The White Squash

_Ilocano_

In a queer little bamboo house in front of a big garden lived a man

and his wife all alone. They had always been kind and good to everyone,

but still they were not happy, because the child for which they longed

had never come to them. Each day for many years they had prayed for

a son or a daughter, but their prayers had been unanswered. Now that

they were growing old they believed that they must always live alone.

In the garden near their house this couple grew fine white squash,

and as the vines bore the year around, they had never been in need

of food. One day, however, they discovered that no new squash had

formed to take the place of those they had picked, and for the first

time in many seasons they had no vegetables.

Each day they examined the vines, and though the big, yellow flowers

continued to bloom and fade, no squash grew on the stems. Finally,

one morning after a long wait, the woman cried out with delight, for

she had discovered a little green squash. After examining it, they

decided to let it ripen that they might have the seeds to plant. They

eagerly watched it grow, and it became a beautiful white vegetable,

but by the time it was large enough for food they were so hungry that

they decided to eat it.

They brought a large knife and picked it, but scarcely had they

started to open it when a voice cried out from within, "Please be

careful that you do not hurt me."

The man and woman stopped their work, for they thought that a spirit

must have spoken to them. But when the voice again called and begged

them to open the squash, they carefully opened it, and there inside

was a nice baby boy. [153] He could already stand alone and could

talk. And the man and his wife were overjoyed.

Presently the woman went to the spring for a jar of water, and

when she had brought it she spread a mat on the floor and began to

bathe the baby. As the drops of water fell off his body, they were

immediately changed to gold, so that when the bath was finished gold

pieces covered the mat. The couple had been so delighted to have the

baby that it had seemed as if there was nothing more to wish for, but

now that the gold had come to them also they were happier than ever.

The next morning the woman gave the baby another bath, and again

the water turned to gold. They now had enough money to build a large

house. The third morning she brought water for his bath again, but he

grew very sad and flew away. At the same time all the gold disappeared

also, and the man and his wife were left poor and alone.