The White Squash

A childless couple living in a bamboo house discovers a miraculous white squash in their garden. Inside, they find a baby boy who brings them joy and wealth, as water from his baths turns into gold. However, on the third day, the boy grows sad, flies away, and their newfound riches vanish, leaving them alone once again.

Source
Philippine Folk Tales
compiled and annotated by
Mabel Cook Cole
A.C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, 1916

► Themes of the story

Loss and Renewal: The couple’s initial joy at receiving the child and wealth, followed by the sorrow of losing both, reflects the cyclical nature of gain and loss.

Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts lessons about the transient nature of material wealth and the importance of appreciating non-material blessings.

Supernatural Beings: The boy emerging from the squash and his ability to produce gold-infused water suggest he possesses supernatural qualities.

► From the same Region or People

Southeast Asia
- Philippines
  - Ilocano Lore

Learn more about Philippines peoples

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.

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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.

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The Story of a Monkey

A mischievous monkey’s quest to remove a thorn from his tail leads to a series of trades and escalating demands, beginning with a barber’s razor and ending in firewood and cakes. However, his cunning comes to an abrupt end when he encounters a dog, which bites him fatally and eats the cakes. The tale humorously explores greed, consequences, and the unexpected twists of fate.

Source
Philippine Folk Tales
compiled and annotated by
Mabel Cook Cole
A.C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, 1916

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: Throughout the tale, the monkey employs deceitful tactics to achieve his goals, such as convincing the barber, the old woman, and the cake maker to give him what he desires.

Conflict with Nature: The monkey’s initial injury from a thorn and his subsequent encounters highlight a struggle against natural elements and creatures, culminating in his fatal encounter with the dog.

Tragic Flaw: The monkey’s greed and overconfidence serve as his downfall, illustrating how personal weaknesses can lead to one’s demise.

► From the same Region or People

Southeast Asia
- Philippines
  - Ilocano Lore

Learn more about Philippines peoples

One day when a monkey was climbing a tree in the forest in which he lived, he ran a thorn into his tail. Try as he would, he could not get it out, so he went to a barber in the town and said: “Friend Barber, I have a thorn in the end of my tail. Pull it out, and I will pay you well.”

The barber tried to pull out the thorn with his razor, but in doing so he cut off the end of the tail. The monkey was very angry and cried: “Barber, Barber, give me back my tail, or give me your razor!”

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The barber could not put back the end of the monkey’s tail, so he gave him his razor.

On the way home the monkey met an old woman who was cutting wood for fuel, and he said to her:

“Grandmother, Grandmother, that is very hard. Use this razor and then it will cut easily.”

The old woman was very pleased with the offer and began to cut with the razor, but before she had used it long it broke. Then the monkey cried:

“Grandmother, Grandmother, you have broken my razor! You must get a new one for me or else give me all the firewood.”

The old woman could not get a new razor so she gave him the firewood.

The monkey took the wood and was going back to town to sell it, when he saw a woman sitting beside the road making cakes.

“Grandmother, Grandmother,” said he, “your wood is most gone; take this of mine and bake more cakes.”

The woman took the wood and thanked him for his kindness, but when the last stick was burned, the monkey cried out:

“Grandmother, Grandmother, you have burned up all my wood! Now you must give me all your cakes to pay for it.”

The old woman could not cut more dry wood at once, so she gave him all the cakes.

The monkey took the cakes and started for the town, but on the way he met a dog which bit him so that he died. And the dog ate all the cakes.

The Presidente Who Had Horns

An unjust presidente, wishing for horns to frighten his people, finds his wish granted. The barber, sworn to secrecy, whispers the truth into a hole beneath bamboo trees. The bamboo mysteriously echoes his words, spreading the secret. As rumors grow, the council confirms the presidente’s horns, deeming him unfit to rule. Overcome by shame and exposed, the presidente is ultimately overthrown and killed.

Source
Philippine Folk Tales
compiled and annotated by
Mabel Cook Cole
A.C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, 1916

► Themes of the story

Divine Punishment: The presidente’s unjust behavior leads to a supernatural punishment—growing horns—that signifies his moral corruption and unfitness to rule.

Cunning and Deception: The barber’s attempt to secretly divulge the presidente’s condition by whispering into the ground reflects themes of secrecy and the unintended consequences of deceit.

Illusion vs. Reality: The presidente’s outward appearance, altered by the horns, becomes a manifestation of his inner corruption, highlighting the disparity between appearance and true nature.

► From the same Region or People

Southeast Asia
- Philippines
  - Ilocano Lore

Learn more about Philippines peoples

Once there was a presidente who was very unjust to his people, and one day he became so angry that he wished he had horns so that he might frighten them. No sooner had he made this rash wish, than horns began to grow on his head.

He sent for a barber who came to his house to cut his hair, and as he worked the presidente asked: “What do you see on my head?”

“I see nothing,” answered the barber; for although he could see the horns plainly, he was afraid to say so.

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Soon, however, the presidente put up his hands and felt the horns, and then when he inquired again the barber told him that he had two horns.

“If you tell anyone what you have seen, you shall be hanged,” said the presidente as the barber started away, and he was greatly frightened.

When he reached home, the barber did not intend to tell anyone, for he was afraid; but as he thought of his secret more and more, the desire to tell someone became so strong that he knew he could not keep it. Finally he went to the field and dug a hole under some bamboo, and when the hole was large enough he crawled in and whispered that the presidente had horns. He then climbed out, filled up the hole, and went home.

By and by some people came along the road on their way to market, and as they passed the bamboo they stopped in amazement, for surely a voice came from the trees, and it said that the presidente had horns. These people hastened to market and told what they had heard, and the people there went to the bamboo to listen to the strange voice. They informed others, and soon the news had spread all over the town. The councilmen were told, and they, too, went to the bamboo. When they had heard the voice, they ran to the house of the presidente. But his wife said that he was ill and they could not see him.

By this time the horns had grown until they were one foot in length, and the presidente was so ashamed that he bade his wife tell the people that he could not talk. She told this to the councilmen when they came on the following day, but they replied that they must see him, for they had heard that he had horns, and if this were true he had no right to govern the people.

She refused to let them in, so they broke down the door. They saw the horns on the head of the presidente and killed him. For, they said, he was no better than an animal.

The Poor Fisherman and His Wife

A poor fisherman and his wife catch an unusual fish they believe to be a priest, sparking fear of retribution. Misinterpreting festive bell sounds as a manhunt, they flee in terror. Returning home, they panic at more bells, mount a tied horse, and mistakenly think falling fruit are gunshots. Overwhelmed by fear, they tragically die, illustrating the perils of misunderstanding and paranoia.

Source
Philippine Folk Tales
compiled and annotated by
Mabel Cook Cole
A.C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, 1916

► Themes of the story

Illusion vs. Reality: The couple’s inability to distinguish between their fears and actual events drives the plot, highlighting the dangers of misperception.

Tragic Flaw: Their overwhelming paranoia and tendency to jump to conclusions without seeking the truth lead to their untimely demise.

Community and Isolation: The couple’s fear isolates them from their community, leading them to flee and ultimately contributing to their tragic end.

► From the same Region or People

Southeast Asia
- Philippines
  - Ilocano Lore

Learn more about Philippines peoples

Many, many years ago a poor fisherman and his wife lived with their three sons in a village by the sea. One day the old man set his snare in the water not far from his house, and at night when he went to look at it, he found that he had caught a great white fish. This startled the old man very much, for he had never seen a fish like this before, and it occurred to him that it was the priest of the town.

He ran to his wife as fast as he could and cried: “My wife, I have caught the priest.”

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“What?” said the old woman, terrified at the sight of her frightened husband.

“I have caught the priest,” said the old man again.

They hurried together to the river where the snare was set, and when the old woman saw the fish, she cried:

“Oh, it is not the priest but the governor.”

“No, it is the priest,” insisted the old man, and they went home trembling with fear.

That night neither of them was able to sleep for thought of the terrible thing that had happened and wondering what they should do. Now the next day was a great holiday in the town. At four o’clock in the morning cannons were fired and bells rang loudly. The old man and woman, hearing all the noise and not knowing the reason for it, thought that their crime had been discovered, and the people were searching for them to punish them, so they set out as fast as they could to hide in the woods. On and on they went, stopping only to rest so as to enable them to resume their flight.

The next morning they reached the woods near Pilar, where there also was a great holiday, and the sexton was ringing the bells to call the people to mass. As soon as the old man and woman heard the bells they thought the people there had been notified of their escape, and that they, too, were trying to catch them. So they turned and started home again.

As they reached their house, the three sons came home with their one horse and tied it to the trunk of the caramay tree. Presently the bells began to ring again, for it was twelve o’clock at noon. Not thinking what time of day it was, the old man and woman ran out of doors in terror, and seeing the horse jumped on its back with the intention of riding to the next town before anyone could catch them. When they had mounted they began to whip the horse. In their haste, they had forgotten to untie the rope which was around the trunk of the caramay tree. As the horse pulled at the rope fruit fell from the tree upon the old man and woman. Believing they were shot, they were so frightened that they died.

The Monkey and the Turtle

A hungry monkey and a turtle team up to steal banana plants. The monkey selfishly eats the ripe bananas, ignoring the turtle’s hunger. Angered, the turtle tricks the monkey, leading to his demise. The turtle sells the monkey’s meat to other monkeys, who unwittingly eat it. Later, he outsmarts the monkeys, causing their downfall. This story explains why monkeys avoid eating meat.

Source
Philippine Folk Tales
compiled and annotated by
Mabel Cook Cole
A.C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, 1916

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The turtle uses cunning to outsmart the selfish monkey.

Revenge and Justice: The turtle seeks retribution for the monkey’s greed, leading to the monkey’s demise.

Moral Lessons: The tale teaches the consequences of greed and selfishness.

► From the same Region or People

Southeast Asia
- Philippines
  - Ilocano Lore

Learn more about Philippines peoples

A monkey, looking very sad and dejected, was walking along the bank of the river one day when he met a turtle.

“How are you?” asked the turtle, noticing that he looked sad.

The monkey replied, “Oh, my friend, I am very hungry. The squash of Mr. Farmer were all taken by the other monkeys, and now I am about to die from want of food.”

“Do not be discouraged,” said the turtle; “take a bolo and follow me and we will steal some banana plants.”

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So they walked along together until they found some nice plants which they dug up, and then they looked for a place to set them. Finally the monkey climbed a tree and planted his in it, but as the turtle could not climb he dug a hole in the ground and set his there.

When their work was finished they went away, planning what they should do with their crop. The monkey said:

“When my tree bears fruit, I shall sell it and have a great deal of money.”

And the turtle said: “When my tree bears fruit, I shall sell it and buy three varas of cloth to wear in place of this cracked shell.”

A few weeks later they went back to the place to see their plants and found that that of the monkey was dead, for its roots had had no soil in the tree, but that of the turtle was tall and bearing fruit.

“I will climb to the top so that we can get the fruit,” said the monkey. And he sprang up the tree, leaving the poor turtle on the ground alone.

“Please give me some to eat,” called the turtle, but the monkey threw him only a green one and ate all the ripe ones himself.

When he had eaten all the good bananas, the monkey stretched his arms around the tree and went to sleep. The turtle, seeing this, was very angry and considered how he might punish the thief. Having decided on a scheme, he gathered some sharp bamboo which he stuck all around under the tree, and then he exclaimed:

“Crocodile is coming! Crocodile is coming!”

The monkey was so startled at the cry that he fell upon the sharp bamboo and was killed.

Then the turtle cut the dead monkey into pieces, put salt on it, and dried it in the sun. The next day, he went to the mountains and sold his meat to other monkeys who gladly gave him squash in return. As he was leaving them he called back:

“Lazy fellows, you are now eating your own body; you are now eating your own body.”

Then the monkeys ran and caught him and carried him to their own home.

“Let us take a hatchet,” said one old monkey, “and cut him into very small pieces.”

But the turtle laughed and said: “That is just what I like, I have been struck with a hatchet many times. Do you not see the black scars on my shell?”

Then one of the other monkeys said: “Let us throw him into the water,”

At this the turtle cried and begged them to spare his life, but they paid no heed to his pleadings and threw him into the water. He sank to the bottom, but very soon came up with a lobster. The monkeys were greatly surprised at this and begged him to tell them how to catch lobsters.

“I tied one end of a string around my waist,” said the turtle. “To the other end of the string I tied a stone so that I would sink.”

The monkeys immediately tied strings around themselves as the turtle said, and when all was ready they plunged into the water never to come up again. And to this day monkeys do not like to eat meat, because they remember the ancient story.