FOLKTALE

Folktale is a story passed on by word of mouth rather than by writing, and thus partly modified by successive re‐tellings before being written down or recorded. The category includes legends, fables, jokes, tall stories, and fairy tales. Many folktales involve mythical creatures and magical transformations. Oral traditions are very common among the indigenous tribes still existent in the Philippines.

Example:

THE WHITE SQUASHIlocano

In a queer little bamboo house in front of a big garden lived a man and his wife all alone. They had always been kind and good to everyone, but still they were not happy, because the child for which they longed had never come to them. Each day for many years they had prayed for a son or a daughter, but their prayers had been unanswered. Now that they were growing old they believed that they must always live alone.

In the garden near their house this couple grew fine white squash, and as the vines bore the year around, they had never been in need of food. One day, however, they discovered that no new squash had formed to take the place of those they had picked, and for the first time in many seasons they had no vegetables.

Each day they examined the vines, and though the big, yellow flowers continued to bloom and fade, no squash grew on the stems. Finally, one morning after a long wait, the woman cried out with delight, for she had discovered a little green squash. After examining it, they decided to let it ripen that they might have the seeds to plant. They eagerly watched it grow, and it became a beautiful white vegetable, but by the time it was large enough for food they were so hungry that they decided to eat it.

They brought a large knife and picked it, but scarcely had they started to open it when a voice cried out from within, "Please be careful that you do not hurt me."

The man and woman stopped their work, for they thought that a spirit must have spoken to them. But when the voice again called and begged them to open the squash, they carefully opened it, and there inside was a nice baby boy. He could already stand alone and could talk. And the man and his wife were overjoyed.

Presently the woman went to the spring for a jar of water, and when she had brought it she spread a mat on the floor and began to bathe the baby. As the drops of water fell off his body, they were immediately changed to gold, so that when the bath

was finished gold pieces covered the mat. The couple had been so delighted to have the baby that it had seemed as if there was nothing more to wish for, but now that the gold had come to them also they were happier than ever.

The next morning the woman gave the baby another bath, and again the water turned to gold. They now had enough money to build a large house. The third morning she brought water for his bath again, but he grew very sad and flew away. At the same time all the gold disappeared also, and the man and his wife were left poor and alone.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/pft/pft54.htm

Folk Song

Folk song is a song that originates in traditional popular culture or that is written in such a style. The traditional music of the Philippines, like the folk music of our countries, reflects the life of common, mostly rural Filipino. Like its counterparts in Asia, a lot of traditional songs from the Philippines have a strong connection with nature. 

Example:

PARUPARONG BUKID

Paruparong bukid na lilipad-lipadSa gitna ng daan papaga-pagaspas

Isang bara ang tapisIsang dangkal ang manggas

Ang sayang de kolaIsang piyesa ang sayad

May payneta pa siya — uy!May suklay pa man din — uy!

Nagwas de-ohetes ang palalabasinHaharap sa altar at mananalamin

At saka lalakad nang pakendeng-kendeng.

This song compares a certain woman to a mountain butterfly.

Source: http://tagaloglang.com/Filipino-Music/Tagalog-Folk-Songs/paruparong-bukid-lyrics-and-recordings.html

PROVERB

Proverb is a short saying or sentence that is generally known by many people. The saying usually contains words of wisdom, truth or morality that are based on common sense or practical experience. It is often a description of a basic rule of conduct that all people generally follow or should follow.

Examples :

Ang hipong tulog ay tinatangay ng agos. A sleeping shrimp is carried away by the water current.

Ang nakatikip na bibig ay hindi pinapasukan ng langaw. A covered mouth will not have flies entering it.

(Keep your mouth shut and be quiet to stay out of trouble.)

Sa taong walang takot, walang mataas na bakod.To a person without fear, there is no such thing as a high fence.

Taong di marunong sumangguini, may dunong ma'y namamali.A person who does not seek advice will make mistakes though wise.

Ubos-ubos biyaya pagkatapos nakatunganga.Spend lavishly and you end up with nothing.

Source: http://tagaloglang.com/Philippine-Literature/Tagalog-Proverbs/

MYTH

Myth is a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.

The Visayan Creation MythVisayan is the largest ethnic group in Philippines. Their creation myth explains how the Sun, the Moon, the islands, and human beings were formed.A long time ago, there were two Gods - Maguayan, ruler of water, and Kaptan, ruler of the sky. One day, the two Gods decided to marry their children. Three sons were born from this union - Likalibutan was extremely brave and strong, Liadlao was made of gold and was always cheerful, and Libulan, made of copper, was timid and weak. Lisuga was the only daughter, she was made of silver and was very beautiful, gentle and sweet. Sadly, they were orphaned at a young age, but their grandparents took care of them and protected them from evil. Eventually, the siblings grew up to be strong and beautiful.

One day, Likalibutan, proud of his strength and power, decided to attack Kaptan's sky kingdom. Scared of their brother, Liadlao and Libulan were coerced into joining him and they left for the sky kingdom. An enormous steel gate was blocking their way, but Likalibutan summoned the wind and knocked it down. When Kaptan came to know of this, he got furious and fired them with lightning bolts. A lightning bolt landed on each of the three brothers. Likalibutan's rock-like body fragmented into a thousand pieces and fell down in the sea, Liadlao and Libulan melted into balls of gold and copper, respectively. Worried for her brothers, Lisuga came searching for them, but Kaptan, still fuming, attacked her as well. Her silver body too, was scattered into a million pieces. Kaptan then called Maguayan, accusing him of planning the whole thing. But Maguayan had been sleeping through the entire ordeal and didn't have the slightest clue. Kaptan eventually calmed down, and both the gods deeply mourned the loss of their grandchildren. Sadly, even with all their powers, they couldn't bring the siblings to life. So, they gave each of them light, except for Likalibutan. Luminous with this light, Liadlao became the Sun, Libulan, the Moon and Lisuga's fragmented body can be seen today as the stars.

Kaptan planted a seed on a fragment of Likalibutan's body. A bamboo tree sprouted out of this seed and from this tree, Sikalak, a man and Sikabay, a woman, emerged. This man and woman are the ancestors of all the people in the world.

Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/philippines-legends-and-myths.html

LEGENDLegend is a nonhistorical or unverifiable story handed down by tradition from earlier times and popularly accepted as historical. It usually have some historical basis, are often exaggerated, and incorporate the spiritual beliefs of the people. These stories usually tell about heroic deeds or mystical places.

THE LEGEND OF THE FIRST FIREFLY

In the beginning, fireflies were just insects, small and ordinary. They do not have that special fire that kindles light at night. The first generation of fireflies come out only during the day. Like any other creatures, they rest under the leaves and flowers of plants that they come across as soon as the shade of darkness cover the land. So generally speaking, fireflies are scared of the night except for a full moon that brings out a gentle glow in the middle of darkness"

One early evening, they spotted a bush of sampaguita to stop for the night. All of the fireflies sought for their own solace. Some of them hid under the sampaguita's leaves, others under the flower buds, while others hid under its petals.

The pretty sampaguita wondered and asked "But why are you hiding?""Why do all of you seem so frightened? Are you afraid of the dark?"

"No, we are not afraid of the dark," the insects answered.

"Then tell me why are you so afraid?" asked the sampaguita.

"We are afraid of the fruit bats." the fireflies answered.

"Why are you afraid of the fruit bat?" asked the sampaguita.

"It's because they eat us up," said the insects. "If they see us they would catch us, and if we are caught that would mean the end of our lives."

"Well, it's really very cruel of the fruit bat to be doing this to you," the sampaguita said.

"Can you imagine just how many fruit bats there are?" complained one of the insects. "That's why we’re getting fewer and fewer in number were."

"Well, if that's the way things are, you'll be finished before time," said sampaguita. "How much I pity all of you."

"We don't even know what is best to do to protect ourselves," said the insects.

"But, I was wondering why is it that you don't come and hide in my tree when the moon is bright?" asked sampaguita.

"Well, if the moon is bright, it is difficult for the bat to catch us," spoke one of the fireflies. "They get blinded by the light that a full moon brings," followed by another of the fireflies.

"Well, that's it. It cannot see the light," reasoned the sampaguita. "I've got an idea. I will tell you just what you should do."

"Well, what? What should we do?" asked every one of the insects.

"The idea is for each of you to carry a torch of fire," said the sampaguita. " Then go in groups when you go out in the night. The fruit bat would be afraid of you. He wouldn't try to get close to you without getting burned."

"That's very true, that's it!" exclaimed the fireflies altogether.

"Guess that's the best thing for us to do, isn't it?" asked one of the younger fireflies.

That was what the fireflies did. One dark evening, each of them carried a small torch of fire to their tails and then they came out together. They were like high flying embers altogether. And the fruit bat did not dare get near them at all.

The fireflies were jubilant. They flew around and around the sampaguita tree."Thank you, sampaguita. We are now free!" shouted the fireflies.

From then on, every time the fireflies wanted to go out during the dark night they would each bring with them these small torches of fire then come out together to roam leisurely around the bushes, fluttering from one sampaguita plant to another. That was how and why the fireflies today have light at the end of their tails.

Source: http://mikomichiko.blogspot.com/2010/08/legend-of-first-firefly.html#more

EPICEpic is a long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the needs and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation.

LABAW DONGGON (A VISAYAN EPIC)

Labaw Dongon was the son of Anggoy Alunsina and Buyung Paubari.  He was a very handsome young man who fell in love with Abyang Ginbitinan.  He showered Anggoy Matang-ayon, the mother of Abyang Ginbitinan with precious gifts so she would let him marry Abyang.  They invited the whole town to their wedding.  Not long after that, Labaw fell in love again with another beautiful woman named Anggoy Doronoon. He courted her and soon they were married.

Then again, Labaw fell in love for the third time with another woman named Nagmalitong Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata.  But the woman was married to Buyung Saragnayan, who, like him, had a magical power.

Kill me first before you can have my wife, Buyung Saragnayan told him.

I'm ready to fight you, Labaw answered Saragnayan.

They fought each other for years using their strange magical powers but Labaw could not kill Saragnayan.  It seemed that Saragnayan's power was stronger than Labaw's.

Labaw was overpowered and he was tied and detained at the pigpen of Saragnayan.  Meanwhile, his wives, Abyang Ginbitinan and Anggoy Doronoon gave birth to their first borns.  Abyang named her son Asu Mangga and Anggoy Doronoon called her son Buyung Baranugun.  These two sons of Labaw wanted to see him and they decided to find him.

With the help of Buyung Baranugun's crystal ball, they learned that Labaw was taken prisoner of Saragnayan.  The two brothers successfully freed their father who was so old and his body was entirely covered with long hair.

You should find out first the secret of Saragnayan's power before you fight him! Labaw told his two sons.

Yes, father, replied Baranugun.  I will send Taghuy and Duwindi to Abyang Alunsini to ask her of the secret of Saragnayan's power.

Baranugun leraned from Abyang that Saragnayan's breath was being kept and taken cared of by a wild boar in the mountain.  He and Asu Mangga went to the mountain and slew the boar.  They ate the heart of the animal that was the life of Saragnayan.

Saragnayan suddenly felt weak.  He knew what had happened.  He bade goodbye to Nagmalitong Yawa.  He was now ready to confront the two sons of Labaw.  It was only Baranugun who faced him in bloody fight.  He was slain by Baranugun in a hand-to-hand combat.  After the fight, Baranugun and Asu Mangga looked for their father. They found him crammed inside a net of Saragnayan.  He was afraid of the brothers of Saragnayan.  Baranugun killed them all and freed Labaw from the net.

When Abyang Ginbitinan and Anggoy Doronoon saw Labaw, they wept in sorrow. They found out that Labaw could no longer hear and use his mental faculties.  They bathe him, cloth him and fed him.  They took care of him.  Meanwhile, Buyung Humadapnon and Buyung Dumalapdap, brothers-in-law of Anggoy Ginbitinan married Burigadang Pada Sinaklang Bulawan and Lubaylubyok Hanginon Mahuyukhuyukon respectively.  The two women were the beautiful sisters of Nagmalitong Yawa.

When Labaw Donggon learned of the marriage, he told his two wives that he wanted to marry Nagmalitong Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata.

I want to have another baby boy! declared Labaw Donggon.

Abyang Gingibitan and Anggoy Doronoon were shocked to hear his request but because they loved Labaw so much, they gave in to his wish.  Labaw laid down on the floor and the two women jumped over him, bringing back his strength and sharpness of mind.  Labaw cried out in joy and his voice reverberated over the land.

Source: http://www.kabisig.com/philippines/bilingual-tagalog-english-version-of-epics-mga-epiko-labaw-donggon-a-visayan-epic-bilingual-tagalog-english-version_793.html/page/0/2

Riddle

The Tagalog word for 'riddle' is bugtong.

Bugtong is a Tagalog riddle (palaisipan) that showcases the Filipino wit, literary talent, and keen observation of surroundings. It involves references to one or two images that symbolize the characteristics of a unknown object that is to be guessed. Bugtungan is the playing of bugtong.

Examples:May ulo'y walang buhok, may tiyan walang pusod. Answer: Palaka (frog)

Bumili ako ng alipin, mataas pa sa akin.Answer: Sumbrero (cap)

Itinanim sa kagabihan, inani sa kaumagahan.Answer: Bituin (star)

Dalawang magkaibigan, unahan nang unahan.Answer: Mga paa (feet)

Nang hatakin ko ang baging, nagkagulo ang mga matsing. Answer: Kampana (large bell)