Filipino Popular Tales Part 64

TALE 63

THE CAMANCHILE AND THE Pa.s.sION.

Narrated by Fernando M. Maramag of Ilagan, Isabella province. He says that this is an Ilocano story.

Once upon a time there grew in a forest a large camanchile-tree [107]

with spreading branches. Near this tree grew many other trees with beautiful fragrant flowers that attracted travellers. The camanchile had no fragrant flowers; but still its crown was beautifully shaped, for the leaves received as much light as the leaves of the other trees. But the beauty of the crown proved of no attraction to travellers, and they pa.s.sed the tree by.

One day Camanchile exclaimed aloud, "Oh, what a dreary life I lead! I would that I had flowers like the others, so that travellers would visit me often!" A vine by the name of Pa.s.sion, which grew near by, heard Camanchile's exclamation. Now, this vine grew fairly close to the ground, and consequently received "only a small amount of light. Thinking that this was its opportunity to improve its condition, it said, "Camanchile, why is your life dreary?"

"Ah, Pa.s.sion!" replied Camanchile, "just imagine that you were unappreciated, as I am! Travellers never visit me, for I have no flowers."

"Oh, that's easy!" said Pa.s.sion. "Just let me climb on you, and I'll display on your crown my beautiful flowers. Then many persons will come to see you." Camanchile consented, and let Pa.s.sion climb up on him. After a few days Pa.s.sion reached the top of the tree, and soon covered the crown.

A few months later Camanchile realized that he was being smothered: he could not get light, so he asked Pa.s.sion to leave him. "O Pa.s.sion! what pain I am in! I can't get light. Your beauty is of no value. I am being smothered: so leave me, I beg of you!"

Pa.s.sion would not leave Camanchile, however, and so Camanchile died.

MORAL: Be yourself.

Note.

With this story compare the "Palasa-jataka," No. 370, which tells how a Judas-tree was destroyed by the parasitic growth of a banyan-shoot. The general idea is the same in both stories, though I hardly suspect that ours is descended from the Indian. The situation of a tree choked to death by a parasite is such a commonplace in everyday experience, that a moral story based on it might arise spontaneously almost anywhere.

TALE 64

AUAC AND LAMIRAN.

Narrated by Anastacia Villegas of Arayat, Pampanga. She heard the story from her father, and says that it is well known among the Pampangans.

Once Auac, a hawk, stole a salted fish which was hanging in the sun to dry. He flew with it to a branch of a camanchile-tree, where he sat down and began to eat. As he was eating, Lamiran, a squirrel who had his house in a hole at the foot of the tree, saw Auac. Lamiran looked up, and said, "What beautiful s.h.i.+ny black feathers you have, Auac!" When he heard this praise, the hawk looked very dignified. Nevertheless he was much pleased. He fluttered his wings. "You are especially beautiful, Auac, when you walk; for you are very graceful," continued the squirrel. Auac, who did not understand the trick that was being played on him, hopped along the branch with the air of a king. "I heard some one say yesterday that your voice is so soft and sweet, that every one who listens to your song is charmed. Please let me hear some of your notes, you handsome Auac!" said the cunning Lamiran. Auac, feeling more proud and dignified than ever, opened his mouth and sang, "Uac-uac-uac-uac!" As he uttered his notes, the fish in his beak fell to the ground, and Lamiran got it.

A heron which was standing on the back of a water-buffalo near by saw the affair. He said, "Auac, let me give you a piece of advice. Do not always believe what others tell you, but think for yourself; and remember that 'ill-gotten gains never prosper.'"

Notes.

This is the old story of the "Fox and Crow [and cheese]," the bibliography for which is given by Jacobs (2 : 236). Jacobs sees a connection between this fable and two Buddhistic apologues:--

(1) The "Jambu-khadaka-jataka," No. 294, in which we find a fox (jackal) and a crow flattering each other. The crow is eating jambus, when he is addressed thus by the jackal:--

"Who may this be, whose rich and pleasant notes Proclaim him best of all the singing birds, Warbling so sweetly on the jambu-branch, Where like a peac.o.c.k he sits firm and grand!"

The crow replies,--

"'Tis a well-bred young gentleman who knows To speak of gentlemen in terms polite!

Good sir,--whose shape and glossy coat reveal The tiger's offspring,--eat of these, I pray!"

Buddha, in the form of the genius of the jambu-tree, comments thus on their conversation:--

"Too long, forsooth, I've borne the sight Of these poor chatterers of lies,-- The refuse-eater and the offal-eater Belauding each other."

(2) The "Anta-jataka," No. 295, in which the roles are reversed, the crow wheedling flesh from the jackal; here, too, the Buddha comments as above.

Our Pampangan story is of particular interest because of the moralizing of the heron at the end, making the form close to that of the two Jatakas. Possibly our story goes back to some old Buddhistic fable like these. The squirrel (or "wild-cat," as Bergafio's "Vocabulario,"

dated 1732, defines lamiran) is not a very happy subst.i.tution for the original ground-animal, whatever that was; for the squirrel could reach a fish hanging to dry almost as easily as a bird could. Besides, squirrels are not carnivorous. Doubtless the older meaning of "wild-cat" should be adopted for lamiran.

PART III

"JUST-SO" STORIES.

TALE 65

WHY THE ANT IS NOT SO VENOMOUS AS THE SNAKE.

Narrated by Francisco M. Africa of Lipa, Batangas. This is a Tagalog story.

G.o.d first created the earth. Then he took a rock from the earth and threw it on the terrestrial surface. When the rock was broken into many small pieces, he breathed into them the breath of life, and they became living creatures. At first these creatures, though differing in shapes and sizes, were not given different powers.

Among these creatures of G.o.d's were the snake and the ant. One day the snake went to G.o.d to ask for power. It said, "I come to thee, O G.o.d! to ask for thy favor. The world thou hast just created is wild with confusion. I have come to ask thee to give me the special power to kill all those that are rebellious and troublesome."

"Go back to your fellow-creatures!" answered G.o.d. "Hereafter you are endowed with the power to store in your teeth this poison. When you bite the vile and contemptible, inject into the wound some of this poison, and they will be killed; but first of all, observe their actions, and be conscientious and thoughtful." Then G.o.d gave the snake the poison. The snake returned to the earth in great joy.

When the ant heard that the snake was endowed with such power, it at once went to G.o.d to ask that the same privilege be granted it. The ant found G.o.d on his heavenly throne, instructing his host of angels. The ant approached G.o.d, and addressed him thus: "O thou almighty G.o.d! my brother the snake has been granted a great privilege by thee. Why art thou so unkind to me? Give me the same power, and I will be of great aid to the snake in destroying sinners." G.o.d, thinking that the snake might need an a.s.sistant, gave the ant the same privilege that he had given the snake.

The ant was so greatly overjoyed, that it ran as fast as it could to the earth. When G.o.d saw it running, he called to the ant, but it paid no attention to him. Then G.o.d, being very much enraged, took away some of the ant's power, lest the ant might use it unreasonably. And so to-day the ant's bite is not so poisonous as the snake's.