{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_10771/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_10771","id":"gutenberg_10771","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10771","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Folk literature, Philippine","Folklore","Folklore -- Philippines"],"text":"PHILIPPINE FOLKLORE STORIES\n\n\n\nBy\nJohn Maurice Miller,\nBoston, U.S.A.\n\n\n\n1904\n\n\n\nPreface\n\nAs these stories are only legends that have been handed down from\nremote times, the teacher must impress upon the minds of the children\nthat they are myths and are not to be given credence; otherwise the\nimaginative minds of the native children would accept them as truth,\nand trouble would be caused that might be hard to remedy. Explain\nthen the fiction and show the children the folly of belief in such\nfanciful tales.\n\n\n\nContents\n\nThe Tobacco of Harisaboqued\nThe Pericos\nQuicoy and the Ongloc\nThe Passing of Loku\nThe Light of the Fly\nMangita and Larina\nHow the World Was Made\nThe Silver Shower\nThe Faithlessness of Sinogo\nCatalina of Dumaguete\nThe Fall of Polobolac\nThe Escape of Juanita\nThe Anting-Anting of Manuelito\nWhen the Lilies Return\n\n\n\nThe Tobacco of Harisaboqued\n\nA legend of the volcano of Canlaon on the island of Negros. It is\ntold generally in Western Negros and Eastern Cebu. The volcano is\nstill active, and smoke and steam rise from its crater.\n\nLong before the strange men came over the water from Spain, there\nlived in Negros, on the mountain of Canlaon, an old man who had great\npower over all the things in the earth. He was called Harisaboqued,\nKing of the Mountain.\n\nWhen he wished anything done he had but to tap the ground three times\nand instantly a number of little men would spring from the earth\nto answer his call. They would obey his slightest wish, but as he\nwas a kind old man and never told his dwarfs to do anything wrong,\nthe people who lived near were not afraid. They planted tobacco on\nthe mountain side and were happy and prosperous,\n\nThe fields stretched almost to the top of the mountain and the plants\ngrew well, for every night Harisaboqued would order his dwarfs to\nattend to them, and though the tobacco was high up it grew faster\nand better than that planted in the valley below.\n\nThe people were very grateful to the old man and were willing to do\nanything for him; but he only asked them not to plant above a line\nhe had ordered his little men to draw around the mountain near the\ntop. He wished that place for himself and his dwarfs.\n\nAll obeyed his wish and no one planted over the line. It was a pretty\nsight to see the long rows of tobacco plants extending from the towns\nbelow far up to the line on the mountain side.\n\nOne day Harisaboqued called the people together and told them that\nhe was going away for a long time. He asked them again not to plant\nover the line, and told them that if they disregarded this wish\nhe would carry all the tobacco away and permit no more to grow on\nthe mountain side until he had smoked what he had taken. The people\npromised faithfully to obey him. Then he tapped on the ground, the\nearth opened, and he disappeared into the mountain.\n\nMany years passed and Harisaboqued did not come back. All wondered\nwhy he did not return and at last decided that he would never do\nso. The whole mountain side was covered with tobacco and many of the\npeople looked with greedy eyes at the bare ground above the line,\nbut as yet they were afraid to break their promise.\n\nAt last one man planted in the forbidden ground, and, as nothing\nhappened, others did the same, until soon the mountain was entirely\ncovered with the waving plants. The people were very happy and soon\nforgot about Harisaboqued and their promise to him.\n\nBut one day, while they were laughing and singing, the earth suddenly\nopened and Harisaboqued sprang out before them. They were very much\nfrightened and fled in terror down the mountain side. When they reached\nthe foot and looked back they saw a terrible sight. All the tobacco\nhad disappeared and, instead of the thousands of plants that they\nhad tended so carefully, nothing but the bare mountain could be seen.\n\nThen suddenly there was a fearful noise and the whole mountain top\nflew high in the air, leaving an immense hole from which poured fire\nand smoke.\n\nThe people fled and did not stop until they were far away. Harisaboqued\nhad kept his word.\n\nMany years have come and gone, but the mountain is bare and the\nsmoke still rolls out of the mountain top. Villages have sprung up\nalong the sides, but no tobacco is grown on the mountain. The people\nremember the tales of the former great crops and turn longing eyes\nto the heights above them, but they will have to wait. Harisaboqued\nis still smoking his tobacco.\n\n\n\nThe Pericos\n\nThroughout the Visayan islands almost every family owns a pericos,\nkept as American children keep canary birds. The pericos is about\nthe size and color of a Crow, but has a hard white hood that entirely\ncovers its head. The people teach it but one phrase, which it repeats\ncontinually, parrot fashion. The words are, \"Comusta pari? Pericos\ntao.\" (How are you, father? Parrot-man.) \"Pari\" means padre or\npriest. The people address the pericos as \"pari\" because its white\nhead, devoid of feathers, seems to resemble the shaven crowns of the\nfriars and native priests.\n\n\nI\n\n\nIn his small wooden box\nThat hangs on the wall\nSits a queer-looking bird\nThat in words sounds his call.\nFrom daybreak to twilight\nHis cry he repeats,\nResting only whenever\nHe drinks or he eats.\nHe never grows weary,--\nHear! There he goes now!\n\"Comusta pari?\nPericos tao.\"\n\n\n\nII\n\n\nAnd all the day long\nYou can hear this strange cry:\n\"How are you, father?\nA parrot-man I.\"\nHe sits on his perch,\nIn his little white cap,\nAnd pecks at your hand\nIf the cage door you tap.\nNow give him some seeds,\nHear him say with a bow,\n\"Comusta pari?\nPericos tao.\"\n\n\n\nIII\n\n\nPoor little birdie!\nHow hard it must be\nTo sit there in prison\nAnd never be free!\nI'll give you a mango,\nAnd teach you to say\n\"Thank you,\" and \"Yes, sir,\"\nAnd also \"Good day.\"\nYou'll find English as easy\nAs what you say now,\n\"Comusta pari?\nPericos tao.\"\n\n\n\nIV\n\n\nI'll teach you \"Good morning\"\nAnd \"How do you do?\"\nOr \"I am well, thank you,\"\nAnd \"How are you too?\"\n\"Polly is hungry\" or\n\"It's a fine day.\"\nThese and much more\nI am sure you could say.\nBut now I must go,\nSo say with your bow,\n\"Comusta pari?\nPericos tao.\"\n\n\n\n\nQuicoy and the Ongloc\n\nThis story is known generally in the southern Islands. The Ongloc\nis feared by the children just as some little boys and girls fear\nthe Bogy Man. The tale is a favorite one among the children and they\nbelieve firmly in the fate of Quicoy.\n\nLittle Quicoy's name was Francisco, but every one called him Quicoy,\nwhich, in Visayan, is the pet name for Francisco. He was a good\nlittle boy and helped his mother grind the corn and pound the rice\nin the big wooden bowl, but one night he was very careless. While\nplaying in the corner with the cat he upset the jar of lubi lana,\nand all the oil ran down between the bamboo strips in the floor and\nwas lost. There was none left to put in the glass and light, so the\nwhole family had to go to bed in the dark.\n\nQuicoy's mother was angry. She whipped him with her chinela and then\nopened the window and cried:\n\n\n\"Ongloc of the mountains!\nFly in through the door.\nCatch Quicoy and eat him,\nHe is mine no more.\"\n\n\nQuicoy was badly frightened when he heard this, for the Ongloc is a big\nblack man with terrible long teeth, who all night goes searching for\nthe bad boys and girls that he may change them into little cocoanuts\nand put them on a shelf in his rock house in the mountains to eat\nwhen he is hungry.\n\nSo when Quicoy went to his bed in the corner he pulled the matting over\nhis head and was so afraid that he did not go to sleep for a long time.\n\nThe next morning he rose very early and went down to the spring where\nthe boys get the water to put in the bamboo poles and carry home. Some\nboys were already there, and he told them what had taken place the\nnight before. They were all sorry that his mother had called the\nOngloc, but they told him not to be afraid for they would tell him\nhow he could be forever safe from that terrible man.\n\nIt was very easy. All he had to do was to go at dusk to the cocoanut\ngrove by the river and dig holes under two trees. Then he was to climb\na tree, get the cocoanut that grew the highest, and, after taking\noff the husk and punching in one of the little eyes, whisper inside:\n\n\n\"Ongloc of the mountains!\nOngloc! Ugly man!\nI'm a little cocoanut,\nCatch me if you can!\"\n\n\nThen he was to cut the cocoanut in halves, quickly bury one piece in\none of the holes, and, running to the other tree, bury the remaining\nhalf in the other hole. After that he might walk home safely, being\nsure not to run, for the Ongloc has always to obey the call of the\ncocoanut, and must hunt through the grove to find the one that called\nhim. Should he cross the line between the holes, the buried pieces\nwould fly out of the holes, snap together on him, and, flying up the\ntree from which they came, would keep him prisoner for a hundred years.\n\nQuicoy was happy to think that he could capture the Ongloc, and\nresolved to go that very night. He wanted some of the boys to go with\nhim, but they said he must go alone or the charm would be broken. They\nalso told him to be careful himself and not cross the line between\nthe holes or he would be caught as easily as the Ongloc.\n\nSo Quicoy went home and kept very quiet all day. His mother was sorry\nshe had frightened him the night before, and was going to tell him\nnot to be afraid; but when she thought of the lubi lana spilled on\nthe ground, she resolved to punish him more by saying nothing to him.\n\nJust at dark, when no one was looking, Quicoy took his father's bolo\nand quietly slipped away to the grove down by the river. He was not\nafraid of ladrones, but he needed the bolo because it is not easy\nto open a cocoanut, and it takes some time, even with a bolo, to get\nthe husk chopped from the fruit.\n\nQuicoy felt a little frightened when he saw all the big trees around\nhim. The wind made strange noises in the branches high above him,\nand all the trees seemed to be leaning over and trying to speak to\nhim. He felt somewhat sorry that he had come, but when he thought of\nthe Ongloc he mustered up courage and went on until he found an open\nspace between two high trees.\n\nHe stopped here and dug a hole under each of the trees. Then he put his\nfeet in the notches and climbed one of the trees. It was hard work,\nfor the notches were far apart; but at last he reached the branches\nand climbed to the top. The wind rocked the tree and made him dizzy,\nbut he reached the highest cocoanut, threw it to the ground, and then\n'started down the tree. It was easy to come down, though he went\ntoo fast and slipped and slid some distance, skinning his arms and\nlegs. He did not mind that, however, for he knew he had the cocoanut\nthat would capture the Ongloc. He picked it up, chopped off the husk,\npunched in one of the little eyes, and whispered inside:\n\n\n\"Ongloc of the mountains!\nOngloc! Ugly man!\nI'm a little cocoanut,\nCatch me if you can!\"\n\n\nHe then chopped it in halves and buried one piece, and, running\nto the other tree, buried the remaining piece. Just as he finished\nhe thought he heard a noise in the grove, and, instead of walking,\nhe started to run as fast as he could.\n\nIt was very dark now, and the noise grew louder and made him run\nfaster and faster, until suddenly a dreadful scream sounded directly in\nfront of him, and a terrible black thing with fiery eyes came flying\nat him. He turned in terror and ran back toward the trees. He knew it\nwas the Ongloc answering the call of the cocoanut, and he ran like mad,\nbut the monster had seen him and flew after him, screaming with rage.\n\nFaster and faster he ran, but nearer and nearer sounded the frightful\nscreams until, just as he felt two huge claws close on his neck, there\nwas a bump, a loud snap, and he felt himself being carried high in the\nair. When the shock was over he found that he was squeezed tightly\nbetween two hard walls, and he could hear the Ongloc screaming and\ntearing at the outside with his claws. Then he knew what had happened.\n\nHe had crossed the line between the buried pieces and they had snapped\non him and carried him up the tree from which they came. He was badly\nsqueezed but he felt safe from the Ongloc, who finally went away in\ndisappointment; for, although he likes cocoanuts, he cannot take one\nfrom a tree, but must change a boy or girl into the fruit if he wishes\nto eat of it.\n\nQuicoy waited a long, long time and then knocked on the shell in the\nhope that some one would hear him. All that night and the next day\nand the next he knocked and cried and knocked, but, though people\npassed under the tree and found the bolo, he was so high up they did\nnot hear him.\n\nDays and weeks went by and the people wondered what had become of\nQuicoy. Many thought he had run away and were sorry for his poor\nmother, who grieved very much to think she had terrified him by calling\nthe Ongloc. Of course the boys who had sent him to the grove could\nhave told something of his whereabouts, but they were frightened and\nsaid nothing, so no one ever heard of poor little Quicoy again.\n\nIf you pass a cocoanut grove at night you can hear a noise like some\none knocking. The older people say that the cocoanuts grow so closely\ntogether high up in the branches that the wind, when it shakes the\ntree, bumps them together. But the children know better. They say,\n\"Quicoy is knocking to get out, but he must stay there a hundred\nyears.\"\n\n\n\nThe Passing of Loku\n\nThe tale of Loku is applied to a large, ugly lizard which climbs\nto the rafters of houses and gives the peculiar cry that suggests\nits name. This lizard, although hideous, is harmless; it lives on\ncentipedes. Its strange cry may be heard everywhere in the Philippine\nIslands.\n\nHundreds of years ago a very wicked king named Loku ruled the\nPhilippines. He was cruel and unjust, and condemned to death all who\nrefused to do his bidding. He had vast armies and made war on all\nuntil his name was feared everywhere.\n\nHis power was very great. He conquered every nation that opposed him\nand killed so many people that the god, viewing the slaughter from\nhis throne above, sent an angel to order him to cease from warfare\nand to rule the land in peace.\n\nLoku was in his palace, planning an assault on his neighbors, when\na soft light filled the chamber, and a beautiful angel appeared and\ndelivered the mandate of the master.\n\nThe cruel king paid no heed, but dismissed the holy messenger\nin scorn. \"Tell your master,\" said he, \"to deliver his message in\nperson. I do not deal with messengers. I am Loku. All fear my name. I\nam the great Loku.\"\n\nHardly had he spoken when the palace shook to its foundations and a\nmighty voice thundered, \"Is it thus thou Slightest my word? Thou art\nLoku. All shall indeed know thy name. From every crevice thou shalt\nforever cry it in a form that suits thy ill nature.\"\n\nThe courtiers, alarmed by the shock, rushed to the king's chamber,\nbut Loku was nowhere to be found. The royal robes lay scattered on\nthe floor and the only living thing to be seen was an ugly lizard\nthat blinked at them from among the plans on the table.\n\nThey searched far and wide, and when no trace of the king could be\nfound the courtiers divided the kingdom and ruled so wisely and well\nthat there was peace for many years.\n\nAs for Loku, you may still hear him fulfilling his punishment. From\ncrack and crevice, tree and shrub, he calls his name from dark till\ndawn: \"Lok-u! Lok-u! Lok-u!\"\n\nAnd he must cry it forever.\n\n\n\nThe Light of the Fly\n\nThe firefly abounds everywhere in the Islands.\n\n\nI\n\n\nThe King of the Air was in terrible rage,\nFor some one had stolen his ring;\nAnd every one wondered whoever could dare\nTo do such a terrible thing.\nHe called all his subjects together and said,\n\"To him that shall find it I'll give\nWhatever he asks, and this bounty of mine\nShall last while his family live.\"\n\n\n\n\nII\n\n\nAway went his good loyal subjects to search,\nAnd no one remained but a fly.\n\"Be off!\" said the King, \"go and join in the search;\nWould you slight such a ruler as I?\"\nThen up spoke the fly with his little wee voice:\n\"The ring is not stolen,\" he said.\n\"It stuck to your crown when you put it away,\nAnd now it's on top of your head.\"\n\n\n\nIII\n\n\nThe King in surprise took the crown from his head,\nAnd there, sure enough, was the ring.\n\"No wonder you saw it, with so many eyes;\nBut what is your wish?\" said the King.\n\"O King,\" said the fly, \"I work hard all the day,\nAnd I never can go out at night.\nI should like to go then and be gay with my friends,\nSo all that I wish is a light.\"\n\n\n\nIV\n\n\n\"You shall have it at once,\" said the gratified King,\nAnd he fastened a light to the fly,\nWho straightway returned to his home with the prize\nThat was worth more than money could buy.\nSo now you can see him at night with his light\nAnd from him this lesson may learn:\nTo keep your eyes open and see the least thing,\nAnd Fortune will come in its turn.\n\n\n\n\nMangita and Larina\n\nThis is a tale told in the lake district of Luzon. At times of rain\nor in winter the waters of the Laguna de Bai rise and detach from the\nbanks a peculiar vegetation that resembles lettuce. These plants,\nwhich float for months down the Pasig River, gave rise, no doubt,\nto the story.\n\nMany years ago there lived on the banks of the Laguna de Bai a poor\nfisherman whose wife had died, leaving him two beautiful daughters\nnamed Mangita and Larina.\n\nMangita had hair as black as night and a dark skin. She was as good\nas she was beautiful, and was loved by all for her kindness. She\nhelped her father mend the nets and make the torches to fish with at\nnight, and her bright smile lit up the little nipa house like a ray\nof sunshine.\n\nLarina was fair and had long golden hair of which she was very\nproud. She was different from her sister, and never helped with the\nwork, but spent the day combing her hair and catching butterflies. She\nwould catch a pretty butterfly, cruelly stick a pin through it,\nand fasten it in her hair. Then she would go down to the lake to see\nher reflection in the clear water, and would laugh to see the poor\nbutterfly struggling in pain. The people disliked her for her cruelty,\nbut they loved Mangita very much. This made Larina jealous, and the\nmore Mangita was loved, the more her sister thought evil of her.\n\nOne day a poor old woman came to the nipa house and begged for a\nlittle rice to put in her bowl. Mangita was mending a net and Larina\nwas combing her hair in the doorway. When Larina saw the old woman\nshe spoke mockingly to her and gave her a push that made her fall\nand cut her head on a sharp rock; but Mangita sprang to help her,\nwashed the blood away from her head, and filled her bowl with rice\nfrom the jar in the kitchen.\n\nThe poor woman thanked her and promised never to forget her kindness,\nbut to her sister she spoke not a word. Larina did not care, however,\nbut laughed at her and mocked her as she painfully made her way again\ndown the road. When she had gone Mangita took Larina to task for\nher cruel treatment of a stranger; but, instead of doing any good,\nit only caused Larina to hate her sister all the more.\n\nSome time afterwards the poor fisherman died. He had gone to the big\ncity down the river to sell his fish, and had been attacked with a\nterrible sickness that was raging there.\n\nThe girls were now alone in the world.\n\nMangita carved pretty shells and earned enough to buy food, but,\nthough she begged Larina to try to help, her sister would only idle\naway the time.\n\nThe terrible sickness now swept everywhere and poor Mangita, too,\nfell ill. She asked Larina to nurse her, but the latter was jealous\nof her and would do nothing to ease her pain. Mangita grew worse\nand worse, but finally, when it seemed as if she would soon die,\nthe door opened and the old woman to whom she had been so kind came\ninto the room. She had a bag of seeds in her hand, and taking one\nshe gave it to Mangita, who soon showed signs of being better, but\nwas so weak that she could not give thanks.\n\nThe old woman then gave the bag to Larina and told her to give a seed\nto her sister every hour until she returned. She then went away and\nleft the girls alone.\n\nLarina watched her sister, but did not give her a single seed. Instead,\nshe hid them in her own long hair and paid no attention to Mangita's\nmoans of pain.\n\nThe poor girl's cries grew weaker and weaker, but not a seed would\nher cruel sister give her. In fact, Larina was so jealous that she\nwished her sister to die.\n\nWhen at last the old woman returned, poor Mangita was at the point of\ndeath. The visitor bent over the sick girl and then asked her sister\nif she had given Mangita the seeds. Larina showed her the empty bag\nand said she had given them as directed. The old woman searched the\nhouse, but of course could not find the seeds. She then asked Larina\nagain if she had given them to Mangita. Again the cruel girl said\nthat she had done so.\n\nSuddenly the room was filled with a blinding light, and when Larina\ncould see once more, in place of the old woman stood a beautiful\nfairy holding the now well Mangita in her arms.\n\nShe pointed to Larina and said, \"I am the poor woman who asked for\nrice. I wished to know your hearts. You were cruel and Mangita was\nkind, so she shall live with me in my island home in the lake. As for\nyou, because you tried to do evil to your good sister, you shall sit\nat the bottom of the lake forever, combing out the seeds you have\nhidden in your hair.\" Then, she clapped her hands and a number of\nelves appeared and carried the struggling Larina away.\n\n\"Come,\" said the fairy to Mangita, and she carried her to her beautiful\nhome, where she lives in peace and happiness.\n\nAs for Larina, she sits at the bottom of the lake and combs her\nhair. As she combs a seed out, another comes in, and every seed that\nis combed out becomes a green plant that floats out of the lake and\ndown the Pasig.\n\nAnd to this day people can see them, and know that Larina is being\npunished for her wickedness.\n\n\n\nHow the World Was Made\n\nThis is the ancient Filipino account of the creation.\n\nThousands of years ago there was no land nor sun nor moon nor stars,\nand the world was only a great sea of water, above which stretched\nthe sky. The water was the kingdom of the god Maguayan, and the sky\nwas ruled by the great god Captan.\n\nMaguayan had a daughter called Lidagat, the sea, and Captan had a\nson known as Lihangin, the wind. The gods agreed to the marriage of\ntheir children, so the sea became the bride of the wind.\n\nThree sons and a daughter were born to them. The sons were called\nLicalibutan, Liadlao, and Libulan, and the daughter received the name\nof Lisuga.\n\nLicalibutan had a body of rock and was strong and brave; Liadlao\nwas formed of gold and was always happy; Libulan was made of copper\nand was weak and timid; and the beautiful Lisuga had a body of pure\nsilver and was sweet and gentle. Their parents were very fond of them,\nand nothing was wanting to make them happy.\n\nAfter a time Lihangin died and left the control of the winds to his\neldest son Licalibutan. The faithful wife Lidagat soon followed her\nhusband, and the children, now grown up, were left without father or\nmother. However, their grandfathers, Captan and Maguayan, took care\nof them and guarded them from all evil.\n\nAfter a time, Licalibutan, proud of his power over the winds, resolved\nto gain more power, and asked his brothers to join him in an attack on\nCaptan in the sky above. At first they refused; but when Licalibutan\nbecame angry with them, the amiable Liadlao, not wishing to offend\nhis brother, agreed to help. Then together they induced the timid\nLibulan to join in the plan.\n\nWhen all was ready the three brothers rushed at the sky, but they\ncould not beat down the gates of steel that guarded the entrance. Then\nLicalibutan let loose the strongest winds and blew the bars in every\ndirection. The brothers rushed into the opening, but were met by\nthe angry god Captan. So terrible did he look that they turned and\nran in terror; but Captan, furious at the destruction of his gates,\nsent three bolts of lightning after them.\n\nThe first struck the copper Libulan and melted him into a ball. The\nsecond struck the golden Liadlao and he too was melted. The third\nbolt struck Licalibutan and his rocky body broke into many pieces\nand fell into the sea. So huge was he that parts of his body stuck\nout above the water and became what is known as land.\n\nIn the meantime the gentle Lisuga had missed her brothers and started\nto look for them. She went toward the sky, but as she approached the\nbroken gates, Captan, blind with anger, struck her too with lightning,\nand her silver body broke into thousands of pieces.\n\nCaptan then came down from the sky and tore the sea apart, calling\non Maguayan to come to him and accusing him of ordering the attack on\nthe sky. Soon Maguayan appeared and answered that he knew nothing of\nthe plot as he had been asleep far down in the sea. After a time he\nsucceeded in calming the angry Captan. Together they wept at the loss\nof their grandchildren, especially the gentle and beautiful Lisuga; but\nwith all their power they could not restore the dead to life. However,\nthey gave to each body a beautiful light that will shine forever.\n\nAnd so it was that golden Liadlao became the sun and copper Libulan\nthe moon, while the thousands of pieces of silver Lisuga shine as\nthe stars of heaven. To wicked Licalibutan the gods gave no light,\nbut resolved to make his body support a new race of people. So Captan\ngave Maguayan a seed and he planted it on the land, which, as you will\nremember, was part of Licalibutan's huge body. Soon a bamboo tree grew\nup, and from the hollow of one of its branches a man and a woman came\nout. The man's name was Sicalac, and the woman was called Sicabay. They\nwere the parents of the human race. Their first child was a son whom\nthey called Libo; afterwards they had a daughter who was known as\nSaman. Pandaguan was a younger son and he had a son called Arion.\n\nPandaguan was very clever and invented a trap to catch fish. The very\nfirst thing he caught was a huge shark. When he brought it to land,\nit looked so great and fierce that he thought it was surely a god,\nand he at once ordered his people to worship it. Soon all gathered\naround and began to sing and pray to the shark. Suddenly the sky and\nsea opened, and the gods came out and ordered Pandaguan to throw the\nshark back into the sea and to worship none but them.\n\nAll were afraid except Pandaguan. He grew very bold and answered that\nthe shark was as big as the gods, and that since he had been able to\noverpower it he would also be able to conquer the gods. Then Captan,\nhearing this, struck Pandaguan with a small thunderbolt, for he did not\nwish to kill him but merely to teach him a lesson. Then he and Maguayan\ndecided to punish these people by scattering them over the earth,\nso they carried some to one land and some to another. Many children\nwere afterwards born, and thus the earth became inhabited in all parts.\n\nPandaguan did not die. After lying on the ground for thirty days he\nregained his strength, but his body was blackened from the lightning,\nand all his descendants ever since that day have been black.\n\nHis first son, Arion, was taken north, but as he had been born before\nhis father's punishment he did not lose his color, and all his people\ntherefore are white.\n\nLibo and Saman were carried south, where the hot sun scorched their\nbodies and caused all their descendants to be of a brown color.\n\nA son of Saman and a daughter of Sicalac were carried east, where the\nland at first was so lacking in food that they were compelled to eat\nclay. On this account their children and their children's children\nhave always been yellow in color.\n\nAnd so the world came to be made and peopled. The sun and moon shine in\nthe sky and the beautiful stars light up the night. All over the land,\non the body of the envious Licalibutan, the children of Sicalac and\nSicabay have grown great in numbers. May they live forever in peace\nand brotherly love!\n\n\n\nThe Silver Shower\n\nEvery night in Manila, when the bells of the city boom out the Angelus\nand lights begin to appear in the windows, the walks are filled with\npeople hurrying toward the bay. In the streets hundreds of carriages,\ntheir lamps twinkling like fireflies, speed quickly by, as the cocheros\nurge on the little Filipino ponies. All are bound for the Luneta to\nhear the evening concert.\n\nA pretty place is the Luneta, the garden spot of the city. It is laid\nout in elliptical form and its green lawns are covered with benches\nfor the people. A broad driveway surrounds it and hundreds of electric\nlights transform the night into day.\n\nA band stand is located at each end of the oval, and at night concerts\nare given by the military bands.\n\nThousands of people gather to listen to the music. The bright uniforms\nof officers and men, the white dresses of American ladies, the black\nmantillas of the dark-eyed se\u00f1oritas, and the gayly colored camisas\nof the Filipino girls show that the beauty and chivalry of Manila\nhave assembled at the concert.\n\nThe band plays many beautiful selections and finally closes with the\n\"Star-Spangled Banner.\" At once every head is bared and all stand\nat rigid attention till the glorious old song is finished. Then the\nmusicians disperse, the carriages drive away, and people return to\ntheir homes.\n\nMany, however, linger on the benches or stroll along the beach,\nwatching the water curling upon the shore. As the waves reach the land\na soft light seems to spring from them and to break into thousands\nof tiny stars. Now and then some one idly skips a stone over the\nwater. Where it touches, a little fountain of liquid fire springs\nupward, and the water ripples away in gleaming circles that, growing\nwider and wider, finally disappear in a flash of silvery light.\n\nOf all the beauties of the Islands, the water of Manila Bay at night\nranks among the first. And those who ask why it flashes and glows\nin this way are told the story of the silver shower that saved the\nPasig villages from the Moro Datto Bungtao.\n\nHundreds of years ago messengers came hurrying from the south of Luzon\nwith the news that the great Datto Bungtao, with many ships and men,\nwas on his way to the island to burn the villages and carry the people\naway into slavery.\n\nThen great fear came into the hearts of the people, for the fierce\nDatto was the terror of the eastern seas, and all the southern islands\nwere reported captured. Nevertheless, they resolved to defend their\nhomes and save their people from shame and slavery.\n\nThe news proved true, for the Moro chief landed a great army on the\nshore of the Bay of Batangas, and his fierce followers, with fire\nand sword, started north to lay waste the country.\n\nFor a time they drove all before them, but soon Luzon was up in\narms against them and great numbers of warriors hurried southward to\nbattle with the Moros. All tribal feeling was forgotten and Tagalos,\nMacabebes, Igorrotes, and Pangasinanes hurried southward in thousands.\n\nThe Moros presently found themselves checked by a large army of men\ndetermined to save their homes or to die fighting.\n\nNear the present town of Imus, in Cavite, a battle was fought and\nthe Moros were defeated. They then retreated southward, but great\nnumbers of Vicoles and Tinguianes rushed up from the southern part\nof the island and blocked their way.\n\nOn the shore of the great Lake Bombon the final battle was fought. The\nMoros were killed to a man, and with great rejoicing the tribes\nreturned north and south to their homes.\n\nBut in the meantime Bungtao had not been idle. After landing his men,\nwith his two hundred ships he set sail northward, never doubting that\nhis army would sweep all before it. A typhoon carried his fleet far\nsouth into the China Sea, but he steered again for Luzon and three\nweeks later was in sight of Corregidor Island.\n\nHe sailed down Manila Bay and drew up his fleet in front of the\nvillages on the Pasig River, the present site of Manila. On the shore\nthe people gathered in terror, for all the warriors had gone to fight\nthe invading army, and only old men and women and children remained\nin the villages.\n\nHastily they called a council and finally decided to send a messenger\nout to the Moro chief with all the gold and things of value they\npossessed, thinking thus to satisfy the fierce Datto and save their\nvillages from harm.\n\nAccordingly the women gave their rings and bracelets and the men\ntheir bangles and chains. Everything of value was taken from the\nhouses. Even the temples of prayer were stripped and all the ornaments\ntaken. So great was the fear of the people that they even sent the\ngold statue of the great god Captan that was the pride of the tribe,\nwhose members came miles to worship it.\n\nAs Bungtao was preparing to land and attack the town with his sailors,\nthe messenger in his canoe came alongside the ship and was at once\ntaken before the Datto. Trembling with fear, the old man, with signs,\nbegged for mercy for the people on the shore. He pointed to the\npresents and offered them to Bungtao. Then, placing the golden image\nof Captan at the feet of the Moro and bowing low, he again pleaded\nfor the women and children.\n\nBungtao laughed in scorn at the offer. On his island was gold enough to\nsatisfy his people. He needed slaves to work in the fields, for it was\nbeneath the dignity of such warriors as himself and his companions to\nlabor. So he kicked the messenger from him and, with a curse, picked\nup the sacred golden image and threw it far over the water. Instantly\nthe sky grew dark and blackest night covered the land. The messenger\nfelt himself seized by invisible hands and carried to the shore.\n\nThen suddenly the heavens opened, and a shower of silver fire rained on\nthe Moro boats. In vain the Moros tried to escape. The fire hemmed them\nin on every side. Many leaped from the burning ships into the boiling\nwater. When the darkness cleared, boats and Moros had disappeared.\n\nJoyfully the people on the shore ran to the temple of worship to pray\nto Captan. What was their surprise to find the golden image of the\ngod in its usual place, and around it the bracelets and rings offered\nto the Moros!\n\nWhen the warriors, a few days later, returned from their great victory\nin the south, they could hardly believe the story of the wonderful\nescape of their people. But at night, when they saw the heretofore dull\nwaters dashing and breaking on the shore in crystals of silvery light,\nthey knew that it was Captan who had saved their homes and families.\n\nThe villages are a thing of the past. The modern city of Manila now\nstands on the banks of the Pasig.\n\nThe nights here are very beautiful. The breeze sighs softly through\nthe palm trees and the golden moon gleams on the waters of Manila Bay.\n\nOn the shore the waves break gently and little balls of silver light\ngo rushing up the beach. Wise men say that the water is full of\nphosphorus. But they have never heard the story of the Silver Shower.\n\n\n\nThe Faithlessness of Sinogo\n\nSomewhere off the northern coast of Mindanao a strong current begins\nto travel northward. It runs to the island of Siquijor and then,\nturning slightly to the east, goes racing between the islands of Cebu\nand Negros. At the narrow entrance between San Sebastian and Ayucatan\nit breaks up into hundreds of small whirlpools that make the water\nhiss and bubble for a distance of nearly three miles.\n\nFor steamers and large boats there is not the slightest danger,\nbut to the native in his little sacayan with its bamboo outriggers\nthese whirlpools are objects of dread and fear. He will go miles out\nof his way to escape them. If you inquire as to the reason, he will\nexplain that the Liloan, or whirlpool, is a thing always to be avoided,\nand then he will tell you the story of Sinogo.\n\nYears and years ago, when Maguayan ruled the sea and the terrible\nCaptan launched his thunderbolts from above, the water and air were\nfilled with swimming and flying monsters. Those that lived in the air\nwere armed with great teeth and sharp claws; but, though they were\nfierce and savage, they lived together in peace, for they feared the\nanger of their master Captan.\n\nIn the sea, however, all was not so peaceful, for some of the\nmonsters were so huge and savage and so confident in their strength\nthat Maguayan could do nothing with them. He lived in constant fear\nof attack from these fierce subjects and finally, in despair, called\non Captan to help him in his trouble.\n\nAccordingly Captan sent his swift messengers to every part of the\nearth, air, and sea, and ordered that a council of all the creatures\nin the world should be held. He named the little island of Caueli in\nthe center of the Sulu Sea as the meeting place, and commanded all\nto hasten there without delay.\n\nSoon the members of the council began to arrive, and the sky was\ndarkened by flying monsters, and the water boiled as the terrible\nreptiles of the sea rushed to the place appointed.\n\nIn a short time the little island was crowded with these dreadful\ncreatures. There were huge Buayas from Mindanao, fierce Tic-bolans\nfrom Luzon, savage Sigbins from Negros and Bohol, hundreds of Unglocs\nfrom Panay and Leyte, and great Uak Uaks and other frightful monsters\nfrom Samar and Cebu. They grouped themselves in a large circle around\na golden throne on which sat Captan and Maguayan, and while waiting\nthe commands of their master filled the air with shrieks and howls.\n\nAt length Captan raised his hand and the noise instantly stopped. Then\nhe announced his decree. He said that Maguayan was his brother god\nand should be treated with the same respect. He commanded all his\nsubjects to obey the god of the sea and told them that he would kill\nwith a thunderbolt any that disobeyed this order. Then he desired all\nto return to their own regions, and again the air was filled with a\nnoise of thunder and the sea roared and foamed as the monsters went\nback to their homes.\n\nSoon there remained on the island only Captan, Maguayan, and\nthree messengers of Captan, who were called Sinogo, Dalagan, and\nGuidala. These were giants in size and had large wings which enabled\nthem to fly with great swiftness. They had long spears and sharp\nswords and were very brave and powerful. Of the three, Dalagan was\nthe swiftest, Guidala the bravest, and Sinogo the handsomest and best\nloved by Captan.\n\nWhen all the creatures were gone Maguayan thanked Captan, but\nthe great god said that he had only done his duty in helping his\nbrother. Then he gave Maguayan a little golden shell and explained\nto him its wonderful power. Maguayan had but to put it in his mouth\nand he could change his form to that of any creature he pleased. In\ncase a monster, defying Captan's orders, should attack him, he had\nsimply to change himself into a stronger monster of twice the size\nof his enemy, and then fight and kill him easily.\n\nAgain Maguayan thanked his brother god and, taking the shell, placed\nit on the throne beside him. Then Captan ordered his messengers to\nbring food and drink, and soon the two gods were feasting merrily.\n\nNow it happened that Sinogo had been standing behind the throne and\nhad heard all that had been said. He was filled with a desire to own\nthe wonderful shell, and in spite of the many favors he had received\nfrom Captan he resolved to steal it. The more he thought of its great\npower, the more he longed for it. With it he could rule the earth and\nsea as a god, and, by hiding, he might avoid the anger of Captan. So\nhe watched for an opportunity to make away with it. Finally his chance\ncame. While handing Maguayan some food, he slyly caught up the shell,\nand soon afterwards quietly slipped away.\n\nFor some time his absence was not discovered, but all at once Captan\ncalled for his favorite messenger and, receiving no reply, ordered\nDalagan to search for him. Soon Dalagan returned and reported that\nSinogo could not be found on the island. At the same time Maguayan\nnoticed that the golden shell was gone.\n\nThen Captan knew that his messenger had stolen the shell and\nescaped. He flew into a great rage and swore he would kill Sinogo. He\nordered Dalagan and Guidala to hasten to the north in search of the\nfaithless messenger and to bring him back a prisoner.\n\nSwiftly northward over the blue sea flew the messengers, and near the\nisland of Guimaras caught sight of Sinogo. He saw his pursuers and\nflew all the swifter, but he was no match for them in speed. Nearer\nand nearer they came and then, drawing their swords, rushed forward\nto seize him.\n\nBut Sinogo was not to be easily caught. Quick as a flash, he placed\nthe shell in his mouth and dived down into the water, at the same\ntime changing himself into a huge crocodile-shaped Buaya with scales\nlike armor of steel.\n\nIn vain Dalagan and Guidala rained blows on the monster. The swords\ncould not pierce the heavy scales.\n\nUp through Guimaras Strait the chase went on, and Sinogo tore up\nthe water in his flight. So great was the disturbance of the ocean\nthat, as they rounded the northern coast of Negros, the waves dashed\ncompletely over the little island of Bacabac, sweeping away the hills\nand bringing the land to the level of the sea.\n\nStill the rapid flight went on. Straight for Bantayan headed Sinogo,\nbut suddenly changing his course he dashed into the narrow channel\nbetween Negros and Cebu. Then Dalagan, leaving Guidala to continue the\nchase alone, flew swiftly back to Caueli and told Captan that Sinogo\nwas in the little strait. Up sprang the god and, flying directly east,\nhe posted himself at the southern entrance of the channel. In his\nhand he held an enormous thunderbolt, and thus armed he waited for\nthe appearance of Sinogo.\n\nDown into the narrow entrance sped the faithless messenger, tearing\nup the water in his mad flight, while the brave Guidala struck in\nvain at his huge body. Suddenly a roar of thunder sounded and the\nthunderbolt fell on the back of the monster, bearing him down beneath\nthe waves and then, stiffening like a bar of iron, pinning him to the\nbottom far below. In vain he struggled to free himself; the bar held\nhim fast and sure. In his struggles the shell fell from his mouth,\nbut a little Tamban caught it and brought it safely to Captan.\n\nThousands of years have passed, but far under the water, like a fly\non a pin, Sinogo struggles in the form of a huge Buaya. The water\nbubbles around him and for three miles little whirlpools go racing up\nthe channel. And the native in his little sacayan avoids the narrow\nentrance where the water boils and foams, for Sinogo still twists\nand squirms, and the Liloan is a thing to be feared and dreaded.\n\n\n\nCatalina of Dumaguete\n\nThis is a legend of Dumaguete, the capital of the province of Negros\nOccidental. From this town can be seen five islands, viz., Negros,\nCebu, Bohol, Mindanao, and Siquijor.\n\nThere is no one on the great island of Negros who does not love the\nname of Catalina. Even the wild mountain men speak it with respect,\nand down in the coast towns at night, when the typhoon is lashing the\nwaters of Ta\u00f1on Strait, and the rain and wind make the nipa leaves\non the roofs dance and rattle, the older people gather their little\nblack-eyed grandchildren around the shell of burning cocoanut oil\nand tell them her story.\n\nMany years ago there lived in Dumaguete a poor tuba seller named Banog,\nwho made his daily rounds to the houses just as the milkman does in\nfar-off America. But instead of a rattling wagon he had only a long\nbamboo from which he poured the drink, and in place of sweet milk he\nleft the sap of the cocoanut tree.\n\nThe bad custom of mixing tu\u00f1gud, a kind of red bark, with the sap,\nand thus making of it a strong liquor, had not yet been known, so\nBanog, though poor, was respected, and the people tried in every way\nto help him and his daughter Catalina.\n\nCatalina was a beautiful girl of sixteen and very good and industrious,\nbut with many strange ways. She scarcely ever spoke a word and spent\nmost of her time in looking out over the sea. Sometimes she would\nsuddenly stand erect and, clasping her hands, would remain for a long\ntime looking up at the sky as if she saw something that no one else\ncould see. On account of these strange manners the people thought\nher a wonderful girl and she was supposed to have mysterious powers.\n\nOne day many ships came up from the island of Mindanao and hundreds\nof fierce Moros landed. Shouting and waving their terrible knives,\nthey fell upon the peaceful people and killed many, among them poor\nBanog. Then they robbed and burned the houses and, seizing all the\nwomen they could find, set sail for their great southern island. Among\nthe prisoners was Catalina. With her eyes fixed on the sky she sat\nvery quiet and still in the bow of one of the boats, and though her\ncompanions spoke often to her she made no reply.\n\nSuddenly she sprang into the water and a wonderful thing occurred,\nfor, instead of sinking, she walked lightly over the waves toward the\ndistant shore. The Moros were so astonished that they did not try to\nstop her and she reached the land safely.\n\nMany people who had hidden in the forests ran out to meet her but she\nspoke to no one. With her eyes still fixed above she walked through\nthe burning town and along the road to Dalugdug, the Thunder mountain,\nthat lies behind Dumaguete.\n\nOn Dalugdug there lived a terrible Sigbin. Its body was like that of\na monstrous crow, but just under its neck were two long legs like\nthose of a grasshopper, which enabled it to leap great distances\nwithout using its wings. It ate any one who came near its home,\nso when the people saw Catalina start to climb the mountain they\nbegged her to come back. She paid no heed to their cries, however,\nbut went up higher and higher, till her white dress seemed merely a\nspeck on the mountain side.\n\nAll at once she seemed to stop and raise her hands. Then a fearful\nshriek was heard, and the fierce Sigbin came rushing down the\nmountain. It appeared to be greatly frightened, for it took tremendous\nleaps and screamed as if in terror. Over the heads of the people\nit jumped, and, reaching the shore, cleared the narrow channel and\ndisappeared among the mountains of the island of Cebu.\n\nWhen the people saw that the Sigbin had gone they ran up the mountain\nand searched everywhere for Catalina, but they could find no trace of\nher. Sorrowfully they returned to their homes and busied themselves\nin building new houses and in making their town beautiful once more.\n\nSeveral years passed in peace and then again the Moro boats came up\nfrom Mindanao. The men hurriedly gathered on the beach to meet them,\nand the women and children hid in the cocoanut groves.\n\nThis time the Moros had no quick and easy victory, for the Visayans,\narmed with bolos and remembering their lost wives and sisters, fought\nfuriously, and for a time drove the enemy before them. But more Moro\nboats arrived and numbers told against the defenders. Slowly but\nsurely they fell fighting until but a few remained.\n\nSuddenly a bridge of clouds unfolded from Dalugdug to the town, and\nacross it came the lost Catalina holding a beehive in her hands. Then\nshe spoke and thousands of bees flew from the hive to the ground. Again\nshe spoke and waved her hand, and the bees changed into little black\nmen with long sharp spears, who charged the Moros and killed every\none of them.\n\nThen Catalina, the hive still in her hand, went back over the bridge\nand disappeared once more in the mountain.\n\nThe people came out of their hiding places, crowding around the little\nblack men and questioning them, but they received no answer. Instead\nthe little warriors gathered together and ran into the forest and up\nthe mountain side, where they were soon lost to view.\n\nSuch is the story of Catalina, Since that time Dumaguete has been safe\nfrom the Moros. The Sigbin has never returned to Negros. It still\nlives in the mountains of Cebu and the people are so afraid of it\nthat they lock themselves in their houses after dark and can hardly\nbe induced to come out. Up in the mountains of Negros live the little\nblack men. They are called Negritos and are very savage and wild.\n\nThe savior of Dumaguete still lives in Dalugdug and is worshiped by the\npeople. And in the town, now grown into a big busy city, the old people\nfor years to come will tell their grandchildren the story of Catalina.\n\n\n\nThe Fall of Polobulac\n\nThis is a tale from Panay. It probably originated with the Spanish\nfathers, who wished to impress the doctrine of the Seven Deadly Sins\non the natives. The islands are just off Iloilo.\n\nA little way from Iloilo there once was a beautiful island called\nPolobulac, or Isle of Flowers. Its shores were covered with beautiful\ntrees and plants; splendid gardens of flowers were found everywhere;\nfruits grew in abundance; fountains sparkled in the sunlight; and\nthe people were the happiest in the world. They danced and sang to\ngay music, and were free from every care and sorrow.\n\nFilled with confidence in their good fortune, and proud of their\nbeautiful island, they began to slight the people of the neighboring\nislands, and to treat them with insolence and scorn.\n\nOne night the sky was darkened, the lightning flashed, the rain fell\nin torrents, and a voice cried from the clouds, above the roar of\nthe thunder:\n\n\"I am Pride. Avoid me or perish.\"\n\nTerrified, they prayed to God for protection, but with the morning\nsun their fears left them and they continued as before.\n\nDays passed and the people grew richer, but, not satisfied with their\nwealth and with their own beautiful island, they longed to possess\nthe lands of their neighbors.\n\nAgain came the storm, and again a voice cried from the heavens:\n\n\"I am Covetousness. Come to me and die.\"\n\nOnce more they appealed for protection, but they did not change\ntheir ways.\n\nWeeks went by, and with wealth came low and base desires. The storm\ncame as before and brought the warning:\n\n\"I am Evil Desire. Fly from me or be lost.\"\n\nBut again it sounded to sealed ears. Months rolled on. The people\nquarreled with their neighbors, and sent forth an army to make war\nupon them. The voice thundered:\n\n\"I am Anger. I give eternal torment.\"\n\nYears followed, and the tables of the people of Polobulac were loaded\nwith the finest foods and wines. Day and night found them feasting. The\ncry sounded above them:\n\n\"I am Gluttony. I devour my children.\"\n\nThe winds alone echoed the warning.\n\nTime flew by. Each man sought to outdo the others in display of luxury\nand magnificence. The poor grudged the rich their fortunes, and sought\nin every way to injure them. Again a voice came through the darkness:\n\n\"I am Envy. My people are condemned.\"\n\nBut they closed their ears and would not hear.\n\nMore wealth brought greater luxury. They lolled in idleness. They\nidled in the midst of magnificence. The voice warned:\n\n\"I am Sloth. I bring final warning.\"\n\nThey were used to the voices now, and gave them not the slightest\nheed. Their insolence and greed grew greater. The fair island shook\nwith dissension and strife.\n\nOne day the sun was hidden by blackness. A fearful tempest burst over\nthe land. The people on the other islands saw Polobulac wrapped in\nseven huge pillars of flame.\n\nWhen the sky cleared, Polobulac was nowhere to be seen. In its place,\nseven blackened rocks marked the spot where stood the beautiful isle.\n\nThey are there to this day. You can see them as you leave the harbor\nfor southern ports. Sometimes they appear as one. Again they seem to\ngroup in twos and threes. But there are seven.\n\nThey are called the Deadly Sins.\n\n\n\nThe Escape of Juanita\n\n\n\nHave you heard of the terrible Tic-balan,\nA tall and thin and very black man,\nWith terrible teeth and a horse's head,\nAnd covered with hair that is long and red?\n\n\nHe lives in the awful Balete tree,\nAnd to pass the place you must say \"Tabi\";\nIf you do not, the Asuang comes at night,\nAnd throws big stones till you die of fright.\n\n\nNow once there lived in Santa Cruz town\nA little girl known as Juanita Calaon;\nShe was gentle and sweet and as good as could be,\nAnd she always bowed low to the Balete tree.\n\n\nOne day to the forest alone she did roam\nTo get some good wood for the fire at home;\nShe gathered some twigs that she found on the ground,\nAnd all of them fast in a bundle she bound.\n\n\nThen happy and free, with the pack on her head,\nShe followed the road that back to town led.\nShe sang as she walked, and so happy was she\nThat alas! she bowed not to the Balete tree.\n\n\nAll at once then she heard a most terrible roar,\nAnd the Tic-balan fierce through the air seemed to soar.\nHe seized poor Juanita, and quick as could be\nHe shut her inside of the Balete tree.\n\n\nTwo days passed, and when the girl failed to come back,\nHer parents went out, and no friends did they lack\nTo help in the search, for the whole pueblo came,\nAnd loudly they shouted poor Juanita's name.\n\n\nAt last when they thought that the search brought no good,\nOne man found Juanita's neat bundle of wood;\nHe called the good news, and as more came to see,\nLoud knocking was heard in the Balete tree.\n\n\nThen many were frightened, but many were brave,\nAnd wondered by what means the girl they could save;\nFor they knew that it must be Juanita who knocked,\nAnd that inside the Balete tree she was locked.\n\n\nSoon they ordered that candles and music be brought,\nAnd a crucifix holy was what they next sought;\nAnd when all was ready they closed round the tree,\nWhile they prayed to the true God to set the girl free.\n\n\nThey lighted the candles and then the band played,\nAnd Juanita's mother, who was not afraid,\nAdvanced with the crucifix held in her hand,\nAnd tapped with the cross on the evil tree grand.\n\n\nThen a roar shook the forest and chilled all their hearts,\nAnd the awful Balete split into two parts;\nThen they saw in the center, as each big half fell,\nTheir darling Juanita all smiling and well.\n\n\nShe ran from the tree to her fond mother dear,\nWhile the band played and every one gave a loud cheer;\nThen back to the pueblo they danced in delight,\nAnd kept up their singing through all the long night.\n\n\nStill there to this day lies the Balete tree,\nBut no more do the people that pass say \"Tabi.\"\nAnd the spirit no more can molest any man,\nFor God has more power than the fierce Tic-balan.\n\n\n\n\nThe Anting-Anting of Manuelito\n\nThe Anting-Anting is a stone or other small object covered with\ncabalistic inscriptions. It is worn around the neck, and is supposed\nto render its owner impervious to knife or bullet. Many are wearing\nthese charms, especially the Tulisanes or outlaws. The Anting-Anting\nmust not be confused, however, with the scapular, a purely religious\nsymbol worn by a great number of the Christian Filipinos.\n\nMany of the older Filipinos remember Manuelito, the great Tulisane,\nwho, more than fifty years ago, kept all the Laguna de Bai district\nin a state of fear. His robber band was well organized and obeyed his\nslightest wish. He had many boats on the lake and many hiding places\nin the mountains, and throughout the country there was no villager\nwho did not fear to oppose him, or who would refuse to help him in\nany way when required to do so.\n\nIn vain the Guardia Civil hunted him. Many times they surrounded the\nband, but Manuelito always escaped. Many shots were fired at him,\nbut he was never hit; and once, when he was cut off from his men\nand surrounded, he broke through the line, and though fifty bullets\nwhistled around him he did not receive a scratch.\n\nThe officers of the Guardia Civil blamed their men for the bad\nmarksmanship that allowed Manuelito to escape. They told all the\npeople that it should never occur again, and promised that the next\nfight should end in the death of the outlaw. The people, however,\ndid not believe that Manuelito could be killed, for he wore on his\nbreast a famous Anting-Anting that he had received from Mangagauay,\nthe giver of life and death.\n\nThis charm was a stone covered with mysterious signs. It was wrapped\nin silk and hung by a string from the robber's neck, and even if a\ngun were fired within a few feet of him the Anting-Anting was sure to\nturn the bullet in another direction. It was this charm that always\nsaved him from the Guardia Civil.\n\nManuelito was very proud of his Anting-Anting, and many times, when\na fiesta was being held in some town, he and his band would come down\nfrom the mountains and take part in the games. Manuelito would stand\nin the town plaza and allow his men to shoot at him, and each time\nthe Anting-Anting would turn aside the bullets. The people were very\nmuch impressed, and though a few of the wiser ones secretly thought\nthat the guns were only loaded with powder, they were afraid to say\nanything; so the greater number thought it very wonderful and believed\nthat there was no charm so powerful as the Anting-Anting of Manuelito.\n\nFor years the Tulisane, protected by his charm, continued to rob and\nplunder. The Guardia Civil hunted him everywhere, but could never\nkill him. He grew bolder and bolder, and even came close to Manila\nto rob the little towns just outside the city.\n\nAt last the government grew tired of sending out the Guardia Civil,\nand ordered a regiment of Macabebes to hunt and kill the Tulisane\nand his men.\n\nManuelito was at Pasay when news was brought to him that the Macabebes\nwere coming. Instead of running from these fierce little fighters, he\ndecided to meet them, and many people offered to help him, believing\nthat the Anting-Anting would turn away all bullets and give them\nvictory. So Manuelito and many men left the town, built trenches in the\nhills near San Pedro Macati, and waited for the Macabebes to appear.\n\nThey had not long to wait. The Macabebes, hurrying from Manila, reached\nSan Pedro Macati and soon found that Manuelito was waiting to fight\nthem. They left the town at once and advanced on the Tulisane trenches.\n\nIt was a great fight. From the other hills close by many people watched\nthe battle. Five times the Macabebes advanced, and were forced to\nfall back before the fierce fire of the Tulisanes. But the Macabebe\nnever knows defeat, and once more their line went forward and in one\nterrible charge swept over the trenches and bayoneted the outlaws. In\nvain Manuelito called on his men to fight. They broke and ran in every\ndirection. Then, seeing that all was lost, Manuelito started to follow\nthem; but a volley rang out, and, struck by twenty bullets, he fell to\nthe ground dead. The Macabebes chased the flying Tulisanes and killed\nthat of all the band only a few many, safely reached the mountains.\n\nWhile the Macabebes were chasing the outlaws, many people came down\nfrom the hills and stood around the body of Manuelito. They could\nhardly believe their eyes, but the many wounds and the blood staining\nthe ground proved that the great Tulisane was indeed dead.\n\nWhat of the Anting-Anting? Had it lost its power?\n\nOne man timidly unbuttoned the shirt of the dead robber and pulled out\nthe charm. The mystery was explained. Fixed firmly in the center of the\nAnting-Anting was a silver bullet. There was but one explanation. The\nMacabebes had melted a statue of the Virgin and used it to make bullets\nto fire at Manuelito. Against such bullets the charm was useless,\nbut against ordinary lead it never would have failed. Had not the\npeople seen Manuelito's own men fire at him?\n\nThe charm was taken from the neck of the dead Tulisane and many\ncopies were made of it. Even to this day hundreds of people are\nwearing them. They will tell you about Manuelito's great fight and\nalso about his famous Anting-Anting.\n\n\"But,\" you say, \"the Anting-Anting was useless. Manuelito was killed.\"\n\nThey answer, \"Yes, Se\u00f1or, it is true; but the Macabebes used bullets\nof silver. Had they used lead the story would have been different. Poor\nManuelito!\"\n\n\n\nWhen the Lilies Return\n\nA legend of the Chinese Invasion. Quiapo, even at the time of the\nearly Spaniards, and for years after, was a deserted field. The story\nis an old one and generally known to the Tagallos.\n\nAt the time when the Pasig flowed peacefully along between flowery\nbanks; when its breast was not torn by puffing steamers; and when\nonly a few clustering huts marked the present site of Manila, there\ngrew on the banks of the river a beautiful field of lilies.\n\nThe lilies glistened like silver in the sunlight, and their sweet\nodor filled the air with delicious perfume. No hand plucked them from\nthe earth, and no foot trampled out their fragrance; for an ancient\nprophecy had said that while the lilies stood the happiness of the\npeople should endure.\n\nBut after a time there came dark days in the history of the\nPhilippines. Yellow hordes swept across the water and carried all\nbefore them. The people could hardly expect to resist the invaders,\nfor their warrior king, Loku, had profaned the word of the god, and,\nin the form of a lizard, was fulfilling his punishment. Their armies\nwere weak and scattered, and the conquerors marched on in triumph.\n\nAs report after report of disaster reached Luzon, the people trembled\nfor the safety of their fair land. Warriors gathered hastily for the\ndefense of the nation, and all waited for the enemy to appear.\n\nOne day the water was dotted with the junks of the invaders. They\ncame slowly down the bay, and anchored near the mouth of the Pasig.\n\nThen from the boats poured the yellow warriors. Spears rained\nupon them, stones and arrows laid them low, but their numbers were\ncountless. The people were swept back along the river banks.\n\nFiercely they fought, but numbers told against them. Foot by foot\nthey were pressed back, till they stood on the border of the field\nof lilies, where they made their last stand. But it was to no purpose.\n\nThe invaders poured from the ships, and in one desperate charge\ndrove back the ranks of the people, who fought and died among their\nsacred lilies.\n\nAll through the night the battle raged, and at daybreak, when the\nvictorious invaders rested on their spears, the beautiful field was\nno more.\n\nThe lilies were crushed and torn. The bodies of dead and dying warriors\nlay everywhere, and the crushed flowers were stained with the blood\nof friend and foe. The peace of the land was lost.\n\nMany years have passed since then. New races have come to the Islands,\nand new manners and customs have been introduced. The Pasig still\nflows on to the sea, but its banks are harnessed by bridges. Lofty\ndwellings and stores take the place of the little huts, and a great\ncity marks the site of the little village.\n\nWhere once was the beautiful field is now a busy part of the great\ncity. It is called Quiapo, after the lilies. Many of the older people\nremember the prophecy and wonder if the lilies will ever return.\n\nThe land is now a peaceful and contented one. Comfort and happiness\nmay be found among its inhabitants. Perhaps the fair, strange women\nfrom the great land over the sea are the lilies. Who can tell?\n\n\n\n\nGlossary\n\n\nbalete tree = a type of tree, Ficus indica, often believed to be the\nhome of evil and vengeful spirits.\ncamisas = shirts.\nchinela = slipper.\ncocheros = drivers of horse-drawn carriages.\nDatto = chief.\nGuardia Civil = Spanish police.\nladrones = thieves.\nlubi lana = coconut oil.\nMoro = Muslim's from the southern islands of the Philippines.\nNegritos = Negroid people indigenous in some parts of the Philippines.\nnipa = palm leaf of which the roofs of cheap houses are made.\nsacayan = small outrigger boat.\ntuba = alcoholic drink made from the sap of the coconut tree.\ntu\u00f1gud = the red bark of a mangrove tree.","title":"Philippine Folklore Stories","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":11680}