Philippine Folklore Stories Part 5

When the sky cleared, Polobulac was nowhere to be seen. In its place, seven blackened rocks marked the spot where stood the beautiful isle.

They are there to this day. You can see them as you leave the harbor for southern ports. Sometimes they appear as one. Again they seem to group in twos and threes. But there are seven.

They are called the Deadly Sins.

The Escape of Juanita

Have you heard of the terrible Tic-balan, A tall and thin and very black man, With terrible teeth and a horse's head, And covered with hair that is long and red?

He lives in the awful Balete tree, And to pa.s.s the place you must say "Tabi"; If you do not, the Asuang comes at night, And throws big stones till you die of fright.

Now once there lived in Santa Cruz town A little girl known as Juanita Calaon; She was gentle and sweet and as good as could be, And she always bowed low to the Balete tree.

One day to the forest alone she did roam To get some good wood for the fire at home; She gathered some twigs that she found on the ground, And all of them fast in a bundle she bound.

Then happy and free, with the pack on her head, She followed the road that back to town led.

She sang as she walked, and so happy was she That alas! she bowed not to the Balete tree.

All at once then she heard a most terrible roar, And the Tic-balan fierce through the air seemed to soar.

He seized poor Juanita, and quick as could be He shut her inside of the Balete tree.

Two days pa.s.sed, and when the girl failed to come back, Her parents went out, and no friends did they lack To help in the search, for the whole pueblo came, And loudly they shouted poor Juanita's name.

At last when they thought that the search brought no good, One man found Juanita's neat bundle of wood; He called the good news, and as more came to see, Loud knocking was heard in the Balete tree.

Then many were frightened, but many were brave, And wondered by what means the girl they could save; For they knew that it must be Juanita who knocked, And that inside the Balete tree she was locked.

Soon they ordered that candles and music be brought, And a crucifix holy was what they next sought; And when all was ready they closed round the tree, While they prayed to the true G.o.d to set the girl free.

They lighted the candles and then the band played, And Juanita's mother, who was not afraid, Advanced with the crucifix held in her hand, And tapped with the cross on the evil tree grand.

Then a roar shook the forest and chilled all their hearts, And the awful Balete split into two parts; Then they saw in the center, as each big half fell, Their darling Juanita all smiling and well.

She ran from the tree to her fond mother dear, While the band played and every one gave a loud cheer; Then back to the pueblo they danced in delight, And kept up their singing through all the long night.

Still there to this day lies the Balete tree, But no more do the people that pa.s.s say "Tabi."

And the spirit no more can molest any man, For G.o.d has more power than the fierce Tic-balan.

The Anting-Anting of Manuelito

The Anting-Anting is a stone or other small object covered with cabalistic inscriptions. It is worn around the neck, and is supposed to render its owner impervious to knife or bullet. Many are wearing these charms, especially the Tulisanes or outlaws. The Anting-Anting must not be confused, however, with the scapular, a purely religious symbol worn by a great number of the Christian Filipinos.

Many of the older Filipinos remember Manuelito, the great Tulisane, who, more than fifty years ago, kept all the Laguna de Bai district in a state of fear. His robber band was well organized and obeyed his slightest wish. He had many boats on the lake and many hiding places in the mountains, and throughout the country there was no villager who did not fear to oppose him, or who would refuse to help him in any way when required to do so.

In vain the Guardia Civil hunted him. Many times they surrounded the band, but Manuelito always escaped. Many shots were fired at him, but he was never hit; and once, when he was cut off from his men and surrounded, he broke through the line, and though fifty bullets whistled around him he did not receive a scratch.

The officers of the Guardia Civil blamed their men for the bad marksmanship that allowed Manuelito to escape. They told all the people that it should never occur again, and promised that the next fight should end in the death of the outlaw. The people, however, did not believe that Manuelito could be killed, for he wore on his breast a famous Anting-Anting that he had received from Mangagauay, the giver of life and death.

This charm was a stone covered with mysterious signs. It was wrapped in silk and hung by a string from the robber's neck, and even if a gun were fired within a few feet of him the Anting-Anting was sure to turn the bullet in another direction. It was this charm that always saved him from the Guardia Civil.

Manuelito was very proud of his Anting-Anting, and many times, when a fiesta was being held in some town, he and his band would come down from the mountains and take part in the games. Manuelito would stand in the town plaza and allow his men to shoot at him, and each time the Anting-Anting would turn aside the bullets. The people were very much impressed, and though a few of the wiser ones secretly thought that the guns were only loaded with powder, they were afraid to say anything; so the greater number thought it very wonderful and believed that there was no charm so powerful as the Anting-Anting of Manuelito.

For years the Tulisane, protected by his charm, continued to rob and plunder. The Guardia Civil hunted him everywhere, but could never kill him. He grew bolder and bolder, and even came close to Manila to rob the little towns just outside the city.

At last the government grew tired of sending out the Guardia Civil, and ordered a regiment of Macabebes to hunt and kill the Tulisane and his men.

Manuelito was at Pasay when news was brought to him that the Macabebes were coming. Instead of running from these fierce little fighters, he decided to meet them, and many people offered to help him, believing that the Anting-Anting would turn away all bullets and give them victory. So Manuelito and many men left the town, built trenches in the hills near San Pedro Macati, and waited for the Macabebes to appear.

They had not long to wait. The Macabebes, hurrying from Manila, reached San Pedro Macati and soon found that Manuelito was waiting to fight them. They left the town at once and advanced on the Tulisane trenches.

It was a great fight. From the other hills close by many people watched the battle. Five times the Macabebes advanced, and were forced to fall back before the fierce fire of the Tulisanes. But the Macabebe never knows defeat, and once more their line went forward and in one terrible charge swept over the trenches and bayoneted the outlaws. In vain Manuelito called on his men to fight. They broke and ran in every direction. Then, seeing that all was lost, Manuelito started to follow them; but a volley rang out, and, struck by twenty bullets, he fell to the ground dead. The Macabebes chased the flying Tulisanes and killed that of all the band only a few many, safely reached the mountains.

While the Macabebes were chasing the outlaws, many people came down from the hills and stood around the body of Manuelito. They could hardly believe their eyes, but the many wounds and the blood staining the ground proved that the great Tulisane was indeed dead.

What of the Anting-Anting? Had it lost its power?

One man timidly unb.u.t.toned the shirt of the dead robber and pulled out the charm. The mystery was explained. Fixed firmly in the center of the Anting-Anting was a silver bullet. There was but one explanation. The Macabebes had melted a statue of the Virgin and used it to make bullets to fire at Manuelito. Against such bullets the charm was useless, but against ordinary lead it never would have failed. Had not the people seen Manuelito's own men fire at him?

The charm was taken from the neck of the dead Tulisane and many copies were made of it. Even to this day hundreds of people are wearing them. They will tell you about Manuelito's great fight and also about his famous Anting-Anting.

"But," you say, "the Anting-Anting was useless. Manuelito was killed."

They answer, "Yes, Senor, it is true; but the Macabebes used bullets of silver. Had they used lead the story would have been different. Poor Manuelito!"

When the Lilies Return

A legend of the Chinese Invasion. Quiapo, even at the time of the early Spaniards, and for years after, was a deserted field. The story is an old one and generally known to the Tagallos.