Reading Notes: Week 9 Filipino Popular Tales B

 

(Image Information: Image by Frank Cone)

The Last Necklace

A crow brought a fine necklace from a merchant, and he was proud of his purchase. He placed around his neck so everybody could see it. He flew away and came to a beautiful little garden where he met his friend the hen. The hen said it was a nice necklace and asked to borrow.

The crow liked the hen and was willingly lent her the necklace for a day. The next morning, the crow returned, but the hen had lost it. Her chicks took it and didn't know where they placed it.

The crow requested the hen to pay for it or else he would go to the king and tell him she stole his necklace. The hen was frightened and wondered how she was going to find the money.

The crow was impatient and said he would take a chick each day in payment. When she returned the necklace, he would stop eating her chicks. The hen had to be satisfied with the arrangement for she feared the crow would go to the king if she refused.

To this day, the hen and chicks can be found together looking for the lost necklace by scratching at the ground. The crows are still taking payment for the necklace and eat the chicks. It is said the hen and chicks will never cease scratching the ground until the necklace is found.

The Hummingbird and the Carabao

One hot April morning a water-buffalo rested under the shade of a tree when a hummingbird alighted on one of the small branches above him.

The hummingbird asked how the buffalo was. The buffalo said it was well and asked if it felt the heat. The hummingbird said yes and was thirsty. The buffalo joked hummingbird was so small that a drop should be more than enough.

The hummingbird bet the buffalo that it can drink more than the buffalo. The buffalo agreed and walked to the river. He drank and drank, but it so happened that the tide was rising and water in the river got higher. At last, he could drink no more and the hummingbird teased him and said the buffalo added more water into the river.

The hummingbird took his turn and pretended to drink. He knew that tide would soon go out and he put his bill in the water and waited for the tide to ebb. The water in the river fell. The buffalo noticed the change, but could not comprehend it. He was surprised and agreed that he had been beaten.

The hummingbird flew away and left the buffalo.

Bibliography: 

The Last Necklace by Dean S. Fansler (1921).
The Hummingbird and the Carabao by Dean S. Fansler (1921).