Filipino Popular Tales | Page 7

the field. Suan got down from the tree
and climbed up on the carabao's back. He guided it to a very secret
place in the mountains and hid it there. When Pedro came back, he
could not find his carabao. A man who was passing by said, "Pedro,
what are you looking for?"
"I am looking for my carabao. Somebody must have stolen it." "Go to
Suan, your nephew," said the man. "He can tell you who stole your
carabao." So Pedro went to Suan's house, and told him to guess who
had taken his carabao.
Suan took his pencil and a piece of paper. On the paper he wrote some
round figures. He then looked up, and said,
"Carabaues, carabaues, Na nanakawes Ay na sa bundokes,"--
which meant that the carabao was stolen by a neighbor and was hidden
in the mountain. For many days Pedro looked for it in the mountain. At
last he found it in a very secret place. He then went to Suan's house,
and told him that the carabao was truly in the mountain. In great
wonder he said, "My nephew is surely a good guesser."
One Sunday a proclamation of the king was read. It was as follows:
"The princess's ring is lost. Whoever can tell who stole it shall have my
daughter for his wife; but he who tries and fails, loses his head."
When Suan's mother heard it, she immediately went to the palace, and
said, "King, my son can tell you who stole your daughter's ring."
"Very well," said the king, "I will send my carriage for your son to ride
to the palace in."

In great joy the woman went home. She was only ascending the ladder
[6] when she shouted, "Suan Suan, my fortunate son!"
"What is it, mother?" said Suan.
"I told the king that you could tell him who stole the princess's ring."
"Foolish mother, do you want me to die?" said Suan, trembling.
Suan had scarcely spoken these words when the king's carriage came.
The coachman was a courtier. This man was really the one who had
stolen the princess's ring. When Suan was in the carriage, he exclaimed
in great sorrow, "Death is at hand!" Then he blasphemed, and said
aloud to himself, "You will lose your life now."
The coachman thought that Suan was addressing him. He said to
himself, "I once heard that this man is a good guesser. He must know
that it was I who stole the ring, because he said that my death is at
hand." So he knelt before Suan, and said, "Pity me! Don't tell the king
that it was I who stole the ring!"
Suan was surprised at what the coachman said. After thinking for a
moment, he asked, "Where is the ring?"
"Here it is."
"All right! Listen, and I will tell you what you must do in order that you
may not be punished by the king. You must catch one of the king's
geese to-night, and make it swallow the ring."
The coachman did what Suan had told him to do. He caught a goose
and opened its mouth. He then dropped the ring into it, and pressed the
bird's throat until it swallowed the ring.
The next morning the king called Suan, and said, "Tell me now who
stole my daughter's ring."
"May I have a candle? I cannot guess right if I have no candle," said
Suan.

The king gave him one. He lighted it and put it on a round table. He
then looked up and down. He went around the table several times,
uttering Latin words. Lastly he said in a loud voice, "Mi domine!"
"Where is the ring?" said the king.
Suan replied,--
"Singsing na nawala Ninakao ang akala Ay nas' 'big ng gansa,"--
which meant that the ring was not stolen, but had been swallowed by a
goose. The king ordered all the geese to be killed. In the crop of one of
them they found the ring. In great joy the king patted Suan on the back,
and said, "You are truly the wisest boy in the world."
The next day there was a great entertainment, and Suan and the
princess were married.

In a country on the other side of the sea was living a rich man named
Mayabong. This man heard that the King of Campao had a son-in-law
who was a good guesser. So he filled one of his cascos with gold and
silver, and sailed to Campao. He went to the palace, and said, "King, is
it true that your son-in-law is a good guesser?"
"Yes," said the king.
"Should you like to have a contest with me? If your son-in-law can tell
how many seeds these melons I have brought here contain,