Contents
RIDDLES ...................................................................................................................................................... 2
PROVERBS ................................................................................................................................................... 3
SHORT POEMS ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Ambahan .................................................................................................................................................... 4
SONGS......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Lamge ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Dangdang-ay ............................................................................................................................................... 5
An Balud...................................................................................................................................................... 5
Pamuwa sa Bata.......................................................................................................................................... 5
Muyin Paru Ñinu ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Dumheb Ako A Dumanis ............................................................................................................................. 6
MYTHS ........................................................................................................................................................ 6
The second creation.................................................................................................................................... 6
The Great Flood .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Tungkung Langit and Alunsina .................................................................................................................... 9
FOLK TALES ............................................................................................................................................... 10
The Story of the Orphan Girl ..................................................................................................................... 10
The Monkey and the Turtle ...................................................................................................................... 12
LEGEND .................................................................................................................................................... 14
How the angels built lake Lanao ............................................................................................................... 14
EPIC ........................................................................................................................................................... 15
Tuwaang attends a Wedding .................................................................................................................... 15
RIDDLES
I. AETA
Wearing a crown but not a queen,
Wearing scales but not a fish.
(Pineapple)
A cave with a jungle knife inside,
Full of bones but not a grave. (Mouth)
When you slice it,
It heals without a scar. (Water)
II. BAGOBO
Guess what it is:
Baby in Maguindanao,
Heard as far as Saysay
When it squalls. (Gong)
When this person goes,
She leaves only two footprints
Upon her return. (Bavot kavi: A Bagobo carrying-bag with two legs)
Guess what he/she is:
Without the waist band,
Will not be what he/she is. (Parent)
III. ISNEG
On Iggat's thigh,
Everything is in a rush. (Honey in a hive)
Black stone in Gannad,
Surrounded by tiny fish. (Mortar)
IV. SUBANON Apu's waist band
That no one may borrow. (Python)
While the old one crawls like a baby,
The baby is sitting up. (Squash)
Fat and Thin in a wrestling tussle,
Thin wins the match.
(Blanket and sleeping person)
When the old one dives,
His navel is sticking out. (Fish hook)
V. TAGBANWA
I am the sanggiring plant,
Cut it and it lives on.
(Hair)
Trunk made of wood,
Branch of rattan,
Its leaf of coconut. (Native ladle)
A big house
Surrounded by many windows. (Fishing net)
PROVERBS
1. Tiny drops of water continuously draining, enough to dry up the sea.
2. Through words, you may make others believe you are rich; but the fact remains that you are poor.
3. The man who goes about with more fish-baskets is the one who brings home a lot of fish.
4. If it had been a bamboo, it has too many nodes; if it had been a yam, much of it is tough and inedible.
5. Full of good cheer while borrowing a measure of rice, Full of wrath when you ask him to pay it back.
SHORT POEMS
1. No matter how deep the stream,
its depth can be fathomed;
the really difficult task is to find a good heart.
2. The paho tree may be tall,
its branches showing abundant growth;
the doso vine is better off,
for it can't be felled by gusty winds.
3. When one submits himself to wounding,
the intensest pain is bearable;
when one is unwilling,
even the merest scratch can fester.
4. I'm a fish the size of the sapsap,
only as wide as the slim taliptip leaves;
I thrash about, creating a great stir
because I'm in the company of the big apahap.
5. Stand firm, Friend Pole,
in case a sudden rush of water comes,
I, a tiny bit of moss will cling to you.
Ambahan
Hanunuoo-Mangyan
1. I would like to take a bath,
scoop the water with the plate,
wash the hair with lemon juice;
but I could not take a bath,
because the River is damned
with a lot of sturdy trunks!
2. Look! The moon is full and bright,
shining in front of the house!
How can you explain to me,
that the Rays are soft and cool?
If a man like us he were,
I would hold him by the hand!
Seize the hair to keep him back!
Grasp the clothes and make him stay!
But how could I manage that!
It is the moon in the Sky!
The full moon shining so bright
going down beyond the Hills,
disappearing from the plane,
out of sight beyond the rocks.
SONGS
Lamge
Bilaan
What can we do? Oh, what can we do?
This is our work, this we should do.
Oh my, how, oh how is this to go on?
Continue, then come back when you reach the top.
“Tis not there! ‘Tis not there!” they said.
We’ll try till we can make it.
It's not there, according to them, but don't relax
Don't be surprised. They are still far.
Let's hurry!
Dangdang-ay
Kalinga
Wherever I am,
My thoughts shall always be with you.
Believe me when I tell you,
That there is something in this peace
that I experience,
which you, too, probably feel.
There is no one that I ever adored but you.
There is a wilting flower.
Imagine it when it was in bloom.
The Flowers may fade away
but my love for you never will.
If you care, let us then live together.
If I were a Hawk,
I would fly to the highest mountain,
even from a distant place,
yes, from another village,
just to be able to reach you
in the land of Kalinga
An Balud
Waray
Heaven and sea seem to be on fire.
Perhaps there's a kaingin somewhere
There's a strong wind blowing the waves.
These waves are toys of the sea
coming from the ocean
Where night encounters the dark
Bright waters give hope to seaman.
Pamuwa sa Bata
Bukidnon
Though he is not my own,
I will take care of his baby,
So that when he grows up
I can request him to do things for me.
Muyin Paru Ñinu
Ivatan
Whose face do I behold mirrored
Upon the warm water I am about to drink?
I dare not drink that the vision I may prolong!
If I die, bury me not
at the Cross of San Felix: bury me
Under your fingernails, that I may
be eaten along with every food you eat;
that I may
be drunk along with every cup
of water you drink.
Dumheb Ako A Dumanis
Ivatan
I hide my face and weep, for when I see
all my childhood friends,
they have grown taller than
the tops of the trees in the chipubu and nunuk
groves;
but I, for me, have not grown taller than
the blades of grass on the pasture.
now, I am like the castaway
driftwood which none of my cousins
will ever find and bring home.
MYTHS
The second creation
Tinuray
Tinuray also believe that should a religious leader have sufficient width, power and goodness, he could lead all
his followers beyond the sky to live in the land of Tulus (or Sualla) In the days of Laget Lingkuwos (Their
greatest legendary hero), people had a difficult time with their farming. They wanted to please Tulus by farming
well, But they were never sure when the winds would be right for burning; they had trouble predicting the
arrival of the rainy season, and thus were unsure when they should plant; and they lacked a way of calling for
the for the good or bad agricultural omens. Farming was, therefore, a matter of guesswork regarding timing,
in the swidden cycle for those unfortunate people was seldom properly keyed to the yearly seasons as it so
clearly needed to be.
Lagey Lingkuwos Was aware of this serious problem and was determined to do something about it.
Near his place was a settlement where six people lived . They were, like all people, farmers. And, like all human
beings at that time, they were followers of Lagey Lingkuwos. Three were young and married men - all first
cousins - whose names were Kufukufu, Baka, and Seretar. Each lived in his own house, the houses of their
uncles: the widower: Keluguy, who was the leader of the settlement; and Singkad, the group's only married
man who lived with his wife, Kenogin. these people kept as a pet a specious of the forest dove, which the
Tinuray called lemugen.
when the time came for Lagey Lingkuwos to lead his followers to the place of Tulus, beyond the Sky, he asked
the special favors of six people. Knowing that Tulus would not leave the world without human beings to make
swiddens in the forests, and wanting the next creation to have an easier time than the left, he asked those six
followers to leave their pet bird behind in the forest, where its call could become the needed giver of omens.
He further asked them to live in the Sky for as long as there should be a world and people to farm it. They
agreed to both requests of their esteemed leader, and so it is today that the lemugen’s call gives the farmers
the much needed agricultural omen, and the six constellations move across the night Sky, assisting this new
creation of people to properly anchor their swidden cycle in the round of seasons. Tinuray said that the six
seem, like themselves, to be always proceeding to work in their swiddens – The three young cousins ahead,
followed by their uncle and headman. Singkad Comes next, prudently keeping himself between his attractive
wife and the splendid Keluguy, whom Tinuray never refer to by name - to do so would be too disrespectful but called by his nickname Fegeferafad.
The Great Flood
Tinggian
The Tinggians, a group of began people and inhabiting the interior hills of Abra, have their own story of the
great deluge.
the tragic incident began with abduction of Humitau, I sea-maiden guard of Tau-mari-u, Lord of the sea, by
Aponi-tolau.
One day Aponi-tolau, God hero of the Tinggians, went down to the lowlands. He wandered aimlessly through
the Plains until he reached the seashore. The common blue sea, massive and yet helpless beneath the morning
sun which flooded it with Golden light, fascinated the young man. And unable to resist the beauty of the
dancing wavelets, he made a rattan raft and rode seaward.
On an on he rowed until he came to the edge of the world. There, in a place where the see and the sky meet,
Aponi-tolau saw a towering rock, home of Tau-mari-u, Lord of the sea. It was guarded by 9 beautiful daughters
of the seaweeds very good the radiance of the ocean light reflecting silver and gold upon the greenish hair of
the night guards as they played around the Palace gates, chasing one another in gay laughter attracted the
mountain Lord.
Gathering his courage, the Tinggian warrior went nearer the Palace gates. however, when he inquired what
Alas it was, guards laughed at him and lured him further inside the palace walls. This made Aponi-tolau very
angry. Taking his magic hook, he lashed at unsuspecting maidens.
The hook hit the youngest and most beautiful among them, Humitau. The young diwata gave a loud and
piercing scream and struggled desperately to free herself from Aponi-tolau’s grip. But the magic oil which the
mountain Lord had placed at the tip of his hook weekend her blood and soon she was helpless.
A wild uproar followed as the guards screamed and fled the gates. Aponi-tolau hurriedly picked up the
unconscious body of the sea-maiden, loaded it on his rattan raft and rowed shoreward. Shortly after that
Tinggian hero had left the bauwi (native hut) gates went out of his abode to see what the commotion was all
about. But he was too late.
In his rage, Tau-mari-u summon the waves and tunas of the sea and ordered them to bring back the intruder.
the waves lashed at the raft of the mountain warrior and tunas pushed it back.
Alarmed, Aponi-tolau cried out to his mother, Lang-an of Kadalayapan, mistress of the wind and rain, for help
. The great goddess heard her sons plea and immediately sent down strong winds to pull Aponi-tolau ashore.
Despite the fury of the waves and efforts of the tunas the Tinggian warrior had was able to reach the shore
unharmed.
But Tau-mari-u was furious. He immediately called a meeting of the gods and demigods of the seas and the
oceans, who agreed to punish the dwellers of the land for what Aponi-tolau had done.
From the sky, Lang-an knew the plan. She immediately called for the north wind and sent him to warn her son
of the impending flood, she instructed the mountain lord to go to the highest peak of the Cordillera mountains
for safety. Obediently, Aponi-tolau took the members of his household to the mountain top and waited. The
flood came. From this bauwi Aponi-tolau saw mighty waves sweeping across the plains, filling the valleys and
destroying the crops and working animals of the inhabitants. Higher and higher went the water until it covered
the mountain top but for the few square meters where Aponi-tolau and his household took shelter.
Frightened, Humitau gave a desperate cry. She knew that she no longer swim or live in the water after having
tasted the mountain food which her husband had given her. The charm removed her sea powers. She implored
Tau-mari-u to save her.
Despite his anger, the water lord took pity upon his favorite Humitau. So he called back the water and the
waves. But he promised that henceforth he would sink men’s boats and drown passengers until Aponi-tolau’s
crime would be appeased. When the water subsided, Aponi-tolau and his wife went down to the low lands and
from them came the people of the world.
Tungkung Langit and Alunsina
(Panay-Visayan)
One of the stories about the creation of the world, which the old people of Panay, especially those living near
the mountains, do not tire relating, tells that in the beginning there was no sky or earth—only a bottomless
deep and a world of mist. Everything was shapeless and formless—the earth, the sky, the sea and the air were
almost mixed up. In a word, there was confusion.
Then from the depth of this formless void, there appeared two gods, Tungkung Langit and Alunsina. Just where
these two deities came from, it was known. However, it was related that Tungkung Langit had fallen in love
with Alunsina; and after so many years of courtship, they got married and had their abode in the highest realm
of the ethereal space, where the water was constantly warm and the breeze was forever cool. It was in this
place where order and regularity first took place.
Tungkung Langit was an industrious, loving and kind god whose chief concern was how to impose order over
the whole confused set-up of things. He assumed responsibility for the regular cosmic movement. On the other
hand, Alunsina was a lazy, jealous and selfish goddess whose only work was to sit by the window of their
heavenly home and amuse herself with her pointless thoughts. Sometimes, she would go down the housesit
down by a pool near their doorsteps, and comb her long, jet-black hair all day long.
One day Tungkung Langit told his wife that he would be away from home for some time to put an end to the
chaotic disturbances in the flow of time and in the position of things. However, despite this purpose Alunsina
sent the breeze to spy on Tungkung Langit. This made the latter very angry upon knowing about it.
Immediately after his return from his trip, he called this act to her attention, saying that it was ungodly of her
to be jealous, there being no other creature living in the world except the two of them. This reproach was
resented by Alunsina and a quarrel between them followed.
Tungkung Langit lost his temper. In his rage, he divested his wife of powers and drove her away. He did not
know where Alunsina went; she merely disappeared.
Several days after Alunsina had left, Tungkung Langit felt very lonely. He realized what he had done. Somehow,
it was too late to even be sorry about the whole matter. The whole place, once vibrant with Alunsina’s sweet
voice, suddenly became cold and desolate. In the morning when he woke up, he would find himself alone; and
in the afternoon when he came home, he would feel the same loneliness creeping deep in his heart because
there was no one to meet him at the doorstep or soothe the aching muscles of his arms.
For months, Tungkung Langit lived in utter desolation. He could not find Alunsina, try hard as he would. And
so, in desperation, he decided to do something in order to forget his sorrows. For months and months he
thought. His mind seemed pointless; his heart weary and sick. But he must do something about his lonely
world.
One day, while he was sailing across the regions of the clouds, a thought came to him. He would make the
sea and the earth, and the sea and the earth suddenly appeared. However, the somber sight of the lonely sea
and the barren land irritated him, so he came down to earth and planted the ground with trees and flowers.
Then he took his wife’s treasure jewels and scattered them in the sky hoping that when Alunsina would see
them she might be induced to return home. The goddess’ necklace became the stars, her comb the mood,
and her crown the sun. However, despite all these, Alunsina did not come back.
Up to this time, the old folk say Tungkung Langit lives alone in his palace in the skies. Sometimes, he would
cry out his pent-up emotion and his tears would fall down upon the earth. The people in Panay today say that
rain is Tungkung Langit’s tears. Incidentally, when it thunders hard, the old folk also say that it is Tungkung
Langit sobbing, calling for his beloved Alunsina to come back—entreating her so hard that his voice
reverberates across the fields and country sides.
FOLK TALES
The Story of the Orphan Girl
Subanon
There was once an orphan girl. One day, she was surprised at noontime with a great drowsiness. She wondered
at this sleepiness, but not being able to resist it, she folded up her sewing and, stretching herself out on a
mat, fell asleep. As she slept she dreamed. A beautiful woman came to her and said, "Formerly, the place
where you live was full of people, instead of uninhabited save by you, as at present. But one day, the manamat*
came and devoured them all, save you, and they are coming again to get you. So on the third day from now,
leave this place lest you be devoured also." On waking, the orphan girl wondered at the dream, but did not act
upon it. "After all," she said, "it was only a dream." So she remained where she was. At dawn of the third day,
a huge spider approached her and said: "I understand that you were warned in a dream to leave this place.
Why have you not done so?" The orphan girl replied, "There are two reasons why I have not left this place;
first, because the warning was merely a dream, and second, because where my father and mother have died
it is fitting that I should die also." But the spider reproved her and told her to leave at once, "for," he said, "the
manamat are at this moment on the way hither to devour you."
So the orphan girl went into her room and put on her best clothes, and weeping at the remembrance of her
father and mother she went down the notched log to join the great spider. The spider and she went on till
they came to a well. They had no sooner reached the well than they heard a great noise of people in the house
they had just left. "I shall remain here," said the spider, "while you had better flee this way," pointing out a
direction to the orphan girl. So she fled up the path he had pointed out, for she was now filled with terror. She
had scarcely disappeared when three persons came running up to the well. They wore black breeches that
reached only to the knees, and black jackets, while on their heads they wore black kerchiefs. Their chins were
bearded and their eyes were red. "What are you seeking?" asked the spider, "You are in haste." "We are seeking
the orphan girl," replied one of the three, "but why do you ask? You must have seen her?" The spider denied
it, but the manamat said, "We smell her recent presence here; tell us where she went or we will kill you." Then
the spider, pointing one his crooked legs, said, "She went this way." Now the spider wished to give the orphan
girl a start over the manamat, so he did not straighten out his leg when he pointed, thus the manamat were
led astray. Soon they came running back, saying, "We cannot see her tracks; we have also lost her scent. Tell
us the truth."
So the spider held out a second leg crooked as before. The manamat dashed off again, but soon came back
with the same complaint. After the fourth false start one of the manamat lifted up his stick to kill the spider.
So the spider straightened out his last remaining legs and showed the right direction. Then the manamat
rushed off again, and this time they could follow the scent and the footprints. Finally they caught sight of the
orphan girl who had reached the ridge of a mountain; but she, looking back, also caught a glimpse of the
manamat and when they reached the top of the ridge, she was in the valley on the other side. Finally, in the
middle of the afternoon of the second day, she saw a little hut. In front of the hut was a young man, a servant
who was cooking rice. She was so exhausted that she staggered and fell on the floor and fell asleep without
saying a word. Meantime, the youth saw a multitude approaching, three persons being in front of the rest. He
also noted one person of gigantic size. This was Gunluh, chief of all the manamat. Now it happened that the
hut was a hunting lodge of the widow's son. His serving man told him what he had seen and seized a spear.
The widow's son took no weapon, but came out with bare hands. Of one of the manamat arriving at the hut,
the widow's son asked what was wanted. "We are pursuing the orphan girl in order to eat her," he replied, "
but since we have encountered you two men, so much the better, we shall now have three persons to devour
instead of one."
One of the manamat tried to seize the widow's son by the waist, but receiving a great blow from his arm went
head over heels into the air, struck a stone on falling to the ground and so was killed. Another tried to seize
him by the leg but receiving a powerful kick was likewise killed. So the fight went on between the serving man
and the widow's son on one side and the manamat on the other, until all the latter were killed, save the chief,
the Gunluh, whose name was Makayaga. The giant raised his club, the thick head of which was as large as a
calabash, to bring it down on the head of the widow's son; the latter dodging the blow, seized the giant, and
pulling down a rattan together with some of the leaves and branches of the tree around which it clung, tied
him hand and foot with thorns and all. Then Makayaga gave himself up as conquered and begged for his life.
He offered to give up his independence and acknowledge the widow's son as his lord; to give up the custom
of devouring human beings; and to assist the widow's son at any time he should be called upon. In addition
he offered his conqueror a great pearl. He offered to take the widow's son to the cave where he and his
manamat dwelt and to turn over everything to him. The widow's son said, "Swear to these things." Then the
humble giant swore and the widow's son released him and gave him permission to return to his own place.
Then the widow's son turned to the girl and asked whence she came and who her people were. The girl told
all she knew, and he asked her to follow him to the home of his mother, seeing that the girl was an orphan
and her people had been devoured by the manamat. So the girl lived for a time with his mother.
The widow's son was not of chieftainly descent, but his head and heart were so good that the chief of the
settlement had taken him into the government and the older men never held a bichar without the widow's son
sitting at their side. Now the sultan of a neighboring region heard of the orphan girl, for she was very beautiful,
with straight eyebrows, and very skillful in all womanly arts, such as weaving. So he sent a representative to
the chief to ask her hand for his son. The chief received the sultan's representative well, but said that although
he was chief he had to consult the widow's son. So he sent a message to the latter on the subject. But the
widow's son refused to let the girl go, saying that she might have relatives somewhere, and that in that case
it wouldn't be right to marry her off without consulting them. When the messenger brought back this word to
the sultan he was very angry, and sent a man to bring the widow's son by force, but on looking on him the
man was afraid and came back without him. "Coward!" exclaimed the sultan, and sent another man. But he
too returned without the widow's son. Meanwhile, the booming of a great gong came from the river's mouth.
The sultan himself had arrived and a shareef from Mecca with him to witness the marriage. The shareef
remained in his boat while the sultan went to the chief's house. He had invited the shareef to the wedding, for
being a sultan he did not think of even the possibility of the girl being refused. When he heard of the state of
things, he was angry, and sent men to bring the widow's son into his presence. This man wished to tie the
widow's son's hands and feet and bring him by force, but the latter said, "Leave me free and I will follow you
of my own accord." The sultan's messenger said, "I am afraid you will run away into the forest." Then the
widow's son was angry. "Never from my childhood have I ever run away from anyone," he said. So the sultan's
messenger, fearing further trouble, left him free, and the widow's son followed of his own accord. When he
had come into the presence of the sultan the latter liked his fine, manly looks. He wished to treat him kindly,
but when the sultan began to talk of the marriage and asked the widow's son what he had to say, the latter
said, "My mouth does not say a different thing each time. What I had to say before, I say again. The girl may
have some relatives somewhere and I cannot give her in marriage without consulting them, although I recognize
you as sultan." Then the sultan was very angry and ordered him seized by one of his men. But on trying to
seize the widow's son his hand would not go around the latter's wrists, nor his arms around his waist. Then
the sultan was furious. He ordered the widow's son killed. A man tried to bring down his kris*, but it refused
to descend.
The widow's son did nothing. The sultan, finally crying out that all his men were cowards, drew his own kris,
saying, "So you are greater than I, are you?" But on bringing down his own kris it flew over the widow's son's
head. A second attempt resulted the same way. Finally, the sultan in despair sent for the shareef. The shareef
came, bringing with him his book. Looking into the book he said it was not right to kill the widow's son and
that in case the sultan insisted on killing him, he, the shareef, would return to Mecca. The sultan was continuing
in his rage; the shareef returned to the boat and went back to Mecca, whence he had come. Now the sultan
had heard of a wise man in Mecca who had a familiar spirit. He sent for this man to come and kill the widow's
son. But he, looking into a book, said the widow's son should not be killed, and that he would ask his familiar
spirit to come to the widow's son's place to make peace between the sultan and the young man. So the
familiar spirit came, in human shape, to the house of the chief. Hundreds were gathered together and there
was drinking rice beer and feasting, and the spirit, looking at the palms of the hands of the interested persons,
said that the widow's son should marry the orphan girl, and as for the sultan's son, he should, according to
the lines of his hands, marry a certain beautiful woman of Mecca. So these marriages were arranged, and there
was peace between the sultan and widow's son.
*kris - a dagger with a wavy blade used by Muslims
The Monkey and the Turtle
B’laan
One morning, a monkey and a turtle who were close friends talked about their situation. After a while, the
monkey said, "Let's go to the forest and make a trap for wild pigs." The turtle agreed. When they came upon
a dakit tree, they saw the tracks of wild pigs. "Let's make a trap here," said the turtle, pointing to a base of
the tree. "No, let's make one trap up the tree because pigs go there and gather fruit," said the monkey. "No,
let's stay down here because the tracks are here." "All right, you make your trap here while I make one up
the tree." So the monkey and the turtle went their separate ways. After setting their traps, the monkey said,
"Let's return after two days. Wild pigs should be here by then." But the day after the traps were laid, the
monkey went back to the dakit tree by himself. The turtle's trap had a pig, his had a bird. The turtle was
right. To save face, the monkey brought the pig from the turtle's trap to his own and replaced it with the bird
caught in his. turtle.
On his way home, he met the the turtle. "Where have you been?" asked "I went to the river to take a bath,"
was the reply. As agreed, on the day after the traps were laid, the monkey and the turtle went to the dakit
tree. "Let's hurry so we can get there early. Last night, I had a good dream. Our traps must surely have
something in them," the monkey said. The turtle was surprised to find a pig up the tree and a bird in his trap
which was set on the ground. He knew the monkey tricked him and told the monkey so. The monkey
insisted that he had nothing to do with the result of their catch. Without saying another word, the monkey
and the turtle went home with the pig and the bird respectively. When they came near the monkey's house,
they decided to fight it out. "Wait." The monkey said. "T'll build myself a fort." He proceeded to make a fort
out of banana leaves. believed them impregnable. "Shoot first," the turtle said. "After all you challenged me to
this fight. If it were true that my trap caught a bird, pray that I will be killed at once." The monkey took careful
aim while his family watched from behind the banana fort. The turtle was hit. The monkey rejoiced. The turtle
cried, "You hit my back but I am protected by my shell. Can't you see I am alive?" The monkey was dismayed
but he was a good sport. "Then shoot," he called from the fort. The turtle took careful aim and when his
arrow found its mark, he heard a monkey cry.
One of the monkey's children was killed. "No, I was not hit. It was one of my children," lied the monkey. The
monkey's turn to shoot came but the turtle was not afraid. His shell was very thick. The arrows bounced.
Each time the turtle released an arrow, it hit a monkey. One by one, the monkey's wife and children died.
"Why don't we become friends again?" shouted the monkey from his fort. "I'll tell you the truth. Your trap
caught the pig. It is yours." The monkey and the turtle reconciled once more. If the monkey did not shout
after the last of his children was killed, the turtle would have killed him too. They sealed their friendship by
partaking of nama* from the monkey's chew box. Sometime later, the monkey felt lonely because his wife
and children were dead. "Please keep me company," the monkey pleaded. "We can go to the river and fish."
They left for the river to fish. At the river bank they saw a banana stalk. "Let's cut this in two," the monkey
suggested. "I'll take the upper half because the leaves and the fruit are too heavy for you." The monkey and
the turtle went to their respective kaingin* and planted their respective parts. The next visit to their kaingin
brought happiness to the turtle and sadness to the monkey. The turtle saw his plant heavy with fruit. The
monkey's plant had wilted. The monkey volunteered to get the fruit for the turtle. When he was up there, he
did not care to go down any more. He ate everything. full that he slept with a banana in his mouth. This
made the turtle very mad. Silently, the turtle planted bamboo stakes around the banana stalk. When the
monkey turned on his side, he fell and was at once impaled. Helpless, the monkey agonizingly died. The
turtle feasted on the monkey. His ears were like good buyo* leaves, his tail was like betel nut, and his brain
tasted like superior lime. He chewed the concoction and was pleased with himself. On his way home, he met
a pack of monkeys who were on their way to the kaingin. They saw the turtle's black teeth so they asked for
some of his nama. He hesitated for a while because he was afraid the monkeys might harm him. Then a
wonderful idea struck his mind. He turned his back and wrapped some of his nama in a leaf from a wild tree
that grew by the roadside. He told the monkeys to open the package only when they reached their kaingin.
The monkeys did as bidden. When they reached their Raingin they gathered around the package and looked
forward to a wonder nama. After chewing some, many threw up; others felt weak and dropped dead. Those
who did not partake of the nama realized that what their companions chewed was a monkey. They decided
to run after the turtle and kill him. The monkeys found the turtle near the river bank. The turtle was subdued
at once. The monkeys laid him on a flat stone. Each monkey beat him with a stone. They saw how the *buyo
- a vine with leaves that has an astringent taste turtle enjoyed it. "Go ahead, continue beating me so I'll turn
out wide and flat; then I will be able to lick you all with my tail." So the monkeys decided to throw him into
the river. This seemed to frighten the turtle. Seeing how pale the turtle was, the monkeys were sure they
decided on the right thing. So into the water the turtle went with a splash. "Ha-ha!" The monkeys heard the
turtle laugh. "Don't you know that I can live in water?" The monkeys were very mad. Then it happened that a
deer was drinking upstream. They asked the deer to drink all the water there so they could get to the turtle.
The deer promised to help the monkeys. He asked them to put a stopper in his anus. They used a corn cob
to close the orifice.
The monkeys waded toward the turtle while the deer drew water from the river. When the monkeys could
almost make it to the turtle, tabeuko pecked on the corn cob and out went the water again. Thrice the deer
drew the water, thrice did the tabkuko remove the corn cob. Three monkeys drowned. The tabkuko incurred
the monkeys' wrath because they never succeeded in laying their hands on the turtle. They seized the bird
and twisted its neck. The bird writhed in pain and felt its end was near. "You won't kill me that way. Can't
you see you're even making me beautiful? See how red my bill is? The harder you twist my neck the redder
my bill becomes. But if you want to kill me, pull the feathers and leave me on that stone near the river. In a
week's time you will see worms feasting on my body." The monkeys stripped the tabkuko of all its plume
and left it on the stone. After a week, they saw what looked like worms all over the tabkuko's body.
They thought it was rotting. When the monkeys left, the bird stretched its wings and examined what it knew
would turn out into beautiful feathers. But the turtle did not go unpunished. When he went out of the water,
he met a red-tailed lizard. He wanted to have a tail as red as the lizard's. The lizard told him that he only had
to climb a red tree and jump from it. The lizard offered to bring him up the tree. So up the tree they went.
The turtle held on to the lizard's tail as hard as he could, but he slipped! Down he fell with a loud crash. His
lizard friend went to him but he was beyond help; his shell was broken into a thousand pieces. And while the
sun hid behind a tree, the turtle died. Source: Theresa D. Balayon, "An Analysis of Three Bilaan Folktales."
Mindanao Journal, 1, 2 (Oct.-Dec. 1974), 47-50.
o
o
nama - betel chew
kaingin - slash-and-burn farming
LEGEND
How the angels built lake Lanao
Maranaw
Long ago there was no lake in Lanao. On the place where it is now situated, there flourished a mighty sultanate
called Mantapoli. During the reign of Sultan Abdara Radawi, the great grandfather of Radia Indara-patra*, this
realm was expanded by military conquests and by dynastic marriages, so that in time its fame spread far and
wide. The population of Mantapoli was numerous and fast increasing. At that time, the world was divided into
two regions: Sebangan (East) and Sedpan (West). The mighty sultanate of Mantapoli belonged to Sebangan.
Because this sultanate rapidly increased in power and population, too, the equilibrium between Sebangan and
Sedpan was broken. This disequilibrium soon came to the attention of Archangel Diabarail (Gabriel to the
Christians). Like a flash of sunlight, Diabarail flew to the Eighth Heaven and told Allah: "My Lord, why have
you permitted the unbalance of the earth? Sebangan, because of the power of Mantapoli, is now heavier than
Sedpan." "Why, Diabarail," replied the Sohara (Voice of Allah), "what is wrong with that?" "My Lord, Mantapoli
has a vast population, countless as the particles of dust. If we will allow this sultanate to remain in Sebangan,
I fear that the world would turn upside down, since Sebangan is heavier than Sedpan." "Your words show great
wisdom, Diabarail," commented the Sohara. "What must we do, my Lord, to avert the impending catastrophe?"
To this query, the Sohara replied: "Go right away to the Seven-Regions-Beneath-the-Earth and to the SevenRegions-in-the-Sky and gather all the angels. I will cause a barahana (solar eclipse) and in the darkness let
the angels remove Mantapoli and transfer it to the center of the earth." Upon receiving the mandate of Allah,
Archangel Diabarail, traveling faster than lightning, rallied the millions of angels from the Seven-RegionsBeneath-the-Earth and the Seven-Regions-in-the-Sky. With this formidable army, he presented himself: to Allah,
saying: "My Lord, we are ready to obey Your command." The Sohara spoke: "Go to Sebangan and lift the land
of Mantapoli." Diabarail, leading his army of angels, flew to the East. In the twinkle of an eye, the sun vanished
and a terrible darkness as black as the blackest velvet shrouded the universe. The angles sped faster than
arrows. They swooped on Mantapoli, lifting it with great care and carried it (including its people, houses, crops
and animals) through the air as if it were a carpet.
They brought it down at the center of the earth, in accordance with the command of Allah. The very spot
vacated by the sultanate of Mantapoli became a huge basin of deep, blue water — the present Lanao lake.
The waters, coming from the deep bowels of the earth, rose higher and higher. Archangel Diabarail, seeing
the rising tides, immediately returned to the Eighth Heaven and reported to Allah: "My Lord, the earth is now
balanced. But the place where we removed Mantapoli is becoming an ocean. The waters are rising fast, and
unless an outlet for them can be found I fear that they might inundate Sebangan and drown all your people."
In response, the Sohara said: "You are right, Diabarail. Go out, then, and summon the Four Winds of the World:
Angin-Taupan, Angin-Besar, Angin-Darat and Angin-Sarsar. Tell them to blow and make an outlet for the
overflowing waters." Obeying the Master's command, the faithful messenger summoned the Four Winds. "By
the will of Allah," he told them, "blow your best and make an outlet for the rising waters of the new lake." The
Four Winds of the World blew and a turbulence swept the whole eastern half of the earth. The surging waters
rolled swiftly towards the shores of Tilok Bay to the southeastern direction. But the towering ranges impeded
their onrush.
The Four Winds blew, hurling the waves against the rocky slopes, but in vain; no outlet could be cut through
the mountain barrier. Changing direction, this time eastward, the Four Winds blew harder driving the raging
waters towards the shores of Sugud Bay (situated east of Dansalan, now Marawi City). Once again, the
attempt to create an outlet failed because the bay was too far away from the sea. For the third time, the Four
Winds changed direction and blew at their hardest. The waves, plunging with ferocity, rolled towards Marawi.
Day and night, the Winds blew as the waters lashed against the shoreline of Marawi. This time the attempt
succeeded. An outlet now called Agus River was made, and through the outlet the waters of Lake Lanao
poured out to the sea, thereby saving Sebangan from a deluge. It came to pass that there was a high cliff at
the outlet, and over the cliff the waters cascaded in majestic volume. Thus, arose the beautiful falls which,
aeons later, was named Maria Cristina, after a famous queen of Spain.
EPIC
Tuwaang attends a Wedding
Manuvu
Tuwaang, after finishing some work, calls his aunt aside and informs her that the wind has brought him a
message: he is to attend the wedding of the Maiden of Mo:nawon. The aunt tries to dissuade him from going,
for she foresees trouble. Tuwaang, however, is determined to go. He picks the heart-shaped basket that can
activate the lightning, puts on his headdress and costume made by goddesses, arms himself with a long blade
and dagger, and takes his shield and spear. He rides on a flash of lightning and arrives at the Kawkawangan
grassland. While resting there a while, he hears a gungutan bird crowing. He decides to catch the fowl, but
soon sees the gungutan with a daggerlike spur. The gungutan tells Tuwaang he came to know of his coming
in a dream and that he wants to go with him to the wedding celebration. Tuwaang agrees to bring the gungutan
along. The two shake their shoulders and are carried into space. Upon arriving at Mo:nawon, Tuwaang is
admitted into the hall. He sits on a golden stool while the gungutan perches on a crossbeam. Meantime,
enchanting sounds from afar and flowering trees signal the arrival of the Young Man of Panayangan. Other
gallants — the Young Man of Liwanon and the Young Man of the Rising Sun — arrive. Finally, the groom, the
Young Man of Sakadna, arrives with a hundred followers. He haughtily asks the house owner to clear the
house "of dirt," implying the people in the house who do not count. To this insult, Tuwaang answers there are
"red leaves," i.e., heroes in the house.
Preliminaries of the wedding ceremony start. The savakan (bridewealth consisting of articles and wrapped food
to be paid for by the groom's kinsmen) are offered one by one, until only the two most costly remain. One is
given the value of an ancient gong with ten bosses and nine relief-rings, the other is redeemable only by a
golden guitar and a golden flute. The groom confesses his inability to redeem these articles. Tuwaang saves
the groom from the embarrassing predicament by taking his place: through his magic breath he produces a
more ancient gong, which is accepted by the bride's party. He also produces the golden flute and golden
guitar. The bride is now asked to come out of her room and serve the guests some betel chew. She commands
her betel box to serve everyone. Magically, the betel box obeys, with the betel chew jumping into the mouths
of the guests. After two betel chews leap into the groom's mouth, the betel box moves on to Tuwaang, before
whom it stops altogether. Tuwaang brushes it away, but the box does not budge.
The bride decides to sit beside Tuwaang. The groom blushes; he is shamed. He decides to fight Tuwaang. He
goes down the house and challenges Tuwaang to come down to the yard After the bride unrolls and combs
Tuwaang's hair, Tuwaang goes down to fight. The gungutan, meanwhile, has been fighting the groom's men
and has slain a number of them until only six gallants remain. Tuwaang and the gungutan engage the six
gallants. Finally, only Tuwaang and the Young Man of Sakadna are left moving about. Tuwaang is thrown
against a boulder, which turns into dust. Trees get bent and topple. Tuwaang gets hold of his foe, throws him
down so hard that he sinks into the earth. The Young Man of Sakadna surfaces quickly and confronts Tuwaang
once more. Tuwaang in turn is thrust into the earth and sinks into the Underworld. There he talks to Tuwaha,
god of the Underworld, who tells him the secret of overcoming his foe. Tuwaang surfaces and summons the
golden flute in which the Young Man of Sakadna keeps his life. Accompanied by the gungutan, Tuwaang takes
the bride home to Kuaman, where he rules forever.