Expats’ Guide: Philippine Folklore
If you grew up in the Philippines, aside from playing outdoor games, part of your childhood would be listening to stories along with your cousins as your grandmother tell spooky and out-of-this-world tales in the afternoon. Stories like these include legends, fables, parables, and horror ones. And since you were a child back then, you believed in these so much that it scared you even now that you’re already a grown-up. Let’s relive your childhood years by listing five of the most popular folklores in the Philippines:
Photo via filipinosaround.com
1. Juan Tamad (Lazy Juan)
This is a popular childhood story about a boy who is so extremely lazy that he does stupid things ending up in misadventures just because he’s too lazy to do things. He’s an iconic character, even portrayed in several TV shows and books in the Philippines. The most popular version is when he waited for a guava fruit to just fall down on his mouth and let gravity do the thing, while laying down under the tree. Read the story here.
Photo via http://asianfolktales.unescoapceiu.org/
2. Legend of Maria Makiling
The legend of Maria Makiling is a story about a fairy guarding Mount Makiling (in Laguna province). She’s a mysterious beautiful fairy with a good heart wandering around the forest of Makiling. She’s a generous guardian of the forest who helped people in need, but when she disguised herself as a beggar and people refused to help her, it was then that people seldom see her anymore. Stories say that Maria’s disappearance was because of people’s greediness and also deforestation. Read the full story here.
Photo via filozchildrensbookstore.com.au
3. Legend of Ibong Adarna (Adarna bird)
This popular fable is a part of Filipino textbooks in high schools in the Philippines. Ibong Adarna is a story about an “eponymous magical bird” that is being searched for by three princes, as it can cure the ailing king but it’s difficult to hunt down. The story is about the quest of each of the princes to capture Ibong Adarna to save the kingdom. Each chapters of this story is discussed in first year high school Filipino literature. Read the story here: http://kathangpinoy.blogspot.com/2011/07/alamat-ng-ibong-adarna-english-version.html
Photo via vibalfoundation.org
4. Si Pagong at si Matsing (The Tortoise and the Monkey)
As one of the most popular childhood stories, Si Pagong at si Matsing is a story about how the kind and generous tortoise outwitted the greedy monkey over a banana tree. The story became popular because of Dr. Jose Rizal, Philippine’s national hero, which then marked the start of Philippine children literature. Read the story here: http://pinoyfolktales.blogspot.com/2009/02/monkey-and-turtle.html
Photo via lifeastheceo.com
5. The Legend of the Pineapple
The legend of the pineapple is a story about a spoiled young girl named Pina. When her mother got ill, Pina could not be bothered to ask for help when she was asked to look for a ladle. Her frustrated mother wished that she’d have a thousand eyes so she could see it, but Pina disappeared thereafter. Her mother then found a fruit with plenty of unseeing eyes, thus the legend of the Pineapple. Read the story here.
Many other folk stories have been passed on from generations to generations, which is why versions may be different especially in other Philippine provinces. All these stories, whether true or not, still makes kids learn about each of its morals—the real reason why these stories are part of the beloved and preserved Philippine literature.
