Philippine Folk Tales eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 167 pages of information about Philippine Folk Tales.

Philippine Folk Tales eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 167 pages of information about Philippine Folk Tales.

“Do not go,” said the lightning, “for you have a bad sign, and you will never come back.”

Still Aponitolau did not heed.

Soon he arrived at the place of Silit (loud thunder), [37] who also asked him: 

“Where are you going, Aponitolau?”

“I am going to get oranges of Gawigawen of Adasen,” he replied.

Then the thunder commanded: 

“Stand on that high stone so that I can see if you have a good sign.”

He stood on the high stone, and when the thunder made a loud noise he jumped.  Whereupon Silit also advised him not to go on.

In spite of all the warnings, Aponitolau continued his journey, and upon coming to the ocean he used magical power, so that when he stepped on his head-ax it sailed away, carrying him far across the sea to the other side.  Then after a short walk he came to a spring where women were dipping water, and he asked what spring it was.

“This is the spring of Gawigawen of Adasen,” replied the women.  “And who are you that you dare come here?”

Without replying he went on toward the town, but he found that he could not go inside, for it was surrounded by a bank which reached almost to the sky.

While he stood with bowed head pondering what he should do, the chief of the spiders came up and asked why he was so sorrowful.

“I am sad,” answered Aponitolau, “because I cannot climb up this bank.”

Then the spider went to the top and spun a thread, [38] and upon this Aponitolau climbed up into town.

Now Gawigawen was asleep in his spirit house, and when he awoke and saw Aponitolau sitting near, he was surprised and ran toward his house to get his spear and head-ax, but Aponitolau called to him, saying: 

“Good morning, Cousin Gawigawen.  Do not be angry; I only came to buy some of your oranges for my wife.”

Then Gawigawen took him to the house and brought a whole carabao [39] for him to eat, and he said: 

“If you cannot eat all the carabao, you cannot have the oranges for your wife.”

Aponitolau grew very sorrowful, for he knew that he could not eat all the meat, but just at that moment the chief of the ants and flies came to him and inquired what was the trouble.  As soon as he was told, the chief called all the ants and flies and they ate the whole carabao.  Aponitolau, greatly relieved, went then to Gawigawen and said: 

“I have finished eating the food which you gave me.”

Gawigawen was greatly surprised at this, and, leading the way to the place where the oranges grew, he told Aponitolau to climb the tree and get all he wanted.

As he was about to ascend the tree Aponitolau noticed that the branches were sharp knives, so he went as carefully as he could.  Nevertheless, when he had secured two oranges, he stepped on one of the knives and was cut.  He quickly fastened the fruit to his spear, and immediately it flew away straight to his town and into his house.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Philippine Folk Tales from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.