A Tinguian encounters the Alan, eerie spirit creatures with backward features, hanging from a tree like bats. Terrified, he falls, prompting them to offer gold and beads, mistaking him for dead. When he refuses to trade a peculiar bead, the Alan threaten vengeance. True to their word, they later burn his house, demonstrating their otherworldly power and wrath.
Source
Philippine Folk Tales
compiled and annotated by
Mabel Cook Cole
A.C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, 1916
► Themes of the story
Supernatural Beings: The Alan are mystical creatures with unique physical characteristics, such as backward feet and fingers, who inhabit the forest.
Cunning and Deception: The Alan’s initial act of placing gold and beads on the man, believing him to be dead, and their subsequent demand for the peculiar bead, demonstrate elements of cunning behavior.
Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts a lesson on the consequences of greed and the importance of respecting supernatural forces, as the man’s refusal to share the bead leads to the destruction of his home.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about Philippines peoples
A Tinguian was once walking along a trail in the wood when he heard a strange sound in a large tree near him, and looking up he was startled to see that it was the home of the Alan–spirits who live in the wood.
He stopped and gazed for a moment at the horrible creatures, large as people, hanging from the limbs of the tree with their heads down like bats. They had wings to fly, and their toes were at the back of their feet, while their long fingers, which pointed backward, were fastened at the wrist.
► Continue reading…
“Surely,” thought the man, “these terrible beings will eat me if they can catch me. I will run away as fast as I can while they are asleep.” He tried to run but he was too frightened, and after a few steps he fell face down on the ground.
At this the Alan began to wail loudly, for they saw him fall and believed him dead And they came down out of the tree with gold and beads which they laid on him.
After a while the man gathered courage and, jumping up, he cried as loudly as he could, “Go away!”
The Alan did not move, but they looked at him and said: “Give us the one bead nagaba [a peculiar bead of double effect], and you may have the rest.” When the man refused to do this, they were angry and turned away, crying, “Then we are going to burn your house, for you are a bad man.”
Thereupon the man went home as fast as he could go, but very soon after that his house burned, for the Alan kept their word.
Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page
Dreamtime Whispers 