STEM B (Groups for “READ, RETELL, &

REVIEW”)

1. (Myth) “The Story of Bathala” 5. (Fables) “Si Kalabaw at si Tagak”

Members: Members:
 ASOY  HUSAIN
 ANDRIN  OSAMA
 BAYETA, L.  SISTOSO
 CALIBUSO  TANGAYON
 DORIA
2. (Myth) “The Igorot Creation Mythology”
Members: 6. (Fables) “Ang Daga at ang Leon”
 CABALES Members:
 ARBOTANTE  PANGILINAN
 BAYETA, T.  PO
 CAHINTONG  ONOFRE
 CASEDA  UNTALAN
 PASTOR
3. (Legend) “The Legend of Banana”
Members: 7. (Epic) “Biag ni Lam-ang”
 CARIAS Members:
 CONCILLADO  WAW
 GUITANG  SAGUIRRE
 LUMANDA  SABAWAN
 LUMBAY
4. (Legend) “The Legend of Mt. Mayon”  JALANDO-ON
Members:
 ENGALAN 8. (Epic) “The Epic of Labaw Donggon”
 LAAG Members:
 MANAIT  DELA CRUZ
 QUIBOL  DULLANO
 VISAYA  TAGULOB
 IGNACIO
 IKEDA
 LACAR
 PUMAR
 CASTILLO
INSTRUCTIONS for Read, Retell, and Review:
 Each group will be assigned with different forms of folktale.
 Read the assigned folktale together with the group members.
 Discuss the story and decide with the group how to retell the story to the class.
 Every member should be given a turn to speak about the story.
 The group will be rated based on the rubric below.
 The Story of Bathala
(Luzon Creation Myth)

In the beginning of time there were three powerful gods who lived in the
universe: Bathala was the caretaker of the earth; Ulilang Kaluluwa (Orphaned Spirit), a
huge serpent who lived in the clouds; and Galang Kaluluwa (Wandering spirit), the
winged god who loves to travel.

Bathala often dreamt of creating mortals but the empty earth stops him from
doing so. Ulilang Kaluluwa who was equally lonely as Bathala, liked to visit places and
the earth was his favorite. One day the two gods met. Ulilang Kaluluwa, seeing another
god rivalling him, was not pleased. He challenged Bathala to a fight to decide who would
be the ruler of the universe. After three days and three nights, Ulilang Kaluluwa was
slain by Bathala. Instead of giving him a proper burial, Bathala burned the snake's
remains.

A few years later the third god, Galang Kaluluwa, wandered into Bathala's home.
He welcomed the winged god with much kindness and even invited him to live in his
kingdom. They became true friends and were very happy for many years.

However, Galang Kaluluwa became very ill. Before he died he instructed Bathala
to bury him on the spot where Ulilang Kaluluwa’s body was burned. Bathala did exactly
as he was told. Out of the grave of the two dead gods grew a tall tree with a big round
nut, which is the coconut tree. Bathala took the nut and husked it. He noticed that the
inner skin was hard. The nut itself reminded him of Galang Kaluluwa’s head. It had two
eyes, a flat nose, and a round mouth. Its leaves looked so much like the wings of his dear
winged friend. But the trunk was hard and ugly, like the body of his enemy, the snake
Ulilang Kaluluwa. Bathala realized that he was ready to create the creatures he wanted
with him on earth. He created the vegetation, animals, and the first man and woman.
 The Igorot Creation Mythology

In the beginning there were no people on the earth.

Lumawig, the Great Spirit, came down from the sky and cut many reeds. He
divided these into pairs which he placed in different parts of the world, and then he said
to them, "You must speak."
Immediately the reeds became people, and in each place was a man and a woman
who could talk, but the language of each couple differed from that of the others.
Then Lumawig commanded each man and woman to marry, which they did. By
and by there were many children, all speaking the same language as their parents. These,
in turn, married and had many children. In this way there came to be many people on
the earth.
Now Lumawig saw that there were several things which the people on the earth
needed to use, so he set to work to supply them. He created salt, and told the inhabitants
of one place to boil it down and sell it to their neighbors. But these people could not
understand the directions of the Great Spirit, and the next time he visited them, they
had not touched the salt.
Then he took it away from them and gave it to the people of a place called
Mayinit. These did as he directed, and because of this he told them that they should
always be owners of the salt, and that the other peoples must buy from them.
Then Lumawig went to the people of Bontoc and told them to get clay and make
pots. They got the clay, but they did not understand the molding, and the jars were not
well shaped. Because of their failure, Lumawig told them that they would always have
to buy their jars, and he moved the pottery over to Samoki. When he told the people
there what to do, they did just as he said, and their jars were well shaped and beautiful.
Then the Great Spirit saw that they were fit owners of the pottery, and he told them that
they should always make many jars to sell. In this way Lumawig taught the people and
brought to them all the things which they now have.

Source: Cole, M. (1916). Philippine folk tales. Chicago: A. C. McClurg and Company.
 Legend of Banana
(Alamat ng Saging)

Long ago, a beautiful and brave maiden named Raya walked in the woods at dusk
in search of forest spirits. She was curious why people are frightened of them. After
scouring the gloomy caves without success, a strange man appeared. The man
introduced himself as Sag-ing. He was witty, soft-spoken and charming, and these
qualities drew Raya towards him.
After the period of courtship, Sag-ing finally told Raya that he was
an engkanto, a creature from the land of dreams. He also told her that their time
together will end soon for he had a deal with dark magic: in exchange for a chance to be
human, he must serve the dark spirits after his stay on earth expires. Nevertheless, the
maiden loved the engkanto unconditionally.
The day of parting finally came. When Sag-ing said goodbye, Raya held on him
tight and pleaded him to stay. But there are forces greater than their love: Sag-ing slowly
vanished. All that was left of her beloved was his heart, on her hands. In the air she
heard his voice, ‘I have left my bleeding heart to stay with you. Bury it and take care of
it. My heart will return again and again to look after you.’
Surprised, heart-broken and not knowing what else to do, Raya obeyed Sag-ing’s
instructions. After a few days, she noticed a little plant growing at the site where she
buried the heart. It kept growing every day until, a few months later, it grew into a tree
with wide leaves and a heart-shaped flower bud. The bud grew, blossomed and turned
into a bunch of long yellow fruits, which we now know as saging or banana.
 Legend of Mayon
A long ago in a place called Ibalon, there lived a beautiful maiden. Her name was
Daragang Magayon(the beautiful one). She was the daugther of Makusog(the strong one), chief
of the tribe.
One day Daragang Magayon strolled down near the river. While crossing the river, she
stumbled down on a rock and fell quickly in the water. She was swiftly swept down the stream
by the current.
"Help me!, Help me!" she cried. Fortunately her crieS was heard by Panganoron (the
proud one) and his body guard Amihan (the cold one). Pangaronon jumped into the river and
saved Daragang Magayon.
"Thank you for risking yoyr life to save me", she cried. "How can I repay you? My father
is the chief of our tribe. Surely, he will reward your heroism whatever it takes."
Her beauty immediately captivated Panganoron. He realized that he finally met the
perfect woman for him. At the same time, Daragang Magayon was attracted to him.
Panganoron asked Makusog's permission to marry Daragang Magayon. But makusog
could not permit them to marry. Tribal law forbade marriage outside of the clan. As tribe leader
he had to enforce the law. Yet, as a father, he wanted to make his daughter happy.
Meanwhile, Patuga (the eruptive one) learned about Panganoron's intention. Patuga was
the most ardent suitor of Daragang Magayon. For years he had been convincing her to marry
him, but to no avail.
One night, Patuga and his cohorts kidnapped Makusog. Then, he sent word to Daragang
Magayon that her father would die if she did not marry him. Without a choice, she acceded.
Only did Patuga release Makusog. Soon Patuga and Daragang Magayon were wed. But in the
midst of merrymaking, pandemonium broke out when Panganoron and his tribe arrived.
Fighting ensued between the two tribes. In a few minutes, Panganoron fatally struck Patuga.
However, during the skirmish, a poisoned arrow shot from nowhere fell on, Daragang
Magayon's breast.
Panganoron rushed to her aid as he kneeled over the dying Daragang Magayon, an
enemy hacked his head off.
After the battle, Daragang Magayon was buried and her death was mourned all over the
land. Where she was put to rest, a mountain mysteriously appeared.
This mountain is now known as Mayon. It is said that even death and in another form,
she still haunted by the men who loved her. When Mayon is said to erupt, this is Patuga
challenging Panganoron. But when mayon is calmed, Panganoron is embracing her. The tears
of Panganoron are shed as rain at time in his grief.
Until today, many is still delighted by the love story behind the legend of the Mayon
Volcano.
Source: local government of albay, pavillion.
 The Upo Plant
Once upon a time a wild specie of the upo grew in the garden of Tandang Teban.
When the old man saw the growing plant, he carefully entwined the stem around a small
bamboo post to make a trellis for the plant.
The plant did not like the plan of the old man. It wanted to grow freely like any
other plant. So the plant talked to the wind.
"My friend, look at me." the plant pleaded. "I am a mere slave of Mang Teban. I
need your help. I want to grow freely like the grasses and plants around me. Look at the
banana, the rose, the sampaguita, and the other plants in this yard. They are free. So my
friend, I beg you to blow hard and loose the tie around my body till it breaks."
"Your request is not just," replied the wind, "but if that is what you like, I will do
what you please." So the wind blew hard. It blew hard some more, thus breaking the
knot around the body of the upo.
"Thank you," said the upo gratefully. The vine then crawled freely on the ground.
Just then a dog that was looking for a piece of bone came along. The dog stepped
heavily on the small vines and was able to find the bone. In taking the bone away, the
dog also carried a part of the vine to a far distance. The poor plant not only became
short, every part of it was damagede.
When Tandang Teban visited his upo plant the next morning, he saw the poor
state of the plant. At once he tied the plant to a thin bamboo post. The plant drew a
deep sigh of relief.
After a few days, Mang Teban arranged a trellis for the upo to sling its vines on.
The plant blossomed. The leaves gave shade while the flowers and fruits gave joy to
those who saw them.
One time the wind blew hard and played with the leaves of the upo. The plant
requested the wind to blow softly so that the plant would not fall down.
"When you were still a small plant, you asked me to set you free from the bamboo
post so you may crawl freely on the ground," the wind replied. "Now you request me to
spare you. You sound funny indeed."
"I had an unforgettable expefrience?," said the upo. "I know now that all creatures
have their own ways of living on earth. Experience is the best teacher.
Gintong Aral © 2024 - All rights reserved. Source: [Link]
 The Monkey and the Crocodile
(Folktale / Kuwentong-bayan)

One day, a female crocodile told her husband that she could not eat any kind of
food except the lungs of a monkey. The husband replied that he would bring her the
desired food.
The next morning, he started hunting for a monkey. Finally, he found one on
top of a guava tree. The crocodile said, “Oh my dear monkey, why are you eating the
leaves of the guava tree? There are plenty of delicious fruits near my bathing place.”
“Is that so?” asked the monkey.
“Yes”, replied the crocodile, “Just go with me, ride on my back and I will take you
there.”
The monkey gratefully agreed, and right away stepped on the back of the
crocodile. When they were in the middle of the river the crocodile said, “Mr. Monkey,
now that I have caught you, I must take your lungs for my beloved wife's food.”
“My lungs!” the monkey exclaimed in mock surprise. I have left them on the guava
tree yonder.” “If you need them let us go back and get them.” The crocodile immediately
brought the monkey back to the shore, and upon reaching the land, the monkey hastily
climbed up the guava tree and cried out to the crocodile: “Oh, foolish crocodile! Have
you ever seen an animal leaving his lungs in any place besides his body?” The crocodile
was very much disappointed, so he decided to think of another plan of capturing his
prey.
The next day, the crocodile went to the bathing place of the monkey. When the
monkey took a bath the crocodile caught one of his legs. “Do not bite my cane, my friend
crocodile. This is the only cane I have. Please let it loose.” The crocodile released the
monkey's leg, believing that it was not his leg but his cane. Again the monkey escaped
from death and was happy. The crocodile's plan to bring lungs to his wife was a failure.
 Biag ni Lam-ang (Life of Lam-ang)
(A Bicolano Epic)

In Nalbuan (La Union) lived Namongan and her husband Don Juan Panganiban.
At the time Namongan was getting ready to deliver her first born, Don Juan had to go
to the mountains to punish an Igorot band.

While the husband was away, Namongan gave birth to a baby boy. The boy was
very strange because he could talk from the moment he was born and even he told his
mother that he should be named Lam-ang. He also chose his own baptismal sponsor.
And he asked his mother where his father was.

When Lam-ang was nine months old and his father had not yet returned, the boy
resolved to go after his father.

While traveling, he dreamed one night of Igorots celebrating the death of his
father. He woke up in anger, believing his dreams to be true.

He travelled faster after this and soon reached the place in which he found many
Igorots still celebrating around the severed head of his father. He slew them all, except
one whom he tortured first before releasing.

Upon returning to Nalbuan, several women friends gave him a bath in the
Amburayan River. So much was the dirt and so evil was the smell taken off his body that
the fish in the river all died.

Later, Lam-ang fell in love with a girl named Ines Kannoyan, daughter of the
richest man in Kalanutian. Although his mother tried to dissuade him, he nevertheless
took a white rooster and a dog with him as he went forth to court Ines.
 On the way to Kalanutian, he met another suitor of Ines. This rival’s name was
Sumarang. Upon knowing that they were rivals, they quarreled violently, and Lam-ang
slew Sumarang.

Upon arriving at the house of Ines Kannoyan, Lam-ang found a crowd of rivals
vying for the hand of the lady. So Lam-ang made his white rooster crow mightily to
impress everyone, and immediately a house in the neighborhood collapsed. The people
shouted in surprise and fear.

Hearing the noise of the shouts, Ines Kannoyan looked out her window. This was
what Lam-ang expected. And to impress her, he made his dog growl. And the house that
collapsed before went up again as if nothing had happened. Duly impressed, Ines
Kannoyan and her parents came down and learned from the rooster of the intentions of
Lam-ang.

The parents said they would bestow the hand of Ines upon Lam-ang if the suitor
could equal their wealth consisting of lands and gold. Lam-ang went home and
prepared for his wedding. When he returned to Kalanutian, he and his companions were
aboard and vessel of gold which more than matched the wealth of his future parents-
in-law. So he married Ines and there was great celebration.

After some time, the headman of the town reminded Lam-ang that his turn to
catch raring (a kind of fish) had come. Lam-ang told Ines that he had a premonition
that he would be bitten by a big fish called berkakan (probably of the shark family) while
fishing. And it was as he said. He was killed.

The white rooster told Ines that if the bones of Lam-ang could be recovered and
gathered together, he might be revived. So, with the help of a diver named Marcos, the
bones of Lam-ang were collected; and with the loving ministrations of the rooster, the
dog, and Ines Kannoyan, Lam-ang lived again.
 The Epic of Labaw Donggon

Labaw Donggon is one of three handsome sons of the "diwata" Abyang Alunsina
and her mortal husband Buyung Paubari, the other two being Humadapnon and
Dumalapdap. Being of semi-divine birth, the three possess extraordinary powers. Labaw
Donggon, for instance, miraculously grows into a sturdy young man shortly after his
birth and embarks upon the first of his three courting adventures.

The first object of his affections is Abyang Ginbitinan, who lives "by the mouth
of Handog, by the river Halawud." Dressed in his best clothes, Labaw Donggon goes to
Ginbitinan’s house to visit her and to tell her that he will send his parents to arrange the
marriage. This is done, the dowry is agreed upon and given, and the wedding is held.

Not long after his wedding to Ginbitinan, Labaw Donggon hears about another
beautiful woman, Anggoy Doronoon, of the underworld, and conceives a desire to court
her. So he visits her and wins her without any difficulty. Presumably, he stays with her
for a while and then returns to Handog.

Very soon, however, Labaw Donggon is again restless with desire for another
woman. This time he chooses a married woman, Malitung Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata,
"who resides where the brilliant light of the sun starts," for she is the wife of Saragnayan,
who takes charge of the course of the sun.

Labaw Donggon dresses in his best, as usual, and after gazing into a "crystal ball"
to know how Malitung Yawa looks, sails upward in his magic boat to the land of the sun.
His coming is, however, detected by Saragnayan, who intercepts him. Upon learning
Labaw Donggon’s intentions upon his wife, Saragnayan sternly tells him: "You can have
Malitung Yawa … if I do not have life anymore."

A long, hard fight between the two men follows, first, by using their respective
charms, and later by using their own native strength. But though Labaw Donggon
submerges Saragnayan into the water for seven years and puts him on top of a stone and
beats him with coconut trunks, he cannot kill Saragnayan. The reason is that
Saragnayan’s life is not within his body but kept inside the body of a pig.
 After many years of fighting, Labaw Donggon weakens and Saragnayan
eventually defeats him, binds his arms and feet, and puts him inside a pig pen below his
kitchen. Meanwhile, in Handog, Anggoy Ginbitinan has gave birth to a son, Asu
Mangga, who asks his mother about his father.

Also, down below in the underworld, Anggoy Doronoon has given birth to a son,
Buyung Baranugun. Though his umbilical cord is still uncut, Baranugun asks about his
father and insists that his mother allow him to search for him. He dresses up and asks
his mother for his poisoned arrow "which with one shot pierces through seven men." Asu
Mangga has likewise decided to go in search of his father and dresses up in his best
clothes. Ginbitinan warns him that he is likely to meet his young brother and that if he
does, they should not fight each other.

The brothers do meet. Asu Mangga riding on a magic boat and Baranugun
walking on the sea. The latter joins his brother in his magic boat and they plan their
search.
Looking into the crystal ball, they learn the whereabouts of their father and see
the pitiful state into which he has fallen: he has become hairy all over. Vowing to avenge
their father’s humiliation, the brothers steer their boat to the land of darkness.
By invoking the power of their "pamlang", the boat is able to soar to the Land of
the Morning Sun. Their arrival does not escape the notice of Saragnayan who wonders
who they may be. The two brothers recover their father’s boat, find where he is
imprisoned under Saragnayan’s house, break the iron bars of his cage by invoking their
"pamlang", and lead him out of his cage and to their magic boat.
There they wash their father clean until he is handsome once more. Labaw
Donggon tells them of his long and futile fight with Saragnayan. The two sons then
shout their challenge to Saragnayan – ten times. It is so loud that Saraganayan loses his
courage.
In his fear, Saragnayan summons help from all parts of the universe – from the
underworld, the upperworld, etc. Faced with a huge army of helpers, Asu Mangga and
Baranugun advise them to go home since their fight with Saragnayan does not concern
them. But the men insist on fighting, so the two brothers start shooting them down with
their poisoned arrows until only Saragnayan is left.
When they cannot kill him, Baranugun sends Taghuy, his spirit friend, to his
grandmother Abyang Alunsina in the eastern sky, for advice. Alunsina sends back the
information that Saragnayan’s life is kept inside the wild boar in the mountain, in Paling
Bukid.
She further gives them the charm that will put the boar to sleep so they can get
its heart. The two brothers find the boar, put it to sleep and remove the heart which
they then roast and ate whole. They then return to resume the fight with Saragnayan.
All of a sudden, Saragnayan feels a weakness all over his body. He weeps,
knowing that he will be killed by Buyung Baranugun. He therefore asks for time to
enable him to say good-bye to his wife.
A tender scene follows in which Saragnayan cuddles his wife, while rocking her
in the hammock, tells her of his defeat by Baranugun and advises her to obey Labaw
Donggon and to try to get along well with his other wives. He leaves her only after she
has fallen asleep and after instructing the servants to watch over her carefully and drive
away the flies so that her sleep will not be disturbed.
The fight between Baranugun and Saragnayan is violent but brief. Baranugun
succeeds in climbing Saragnayan’s head and, standing on top of his head, Baranugun
strikes Saragnayan’s eyes with his poisoned arrows. With a great cry, Saragnayan falls,
his death struggles sending the whole world a-tremble, for it is in Saragnayan’s body
that the earthquake is kept. After killing Saragnayan, Baranugun returns to their boat
to take his father home, but Labaw Donggon is nowhere to be seen. He has run away
and hidden inside a fishing net. The two brothers sail home happily, thinking to find
their father already there.
But Labaw Donggon is not at home, so his two brothers, Humadapnon and
Dumalapdap go on an intensive search for him, the former going inland and the latter
seaward. They finally find Labaw Donggon inside the fish net, "covering himself and
shivering with fright." They take him home, first to Anggoy Ginbitinan at Handog and
next to Abyang Doronoon in the underworld. But Labaw Donggon can no longer hear,
his ears having been stopped by some substance, and is out of his mind. The two wives
pity and wish to rehabilitate him although Ginbitinan cannot help blaming him for what
happened, reproaching him for desiring other men’s wives. Humadapnon, however,
defends Labaw Donggon by saying: "Well, that’s how the older one/ Dear Sister, should
behave/ that’s what the skilled one/ the fighter should do."

Then Humadapnon asks whether Nagmalitong Yawa has any other sisters, and
when told that she has two lovely ones, the two brothers happily announce that they
will each court one of them. Upon hearing this, Labaw Donggon speaks up, reminding
them that they have to fetch Malitong Yawa as his wife. The first two wives momentarily
feel jealous and threaten not to restore Labaw Donggon’s powers, but upon the latter’s
assurance that he will love all three of them equally and his explanation that he needs
children to inherit his name, they are appeased.
They let Labaw Donggon lie down and, as the two women jump over his head
and feet, they invoke their "pamlang" to restore Labaw Donggon to his full power and
bravery. This completed, they help him rise and ask him to give out a loud cry. Labaw
Donggon gives out a cry so powerful that branches break off from trees and the nearby
bridge splits, a sigh that his power has been fully restored.