Philippine Folk Tales | Page 2

known to the Tinguian he reveals no celestial qualities. Even in the first story he abandons his place in the sky and goes to live on earth.
In the first eight stories we read of many customs of "the first times" which differ radically from those of the present. But a careful analysis of all the known lore of this people points to the belief that many of these accounts depict a period when similar customs did exist among the people, or else were practiced by emigrants who generations ago became amalgamated with the Tinguian and whose strange customs finally became attributed to the people of the tales. The stories numbered nine to sixteen are of a somewhat different type, and in them the Tinguian finds an explanation of many things, such as, how the people learned to plant, and to cure diseases, where they secured the valuable jars and beads, and why the moon has spots on its face. All these stories are fully believed, the beads and jars are considered precious, and the places mentioned are definitely known. While the accounts seem to be of fairly recent origin they conflict neither with the fundamental ideas and traditions of "the first times" nor with the beliefs of today.
Stories seventeen to twenty-three are regarded as fables and are told to amuse the children or to while away the midday hours when the people seek shaded spots to lounge or stop on the trail to rest. Most of them are known to the Christianized tribes throughout the Islands and show great similarity to the tales found in the islands to the south and, in some cases, in Europe. In many of them the chief incidents are identical with those found elsewhere, but the story-tellers, by introducing old customs and beliefs, have moulded and colored them until they reflect the common ideas of the Tinguian.
The third group includes stories from several wild tribes who dwell in the large island of Mindanao. Here are people who work in brass and steel, build good dwellings, and wear hemp clothing elaborately decorated with beads, shell disks, and embroidery, but who still practice many savage customs, including slavery and human sacrifice.
The fourth division gives two tales from the Moro (hardy Malayan warriors whose ancestors early became converts to the faith of Mohammed). Their teachers were the Arabian traders who, about 1400, succeeded in converting many of the Malay Islanders to the faith of the prophet.
The last group contains the stories of the Christianized natives--those who accepted the rule of Spain and with it the Catholic religion. Their tales, while full of local color, nevertheless show the influence of the European tutors. They furnish an excellent opportunity to contrast the literature of the savage head-hunters with that of the Moro and Christian tribes and to observe how various recent influences have modified the beliefs of people who not many centuries ago were doubtless of a uniform grade of culture. It is interesting, too, to note that European tales brought into the Islands by Mohammedan and Christian rulers and traders have been worked over until, at first glance, they now appear indigenous.
Owing to local coloring, these tales have various forms. Still we find many incidents which are held in common by all the tribes of the Archipelago and even by the people of Borneo, Java, Sumatra, and India. Some of these similarities and parallelisms are indicated in the foot-notes throughout the book.

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