Philippine Folk-Tales | Page 9

king and was always clean and dressed in good clothes, while he
himself was dirty and had to eat in the kitchen, he was very angry and
determined to do something to ruin the one whom now he hated so
bitterly.
One day the king and queen went to sail on the sea. As they were far
from land, the queen dropped her ring overboard. When Falsehood
heard of the accident, he went to the king and said: "My Lord, the King,
my friend--your secretary--has told me that he was endowed with
magic powers and is able to find the queen's ring. He says if he does
not find it he is willing for you to hang him."
The king immediately sent for Truth, and said to him: "Find the queen's
ring without delay, or I will have you hanged early to-morrow
morning."
Truth went down to the shore, but seeing how impossible it would be to
find the ring, began to weep. A fish came near, and floating on top of
the water, asked, "Why are you weeping?"

"I weep," Truth replied, "because the king will hang me early
to-morrow morning unless I find the queen's ring, which has fallen into
the sea."
The fish swam out and got the ring and gave it to Truth. Then he said:
"I am one of the fishes which you found on the bank of the river and
threw back into the water. As you helped me when I was in trouble, I
am very glad that I have been able to help you now."
On another day, Falsehood went to the king and said: "My Lord King,
do you remember what I told you the other day?"
"Yes," replied the king, "and I believe you told me the truth, as the ring
has been found."
"Well," replied Falsehood, "my friend told me last night that he is a
great magician and that he is willing for you to hang him in the sight of
all the people, since it will not hurt him."
The king sent for Truth and told him: "I know what you have said to
your friend. To-morrow I will have you hanged in the sight of all the
people, and we will see whether you are the great magician you claim
to be."
That night Truth could not sleep. About midnight, as he was in great
distress, a spirit suddenly appeared to him and asked what was the
cause of his grief. Truth related his trouble, and the spirit said: "Do not
weep. To-morrow morning I will take your form and wear your clothes,
and let them hang me."
The next morning, just at dawn, the spirit put on Truth's clothes and
went out to be hanged. Many people came to see the hanging, and after
it was over, returned to their homes. What was the astonishment of the
king and those with him when, upon their return to the palace, they
found Truth there before them, alive and well!
That night the spirit appeared to Truth and said: "I am the spirit of the
dead man for whom you gave your money that prayers might be said

for the repose of his soul." Then it disappeared.
On another day Falsehood appeared before the king and said: "My Lord
the King, my friend the secretary told me last night that if you would
let him marry your daughter, in one night his wife should bring forth
three children." The king sent for Truth and said: "I will give you my
daughter to be your wife and if to-night she does not bear three children,
I will have you buried alive to-morrow morning."
So they were married. But at midnight, as Truth lay awake thinking of
the fate that was in store for him in the morning, an eagle flew through
the window, and asked the cause of his sorrow. Truth related his tale,
and the eagle said: "Do not worry; I will take care of that." Then he
flew away, but just before the break of day three eagles came, each
bearing a new-born babe. Truth awakened the princess and said to her:
"My dear wife, these are our children. We must love them and take
good care of them."
Then the king, who had been awakened by the noise of children crying,
sent to ask what it was all about. When he heard the news he came into
the tower where the princess was, and when he saw the children he was
overcome with joy; for he had no sons, and greatly desired to have an
heir to his throne. So the king made a great feast and gave over his
crown and sceptre to his son-in-law, to be king in his stead.
Thus we see that those