Philippine Folk Tales written by Compiled and Annotated by Mabel (Cook) Cole
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Compiled and Annotated by Mabel (Cook) Cole >> Philippine Folk Tales
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11 PHILIPPINE FOLK TALES
Compiled and Annotated by
Mabel (Cook) Cole
1916
PREFACE
From time to time since the American occupation of the Islands,
Philippine folk-tales have appeared in scientific publications, but
never, so far as the writer is aware, has there been an attempt to
offer to the general public a comprehensive popular collection of
this material. It is my earnest hope that this collection of tales
will give those who are interested opportunity to learn something
of the magic, superstitions, and weird customs of the Filipinos,
and to feel the charm of their wonder-world as it is pictured by
these dark-skinned inhabitants of our Island possessions.
In company with my husband, who was engaged in ethnological work for
the Field Museum of Natural History, it was my good fortune to spend
four years among the wild tribes of the Philippines, During this
time we frequently heard these stories, either related by the people
in their homes and around the camp fires or chanted by the pagan
priests in communion with the spirits. The tales are now published
in this little volume, with the addition of a few folk-legends
that have appeared in the _Journal of American Folk-Lore_ and in
scientific publications, here retold with some additions made by
native story-tellers.
I have endeavored to select typical tales from tribes widely separated
and varying in culture from savagery to a rather high degree of
development. The stories are therefore divided into five groups,
as follows: Tinguian, Igorot, the Wild Tribes of Mindanao, Moro,
and Christian,
The first two groups, Tinguian and Igorot, are from natives who
inhabit the rugged mountain region of northwestern Luzon. From time
immemorial they have been zealous head-hunters, and the stories teem
with references to customs and superstitions connected with their
savage practices. By far the largest number belong to the Tinguian
group. In order to appreciate these tales to the fullest extent,
we must understand the point of view of the Tinguian. To him they
embody all the known traditions of "the first times"--of the people
who inhabited the earth before the present race appeared, of the
ancient heroes and their powers and achievements. In them he finds
an explanation of and reason for many of his present laws and customs.
A careful study of the whole body of Tinguian mythology points to
the conclusion that the chief characters of these tales are not
celestial beings but typical, generalized heroes of former ages,
whose deeds have been magnified in the telling by many generations
of their descendants. These people of "the first times" practiced
magic. They talked with jars, created human beings out of betel-nuts,
raised the dead, and had the power of changing themselves into other
forms. This, however, does not seem strange or impossible to the
Tinguian of today, for even now they talk with jars, perform certain
rites to bring sickness and death to their foes, and are warned by
omens received through the medium of birds, thunder and lightning,
or the condition of the liver of a slaughtered animal. They still
converse freely with certain spirits who during religious ceremonies
are believed to use the bodies of men or women as mediums for the
purpose of advising and instructing the people.
Several of the characters appear in story after story. Sometimes they
go under different names, but in the minds of the story-tellers their
personality and relationships are definitely established. Thus Ini-init
of the first tale becomes Kadayadawan in the second, Aponitolau in
the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, and Ligi in the seventh. Kanag,
the son of Aponitolau and Aponibolinayen, in the fifth tale is called
Dumalawi.
These heroes had most unusual relations with the heavenly bodies,
all of which seem to have been regarded as animate beings. In the
fourth tale Aponitolau marries Gaygayoma, the star maiden who is
the daughter of the big star and the moon. In the first story the
same character under the name of Ini-init seems to be a sun-god:
we are told that he is "the sun," and again "a round stone which
rolls." Thereupon we might conclude that he is a true solar being;
yet in the other tales of this collection and in many more known to
the Tinguian he reveals no celestial qualities. Even in the first
story he abandons his place in the sky and goes to live on earth.
In the first eight stories we read of many customs of "the first
times" which differ radically from those of the present. But a careful
analysis of all the known lore of this people points to the belief that
many of these accounts depict a period when similar customs did exist
among the people, or else were practiced by emigrants who generations
ago became amalgamated with the Tinguian and whose strange customs
finally became attributed to the people of the tales. The stories
numbered nine to sixteen are of a somewhat different type, and in
them the Tinguian finds an explanation of many things, such as,
how the people learned to plant, and to cure diseases, where they
secured the valuable jars and beads, and why the moon has spots on
its face. All these stories are fully believed, the beads and jars
are considered precious, and the places mentioned are definitely
known. While the accounts seem to be of fairly recent origin they
conflict neither with the fundamental ideas and traditions of "the
first times" nor with the beliefs of today.
Stories seventeen to twenty-three are regarded as fables and are told
to amuse the children or to while away the midday hours when the people
seek shaded spots to lounge or stop on the trail to rest. Most of
them are known to the Christianized tribes throughout the Islands and
show great similarity to the tales found in the islands to the south
and, in some cases, in Europe. In many of them the chief incidents
are identical with those found elsewhere, but the story-tellers, by
introducing old customs and beliefs, have moulded and colored them
until they reflect the common ideas of the Tinguian.
The third group includes stories from several wild tribes who dwell
in the large island of Mindanao. Here are people who work in brass
and steel, build good dwellings, and wear hemp clothing elaborately
decorated with beads, shell disks, and embroidery, but who still
practice many savage customs, including slavery and human sacrifice.
The fourth division gives two tales from the Moro (hardy Malayan
warriors whose ancestors early became converts to the faith of
Mohammed). Their teachers were the Arabian traders who, about 1400,
succeeded in converting many of the Malay Islanders to the faith of
the prophet.
The last group contains the stories of the Christianized natives--those
who accepted the rule of Spain and with it the Catholic religion. Their
tales, while full of local color, nevertheless show the influence
of the European tutors. They furnish an excellent opportunity to
contrast the literature of the savage head-hunters with that of the
Moro and Christian tribes and to observe how various recent influences
have modified the beliefs of people who not many centuries ago were
doubtless of a uniform grade of culture. It is interesting, too, to
note that European tales brought into the Islands by Mohammedan and
Christian rulers and traders have been worked over until, at first
glance, they now appear indigenous.
Owing to local coloring, these tales have various forms. Still we
find many incidents which are held in common by all the tribes of
the Archipelago and even by the people of Borneo, Java, Sumatra, and
India. Some of these similarities and parallelisms are indicated in
the foot-notes throughout the book.
CONTENTS
Group I: Tinguian
Aponibolinayen and the Sun
Aponibolinayen
Gawigawen of Adasen
The Story of Gaygayoma Who Lives up Above
The Story of Dumalawi
The Story of Kanag
The Story of Tikgi
The Story of Sayen
The Sun and the Moon
How the Tinguian Learned to Plant
Magsawi
The Tree with the Agate Beads
The Striped Blanket
The Alan and the Hunters
The Man and the Alan
Sogsogot
The Mistaken Gifts
The Boy Who Became a Stone
The Turtle and the Lizard
The Man with the Cocoanuts
The Carabao and the Shell
The Alligator's Fruit
Dogedog
Group II: Igorot
The Creation
The Flood Story
Lumawig on Earth
How the First Head Was Taken
The Serpent Eagle
The Tattooed Men
Tilin, the Rice Bird
Group III: The Wild Tribes of Mindanao
_Bukidnon_
How the Moon and Stars Came to Be
The Flood Story
Magbangal
How Children Became Monkeys
Bulanawan and Aguio
_Bagobo_
Origin
Lumabet
_Bilaan_
The Story of the Creation
In the Beginning
_Mandaya_
The Children of the Limokon
The Sun and the Moon
_Subanun_
The Widow's Son
Group IV: Moro
Mythology of Mindanao
The Story of Bantugan
Group V: The Christianized Tribes
_Ilocano_
The Monkey and the Turtle
The Poor Fisherman and His Wife
The Presidente Who Had Horns
The Story of a Monkey
The White Squash
_Tagalog_
The Creation Story
The Story of Benito
The Adventures of Juan
Juan Gathers Guavas
_Visayan_
The Sun and the Moon
The First Monkey
The Virtue of the Cocoanut
Mansumandig
Why Dogs Wag Their Tails
The Hawk and the Hen
The Spider and the Fly
The Battle of the Crabs
Pronunciation of Philippine Names
TINGUIAN
Introduction
The dim light of stars filtered through the leafy canopy above us,
and the shadowy form of our guide once more appeared at my horse's
head. It was only for an instant, however, and then we were plunged
again into the inky darkness of a tropical jungle.
We had planned to reach the distant Tinguian village in the late
afternoon, but had failed to reckon with the deliberateness of native
carriers. It was only by urging our horses that we were able to
ford the broad Abra ere the last rays of the sun dropped behind the
mountains. And then, in this land of no twilights, night had settled
quickly over us.
We had made our way up the mountain-side, through the thick jungle,
only to find that the trail, long imperceptible to us, had escaped
even the keen eyes of our guide. For several hours we wandered about,
lost in the darkness.
On and on we went, through narrow paths, steep in places, and made
rough and dangerous by sharp rocks as well as by those long creepers
of the jungle whose thorny fingers are ever ready to seize horse or
rider. Occasionally we came out of the forest, only to cross rocky
mountain streams; or perhaps it was the same stream that we crossed
many times. Our horses, becoming weary and uncertain of foot, grew more
and more reluctant to plunge into the dark, swiftly flowing water. And
our patience was nearly exhausted when we at last caught sight of
dim lights in the valley below. Half an hour later we rode into Manabo.
I shall never forget that first picture. It was a weird
spectacle. Coming out of the darkness, we were almost convinced that
we had entered a new world. Against the blackness of the night,
grass-roofed houses stood outlined in the dim light of a bonfire;
and squatting around that fire, unclad save for gay blankets wrapped
about their shoulders, were brown-skinned men smoking long pipes,
while women bedecked with bright beads were spinning cotton. As they
worked in the flickering light, they stretched their distaffs at
arm's length into the air like witches waving their wands; and with
that the elfland picture was complete.
In the stillness of the night a single voice could be heard reciting
some tale in a singsong tone, which was interrupted only when peals
of laughter burst forth from the listeners, or when a scrawny dog rose
to bark at an imaginary noise until the shouts of the men quieted him
and he returned to his bed in the warm ashes. Later we learned that
these were the regular social gatherings of the Tinguian, and every
night during the dry season one or more of these bonfires were to be
seen in the village.
After we had attained to the footing of welcome guests in these
circles, we found that a good story-teller was always present,
and, while the men smoked, the women spun, and the dogs slept,
he entertained us with tales of heroes who knew the magic of the
betel-nut, or with stories of spirits and their power over the lives
of men.
The following are some of the tales heard first around the camp fire
of the distant mountain village.
Aponibolinayen and the Sun
_Tinguian_
One day Aponibolinayen and her sister-in-law went out to gather
greens. They walked to the woods to the place where the siksiklat grew,
for the tender leaves of this vine are very good to eat. Suddenly while
searching about in the underbrush, Aponibolinayen cried out with joy,
for she had found the vine, and she started to pick the leaves. Pull
as hard as she would, however, the leaves did not come loose, and all
at once the vine wound itself around her body and began carrying her
upward. [1]
Far up through the air she went until she reached the sky, and there
the vine set her down under a tree. Aponibolinayen was so surprised
to find herself in the sky that for some time she just sat and looked
around, and then, hearing a rooster crow, she arose to see if she
could find it. Not far from where she had sat was a beautiful spring
surrounded by tall betel-nut trees whose tops were pure gold. Rare
beads were the sands of the spring, and the place where the women set
their jars when they came to dip water was a large golden plate. As
Aponibolinayen stood admiring the beauties of this spring, she beheld
a small house nearby, and she was filled with fear lest the owner
should find her there. She looked about for some means of escape and
finally climbed to the top of a betel-nut tree and hid.
Now the owner of this house was Ini-init, [2] the Sun, but he was
never at home in the daylight, for it was his duty to shine in the
sky and give light to all the world. At the close of the day when
the Big Star took his place in the sky to shine through the night,
Ini-init returned to his house, but early the next morning he was
always off again.
From her place in the top of the betel-nut tree, Aponibolinayen saw
the Sun when he came home at evening time, and again the next morning
she saw him leave. When she was sure that he was out of sight she
climbed down and entered his dwelling, for she was very hungry. She
cooked rice, and into a pot of boiling water she dropped a stick
which immediately became fish, [3] so that she had all she wished to
eat. When she was no longer hungry, she lay down on the bed to sleep.
Now late in the afternoon Ini-init returned from his work and went
to fish in the river near his house, and he caught a big fish. While
he sat on the bank cleaning his catch, he happened to look up toward
his house and was startled to see that it appeared to be on fire. [4]
He hurried home, but when he reached the house he saw that it was
not burning at all, and he entered. On his bed he beheld what looked
like a flame of fire, but upon going closer he found that it was a
beautiful woman fast asleep.
Ini-init stood for some time wondering what he should do, and then
he decided to cook some food and invite this lovely creature to eat
with him. He put rice over the fire to boil and cut into pieces the
fish he had caught. The noise of this awakened Aponibolinayen, and
she slipped out of the house and back to the top of the betel-nut
tree. The Sun did not see her leave, and when the food was prepared
he called her, but the bed was empty and he had to eat alone. That
night Ini-init could not sleep well, for all the time he wondered who
the beautiful woman could be. The next morning, however, he rose as
usual and set forth to shine in the sky, for that was his work.
That day Aponibolinayen stole again to the house of the Sun and cooked
food, and when she returned to the betel-nut tree she left rice and
fish ready for the Sun when he came home. Late in the afternoon
Ini-init went into his home, and when he found pots of hot rice
and fish over the fire he was greatly troubled. After he had eaten
he walked a long time in the fresh air. "Perhaps it is done by the
lovely woman who looks like a flame of fire," he said. "If she comes
again I will try to catch her."
The next day the Sun shone in the sky as before, and when the afternoon
grew late he called to the Big Star to hurry to take his place, for he
was impatient to reach home. As he drew near the house he saw that it
again looked as if it was on fire. He crept quietly up the ladder, and
when he had reached the top he sprang in and shut the door behind him.
Aponibolinayen, who was cooking rice over the fire, was surprised and
angry that she had been caught; but the Sun gave her betel-nut [5]
which was covered with gold, and they chewed together and told each
other their names. Then Aponibolinayen took up the rice and fish,
and as they ate they talked together and became acquainted.
After some time Aponibolinayen and the Sun were married, and every
morning the Sun went to shine in the sky, and upon his return at night
he found his supper ready for him. He began to be troubled, however,
to know where the food came from, for though he brought home a fine
fish every night, Aponibolinayen always refused to cook it.
One night he watched her prepare their meal, and he saw that, instead
of using the nice fish he had brought, she only dropped a stick into
the pot of boiling water.
"Why do you try to cook a stick?" asked Ini-init in surprise.
"So that we can have fish to eat," answered his wife.
"If you cook that stick for a month, it will not be soft," said
Ini-init. "Take this fish that I caught in the net, for it will
be good."
But Aponibolinayen only laughed at him, and when they were ready to
eat she took the cover off the pot and there was plenty of nice soft
fish. The next night and the next, Aponibolinayen cooked the stick,
and Ini-init became greatly troubled for he saw that though the stick
always supplied them with fish, it never grew smaller.
Finally he asked Aponibolinayen again why it was that she cooked the
stick instead of the fish he brought, and she said:
"Do you not know of the woman on earth who has magical power and can
change things?"
"Yes," answered the Sun, "and now I know that you have great power."
"Well, then," said his wife, "do not ask again why I cook the stick."
And they ate their supper of rice and the fish which the stick made.
One night not long after this Aponibolinayen told her husband that
she wanted to go with him the next day when he made light in the sky.
"Oh, no, you cannot," said the Sun, "for it is very hot up there,
[6] and you cannot stand the heat."
"We will take many blankets and pillows," said the woman, "and when
the heat becomes very great, I will hide under them."
Again and again Ini-init begged her not to go, but as often she
insisted on accompanying him, and early in the morning they set out,
carrying with them many blankets and pillows.
First, they went to the East, and as soon as they arrived the Sun began
to shine, and Aponibolinayen was with him. They traveled toward the
West, but when morning had passed into noontime and they had reached
the middle of the sky Aponibolinayen was so hot that she melted and
became oil. Then Ini-init put her into a bottle and wrapped her in
the blankets and pillows and dropped her down to earth.
Now one of the women of Aponibolinayen's town was at the spring dipping
water when she heard something fall near her. Turning to look, she
beheld a bundle of beautiful blankets and pillows which she began to
unroll, and inside she found the most beautiful woman she had ever
seen. Frightened at her discovery, the woman ran as fast as she could
to the town, where she called the people together and told them to
come at once to the spring. They all hastened to the spot and there
they found Aponibolinayen for whom they had been searching everywhere.
"Where have you been?" asked her father; "we have searched all over
the world and we could not find you.'
"I have come from Pindayan," answered Aponibolinayen. "Enemies of
our people kept me there till I made my escape while they were asleep
at night"
All were filled with joy that the lost one had returned, and they
decided that at the next moon [7] they would perform a ceremony for
the spirits [8] and invite all the relatives who were mourning for
Aponibolinayen.
So they began to prepare for the ceremony, and while they were
pounding rice, Aponibolinayen asked her mother to prick her little
finger where it itched, and as she did so a beautiful baby boy popped
out. The people were very much surprised at this, and they noticed
that every time he was bathed the baby grew very fast so that, in
a short time, he was able to walk. Then they were anxious to know
who was the husband of Aponibolinayen, but she would not tell them,
and they decided to invite everyone in the world to the ceremony that
they might not overlook him.
They sent for the betel-nuts that were covered with gold, [9] and
when they had oiled them they commanded them to go to all the towns
and compel the people to come to the ceremony.
"If anyone refuses to come, grow on his knee," said the people,
and the betel-nuts departed to do as they were bidden.
As the guests began to arrive, the people watched carefully for one
who might be the husband of Aponibolinayen, but none appeared and they
were greatly troubled. Finally they went to the old woman, Alokotan,
who was able to talk with the spirits, and begged her to find what town
had not been visited by the betel-nuts which had been sent to invite
the people. After she had consulted the spirits the old woman said:
"You have invited all the people except Ini-init who lives up
above. Now you must send a betel-nut to summon him. It may be that
he is the husband of Aponibolinayen, for the siksiklat vine carried
her up when she went to gather greens."
So a betel-nut was called and bidden to summon Ini-init.
The betel-nut went up to the Sun, who was in his house, and said:
"Good morning, Sun. I have come to summon you to a ceremony which the
father and mother of Aponibolinayen are making for the spirits. If
you do not want to go, I will grow on your head." [10]
"Grow on my head," said the Sun. "I do not wish to go."
So the betel-nut jumped upon his head and grew until it became so
tall that the Sun was not able to carry it, and he was in great pain.
"Oh, grow on my pig," begged the Sun. So the betel-nut jumped upon
the pig's head and grew, but it was so heavy that the pig could not
carry it and squealed all the time. At last the Sun saw that he would
have to obey the summons, and he said to the betel-nut:
"Get off my pig and I will go."
So Ini-init came to the ceremony, and as soon as Aponibolinayen and the
baby saw him, they were very happy and ran to meet him. Then the people
knew that this was the husband of Aponibolinayen, and they waited
eagerly for him to come up to them. As he drew near, however, they saw
that he did not walk, for he was round; and then they perceived that
he was not a man but a large stone. All her relatives were very angry
to find that Aponibolinayen had married a stone; and they compelled
her to take off her beads [11] and her good clothes, for, they said,
she must now dress in old clothes and go again to live with the stone.
So Aponibolinayen put on the rags that they brought her and at once
set out with the stone for his home. No sooner had they arrived there,
however, than he became a handsome man, and they were very happy.
"In one moon," said the Sun, "we will make a ceremony for the spirits,
and I will pay your father and mother the marriage price [12] for you."
This pleased Aponibolinayen very much, and they used magic so that
they had many neighbors who came to pound rice [13] for them and to
build a large spirit house. [14]
Then they sent oiled betel-nuts to summon their relatives to the
ceremony. The father of Aponibolinayen did not want to go, but
the betel-nut threatened to grow on his knee if he did not. So he
commanded all the people in the town to wash their hair and their
clothes, and when all was ready they set out.
When they reached the town they were greatly surprised to find that
the stone had become a man, and they chewed the magic betel-nuts to
see who he might be. It was discovered that he was the son of a couple
in Aponibolinayen's own town, and the people all rejoiced that this
couple had found the son whom they had thought lost. They named him
Aponitolau, and his parents paid the marriage price for his wife--the
spirit house nine times full of valuable jars. [15]
After that all danced and made merry for one moon, and when the people
departed for their homes Ini-init and his wife went with them to live
on the earth.
Aponibolinayen
_Tinguian_
The most beautiful girl in all the world was Aponibolinayen of
Nalpangan. Many young men had come to her brother, Aponibalagen,
to ask for her hand in marriage, but he had refused them all, for he
awaited one who possessed great power. Then it happened that the fame
of her beauty spread over all the world till it reached even to Adasen;
and in that place there lived a man of great power named Gawigawen.
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