Philippine Folk-Tales | Page 6

his subjects to find the absent one. They found
him in a small hole among the bamboo-trees. He said he could not go
because he was so satisfied (sated). So the others pulled him along to
their master; and he, finding that there was something hard within the
little mouse, ordered him to be cut open. It was done; and there was the
very earring for which the tired servant was looking. Benito took it,
thanked the King of the Mice, and brought the earring to his own King.
When the monarch received it, he immediately restored it to its owner
and asked, "Will you now become my wife?"
"Oh, dear King!" responded the Princess, "I have only one more thing
to ask of you; and if you will grant it, I will be your wife forever."
The King, pleased with his former successes, said, "Tell me what it is,
and it shall be granted."
"If you will get some water from heaven," said the Princess, "and some
water from the nether-world, I will become your wife. That is my last
wish."
The King called Benito, and commanded him to get water from these
two places. "I will, my King," said Benito; and he took some provisions
and started. He came to the forest; but there he became confused, for he
did not know in which direction to go to reach either of the places.
Suddenly he recalled the promise of the bird he had helped the first
time he entered the wood. He called the bird, and it soon appeared. He
told it what he wanted, and it said, "I will get it for you."
He made two cups of bamboo, and tied one to each of the bird's legs.
They were very light, and did not hinder the bearer at all. Away the
bird flew, going very fast. Before the day was ended, it came back with

each cup full of water, and told Benito that the one tied to its right leg
contained water from heaven, and the one tied to its left leg contained
water from the nether-world.
Benito untied the cups, taking great care of them. He was about to leave,
when the bird asked him to tarry long enough to bury it, as the places to
which it had been were so far away that it was weary unto death.
Benito did not like to bury the bird, but he soon saw that it really was
dying, so he waited; and when it was dead, he buried it, feeling very
sorry over the loss of so helpful a friend.
He went back to the palace and delivered the two kinds of water to his
master. The Princess then asked the King to cut her in two and pour the
water from heaven upon her. The King was not willing to do it, so she
did it herself, asking the King to pour the water. This he did, and, lo!
the Princess turned into the most beautiful woman that ever the sun
shone on.
Then the King was desirous of becoming handsome; so he asked the
Princess to pour the other cup of water over him after he cut himself.
He cut himself, and she poured over his body the water from the
nether-world; but from him there arose a spirit more ugly and
ill-favored than imagination could picture. Fortunately, it soon
vanished from sight.
The Princess then turned to Benito, and said, "You have been faithful in
your duties to your master, kind to me in restoring the jewels I lost, and
brave in delivering me from the cruel giants. You are the man I choose
for my husband."
Benito could not refuse so lovely a lady. They were married amid great
festivities, and became the king and queen of that broad and fertile
land.
Benito gave his parents one of the finest portions of his kingdom, and
furnished them with everything they could desire. From that time on
they were all very happy,--so happy that the story of their bliss has

come down through the centuries to us.



PART II
Visayan Folk-Tales.
Introduction.
These stories are intended to bring before the American public a few of
the tales related by Visayan parents to their children, or by the public
story-teller in the market, as the people gather to buy the material for
the evening meal. It was only toward the close of a three years' stay in
the Islands, in one province, and in neighboring places, and after a fair
acquaintance with Spanish and a little knowledge of the native dialect
had enabled us to obtain a closer insight into the home life of our pupils
than would otherwise have been possible, that we ventured upon the
collection of these tales, hoping