Cultural Borrowings by Claudio V. Tabotabo, MA (July 2005)

While searching for an epic singer in the bun-docks of Mindanao, I came across with a subanun raconteur who narrated to me a tale which structure is a facsimile of the African tradition. Here is the story told by the Subanun storyteller and the version from the textbook. First the Subanun.

In the kingdom under the sea the daughter of the king is sick and only the heart of monkey could cure the sickness. The king summoned all his subjects to announce the great reward to anyone who could bring monkey. Of all the champions around only the squid swears to bring one.

The squid comes to the surface of the sea to do his promise. Not far from him there is a gang of monkeys. They are noisy collecting seashells. The squid comes and talks to the one that is separated from the group. "There is abundance of fruits under the sea". The squid tells the monkey. "If you will go with me under the sea" the squid continues "you shall have all the fruits that you have not tasted in your life". The monkey looks around and at his companions. "Come" the squid calls him. "Umm" the monkey wants to say something but the squid pulls his arms then they go to the kingdom under the sea.

The kingdom is near when the squid tells the monkey about the motive of the invitation.

The monkey trembles in fear but able to find a way to mislead the squid. He tells the squid that his heart is not with him on that day. His heart is left in the house with hearts of his companions. He said he is going back to get it. The squid is persuaded so the monkey swims fast back to the surface.

At once in the seashore the monkey runs and never returns. After an hour of waiting the squid declares his failure and sadly goes back to the kingdom under the sea.

Informed of the failure to get monkey the king orders his men to punish the squid.

The unlucky squid is beaten, whipped and pounded until his bones turn powder that made him boneless today.

Here's the African version from one of our literature textbooks.

There are two friends, a monkey and a shark. One day the shark invites the monkey to his house under the sea. At first the monkey is reluctant to go under the sea with his friend. He tells the shark that monkeys are not used to getting their fur wet. Besides he does not know how to swim. The shark promises the monkey that he will carry him on the way to the kingdom and assures him that he won't get wet in the journey. The monkey looks doubtful but at the end settles himself at the back of the shark then to the bottom of the sea they proceed.

The monkey has a good time looking at the wonders under the sea. But before they arrive, the shark tells the monkey the purpose of the invitation to go under the sea. He tells the monkey that the strongest and biggest of all the sharks under the sea is dying and to save him the kingdom needs must get heart of a monkey. The monkey is terrified, afraid and began to cry but able to think of a plan of escape. He tells his friend "well since we are friends I am bound to help you." But first let us go back to the land because I left my heart hanging on one of the branches. He further tells the shark that monkeys do not use their hearts at night. The shark is outwitted so he changes his course to go back to the dry land.

Reaching the land the monkey tells the shark to wait and the latter does as told. Finally, from the branch of a huge tree, the shark hears the monkey laughing at him. "My heart is right here in the center of my breast". "I am lost" the shark mumbles. "Friendship is over." The monkey shouts from the branch.

Well, one will ponder and perhaps skim over the history book to find out if there was an early contact between Filipinos and Africans.

There was no contact between the two peoples. The African tradition was brought to the Philippines by way of the Arab merchants who settled in Jolu in the early 13th century. In fact in the heart of Jolu island today there is a local version of the European folktale Cinderella.

There is always a borrowing of traditions. So don't be surprised if you will find on the shelf of the known bookstore of the country a Filipino version of Harry Potter.