Philippine Folk Tales | Page 2

Thereupon
we might conclude that he is a true solar being; yet in the other tales of
this collection and in many more known to the Tinguian he reveals no
celestial qualities. Even in the first story he abandons his place in the
sky and goes to live on earth.
In the first eight stories we read of many customs of "the first times"
which differ radically from those of the present. But a careful analysis
of all the known lore of this people points to the belief that many of
these accounts depict a period when similar customs did exist among
the people, or else were practiced by emigrants who generations ago
became amalgamated with the Tinguian and whose strange customs
finally became attributed to the people of the tales. The stories
numbered nine to sixteen are of a somewhat different type, and in them
the Tinguian finds an explanation of many things, such as, how the
people learned to plant, and to cure diseases, where they secured the
valuable jars and beads, and why the moon has spots on its face. All

these stories are fully believed, the beads and jars are considered
precious, and the places mentioned are definitely known. While the
accounts seem to be of fairly recent origin they conflict neither with the
fundamental ideas and traditions of "the first times" nor with the beliefs
of today.
Stories seventeen to twenty-three are regarded as fables and are told to
amuse the children or to while away the midday hours when the people
seek shaded spots to lounge or stop on the trail to rest. Most of them are
known to the Christianized tribes throughout the Islands and show great
similarity to the tales found in the islands to the south and, in some
cases, in Europe. In many of them the chief incidents are identical with
those found elsewhere, but the story-tellers, by introducing old customs
and beliefs, have moulded and colored them until they reflect the
common ideas of the Tinguian.
The third group includes stories from several wild tribes who dwell in
the large island of Mindanao. Here are people who work in brass and
steel, build good dwellings, and wear hemp clothing elaborately
decorated with beads, shell disks, and embroidery, but who still
practice many savage customs, including slavery and human sacrifice.
The fourth division gives two tales from the Moro (hardy Malayan
warriors whose ancestors early became converts to the faith of
Mohammed). Their teachers were the Arabian traders who, about 1400,
succeeded in converting many of the Malay Islanders to the faith of the
prophet.
The last group contains the stories of the Christianized natives--those
who accepted the rule of Spain and with it the Catholic religion. Their
tales, while full of local color, nevertheless show the influence of the
European tutors. They furnish an excellent opportunity to contrast the
literature of the savage head-hunters with that of the Moro and
Christian tribes and to observe how various recent influences have
modified the beliefs of people who not many centuries ago were
doubtless of a uniform grade of culture. It is interesting, too, to note
that European tales brought into the Islands by Mohammedan and
Christian rulers and traders have been worked over until, at first glance,
they now appear indigenous.
Owing to local coloring, these tales have various forms. Still we find
many incidents which are held in common by all the tribes of the

Archipelago and even by the people of Borneo, Java, Sumatra, and
India. Some of these similarities and parallelisms are indicated in the
foot-notes throughout the book.

CONTENTS
Group I: Tinguian
Aponibolinayen and the Sun Aponibolinayen Gawigawen of Adasen
The Story of Gaygayoma Who Lives up Above The Story of Dumalawi
The Story of Kanag The Story of Tikgi The Story of Sayen The Sun
and the Moon How the Tinguian Learned to Plant Magsawi The Tree
with the Agate Beads The Striped Blanket The Alan and the Hunters
The Man and the Alan Sogsogot The Mistaken Gifts The Boy Who
Became a Stone The Turtle and the Lizard The Man with the
Cocoanuts The Carabao and the Shell The Alligator's Fruit Dogedog
Group II: Igorot
The Creation The Flood Story Lumawig on Earth How the First Head
Was Taken The Serpent Eagle The Tattooed Men Tilin, the Rice Bird
Group III: The Wild Tribes of Mindanao
Bukidnon How the Moon and Stars Came to Be The Flood Story
Magbangal How Children Became Monkeys Bulanawan and Aguio
Bagobo Origin Lumabet
Bilaan The Story of the Creation In the Beginning
Mandaya The Children of the Limokon The Sun and the Moon
Subanun The Widow's Son
Group IV: Moro
Mythology of Mindanao The Story of Bantugan
Group V: The Christianized Tribes
Ilocano The Monkey and the Turtle The