How the First Head Was Taken

photo from hoax-slayer.com
An Igorot Folktale

One day the Moon, who was a woman named Kabigat, sat out in the yard making a large copper pot. The copper was still soft and pliable like clay, and the woman squatted ground with the heavy pot against her knees while she patted and shaped it.
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ANG DAPAT MABATID NG MGA TAGALOG

Ni Andres Bonifacio (attrib.)
Published under the nom de plume Agapito Bagumbayan in the sole issue of Kalayaan, March 1896

First   Katipunan Flag 1892

First Katipunan Flag 1892

Itong Katagalugan na pinamamahalaan ng unang panahon ng ating tunay na mga kababayan niyaong hindi pa tumutungtong sa mga lupaing ito ang mga kastila ay nabubuhay sa lubos na kasaganaan, at kaguinhawahan. Kasundo niya ang mga kapit bayan at lalung lalo na ang mga taga Japon sila’y kabilihan at kapalitan ng mga kalakal malabis ang pag yabong ng lahat ng pinagkakakitaan, kaya’t dahil dito’y mayaman mahal ang kaasalan ng lahat, bata’t matanda at sampung mga babae ay marunong bumasa at sumulat ng talagang pagsulat nating mga tagalog. Dumating ang mga kastila at dumulog na nakipagkaibigan. Sa mabuti nilang hikayat na di umano, tayo’y aakain sa lalung kagalingan at lalung imumulat ang ating kaisipan, ang nasabing nagsisipamahala ay ng yaring nalamuyot sa tamis ng kanilang dila sa paghibo. Gayon man sila’y ipinailalim sa talagang kaugalian ng mga tagalog na sinaksihan at pinapagtibay ang kanilang pinagkayarian sa pamamaguitan ng isang panunumpa na kumuha ng kaunting dugo sa kanikanilang mga ugat, at yao’y inihalu’t ininom nila kapua tanda ng tunay at lubos na pagtatapat na di mag tataksil sa pinagkayarian. Ytoy siang tinatawag na “Pacto de Sangre” ng haring Sikatuna at ni Legaspi na pinaka katawan ng hari sa España.
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Juan Gathers Guavas

photo from JUAN TAMAD AND THE RICE  CAKES Retold by Renato C. Vibiesca

The guavas were ripe, and Juan’s father sent him to gather enough for the family and for the neighbors who came to visit them. Juan went to the guava bushes and ate all that he could hold. Then he began to look around for mischief. He soon found a wasp nest and managed to get it into a tight basket. He gave it to his father as soon as he reached home, and then closed the door and fastened it.

All the neighbors were inside waiting for the feast of guavas, and as soon as the basket was opened they began to fight to get out of the windows. After a while Juan opened the door and when he saw his parents’ swollen faces, he cried out, “What rich fine guavas those must have been! They have made you both so very fat.”

source:http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/1/1/0/2/11028/11028.htm

Benito, the Faithful Servant

photo by merselle monserate

On a time there lived in a village a poor man and his wife, who had a son named Benito. The one ambition of the lad from his earliest youth was that he might be a help to the family in their struggle for a living.

But the years went by, and he saw no opportunity until one day, as they sat at dinner, his father fell to talking about the young King who lived at a distance from the village, in a beautiful palace kept by a retinue of servants. The boy was glad to hear this, and asked his parents to let him become one of the servants of this great ruler. The mother protested, fearing that her son could not please his Royal Majesty; but the boy was so eager to try his fortune that at last he was permitted to do so.
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How the Farmer Deceived the Demon

Photo by Julius Mariveles

Photo by Julius Mariveles

Very many years ago, in a far-away land where the trees never changed their green leaves and where the birds always sang, there lived on an island a farmer with a large family. Though all alone on the island and knowing nothing of people in the outer world, they were always happy, as happy as the laughing rills that rippled past their home.

They had no great wealth, depending from year to year on the crops which the father raised. They needed no money, for they lacked nothing; and they never sold their produce, for no people were near to buy. One day in the middle of the year, after the crops were well started, a loud, unusual roar was heard. Suddenly a stiff gale blew up from the southwest, and with it came clouds which quickly hid the entire sky.
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The Datto Somacuel

The datus established the barangay monarchy system in the Philippine archipelago from the year 1200  to the onset of Spanish colonization

The datus established the barangay monarchy system in the Philippine archipelago from the year 1200 to the onset of Spanish colonization

Datto Somacuel was one of the seven chiefs who, coming from Borneo many years before the Spaniards conquered these islands, settled the
Island of Panay. He lived in Sinaragan, a town near San Joaquin, in the southern part of Iloilo Province. His wife’s name was Capinangan.

Somacuel went every morning to the seashore to watch his slaves fish with the sinchoro, or net. One day they caught many fishes, and Somacuel commanded them:–

“Spread the fish to dry, and take care that the crows do not eat them up.”

A slave answered: “Sir, if your treasure inside the house is stolen by the crows, how do you expect those out of doors to be kept safe?” This was said with a certain intonation that made Somacuel conjecture that there was a hidden meaning in it.
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The Philippine Flag

By Emilio Aguinaldo
(from True Version of the Philippine Revolution, 1899)

The Philippine Flag

The Philippine Flag

In conformity with my orders issued on the 1st of September, all Philippine vessels hoisted the national flag, the Marines of the Filipino flotilla being the first to execute that order. Our little flotilla consisted of some eight Spanish steam launches (which had been captured) and five vessels of greater dimensions, namely, the Taaleño, Baldyan, Taal, Bulucan, and Purisima Concepcion. These vessels were presented to the Philippine Government by their native owners and were converted by us, at our Arsenal, into gunboats, 8 and 9 centimetre guns, taken from the sunken Spanish warships, being mounted on board.
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The Treaty of Biak-na-bató

By Emilio Aguinaldo

Emilio Aguinaldo

Emilio Aguinaldo

Don Pedro Alejandro Paterno (who was appointed by the Spanish Governor-General sole mediator in the discussion of the terms of peace) visited Biak-na-bató several times to negotiate terms of the Treaty, which, after negotiations extending over five months, and careful consideration had been given to each clause, was finally completed and signed on the 14th December, 1897, the following being the principal conditions:—

(1) That I would, and any of my associates who desired to go with me, be free to live in any foreign country. Having fixed upon Hongkong as my place of residence, it was agreed that payment of the indemnity of $800,000 (Mexican) should be made in three installments, namely, $400,000 when all the arms in Biak-na-bató were delivered to the Spanish authorities; $200,000 when the arms surrendered amounted to eight hundred stand; the final payment to be made when one thousand stand of arms shall have been handed over to the authorities and the Te Deum sung in the Cathedral in Manila as thanksgiving for the restoration of peace. The latter part of February was fixed as the limit of time wherein the surrender of arms should be completed.
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Vietnam! Vietnam!

Photo by Julius Mariveles

Photo by Julius Mariveles


by Juan S.P. Hidalgo, Jr.

Vietnam! Vietnam!
Vietnam! Ayyyyyy..
ti sangit dagiti ubbing!
Pinisangda ti puso
ti lubong!
Iti pagbabakalan
um-umkisda nga agsapul
kadagiti amma ken kakabsatda.
Ay, pimmusingen dagiti takiag
a nangtagibi kadakuada!
Vietnam! Vietnam!
Vietnam! Saan laeng
a bagi ken pusom
ti pinungtil dagiti garamugam:
Rinagasragasdan, wen! dagiti
sabong ti kararuam! Ayyyyyy..

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Panaghoy Sang Ginahandos Nga Palpal

ni Juanito C. Marcella

photo by Julius Mariveles

photo by Julius Mariveles

“Ina ang gindalikat ko sa pagkari, Tyo Danoy,” hingapos ni Mr. Tante.

Wala makahulag si Tyo Danoy matapos mapahayag sa iya ni Mr. Tante ang ginkari sini sa Tapaslong. Didto sa mahanayap nga kauyaparan nalansang ang iya panulok. May ginapamatyagan si Tyo Danoy. May ginaisip-isip. Subong sang ginaaninaw niya ang iya paggahit sang kabakibakian sa tunga sang makahililo nga init sang adlaw. Subong sang ginapanan-aw niya ang iya kaugalingon nga nagapahaumhaom sang dalagku nga mga palpal sa pagpadaku sang mayor nga kahon agod masudlan sang madamu nga tubi ang uyapad-punongon agod mahapos ang pagtalauma. Subong sang mabatian niya ang iya paghiyaw sa mga karabaw samtang nagapalatak sia sang suong-suong sang punongan. Gin-usikan niya sing kabudlay, panahon kag kuarta ang pagpauswag sang uyapad ng iya ginaagsahan sa pagtuo nga kutob may luyag sia sa pag-uma, sia man gihapon ang pauyaton ni Atty. Emilio Gazan.
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