead animal, and took the hide to +Laoag to sell it, but could find no purchaser. At night he asked for +shelter at a house, but was refused on the ground that the husband was +away from home; yet he boldly staid under the house. At midnight he +heard the clatter of dishes above, looked up through a hole in the +floor, and saw the woman dining merrily with a man. Just then the +husband arrived home and knocked at the door. Colassit saw the woman +put her paramour into a box in the corner, and the food in another +box. Colassit now appeared at the door, and was invited in by the +hospitable husband. On being asked what was in his bag, Colassit +replied that it was a miraculous thing, which, when it made a noise, +as it had a moment before when he had stepped on it, desired to say +something. On being asked to interpret, Colassit said that the skin +told him that there was delicious food in one of the boxes. Thereupon +the food was produced. Now, it was said in the neighborhood that +this house was haunted by the Devil, and the owner thought this a +good opportunity to find out by magic where the Devil was. Colassit +interpreted for the carabao-hide. The Devil was in the other box, +he said. After tying the box with heavy ropes, Colassit started +toward the river with it. He repeated a jingle which informed the +man inside of his imminent fate. The latter replied (also in verse) +that he would give a thousand pesos ransom. Colassit accepted, +and so became rich. [The narrator says that this is only one of ten +adventures belonging to the complete story. It is a pity that the +other nine are missing.] + + +The cycle of tales to which all our variants belong, and which +may appropriately be called the "Master Cheat" cycle, is one of +the most popular known. It occurs in many different forms; indeed, +the very nature of the story--merely a succession of incidents in +which a poor but shrewd knave outwits his rich friend or enemy (the +distinction matters little to the narrator), and finally brings about +his enemy's death while he himself becomes rich--is such as to admit +of indefinite expansion, so far as the number and variety of the +episodes are concerned. There have been at least four comprehensive +descriptive or bibliographical studies of this cycle made,--Köhler's +(on Campbell's Gaelic story, No. 39), Cosquin's (notes to Nos. 10 +and 20), Clouston's (2 : 229-288), and Bolte-Polívka's (on Grimm, +No. 61). Of these, the last, inasmuch as it is the latest (1914) +and made use of all the preceding, is the most complete. From it +(2 : 10) we learn that the characteristic incidents of this family +of drolls are as follows:-- + + +A1 A rabbit (goat, bird) as carrier of messages. A2 A wolf sold for +a ram. + +B A gold-dropping ass (or horse). + +C A self-cooking vessel. + +D A hat which pays the landlord. + +E1 Dirt (ashes) given (sold, substituted) for gold. E2 Money which +was alleged to be in a chest, demanded from the storer of the chest. + +F1 Cowhide (or "talking" bird) sold to adulteress, or (F2) sold to +her husband, or (F3) exchanged for the chest in which the paramour +is concealed, or (F4) elsewhere exchanged for money. + +G1 A flute (fiddle, staff, knife) which apparently brings to life +again the dead woman. G2 The dead mother killed a second time, and +paid for by the supposed murderer. + +H Escape of the hero from the sack (chest) by exchanging places with +a shepherd. + +J Death of the envious one, who wishes to secure some "marine cattle." + + +The opponents in this group of stories, says Bolte, "are either +village companions, or unacquainted marketers, or a rich and an +avaricious brother." In addition to the episodes enumerated above, +might be mentioned two others not uncommonly found in this cycle:-- + +F5 Frightening robbers under tree by dropping hide or table on them. + +F6 Borrowed measure returned with coins adhering to it. + +As these last two occur in other stories, both droll and serious +(e.g., Grimm, No. 59; and "1001 Nights," "Ali Baba"), they may not +originally have belonged to our present group. However, see Cosquin's +notes on his No. xx, "Richedeau" (1 : 225 f.). It is hard to say with +certainty just what was originally the one basic motif to which all +the others have at one time or another become attached; but it seems +to me likely that it was incident H, the sack-by-the-sea episode, +for it is this which is the sine qua non of the cycle. To be sure, +our third story (c) lacks it, but proves its membership in the family +by means of other close resemblances. + +Of the elements mentioned by Bolte-Polívka, our five stories +and two variants have the following: "How Salaksak became Rich," +F4BE1HJ; "Clever Juan and Envious Diego," G1F5HJ; "Ruined because +of Invidiousness," F4F5F6; "The Two Friends," F2G2HJ; "Juan the +Orphan," F4H (modified) J; "Juan the Ashes-Trader," E1F5; "Colassit +and Colaskel," F3. In a Visayan tale (JAFL 19 : 107-109) we find +a combination of HJ with a variant of our No. 1. Incident D (hat +paying landlord) forms a separate story, which we give below,--No. 50, +"Juan and his Painted Hat." Incident B is also narrated as a droll by +the Tagalogs; the sharper of the story scattering silver coins about +the manure of his cow, and subsequently selling the "magic" animal +for a large sum. An examination of the incidents distributed among +the Filipino members of this cycle reveals the fact that episode A1 +(hare as messenger) is altogether lacking. I have not met with it in +any native story, and am inclined to believe that it is not known in +the Islands. It is found widespread in Europe, but does not appear to +be common in India: among fifteen Indian variants cited by Bolte it is +found only twice (i.e., Indian Antiquary, 3 : 11 f.; Bompas, No. 80, +p. 242). These Indian versions show, however, that the story in one +form or another is found quite generally throughout that country, the +Santali furnishing the largest number of variants (six, in all). It +would seem reasonable to conclude, therefore, considering the fact +that at least seven forms of the tale are known in the Philippines, +extending from the Visayas to the northernmost part of Luzon, that the +source of the incidents common to these and the Indian versions need +not be sought outside the Orient. The case of incidents F1F2F3 seems +different. They are lacking in the Far-Eastern representatives of this +cycle; and their appearance in the Philippines may be safely traced, +I think, to European influence. However, an Indian source for these +incidents may yet be discovered, just as sources already have been for +so many Italian novella and French fabliaux of a similar flavor. The +fact that the earliest form of the "Master Cheat" cycle known is a +Latin poem of the eleventh, possibly tenth, century (Köhler-Bolte, +233-234), is of course no proof that elements F4G1HJ, found in that +poem, were introduced into India from Europe, though it might be +an indication. + + + +TALE 21 + +IS HE THE CRAFTY ULYSSES? + + +Narrated by Lorenzo Licup, a Pampango from Angeles, Pampanga. + + +Balbino and Alaga had only one child, a son named Suguid, who was at +first greatly beloved by them. The couple was very rich, and therefore +the boy wanted nothing that was not granted by his parents. Now, +the son was a voracious eater. While still a baby, he used to pull +up the nails from the floor and eat them, when his mother had no +more milk to give him. When all the nails were exhausted, he ate the +cotton with which the pillows were stuffed. Thus his parents used to +compare him to a mill which consumes sugarcane incessantly. It was +not many years before the wealth of the couple had become greatly +diminished by the lavish expenditure they had to make for Suguid's +food. So Suguid became more and more intolerable every day. At last +his parents decided to cast him away into a place from which he might +not be able to find his way home again. + +One day they led him to a dense forest, and there abandoned +him. Luckily for Suguid, a merchant soon passed by that place. The +merchant heard him crying, and looked for him. He found the boy, and, +being a good-natured man, he took the boy home with him. It was not +long before the merchant realized that Suguid was a youth of talent, +and he put him in school. In a few weeks the boy showed his superiority +over his classmates. In time he beat even the master in points of +learning. And so it was that after only five months of studying he left +the school, because he found it too small for his expanding intellect. + +By some mathematical calculation, so the tradition says, or by certain +mysterious combinations of characters that he wrote on paper, Suguid +discovered one day that a certain princess was hidden somewhere. She +had been concealed in such a way that her existence might not be known +other than by her parents and the courtiers. Suguid immediately went +to the palace of the king, and posted a paper on the palace-door. The +paper read as follows: "Your Majesty cannot deny me the fact that he +has a daughter secluded somewhere. Your humble servant, Suguid Bociu." + +When the king read this note, he became very angry, as he could +now no longer keep the secret of his daughter's existence. He +immediately despatched his soldiers to look for the presumptuous +Suguid. The soldiers found the boy without much difficulty, and +brought him before the king. Bursting with anger, the king said, +"Are you the one who was bold enough to post this paper?" + +"Yes, your Majesty." + +"Can you prove what you have stated?" + +"Yes, your Majesty." + +"Very well," said the king; "if you can, I will give you my daughter +for your bride. If within three days you fail to produce her before +me, however, you shall be unconditionally executed." + +"I will not fail to fulfil my promise, your Majesty," said Suguid. + +After this brief interview, Suguid went directly home. He told the +merchant all about his plan to marry the princess. + +"Why did you dare tell the king that you know where his daughter is," +said the merchant, "when there is no certainty at all of your finding +her or of gaining her consent?" + +"Oh, do not be afraid, father!" said Suguid. "If you will but +provide me with twelve of the best goldsmiths that can be found in +the whole city, I have no doubt of finding and captivating the fair +princess." As the merchant was a rich man, and influential too, he +summoned in an hour all the good goldsmiths that could be found in +the city. When all the goldsmiths were assembled, Suguid ordered them +to make a purlon. This purlon was made of gold, silver, and precious +stones. It was oblong in shape, and hollow inside, being five feet +high, three feet deep, and four feet long. Inside it were placed a +chair and a lamp. By means of a certain device a person inside the +purlon could breathe. Altogether its construction was so beautiful, +that it seemed as if it were intended for the sight of the gods alone. + +When all was ready, Suguid entered the purlon, taking with him all +the necessary provisions,--food, fine clothes, a poniard, and a +guitar. Every part of the purlon was so well joined, that no opening +whatever could be detected. Before going into the purlon, Suguid +told the merchant to take the goldsmiths home, and not to allow +them to leave the house for three days, lest they should reveal the +secret. Suguid then ordered five men to carry the purlon towards the +king's palace. In the mean time he was playing the sweetest piece of +music that mortal ears had ever heard. When the purlon was near the +palace, the king was so charmed by the melodious music, that he asked +the master of the carriers to halt for a moment. "Pray," he said, +"are you the owner of that thing?" + +"No, sir! a certain man in our district owns it," said the carrier. + +"Who gave him this divine gift?" + +"Your Majesty, this purlon, as it is called, is of a rather mysterious +origin. The owner of this (pointing to the purlon) was a religious +man. He was formerly very wealthy; but because he gave much alms to +the poor and the needy, his riches soon came to an end. He is now +so poor, that his silken clothes have all been exchanged for ragged +cotton ones. Early one morning, when he was about to go to the church, +he was surprised to find this purlon at his door, giving out music +as you hear it now." + +The king turned to the queen, who was sitting beside him, and said, +"Oh, how happy our daughter would be if she should hear this enchanting +piece of music!--Sir, if you will lend me this purlon, you may ask +of me as a compensation any favor that you may want." + +"Your Majesty, I will lend it to you with all my heart, but on +condition that it be returned within two days, lest the owner scold +me for having given it up." + +"Yes," answered the king, "I will give it back as soon as my daughter +has seen it." The king and queen then immediately ordered that the +purlon be carried before the princess. The princess's joy need not +be described if we only think how happy we should be if we were in +the same situation as she. She was so bewitched by the music, that +she told her father never to take it away from her. + +"O daughter!" said the king, "we have just borrowed this purlon, +and we promised to return it as soon as you had seen it. However, +you may have it the whole night." + +The king and the queen, convinced that their daughter was quite happy, +soon bade her good-by. Before leaving, the king said, "You must not +spend the whole night in listening to the sweet music." + +"Have no fear, father! I will go to sleep early." + +Suguid, who was inside the purlon, listened very carefully to the +retreating footsteps of the king and queen. As soon as he thought +they were too far away to hear their daughter in case she should cry +out, he came out from the purlon, poniard in hand. The princess, +of course, was very much frightened when she saw Suguid kneeling +before her, and saying, "Fair princess, let not my presence cause any +fear! In coming here, I had no other purpose than to reveal to you +a secret that I have long cherished in my heart. It is universally +acknowledged that you are the most beautiful, the most virtuous, +the most accomplished living mortal on earth, and as such you have +awakened in me an intense love. So, taking no heed of the danger +that I might encounter on the way, I ventured to search for you, +Lily of the Valley and Rose of the Town--to love you, to adore you as +a living saint. Your ring, my adored princess, will give me life or +death,--life, because I shall be spared from being beheaded; death, +for I have promised your father to present your ring to him within +three days as a token of your acceptance of my suit. Therefore, Queen +of Beauty, choose, your ring, or my death. I have my poniard ready, +and I prefer a hundred times to die--nay, die smiling--at your hands." + +The princess was so moved by this passionate speech, that she was mute +for some time. After a difficult struggle within herself, she said, +"Seeing your intense love and devotion for me, I cannot but consent +to your proposal. Were not the matter pressing, however, I should not +give my consent in so short a time. Here is the ring, if pleasure it +will give you." + +Suguid took the ring courteously, and said, "How can I paint in +words my pleasure and gratitude! As it were, you have snatched me +from the cold hands of Death. You have saved me from the fury of your +father. You have given me a heaven of joy. Oh, how shall I describe +it! I thank you very much. But now I must leave you and go into the +purlon,--the blessed purlon,--as it is almost morning. Your father +will soon come and take this purlon away. But I must let you know +this one fact: as soon as I have presented this ring to the king, +you will be taken away from here. You will be made my beloved wife." + +"Yes, I have no objection to that," said the princess. Suguid, being +thus assured of his success, entered the purlon again. + +Morning came, and the king and queen went to the princess's palace at +ten o'clock. They talked a while with their daughter, who assured them +of her great satisfaction with the purlon. Then they bade her good-by, +as there was important business to be transacted that day. They took +the purlon with them, and returned it to the agent. + +On the appointed day Suguid appeared at the king's palace, carrying +with him the emblem of his victory,--the ring. On seeing Suguid +approaching so cheerfully, the king knew that he was lost. He therefore +swooned, but on recovering he realized that he had to abide by his +promise. He reluctantly caused the princess to be summoned from her +palace, and she and Suguid were married together; and it was not long +before the king and queen began to appreciate the talent of their +humble and lowly son-in-law. By Suguid's wise policy the kingdom +prospered, and for the first time learned what peace really meant. + + +Notes. + +I have a variant of this story, "Juan the Poor," told more briefly, +narrated by Andrea Mariano, a Tagalog, who heard it from her little +brother. It runs thus in outline:-- + +Juan is the son of a beggar. The beggar dies, and the son sells himself +to a merchant for money to bury his father properly. After Juan has +been educated, he posts this sign in front of the merchant's house: +"I can trace everything that is lost.--Juan." The king sees the sign, +and requires the boy to discover his hidden daughter. Method: Golden +carriage with Juan playing music inside; old man hired to push it. The +king borrows the carriage and takes it to his daughter. When alone +with the princess, Juan declares his love, and she gives him her +ring. Next day the carriage is returned to the old man. Juan takes +the ring to the king, and is given the princess's hand in marriage +because he is so wise. + +For another Tagalog variant see "The King, the Princess, and the +Poor Boy" (JAFL 20 : 307). This is almost identical with the variant +above, except that the hero is advised by two statues how to discover +where the princess is. Furthermore, the hero is discovered with +the princess after he has gained access to her by means of the gilt +carriage and music-box. + +The fullest form of the story, however, is the Tagalog metrical romance +popularly known under the title "Juan Bachiller." The full title runs +as follows: "The Sad Life of a Father and of his Son named Juan, in +the Kingdom of Spain. The son sold himself to a merchant on condition +that he would bury the corpse of his father." My copy bears the date +1907, but this is merely a reprint of an older edition. Retana cites +an edition dated 1902 (No. 4337) and one before 1898 (No. 4156). The +poem is in 12-syllable lines, and contains 350 quatrains. It is still +very popular among the Tagalogs, but does not appear to have been +printed in any of the other Philippine languages. Inasmuch as there +is a close connection between our variants and the verse form of the +story, I give a prose paraphrase of the latter:-- + +There was once a poor beggar, Serbando, who had an only son named +Juan. They lived in the kingdom of Spain. They had a little hut outside +the city in which Serbando used to go to beg their living. One morning, +when Juan returned home from school and was playing around their +little hovel, he heard many kinds of birds speaking to him thus: +"Juan, be patient and toil in poverty. The time will come when God +will reward you." Then a large bird flew to him, and said, "Juan, +leave your little miserable hut; go and seek your fortune." When +his father returned home, Juan told him all about the advice of the +birds. Serbando did not believe that birds could talk, and doubted, +of course, the truth of what his son said. + +Now, it happened that Serbando became sick, and after a short time +died, leaving his son alone in the world. Poor Juan wept bitterly over +the dead body. He did not know what to do. He covered the corpse of +his father, and then went crying out through the streets of the city, +"Who wants to buy a slave?" A merchant heard him. "I will serve you as +long as I live if you will only see to the burial of my dead father," +said Juan to the merchant. Without hesitation the merchant assented, +and together they went to the little hut. The merchant ordered and paid +for a funeral; there was a procession, a mass, and after the burial a +banquet. Then the merchant took the boy to live with him in the city +where the king and queen lived. Moreover, this kind merchant sent Juan +to school, and treated him as a son. In time Juan took his bachelor's +degree, and was greatly admired and respected by his teachers. + +One afternoon Juan put a notice on the door of the merchant's +house, which read thus: "If we use money, there is nothing we cannot +discover." It happened that on that same afternoon the king and queen +were driving through the streets of the city. The king chanced to +fix his eyes on the sign which Juan had put up. He did not believe +that the notice was true; and so, when he arrived at the palace, +he ordered the merchant to appear before him. The merchant was very +much frightened at the summons, so Juan himself went and presented +himself before the king. + +"Is the notice on your door true?" asked the king. + +"It is true, your Majesty," said Juan. + +"Then go and find my daughter. If you can find her, she shall be +your wife; if not, you shall lose your head three days from now," +said the king, who hid his daughter in a secret room in the palace. + +Juan went home and called all the best goldsmiths in the kingdom. He +told them to make a little wagon of pure gold, with a secret cell +inside in which a man could sit with a musical instrument and play +it. The goldsmiths finished the wagon in two days and were paid +off. Then Juan called a man and told him to drag this little wagon +along the street toward the palace, and then to the plaza. After +entering the secret cell with his musical instrument, he told the +driver to do as he had been directed. The man began to drag the wagon +along the street toward the palace. Men, women, and children crowded +both sides of the street to see this wagon of pure gold, which gave +out such sweet music. When the wagon passed in front of the palace, +the queen was amazed at it. She asked the king to summon the driver +before him. So the king called the driver, and asked him to bring +the golden wagon into the hall where the queen was. + +"How much will you sell this for?" asked the queen. + +"I will not sell it," answered the driver. + +"Can you not lend it to me until this afternoon?" said the king; +and at last the driver agreed to lend the wagon for a few hours. + +The queen then dragged the wagon along the hall, and took it to her +daughter in the secret room. The princess was delighted. As she pushed +it forwards and backwards, sweet music charmed her ears. At last +Juan came out of the secret cell in the wagon and knelt before the +princess. He told her why he had been led to play this trick, and last +of all he told her that he would have lost his life on the morrow if he +had not been able to find her. He also began to express his love for +her. At first she hesitated to accept his protestations of affection; +but at last she accepted him, and gave him one of her rings as a sign +that she would marry him. Fearing that he might be caught in the room +by some one else, Juan now entered the secret cell of the wagon again. + +At last the king came, and started to drag the wagon out of the palace +to the place where the driver was waiting. Juan suddenly opened the +door of the secret cell and stood before the king. "O king!" he said, +"now I have accomplished your command. I have found and seen your +daughter in the secret room, and she has given me this ring." + +The king was amazed, and said to himself that, had he known that +the wagon contained any one inside, he would not have allowed it to +be brought to his hidden daughter. He said to Juan, "You have told +the truth, that anything can be discovered if money is used; but you +shall not marry my daughter." + +"Remember your promise," said Juan. + +"Wait, and I will ask the princess," said the king. "She might refuse." + +"Whether she refuses or not, she is to be my wife, for I have seen +her and found her," replied Juan. + +"Then you shall have her," said the king. + +So Juan was married to the princess, and there was great rejoicing +in the kingdom. The king, however, was very sorry that his daughter +had married Juan, who had now the right to inherit the throne from +him. He could not endure the idea, so he pondered night and day how +to kill Juan under some pretext or other. Juan learned of the king's +plot, and decided to leave the city for a while. He asked his wife +for permission to go and visit the little hut in which he was born, +and at last she consented. + +One day Juan left the palace and went to the country. While he was +walking in the woods near his old home, two birds flew to him. "Juan, +take this ring with you: it has magic power, and will furnish you +whatever you ask of it," said the male bird. + +"Here, take this pen-point, and use it whenever the king asks you to +write for him," said the female bird. "Remember, Juan, you do not +need to have any ink; you can use your saliva," it continued. "Now +go back to the kingdom, and do not be afraid of the king's plots," +said the two birds together. So Juan went back to the palace, and +lived there with his wife. + +One day the king called Juan, and ordered him to write something. The +king thought that if Juan should make any mistakes in the writing, +he would order him to be executed. Juan used the pen-point which the +second bird had given him. The king furnished him only paper, but no +ink, so Juan used his saliva. "Write this, Juan," said the king: +"'It is not right that you should be heir to my crown, and successor +to the throne.'" + +Juan wrote the words just as the king had given them, and they appeared +on the paper in letters of pure gold. The king was very much surprised +by this demonstration of Juan's ability. + +Then the king continued, "Write this: 'You ought not to inherit the +crown, you who were born in a little village, and whose ancestors are +unknown.'" Juan wrote this dictation, and, as before, the letters +were of pure gold. Again the king said, "Write now what I shall say: +'You cannot cheat a king like me; you saw my daughter the princess +because you were hiding in the wagon of gold.'" + +Juan wrote these words, and they were in pure gold too. The king was +now sad, for he could think of no other way in which to detect a fault +in Juan. So he dismissed his son-in-law, and showed the queen the +golden letters that Juan had written. Juan returned to his apartments. + +When night came, Juan decided to ask his magic ring for a tower which +should stand beside the palace of the king. During the night the +tower was erected; it was garrisoned with field-marshals, colonels, +and soldiers. Early in the morning the king was surprised to see this +tall tower standing beside his palace. He said to himself, "I rule +the kingdom, and the kingdom is mine; this tower is in my kingdom, +therefore the tower is mine." So the king went out of the palace and +entered the tower. No one saluted him. Then he called Juan, and asked +him about the tower. Juan answered that its presence there was due to +the will and power of God. When Juan and the king together entered +the tower, all the soldiers lined up and saluted Juan, and music +was heard everywhere. Everything inside was made of solid silver and +gold. The king was astounded at the magic power of his son-in-law, +whom he was trying to kill. + +"Juan," said the king, "wipe away this tower and erect at this moment +a palace in its place. If you can do this, you shall be the king of +the whole of Spain." By the magic power of the ring, Juan was able +to fulfil the command, and the tower was changed into a beautiful +palace. The council of the kingdom, at the order of the king, agreed +to crown Juan and his wife king and queen. There was great rejoicing +throughout the realm. The old king and his wife abandoned the palace, +and went to live in an abbey, where they died. + +Juan now called the merchant, his former master, to the palace. The +merchant was afraid, for he feared that the king wished to do him +mischief; he did not know that Juan was now king. But Juan received +him affectionately, and from that time on the merchant, Juan, and +the beautiful princess lived together happily in the palace. + + +It will be noticed that the Tagalog poem differs from the three +oral versions, in that after Juan has won the first wager from +the king, his skill is subjected to further tests, which he comes +out of successfully through the aid of magic objects given him by +birds. In other words, the poem carries on the folk-tale by adding +some additional episodes. The fact that the folk-tales, both Pampango +and Tagalog, preserve the simple structure, while only the printed +Tagalog verse-form seeks to elaborate and extend the tale, suggests +that the simpler form is the older, and that the anonymous author of +the romance added to the oral material for mere purposes of length. As +it is, the poem is very short compared with the other popular metrical +stories, which average well over 2000 lines. The localization of the +events in Spain signifies nothing. + +The story is known also in southern Europe: e.g., in Greece (Von Hahn, +No. 13), in Sicily (Gonzenbach, No. 68; Pitrè, Nos. 95, 96). In the +Greek version, after the hero has decided to risk his neck for the +hand of the hidden princess, he goes to a shepherd and has himself +covered with the hide of a lamb with golden fleece. In this disguise +he is taken to the princess. In the night he throws off his fleece +covering and makes love to the princess, who finally accepts him, +and tells him how he may be able to recognize her among her maidens, +all of whom, herself included, her father will change into ducks, +and then will require the youth to pick out the duck which is the +princess. He succeeds, and wins her hand in marriage. In Gonzenbach, +No. 68, the hero is one of three brothers who set out to seek +their fortunes. They each come in succession to the beautiful city +where the king has issued the proclamation that whoever can find his +hidden daughter within eight days shall receive her hand in marriage; +whoever tries and fails, loses his head. The first two brothers fail +and are killed. The youngest, arriving in the city and reading the +proclamation, determines to take the risk. He is advised by an old +beggar-woman how to find the princess. He has goldsmiths make a +golden lion with crystal eyes. The animal is so contrived that it +plays continually beautiful music. The hero hides inside, and the +old woman takes the lion to the king, to whom she lends it. Then +follow the discovery of the princess, her acceptance of the hero's +love, the token given to the hero, etc. The hero is obliged to pick +the princess out from among her eleven maids who look exactly like +her. In Pitrè, No. 95, we find practically the same incidents recorded: +two older sons of a merchant go off to seek their fortunes, and lose +their heads because they cannot discover the princess "within a year, +a month, and a day." The youngest comes in turn to the same country, +wagers his head, and searches a year and fifteen days in vain. On the +advice of an old woman, he has built a golden àcula (just what this +word means I have been unable to determine) large enough to contain +a person playing a musical instrument. Four men carry the àcula to +the palace; discovery of the princess follows. Second test: to pick +the princess out from twenty-four maidens dressed exactly alike. + +In none of these three stories (nor in Pitrè, No. 96, which is a +shorter variant of No. 95) does the opening resemble our forms of the +tale. Nor in any of the three, either, does the hero bring the wager +on himself because of the announcement he makes that he who has gold +can discover anything. With this detail, however, compare the couplet +which the hero displays in Pitrè, No. 96:-- + + + "Cu' havi dinari fa chiddu chi voli, + Cu' havi bon cavallu va unni voli." + + +The line "He who has gold can do whatever he wishes" is almost +identical with the corresponding line in the Tagalog verse story. + +It is to be noted that the bride-wager incident in this group of +stories resembles closely the same episode in our No. 19. The opening +of our No. 21 has been influenced by the setting of the stories of +the Carancal group (No. 3). + + + +TALE 22 + +THE REWARD OF KINDNESS. + + +Narrated by Elisa Cordero, a Tagalog from Pagsanjan, La Laguna, +who heard the story from a Tagalog friend. + + +In a certain town there once lived a couple who had never had a +child. They had been married for nearly five years, and were very +anxious for a son. The name of the wife was Clara; and of the man, +Philip. + +One cloudy night in December, while they were talking by the window +of their house, Clara said to her husband that she was going to pray +the novena, [70] so that Heaven would give them a child. "I would +even let my son serve the Devil, if he would but give us a son!" As +her husband was willing that she should pray the novena, Clara began +the next day her fervent devotions to the Virgin Mary. She went to +church every afternoon for nine days. She carried a small prayer-book +with her, and prayed until six o'clock every evening. At last she +finished her novenario; [71] but no child was born to them, and the +couple was disappointed. + +A month had passed, when, to their great happiness, Clara gave birth to +a son. The child they nicknamed Idó. Idó was greatly cherished by his +parents, for he was their only child; but he did not care much to stay +at home. He early began to show a fondness for travelling abroad, and +was always to be found in the dense woods on the outskirts of the town. + +One afternoon, when the family was gathered together around a small +table, talking, a knock was heard at the door. "Come in!" said Philip. + +"No, I just want to talk with your wife," answered a hoarse voice +from without. + +Clara, trembling, opened the door, and, to her great surprise, +she saw standing there a man who looked like a bear. "A devil, a +devil!" she exclaimed, but the Devil pacified her, and said, "Clara, +I have come here to get your son you promised me a long time ago. Now +that the day has come when your son can be of some service to me, +will you deny your promise?" + +Clara could make no reply at first. She merely called her son; and +when he came, she said to the Devil, "Here is my son. Take him, since +he is yours." Idó, who was at this time about seventeen years old, +was not frightened by the Devil. + +"Come," said the Devil, "and be my follower!" At first Idó refused; +but he finally consented to go, because of his mother's promise. + +The Devil now took Idó to his cave, far away outside the town. He +tried in many ways to tempt Idó, but was unable to do so, because +Idó was a youth of strong character. Finally the Devil decided to +exchange clothes with him. Idó was obliged to put on the bear-like +clothes of the Devil and to give him his own soldier-suit. Then the +Devil produced a large bag full of money, and said to Idó, "Take this +money and go travelling about the world for seven years. If you live +to the end of that time, and spend this money only in doing good, +I will set you free. If, however, you spend the money extravagantly, +you will have to go to hell with me." When he had said these words, +he disappeared. + +Idó now began his wanderings from town to town. Whenever people saw +him, they were afraid of him, and would refuse to give him shelter; +but Idó would give them money from his bag, and then they would gather +about him and be kind to him. + +After many years he happened to come to a town where he saw an old +woman summoned before a court of justice. She was accused of owing +a sum of money, but was unable to pay her debt and the fine imposed +on her. When Idó paid her fine for her and thus released her from +prison, the woman could hardly express her gratitude. As most of the +other people about were afraid of Idó and he had no place to sleep, +this woman decided to take him home with her. + +Now, this old woman had three daughters. When she reached home with +the bear-like man, she called her eldest daughter, and said, "Now, +my daughter, here is a man who delivered me from prison. As I can do +nothing to reward him for his great kindness, I want you to take him +for your husband." + +The daughter replied, "Mother, why have you brought this ugly man +here? No, I cannot marry him. I can find a better husband." + +On hearing this harsh reply, the mother could not say a word. She +called her second daughter, and explained her wishes to her; but the +younger daughter refused, just as her sister had refused, and she +made fun of the man. + +The mother was very much disappointed, but she was unable to persuade +her daughters to marry her benefactor. Finally she determined to try +her youngest daughter. When the daughter heard her mother's request, +she said, "Mother, if to have me marry this man is the only way by +which you can repay him for his kindness, I'll gladly marry him." The +mother was very much pleased, but the two older daughters were very +angry with their sister. The mother told the man of the decision of +her youngest daughter, and a contract was signed between them. But +before they were married, the bear-like man asked permission from the +girl to be absent for one more year to finish his duty. She consented +to his going, and gave him half her ring as a memento. + +At the end of the year, which was the last of his seven years' +wandering, the bear-like man went to the Devil, and told him that he +had finished his duty. The Devil said, "You have beaten me. Now that +you have performed your seven years' wandering, and have spent the +money honestly, let us exchange clothes again!" So the man received +back his soldierlike suit, which made him look like a knight, and +the Devil took back his bear-skin. + +Then the man returned to Clara's [72] house. When his arrival was +announced to the family, the two older daughters dressed themselves in +their best, for they thought that he was a suitor come to see them; +but when the man showed the ring and asked for the hand of Clara's +youngest daughter, the two nearly died with vexation, while the +youngest daughter was very happy. + + +Notes. + +This story is a variant of Grimm, No. 101, "Bear-Skin," which it +follows fairly closely from the point where the hero makes his pact +with the Devil. The bibliography of this cycle is fully given in +Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 427-435, to which I have nothing to add except +this story itself! Our version is the only one so far recorded from +the Orient, and there can be no doubt that it is derived directly +from Europe. Ralston and Moe seem to detect a relationship between +this cycle and a Hindoo saga translated into Chinese in the seventh +century, and from the Chinese into French in the middle of the +nineteenth century, by the French orientalist Stanislas Julien; but +Bolte is of the opinion (p. 435) that there is probably no connection +between the two. In any case, to judge from recorded variants, the +Tagalog story is an importation from the Occident. + +And yet there are not a few deviations in our version from the norm, +if Grimm's tale may be considered representative of the cycle. The most +important of these is the opening, which is one form of the "Promised +Child" opening (see Macculloch, 415 ff.). This formula of a childless +couple finally promising in despair to let their child serve even +the Devil if they are granted offspring, or to be satisfied with an +animal-child or some other monstrosity, is a favorite one in Filipino +Märchen (cf. Nos. 3 and variants, 19 and variant, and 23), and its +use here may have been influenced by the beginning of the next tale. + +Other differences may be noted briefly: (1) The compact made between +the hero and the Devil does not include the characteristic prohibitions +in the European versions; namely, that the hero is not to comb his +hair, wash himself, trim his beard, etc., during his seven years of +wandering. The Devil seems to rely merely on his bear-suit, which +he makes the hero wear, to produce insurmountable difficulties. It +may be that the prohibitions mentioned above were omitted because +they involved conditions wholly foreign to Filipino conception. The +natives take great pride in their hair, and always dress it carefully, +are scrupulously clean personally, and are beardless! I can cite no +parallel in folk-tales for the condition substituted; i.e., if the +wanderer does good with his money, the Devil will have no power over +him at the end of the seven years, while, if he spends it extravagantly +and foolishly, he goes to hell. Perhaps none need be sought outside +of actual experience. (2) The hero is supplied with money from a large +bag which the Devil gives him, not from the inexhaustible pockets of a +magic green coat, as in Grimm. The mention of the hero's soldier-suit, +by the way, since nothing has been said earlier in the story of his +having followed the profession of arms, is likely a reminiscence of +the characteristic opening of the European versions, where it is a +poor soldier who has the experience with the Devil. (3) The person +ransomed by the hero in our story is an old woman instead of an old +man. (4) The two disappointed sisters do not kill themselves, and hence +the Devil does not reappear at the end of the story,--as he does in +Grimm,--and say, "I have now got two souls in the place of thy one!" + +The broken-ring recognition on the return home is a feature which I +believe occurs in no other Filipino folk-tale, but is met with not +infrequently in European saga and story (cf. Köhler-Bolte, 117, 584; +see also Bolte-Polívka, 1 : 234; 2 : 348). + + + +TALE 23 + +PEDRO AND SATAN. + + +Narrated by Pedro D. L. Sorreta, a Bicol from Catanduanes, who heard +the story when he was a little boy. + + +Once upon a time there lived a very rich man, whose wife had +never given birth to a child. The couple had already made several +pilgrimages, and had spent great sums of money for religious +services, in the hope that God might give them a child, even though +a sickly one, to inherit their money; but all their efforts were +in vain. Disappointed, the man resolved to rely upon Satan for the +performance of his wish. + +One dark night, when he was thinking hard about the matter, he heard +a voice say, "Your wish will be quickly fulfilled if you but ask me +for it." The rich man was so filled with joy, that he turned towards +the voice and knelt before the invisible speaker: "I will give you +my life, and even my wife's, in return for a son who will be the heir +to my riches," said the man. Meanwhile he perceived in front of him a +figure which in an instant assumed the form of Satan. At first he was +frightened; but his fear was only momentary, and he was eager to hurry +up the agreement with Satan, so that he might receive the child. They +therefore made a golden document which provided that the first child +of the heir was to be given to the Devil at the age of ten, and that +the man and his wife were no longer God's subjects, but Satan's. + +After the agreement had been made, the Devil promised the rich man +that his wife would give birth to the longed-for son early the next +morning. Then he disappeared. The child was born at the appointed +time, and grew wonderfully fast, for in five days he was a full-grown +youth. But the parents could not but blame themselves for their +impious act. They intended to keep the secret from their son; but +they could not do so, for the boy was always asking about the nature +of his existence. So when Pedro--they called him by this name--knew +of his pitiful lot, he decided not to marry until he had succeeded +in wresting the golden document from the hands of Satan. + +Now, Pedro knew that devils do not like crosses, and cannot even stay +where they have to look at them. So one day he asked his mother to make +for him two gowns, one having little crosses hanging from it. When +these had been finished, Pedro asked his father to give him over to +Satan, so that he might work with the demons in hell. No sooner had +he expressed his desire to his father than the Devil appeared and took +the young man off to his kingdom. There Pedro was assigned the task of +directing the demons in hauling the logs that were to be used for fuel. + +Pedro ordered the demons to tie a strong piece of rope to one end of a +log, and ordered them to pull it while he stood on the other end. Every +time he counted "One, two, three!" he would hold up his outer gown; +and the demons, seeing the crosses, would run away in confusion. As +the devils could not endure Pedro's conduct, they ran to their master +Satan, and asked him to send the young man away, for he could not +do any work. The demons could not say anything about Pedro's trick, +however, for they did not dare even speak the word "cross." Satan +then summoned Pedro to his office, and had him work there. + +Now, the young man had put a strong piece of rope under his gown. One +day, when Satan was taking his siesta in a rocking-chair, Pedro +tied him fast to the chair. Then he removed his outer gown and woke +Satan. The Devil with closed eyes struggled hard to escape; but he +could not get loose. So he humbly requested Pedro to go away and +leave him alone; but Pedro would neither leave him nor let him go. He +demanded the document, but Satan would not give it up. So Pedro kept on +frightening the Devil until at last Satan said that he would give up +the document if Pedro would release him. Pedro put on his outer robe, +and the Devil called his secretary and told him to give the golden +document to the young man. Pedro threw the bond into the fire; and when +he saw that it was completely melted, he took off his outer robe again, +and turned Satan loose. The Devil ran away exceedingly terrified. + +Then Pedro went home, where his parents received him with great +joy. Thus by his cleverness he saved his parents and his future child +from a terrible fate. + + +Notes. + +Like the preceding, this story is doubtless also an importation into +the Islands from Europe. It belongs to the general family of tales +known as the "Promised Child," but the narrative takes a turn which +leads into a special group of this family. The members of this group +are usually not long; and the stories, on the whole, are simple. A +parent promises, wittingly or unwittingly, his child to the Devil in +return for some service, and gives his signature to the bond. The +child grows up, and, noticing the dejection of his parents, forces +from them the secret of the pact. After equipping himself for the +struggle, he sets out for hell to recover the contract. In hell he +frightens or annoys the devils in various ways, and becomes such a +nuisance that finally the arch-fiend is glad to get rid of him by +surrendering the bond. + +In a Lorraine story (Cosquin, No. LXIV, "Saint Etienne") "a woman +in confinement is visited by a grand gentleman, who persuades her to +sell her child to him for a large sum of money. He is to come for the +child in six or seven years. One day after a visit of the stranger, +the mother begins to suspect him of being the Devil. Her son notices +her sadness, and learns the secret that is troubling her. 'I'm not +afraid of the Devil,' he says boldly, and tells her to provide him with +a sheep-skin filled with holy water. Thus equipped, he sets off with +the stranger when the time comes, and, reaching hell, so frightens the +devils by sprinkling them with the holy water, that they are glad to +leave him in peace to return to his mother." In this story nothing +is said of a contract; but in a variant mentioned by Cosquin (2 : +232) a poor man signs in blood a bond according to which he agrees to +give up his son at the age of twenty to the rich stranger (Devil in +disguise) who has consented to be godfather to the infant. The demon +is finally put to flight with the aid of an image of the cross and +with the liberal use of holy water. + +In a Wallachian story (Schott, No. 15) we find a close parallel +of incident to our story: the hero, acting on the advice of his +school-master, makes some ecclesiastical garments decorated with +crosses, and, dressed in these, he goes to hell and knocks on the +door. The demons, frightened by the sight, want to drive him away; +but he will not go until they surrender the parchment signed by his +father. This story differs from ours in the opening, however; for +the father is a poor fisherman, and promises unwittingly "that which +he loves most at home" in exchange for great riches. At the end of +the story, too, is added an episode of the conversion by the hero +of a band of robbers. With the beginning of this Wallachian story +compare the Italian "Lionbruno" (Crane, No. XXXVI). In a Lithuanian +tale (Chodzko, Contes des paysans et des pâtres slaves [Paris 1864], +p. 107), the hero, before setting out to meet the Devil, arms himself +with holy water and a piece of chalk blessed by the priest. With the +chalk he draws a magic circle about him, from which he throws water +on the demons until they give up the contract. For other variants, +see Cosquin, No. LXXV and notes. + +Our story, while somewhat crude in style, is well motivated throughout, +and has one amusing episode for which I know no parallel, the tying +of Satan in his rocking-chair while he is taking his siesta, and +then frightening him into compliance, when he wakes, by displaying, +before him the cross-embroidered gown. The first task the hero is put +to when he enters hell--directing the hauling of logs for fuel--seems +more appropriate than that of draining two ponds, which the hero is +obliged to perform in Cosquin's "La Baguette Merveilleuse," No. LXXV. + +The testimony of the narrator that he heard the story from one of +his playmates when he was a little boy, throws an interesting ray of +light on the way in which popular stories circulate in the Philippines. + + + +TALE 24 + +THE DEVIL AND THE GUACHINANGO. + + +Narrated by José Laki of Guagua, Pampanga. He got the story from his +uncle, who heard it from an old Pampango story-teller. + + +There once lived in a suburb of a town a very religious old widow who +had a beautiful daughter, Piriang by name. Young men from different +parts of the town came to court Piriang, and the mother always +preferred the rich to the poor. Whenever Piriang's friends told her +that the man whom she rejected would have been a good match for her, +she always answered that she would rather have a devil for a husband +than such a man. + +One day a devil heard Piriang giving this answer to one of her +friends. Thus encouraged, he disguised himself as a young man of +noble blood, and went to Piriang's house to offer her his love. The +mother and daughter received this stranger with great civility, for +he appeared to them to be the son of a nobleman. In the richness of +his dress he was unexcelled by his rivals. After he had been going to +Piriang's house for a few weeks, the old widow told him one day to +come prepared to be married on the following Tuesday. On the Sunday +before the wedding-day he had a long conversation with Piriang. He +calmly asked her to take off the cross that she had about her neck, +for it made her look ugly, he said. She refused to do so, however, +because she had worn this cross ever since she was a child. After he +had departed, Piriang told her mother what he had asked her to do. + +The next day the mother went to the church. She told the priest that +Piriang's bridegroom had ordered her to take off her cross from her +neck. The priest said that that man was a devil; for no man, as a son +of God, would say that a cross made the one who wore it look ugly. The +priest gave the mother a small image of the Virgin Mary. He instructed +her to show the image to the bridegroom. If when he beheld it he turned +his back on her as she was holding it, she was to tie him around the +neck with her cintas. [73] Then she was to put him in a large jar, +and bury him at least twenty-one feet under the ground. + +The mother went home very much distressed because she had allowed her +daughter to become engaged to a devil. She told Piriang not to talk +with her bridegroom, because she feared that he was a devil. That +night he came with his friend dressed like him. The mother was very +gracious to them. They talked about the wedding. When the old woman +held up the image of the Virgin Mary, the two men turned their backs +on her. She immediately wound her cintas around the neck of her +daughter's bridegroom, and Piriang came in with the dried tail of +a sting-ray in her right hand. She whipped him with this as hard as +she could. [74] Then the two together forced him to get into a large +jar. After warning him not to come back to earth again, the old woman +covered the jar with a piece of cloth wet with holy water. The other +devil suddenly disappeared. + +The next morning a guachinango [75] happened to pass by the house of +the old woman. She called him in, showed him the jar, and told him +to bury it at least twenty-one feet deep. When he asked how much she +would pay him, she promised to give him ten pesos. He agreed: so, +putting the jar on his right shoulder, he set out. When he reached +a quiet place, he heard whispers behind him. He stopped and looked +around, but could see nothing. Then he put the jar on the ground to +rest a few minutes. Now he discovered that the whispers were coming +from inside the jar. He was very much surprised. + +"What are you?" asked the guachinango. "Are you a man, or a devil?" + +"I am a devil, my friend," answered the voice. "The old woman forced +me to go into this jar. Be kind to me, my friend, and liberate me!" + +"I shall obey the old woman in order to get my pay," said the +guachinango. "I will bury you even deeper than twenty-one feet." + +"If you will bury me just three feet deep," said the devil, "I will +give you a large sum of money." + +"I will bury you just one and a half feet deep, if you can give me +much money," said the guachinango. + +"I will give you five hundred pesos," said the devil. "Dig the ground +near the stump of that mabolo-tree. There you will find the money in +a dirty black purse." + +After the guachinango had buried the devil, he went to the mabolo-tree +and took the money. Then he went to the nearest village and played +casino. As soon as he lost all his money, he returned to the devil. "I +have lost all the money you gave me," he said. "I will now bury you +twenty-one feet deep." + +"No, do not bury me so deep as that, my friend!" said the devil +calmly. "I can give you twice as much money as I gave you before. You +will find it in the same place that you found the other." + +The guachinango took the money and went to the village again +to gamble. Again he lost. He returned to the devil, and asked him +angrily why he always lost the money he gave him. "I don't know," +answered the devil. "I have given you fifteen hundred pesos, but you +haven't even a cent now. You ought to set me free at once." + +"Aha! I won't let you go," said the guachinango. "I will bury you +thirty-nine feet now." + +"I have a plan in mind," said the devil, "which will benefit you +extremely; but before I explain my plan, let me ask you if you would +like to marry the daughter of the king." + +"I have a great desire to be king some day," said the guachinango; +"but how can you make me the husband of a princess, when you are only +a devil, and I am nothing but a poor guachinango?" + +"As soon as you set me free," said the devil, "I will enter the +mouth of the princess and go into her brains. Then I will give her +a very painful headache which no physician can cure. The king will +make an announcement saying that he who can cure his daughter of +her disease shall marry her. When you hear this announcement, go to +the palace at once, and offer your services to the king. As soon as +you reach the princess, tell me that you have come, and I will leave +her immediately. The princess will then recover her former health, +and you will be married to her. Do not fail to go to the palace, +for I am determined to reward you for your kindness to me." + +After the guachinango had liberated the devil, he immediately set out +for the city. He had not been there three days when he met a group +of soldiers crying that "he who could cure the princess should have +her to wife." The guachinango stopped the soldiers, and said that +he could cure the princess. They took him before the king, where a +written agreement was made. If he could not cure the princess in three +days, he should lose his life; but if he cured her by the end of the +third day, he should marry her. The guachinango was then conducted +to the room of the princess. When he approached her, he said to +the devil that he had come. "You must leave the princess now; for, +if you don't, I shall be executed." But the devil refused to leave, +because he wanted to get revenge. He further told the guachinango +that he wanted him to die, for then his soul would go to hell. + +The guachinango became more and more hopeless. On the morning of +the third day he thought of a good plan to get rid of his enemy. He +asked the king to order all the bells of the neighboring churches +to be tolled, while every one in the palace was to cry out loud, +"Here she comes!" While all this noise was going on, the guachinango +approached the princess, and told the devil that the old woman was +coming with her cintas. When the devil heard this, he was terribly +frightened, and left the princess and disappeared. The next day the +guachinango was married to the princess. + + +Notes. + +From the testimony of the narrator, this capital story appears to +have been known in Pampanga for some time. The incident of the demon +entering the body of the princess, and then leaving at the request +of one who has befriended him, occurs in a Tagalog story also, which +I will give for the purpose of comparison. While the story is more +of a fairy-tale than a Märchen proper, it appears to be a variant of +our No. 24. Significant differences between the two will be noted, +however. The Tagalog story was collected and written down for me by +Manuel Reyes, a native of Manila. It runs as follows: + + +Mabait and the Duende. + +Menguita, a king of Cebu, had two slaves,--Mabait and Masama. Mabait +was honest and industrious, while Masama was envious and lazy. Mabait +did nearly all of the hard work in the palace, so he was admired very +much by the king. Masama, who was addicted to gambling, envied Mabait. + +One night, while Mabait was asleep, a duende [76] awakened him, and +said, "I have seen how you labor here patiently and honestly. I want +to be your friend." + +Mabait was amazed and frightened. He looked at the duende carefully, +and saw that it resembled a very small man with long hair and a white +beard. It was about a foot high. It had on a red shirt, a pair of +green trousers, a golden cap, and a pair of black shoes. At last +Mabait answered in a trembling voice, "I don't want to be a friend +of an evil spirit." + +"I am not evil, I am a duende." + +"I don't know what duendes are, so I don't want to be your friend." + +"Duendes are wealthy and powerful spirits. They can perform magic. If +you are the friend of one of them, you will be a most fortunate man." + +"How did you come into the world?" said Mabait. + +"Listen! When Lucifer was an angel, a contest in creating animals +arose between him and God. He and his followers were defeated and +thrown into hell. Many angels in that contest belonged neither to +God's side not to Lucifer's. They were dropped on the earth. Those +that fell in the forests became tigbalangs, ikis, and mananangals; +[77] those in the seas became mermaids and mermen; and those in the +cities became duendes." + +"Ah, yes! I know now what duendes are." + +"Now let our friendship last forever," said the duende. "I am ready +at any time to help you in your undertakings." + +From that time on Mabait and the duende were good friends. The duende +gave Mabait two or three isabels [78] every day, and by the end of +the month he had saved much money. He bought a fine hat and a pair +of wooden shoes. + +Masama wondered how Mabait, who was very poor, could buy so many +things. At last he asked, "Where do you get money? Do you steal it?" + +"No, my friend gives it to me." + +"Who is your friend?" + +"A duende." + +Masama, in great envy, went to the king, and said, "Master, Mabait, +your favorite slave, has a friend. This friend is a duende, which +will be injurious to us if you let it live here. As Mabait said, +it will be the means of his acquiring all of your wealth and taking +your daughter for his wife." + +The king, in great rage, summoned Mabait, and punished him severely by +beating his palms with a piece of leather. Then he ordered his servants +to find the duende and kill it. The duende hid in a small jar. Masama +saw it, and covered the mouth of the jar with a saint's dress. The +duende was afraid of the dress, and dared not come out. "Open the jar, +and I will give you ten isabels," said the little man. + +"Give me the money first." + +After Masama received the money, he went away to the cockpit without +opening the jar. On his way there he lost his money. He went back to +the duende, and said, "Friend, give me ten isabels more, and I will +open the jar." + +"I know that you will cheat me," answered the duende. "Just let me +come out of the jar, and I promise that you shall have the princess +here for your wife." + +"What! Will the princess be my wife?" + +"Yes." + +"How can you make her love me?" + +"I will enter the princess's abdomen. I will talk, laugh, and do +everything to make her afraid. I will not leave her for anybody +but you." + +"Good, good!" Masama opened the jar, and the duende, flew a way to +the princess's tower. + +Only a few weeks after that time a proclamation of the king was read in +public. It was as follows: "The princess, my daughter, has something +in her abdomen. It speaks and laughs. No one knows what it is, and no +one can force it to come out. Whoever can cure my daughter shall be my +heir and son-in-law; but he who tries and fails shall lose his head." + +When Masama heard this, he said to Mabait, "Why don't you cure the +princess? You are the only one who can cure her." + +"Don't flatter me!" answered Mabait. + +"I'm not flattering you. It is the duende, your friend, who is in her +abdomen, and no one can persuade it to come out but you. So go now, +for fortune is waiting for you." + +Mabait was at last persuaded, and so he departed. Before going to the +king, he first went to a church, and there he prayed Bathala that +he might be successful in his undertakings. When Mabait was gone, +Masama said to himself, "It is not fortune, but it is death, that is +waiting for him. When he is dead, I shall not have anybody to envy." + +After sitting for about a half-hour, Masama also set out for the +princess's tower, but he reached the palace before Mabait. There he +told the king that he could cure his daughter. He was conducted into +the princess's room. He touched her abdomen, and said, "Who are you?" + +"I am the duende." + +"Why are you there?" + +"Because I want to be here." + +"Go away!" + +"No, I won't." + +"Don't you know me?" + +"Yes, I know you. You are Masama, who cheated me once. Give your head +to the king." So the executioner cut Masama's head off. + +Then Mabait came, and told the king that he could cure the +princess. After he was given permission to try, he said to the duende, +"Who are you?" + +"I am the duende, your friend." + +"Will you please come out of the princess's abdomen?" + +"Yes, I will, for the sake of our friendship." + +Mabait was married to the princess, was crowned king, and lived +happily with his friend the duende. + + +Before attempting to decide anything concerning the provenience of +these two tales, we shall first examine versions of the story from +other parts of the world. The nearest European analogue that I am +familiar with is an Andalusian story printed by Caballero in 1866 +(Ingram, 107, "The Demon's Mother-in-Law"). An outline of the chief +elements of this tale follows:-- + +Mother Holofernes, while very neat and industrious, was a terrible +termagant and shrew. Her daughter Panfila, on the contrary, was so lazy +and thoughtless, that once, when the old woman burnt herself badly +because her daughter was listening to some lads singing outside, +instead of helping her mother with the boiling lye for washing, +the enraged Mother Holofernes shouted to her offspring, "Heaven +grant that you may marry the Evil One himself!" Not long afterward a +rich little man presented himself as a suitor for Panfila's hand. He +was accepted by the mother, and preparations for the marriage went +forward. The old woman, however, began to dislike the suitor, and, +recalling her curse, suspected that he was none other than the +Devil himself. Accordingly, on the night of the wedding, she bade +Panfila lock all the windows and doors of the room, and then beat +her husband with a branch of consecrated olive. So done. The husband +tried to escape from his wife by slipping through the key-hole; but his +mother-in-law anticipated this move. She caught him in a glass bottle, +which she immediately sealed hermetically. Then the old lady climbed +to the summit of a mountain, and there deposited the bottle in an +out-of-the-way place. Ten years the imp remained there a prisoner, +suffering cold, heat, hunger, thirst. One day a soldier, returning +to his native town on leave, took a short cut over the mountain, and +spied the bottle. When he picked it up, the imp begged to be released, +and told him of all he had suffered; but the soldier made a number of +conditions,--his release from the army, a four-dollar daily pension, +etc.,--and finally the imp promised to enter the body of the daughter +of the King of Naples. The soldier was to present himself at court +as a physician, and demand any reward he wished to, in return for +a cure. So done. The king accepted the services of the soldier, but +stipulated that if in three days he had not cured the princess, he +should be hanged. The soldier accepted the conditions; but the demon, +seeing that he had his arrogant enemy's life in his hands, and bent on +revenge, refused to leave the body of the princess. On the last day, +however, the soldier ordered all the bells rung. On the demon's asking +what all the noise was about, the soldier said, "I have ordered your +mother-in-law summoned, and she has just arrived." In great terror +the Devil at once quitted the princess, and the soldier was left +"in victorious possession of the field." + + +It will be noticed that the last episode is almost identical with the +ending of our story "The Devil and the Guachinango," while there is +a considerable amount of divergence between the two elsewhere. + +For versions collected before 1860 I am indebted to Benfey's treatment +of this cycle. It is found in his "Pantschatantra," 1 : 519 ff. I take +the liberty of summarizing it in this place, first, because it is the +only exhaustive handling of the story I know of; and, second, because +Benfey's brilliant work, while constantly referred to and quoted, +has long been out of print, and has never been accessible in English. + +The occasion for Benfey's dissertation on this particular tale is +the relationship he sees between it and the large family of stories +turning on the motive of a marvellous cure, a representative of which +is "Pantschatantra," 5 : 12, "The Miraculous Cure of a Blind Man, +a Humpback, and a Three-breasted Princess." [79] While the story we +are discussing cannot be considered in any sense an offshoot of the +Pantschatantra tale, it can scarcely be denied, says Benfey, that +between the two there is a definite internal relationship, which +is further manifested by the fact that in its later development the +latter is actually joined to the former (p. 519). + +The earliest form of our story is found in the "Cukasaptati," where it +is told as the story for the 45th and 46th nights. In this version,-- + +A Brahman, driven away from home by the malice of his wife, +is befriended by a demon who had formerly lived in the Brahman's +house, but who had also fled in fear from her shrewish tongue. The +demon enters the body of a princess; and the Brahman, appearing as +a conjurer, forces him to leave, in accordance with their pact, and +wins half a kingdom and the hand of the princess. The demon now goes +to another city where he possesses the queen, an aunt of the Brahman's +new father-in-law. The Brahman, whose reputation as an enchanter has +become great, is summoned to cure this queen. When he arrives, the +demon threatens and insults him, refusing to leave the queen because +they are now quits. The Brahman, however, whispers in the woman's +ear, "My wife is coming here close on my heels, I have come only to +warn you;" whereupon the demon, terror-stricken, at once leaves the +queen. The Brahman is highly honored. + +Benfey conjectures that this story must have passed over into the +Persian redaction of the "Cukasaptati" (i.e., the "Tuti-nameh"), +but what changes it underwent in the transmission cannot yet be +determined. The earliest European form of the tale is that found in +the Turkish "Forty Vezirs" (trans. by Behrnauer, p. 277). + +Here a young wood-cutter saves money to buy a rope; but his shrewish +wife, thinking that he is going to spend it on a sweetheart, insists +on accompanying him to his work in the mountains, so that she can +keep him under her eye. In the mountains the husband decides to +abandon his wife in a well. He tells her to hold a rope while he +descends to fetch a treasure which he pretends is concealed at the +bottom; but she is so avaricious, that she insists on being let down +first. Then he drops the rope, and returns home free. A few days +later, conscience-smitten, he goes back to rescue his wife, and, +lowering another rope, he calls to her that he will draw her up; +but he hauls a demon to the surface instead. The demon thanks the +wood-cutter for rescuing him from a malicious woman "who some days +ago descended, and has made my life unbearable ever since." As in the +Cukasaptati story, the demon enters a princess and makes her insane, +and the wood-cutter cures her and marries her. Then the demon enters +another princess. The wood-cutter is summoned; he has to resort to +the well-known trick to force the imp to leave this second maiden. + +In the Persian form of this story, in the "1001 Days" (Prenzlau ed.), +11 : 247, is added the death-penalty in case the hero fails to perform +the second cure, which consists in persuading the spirit, in the form +of a snake, to unwind itself from the body of the vezir's daughter. The +hero had already cured the sultan's daughter and married her. + +A Serbian story (Wuk, No. 37) is closer to the "Forty Vezirs" version +than is the "1001 Days." The only essential difference is that the +opening of the Serbian tale is the well-known fabliau of the "Meadow +that was mowed." + +Here the wife falls into a pit. When the husband attempts to draw +her out again, a devil appears. The devil is thankful; and, to reward +the man, it enters the body of the emperor's daughter. Here the hero +appears, not as an enchanter, but as a physician. + +Practically identical is the story of "The Bad Wife and the Devil," +in Vogl, "Slowenische Volksmärchen" (Wien, 1837). + +In a Finnish version of the story (Benfey, 524-525) the hero, as in +the preceding, assumes the rôle of a physician. + +The husband pushes his bad wife into an abyss. When he attempts to +draw her out again, another woman appears. She is the Plague. [80] +Out of gratitude for her liberation from that other wicked woman, +she proposes to him that they travel together through the world: she, +the pest, will make people ill; he, as physician, will cure them. So +done. As a result the man becomes rich. But at last he grows weary +of his excessive work: so he procures a snappish dog, and puts it in +a sack. The next time he is called to the side of a person made sick +by the pest, he says to her, "Enter human beings no more: if you do, +I will liberate from this sack the woman that tormented you in the +abyss," at the same time irritating the dog so that it growls. The +Plague, full of terror, begs him for God's sake not to set the woman +free, and promises to reform. + +It will be seen that in its method of the "sickness and the cure," +this story is related to Grimm, No. 44, "Godfather Death," where +Death takes the place of the Plague, and where, instead of gratitude, +the motive is the godfather relationship of Death toward the hero. + +This folk-tale, says Benfey (p. 525), was early put into literary form +in Europe. Among others, he cites Machiavelli's excellent version in +his story of "Belfagor" (early sixteenth century):-- + +Belfagor, a devil, is sent to earth by his master to live as a married +man for ten years, to see whether certain accusations made against +women by souls in hell are true or slanderous. Belfagor marries in +Florence; but his imperious wife causes him so much bad fortune, +that he is compelled to flee from his creditors. A peasant conceals +him, and out of gratitude Belfagor tells his rescuer his story, and +promises to make him rich by possessing women and allowing himself +to be driven out only by the peasant himself. So done. The peasant +wins great renown; and at last Belfagor says that his obligations +have been fulfilled, and that the peasant must look out for himself +if they meet again. The devil now enters the daughter of Ludwig II, +King of France. The peasant is summoned to cure her, but is afraid, and +refuses. At last he is compelled to go, like the physician, against his +will (see Benfey, 515 ff.). Belfagor rages when he sees the peasant, +and threatens him vehemently. At last the peasant employs the usual +trick: "Your wife is coming!" and the devil flees in consternation, +choosing rather to rush back to hell than into the arms of his wife. + +Benfey considers a Bohemian story in Wenzig's collection +(West-slawische Märchen, Leipzig, 1857, p. 167) to be the best of +all the popular versions belonging to this group, and he reproduces +it in full (pp. 527-534). This long story we may pass over, since +it contains no new features that are found in our story. In fact, +it little resembles ours or any of the others, except in general in +two or three episodes. Benfey concludes his discussion of this cycle +by stating that there have been many other imitations of this tale, +and he mentions some of these (p. 534). It may be added that further +references will be found in Wilson's note in his edition of Dunlop, +2 : 188-190. + +The question of the origin of the Pampango version of this story is +not easy to answer definitely, for the reason that it presents details +not found in any of the other variants. However, since nearly all the +machinery of our story turns on the teachings of the Roman Church, +and since the denouement is practically identical with the ending of +Caballero's Andalusian story, I conclude that in its main outlines our +version was derived from Spain. At the same time, I think it likely +that the fairy-tale of "Mabait and the Duende" was already existent +earlier in the Islands (though this, too, may have been imported), +and that the motivation of the spirit's desire to revenge himself +on his tormentor for his avarice and greed was incorporated into the +Märchen from the fairy-tale. My reasons for thinking the fairy-tale +the older are: (1) its crudeness (the good and the bad hero are a +very awkward device compared with the combination of qualities in +the guachinango); (2) its local references and its native names; +(3) its use of native superstitions and beliefs. + + + +TALE 25 + +JUAN SADUT. + + +Narrated by Nicolas Zafra, an Ilocano from San Fernando, La Union. The +story is very popular among the country people about San Fernando, +he reports. + + +Many years ago there lived a certain old couple who had an only +son. Juan, for that was the boy's name, was known throughout the +village as an idler, and for this reason he was called Juan Sadut. He +had no liking for any kind of work; in fact, his contempt for all +work was so great, that he never even helped his father or mother. + +One day his father took him to the fields to have him help harvest +their crops; but, instead of going to work, Juan betook himself to +a shady spot on the edge of the field, and fell asleep. + +His father, who was very much enraged by this conduct of his son, +determined then and there to dispose of him. He carried the sleeping +boy to another part of the field, and laid him down just beside a large +snake-hole. He expected that the snake, when it came out of its hole, +would sting the sleeping idler, who would thus be disposed of quietly. + +When Juan awoke, he found a large snake coiled near him. In his fright, +he sprang to his feet to run away; but the snake looked up at him +sympathetically, and then began to speak: "Why do you fear me? Don't +you know that I am the king of the snakes? I am going to give you +a wonderful gift that will make you happy forever;" and having said +this, it dropped a gold ring on the ground, and bade Juan pick it up +and wear it on his finger. The ring was of pure gold, and it had on it +initials that Juan could not understand. "Keep that ring carefully, +for it will be of great use to you," said the snake. "Consult it for +anything you want, and it will advise you how to proceed to obtain +the object of your desire." + +After thanking the snake for its gift, Juan set out on his travels. He +never worried about his food from day to day, for from his magic ring +he could get anything he needed. + +In his wanderings, word reached Juan's ears that the king of that +country would give his beautiful daughter to any one who could fulfil +three conditions. Juan was thrilled with joy on hearing this news, +for he was sure that he would be the successful competitor for the +hand of the princess. When he presented himself before the court, +his slovenly appearance and awkward movements only excited laughter +and mirth among the nobles. "What chance have you of winning the +prize?" they asked him in derision. + +"Let me know the conditions, and time will show," said Juan. "You must +fulfil three conditions before I give my daughter to you," said the +king. "First, you must fight with my tiger, and kill it if you can; +second, you must go get and bring back to me the burning stone that +the dragon in the mountains has in its possession; third, you must +answer correctly a question that I shall ask you." + +"Very well," said Juan as he turned to go, "I will do all you require +of me." Now, many a young man had risked his life for the hand of the +beautiful princess; but no one had yet succeeded in winning even the +first contest. The king's tiger was ferocious and strong, and as agile +as a mouse. Then there was the formidable dragon in the mountains, +whose breath alone was deadly poisonous. This dragon lived in a +cave the entrance to which was guarded by poisonous serpents. Every +morning it would come out of its cave to play with its wonderful stone +by tossing it up into the air and catching it in its mouth when it +fell. Hence it was difficult, if not impossible, to succeed in these +undertakings. The young men who had been stirred by their intense +love for the princess had bartered away their lives for her hand. + +When Juan arrived home, he took up his little ring, and said to it, +"Advise me as to how I may overcome the king's tiger." + +"Get a handful of sand," replied the ring, "and mix with it an equal +quantity of red pepper. Take the mixture with you into the arena, +and when the tiger comes near you, fling the sand into its eyes." + +Juan prepared the sand and pepper as he had been advised. The next +day he stepped into the arena amid the shouts and cheers of the +spectators. He looked, as usual, to be an idle, slow-moving fellow, +who would have no chance at all against the wild beast. The tiger soon +appeared at the opposite end of the arena, and advanced rapidly towards +Juan. When the animal was about three yards from him, he flung the +mixture of sand and pepper into its eyes. The tiger was blinded. Juan +then drew his dagger and buried it deep into the animal's heart. + +The next task he had to perform was to obtain the dragon's fiery +stone. The ring advised him thus: "Go to the cave, and, in order to +gain admittance, show me to the serpents. I am sacred to them, and +they will fulfil whatever commands my possessor gives them." Juan +proceeded to the cave in the mountains. He had no sooner entered it +than hissing serpents came towards him in threatening attitudes. Juan, +however, showed them the signet ring; and they at once became tame, +and showed him that they were glad to obey whatever he should command +them to do. "Go and get the dragon's stone," he ordered, and soon +they came back with the much-coveted treasure. + +When the king saw that Juan had fulfilled two of the hardest +conditions, he became alarmed because the new bridegroom was to be a +person of very low birth: so he devised the most difficult question +possible, with the view of preventing Juan from winning his daughter +the princess. + +Juan now presented himself before the king and his court to perform the +third and last task. "What am I thinking about now?" asked the king. + +Juan appeared to hesitate a moment, but he was really consulting +his ring. The ring said to him, "The king has in mind the assurance +that you will not be able to answer his question." Then looking up, +Juan answered the king's question in the precise words of the ring, +and thus answered it correctly. + +Astonished at the wonderful power of Juan, the king gave his daughter +to him; and when he died, the young couple inherited the crown of +the kingdom. + + +Notes. + +I know of no parallels to this story as a whole. In its separate +incidents it is reminiscent of other tales; and in its main outline, +from the point where the hero sets out to seek adventures with the +help of his magic ring, the narrative belongs to the "Bride Wager" +group. In this group Von Hahn distinguishes at least two types (1 : +54, Nos. 23 and 24): in the one, the hero bets his head against the +bride, and wins by performing difficult tasks; in the other, he wins +by answering riddles. In our story there is no formal staking of his +head by the hero, but undertaking the first two tasks amounts to the +same thing. The third task, it will be noticed, is the answering of a +difficult question, which in a way connects our story with Von Hahn's +second type. + +The two distinctive features in our story are the introduction and +the first task. The cruelty displayed by the hero's father is not +unusual in folk-tales, but his method of getting rid of his son +is. The benevolence of the snake, which is not motivated at all, +may be at bottom connected with some such moralizing tradition as +is found in Somadeva, "The Story of the Three Brahmin Brothers" +(Tawney, 1 : 293), where two older brothers, in order to get rid of +the youngest, who has been slandered by their wives ("Potiphar's wife" +situation), order him to dig up an ant-hill in which lives a venomous +snake. Because of his virtue, however, he finds a pitcher filled with +gold! There is nothing else in this story which even in the remotest +way suggests ours. While Benfey (1 : 214-215, note) has shown that the +conception of the snake-jewel is essentially Indian,--and the belief in +one form or another is widespread in the Philippines,--he also shows +that it was held in Europe even in classical times; and, as every one +knows, the idea is a commonplace in folk-lore. Obviously nothing can +be concluded as to the origin of our story from this detail alone. The +first task, which is performed without supernatural aid, though the +hero asks his ring for advice, may be a remnant of tradition; if so, +it is of Indian or Malayan tradition, not Philippine, for the tiger +is not found in the Islands. + + + +TALE 26 + +AN ACT OF KINDNESS. + + +Narrated by Pacita Cordero, a Tagalog from Pagsanjan, La Laguna. + + +Early one morning Andres went out to buy five cents' worth of +rice. On his way he came across a man who was about to kill a small +snake. "Please don't kill the poor creature!" said Andres. "Did it +harm you?" + +"No," answered the man, "but it may bite us or some other passer-by," +and he again drew out his bolo; but Andres restrained him. "What do +you want this snake for?" said the merciless man. + +"Leave it alone, for pity's sake!" cried Andres. "Here are five +cents! Don't injure the harmless creature!" + +The man, very glad to get the money, did not say a word, and went +away. After the man was gone, the snake said to Andres, "Kind friend, +come home with me. There you will find our huge chief snake, and +many others like myself. But don't fear anything! Trust me, for I +will never lead you into danger. When we reach out dwelling, I will +recommend you to our chief. He will be harsh to you at first, since +you are a stranger; but never mind that! When he asks you what you +want, ask him to give you his red cloth. This enchanted cloth can +supply you with whatever you want." So the two friends started for +the horrible snake-cave. + +"Who is that stranger with you,--a murderer, or a robber?" hissed +the chief as soon as the snake and Andres entered. + +"He is neither of the two," replied the snake. "Please don't do a +bit of harm to him! Had it not been for him, my life would have been +lost. He rescued me from the hands of a cruel person who found me +creeping through the grass." + +"Well," said the chief to Andres, "what reward do you want me to +give you?" + +"Only your red cloth, and nothing else," answered Andres. The chief +hesitated for a moment. Then he went into a very dark cell, and got +out the red cloth. He returned with it, and said to Andres, "Since +you have saved the life of one of our number, I give you this cloth +as a reward. You can ask of it anything you want." + +Andres thanked the chief, and went away. It was now ten o'clock, and +he had not yet bought rice for breakfast. "Poor mother! she must be +very hungry." Andres himself felt hungry, so he asked the red cloth +to bring him food. Soon a breakfast, richer than the ordinary ones +he was accustomed to, was spread before him. Having eaten his hearty +meal under the shade of a tree, he resumed his journey homeward. He +had yet several miles to go. + +After a few hours' walk he again became hungry. He went to a hut +and asked the old woman there if he might eat in her house. He said +that he had brought his own food with him. The old woman invited +him in, and Andres asked his red cloth for food. In an instant a +fine luncheon was before them. Andres invited the old woman to eat +with him, which she willingly did. She liked the food so very much, +that she asked Andres to let her have his wonderful red cloth. She +said, "Give me this cloth, and I will let you have my two stones in +exchange. When you want to get rid of persons who annoy you, just +tell these two stones where to go, and they will inflict heavy blows +on the evil-doers." Andres agreed to the exchange. + +He proceeded on his way, taking with him the two stones. Tired and +exhausted from his long journey, Andres again began to feel hungry. Now +what would become of him? His red cloth was gone, and he had nothing +to eat. Fortunately he saw another hut by the roadside. He went to +it, and easily gained admittance. The witch, the only person in the +cottage, had just finished her dinner. She had nothing left to give +the starving boy. Andres then said to his stones, "Go to your former +mistress, the old woman, and tell her that I take back my red cloth. If +she refuses to give it to you, do what you think it best to do." + +The two stones went back to the hut. There they found the old woman +eating. "We have come here," they said, "to take the red cloth away +from you. Our master, the boy who was here this afternoon, wants +it back again." The old woman refused to give up the cloth, so the +stones struck her with heavy blows until she fell down senseless on +the floor. Then the stones rolled themselves in the red cloth and +hastened back to their master with it. Andres spread it out and ate +his dinner. He asked for an extraordinary breakfast besides. Then he +said to the witch, "You need not prepare anything for your breakfast +to-morrow. Here is a good meal that I have asked my red cloth to give +to you, you have been so kind in letting me come to your hut." The +witch was very glad, and thanked the boy. She said to him, "Boy, I +have here two magic canes which I want to dispose of. I am very old +now, and don't need them any more. They have served me well. These +canes can kill your enemies, or any bad persons whom you want to be +put to death. Just give them directions, and they will obey you." + +Andres now had three enchanted possessions. It was very late when he +reached home, and his mother was very hungry and very angry. He had +no more than reached the foot of the stairs when she met him with +a loud scolding. But Andres just laughed. He asked his red cloth to +bring his mother a good dinner; and while she was eating, he related +to her the occurrences of the day. + +Andres and his mother were not rich, and their wealthy neighbors were +greatly surprised to see them become rich so soon. One particularly +selfish neighbor, already rich, who was eager to deprive Andres and +his mother of their wealth, sent a band of robbers to the cottage one +night. At midnight Andres heard his dogs barking, and he knew that +there was some one lurking about. When he saw the robbers coming, +he took out his magic stones and canes, and commanded them to get +rid of the thieves. In a few minutes all the robbers lay dead. + +Andres and his mother remained rich. + + +Notes. + +Through its main incidents and situations, this story is connected with +a number of tales, although, as in the case of the preceding narrative, +I can point to no complete analogue for it. The introduction has some +points of close resemblance to the introduction of the "Language of +Animals" cycle, where the hero saves the life of a snake, usually +from fire, and is consequently rewarded by the king of snakes with +the gift of understanding the tongues of birds and beasts. This cycle +has been fully discussed by Benfey (Orient und Occident, 2 : 133-171, +"Ein Märchen von der Thiersprache, Quelle und Verbreitung"). Additional +bibliographical details may be found in Bolte-Polívka, 1 : 132-133, +note 1. The invitation of the rescued snake to its savior to visit +the king of snakes, and its advice that he ask for one particular +magic reward only, are found in many versions of the "Language of +Animals" group, as well as in our story; but this is as far as the +similarity between the two extends. From this point on, our story +deviates altogether, except for the vaguest reminiscences. + +Again, in the fact that Andres does not save the snake from an +accidental death, but buys its life from a cruel person about to +kill it, our story appears to be connected with the "Magic Ring" +cycle. We have already discussed two variants of this cycle in +No. 10; but, as has been pointed out in the notes to those stories, +the most characteristic beginning is lacking there. In most of the +members of the "Magic Ring" group, the kind-hearted hero spends all +his money to ransom from death certain animals, including a snake +which invites him to the home of its father, and then tells him +what to ask for. But in our present story, only the snake is saved; +the recompense is a magic wishing-cloth that can do only one thing, +not a stone or ring that fulfils any command; and as in the case +above of the "Language of Animals" cycle, so here, from this point +on, our story is entirely different from the "Magic Ring" group, and +attaches itself to still another family of tales. This, for want of +a better title, may be called the "Knapsack, Hat, and Horn" cycle. I +use this name merely because the most familiar member of that family +(Grimm, No. 54) bears it. + +In Grimm, No. 54, the youngest of three poverty-stricken brothers +who set out to seek their fortunes finds a little table-cloth, which, +when spread out and told to cover itself, instantly becomes covered +with choice food. Not yet satisfied with his luck, he takes the cloth +and continues his wandering. One night he meets a charcoal-burner who +is about to make his meal off potatoes. The youth invites the man to +eat with him. The charcoal-burner, thinking the cloth just what he +needs in his solitude, offers to trade for it an old knapsack, from +which, whenever it is tapped, out jump a corporal and six soldiers to +do whatever they are ordered to do. The exchange is made. The youth +travels on, taps the knapsack, and orders the soldiers to bring him the +wishing-cloth that the charcoal-burner has. In this same way the youth +acquires from two other charcoal-burners successively a magic hat which +shoots off artillery and destroys the owner's enemies, and a magic horn +a blast from which throws down walls, fortifications, and houses. By +means of these articles the hero finally wins the king's daughter to +wife, and becomes ruler. Further adventures follow when the wife tries, +but without ultimate success, to steal his treasures from him. + +The magic articles are not at all constant in this cycle, as may be +seen from an examination of Bolte-Polívka's variants (1 : 467-470), +but most of the lists include the wishing-cloth and articles in the +nature of weapons or soldiers for offensive purposes. A comparison of +our story with this formula discloses an undoubted relationship between +the two. The hero trades his wishing-cloth for two fighting stones, +which he later sends back to fetch the cloth. He then acquires two +magic canes (but not by trickery this time). Later, when he becomes +an object of envy, and an attempt is made by a rich neighbor to steal +his wealth (corresponding to the envy of the king), the magic stones +and canes kill all his opponents. Compare the Tagalog variant in the +notes to the following tale (No. 27). + +The extraordinary articles are found as machinery in other Philippine +stories, though not in the above sequence: a "table, spread yourself" +and a magic cane occur in No. 27; a magic guitar, in No. 28; a +magic buyo, cane, purse, and guitar, in No. 35. Compare also the +magic articles in the various forms of No. 12. I know of no other +occurrence in folk-tales of two fighting stones. This detail sounds +very primitive. It might be compared with the magic "healing stones" +in No. 12 (b), "Three Brothers of Fortune," though the two objects +are wholly dissimilar in power. + +As a whole, while our story is reminiscent of at least three different +cycles of tales, it nevertheless does not sound like a modern bit of +patchwork, but appears to be old; how old, I am unable to say. The most +unreasonable part of our narrative is the fact that the hero should +find himself so many miles from home when going to buy five cents' +worth of rice. It must be supposed that the trip to the snake-cave +occupied much more time than it appears in the story to have taken. + + + +TALE 27 + +THE INDOLENT HUSBAND. + + +Narrated by Gregorio Frondoso, a Bicol from Tigaon, Camarines, who +heard the story when he was a small boy. One of the servants told it +to him. + + +Many hundreds of years ago there lived in the isolated village of +Hignaroy a poor couple who had many children to care for. Barbara, +the wife, was an industrious but shrewish woman. She worked all +day in a factory to support her many children. The husband, Alejo, +on the other hand, idled away his time. He either ate, or drank, +or slept all the time his wife was away at work. In the course of +time Barbara naturally became disgusted with her husband's indolence; +and every time she came home, she would rail at him and assail him +with hot, insolent words, taxing him with not doing anything, and +with caring nothing about what was going on in the house: for, on her +return home in the evening, she would always find him asleep; while +the floor would always be strewn with chairs, benches, and pictures, +which the children had left in a disorderly way after playing. + +Alejo seemed to take no heed of what she said; he became more sluggish, +and had no mind for anything but sleeping all day. What was worse, +was that he would eat such big meals, that he left but little food for +his wife and children. Barbara's anger and impatience grew so strong, +that she no longer used words as a means to reform her husband. She +would kick him as he lay lazily on his bed, and would even whip him +like a child. Finally the thought of leaving home came into his head; +he determined to travel to some distant land, partly with the purpose +of getting away from his wife, who was always interfering with his +ease, and partly with the purpose of seeking his fortune. + +One day he set out on a long journey, wandering through woods, over +hills, and along the banks of rivers, where no human creature could +be seen. After roaming about a long time, he became tired, and lay +down to rest in the shade of a tree near the bank of a river. While +he was listening to the melodious sounds of the birds and the sweet +murmur of the water, and was meditating on his wretched condition, +an old humpback came upon him, and addressed him in this manner: +"What is the matter, my friend? Why do you look so sad?" + +"I am in great trouble," said Alejo. "I will tell you all about it. I +am married, and have many children to support; but I am poor. I have +been idling away my time, and my wife has been kicking and whipping +me like a child for not doing anything all day. So I have finally +left home to seek my fortune." + +"Don't be worried, my son!" said the old man. "Here, take this +purse! It has nothing in it; but, if you need money at any time, +just say these words,--'Sopot, ua-ua sopot!' [81]--and it will give +you money." + +Alejo was very glad to have found his fortune so quickly. He took +the purse from the old man, and, after thanking him for it, started +for his home with lively spirits. Soon he reached the village. Before +going home, however, he went to the house of his compadre and comadre, +[82] and related to them what he had found. They entertained him well; +they drank and sang. While they all were feeling in good spirits, +Alejo took out his magic purse to test it before his friends. + +"Friends," said Alejo, now somewhat drunk, "watch my purse!" at the +same time pronouncing the words "Sopot, ua-ua sopot!" Then showers of +silver coins dropped on the floor. When the couple saw this wonder, +they thought at once that their friend was a magician. They coveted the +purse. So they amused Alejo, gave him glass after glass of wine,--for +he was a great drinker,--until finally he was dead-drunk. At last +he was overcome by drowsiness, and the couple promptly provided him +with a bed. Just as he fell asleep, the wife stealthily untied the +purse from Alejo's waist, and put in its place one of their own. + +After a good nap of an hour or two, Alejo awoke. He thanked his friends +for their kind reception and entertainment, and, after bidding them +good-by, went to his own home. There he found his wife busy sewing +by the fireside. He surprised her with his affectionate greeting. "My +dear, lovely wife, be cheerful! Here I have found something useful,--a +magic purse which will furnish us with money." + +"O you rogue!" she replied, "don't bother me with your foolishness! How +could you ever get anything useful? You are lying to me." + +"Believe me, my dear, I am telling the truth." + +"All right; prove it to me at once." + +"Call all out children, so that they may also see what I have +found." When all the children were called together, Alejo asked +the purse for money, just as the old man had showed him how to ask; +but no shower of coins dropped to the floor, for, as you know, it +was not the magic purse. Barbara was so enraged, that she stormed +at him with all the bitter words that can be imagined, and drove +him from the house. Alejo was a tender-hearted, if lazy, husband, +and it never occurred to him to beat his wife in turn. In fact, +he loved her and his children very much. + +He wandered away again in the direction of the place where he had +met the old humpback. Here he found the old man, who said to him, +"Where are you going, Alejo?" + +"Guiloy, your purse did not prove to be any good." + +"Well, take this goat home with you. It will give you money if you ask +for it. Whenever you want any money, just say these words: 'Canding, +pag coroquinanding!'" [83] + +Alejo gladly accepted the goat, and set out for home again. Again he +passed by his friends' house. There he stopped, and they entertained +him as before: they drank, danced, and sang. Alejo told them about +the virtues of his magic goat when he was feeling in a jovial mood; +and when he fell asleep, they exchanged his beast for one of their +own. After his nap, Alejo started home, his goat flung over his +shoulder; but again, when he tried to demonstrate to his wife the +magic powers of the goat, the animal did nothing, but stood looking +as foolish as before Alejo spoke the words the old man had taught +him. Barbara was more angry than ever, and, after railing at her +husband, would have nothing more to do with him. + +Alejo immediately left home to find the old man again. In a short +time he met him. "How now, Alejo? What's the matter?" + +"Your magic goat would not obey my command," said Alejo. "Try this +table, then," said the old man. "It will provide you with all kinds +of delicious food and drink. Just say, 'Tende la mesa!' [84] and all +kinds of foods will be served you." + +Thanking the old man and bidding him good-by, Alejo shouldered the +magic table and left. He was invited into his friends' house as +before, and was entertained by the deceitful couple. Alejo imparted +to them the secret of his table. "Tende la mesa!" he said, and in +the wink of an eye every kind of food you could wish for appeared +on the table. They ate, and drank wine. Again Alejo drank so much, +that soon he was asleep, and again the false couple played a trick +on him: they exchanged his magic table for a common one of their +own. When Alejo woke up, he hastened to his own home, carrying the +table on his shoulder. He called his wife, and assured her that the +table would provide them with every variety of food. Now, this was +indeed good news to Barbara, so she called all their children about +them. When every one was seated about the table, Alejo exclaimed, +"Tende la mesa!"... You cannot imagine what blows, what pinches, +what whips, Alejo received from his wife's hands when not even a +single grain of rice appeared on the table! + +Alejo now felt greatly ashamed before his wife. He wondered why it +was that when before his friends' eyes the purse, the goat, and the +table displayed their magic properties, they failed to display them +before his wife. However, he did not give up hope. He immediately +set out to seek the old man again. After a long wandering through +the same woods and hills and along river-banks, he came to the place +where he usually met him. + +"Did the table prove good?" said the old man. + +"No, Guiloy; so I have come here again." + +"Well, Alejo," said the old man, "I pity you, indeed. Take this cane +as my last gift. Be very careful in using it, for I have no other +object to give you. The secret of this cane is this: if somebody has +done you wrong, say to the cane, 'Baston, pamordon!' [85] and then +it will lash that person. There are no princes, kings, or emperors +that it will not punish." + +Taking the cane and thanking the old man, Alejo hastily returned +home. This time, when he reached the village, he did not pass by his +friends' house, but went directly home. He told his wife to go call +in all their friends, relatives, and neighbors, for they were going +to have a sort of banquet. At first Barbara was unwilling to do so, +because she remembered how she had been deceived before; but at last +Alejo persuaded her to do as he wished. + +When all their friends, relatives, and neighbors were gathered in his +house, Alejo shut all the doors and even the windows. Then he shouted +to his magic cane, "Baston, pamordon!" and it at once began to lash +all the people in the house, throwing them into great confusion. At +last Alejo's two friends, the deceitful couple, exclaimed almost in +one voice, "Compadre, please stop, and we will give you back your +magic purse, goat, and table." When Alejo heard them say this, he +was filled with joy, and commanded the cane to cease. + +That very day the magic purse, goat, and table were returned to him by +his compadre and comadre, and now Barbara realized that her husband's +wanderings had been profitable. The husband and wife became rich, +and they lived many happy years together. + + +Notes. + +A Tagalog story resembling the Bicol tale in some respects is "The +Adventures of Juan" (JAFL 20 : 106-107), in which + +A magic tree furnishes the lad who spares it a goat that shakes silver +money from its whiskers, a net which will catch fish even on dry +ground, a magic pot always full of rice, and spoons full of whatever +vegetables the owner wishes, and finally a stick that will beat and +kill. The first three articles a false friend steals from Juan by +making him drunk. With the help of his magic cane, however, he gets +them back, and becomes rich and respected. One night a hundred robbers +come to break into the house, to take all his goods and kill him; +but he says to the stick, "Boombye, boom-ha!" and with the swiftness +of lightning the stick flies around, and all those struck fall dead, +until there is not one left. Juan is never troubled again by robbers, +and in the end marries a princess and lives happily ever after. + +The last part of this story I have given in full, because it is almost +identical with the episode at the end of the preceding tale (No. 26, +q.v.), and consequently connects that story with our present cycle. In +a "Carancal" variant (III, e) the hero finds a magic money-producing +goat. + +The hero of our tale is a lazy, good-natured man, whose industrious +wife's reproaches finally drive him from home. Analogous to this +beginning, but not furnishing a complete parallel, is Caballero's +"Tio Curro el de la porra" (Ingram, 174-180). + +Uncle Curro is pleasure-loving and improvident, and soon finds +himself and his family in the direst need. Unable finally to bear the +reproaches of his wife, he goes out in the field to hang himself, when +a little fairy dressed like a friar appears, and blames him for his +Judas-like thought. The fairy then gives him an inexhaustible purse, +but this is stolen from him by a rascally public-house keeper. Again +he goes to hang himself; but the fairy restrains him, and gives him +a cloak that will furnish him with all kinds of cooked food. This +is likewise stolen. The third time he is given a cudgel. While on +his way home, he is met by his wife and children, who begin to insult +him. "Cudgel, beat them!" Magistrates and officers are summoned. These +are put to rout; and finally Uncle Curro and his stick make such +havoc among all sent to restrain him, that the king promises him a +large estate in America. + +This version differs from the usual form, in that the inn-keeper is +not punished, nor are the first two magic objects recovered. + +The "Ass-Table-Stick" cycle, of which the "Indolent Husband" is clearly +a member, is one of the most widespread Märchen in the world. For +a full bibliography of this group, see Bolte-Polívka, 1 : 346-361 +(on Grimm, No. 36). The usual formula for this cycle is as follows:-- + +A young servant (or a poor man) is presented by his master (or by +some powerful personage--in some of the versions, God himself) on two +different occasions with a magic object, usually a gold-giving animal, +and a table or cloth which miraculously supplies food. When in an inn, +he is robbed of the magic object and magic animal by the inn-keeper +or his wife, and worthless objects resembling those that are stolen +are substituted while the hero sleeps (or is drunk). The third magic +article, which he gets possession of in the same way as he acquired +the other two, is a magic cudgel or cane, through the aid of which +he recovers his stolen property. + +This is the form of the story as it is found in Basile (1 : i), +Gonzenbach (No. 52), Cosquin (Nos. IV and LVI), Schott (No. 20), +Schneller (No. 15), Jacobs (English Fairy Tales, "The Ass, the +Table, and the Stick"), Dasent (No. XXXIV, "The Lad Who Went to the +North Wind" = Asbjörnsen og Moe, 1868, No. 7), Crane (No. XXXII, +"The Ass that Lays Money"); and it is this formula that our story +follows. Grimm, No. 36, however, differs from these stories in two +respects: (1) it has a framework-story of the deceitful goat on +whose account the father drives from home his three sons; (2) the +story proper concerns three brothers, one of whom acquires the little +wishing-table, another the gold-ass, and the third the cudgel. However, +as in the other tales, the possessor of the stick compels the thieving +inn-keeper to return the property stolen from his brothers. + +In their details we notice a large number of variations, even among +the European forms. The personage from whom the poor man receives the +magic objects is sometimes God, Fortune, a fairy, a statue, a magician, +a dwarf, a priest, a lord, a lady, etc. (Cosquin, 1 : 52). The old +humpback in our story may be some saint in disguise, though the +narrator does not say so. The gold-producing animal is not always an +ass, either: it may be a ram (as in the Norse and Czech versions), +a sheep (Magyar, Polish, Lithuanian), a horse (Venetian), a mule +(Breton), a he-goat (Lithuanian, Norwegian), a she-goat (Austrian), +a cock (Oldenburg), or a hen (Tyrolese, Irish). For references see +Macculloch, 215. + +The Indian members of this cycle are Lal Behari Day, No. 3, "The +Indigent Brahman;" Minajev, "Indiislda Skaski y Legendy" (1877), +No. 12; Stokes, No. 7, "The Foolish Sakhouni;" Frere, No. 12, "The +Jackal, the Barber, and the Brahmin who had Seven Daughters." Of these +versions, Day's most closely resembles the European form (Cosquin, +1 : 57). + +Numerous as are the Indian and other Oriental variants, it seems to +me very likely that out story was not derived directly from them, but +from Europe. However, I shall not undertake to name the parent version. + + + +TALE 28 + +CECILIO, THE SERVANT OF EMILIO. + + +Narrated by Sancho B. de Leon, a Tagalog from Santa Cruz, Laguna. He +heard the story from his grandfather. + + +Once upon a time there lived a witty orphan whose name was +Cecilio. His parents had died when he was six years old. After that +time he became a servant of Emilio, a man of wealth living in a very +lonely and desolate barrio. The boy was faithful and kind-hearted, +but his master was cruel. Cecilio had no wages at all. In short, +he served Emilio for four years, and at the end of that time he was +given five hundred centavos as a payment for his services. Cecilio +thought that he had been given too much: he was so simple-minded, +that he did not know he had been cheated by his master, who should +have given him ten times five hundred centavos. + +Cecilio put his money in a new purse, and rushed out into the main road +of the barrio to find his companions and tell them of the reward he had +received. He was so very happy, that before he knew it, and without +feeling at all tired, he had reached another barrio. Suddenly on his +way he met two men with drawn bolos. They stopped him, and said, "Boy, +your money, or your life!" Cecilio was much amazed at these words, +but was also so frightened that he gave up the money at once. He +only said to himself, "Well, since I am not strong enough to defend +myself, I either have to surrender my money or die." He sat under +a tree lamenting his fortune. But the two robbers were in trouble, +because one of them wanted a greater share than the other. The second +robber said that their shares should be the same, for they had stolen +the money together; but the former answered, "I am in all respects +better than you are."--"Oh, no! for we have not yet had a trial," +said the second. At this they began to fight; and soon both fell so +severely wounded, that they died before Cecilio, who had heard the +noise of the struggle, could reach the place where they were disputing. + +Now the boy was very happy again, for he had gotten his money back. As +he had already travelled very far, he did not know where he was: +he was lost. But he proceeded along the road until he met another +man, who said roughly to him, "Give me your money, or else you will +die!" Cecilio, thinking that he would rather live than try to defend +his wealth, which he would lose in any case, gave his purse to the +man. Then the boy went away and wept. While he was crying over his bad +luck, a very old woman came near him, and said, "Why are you weeping, +my boy?" + +The boy replied, "I am weeping because somebody took my money." + +"Well, why did you give it up?" said the old woman. + +"I gave it up because he said that he would kill me if I didn't." + +Then the old woman said, "Take this cane with you, and whenever you +see him, let it loose and pronounce these words:-- + + + "'Sigue garrote, sigue garrote, [86] + Strike that fellow over there!' + + +"When you want the cane to stop, all you need to say is-- + + + + "'Stop, stop, + For that is enough!'" + + +The boy then said, "Is that all?" + +"After you have recovered your money," said the old woman, "you must +turn back here; but you had better hurry up now." + +Cecilio then bade the old woman good-by, and at once ran away to +overtake the man who had robbed him. When he saw the man, he said, +"Give me back my money, or else you now shall die, and not I!" + +The man laughed at him, and said, "Of course I shall not give you +back your money." + +When he heard these words, the boy said, "Is that so?" and, letting go +of his cane, he uttered the formula that the old woman had told him +to pronounce. The cane at once began to rain blows on the stranger's +head and body. When he could no longer endure the blows, and saw +that he could not catch the stick, the man said, "If you will call +off your cane, I will return your purse." + +"Very well, I will pardon you," said Cecilio; "but if you had treated +me as you should have treated me and others, you would not have been +harmed." Then he said to the cane,-- + + + "Stop, stop, + For that is enough!" + + +At once the magic stick stopped, and returned to its owner. The money +was given back, and the man promised Cecilio that he would not rob +any poor boy again. + +On his way back toward the old woman, Cecilio met another man who +wanted to rob him; but the boy said, "Don't you dare attempt to take my +purse, or you will get yourself into trouble!" The man became angry, +and rushed at Cecilio to knock him down; but the boy pronounced the +words which the old woman had taught him, and let the cane loose. The +cane at once began to rain blows on the man's head and body. When he +could no longer endure the pain, the man asked Cecilio's pardon. As +the youth was kind-hearted, he forgave the man. + +When he reached the old woman's house, Cecilio told her that the +cane had been very useful to him, for it had saved both his life and +his money. Then he returned the stick to the old woman, and thanked +her very much. She now offered to sell him a guitar which she had, +the price of which was five hundred centavos. Since she had been so +good to him, Cecilio at once agreed to the exchange; and after he +had once more bade her good-by, he set out for his master's house. + +When he came near his old home, Cecilio saw his master Emilio shooting +at a very handsome bird on the top of a bamboo-tree. The bird fell +down, and the man ran to pick it up. As Emilio was making his way up +to the bird through the thorny bamboo undergrowth, Cecilio sat down +to wait for him, and, having nothing else to do, began to play his +guitar. The master at once began to dance among the bamboo-trees, +and he received many wounds because of the sharp spines. Now, in +reality, the boy was playing his guitar unintentionally, and did +not know of its magic power; but Emilio thought that Cecilio had +discovered the deceit that had been practised on him, and was playing +for revenge. Now, it happened that Emilio had a purse of money with +him to give to the laborers working in his hacienda, so he promised +to give all this money to Cecilio if he would only stop playing. The +boy, who had by this time learned of the magic power of his guitar, +stopped his music and received the money. + +The crafty Emilio, however, at once hastened to the town, and asked +the magistrate to apprehend Cecilio, a young robber. Cecilio set out +for the old woman's house again; but the policemen soon overtook him, +arrested him, and took him before the magistrate. There the boy was +sentenced to death the next morning. Emilio's money was given back +to him. The following day, when he was about to be shot, Cecilio +asked permission to play his guitar once more, and he was not refused +it. As soon as he began to play, all began to dance, even his master, +who was still sore from the previous day's exercise. Finally Emilio +could endure no more. He begged Cecilio to stop playing, and promised +to give him all his wealth. He then told the soldiers to set the +boy free, for it was all his own fault. Cecilio stopped playing, and +was liberated by the magistrate. Emilio kept his word, and bestowed +on the boy all his wealth. When the old man died, Cecilio was the +richest man in the town. He became a capitan, [87] and was greatly +honored by the inhabitants of his barrio. + + + +Notes. + +A Tagalog variant of this story by the same narrator may be given +here in abstract. While this briefer form seems to bear evidence of +some contamination with the tale of "Cecilio," each, nevertheless, +preserves characteristics lacking in the other; and again, while the +two seem to be more or less distinct versions, there can be no doubt +that they go back to the same original. The title of the variant is +"The Fortunes of Andoy, an Orphan." In abstract it runs thus:-- + +Once a poor orphan named Andoy, while taking a walk, found a purse. On +his way home he met a man who, without a word, took the purse from +him. The boy beginning to cry, the man had pity on him, and returned +the purse, keeping only a few coins for himself. Andoy next met two +hunters, who robbed him; but these men had not gone far when two +genuine robbers met them, and a fight ensued in which all four were +killed. When Andoy heard the noise of the struggle, he ran to see what +was happening. He found hunters and robbers dead; so he recovered his +purse and went on. Not long afterward he met a hermit, who sold him a +magic cane. The next man he encountered was looking for a purse he had +lost in the road, and, when he saw Andoy's, took it without a word; +but the money did not really belong to this man. The boy immediately +turned his cane loose on his assailant, who, after being badly beaten, +confessed that the purse was not his, and promised Andoy half his +wealth if he would call off his stick. The rich man kept his word; +and when he died, Andoy received his entire fortune. + +Another variant, which was collected by Mr. R. L. Rusk of Indiana +University, and which I have only in abstract, is called "Peter the +Violinist." It runs thus:-- + +Peter, a lazy ne'er-do-well, ran away from home, leaving his parents +to die of grief. For being kind to a sick "old woman" he was given a +magic violin. Soon after, he was arrested for climbing into a house +at night. When he was about to be hanged for a thief, he was granted +a last request. He asked to be allowed to play his favorite piece +on his violin. As soon as he began, every one commenced to dance. He +continued, and all cried out for him to stop; but he would not cease +until they pardoned him and promised to make him king besides. + +The history of the cycle of tales to which our story and the two +variants belong has been traced briefly in Bolte-Polívka, 2 : +491-503. The earliest forms of the Märchen are the Middle-English +poems of the fifteenth century entitled "Jack and his Step-Dame" and +"The Frere and the Boye." + +Here the hero is Jack, who is hated by his step-mother. Since his +father is not willing to turn him out of the house altogether, the +step-mother manages to bring it about that Jack is set to watch +the cattle, and she allows him only rotten food. An old man with +whom he shares his victuals grants him three wishes in return for +his kindness. He asks for a bow and a fife; and the old man gives +him a bow that never misses its aim, and a fife that compels every +one to dance. He also grants Jack's third wish, that every time his +step-mother hurls a bad word at him or about him, she shall give forth +another noise not permitted in polite society. When this happens that +evening at home to the amusement of all, the step-mother plans to send +the monk Tobias into the field the next day to punish Jack. However, +Jack asks the monk to fetch from the brambles a bird which he has shot, +and then he begins to play dance-music for the monk. All scratched +and bloody, Tobias returns home. That night the father calls his +son to account; but he is so pleased at the effects of the magic +fife, that he decides not to punish the boy. The official, too, +the bishop's agent, at whose court the next Friday step-mother and +monk bring charges of witchcraft against Jack, has to hear the fife, +and is obliged to dance until he promises to let Jack go unpunished. + +The English story seems to have passed over into Holland, where in +1528 a Dutch form appeared, with some additions. A most significant +modification appears in a German handling of the Dutch form, by +Dieterich Albrecht in 1599:-- + +Here the hero is not a cowherd plagued by his malicious step-mother, +but a simple-minded servant who serves an avaricious master for three +years and receives as pay three pfennigs for the whole time. Pleased +with his earnings, however, he goes away singing. When he meets two +beggars who ask him for alms, he gives them his three coins. They +grant him three wishes in return for his goodness; and he gets a +"never-miss" crossbow, a magic fiddle that makes all dance, and the +promise that no one shall ever be able to deny him a request. By a lake +he meets a monk, who jeers at his shooting-ability, and undertakes, +if the youth can bring down a raven there on the island, to swim over +naked and fetch the bird. Soon, however, the monk regrets his bargain, +for the crossbow does not miss. While the monk stands naked in the +bushes on the island, the boy begins to fiddle. Wailing and moaning, +the ecclesiastic promises the youth the hundred ducats that he has +stolen from the monastery, and he is now permitted to return and get +his clothes. But he treacherously follows the youth, lodges a complaint +against him with the council of the nearest city, and succeeds in +getting him condemned. When the youth is already on the gallows ladder, +he requests the judge to allow him to play just one more song; and +he makes all those present dance so violently, that the judge agrees +to pardon him if he will only cease playing. Then the monk confesses +his own theft and deceit, and receives his deserved punishment. + +In this version, as Bolte and Polívka note (2 : 493), the chief +deviations from the English-Dutch form of the story are the omission +of the step-mother rôle, the nature of the third wish, and the +modification of the character of the monk, who, from a mere tool +of the step-mother, has here developed into a thieving rascal. A +Czech redaction (1604) of the German poem substitutes for the runaway +monk a Jew. This substitution is also found in the German prose tale +"Von Knecht Treurecht" (about 1690). + +Of the modern oral folk-versions of the story, some are based on the +Middle-English droll; but by far the larger number omit the hostile +step-mother, and retain only the dance of the monk or the Jew and the +scene at the gallows. For a complete list of stories of this second +type, see Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 495-501. All the variants, both literary +and popular, cited in this bibliography, are Occidental; and we must +inevitably conclude that the story was imported into the Philippines +some time during the Spanish occupation of the Islands. Some rather +important differences are presented by our versions, however; and these +we shall call attention to briefly, first mentioning the details that +definitely connect our forms with the European. + +The opening of the story of "Cecilio" is like that of Albrecht's, +given above. Our hero works four years for a cruel master, and +receives five hundred centavos as pay,--a sum with which he is more +than satisfied. At this point our story digresses. After two adventures +with robbers, in the first of which he recovers his money by a lucky +accident (this incident is considerably elaborated in the variant), +he meets an old woman who lends him a magic cane, and with its help +he is able to regain his money from a second robber. This feature +of the magic beating-stick seems to be borrowed from the preceding +story. He now returns the cane to the old woman, and she sells him +a magic guitar. The next adventure--with his former master, who is +substituted for the knavish monk--contains a distorted reminiscence of +the shooting of the bird, and ends with the dance among the thorns +(here bamboo-spines). The hero is bought off by his master, who +immediately rushes to town and accuses him of theft. The rest is +practically as in Albrecht. + +While our version introduces two magic articles, it can be +seen that the first does not properly belong to the story. The +"three-wishes" incident, and accordingly the third wish itself, is +lacking altogether. A rather artistic attempt to unify the story as +a whole is the substitution of the rascally master introduced in the +beginning of the story, for the knavish monk or Jew later on; though +it is to be noticed that the narrator falls to motivate the hero's +return to the house that he had apparently left for good when he was +paid off. The episode of the shooting is obscure, and appears to be +only a vague echo of the detail definitely connected with one of the +three gifts in some of the European literary forms. Again, in "Cecilio" +the musical instrument is a guitar instead of the usual violin or fife; +while in the variant "Andoy" the magic cane is the only enchanted +object, no musical instrument appearing at all. The episode of the two +robbers killing each other over the treasure (paralleled in "Andoy," +where two robbers fight with two hunters, and all four are killed) +is an interesting addition, the source of which I am unable to point +out. It may be derived from some moral tale related in kind to the +"Vedabbha-jataka," No. 48; "Cento Novelle Antiche," No. 82; Morlini, +No. 42; Chaucer's "Pardoner's Tale," etc.; although the characteristic +treachery emphasized in those stories is lacking here. The incident +is not found in other versions of our tale that I know of. + +I am unable to name the immediate source of our story of "Cecilio" +and of the two variants; though, as has been remarked above, it was +pretty certainly European. None of the three seems to owe anything in +particular to the Spanish ballad printed in the "Romancero General," +No. 1265, which Bolte and Polívka think is based directly on Grimm, +No. 110. The local modifications in our story, and the definite +native atmosphere maintained throughout, suggest that it is not a +recent importation. + +An interesting animal version from South Africa, containing the magic +bow and magic fiddle, is given by Honeÿ (p. 14), "The Monkey's Fiddle." +This story was doubtless taken over by the natives from the Dutch. + + + +TALE 29 + +CHONGUITA. + + +Narrated by Pilar Ejercito, a Tagalog from Pagsanjan, Laguna. She +heard the story from her aunt, who had heard it when she was still +a little girl. + + +There was a king who had three sons, named Pedro, Diego, and Juan. One +day the king ordered these three gentlemen to set out from the kingdom +and seek their fortunes. The three brothers took different directions, +but before they separated they agreed to meet in a certain place in +the forest. + +After walking for many days, Don Juan met an old man on the road. This +old man gave Don Juan bread, and told him to go to a palace which +was a mile away. "But as you enter the gate," said the old man, +"you must divide the bread which I have given you among the monkeys +which are guarding the gate to the palace; otherwise you will not be +able to enter." + +Don Juan took the bread; and when he reached the palace, he did as +the old man had advised him. After entering the gate, he saw a big +monkey. Frightened at the sight of the animal, Don Juan was about +to tun away, when the animal called to him, and said, "Don Juan, +I know that your purpose in coming here was to find your fortune; +and at this very moment my daughter Chonguita will marry you." The +archbishop of the monkeys was called, and Don Juan and Chonguita were +married without delay. + +A few days afterwards Don Juan asked permission from his wife to +go to the place where he and his brothers had agreed to meet. When +Chonguita's mother heard that Don Juan was going away, she said to him, +"If you are going away, take Chonguita with you." Although Don Juan was +ashamed to go with Chonguita because she was a monkey, he was forced to +take her, and they set out together. When Don Juan met his two brothers +and their beautiful wives at the appointed place, he could not say a +word. Don Diego, noticing the gloomy appearance of his brother, said, +"What is the matter with you? Where is your wife, Don Juan?" + +Don Juan sadly replied, "Here she is." + +"Where?" asked Don Pedro. + +"Behind me," replied Don Juan. + +When Don Pedro and Don Diego saw the monkey, they were very much +surprised. "Oh!" exclaimed Don Pedro, "what happened to you? Did you +lose your head?" + +Don Juan could say nothing to this question. At last, however, he +broke out, "Let us go home! Our father must be waiting for us." So +saying, Don Juan turned around and began the journey. Don Pedro and +Don Diego, together with their wives, followed Don Juan. Chonguita +walked by her husband's side. + +When the return of the three brothers was announced to the king, +the monarch hastened to meet them on the stairs. Upon learning that +one of his sons had married a monkey, the king fainted; but after he +had recovered his senses, he said to himself, "This misfortune is +God's will. I must therefore bear it with patience." The king then +assigned a house to each couple to live in. + +But the more the king thought of it, the greater appeared to be the +disgrace that his youngest son had brought on the family. So one day +he called his three sons together, and said to them, "Tell your wives +that I want each one of them to make me an embroidered coat. The one +who falls to do this within three days will be put to death." Now, +the king issued this order in the hope that Chonguita would be put to +death, because he thought that she would not be able to make the coat; +but his hope was disappointed. On the third day his daughters-in-law +presented to him the coats that they had made, and the one embroidered +by Chonguita was the prettiest of all. + +Still anxious to get rid of the monkey-wife, the king next ordered +his daughters-in-law to embroider a cap for him in two days, under +penalty of death in case of failure. The caps were all done on time. + +At last, thinking of no other way by which he could accomplish his end, +the king summoned his three daughters-in-law, and said, "The husband of +the one who shall be able to draw the prettiest picture on the walls of +my chamber within three days shall succeed me on the throne." At the +end of the three days the pictures were finished. When the king went +to inspect them, he found that Chonguita's was by far the prettiest, +and so Don Juan was crowned king. + +A great feast was held in the palace in honor of the new king. In +the midst of the festivities Don Juan became very angry with his wife +for insisting that he dance with her, and he hurled her against the +wall. At this brutal action the hall suddenly became dark; but after +a while it became bright again, and Chonguita had been transformed +into a beautiful woman. + + +Notes. + +A Visayan variant of this story, though differing from it in many +details, is the story of the "Three Brothers," printed in JAFL 20 : +91-93. + +A number of Indian Märchen seem to be related more or less closely to +our story. Benfey cites one (1 : 261) which appears in the "Asiatic +Journal" for 1833. + +Some princes are to obtain their wives by this device: each is to +shoot an arrow; and where the arrow strikes, there will each find his +bride. The arrow of the youngest hits a tamarind-tree; he is married +to it, but his bride turns out to be a female monkey. However, +he lives happily with her, but she never appears at his father's +court. The sisters-in-law are curious to know what kind of wife he +has. They persuade the father-in-law to give a least for all his sons' +wives. The prince is grieved over the fact that the secret will come +out. Then his wife comforts him; she lays off her monkey covering, +and appears as a marvellously beautiful maiden. She enjoins him to +preserve the monkey-skin carefully, since otherwise great danger +threatens her; but he, in order to keep her in her present beautiful +human form, burns the hide while she is at the feast. She disappears +instantly. The prince seeks her again, and at last discovers her in +heaven as the queen of the monkeys. There he remains with her. + +In a Simla tale, "The Story of Ghose" (Dracott, 40 f.), the animal is +a squirrel, which is finally changed by the god Mahadeo into a human +being, after the little creature has performed many services for her +husband. Somewhat analogous, also, is Maive Stokes, "The Monkey Prince" +(No. x, p. 41 ff.). Compare also the notes to our No. 19 and Benfey's +entire discussion of "The Enchanted Son of the Brahman" (1 : 254-269). + +These forms are not close enough to our version, however, to justify +our tracing it directly to any one of them. Both it and the Visayan +variant are members of the European cycle of tales represented by +Grimm's "Three Feathers" (No. 63). The skeleton outline of this family +group Bolte and Polívka construct as follows (2 : 37):-- + +A father wishes to test the skill of his three sons (or their wives), +and requests that they produce extraordinary or costly articles. The +despised youngest son wins the reward with the help of an enchanted +princess in the form of a cat, rat, frog, lizard, monkey, or as a doll, +or night-cap, or stocking. At last she regains her human form. The +disenchantment is sometimes accomplished by a kiss, or by beheading, +or by the hero's enduring for three nights in silence the blows +of spirits. + +In only two of the variants cited by Bolte-Polívka (to Grimm, No. 63) +is the animal wife a monkey,--Comparetti, No. 58, "Le Scimmie;" +and Von Hahn, No. 67, "Die Aeffin." Of these, only the Greek story +resembles our tale; but here the similarities are so many, that I +will summarize briefly the main points of Von Hahn's version:-- + +An old king once called his three sons to him, and said, "My sons, I am +old; I should like to have you married, so that I may celebrate your +wedding with you before I die. Therefore each of you are to shoot an +arrow into the air, and to follow its course, for there each will find +what is appointed for him." The eldest shot first: his arrow carried +him to a king's daughter, whom he married. The second obtained a +prince's daughter. But the arrow of the third stuck in a dung-hill. He +dug a hole in it, and came to a marble slab, which, when raised, +disclosed a flight of stairs leading down. Courageously he descended, +and came to a cellar in which a lot of monkeys were sitting in a +circle. The mother of the monkeys approached him, and asked him what +he wanted. He answered, that, according to the flight of his arrow, +he was destined to have a monkey-wife. "Choose one for yourself," +she said. "Here sit my maids; there, my daughters." He selected one, +and took her back to his father. His brothers, however, ridiculed him. + +After a time the eldest son asked the king to divide up his kingdom, +as he was already old and was likely to die. "I'll give you three +tasks," said the king to his sons. "The one who performs them best +shall be king." The first count was to be won by the son whose house +forty days thence was cleanest and most beautifully adorned. The +youngest son was very sad when inspection-time approached. "Why so +sad?" said his wife. He told her; and she said to him on the morning +of the last day, "Go to my mother, and ask her for a hazel-nut and +an almond." He did so. When the time for inspection arrived, the +monkey-wife cracked the hazel-nut and drew from it a diamond covering +for the whole house. From the almond she drew a very beautiful +carpet for the king to walk on. Youngest son won the first count, +naturally. The second task was to furnish the king with fresh fruits +in the winter-time. The two oldest sons were unable to get any, but +the youngest son got a fine supply from the monkeys' garden under +the dunghill. The third count was to be won by the son whose wife +should be declared the most beautiful at a feast to be given ten +days thence. The monkey-wife sent her husband again for an almond, +a hazel-nut, two stallions, and five servants. When he returned with +them, she cracked the almond and drew from it a magnificent dress +for herself. From the hazelnut she drew her own beauty, and handsome +equipment for her husband. When she was arrayed, she rode into the +courtyard of the king, and tried to escape without being recognized; +but the king was too quick for her: she was caught, and her husband +was declared the final winner. He became king when his father died. + + +This Greek story can hardly have any immediate relationship with +"Chonguita," though it does appear in its first half to be connected +with the 1833 Indian Märchen given above. Our story, it will be +noticed, lacks the shooting of arrows, so characteristic of the +European forms; it mentions the monkey-kingdom to which the youngest +prince was directed by an old man, and where Chonguita is forced +on him; it represents the king as requiring his daughters-in-law to +perform difficult tasks because he wishes to find an excuse for putting +to death the animal-wife. Moreover, the three tasks themselves are +different, although the first two are reminiscent of some found in the +Occidental versions. For the third I know of no folk-tale parallel. On +the whole, I am prone to believe that our story was not imported from +Europe, but that it belongs to an Oriental branch of the family. + +The disenchantment of the monkey-wife by hurling her in anger against +the wall is exactly like the disenchantment of the frog-prince in +Grimm, No. 1. This conceit is most unusual, and, it might be added, +unreasonable. Hence this identity of detail in two stories so far +removed in every other way is particularly striking. I know of no +further occurrences of the incident. + + + +TALE 30 + +THE GOLDEN LOCK. + + +Narrated by Vicente Hilario of Batangas, Batangas, who heard the +story from an old man (now deceased) from the barrio of Balayan. + + +Long ago there lived in a distant kingdom an influential noble named +Ludovico, who vastly increased his wealth by his marriage to a rich +heiress called Clotilde. During the first ten years of their union +she had never peeped out of her window or stirred out of her room: +she only walked to the door of her chamber to bid farewell to her +husband or to receive his parting kiss when he was off to attend +to his official business, and to meet him with a tender embrace +when he returned. Nobody else but Ludovico and her chaperon could +see or talk with her: to these two persons only did Clotilde reveal +her secrets and convey the thoughts of her spotless soul. She spent +her time in voluntary seclusion, not in the luxuries of the court +or the gaieties of society, but in embroidery, knitting, and in the +unnecessary embellishment of her extremely lovely person. + +But an incident now happened that seriously threatened to destroy +the foundations of their blissful union, for there may be eddies and +counter-currents in the steady and swift flow of a stream. The king +invited all the nobles in the land to a sumptuous banquet to be given +in one of the principal frontier cities. Ludovico was among the first +persons to accept the king's invitation. When the luxurious repast +was over, the guests gathered in groups around small tables in the +adjoining grounds to while away the sultry hours and to discuss the +questions of the day. One of these groups was composed of Ludovico +and six other nobles, among whom was a bold, sharp-tongued rich youth +named Pio. The conversation touched on topics concerning the fair sex, +especially of women historically famous for their personal charms, +virtues, and vices. The garrulous Pio ridiculed the noble constancy +and other excellent traits of the fair Clotilde. + +"I will bet you anything you want to bet, that you cannot learn the +secrets of my wife in fifteen days," said Ludovico, his face flushed +with wrath. + +"All right," said Pio, exasperated by Ludovico's boast. "The loser +shall be hanged. I will bet my life that I'll know the secrets of +your wife within fifteen days." + +The terms of the contract were carefully written down, solemnly +ratified by the king, and signed by the two contestants and by the +other high-born gentlemen. + +Pio set out the next day for Ludovico's home town. The inexperienced +youth looked in vain for Ludovico's residence. Finally he asked +a jolly fellow, who showed him the house after a long roundabout +conversation. Pio went upstairs, where he saw the gray-haired chaperon +sitting alone in the spacious hall, which was decorated to vie in +magnificence with the most gorgeously furnished apartment of the +king. The accomplished Pio doffed his bonnet to the old woman, and +politely asked for her mistress. + +"Nobody but her husband and me is allowed to see her," said the ugly +old hag. + +Pio then sat down and began to talk to her. By his persuasive language +and the magnetic touch of his hands he easily insinuated himself into +her confidence. Then, dropping a piece of gold on her palm, he said, +"Will you tell me the secrets of your mistress?" + +The old woman looked at him suspiciously, but the brilliant coin +proved too great a temptation for her. "Clotilde," she said, "has +three golden [88] locks of hair under her left armpit. I know this +fact, because I bathe her every day." + +Pio heaved a deep groan and turned his face aside. After recovering +himself, he dropped another gold-piece into the hand of the chaperon, +and said, "Will you get one of those locks for me?" + +She hesitated, but his eloquence was irresistible. "I'll give you +the lock to-morrow," she said. Pio then departed, and she returned +to her mistress. + +Early the next morning, while the old woman was bathing Clotilde as +usual, she pulled out one of Clotilde's golden locks. "Aray!" exclaimed +Clotilde, "what's the matter with you?" + +"Never mind, never mind!" said the old woman with many caresses. "This +is the only reward I want for my many faithful services to you." + +Ignorant of the treasonable intrigues of her chaperon, Clotilde +said nothing more. Before noon Pio arrived. With trembling hands and +pale cheeks, the old woman gave him the golden lock. She was amply +rewarded with a purse of gold. Ignorant of the fatal consequences of +her treacherous act, she gayly went back to Clotilde's private chamber. + +Pio left the town late in the afternoon, and soon arrived at the +capital. Ludovico was struck aghast at the sight of the golden lock. He +at once wrote a letter to his wife which ran in part as follows:-- + +"I have spent ten years of my life in perfect happiness with you. I +expected to enjoy such blissful days for a much longer period. But now +everything is hopeless. My life shall be ended by violence, because +of your faithlessness. We shall see each other no more. Receive the +sad farewell of your Ludovico." + +When Clotilde read this letter, she swooned. When she came to her +senses, she awoke as from a trance. But when she beheld the letter +again, she read again the opprobrious word "faithlessness" in her +husband's handwriting. She did not know what act of disloyalty she had +committed. She moved about in her room by fits and starts. At last a +thought came to her mind: she sent for the best goldsmith in town, and +told him to make her a gold slipper adorned with precious stones. Under +her strict supervision the work was completed in a marvellously short +time. Then she put on her best clothes and the precious slipper, +and with all possible expedition set out for Ludovico. + +Clotilde arrived in the city just a few minutes before the +execution. She drove directly to the king's pavilion. Her only +companion was the same old woman who had caused all this trouble. The +turbulent persons who had gathered in the public square to witness +the horrible spectacle were awed by the loveliness and magnificent +attire of Clotilde. When she reached the king, and asked him for all +the details concerning Ludovico's case, and when the king had given +her all the information he could, she turned and pointed toward Pio, +and said, "That man has stolen my other slipper which looks like this +one I am wearing." + +The king called Pio from the place where he was standing, and told +him all about the fair lady's accusation. "I have not committed any +crime against her," said Pio angrily. "I don't even know her. This +is the first time I have ever seen her." + +"Sir," said Clotilde sneeringly, "why, then, did you tell his Majesty +and other persons that you have discovered my secrets? I am the wife +of Ludovico, whose life you have threatened to end by your deceit. I +know now by what means you got possession of my golden lock." + +Clotilde's statement sealed Pio's fate. He was hanged in place of +Ludovico, who deeply regretted having doubted his faithful wife. And +what happened to the old woman, who preferred the gold of an impostor +to the kindness of a virtuous woman? The hag was sentenced to spend +the remainder of her life in a damp, dreary dungeon. + + +Notes. + +A close Tagalog parallel is to be found in the last part of the +metrical romance entitled (in English translation) "The Life of Duke +Almanzor and the Kind and Clever Maria, in the Kingdom of Toledo when +it was under the Moors." My copy bears no date, but Retana mentions +an edition before 1898 (No. 4159). The poem is in 402 quatrains of +12-syllable lines. The section which resembles our story begins at +line 1260, and may be paraphrased in prose as follows:-- + +Soon after this, Almanzor was baptized (he had been a Moor), and was +married to Maria. After a few months of happy life, the duke was called +away to Cordova on important business. When Duke Almanzor arrived at +the court of the Governor of Cordova, he found that all the noblemen +were present. As he arrived somewhat late, he excused himself by saying +that he was newly married, and that he could not leave his wife any +sooner. Among the nobles was a proud, self-confident man named Abdala, +who, when Almanzor had finished speaking, remarked that he (Abdala) +did not mean to marry, as he could very easily seduce any woman, +be she unmarried or a wife. Almanzor was angered by this remark. He +said to Abdala, "I have my wife in Toledo: go and see if you can +seduce her." Abdala said that there was no doubt of his being able +to do so. A wager of death for the loser was agreed upon. + +Abdala immediately set out for Toledo. He tried to gain access +to the duke's palace; but ever since her husband's departure, +Maria had ordered the servants to keep all the windows and +doors closed. Moreover, nobody but women were allowed to enter +the palace. Abdala was about to give up in despair, when he met a +sorceress, who offered to help him. This witch gained admittance into +the palace, and was allowed to pass the night there. At midnight +the hag secretly went to Maria's bedroom and jotted down a brief +description of it. Then she cut off a lock of Maria's hair. The next +morning the witch left the palace. She went to Abdala, and gave him +the lock of hair, together with the description of the bedroom. + +Abdala hurriedly returned to Cordova. When he reached the palace, +the governor at once assembled the nobles. Abdala then showed the +lock of hair, and described minutely Maria's bedroom. Almanzor was +asked what he had to say. The noble duke said that he acknowledged to +be true everything that Abdala had said. Then the governor ordered +his guards to take the duke to prison. The duke was to be beheaded +on the third day. While in prison, Duke Almanzor wrote to his wife, +telling her of his coming death. Maria resolved at once to save her +husband. She went to Cordova, carrying with her all her wealth. She +had a famous jeweller make for her a large, beautiful ear-ring. + +The third day came, and the soldiers took Duke Almanzor out of +prison. The governor and all the nobles accompanied the duke to the +plaza where he was to be executed. Maria stopped the procession, and +addressed the governor thus: "My lord, do you see this ear-ring?" The +governor nodded. "Then I ask you to give me justice. My other +ear-ring was stolen by that gentleman who is standing near you," and +she pointed at Abdala as she made the accusation. Abdala became very +angry. He said, "I don't know you; I have never seen you before. How +could I steal your ear-ring?"--"Do you say that you have never seen me +before?" Maria asked. "I do say so," said Abdala emphatically. "Why, +then, do you claim that you have been in my room, and that I gave you +a lock of my hair?" Maria demanded. Abdala could not answer. "Answer, +Abdala," the governor said, But Abdala could not utter a single +word. At last he confessed that he had never seen Maria, and that +the description of the room and the lock of hair had been furnished +him by a sorceress. The governor then ordered him to be seized. Duke +Almanzor was set free. His wife gently reprimanded him for risking his +life so foolishly. As for Abdala, he was beheaded, and the sorceress +who helped him was burned at the stake. + + +In our notes to No. 7 we have already summarized the first part of the +"Story of Rodolfo." The last episode of this romance is an analogue +of our present story, and runs briefly thus:-- + +After his marriage, Rodolfo went back to Valencia, and informed the +king that he had found a virtuous woman and had married her. She +was then in Babilonia. The king detained him for a few days in +the palace. At the same time he sent Fortunato, a gallant, to +court Rodolfo's wife, to test whether or not she was true to her +husband. Fortunato went to Babilonia and declared his love to Estela; +but she would have nothing to do with him. Ashamed to return to the +palace without having won her affection, Fortunato stole her underskirt +and took it to the king, stating that Estela had given it to him as +a remembrance. Rodolfo was summoned: and when he saw the skirt with +Adela's name on it, he was thunderstruck. The king then said, "You see, +your wife is no more virtuous than my daughter Leocadia. Remember +your boast; your life is forfeit." Rodolfo, however, asked for a +complete investigation of his wife's alleged treachery. Estela was +accordingly summoned to Valencia; and when asked how her underskirt +happened to be there in the palace, she asked in turn who had brought +it. "Fortunato," she was told. Then she said, "The underskirt is +mine. The knight Fortunato declared his love to me, but I rejected +it because I am married. He stole the underskirt while I was taking +a bath, and ought to be punished." When confronted with the charge, +Fortunato denied the theft, and maintained that he had been given the +garment by Estela as a token of her love for him. When Rodolfo heard +this denial, he begged the king to assemble all the dignitaries and +judges in the kingdom. Before the court Rodolfo asked Fortunato for +definite proof to back up his assertions. He was unable to give any, +and was consequently sentenced to be deported for ten years to a +lonely island. Rodolfo and his wife were now honored by the king, +and Rodolfo was finally made a knight. + + +Although this portion of the romance is only a distant analogue +of out story, inasmuch as it lacks both the wager and the clever +trick of the wife to get her maligner to convict himself, I give it, +because this same combination of the "chastity-wager" motive with the +"hen-divided" motive (see first part of "Rodolfo," notes to No. 7) +occurs in a Mentonese story, "La Femme Avisée" (Romania, II : 415-416). +The tale may be briefly summarized:-- + +A prince benighted in a forest is entertained for the night at a +countryman's house. At dinner the prince carves the fowl, and gives the +head to the father, the stomach to the mother, and the heart to the +daughter. On the old man's complaining later of his guest's strange +division of the bird, the girl explains to her father just why the +prince acted as he did. The prince overhears her, admires her wit, +falls in love with her, and marries her. Some time afterward the +prince is called to Egypt on business. He leaves his wife behind at +home, and she promises to be very discreet. The prince communicates +her promise to a friend, who wagers that he will be able to tell the +prince of any defects on her body. The friend goes to the home of +the prince and bribes the lady-in-waiting. She informs him, that, +beautiful as the young wife is, she has a strawberry-mark on her +shoulder. When the prince, on his return, is told this intimate detail +by his friend, he is very angry, and, going home, accuses his wife of +faithlessness. She proves her innocence by going before the king and +swearing that her maligner has stolen one of her golden slippers. He +denies the charge, and swears that he has never seen his accuser +before. Thus self-convicted, he is imprisoned for many years. + + +The Mentonese folk-tale and "Rodolfo" emphasize not only the virtue +of the wife, but her cleverness as well, and definitely connect the +"Chastity Wager" cycle with our No. 7. While it would be difficult +to maintain successfully that the "Chastity Wager" cycle and the +"Clever Lass" group are descended from the same parent,--I really +believe the latter to be much the older,--it seems that we have a sort +of combination of the two as early as the time of the "Tuti-nameh" +collection. In the following story taken from that compilation, +traces of both cycles may be discerned, though clearly the tale is +more nearly related as a whole to the "Chastity Wager" group. This +Persian story is entitled "The Nobleman and the Soldier's Wife, whose +Virtue he put to the Proof" (No. 4, pp. 42 ff., of "The Tootinameh; +or, Tales of a Parrot" in the Persian Language, with an English +Translation; Calcutta, 1792). An abridged version of it follows:-- + +In a certain city dwelt a military man who had a very beautiful +wife. He was always under apprehension on her account; and one +day, after he had been idle a long time, she asked him why he had +quitted his profession. He answered, "I have no confidence in you, +and therefore I do not go anywhere in quest of employment." The wife +told him that he was perverse; for no one could seduce a virtuous +woman, and a vicious woman no husband could guard successfully. Then +she told him a story to illustrate the second type of wife. When +he asked if she had anything more to say to him, she replied, +"It is right for you to travel and seek service. I will give you +a fresh nosegay: as long as the nosegay continues in this stare, +you may be assured that I have not committed any bad action; if the +nosegay should wither, you will then know that I have been guilty of +some fault." The soldier heeded her words, and set out on a journey, +taking the nosegay with him. When he arrived at a certain city, +he entered the service of a nobleman of that place. Winter came on, +and the nobleman was astonished to see the soldier wearing a fresh +nosegay every day, though flowers were practically unattainable, +and he asked him about it. The soldier told him that his wife had +given the nosegay to him as an emblem of her chastity; that as long +as it continued fresh, he was sure that her honor was unspotted. + +Now, the nobleman had two cooks remarkable for their cunning and +adroitness. To one of these he said, "Repair to the soldier's country, +where, through artifice and deceit, contrive to form an intimacy with +his wife, and return quickly with a particular account of her. Then +we shall see whether this nosegay continues fresh or not." The cook, +in accordance with his master's command, went to the soldier's city, +and sent a procuress to the wife with his message. The wife did not +assent directly, but told the procuress to send the man to her, so +that she might see whether he was agreeable or not. The wife made a +secret assignation with the cook, but trapped him in a dry well; and +when he found that he could not get out, he confessed the nobleman's +plot. When the cook did not return, the nobleman sent the second cook; +but he fared no better: he too was captured in the same way by the +clever wife. Now the nobleman resolved to go himself. He set out +under the pretext of hunting, accompanied by the soldier. When they +arrived at the soldier's city, the soldier went to his own home and +presented the fresh nosegay to his wife, who told him all that had +happened. So the next day the soldier conducted the nobleman to his +home, where a hospitable entertainment was given him. The two cooks, +under promise of subsequent liberty, consented to dress as women and +wait on the guests. When the nobleman saw them, he failed to recognize +them, for their long confinement and bad air had made them thin and +pale. He asked the soldier about the "girls," but the soldier told +the cooks to tell their own story. Then the nobleman recognized them; +and when they testified to the woman's chastity, he was abashed, +and asked forgiveness for his offences. + + +Another Oriental form of this story is given by Somadeva, chapter +XIII (Tawney, 1 : 85 f.), "The Story of Devasmita." It runs in part +as follows:-- + +Here, on the departure of the husband, the divinity Siva says to the +couple, "Take each of you one of these red lotuses; and, if either +of you shall be unfaithful during your separation, the lotus in the +hand of the other shall fade, but not otherwise." Then the husband +set out for another city, where he began to buy and sell jewels. Four +merchants of that country, astonished at the never-fading lotus in +his hand, wormed the secret out of the husband by making him drunk, +and then planned the seduction of the wife out of mere curiosity. To +aid them in their plan, they had recourse to a female ascetic. She +went to the wife, and attempted to move her to pity by showing her a +weeping bitch, which she said was once a woman, but was transformed +into a dog because of her hard-heartedness [for this device worked +with better success; see Gesta Romanorum, chap. XXVIII]. The wife +divined the plot and the motive of the young merchants, and appeared +to be glad to receive them; but when they came at appointed times, +she drugged them, and branded them on the forehead with an iron dog's +foot. Then she cast them out naked in a dung-heap. The procuress was +later served even worse: her hose and ears were cut off. The young +wife, fearing that for revenge the four merchants might go slay her +husband, told her whole story to her mother-in-law. The mother-in-law +praised her for her conduct, and devised a plan to save her son. The +wise wife disguised herself as a merchant, and embarked in a ship to +the country where her husband was. When she arrived there, she saw +him in the midst of a circle of merchants. He, seeing her afar off +in the dress of a man, thought to himself, "Who may this merchant be +that looks so like my beloved wife?" But she went to the king, said +that she had a petition to present, and asked him to assemble all his +subjects. He did so, and asked her what her petition was. She replied, +"There are residing here four escaped slaves of mine; let the king +give them back to me." She was told to pick out her slaves, which she +did, choosing the four merchants who had their heads tied up. When +asked how these distinguished merchants' sons could be her slaves, she +said, "Examine their foreheads, which I marked with a dog's foot." So +done. The truth came out; the other merchants paid the wife a large sum +of money to ransom the four, and also a fine to the king's treasury. + + +There can be no doubt of a rather close relationship between the +Persian and the Indian stories; nor can there be any doubt, it seems +to me, of the relationship of these two with the "Chastity Wager" +cycle. The additional details in Somadeva's narrative connect it with +European Märchen; e.g., J. F. Campbell, No. 18, and Groome, No. 33. + +Our story of the "Golden Lock," as well as the variants, is +unquestionably an importation from Europe; but what the immediate +source of the tale is, I am unable to say. For the convenience of +any, however, who are interested in this group of stories, and care +to make a further study of it, I give here a list of the occurrences +of the tale in literature and in popular form. In literature, this +story in Europe dates from the end of the twelfth century. + + +Roman de Guillaume de Dole (c. 1200). Ed. by G. Servois for the +Soc. des Anc. Textes français. Paris, 1893. +Roman de la Violette (13th century). Ed. by Michel. 1834. +Roman du Comte de Poitiers (13th century). Ed. by Michel. 1831. +Le roi Flore et la belle Jehanne (a 13th century prose +story). Published by L. Moland et C. d'Hericault in Nouvelles +françaises en prose du xiiie siècle, 1856 : 87-157; also in Monmerqué +et Michel, Théâtre français au Moyen Age, 1842 : 417. +Miracle de Othon, roy d'Espaigne (a 14th century miracle), in the +Miracles de Nostre Dame. Published by G. Paris and U. Robert for the +Soc. des Anc. Textes français, 4 : 315-388; and in Monmerqué et Michel, +op. cit., p. 431 f. +Perceforest, bk. iv, ch. 16, 17 (an episode, where the chastity +token is a rose), retold by Bandello, part I, nov. 21 (cf. R. Köhler, +in Jahrb. für rom. u. eng. lit., 8 : 51 f.). +Boccaccio's Decameron, 2 : 9 (cf. Landau, Die Quellen des Dekameron, +1884 : 135 ff.). + + +Two important treatments of the story in dramatic form are +sixteenth-century Spanish, Lope de Rueda's "Eufemia," where the heroine +tricks her maligner by accusing him of having spent many nights with +her and of finally having stolen a jewel from under her bed; he denies +all knowledge of her (cf. J. L. Klein, Geschichte des Dramas, 9 [1872] +: 144-156); and English, Shakespeare's "Cymbeline." For modern dramas +and operas dealing with this theme, see G. Servois, op. cit., p. xvi, +note 5. In ballad form the story occurs in "The Twa Knights" (Child, +5 : 21 ff., No. 268). + +Popular stories belonging to this cycle and containing the wager are +the following:-- + + +J. F. Campbell, No. 18. +J. W. Wolf, p. 355. +Simrock, Deutsche Märchen, No. 51 (1864 ed., p. 235). +H. Pröhle, No. 61, p. 179 (cf. also p. xlii). +Ausland, 1856 : 1053, for a Roumanian story. +F. Miklosisch, Märchen und Lieder der Zigeuner der Bukowina, No. 14. +D. G. Bernoni, Fiabe popolari veneziane, No. I. +Gonzenbach, No. 7. +G. Pitrè, Nos. 73, 75. +V. Imbriani, La Novellaja Fiorentina, p. 483. + + +Other folk-tales somewhat more distantly related are,-- + + +Comparetti, Nos. 36 and 60. +Webster, Basque Legends, p. 132. +F. Kreutzwald, Estnische Märchen (übersetzt von F. Löwe), 2d Hälfte, +No. 6. +H. Bergh, Sogur m. m. fraa Valdris og Hallingdal, p. 16. + + +For the story in general, see the following:-- + + +Landau on the Dekameron, op. cit. +A. Rochs, Ueber den Veilchen Roman und die Wanderung der Euriant +saga. Halle, 1882. (Reviewed as a worthless piece of work by R. Köhler +in Literaturblatt für germ. und rom. Philologie, 1883 : No. 7.) +R. Ohle, Shakespeares Cymbeline und seine Romanischen +Vorläufer. Berlin, 1890. (This does not discuss the popular versions +at all.) +H. A. Todd, Guillaume de Dole, in Transactions and Proceedings of +the Modern Language Association of America, 2 (1887) : 107 ff. +Von der Hagen, Gesammtabenteuer, 3 : LXXXIII. +G. Servois, op. cit., Introduction. + + +For some additional bibliographical items in connection with this +cycle, see Köhler, "Literaturblatt," etc., p. 274. To the list above +should be added finally, of course, the stories given in more detail +earlier in this note. + + + +TALE 31 + +WHO IS THE NEAREST RELATIVE? + + +Narrated by Leopoldo Uichanco, a Tagalog of Calamba, Laguna. + + +"On my life!" exclaimed old Julian one day to his grandson Antonio, +who was clinging fast to his elbows and bothering him, as usual, "you +will soon become insane with stories. Now, I will tell you a story on +this condition: you must answer the question I shall put at the end +of the narrative. If you give the correct answer, then I will tell +you some more tales; if not, why, you must be unfortunate." Antonio +nodded, and said, "Very well!" as he leaned on the table to listen +to his grandfather. Then the old man began:-- + +"There was once a young man who had completed his course of study +and was to be ordained a priest. Now, whenever a man was about to +be entrusted with the duty of being a minister of God, and Christ's +representative on earth, it was the custom to trace his ancestry back +as far as possible, to see that there was no bad member on any branch +of his family tree. Inquiries were made and information was sought +regarding the young man's relatives. Unfortunately his mother's brother +was an insurrecto. But the boy wanted very much to become a priest, +so he set out for Mount Banahaw to look for his uncle. + +"As he was walking along the mountain road, he came across his +uncle, but neither knew the other. The uncle had a long bolo in his +hand. 'Hold!' shouted the old man as the boy came in sight. 'Hands up!' + +"'Mercy!' entreated the young man. 'I am a friend, not an enemy.' + +"'What are you doing in this part of the country, then? Have you +come to spy?' + +"'No,' said the youth. 'I have come in search of my uncle named +Paulino, general of the Patriots of Banahaw.' + +"'And who are you to seek for him? What is your name?' + +"'Federico.' + +"The uncle stared at him. 'If that is so,' he said, 'I am the man +you are looking for. I am your uncle.' Federico was amazed, but was +very glad to have found his uncle so easily. Then the old man took +his nephew to the cave where he dwelt with his soldiers. + +"Weeks passed by, months elapsed, but Federico never thought of +going back to his mother. So one day Federico's father went out to +seek for his son, and soon found him and his uncle. The father, too, +remained there with the soldiers, and never thought of going back home. + +"One day Josefa received news that the bandits of Banahaw had been +caught by the government authorities. Among the prisoners were her +brother Paulino, her son Federico, and her husband. The captives were +to be executed at sunrise without any trial. Josefa hurried to the +capitan general, and pleaded with him to release her husband, her +son, and her brother. Besides, the woman presented the officer with +some gifts. She pleaded so hard, that finally the capitan general +was moved with pity. He consented to release one of the prisoners, +but one only. Josefa did not know what to do. Whom should she select +of the three,--her husband, the other half of her life; her son, the +fruit of her love; or her brother, that brother who came from the same +womb and sucked the same milk from the same mother? To take one would +mean to condemn the other two to death. She wished to save them all, +but she was allowed to select only one." + + +"If you, Antonio, were in her place, whom would you select?" Antonio +did not speak for some moments, but with knitted eyebrows looked up +to the ceiling and tried to think of the answer. + +"Nonsense!" exclaimed the grandfather; "you cannot find the answer +in the ceiling! You really do not know, do you? Very well. I will +give you until next Tuesday to get your answer. You have one week in +which to think it out. Tell me the correct answer before you go to +school on that day." + +When Tuesday came, Antonio had gotten the answer to his grandfather's +puzzle-tale; but the rascally little boy deceived the old man: he +had sought the information from his uncle. + +"If you were in the place of the woman," asked the playful grandfather +with a smile on his face, "whom would you select?" Antonio timidlv +said that he would select the brother. + +"You are only guessing, aren't you?" said old Julian doubtfully. + +"Bah! No, sir!" said the boy. "I can give you a reason for my +selection." + +"Very well, give your reason, then." + +"The woman would be right in selecting her brother"-- + +"Because"-- + +"Because, what to a woman is a husband? She can marry again; she can +find another." + +"That is true," said the old man. + +"And what to a woman is her son? Is it not possible to bear another +one after she marries again?" + +"To be sure," said old Julian. + +"But," continued the boy, raising his voice, "is it possible for her +to bring into the world another brother? Is it possible? The woman's +parents were dead. Therefore she would be right in selecting her +brother instead of her husband or her son." + +"Exactly so, my boy," returned the satisfied old man, nodding his +gray head. "Since you have answered correctly, to-morrow I will tell +you another story." + + +Notes. + +This saga-like story is of peculiar literary interest because of +its ancient connections. I know of no modern analogues; but there +are two very old parallels, as well as two unmistakable references +to the identical situation in our story which date from before the +Christian era, and also a Persian Märchen that goes back as far as +the twelfth century. + +Herodotus (III, 119) first tells the story of a Persian woman who +chooses rather to save the life of her brother than of her husband +and children. + +"When all the conspirators against Darius had been seized [i.e., +Intaphernes, his children, and his family], and had been put in chains +as malefactors condemned to death, the wife of Intaphernes came +and stood continually at the palace-gates, weeping and wailing. So +Darius after a while, seeing that she never ceased to stand and weep, +was touched with pity for her, and bade a messenger go to her and say, +'Lady, King Darius gives thee as a boon the life of one of thy kinsmen; +choose which thou wilt of the prisoners.' Then she pondered a while +before she answered, 'If the king grants the life of one alone, I make +choice of my brother.' Darius, when he heard the reply, was astonished, +and sent again, saying, 'Lady, the king bids thee tell him why it is +that thou passest by thy husband and thy children, and preferrest to +have the life of thy brother spared. He is not so near to thee as thy +children, not so dear as thy husband.' She answered, 'O king! if the +gods will, I may have another husband and other children when these +are gone; but, as my father and mother are no more, it is impossible +that I should have another brother. That was my thought when I asked +to have my brother spared.' The woman appeared to Darius to have spoken +well, and he granted to her the one that she asked and her eldest son, +he was so pleased with her. All the rest he put to death." + + +This story from the Greek historian clearly supplied not merely +the thought but also the form of the reference in lines 909-912 +of Sophocles' "Antigone." In Campbell's English translation of the +Greek play, the passage, which is put into the mouth of the heroine, +runs thus:-- + + + "A husband lost might be replaced; a son, + If son were lost to me, might yet be born; + But with both parents hidden in the tomb, + No brother may arise to comfort me." + + +Chronologically, the next two occurrences of the story are Indian. In +the "Ucchanga-jataka" (Fausböll, No. 67, of uncertain date, but +possibly going back to the third century B.C.) we are told-- + + +"Three husbandmen were by mistake arrested on a charge of robbery, +and imprisoned. The wife of one came to the King of Kosala, in whose +realm the event took place, and entreated him to set her husband at +liberty. The king asked her what relation each of the three was to +her. She answered, 'One is my husband, another my brother, and the +third is my son.' The king said, 'I am pleased with you, and I will +give you one of the three; which do you choose?' The woman answered, +'Sire, if I live, I can get another husband and another son; but, +as my parents are dead, I can never get another brother. So give me +my brother, sire.' Pleased with the woman, the king set all three +men at liberty." + + +In the Cambridge translation of this "Jataka," the verse reply of +the woman is rendered thus:-- + + + "A son's an easy find; of husbands too + An ample choice throngs public ways. But where + With all my pains another brother find?" + + +In the "Ramayana," the most celebrated art epic of India, we are +told how, in the battle about Lanka, Lakshmana, the favorite brother +and inseparable companion of the hero Rama, is to all appearances +killed. Rama laments over him in these words: "Anywhere at all I +could get a wife, a son, and all other relatives; but I know of no +place where I might be able to acquire a brother. The teaching of +the Veda is true, that Parjanya rains down everything; but also is +the proverb true that he does not rain down brothers." (Ed. Gorresio, +6 : 24, 7-8.) This parallel was pointed out by R. Pischel in "Hermes," +28 (1893) : 465. + +The Persian Märchen alluded to above is cited by Th. Nöldeke in +"Hermes," 29 : 155. + +In this story the wife, when she is given the opportunity to +choose which she will save of her three nearest relatives,--i.e., +her husband, her son, and her brother, who have been selected to be +the food for the man-eating snake that grows from the devil-prince +Dahak's shoulder,--says, "I am still a young woman. I can get another +husband, and it may happen that I might have another child by him: +so that the fire of separation I can quench somewhat with the water +of hope, and for the poison of the death of a husband find a cure +in the antidote of the survival of a son; but it is not possible, +since my father and mother are dead, for me to get another brother; +therefore I bestow my love on him [i.e., she chooses the brother]." The +Dahak is moved to pity, and spares her the lives of all three. + + +The riddle form in which our story is cast is possibly an invention +of the narrator; but folk-tales ending thus are common (see notes to +No. 12). Again, our story fails to state whether or not all three men +were pardoned. The implication is that they were not. The localization +of the events seems to point either to a long existence of the story +in La Laguna province or to exceptional adaptive skill on the part +of the narrator. + + + +TALE 32 + +WITH ONE CENTAVO JUAN MARRIES A PRINCESS. + + +Narrated by Gregorio Frondoso, a Bicol, who heard the story from +another Bicol student. The latter said that the story was traditional +among the Bicols, and that he had heard it from his grandfather. + + +In ancient times, in the age of foolishness and nonsense, there lived +a poor gambler. He was all alone in the world: he had no parents, +relatives, wife, or children. What little money he had he spent on +cards or cock-fighting. Every time he played, he lost. So he would +often pass whole days without eating. He would then go around the town +begging like a tramp. At last he determined to leave the village to +find his fortune. + +One day, without a single cent in his pockets, he set out on his +journey. As he was lazily wandering along the road, he found a centavo, +and picked it up. When he came to the next village, he bought with his +coin a small native cake. He ate only a part of the cake; the rest he +wrapped in a piece of paper and put in his pocket. Then he took a walk +around the village; but, soon becoming tired, he sat down by a little +shop to rest. While resting, he fell asleep. As he was lying on the +bench asleep, a chicken came along, and, seeing the cake projecting +from his pocket, the chicken pecked at it and ate it up. Tickled by +the bird's beak, the tramp woke up and immediately seized the poor +creature. The owner claimed the chicken; but Juan would not give it up, +on the ground that it had eaten his cake. Indeed, he argued so well, +that he was allowed to walk away, taking the chicken with him. + +Scarcely had he gone a mile when he came to another village. There +he took a rest in a barber-shop. He fell asleep again, and soon a +dog came in and began to devour his chicken. Awakened by the poor +bird's squawking, Juan jumped up and caught the dog still munching its +prey. In spite of the barber's protest and his refusal to give up his +dog, Juan seized it and carried it away with him. He proceeded on his +journey until he came to another village. As he was passing by a small +house, he felt thirsty: so he decided to go in and ask for a drink. He +tied his dog to the gate and went in. When he came out again, he found +his dog lying dead, the iron gate on top of him. Evidently, in its +struggles to get loose, the animal had pulled the gate over. Without +a word Juan pulled off one of the iron bars from the gate and took +it away with him. When the owner shouted after him, Juan said, +"The bar belongs to me, for your gate killed my dog." + +When Juan came to a wide river, he sat down on the bank to rest. While +he was sitting there, he began to play with his iron bar, tossing +it up into the air, and catching it as it fell. Once he missed, and +the bar fell into the river and was lost. "Now, river," said Juan, +"since you have taken my iron bar, you belong to me. You will have +to pay for it." So he sat there all day, watching for people to come +along and bathe. + +It happened by chance that not long after, the princess came to +take her bath. When she came out of the water, Juan approached her, +and said, "Princess, don't you know that this river is mine? And, +since you have touched the water, I have the right to claim you." + +"How does it happen that you own this river?" said the astonished +princess. + +"Well, princess, it would tire you out to hear the story of how I +acquired this river; but I insist that you are mine." + +Juan persisted so strongly, that at last the princess said that she +was willing to leave the matter to her father's decision. On hearing +Juan's story, and after having asked him question after question, +the king was greatly impressed with his wonderful reasoning and wit; +and, as he was unable to offer any refutation for Juan's argument, +he willingly married his daughter to Juan. + + +Notes. + +I know of no complete analogues of this droll; but partial variants, +both serious and comic, are numerous. In our story a penniless, +unscrupulous hero finds a centavo, and by means of sophistical +arguments with foolish persons makes more and more profitable +exchanges until he wins the hand of a princess. A serious tale of a +clever person starting with no greater capital than a dead mouse, and +finally succeeding in making a fortune, is the "Cullaka-setthi-jataka," +No. 4. This story subsequently made its way into Somadeva's great +collection (Tawney, 1 : 33-34), "The Story of the Mouse Merchant" +(ch. VI). Here it runs approximately as follows:-- + +A poor youth, whose mother managed to give him some education in +writing and ciphering, was advised by her to go to a certain rich +merchant who was in the habit of lending capital to poor men of good +family. The youth went; and, just as he entered the house, that rich +man was angrily talking to another merchant's son: "You see this dead +mouse here upon the floor; even that is a commodity by which a capable +man would acquire wealth; but I gave you, you good-for-nothing fellow, +many dinars, and, so far from increasing them, you have not even been +able to preserve what you got." The poor stranger-youth at once said +to the merchant that he would take the dead mouse as capital advanced, +and he wrote a receipt for it. He sold the mouse as cat-meat to a +certain merchant for two handfuls of gram. Next he made meal of the +gram, and, taking his stand by the road, civilly offered food and +drink to a band of wood-cutters that came by. Each, out of gratitude, +gave him two pieces of wood. This wood he sold, bought more gram with +a part of the price, and obtained more wood from the wood-cutters the +next day, etc., until he was able in time to buy all their wood for +three days. Heavy rains made a dearth of wood, and he sold his stock +for a large sum. Then he set up a shop, began to traffic, and became +wealthy by his own ability. Now he had a golden mouse made, which he +sent to the rich merchant from whom he had gotten his start, and that +merchant bestowed the hand of his daughter on the once poor youth. + + +The comic atmosphere, it will be seen, is altogether absent from this +Buddhistic parable. + +A slight resemblance to our story may be traced in Bompas, No. XLIX, +"The Foolish Sons," where the clever youngest (of six brothers) +manages to acquire ten rupees, starting with one anna. He proceeds +by "borrowing," and paying interest in advance. The trick used here +is the same as that practised on the foolish wife in "Wise Folks" +(Grimm, No. 104), where a sharper buys three cows, and leaves one with +the seller as a pledge for the price of the three (see Bolte-Polívka, +2 : 440 f.). + +Much closer parallels than the preceding, to the incidents of out +story, are to be found in a cycle of tales discussed by Bolte-Polívka +(2 : 201-202) in connection with "Hans in Luck" (Grimm, No. 83). It +will be recalled that in the Grimm story the foolish Hans exchanges +successively gold for horse, horse for cow, cow for pig, pig for +goose, goose for grindstone, which he is finally glad to get rid of by +throwing it into the water. "A counterpart of this story," say Bolte +and Polívka, "is the Märchen of the 'profitable exchange,' in which +a poor man acquires from another a hen because it has eaten up a pea +or millet-seed that belonged to him; for the hen he gets a pig which +has killed it; for the pig, a cow; for the cow, a horse. But when he +finally levies his claim for damages upon a girl, and places her in +a sack, his luck changes: strangers liberate the maiden without the +knowledge of her captor, and put in her place a big dog, which falls +upon him when he opens the sack." It is to be noted that the cycle +as here outlined consists really of two parts,--the "biter biting" +and the "biter bit." Cosquin (2 : 209) believes that the last two +episodes--the maiden gained by chicanery, and the substitution of an +animal for her in the sack--form a separate theme not originally a part +of the cumulative motive; and, to prove his belief, he cites a number +of Oriental tales containing the former, but lacking the cumulative +motive (ibid., 209-212). Cosquin seems to be correct in this; although, +on the other hand, he is able to cite only one story (Rivière, p. 95) +in which there is not some trace of the "biter-bit" idea. Moreover, +even in the animal stories belonging to this group,--and he analyzes +Stokes, No. 17, and Rivière, p. 79,--the animal-rogue meets with an +unlucky end. The same is true of Steel-Temple, No. 2, "The Rat's +Wedding." In another Indian story, however, "The Monkey with the +Tom-Tom" (Kingscote, No. XIV, a rather pointless tale), the monkey, +whose last exchange is puddings for a tom-tom, is left at the top of +a tree lustily beating his drum and enumerating his clever tricks. A +very similar story is to be found in Rouse, p. 132, "The Monkey's +Bargains." It will thus be seen that Bolte and Polívka's analysis holds +for the larger number of human hero tales of this cycle, as well as for +the animal tales; but that the first half of the sequence of events, +where the hero's good luck is continually on the increase, is also +to be found as a separate story,--Kingscote's, Rouse's, and our own. + +The Filipino version appears to be old, and I am inclined to +think that it is native; that is, if any stories may be called +native. Several facts point to the primitiveness of the tale: (1) +the local color and realistic touches, slight though they are; (2) +the non-emphasis of the comic possibilities of the situations; (3) +the somewhat unsystematic arrangement of incidents, the third demand +and exchange (iron rod for dead dog) not appearing to be an upward +progression; (4) the crudity of invention displayed in this same third +exchange (though an iron-picketed fence seems modern). My reasons for +thinking our story not imported from the Occident are the differences +in beginning, middle, and end between it and the European versions +cited by Bolte-Polívka (loc. cit.). The good luck coming to the hero +from the exchange of dead animals suggests a distant basic connection +between our story and the "Jataka," although it must be admitted that +the idea could occur independently to many different peoples. + + + +TALE 33 + +THE THREE HUMPBACKS. + + +Narrated by Pacita Cordero, a Tagalog from Pagsanjan, Laguna, who +heard the story from her lavandera, or washer-woman. + + +Pablo was badly treated by his older brothers Pedro and Juan. The +coarsest food was given to him. His clothes were ragged. He slept on +the floor, while his two brothers had very comfortable beds. In fact, +he was deprived of every comfort and pleasure. + +In the course of time this unfortunate youth fell in love with +a well-to-do girl, and after a four-years engagement they were +married. Thus Pablo was separated from his brothers, to their great +joy. Pedro and Juan now began spending their money lavishly on +trifles. They learned how to gamble. Pablo, however, was now living +happily and out of want with his wife. Every morning he went to fish, +for his wife owned a large fishery. + +One day, as Pablo was just leaving the house at the usual hour to +go fishing, he said to his wife, "Wife, if two humpbacks like myself +ever come here, do not admit them. As you know, they are my brothers, +and they used to treat me very badly." Then he went away. That very +afternoon Pedro and Juan came to pay their brother a visit. They +begged Marta, Pablo's wife, to give them some food, for they were +starving. They had squandered all their money, they said. Marta was +so impressed by the wretched appearance of her brothers-in-law, that +she admitted them despite her husband's prohibition. She gave them +a dinner. When they had finished eating, she said to them, "It is +now time for my husband to come home. He may take vengeance on you +for your past unkindness to him, if he finds you here, so I'll hide +you in two separate trunks. You stay there till to-morrow morning, +and I'll let you out when my husband is gone again." + +She had scarcely locked the trunks when Pablo entered. He did not find +out that his brothers had been there, however. The next morning Pablo +went to his work, as usual. Marta had so much to do about the house +that day, that she forgot all about Pedro and Juan. The poor boys, +deprived of air and food, died inside the trunks. Not until two days +later did Marta think of the two humpbacks. She ran and opened the +trunks, and found their dead bodies inside. Her next thought was how +to dispose of them. At last a plan occurred to her. She called to her +neighbor, and asked him to come bury one of her brothers-in-law who +had just died in her house. She promised to pay him five pesos when +he came back from his work. + +The neighbor lifted the heavy body of Pedro, and, putting it on his +shoulder, carried it away to a far place. There he dug a hole that +was waist deep, put the corpse into it, and covered it up. Then he +hastened back to Marta, and said, "Madam, I have buried the dead man +in a very deep grave." + +"No, you have not," said Marta. "What is that lying over there?" and +she pointed to the corpse of Juan. + +"That's very strange!" exclaimed the neighbor, scratching his +head. "You are very artful," he said to the dead body of Juan. He +was very angry with the corpse now, for he had not yet received his +pay. So he bore the corpse of Juan to the seashore. He got a banca +[89] and dug a very deep grave beneath the water. Then he said to +the corpse, "If you can come out of this place, you are the wisest +person in the world." He then returned to Marta's house. + +On his way back he happened to look behind him, when he saw, to his +great surprise, the humpback following him, carrying some fish. The +gambler gazed at him; and when he saw that he resembled exactly the +corpse that he had just buried, he said, "So you have come out of the +grave again, have you, you naughty humpback!" And with these words +he killed the humpback that very instant. This humpback was Marta's +husband returning home from the fishery. + +Thus Marta tried to deceive, but she was the one who was deceived. + + +The Seven Humpbacks. + +Narrated by Teofilo Reyes, a Tagalog from Manila. + +Once there lived seven brothers who were all humpbacks, and who looked +very much alike. Ugly as these humpbacks were, still there was a lady +who fell in love with one of them and married him. This lady, however, +though she loved her husband well, was a very stingy woman. Finally +the time came when the unmarried humpbacks had to depend on the other +one for food. Naturally this arrangement was very displeasing to the +wife; and in time her hate grew so intense, that she planned to kill +all her brothers-in-law. + +One day, when her husband was away on business, she murdered the six +brothers. Next she hired a man to come and bury a corpse. She told him +of only one corpse, because she wanted to deceive the man. When he had +buried one of the bodies, he came back to get paid for his work. The +woman, however, before he had time to speak, began to reproach him +for not burying the man in the right place. "See here!" she said, +showing him the corpse of the second brother, "you did not do your +work well. Go and bury the body again. Remember that I will not pay +you until you have buried the man so that he stays under the earth." + +The man took the second corpse and buried it; but when he returned, +there it was again. And so on: he repeated the operation until he +thought that he had buried the same corpse six times. But after the +sixth, the last humpback, had been buried, the married humpback came +home from his work. When the grave-digger saw this other humpback, +he immediately seized and killed him, thinking he was the same man +he had buried so many times before. + +When the wicked woman knew that her very husband had been killed, +she died of a broken heart. + + +Notes. + +A Pampango variant (c), which I have only in abstract, is entitled +"The Seven Hunchbacked Brothers." It was collected by Wenceslao Vitug +of Lubao, Pampanga. It runs thus:-- + +There were seven hunchbacked brothers that looked just alike. One of +them married, and maintained the other six in his house. The wife, +however, grew tired of them, and locked them up in the cellar, +where they starved to death. In order to save burial-expenses, +the woman fooled the grave-digger. When he had buried one man and +returned for his money, she had another body lying where the first +had lain, and told him that he could not have his money until the +man was buried to stay. Thus the poor gravedigger buried all six +corpses under the impression that he was working with the same one +over and over again. On his way back from burying the sixth, he met +the husband riding home on horseback. Thinking him to be the corpse, +which he exactly resembled, the grave-digger cried out, "Ah! so this +is the way you get ahead of me!" and he struck the living hunchback +with his hoe and killed him. + + +This Pampango variant, although it is a little more specific than +the Tagalog, is identical with our second version. + +Our two stories and the variant represent a family of tales found +scattered all over Europe. They are also connected distantly with +one of the stories in the "1001 Nights," and thus with the Orient +again. For a discussion of this cycle, see Clouston, "Popular Tales and +Fictions," 2 : 332 ff., where are cited and abstracted versions from +the Old-English prose form of the "Seven Wise Masters," from the Gesta +Romanorum, also the fabliau "Destourmi;" then five other fabliaux from +Legrand's and Barbasan's collections, especially the trouvere Dutant's +"Les Trois Bossus;" and the second tale of the seventh sage in the +"Mishlé Sandabar," the Hebrew version of the book of Sindibad. On +pp. 344-357 Clouston gives variants of the related story in which +the same corpse is disposed of many times. For further bibliography, +see Wilson's Dunlop, 2 : 42, note. + +The nearest parallel I know of to our first story is Straparola, 5 : +3, from which it was probably derived. + +There were three humpbacked brothers who looked very much alike. The +wife of one of them, disobeying the order of her husband, secretly +received her two brothers-in-law. When her husband returned +unexpectedly, she hid the brothers in the kitchen, in a trough used +for scalding pigs. There the two humpbacks smothered before the +wife could release them. In order to rid herself of their corpses, +she hired a body-carrier to cast one of them into the Tiber; and +when he returned for his pay, she informed him that the corpse had +come back. After the man had removed the second corpse, he met the +humpbacked husband, whom he now likewise cast into the river. + + +The identity of this story with ours makes a direct connection between +the two practically certain. The two stories differ in this respect, +however: the Italian has a long introduction telling of the enmity +between the hunchback brothers, and of the knavish tricks of Zambo, +the oldest, who goes out to seek his fortune, and is finally married +in Rome. All this detail is lacking in the Filipino version, as is +likewise the statement (found in Straparola) that the wife rejoiced +when she learned that she had been rid of her husband as well as of +the corpses of her brothers-in-law. + +In our other story and the Pampango variant we note some divergences +from the preceding tale. Here the one married brother charitably +supports his six indigent brothers, whom the wife subsequently +murders. In the majority of the European versions the deaths are either +accidental or are contrived by the husband and wife together (e.g., +Gesta Romanorum; and Von der Hagen, No. 62). While I am inclined +to think these two stories of ours imported, they do not appear to +be derived immediately from the same source (Straparola). However, +the facts that the seven men are brothers and are humpbacks, and that +the husband is killed by mistake, make an Occidental source for our +second story and for the Pampango variant most probable. + +I know of no Oriental analogues to the story as a whole, though the +trick of getting a number of corpses buried for one appears in several +stories from Cochin-China, Siam, and the Malay Archipelago:-- + +(1) Landes, No. 180, which I summarize here from Cosquin (2 : 337): + +In the course of some adventures more or less grotesque, four monks are +killed at one time near an inn. The old woman who keeps this hostelry, +fearful of being implicated in a murder, wishes to get rid of the +corpses. She hides three of the bodies, and has one buried by a monk +who is passing by. She pretends that the dead man is her nephew. The +monk, returning to the inn after his task, is stupefied to see the +corpse back there again. The old woman tells him not to be astonished, +for her nephew loved her so much that he could not bear to leave her; +he would have to be buried deeper. The monk carries this corpse away, +and on his return has the same experience with the third and fourth +corpses. After the last time, he meets, while crossing a bridge, +another, live monk resembling those he has interred. "Halloo!" he says, +"I have been burying you all day, and now you come back to be buried +again!" With that he pushes the fifth monk into the river. + + +(2) Skeat, I : 36-37, "Father Follow-My-Nose and the Four Priests:" + +Father Follow-My-Nose would walk straight, would climb over a house +rather than turn aside. One day he had climbed up one side of a +Jerai-tree and was preparing to descend, when four yellow-robed +priests, lest he should fall, held a cloak for him. But he jumped +without warning, and the four cracked their heads together and +died. Old Father Follow-My-Nose travelled on till he came to the hut of +a crone. The crone went back and got the bodies of the four priests. An +opium-eater passed by; and the crone said, "Mr. Opium-Eater, if +you'll bury me this yellow-robe here, I'll give you a dollar." The +opium-eater agreed, and took the body away to bury it; but when he +came back for his money, there was a second body waiting for him. "The +fellow must have come to life again," he said; but he took the body +and buried it too. After he had buried the fourth in like manner, +it was broad daylight, and he was afraid to go collect his money. + + +(3) A story communicated to me by a Chinese student, Mr. Jut L. Fan +of Canton, who says that he saw the tale acted at a popular theatre +in Canton in 1913. The story I give is but the synopsis of the play: + +In Canton, the capital of Kwong Tung, a mile's walk from the +marketplace, stood a prehistoric abbey, away from the busy streets, +and deep in the silent woods. In this old monastery an aged abbot +ruled over five hundred young monks; but they were far from being like +their venerable master. Men and women, rich and poor, for fear of the +dread consequences if they should incur the displeasure of the gods, +went in great numbers to worship in the ancient buildings, kneeling +in long rows before the sacred figures and incense. + +These gatherings made it possible for the young monks and the young +girls to become intimately acquainted,--so intimate, that sometimes +shame and disgrace followed. One young girl who had been seduced, +on an appropriate occasion and after great consideration, persuaded +seven of the disciples who had been engaged in her ruin to enter +her house. Then she invited them into her private chamber. As if by +chance, there came a sharp rap on the locked door; so she hid her +unusual visitors in a big wardrobe. What this young lady next did +might seem unnatural; but, with the help of her servants, she poured +boiling oil into the wardrobe, and killed the miscreants. + +She next hired a porter to convey one body to the river near by and +bury it. This porter was not informed as to the number of corpses he +would have to bury; but every time he came back for his pay, there was +another body for him. So one after another he dropped the bodies of +the young monks into the swift-flowing stream, wondering all the while +by what magic the lifeless body managed to return to the original spot. + +Just after he had disposed of the seventh, up came the old abbot +himself, with dignified mien. "Ah! I see now how you return," said the +drudger, and he laid hold of the priest and ended his natural days. The +old abbot thus suffered the fate of his seven unworthy disciples. + + + +TALE 34 + +RESPECT OLD AGE. + + +Narrated by José Ignacio, a Tagalog from Malabon, Rizal. + + +Once there lived a poor man who had to support his family, the +members of which were a hot-headed wife who predominated over the +will of her husband; a small boy of ten; and an old man of eighty, +the boy's grandfather. This old man could no longer work, because of +his feebleness. He was the cause of many quarrels between the husband +and wife, but was loved by their son. + +One rainy morning the husband was forced by his wife to send his +father away. He called his son, and ordered him to carry a basket full +of food and also a blanket. He told the boy that they were to leave +the old man in a hut on their farm some distance away. The boy wept, +and protested against this harsh treatment of his grandfather, but +in vain. He then cut the blanket into two parts. When he was asked to +explain his action, he said to his father, "When you grow old, I will +leave you in a hut, and give you this half of the blanket." The man +was astonished, hurriedly recalled his order concerning his father, +and thereafter took good care of him. + + +The Golden Rule. + +Narrated by Cipriano Seráfica, a Pangasinan from Mangaldan, Pangasinan. + +A long time ago there lived in a town a couple who had a son. The +father of the husband lived with his son and daughter-in-law happily +for many years. But when he grew very old, he became very feeble. Every +time he ate at the table, he always broke a plate, because his hands +trembled so. The old man's awkwardness soon made his son angry, and +one day he made a wooden plate for his father to eat out of. The poor +old man had to eat all his food from this wooden plate. + +When the grandson noticed what his father had done, he took some +tools and went down under the house. There he took a piece of board +and began to carve it. When his father saw him and said to him, +"What are you doing, son?" the boy replied to him, "Father, I am +making wooden plates for you and my mother when you are old." + +As the son uttered these words, tears gushed from the father's +eyes. From that time on, the old man was always allowed to eat at +the table with the rest of the family, nor was he made to eat from +a wooden plate. + +MORAL: Do unto others as you want them to do unto you. + + + +Notes. + +A Pampango variant of these stories, entitled "The Old Man, his Son, +and his Grandson," and narrated by Eutiquiano Garcia of Mexico, +Pampanga, has been printed by H. E. Fansler (p. 100). Mr. Garcia +says that he heard the story told by his father at a gathering +of a number of old story-tellers at his home during the Christmas +vacation in 1908. The tale has every appearance of having long been +naturalized in the Islands, if not of being native. It is brief, +and may be reprinted here:-- + +In olden times, when men lived to be two or three hundred years old, +there dwelt a very poor family near a big forest. The household had but +three members,--a grandfather, a father, and a son. The grandfather +was an old man of one hundred and twenty-five years. He was so old, +that the help of his housemates was needed to feed him. Many a time, +and especially after meals, he related to his son and his grandson his +brave deeds while serving in the king's army, the responsible positions +he filled after leaving a soldier's life; and he told entertaining +stories of hundreds of years gone by. The father was not satisfied +with the arrangement, however, and planned to get rid of the old man. + +One day he said to his son, "At present I am receiving a peso daily, +but half of it is spent to feed your worthless grandfather. We do +not get any real benefit from him. To-morrow let us bind him and take +him to the woods, and leave him there to die." + +"Yes, father," said the boy. + +When the morning came, they bound the old man and took him to the +forest. On their way back home the boy said to his father, "Wait! I +will go back and get the rope."--"What for?" asked his father, raising +his voice. "To have it ready when your turn comes," replied the boy, +believing that to cast every old man into the forest was the usual +custom. "Ah! if that is likely to be the case with me, back we go +and get your grandfather again." + + +This exemplum is known in many countries and in many forms. For +the bibliography, see Clouston, "Popular Tales and Fictions," +2 : 372-378; T. F. Crane, "Exempla of Jacques de Vitry" (FLS, +1890 : No. 288 and p. 260); Bolte-Polívka (on Grimm, No. 78), 2 : +135-140. The most complete of these studies is the last, in which are +cited German, Latin, Dutch, English, French, Spanish, Greek, Croatian, +Albanian, Bulgarian, Polish, Russian, Lettish, Turkish, and Indian +versions. Full as Bolte-Polívka's list is, however, an old important +Buddhistic variant has been overlooked by them,--the "Takkala-jataka," +No. 446. This Indian form of the story, it seems to me, has some close +resemblances to our Pampango variant; and I give it here briefly, +summarizing from Mr. Rouse's excellent English translation:-- + +In a certain village of Kasi there lived a man who supported his old +father. The father regretted seeing his son toil so hard for him, and +against the son's will sent for a woman to be his daughter-in-law. Soon +the son began to be pleased with his new wife, who took good care of +his father. As time went on, however, she became tired of the old man, +and planned to set his son against him. She accused her father-in-law +of being not only very untidy, but also fierce and violent, and +forever picking quarrels with her, and at last, by constant dinning +her complaints in his ear, persuaded her husband to agree to take +the old man into a cemetery, kill him, and bury him in a pit. Her +small son, a wise lad of seven, overheard the plot, and decided to +prevent his father from committing murder. The next day he insisted +on accompanying his father and grandfather. When they reached the +cemetery, and the father began to dig the pit, the small boy asked +what it was for. The father replied,-- + +"Thy grandsire, son, is very weak and old, +Opprest by pain and ailments manifold; +Him will I bury in a pit to-day; +In such a life I could not wish him stay." + +The boy caught the spade from his father's hands, and at no great +distance began to dig another pit. His father asked why he dug that +pit; and he answered,-- + +"I too, when thou art aged, father mine, +Will treat my father as thou treatest thine; +Following the custom of the family, +Deep in a pit I too will bury thee." + +By repeating a few more stanzas the son convinced his father that +he was about to commit a great crime. The father, penitent, seated +himself in the cart with his son and the old man, and they returned +home. There the husband gave the wicked wife a sound drubbing, bundled +her heels over head out of the house, and bade her never darken his +doors again. [The rest of the story, which has no connection with +ours, tells how the little son by a trick made his mother repent and +become a good woman, and brought about a reconciliation between her +and his father.] + + +The chief difference between our Pampango variant and the "Jataka," +it will be seen, is in the prominent rôle played by the wife in +the latter. She is lacking altogether in the Filipino story. The +resemblances are strong, on the other hand. The father plans to kill +the grandfather,--a turn seldom found in the Occidental versions,--and, +accompanied by his son, he goes out to the forest (in the Indian, +cemetery) to despatch the old man. The small boy's thinking (or +pretending to think) it a family custom to put old men out of the +way is found in both stories. Our Pampango variant appears to me to +represent a form even older than the "Jataka," but at the same time +a form that is historically connected with that Indian tale. + +Of our two main stories,--"Respect Old Age" and "The Golden Rule,"--the +second is very likely derived from Europe. Compare it, for instance, +with Grimm, No. 78. The "machinery" of the wooden plates establishes +the relationship, I believe. This form of the story, however, is not +unlike an Oriental Märchen cited by Clouston (op. cit., 2 : 377). It +is from a Canarese collection of tales called the "Kathá Manjarí," +and runs thus:-- + +A rich man used to feed his father with congi from an old broken +dish. His son saw this, and hid the dish. Afterwards the rich man, +having asked his father where it was, beat him [because he could not +tell]. The boy exclaimed, "Don't beat grandfather! I hid the dish, +because, when I become a man, I may be unable to buy another one for +you." When the rich man heard this, he was ashamed, and afterwards +treated his father kindly. + + +The Pangasinanes may have got this story of "The Golden Rule" through +the Church, from some priest's sermon. + +Our first example, "Respect Old Age," is the only one of the three +which turns on the "housse partie" idea. This is the form found +in the thirteenth-century French fabliau "La Housse Partie;" and a +variant of it is given by Ortensio Lando, an Italian novelist of the +sixteenth century (Dunlop, 2 : 206). The only Spanish example I know +of is found in the fourteenth-century "El Libro de los Enxemplos" +(printed in Bibliotéca de Autores Españoles, vol. 51 [Madrid, 1884]), +No. CCLXXII. It runs in the original as follows:-- + +Patri qualis fueris, tibi filius talis erit. +Cual fueres á tu padre que trabajó por tí, +El fijo que engendrares tal será á tí. + +Cuentan que un viejo dió á un fijo que lo sirvió mucho bien todos +sus bienes; mas despues que gelos hobo dado, echólo de la cámara onde +dormia é tomóla para él é para su mujer, é fizo facer á su padre el +lecho tras la puerta. É de que vino el invierno el viejo habia frio, +ca el fijo le habia tornado la buena ropa con que se cobria, é rogó +á un su nieto, fijo de su fijo, que rogase á su padre que le diese +alguna ropa para se cobrir; é el mozo apenas pudo alcanzar de su padre +dos varas de sayal para su abuelo, é quedábanle al fijo otros dos. É +el mozo llorando rogó al padre que le diese las otros dos, é tanto +lloró, que gelas hobo de dar, é demandóle que para qué las queria, +é respondióle: "Quiérolas guardar fasta que tú seas tal commo es +agora tu padre, é estonce non te daré mas, así commo tú non quieres +dar á tu padre." + + +Finally may be given another Indian story, No. 16 in the +"Antarakathasamgraha" of Rajasekhara (Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 139), +which connects the "divided-blanket" motif with the old "Jataka." +Rajasekhara flourished about A.D. 900. This story runs thus:-- + +In Haripura lived a merchant named Sankha, who had four sons. When +he became old, he handed over his business and all his wealth to +them. But they would no longer obey him; their wives mistreated him; +and the old man crept into a corner of the house, wasted by hunger +and oppressed with years. Once in the cold time of the year he asked +his oldest son, Kumuda, for a cloth to protect him from the night +frost. Kumuda spoke this verse:-- + +"For an old man whose wife is dead, who is dependent on his sons for +money, who is cut by the words of his step-daughters, death is better +than life." + +But at the same time he said to his son Kuntala, "Give him that +curtain there!" Kuntala, however, gave the old man only half of the +small curtain. When the old man showed the piece to Kumuda, Kumuda +angrily asked his son why he had not given his grandfather the whole +curtain. Respectfully placing his hands together, Kuntala replied, +"Father, when old age also overtakes you, there will be ready for +you the half-curtain which corresponds to the one here." Then Kumuda +was shamed; and he said, "Son, we have been instructed by you; you +have become a support for us whose senses have been stupefied by the +delirium of power and wealth." And from that time on he began to show +his father love, and so did the whole family. + + +In conclusion, and by way of additional illustrative material, I give +in full another brief Tagalog moral tale which seems to be distantly +related to our stories. It was collected by Felix Guzman, a Tagalog +from Gapan, Nueva Ecija, who got it from his uncle. It is entitled +"Juan and his Father." + +Five hundred years ago there lived in Pagao an old man, and his son +named Juan. The latter had a wife. As Juan's father was very weak on +account of old age, and could not do any work in the house, Juana, +his daughter-in-law, became discontented. One day the old man became +sick. He moaned day and night so constantly, that Juana could get no +sleep at all. So she said to her husband, "If you do not drive your +father away from the house immediately, I shall go away myself. I +cannot sleep, because he is always moaning." Juan then drove his poor +father away for the sake of his wife. + +The poor old man went begging about the neighborhood. After a long +walk, he found at last a cave where he could live. After he had +recovered his health, he found in the cave a bag of ashes. He further +discovered, that, whenever he took some of the ashes and exposed them +to the light, they became money. Now the old man went back to his son +with the magic bag. On his arrival, he was welcomed, for the couple +saw that he was carrying a bag that might contain something useful +for them. + +The old man next gave his son a certain sum of money, and said, "Juan, +with this you may find another wife." So Juan gladly took the money +and went and bought him another wife. When he returned, the old man +gave his son some more money, and said, "Go over there, Juan, and +buy an old man in that house to serve us as our servant." When Juan +reached the house where the other old man was, he said, "I want to +buy your father, the old man." Juan had scarcely got the sentence out +of his mouth when the son of the old man fell on him with a whip and +drove him away. Juan went running to his father, and said, "Father, +I only said that I wanted to buy their father, but they began to whip +me. Why did they do that?" + +"You see," said the old man, "you can buy a wife with money, but not +a single father can you buy." + + +Compare this last story with No. 31. + + + +TALE 35 + +COCHINANGO. + + +Narrated by Felix Y. Velasco, who heard the story from his grandmother, +a native of Laoag, Ilocos Norte. + + +Once upon a time there lived in a small village on the border of a +powerful kingdom a poor farmer, who had a son. This son was called a +fool by many; but a palmer predicted that Cochinango would some day +dine with the king, kiss the princess, marry her, and finally would +himself be king. + +Cochinango wondered how he could ever marry the princess and himself +be king, for he was very poor. One day he heard that the king had +summoned all those who would like to attempt to answer the questions +of the princess. It was announced that the person who could answer +them all without fall should marry her. Cochinango thought that the +time had now come for him to try his fortune, so he mounted his ass +and rode towards the king's palace. + +On his way Cochinango had to pass through a wide forest. Just at the +edge of the wood he met a weary traveller. Cochinango had forgotten +to bring buyo with him, so he asked the traveller for some. The +traveller said, "I have with me a magic buyo that will answer any +question you put to it. If you give me some food, I will give you my +buyo." Cochinango willingly exchanged a part of his provisions for +it. Then he rode on. + +He came to a stream, where he met an old man leaning on his +cane. Seeing that the old man wanted to get on the other side, but was +too weak to swim, Cochinango offered to carry him across. In return +for his kindness, the old man gave him his cane. "You are very kind, +young man," said he. "Take this cane, which will furnish you with +food at any time." Cochinango thanked the old man, took the cane, +and rode on. It is to be known that this old man was the same one +who had given him the magic buyo. It was God himself, who had come +down on earth to test Cochinango and to reward him for his kindness. + +Cochinango had not ridden far when he met a wretched old woman. Out +of pity he gave her a centavo, and in return she gave him an empty +purse from which he could ask any sum of money he wanted. Cochinango +rode on, delighted with his good fortune, when he met God again, this +time in the form of a jolly young fellow with a small guitar. He asked +Cochinango to exchange his ass for the guitar. At first Cochinango +hesitated; but, when he was told that he could make anybody dance by +plucking its strings, he readily agreed to exchange. + +Cochinango now had to proceed on foot, and it took him two days +to reach the gates of the palace. Luckily he arrived on the very +day of the guessing-contest. In spite of his mean dress, he was +admitted. The princess was much astonished at Cochinango's appearance, +and disgusted by his boldness; but she was even more chagrined when he +rightly answered her first question. Yet she denied that his answer +was correct. She asked him two more questions, the most difficult +that she could think of; but Cochinango, with the help of his magic +buyo, answered both. The princess, however, could not admit that his +answers were right. She shrunk from the idea of being married to a +poor, foolish, lowly-born man. So she asked her father the king to +imprison the insolent peasant, which was instantly done. + +In the prison Cochinango found many nobles who, like himself, were +victims of the guessing-match. Night came, and they were not given any +food. The princess wanted to starve them to death. Cochinango told them +not to worry; he struck a table with his cane, and instantly choice +food appeared. When this was reported to the princess by the guards, +she went to the prison and begged Cochinango to give her the cane; +but he would not give it up unless she allowed him to kiss her. At +last she consented, and went away with the cane, thinking that this +was the only way by which she could starve her prisoners. The next +day Cochinango asked for a large sum of money from his magic purse. He +distributed it among his companions and among the guards, and they had +no difficulty in getting food. Again the princess went to the prison, +and asked Cochinango for the purse; but he would give it up only on +condition that he be allowed to dine with the king. Accordingly he was +taken to the king's table, where he ate with the king and the princess; +but he was put in prison again as soon as the dinner was over. + +At last Cochinango began to be tired of prison life, so he took up his +wonderful guitar and began to play it. No sooner had he touched the +strings than his fellow-prisoners and the guards began to dance. As he +played his guitar louder and louder, the inmates of the palace heard +it, and they too began to dance. He kept on playing throughout the +night; and the king, princess, and all got no rest whatsoever. By +morning most of them were tired to death. At last the king ordered +the guards to open the prison doors and let the prisoners go free; +but Cochinango would not stop playing until the king consented to +give him the princess in marriage. The princess also at last had to +agree to accept Cochinango as her husband, so he stopped playing. The +next day they were married with great pomp and ceremony. + +Thus the poor, foolish boy was married to a princess. More than once +he saved the kingdom from the raiding Moros by playing his guitar; +for all his enemies were obliged to dance when they heard the music, +and thus they were easily captured or killed. When the king died, +Cochinango became his successor, and he and the princess ruled happily +for many years. + + +Notes. + +I know of no parallel to this story as a whole; the separate incidents +found in it, however, are widespread. + +The first part of the story--the prophecy concerning the hero recalls +the opening of many Märchen; but our narrative is so condensed, +that it is impossible to say just what material was drawn on to +furnish this section. The riddle-contest for the hand of a princess +forms a separate cycle, to which we have already referred (notes to +No. 25); but the turn the motive takes here is altogether different +from the norm. Our hero, provided with his magic buyo, has really +won the wager before the contest is begun. As for the magic objects, +the last three--cane, purse, guitar--we have met with before, with +properties either identical with or analogous to those attributed in +this story. The method of the hero's acquiring them, too, is not new +(cf. No. 27). The magic buyo, however, is unusual: it is very likely +native Ilocano belief, or else a detail borrowed from the Ilocanos' +near neighbors, the Tinguian (see Cole, 18-19, Introduction, for +betel-nuts with magic powers). In No. 25, it will be recalled, the +hero's magic ring furnishes the answer to the king's question, just +as the buyo does in this tale. Indeed, there may be some association +of idea between a buyo and a ring suggested here. The last part of +the story--the imprisonment of the hero, and his success in thwarting +the evil designs of the obstinate princess--is reminiscent of various +cycles of tales, but I know of no exact analogue. + +With the general outline of the story of "Cochinango" might be compared +a Tagalog tale,--"The Shepherd who became King" (H. E. Fansler, 78 +ff.), though the resemblances between the two are only vague. The +Tagalog story, it might be noted in passing, is connected with +the second half of Grimm, No. 17, and with Grimm, No. 165. For the +"sack full of words" in the Tagalog tale, see Rittershaus, 419-421 +(No. CXVIII, and notes). + +The reference at the end to raiding Moros appears to be a remnant of +very old native tradition. + + + +TALE 36 + +PEDRO AND THE WITCH. + + +Narrated by Santiago Dumlao of San Narciso, Zambales. + + +Pedro was the son of a poor man. He lived with his father and mother by +the seashore. Early one morning his parents went to look for food, +leaving him alone in the house. He staid there all day waiting +for them to return. Evening came, but his father and mother did not +appear; some misfortune had overtaken them. Pedro felt very hungry, +but he could find no food in the house. In the middle of the night he +heard some one tapping at the door. Thinking that it was his mother, +he arose and went to meet her. When he opened the door, however, +he saw that it was not his mother who had rapped, but Boroka, [90] +whom children are very much afraid of. Now, Boroka was a witch. She +had wings like a bird, four feet like a horse, but a head like that +of a woman. She devoured boys and girls, and was especially fond of +their liver. As soon as Pedro opened the door, she seized him and +carried him off to her home in the mountains. + +Pedro was not afraid of the witch; he was obedient to her, and soon +she made him her housekeeper. Whenever she went out at night to look +for food, he was sure to have flesh and liver for breakfast the next +day. Whenever the witch was away, Pedro used to amuse himself riding +on the back of a horse that would often come to see him. It taught +him how to ride well, and the two became great friends. + +One day when children began to get scarce, and Boroka was unable to +find any to eat, she made up her mind to kill Pedro. She left the house +and went to invite the other witches, so that they might have a great +feast. While she was gone, the horse came and told Pedro of his danger, +and advised him what to do. It gave him two handkerchiefs,--one red +and the other white. Then Pedro jumped on the horse's back, and the +horse ran away as fast as it could. Not long afterward he noticed +that the witches were pursuing them. When they came nearer, Pedro +dropped the red handkerchief, which was immediately changed into a +large fire. The wings of the witches were all burnt off. However, +the witches tried to pursue the horse on foot, for they could run +very fast. When they were almost upon him again, Pedro dropped the +white handkerchief, which became a wide sea through which the witches +could not pass. Pedro was now safe, and he thanked the horse for its +great help. + + +Notes. + +While this story is not much more than a fragment, I have given it +because of its interesting connections. The chief elements appear +to be three: (1) the kidnapping of the hero by a cannibal witch, +(2) the friendly horse, (3) the transformation-flight and the escape +of the hero. Clearly much is missing. What becomes of the hero is +not stated, except that he escapes from the witches. The story is +in the form rather of a fairy-tale than of a Märchen proper, since +it deals primarily with an ogress fond of the flesh of children. On +its surface it might be mistaken for a native demon-story told as +an exemplum to children not to answer strange knocks at the door +at night. But a glance below the surface reveals the fact that +the details of the story must have been imported, as they are not +indigenous,--Boroka, horse, transformation-flight; and a little search +for possible sources reveals the fact that this tale represents the +detritus of a literary tradition from Europe. To demonstrate, I will +cite a Pampangan metrical romance and a Tagalog romance, the former +probably the parent of our folk-tale. These two romances, in turn, +will be shown to be a borrowing from the Occident. + +The Pampangan romance is a long story in 954 quatrains of 12-syllable +lines, and is entitled "Story of the Life of King Don Octavio and +Queen Teodora, together with that of their son Don Fernando, in +the Kingdom of Spain [no date]." The inside of the cover bears the +statement that the work is the property of Doña Modesta Lanuza. Señora +Lanuza was doubtless the redactor of this version; her name appears on +other corridos (see JAFL 29 : 213). Although a consideration of this +literary form takes us somewhat out of the realm of popular stories, +strictly speaking, we may give as our excuse for summarizing it the +fact that the related Tagalog romance, "Juan Tiñoso," is one of the +most widely-known stories in the Islands, and is told as a folk-tale in +many of the provinces where no printed translations of it exist. The +story of "Don Octavio"--or "Pugut Negro," as it is popularly known +among the Pampangans--runs as follows:-- + +In Spain there lived a king whose queen, in the ninth month of +pregnancy, longed greatly for some pau (a species of mango). As it +was the custom then to procure any kind of fruit a pregnant woman +might desire to eat, the whole kingdom was stirred up in search of +some pau, but in vain. At last a general and a company of soldiers +who had been sent out to scour the kingdom found a pau-tree in the +mountain of Silva; but the owner, a giant, Legaspe by name, would not +give up any of the fruit except to the king himself. When the king +was informed of this, he went to the giant, and was obliged to agree +that the giant should be the godfather of the expected child. Then +he was given the fruit. + +Not long after this event the queen gave birth to a son. While the baby +was being carried to the church to be baptized, the giant appeared +and claimed his right. After the baptism, the giant snatched the boy +from the nurse's hands and carried him off to his cave. He found an +old woman to take care of the infant, which grew to be a fine youth. + +Now, this giant fed on human flesh. One day, when the boy was about +fifteen, the giant gave this horrible command to the old woman: "If +I fail to catch any human beings for dinner to-day, you will have to +cook my godchild, for I am intolerably hungry." No sooner had the giant +disappeared than the old woman woke up the youth, and said to him, +"My master wants me to cook you for his dinner, but I cannot do such +a thing. I will save you. Yonder you see a horse. Fetch it to me, +so that we can depart at once." The boy got the horse, and he and +the old woman mounted it and rode off as fast as they could. + +They had not gone very far, however, when they heard the giant roaring +after them. The old woman immediately dropped her comb to the ground, +and it became a big mountain. Thus they gained some time; but the giant +was soon after them again. The old woman dropped her pin, which became +a dense underbrush of thorns; but the giant got through this too. Now +the old woman poured out the contents of a small bottle, and all at +once there was a large sea, in which the giant was drowned. By this +time the two companions were a great distance from Spain. Then the old +woman said to the young prince, "Take this whip. On your way home you +will see a dead Negro. Flay him, and put on his skin so that you will +be disguised. Cultivate humility, be kind to others, and look to the +whip in time of need." Having given these directions, the old woman, +who was none other than the Virgin Mary in disguise, disappeared. + +Pugut-Negru ("disguised Negro") went on his way, and soon found +the dead Negro. When he had flayed him and put on the black skin, +he mounted his horse and rode facing its tail. When he reached the +capital of Albania, he was greatly ridiculed by every one. However, +he went to the king and applied for work. The king said that he might +take care of his sheep which were in a certain meadow. When he had been +conducted to the meadow where the sheep were, he saw the bones of many +men. It was said that every shepherd in that place had been killed by +"spirits" (multos). That night the spirits threw bones at Pugut-Negru; +but he chastised them with his whip, and was left in peace. + +This Negro disguise of Prince Fernando, however, was only for +Albania. Leaving Albania for a time, he went in his princely garments +to visit his parents. He found them in the power of the Moors, who had +conquered the kingdom of Spain. With his whip he drove all the Moors +out of the country, and freed his family. Later he went to Navarre, +and won a tournament and the hand of the princess. Instead of marrying +her, however,--for he had already fallen in love with the youngest +daughter of the King of Albania,--he went back and resumed his old +work as shepherd, disguised as a Negro. + +Some time afterwards it was proclaimed that whoever could cure the +king's illness would be amply rewarded. The king had an eye-disease, +but none of the learned doctors could help him. Finally it was said +that Pugut-Negru knew how to cure eye-diseases, and so the king +summoned him. "If you can cure my disease," said the afflicted king, +"I will marry one of my daughters to you. If you cannot, you shall be +hung."--"I'll do my best, your Majesty," said Pugut-Negru humbly. Then +he gathered certain herbs, and applied them to the king's eyes. The +king soon got well, and asked his three daughters which of them wanted +to marry his savior. "I won't!" said the eldest. "Neither will I," +rejoined the second. But the youngest and prettiest one said, "I am +at your disposal, father." So Pugut-Negru took the youngest for his +wife. After the ceremony he went back to his sheep, but he did not +live with his wife; he left her at the palace. + +It was not many months after the king had been cured when the queen +fell ill. As before, it was proclaimed that any one who could cure her +would receive one of her daughters in marriage. Two princes presented +themselves, and promised to get the lion's milk that was needed to +make the queen well. After they had started on their search, they +came to the dwelling of Pugut-Negru, whom they forced to accompany +them. Pugut-Negru pretended to be lame, and so he could not keep +up with them. As he was so slow, they mercilessly threw him into a +bush of thorns and left him there. But he said to his magical whip, +"Build me at once, along the road in which the two princes will pass, +a splendid palace; and let lions, leopards, and other animals be about +it." No sooner was the order given than the palace was built, and +Pugut-Negru was in it, attired like a king. When the two princes came +up, they said to him, "May we have some of your lion's milk?"--"Yes, +on one condition I will give you the milk: you must let me brand +you with my name." Although this condition was very bitter to them, +they agreed. Then they hastened back to present the milk to the queen, +who at once married them to her two older daughters. Pugut-Negru went +back to his old life as shepherd. + +Not long after this event the Moors declared war on the Christians. The +king's country was invaded, and the Christians were about to +be disastrously defeated, when a strange knight with a magic +whip (Pugut-Negru) appeared on the field and put the Saracens to +flight. This knight wounded himself in his left arm so that he might +receive the attention of the princess. The king's youngest daughter +(Pugut-Negru's own wife) dressed his wound without recognizing her +husband. After the battle was over, the knight said to the king, +"Do you know where my brother Pugut-Negru lives?" But the king was +ashamed at the way he had treated Pugut-Negru, so he denied all +knowledge of him. Although the king pressed the strange knight to +come to the palace, he refused. He hastened back to his sheep, and +donned his disguise once more. + +One day the youngest princess, the wife of Don Fernando, went +stealthily to the hut of Pugut-Negru. She found him undisguised, +and at once recognized her handkerchief with which she had tied +the strange knight's wound. She embraced her husband with joy, and +hastened back to the palace to tell the king of her discovery. The +king immediately despatched his prime-minister to the hut in the +fields, and Don Fernando was brought back in state. When he had +been welcomed to the palace, he told all about his treatment by the +two cruel princes, who he said were his slaves. When the king was +convinced of their imposture,--they said they had got the lion's milk +by their own bravery,--he drove them and their heartless wives from +his kingdom. After many other adventures, in which he was always +successful, Don Fernando took his wife Maria to Spain, where they +lived with his father, King Octavio. + + +While it is not absolutely certain that our folk-tale of "Pedro and +the Witch" was derived from the first part of this romance, I think +it most likely. The problem here is the same as that we have met with +in the notes to Nos. 13, 16, and 21: Which are earlier,--the more +elaborate literary forms, or the simpler popular forms? Obviously no +general rule can be made that will hold: each particular case must be +examined. In the present instance, as I have shown at the beginning +of the note, the evidence seems to point to the folk-tale as being +the derivative, not necessarily of this particular form of the story, +but at any rate of the source of the romance. + +The romance of "Prince Don Juan Tiñoso, Son of King Artos and +Queen Blanca of the Kingdom of Valencia, and the Four Princesses, +the Daughters of Don Diego of Hungary," which we have spoken of +above as a Tagalog romance, has been printed also in the Pampangan, +Visayan, Ilocano, Bicol, and Pangasinan dialects. As to the date of +the Tagalog version, Retana mentions an edition between 1860 and 1898 +(No. 4176). This romance is not directly connected with our folk-tale, +it will be seen, but is related closely (in the second half, at least) +with "Pugut-Negru." Briefly the life of Juan Tiñoso runs thus:-- + +King Artos and Queen Blanca of Valencia had one son, Don Juan +Tiñoso,--handsome, brave, strong, kind. One day, while passing the +prison, Don Juan heard sounds of great lamentation. On being admitted, +he saw the giant Mauleon, a captive of his father's. Moved by the +giant's entreaties, Juan freed him; and the monster, grateful in +return, gave him a magic handkerchief that would furnish him with +everything he wanted, and would, if displayed, subdue all wild +animals. Then the giant departed. King Artos, extremely wroth +with his son for freeing one of his captives, drove Juan out of +his kingdom. Juan went to the mountains, and there became king of +the animals. + +One night Juan dreamed of the beautiful Flocerpida, the youngest and +most beautiful of the four daughters of Diego, King of Hungary. But, +determined to do penance for the liberty he had taken in freeing +Mauleon, Juan asked his magic handkerchief for the disguise of an +old leper, which he vowed he would wear for seven years. He went to +Hungary and entered the service of King Diego as a gardener. The +princess Flocerpida was very compassionate toward the old leper, +and Juan's love grew stronger. One night, when Juan was bathing, +Flocerpida saw him without his disguise, and immediately fell in love +with him. One day King Diego summoned all the knights of his kingdom, +so that his daughters might choose husbands. The three older princesses +threw their golden granadas, which were caught by men of rank; but +Flocerpida refused to throw hers. Angry, the king next day ordered +all his subjects to be present, and required his daughter to throw +her golden apple. She threw it to the old leprous gardener, and the +two were married; but the king drove his daughter from the palace. + +Soon King Diego grew sick. The doctors prescribed lion's milk, and the +three noble sons-in-law set out to get it. They forced the gardener, +their brother-in-law, to go with them, reviling him all the way; +but, as he was on foot, they soon left him behind. By means of his +magic handkerchief, Juan procured a prince's armor and mount, and, +riding fast, he anticipated his brothers-in-law at the cave of the +lioness. They soon came up and asked for milk. Juan, king of the +animals, would give it to them only on condition that they allowed +themselves to be branded on the back with an inscription saying that +they were the servants of Don Juan Tiñoso. They agreed, and received +the milk. On the return Don Juan again outstripped them, resumed his +old disguise, and was reviled by the brothers when they came up. King +Diego drank the milk and recovered his health. + +Later King Diego received an embassy from the Moors saying that +they were coming to fight him. He appointed his three sons-in-law +generals. While they were at the war, Juan Tiñoso summoned three +giants, and told them to go fight the Moors too, to get the Moorish +flag, and to exchange it with the generals for their three golden +granadas. On the return of the Christian army, a big fiesta was +prepared to honor the successful princes. King Artos and Queen Blanca +of Valencia were invited. On the first day some of the guests asked +about Flocerpida, and the king gave orders that she should appear +on the morrow in an old beggar's gown that he was sending her; +but Juan Tiñoso supplied her with beautiful clothes and a coach, +and he himself was dressed as a prince. They went to the fiesta, +where, in the presence of the king, he demanded his three servants, +pointing to his three brothers-in-law. They were made to undress, +and the brands on their backs became clear. Then Juan Tiñoso told his +story: he said that it was he who obtained the lion's milk, who won +against the Moors, (and showed the golden granadas exchanged for the +enemy's standard.) King Diego and King Artos were then reconciled to +him and Flocerpida, and the other three princes and their wives were +driven out of Hungary. + + +Next to "Doce Pares" and "Bernardo Carpio," this romance is the most +popular of the metrical romances circulating in the Philippines. It +is read, told as a folk-tale, and acted as a moro-moro (see JAFL 29 : +205 [note], 206). It belongs to the same cycle of stories as Grimm, +No. 136, "Iron John," which has many members. (For bibliography, +see Köhler-Bolte, 330-334; Cosquin, I : 138-154.) These members +vary greatly, and some of them (e.g., Cosquin, No. XII) establish +definitely the connection between the "Pugut-Negru" type--kidnapping +of hero, friendly horse, transformation-flight, disguise of hero, +etc.--and the "Juan Tiñoso" type, although it will be seen that our +second romance lacks the first three incidents mentioned. + +This whole family of stories is one well worth studying in +detail. Unfortunately the war has held up the appearance of +Bolte-Polívka's "Anmerkungen," Volume III, which is to contain +the notes to the Grimm story; but, with the references furnished by +Köhler-Bolte and Cosquin, a good beginning towards such a study might +be made. Compare also Rittershaus, No. XXlV and notes; Von Hahn, +No. 6 and notes; Macculloch, 173. + +It might be added as an item of some interest that "Juan Tiñoso" +is written as a sequel to another story of widespread popularity, +"The Story of Prince Oliveros and Princess Armenia in the Kingdom of +England, and that of Prince Artos and Princess Blanca, who were the +Father and Mother of Don Juan Tiñoso in the Kingdom of Valencia." This +tale of Oliveros and Artos is directly derived from a Spanish romance +of chivalry, and is one form of the "Grateful Dead" type (see Gerould, +"The Grateful Dead," FLS 1907). + + + +TALE 37 + +THE WOMAN AND HER COLES PLANT. + + +Narrated by José Hilario of Batangas, who says that the tale is common +among the Tagalogs, especially among the people living in the city +of Batangas. + + +One summer afternoon I saw several men talking to one another. They +seemed to be lively and enjoying themselves, for they had finished +their work for the day. I went towards them; and, upon coming within +earshot, I found out that they were telling tales to one another. The +following was one of the stories I heard that afternoon:-- + +Once there lived a very poor woman. She lived practically by begging, +but sometimes she got money with which to buy rice by selling small +vegetables in the market. She had a little garden, and one day planted +some seeds. Out of one of these seeds there grew up a plant which we +call coles. [91] This plant grew very fast, and in a few months it +reached the sky. + +Out of curiosity, one day the woman began to climb the plant. When she +was assured that it was strong, she kept on climbing, and did not stop +until she reached the sky. There she called to St. Peter, and asked +him to give her a magic wand from which she could ask anything she +wished. St. Peter gave her what she asked for, but told her not to +disturb him again. Then she descended, and went down so quickly that +she almost hurt herself. When she reached her little hut, she at once +asked the wand for food. Immediately there appeared a table on which +was the best food in the world. When she had finished eating, she +commanded the table to disappear, and it disappeared instantly. Now +she became very proud on account of her wonderful possession. She +did not recognize her friends any more. + +One day an archbishop arrived in the town in which she was living, +and all the bells were rung in his honor. She then became very angry, +and wondered why the bells were not rung for her whenever she passed +in front of the church. So she went to the tower where the bells were, +and commanded them to toll for her. They began to ring, but she was +struck on the head and was knocked senseless. When she recovered, +she hastened home, and began to climb the plant to ask St. Peter for +another gift; but, before she had covered one-half the distance to +the sky, the plant broke, and she was killed by her fall. Thus she +was punished for her vanity. + + +Notes. + +This story is a sort of exemplum of the sin of pride and avarice. In +this respect it is connected in idea with Grimm's story of "The +Fisherman and his Wife" (No. 19). In its method and machinery, again, +it belongs to the "Jack and the Beanstalk" cycle, the main feature of +which is a magic plant which grows rapidly until it reaches the sky +and enables its owner to climb to the upper regions and secure magic +articles. Macculloch devotes a whole chapter (XVI) to the discussion +of this cycle, and cites many folk-tales turning on the incident +of the magic plant reaching from earth to heaven (see especially +pp. 434-435). Brief, and lacking in detail though our story is, it is +nevertheless interesting as a combination of incidents from the two +cycles just mentioned; and in its combination it shows, I believe, +that it has been derived from some southern European Märchen,--such a +one, perhaps, as the following from Normandy (given in Köhler-Bolte, +102-103), the story of poor Misère and his ever-dissatisfied wife:-- + +Misère meets Christ and St. Peter, and begs from them. Christ gives him +a bean, and tells him to be satisfied with it. Misère goes home with +his gift, and sticks the bean in the hearth inside his hut. Straightway +a plant grows out of the bean, and rapidly pushes its way up through +the chimney. The next day its top is entirely out of sight. The wife +now orders Misère to find out if there are any beans on it ready +to be picked. He climbs up the plant, and, since he finds no pods, +continues higher and higher, until he finds himself before a large +golden house. This house is Paradise. St. Peter opens the door for +him, and in answer to his request promises him that he will find at +home food and drink. The next day Misère's wife gives her husband no +rest until he again climbs up to Paradise and asks St. Peter for a +new house. Some days later Misère is again forced to visit St. Peter +and ask him to make him and his wife king and queen. The saint fulfils +this wish likewise, but warns Misère against coming any more. In brief, +however, Misère's wife is still unsatisfied, and even wishes to become +the Holy Virgin and her husband to be made God himself. When Misère, +with this request, comes again to Paradise, St. Peter angrily sends +him away; and the poor man finds on earth his old hut and everything +else just as it was in the first place. + + +Köhler (ibid., p. 103) says that probably the heaven-reaching plant +did not originally belong to this story of the poor man's proud wife, +and that it was probably taken over from the English folk-tale of +"Jack and the Beanstalk." Bolte and Polívka, in their notes to Grimm, +No. 19 (1 : 147), observe: "It can easily be seen that these stories +(i.e., the variants of the 'Fisherman and his Wife') fall into two +groups. In the one, which is particularly widespread among the Germanic +and Slavic peoples, but is also found in France and Spain, a captive +goblin in the form of a fish grants his captor three or more wishes; +among the French and Italians, on the other hand, it is usually God +or the door-keeper of heaven who grants the same wishes to a poor +man who reaches Paradise by means of a bean-stalk. This beanstalk +here may have originated from the story of 'Jack and the Beanstalk' +or from the 'lying-story,' Grimm No. 112." In a French folk-tale +given by Carnoy (Romania, 8 : 250), "La Tige de Fève," the husband +plants a bean which he has received from a beggar, and climbs up the +stalk to heaven. When he asks for his last wish, he plunges down to +earth. This story, it will be seen, resembles ours in its tragic +conclusion, although the protagonist, as in the Normandy version, +is a man instead of a woman. The fact that in our story no husband is +mentioned counts for little, as practically all the exempla of this +type are directed against woman's vanity; and the woman's case in our +story illustrates the punishment for that vanity, or pride. There +appears to be recorded no Spanish story containing the insatiable +wife and the heaven-reaching plant. It seems reasonable to conclude, +therefore, that our folk-tale was derived from the French or Italian, +and probably through the medium of the clergy. + + + +TALE 38 + +A NEGRITO SLAVE. + + +Narrated by Jesus de la Rama, a Visayan from Valladolid, Negros +Occidental. + + +Once upon a time there were three princes who owned a Negrito +slave. Although he was called a slave, he was not really one: he was +only nominally a slave; for the princes, especially the youngest, whom +he loved most, treated him kindly. One striking characteristic of this +Negrito was that his grinning was like that of a monkey; and he often +grinned, and grinned without cause. He would often follow his young +master when he went out for a walk; and he had a suit similar to the +prince's, so that, when they were out on the street, they looked very +much alike. The only difference between them was that he was black, +and the prince was white. Yet he owned a ring, a charm which had been +given him by a woman for saving her from the hands of a robber. This +ring gave him power to call for anything he wanted; and this was the +reason, doubtless, why he was treated with kindness by his masters. + +In a neighboring land there was a king who had a beautiful +daughter. This princess wanted to marry. She was so desirous +of having a companion, that she could not sleep day or night, +meditating on how she could have a husband that would suit both +herself and her father. At last, won over by her many entreaties, +the king proclaimed to all the world that his daughter would marry +any one who had a handsome appearance, and who could answer his three +difficult questions. Those who came to the court and were unable to +answer the questions of the king were to lose their lives. + +The three princes were all handsome. The two elder brothers tried +to answer the king's questions, but lost their lives. The youngest +remained, and, although he wanted to try, he was sure that he would +fail too. The Negrito determined to help him. By means of his ring he +was able to make his skin white. He also got a mask that was exactly +like the face of his young master. Then he dressed himself to resemble +the prince, and went to the court of the king. The king said to him, +"Will you have your head cut off, too?" He answered, "Yes, if I cannot +answer your questions; but let us see!" + +"All right," said the king. Then he asked, "Who owns this kingdom?" + +The prince answered, "God owns this kingdom." The king was surprised +at his bold reply. However, he could not say that it was not God's, +for that would be untrue: therefore he could not compel the prince +to answer that it was his, the king's. The next question was this: +"How much am I worth?" + +The prince answered, "You are not worth more than thirty pieces of +silver." The king was furious when he heard this, and said that, +if the prince could not give a good reason for his insulting words, +he would be put to death instantly. + +"Yes, yes!" said the Negrito. "Our Saviour was sold for that much: +therefore you, who are inferior to the Saviour, cannot be worth more +than he was sold for." The people at the court were astounded by +this bold answer; and they murmured to one another, "The prince is +wise. He is wise, indeed!" + +"Well," said the king, "answer this third question, and you shall +be married to my daughter: Can you drink all the fresh water in +the world?" + +"Yes," said the prince. + +"Well, then," said the king, "drink it." + +"But here," answered the prince, "in many parts of the world the +water of the ocean mixes with the fresh water: so, before I drink, +you must separate the fresh water from the salt." As the king was +unable to do this, he acknowledged himself vanquished. + +"All right," said the king. "To-morrow come here for the wedding." The +Negrito hastened home, and told his young master all that had +happened. The prince gave him five thousand pesetas, and promised him +that he would urge the princess to give her consent to the marriage +of the Negrito with her maid of honor. The next morning the prince +and the princess were married, and the following day the Negrito +received the maid of honor for his wife. + + +Notes. + +Like the preceding, this story was doubtless imported from Europe, +and probably through the medium of the religious. The occasion for the +three questions, as well as the questions themselves, varies widely +in the many different forms of the story; but the relationship among +the members of the cycle is unmistakable. A general outline that would +embrace most of the variants is this: A certain person, on penalty of +losing his head if he fails, is required to give satisfactory answers +to three (or four) difficult questions; a friend of the contestant, +who resembles him, wears the other's clothes, and answers the questions +ingeniously, thus saving his friend's life and winning a considerable +reward for him and himself. The fullest bibliography of this cycle +is that given by Oesterley in his edition of Pauli's "Schimpf und +Ernst" (Stuttgart, 1866), p. 479. For other references to the group +of stories, see Grimm, No. 152, and his notes; Rittershaus, 404-408 +(No. CXV, "Der König und der Bischof"); Köhler-Bolte, 82 (on Moncaut's +French story "Le Meunier et le Marquis"), 267 (on J. F. Campbell's +No. 50), and 492 (on the Turkish Nasreddin's 70th jest). + +The opening of our story is like that of many of the tales in the +"Bride Wager" group, in which the youngest of three brothers, after +the two older have lost their lives, risks his. Compare, for instance, +the European variants cited in our notes to No. 21. This opening, +which does not belong to our present cycle, was doubtless attached +to the story of the three questions in the Islands themselves. The +combination does not appear to have been very happily effected, +although it is easy to see the basis for the association (cf. Von +Hahn's formula 24 and bibliography). Very little distinction is made +between the good qualities of the three brothers, and the Negrito's +determination to help the last only is not motivated. The Negrito +himself, however, is necessary to the story,--he takes the place of the +miller in most of the European forms,--and he had to be fitted in as +best he could. The magic ring of the slave, with the aid of which he +is able to make himself look exactly like his master, does not appear +in any of the other variants that I know of. In many of the European +forms the occasion of the questions is this: A king or a nobleman +becomes angry with a priest or bishop, and threatens him with death +if he cannot answer within a definite time three questions that are +put to him. As the chief interest of the story is in the solving of +the riddles or problems, it is easy to see how there might be a wide +variation in setting if the story passed around much by word of mouth. + +The questions themselves are curious. Here are some of those found in +the European versions: (1) How much water is there in the sea? (2) +How many days have passed since Adam lived? (3) Where is the centre +of the earth? (4) How far is it from earth to heaven? (5) What is the +breadth of heaven? (6) What is the exact value of the king and his +golden crown? (7) How long a time would it take to ride around the +whole world? (8) What is the king thinking of this very moment? (9) +How far is fortune removed from misfortune? (10) How far is it from +East to West? (11) How heavy is the moon? (12) How deep is water? + +Some of the answers to these questions are clever; others are only less +stupid than the persons who asked the questions. The solutions to the +twelve just given are: (1) "A tun."--"How can you prove that?"--"Just +order all the streams which flow into the sea to stand still." This +reply is not unlike the counter-demand to the third question in our +story. (2) "Seven; and when they come to an end, they begin again." (3) +"Where my church stands: let your servants measure with a cord, and +if there is the breadth of a blade of grass more on one side than on +the other, I have lost my church." (4) "Just so far as a man's voice +can easily be heard." (5) "A thousand fathoms and a thousand ells: +then take away the sun and moon and all the stars, and press all +together, and it will be no broader." (6) This question is answered +exactly as the second in out story. (7) "If you set out with the +Sun and ride with him, you will get around the earth in twenty-four +hours." (8) "The king thinks I'm an abbot, and I'm only a shepherd +(or miller)." With this question and answer compare the last task +in our No. 25. (9) "Only one night, for yesterday I was a shepherd, +and to-day I am an abbot." (10) "A day's journey." (11) "A quarter +(of a pound): if the king doesn't believe it, let him weigh the moon +himself." (12) "A stone's throw." + +The method of answering the questions asked in this cycle of +stories, and the obscure origin of the clever substitute, form a +direct connection, I believe, between this group and the "Clever +Lass" cycle. Not only do we find in both the situation of a person +out of favor required to answer difficult riddles, and the task +assumed voluntarily by some one humbler but more clever than he, +but even some of the questions themselves, and the same style of +answers, are found in both cycles. For example, compare questions and +answers 1, 3, 5, 7, above, with tasks 1, 2, 4, in the notes to our +No. 7. In Grimm, No. 152, "The Shepherd Boy," the hero is asked three +questions impossible to answer,--How many drops of water are there +in the sea? How many stars are in the heavens? How many seconds has +eternity? He gets out of his difficulty just as the "Clever Lass" +gets out of hers,--by making equally impossible counter-demands, +or else giving answers that cannot be proved incorrect. + + + +TALE 39 + +ALBERTO AND THE MONSTERS. + + +Narrated by Pacita Cordero of Pagsanjan, Laguna. She says, "This +story is common among the Tagalogs. It was told to me by my nurse +when I was a little girl." + + +Once there was a king in Casiguran named Luis. King Luis had three +beautiful daughters, but the youngest was the fairest of all. One +day the three princesses went to the orchard to amuse themselves. It +happened that on that day the wind blew very hard, and they were swept +away. The king felt very sad over the loss of his daughters; and he +issued proclamations in all parts of his kingdom, saying that any +one who could find his daughters within three days would be allowed +to choose one of the three for his wife. + +At that time there was also in the neighboring kingdom of Sinucuan +a king who had a brave son named Alberto. When Alberto heard of the +matter, he went to the king, and said that he would look for his lost +daughters. King Luis accepted his offer. Prince Alberto now began +his search. He walked and walked until he came to a large forest +where he found two boys fighting. "What are you fighting about?" he +said. The one answered that the other boy was taking his boot away +from him. Alberto then said to the other boy, "Why don't you give +the boy his boot? The boot is old." The boy said that the boot, if +worn by any one, would carry him to whatever place he wanted to go, +provided he kicked the ground. To settle the contest between the +two, Prince Alberto took the boot from them, and said, "Go over by +that large tree, and the one who can run here first shall have the +boot." While the boys were walking towards the tree, the prince put on +the boot and kicked the ground. He was at once carried far away. When +the boys got back to the original place, Alberto had disappeared. + +At the place where the boot carried him Alberto found two young men +fighting over a rusty key. He said to them, "Why do you fight for +such an old rusty key? You are not children: you are young men. You +ought to be ashamed of yourselves." The elder of them answered that +the key, if it were knocked against a stone, would open the stone, +however hard it might be. The prince took the key from them, and said, +"Go to a certain place, and face back here. The one to reach here first +shall have the key." The two agreed, and started away. While they were +gone, Alberto kicked the ground, and the boot carried him to another +place. When the young men came back, the prince was no longer there. + +This time Prince Alberto found two old men fighting. He asked them the +same question as he had asked the others; and one of them answered, +"If that hat is worn by any one, his body will be invisible; he will +not be seen." The prince secured the hat from these old men by telling +them the same thing he had told the others. While they were running +their race, he put the hat on and kicked the ground. + +The boot now brought him before a huge rock which had a small hole in +it. Alberto put the key in the hole, and the rock suddenly opened. When +he entered it, he found a street leading to a palace. He went up to +the palace; and when he entered the door, a beautiful princess met +him. Before Alberto could say a word, the princess told him to go away; +for she said that a seven-headed monster was living with her. "If +that is the case," said the prince, "show me his sword, and I will +kill him." The princess pointed to the sword, which was hanging on +the wall. The prince went to get it, but it was too heavy for him: he +could not even move it. Then the princess gave him a pail of water to +drink. She said that that was the water the monster always drank before +touching his sword. The prince drank the water, and then sat down on an +iron chair, and the chair broke. The princess now told him that he was +strong. Soon steps were heard on the stairs. Prince Alberto put on his +hat, and stood by the door, sword in hand. When the monster came up, +he thrust one of his heads through a window near the door, and said, +"I smell something human!" The prince cut off that head. "Somebody +must be here!" cried the monster; but the princess answered that there +was no one there with her. The prince then cut off the monster's heads +one after another until only the main one was left. The monster waved +his arms, but he could not grasp anything. At last he entered the +door. The prince cut off his last head, and he fell dead. + +Inexpressible was the joy of the princess when she saw the monster +lying dead on the floor. She embraced the prince, and thanked him for +her deliverance. Then she told him how she happened to be there. When +the prince knew that she was one of the daughters of King Luis, he +said to her that she was the very one for whom he was looking. The +princess then told the prince about her two sisters, who were kept +prisoners in the same way. So Prince Alberto left her, saying that +he would go save her two sisters and then return. + +He went outside and kicked the ground, and was brought before another +huge rock. He entered it, and another princess met him. After asking +him a few questions, she told him to go away, for the ten-headed +monster who was living with her would soon return. But the prince +said that he did not fear anything, and he told her to give him the +monster's sword. Before he could lift the sword he had to drink two +pails of water, which the princess gave him. Then he sat down on +an iron bed, and the bed broke in two, so he thought he was strong +enough. When the ten-headed monster came home, Alberto killed him +in the same way he had killed the other. The princess rejoiced, and +told the prince that he had saved her life. Then she embraced him and +thanked him. Her joy was increased when Alberto told her that he had +saved her younger sister. She begged him to save her eldest sister, +who was in the next rock. The prince answered that that was what he +had come for. So he left her without further talk, for it was already +the night of the second day. + +He then kicked the ground, and found himself in front of another huge +rock, which he opened. Here the third princess greeted him. After +asking him several questions as to how he had come there, she begged +him to go away, for she said that it was time for the twelve-headed +monster to come home. But he did not go away. He asked for the sword +of the monster, but of course he could not move it. So the princess +gave him three pails of water to drink. When the monster came home, +the prince cut his heads off one after another, as he had done to the +other two. The main head was now the only one left. Then the prince +removed his hat, and presented himself before the monster, who thought +that he could easily kill him, now that he could see him. He said, +"Wait, I'll go and get my sword." But he could not find it, for the +prince had already taken it. When he returned, he said to the prince, +"You have my sword." He had scarcely spoken these words when Alberto +cut off his remaining head. When Alberto told the princess that he had +already saved her two sisters, she jumped with joy and embraced him. + +Alberto now took the princess in his arms, kicked the ground, and +they were brought to the palace of the second sister. Then the prince +kicked the ground again, and all three were carried to the palace of +the youngest sister. But there was no time for delay, as the third +day was nearly gone. So he quickly brought all three princesses back +to their father's kingdom. When they arrived at the palace, King +Luis was overjoyed to see his daughters again. He told the prince to +decide which one he wanted for a wife. While the three princesses +were talking about their life with the monsters, Alberto managed, +without being noticed, to give his handkerchief to the youngest. + +The next day Alberto called at the palace. "Have you decided whom you +are going to take for a wife?" said the king. The prince answered, +"The one who has a handkerchief just like mine shall be my wife." Now, +all three were anxious to have the brave prince for their husband, so +they hastened to their rooms to get their handkerchiefs. The two older +sisters first presented theirs, but neither resembled Alberto's. Then +the youngest showed the one which Alberto had given her the day +before, and so she was married to him. For three days banquets of +thanksgiving were held, and the marriage festivities lasted for two +days. The other two princesses were also married to kings' sons. + + +Notes. + +There is a striking analogy between the opening of our story and that +of a Servian tale (Wuk, No. 5), where a Kaiser has three daughters +whom he rears in close confinement, but whom he permits one day, after +they have become of marriageable age, to dance the kolo. While they +are dancing, a storm blows up, and carries them all away. The rest of +the story is a variant of our No. 18, with which our present story, +too, has some points of contact. + +For the magic articles secured by the hero from certain persons +quarrelling over them, and for the "Fee-fi-fo-fum" formula, see notes +to No. 18. + +The hero's drinking a pail of magic water, and becoming so strong +that when he sits in an iron chair it breaks down under him, recalls +the similar feat of Strong Hans (Grimm, No. 166). + +The three monsters of increasingly greater formidability--Seven-Heads, +Ten-Heads, Twelve-Heads--which are slain by the hero, who uses their +own Weapons on them, recall the underworld monsters killed by the +hero in the "Bear's Son" cycle (cf. our notes to No. 17). + +Although the events of our story are located in the Philippines, the +Casiguran mentioned probably being the town in Tayabas on the west +toast of Luzon, the tale as a whole appears to have been imported. The +Sinucuan referred to is probably the famous legendary King of Pampanga, +of whom the Pampangans have a rich oral literature. He is said to +have lived on Mount Arayat. He figures in our No. 79 (b). + + + +TALE 40 + +JUAN AND MARIA. + + +Narrated by Anicio Pascual of Arayat, Pampanga, who says, "This story +is often told by Pampangan grandmothers to their grandchildren. I have +heard it many times. Lately it was told to me again by an old woman." + + +Once there lived in a barrio an old beggar couple. They had a son named +Juan, and a daughter Maria. The proceeds from their begging were hardly +enough to support the family. One day, after the old man had returned +home from town, he ordered his wife to cook the rice that had been +given him. The old woman obeyed him. When he saw that the rice was +not enough for him and his wife and children, he angrily said to her, +"From now on, don't let me see our children in this house. Chase them +as far as you can, and let them find their own food." The old mother +wept when she heard the words of her cruel husband. She did not want +to be separated from her children; but she feared that she would be +whipped if she kept them, so she obeyed the cruel order. At first +the poor children did not want to go away; but, when they saw that +their bad father was going to kick them, they ran off crying. + +Soon the children came to a wild forest. "Maria, what will become of +us here?" said Juan. "I am very hungry," said the little girl. "I +don't think that I can get you any food in this wilderness," said +the kind brother, "but let me see!" He then looked around. By good +luck he found a guava-tree with one small fruit on it. He immediately +climbed up for the guava, and gave it to his hungry sister. Then the +two children resumed their journey. + +As they were walking along, Maria found a hen's egg on the grass. She +picked it up and carried it along with her in her dirty ragged +skirt. At last they saw a very small hut roofed with dry talahib +(coarse, long grass). An old woman in the hut welcomed them, and asked +them where they were going. After Juan had told her their story, she +invited the tired children to stay in the hut with her. She promised +that she would treat them as her little son and daughter. From that +time on, Juan and Maria lived with the kind old woman. Juan grew to +be a strong fine man, and Maria became a beautiful young woman. Juan +spent almost all his time hunting in the mountains and woods. + +One morning he caught a black deer. While he was taking the animal +home, the deer said to him, "Juan, as soon as you reach your home, +kill me, eat my flesh, and put my hide in your trunk. After three days +open your trunk, and you will see something astonishing." When Juan +reached home, he did as the deer had told him to do. On the third +day he found in the trunk golden armor. He was greatly delighted by +the precious gift. + +Maria had not been living long with the old woman when she found +that the egg had hatched into a chick, which soon grew into a fine +fighting cock. One morning the cock crowed, "Tok-to-ko-kok! Take me +to the cockpit. I'll surely win!" Maria told the old woman what the +cock had said, and the next Sunday Juan took the fighting cock to the +cockpit. There the rooster was victorious, and won much money for Juan. + +One day Juan heard that a tournament would be held in front of the +king's palace. The winner of the contest was to become the husband of +the princess, and would inherit the throne. Juan quickly put on his +golden armor, and hastened to the palace to try his skill. He defeated +all his opponents. The next day his bridal ceremony was celebrated, +and the crown was placed on his head. That very day he ascended the +throne to rule over the kingdom. Although Juan was now king, he was +not proud. He and the queen visited Maria to get her to live in the +palace; but the old woman would not allow her to go with her brother, +as she had no other companion in the hut. + +One day a prince was lost in the forest. He happened to come across +the hut in which Maria was living. He fell in love with her, and +wanted to marry her. As the old woman offered no objections to the +proposal of the prince, the following day Maria became a queen, just +as her brother had become king. Although the parents of Juan and Maria +had been very cruel, yet the king and queen did not forget them. The +brother and sister visited their father and mother, whom they found in +the most wretched condition. When the father saw that his children had +become king and queen, he wept greatly for his former cruelty to them. + + +Notes. + +A Tagalog folk-tale printed in the "Journal of American Folk-Lore" +(20 : 306), "Tagalog Babes in the Woods," is related to our story. +"There the twins Juan and Maria are driven to the forest by their cruel +father. After days of wandering, Juan climbs a tree, and sees in the +distance a house. They approach it, and, having asked permission to +enter, are invited in; but there is no one to be seen in this magic +house, although food and drink and clothing are supplied the two +wanderers in abundance." The story is evidently incomplete. It is +based on a metrical romance, "The Life of the Brother and Sister, +Juan and Maria, in the Kingdom of Spain," of which I will give a +brief synopsis, since the chap-book version contains details which +are lacking in the fragment cited above. + +This metrical romance is printed in both Tagalog and Pampangan. My +Tagalog copy, which contains 1836 lines, bears the date 1910, but is +clearly a reprint. The Pampangan text is slightly shorter, with 1812 +lines. Retana (No. 4164) cites a Pampangan version some time between +the years 1860 and 1898, and a later reprint of 1902 (No. 4349). The +summary that follows is based on the Tagalog. + + +Juan and Maria. + +During the reign of King Charles the Fifth there lived in Spain a +poor couple, Fernando and Juana. They had a son Juan, ten years old, +and a daughter Maria, but eight months in age. Fernando was very cruel +to his wife and children. He was also very selfish. During meal-times +he ate alone, without inviting the rest of his family to eat with him. + +One day Fernando said to his wife, "You must send our two children +away. If my command is not executed, your life shall answer for your +disobedience." The broken-hearted mother summoned her children, +and with tears in her eyes told them of the cruel order of their +father. The children had to obey their father, for they feared him, +and so set off for the mountains. For many days they wandered around, +living on wild fruits, and sleeping under trees. + +One day Juan was greatly surprised to hear Maria ask for some water +to drink, for she had never spoken before. They were far from any +stream, and Juan did not know what to do to satisfy his sister. At +last he climbed a tree to see whether there was any water near by, +and he saw in a valley not far off a beautiful house surrounded with +flowers. Juan quickly came down the tree, and the two children set +out for the house. When they reached it, they knocked at the door, +but no one answered. After knocking again in vain, the boy decided to +enter. He pushed open the door, and found himself in a golden salon, +luxuriously furnished with gold and silver chairs. On the silver wall +hung an image of the Immaculate Conception. The two children knelt down +in front of the image and prayed. Then they went to the dining-room, +where they found a golden table with exquisite dishes of all kinds. + +Several years passed by. Under the care of the Virgin, Maria grew to +be a beautiful young woman. One day, as Maria was praying, the Virgin +spoke to her through the image. She said that the gallant prince of +Borgoña would come to the mountains to hunt deer, and that he would +lose his way in the woods. He would come to their house to ask for +some water, and would fall in love with Maria. Everything turned out +as had been predicted. The gallant prince was so attracted by the +beauty and grace of Maria, that he could not help saying to her, +"I love you." With the consent of her guardian the Virgin, Maria +accepted the Prince of Borgoña, and the day for their wedding was +set. The king, his son, and all the nobility of Borgoña, set out for +the mountains to get Maria, and on their arrival were surprised at +the magnificence of her house. The bishop who was with the company +married the couple, and all the retinue went back to the capital. + +When Juan now found himself left all alone in the house, he knelt +before the image and complained to the Virgin of his situation. The +Virgin said to him, "Don't worry! To-morrow mount the horse which +is in the stable, clothe yourself in iron, and go to the kingdom of +Moscobia to help the king drive the Moors away." Juan did so, and +upon his arrival in Moscobia he found thousands of Moors threatening +the king. With his sword he killed half the enemy: the rest were +routed. Because of his great services, the king married his daughter +to Juan, and the new couple were proclaimed king and queen. + +Some time afterwards, Juan wrote to his sister, suggesting that they +visit their parents. The two couples, accompanied by many of the +nobles of their kingdoms, set out for Spain. Their cruel father was +astounded to see his children raised to such a lofty position, and +he begged their pardon for his former harsh treatment of them. They +forgave him, and then returned to their respective kingdoms, where +they lived peacefully for many years. + + +The connection between our folk-tale and the romance is not very +clear. In both we have the abandoned children, the discovery of the +house in the woods where the children are reared to manhood and +womanhood, and the marriage of Maria with a prince who loses his +way in the forest. In both Juan becomes a king, and in both the two +children seek again their cruel parents and forgive them. On the other +hand, there is much in the folk-tale that is lacking in the romance; +e.g., the incident of the egg that hatches into a fighting cock, +and the incident of the black deer with the miraculous hide. In the +folk-tale Juan becomes king because of his skill in a tournament; +in the romance, because, with the help of the Virgin, he defeats a +large Moorish army. In the one, the shelter in the woods is but a +thatch-roofed hut inhabited by a kindly old woman; in the other, +it is a magnificent house occupied by no one except the image of +the Virgin. The correspondences as well as the differences between +the two versions, neither of which appears to be new, suggest that +the source of the folk-tale and the romance is one and the same, +but that the folk-tale went its own way, the way of the people, and +thus acquired its more native appearance. That the common source was +some European story, can hardly be doubted, I think. + +The opening of our story is not unlike that of the German "Hänsel +und Gretel" (Grimm, No. 15). Bolte and Polívka (1 : 123) note that +various different Märchen have this beginning "of children whom their +father, either because of bitter necessity or because he is forced +by their step-mother, takes to the woods and there abandons." One of +the most widespread cycles in which it occurs is "Hop o' my Thumb," +a version of which is told among the Tagalogs. I will give this +Tagalog version here in the notes, by way of compromise, as it were: +for while the story is a bona fide Tagalog tale, in that it is told +in the dialect, it must have been received directly from Europe; and +it appears to have retained the form in which it was received, with +but few modifications. No other Oriental form whatsoever of this story +has been recorded (see Bolte-Polívka, 1 : 124-126). The Tagalog story +was narrated by Pacita Cordero of Pagsanjan, Laguna, and runs thus:-- + + +Pitong. + +Melanio and Petrona had seven sons. The father was a woodman. They +were so poor, that sometimes the whole family went without dinner. One +day Melanio said to his wife, "Petrona, our children are growing, +and I don't see how we shall be able to support them all. At present +they cannot help us earn a living, because they are too small. Don't +you think we should get along better without them?"--"Yes," answered +Petrona, "if we could only get rid of them some way!"--"Well, +to-morrow I will take them to the forest to gather fuel," said the +husband. "While they are busy, I will leave them on the pretext of +looking for better kinds of wood, and will hurry home. They will not +be able to get home, for they won't know the way." + +The wife agreed to this cruel plan. But the youngest son overheard +the conversation, and told his brothers about it. At last Pitong +(seventh), for that was the name of the youngest, and he was the +wisest of all, made this suggestion: "Before we go to the forest +to-morrow, I will pick up white stones. I will carry them with me, +and as we go along I will drop them one by one. I'll walk behind, so +that father will not notice what I am doing. Then, if he leaves us, +we can easily follow the track of stones back home." While the six +brothers consented to the plan, their minds were troubled, for they +doubted the ability of so small a boy to save them. + +The next day the children marched straight into the forest with their +father as if they were going on a picnic. Pitong dropped his stones +one by one. When they reached the woods, their father commanded them to +get together what sticks they could find. He left them there, promising +that he would meet them in a certain place; but really he hurried home +and told his wife. "We are now rid of a heavy burden," he said, and the +two were very happy. When the poor boys had finished their work, they +looked in vain for their father. Of course they could not find him; +but Pitong led the company, and they followed the track of stones. The +boys reached home safely, and the parents were route with astonishment. + +The next morning Melanio took his sons out with him again. This +time all the boys took white stones with them, besides bread, which +they intended to eat if they should get hungry; but the part of the +forest to which they went was so far, that all the stones were used +up before they got there. Pitong did not eat his bread; he broke it +into pieces, and dropped them on the ground as they went along. They +now reached the nook where their father proposed to leave them. This +place was grown up with wild shrubs, so that there were plenty of +twigs to keep the boys busy. Melanio slipped away from them without +their noticing it. After the seven brothers had worked a long time, +they thought of returning home. But they could not find the track: +the pieces of bread had been eaten by the ants. They cried out, +"Father, father! where are you?" When they were so hungry and tired +that they could not shout any more, they sat down on the ground and +began to weep. + +It began to grow dark. Pitong advised his brothers to pluck up courage, +and said to them, "Follow me." So they went on without taking any +particular course, and in about a half-hour they came to a tall +tree. Pitong climbed it to see if there was a road near by. When +he reached the top, he said, "Brothers, I see a lighted house from +here. Let us go look for the house! Maybe we can get something to +eat there." + +When they came near the house, they saw that it was well lighted and +richly adorned, as if there were a banquet going on; only it was very +quiet. Pitong, followed by his brothers, knocked at the door. A woman +kindly admitted them, and the boys begged for some food. They told +her how they had been deserted by their selfish father. The woman +said to them, "I have a giant husband who is a great eater of human +beings. If he finds you here, you will surely be devoured; but I can +give you something to eat. I will hide you before he comes, and you +must remain perfectly still." The boys had hardly finished dinner +when a loud sound was heard from without. The woman said to them, +"Here comes my husband! Boys, follow me into that room! You all get +into this big trunk and stay here." + +The door was suddenly flung open. As soon as the giant entered, +he said in a fierce voice, "I smell something human: somebody +must be here." He said this many times; and although the wife did +not want to show him the boys, she finally did so, for she feared +that she would be punished. She beckoned to them to come out of the +trunk. "Welcome, my young friends!" said the giant. "I am very glad +to have you here." Pitong gazed fearlessly at him, but the others +trembled with fright. "Give these boys some food, and prepare them +a comfortable bed," said the giant to his wife. "To-morrow early in +the morning they will all be killed." + +These words increased the terror of the six older brothers. They could +not swallow a morsel more of food when the old woman set it before +them. Pitong, however, kept trying to think of a plan by which he could +save them all. Now, the room in which they were to sleep was also the +room of the giant's seven sons, who were about the same height as the +woodman's sons. But the giant's sons had on rich garments. At midnight +Pitong awoke his brothers. They quietly and carefully exchanged clothes +with the giant's sons, and then pretended to sleep. At four o'clock +in the morning the giant came in. He paused before the two beds, +but at last turned to the one his sons were in. When he felt their +rough clothes, he thought them the strangers, and with his axe he +cut off the heads of all seven. Then he went away and slept again. + +Now Pitong and his six brothers stealthily hurried away into the +forest. When morning came, and the giant found that he had killed his +own children, he was enraged. He at once took his magic cane, and put +on his magic boots and cap. When the boys heard the giant coming after +them, they went down into a big hole they had dug. There they hid. But +the giant had a keen sense of smell, and he walked around and around, +looking for them. At last he became tired; he leaned against a tree +and fell asleep. Pitong peeped through a small opening from under +the ground. When he saw that the giant was asleep, he called out to +his brothers. They quickly stole the magic boot, cap, and cane of +the giant, and were soon carried home. Their parents were very much +surprised to see them back; but they welcomed their children when they +knew of the magic objects. By means of these the family became rich. + +As for the giant, when he awoke, he was deprived of all his power. He +was so weak that he could not even get up from the ground, so he died +there in the woods. + + + +TALE 41 + +THE ENCHANTED PRINCE. + + +Narrated by Pedro D. L. Sorreta, a Bicol from Virac, Albay, who heard +the story from his grandfather. + + +Many years ago there lived a very rich king in a beautiful city near a +wild forest, the home of many wicked witches. The king had a gallant +son named Ucay, who fell in love with a beautiful young witch, the +daughter of the most bitter enemy of his father. When Ucay became old +enough to marry, his father requested him to select the most beautiful +lady in the city for his wife; but the prince would neither select one, +nor would he tell his father about his love for the witch. So the rich +king ordered his soldiers to bring to the palace all the beautiful +women that could be found in the kingdom. His order was soon obeyed, +but none of the girls suited the prince. So the king took the matter +of selection into his own hands; and, after choosing a very handsome +girl, he forced his son to marry her. Out of fear, Ucay consented to +do as his father bade him. But the beautiful young witch to whom he +had already pledged his love became angry with him for his timidity, +and so she resolved to change the city into a forest of beautiful +trees. Her fickle lover she transformed into a monkey, who should +live in the tallest tree, and who should not be able to recover his +human shape till five centuries had passed, when a charming girl +would live with him and love him more than anything else. Moreover, +she changed the king's subjects into other animals as she pleased. No +sooner had the marriage of the prince been proclaimed, then, than +the desire of the witch was accomplished, to the great surprise of +the neighboring cities. + +Four centuries had already passed. The wonderful disappearance of +the city was already forgotten, and people from other places began +to build houses in the enchanted city. The monkey-prince was always +watching for an opportunity to catch a beautiful girl who should +break the spell that kept him in his miserable condition. Soon a +church was built near the foot of the tree in which he lived. He +had already succeeded in capturing two ladies, but they had died +of fear. After incalculable suffering and extraordinary patience, +the time for his recovery came at last. + +One Sunday morning before the mass was over, a very beautiful girl, the +daughter of a poor man, came out of the church and sat at the foot of +the tree. She had been disappointed in her love with a rich man's son, +who had forsaken her in order to marry the daughter of a rich man. So +she wished to die. When the monkey-prince saw her sitting there alone, +he noiselessly went down, carefully took her by the right hand, and +carried her to the top of the tree. She would have died of fright, as +was the fate of the two former women, had she not seen in the monkey's +eyes a noble look that filled her with wonder and sympathy. As days +went by, she lived on delicious fruits which were entirely strange +to her; and her love for the poor creature grew greater and greater, +until at last she loved him more than anything else. + +On the evening of the tenth day she was surprised to find herself +beside a gallant prince in a richly-decorated room. At first she +thought that she was dreaming; but when the prince woke up, kissed +her, and then told her the history of his life, she knew that it +was real. She was so astonished, that she exclaimed, "Ah, me! God +is wise!" The next morning she was crowned queen of her husband's +happy subjects, whom she had restored from the enchantment of the +wicked witch. Every one in the kingdom loved his new queen as long +as he lived. + + +Notes. + +I know of no parallels to this interesting story, which appears to +be old native tradition. The hero transformed by enchantment into +a beast, and saved by the devotion of the human lover, suggests the +"Beauty and Beast" cycle (Macculloch, ch. IX; Crane, 7, 324 [notes 5 +and 6]; Ralston, Tibetan Tales, p. XXXVII f.); only it is to be noted +that those stories are, after all, heroine tales, not hero tales, for +the interest in them is centred on the disenchantment brought about +by the maiden who comes to love the prince in his beast form. The +curse by a disappointed witch, and the prophecy that only after +five hundred years will the curse be removed, suggest in a way the +"Sleeping Beauty" cycle (Grimm, No. 50; and Bolte-Polívka's exhaustive +notes); only here, too, the resemblance is but vague. There is no magic +sleep in our story, but a Circe-like transformation of the prince and +all his subjects into animals, the city itself being changed into a +forest of trees. We have already met with stories in the Philippines +based on the idea of animal-marriages (e.g., Nos. 18, 19, 29); +but, even were it demonstrable that all those tales were imported, +it would not necessarily follow that the savage idea behind them, +too, was imported. Their adoption by the natives might indicate, +on the contrary, that the basic idea was already well known. + +I might call attention to the fact that the number 500 and the +monkey-prince suggest vaguely Buddhistic lore. + + + +TALE 42 + +THE PRINCE'S DREAM. + + +Narrated by Gregorio Frondoso, a Bicol of Tigaon, Camarines. The +narrator says, "This story was told to me by my guardian while I was +in Nueva Caceres. He told it to me in the Bicol dialect, and said +that this must be a Bicol story." + + +Once there lived a young prince who, after his father's death, +succeeded to the throne as the sole heir of a vast, rich kingdom. He +indulged himself in all worldly pleasures. He gave dances, and +all sorts of merry-making surrounded his court to attract the most +beautiful ladies of the kingdom. Meanwhile the royal treasury was +being drained, and his subjects were becoming disloyal to him; for, +his time being chiefly absorbed in personal cares, he often neglected +his duties as king. Disappointed by his conduct, his counsellors +plotted against him: they resolved to dismiss him from the realm. The +prince's mother, the widowed queen, learned of their plot. So, when +he returned to the palace from his evening walk one day, she said +to him, "My son, I wish you would turn from your foolish trifling, +and govern your people as you ought to do; for your advisers are +planning to dethrone you." The prince, who was not bad at heart, +followed his mother's sensible advice: he now began to devote himself +to the welfare of his subjects. His ministers, too, gave up their plan, +and aided the young king in his royal tasks. + +One noon, when the prince was taking his siesta, he had a dream. A +ghost appeared to him, and spoke in this manner: "Your father left +a hidden treasure of gold and diamonds, which he forgot to mention +in his will. Should you care to have that treasure, go to the city +of Black. There you will find a Negro, the richest in that city, +who will tell you all about the treasure." On hearing these words, +the prince woke up, and hurriedly acquainted his mother with his +dream. "Undeceive yourself," she said. "Never believe in dreams. I +don't believe in them myself." In spite of his mother's words, he +decided to look for the Negro. + +The next day, disguising himself as a poor traveller, the prince set +out for the city of Black. He arrived there at ten o'clock at night, +and the gate of the city was closed; for there was a law there, that, +after the bell had rung ten, no person could enter the city. So he had +to sleep outside the walls. Then the very same ghost that had spoken +to him in his palace appeared to him, and said, "Go back to your +palace, prince, and there in the cellar you will find the treasure +I spoke of." The moment he heard the voice, the prince got up and +returned to his own city. When his mother saw him, she said to him, +"Did you find what you were looking for?"--"Mother, the very same +ghost told me that the treasure is buried in the cellar of the palace." + +"I have told you that dreams are never true," she said. "The ghost must +be joking you. You see, you have gone to a faraway land in vain. Banish +all thoughts of that treasure, and continue ruling your kingdom well, +and you will be very much better off." + +At first the prince followed his mother's counsel, and tried to rid his +mind of the thought of the treasure; but the ghost haunted him in his +sleep, day and night, reminding him of the gold and diamonds. Early one +morning, without the knowledge of his mother, he took a pointed iron +bar and went down into the cellar of the palace. There he dug where +the treasure was supposed to be. He dug and dug to find the coveted +gold and diamonds. He remained there several hours, and had excavated +a hole some three metres deep, but had found no sign of the hidden +wealth. Just as he was about to give up, his bar struck something hard +which produced a metallic sound. He went on digging until finally he +uncovered an iron platform in the form of a square. It was locked with +a padlock, and the key was in the lock. He lifted the platform, and +to his great surprise and wonder found a low ladder made of diamond +bars, leading down into a small apartment all shining bright as if +it were day. Here he found two columns of diamond bars, each a foot +in thickness and a metre in height, whose brightness shot through all +the corners like sunbeams. This subterranean chamber immediately led +to another in which there was a big safe about five feet in height +and three feet wide. He opened the safe, and from out of it flowed +gold coins like water in torrents from a cliff. His eyes were dazzled +by their brightness; and he was so startled at the inexhaustible flow +of money, that he said to himself, "Are these gold coins and diamonds +real, or am I simply dreaming?" To assure himself, he filled his cap +with the gold coins and went up into the sunlight. He rubbed his eyes +and examined the coins: they were of pure gold. Greatly delighted +by his discovery, he hastened to his mother, and said, "I have found +the treasure, I have found the treasure!" When the queen saw the gold +glittering in her son's hand, she was very glad. Now both mother and +son hurried down to the cellar. There the prince continued his search +for the hidden treasure, while his mother contemplated in awe the +columns of diamonds she saw in those underground apartments. Now the +prince came to a third chamber, in which he found two more columns +of diamonds like those in the first room; and finally he came to a +fourth apartment, in which he saw a wide curtain of silk hanging on +the wall. Back of this wall was another apartment, but it was securely +locked. On the curtain were embroidered the following words in big +golden letters: "Inside this chamber is another column of diamonds +twice as large and twice as high as those in the other two; none can +unlock this apartment but the wealthiest Negro in the city of Black." + +Anxious to have this last column of diamonds, the prince determined +to find the Negro. Disguising himself again as a poor traveller, +he set out for the city of Black. There he found the Negro, who +received him very kindly. In the course of their talk the prince +spoke of his dream, and told how he found the gold coins and the +diamond columns, and finally gave the reason for his coming there +as a poor traveller. Furthermore, the prince mentioned his father's +name. On hearing the prince's story, the Negro knelt down before him, +saying, "My prince, I was the most beloved servant of your father. I +acknowledge you as my master, and am disposed and ready to do anything +for your sake. As to the chamber you spoke of, I have not the power +to unlock it. There is but one man who can unlock it, who knows very +well your dead father, and who was his friend. He knows me, too, +very well. This man is the king of the demons. And to him we will go +together; but before we go, we should eat our dinner." Then the Negro +ordered all kinds of delicious dishes, and the two feasted together. + +After they had dined, they set out on their journey to the palace +of the king of the demons. Soon they came to a river. There the +Negro instructed the prince not to say anything if he should see +any extraordinary sights, lest some terrible danger befall them. The +Negro waved his hand, and in a moment there came a sphinx paddling +a small banca towards them. They got into it, and the sphinx rowed +back to the other side. Then they walked on till they came to the +palace of the king of the demons, which was protected by two circular +walls. They knocked at the gate of the first. The moment they knocked, +it became dark all around them; lightnings flashed before their eyes, +and it thundered. Then the gate opened. After passing through the +first gate, they came to the second. "They knocked, and the gate flung +open. At once two lions ran out towards them with eyes glowing like +balls of fire, and were ready to spring upon them and devour them; +but on coming nearer the strangers, and recognizing the Negro, these +two kings of beasts wagged their tails as a sign of welcome. + +The Negro and the prince were conducted to the king's throne. The +king of the demons asked them what they wanted. The prince spoke: +"King of the demons, I have found in the cellar of my palace a store +of gold coins and several diamond columns, my father's hidden treasure +which he forgot to mention in his will. The last column is locked +up in a separate apartment, and there is none who has the power to +unlock it but yourself." + +"Young king," replied the king of the demons, "it is true that I am +the only one who can unlock it. I gave that diamond column to your +father as a gift which he might bequeath to his son; and if you are +his son, you shall have it. But, before giving it to you, I should +like to have you do me a favor in return for that rich gift. If you +will bring me a very beautiful woman to be my companion, one whose +heart is untainted by any worldly passion, I will unlock for you your +wished-for treasure, the diamond room." + +At this request the young man stood speechless for some time. At +last, perplexed, he replied, "O king of the demons! it seems to me +impossible to fulfil your wish. I am not a man of superhuman power +to read into a woman's heart." + +"Well," returned the king of the demons, taking out of his pocket a +small oval mirror, "if you see a beautiful woman, hold this mirror +before her face. If the surface of the mirror becomes clouded, leave +her; but if the surface of the mirror remains as clear as before, +bring her to me, for she is the one I want for my comfort." + +The prince took the mirror, and with his Negro companion left the +palace to look for the desired girl for the king of the demons. They +visited cities and villages. In three days they had searched through +three cities and three villages, but every girl that looked on the +magic mirror clouded its surface. Then, discouraged by their failure, +the travellers decided to go back to the palace of the king of the +demons. On their return they felt very tired, and so stopped in a +small village to rest. There they found a most beautiful girl, the +daughter of a poor farmer. It was the very girl desired by the king of +the demons; for, after she had looked on the magic mirror, its surface +remained as clear as before. Then with joyful hearts the Negro and the +prince set out with the lady for the abode of the king of the demons. + +On their way, the prince, fascinated by her beauty, fell in love with +the girl. He did not want to give her up to the king of the demons, +and so proposed to the Negro that they take her to his palace. But the +Negro would not consent, for the king of the demons knew all about +their doings, he said. So the prince gave up his plan on condition +that the girl's face be veiled. + +When they arrived at the palace, the king of the demons gladly met +them, and said to the prince, "Now you have fulfilled my wish. You may +go back to your palace, and there you will find the diamond apartment +unlocked for you." The sorrowing prince turned his back and left the +palace with heavy heart; for he no longer thought of the treasure of +gold and diamonds, but had his whole soul centred in that beautiful +maiden that he had given up to the king of the demons. He reached +his own palace sad and dejected. Yet, to divert his mind from the +thought of her, he went to the subterranean apartment; and there he +found the last chamber unlocked. + +After some hesitation, he went into the apartment. There he found +two veiled figures,--the one in the form of a king with his sceptre +and crown; the other, a maiden. He unveiled the one with the crown, +and was astounded to find the very same king of the demons. "Prince, +unveil that figure," said the king of the demons to him. The young +king did so, and to his great joy saw the beautiful maiden he had +lost his heart to. At once his sadness disappeared. Then the king +of the demons said to the prince, "Young king, since on your way to +my palace you fell in love with this maiden, I deem it fit that you +should have her for your companion; but do not expect the diamond +column any more." Then the king of the demons disappeared. The prince +at once embraced the maiden, and conducted her up to his palace. That +same day their marriage was celebrated with pomp and luxury. + + + +Note. + +Dr. Franz Boas informs me that this story is from the "Arabian Nights," +"The Tale of Zayn Al-Asnam" (see Burton, Supplemental Nights," iii, +3-38; for Clouston's discussion of variants and analogues, ibid., +553-563). + + + +TALE 43 + +THE WICKED WOMAN'S REWARD. + + +Narrated by Gregorio Frondoso, a Bicol from Camarines. The story was +told by a father to one of his sons. + + +Once there lived a certain king. He had concubines, five in number. Two +of them he loved more than the others, for they were to bear him +children. He said that the one who should give birth to a male baby +he would marry. Soon one of them bore a child, but it was a girl, +and shortly afterward the other bore a handsome boy. The one which +had given birth to the baby girl was restless: she wished that she +might have the boy. In order to satisfy her wish, she thought of an +ingenious plan whereby she might get possession of the boy. + +One midnight, when all were sound asleep, she killed her own baby +and secretly buried it. Then she quietly crept to her rival's bed and +stole her boy, putting in his place a newborn cat. Early in the morning +the king went to the room of his concubine who had borne the boy, and +was surprised to find a cat by her side instead of a human child. He +was so enraged, that he immediately ordered her to be drowned in the +river. His order was at once executed. Then he went into the room of +the wicked woman. The moment he saw the boy baby, he was filled with +great joy, and he smothered the child with kisses. As he had promised, +he married the woman. After the marriage the king sent away all his +other concubines, and he harbored a deep love for his deceitful wife. + +Soon afterwards there was a great confusion throughout the +kingdom. Everybody wondered why it was that the river smelled so +fragrant, and the people were very anxious to find out the cause of +the sweet odor. It was not many days before the townspeople along +the river-bank found the corpse of the drowned woman floating in +the water; and this was the source of the sweetness that was causing +their restlessness. It was full of many different kinds of flowers +which had been gathered by the birds. When the people attempted to +remove the corpse from the water, the birds pecked them, and would +not let the body be taken away. + +At last the news of the miracle was brought to the ears of the +king. He himself went to the river to see the wonderful corpse. As +soon as he saw the figure of the drowned woman, he was tortured with +remorse. Then, to his great surprise and fear, the corpse suddenly +stood up out of the water, and said to him in sorrowful tones, "O +king! as you see, my body has been floating on the water. The birds +would have buried me, but I wanted you to know that you ordered me to +be killed without any investigation of my fault. Your wife stole my +boy, and, as you saw, she put a cat by my side." The ghost vanished, +and the king saw the body float away again down the river. The king +at once ordered the body of his favorite to be taken out of the water +and brought to the palace; and he himself was driven back to the town, +violent with rage and remorse. There he seized his treacherous wife +and hurled her out of the window of the palace, and he even ordered +her body to be hanged. + +Having gotten rid of this evil woman, the king ordered the body of +the innocent woman to be buried among the noble dead. The corpse +was placed in a magnificent tomb, and was borne in a procession with +pompous funeral ceremonies. He himself dressed entirely in black as +a sign of his genuine grief for her; yet, in spite of his sorrow for +his true wife, he took comfort in her son, who grew to be a handsome +boy. As time went on, the prince developed into a brave youth, +who was able to perform the duties of his father the king: so, as +his father became old, no longer able to bear the responsibilities +of regal power, the prince succeeded to the throne, and ruled the +kingdom well. He proved himself to be the son of the good woman by +his wise and just rule over his subjects. + + +Note. + +I know of no other versions of this story. The incident of the animal +substitution for child is a commonplace in folk-tales, though it is +usually ascribed to an envious step-mother rather than an envious +co-wife. For abstracts of Filipino stories containing this incident +see JAFL 29 : 226 et seq., 228, 229; 19 : 265-272. + + + +TALE 44 + +THE MAGIC RING ("ANG SINGSING NGA TANTANAN"). + + +Narrated by Encarnacion Gonzaga, a Visayan from Jaro, Iloilo. The +story, she says, is very popular among the Visayans. + + +In the town of X, not far from the kingdom of Don Fernando, there +lived an old religious woman named Carmen. She had a son named +Carlos. She had been a widow since Carlos was nine months old. She +was poor--poor even to raggedness. One day she said to her son, +"I have named you Carlos because I love you. For me, no name is +prettier than yours. Every letter in it means something." Carlos asked +his mother to tell him the meaning of his name; but she said to him, +"I'll tell it to you later. First go to the king's palace, and there +beg something for us to eat. O my son! if you only knew the miseries I +have had to endure to bring you up, you would not refuse this request +of your poor mother," she said, weeping. + +Carlos pitied his mother very much, so he ran towards the king's +palace to beg some food; but when he reached the gate, he hesitated +to enter. He was ashamed to beg, so he went and stood silently under +the orange-tree which was not far from the princess's window. "If +I should obey my mother's request," he said to himself, "what would +the princess say? She would probably say to me, 'You are too young to +beg.' What a disgrace then would it be for me!" As Carlos was looking +at the declining sun with tears in his eyes, the princess raised her +window and unintentionally spit on his head. Carlos's eyes flashed. He +looked at the princess sternly, and said, "If the Goddess of the Sea, +who has a star on her forehead [92] and a moon on her throat, does +not dare to spit on me, how can you--you who are but the shadow of +her power and beauty?" + +At these harsh words the princess fainted. When she came to herself, +she cried. Her tears were like drops of dew falling from the leaves +in the morning. Her father entered her room, and found her in her +sorrow. "Why do you weep, Florentina?" asked Don Fernando. + +"O Father!" answered Florentina, "my heart is broken. I have been +disgraced." + +"Why should you say so?" replied her father. "Who broke your heart, +and who disgraced you?" + +"There's a man under the orange-tree," answered the princess, "who +said to me these words"--and she repeated what Carlos had said to her. + +The king instantly ordered Carlos to be seized and brought into his +presence. Carlos stood fearless before him, and answered all his +questions. Don Fernando at last said, "If within a week you cannot +show me that what you said to my daughter is true, you'll be hanged +without mercy." + +These words frightened Carlos. With tears in his eyes and with his +thoughts devoted to God, who alone could give him consolation, he +walked down the shore of the Golden River. He sat down to rest under +a pagatpat-tree [93]. An eagle which had a nest at the very top of +the tree saw him crying, and said to him, "Why do you weep, Carlos?" + +"O Eagle, queen of the birds! I'd be very thankful to you if you'd +only tell me where the home of the Goddess of the Sea is," said Carlos. + +"Why do you want her house?" asked the eagle. "Don't you know that +no human being is able to see her?" + +"I didn't know that; but if I cannot see her, my life is lost," +said Carlos sadly. + +The eagle pitied Carlos very much: so she said, "Come, Carlos, +come! and I'll lead you to the right path." Carlos followed her +until they came to the mouth of the river. There they stopped. The +eagle shouted, "O king of the fishes! come and help me, for I am +in great need of assistance." The king of the fishes appeared, and +asked what the eagle needed. The eagle told him the story of Carlos, +and asked him if he could take Carlos to the home of the Goddess of +the Sea. As the fish could not refuse the request of the queen of the +birds, he said to Carlos, "Carlos, lie on my back and close your eyes: +within five minutes you'll be in the home of the goddess." + +Carlos obeyed the fish. When he opened his eyes, he found that he was +in a very beautiful house. He was lying on a golden bed, and beside +him was standing a beautiful woman with a star on her forehead and +a moon on her throat. Carlos could not believe that the vision was +true. By and by he heard a sweet voice saying, "What has brought you +to this place?" + +Carlos trembled, and answered, "I have come here to ask for your help." + +"What help do you desire?" asked the goddess. Carlos related his +story. The goddess could not refuse help to one who had spoken so +well of her beauty, so she took her diamond ring off her finger +and gave it to Carlos, saying, "Take this ring with you. Whenever +you want or need my help, touch the ring thrice, and say, 'O God, +help me!' If the king wants my presence, touch the ring six times, +and I'll appear before you." + +Carlos received the ring, and, humbly kneeling before the goddess, +said, "I can find no words in which to express to you my gratitude. I +thank you with all my heart." + +The goddess then called to the king of the fishes, and ordered him +to take Carlos back to land. When Carlos arrived at the shore of the +river, he met the eagle, who showed him the way to the king's palace. + +The king Don Fernando, on seeing Carlos once more before him, said, +"You wretch! one day more is all you have to live." + +"To-morrow," replied Carlos, "I'll come before your Highness, and I'll +show to you that what I said to the princess is true." When morning +came the next day, Carlos was ordered into the king's presence. All +the lords and nobles of the kingdom were in the palace, anxious to +see the Goddess of the Sea. It was already eight o'clock, and the +goddess had not yet appeared. The king asked, "Where is she, Carlos?" + +"She cannot come," replied Carlos; "but, if your Highness wants me to, +I'll give you a trunk filled with gold in exchange for my life." + +"No," said the king angrily: "what we want is the Goddess of the +Sea. If you cannot show her to us, prepare to be hanged." + +Carlos touched the ring six times, and the beautiful Goddess of the +Sea appeared. All were amazed to see a woman with curly hair, a star +on her forehead, a moon on her throat, and wearing a white dress +glistening with diamonds. "Carlos is an enchanter!" cried the king, +and he ran to embrace the goddess. In five minutes she disappeared, +and Carlos's life was saved. + +Don Fernando now proposed to marry his daughter Florentina to +Carlos. At first the princess hesitated to say yes, but at last she +consented. Carlos was glad to marry the beautiful princess; but, +before the marriage took place, he went to get his poor mother, +who was anxiously awaiting his return home. + +Carlos with his diamond ring could now have everything he needed. In +fact, he made the chapel in which he was married all of gold. The +wedding-dress of the princess was adorned with diamonds. Immediately +after the wedding, poor Carmen died of happiness. Carlos continued +to live in the palace with his wife Florentina, but he never came to +know the meaning of his name. + + +Note. + +I know of no variants of this story. The detail of the helpful animals +is common in Filipino Märchen; here, however, the kindness of the +eagle and the fish lack the usual motivation. + + + +TALE 45 + +MARIA AND THE GOLDEN SLIPPER. + + +Narrated by Dolores Zafra, a Tagalog from Pagsanjan, Laguna. She +says that this is a Tagalog story, and was told to her when she was +a little girl. + + +Once there lived a couple who had an only daughter, Maria. When Maria +was a little girl, her mother died. A few years later Maria's father +fell in love with a widow named Juana, who had two daughters. The +elder of these daughters was Rosa, and the younger was Damiana. When +Maria was grown to be a young woman, her father married the woman +Juana. Maria continued to live with her father and step-mother. But +Juana and her two daughters treated Maria as a servant. She had to do +all the work in the house,--cook the food, wash the clothes, clean the +floors. The only clothes she herself had to wear were ragged and dirty. + +One day Prince Malecadel wanted to get married: so he gave a ball, to +which he invited all the ladies in his kingdom. He said that the most +beautiful of all was to be his wife. When Damiana and Rosa knew that +all the ladies were invited, they began to discuss what clothes they +would wear to the ball; but poor Maria was in the river, washing the +clothes. Maria was very sad and was weeping, for she had no clothes +at all in which she could appear at the prince's fête. While she +was washing, a crab approached her, and said, "Why are you crying, +Maria? Tell me the reason, for I am your mother." + +Then Maria said to the crab, "I am treated by my aunt (sic!) and +sisters as a servant; and there will be a ball to-night, but I have +no clothes to wear." While she was talking to the crab, Juana came +up. The step-mother was very angry with Maria, and ordered her to +catch the crab and cook it for their dinner. Maria seized the crab +and carried it to the house. At first she did not want to cook it, +for she knew that it was her mother; but Juana whipped her so hard, +that at last she was forced to obey. Before it was put in the earthen +pot to be cooked, the crab said to Maria, "Maria, don't eat my flesh, +but collect all my shell after I am eaten, and bury the pieces in +the garden near the house. They will grow into a tree, and you can +have what you want if you will only ask the tree for it." After her +parents had eaten the flesh of the crab, Maria collected all its shell +and buried it in the garden. At twilight she saw a tree standing on +the very spot where she had buried the shell. + +When night came, Rosa and Damiana went to the ball, and Juana retired +for the night as soon as her daughters were gone. When Maria saw that +her aunt was sleeping, she went into the garden and asked the tree +for what she wanted. The tree changed her clothes into very beautiful +ones, and furnished her with a fine coach drawn by four fine horses, +and a pair of golden slippers. Before she left, the tree said to her, +"You must be in your house before twelve o'clock. If you are not, +your clothes will be changed into ragged, dirty ones again, and your +coach will disappear." + +After promising to remember the warning of the tree, Maria went to the +ball, where she was received by the prince very graciously. All the +ladies were astonished when they saw her: she was the most beautiful +of all. Then she sat between her two sisters, but neither Rosa nor +Damiana recognized her. The prince danced with her all the time. When +Maria saw that it was half-past eleven, she bade farewell to the prince +and all the ladies present, and went home. When she reached the garden, +the tree changed her beautiful clothes back into her old ones, and the +coach disappeared. Then she went to bed and to sleep. When her sisters +came home, they told her of everything that had happened at the ball. + +The next night the prince gave another ball. After Rosa and Damiana +had dressed themselves in their best clothes and gone, Maria again +went to the garden to ask for beautiful clothes. This time she was +given a coach drawn by five (?) horses, and again the tree warned +her to return before twelve. The prince was delighted to see her, +and danced with her the whole evening. Maria was so enchanted that +she forgot to notice the time. While she was dancing, she heard the +clock striking twelve. She ran as fast as she could down stairs and +out the palace-door, but in her haste she dropped one of her golden +slippers. This night she had to walk home, and in her old ragged +clothes, too. One of her golden slippers she had with her; but the +other, which she had dropped at the door, was found by one of the +guards, who gave it to the prince. The guard said that the slipper +had been lost by the beautiful lady who ran out of the palace when +the clock was striking twelve. Then the prince said to all the people +present, "The lady whom this slipper fits is to be my wife." + +The next morning the prince ordered one of his guards to carry +the slipper to every house in the city to see if its owner could +be found. The first house visited was the one in which Maria +lived. Rosa tried to put the slipper on her foot, but her foot was +much too big. Then Damiana put it on her foot, but her foot was too +small. The two sisters tried and tried again to make the slipper fit, +but in vain. Then Maria told them that she would try, and see if +the slipper would fit her foot; but her sisters said to her, "Your +feet are very dirty. This golden slipper will not go on your foot, +for your feet are larger than ours." And they laughed at her. But +the guard who had brought the slipper said, "Let her try. It is the +prince's order that all shall try." So he gave it to Maria. Then +Maria put it on, and it fitted her foot exactly. She then drew the +other slipper from underneath her dress, and put it on her other +foot. When the two sisters saw the two slippers on Maria's feet, +they almost fainted with astonishment. + +So Maria became the wife of the prince, and from that time on she +was very dear to her sisters and aunt. + + +Abadeja. + +This is a Visayan story from Leyte. Unfortunately I have no record +of the name of the narrator. + +Once upon a time there lived in the town of Baybay a man whose name was +Abac. The name of his wife was Abadesa. They had a beautiful daughter +named Abadeja. The mother died when her daughter was about thirteen +years old; and in a year her father married again, a widow who had +three daughters. The second wife envied her step-daughter because +Abadeja was much more beautiful than her own children: consequently +she treated the poor girl very badly, and made her do all the hard +work. When Abadeja could not do the work, her step-mother punished +her severely. + +One evening the step-mother said to Abadeja, "Take these two +handkerchiefs to the river and wash them. The white one must be black, +and the black one white, when you bring them back to me. If they are +not, I shall beat you." Abadeja went to the river, where she sat down +on a rock and began to cry. In a little while she heard a noise that +made her look up. There in front of her stood a beautiful woman. The +woman asked Abadeja why she was crying. Abadeja replied, "I am crying +because my step-mother has commanded me to do the impossible. She told +me that I must change this white handkerchief into black, and the black +one into white." The woman took the handkerchiefs, and in an instant +they were transformed. Then she gave them back to Abadeja, and invited +the girl to come see her any time she needed help. After she had spoken +thus, she disappeared. Abadeja went home and gave the handkerchiefs +to her cruel step-mother, who now had no excuse to punish her. + +The next morning Abadeja was ordered to put some rice on a mat in the +sun to dry. While she was in the house doing other work, a pig came, +ate up the rice, and tore the mat to pieces. When the step-mother knew +what had happened, she whipped Abadeja severely for having lost the +rice, and told her that she would have to repair the mat so that it +was as good as new. Abadeja took the mat and went across the river, +crying. The beautiful woman met her again, and, taking her by the hand, +led her to her home among the high trees. Then she asked Abadeja what +she wanted. Abadeja told her friend that her step-mother had ordered +her to repair the mat so that it would be as good as new. The woman +took the mat from the girl and waved it in the air. Immediately it +became a whole mat again. Then she gave Abadeja a beautifully-colored +chicken. Abadeja thanked her for her help and her gift, and hurried +home, for she knew that her step-mother would be waiting to scold +her if she were late. + +The next day when Abadeja was away from the house, her cruel +step-mother took the chicken, killed it, and cooked it. When the girl +returned, only the feet of her chicken were left. She cried over +her loss, and ran to the river to ask the beautiful woman what she +should do. The beautiful woman, when she heard what had happened, +told the girl to take the chicken's feet and plant them in the +forest. Abadeja went home, took the feet, and carried them with her +to the forest. There she made a little garden, in which she planted +the right foot toward the east, and the left foot toward the west. + +A month later she visited her garden in the woods, and was astonished +to see that the feet had grown up into the air, and that they bore +pearls, diamonds, gold dresses, rings, bracelets, shoes, necklaces, +and ear-rings. She was delighted, but she did not tell her step-mother +about her garden. + +One day the son of the richest man in Baybay came across this +little garden in the forest. He picked off a ring and put it on his +finger. When he reached home, his finger began to swell. His father +called in all the best physicians, but they could not remove the +ring. Then he called in all the girls of the town, and said that the +one who could take the ring from the finger of his son should be his +son's wife. All the girls of the town tried except Abadeja. She did +not try, because her mother would not allow her to go. At last some +one told the rich man that there was still a girl who had not tried, +and that it was Abadeja: so he sent for her. Now, her step-mother +did not dare refuse to let her go. Abadeja ran to her little garden, +put on one of the gold dresses, and went to the rich man's house. As +soon as she touched the ring, it slid off. + +The next day Abadeja was married to the son of the rich man. The +beautiful woman attended the wedding unseen by every one except +Abadeja. The young couple lived happily for many years. + + +Notes. + +In another variant (c), "The Wonderful Tree," which was collected by +Mr. Rusk, and of which I have only an abstract,-- + +Maria's mother was drowned by the cruel husband, a fisherman, who +desired to marry another woman. The daughter was now ill-treated +by her step-mother, and often went to the seashore to talk with the +spirit of her dead mother. When the mother could no longer continue +the meetings with Maria, she told her to plant in a certain place +all the fins of all the fish the family should eat on a certain +day. From these fins there grew up a magic tree of gold and precious +stones. One day a prince, hearing the music made by the wind in the +magic tree, approached the tree and found the beautiful Maria. Later +he married her. + +For still other Philippine variants of the Cinderella story, see +JAFL 19 : 265-272, where Fletcher Gardner gives two oral Tagalog +versions. In the same journal (29 : 226 f.) I have given synopses of +two Tagalog metrical romances which open with the Cinderella setting. + +The Cinderella story is perhaps the most widespread Märchen +in the world. See M. R. Cox's bibliographical study of it: +"Cinderella, 345 Variants of Cinderella, Catskin, and Cap o' Rushes, +abstracted and tabulated, with a discussion of medieval analogues, +and notes. London, 1893." Bolte-Polívka's notes to Grimm, No. 21, +examine Miss Cox's material from a somewhat new angle, and are very +useful for reference. It seems hardly necessary to attempt to add here +to those two exhaustive monographs. Attention may be called to the +fact, however, that our story of "Abadeja," which comes from Leyte, +presents a number of interesting items not found in the other Filipino +variants: e.g., (1) the task of washing a black handkerchief white, +and vice-versâ; (2) the magic tree growing up from the feet of a +wonderful chicken given the heroine by the mysterious woman; (3) the +unusual device for providing a rich husband for the heroine. There +are some slight resemblances between these last two details and +corresponding incidents in Mr. Rusk's variant "The Wonderful Tree." + + + +TALE 46 + +JUAN THE POOR. + + +Narrated by Dolores Zafra, a Tagalog from Pagsanjan, who heard this +story from her grandfather. + + +Many years ago there lived a king who was always sad. He used to go to +a mountain and climb the highest tree that was growing there. One day +when he was in the top of the tree, he saw on another high mountain a +beautiful princess, Doña Maria. When he returned home to his palace, +he sent a proclamation all over his kingdom, saying that the one +who could take Doña Maria from her mountain and bring her before him +should have one-half of his kingdom. + +Juan was a beggar; and it was his custom, whenever he saw a beggar +like himself, to share with that beggar the alms which had been given +him. One day he saw a wretched old woman, and out of pity for her he +gave her all the food he had begged that day. Then the old woman, +who knew of the proclamation of the king, said to Juan, "You must +tell the king, my boy, that you will fetch Doña Maria for him." Juan +did not want to, because he said that he did not know where and how he +might get Doña Maria; but the old woman at last persuaded Juan to go by +telling him that she would accompany him, and promising her help. After +Juan had visited the palace and told the king that he would bring the +princess Doña Maria to him, the poor boy and the old woman set out +on their journey to the distant mountain. When they reached the gates +of the city, the old woman said to Juan, "Juan, I am very tired, and +I cannot go any farther, but I will give you this handkerchief. When +you come to the first mountain, you must spread the handkerchief on the +ground, and many fat horses will approach you; but I advise you not to +choose any of them. You must choose the very last one, which will be +lean and weak-looking. That is the horse which can endure hardships, +and which will be able to carry you to the princess's palace." + +Juan followed the advice of the old woman, when the time came, and +chose the thin horse. He mounted on its back, and rode on towards the +mountain of Doña Maria. When he had ridden very far, he saw before +him a hill full of ants. He was afraid to try to pass over this hill, +lest the ants should devour him and his animal. The horse said to +him, "You must ask the handkerchief for food, and we will feed the +ants." Juan spread out the handkerchief, and asked it to bring him +much food. After he had scattered it on the ground for the ants, the +leader of the ants approached Juan, and said, "Since you have been +very kind to us, I will give you one of my legs; and at any time you +want aid from us, you must burn the leg, and let the ashes be carried +by the wind. Then we will come to help you." + +When Juan had again gone a long distance from the hill, he saw the sky +full of birds flying around and looking for food. Again the horse told +Juan to ask for food from the handkerchief; so that they might feed the +birds, and not be killed by them and eaten. Juan did so, and gave the +birds all they wanted to eat. Then the king of the birds, the eagle, +flew up to Juan, and said, "To repay you for your kindness, I will +give you some feathers from my wings. Any time you want aid from us, +just burn some of the feathers, and let the ashes be carried by the +wind. Then we will come to you." Juan thanked the bird, and put the +feathers in his pocket where he kept the leg of the ant. + +Then he continued his journey. When they came near the palace of +Doña Maria, the horse told Juan to hide, and said that he alone +would enter her garden; but before he should hide, Juan should ask +his handkerchief for a complete equipment of saddle and bridle, so +that the horse could be mounted by a lady. Juan did so, hid himself, +and the horse wandered into the garden of Doña Maria. When the princess +saw the horse, she became very angry, and said, "Who is the one who is +so bold as to let his horse enter my garden?" She looked all about, +but could see no one: so she said to herself, "I will mount this +horse and find out who its owner is." She mounted the horse, which +immediately ran to the place where Juan was hiding, and told him to +get up on its back. Then the horse carried them swiftly back to the +small house of Juan. When he reached home, Juan sent word to the king +that the princess Doña Maria was in his home. The king, accompanied +by all his retinue, went in great state to Juan's house, made over to +him one-half of his dominion, and took Doña Maria back to his palace. + +Now, Doña Maria was very beautiful, and the king fell deeply in love +with her. When he was alone with her in the palace, he began to court +her. He asked her to be his wife; but Doña Maria said, "Only the one +who can do what I wish him to do shall be my husband. I will mix one +hundred cavans of husked rice with one hundred cavans of unhusked +rice (palay). He who in one night can separate the two kinds of rice, +and also bring my palace here to your kingdom, shall be married to +me." The king said that no one could accomplish those things; but +Doña Maria told him that there was one who could accomplish the tasks, +and that was Juan. + +The king then sent for Juan, and said to him, "Juan, here are one +hundred cavans of husked rice mixed with one hundred cavans of unhusked +rice. To-night you must separate the grain into two piles, and also +transport the palace of Doña Maria to my kingdom. If you have not +done both by to-morrow morning, you shall lose your head." Juan went +away very sad toward the mountain. As he was walking along, he met +the thin horse which had helped him before. The horse said to him, +"Why are you so sad, Juan?" Juan told the horse what the king had +ordered him to do. Then the horse said, "Don't be sad, Juan! you can +accomplish both those difficult tasks. Don't you remember the leg +of the ant and the feathers of the eagle which were given to you, +and the promise of the ant and eagle?" So Juan took the ant's leg +and the feathers from his pocket, burned them, and threw the ashes +into the air. In a short time thousands of birds and ants came to him +and asked him what he wanted. Then Juan said, "I want the palace of +Doña Maria brought here before daybreak, and the two hundred cavans +of mixed rice separated." When they heard Juan's order, the birds +flew to the mountain to get the palace, and the ants hastened to the +king's grounds to separate the unhusked from the husked rice. + +By morning both tasks were completed: so Juan was married to Doña +Maria, for she would have no other husband. + + +Notes. + +Although this story is clearly derived from the Tagalog romance of the +"Life of King Asuero," nevertheless it is also told as a folk-tale, +and for that reason I have included it in this collection. As has been +intimated already so many times, it is often hard to draw the line +between folk-tales and literary tales, especially when the latter are +widely told and read. Since our object in this collection is to present +to Occidental readers a comprehensive account of what is in Philippine +popular literature, it has seemed unwise to exclude this story. + +The full title of the romance is "The Story and Life of King Asuero, +Doña Maria, and Juan the Poor, in the City of Jerusalem." My copy +is dated 1905; Retana (No. 4192) mentions an edition between the +years 1860 and 1898. In outline the folk-tale differs little from +the romance, hence it is unnecessary to give a detailed summary of +the printed version. The more important variations might be noted, +however. The romance opens thus:-- + +Once there lived an old man whose name was Asuero. He was the king +of Jerusalem. One night he dreamed that he should be dethroned, +and that a poor young countryman would take his place. He awoke and +became sad and thoughtful. Unable to go to sleep again, he climbed a +tower of his palace, and began to look around with a spy-glass. When +he directed his gaze toward a mountain-region beyond the Nile (!), +he saw an enchantress who was looking out of her window. She was +Doña Maria. He was charmed by her beauty, and became restless. At +length he resolved to relate to his council of chiefs what he had +seen, and to ask their advice. Many suggestions were made, and many +objections. Since the king could not be deterred from his purpose +of attempting to get possession of Doña Maria, his chief counsellor +proposed an assembly of all the people of the kingdom, where the king's +desire might be made known. At the assembly the king promised money +to any one who dared to undertake the adventure, and his appointment +as chief counsellor if he were successful. + +The folk-tale and the romance are practically identical, except +that the romance is more detailed, up to the point where the horse +leaves Juan to go to entice Doña Maria from her palace and get her +in its power. + +The horse told Juan that it would go with the golden bit and saddle +and get Doña Maria, while Juan should hide in a bush near by until they +should come back. The horse also told Juan that when it passed by the +bush, he should seize its tail and hold on tight. Then the horse left, +and after a time came to the garden of Doña Maria. When the maiden +saw the animal, she became angry at its owner for letting it into her +garden. After looking about for the rider in vain, she claimed the +horse, and was about to mount it when the animal spoke to her, and told +her to put on a better dress, one which would be more appropriate for +the golden saddle. When she returned, she had on a magnificent gown, +and wore a magic ring. The horse told her that it had been sent by +God to be her faithful steed, and then suggested that she visit the +abode of the eagles. She was very anxious to see this wonderful place, +and agreed to be taken there. Before they set out, the horse asked her +for her magic ring, saying that he would carry it safely for her in +his mouth. She surrendered the ring, and the horse carried her to the +place where Juan was concealed. Juan seized the tail of the horse, and +the animal flew into the air and alighted beyond the sea. Here, by the +magic power of the handkerchief, Juan produced food, a table, and two +chairs at the request of the horse. Six maids served them. The horse +now gave Juan the ring of Doña Maria; and as long as he kept this, +he was sure of keeping the maiden. After eating, Doña Maria asked Juan +why she had been brought there; but Juan, following the advice of the +horse, made no reply. She flattered him and tried to get him to sleep, +but he paid no attention to her. At length the horse told them that +they must resume their journey. The horse travelled rapidly, and soon +reached the royal palace; but the gates were closed, for it was then +about midnight. So the riders decided to spend the rest of the night +at Juan's house. There the old mother received them all gladly. When +the saddle and bit had been taken from the horse, the animal said +that it would return the following morning and carry Juan to the +palace. It further warned Juan not to sleep if he valued his life .... + + +The romance closes with the inevitable war with the Moors, and the +rescue of the kingdom from the hands of the Pagans by the invincible +Juan. + +The exact source of this romance I am unable to point to; but without +question it is Occidental, I believe. + + + +TALE 47 + +THE FATE OF AN ENVIOUS WOMAN. + + +Narrated by Vicente M. Hilario, a Tagalog from Batangas, Batangas. He +was told the story by his gardener. + + +There lived once upon a time a young couple of the middle class. The +man was a reckless scapegrace and spendthrift; but the woman was a +pious, faithful, and virtuous housewife. Juan was the husband's name; +Maria, the wife's. One of the worst things about Juan was that he +spent on another woman the greater part of the money which Maria +could with difficulty scrape together. This other woman's name was +Flora. It is true that she surpassed Maria in personal charm, but in +real worth Flora was greatly Maria's inferior. Hence we should not +wonder at the fact that Maria soon grew distasteful to her husband, +and that after a year of married life he should seek to be entertained +by a more beautiful woman. He spent most of his time in listless +indolence by the side of Flora, returning home only to get his meals, +which Maria prepared with the greatest care. But her efforts were all +to no purpose. In vain did Maria array herself in her best clothes, +and scent herself with the most delicate perfumes: her face remained +pitted with small-pox scars, as before. + +Years came and passed, and Juan became more and more harsh to his +wife. At last Maria sought the aid of St. Vicente Ferrer. She knelt +before the image, and asked the saint to rescue her husband from the +pit into which he had fallen. Her prayers were soon answered. The +image became animated. It touched her face several times, and in a few +seconds Maria was converted into an extraordinary beauty. Her once +rough skin was now smooth and velvety. She then went to the window +to await her husband's return. When he arrived an hour later, he was +at first unwilling to come up into the house, for he did not believe +that the beautiful woman was his wife; but at last she disclosed her +true self to him. A great change now came over Juan. The once despised +wife now began to enjoy the caresses of her husband, who pressed her +close to his heart. + +Days elapsed, and Flora began to get uneasy at her home. She +wondered why Juan did not come to see her. At length she went to +his house. After asking Maria how she had acquired her beauty, Flora +decided to try her fortune also. She too knelt before the image of +St. Vicente Ferrer. But, alas! instead of becoming as white and as +beautiful as the women of a Turkish harem, she became as black and as +ugly as the mistress of a Kaffir household. Her once delicate lips +became thick and coarse, and her nose became as long as a monkey's +tail. Filled with shame at her appearance, and with a consciousness +of her own guilt, she went home, where she pined away and died. + +The once homely Maria, whose home had rung with laughter by the taunt +and ridicule of those who made fun of her ugliness, [94] now graced her +house with sweet smiles and engaging features, which drew scores of +visitors to her home. Juan confessed his sins, and underwent penance +for his wickedness; and the two lived together in peace and happiness +the rest of their lives. + + +Notes. + +A Visayan variant, "The Two Wives and the Witch," may be found in +JAFL 19 : 105. In the southern version "Juan puts away his first, +plain-looking wife, and takes another, handsomer one. The first +wife, weeping by a well, is transformed by a witch into a beautiful +woman. She wins her husband's affections back again. The second wife, +deserted in turn, weeps by the well, and is transformed by the witch +into such a hideous old hag, that, when she looks at herself in +the glass and sees her ugliness, she refuses to eat, and in a few +days dies." + +In a broad way this story and ours belong to the "Toads and +Diamonds" group (see Grimm, No. 13 ["The Three Little Men in the +Wood"] and No. 24 ["Mother Holle"]; and Bolte-Polívka's notes to +the two stories). In these groups, however, the two young women +are sisters,--one bad, and the other good. About all there is in +common between the norm of the "Toads and Diamonds" cycle and our +tales is the situation of the plain-looking but faithful, unselfish, +good-hearted woman being granted by some supernatural creature wealth +and beauty; while the handsome but selfish and wicked woman, envious +of her rival's good luck, becomes loathsome and miserable when she +asks a boon from the same supernatural source. + +The only other member of this group that narrates the story of +two wives instead of two sisters is Lal Behari Day's No. 22. This +Bengal tale, it appears to me, is related both to our stories and to +those of the "Mother Holle" group, thus linking ours with the latter +also. Following is Cosquin's summary of Day's story (2 : 123):-- + +A man had two wives,--one young, and one old. The latter was treated by +the other as if she were a slave. One day her rival, in a fit of anger, +snatched from the old woman's head the one tuft of hair she had, and +drove her from the door. The old woman went into the forest. Passing +by a cotton-tree, she saw that the ground round about the tree needed +sweeping, and she swept it. The tree, much pleased, showered its +blessings on her. She did the same thing for other trees--a banana +and a tulasi--and also for a bull, whose stall she swept out. All +blessed her. She arrived next at the hut of a venerable mouni (a +kind of ascetic), and she told him of her misery. The mouni told her +to go plunge herself once, but only once, in a certain pool. She +obeyed, and came up out of the water with the most beautiful hair +in the world, and altogether rejuvenated. The mouni next told her +to enter his hut and to select from among many willow baskets that +which pleased her. The woman took one very simple in appearance. The +mouni bade her open it: it was filled with gold and precious stones, +and was never empty. On her way back home she passed in front of the +tulasi. The tree said to her, "Go home in peace! your husband will +love you to madness." Next the bull gave her some shell ornaments +which were about its horns, and told her to place them on her wrists: +if she would but shake them, she would have all the ornaments she could +wish. The banana-tree gave her one of its large leaves, which filled +itself of its own accord with excellent dishes. And, last of all, +the cotton-tree gave her one of its branches, which would give her, +if she shook it, every kind of beautiful garment. When she returned +to the house, the other wife could hardly believe her eyes. Having +learned of the old woman's adventures, she too went into the forest: +but she passed by the trees and the bull without stopping. And instead +of dipping herself only once in the pool, as the mouni told her to do, +she plunged in a second time, hoping to become even more beautiful; +and so she came out of the water as ugly as before. The mouni did +not give her any present, either; and thenceforth, disdained by her +husband, she finished her life as a servant in his house. + + +It is unsafe to attempt to trace a story with only three examples +as data: but it appears to me not unreasonable to suppose that our +Tagalog story is a refined, pious, Christianized modernization of the +Visayan form represented by "The Two Wives and the Witch;" and that +the Visayan form, in turn, goes back to some Indian or Malayan moral +tale of two wives, rivals for the affection of their husband. The +Bengali tale can hardly be the direct source of our Visayan form, +but it appears to be fairly closely related to that source. + + + +TALE 48 + +THE MONKEY AND JUAN PUSONG TAMBI-TAMBI. + + +Narrated by Encarnacion Gonzaga, a Visayan from Jaro, Iloilo. She says +that she has often heard this story; that it was very popular among +the "inhabitants of yesterday;" and that even now many are fond of it. + + +Tiring-tirang was a barrio in the town of Tang-tang, situated at +the foot of a hill which was called "La Campana" because of its +shape. Around the hill, about a mile from the barrio, flowed the +Malogo River, in which the people of the town used to bathe. It +so happened that one time an epidemic broke out in the community, +killing off all the inhabitants except one couple. This couple had +an only son named Juan Pusong Tambi-tambi. + +When Juan had reached his twelfth year, his father died: consequently +the boy had to go to work to earn money for the support of himself +and his mother. At first Juan followed the occupation of his father, +that of fisherman; but, seeing that he made little money from this, +he decided to become a farmer. His mother had now reached the age of +seventy (!), and was often sick. Juan frequently had to neglect his +farm in order to take care of her. + +One day Juan went to Pit-pit to buy medicine for his mother. On his +way to the town he saw a flock of crows eating up his corn. He paid +no attention to the birds; but on his way back, when he saw these +same birds still eating his corn, he became angry. He picked up a +stone about the size of his fist, and crept into a bush near by. He +had hardly hidden himself when the birds heard a rustling, and began +to fly off. Juan jumped up, and hurled his stone with such accuracy +and force that one of the crows fell dead to the ground. He tied +the dead crow to a bamboo pole, and planted it in the middle of his +cornfield. No sooner was he out of sight than the crows flew back to +the field again; but when they saw their dead companion, they flew off, +and never troubled Juan again. + +For six months Juan had no trouble from birds. He did not know, +however, that not far from his field there was a monkey (chongo) +living in a large tree. This monkey used to come to his field every +day and steal two or three ears of corn. One day, as Juan was walking +across his field, he saw many dead cornstalks. He said to himself, +"I wonder who it is that comes here and steals my corn! I am no longer +troubled by birds; and yet I find here many husks." He went home and +made an image of a crooked old man like himself. This he covered with +sticky wax. He placed it in the middle of the field. + +The next morning, when the sun was shining very brightly, the monkey +felt hungry, so he ran towards the field to steal some corn to +eat. There he saw the statue. Thinking that it was Juan, he decided +to ask permission before he took any corn. "Good-morning, Juan!" said +the monkey in a courteous tone; but the image made no reply. "You +are too proud to bend your neck, Juan," continued the monkey. "I have +only come to ask you for three or four ears of corn. I have not eaten +since yesterday, you know; and if you deny me this request, I shall +die before morning." The waxen statue still stood motionless. "Do you +hear me, Juan?" said the monkey impatiently. Still the statue made +no reply. "Since you are too proud to answer me, I will soon give you +some presents. Look out!" he cried, and with his right paw he slapped +the statue which he thought was Juan; but his paw stuck to the wax, +and he could not get free. "Let my hand loose!" the monkey shouted, +"or you will get another present." Then he slapped the statue with his +left paw, and, as before, stuck fast. "You are foolish, Juan. If you +do not let me go this very moment, I'll kick you." He did so, first +with one foot, and then with the other. At last he could no longer +move, and he began to curse the statue. Juan, who had been hiding +in a bush near by, now presented himself, and said to the monkey, +"Now I have caught you, you thief!" He would have killed the monkey +at once, had not the monkey begged for mercy, and promised that he +would at some future time repay him for his kindness if he would only +spare his life. So Juan set the monkey free. + +It was now the month of April. The monkey, impatient to fulfil his word +to Juan, went one day to the field, and there he found Juan hard at +work. "Good-morning, Master Juan!" he cried. "I see that you are busy." + +"Busy indeed!" replied Juan. + +"Master Juan, do you want to marry the king's daughter? If you do, +I'll arrange everything for you," said the monkey. + +Juan replied, "Yes," little thinking that what the monkey promised +could be true. + +The monkey scampered off towards the market. When he entered the +market, he saw a boy counting his money. The monkey pretended to be +looking in the other direction, but walked towards the boy. When he +saw that the money was fairly within his reach, he seized it and ran +back to Juan. After telling his master what he had done, the monkey +went to the king's palace, and said, "Sir, my master, Juan, wants +to borrow your ganta, for he desires to measure his money." The king +gave him the ganta. In three days the monkey appeared at the palace +again to return the measure, in the bottom of which he stuck three +centavos. "My master, Juan, thanks you for your kindness," said the +monkey. The monkey was about to leave the room when the king perceived +the three centavos sticking to the bottom of the measure. + +"Here, monkey, here are your three cents!" said the king. "Oh, oh, +oh, oh, oh!" answered the monkey, laughing, "my master cares not for +three cents. He has too much money. He is very, very rich." The king +was much surprised to hear that there was a man richer than himself. + +Two weeks later the monkey returned to the palace again, and said, +"Pray, king, my master, Juan, desires to borrow your ganta again. He +wants to finish measuring his money." + +The king was filled with curiosity; and he said, "I'll let you borrow +the ganta, monkey, but you must tell me first who is this Juan whom +you call your master." + +"My master, Juan," replied the monkey, "is the richest man in the +world." + +Before giving the measure to the monkey, the king went to his room +and stuck four pieces of gold on the four corners of the ganta. "I'll +find out who is the richer, Juan or I," he said to himself. The monkey +took the measure, and left the hall with a polite bow. + +As he was walking towards Juan's farm, the monkey noticed the four +pieces of gold sticking to the corners of the ganta. He knew that they +had been artfully placed there by the king himself. Two weeks later +he went back to the palace to return the measure, not forgetting to +stick a gold dollar on each corner. "Good-afternoon, king!" said he, +"my master, Juan, returns you your ganta with a thousand thanks." + +"Very well," replied the king; "but tell me all about this master +of yours who measures his money. I am a king; still I only count +my money." + +The monkey remained silent. Not receiving a prompt reply, the king +turned to Cabal, one of his lords, and said in a whisper, "Do you +know who this Juan is who measures his money?" + +"I have not heard of him," replied the lord, "except from this monkey +and yourself." + +The king then turned to the monkey, and said, "Monkey, if you don't +tell me who your master is, where he lives, and all about him, I'll +hang you." Doubtless the king was jealous of Juan because of his +great wealth. + +Fearing that he would lose his life, the monkey said to the king, +"My master, Juan, the richest and best man in the world, lives in +the town of XYZ. He goes to church every morning wearing his striped +(tambi-tambi) clothes. This is why he is known among his people as +Juan Pusong Tambi-tambi. If you will just look out of your window +to-morrow morning, you will see him pass by your garden." + +The king's anger was appeased by this explanation. Early the next +morning he was at his window, anxious to get a glimpse of Juan. He had +not been there long when his attention was attracted by the appearance +of a crooked man dressed in striped clothes. "This must be the man whom +the monkey described to me yesterday," he said to himself. Soon his +servant entered the room, and said, "The monkey desires to see you." + +The king left the window and went to where the monkey was waiting for +him. As soon as the monkey saw the king, he bowed politely, and said, +"My master, Juan, sends me to tell you frankly that he loves your +daughter, and that, if it pleases you, he will marry her." At first +the king was angry to hear these words; but, being very desirous to +get more money, he at last consented without even asking his daughter. + +"If my master does not call on you to-day, he will surely come +to-morrow." So saying, the monkey left the palace, and ran about +town, trying to think of some way he might escape the great danger he +was in. It so happened that an old man who was carrying a bundle of +clothes to his son in the mountains passed along the same road where +the monkey was. The sun was very hot, so the old man decided to rest +under a leafy tree. No sooner was he seated there than the cunning +monkey climbed the tree, and shook the branches with such force that +twigs and fruits fell all around the old man. Panic-stricken, he ran +away as fast as his feet would carry him, leaving everything behind +him. When the man was out of sight, the monkey climbed down the tree, +picked up the bundle of clothes, and carried it to Juan. + +"To-morrow, Juan," said the monkey, "you will marry the princess. I'll +arrange everything for you if you will only follow my advice." Half +doubting and half believing, Juan asked the monkey if he really meant +what he said. "What do you think of me?" asked the monkey. + +Without waiting for a reply from Juan, the monkey left the hut, and ran +towards the home of the Burincantadas who lived on the summit of the +hill. As soon as he entered the gate, he began to scoop up the ground +as fast as he could. The Burincantadas, who at that very moment were +looking out of the window, saw the monkey. They rushed downstairs, +and, half frightened, said to him, "What are you trying to do?" + +"Why, our king has been defeated in the war. The enemies have already +taken possession of the crown. The princess is dead, and it is said +that everybody will be killed before tomorrow noon," replied the +monkey, his teeth chattering. "I am resolved to hide myself under +the ground to save my life." + +The three Burincantadas seized him by the arm, and said, "For mercy's +sake, have pity on us! Tell us where we can hide!" They were already +trembling with fear. + +"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! let me loose! The enemy are coming!" On hearing +these words, the Burincantadas all shouted at once, "Tell us where +to hide!" + +"If you will not let me scoop out a hole here, I'll jump into the +well," said the monkey in a hoarse voice. + +As soon as the Burincantadas heard the word "well," they all ran as +fast as they could, following the monkey. "Let me jump first!" said +the monkey. + +"No, let us jump first!" shouted the Burincantadas; and so they +did. The monkey made a motion as if he were going to follow; but, +instead, he lifted up the biggest stone he could find and threw it +down the well. "They are dead," he said to himself, laughing. "Ah, +I have caught you! Ha, ha!" + +The Burincantadas now being dead, the monkey was at leisure to +decide what to do next. He entered their palace, and there he found +everything magnificent. "This is the very place where my master +shall live!" He opened the first room, but there he found nothing +but bones. He closed the door and opened the second, where he found +many prisoners who were waiting to be eaten. He set them all free, +and told them to clean up the palace at once. The prisoners set to +work, not forgetting to thank the monkey for his kindness. Before he +left the palace, he addressed the crowd as follows: "My brothers and +sisters, if any one comes and asks you who your master is, tell him +that he is Don Juan Pusong Tambi-tambi." + +Then he left the crowd of people busy cleaning the palace, and went +to the farm, where he found thousands of horses, cows, and sheep. "My +master is indeed rich," he said to himself. He called the shepherd +who was lying under the tree, and said to him, "Tell your other +companions that, if any one comes and asks whose animals these are, +they must answer that they all belong to Don Juan Pusong. Don Juan +is your master now." + +After seeing that everything was in order, the monkey hastened to +his master, who was still ploughing, and said, "Throw away your +plough. Let's go to the king's palace, for to-night you will be +married to the princess Doña Elena." + +Night came. The palace was splendidly adorned. The princess was +sitting by her father, when Don Juan, dressed in his striped clothes +and accompanied by the monkey, entered the gate of the palace. Soon the +priest came, and the princess was called to the reception-hall. When +she saw her bridegroom, she ran away in despair, and cried to her +father, "Father, how dare you accept as my husband such a base, dirty, +crooked man! Look at him! Why, he is the meanest of the mean." + +But the king replied, "He is rich. If you don't marry him, I'll punish +you very severely." The princess had to obey her father; but, before +giving her hand to Juan Pusong, she said, "O God! let me die." + +When the marriage ceremony was over, the king called the monkey, +and asked, "Where is the couple going to live?" + +"In Don Juan's palace," was the reply of the monkey. + +The king immediately ordered carriages to be gotten ready. Then they +started on their journey. Four hours passed, and still no palace +was to be seen. The king became impatient, and said to the monkey, +"Monkey, if what you have said to me is not true, your head shall +answer for your lie." Hardly had he said these words when he beheld +before him a number of men watching a herd of cattle. "I wonder who +owns these, monkey!" said the king. + +The monkey made some signs, and soon three shepherds came running up +to them. "Good-evening, king!" they said. + +"Good-evening!" replied the king. "Whose cattle are these?" + +"They are all owned by Don Juan Pusong," said the shepherds. + +The king nodded, and said to himself, "He is truly rich." The palace +was now in sight. The king could hardly express his joy on seeing +such a magnificent building. "Why, it is not a palace; it is heaven +itself," he said. + +They were now upstairs. The king, on seeing still more beauties, said, +"I confess, I am not the richest man on earth." Soon he died of joy, +and his body was placed in a golden coffin and buried in the church. + +The couple inherited his dominion; but Queen Elena could not endure +her ugly husband, and two weeks later she died broken-hearted. So +Juan was left as sole ruler of two kingdoms. The monkey became his +chief minister. + +This story shows that a compassionate man oftentimes gets his reward. + + +Andres the Trapper. + +Narrated by Domingo Perez of San Carlos, Pangasinan, who heard the +story from his grandfather, now dead. The story is popular among +the Pangasinanes. + +Once upon a time there lived in a village a poor widow who had an +only son named Andres. They lived in a small hut situated near the +Patacbo forest. When Andres was between twelve and thirteen years old, +his mother died. From now on he lived alone in his mean little hut, +where he had to cook his own food and wash his clothes. + +One morning some boys invited Andres to go to the woods with them to +trap. When they got to the forest, his companions set their traps +in the places where the wild chickens used to feed. Then they went +home. In the afternoon they returned to the woods, where they found +that each trap had caught a wild cock. Now Andres became envious of +his companions: so when he reached home, he took his knife and made +two traps of his own. After he had finished them, he ran to the forest +and set them. Early the next morning he went to the woods to see if he +had caught anything. There he found two wild cocks snared. He took them +home, sold one, and ate the other for his dinner. When he had finished +eating, he made many traps, which he set up that afternoon. From now +on he made his living by trapping, often catching as many as fifteen +birds in a day. From the money he earned he was able to feed himself +and buy clothes. + +One day, after Andres had been a trapper for many years, he went +to the forest, as usual, to see what he had caught. He found that +his traps had been moved, and that in one of them was a big monkey +caught by the leg. As Andres was about to kill the monkey with a big +stick which he picked up, the animal said to him, "My dear Andres, +don't harm me! and I will be your helper by and by." + +Andres was much astonished to hear the monkey talk. He was moved +to pity, and set the animal free. When he started toward his home, +the monkey followed him. From now on they lived together. Soon the +monkey learned how to sell wild chickens in the market. + +Now, in that town there lived a very rich man by the name of Toribio, +who had a daughter named Aning. The people considered Aning the most +beautiful lady in the province. However, none of the young men of +the town courted Aning, for they felt unworthy and ashamed to woo +the richest and most beautiful girl. One fine day the monkey went to +town and sold wild chickens, as usual. On his way home he stopped at +Don Toribio's house. Don Toribio asked what he wanted, and the monkey +said that his master had sent him to borrow their money-measure. + +"Who is your master?" said Don Toribio. + +"Don't you know? Don Andres, a very rich, handsome young gentleman +who lives in the valley of Obong," said the monkey. + +Don Toribio at once lent the ganta-measure to the monkey, who +thanked him and hurried home. Before he returned it to the owner +the next morning, he put a peso, a fifty-centavo piece, a peseta, +and a media-peseta in the cracks of the measure. + +When the monkey handed the ganta back to Don Toribio, the man said, +"Why do you return it? Has your master finished measuring his money?" + +"No, sir!" said the monkey, "we have not finished; but this box is +too small, and it takes us too long to measure with it." + +"Well," said Don Toribio, "we have a bigger one than that; do you +want to borrow it?" + +"Yes, I do, if you will let me keep it till to-morrow," said the +monkey. + +Don Toribio then brought a cavan, which equals about twenty-five +gantas. When the monkey reached home carrying the large measure, +Andres said to him, "Where did you get that box?" The monkey said +that it had been lent to him by the richest man in the town. + +"What did you tell the man that you were going to do with it?" said +Andres. + +"I told him that you wanted to count your money," said the monkey. + +"Ah, me!" said Andres, "what money are you going to count? Don't you +know that we are very poor?" + +"Let me manage things, Andres," said the monkey, "and I promise you +that you shall marry the beautiful daughter of the rich man." + +The following day Andres caught many wild chickens. When the monkey +had sold them all in the market, he went back to their hut, and took +the cavan which he had borrowed. Before returning it to Don Toribio, +he stuck money in the cracks, as he had done to the first measure. + +"Good-morning, Don Toribio!" said the monkey. Don Toribio was sitting +in a chair by the door of his house. + +"Good-morning, monkey! How do you do?" replied the rich man. "Have +you come to return the box?" + +"Yes, sir!" said the monkey, "we have finished. My master sends his +thanks to you." When Don Toribio took the box and saw the money inside, +he told the monkey about it; but the monkey said, "Never mind! we +have plenty more in our house." + +"I am the richest man in town, yet I cannot throw money away like the +master of this fellow," said Don Toribio to himself. "Perhaps he is +even richer than I am." When the monkey was about to take his leave, +the rich man told him to tell his master to come there on the third +day. The monkey said that he would, and thanked Don Toribio for +the invitation. + +On his way home, the monkey stopped at the market to buy a pair of +shoes, some ready-made clothes, and a hat for Andres. He took these +things home to his master, and in three days had taught Andres how to +walk easily with shoes on, how to speak elegantly, how to eat with a +spoon and fork and knife, and how to tell Don Toribio that he wanted +to marry his daughter. + +When the time came, Andres and the monkey set out for the town. They +were welcomed by Don Toribio and his daughter Aning. After a short +talk, Andres spoke of his purpose in coming there. He said that he +wanted to marry Don Toribio's daughter. Don Toribio gladly accepted the +offer, and said that the wedding would be held the next morning. Hasty +preparations were made for the ceremony. In the morning a priest +came, and Andres and Aning were married. Many guests were present, +and everybody had a good time. + +A few years later Don Toribio died, and Andres inherited all his +wealth. He then became a very rich man. + + +Notes. + +Two other Philippine variants of the "Puss in Boots" cycle have been +printed,--one Visayan, "Masoy and the Ape" (JAFL 20 : 311-314); +and the other Tagalog, "Juan and the Monkey" (ibid., 108-109). It +would thus appear, not only from the fact of its wide distribution, +but also from the testimony of the recorders of the stories, that +the tale is fairly well known and popular throughout the Archipelago. + +The most complete bibliography of this cycle is Bolte-Polívka's notes +on Grimm, No. 33 (a), "Puss in Boots" (Anmerkungen, I : 325-334). See +also Köhler's notes to Gonzenbach, No. 65, "Vom Conte Piro" (2 : +242 f.); Macculloch, ch. VIII (p. 225 f.); W. R. S. Ralston in the +"Nineteenth Century" (13 [1883] : 88-104). The oldest known version +of the story is Straparola's (XI, i), which is translated in full by +Crane (pp. 348-350). The second oldest is also Italian, by Basile (2 : +iv); the third, French, Perrault's "Le Chat Botté." In all three the +helpful animal is a cat, as it is without exception in the German, +Scandinavian, English, and French forms. In the Italian the animal is +usually a cat, though the fox takes its place in a number of Sicilian +tales. In the Greek, Roumanian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Russian, and in +general all East European forms, the helpful animal is regularly the +fox, as it is also in the examples collected from Siberia, Kurdestan, +Daghestan, and Mongolia. In the four Indian variants known, the animal +is a jackal; in the four from the Philippines, a monkey. In a Swahili +tale (Steere, p. 13) it is a gazelle. It is not hard to see how, +through a process of transmission, jackal, fox, and cat might become +interchanged; but where the Philippine monkey, consistently used in +all versions, came from, is more difficult to explain; so the Swahili +gazelle. I have, however, attempted an explanation below. + +An examination of the four members of the Philippine group reveals some +striking family resemblances: (1) The motive of the monkey's gratitude +is the same in all the stories: the thieving animal is caught in some +sort of trap, and promises to serve the hero for life if he will only +spare it. The animal is true to its word. (2) In all the stories occurs +the incident of the borrowed measure returned with coins sticking +to it. (3) In all the versions occurs the marriage of the poor hero +with the chief's daughter, brought about by the ingenious monkey. (4) +In three of the versions (all except the Pangasinan) we have as the +final episode the destruction of a powerful witch or demon, and the +winning of all its fortune by the monkey for the hero. In the Hindoo +variants we find that the motive of the jackal's gratitude agrees +with the motive in our versions. In other respects they differ (with +the exception of the marriage, which is found in nearly all members +of the "Puss in Boots" cycle): the Hindoo tales lack the incidents +of the borrowed measure and the destruction of the demon. So far as +the opening is concerned, then, our variants and the Indian belong +to the same family. The separation, however, must have taken place +ages ago; for in India the animal is consistently a jackal, and in the +Philippines a monkey. The only other form that I know of in which the +animal is a monkey is the Arabian, in the "1001 Nights," "Aboo Mohammed +the Lazy;" but here the helpful ape later turns out to be a malicious +demon, who treacherously abducts the hero's beautiful wife. At last, +through the aid of a friendly jinnee, the hero recovers her, captures +the ape, and encloses it forever in a bottle of brass. He then gains +possession of all the demon's enormous wealth. It is difficult to +see any immediate connection between the Arabian version and ours. + +Our two Visayan forms are of particular interest in that they make +use of the "Tar Baby" device to catch the monkey. If Joseph Jacobs +is correct in tracing this incident to the Buddhist birth-story, the +"Pancavudha-jataka," No. 55 (see Indian Fairy Tales, pp. 305 ff.), +the Philippines may easily have derived it directly from India along +with other Buddhistic fables (e.g., "The Monkey and the Crocodile," +No. 56, below). Indeed, Batten's ingenious explanation that the Brer +Rabbit of Negro lore is a reminiscence of an incarnation of Buddha +may be applied equally well to the monkey in our Visayan tales, +for the monkey is a much more common form for the Bodhisatta than +is the hare. In the five hundred and forty-seven Jatakas, Buddha +is born as a hare only once; whereas in eleven separate stories he +appears as a monkey,--oftener, indeed, than as any other animal (lion, +ten times; stag, nine; elephant, seven). This same explanation (viz., +that "Puss in Boots" is the Bodhisatta) would account for the gazelle +(deer) in the Swahili tale. The extreme cleverness of the Bodhisatta +in most of his animal manifestations might easily have suggested the +"Puss in Boots" cycle. Another point worth noticing in connection +with this theory is the consistent faithfulness of the animal. The +ingratitude of the human hero, which is found even in some of the +Occidental versions, and the gratitude of the animal, form a favorite +Buddhistic contrast. Altogether it appears to me wholly reasonable to +derive not only the "Tar Baby" incident, but also the whole "Puss in +Boots" cycle, from Buddhistic lore. For the appearance of both in the +Philippines we do not need to go to Europe as a source. The "Tar Baby" +device to catch a thieving jackal is found in a Santal story, "The +Jackal and the Chickens" (Bompas, No. CXII). See also two South African +tales in Honeÿ,--"The Story of a Dam" (p. 73), and "Rabbit's Triumph" +(p. 79). For other references, see Dähnhardt, 4 : 26-43 (ch. 2). + +There is a connection, however, between some of the Occidental +versions and three of ours,--the incident of the destruction of +the demon. This detail, as I have pointed out, is hinted at in the +"1001 Nights" version. [95] In spite of the fact that it exists in +a number of the oldest European literary forms of the story and is +not found in modern Indian folk-tales, I believe that this incident +is of Oriental origin. In Straparola it has been rationalized, so +to speak. A significant version intermediary between the Orient and +Occident in this respect, as well as geographically, is the Mongolian +tale of "Boroltai Ku" (FLJ 4 : 32 f):-- + +This story has the Oriental opening: the animal is a fox, which the +hero digs out of its hole and spares. Through its cleverness the +fox brings about the marriage of Boroltai Ku, the man who spared +its life, with the daughter of Gurbushtên Khan. After the wedding +the khan sends the new couple back to their home, and with them an +official attendant. On the return journey the fox runs on ahead, and +requests every herdsman it meets to say, if he is asked whose cattle +he is tending, "It is the cattle of Boroltai Ku, the rich khan." At +last the fox comes to the tent of Khan Manguis, and groans. "What's +the matter?" says the khan. "A storm is coming," says the fox. "That +is a misfortune for me too," says the khan. "How so? You can order a +hole ten fathoms deep to be dug, and can hide in it," says the fox. So +done. Boroltai Ku and his party now appear, and he occupies the khan's +tent as if it were his own. The fox assures the official attendant +that the tent is Boroltai Ku's, but that it has one defect. "What is +that?"--"Under the tent lives a demon. Won't you bring down lightning +to slay him?" The attendant brings down lightning and slays Khan +Manguis, who is sitting in the hole. Boroltai Ku becomes khan, +and takes all the possessions, cattle, and people of Khan Manguis, +and goes to live near his father-in-law. + + +In this story, it will be noticed, the animal's ruse is the same as +ours,--it persuades the rich khan (demons in ours) to hide himself +in a pit. There he is subsequently killed. + +The borrowed measure returned with coins sticking to it has already +been met with in No. 20 (c). The incident occurs elsewhere in Filipino +drolls. It is curious to find it so consistently a part of the Filipino +"Puss in Boots" stories. + +In conclusion may be noted the fact that in "Andres the Trapper" +the monkey's solicitude over the appearance his master will make at +the rich man's house has a parallel in the jackal's similar concern +in the Santal story:-- + +Before the wedding-feast, the jackal gave Jogeswhar some hints as to +his behavior. He warned him that three or four kinds of meats and +vegetables would be handed round with the rice, and bade him to be +sure to help himself from each dish; and when betel-nut was handed +to him after the feast, he was not to take any until he had a handful +of money given him; by such behavior he would lead every one to think +he was really a prince.--BOMPAS, p. 175. + +In Dracott's story the human hero is a weaver also, as in the +Santal. His last exploit has been borrowed from another Indian tale +not connected with our group, "Valiant Vicky the Weaver" (Steel-Temple, +p. 80; cf. Kingscote, No. IX). + + + +TALE 49 + +JUAN THE FOOL. + + +This story was narrated by Remedios Mendoza of Manila, but the story +itself comes from the Tagalog province of Bulakan. + +(NARRATOR'S NOTE.--This story was told to me by a student. He said +that he first heard it in one of the informal gatherings which are +very common in Bocawe, Bulakan, during the hot season. The young men +often assemble at a little shop kept by a young woman, and there the +story-teller of the barrio tells stories. This story of Juan was told +at one of these gatherings by an old man about fifty years old.) + + +Juan is twenty years old. At this age he begins to become famous in his +little barrio. He is short in stature. His eyes are neither bright nor +dull: they are very black, and slowly roll in their sockets. His mouth +is narrow. He has a double chin, and a short flat nose. His forehead +is broad, and his lips are thick. His hair is black and straight. His +body is round like a pumpkin, and his legs are short. He seems to be +always tired. In spite of all these physical peculiarities, however, +he is invited to every bayluhan and katapusan, [96] because he is +sure to bring with him laughter and merriment. + +Juan lives in a poor barrio, which consists of a few poor nipa +huts. It has a small chapel of stone, with a turret and bells. In +the courtyard in front of the chapel is erected a cross. A few nipa +cottages are scattered along the lonely streets of the barrio. There +is a rivulet just outside the village. Its course is hidden and lost +in a thick forest which extends to the foot of a mountain. + +At the time the story opens Juan is eating his breakfast with his +mother. She is an old widow, whose sole ambition is to establish +Juan in a good social position. She is constantly advising her +son, when there is any occasion to preach, to be on the lookout +for a virtuous wife. She tells him that, since she is an old and +experienced woman, he must follow her advice. Her advice is that a +good wife is always quiet and tongue-tied, and does not go noisily +about the house. As Juan is an obedient son, he soon determines to get +him a good wife. After a short time Juan comes home to his mother, +and says to her, "Mother, I have found the girl you will like,--the +one who shall be my wife. She is speechless and motionless. Her eyes +are staring in just one place. Though I have watched her closely for +about twelve hours, I have not observed the slightest motion in her +lips and eyelids. She remained quiet in her bed, although there were +many noisy people in the house." + +"And is that all?" says his mother. + +"No, mother," says Juan, "her hands were very cold. She was deaf, +and she did not answer me. This fact makes her all the lovelier, +and I am sure you will like her. There is only one thing you did not +tell me, however." + +"I think," says the mother, "that I advised you well." + +"Yes, I think so too," says Juan. "The girl had a stinking waxy-like +odor." + +"O Juan!" exclaims his mother, "I already suspected from your long +description that you followed my instructions too literally. The girl +you found is a dead one. Now, remember: those who stink are dead." + +"Thanks, mother," says Juan quietly, "I will never forget that." + +A few days later, when Juan and his mother are eating their breakfast, +Juan smells a stinking odor. He looks around the little room. As +he does not see any one else there, he thinks that his mother is +dead. Then, when his mother is taking her siesta, Juan says to himself, +"Surely mother is dead." He goes out quietly and digs a grave for +her. Then he buries her in it, and mourns for her nine days. Now Juan +is alone in the world. + +One morning, when Juan is eating his breakfast by himself, he smells +again a stinking odor. He looks around, and, as he does not see +any one, he thinks that he himself is dead. There is nobody to bury +him. So he goes to the river, takes five or six banana-trunks, and +makes a raft of them. He lies down on the raft, and lets the current +of the river carry him away. In three hours the current has carried +him into the woods. While he is floating through the forest, all of +a sudden he is called in a fierce voice by some one on shore. This +man was the captain of a band of robbers. Juan does not stir in his +place. The second shout is accompanied by a terrible oath. Juan opens +his eyes. He sadly looks at the robbers, and tells them that he is +a dead man. The robbers laugh; but when Juan insists on remaining on +the river, the captain frightens Juan, and says that he will shoot if +he does not get up. As Juan does not care for the taste of bullets, +he goes to the bank of the river, still thinking that he is a walking +dead body. + +Juan goes with the robbers into the woods. Their house is in a deserted +spot. The captain appoints Juan their housekeeper. He tells him to +cook rice, but orders him to keep very still and quiet, for they may +be caught by the Spanish soldiers (cazadores). Then the robbers go +out on an expedition, and Juan is left alone in the house. He shuts +the windows, and everything is quiet and undisturbed. He even tries to +control his breathing for fear of the noise it may make. He cautiously +takes an earthen pot and puts rice and water into it. Then he places +the pot on the fire, and sits down near it. Everything is silent. But +suddenly a murmuring sound seems to come from the pot. (The water +is beginning to boil.) Soon the sound seems to be very loud. Juan +thinks that the pot is saying, "Buluk ka." This expression means, +"You are decayed." So Juan gets very angry. He whispers to the pot +to stop; but the pot does not seem to hear him, for the murmuring +sound becomes louder and louder. At last Juan is so exasperated, +that he takes a piece of bamboo-bellows (ihip) and gives the pot a +fatal blow. This puts an end to the pot, the rice, and the flames. + +At noon the hungry robbers come home. They find Juan almost breathless +in the darkest corner of the house, the pot broken, and the rice +scattered over the floor. They ask Juan what is the matter. Juan +says that the naughty pot was making too much noise, and was mocking +him; and, as the captain bade him be careful about making a noise, +he struck the pot and broke it into pieces. The captain cannot help +smiling at Juan's foolishness, and he tells Juan to prepare a lunch +with anything he can find in the house. + +The next day comes, and all the food is eaten. The captain gives Juan +some money, and tells him to go to the market to buy some earthen pots +and some crabs. When Juan reaches the barrio, he buys all the crabs +he can find, and about two dozen large earthen pots. He next finds +out that the pots are too bulky for him to carry, although they are +not heavy. At last he thinks of a good way to carry them. He has the +pots carried to one corner of the market, where he buys a long piece +of rattan. He sharpens one end of the rattan and passes it through +the bottoms of all the pots, so that they are now very easy to be +carried. He slings them over his shoulder, and starts for home with +the pots and the crabs. Soon he comes to a large, wide river with a +very strong current. He sits down on the bank and wonders what is to +be done. He remembers that crabs are good swimmers, so he decides to +untie them and let them swim to the other side of the river. As he +unties the crabs, he says, "Now, crabs, we have to cross this broad +river. I know that you are good swimmers. I am a slow swimmer myself, +and especially with these pots to carry. Please swim to the other +side of the river as quickly as you can, for I cannot carry you. If +you reach the other side before I do, you may go straight home, or +wait for me." With this warning, he releases the crabs one by one +so that they may go in a straight line. He is very glad to see them +swim so fast. Then with the help of a piece of bamboo, and after a +long struggle, he himself reaches the opposite shore. He looks around +for the crabs; but, seeing none, he says to himself, "Perhaps they +have become tired of waiting for me and have gone straight home, as +I ordered them to do. What a surprise for the captain!" Juan is very +glad at the decision of the crabs, and he sets out for the robbers' +house, always hoping to overtake the rear of the long procession of +crabs. He soon reaches home. He asks the robbers if the crabs have +arrived. When Juan finds out that not one of the naughty crabs obeyed +him, he blames himself for his quiet nature, and swears that he will +never trust a crab again. The captain asks him about the pots. Juan +tells him that they are all safe, and that the captain must thank him +for his wit in solving the problem of how to carry two dozen large +pots at the same time. All the robbers are eager to see what Juan's +scheme was. When they find out what Juan has done, and see the holes +in the bottom of all the pots, they cannot help laughing. The captain, +however, addresses Juan with all the epithets found in a common slang +dictionary. The captain now decides never to let Juan stay in the house +alone, and from that time on takes him with them on their expeditions. + +Several days later the captain calls Juan one night, and tells him +to get ready, for they are going to rob a certain house. They go +through the forest, and soon come to a clearing, in the middle of +which stands a large nipa house. While they are still in the thicket, +the captain calls Juan to him, and says, "Juan, go into the silong +[97] of the house, and see if the people are awake. Now, remember, +if you feel something hot, it is a man; but if it is cold, it is a +bolo. Do you understand?" Juan answers, "Yes," and obediently goes +to the house, repeating to himself the orders of the captain. He +cautiously goes under the house, and looks around. After a while +something hot falls on his back. He quickly runs away, and begins +to cry, "Tao, tao!" ("Man, man!") All the robbers get frightened, +so they run away too. After a few minutes they come together. Seeing +that they are not pursued, the captain calls Juan, and says to him, +"Juan, why did you fool us? Nobody is pursuing us." + +"Well," says Juan, "I followed your orders. You said that if I felt +something hot, it was a man; but if cold, it was a bolo. I went into +the silong. I looked up. There was a faint light, and I saw a large +mat outlined on the floor. As I was looking at it, a hot thing fell +on my back. Then I ran away to warn you." + +"Let us see," says the captain impatiently, "what tao that is which has +fallen on your back." One of the robbers lights a match. The robbers +examine Juan's back, and they see only a little lizard clinging to his +worn-out camisa (loose, thin cotton coat). [98] Some of the robbers +get angry, and some laugh at Juan's foolishness. The captain tells +Juan that he may go away, for he is not worth anything. He also tells +Juan not to tell anybody that he has been with them, for, if he does, +they will kill him. + +Juan leaves the band of robbers, and decides to live up in a tree, +because he is all alone, he says. He takes a low bamboo table and +goes up into a very large mango-tree. He chooses a well-hidden place, +and there he ties his table firmly to the branches. He spends the day +in the neighboring towns looking for food, but at night he comes back +to the tree and sleeps there. + +Early one morning Juan wakes up and hears faint whispers. He looks +down, and sees two men talking very earnestly together. One is carrying +a bag of money. Juan loosens his table and lets it fall on the men. It +makes a loud crash, and they run away. Juan quickly climbs down the +tree and makes off with the bag of money. He now decides to live in +town. After he has found a barrio that suits him, he buys a house, a +carabao, and a cart. He lives peacefully in his new house. Sometimes +he works; but he spends most of his time sleeping, for he is a very +lazy fellow. + +One morning the capitan of the town sends a town crier around to +announce an order to the people. The town crier says, "The capitan +orders you all to sprinkle with water the street in front of your +houses." Juan takes a small cocoanut-shell full of water, and goes +out and sprinkles the street. In the afternoon the capitan of the +town goes about the streets to see if the people have obeyed his +orders. He sees that everybody has obeyed him except Juan. He goes +to Juan's house, and asks him why he has not sprinkled the street; +and Juan tells him what he has done. The capitan then tells him that +he must use much water. As soon as the capitan has left, Juan begins +to pour buckets of water on the street. But when the water all flows +away, Juan thinks that his irrigation is not good enough: so he takes +his cart and carabao, and with their help he digs a large ditch. All +night long Juan works filling the ditch with water. The next morning, +when the capitan sees the ditch, he becomes very angry, and summons +Juan. Juan excuses himself by saying that the laws of the town are +not stated clearly. So the capitan has to let Juan go. + +When Sunday comes, Juan goes to church. In the pulpit the priest tells +the people to put a little cross on their street doors. When Juan +goes home, he takes a piece of tinting (the rib of a cocoanut-leaf) +and makes a little cross about two inches high. When the priest makes +his rounds, he does not see the cross, for it is so small. He asks +Juan where his cross is. Juan shows him; and the priest tells him +to make a large one, for it is too small, and the evil spirits will +not be able to see it. Juan takes his bolo and cuts two long pieces +of bamboo. This time his cross is so large, that the priest cannot +see it, either. The priest becomes so angry at Juan's stupidity, that +he expels him from the town. Juan good-naturedly goes away. He sells +his house, and with his cart and carabao he moves on to another town. + +He settles in a barrio where the soil is red. Here he lives several +weeks, but he is always longing to go back to his old home. He finally +says to himself that he is going there in spite of the anger of the +priest. He fills his cart with red earth, and hitches his carabao to +it. He sits in the middle of his cart, and slowly drives to the town +where he had lived before. As he is driving down the main street +in the afternoon, whom should he meet but the priest himself! The +priest cries, "Juan, so you are here again! Didn't I tell you that you +must never tread the soil of this town again? If you do not go away, +I shall tell the capitan to imprison you." + +"Dear priest," says Juan humbly, "before you accuse me, use your +eyes. I am not treading on your soil. This earth which I have in my +cart is my own." The priest looks in the cart. By this time there are +many people around them, and they too look in the cart. They laugh at +Juan's wit. The priest wants to laugh too; but he controls himself, +for he is afraid that the people will not respect him any more if he +laughs. So he angrily threatens Juan, and tells him to leave the town +instantly. Poor Juan has nothing to do but go. + +He sells his carabao and cart, and spends the money foolishly in +the neighboring villages. Soon Juan is reduced to poverty again, so +he decides to go back to his native town. There he finds everything +changed: the houses are better, and the little chapel is prettier. He +looks for relatives or friends, but he finds only his old grandmother, +who lives by herself in the field. He goes to her and tells her the +history of his family. The old woman recognizes him at last, and +asks him if he is not the Juan who buried his mother. Juan answers, +"Yes," but excuses himself by saying that he only obediently followed +his mother's advice. + +Juan now stays with his grandmother. Her hut, which is very small, +is surrounded by a small garden of vegetables. Juan does nothing but +eat and sleep. He soon develops the bad habit of throwing things out +of the window. His grandmother tells him that he must throw them far +away. One morning the old woman does not find Juan, and he does not +appear until midnight. She asks him where he has been, and he tells +her that he went to the other side of the mountain to throw away a +banana-skin which was left on his plate. She tells him that he does not +need to go so far, that he can throw the banana-skins behind the fence. + +One day early in the morning the old woman leaves Juan in charge +of the house, for she is going to town. She tells him to cook two +small measures (chupas) of rice for her, for perhaps she will be very +hungry when she gets home. Then she goes away quite happy, thinking +that Juan understands her. As soon as she leaves, Juan thinks it is +time to begin to cook. He is surprised to find only one measure in +the earthen jar. He looks for the other one everywhere; but, as he +cannot find it, he thinks his grandmother was mistaken when she told +him to cook two measures of rice. So he takes his bolo, goes outside, +cuts a piece of bamboo, and makes a wooden measure just like the other +one. This takes him a long time; but when he has finished, he fills +the two measures with dry rice, and puts them in the fire. While +the measures are burning, the grandmother arrives. She calls Juan, +and asks him if the rice is ready, for she is very hungry. Juan tells +her that it is quite ready. The old woman sees that it is very bright +in the house, and she fears that it is on fire. Juan says that it is +the two measures burning. When the old woman sees what Juan has done, +she becomes angry. However, she controls herself, and teaches Juan how +to cook rice. Under the supervision of the old woman, Juan takes an +earthen pot, cleans it, and puts rice into it. Then he puts water into +the pot, and finally puts the pot on the fire. The old woman goes to +rest, telling him to watch the rice. After a while she calls to Juan, +and says, + +"Did you cover the pot [tinungtungan mo na ang paliok]?" [99] + +"No, I did not," says Juan. + +"Cover the pot, then [tungtungan mo]!" she cries. + +"That is impossible," says Juan. + +"Why impossible?" cries the old woman. "The rice will have a smoky +taste if you don't." + +"All right," says Juan, getting up. He goes to the fireplace and thinks +for a little while. Then he jumps up to the rafters of the ceiling, +which are but two feet above his head. He goes just above the pot, +adjusts his feet very well, and then lets himself fall. The pot is +broken to pieces. The old woman wakes up at the noise of the crash, +and says, "What is that, Juan? Is the rice cooked?" + +"Why do you ask me that?" says Juan impatiently. "You told me to step +on the pot, and now you ask me if the rice is cooked!" + +She goes out to the kitchen; and when she sees her broken pot, the old +woman becomes truly angry. She drives Juan from the house, telling him +that he cannot live with her any more because he is too troublesome. + +Juan now goes off, and wanders from town to town. Sometimes he is +obliged to work in order to get anything to eat. Finally he comes +to a large town where the people wear shoes and carry umbrellas. He +becomes enchanted with the shoes and umbrellas: so he works hard, and +saves enough money to buy both. But he surprises every one who sees +him; for he carries his shoes dangling at his belt, and his umbrella +closed under his arm. Some of the more curious fellows follow after +him. They see that, although it rains or the sun is very hot, Juan +never opens his umbrella except when he sits to rest under a tree; +and also that he never puts his shoes on when he is on dry land, +but only when he is crossing a river. At last they ask him why he +does such foolish things. Juan says, "Don't you know that there are +many worms and loose branches in a tree? If, for example, a snake +should fall down, well, it would hit my umbrella. As for the shoes, +it is better for one to wear his shoes when he crosses a river, +for there he cannot see the ground." The people leave him alone; +but some persons think he is wise, and imitate his example. + +Juan goes on with his travels. At last he falls in love. He serves +the girl's parents, and becomes their cook. He always keeps the +best parts of the chicken for the girl and himself, and gives only +the bones to the parents. They ask him why he gives them the worst +parts. Juan replies, "I do that because you are our supporters. The +bones, compared with a house, are the foundation and framework." The +parents find Juan's reasoning so good, that they at once marry their +daughter to him. After this Juan is a good and sensible fellow, +and does not do foolish things any more. + + +Notes. + +This long, loosely-constructed droll is not of any fixed length, +according to the narrator; adventures are added or omitted at the +caprice of the story-teller. It would be useless to attempt to parallel +the tale as a whole, because of the very nature of its composition. The +separate incidents, however, we may examine, pointing out analogues +already in print, and citing others from my own manuscript collection. + +(1) "If it smells bad, it's dead." This joke is common among the +Tagalogs and Pampangans, and forms the basis of many of their comical +stories. As an example I will give the opening of a story entitled +"Ricardo and his Adventures" narrated by Paulo Macasaet, a Tagalog +from Batangas:-- + + +Ricardo and his Adventures. + +Once there was a widow who had a son named Ricardo. One day the mother +said to the boy, "Ricardo, I want you to go to school, so that you +may learn something about our religion." Ricardo was willing enough, +so he took his Catechism and set out. Instead of going to the school, +however, he went to a neighboring pond and listened to the merry +croaking of the frogs. When eleven o'clock came, he went home and +told his mother about the real school. The poor woman was very happy, +thinking that her son was spending his time wisely. Ricardo took great +delight in joining the chorus of the frogs, for his mother gave him +food as a reward for his diligence. + +One morning the woman asked her son to read his lesson. The boy opened +his Catechism and croaked very loudly. His mother was glad when she +heard that her son could croak so well, because she thought that that +was the way to read the book. + +As Ricardo was playing with his schoolmates one day, he saw a dead +cat. It smelled very bad, so he left the pond and went home. He +said, "Mother, I saw a cat lying near our school. It had a very bad +odor." The mother said, "My son, remember this: whenever a body smells +bad, you may be sure that it is dead." Ricardo repeated the words of +his mother many times to himself, and learned them by heart. + +One day, when he was on his way to the pond, Ricardo smelled something +bad. He looked in every direction, but he could not find anybody. So +he said, "Since I cannot find any dead body here, I must be the one +who is dead." He lay down on the ground, and said, "Ricardo is dead! I +cannot eat any more. O how unhappy I am!" While he was lying there, +he saw a ripe guava above his head. He exclaimed, "Delicious fruit, +you are very fortunate! If I were alive, I would eat you." He wished +to get the fruit, but he dared not do so. After a while, when he +could no longer smell the stink, he got up and went home, and told +his mother his story. + +[As the rest of the story is not droll, and is in no way connected +with our present tale, it may be given in abstract.] + +One day Ricardo learned from his mother how his father had been +killed by a giant who had afterwards carried away his sister. The +boy set out in search of the giant. An old man along the way, whom he +treated kindly, gave him two bottles of magic water,--one that would +make invulnerable the man who should drink it, another that would take +away all the strength of him on whose head it should be poured. Later +a leprous old woman to whom he gave some food presented him with +a magic saddle that would carry him through the air. So equipped, +he soon arrived at the cave of the giant. He succeeded in killing +that seven-headed monster and in freeing his sister and many other +prisoners. Ten barrels of money were found in the cave. Of these, +Ricardo took two; the rest he gave to the prisoners he had freed. Later +Ricardo married a beautiful woman named Lucia. + + +(2) Destruction of the singing rice-pot. Another Tagalog form of this +incident, likewise connected with Juan's experiences while cook for a +band of robbers, was collected from Singalong, Manila. It was related +by Crisanto H. Aragon, and runs as follows:-- + + +Juan and the Robbers. + +Once there was a young man named Juan, who left his parents to seek +his fortune. While he was wandering in the mountains, he reached +the cave of some robbers. Juan decided to be a robber, and asked the +chief to admit him. The chief accepted Juan. + +One night Juan was left alone in the cave, for his companions had gone +to town to make a raid. Before leaving, the chief said, "Juan, you +will stay here and take care of our property. If you hear a noise, take +your bolo and kill whoever makes that noise, for he is our enemy. Cook +some rice, so that when we return we may have something to eat." + +While Juan was cooking the rice, to his great surprise he heard a +noise. Faithful to the command that had been laid upon him, Juan +took his bolo and walked around the cave to see where the noise came +from. When he reached the kitchen, he noticed that the noise was +louder. After a careful observation, he concluded that it was coming +from the rice-pot. "The enemies must be here," said Juan, pointing +to the rice-pot; and, without a moment's hesitation or fear, Juan +smashed the pot into a thousand pieces. The noise stopped at once, +and Juan was satisfied. + +When the robbers came home and asked Juan for rice, he told them what +had happened. The chief realized that the fault was his, so he only +laughed at Juan; but, from that time on, Juan was never allowed to +stay alone in the cave. + +One night the robbers decided to rob the captain of the Municipal +Police in a town near by. When they reached the captain's house, they +saw that it was empty: so they took everything they could find. Juan +entered the captain's bedroom, but, instead of searching for valuables, +he took the captain's uniform and put it on. Then Juan went out to +join his companions. But as soon as the robbers saw the uniformed man, +they thought it was the captain, and ran away as fast as their legs +would carry them. Juan ran too, for he thought that the captain must +be after them. The robbers were so frightened, that they separated; +but Juan decided to follow the chief. Finally the chief became so +tired, that he made up his mind to stop and fight his pursuer; but +when Juan came up, the chief recognized him, and it was only then +that both of them felt that they had gotten rid of the real captain. + + +For a Santal story of a stupid hero joining a band of thieves, see +A. Campbell, "Jhorea and Jhore," pp. 11-12; Bompas, p. 19. + +(3) Adventure with the crabs. Compare "The Adventures of Juan" (JAFL +20 : 106), in which Juan's mother sends her foolish son to town to +buy meat to eat with the boiled rice. He buys a live crab, which he +sets down in the road and tells to go to his mother to be cooked for +dinner. The crab promises, but, as soon as Juan's back is turned, +runs in another direction. Clearly our version of the incident is +superior to this. + +(4) Juan as a thief. With this incident may be compared another +Tagalog story, narrated by Adolfo Scheerer. It is entitled-- + + +The Adventure of two Robbers. + +There were once two robbers, who, hearing of the trip that a certain +family was about to make, decided to rob them during the night. They +were encouraged in their purpose by the thought that everything in +the house would be in a state of great confusion. During the night +the two thieves climbed a tree which grew close by a window of this +house. From this place they could easily observe what the people +inside were doing. As they sat there waiting, they saw two servants +packing something which seemed to be very heavy. They believed that +the bundle contained much money, so they decided to steal it. + +In the dead of night one of the robbers went up into the house, took +the bundle, and passed it to his companion below. When he joined the +other, they took to their heels, carrying the bundle between them on +their shoulders. When they had gone some way, the one in the rear began +to get curious as to what they were carrying, so he cut an opening in +the mat that was wrapped around the contents. To his great surprise, +he noticed a human toe stick out; and he at once shouted, "Man, man, +man!" The one in front took this shout as a warning that some one was +chasing them, so he ran faster. The other only continued to shout, +"Man, man!" but his companion paid no attention to him. Finally his +foot caught in the root of a tree, and he fell down. When he understood +the situation, the two villains left the bundle and ran away. + + +(5) Frightening robbers under tree. This incident is widespread, and +has made its way into many Märchen cycles. It is distinctly comic in +its nature. For references to its occurrence, see Köhler-Bolte, 99 +and 341 (sub "Herabwerfen der Thür"); Crane, 380, note 19; Cosquin, +I : 243 f.; and especially Bolte-Polívka, I : 521-525 (on Grimm, +No. 59), episode F. + +(6) Walking on his own soil. This trick of Juan's we have already +met with in "King Tasio," No. 7 (b). + +(7) Cooking rice-measures. Juan's misunderstanding about cooking two +measures of rice is almost exactly paralleled in a Santal story in +Bompas, No. I. The story is entitled "Bajun and Jhore," and this is +the first of a series of noodle-like incidents:-- + +Once upon a time there were two brothers named Bajun and Jhore. Bajun +was married, and one day his wife fell ill of fever. So, as he was +going ploughing, Bajun told Jhore to stay at home and cook the dinner, +and he bade him put into the pot three measures of rice. Jhore staid +at home, and filled the pot with water and put it on to boil; then +he went to look for rice-measures. There was only one in the house; +and Jhore thought, "My brother told me to put in three measures, +and if I only put in one, I shall get into trouble." So he went to a +neighbor's house and borrowed two more measures, and put them into the +pot, and left them to boil. At noon Bajun came back from ploughing, +and found Jhore stirring the pot, and asked him whether the rice was +ready. Jhore made no answer: so Bajun took the spoon from him, saying, +"Let me feel how it is getting on!" but when he stirred with the spoon, +he heard a rattling noise; and when he looked into the pot, he found +no rice, but only three wooden measures floating about. Then he turned +and abused Jhore for his folly; but Jhore said, "You yourself told +me to put in three measures, and I have done so." So Bajun had to +set to work and cook the rice himself, and got his dinner very late. + + +This ludicrous mistake suggests a not dissimilar droll of the Tinguian +(Cole, 198, No. 86):-- + +A man went to the other town. When he got there, the people were +eating bamboo sprouts (labon). He asked them what they ate, and they +said pangaldanen (the bamboo ladder is called aldan). He went home and +had nothing to eat but rice: so he cut his ladder into small pieces, +and cooked all day, but the bamboo was still very hard. He could +not wait longer, so he called his friends, and asked why he could +not make it like the people had in the other town. Then his friends +laughed and told him his mistake. + + +For an almost identical Santal story, see Bompas, No. CXXIV, "The +Fool and his Dinner." + +(8) The last two episodes--wearing of shoes only when crossing rivers +and raising umbrella under tree, and the division of the fowl--we have +discussed in the notes to No. 7 (see pp. 63-64, [9], [8]). Add to the +bibliography given there, Bompas, No. CXXVIII, "The Father-in-law's +Visit," which contains a close parallel to the first episode. + +In conclusion I will give two other Filipino noodle stories, +which, while not variants of any of those given above, have the +same combination of stupidity and success as that found in "Juan the +Fool." The first is an Ilocano story narrated by Presentacion Bersamin +of Bangued, Abra, and runs thus:-- + + +Juan Sadut. + +Juan Sadut was a very lazy fellow. His mother was a poor old woman, +who earned their living by husking rice. What she earned each day +was hardly enough to last them until the next. When a boy, Juan was +left at home to watch over their hens and chickens. One day, as his +mother went to work, she told Juan to take care of the little chicks, +lest a hawk should get them. Now, Juan had been told this so many +times, that he had grown tired of watching chickens: consequently, +when his mother went away, he tied all the chickens and hens together, +and hung them on a tree. He did this, because he thought that no bird +of prey could see them there. In the evening, when his mother came +home, she asked if everything was all right. Juan said, "Nana, I tied +all the hens and chickens by their legs, and hung them in that tree, +so that they would be safe." The mother asked where they were. Juan +showed them to her, but they were all dead. The mother was angry, +and whipped Juan very severely. + +Time passed on, and Juan grew up to be a man; but he was as lazy as +ever. He wanted to get married, but the girl he had picked out was the +daughter of a rich man; and his mother told him that he was not a good +match for the girl, for they were very poor, and, besides, he was too +lazy to support a wife. Still Juan was determined to marry the girl, +and he thought out a way to get her. One day Juan went to work in the +fields, and earned a peseta. The next day he earned another. Then he +said to his mother, "Nana, please go to the father of Ines Cannogan +(for such was the name of the girl) and borrow their salup (a half +cocoanut-shell used for measuring). The mother went, and Ines asked +her who had sent for the salup. The mother told her that her son +Juan was a merchant that had just arrived from a successful trip. So +the salup was lent. When returning the measure, Juan put the two +pesetas in the husk of the cocoanut-shell, and told his mother to +take it back to Ines, pesetas and all. When Ines examined the salup, +she found the pesetas, and told her father all about them. + +Not long afterwards Juan sent his mother again to borrow the +measure. Again Juan returned it with money sticking in the husk of +the shell. This he did several times, until at last Ines's father +believed that Juan was very rich. Juan now had a chance to talk with +Ines's father about his daughter, and of course the old man accepted +his proposal immediately. So Juan and Ines were married. + +After their marriage, when the old man found out that his new +son-in-law was not only very poor, but also very lazy, he repented +of his rashness. However, he compelled both Juan and his wife to +go work on his farm. Once, when Ines was taking her siesta, many +wild cocks and hens came to eat the rice which she had put in the +sun to dry. Juan was too lazy to get up and drive them away, so he +took Ines's gold hairpin and threw it at the birds. When Ines awoke, +she missed her hairpin. Juan told her what he had done with it. She +scolded him so severely, that he felt hurt, and began to weep bitterly, +for even his wife disliked him. + +The next day Juan went to look for the hairpin at the place where +he had thrown it. To his great surprise, he found a bush with golden +branches, and on one of them was the hairpin. Immediately he called +his wife. They pulled up the bush, and discovered at its roots a +jar full of gold and silver money. Now Ines was very proud of her +husband's luck. They went to the town to tell their father of their +good fortune. From now on, the old man no longer hated Juan, hut +loved him, and gave him all his property to supervise. + +Thus Juan Sadut became a rich man without any effort. Fortune favors +the lazy--sometimes. + + +The other story comes from the other end of the Archipelago, from the +province of Misamis. It was narrated by Antonio Cosin of Tagoloan, +Misamis, and is a Visayan tale. As may easily be seen, it is distantly +related to Grimm, No. 7, "A Good Bargain." For the "sale to animals" +comic episode, see Grimm's notes; Clouston, "Book of Noodles," p. 148; +and Bolte-Polívka, 1 : 60. For the "sale to statue" incident, which +is analogous to our third episode below, see Clouston, ibid., p. 146; +Crane, 379, note 12; Cosquin, 2 : 178. The story follows:-- + + +Juan Loco. + +A great many years ago there lived a certain fool that went by the name +of Juan Loco. He was the son of a butcher, in so far as the following +experiences of his are concerned; he had many other experiences that +are not recorded in this story. + +Juan could not be intrusted with anything, he was such a dunce; but one +day he persuaded his father to let him go out and sell meat. So about +eight in the morning Juan left home with about three pesos' worth +of pork, full of many a hopeful expectation. After having wandered +through many streets, he noticed that a big horse-fly was following him +with an imploring murmur. Imagining that the fly wanted to buy meat, +this sapient vender said to it, "Do you want to buy meat?" The fly +answered with a "buzzzzz." For Juan this was a sufficient answer: +so he left one-third of the pork with the fly, saying that he was +coming back again for his pay. Next he met a hungry and greatly-abused +pig, and he asked it if it wanted to buy meat. The pig merely said, +"hack, hack," and gave a few angry nods, but Juan understood it to +be saying, "Yes:" so he threw it one-half of the meat he had left, +with the same warning as he gave the fly,--that he was coming back +to collect the price of the meat. His third customer was himself, or +his reflection. Warm, tired, and thirsty from his wanderings, he came +to a well, where he thought he would take a drink. On looking down, +however, he saw a man in the bottom of the well. When Juan shouted +to him and made gestures, the man--or his reflection and the echo of +his own voice--returned some sort of inarticulate sound, and made +the same gestures as Juan. For the third time this sufficed for a +"Yes." So Juan threw the rest of his pork down the well, and said he +would come back for his money. + +Now comes the collection, which he found to be quite easy. He +entered a dry-goods store, where he saw a fly on the hand of the +shop-keeper. Juan talked to the fly and demanded his money. It +did not answer: so he began chasing it around the room, sometimes +striking at it when it was on some customer's hand. At last, tired +of the disturbance, the shop-keeper paid him off to get rid of +him. Next Juan came to a garden where there was a pig. With the pig +he encountered the same obstinate silence. He began to chase the pig, +and he beat it whenever he was near enough to hit it. When the owner +of the animal saw what he was doing, and realized that he was crazy, +he paid him off, too. Now, as to his third customer. The reflection +in the pool simply mocked him and made him disgusted. So Juan got a +long pole and stirred the bottom of the well. When he found that this +treatment simply made his customer disappear, he began shouting at the +top of his voice. Finally the owner of the well came; and, to avoid +further disturbance, he also paid him off, for every one could easily +see that the vender was crazy (loco) from the way he talked and acted. + +So Juan went home in ecstasy. He received much praise from his father, +who promised to let him sell meat every day; and the poor fellow +gloried in being thus praised. + + +For other noodle stories of the Filipinos, see our No. 9 and JAFL +20 : 104-106. + + + +TALE 50 + +JUAN AND HIS PAINTED HAT. + + +Narrated by Adolfo Scheerer, a Tagalog from Manila, who heard the +story from their native servant some fifteen years ago. + + +There once lived a man by the name of Juan, who did nothing but fool +people all the time. Once, when he had only seventy pesos left in his +pockets, he determined to resort to the following scheme: he bought +a balangut hat (a very cheap straw), and painted it five different +colors. In the town where Juan was to operate, there were only three +stores. He went to each one of them and deposited twenty pesos, +saying to the owner of each, "I will deposit twenty pesos in your +store, and to-morrow afternoon I will bring some friends here with +me. We will perhaps take some refreshments or buy some goods, but in +any case I will see to it that the total amount of the things we take +is not over the twenty pesos. Then, when we leave, do not ask me to +pay you for the things. I will simply make you a bow with my hat, +and your attendants should thank me with much courtesy. That mere +bow with my hat is to be the payment. You may keep the twenty pesos, +but you must also keep this little plan a secret." The owners of the +three stores promised. + +The next day Juan was walking in the street with his painted hat on, +when one of his friends met him. "Halloo, Juan!" exclaimed his friend, +"where did you get that funny hat?" + +Juan looked serious, and said, "Don't be foolish! Don't you know that +this hat is the only means I have of earning a living?" + +"Means of living?" returned the other. + +"Why, of course. I can go in any store, take anything I please, +and pay for it with a mere bow of my hat." + +By this time two other friends of Juan had come along, and they +too were surprised to see what Juan had on his head. To convince +them of the marvellous character of the hat, Juan took his friends +to one of the stores. There they sat down, and Juan ordered some +refreshments. They ate much, and of the best that the store could +furnish. After they had had enough, Juan stood up, made a bow to the +proprietor with his hat, and then they all left. Then they visited +another store, where the same thing took place. + +The friends of Juan were very much astonished, and each wished to +possess the hat. One offered him a thousand pesos for it; another, two +thousand; and the third, one-half of all his property, which amounted +to about five thousand pesos. Juan, of course, was willing to sell it +to the highest bidder; but when the sale was about to be concluded, +the buyer began to doubt the power of the hat. So he asked Juan to +take him to another store to prove once more the qualities of the hat, +after which trial, he said, he would pay him the money. Juan took +his friend to the third store, and the friend was now sure that the +hat could really work wonders. So he paid Juan the five thousand pesos. + +When he had received the money, Juan left his friends, went on board +ship, and sailed away to a foreign country. One day the friend who +had bought the hat desired to make a showing with it. So he invited +several friends, among them some ladies. He took them to one of the +stores, and there ordered some refreshments to be served them. When +they had finished, the man bowed with his hat, and started to leave. + +"Thank you, sir!" said the owner of the store, "but where is my +payment for the refreshments you have just eaten?" + +The owner of the hat was astonished, and, thinking that perhaps he +held the hat in the wrong way, or else his fingers were not on the +right color, he turned the hat around. Then he made another bow. The +owner of the shop now became angry, and began to swear at the man. The +other became excited, twirling the hat around, and holding it in as +many different ways as he could think of. Finally the shop-keeper +ordered the man arrested. + +When the owner of the hat heard how Juan had played his trick by paying +twenty pesos in advance, he fainted and became very sick. In the mean +time Juan was performing other tricks in some different country. + + +Notes. + +This droll was without doubt imported from Europe, where it has +a fairly wide distribution. It does not appear hitherto to have +been found in the Orient. In the European forms we find it both as +a separate tale, like our story, and also as a part of the "Master +Cheat" cycle, which we have discussed in the notes to No. 20. For a +complete list of the known occurrences of the "hat pays" episode, see +Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 10-15, incident D (on Grimm, No. 61). According +to their classification, versions from Holland, Denmark, Sweden, +Rumania, Serbo-Croatia, Poland, Russia, and Lithuania are known. See +also Köhler-Bolte, 246, 251 (note 1). + + + +TALE 51 + +JUAN AND CLOTILDE. + + +Narrated by Vicente Hilario, a Tagalog, who heard the story from an +old man living in Batangas. + + +In ages vastly remote there lived in a distant land a king of such +prowess and renown, that his name was known throughout the four regions +of the compass. His name was Ludovico. His power was increased twofold +by his attachment to an aged magician, to whom he was tied by strong +bonds of friendship. + +Ludovico had an extremely lovely daughter by the name of Clotilde. Ever +since his arrival at the palace the magician had been passionately +in love with her; but his extreme old age and his somewhat haughty +bearing were obstacles in his path to success. Whenever he made love +to her, she turned aside, and listened instead to the thrilling tales +told by some wandering minstrel. The magician finally succumbed to the +infirmities of old age, his life made more burdensome by his repeated +disappointments. He left to the king three enchanted winged horses; +to the princess, two magic necklaces of exactly the same appearance, +of inimitable workmanship and of priceless worth. Not did the +magician fall to wreak vengeance on the cause of his death. Before +he expired, he locked Clotilde and the three magic horses in a high +tower inaccessible to any human being. She was to remain in this +enchanted prison until some man succeeded in setting her free. + +Naturally, King Ludovico wanted to see his daughter before the hour +of his death, which was fast approaching. He offered large sums of +money, together with his crown and Clotilde's hand, to anybody who +could set her free. Hundreds of princes tried, but in vain. The stone +walls of the tower were of such a height, that very few birds, even, +could fly over them. + +But a deliverer now rose from obscurity and came into prominence. This +man was an uneducated but persevering peasant named Juan. He +possessed a graceful form, herculean frame, good heart, and unrivalled +ingenuity. His two learned older brothers tried to scale the walls +of the tower, but fared no better than the others. At last Juan's +turn came. His parents and his older brothers expostulated with him +not to go, for what could a man unskilled in the fine arts do? But +Juan, in the hope of setting the princess free, paid no attention to +their advice. He took as many of the biggest nails as he could find, +a very long rope, and a strong hammer. As he lived in a town several +miles distant from the capital, he had to make the trip on horseback. + +One day Juan set out with all his equipment. On the way he met his +disappointed second brother returning after a vain attempt. The +older brother tried in every way he could to divert Juan from his +purpose. Now, Juan's parents, actuated partly by a sense of shame if +he should fail, and partly by a deep-seated hatred, had poisoned his +food without his knowledge. When he felt hungry, he suspected them +of some evil intention: so before eating he gave his horse some of +his provisions. The poor creature died on the road amidst terrible +sufferings, and Juan was obliged to finish the journey on foot. + +When he arrived at the foot of the tower, he drove a nail into the +wall. Then he tied one end of his rope to this spike. In this way he +succeeded in making a complete ladder of nails and rope to the top of +the tower. He looked for Clotilde, who met him with her eyes flooded +with tears. As a reward for his great services to her, she gave him +one of the magic necklaces. While they were whispering words of love +in each other's ears, they heard a deafening noise at the bottom of +the tower. "Rush for safety to your ladder!" cried Clotilde. "One of +the fiendish friends of the magician is going to kill you." + +But, alas! some wanton hand had pulled out the nails; and this +person was none other then Juan's second brother. "I am a lost man," +said Juan. + +"Mount one of the winged horses in the chamber adjoining mine," said +Clotilde. So Juan got on one of the animals without knowing where to +go. The horse flew from the tower with such velocity, that Juan had +to close his eyes. His breath was almost taken away. In a few seconds, +however, he was landed in a country entirely strange to his eyes. + +After long years of struggle with poverty and starvation, Juan was +at last able to make his way back to his native country. He went +to live in a town just outside the walls of the capital. A rich old +man named Telesforo hired him to work on his farm. Juan's excellent +service and irreproachable conduct won the good will of his master, +who adopted him as his son. At about this time King Ludovico gave +out proclamations stating that any one who could exactly match his +daughter's necklace should be his son-in-law. Thousands tried, but +they tried in vain. Even the most dextrous and experienced smiths were +baffled in their attempts to produce an exact counterfeit. When word of +the royal proclamations was brought to Juan, he decided to try. One day +he pretended to be sick, and he asked Telesforo to go to the palace to +get Clotilde's necklace. The old man, who was all ready to serve his +adopted son, went that very afternoon and borrowed the necklace, so +that he might try to copy it. When he returned with the magic article, +Juan jumped from his bed and kissed his father. After supper Juan went +to his room and locked himself in. Then he took from his pocket the +necklace which Clotilde had given him in the tower, and compared it +carefully with the borrowed one. When he saw that they did not differ +in any respect, he took a piece of iron and hammered it until midnight. + +Early the next morning Juan wrapped the two magic necklaces in a silk +handkerchief, and told the old man to take them to the king. "By +the aid of the Lord!" exclaimed Clotilde when her father the king +unwrapped the necklaces, "my lover is here again. This necklace," +she said, touching the one she had given Juan, "is not a counterfeit" +for it is written in the magician's book of black art that no human +being shall be able to imitate either of the magic necklaces.--Where is +the owner of this necklace, old man?" she said, turning to Telesforo. + +"He is at home," said Telesforo with a bow. + +"Go and bring him to the palace," said Clotilde. + +Within a quarter of an hour Juan arrived. After paying due respect to +the king, Juan embraced Clotilde affectionately. They were married +in the afternoon, and the festivities continued for nine days and +nine nights. Juan was made crown-prince, and on the death of King +Ludovico he succeeded to the throne. King Juan and Queen Clotilde +lived to extreme old age in peace and perfect happiness. + + +Notes. + +This Tagalog Märchen appears to be closely related to an +eighteenth-century Spanish ballad by Alonso de Morales. The ballad is +No. 1263 in the "Romancero General," and is entitled, "Las Princesas +Encantadas, y Deslealdad de Hermanos." Although in general outline the +two stories are very close to each other, there are some significant +differences. + +In the Spanish, the king's name is Clotaldo, and he rules in Syria. The +king builds a very high tower, and puts in it his three beautiful +daughters; then he calls a powerful magician to cast a spell about +the place, so that the tower cannot be scaled until the king wishes +it to be. Confined in the tower with the princesses are three winged +horses (o satánicas arpias). The king then issues a proclamation that +whoever can reach the princesses shall be married to them. The three +brothers that make the attempt are knights from Denmark. The two older +proceed to Syria on horseback, fail, and on their return home meet +their youngest brother making his way leisurely in a bullock-cart. He +too is going to try, and is taking with him abundant provisions, +many nails, and a rope. After they have tried in rain to persuade +him to return home, they accompany him. [The episode of the poisoned +food is lacking.] Juan gains the top of the tower, lowers the two +older princesses, and then, last of all, the youngest, who gives him +a necklace before she descends. The treacherous brothers now destroy +Juan's means of escape, and make off with the three maidens, leaving +him on the tower. He mounts one of the winged horses, and it flies +with him to a distant country. Making his way back to Syria on foot, +he exchanges clothes with a drover, and appears in Clotaldo's kingdom +in disguise, pretending to be simple-minded. The king has already +married his two older daughters to Juan's treacherous brothers, and +is now trying to persuade his youngest daughter to marry: but she +wishes only her rescuer. She paints a necklace in every respect like +the one which she gave Juan, and says that she will marry only when a +person is found who can make a necklace exactly like the picture. The +king sends the painting to an alchemist in the city, and orders him, +under penalty of death if he falls, to produce the necklace in two +months. He is unable to do so, and becomes downcast. Juan, who has +been in service as a porter, and is the one who carried the command +of the king to the alchemist, asks him why he is sad. He tells the +reason. Juan gives the alchemist his necklace. [The rest is practically +as in our story.] + + +There is a sequel to this ballad, No. 1264, which has a close +resemblance to the Tagalog "Juan Tiñoso," already summarized in the +notes to No. 36. + +The Spanish story, says the editor of the "Romancero General," is one +of those founded directly on Oriental material which was transmitted +by the Arabs. It is curious that so few of these tales, which have +been preserved for generations as oral tradition, have made their +way into print. The differences noticeable between our Märchen and +the ballad may be due to a tradition somewhat divergent from that on +which Alonso de Morales's poem is based. + + + +TALE 52 + +THE POOR MAN AND HIS THREE SONS. + + +Narrated by Gregorio Velasquez, a Tagalog from Pasig, Rizal. He says, +"This is a primitive Tagalog fable. I think. I heard it from old +people." + + +Once there lived a poor man who had three sons. When the father was on +his death-bed, he called his sons, and said to them, "My sons, I shall +die very soon; and I shall not be able to leave you much wealth, for +wealth I have not. But I will give each one of you something which, +if you will only be able to find a place in which it has no equal, +will make you happy men." The father then gave to one a rooster, +to another a cat, and to the third a scythe. Then he died. + +The owner of the scythe was the first to try his fortune and test his +father's advice. He left his brothers, and went on a journey until +he came to a town where he saw the people harvesting rice by pulling +the stalks out of the ground. He showed the people the convenience of +the scythe. They were so delighted and astonished, that they offered +to give him a large sum of money in exchange for the tool. Of course +he was willing to sell it, and he went home a rich man. + +The owner of the rooster, seeing the good luck of his brother, +next resolved to try his fortune with the bird. Like his brother, +he travelled until he came to a town where there was no rooster. The +people were very much interested in the rooster's crowing, and asked +the owner why the bird crowed. He said that the bird told the time of +day by its crowing. "The first crow in the night announces midnight," +he said; "the second, three o'clock in the morning; and the third +crow announces five o'clock." The people were very anxious to get +the rooster for their town, and offered to buy it. The owner was +willing, and he returned to his home as rich as his brother who had +sold the scythe. + +The last brother now set out to try his luck with his cat. At last +he came to a town where the rats were vexing the people very much. He +showed them the use of his cat. With wonder the people watched the cat +kill the rats, and were astounded to see how the rats fled from this +strange animal. The news of the cat reached the king, who summoned +its owner to the palace. The king asked the brother to try his cat on +the rats in the palace, and so the cat was turned loose. In a short +time all the rats had either been killed or driven away. The king +wanted the cat, and offered to pay a large sum of money for it. So +the owner of the cat, after the king had paid him, went home as rich +as his other two brothers. + +Thus the three brothers became rich, because they followed their +father's wise advice: select the right place in which to trade. + + +Notes. + +This story, like the preceding, is clearly an importation from the +Occident. The bibliography of the cycle to which it belongs may be +found in Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 69-71 (on Grimm, No. 70). German, Breton, +French, Flemish, Swedish, Catalan, Serbian, Bulgarian, Czech, Polish, +Russian, Lithuanian, and Finnish versions have been recorded. The +story as a whole does not appear to have been collected from the Far +East hitherto, though separate tales turning on the sale of a cat in +a catless country (Dick Whittington type) are found among the Jews +and in Africa. Bolte and Polívka give the bibliography of this latter +group of stories on pp. 71-76. + +The oldest form of our story known is that found in Nicholas de +Troyes' "Grand Parangon des nouvelles Nouvelles," No. X, dating from +1535. The three things here bequeathed by the father are a cock, a cat, +and a sickle, as in our version. I think it probable that the tale +was introduced into the Philippines through the medium of a French +religious. The Catalan form differs from the French in mentioning a +fourth "heirloom," a raven, and was probably not the parent of our +Tagalog version. + + + +TALE 53 + +THE DENIED MOTHER. + + +Narrated by Leopoldo Uichanco, a Tagalog from Calamba, Laguna. + + +(One day little Antonio fell down and sprained his elbow. His +grandfather told him to put on his camisa and they would go to Tandang +Fruto, an old manghihilot (a man who pretends to correct dislocated +bones by means of certain prayers). On their way they met a beggar +with a guitar. He sat down on a stone in front of a house and began +to sing. Antonio wished to hear him, and so did the old grandfather: +so they stopped and listened. The beggar sang the story of "The Denied +Mother" in Tagalog verse. The story is this:--) + +In a certain country there lived a king who had a pet dog. He loved +the dog so much and treated it so kindly, that, wherever he went, the +dog followed him. In the course of time the dog gave birth to three +puppies. The most striking thing about these new-born creatures was +that they were real human beings in every particular. So the king +ordered them to be baptized. The eldest sister was named Feliza; +the second, Juana; and the youngest, Maria. When they grew up into +beautiful young women, they married three princes, each of a different +kingdom. After the marriage-festivities, each went to live in the +country of her husband. + +Feliza was very happy: she dressed elegantly, and had all that a woman +of her rank could wish for. One day, when her husband was away from +home, a lean, dirty, spectre-looking dog came to her. It was Feliza's +mother, who, after the death of her master the king, had been cast out +of the palace. The poor dog had had nothing to eat for many days. She +had been driven away from every house, and had been frightened by +mischievous boys with sticks and stones. Although Feliza's kingdom +was very far away, she had managed, in spite of difficulty, to reach +it. She hoped to gain her daughter's pity. "My daughter," she said, +as she ascended the steps of the ladder(!), "have compassion on me! I, +your mother, am in a very wretched condition." + +"What care I?" returned Feliza. "What business have you to come +here? Don't you know that I will never sacrifice anything for your +sake? Get out of here!" And she kicked the poor dog until it fell +tumbling to the ground. Feliza did not want her husband to find out +that her mother was a dog. + +Sadly the dog went away, and decided to go to her daughter Juana's +kingdom. The country was far away, but what else could she do? As +Juana was coming out of the church with her husband, she saw the dog +hurrying after her. Like Feliza, she was ashamed of her mother. She +whispered to one of the guards to catch the dog and tie it securely +in a distant forest, so that it might no longer annoy her. + +Not long after this, Maria, the youngest daughter, was riding through +the forest with her husband. There they found the poor dog crying +and yelping in a pitiful manner. Maria recognized her mother. She +got out of the carriage, and with her own hands untied the dog. She +wrapped her veil around it, and ordered the carriage to turn back +to the palace. "Husband," she said as she ascended the steps of the +royal residence, "this dog that I am carrying is my mother, so please +your Majesty." + +The husband only said, "Thank God!" and not another word. Maria ordered +the cook to prepare delicious food for the dog. She assigned the best +chamber in the palace to the animal. While the dog was eating with +Maria, the prince, and the courtiers, the dining-room was suddenly +illuminated with a bright light. The dog disappeared, and in its place +stood a beautiful woman in glorious attire. The woman kissed Maria, +and said, "I am the dog your mother. God bless you, my good child!" + + +Notes. + +I can offer no close parallels for this somewhat savage tale, though a +few analogies to incidents in our story are to be found in an Indian +story in Frere (No. 2, "A Funny Story"), the first part of which may +be abstracted here for comparison. + +A certain Rajah and Ranee are sad because they have no children and +the little dog in the palace has no puppies; but at last the Ranee is +confined, and bears two puppies, while the little dog at the same time +gives birth to two female infants. In order to keep her offspring from +the Ranee, who wishes to substitute her own for the dog's, the dog +carries its two daughters to the forest, and there rears them. When +they have become of marriageable age, they are found by two princes, +who take them away and make them their wives. For twelve years the poor +dog looks in vain for her lost children. One day the eldest daughter +looks out of her window, and sees a dog running down the street. "That +must be my long-lost mother!" she exclaims to herself; and she runs +out, gets the animal, bathes it and feeds it. The dog now wants to +go visit her younger daughter, although the elder tries in vain to +dissuade her mother from going. When the younger daughter sees the dog, +she says, "That must be my mother! What will my husband think of me +if he learns that this wretched, ugly, miserable-looking dog is my +mother?" She orders the servants to throw stones at it and drive it +away. Wounded in the head, the dog runs back to her elder daughter, +but dies, in spite of the tender care it receives. The daughter now +tries to conceal the body until she can bury it. The husband discovers +the corpse of the dog, but it has become a statue of gold set with +diamonds and other precious stones. He asks where the treasure came +from. His wife lies, and says, "Oh, it is only a present my parents +sent me!" [The rest of the story has nothing to do with ours: it is +a variant of the "Toads and Diamonds" cycle (see notes to No. 47).] + + +It will be noticed that in the Indian tale the rôles of the daughters +are the reverse of what they are in our story. + + + +TALE 54 + +TOMARIND AND THE WICKED DATU. + + +Narrated by Eutiquiano Garcia of Mexico. Pampanga. He says that this +is an old Pampangan tale. + + +Before the Spanish occupation there were in the Philippines many +petty kingdoms headed by native princes known as datus. Luzon, the +scene of countless ravages and hard fightings of warlike tribes, was +the home of Datu Nebucheba. His kingdom--at first only a few square +miles--was greatly extended by the labor of his young brave warrior, +Tomarind. Tomarind had a very beautiful wife, with whom Datu Nebucheba +fell in love; but the ruler kept his vile desire secret in his heart +for many years. Many times he thought of getting rid of his warrior +Tomarind, and thus getting possession of his beautiful wife. + +One day Tomarind was sent on a dangerous errand. He was ordered +to get an enchanted marble ball from one of the caves in a certain +mountain. Two monsters of terrible aspect, whose joy was the burning of +villages, and whose delight was the killing of human beings, guarded +the entrance of that cave. Many persons had entered the door of that +death-chamber, but nobody had come from it alive. Suspicious of the +coming danger, Tomarind did not go directly to the cave. He sought the +famous witch of Tipuca, and told her about his situation. Immediately +the witch performed a sort of diabolical ceremony, gave Tomarind a +magic cane, and sent him away. When he reached the cave, those that +guarded the cave received Tomarind very kindly, and they delivered +the enchanted marble ball to him. + +"To-morrow," said Nebucheba to himself, "the wife of Tomarind +will be mine." Alas for him! very early the next morning Tomarind +presented the marble ball to Datu Nebucheba. "How quickly he executed +my orders!" exclaimed Nebucheba. "What shall I do to destroy this +brave man? The next time he will not escape the danger. I will ask +him to take a letter to my parents, who are living under ground, +in the realm of the spirits," he said to himself. + +The datu caused a well to be dug, and big stones to be piled near +the mouth of it. When everything was ready, he summoned the brave +warrior. He gave him the letter, and told him to start the next +morning. Tomarind went again to the witch of Tipuca. "This is a very +great task," said the witch; "but never mind! you will get even with +Datu Nebucheba." That night the witch, with the help of unseen spirits, +made a subterranean passage connecting the bottom of the datu's well +with that of Tomarind's. "Nebucheba," the witch said to Tomarind, +"will ask you to go down into his well; and as soon as you are at the +bottom, he will order that the pile of stones be thrown on you. Lose +no time, but go in to the subterranean passage that I have prepared +for you." When morning came, Tomarind went to execute the orders of +the datu. + +Now, Nebucheba firmly believed that Tomarind was dead. There was +great rejoicing in the datu's house. In the evening, while the +revelry was going on, Tomarind appeared with the pretended answer +from Nebucheba's parents. The letter read, "We wish you to come and +see us here. We have a very beautiful girl for you." Nebucheba was +greatly surprised. He made up his mind to go down into the well the +next day. He gathered all his subjects together, and said to them, +"I am going to see my parents. If the place there is better than the +place here, I shall not come back. Tomarind will be my successor." + +In the morning Nebucheba's subjects took him to the well and lowered +him slowly into it. When he reached the bottom, Tomarind threw big +stones down on him, and Nebucheba was crushed to death. The people +never saw him again. Tomarind became datu, and he ruled his subjects +with justice and equity for many years. + + +Note. + +I know of no variants of this tale, which pretty evidently represents +old tribal Pampangan tradition. The device by which Tomarind lures +the wicked datu to his death is not unlike incident J in our No. 20 +(see notes), but there is clearly no other connection between the +two stories. + + + + + + +PART II + +FABLES AND ANIMAL STORIES. + + +TALE 55 + +THE TURTLE AND THE MONKEY. + + +Narrated by Eutiquiano Garcia of Mexico, Pampanga. + + +It was mid-day. The blinding heat of the sun forced all the +water-loving animals--such as pigs, carabaos, and turtles--to go to +the river-banks and there seek to cool themselves in the water. On +that part of the bank where a big shady tree stood, a monkey and a +turtle were having a good time, discussing the past, present, and +future. Just then they saw a banana-stalk floating by. + +"Don't you think that it would be a wise thing for us to get that +banana-stalk and plant it?" said the monkey. + +"Can you swim?" replied the turtle. + +"No, I can't, but you can," said the monkey. + +"I will get the banana-tree," said the turtle, "on condition that +we divide it. You must allow me to have the upper part, where the +leaves are." The monkey agreed; but when the stalk was brought to +shore, the monkey took the leaves himself, and gave the turtle only +the roots. As the humble turtle was unable to fight the monkey, all +he could do was to pick up his share and take it to the woods and +plant it. It was not strange that the monkey's part died, while that +of the turtle brought forth clusters of ripe bananas in time. + +When the monkey learned that the bananas were ripe, he went to visit +his friend the turtle. "I will give you half the bananas," said the +turtle, "if you will only climb the stalk and get the fruit for me." + +"With great pleasure," replied the monkey. In less than a minute he +was at the top of the tree. There he took his time, eating all he +could, and stopping now and then to throw a banana-peeling down to +his friend below. What could the poor turtle do? It was impossible +for him to climb. + +"I know what I'll do!" he said to himself. He gathered pointed sticks, +and set them all around the base of the tree. Then he cried out to the +monkey, saying, "The hunters are coming! The hunters are coming!" The +monkey was very much frightened, so he jumped down in the hope of +escaping; but he was pierced by the sharp sticks, and in a few hours +he died. Thus the turtle got his revenge on the selfish monkey. + +When the monkey was dead, the turtle skinned him, dried his meat, and +sold it to the other monkeys in the neighborhood. But, in taking off +the skin, the turtle was very careless: he left here and there parts +of the fur sticking to the meat; and from this fact the monkeys which +had bought the meat judged the turtle guilty of murder of one of their +brethren. So they took the turtle before their chief, and he was tried. + +When the turtle's guilt had been established, the monkey-chief ordered +him to be burned. + +"Fire does not do me any harm," said the turtle. "Don't you see the +red part on my back? My father has burned me many times." + +"Well, if fire doesn't harm him, cut him to pieces," said the +monkey-chief angrily. + +"Neither will this punishment have any effect on me," continued the +wise turtle. "My back is full of scars. My father used to cut me over +and over again." + +"What can we do with him?" said the foolish monkeys. At last the +brightest fellow in the group said, "We will drown him in the lake." + +As soon as the turtle heard this, he felt happy, for he knew that +he would not die in the water, However, he pretended to be very +much afraid, and he implored the monkeys not to throw him into the +lake. But he said to himself, "I have deceived all these foolish +monkeys." Without delay the monkeys took him to the lake and threw +him in. The turtle dived; and then he stuck his head above the surface +of the water, laughing very loud at them. + +Thus the turtle's life was saved, because he had used his brains in +devising a means of escape. + + +The Monkey and the Turtle. + +Narrated by Bienvenido Gonzales of Pampanga. He heard the story from +his younger brother, who heard it in turn from a farmer. It is common +in Pampanga. + +Once there lived two friends,--a monkey and a turtle. One day they saw +a banana-plant floating on the water. The turtle swam out and brought +it to land. Since it was but a single plant and they had to divide it, +they cut it across the middle. + +"I will have the part with the leaves on," said the monkey, thinking +that the top was best. The turtle agreed and was very well pleased, but +she managed to conceal her joy. The monkey planted his part, the top +of the tree; and the turtle planted hers, the roots. The monkey's plant +died; but that of the turtle grew, and in time bore much fine fruit. + +One day, since the turtle could not get at the bananas, she asked +the monkey to climb the tree and bring down the bananas. In return +for this service she offered to give him half the fruit. The monkey +clambered up the tree, but he ate all the fruit himself: he did not +give the turtle any. The turtle became very angry, waiting in vain; +so she collected many sharp sticks, and stuck them in the trunk of the +tree. Then she went away. When the monkey slid down to the ground, +he injured himself very badly on the sharp sticks; so he set off to +find the turtle and to revenge himself. + +The monkey looked for a long time, but finally found the turtle under +a pepper-plant. As the monkey was about to strike her, she said, +"Keep quiet! I am guarding the king's fruits." + +"Give me some!" said the monkey. + +"Well, I will; here are some!" said the turtle. "But you must promise +me not to chew them until I am far away; for the king might see you, +and then he would punish me." The monkey agreed. When the turtle was +a long way off, he began to chew the peppers. They were very hot, +and burned his mouth badly. He was now extremely angry, and resolved +that it would go hard with the turtle when he should catch her. + +He searched all through the woods and fields for her. At last he +found her near a large snake-hole. The monkey threatened to kill the +turtle; but she said to him, "Friend monkey, do you want to wear the +king's belt?" + +"Why, surely! Where is it?" said the monkey. + +The turtle replied, "It will come out very soon: watch for it!" As +soon as the snake came out, the monkey caught it; but the snake +rolled itself around his body, and squeezed him nearly to death. He +finally managed to get free of the snake; but he was so badly hurt, +that he swore he would kill the turtle as soon as he should find her. + +The turtle hid herself under a cocoanut-shell. The monkey was by this +time very tired, so he sat down on the cocoanut-shell to rest. As he +sat there, he began to call loudly, "Turtle, where are you?" + +The turtle answered in a low voice, "Here I am!" + +The monkey looked all around him, but he saw nobody. He thought that +some part of his body was joking him. He called the turtle again, +and again the turtle answered him. + +The monkey now said to his abdomen, "If you answer again when I don't +call you, stomach, I'll punish you." Once more he called the turtle; +and once more she said, "I am here!" + +This was too much for the monkey. He seized a big stone, and began to +hit his belly with it. He injured himself so much, that he finally +died. + + +The Monkey and the Turtle. + +Narrated by José M. Katigbak of Batangas, Batangas. This is a genuine +Tagalog story, he says, which he heard from his friend Angel Reyes. + +Once upon a time there was a turtle who was very kind and patient. He +had many friends. Among them was a monkey, who was very selfish. He +always wanted to have the best part of everything. + +One day the monkey went to visit the turtle. The monkey asked his +friend to accompany him on a journey to the next village. The turtle +agreed, and they started early the next morning. The monkey did not +take much food with him, because he did not like to carry a heavy +load. The turtle, on the contrary, took a big supply. He advised the +monkey to take more, but the monkey only laughed at him. After they +had been travelling five days, the monkey's food was all gone, so the +turtle had to give him some. The monkey was greedy, and kept asking +for more all the time. "Give me some more, friend turtle!" he said. + +"Wait a little while," said the turtle. "We have just finished eating." + +As the monkey made no reply, they travelled on. After a few minutes +the monkey stopped, and said, "Can't you travel a little faster?" + +"I can't, for I have a very heavy load," said the turtle. + +"Give me the load, and then we shall get along more rapidly," said +the monkey. The turtle handed over all his food to the monkey, who +ran away as fast as he could, leaving the turtle far behind. + +"Wait for me!" said the turtle, doing his best to catch his friend; +but the monkey only shouted, "Come on!" and scampered out of sight. The +turtle was soon very tired and much out of breath, but he kept on. The +monkey climbed a tree by the roadside, and looked back. When he saw +his friend very far in the rear, he ate some of the food. At last +the turtle came up. He was very hungry, and asked the monkey for +something to eat. + +"Come on a little farther," said the selfish monkey. "We will eat +near a place where we can get water." The turtle did not say anything, +but kept plodding on. The monkey ran ahead and did the same thing as +before, but this time he ate all the food. + +"Why did you come so late?" said the monkey when the turtle came +up panting. + +"Because I am so hungry that I cannot walk fast," answered the +turtle. "Will you give me some food?" he continued. + +"There is no more," replied the monkey. "You brought very little. I +ate all there was, and I am still hungry." + +As the turtle had no breath to waste, he continued on the road. While +they were on their way, they met a hunter. The monkey saw the hunter +and climbed a tree, but the man caught the turtle and took it home +with him. The monkey laughed at his friend's misfortune. But the +hunter was kind to the turtle: he tied it near a banana-tree, and +gave it food every hour. + +One day the monkey happened to pass near the house of the hunter. When +he saw that his friend was tied fast, he sneered at him; but after +he had remained there a few hours, and had seen how the turtle was +fed every hour, he envied the turtle's situation. So when night came, +and the hunter was asleep, the monkey went up to the turtle, and said, +"Let me be in your place." + +"No, I like this place," answered the turtle. + +The monkey, however, kept urging and begging the turtle, so that +finally the turtle yielded. Then the monkey set the turtle free, +and tied himself to the tree. The turtle went off happy; and the +monkey was so pleased, that he could hardly sleep during the night +for thinking of the food the hunter would give him in the morning. + +Early the next morning the hunter woke and looked out of his window. He +caught sight of the monkey, and thought that the animal was stealing +his bananas. So he took his gun and shot him dead. Thus the turtle +became free, and the monkey was killed. + +MORAL: Do not be selfish. + + +Notes. + +The story of these two opponents, the monkey and the turtle, is +widespread in the Philippines. In the introduction to a collection +of Bagobo tales which includes a version of this fable, Laura Watson +Benedict says (JAFL 26 [1913] : 14), "The story of 'The Monkey and +the Turtle' is clearly modified from a Spanish source." In this note +I hope to show not only that the story is native in the sense that +it must have existed in the Islands from pre-Spanish times, but also +that the Bagobo version represents a connecting link between the +other Philippine forms and the original source of the whole cycle, +a Buddhistic Jataka. Merely from the number of Philippine versions +already collected, it seems reasonable to suspect that the story is +Malayan: it is found from one end of the Archipelago to the other, and +the wild tribes have versions as well as the civilized. In addition +to our one Tagalog and two Pampangan versions, five other Philippine +forms already exist in print, and may be cited for comparison. These +are the following:-- + + + (d) Bagobo, "The Monkey and the Tortoise" (JAFL 26 : 58). + (e) Visayan, "Ca Matsin and Ca Boo-ug" (JAFL 20 : 316). + (f) Tagalog, "The Monkey and the Turtle" (JAFL 21 : 46). + (g) Tinguian, "The Turtle and the Monkey" (Cole, 195, No. 77). + (k) Tagalog, Rizal's "Monkey and the Turtle." [100] + + +Before discussing the origin of the story, we may examine the different +incidents found in the Philippine versions. That they vary considerably +may be seen from the following list:-- + + +A The division of the banana-stalk: monkey takes top; and turtle, +roots. Monkey's share dies, turtle's grows, or (A1) monkey and turtle +together find banana-tree growing; turtle unable to climb, but monkey +easily gets at the fruit. + +B Monkey steals turtle's bananas and will not give him any, or (B1) +sticks banana up his anus and throws it to turtle, or (B2) drops his +excrement into turtle's mouth. + +C Turtle, in revenge, plants sharp stakes (or thorns) around base of +the banana-tree; and when monkey descends, he is severely injured, +or (C1) he is killed. + +D Turtle sells monkey-flesh to other monkeys; either his trick is +discovered accidentally by the monkeys, or (D1) the turtle jeers them +for eating of their kind. + +E Turtle is sentenced to death. He says, "You may burn me or pound me, +but for pity's sake don't drown me!" The monkeys "drown" the turtle, +and he escapes. + +F The monkeys attempt to drink all the water in the lake, so as to +reach the turtle: they burst themselves and perish. Or (F1) they +get a fish to drain the pond dry; fish is punctured by a bird, water +rushes out, and monkeys are drowned. Or (F2) monkeys summon all the +other animals to help them drink the lake dry. The animals put leaves +over the ends of their urethras, so that the water will not flow out; +but a bird pecks the leaves away, and the monkeys turn to revenge +themselves on the bird. (F3) They catch him and pluck out all his +feathers; but the bird recovers, and revenges himself as below (G). + +G Monkeys and other animals are enticed to a fruit-tree in a meadow, +and are burned to death in a jungle fire kindled by the turtle and +his friend the bird. + +H Episode of guarding king's fruit-tree or bread-tree (Chile peppers). + +J Episode of guarding king's belt (boa-constrictor). + +K Turtle deceives monkey with his answers, so that the monkey thinks +part of his own body is mocking him. Enraged, he strikes himself with +a stone until he dies. + +L Turtle captured by hunter gets monkey to exchange places with him +by pointing out the advantages of the situation. Monkey subsequently +shot by the hunter. + + +These incidents are distributed as follows: + + + Version (a) ABC1DE + Version (b) ABCHJK + Version (c) (Opening different, but monkey greedy as in B) L + Version (d) A1B2C1D1EF2F3G + Version (e) ABC1DEF1 + Version (f) A1BC (glass on trunk of tree) EF (monkey in his rage + leaps after turtle and is drowned) + Version (g) AB1C1 (sharp shells) DEF (monkeys dive in to catch + fish when they see turtle appear with one in his mouth, and are + drowned). Incidents K and a form of J are found in the story of + "The Turtle and the Lizard" (Cole, 196) + + +The incidents common to most of these versions are some form of +ABCDEF; and these, I think, we must consider as integral parts of the +story. It will be seen that one of our versions (c) properly does not +belong to this cycle at all, except under a very broad definition of +the group. In all these tales the turtle is the injured creature: +he is represented as patient and quiet, but clever. The monkey is +depicted as selfish, mischievous, insolent, but stupid. In general, +although the versions differ in details, they are all the same story, +in that they tell how a monkey insults a turtle which has done him +no harm, and how he finally pays dearly for his insult. + +The oldest account I know of, telling of the contests between +the monkey and the turtle, is a Buddhist birth-story, the +"Kacchapa-jataka," No. 273, which narrates how a monkey insulted a +tortoise by thrusting his penis down the sleeping tortoise's throat, +and how the monkey was punished. Although this particular obscene +jest is not found in any of our versions, I think that there is a +trace of it preserved in the Bagobo story. The passage runs thus +(loc. cit. pp. 59-60): "At that all the monkeys were angry [incident +D], and ran screaming to catch the tortoise. But the tortoise hid under +the felled trunk of an old palma brava tree. As each monkey passed +close by the trunk where the tortoise lay concealed, the tortoise said, +'Drag (or lower) your membrum! Here's a felled tree.' Thus every +monkey passed by clear of the trunk, until the last one came by; and +he was both blind and deaf. When he followed the rest, he could not +hear the tortoise call out, and his membrum struck against the fallen +trunk. He stopped, and became aware of the tortoise underneath. Then +he screamed to the rest; and all the monkeys came running back, +and surrounded the tortoise, threatening him." This incident, in its +present form obscure and unreasonable (it is hard to see how following +the tortoise's directions would have saved the monkeys from injury, +and how the blind and deaf monkey "became aware" of the tortoise just +because he hit the tree), probably originally represented the tortoise +as seizing the last monkey with his teeth (present form, "his membrum +struck against the fallen trunk"), so that in this way the monkey +became painfully aware of the tortoise's close proximity. Hence his +screams, too,--of pain. With incident B2 two other Buddhist stories +are to be compared. The "Mahisa-jataka," No. 278, tells how an impudent +monkey voids his excrement on a patient buffalo (the Bodhisatta) under +a tree. The vile monkey is later destroyed when he plays the same +trick on another bull. In the "Kapi-jataka," No. 404, a bad monkey +drops his excrement first on the head and then into the mouth of a +priest, who later takes revenge on the monkey by having him and all +his following of five hundred destroyed. All in all, the agreement +in general outline and in some details between these Hindoo stories +and ours justifies us, I believe, in assuming without hesitation that +our stories are descended directly from Buddhistic fables, possibly +these very Jatakas. Compare also the notes to Nos. 48 and 56. + +For a Celebes variant of the story of "The Monkey and the Turtle," +see Bezemer, p. 287. + +The sources of the other incidents, which I have not found in the +Buddhistic stories, I am unable to point out. However, many of them +occur in the beast tales of other Oriental and Occidental countries: +for instance, incident E is a commonplace in "Brer Rabbit" stories +both in Africa and America, whence it has made its way into the tales +of the American Indians (see, for example, Honeÿ, 82; Cole, 195, note; +Dähnhardt, 4 : 43-45); incident J and another droll episode found in +an Ilocano story--"king's bell" (= beehive) motif--occur in a Milanau +tale from Sarawak, Borneo, "The Plandok, Deer, and the Pig" (Roth, 1 : +347), and in two other North Borneo stories given by Evans (p. 474), +"Plandok and Bear" and "Plandok and Tiger." In Malayan stories in +general, the mouse-deer (plandok) is represented as the cleverest +of animals, taking the rôle of the rabbit in African tales, and of +the jackal in Hindoo. In the Ilocano story referred to, both these +incidents--"king's belt" and "king's bell"--are found, though the +rest of the tale belongs to the "Carancal" group (No. 3; see also +No. 4 [b]), Incident L is found among the Negroes of South Africa +(Honeÿ, 84, where the two animals are a monkey and a jackal). With +incident G compare a Tibetan story (Ralston, No. XLII), where men +take counsel as to how to kill a troop of monkeys that are destroying +their corn. The plan is to cut down all the trees which stand about +the place, one Tinduka-tree only being allowed to remain. A hedge of +thorns is drawn about the open space, and the monkeys are to be killed +inside the enclosure when they climb the tree in search of food. The +monkeys escape, however; for another monkey goes and fires the village, +thus distracting the attention of the men. Incident D, the Thyestean +banquet, is widespread throughout European saga and Märchen literature: +but even this incident Cosquin (I : xxxix) connects with India through +an Annamite tale. With incident F3 compare a story from British North +Borneo (Evans, 429-430), in which the adjutant-bird (lungun) and the +tortoise revenge themselves on monkeys. The monkeys pull out all of the +bird's feathers while it is asleep. In two months the feathers grow in +again, and the bird seeks vengeance. It gets the tortoise to help it +by placing its body in a large hole in the bottom of a boat, so that +the water will not leak in; the bird then sails the boat. The monkeys +want a ride, and the bird lets forty-one of them in. When the boat is +out in the ocean and begins to roll, the bird advises the monkeys to +tie their tails together two and two and sit on the edge of the boat +to steady it. Then the bird flies away, the tortoise drops out of the +hole, and the boat sinks. All the monkeys are drowned but the odd one. + + + +TALE 56 + +THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE. + + +Tagalog Version. + +Narrated by Engracio Abasola of Manila. He heard the story from +his nephew. + + +One day, while a clever monkey was searching for his food along the +river-bank, he saw a tall macopa-tree laden with ripe fruits. The +tree was standing just by the shore of a river where a young crocodile +lived. After eating all the fruit he wanted, the monkey climbed down +the tree. He suddenly conceived the desire of getting on the other +side of the wide river, but he found no means by which to cross. At +last he saw the crocodile, who had just waked up from his siesta; +and the monkey said to him in a friendly way, "My dear crocodile, +will you do me a favor?" + +The crocodile was greatly surprised by this amicable salutation of the +monkey. However, he answered humbly, "Oh, yes! If there is anything I +can do for you, I shall be glad to do it." The monkey then told the +crocodile that he wanted to reach the other side of the river. Then +the crocodile said, "I'll take you over with all my heart. Just sit +on my back, and we'll go at once." + +When the monkey was firmly seated on the crocodile's back, they began +their trip. In a short while they reached the middle of the stream, +and the crocodile began to laugh aloud. "Now, you foolish monkey!" it +said, "I'll eat your liver and kidneys, for I'm very hungry." The +monkey became nervous; but he concealed his anxiety, and said, "To +be sure! I thought myself that you might be hungry, so I prepared my +liver and kidneys for your dinner; but unfortunately, in our haste +to depart, I left them hanging on the macopa-tree. I'm very glad that +you mentioned the matter. Let us return, and I'll get you the food." + +The foolish crocodile, convinced that the monkey was telling the +truth, turned back toward the shore they had just left. When they were +near, the monkey nimbly jumped on to the dry land and scampered up +the tree. When the crocodile saw how he had been deceived, he said, +"I am a fool." + + +Zambal Version. + +Narrated by Leopoldo Uichanco, a Tagalog, who heard the story from +a native of Zambales. + +One stormy day a monkey was standing by the shore of a river, wondering +how he could get to the other side. He could not get over by himself; +for the water was deep, and he did not know how to swim. He looked +about for some logs; but all he saw was a large crocodile with its +mouth wide open, ready to seize him. He was very much frightened; +but he said, "O Mr. Crocodile! pray, do not kill me! Spare my life, +and I will lead you to a place where you can get as many monkeys as +will feed you all your life." + +The crocodile agreed, and the monkey said that the place was on the +other side of the river. So the crocodile told him to get on his back, +and he would carry him across. Just before they reached the bank, the +monkey jumped to land, ran as fast as he could, and climbed up a tree +where his mate was. The crocodile could not follow, of course: so he +returned to the water, saying, "The time will come when you shall pay." + +Not long afterwards the monkey found the crocodile lying motionless, +as if dead. About the place were some low Chile pepper-bushes loaded +with numerous bright-red fruits like ornaments on a Christmas tree. The +monkey approached the crocodile, and began playing with his tail; +but the crocodile made a sudden spring, and seized the monkey so +tightly that he could not escape. "Think first, think first!" said the +monkey. "Mark you, Mr. Crocodile! I am now the cook of his Majesty the +king. Those bright-red breads have been intrusted to my care," and the +monkey pointed to the pepper-shrubs. "The moment you kill me, the king +will arrive with thousands of well-armed troops, and will punish you." + +The crocodile was frightened by what the monkey said. "Mr. Monkey, +I did not mean to harm you," he said. "I will set you free if you will +let me eat only as many pieces of bread as will relieve my hunger." + +"Eat all you can," responded the monkey kindly. "Take as many as you +please. They are free to you." + +Without another word, the crocodile let the monkey go, and rushed +at the heavily-laden bushes. The monkey slipped away secretly, +and climbed up a tree, where he could enjoy the discomfiture of his +voracious friend. The crocodile began to cough, sneeze, and scratch +his tongue. When he rushed to the river to cool his mouth, the monkey +only laughed at him. + +MORAL: Use your own judgment; do not rely on the counsel of others, +for it is the father of destruction and ruin. + + +Notes. + +Like the monkey and the turtle, the monkey and the crocodile have +been traditional enemies from time immemorial. In our present group +of stories, however, the rôles are reversed: the monkey is clever; +the water-animal (crocodile), cruel and stupid. Two very early +forms of this tale are the "Vanarinda-jataka," No. 57, which tells +how the crocodile lay on a rock to catch the monkey, and how the +latter outwitted the crocodile; and the "Sumsumara-jataka," No. 208, +in which a crocodile wanted the heart of a monkey, and the monkey +pretended that it was hanging on a fig-tree. From the Buddhistic +writings the story made its way into the famous collection known +as the "Kalilah and Dimnah," of which it forms the ninth chapter +in De Sacy's edition, and the fifth section in the later Syriac +version (English translation by I. G. N. Keith-Falconer, Cambridge, +1885). In the "Pancatantra" this story forms the framework for the +fourth book. For a discussion of the variations this tale underwent +when it passed over into other collections and spread through Europe, +see Benfey, 1 : 421 ff. Apparently Benfey did not know of these two +Buddhistic birth-stories; but he has shown very ingeniously that most +of the fables in the "Pancatantra" go back to Buddhistic writings. Nor +can there be any doubt in this case, either, though it is not to be +supposed that the five hundred and forty-seven Jatakas were invented +by the Buddhistic scribes who wrote them down. Many of them are far +older than Buddhism. + +Our Zambal form of the story does not represent the purest version. A +variant much closer to the Buddhistic and close to the Tagalog is a +tale collected by Wenceslao Vitug of Lubao, Pampanga. He says that +the story is very common throughout his province, and is well known +in the Visayas. His version follows in abstract form:-- + +A crocodile goes out to look for a monkey-liver for his wife, who is +confined at home. As the crocodile starts to cross a stream, a monkey +asks for passage on its back. The crocodile gladly complies, and, +on arriving in mid-stream, laughs at the credulous monkey, and tells +him that he must have a monkey-liver. The monkey says, "Why didn't you +tell me before? There's one on a tree near the bank we just left." The +simple crocodile went back to the bank, whereupon the monkey escaped +and scrambled up into a tree to laugh at the crocodile. The crocodile +then tried to "play dead," but he could not fool the monkey. Next +he decided to go to the monkey's house. The monkey, suspecting his +design, said aloud, "When no one is in my house, it answers when I +call." The crocodile inside was foolish enough to answer when the +monkey called to his house, and the monkey ran away laughing. + + +Our Zambal story has evidently been contaminated with the story of +"The Monkey and the Turtle;" for it lacks the characteristic incident +of the monkey-heart (or liver), and contains incident H from our +No. 55. However, it does preserve an allusion to the principal episode +of the cycle,--in the ride the monkey takes on the crocodile's back +across the stream. Other Oriental versions of the "heart on tree" +incident are the following: Chinese, S. Beal's "Romantic Legend +of Sâkya Buddha" (London, 1875), pp. 231-234, where a dragon takes +the place of the crocodile; Swahili, Steere, p. i, where, instead +of a crocodile, we have a shark (so also Bateman, No. I); Japanese, +W. E. Griffis's "Japanese Fairy World," p. 144, where the sea-animal +is a jelly-fish. An interesting Russian variant, in which a fox takes +the place of the monkey, is printed in the Cambridge Jataka, 2 : 110. + + +Once upon a time the king of the fishes was wanting in wisdom. His +advisers told him that, once he could get the heart of a fox, he +would become wise. So he sent a deputation consisting of the great +magnates of the sea,--whales and others. "Our king wants your advice +on some state affairs." The fox, flattered, consented. A whale took +him on his back. On the way the waves beat upon him. At last he asked +what they really wanted. They said what their king really wanted +was to eat his heart, by which he hoped to become clever. He said, +"Why didn't you tell me that before? I would gladly sacrifice my life +for such a worthy object. But we foxes always leave our hearts at +home. Take me back, and I'll fetch it. Otherwise I'm sure your king +will be angry." So they took him back. As soon as he got near to the +shore, he leaped on land, and cried, "Ah, you fools! Have you ever +heard of an animal not carrying his heart with him?" and ran off. The +fish had to return empty. + + +A reminiscence of this incident is also found in Steel-Temple, No. XXI, +"The Jackal and the Partridge," where a partridge induces a crocodile +to carry her and the jackal across a river, and en route suggests +that he should upset the jackal, but at last dissuades him by saying +that the jackal had left his life behind him on the other shore. + +Related to our Zambal story are two modern Indian folk-tales in +which a jackal is substituted for the monkey (this substitution is +analogous to the Indian substitution of the jackal for the Philippines +monkey in the "Puss-in-Boots" cycle). In the first of these--Frere, +No. XXIV, "The Alligator and the Jackal"--we have the incident of +the house answering when the owner calls. In Steel-Temple, No. XXXI, +"The Jackal and the Crocodile," the jackal makes love to the crocodile, +and induces her, under promise of marriage, to swim him across a stream +to some fruit he wants to eat. When she has brought him back, he says +that he thinks it may be a long time before he can make arrangements +for the wedding. The crocodile, in revenge, watches till he comes +to drink, and then seizes him by the leg. The jackal tells her +that she has got hold of a root instead of his leg: so she lets go, +and he escapes. Next she goes to his den to wait for him, and shams +dead. When the jackal sees her, he says that the dead always wag their +tails. The crocodile wags hers, and the jackal skips off. Closely +connected with this last is a story by Rouse, No. 20, "The Cunning +Jackal," only here the jackal's opponent is a turtle. The original, +unadapted story runs thus as given in the notes by Mr. Rouse:-- + +Jackal sees melons on the other side of the river. Sees a +tortoise. "How are you and your family?"--"I am well, but I have +no wife."-"Why did you not tell me? Some people on the other side +have asked me to find a match for their daughter."--"If you mean +it, I will take you across." Takes him across on his back. When +the melons are over (gone?), the jackal dresses up a jhan-tree as a +bride. "There is your bride, but she is too modest to speak till I am +gone." Tortoise carries him back. Calls to the stump. No answer,--Goes +up and touches it. Finds it a tree. Vows revenge. As jackal drinks, +catches his leg. "You fool! you have got hold of a stump by mistake; +see, here is my leg!" pointing to stump. Tortoise leaves hold, Jackal +escapes. Tortoise goes to jackal's den. Jackal returns, and sees +the footprints leading into the den. Piles dry leaves at the mouth, +and fires them. Tortoise expires. + + +Compare also a Borneo tale of a mouse-deer and a crocodile (Evans, +475). In a Santal story (Bompas, No. CXXIII, "The Jackal and the +Leopards") a jackal tricks some leopards. In the second half he +outwits a crocodile. Crocodile seizes jackal's leg. Jackal: "What a +fool of a crocodile to seize a tree instead of my leg!" Crocodile +lets go, and jackal escapes. Crocodile hides in a straw-stack to +wait for jackal. Jackal comes along wearing a sheep-bell it has +found. Crocodile says, "What a bother! Here comes a sheep, and I +am waiting for the jackal." Jackal hears the exclamation, bums the +straw-stack, and kills the crocodile. + +The "Vanarinda-jataka," No. 57, contains what I believe is the +original of the "house-answering owner" droll episode in our Pampangan +variant. The monkey suspected the crocodile of lurking on the rock +to catch him: so he shouted, "Hi, rock!" three times, but received +no answer. Then he said, "How comes it, Friend Rock, that you won't +answer me to-day?" The crocodile, thinking that perhaps it was the +custom of the rock to return the greeting, answered for the rock; +whereupon the monkey knew of his presence, and escaped by a trick. The +"house-answering owner" episode is also found in a Zanzibar tale of +"The Hare and the Lion" (Bateman, No. 2, pp. 42-43). The hare here +suggests a Buddhistic source. + +Of all the modern Oriental forms of the story, our Tagalog version and +Pampangan variant are closest to the Jatakas, and we may conclude +without hesitation that they mark a direct line of descent from +India. The fact that the story is popular in many parts of the Islands +makes it highly improbable that it was re-introduced to the Orient +through a Spanish translation of the "Kalilah and Dimnah." + +For further bibliography and discussion of this cycle, see Dähnhardt, +4 : 1-26. + + + +TALE 57 + +THE MONKEYS AND THE DRAGON-FLIES. + + +Narrated by Pedro D. L. Sorreta, a Bicol from Albay, who says that +the story is very common in the island of Catanduanes. + + +One day, when the sun was at the zenith and the air was very hot, +a poor dragon-fly, fatigued with her long journey, alighted to rest +on a branch of a tree in which a great many monkeys lived. While she +was fanning herself with her wings, a monkey approached her, and said, +"Aha! What are you doing here, wretched creature?" + +"O sir! I wish you would permit me to rest on this branch while +the sun is so hot," said the dragon-fly softly. "I have been flying +all morning, and I am so hot and tired that I can go no farther," +she added. + +"Indeed!" exclaimed the monkey in a mocking tone. "We don't allow any +weak creature such as you are to stay under our shelter. Go away!" he +said angrily, and, taking a dry twig, he threw it at the poor creature. + +The dragon-fly, being very quick, had flown away before the cruel +monkey could hit her. She hurried to her brother the king, and told +him what had happened. The king became very angry, and resolved to +make war on the monkeys. So he despatched three of his soldiers to +the king of the monkeys with this challenge:-- + + + "The King of the Monkeys. + + "Sir,--As one of your subjects has treated my sister cruelly, I + am resolved to kill you and your subjects with all speed. + + "DRAGON." + + +The monkey-king laughed at the challenge. He said to the messengers, +"Let your king and his soldiers come to the battle-field, and they +will see how well my troops fight." + +"You don't mean what you say, cruel king," answered the +messengers. "You should not judge before the fight is over." + +"What fools, what fools!" exclaimed the king of the monkeys. "Go +to your ruler and tell him my answer," and he drove the poor little +creatures away. + +When the king of the dragon-flies received the reply, he immediately +ordered his soldiers to go to the battle-field, but without anything +to fight with. Meanwhile the monkeys came, each armed with a heavy +stick. Then the monkey-king shouted, "Strike the flying creatures +with your clubs!" When King Dragon heard this order, he commanded his +soldiers to alight on the foreheads of their enemies. Then the monkeys +began to strike at the dragon-flies, which were on the foreheads of +their companions. The dragon-flies were very quick, and were not hurt +at all: but the monkeys were all killed. Thus the light, quick-witted +dragon-flies won the victory over the strong but foolish monkeys. + + + +Notes. + +A Visayan variant, "The Ape and the Firefly" (JAFL 20 : 314) shows +the firefly making use of the same ruse the dragon-flies employ to +get the monkeys to slay one another. The first part of this variant +is connected with our No. 60. The "killing fly on head" incident we +have already met with in No. 9, in the notes to which I have pointed +out Buddhistic parallels. It also occurs in No. 60 (d). In a German +story (Grimm, No. 68, "The Dog and the Sparrow") the sparrow employs +the same trick to bring ruin and death on a heartless wagoner who +has cruelly run over the dog. + +A closer analogue is the Celebes fable of "The Butterfly and the Ten +Monkeys," given in Bezemer, p. 292. + +Our story belongs to the large cycle of tales in which is represented +a war between the winged creatures of the air and the four-footed +beasts. In these stories, as Grimm says in his notes to No. 102, "The +Willow-Wren and the Bear," "the leading idea is the cunning of the +small creatures triumphing over the large ones .... The willow-wren +is the ruler, for the saga accepts the least as king as readily as +the greatest." For the bibliography of the cycle and related cycles, +see Bolte-Polívka, 1 : 517-519, and 2 : 435-438, to which add the +"Latukika-jataka," No. 357, which tells how a quail brought about +the destruction of an elephant that had killed her young ones. I am +inclined to think that the Bicol and Visayan stories belonging to this +group are native--at least, have not been derived through the Spanish. + +I have another Visayan story, however, relating a war between the +land and the air creatures, which may possibly have come from the +Occident. It was narrated by José R. Cuadra, and runs thus:-- + + +The Battle between the Birds and the Beasts. + +A great discussion once took place between the lion, king of the +land-animals, and the bat, king of the air-animals, over the relative +strength of each. The lion claimed to be more powerful than the bat, +while the bat claimed to be more powerful than the lion. The final +outcome was a declaration of war. The lion then called a general +meeting of all his subjects. Among them were tigers, leopards, +elephants, carabaos, wolves, and other fierce land-animals. The carabao +was appointed leader of the army. Each animal in turn made a speech to +the king, promising a sure victory for him. At the same time the bat +also called a general meeting of his subjects. There were present all +kinds of birds and insects. The leadership of the army was given to the +bees and the wasps. Early in the morning the two opposing armies were +assembled on the battle-field. At a given signal the battle began. The +land-animals tried to chase the air-animals, but in vain, for they +could not leave the ground. The bees and wasps were busy stinging +the eyes and bodies of their enemy. At last the land-animals retired +defeated, because they could not endure longer their severe punishment. + + + +TALE 58 + +THE MONKEY, THE TURTLE, AND THE CROCODILE. + + +Narrated by Vicente Hilario, a Tagalog from Batangas. He heard the +story from his father, who said that it is common among the country +people around Batangas town. + + +There was once a monkey who used to deceive everybody whom he met. As +is the case with most deceivers, he had many enemies who tried to +kill him. + +One day, while he was walking in the streets of his native town, he +met in a by-lane a turtle and a crocodile. They were so tired that they +could hardly breathe. "I'll try to deceive these slow creatures of the +earth," said the monkey to himself. So said, so done. He approached +the crocodile and turtle, and said to them, "My dear sirs, you are +so tired that you can hardly move! Where did you come from?" + +The two travellers were so much affected by the kind words of the +monkey, that they told him all about themselves with the greatest +candor imaginable. They said, "We are strangers who have just made +a long journey from our native town. We don't know where to get food +or where to spend this cold night." + +"I'll conduct you to a place where you can spend the night and get +all you want to eat," said the monkey. + +"All right," said the two travellers. "Lead on! for we are very hungry +and at the same time very tired." + +"Follow me," said the crafty monkey. + +The turtle and the crocodile followed the monkey, and soon he brought +them to a field full of ripe pumpkins. "Eat all the pumpkins you want, +and then rest here. Meanwhile I'll go home and take my sleep, too." + +While the two hungry travellers were enjoying a hearty meal, the owner +of the plantation happened to pass by. When he saw the crocodile, +he called to his laborers, and told them to bring long poles and +their bolos. The turtle clung to the tail of the crocodile, and away +they went. + +"Don't cling to my tail! Don't cling to my tail!" said the +crocodile. "I cannot run fast if you cling to my tail. Let go! for +the men will soon overtake us." + +"I have to cling to your tail," said the turtle, "or else there will +be no one to push you." + +But their attempt to escape was unsuccessful. The men overtook them +and killed them both. Such was the unhappy end of the turtle and +the crocodile. + +MORAL: Never trust a new friend or an old enemy. + + + +Notes. + +I know of no exact parallels for this story, though the character +of the monkey as depicted here is similar to that in No. 55. Compare +with it the rôle of the deceitful jackal in some of the South African +stories (e.g., Metelerkamp, No. v; Honeÿ, 22, 24, 45, 105, etc.). This +may be a sort of "compensation story," manufactured long ago, however, +in which the monkey gets even with his two traditional opponents, +the crocodile and the turtle. + + + +TALE 59 + +THE IGUANA AND THE TURTLE. + + +Narrated by Sixto Guico of Binalonan, Pangasinan, who says that the +story is fairly common among the Pangasinanes. + + +Once upon a time there lived two good friends,--an iguana and a +turtle. They always went fishing together. One day the turtle invited +the iguana to go catch fish in a certain pond that he knew of. After +they had been there about two hours, the old man who owned the pond +came along. The iguana escaped, but the turtle was caught. The old +man took the turtle home, tied a string around its neck, and fastened +it under the house. + +Early in the morning the iguana went to look for his friend the +turtle. The iguana wandered everywhere looking for him, and finally +he found him under the old man's house, tied to a post. + +"What are you doing here, my friend?" said the iguana. + +"That old man wants me to marry his daughter, but I do not want to +marry her," said the turtle. + +Now, the iguana very much wanted a wife, and he was delighted at this +chance. So he asked the turtle to be allowed to take his place. The +turtle consented. So the iguana released the turtle, and was tied up +in his place. Then the turtle made off as fast as he could. + +When the old man woke up, he heard some one saying over and over again, +"I want to marry your daughter." He became angry, and went down under +the house to see who was talking. There he found the iguana saying, +"I want to marry your daughter." The old man picked up a big stick +to beat its head, but the iguana cut the string and ran away. + +On his way he came across the turtle again, who was listening to +the sound produced by the rubbing of two bamboos when the wind +blew. "What! are you here again?" said the iguana. + +"Be quiet!" said the turtle. "I am listening to the pipe of my +grandfather up there. Don't you hear it?" + +The iguana wanted to see the turtle's grandfather, so he climbed +up the tree, and put his mouth between the two bamboos that were +rubbing together. His mouth was badly pinched, and he fell down to +the ground. The turtle meanwhile had disappeared. + +MORAL: This teaches that the one who believes foolishly will be +injured. + + +Notes. + +This story is doubtless native. A Tinguian tale related to ours is +given by Cole (No. 78), whose abstract runs thus:-- + +A turtle and lizard go to stem ginger. The lizard talks so loudly +that he attracts the attention of the owner. The turtle hides; but the +lizard runs, and is pursued by the man. The turtle enters the house, +and hides under a cocoanut-shell. When the man sits on the shell, the +turtle calls. He cannot discover source of noise, and thinks it comes +from his testicles. He strikes these with a stone, and dies. The turtle +and the lizard see a bees' nest. The lizard hastens to get it, and +is stung. They see a bird-snare, and turtle claims it as the necklace +of his father. Lizard runs to get it, but is caught and killed. + + +Some of the incidents found in the Tinguian story we have met with +in No. 55; e.g., episodes K, J, L, and "king's bell." Indeed, there +appears to be a close connection between the "Monkey and Turtle" +group and this story. A Borneo tale of the mouse-deer (plandok), +small turtle (kikura), long-tailed monkey (kra), and bear contains +the "king's necklace" incident, and many other situations worthy of +notice. A brief summary of the droll, which may be found in Roth, +1 : 342-346, is here given:-- + +The Kikura deceives the Plandok with the necklace sell (snare), and +the Plandok is caught. When the hunter comes up, the little animal +feigns death, and is thrown away. Immediately it jumps up, and is +off to revenge itself on the turtle. It entices the turtle into +a covered pit by pretending to give it a good place to sleep. Man +examining pitfall discovers turtle, and fastens it with a forked +stick. Monkey comes along, exchanges places with the turtle, but +escapes with his life by feigning dead, as did the Plandok. Monkey, +turtle, and Plandok go fishing. Monkey steals ride across stream on +back of good-natured fish, which he later treacherously kills. The +three friends prepare the fish, and Bruin comes along. Fearing the +size of the bear's appetite, they send him to wash the pan; and when +he returns, fish, monkey, turtle, and mouse-deer have disappeared. + + +The escape of snared animals and birds by shamming dead, and then +making off when the bunter or fowler throws them aside as worthless, +is commonly met with in Buddhistic fables. + + + +TALE 60 + +THE TRIAL AMONG THE ANIMALS. + + +Narrated by Domingo Pineda of Pampanga. + + +In ancient times Sinukuan, the judge of the animals, lived in one of +the caves of Mount Arayat. He had formerly lived in a neighboring town; +but, since he was so brave and strong, the people began to envy him, +then to hate him. At last they made so many plots against his life, +that he gave up all his property and friends in the town, and went +to live in Mount Arayat, where he devoted all his time to gaining +the friendship of the animals there. + +Now, it was not hard for Sinukuan to win the love of the animals, for +he had the power of changing himself into whatever form he pleased; +and he always took the form of those animals who came to him. It +was not long before all the animals realized the power, wisdom, +and justice of their good companion, so they made him their judge. + +One day a bird came to Sinukuan's court, and asked Sinukuan to +punish the frog for being so noisy during the night, while it was +trying to sleep. Sinukuan summoned the troublesome frog, and asked +him the reason for his misbehavior. The frog answered respectfully, +"Sir, I was only crying for help, because the turtle was carrying +his house on his back, and I feared that I might be buried under it." + +"That is good enough reason," said Sinukuan; "you are free." + +The turtle was the next to be summoned to Sinukuan's court. On his +arrival, he humbly replied to the question of the judge, "Honorable +Judge, I carried my house with me, because the firefly was playing +with fire, and I was afraid he might set fire to my home. Is it not +right to protect one's house from fire?" + +"A very good reason; you are free," said Sinukuan. + +In the same way the firefly was brought to court the next day, and +when the judge asked him why he was playing with fire, he said in +a soft voice, "It was because I have no other means with which to +protect myself from the sharp-pointed dagger of the mosquito." This +seemed a reasonable answer, so the firefly was liberated too. + +Finally the mosquito was tried; and, since he did not have any good +reason to give for carrying his dagger, Sinukuan sentenced him +to three days' imprisonment. The mosquito was obliged to submit; +and it was during this confinement of the mosquito that he lost his +voice. Ever since, the male mosquito has had no voice; and he has +been afraid to carry his dagger, for fear of greater punishment. + + +The Pugu's Case. + +Narrated by Bienvenido Tan of Manila, who got the story from Pampanga. + +"Why, horse," said the pugu (a small bird), "did you touch my eggs, +so that now they are broken?" + +"Because," said the horse, "the cock crowed, and I was startled." + +"Why, cock," said the pugu, "did you crow, so that the horse was +startled and broke my eggs?" + +"Because," said the cock, "I saw the turtle carrying his house; +that made me crow." + +"Why, turtle," said the pugu, "did you carry your house with you, +so that the cock crowed, and the horse was startled and broke my eggs?" + +"Because," said the turtle, "the firefly was carrying fire, and I +was afraid that he would burn my house." + +"Why, firefly," said the pugu, "did you bring fire, so that the turtle +was frightened and carried his house, and the cock crowed when he +saw him, and the horse was startled and broke my eggs?" + +"Because," said the firefly, "the mosquito will sting me if I have +no light." + +"Why, mosquito," said the pugu, "did you try to sting the firefly, +so that he had to carry fire, so that the turtle was frightened and +carried his house, so that the cock laughed at the turtle, so that +the horse was startled and broke my eggs?" + +"Because," said the mosquito, "Juan put up his mosquito-net, and +there was nobody for me to sting except the firefly (alipatpat.)" + +"Why, Juan," said the pugu, "did you put up your mosquito-net? The +mosquito could not sting you, and tried to harm the firefly; the +firefly brought fire; the turtle was frightened, and carried his +house with him; the cock crowed when he saw the turtle; the horse +was startled when he heard the cock, and broke my eggs." + +"Because," said Juan, "I did not care to lose any blood." + + + +Why Mosquitoes Hum and Try to get into the Holes of our Ears. + +Narrated by Fermin Torralba, a Visayan from Tagbilaran, Bohol. +He heard the story from an old man of his province. + +A long time ago, when the world was much quieter and younger than it +is now, people told and believed many strange stories about wonderful +things which none of us have ever seen. In those very early times, +in the province of Bohol, there lived a creature called Mangla; +[101] he was king of the crabs. + +One night, as he was very tired and sleepy, Mangla ordered his old +sheriff, Cagang, [102] leader of the small land-crabs, to call his +followers, Bataktak, [103] before him. Although the sheriff was old, +yet he brought them all in in a very short time. Then Mangla said +to the Bataktak, "You must all watch my house while I am sleeping; +but do not make any noise that will waken me." The Bataktak said, +"We are always ready to obey you." So Mangla went to sleep. + +While he was snoring, it began to rain so hard that the guards could +not help laughing. The king awoke very angry; but, as he was still +very tired and sleepy, he did not immediately ask the Bataktak why +they laughed. He waited till morning came. So, as soon as the sun +shone, he called the Bataktak, and said to them, "Why did you laugh +last night? Did I not tell you not to make any noise?" + +The Bataktak answered softly, "We could not help laughing, because +last night we saw our old friend Hu-man [104] carrying his house +on his shoulder." On account of this reasonable reply, the king +pardoned the Bataktak. Then he called his sheriff, and told him to +summon Hu-man. In a short time he came. The king at once said to him, +"What did you do last night?" + +"Sir," replied Hu-man humbly, "I was carrying my house, because +Aninipot [105] was bringing fire, and I was afraid that my only +dwelling would be burned." This answer seemed reasonable to the king, +so he pardoned Hu-man. Then he told his sheriff Cagang to summon +Aninipot. When Aninipot appeared, the king, with eyes flashing with +anger, said to the culprit, "Why were you carrying fire last night?" + +Aninipot was very much frightened, but he did not lose his wits. In a +trembling voice he answered, "Sir, I was carrying fire, because Lamoc +[106] was always trying to bite me. To protect myself, I am going to +carry fire all the time." The king thought that Aninipot had a good +reason, so he pardoned him also. + +The king now realized that there was a great deal of trouble brewing +in his kingdom, of which he would not have been aware if he had +not been awakened by the Bataktak. So he sent his sheriff to get +Lamoc. In a short time Cagang appeared with Lamoc. But Lamoc, before +he left his own house, had told all his companions to follow him, +for he expected trouble. Before Lamoc reached the palace, the king was +already shouting with rage, so Lamoc approached the king and bit his +face. Then Mangla cried out, "It is true, what I heard from Bataktak, +Hu-man, and Aninipot!" The king at once ordered his sheriff to kill +Lamoc; but, before Cagang could carry out the order, the companions +of Lamoc rushed at him. He killed Lamoc, however, and then ran to +his home, followed by Lamoc's friends, who were bent on avenging the +murder. As Cagang's house was very deep under the ground, Lamoc's +friends could not get in, so they remained and hummed around the door. + +Even to-day we can see that at the doors of the houses of Cagang and +his followers there are many friends of Lamoc humming and trying to +go inside. It is said that the Lamoc mistake the holes of our ears +for the house of Cagang, and that that is the reason mosquitoes hum +about our ears now. + + +A Tyrant. + +Narrated by Facundo Esquivel of Jaen, Nueva Ecija. This is a Tagalog +story. + +Once there lived a tyrannical king. One of his laws prohibited the +people from talking loudly. Even when this law had been put in force, +he still was not satisfied: so he ordered the law to be enforced +among the animals. + +One of his officers once heard a frog croak. The officer caught +the frog and carried it before the king. The king began the trial +by saying, "Don't you know that there is a law prohibiting men and +animals from making a noise?" + +"Yes, your Majesty," said the frog, "but I could not help laughing +to see the snail carrying his house with him wherever he goes." + +The king was satisfied with the frog's answer, so he dismissed him and +called the snail. "Why do you always carry your house with you?" asked +the king. + +"Because," said the snail, "I am always afraid the firefly is going to +burn it." The king next ordered the firefly to appear before him. The +king then said to the firefly, "Why do you carry fire with you always?" + +"Because the mosquitoes will bite me if I do not carry this fire," +said the firefly. This answer seemed reasonable to the king, so he +summoned the mosquito. When the mosquito was asked why he was always +trying to bite some one, he said, "Why, sir, I cannot live without +biting somebody." + +The king was tired of the long trial, so with the mosquito he +determined to end it. After hearing the answer of the mosquito, +he said, "From now on you must not bite anybody. You have no right +to do so." The mosquito tried to protest the sentence, but the king +seized his mallet and determined to crush the mosquito with it. When +the mosquito saw what the king was going to do, he alighted on the +forehead of the king. The king became very angry at this insult, +and hit the mosquito hard. He killed the mosquito, but he also put +an end to his own tyranny. + +MORAL: It is foolish to carry matters to extremes. + + +Notes. + +A fifth form (e) of this "clock" story is "The Bacuit's Case," narrated +by W. Vitug of Lubao, Pampanga. As I have this tale only in abstract, +I give it here in that form:-- + +The bacuit (small, light gray bird which haunts marshes and ponds) +went to the eagle-king and brought suit against the frog because the +latter croaked all night, thus keeping the bacuit awake. The frog said +he croaked for fear of the turtle, who always carried his house with +him. The turtle, being summoned, explained that he carried his house +with him for fear that the firefly would set it on fire. The firefly, +in turn, showed that it was necessary for him to carry his lamp in +order to find his food. + + +There is a striking agreement of incident in all these stories, +as may be seen from the following abstracts of the versions. + + + +Version a (Pampango), "Trial among Animals." +Bird vs. frog; frog vs, turtle; turtle vs. firefly; firefly +vs. mosquito. + +Version b (Pampango), "The Pugu's Case." +Pugu vs. horse; horse vs. cock; cock vs. turtle; turtle vs. firefly, +firefly vs. mosquito; mosquito vs. Juan. + +Version c (Visayan), "Why Mosquitoes Hum." +Crab vs. frogs; frogs vs. snail; snail vs. firefly; firefly +vs. mosquito. + +Version d (Tagalog) "A Tyrant". +King's officer vs. frog; frog vs. snail; snail vs. firefly; firefly +vs. mosquito. + +Version e (Pampango), "The Bacuit's Case." +Bacuit vs. frog; frog vs. turtle; turtle vs. firefly. + + +With the exception of the substitution of snail for turtle, and crab +for bird, in the Tagalog and Visayan versions, four of these forms (a, +c, d, e) are practically identical. Pampango e lacks the fourth link +in the chain (firefly vs. mosquito). Pampango b adds one link (horse +vs. cock), and substitutes cock for frog; the method of narration +varies somewhat from the others, also. The punishment of the mosquito +differs in a, c, and d. "The Trial among Animals" develops into a +"just-so" story, and may be a connecting link between a Tinguian fable +(Cole, No. 84) and two Borneo sayings (Evans, 447). In the Tinguian, +a mosquito came to bite a man. The man said, "You are very little, +and can do nothing to me." The mosquito answered, "If you had no ears, +I would eat you." The Bajan (Borneo) saying is, "Mosquitoes do not +make their buzzing unless they are near men's ears; and then they say, +'If these were not your ears, I would swallow you.'" The Dusun version +(Borneo) is, "The mosquito says, 'If these were not your horns, I +would swallow you.'" The "killing fly on face" droll episode, which +terminates the Tagalog version (d), we have already met with twice, +Nos. 9 and 57 (q.v.). The link "firefly vs. mosquito" is found in +the Visayan story "The Ape and the Firefly" (JAFL 20 : 314). + +There can be no question but that this cycle is native to the Islands, +and was not imported from the Occident. A Malayan story given by Skeat +(Fables and Folk-Tales from an Eastern Forest, 9-12), "Who Killed +the Otter's Babies?" is clearly related to our tales, at least in +idea and method:-- + +The mouse-deer (plandok) is charged with killing the otter's babies +by trampling them to death, but excuses himself by saying that he was +frightened because the woodpecker sounded his war-gong. In the trial +before King Solomon, the above facts come out, and the woodpecker is +asked why he sounded the war-gong. + +WOODPECKER. Because the great lizard was wearing his sword. + +GREAT LIZARD. Because the tortoise had donned his coat of mail. + +TORTOISE. Because King Crab was trailing his three-edged pike. + +KING CRAB. Because Crayfish was shouldering his lance. + +CRAYFISH. Because Otter was coming down to devour my children. + +Thus the cause of the death of the otter's children is traced to the +otter himself. + + +Another Far-Eastern story from Laos (French Indo-China), entitled +"Right and Might" (Fleeson, 27), is worth notice:-- + +A deer, frightened by the noise of an owl and a cricket, flees through +the forest and into a stream, where it crushes a small fish almost to +death. The fish complains to the court; and the deer, owl, cricket, +and fish have a lawsuit. In the trial comes out this evidence: As the +deer fled, he ran into some dry grass, and the seed fell into the eye +of a wild chicken, and the pain caused by the seed made the chicken +fly up against a nest of red ants. Alarmed, the red ants flew out to +do battle, and in their haste bit a mongoose. The mongoose ran into +a vine of wild fruit, and shook several pieces of it on the head of +a hermit, who sat thinking under a tree. The hermit then asked the +fruit why it fell, and the fruit blamed the mongoose; mongoose blamed +ants; ants blamed chicken; chicken blamed seed; seed blamed deer; +deer blamed owl. "O Owl!" asked the hermit, "why didst thou frighten +the deer?" The owl replied, "I called but as I am accustomed to call; +the cricket, too, called." Having heard the evidence, the judge says, +"The cricket must replace the crushed parts of the fish and make it +well," as he, the cricket, called and frightened the deer. Since the +cricket is smaller and weaker than the owl or the deer, he had to +bear the penalty. + + + +TALE 61 + +THE GREEDY CROW. + + +Narrated by Agapito O. Gaa, from Taal, Batangas. He heard the story +from an old Tagalog man who is now dead. + + +One day a crow found a piece of meat on the ground. He picked it +up and flew to the top of a tree. While he was sitting there eating +his meat, a kasaykasay (a small bird) passed by. She was carrying a +dead rat, and was flying very fast. The crow called to her, and said, +"Kasaykasay, where did you get that dead rat that you have?" But the +small bird did not answer: she flew on her way. When the crow saw +that she paid no attention to him, he was very angry; and he called +out, "Kasaykasay, Kasaykasay, stop and give me a piece of that rat, +or I will follow you and take the whole thing for myself!" Still the +small bird paid no attention to him. At last, full of greed and rage, +the crow determined to have the rat by any means. He left the meat he +was eating, and flew after the small creature. Although she was only +a little bird, the Kasaykasay could fly faster than the crow--so he +could not catch her. + +While the crow was chasing the Kasaykasay, a hawk happened to pass +by the tree where the crow had left his meat. The hawk saw the meat, +and at once seized it in his claws and flew away. + +Although the crow pursued the Kasaykasay a long time, he could not +overtake her: so at last he gave up his attempt, and flew back to +the tree where he had left his meat. But when he came to the spot, +and found that the meat was gone, he was almost ready to die of +disappointment and hunger. By and by the hawk which had taken the +meat passed the tree again. He called to the crow, and said to him, +"Mr. Crow, do you know that I am the one who took your meat? If not, +I will tell you now, and I am very sorry for you." + +The crow did not answer the hawk, for he was so tired and weak that +he could hardly breathe. + +The moral of this story is this: Do not be greedy. Be contented with +what you have, and do not wish for what you do not own. + + +Notes. + +This fable appears to be distantly related to the European fable +of "The Dog and his Shadow." More closely connected, however, +is an apologue incorporated in a Buddhistic birth-story, the +"Culladhanuggaha-jataka," No. 374. In this Indian story,-- + +An unfaithful wife eloping with her lover arrives at the bank of a +stream. There the lover persuades her to strip herself, so that he +may carry her clothes across the stream, which he proceeds to do, +but never returns. Indra, seeing her plight, changes himself into +a jackal bearing a piece of meat, and goes down to the bank of the +stream. In its waters fish are disporting; and the Indra-jackal, laying +aside his meat, plunges in after one of them. A vulture hovering +near seizes hold of the meat and bears it aloft; and the jackal, +returning unsuccessful from his fishing, is taunted by the woman, +who had observed all this, in the first gatha:-- + + + "O jackal so brown! most stupid are you; + No skill have you got, not knowledge, nor wit; + Your fish you have lost, your meat is all gone, + And now you sit grieving all poor and forlorn." + + +To which the Indra-jackal repeats the second gatha:-- + + + "The faults of others are easy to see, + But hard indeed our own are to behold; + Thy husband thou hast lost, and lover eke, + And now, I ween, thou grievest o'er thy loss." + + +The same story is found in the "Pancatantra" (V, viii; see Benfey, +I : 468), whence it made its way into the "Tuti-nameh." It does not +appear to be known in the Occident in this form (it is lacking in the +"Kalilah and Dimnah"). + +Although the details of our story differ from those of the Indian +fable of "The Jackal and the Faithless Wife," the general outlines +of the two are near enough to justify us in supposing a rather close +connection between them. I know of no European analogues nearly so +close, and am inclined to consider "The Greedy Crow" a native Tagalog +tale. From the testimony of the narrator, it appears that the fable +is not a recent importation. + + + +TALE 62 + +THE HUMMING-BIRD AND THE CARABAO. + + +Narrated by Eusebio Lopez, a Tagalog from the province of Cavite. + + +One hot April morning a carabao (water-buffalo) was resting under the +shade of a quinine-tree which grew near the mouth of a large river, +when a humming-bird alighted on one of the small branches above him. + +"How do you do, Friend Carabao?" said the humming-bird. + +"I'm very well, little Hum. Do you also feel the heat of this April +morning?" replied the carabao. + +"Indeed, I do, Friend Carabao! and I am so thirsty, that I have come +down to drink." + +"I wonder how much you can drink!" said the carabao jestingly. "You +are so small, that a drop ought to be more than enough to satisfy you." + +"Yes, Friend Carabao?" answered little Hum as if surprised. "I bet +you that I can drink more than you can!" + +"What, you drink more than I can, you little Hum!" + +"Yes, let us try! You drink first, and we shall see." + +So old carabao, ignorant of the trick that was being played on him, +walked to the bank of the river and began to drink. He drank and +drank and drank; but it so happened that the tide was rising, and, +no matter how much he swallowed, the water in the river kept getting +higher and higher. At last he could drink no more, and the humming-bird +began to tease him. + +"Why, Friend Carabao, you have not drunk anything. It seems to me +that you have added more water to the river instead." + +"You fool!" answered the carabao angrily, "can't you see that my +stomach is almost bursting?" + +"Well, I don't know. I only know that you have added more water than +there was before. But it is now my turn to drink." + +But the humming-bird only pretended to drink. He knew that the tide +would soon be going out, so he just put his bill in the water, and +waited until the tide did begin to ebb. The water of the river began to +fall also. The carabao noticed the change, but he could not comprehend +it. He was surprised, and agreed that he had been beaten. Little Hum +flew away, leaving poor old Carabao stupefied and hardly able to move, +because of the great quantity of water he had drunk. + + +Notes. + +That this story was not imported from the Occident is pretty clearly +established by the existence in North Borneo of a tale almost identical +with it. The Borneo fable, which is told as a "just-so" story, and +is entitled "The Kandowei [rice-bird] and the Kerbau [carabao]," +may be found in Evans (pp. 423-424). It runs about as follows:-- + +The bird said to the buffalo, "If I were to drink the water of a +stream, I could drink it all."--"I also," said the buffalo, "could +finish it; for I am very big, while you are very small."--"Very well," +said the bird, "tomorrow we will drink." In the morning, when the water +was coming down in flood, the bird told the buffalo to drink first. The +buffalo drank and drank; but the water only came down the faster, +and at length he was forced to stop. So the buffalo said to the bird, +"You can take my place and try, for I cannot finish." Now, the bird +waited till the flood had gone down; and when it had done so, he put +his beak into the water and pretended to drink. Then he waited till +all the water had run away out of the stream, and said to the buffalo, +"See, I have finished it!" And since the bird outwitted the buffalo +in this manner, the buffalo has become his slave, and the bird rides +on his back. + + +I know of no other Philippine versions, but I dare say that many +exist between Luzon and Mindanao. + + + +TALE 63 + +THE CAMANCHILE AND THE PASSION. + + +Narrated by Fernando M. Maramag of Ilagan, Isabella province. He says +that this is an Ilocano story. + + +Once upon a time there grew in a forest a large camanchile-tree [107] +with spreading branches. Near this tree grew many other trees with +beautiful fragrant flowers that attracted travellers. The camanchile +had no fragrant flowers; but still its crown was beautifully shaped, +for the leaves received as much light as the leaves of the other +trees. But the beauty of the crown proved of no attraction to +travellers, and they passed the tree by. + +One day Camanchile exclaimed aloud, "Oh, what a dreary life I lead! I +would that I had flowers like the others, so that travellers would +visit me often!" A vine by the name of Passion, which grew near by, +heard Camanchile's exclamation. Now, this vine grew fairly close +to the ground, and consequently received "only a small amount of +light. Thinking that this was its opportunity to improve its condition, +it said, "Camanchile, why is your life dreary?" + +"Ah, Passion!" replied Camanchile, "just imagine that you were +unappreciated, as I am! Travellers never visit me, for I have no +flowers." + +"Oh, that's easy!" said Passion. "Just let me climb on you, and I'll +display on your crown my beautiful flowers. Then many persons will +come to see you." Camanchile consented, and let Passion climb up on +him. After a few days Passion reached the top of the tree, and soon +covered the crown. + +A few months later Camanchile realized that he was being smothered: he +could not get light, so he asked Passion to leave him. "O Passion! what +pain I am in! I can't get light. Your beauty is of no value. I am +being smothered: so leave me, I beg of you!" + +Passion would not leave Camanchile, however, and so Camanchile died. + +MORAL: Be yourself. + + +Note. + +With this story compare the "Palasa-jataka," No. 370, which tells how a +Judas-tree was destroyed by the parasitic growth of a banyan-shoot. The +general idea is the same in both stories, though I hardly suspect that +ours is descended from the Indian. The situation of a tree choked to +death by a parasite is such a commonplace in everyday experience, that +a moral story based on it might arise spontaneously almost anywhere. + + + +TALE 64 + +AUAC AND LAMIRAN. + + +Narrated by Anastacia Villegas of Arayat, Pampanga. She heard the story +from her father, and says that it is well known among the Pampangans. + + +Once Auac, a hawk, stole a salted fish which was hanging in the +sun to dry. He flew with it to a branch of a camanchile-tree, +where he sat down and began to eat. As he was eating, Lamiran, +a squirrel who had his house in a hole at the foot of the tree, +saw Auac. Lamiran looked up, and said, "What beautiful shiny black +feathers you have, Auac!" When he heard this praise, the hawk looked +very dignified. Nevertheless he was much pleased. He fluttered +his wings. "You are especially beautiful, Auac, when you walk; for +you are very graceful," continued the squirrel. Auac, who did not +understand the trick that was being played on him, hopped along the +branch with the air of a king. "I heard some one say yesterday that +your voice is so soft and sweet, that every one who listens to your +song is charmed. Please let me hear some of your notes, you handsome +Auac!" said the cunning Lamiran. Auac, feeling more proud and dignified +than ever, opened his mouth and sang, "Uac-uac-uac-uac!" As he uttered +his notes, the fish in his beak fell to the ground, and Lamiran got it. + +A heron which was standing on the back of a water-buffalo near by saw +the affair. He said, "Auac, let me give you a piece of advice. Do +not always believe what others tell you, but think for yourself; +and remember that 'ill-gotten gains never prosper.'" + + +Notes. + +This is the old story of the "Fox and Crow [and cheese]," the +bibliography for which is given by Jacobs (2 : 236). Jacobs sees a +connection between this fable and two Buddhistic apologues:-- + +(1) The "Jambu-khadaka-jataka," No. 294, in which we find a fox +(jackal) and a crow flattering each other. The crow is eating jambus, +when he is addressed thus by the jackal:-- + + + "Who may this be, whose rich and pleasant notes + Proclaim him best of all the singing birds, + Warbling so sweetly on the jambu-branch, + Where like a peacock he sits firm and grand!" + + +The crow replies,-- + + + "'Tis a well-bred young gentleman who knows + To speak of gentlemen in terms polite! + Good sir,--whose shape and glossy coat reveal + The tiger's offspring,--eat of these, I pray!" + + +Buddha, in the form of the genius of the jambu-tree, comments thus +on their conversation:-- + + + "Too long, forsooth, I've borne the sight + Of these poor chatterers of lies,-- + The refuse-eater and the offal-eater + Belauding each other." + + +(2) The "Anta-jataka," No. 295, in which the rôles are reversed, the +crow wheedling flesh from the jackal; here, too, the Buddha comments +as above. + +Our Pampangan story is of particular interest because of the moralizing +of the heron at the end, making the form close to that of the two +Jatakas. Possibly our story goes back to some old Buddhistic fable +like these. The squirrel (or "wild-cat," as Bergafio's "Vocabulario," +dated 1732, defines lamiran) is not a very happy substitution for the +original ground-animal, whatever that was; for the squirrel could reach +a fish hanging to dry almost as easily as a bird could. Besides, +squirrels are not carnivorous. Doubtless the older meaning of +"wild-cat" should be adopted for lamiran. + + + + + + +PART III + +"JUST-SO" STORIES. + + +TALE 65 + +WHY THE ANT IS NOT SO VENOMOUS AS THE SNAKE. + + +Narrated by Francisco M. Africa of Lipa, Batangas. This is a Tagalog +story. + + +God first created the earth. Then he took a rock from the earth +and threw it on the terrestrial surface. When the rock was broken +into many small pieces, he breathed into them the breath of life, +and they became living creatures. At first these creatures, though +differing in shapes and sizes, were not given different powers. + +Among these creatures of God's were the snake and the ant. One day +the snake went to God to ask for power. It said, "I come to thee, +O God! to ask for thy favor. The world thou hast just created is wild +with confusion. I have come to ask thee to give me the special power +to kill all those that are rebellious and troublesome." + +"Go back to your fellow-creatures!" answered God. "Hereafter you are +endowed with the power to store in your teeth this poison. When you +bite the vile and contemptible, inject into the wound some of this +poison, and they will be killed; but first of all, observe their +actions, and be conscientious and thoughtful." Then God gave the +snake the poison. The snake returned to the earth in great joy. + +When the ant heard that the snake was endowed with such power, it at +once went to God to ask that the same privilege be granted it. The ant +found God on his heavenly throne, instructing his host of angels. The +ant approached God, and addressed him thus: "O thou almighty God! my +brother the snake has been granted a great privilege by thee. Why +art thou so unkind to me? Give me the same power, and I will be of +great aid to the snake in destroying sinners." God, thinking that +the snake might need an assistant, gave the ant the same privilege +that he had given the snake. + +The ant was so greatly overjoyed, that it ran as fast as it could +to the earth. When God saw it running, he called to the ant, but it +paid no attention to him. Then God, being very much enraged, took away +some of the ant's power, lest the ant might use it unreasonably. And +so to-day the ant's bite is not so poisonous as the snake's. + + + +Notes. + +Another form of this story, recorded by Andrea Silva, also of Lipa, +Batangas, runs as follows:-- + +In the olden times, when this great universe was still young, the +inhabitants of this Archipelago had a sacred belief in a superior +god whom they called Bathala. He was the creator of all things. + +One day Bathala called the animals one by one, and bestowed upon each a +gift, or the power of doing something. To the bird he gave the power to +fly. Next Bathala called the ant, likewise intending to bestow on it +more power than on any other animals, because it was so very small; +but the ant was the most stupid and lazy of all creatures. It did +not pay any attention to the summons of the god, but pretended to +be deaf. Whereupon Bathala became so angry that he called the snake +and gave to it the wonderful power that he had intended to give the +ant. "You, Sir Snake, shall seldom be caught by any person, for you +shall have the power of being very nimble. Besides, every one shall +be afraid of you." + +When finally the ant appeared before the god, asking him for the +gift he had promised, Bathala said, "O you poor, tiny, imprudent +creature! Since you disobeyed your god, from now on you and your +tribe shall meet with death very often, for you shall be pinched by +those whom you bite." + +And so it is to-day that we pinch to death the ants whenever they +bite us. + + +The narrator testified that she heard the story from an old woman in +her town of Lipa. So far as I know, this "just-so" fable of "The Ant +and the Snake and God" has not been recorded outside of Lipa, Batangas; +and I am inclined to believe that it represents old local tradition. + + + +TALE 66 + +WHY LOCUSTS ARE HARMFUL. + + +Narrated by Francisco M. Africa. + + +During the dawn of humanity, some angels headed by Satanas revolted +against God. They wanted to establish a kingdom for themselves. In +a battle against the army of God, in which God himself was present, +Satanas threw a handful of sand into God's face; but the heavenly +monarch just laughed, and said, "I turn the sand back to thee. The +particles shall become the scourge of all ages to thee and to thy +followers, O Satanas!" + +No sooner had God uttered these words than the particles of sand +became a mighty swarm of locusts, that flew in all directions. Such +was the beginning of the pest. + + +Notes. + +A tribal Bicol-story narrated by Maximina Navarro of Albay runs thus:-- + + +The Origin of Locusts. + +Many years ago there lived a head man whose home was situated in a +very fertile valley, all the inhabitants of which he governed. He was +not a good ruler, however; for he was so greedy, that he wanted to +hoard up all the rice produced by his people. Every year, therefore, +he squeezed from his subjects as much rice as he could get, so that +at the end of four years his granaries were full to bursting. It +happened that in the fifth year the crop failed, and the people knew +that they should starve unless their ruler would let them have rice +from his barns. At first they were afraid to go petition the head man, +for they feared that he would refuse them; but, when nearly one-half +of the children had died from starvation, they agreed to send some +representatives to beg for rice. + +Seven men were chosen to be the ambassadors. When they reached +the house of the datu, for so they called their ruler, they asked +for admittance, crying that they wanted rice for their wives and +children. When the datu heard their cry, he went to the door and +made a motion as if he would knock the petitioners off the ladder +leading to the house. He lost his balance and fell, striking his +head sharply on the bottom of the ladder. Thinking that he was dead, +the seven men made no attempt to help him, but went home, proclaiming +that soon there would be rice enough for all. + +But the datu was not dead, only badly stunned. The next morning, as he +was walking around his granaries, they exploded with a loud noise; and +all the rice flew away in the form of insects, and vanished from his +sight. This kind of insect which originated from the rice we call doron +(from the Spanish word duro), on account of the toughness of its skin. + + +A more intelligible version of this story is the following related +by Felix de la Llana, who was told it by an old farmer of Candelaria, +Zambales. It appears to represent old Pagan tradition modified somewhat +by Christianity. + + +The Origin of Locusts. + +When all the surface of the earth was yet a wilderness and the people +were very few, there lived a farmer who wished to become rich all at +once. So he told his wife to pray to Kayamanan, the goddess of riches, +to give them fortune. + +One night the goddess with arms extended appeared to them in a dream, +and advised the ambitious farmer to build six large barns. Then +she went to the goddess of plenty, Kainomayan, and asked her to +give this farmer abundant crops. When the farmer harvested his rice +the next season, he was astounded to find that the crop more than +filled his six barns. So delighted was he, and so greedy, that he +and his wife thought no more of the source of their good fortune, +and they neglected to celebrate a feast in honor of God and his +goddesses. He felt like a powerful monarch, and did not wish to work +any more. However, his riches did not last long, as we shall see. + +One day the goddess Kayamanan disguised herself, and in the form of a +beggar came to the house of the rich farmer. She begged him to let her +rest for a little while under his roof, for she had been travelling in +many countries, she said. When she asked for some remnants of rice to +eat, the ungrateful farmer said to her, "Get off my grounds! don't come +here to bother me! If you don't leave at once, I shall let this dog +loose, and you will be its food." The poor beggar went away without +a word, but she begged almighty God to give her the power to change +anything to any form or creature she wished. As she was God's favorite, +her request was granted. So she assumed her own form, and went again +to the farmer's house. To him she said, "You who became rich by my aid, +and have denied food and shelter to a beggar, shall be punished. Since +you have neglected your duty both to the poor and to me, I therefore, +with the consent of the almighty God, punish you thus: your rice +shall turn to a swarm of locusts, which will destroy all the crops +of the farmers of your own race and those of other countries." + +The punishment was carried out, and the farmer was left destitute. + + +This story is also known in the Tagalog province of Batangas. + +In a Rumanian saga (Dähnhardt, 3 : 250) a swarm of locusts is sent +by God to punish an emperor who would not invite any priests or nuns +to his wedding-banquet. When the guests were about to eat the feast +prepared, the insects appeared and devoured everything. Since that +time locusts have appeared whenever mankind has forgotten God. + + + +TALE 67 + +HOW LANSONES BECAME EDIBLE. + + +Narrated by Francisco M. Africa. + + +Once upon a time the fruit of the lansone-tree was very poisonous. Its +very juice could make a man sick with leprosy. One day a very +religious old man was passing through a forest to attend the fiesta +of the neighboring town. When he reached the middle of the thick +wood, he became very hungry and tired, and he felt that he could go +no farther. No matter where he looked, he could see nothing but the +poisonous lansone-trees. So he lay down on the soft grass. Hardly a +moment had passed, when a winged being from heaven approached him, and +said, "My good Christian pilgrim, take some of these lansone-fruits, +eat them, and you will be much relieved." At first the old man would +not do it, but the angel picked some of the fruits and handed them +to the pilgrim. He then ate, and soon his hunger was removed. After +thanking Heaven, he continued on his journey. Ever since this time, +lansones have been good to eat. All the fruits still bear the marks +of the angel's fingers. + + +Notes. + +The lanson (Lansium domesticum) is a small tree of Malaysia, +extensively cultivated for its fruit, which resembles a yellow plum +(from E. Ind. lansa). It is not native to the Philippines, and was +probably introduced into the Islands by the Malays in prehistoric +times. Our story, which I think we must consider not imported, is +based on a fancied etymological connection between lanson and lason +(Tag. for "poison"), and does not appear to be known except to the +Tagalogs of La Laguna province, although in Pampango also the word +lason means "poison." Lason itself is derived from the Malay rachun, +perhaps through the Sulu lachun. + +Two other Tagalog versions, both from Laguna province, also show the +influence of Christianity, but vary enough from our story to be worthy +of record here. One, related by Manuel Gallego of San Antonio, Nueva +Ecija, is entitled "The Adam and Eve of the Tagalogs." Mr. Gallego +heard the story from a farmer living in Lubang, La Laguna. It runs +as follows:-- + +Many hundreds of years ago, when Luzon was still uninhabited, Bathala, +our supreme god, was envious of Laon, the god of the Visayans, +because Laon had many subjects, while Bathala's kingdom was a barren +desert. It was within the power of Bathala to create human beings, +but not food for them; and so he asked for advice from Diwata, the +supreme god of the universe. + +Diwata told Bathala that the next day he would send an angel to +earth with seeds to be planted. The promise was fulfilled, and +Bathala scattered the seeds all over Luzon. Within a short time the +island was covered with trees and shrubs, and was then ready for human +habitation. Accordingly Bathala created Adam and Eve, the ancestors of +the Tagalogs. In spite of the fact that they were forbidden to eat the +green fruit of a certain plant, they disobeyed and ate it; so, as a +punishment, they were poisoned and made very sick. They did not die, +however. As a result of their experience, they gave the name lason +("poison") to this plant. Conscious of their fault, Adam and Eve +implored forgiveness of Diwata. By order of Diwata, Bathala forgave +the criminals; but the lason still remained poisonous. In order to +rid it of its dangerous properties, an angel was sent to earth. He +put the marks of his finger-nails on the surface of the pulp of each +lason-seed, and these marks may be seen to this day. Afterwards the +name of the plant was changed from lason to lanzon, the name by which +it has been known ever since. + + +In the other Tagalog version, narrated by Eulogio Benitez of +Pagsanjan, La Laguna, the incident of the finger-prints is told as +a local saint-legend of Paete. The story is entitled "How Lanzones +became Edible." + +The little town of Paete, on the southern and western shore of +Laguna de Bay, produces more lanzones than any other town in the +province. Steamers call daily at her wharves for the fruits which +have made her famous. In the church of this town may still be seen +the image of the mother of God, the Virgin Mary, leading her child. + +One evening a long time ago it was discovered that the beautiful +image was missing from its accustomed place in the church. The news +spread like wildfire, and all the people were in great amazement and +consternation. While all was confusion in the town, a heavenly sight +was being presented in a little place outside the municipality. A +beautiful woman dressed in white was walking over the grass with a +child in her arms. They were going towards a lanzon-tree on the other +side of the meadow. The boy, who was evidently tired of being carried, +asked to be put down. When the child saw the fruits scattered all over +the ground, he felt very thirsty, and, picking up one of the tempting +fruits, began to open it. The mother told her son that the fruit was +poisonous; but the child said that he was very thirsty, and could +go no farther if he did not have a drink. Then the mother took the +fruit from his hands, and with her delicate white fingers pinched +the pulp gently. Turning to her son, she said, "Now you may take +this and eat it. You will find it the most delicious and refreshing +of all fruits." The child obeyed, and the fruit was indeed sweet. + +This is the way by which the lanzones were transformed from a +poisonous, dangerous fruit to a sweet, delicate food. If any one +discredits this story, all he needs to do to prove its truth is +to open up any lanzon he finds, and he will see without fall the +finger-prints of the Virgin. + + + +TALE 68 + +WHY COCKS FIGHT ONE ANOTHER. + + +Narrated by Francisco M. Africa. + + +Once upon a time in an unknown country there lived a royal couple +endowed with almost all the blessings of God. Their palace was +decorated with all kinds of precious stones, diamonds, sapphires, +and emeralds. They were often honored with visits from the celestial +beings. There was hardly an hour of the day when some sort of +jubilation or festival was not being held in the royal home. But, +in spite of all his riches, there was a melancholy in the mind of the +king,--a brooding, a cankering thought, that would not give him an hour +of rest or contentment. In spite of all the favors lavished on him by +God, he felt miserable and uneasy. He had a happy and wealthy kingdom, +but--he had no heir. There was nobody to manage the government after +his death. Whenever the thought of death came to his mind, he fell +on his knees and implored the Almighty to give him a son: "Have mercy +on me, O God! Give me a son to manage my kingdom after I am gone!" + +One evening an angel from Paradise came to visit him, and, on finding +the king at his prayers, said, "Dry thy tears, O king! Thy royal +prayer is heard in heaven. Thou shalt be given more than a son, but +not in the same shape as thou art. Thy sons shall see the light of +day crowned with their own flesh." The king was so greatly overjoyed, +that he could not speak a single word of gratitude in reply. + +Not long afterward the queen gave birth to a cock that crowed on +seeing the light of day. The couple were very glad: night and day +they caressed the royal babe, and they would have made for him a +cage of gold had not God forbidden them to do so. Every year a cock +was born into the royal family, until the feathered sons numbered +thirteen. But these sons were jealous of one another: each thought +that the others had no right to wear crowns. + +At last the old king and queen died, and no one was left to manage +the royal demesne but the dumb sons. Thereafter the feathered orphans +began fighting one another, each one trying to wrest the crown from +the others. + + +Note. + +I know of no variant of this story. + + + +TALE 69 + +WHY BATS FLY AT NIGHT. + + +Narrator, Francisco M. Africa. + + +Many years ago the earth was inhabited by only one man. His body was +composed of minute organisms that were incessantly warring against +one another. One day this man became so weak that he could not obtain +food for his support. He laid himself down on some soft moss by the +bank of a river, and there he remained till night. + +The organisms that lived in his body began to fight against one another +most fiercely. Each ate his fellow until he became very big. At last +the man died, and only one organism remained alive. This organism then +flew away, and became the ancestor of the bats. The light of day so +dazzled his eyes, that he could not fly very far, so he decided to +fly only at night. And ever since, his descendants, too, have hidden +themselves in the day-time, and come out only when it is dark. + + +Note. + +This somewhat unsatisfactory pourquoi story appears to represent at +bottom a very ancient tradition. I know of no parallels; but tales +explaining why the bat flies at night are found among many peoples +(e.g., Dähnhardt, 3 : 94, 267, 270; Dayrell, Nos. VII, XII). + + + +TALE 70 + +WHY THE SUN SHINES MORE BRIGHTLY THAN THE MOON. + + +A Tagalog story narrated by Francisco M. Africa. + + +Long, long ago there lived a fairy with two very beautiful +daughters. Araw, the elder daughter, was very amiable, and had a +kindly disposition; but Buwan, unlike her sister, was disobedient, +cruel, and harsh. She was always finding fault with Araw. One night, +when the fairy came home from her nocturnal rambles and saw Buwan +badly mistreating her elder sister, she asked God for help against +her unruly daughter. + +Before this time God had prepared very valuable gifts for the two +sisters. These gifts were two enormous diamonds that could light the +whole universe. When God heard the prayer of the fairy, he descended to +earth disguised as a beggar. On learning for himself how bad-tempered +Buwan was, and how sweet and kind-hearted Araw, God gave the older +sister her diamond as a reward. Buwan was greatly angered by this +favoritism on the part of the Almighty, so she went to the heavenly +kingdom and stole one of God's diamonds. Then she returned to earth +with the precious stone, but there she found that her jewel was not +so brilliant as Araw's. + +When God went back to heaven and learned what Buwan had done, he sent +two angels to punish her. But the angels abused their commission: +they seized both sisters and hurled them into the sea. Then they threw +the two stones upward into the sky, and there they stuck. But Araw's +diamond was bigger and brighter than the one Buwan stole. Thereafter +the bigger jewel was called Araw ("day" or "sun"); and the smaller one, +Buwan ("moon"). + + +Notes. + +A Pangasinan myth, narrated by Emilio Bulatao of San Carlos, +Pangasinan, tells how the light from the sun and the moon proceeds +from two fiery palaces. The story follows:-- + + +The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars. + +There was once a powerful god called Ama ["father"], the father and +ruler of all others, and the creator of man. He had a wonderful aerial +abode, from which he could see everything. Of all his sons, Agueo +["sun, day"] and Bulan ["moon"] were his two favorites, and to these +he gave each a fiery palace. In accordance with the wish of their +father, Agueo and Bulan daily passed across the earth side by side, +and together they furnished light to mankind. Now, Agueo was of a +morose and taciturn disposition, but he was always very obedient to +his father; Bulan, on the other hand, was merry and full of mischief. + +Once, when they were near the end of their day's labor, they saw +thieves on the earth below, wishing that it were night so that they +might proceed with their unlawful business. Bulan, who was one of their +kind, urged Agueo to be quick, so that the earth might soon be left in +darkness. As Agueo obstinately refused to be hurried, a quarrel ensued +between the two brothers. Their father, who had been watching the two +boys and had heard all that passed between them, became very angry +with the mischievous Bulan; and, in his wrath, he seized an enormous +rock and hurled it whistling through the air. The rock struck the +palace of Bulan, and was broken into thousands of pieces, which got +perpetual light from contact with the fiery palace. These may still +be seen in the heavens, and they are called Bituen ["stars"]. Bulan +was forbidden to travel with Agueo any more, but was commanded to +light the ways of thieves henceforth with his much-dimmed fiery palace. + + +A somewhat similar Pampango myth may also be given here, as it has +never before been printed. It was narrated by Leopoldo Layug of Guagua, +Pampanga, and is entitled "The Sun and the Moon." + +Long ago the earth was created and ruled by Bathala. He had two +children, Apolaqui and Mayari. From the eyes of these two children +the earth received its first light. The people, the birds of the air, +the animals of the mountains, and even the fishes of the sea, were +glad because they had light, and so they were great friends of the +two children. + +Bathala loved his children tenderly, and never wanted them to be +separated from him. So, no matter how tired he was, he always followed +them in their daily walks. But as time went on, and Bathala became +old and feeble and could no longer keep up with his active son and +daughter, he asked them to stay with him at all times; but they were so +absorbed in their pleasures, that they paid no heed to their father's +wish. One day he became sick, and died suddenly, without leaving any +written will as to the disposition of his kingdom. Now Apolaqui wanted +to rule the earth without giving any power to his sister Mayari. She +refused to consent to her brother's plan, and a bitter conflict arose +between them. For a long time they fought with bamboo clubs. At last +Mayari had one of her eyes put out. When Apolaqui saw what he had +done to his sister, he felt very sorry for her, and said that they +should struggle no longer, but that they should exercise equal power +on the earth, only at different times. Since that time, Apolaqui, who +is now called the Sun, has ruled the earth during the day, and from +his eyes we receive bright light. Mayari, who is called the Moon, +rules the world at night. Her light, however, is fainter than her +brother's, for she has but one eye. + + +This same struggle between the two great luminaries is reflected in +two short cradle-songs that Pampangan mothers sing to their children +to still them. These verses were contributed by Lorenzo Licup of +Angeles:-- + + + Ing bulan ilaning aldo + Mitatagalan la baho + Pangaras da quetang cuarto + Nipag sundang, mipagpusto. + + +"The Moon and the Sun chased each other above. When they came into +a room, they took their daggers from their sides and were ready to +fight each other." + + + Ing aldo ilaning bulan + Mitatagalan la lalan + Pangaras da quetang Pampang + Mipagpustu, 't, mitabacan. + + +"The Sun and the Moon chased each other below. When they came to +a bank, they first made preparation, and then began to fight each +other with bolos." + + +The two stories and the two stanzas just given appear to be genuine +old native tradition, unmodified by Christianity. + +For Tinguian, Bukidnon, Mandaya, and Visayan myths of the sun, moon, +and stars, see M. C. Cole, 65, 124, 145, 201. + + + +TALE 71 + +WHY THE CULING HAS A TONSURE. + + +Narrated by Francisco M. Africa. + + +In a certain field there lived two birds,--Pogô ("quail") and Culing +(a small black bird that has no feathers on the top of its head). One +day Pogô, while scratching the ground for food, met Culing. When +Culing saw Pogô, he said in a taunting tone, "Where are you going, +lazy one? Be more active. Don't be as lazy as a leech!" + +Pogô became very angry. "You call me lazy!" he said. "You are much +lazier than I. Let us see which can fly higher into the sky!" + +Thereupon Culing agreed, and he began to fly upward until he was lost +from sight. He flew so high, that his head touched the surface of the +sky. As the sky was hot, all the feathers on the top of his head were +burned off; and ever since, the culing has had a tonsure. + + +The Culeto and the Crow. + +Narrated by Leopoldo Uichanco, a Tagalog from Calamba, La Laguna. He +says, "This tradition is a favorite one among Tagalog children. I +have often heard the story told by old men while I was waiting my +turn at barber-shops in my province." + +The culeto is a fine singer, but it is bald-headed. The natives often +capture it and train it to talk. Formerly this little black bird was +not so bald as it is to-day: its head, in fact, was covered with a +thick growth of feathers. And the crow, too: it was not black once, +but its feathers were as white as starch. + +Once upon a time, shortly after the Deluge, the crow was merrily +crowing on the branch of a tree when the culeto came by. The voice of +the crow was so harsh, that the culeto made fun of it. "Good-morning, +Mr. Crow!" said the culeto, "I am very glad to hear you sing. Your +voice is so fine, that I cannot help closing my ears." + +"Pray, think first of yourself!" answered the crow. "What do I care +for a good voice, so long as I have a strong body? Why don't you +laugh at yourself? See how weak and tiny you are!" + +"Weak!" said the culeto. "Do you call me weak? I would fly a race +even with an eagle." + +"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the crow. "The idea of racing the eagle when +you do not even dare race me!" + +"Race with you! Why, you would only disgrace yourself," retorted +the culeto. + +"Wait!" answered the crow. "Eat some more rice, drink some more water, +fill your body with more air! And wait till you grow bigger before +you venture to race with me!" + +"The strength of a person," said the culeto, nettled, "is not to be +judged by his size. Don't you know that it is the smallest pepper +that is the hottest?" + +"Well, then," replied the crow, "if you wish to race me now at your +own risk, let us begin!" + +"One, two, three!" counted the culeto, and up they flew. During their +flight the two birds became separated from each other by a dense +cloud. The culeto flew at full speed so high upward, that he knocked +his head very hard against the door of the sky,--so hard, in fact, that +a large piece of skin was scraped from his scalp. The crow, having lost +his way, flew so near the sun, that his feathers were burned black. + +It is on account of this bet between the culeto and the crow that +all the descendants of the former have been bald-headed, while all +the descendants of the crow have black feathers to-day. + + +The Hawk and the Coling. + +Narrated by Agapito Gaa of Taal, Batangas. He says that this Tagalog +story is well known in every town in Batangas province. He heard the +story from his grandfather. + +Early one morning a hawk sallied forth from his nest to find something +to eat. He flew so high that he could hardly be seen from the earth. He +looked down; but as he could not see anything, he flew lower and +lower, until he came to the top of a tree. On one of the branches +he saw sitting quietly a coling. The hawk despised the little bird, +and at once made up his mind to challenge him to a flight upward. + +So the hawk said to the coling, "Do you wish to fly up into the sky +with me to see which of us can fly the faster and the higher?" + +The coling did not answer at once, but he thought of the matter for +a while. Then he said to the hawk, "When do you want to have the race?" + +"That is for you to decide," said the hawk. "If you wish to have it +now, well and good." + +"Well," said the coling, "let us have it to-morrow morning before +sunrise!" + +"All right," said the hawk. + +"But," said the coling, "each of us is to carry a load with him to +make the flight a little more difficult." + +"Well, what do you want to take with you?" said the hawk. + +"I will take some salt," said the coling. + +"Then I will take some cotton," replied the hawk. "Let us meet here +in this tree early to-morrow!" This agreed upon, the two birds +separated. The hawk went to the cotton-field and got his load of +cotton, while the coling went to the sea and got some salt. + +The next morning they met in the tree, each having the object he would +carry with him in his flight. They asked the crow, who was present, +to be the judge of the contest. The crow accepted the commission, and +said that he would give a caw as a signal for them to start. He did so, +and the two contestants were off. At first the hawk flew faster and +higher than the coling; but very soon it began to rain. The cotton on +the hawk's back became soaked with water, and soon was very heavy; +but the salt on the coling's back was soon dissolved, and then he +had no load at all. Under these conditions, the coling soon overtook +the bigger bird. For a time they flew side by side; but after a few +minutes the coling had the best of the race, and in a little while +longer the hawk could no longer see his rival. But the coling flew +so high, that at last his head touched the sun, and all the feathers +on the top were burned off. The hawk now flew down to the crow, and +said that he had won the race, for the coling had fallen to the ground +dead. But by and by the coling himself came. He showed them the top +of his head as a proof that he had won the race. The crow gave his +decision in favor of the coling, and the hawk flew off disgraced. + +From that time all colings have had the tops of their heads bald to +show that they are the descendants of the victorious bird. + + + +Notes. + +These three forms of the "flight-contest" incident are all from +southern Luzon,--the provinces of La Laguna and Batangas. The tale +seems to be definitely localized there. I know of its occurrence +nowhere else in the Islands. Nor have I found any Malayan variants. + +For other pourquoi stories of why certain birds are bald, see +Dähnhardt, 3 : 11-14. Dähnhardt (ibid., 142) cites a Ceylon tale of +the crow and the drongo, who had a bet as to which could fly the higher +carrying a load. Crow selected tree-cotton for his burden; but Drongo, +noticing the black rain-clouds overhead, carried salt, and thus won; +for his load became constantly lighter, while Crow's became heavier. + +With the explanation given in the second tale of this group of why the +crow is black, compare a Pawnee story (JAFL 6 : 126), in which a crow, +which is sent to the sun to get fire, has all his feathers singed. + + + +TALE 72 + +WHY THE COW'S SKIN IS LOOSE ON THE NECK. + + +Narrated by Francisco M. Africa. + + +There was once a poor farmer who possessed a cow and a carabao. These +two animals were his only wealth. Every day he led them to the field +to plough. He worked his animals so hard, that they often complained to +him; but the cruel master would not even listen to their words. One day +the cow, who had grown tired of this kind of life, said to the carabao, +"Let us run away from this evil man! Though we are very dirty, he is +not willing for us even to take a bath. If we remain here with him, +we shall be as ugly and as filthy as pigs. If we run away from him, +however, he will have to do his own work, and then we shall be +revenged. Hurry up! Let us go!" + +The spirit of the carabao was aroused: he jumped with a loud roar, +and said, "I too have long been meditating escape, but I hesitated +because I was afraid you might not be willing to join me in flight. We +are so ill-treated by our cruel master, that God will have pity on +us. Come on! Let us go!" + +The two animals at once set out, running as fast as they could, +always trying to avoid any human beings. When they came to a river, +the cow said, "We are very dirty. Let us take a bath before we go +on! The water of this river is so clean and clear, that we shall soon +be as clean as we were before our contemptible master got hold of us." + +The carabao answered, "We would better run a little farther, for +perhaps our master is already in pursuit of us. Besides, we are very +tired now, and I have been told that to take a bath when one is tired +injures the health." + +"Don't believe that!" returned the cow. "Our bodies are so big, +that we do not need to fear sickness." + +At last the carabao was persuaded by the arguments of the cow; and +he said, "All right! Let us take off our clothes before we go into +the water!" + +The two animals then stripped themselves of all their clothes, then +they plunged into the deep, cool river. They had been in the water +less than an hour, however, when they saw their master coming after +them with a big stick in his hand. They ran up to where their clothes +were; but in their haste the carabao put on the cow's clothes, and the +cow got the carabao's. As soon as they were dressed, they continued +their mad flight; and as their master was very tired, he had to give +up the chase and return home disappointed. + +Since the carabao was larger than the cow, the skin on the cow's neck +has been loose ever since, because the two friends were separated +and could never exchange clothes again. And likewise the skin on the +carabao's neck has been tight ever since these two animals made their +mistake in dressing. + + +The First Loose-Skinned Cow and the First Tight-Skinned Carabao. + +Narrated by Amanda Morente, a Tagalog from Pinamalayan, Mindoro. She +heard the story from an old woman of her town. + +Many years ago, when the people of the world were still few in number +and the animals took the place of servants, an old man bought a cow +and a carabao from his neighbor. With these animals he travelled until +he reached the top of a mountain. There they saw a cave, and the +old man told his servants to enter and see if there was any danger +inside. With slow and cautious steps the carabao and the cow went +in, examining every corner. All at once the cow perceived something +moving. In his fright he jumped back, and hid behind his companion; +but the slow-going carabao did not see the figure, and suddenly he +felt his hind leg seized in a strong grasp. The god of the cave had +caught him. Then the god of the cave spoke. His voice was terrifying, +but his words were kind. He told them how for many days he had been +hungry, and he asked for meat. The cow, whose courage had by this +time been somewhat restored, gladly offered him some of her master's +provisions, which she was carrying. In return for this kindness, +the god gave each of the animals a dress: to the carabao he gave one +of gold; and to the cow, one of bronze. He also invited the two to +remain with him and be his servants. + +Some time after the two friends had been installed in their new home, +the god of the cave sent them one day to gather fruits. The carabao and +the cow were delighted at this prospect of a change, and they jumped +with joy. They rushed out into the woods; and when they came to a pond, +they took off their new clothes and plunged into the soft mud. While +they were enjoying their bath, they saw their master coming. He was +carrying a big stick. They knew very well that he would beat them, +for they had been away the whole morning. In their haste to get +their clothes back on, they made a mistake: the carabao got into the +cow's dress, and the cow into the carabao's. After that they never +exchanged their clothes, which finally became their outer skin. So +to-day the carabao has a tight bronze-colored skin; and the cow, +a loose golden-colored one. + + +Note. + +Like the preceding, this story appears to be a native Tagalog tale. I +know of no other variants. + + + +TALE 73 + +WHY THE MONKEY IS WISE. + + +Narrated by Francisco M. Africa. + + +Once upon a time there lived a poor man who had seven sons. These +young men, all except the youngest, helped their aged father with +the work; but the family became poorer and poorer. One day, when they +had exhausted all their means of support, the father called his sons +before him. To every son he assigned a certain kind of work, so that +there might be cooperation, and hence efficiency, in the labors of the +humble family. To the youngest son was assigned the task of gathering +sticks in the forest for fuel. + +Not long afterwards a pestilence broke out in the little town where the +old man lived, and all his sons but the youngest died. The father was +left to starve on his bed, for his only living son was so ungrateful +as not to give any help to his father in his last years. When the old +man was about to breathe his last, he called his son to give him his +final benediction; but the ungrateful boy, instead of going to his +dying father, ran away into the woods, and the old man passed away +without anybody to care for him. + +But God punished the unfilial son; he cursed him; and the boy lost +his power of speech, and was condemned to live in the forests ever +after as a monkey. Thus, although monkeys cannot talk, they are wise +because they are descended from a human being. + + +Notes. + +I know of no analogues of this story, but will cite two other Filipino +myths accounting for the origin of monkeys. The first was narrated +by Antonio Maceda, a Tagalog from Pagsanjan, who heard it from his +grandfather. The story follows. + + +Origin of the Monkey. + +A long time ago the world, which was divided into earth and heaven, +was very lonesome, for Bathala was the only living being in it. He +lived in heaven. One day Bathala felt so lonely, that the thought of +creating some living beings for his companions came into his mind. He +had never thought of this before, although with his infinite power he +could do anything he pleased. So he came down to earth to get some +clay; but he found the ground very dry, for there was no such thing +as rain on the earth. Immediately he said, "Let there be rain!" and +the rain fell down. Then, with a large load of slippery clay, Bathala +returned to heaven and began the work of creation. He created men, +birds, plants, mountains, and rivers (sic!). While he was in the act +of creating men, however, an accident occurred. As he was moulding +a piece of clay into the shape of a man, the mould slipped from his +left hand. Bathala was quick enough to grasp the back of this lifeless +mass of clay; but the clay was so soft that it stretched out into a +long rope, and the mould fell into a tree. In his anger, Bathala said, +"I curse thee! Thou shalt have life, but thou shalt inhabit trees. The +part of thy body that has been stretched out into a rope shall become +thy tail." + +The lifeless mould was at once changed into a monkey, the +great-grandfather of all the monkeys. + + +The following story was written down by Sotero Albano, an Ilocano +from Dingras, Ilocos Norte:-- + + +The First Monkey. + +Long years ago there lived in a thick forest a young girl under the +care of the goddess of weaving. Here she lived happily and without +care, for everything that she wanted to eat was provided for her by +her patroness. + +One day the goddess said to the girl, "Take this cotton, clean it, +and make out of it a dress for yourself." Now, the girl knew nothing +about making cloth and weaving it: so she said to the goddess, +"When the cotton is cleaned, is it ready for use?" + +"No," answered her guardian; "after it is cleaned, it must be +beaten." "Well, after it is beaten, is it ready for use?" said the +lazy girl. + +The goddess said that before it could be used, it would have to +be spun. + +"Well, after it is spun," persisted the saucy maiden, "is it ready +for use?" + +"No; it must next be woven into cloth, cut, and sewed," answered the +patient goddess. + +"Oh!" said the girl, "it will take a long time and much hard work to +make clothes that way. This leather hide, which you have given me to +beat the cotton on, will make me better clothing, because it will +wear longer." So she covered herself with the leather. The goddess +was so angry at the girl for her laziness, that she determined that +the leather should not only be her dress, but also become her very +skin. Then the goddess took the stick for beating the cotton, and, +thrusting it between the maiden's buttocks, said to her, "This +stick will become a part of your body, and you will use it for +climbing-purposes. As a penalty for your laziness, henceforth you +shall live in trees in the forest, and there you will find your food." + +Thus originated the first monkey with a coat of leather and a tail. + + +Obviously connected with this Ilocano story are three Tinguian myths +recorded by Cole, who abstracts them thus:-- + +(No. 65.) A lazy man, who is planting corn, constantly leans on his +planting-stick. It becomes a tail, and he turns into a monkey. + +(No. 66.) A boy is too lazy to strip sugarcane for himself. His mother, +in anger, tells him to stick it up his anus. He does so, and becomes +a monkey. + +(No. 67.) A lazy girl pretends she does not know how to spin. Her +companions, in disgust, tell her to stick the spinning-stick up her +anus. She does so, and at once changes into a monkey. + + +Compare also a Bagobo story collected by Miss Benedict (JAFL 26 : +21), where a ladle becomes a monkey's tail; also an African saga in +Dähnhardt (3 : 488). + +The Filipinos have other explanatory myths which credit Lucifer with +the creation of monkeys and snakes. + + + +TALE 74 + +THE LOST NECKLACE. + + +Narrated by Facundo Esquivel, a Tagalog, who heard the story from a +friend from Cebu. The story is Visayan. + + +Once a crow bought a fine necklace from a merchant. He was very proud +of his purchase, which he immediately put around his neck, so that +everybody could see it. Then he flew away, and came to a beautiful +little garden, where he met his old friend the hen strutting about, +with her chicks following her. The hen said to him, "Oh, what a fine +necklace you have! May I borrow it? I will return it to you to-morrow +without fail." + +Now, the crow liked the hen: so he willingly lent her the necklace +for a day. The next morning, when the crow returned for his property, +he found the hen and her chicks scratching the ground near an old +wall. "Where is my necklace?" said the crow. + +"It is lost," said the hen. "My chicks took it yesterday while I was +asleep, and now they do not remember where they put it. We have been +looking for it all day, and yet we have not been able to find it." + +"You must pay for it at once," said the crow, "or else I shall go to +the king and tell him that you stole my necklace." + +The hen was frightened at this reply, and she began to wonder how she +could raise the necessary money. The crow, who was on his way to a +fiesta, at last said impatiently, "I will take one of your chicks every +day in payment of what you owe me. As soon as you find the necklace, +give it to me, and then I will stop eating your chicks." The hen had +to be satisfied with this arrangement, for she feared that the crow +would go to the king if she refused. + +Unto this day, then, you can find hens and chicks together looking for +the lost necklace by scratching the ground; and the crows are still +exacting payment for the lost jewel by eating chicks. It is said that +the hens and chickens will never cease scratching the ground until +the lost necklace is found. + + +The Cock and the Sparrow-Hawk. + +Narrated by Dolores Asuncion of Manila. She heard the story from an +old Tagalog. + +Long ago the sparrow-hawk and the cock were very good friends. Once, +when the cocks were going to hold a great fiesta in the neighboring +village, a proud young rooster, who wished to get the reputation for +being rich and consequently win him a wife, went to the sparrow-hawk, +and said, "My friend, please lend me your bracelet! I am going to +our fiesta; and I wish to make some young hens there believe that I +am rich, in order that they may love me." + +The sparrow-hawk answered, "With much pleasure, my friend." + +So the cock went to the fiesta wearing the borrowed bracelet. While he +was dancing, however, he lost the jewel, and could find it nowhere. At +last he went back to the sparrow-hawk, and said, "I am very sorry, +my friend, but I lost your bracelet while I was dancing, and I can +find it nowhere. What do you wish me to give you in payment for it?" + +The sparrow-hawk answered, "Since that bracelet was an heirloom, I +valued it very highly. You must go back to the place where you think +you lost it, and there look for it until you find it. In the mean +time I reserve the right to take from your flock a chicken whenever +I please." + +So, ever since that time sparrow-hawks are often seen carrying off +young chickens, while the cocks have been busy scratching the ground +to find the lost bracelet. Hens also scratch the soil, for they hate +to lose their chicks, and they want to find the bracelet as soon as +possible. They look up into the sky to see if the sparrow-hawk is near; +then they scratch the soll vigorously, and cry, "Tac-ta-laoc!" which +means, "Come and help me!" + + +Note. + +Another Visayan variant of these two stories may be found in the +"Journal of American Folk-Lore" (20 : 100), whence it has been +reprinted by M. C. Cole (p. 212), "The Hawk and the Hen." An African +analogue may be found in Dayrell (No. xv, p. 62). + + + +TALE 75 + +THE STORY OF OUR FINGERS. + + +Narrated by Leopoldo Uichanco, a Tagalog from Calamba, La Laguna. + + +"Why," said Antonio to his grandfather one day, "does our thumb stand +separate from the other fingers?" + +"That is only so in our days," replied old Julian. "In the days of +long ago the fingers of our ancestors stood together in the same +position. One day one of these fingers, the one we call the little +finger, became very hungry, and he asked the finger next to him to +give him some food. + +"'O brother!' said the Ring-Finger in reply, 'I am hungry also; +but where shall we get food?' + +"'Heaven is merciful,' put in the Middle-Finger, trying to comfort +his two brothers; 'Heaven will give us some.' + +"'But, Brother Middle-Finger,' protested the Forefinger, 'what if +Heaven gives us no food?' + +"'Well, then,' interposed the Thumb, 'let us steal!' + +"'Steal!' echoed the Forefinger, not at all pleased by the advice that +had just been given. 'Mr. Thumb knows better than to do that, I hope!' + +"'That is bad policy, Mr. Thumb,' concluded the other three +unanimously. 'Your idea is against morality, against God, against +yourself, against everybody. Our conscience will not permit us +to steal.' + +"'Oh, no, no!' returned Thumb angrily, 'you are greatly mistaken, +my friends! Haven't you sense enough even to know how foolish you +are to oppose my plan? Do you call my scheme bad policy,--to save +your lives and mine?' + +"'Ay, if that be your plan,' said the other four fingers, 'you +can go your own way. As for us, we would rather starve and die than +steal.' Then the four virtuous brothers drove Thumb in shame out of +their community, and would have nothing more to do with him. + +"So that is why," concluded old Julian, "we see our thumbs separated +from the other four fingers. He was a thief; and the other four, +who were honest, did not care to live with him. And it is because +Little-Finger did not have enough to eat, that we see him lean and +weak these days." + + +Note. + +I know of no other Filipino accounts of why the thumb is separated +from the rest of the fingers. As an interesting curiosity, however, +I might cite a Bicol children's jingle of five lines which characterize +briefly the five fingers (the thumb is the last described) :-- + + + Maya-mayang saday + Magayon na singsignan + Daculang mangmang + Atrevido + Hababang tao + + "Pretty little sparrow, + Beautiful for a ring, + Long but lazy fellow, + Froward, insolent thing, + Dumpy, dwarfish one." + + + +TALE 76 + +WHY SNAILS CLIMB UP GRASS. + + +Narrated by José E. Tomeldan of Binalonan, Pangasinan. + + +Long ago, when the various kinds of animals dwelt together in a kind +of community, a dalag (a kind of mud-fish), a dragonfly, a wasp, and +a snail agreed to live together in a common house. They furthermore +agreed to divide up the different household duties according to +their power and skill. Accordingly, Dalag, since he was the biggest +and strongest of all, was made the head of the house. He was also +to provide food for his little companions. Dragon-Fly was made the +messenger, because he was the swiftest of them all, but was too weak +for any other kind of work. Wasp was made the house-guard because +of his poisonous sting. Besides being guard, he was also to keep +the house in repair, because he could carry bits of earth and other +building-materials. Snail was made the cook, because he was too slow +for any other duty except tending the house. + +Early one day Dalag went out to look for food. He swam slowly here and +there among the water-plants, when suddenly he saw something moving +on the surface of the water. When he approached nearer, he saw that +it was a big frog swimming helplessly among the duck-weeds. "This +is a big piece of sweet food for us," thought Dalag, and without +hesitation he seized the frog. When he had assured himself that it +could not get away from him, he started to swim home. But, alas! he +never reached his companions; for a sharp hook was inside the frog, +and poor Dalag was caught fast. He tried hard to free himself, but +in rain. Soon a fisherman came, and, putting Dalag in his basket, +took him home and ate him. + +In the mean time Dalag's three companions were anxiously waiting for +him. When they realized that he was lost, Dragon-Fly was sent out to +look for him. Before he went, Dragon-Fly spent a long time arranging +his neck-tie. Then he flew away, turning his head in all directions to +look for Dalag. At last he met Bolasi (a kind of fish whose lips always +move in and out on the surface of the water), and he became very angry +because he thought that Bolasi was laughing at his neck-tie. Dragon-Fly +thought that his tie must be too loose, so he tightened it. Still +Bolasi laughed every time he saw Dragon-Fly. Dragon-Fly kept drawing +his tie tighter and tighter, until at last he cut his own head off, +and that was the end of him. + +Two days had now passed; still Dalag and Dragon-Fly were missing from +home. By this time Wasp and Snail were very hungry. But Snail had the +advantage over Wasp; for Snail could eat mud to pass away the time, +while Wasp could not eat mud, but could only draw in his belt a little +tighter. At last Wasp could no longer endure his hunger. His abdomen +by this time had become very slender: so he flew forth in search of +either Dalag or Dragon-Fly. While he was flying about, his hunger +oppressed him so much, that he tightened his belt again and again, +until he finally broke in two; and that was the end of Wasp. + +Now only Snail was left. He set out from his home, and wandered +everywhere in search of his three companions, weeping as he went. His +food consisted mostly of mud. Whenever he could find a stalk of grass +or the stem of a water-plant, Snail would climb up to look around +and to see if any of his old friends were in sight. Even to-day the +snails still weep; and whenever they see a stalk of grass projecting +above the surface of the water, they climb up and look around, trying +to discover their old friends. + + + +TALE 77 + +WHY THE CUTTLE-FISH AND SQUIDS PRODUCE A BLACK LIQUID. + + +Narrated by Victoria Ciudadano of Batangas. She says she heard the +story from an old woman. It is known by both the Tagalogs and the +Visayans. + + +A long time ago, after Bathala [108] had created the fishes, he +assigned a certain day for all of them to meet in the Dark Sea. The +object of this convention was to appoint some officers. Early in the +morning of the day designated, the fishes were to be seen hurrying to +the meeting. When they reached the assembly hall, they found Bathala +sitting on a beautiful stone, waiting for them. He called the roll +when it seemed that all of the fishes were present. It was found +that the cuttle-fish and squid were absent, so they waited for them +a half-hour; but still they did not come. At last Bathala arose, +and said, "The meeting will come to order." After the fishes had +taken their proper positions, Bathala continued, "The object of this +meeting is to appoint some officers and to issue their appointments." + +At once all the fishes became very quiet and respectful, for all +were anxious to know what offices each was going to hold. Bathala +appointed the sting-ray sergeant-at-arms: hence all sting-rays now have +whip-like tails. The crocodile was appointed cadaver-carrier: so now +all its children have a coffin-like skin on their backs. The crab was +made a soldier: so to-day all its descendants have large and strong +fore-legs. Bathala had not finished giving out his appointments when +the two missing members came. They at once interrupted the meeting +by asking what it was all about. Bathala became very angry at the +interruption, so he scolded the sting-ray and the squid severely. The +rebuke humiliated them so, that they agreed between themselves to +go get mud and throw it on the official appointments. When they +had gotten the mud, they came back and asked Bathala to give them +something to do; but, instead of appointing them to some work, he only +scolded them for being late. Angered, they now threw mud on all the +appointments that had already been drawn up. This insulting act of +the cuttle-fish and the squid so enraged Bathala, that he stood up, +and said in thundering tones, "Now I shall punish you. From this time +on, you and your descendants shall carry pouches of mud with you all +the time. Besides, you shall be very slow in moving because of your +heavy loads." The squid tried to make excuses, but Bathala became +angrier than ever, and said, "You are the naughtiest creature I ever +had. As a punishment, you and your children shall remain the same size +as you are now." And all of Bathala's words have turned out to be true. + + + +TALE 78 + +WHY COCKS HAVE COMBS ON THEIR HEADS. + + +Narrated by Rosita Nieva, a Tagalog from Boac, Marinduque. She heard +the story from her grandmother. + + +Once upon a time there was a magician named Pablo, who had a son +called Juan. Pablo was very industrious, but Juan was lazy and +disobedient. Juan cared for nothing but fine clothes and his own +appearance; he would not help his father. One day Pablo went into his +son's room to find out what he was doing. There he was, standing before +a mirror, and combing his hair. Pablo was so angry at his son, that he +immediately snatched the comb from his hand. Then he angrily struck +the boy's head with the comb, and spoke these harsh words: "Since +you always want to use the comb, let it be on your head forever! I +prefer to have no son at all. I would rather see you changed into a +bird than to remain such a disobedient, worthless boy." The father +struck his son's head so hard, that the comb stuck deep into the +skull. By Pablo's magic power, Juan was immediately changed into a +cock, and the comb on his head was changed into flesh. We can see it +to-day on the heads of all the descendants of Juan. + + +Note. + +I know of no variants of stories Nos. 76-78. + + + +TALE 79 + +HOW THE CROW BECAME BLACK. + + +Narrated by Vicente L. Neri, a Visayan from Cagayan, Misamis. He was +told the story by his grandmother. + + +A long time ago, when Bathala, the god of the land, was peacefully +ruling his dominions, he had many pets. Among these, his two favorites +were the dove and the crow. The crow was noted for its bright, +pretty plumage. + +One day Bathala had a quarrel with Dumagat, the god of the +sea. Bathala's subjects had been stealing fish, which were the subjects +of Dumagat. When Dumagat learned of this, and could get no satisfaction +from Bathala, he retaliated. He opened the big pipe through which +the water of the world passes, and flooded the dominions of Bathala, +until nearly all the people were drowned. When the water had abated +somewhat, Bathala sent the crow, his favorite messenger, to find out +whether all his subjects had been killed. The crow flew out from the +palace where the god lived, and soon saw the corpses of many persons +floating about. He descended, alighted on one, and began to eat the +decaying cadaver. When Bathala saw that it was late and that the crow +had not returned, he sent the dove on the same errand, telling the bird +also to find out what had become of the first messenger. The dove flew +away, looking for any signs of life. At last he saw the crow eating +some of the decaying bodies. Immediately he told the crow that the +king had sent for him, and together they flew back to Bathala's palace. + +When the two birds arrived at the king's court, the dove told Bathala +that the crow had been eating some dead bodies, and consequently +had not done what he had been sent to do. Bathala was very angry at +this disobedience. Without saying a word, he seized his big inkstand +filled with black ink and threw it at the crow, which was immediately +covered. Bathala then turned to the dove, and said, "You, my dove, +because of your faithfulness, shall be my favorite pet, and no longer +shall you be a messenger." Then he turned to the crow, and said, +"You, foul bird, shall forever remain black; you shall forever be a +scavenger, and every one shall hate you." + +So that is why to-day the dove is loved by the people, and the crow +hated. The crows to-day are all black, because they are descendants +of the bird punished by Bathala. + + +Why the Crow is Black. + +Narrated by Ricardo Ortega, an Ilocano living in Tarlac. The story, +however, is Pampangan. + +The first crow that lived on the earth was a beautiful bird with a +sweet voice. The universe was ruled over by the god Sinukuan, and +all his subjects were either plants or animals. No human beings were +yet in existence. Sinukuan lived in a beautiful palace surrounded with +gardens of gold. In these gardens lived two crows who sang sweet songs, +and did nothing but fly about among the flowers and trees. Their golden +plumage was beautiful to see, and Sinukuan took great delight in them. + +Once a terrible pestilence visited the earth, and a great many of +Sinukuan's animals began to die. In his distress and sorrow, Sinukuan +at once set out and made a tour of his kingdom to give what relief +he could to his suffering subjects. After being away three days, +he returned to his palace, his mind weighted down by all the death +and sickness he had seen. When he reached his garden, he called to +his two birds to come sing for him and relieve his mental anguish; +but neither of the birds came. Sinukuan went through his gardens, but +he called in rain. "O birds! where are you?" he cried. Thinking that +perhaps they had flown away and had been attacked by the pestilence, he +determined to make another trip through his kingdom and look for them. + +He had not walked a mile, when, approaching a number of dead animals, +he saw the pair feasting on the decaying flesh. When they saw their +master, they bowed their heads in shame. Had not Sinukuan restrained +himself, he might have killed them that very moment; but he thought +of a better way to punish them. "Now," he said, as he cursed them, +"from this time on, you shall be very ugly black birds; you shall +lose your beautiful voice, and shall be able to make only a harsh cry." + +From that time on, those birds were black, and their offspring are +the crows of to-day. + + +The Dove and the Crow. + +Narrated by Restituto D. Carpio, a Zambal from Cabangan, Zambales. + +A few days after the inundation of the world, God sent a crow down +to earth to see how deep the water was on the land. When the crow +flew down to earth, he was surprised to see so many dead animals +everywhere. It came to his mind that perhaps they would taste good, +so he alighted on one of them and began to eat. He was so very much +pleased with the abundance of food about him, that he forgot all +about the command God had given him, and he remained on the earth. + +On the third day, since the crow had not returned, God sent a dove +down to earth to find out the depth of the water, and to make other +observations of the things that had taken place on the earth. As +the dove was a faithful creature, she did not forget what God told +her. When she reached the earth, she did not alight on any dead animal, +but alighted directly in the water. Now, the water was red from the +blood of so many creatures that had been slain. When the dove stood +in the bloody water, she found that it was only an inch deep. She at +once flew back to heaven, where, in the presence of God, she related +what she had seen on earth, while the crimson color on her feet was +evidence of the depth of the water. + +After a short time the crow returned. He came before God, who spoke +to him thus: "What made you so long? Why did you not return sooner +from the earth?" As the crow had no good reason to give for his delay, +he said nothing: he simply bent his head. + +God punished the crow by putting a chain on his legs. So that to-day +the crow cannot walk: all he can do is to hop from place to place. The +dove, which was faithful to God, is now the favorite pet bird the +world over. The red color on her feet may be seen to-day as evidence +that she performed her duty. + + +Notes. + +None of our stories presents the exact sequence of events found in +other folk-tales of the sending-out of the raven and the dove after +the Deluge to measure the depth of the water; but there can be no +doubt that the Zambal story (c) derives immediately from one of +these. The Visayan account mentions a flood, but not the Deluge. In +the fact that the cause of the great inundation is a quarrel between +two chief Pagan deities, there seems to be preserved an old native +tradition. In the Pampangan story not only is the curse of the crow +attributed to a Pagan deity, Sinukuan, but the occasion of the bird's +downfall is a pestilence. There is no mention whatever of a flood, +nor is the dove alluded to. + +Dähnhardt (1 : 283-287) has discussed a number of folk-tales and +traditions of the punishment of the raven and the rewarding of the +dove. These are for the most part associated with popular accounts +of events immediately after the Deluge. Two that seem to be nearly +related to our versions may be reproduced here in English:-- + +(Polish story of the dove.) When Noah had despatched a dove from the +Ark, the bird alighted on an oak, but soiled its feet in the water of +the Flood, which was all red from the blood of the multitudes that +had been drowned. Since then, doves have all had red feet. (This +detail appears in part word for word in our Zambal story.) + +(Arabian tradition recorded by the ninth-century historian +Tabarî.) Noah said to the raven, "Go and set foot on the earth and +see how deep the water is now." The raven flew forth. But on the +way it found a corpse; it began to eat of it, and did not return to +Noah. Noah, troubled, cursed the raven: "May God make you despised of +mankind, and may your food always be corpses!" Then Noah sent the dove +forth. The dove flew away, and without alighting dipped its feet in the +water. But the water of the Flood was salty and stinging; it burned +the dove's feet so that the feathers did not grow in again, and the +skin dropped off. Those doves that have red feet without feathers are +the descendants of the dove that Noah sent forth. Then Noah said, "May +God make you welcome among mankind!" For this reason the dove is even +to-day beloved of mankind. (This version is of especial interest in +connection with the Visayan story, which comes from Mindanao, the home +of Mohammedanism in the Philippines. Note the close correspondences.) + + +While it appears to me more than likely that our Filipino stories +derive ultimately from Arabian sources through the Moros of the +southern islands rather than through the Spaniards, nevertheless to +settle the question absolutely more variants are needed for comparison. + +Attention might be called to incidents peculiar to the Philippine +accounts and not found in any of the versions cited by Dähnhardt:-- + +(1) A deity, not Noah, sends out the birds. + +(2) The crows of Sinukuan (b), in addition to becoming black, are +condemned forever afterward to have raucous, unpleasant voices. + +(3) In the Visayan story Bathala makes the crow black by hurling an +inkstand at it. This undignified detail may have been taken over from +one of the popular metrical romances ("Baldovinos" or "Doce Pares") +in which Charlemagne loses his temper and throws an inkwell at Roland +(see JAFL 29 : 208, 214, 215). Or it is just barely possible that +this popular bit of machinery became attached to our story of the +crow on the analogy of an Annamite tale (Landes, Contes annamites, +p. 210 f., cited by Dähnhardt, 3 : 65):-- + +The raven and the coq de pagode were once men in the service of the +saint (Confucius), who transformed them into birds as a punishment for +disobedience. In order to undo the punishment and to make the saint +laugh, the raven smeared itself all over with ink. The coq de pagode +wished to do the same to itself, but had only enough black ink for +half its body; for the rest it was obliged to use red. Therefore the +raven is black, and the coq de pagode is half red, half black. + + +(4) In the Zambal story the crow is punished, not by being made black, +but by having a chain put on its legs; so that the crows to-day cannot +walk, but must hop from place to place. + +In conclusion I will cite merely for completeness an American Indian +version not found in Dähnhardt. It is referred to by Sir J. G. Frazer +(Folk-Lore in the Old Testament [1918], 1 : 297), who writes as +follows:-- + +"The same missionary [i.e., Mgr. Faraud, in Annales de la Propagation +de la Foi, xxxvi (1864), 388 et seq.] reports a deluge legend current +among the Crees, another tribe of the Algonquin stock in Canada; +but this Cree story bears clear traces of Christian influence, for +in it the man is said to have sent forth from the canoe, first a +raven, and second a wood-pigeon. The raven did not return, and as a +punishment for his disobedience the bird was changed from white to +black; the pigeon returned with his claws full of mud, from which +the man inferred that the earth was dried up; so he landed." + + +For other folk explanations of the black color of the crow or raven, +see Dähnhardt, 3 : 59, 65-66, 71, 369. An entirely different account +of how the crow's feathers, which were originally as white as starch, +became black, is given in out No. 71 (b). + + + +TALE 80 + +WHY THE OCEAN IS SALTY. + + +Narrated by José M. Paredes of Bangued, Ilocos Sur. He heard the +story from a farmer. + + +A few years after the creation of the world there lived a tall giant by +the name of Ang-ngalo, the only son of the god of building. Ang-ngalo +was a wanderer, and a lover of work. He lived in the mountains, where +he dug many caves. These caves he protected from the continual anger +of Angin, the goddess of the wind, by precipices and sturdy trees. + +One bright morning, while Ang-ngalo was climbing to his loftiest +cave, he spied across the ocean--the ocean at the time was pure, +its water being the accumulated tears of disappointed goddesses--a +beautiful maid. She beckoned to him, and waved her black handkerchief: +so Ang-ngalo waded across to her through the water. The deep caverns +in the ocean are his footprints. + +This beautiful maid was Sipgnet, the goddess of the dark. She said to +Ang-ngalo, "I am tired of my dark palace in heaven. You are a great +builder. What I want you to do for me is to erect a great mansion on +this spot. This mansion must be built of bricks as white as snow." + +Ang-ngalo could not find any bricks as white as snow: the only white +thing there was then was salt. So he went for help to Asin, the ruler +of the kingdom of Salt. Asin gave him pure bricks of salt, as white +as snow. Then Ang-ngalo built hundreds of bamboo bridges across the +ocean. Millions of men were employed day and night transporting the +white bricks from one side of the ocean to the other. At last the +patience of Ocean came to an end: she could not bear to have her deep +and quiet slumber disturbed. One day, while the men were busy carrying +the salt bricks across the bridges, she sent forth big waves and +destroyed them. The brick-carriers and their burden were buried in her +deep bosom. In time the salt dissolved, and today the ocean is salty. + + +Note. + +I know of no close analogues to this etiological myth. + +The hero of the tale, Ang-ngalo, is the same as the Aolo (Angalo) +mentioned in the notes to No. 3 (p. 27, footnote). Blumentritt +(s.v.) writes, "Angangalo is the name of the Adam of the Ilocanos. He +was a giant who created the world at the order of the supreme God." + + + +TALE 81 + +WHY THE SKY IS CURVED. + + +Narrated by Aurelia Malvar, a Tagalog from Santo Tomas, Batangas. Her +father told her the story. + + +Many, many years ago, when people were innocent, as soon as they died, +their souls went directly to heaven. In a short time heaven was crowded +with souls, because nearly every one went there. One day, while God +was sitting on his throne, he felt it moved by some one. On looking +up, he saw that the souls were pushing towards him, because the sky +was about to fall. At once he summoned five angels, and said to them, +"Go at once to the earth, and hold up the sky with your heads until +I can have it repaired." Then God called together all his carpenters, +and said to them, "Repair the heavens as soon as possible." + +The work was done; but it happened that the tallest angel was standing +in the centre of the group; and so, ever since, the sky has been +curved. + + +Why the Sky is High. + +Narrated by Deogracias Lutero of Janiuay, Iloilo. He says that the +story is often heard in his barrio. + +In olden days the sky was low,--so low that it could be reached by +a stick of ordinary length. The people in those days said that God +had created the sky in such a way that he could hear his people when +they called to him. In turn, God could send his blessings to earth +as soon as men needed them. Because of this close connection between +God and his subjects, the people were well-provided for, and they did +not need to work. Whenever they wanted to eat, they would simply call +God. Before their request was made, almost, the food would be on the +table; but after the expulsion of Adam and Eve, God made men work +for their own living. With this change in their condition came the +custom of holding feasts, when the men would rest from their labors. + +One day one of the chiefs, Abing by name, held a feast. Many people +came to enjoy it. A sayao, or native war-dance, was given in honor of +the men belonging to the chief, and it was acted by men brandishing +spears. While acting, one of the actors, who was drunk, tried to show +his skill, but he forgot that the sky was so low. When he darted +his spear, he happened to pierce the sky, and one of the gods was +wounded. This angered God the Father: so he raised the sky as we have +it to-day, far from the earth. + + +Notes. + +I have come across no variants of the Tagalog story of why the sky +is curved. + +Our second story, however, "Why the Sky is High," is without doubt +a Malayan tradition, as analogues from the Bagobos and the Pagan +tribes of Borneo attest. Miss Benedict (JAFL 26 : 16-17) furnishes +two Bagobo myths on "Why the Sky Went Up:"-- + +(a) "In the beginning the sky lay low over the earth--so low that when +the Mona wanted to pound their rice, they had to kneel down on the +ground to get a play for the arm. Then the poor woman called Tuglibung +said to the sky, 'Go up higher! Don't you see that I cannot pound my +rice well?' So the sky began to move upwards. When it had gone up +about five fathoms, the woman said again, 'Go up still more!' This +made the sun angry at the woman, and he rushed up very high." + +(b) "In the beginning the sky hung so low over the earth that the +people could not stand upright, could not do their work. For this +reason the man in the sky said to the sky, 'Come up!' Then the sky +went up to its present place." + + +With Miss Benedict's first version, compare Hose and McDougall +(2 : 142):-- + +"According to an old man of the Long Kiputs of Borneo, the stars are +holes in the sky made by the roots of trees in the world above the sky +projecting through the floor of that world. At one time, he explained, +the sky was close to the earth, but one day Usai, a giant, when working +sago with a wooden mallet, accidentally struck his mallet against the +sky; since which time the sky has been far up out of the reach of man." + + +A different explanation of why the sky went up is current in British +North Borneo. It is embodied in the story of "The Horned Owl and the +Moon" (Evans, JRAI 43 : 433):-- + +"The moon is male and the Pwak (horned owl) is female. + +"Long ago, when the sky was very low down, only a man's height from +the ground, the moon and the Pwak fell in love and married. At that +time there was a man whose wife was with child. The woman came down +from the house, and as the heat of the sun struck her on the stomach, +she became ill, for the sky was very low. Then the man was very angry +because his wife was ill, and he made seven blow-pipe arrows. Early +the next morning he took his blow-pipe with him and went to the place +where the sun rises, and waited. Now at that time there were seven +suns. When they rose, he shot six of them and left one remaining; +then he went home. At the time the man shot the suns the Pwak was +sitting on the house-top in the sky combing her hair. The comb fell +from the sky to the ground, and the Pwak flew down to get it; but when +she found it, she could no longer fly back to the sky; for, while she +had been looking for the comb, the sky had risen to its present place; +since, when the man had shot the six suns, the remaining sun, being +frightened, ran away up into the air and took the sky with it. And so +on the present day, whenever the moon comes out, the Pwak cries to it; +but the moon says to it, 'What can I do, for you are down there below, +while I am up here in the sky?'" + + + +TALE 82 + +AN UNEQUAL MATCH; OR, WHY THE CARABAO'S HOOF IS SPLIT. + + +Narrated by Godofredo Rivera, a Tagalog from Pagsanjan, La Laguna. + + +Once a carabao and a turtle met on a road. They walked in the woods, +and had a fine talk together. The turtle was a sort of humorist, and +was constantly giving exhibitions of his dexterity in getting food by +trickery. But he was especially anxious to win the friendship of the +carabao; for he thought that, if they were friendly, this big fellow +would help him whenever he got into trouble. So he said to the carabao, +"Let us live together and hunt out food together! thus we shall break +the monotony of our solitary lives." + +But the carabao snorted when he heard this proposal; and he replied, +"You slow thing! you ought to live with the drones, not with a swift +and powerful person like me." + +The turtle was very much offended, and to get even he challenged +the carabao to a race. At first the carabao refused to accept the +challenge, for he thought it would be a disgrace for him to run +against a turtle. The turtle said to the carabao, "If you will not +race with me, I will go to all the forests, woods, and mountains, +and tell all your companions and all my friends and all the animal +kingdom that you are a coward." + +Now the carabao was persuaded; and he said, "All right, only give me +three days to get ready for the race." The turtle was only too glad +to have the contest put off for three days, for then he too would +have a chance to prepare his plans. The agreement between the turtle +and the carabao was that the race should extend over seven hills. + +The turtle at once set out to visit seven of his friends; and, by +telling them that if he could win this race it would be to the glory +of the turtle kingdom, he got them to promise to help him. So the +next day he stationed a turtle on the top of each hill, after giving +them all instructions. + +The third day came. Early the next morning the turtle and the carabao +met at the appointed hill. At a given signal the race began, and +soon the runners lost sight of each other. When the carabao reached +the second hill, he was astonished to see the turtle ahead of him, +shouting, "Here I am!" After giving this yell, the turtle at once +disappeared. And at every hill the carabao found his enemy ahead +of him. When the carabao was convinced at the seventh hill that he +had been defeated, he became so angry that he kicked the turtle. On +account of the hardness of its shell, the turtle was uninjured; but +the hoof of the carabao was split in two, because of the force of +the blow. And even to-day, the carabaos still bear the mark which an +unjust action on the part of their ancestor against one whom he knew +was far inferior to him in strength produced on himself. + + +Notes. + +A Pampangan story furnished by Wenceslao Vitug of Lubao, Pampanga, +runs thus in abstract:-- + + +The Deer and the Snail. + +Snail challenges deer to race, and stations his friends at intervals +along the way. Every time deer stops and calls out to see where +his antagonist is, a snail answers from a spot a few yards ahead of +deer. At the end of the course the defeated deer falls fainting. His +gall is sucked out by the snails near him. To this day snails taste +bitter, and the deer has no gall. + + +For a similar Visayan tale see "The Snail and the Deer" (JAFL 20 : +315). A Tinguian version may be found in Cole (No. 82, p. 198). + +This very widespread story is comprehensively discussed by Dähnhardt +(4 : 46-97), who gives a large number of variants from all parts of the +world. The Philippine forms of it may reasonably be adjudged native, +I believe; at any rate, they need not have been derived from Europe. + +A Borneo version (Evans, 475-476) not given in Dähnhardt may be +mentioned here in conclusion. In it the plandok (mouse-deer), which +has deceived and brought about the deaths of all the larger animals, +agrees to tun a race with the omong (hermit-crab). The crab stations +three companions at corners of the square race-course, and wins. The +mouse-deer runs itself to death. + + + + + + +APPENDIX. + +[Additional notes, chiefly in the nature of American Indian, Negro, +and Sinhalese (Ceylon) variants.] + + +Supplementary Bibliography. + + +BOLTE (JOHANNES) UND POLÍVKA (GEORG). Anmerkungen zu den Kinder- +und Hausmärchen der Brüder Grimm. Vol. 3 (Nos. 121-225). Leipzig, 1918. + +Journal of American Folk-Lore. (Cited JAFL.) + +--Boas, F. Notes on Mexican Folk-Lore (JAFL 25 : 204-260). 1912. + +--Bolduc (E.), Tremblay (M.), and Barbeau (C.-M.). Contes populaires +canadiens (troisième série) (JAFL 32 : 90-167). 1919. + +--Bundy, R.C. Folk-Tales from Liberia (JAFL 32 : 406-427). 1919. + +--Espinosa, A.M. Comparative Notes on New-Mexican and Mexican Spanish +Folk-Tales (JAFL 27 : 211-231). 1914. + +----New-Mexican Spanish Folk-Lore (JAFL 27 : 105-147). 1914. + +----New-Mexican Spanish Folk-Lore: Folk-Tales (JAFL 24 : +397-444). 1911. + +--Folk-Tales from Alabama (JAFL 32 : 397-401). 1919. + +--Folk-Tales from Georgia (JAFL 32 : 402-405). 1919. + +--Mason, J.A. Folk-Tales of the Tepecanos (JAFL 27 : 148-210). 1914. + +--Mechling, W. H. Stories and Songs from the Southern Atlantic +Coastal Region of Mexico (JAFL 29 : 547-558). 1916. + +--Stories from Tuxtepec, Oaxaca (JAFL 25 : 199-203). 1912. + +Parsons, E. C. Pueblo-Indian Folk-Tales, probably of Spanish +Provenience (JAFL 31 : 216-255). 1918. + +--Tales from Guilford County, North Carolina (JAFL 30 : +168-200). 1917. + +--Recinos, Adrián. Cuentos populares de Guatemala (JAFL 31 : +472-487). 1918. + +--Skinner, Alanson. European Tales from the Plains Ojibwa +(JAFL 29 : 330-340). 1916. + +----Plains Ojibwa Tales (JAFL 32 : 280-305). 1919. + +--Speck, F.G. Malecite Tales (JAFL 30 : 479-485). 1917. + +--Stewart, Sadie E. Seven Folk-Tales from the Sea Islands, South +Carolina (JAFL 32 : 394-396). 1919. + +--Teit, James. European Tales from the Upper Thompson Indians (JAFL +29 : 301-329). 1916. + +LAIDLAW, GEORGE E. Ojibwa Myths and Tales (reprinted from the +Archæological Report, 1918). + +PARKER, H. Village Folk-Tales of Ceylon. London: Vol. 1, 1910; Vol. 2, +1914; Vol. 3, 1914. + +PARSONS, ELSIE CLEWS. Folk-Tales of Andros Island, Bahamas (Memoirs +of the American Folk-Lore Society, Vol. 13). New York, 1918. (Cited +MAFLS 13.) See also under Journal of American Folk-Lore. + +RADIN-ESPINOSA. El Folklore de Oaxaca, recogido por Paul Radin y +publicado por Aurelio M. Espinosa (Anales de la Escuela Internacional +de Arqueología y Etnología Americanas). New York, 1917. + +SAUNIÈRE, S. DE. Cuentos populares araucanos y chilenos (Revista de +folklore chileno, Vol. 7). Santiago de Chile, 1918. + +THOMPSON, STITH. European Tales among the North American Indians +(Colorado College Publication). Colorado Springs, 1919. + + +Supplementary Notes. + +1. [109] + +Dr. Boas gives the bibliography of "Dr. Know-All" in America in JAFL +25 : 151. + +A Sinhalese variant may be found in Parker, 1 : 179-185 (No. 23). + +2. + +Page 11 (footnote). Dr. Boas informs me that petate is a +Mexican-Spanish word borrowed from the Nahuatl. + +Full bibliography of Grimm, No. 122 ("Donkey Cabbages") is given in +Bolte-Polívka, 3 : 3-9. + +In JAFL 28 : 56 is a Penobscot story containing the loss of three magic +objects, transportation to a distant place, escape of princess by means +of transportation-cap, discovery by hero of magic apples, punishment +of princess, and the recovery of the magic objects (see Thompson, 401). + +3. + +Page 25 (A). For a list of Hindoo stories in which the hero is only +a span high, see Parker, 2 : 256. + +Page 25-26 (B1-5). In a Biloxi tale not belonging in other respects +to our group, the hero's uncle puts the hero to some hard tests, +hoping to make away with him (see Thompson, 376). + +Page 26 (B2). The attempts to kill the hero in a well by throwing +huge rocks on him are found in some of the American variants of the +"Strong John" cycle. (See Thompson, 435-436, for French-Canadian and +Maliseet versions.) + +Page 26 (D.) In a Maliseet tale (Thompson, 340) the strong hero +sets out on his travels with a giant cane that will hold fifty +salted cattle. + +Page 27 (E). In ten of the American Indian versions of "John the Bear" +are found the extraordinary companions (see Thompson, 336-344). + +Page 29. With Kakarangkang's adventure inside the crocodile, compare +an Araucano story (Saunière, No. 3), in which the heroine with a +knife is swallowed by the big king of fishes. She cuts her way out, +saving her brother and others imprisoned. + +4. + +Interrupted-cooking episode. For a Negro version from Bahamas, +see MAFLS 13, No. 93; also bibliography on p. 142 (footnote). In +his analysis of "John the Bear" stories among the American Indians, +Thompson (336-342) notes this episode in Assiniboin, Tehuano, Shoshone, +Thompson River, Maliseet, Loucheux, and Micmac versions. + +Bee-hive hoax. Three Mexican variants on this idea may be noted. In one +(JAFL 25 : 237), rabbit pretends that the bee-hive is a school, which +he permits coyote to keep. In another (ibid., 206) rabbit pretends +that a wasp-nest is a cradle, and gets coyote to rock it. The third +is a Cora story given in abstract by Dr. Boas (ibid., 260), which +is nearest the form of the incident as found in our tales. Opossum +pretends that the bee-hive is a bell which coyote is to ring when +he hears the sky-rockets. In a New-Mexican Spanish story (JAFL 27 : +134-135) fox tells coyote that the bee-hive is his school humming. + +5. + +Parker's Sinhalese story "The Elephant-Fool" (3 : 100-111, No. 203) +tells of a man who borrowed another's elephant; but the beast died +before it could be returned. The borrower offers payment or another +animal, but the owner will accept nothing but his own elephant +alive. Through the cleverness of his wife, the borrower is able to +make the obdurate man break a water-pot, and in turn demands his +very water-pot back unbroken. Unable to do anything else, the owner +of the elephant says that the two debts cancel each other, and goes +away. Parker notes that in another Sinhalese form of this story both +persons institute law-suits. He also cites a Chinese variant (p. 111). + + +6. + +Page 51, line 41. For bibliography of Grimm, No. 183, see +Bolte-Polívka, 3 : 333-335. + +Parker (2 : 247-268, No. 137) gives a Sinhalese story, with three +variants, which is definitely connected with our tales, and confirms my +belief that the "False-Proofs" cycle is native to southern India. In +Parker's main story the false proofs are five,--ass (voice), two +winnowing-trays (ears), two bundles of creepers (testicles?), a tom-tom +(eye), and two elephant tusks (teeth). In variant b the false proofs +are drum (roar), deer-hide rope (hair), pair of elephant tusks (teeth). + +For another Sinhalese story of how a man and his wife "bluffed" +a terrible Yaka hiding under the bed to kill him, see Parker, 1 : +148-149 (No. 17). + +7. + +Page 62. Analogous to the task cited from Jataka, No. 546, is one +of the problems in the Liberian story "Impossible vs. Impossible" +(JAFL 32 : 413). Problem: Make a mat from rice-grains. Solution: +Old rice-mat demanded as pattern.--For making rope out of husks, +and analogous tasks, see Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 513. + +Page 62 (3). In Parker, No. 79, a king requires a man to put a hundred +gourd-fruits in a hundred small-mouthed vessels. His clever daughter +grows them there. Parker cites a story from Swynnerton's Indian Night's +Entertainment, in which a clever girl sends melons in jars to a prince +and requires him to remove the melons without injuring them or the +jars. This problem is identical with one on our p. 58 (16-17). + +In still another Sinhalese story a foolish king requires a Panditaya, +under penalty of death, to teach the royal white horse to speak. The +wise man's daughter saves her father's life by telling him what to +reply to the king (Parker, 1 : 199-200, No. 27).--In Parker, 3 : +112-113 (No. 204), a country-girl meets a prince, to whose questions +she gives enigmatical replies. He is clever enough to interpret +them correctly. + +Page 63 (4). In Parker, 2 : 7-9 (No. 78), a king requires milk from +oxen. The clever village girl's answer is of a kind with Marcela's +(our collection, p. 55): she sets out for the washerman's with a +bundle of cloths, is met by the king, and tells him her father has +come of age in the same manner as women (i.e., he has menstruated). + +8. + +For stealing eggs from under bird, see Bolte-Polívka, 3 : +57-58. Bolte-Polívka's notes on Grimm, No. 192, include a discussion +of both the "Master Thief" cycle (3 : 379-395) and the Rhampsinitus +"Treasure-House" saga (3 : 395-406). Two Sinhalese variants of the +latter cycle, lacking in Bolte-Polívka's bibliography, are Parker's +No. 189 and variant (3 : 41-46). Here the thieves are father and son; +son cuts off father's head to prevent identification. The stories end +with the exposure of the body and the escape of the son, who falls +from a tree when his mother bursts into laments at the sight of her +husband's corpse. + +Four American Indian versions of the "Master Thief" are analyzed by +Thompson (427-429),--Maliseet, Dakota, Thompson River, Wyandot. + +A Oaxaca version of the "Master Thief" is given in Radin-Espinosa, +226-227 (No. 116): it preserves a number of features of the +Rhampsinitus story. Likewise a New-Mexican Spanish tale (JAFL 24 : +423-424), in which, after preliminary skill-tests, the two thieves +rob the king. The Mexican thief is caught; the Spanish thief cuts off +his head. The corpse, by order of the king, is carried through town, +and the house of the mourner is marked with blood. The Spanish thief +escapes by marking all the houses with blood. (For the bibliography +of marking all the house-doors with chalk to prevent discovery, +see Bolte-Polívka, 3 : 145, note.) + +9. + +Page 78. Not counting self. This incident occurs in a Sinhalese story +(Parker, 1 : 258, No. 44). (See ibid., 259, for three variants from +India and one from China.) Comparative bibliography of this motif is +given in Bolte-Polívka, 3 : 149 (note 1). + +Page 78. Killing fly on face. Sinhalese (Parker, 1 : 319-321, No. 58): +The stupid hero strikes with a rice-pestle at a fly on his mother's +head, and kills her. Wyandot (Thompson, 423): The numskull hero hits +the head of a sleeping child to kill mosquito, and kills child. Ojibwa +(Laidlaw, 63): Flies on baby's head "killed" with rubber boot. + +10. + +Page 87. Add to the bibliography of the "Magic Ring" cycle three +American forms of the story,--French-Canadian, Micmac, and Maliseet +(analyzed by Thompson, 398-399). + +An interesting Sinhalese version is Parker's No. 208 (3 : +127-131). Here a lazy prince buys a cobra, parrot, and cat. From the +snake-king he receives a ring by means of which he can create anything +he wants. He creates a palace and a princess. The princess and ring +are stolen by an old woman acting as agent for a king who came to know +of the beautiful princess (hair floating down-stream). Through the +aid of his faithful animals, especially the cat, which coerces the +king of the rats, the hero recovers his wife and magic object. (See +also Parker's extensive notes [131-135] for other Oriental versions.) + + +11. + +Page 114. See Bolte-Polívka, 3 : 483-486, for notes on Grimm's fragment +"The Louse." Bolte and Polívka (3 : 84-85) give brief notes on Grimm, +No. 134, mostly in the nature of addenda to their notes on Grimm, +No. 71, with which this story is closely related. + +Three American Indian variants of Grimm, No. 71, are analyzed by +Thompson (346-347). + +For a Negro version from the Bahamas, see MAFLS 13, No. 20. + +12. + +Page 125, line 21. For "Diego and Juan" read "Diego and Pedro." + +Page 128, note 3. Dr. Farnham presents a fuller and more recent study +of the cycle of the "Contending Lovers" in Publications of the Modern +Language Association, 28 (1920): 247-323. + +Page 128. Full bibliographical treatment of our Type I, the "Creation +of Woman," may be found in Bolte-Polívka, 3 : 53-57. + +Page 133. Bibliography of Grimm, No. 124, will be found in +Bolte-Polívka, 3 : 10-12; of Grimm, No. 129, ibid., 45-58. Bolte +and Polívka are of the opinion that Grimm, Nos. 71, 124, and 129, +are all related (3 : 45). + +A New-Mexican Spanish variant of Grimm, No. 129 (JAFL 24 : 411-414), +tells of three brothers sent out to learn trades. One becomes a +carpenter; another, a silversmith; and the third, a thief. They are +tested by the king, who is satisfied that they have learned their +trades well. A Negro version from the Bahamas (MAFLS 13 : 43-44, +No. 23) tells of four brothers who went out and became skilled +(tailor, robber, thief, archer). Skill-test with egg (stealing from +nest, shooting it into four parts, stitching egg together, replacing +under bird). Rescue of princess stolen by dragon (stitching planks +of shattered ship together). + +Very close to the Bahamas tale, except in the dénouement, is a +Sinhalese story (Parker, 2 : 33 ff., No. 82). Four princes set out to +learn sciences: the first learns sooth; the second, theft; the third, +archery; the fourth, carpentry. They are tested by their father the +king (stealing egg from crow, cutting it with arrow, repairing it, and +restoring it to nest). They then search for and bring back the queen, +who had been stolen by a Rakshasa. They then quarrel as to who should +have the sovereignty. In variant a (ibid., 36-39) a nobleman's five +sons learn sciences (soothsayer, marksman, thief, runner, physician) +and jointly restore a dead princess to life. In variant b (39-42) seven +princes become skilled. In variant c four Brahmans learn sciences to +win the hand of a princess, and afterwards restore her to life. As +they cannot settle their quarrel, they all give her up. (For other +versions, see Parker, 2 : 43-45, 157-159 [No. 109]). + +Page 136, line 31. For "Tagic" read "Jagic." + + +13. + +In a Oaxaca story (Radin-Espinosa, 249-250, No. 137) a rich compadre +tries with no success to advance the fortunes of his poor compadre, +and comes to the conclusion that he who is born to be poor will always +be poor. + +14 b. + +A Oaxaca version of "The Thief and his Master," with the +transformation-combat detail, is given in Radin-Espinosa, 240 +(No. 131). An analogous story has also been recorded by F. Boas +at Zuñi. + +Three Sinhalese versions of "The Magician and his Pupil" may be found +in Parker, 3 : 400-407 (No. 266). Many other Oriental variants are +given in abstract in the notes to these stories (ibid., 408-410). + +15. + +In JAFL 31 : 480-481 is given a Guatemala droll which is clearly +derived from the Arabian Nights form of our story. + +For additional bibliography of the tricky thief who pretends he +had been transformed into the ass which he has just stolen from the +simple peasant, see Bolte-Polívka, 3 : 9. Related to this motif are +two Oriental tales given in abstract by Parker (3 : 205-206). + +17. + +Page 161. Identical with our first task is one found in a Oaxaca +version (Radin-Espinosa, 223, No. 112). No. 109 in this same +collection is a variant of "John the Bear." An excellent New-Mexican +Spanish version of "John the Bear" is given by Espinosa (JAFL 24 : +437-444). (For American Indian versions of this cycle, see Thompson, +336-344.) + +Page 165. For comparative bibliography of the "Forgotten Betrothed" +cycle, see Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 516-527 (on Grimm, No. 113) ; for +American versions of the tasks and magic flight, MAFLS 13 : 54 n2; +and for American Indian versions of this cycle as a whole. Thompson, +370-381. In only four of the twenty Indian stories analyzed, however, +does the incident of the forgetting of his fiancée by the hero occur. + +The first part of the "Forgotten Betrothed" cycle is found in an +Araucano story (Saunière, No. 9), in which the hero takes service +with a supernatural being, falls in love with his daughter, performs +two difficult tasks and answers three questions, and flees with her +in a transformation-flight that ends with the death of the pursuer. + +In a Negro story from Bahamas (MAFLS 13 : No. 27) are found the tasks, +magic-flight, and forgotten-betrothed elements. + + +18. + +Our story is closely related to Grimm, No. 82 a (see Bolte-Polívka, +2 : 190-196, for text), a story derived from Musäus. Grimm, No. 197 +(Bolte-Polívka, 3 : 424-443), is also related. Thompson (410) cites +a Micmac version that agrees with ours in its main outlines,--a +version which he believes goes back to a French original. A very +brief Kutenai version is given in Boas, "Kutenai Tales" (Bulletin 59, +Bureau of American Ethnology), p. 34. + +19. + +See Bolte-Polívka's notes on Grimm, No. 108 (2 : 234 ff.). + +20. + +Page 196. The following American Indian variants of motifs found in +our stories are analyzed by Thompson (419-426):-- + +Fatal imitation (G1): Maliseet (wife), Ojibwa, Dakota, Zuñi. + +Substitute for execution (H): Maliseet, Ojibwa, Wyandot, Thompson +River, Dakota, Tepecano, Creek, Yuchi, Jicarilla Apache, Pochulta, +Chalina, Aztec, Tuxtepec. + +Marine cattle (J): Micmac, Maliseet, Ojibwa, Thompson River, Dakota, +Tepecano. + +Frightening robbers under tree (F5): Micmac, Maliseet, Wyandot, Ojibwa +(for Ojibwa see also Laidlaw, 196). + +For a Negro (Bahamas) variant of G1, see MAFLS 13, No. 41; of F5, +ibid., No. 46. In a Oaxaca story, "Los Dos Compadres" (Radin-Espinosa, +198-199, No. 101), one compadre frightens a band of robbers unwittingly +and acquires treasure (sale-of-ashes incident). Then follows the +incident of the borrowed measure returned with coins adhering, +whereupon the rich compadre tries to "sell ashes," and is killed by +the robbers. For bibliography of the motif coins sticking to borrowed +measure, see Bolte-Polívka, 1 : 520; 2 : 6; 3 : 143 n. + +The incident of frightening robbers under tree appears to be +characteristic of the Pedro di Urdemales group (see JAFL 27 : 119-134, +especially 125, 133). For the sack-by-sea episode in the same story, +see ibid., 134. + +To Bolte-Polívka's bibliography of Grimm, No. 61, should be added a +Sinhalese version (Parker, 2 : 116-119, No. 101), which contains the +rejuvenating-cudgel, sack-by-sea, and marine-cattle motifs. + +21. + +Page 206. In a Oaxaca story (Radin-Espinosa, 246, No. 134) closely +related to our No. 21, a king sentences a gentleman to death for +having said, "El que tiene dinero hace lo que quiere." This sentiment +is almost identical with that found in the Sicilian story by Pitrè. In +both, too, the device by means of which the hero discovers the hidden +princess is a golden eagle which gives forth beautiful music. + +In a New-Mexican Spanish version (JAFL 27 : 135-137) the hero gains +access to the princess by means of a bronze eagle. + +23. + +Page 213. In a New-Mexican Spanish story (JAFL 27 : 128) one of the +adventures of Pedro di Urdemales is to make a pact with the Devil in +return for much money. In hell he wins his freedom by sticking the +demons to their chairs with varnish and then frightening them with a +cross. This version seems nearly related to our story. In a Tepecano +tale of the same hero (ibid., 171) Pedro frightens and beats devils +with a holy palm-leaf. + +24. + +Page 221. Add to Benfey's Oriental versions a Sinhalese story by Parker +(2 : 288-291, No. 141). Parker analyzes three other Hindoo variants +which should be noted. + +Page 222. Parker, No. 252 (3 : 339-341), "How Maraya was put in +the Bottle," is a close variant of Grimm, No. 44. Death is finally +outwitted by the hero, who persuades him to creep into a bottle to +demonstrate that he had been able to enter a closed room through a +keyhole. Thereafter all the hero has to do to cure a sick person is +to place the bottle at his head! This detail of enclosing a demon in +a bottle is found in Caballero's story. + +In another Sinhalese story (Parker, 3 : 185-186, No. 222) a +water-snake, pleased by a beggar's actions, promises to make him rich +by creeping up the trunk of the king's tusk elephant and making the +animal mad. The beggar "cures" the elephant when he tells the snake +to leave, and becomes wealthy. + +27. + +Thompson (413-414) cites two American Indian stories, Penobscot and +Maliseet, which open with the obtaining of a gold-dropping horse +from an old man because of kindness, the loss of it at an inn at the +bands of a rascally landlord, and the recovery of the animal through +the generous use of a magic cudgel. The remainder of the two stories +is connected with the last part of the "Golden Goose" cycle (Grimm, +No. 64). + +Page 237. To the East Indian variants of this story add Parker, +No. 97 (2 : 101-104), in which an indigent man who frightens a Yaka +obtains from the demon a magic self-filling plate, a ring which when +sold will always return to its owner, and a gold-dropping cow. These +are stolen from him on successive days by a Hettiyä, and worthless +imitations substituted. Then the Yaka gives the hero a magic cudgel, +with which he regains his magic articles. (See Parker, ibid., 104-105, +for other Oriental versions.) + +29. + +Page 247. A Sinhalese story, "The Mouse Maiden" (Parker, 1 : 308 f., +No. 54), tells of a princess in the form of a mouse who was married +to a prince. Her permanent disenchantment is brought about by the +burning of her mouse-jacket. Similarly in No. 223 (Parker, 3 : 187-188) +the youngest of seven princes is married to a female hare, which is +permanently disenchanted when her husband burns her hare-skin. This +story and another cited by Parker, in which the youngest of seven +princes married a female monkey who in the end proved to be a fairy +and took off her monkey-skin (Chilli: Folk Tales of Hindustan, 54), +appear to be related to the Indian Märchen cited by Benfey (1 : 251). + +For other tales of animal-marriages with transformation, see Parker, +Nos. 151, 207 (turtle), No. 163 (snake), No. 164 (lizard), No. 165 +(frog); without transformation, No. 158 (bear), No. 159 (leopard). + +30. + +A Sinhalese variant of the "Chastity-Wager" story is Parker, No. 149 +(2 : 334-336). + +33. + +In a French-Canadian version (JAFL 32 : 161-163), while a jealous +hunchback is away from home, three other hunchbacks (unrelated to +the husband) apply to the wife for food. While they are eating, she +sees her husband returning. She hides her three guests in a chest, +where they are smothered. The remainder of the story is regular. + +35. + +Page 278. Our story appears to be related to some of the variants of +Grimm, No. 22, though there is little resemblance between it and the +German story itself. Compare, however, an Ojibwa tale (JAFL 29 : 337), +in which a princess is offered in marriage to whoever can propose a +riddle she cannot solve (in our story it is the hero who must give +the answer to the princess's riddle). On his way to court, the hero +receives magic objects. He successfully outriddles his opponent, +but is put in prison. He wins release and the princess's hand by +means of the magic objects. (See Thompson, 415-416.) + + +36. + +Page 283. A New-Mexican Spanish variant of "Juan Tiñoso" (JAFL 24 : +403-408) combines features from "John the Bear." + +Page 284. The "Iron Hans" cycle (Grimm, No. 136) Bolte and Polívka +(3 : 97) outline as follows:-- + + +(A1) A prince sets free a wild man, Iron Hans, whom his father has +captured; (A2) the prince flees from the machinations of his hostile +or wanton step-mother; (A3) the wild man bestows on a childless couple +a son, who, however, after a definite term, must be surrendered to him. + +(B) While with Iron Hans, whose orders he disobeys, the boy acquires +golden halt, and (B1) is either forgiven and restored to favor, or +(B2) escapes on a talking horse. + +(C) After covering his gold hair with a hat or cloth, he takes service +as a gardener at a king's palace, where the princess falls in love +with him. + +(D) At a tournament he appears three times on a magnificent horse +that Iron Hans has furnished him with, and he gains the hand of the +king's daughter. + +(E) He manifests his nobility as victor in a combat, as a +dragon-killer, as a bringer of a cure for the sick king (cf. No. 97), +or on a hunt, where he disgraces his mocking brothers-in-law. + +(F) Iron Hans or the helpful horse is disenchanted. + + +For American Indian variants of the "Iron Hans" cycle, see Thompson, +350-357. + +Page 284, line 3. For throwing of apples to intended husbands, see +Bolte-Polívka, 2 : 381; 3 : 111. + +Line 16. For the branding of the brothers-in-law, see Grimm, Nos. 59, +91, 97; also Bolte-Polívka, 3 : 114 (note 1). + +Juan Tiñoso means John the Scabby. Two French versions have exactly the +same title, "Jean le Teignous" and "Jean le Tigneux" (Bolte-Polívka, +3 : 99). A somewhat distant Sinhalese relative of "Juan Tiñoso," +in which the hero is a turtle, is Parker, No. 151 (2 : 345-352). + +In an Osage Indian story occurs the release of an imprisoned monster +by a boy (Thompson, 331). + +38. + +Page 288. For bibliography of the question "How much is the king +worth?" see Bolte-Polívka, 3 : 232. The Negrito's counter-demand to +the king's third task (i.e., drink all the fresh water) is identical +with the counter-demand to the task of counting the drops in the sea +(ibid., 3 : 231). + +Page 291. Bolte and Polívka (3 : 214) emphasize the fact of the mutual +borrowing of incidents by this cycle and the "Clever Lass" cycle. + +Two Sinhalese stories not unlike our No. 38 are given by Parker,--"The +Three Questions" (1 : 150-152), "The Four Difficult Questions" +(153-154). + +40. + +Page 299, "Pitong." In a Oaxaca story (Radin-Espinosa, 204, No. 104) +occur the abandoned-children opening, corn-trail, fruit-trail, ogre's +house, advice of rat, ogre pushed in oven. A Chile version of "Le +Petit Poucet" is "Piñoncito" (Saunière, 262). The following American +Indian versions are noticed by Thompson (361-365): Thompson River (3), +Shuswap (2), Ojibwa, Maliseet, Ponka, Bellacoola, Mewan, Uintah Ute. + +45. + +For a Negro (Bahamas) version of "Cinderella," see MAFLS 13, No. 17; +for American Indian versions, Thompson, 384-385. + +47. + +Compare a Negro story from the Bahamas (MAFLS 13, No. 14); also a +Sinhalese tale, "The Roll of Cotton" (Parker, 1 : 364-366, No. 69), +in which the two women are sisters. + +48. + +Two Hindoo (Sinhalese) versions of the "Puss-in-Boots" cycle are +Parker, No. 49 (1 : 278-283) and No. 235 (3 : 243-248). These are +of extreme importance in trying to establish the provenience of our +stories: for in both the helpful animal is a monkey; both contain +the incident of the borrowed measure, the incident of the killing +of the demon by the monkey (obscure but unmistakable in No. 49) and +the claiming of the monster's palace as his master's; in both the +monkey marries his master to a king's daughter. These two stories +differ from ours in the conclusion: the master proves ungrateful, +and the faithful monkey runs off into the forest. Again, too, in the +opening, these two Sinhalese stories differ from ours: the monkey's +gratitude is not motivated; the animal is not a thieving animal, +hence there is no tar-baby device. + +Page 336, Tar-Baby. For the distribution of the "Tar-Baby" story +among the American Indians, see Boas (JAFL 25 : 249), supplemented +by Thompson (444-446). For Negro versions, see MAFLS 13 : Nos. 10, +11, 12; JAFL 30 : 171, 222; Thompson, 440. Other American versions +are Mexico (JAFL 29 : 549); Guatemala (JAFL 31 : 472 f.); Oaxaca +(Radin-Espinosa, 120-121, 183, 197; JAFL 25 : 200, 201, 235-236). + + +49. + +In a Sinhalese noodle-story the foolish hero joins a band of thieves +and tries to steal a millstone, wakening the owner of the house and +asking him for assistance (Parker, 2 : 70-75, No. 90). In another tale +in the same collection, No. 57 (1 : 317-318), a gang of robbers steal +a devil-dancer's box. While they are sleeping, one of their number, +a fool, puts on the costume. They awake, think he is the Devil, and +flee, the fool pursuing and calling, "Stay there! stay there!" This +story is like our "Juan and the Robbers" (348-349). Compare also the +story cited by Parker on p. 318. + +50. + +Since writing the notes to No. 50, I have found a Sinhalese version of +the "Hat-pays-landlord" story which is essentially the same as ours, +only a three-cornered hat, not a painted one, is the hoax. The motive +of the hero's trick is his desire for revenge on three sharpers who +have cozened him out of a bull which they pretend is a goat (Parker, +3 : 200-205, No. 226). For this last situation, compare our No. 15 +and notes. + +53. + +In the Sinhalese "Story of the Bitch" (Parker, 3 : 102-104, No. 201) +a bitch gives birth to two princesses, who marry princes. Later the +elder daughter drives her dog-mother away when it seeks to visit her, +but the younger treats it kindly. The elder daughter is killed by +a cobra-bite because of her avariciousness. This version is nearly +related to Miss Frere's old Deccan story. + +54. + +In the latter part of a long Sinhalese story (Parker, No. 145) +a king conceives a passion for the hero's wife, and resorts to the +same ruse as the wicked datu in our story,--underground tunnel, and +letter to parents in the underworld. The hero escapes by means of a +cross-tunnel, returns with marvellous raiment (provided by heroine) +and news that the king's father and mother are happy. The avaricious +king makes the same trip, and is destroyed. Parker, No. 146 (2 : +313-314), contains almost the identical situation. + +55. + +Page 371 (E). Probably the earliest literary version of the +drowning-turtle motif (undoubtedly the prototype of the brier-patch +punishment) is Buddhistic: Jataka, No. 543. This motif occurs in a +Sinhalese story otherwise wholly unrelated to the cycle of which +this punishment is usually a part (Parker, No. 150, 2 : 339-340; +see also 343-344). + +For additional bibliography of the brier-patch punishment, in many +of the American Indian versions of which the turtle or tortoise is +substituted for the rabbit, see Thompson, 446-447; JAFL 31 : 229 +(note). Thompson (440) also lists some American Negro variants. + +Page 372. With Jataka, No. 273, compare a Negro story from the +Bahamas (MAFLS 13 : 92, No. 45, II). Skinner (JAFL 32 : 295-297) +gives an Ojibwa story in which occurs the "drowning" of the turtle +and the biting-off of otter's testicles by the turtle. This second +detail appears reminiscent of the turtle's revenge discussed on our +pp. 372-373. + +56. + +Page 379. Some American versions of the house-answering-owner episode +are the following: Oaxaca (Radin-Espinosa, 184-185; 194, rabbit and +coyote; JAFL 25 : 208, rabbit and crocodile); Chile (JAFL 26 : 248, +a curious modification of the motif); Mexico (JAFL 29 : 552). In +another Mexican story we find the episode of the rabbit crossing the +river on the crocodile's back (JAFL 29 : 551-552). + +In a Sinhalese story of "The Crocodile and the Jackal" (Parker, +1 : 380-381, No. 75), the crocodile shams dead. Jackal says, "In +our country dead crocodiles wag their tails." (This appears to me a +variant of the house-answering-owner motif.) Later follows the incident +of the seizure of the foot of the jackal, who pretends crocodile has +hold of a root. (See also Parker, No. 36 [1 : 235 f.] for deceptions +turtle practises on jackal.) + +57. + +Page 381. A Oaxaca story (Radin-Espinosa, 190, No. 94) combines +an account of a war between the animals and the winged creatures +(animals defeated) with a race between the lion and the cricket. + +59. + +American versions of the let-me-take-your-place motif are numerous: +Oaxaca (Radin-Espinosa, 121, 153, 183, 185, 197; JAFL 25 : 201, 236); +Mexico (JAFL 29 : 550); Tepecano (JAFL 27 : 162); Negro (JAFL 32 : +400, 402; MAFLS 13 : Nos. 12, 33, 39). + +60. + +The following American forms of the accumulative story may be noted: +Guatemala (JAFL 31 : 482-483); Mexico (JAFL 25 : 219 f.); Oaxaca +(Radin-Espinosa, 195, No. 99); New-Mexican Spanish (JAFL 27 : 138); +Tepecano (JAFL 27 : 175). See also Thompson, 453-454. The stories +resemble ours only in general method, not at all in detail. For +discussion and abstracts of some South American variants that are +closer to our form than are those of Central and North America, +see Boas (JAFL 25 : 352-353 and notes). + +A curious Sinhalese accumulative story, No. 251 in Parker's collection +(3 : 336-338), tells how, when some robbers were apprehended for +digging into the king's palace and were sentenced, they replied that +the mason who made the walls was at fault, not they. The mason accused +his lime-mixer; the lime-mixer, a beautiful woman for having distracted +his attention; the woman, a goldsmith. The goldsmith is condemned, but +by a ruse succeeds in getting a wholly innocent fat-bellied Mohammedan +trader executed in his place. Parker abstracts a similar story from +southern India (p. 338). (See also his No. 28 [1 : 201-205] for another +kind of "clock-story" nearer the type of "The Old Woman and her Pig.") + +61. + +Page 392. Parker's No. 107 (2 : 146-149) is an elaboration of Jataka, +No. 374. (For other Oriental variants of this theme, see ibid., +149-150.) + +71. + +For a Negro version of a flight-contest (not etiological) between a +crow and a pigeon, see MAFLS 13 : No. 53. + +79. + +The Upper Thompson Indians have a story of how the raven and the crow +were sent out after the Flood to find land. They did not return, +but fed on the corpses of the drowned people. For this reason they +were transformed into birds of black color, where formerly they were +white-skinned (JAFL 29 : 329). + +82. + +For bibliography of the relay-race motif among the American Indians +see Boas (JAFL 25 : 249; Thompson, 448-449). Thompson cites fourteen +American Indian versions, in all but two of which the winner is +the turtle. In one, the clever animal is a gopher; in the other, a +frog. For American Negro variants, see Thompson, 441; JAFL 31 : 221 +(note 2); JAFL 32 : 394. In a Negro version from Bahamas (MAFLS 13 : +No. 54), horse and conch race; horse is defeated, and kicks the little +conches to death (cf. the ending of our No. 82). For a Mexican version +(rabbit and toad) see JAFL 25 : 214-215; for Oaxaca (toad and deer), +Radin-Espinosa, 193. + +In an Araucano story (Saunière, No. XI) the race between the fox and +the crawfish does not assume the relay form. + + + + + + +NOTES + +[1] I am greatly indebted to Professor E. Arsenio Manuel, Department +of Anthropology, University of the Philippines, for biographical and +other data with regard to Dean S. Fansler. Mr. E. D. Hester kindly +furnished additional details. + +[2] A common nickname for "Juan," equivalent to the English "Jack." + +[3] Datu, old native name for "village chieftain." + +[4] Casco, a commodious wooden cargo-boat commonly used in rivers +and propelled by poling. + +[5] Carabao, a gray water-buffalo used throughout the Archipelago as +a draught-animal. + +[6] The usual means of getting into a native grass house is a bamboo +ladder. + +[7] This is a common Tagalog expression, and means, "I consider that +you are all inferior to me in every respect." + +[8] Petate (Sp.-Mexican), a sleeping-mat made of woven straw. + +[9] Cavan, a dry measure used in the Philippines, equal to about +75 quarts. + +[10] Bolo, a cutlass-like knife used by the natives either for +agricultural or war purposes. + +[11] The usual Filipino salute of respect for parents or grandparents. + +[12] This name literally means, "only one palasan [a large plant of +llana]." The hero was so called because he was the strongest man in +his town. + +[13] So called because he used as a cane (Tag. tungkod) the large +cylindrical piece of iron used for crushing sugarcane (Tag. bola). + +[14] Literally, "one who can overturn a mountain." + +[15] For the "Fee-fi-fo-fum" phrase in folk-tales, see Bolte-Polívka, +1 : 289-292. + +[16] Literally, "without fear, fearless." + +[17] Paridis may possibly be identified with Paderes, the strong man +whom Rodrigo de Villas (the Cid) meets in the woods, who uproots +a huge tree with which to fight the hero, but who is finally +overcome. Paderes and Rodrigo become fast friends. This character +occupies a prominent place in the metrical romance entitled "Rodrigo +de Villas," which has been printed in the Pampango, Ilocano, Tagalog, +and Bicol dialects. Aolo may be a corruption of Afigalo, represented +in Ilocano saga as a great fisherman. Many legends told to-day by +the Ilocanos in connection with the Abra River, in northern Luzon, +centre about the heroic Afigalo. + +[18] Aba! a very common exclamation of surprise. It sometimes +expresses disgust. + +[19] We seem here to have a myth element explaining why the Negrito's +hair is kinky. See notes for definition of pugut. + +[20] The root pugut is found in many of the dialects, and has +two distinct meanings: (1) "a Negro or Negrito of the mountains;" +(2) "decapitated, or with the hands or feet cut off." Among the +Tagalogs, Bicols, and Visayans, the word is not used to designate a +night-appearing demon or monster. Tag. cafre, which is equivalent to +Iloc. pugut, is Spanish for Kaffir. Blumentritt defines cafre thus: +"Nombre árabe (kafir), importado por los Españoles ó Portugueses; +lo dan los campesinos Tagalos de la provincia de Tayabas á un duende +antropófago, al que no gusta la sal. En las provincias Ilocanas +denominan asi los Españoles al Pugot." + +Speaking of the demons and spirits of northern India, W. Crooke writes +(1 : 138) that "some of the Bhût [= pugut ?], like the Kâfari +[= cafre ?], the ghost of a murdered Negro, are black, and are +particularly dreaded." + +[21] For full translation, see Jataka, ed. by E. B. Cowell (Cambridge +University Press, 1895), 2 : 207-215; and FLJ 3 : 337 f. See also +C. H. Tawney's discussion of the story in the Journal of Philology, +12 : 112-119. + +[22] Camisa china, a thin native coat-shirt worn outside the trousers. + +[23] Patianac, mischievous birth-spirits that live in the woods and +fields, and lead travellers astray at night. + +[24] Pagui, the sting-ray, or skate-fish. Its tail is very efficacious +against evil spirits and witches, according to native belief. + +[25] Tuba. a wine distilled from the coco and other palm trees. + +[26] Typhoon (Ar. tufan), a wind of cyclonic force and extraordinary +violence. + +[27] Literally, "Give us here in the ceiling some good food." + +[28] Manglalabas, literally, "the one who appears;" i.e., apparition. + +[29] Barrio, a small collection of houses forming a kind of suburb +to a town. + +[30] Mangkukulam, an old woman endowed with the powers of a witch. + +[31] Paragos, a kind of rude, low sledge drawn by carabaos and used +by farmers. + +[32] Pipit, a tiny bird. + +[33] Why peso, I cannot say. A hole the size of a peso would +accommodate a rope, but hardly a man or a large tub. The story is +clearly imperfect in many respects. + +[34] Mankukulam, see note 1, p. 53. + +[35] As Mr. Gardner notes, a chap-book form of "Aladdin" exists in +Tagalog. The full title of my copy runs thus (in translation): "The +Wonderful story of Aladin, who got possession of the Marvelous Lamp, +and of his Marriage with the Princess of China the Great. Manila, +1901. (Pp. 127.)" W. Retana, in his "Aparato Bibliográfico" (Madrid, +1906), cites an edition before 1898 (see item No. 4161). The story +has also been printed in the Pampango, Ilocano, Bicol, and Visayan +dialects. + +[36] From the Spanish corredor ("runner"). + +[37] From the Spanish mirador ("seer, gazer"). + +[38] A Tagalog boys' game played in the streets, with lines marked +off by water (tubig). + +[39] From the Spanish puntador ("gunner"). + +[40] From the Spanish cargador ("carrier"). + +[41] From the Spanish soplador ("ventilator, blower"). + +[42] From the Spanish oidor ("hearer"). These six proper names are +given here exactly as they appear in the original narrative. Strictly +speaking, they are not derivatives from the Spanish: they merely +suggest the Spanish words from which they have been coined as +patronymics. + +[43] Tuma, Tagalog, Pampangan, and Malayan for "louse." + +[44] Perhaps from the Spanish conocer ("to know, understand"). For +the names of the other companions, see footnotes to the preceding tale. + +[45] In Spanish this word means "witch, sorceress." + +[46] Whether or not these powers reside in the men themselves, +who have acquired them through practice, or in magic objects which +they find or are presented with. Benfey (loc. cit., p. 969) makes +two distinct cycles on an entirely different basis from mine, both +derived from India: the one telling of the extraordinary endowments +of men; the other, of extraordinary properties of objects (i.e., +magic objects). It seems to me a mistake, however, to make a cycle +of this second group, for magic articles are only machinery in a +story. A family of folk-tales cannot turn merely on things; the magic +objects are only latently powerful until guided and controlled by +the human hero. + +[47] For example, "The Grateful Dead," "John the Bear," "The Child +and the Hand," "The Ransomed Woman," etc. + +[48] The most recent investigation of this cycle that I know of is that +of W. E. Farnham in connection with the sources of Chaucer's "Parlement +of Foules" (in Publications of the Modem Language Association, 32 : +502-513 [1917]). Dr. Farnham has named the cycle "The Contending +Lovers," the stories of which, he says, fall into six clearly marked +types. My discussion of the cycle may require some modification in +the light of his study; but I have printed it here as I wrote it, +some two years before Dr. Farnham's article came to my notice. + +[49] For practically this identical judgment, see the Dsanglun +(St. Petersburg, 1843), p. 94 (cited by Benfey, 1 : 396, note 2). + +[50] Tag. for "rich." + +[51] Tag. for "poor." + +[52] A native dug-out or canoe. + +[53] A Spanish word meaning "a woman who keeps a little shop or store +[tienda]." + +[54] Cañamo, ordinarily a kind of coarse cloth made from hemp. Here +the word probably means the thread from which hempen ropes are made. + +[55] Darak, "bran, shorts, chaff." + +[56] Mungo. a small legume about the size and shape of a lentil. Same +as mongo. + +[57] Carreton, a heavy two-wheeled springless cart drawn by a carabao. + +[58] Hacienda, a ranch of considerable extent. The fact of Pedro's +living at some distance from the doctor might account for the success +of the ruse. + +[59] Chupa, a measure, equal roughly to about four handfuls of +raw rice. + +[60] Camotes, sweet potatoes. + +[61] Mongo, a variety of legume slightly smaller than the lentil +(same as mungo). + +[62] This episode is found in a Tagalog folk-tale collected by Gardner +(JAFL 20 : 304). This folk-tale, it might be noted, is based directly +on a corrido, The Story of the Life of Doña Maria of Murcia, Manila, +1909. The romance has been printed in Pampango and Tagalog. Retana +(No. 4166) mentions an edition between 1860 and 1898, and one dated +1901 (No. 4307). + +[63] I have the text and a complete English paraphrase of a Tagalog +metrical romance which combines incidents from this story with +incidents from "The Adarna Bird" (supra). The romance is entitled +"The Story of the Life of King Don Luis, his Three Sons, and Queen +Mora. Manila 1906." Retana (Nos. 4190, 4362) cites editions 1860-98 +and 1902. This story contains the quest for the water of healing, the +two hermits, the flight on the eagle's back, the sleeping enchanted +queen, the stolen favor and the theft of the slipper, the ransoming +of the two older brothers, their treachery, the hero disguised as +servant in his father's palace, the invasion by the magic queen and her +recovery of her lover the hero. This story is closely related to Groome +No. 55. Compare also Groome's summary of Vernaleken's Austrian story +of the "Accursed Garden" (p. 232), which in some respects resembles +this Filipino romance more closely than does the Gypsy tale. + +[64] These were the leaves of a plant which the Tagalogs call Colis +(see note 2, p. 285). + +[65] Tulisanes, highway robbers or bandits. + +[66] Salop, a dry measure of about fifteen centimetres cube. + +[67] Carreton, a heavy two-wheeled springless cart. + +[68] Sirena, a beautiful enchantress, half woman and half fish, +who was supposed to dwell in certain rivers. This belief is fairly +common in La Laguna province, especially in the town of Pagsanjan. + +[69] One of the most common Tagalog proverbs. + +[70] Novena, a devotion consisting of prayers held for nine consecutive +days and asking for some special favor. + +[71] Novenario, the act of performing or holding a novena. + +[72] There seems to be an inconsistency here,--Clara was the mother +of Idó,--or, if not an inconsistency (there might be two Claras), +at least a useless and confusing repetition of names. + +[73] Cintas, a holy belt worn by women. + +[74] See note 1 on pagui ("sting-ray"), p. 43. + +[75] Guachinango, defined by the narrator as "vagabond." The word is +used in Cuba as a nickname for the natives of Mexico. + +[76] While the term duende is Spanish, the other three spirits +mentioned--tigbalang, iki, mananangal--are good old native demons. + +[77] See footnote 1, p. 217. + +[78] Same as the Cuban isabelina. + +[79] The episode of a mutual cure being effected by a blind man and a +lame man, we have already met with in two of the versions of our No. 6. + +[80] It may be noted, in passing, that among certain of the Tagalogs +the pestilence (cholera particularly) is personified as an old woman +dressed in black, who goes about the town at night knocking for +admittance. If any one pays attention to her summons, the result is +fatal to him. This evil spirit is known as salut. + +[81] That is, "Purse, spit money from your throat!" + +[82] Compadre and comadre, the godfather and godmother of one's child. + +[83] That is, "Goat, leap about!" + +[84] That is, "Table, spread yourself!" + +[85] That is, "Cane, whip!" + +[86] (Spanish) "At him, cudgel!" + +[87] Capitan. In the Philippines this word is used as a title of +address to a justice of the peace (gobernadorcillo). It is also used +to designate the office itself. + +[88] "Golden," in this story, does not mean merely "of the color of +gold," but also "made of gold." + +[89] Banca, a native dug-out. + +[90] Boroka, apparently a corruption of the Spanish bruja ("witch"). + +[91] Coles,--Memecylon edule Roxb. (Melastomata taceæ), a common and +widely distributed shrub in the forests, with small purple flowers +and small black or purple berries. It is found in the Indo-Malayan +region generally. + +[92] For this very old symbol of beauty and noble lineage, see Prato, +Zeitschrift für Volkskunde, 5 : 376; 6 : 28. + +[93] Mangrove tree. + +[94] The Filipinos have many mocking children's rhymes making fun of +personal deformities, such as pock-marks, cross-eyes, very black skin, +etc. They always raise a laugh when recited. + +[95] The Arabian story, I believe, is well worth study in connection +with the theory of the Buddhistic origin of this cycle. The rôle +of the ape; the conflict between the good and bad jinn, the ape +belonging with the latter group; and the narrator's statement, +"All this I have received from the bounty of God, whose name be +exalted!"--suggest at the base of this version the struggle between +Buddhism and Mohammedanism; with Mohammedanism triumphant, of course. + +[96] Bayluhan (from the Spanish baile), "a dancing-party." Katapusan +(Tag.; from tapus, "end, finish"), a fiesta given nine days after +the death of an adult, or three days after the death of a child. + +[97] Silong, the ground floor of a Filipino house. Usually it has +only a dirt floor, and is not finished off. + +[98] The narrator has probably made the original episode a little +more delicate here. There are inconsistencies in the present form +of the story: a lizard would feel cold, not hot; besides, it would +hardly remain clinging to Juan's coat as he rushed through the +forest. Clearly, something other than a lizard fell on Juan. + +[99] Tuntung is the earthen cover of an earthen pot. The verb derived +from it, tuntungan, has two meanings: one is "to cover something," +the other is: to step on or over something." Hence Juan's mistake. + +[100] Unfortunately this work is inaccessible at present, and I +am unable to indicate definitely its episodes. It contains nothing +unique, however. + +[101] Mangla, big land-crabs. + +[102] Cagang, small land-crabs. + +[103] Bataktak, non-edible frogs. + +[104] Hu-man, land-snails. + +[105] Aninipot, fireflies. + +[106] Lamoc, mosquitoes. + +[107] Camanchile, Pithecolobium dulce Benth. (Leguminosæ), a native +of tropical America; introduced into the Philippines by the Spaniards +probably in the first century of Spanish occupation; now thoroughly +naturalized and widely distributed in the Archipelago. + +[108] Bathala, the Supreme Being of the ancient Tagalogs. + +[109] This and the serial numbers following refer to corresponding +numbers of tales. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Filipino Popular Tales, by Dean S. 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