The Story of Benito

_Tagalog_

Benito was an only son who lived with his father and mother in a

little village. They were very poor, and as the boy grew older and

saw how hard his parents struggled for their scanty living he often

dreamed of a time when he might be a help to them.

One evening when they sat eating their frugal meal of rice the father

told about a young king who lived in a beautiful palace some distance

from their village, and the boy became very much interested. That

night when the house was dark and quiet and Benito lay on his mat

trying to sleep, thoughts of the young king repeatedly came to his

mind, and he wished he were a king that he and his parents might

spend the rest of their lives in a beautiful palace.

The next morning he awoke with a new idea. He would go to the king and

ask for work, that he might in that way be able to help his father

and mother. He was a long time in persuading his parents to allow

him to go, however, for it was a long journey, and they feared that

the king might not be gracious. But at last they gave their consent,

and the boy started out The journey proved tiresome. After he reached

the palace, he was not at first permitted to see the king. But the

boy being very earnest at last secured a place as a servant.

It was a new and strange world to Benito who had known only the life

of a little village. The work was hard, but he was happy in thinking

that now he could help his father and mother. One day the king sent

for him and said:

"I want you to bring to me a beautiful princess who lives in a land

across the sea. Go at once, and if you fail you shall be punished

severely,"

The boy's heart sank within him, for he did not know what to do. But

he answered as bravely as possible, "I will, my lord," and left the

king's chamber. He at once set about preparing things for a long

journey, for he was determined to try at least to fulfil the command.

When all was ready Benito started. He had not gone far before he

came to a thick forest, where he saw a large bird bound tightly

with strings.

"Oh, my friend," pleaded the bird, "please free me from these bonds,

and I will help you whenever you call on me."

Benito quickly released the bird, and it flew away calling back to

him that its name was Sparrow-hawk.

Benito continued his journey till he came to the sea. Unable to find

a way of crossing, he stopped and gazed sadly out over the waters,

thinking of the king's threat if he failed. Suddenly he saw swimming

toward him the King of the Fishes who asked:

"Why are you so sad?"

"I wish to cross the sea to find the beautiful Princess," answered

the boy.

"Well, get on my back," said the Fish, "and I will carry you across."

So Benito stepped on his back and was carried to the other shore.

Soon he met a strange woman who inquired what it was he sought,

and when he had told her she said:

"The Princess is kept in a castle guarded by giants. Take this magic

sword, for it will kill instantly whatever it touches." And she handed

him the weapon.

Benito was more than grateful for her kindness and went on full of

hope. As he approached the castle he could see that it was surrounded

by many giants, and as soon as they saw him they ran out to seize him,

but they went unarmed for they saw that he was a mere boy. As they

approached he touched those in front with his sword, and one by one

they fell dead. Then the others ran away in a panic, and left the

castle unguarded. Benito entered, and when he had told the Princess

of his errand, she was only too glad to escape from her captivity

and she set out at once with him for the palace of the king.

At the seashore the King of the Fishes was waiting for them, and they

had no difficulty in crossing the sea and then in journeying through

the thick forest to the palace, where they were received with great

rejoicing. After a time the King asked the Princess to become his wife,

and she replied:

"I will, O King, if you will get the ring I lost in the sea as I was

crossing it"

The King immediately thought of Benito, and sending for him he

commanded him to find the ring which had been lost on the journey

from the land of the giants.

It seemed a hopeless task to the boy, but, anxious to obey his master,

he started out. At the seaside he stopped and gazed over the waters

until, to his great delight, he saw his friend, the King of the Fishes,

swimming toward him. When he had been told of the boy's troubles,

the great fish said: "I will see if I can help you," and he summoned

all his subjects to him. When they came he found that one was missing,

and he sent the others in search of it. They found it under a stone

so full that it could not swim, and the larger ones took it by the

tail and dragged it to the King.

"Why did you not come when you were called?" inquired the King Fish.

"I have eaten so much that I cannot swim," replied the poor fish.

Then the King Fish, suspecting the truth, ordered it cut open,

and inside they found the lost ring. Benito was overjoyed at this,

and expressing his great thanks, hastened with the precious ring to

his master.

The King, greatly pleased, carried the ring to the Princess and said:

"Now that I have your ring will you become my wife?"

"I will be your wife," replied the Princess, "if you will find my

earring that I lost in the forest as I was journeying with Benito."

Again the King sent for Benito, and this time he commanded him to

find the earring. The boy was very weary from his long journeys, but

with no complaint he started out once more. Along the road through

the thick forest he searched carefully, but with no reward. At last,

tired and discouraged, he sat down under a tree to rest.

Suddenly there appeared before him a mouse of great size, and he was

surprised to find that it was the King of Mice.

"Why are you so sad?" asked the King Mouse.

"Because," answered the boy, "I cannot find an earring which the

Princess lost as we were going through the forest together."

"I will help you," said the Mouse, and he summoned all his subjects.

When they assembled it was found that one little mouse was missing,

and the King sent the others to look for him. In a small hole among

the bamboo trees they found him, and he begged to be left alone,

for, he said, he was so full that he could not walk. Nevertheless

they pulled him along to their master, who, upon finding that there

was something hard inside the mouse, ordered him cut open; and inside

they found the missing earring.

Benito at once forgot his weariness, and after expressing his great

thanks to the King Mouse he hastened to the palace with the prize. The

King eagerly seized the earring and presented it to the Princess,

again asking her to be his wife.

"Oh, my King," replied the Princess, "I have one more request to

make. Only grant it and I will be your wife forever."

The King, believing that now with the aid of Benito he could grant

anything, inquired what it was she wished, and she replied:

"Get me some water from heaven and some from the lower world, and I

shall ask nothing more."

Once more the King called Benito and sent him on the hardest errand

of all.

The boy went out not knowing which way to turn, and while he was

in a deep study his weary feet led him to the forest. Suddenly he

thought of the bird who had promised to help him, and he called,

"Sparrowhawk!" There was a rustle of wings, and the bird swooped

down. He told it of his troubles and it said:

"I will get the water for you."

Then Benito made two light cups of bamboo which he fastened to the

bird's legs, and it flew away. All day the boy waited in the forest,

and just as night was coming on the bird returned with both cups

full. The one on his right foot, he told Benito, was from heaven,

and that on his left was from the lower world. The boy unfastened

the cups, and then, as he was thanking the bird, he noticed that the

journey had been too much for it and that it was dying. Filled with

sorrow for his winged friend, he waited and carefully buried it,

and then he hastened to the palace with the precious water.

When the Princess saw that her wish had been fulfilled she asked the

King to cut her in two and pour over her the water from heaven. The

King was not able to do this, so she cut herself, and then as he

poured the water over her he beheld her grow into the most beautiful

woman he had ever seen.

Eager to become handsome himself, the King then begged her to pour

over him the water from the other cup. He cut himself, and she did

as he requested, but immediately there arose a creature most ugly

and horrible to look upon, which soon vanished out of sight. Then

the Princess called Benito and told him that because he had been

so faithful to his master and so kind to her, she chose him for

her husband.

They were married amid great festivities and became king and queen of

that broad and fertile land. During all the great rejoicing, however,

Benito never forgot his parents. One of the finest portions of his

kingdom he gave to them, and from that time they all lived in great

happiness.

The Aderna Bird (Ang Ibong Adarna)

There was once a king who greatly desired to obtain an aderna bird,

which is possessed of magical powers, has a wonderful song, and talks

like men. This king had a beautiful daughter, and he promised her to

any one who would bring him an aderna bird. Now the quest for the

aderna bird is very dangerous, because, if the heart is not pure,

the man who touches the bird becomes stone, and the bird escapes.

There were in that country three brothers, Juan, Diego, and Pedro,

and they all agreed to set out together to catch the aderna bird. Afar

in the mountains they saw him, and Diego, being the eldest, had first

chance, and he caught the aderna bird, but being of impure life he

became a stone, and the bird flew away over the mountains.

Juan and Pedro pursued it over the rocky way till at last they saw

it again, and Pedro, being the next eldest, essayed to catch it. He,

too, being a bad man, was turned into stone and the aderna bird flew

over another mountain, and Juan, undaunted, followed alone.

When at last he saw the aderna bird he made a trap with a mirror with

a snare in front and soon caught the bird. He made a cage for it and

started on his homeward journey. When he reached the stone which was

his brother Pedro, he begged the bird to undo its work and make him

a man again, and the bird did so. Then the two went on to where Diego

was, and again Juan entreated the bird to set the other brother free,

and the bird did so.

But Pedro and Diego, far from being grateful for what Juan had done

for them, bound him, choked him, beat him, and left him for dead far

from any road or any habitation, and went on their way to the king

with the aderna bird, expecting for one the hand of the princess and

for the other a rich reward.

But the aderna bird would not sing. Said the king, "O Aderna Bird,

why do you not sing?" The bird replied, "O Mighty King, I sing only

for him who caught me." "Did these men catch you?" "No, O King, Juan

caught me, and these men have beaten him and stolen me from him." So

the king had them punished, and waited for the coming of Juan.

Juan meanwhile had freed himself from his bonds, and wandered sore

and hungry and lame through the forest. At last he met an old man

who said to him, "Juan, why do you not go to the king's house, for

there they want you very much?" "Alas," said Juan, "I am not able

to walk so far from weakness, and I fear I shall die here in the

forest." "Do not fear," said the old man, "I have here a wonderful

hat that, should you but whisper to it where you wish to go, in a

moment you are transported there through the air."

So the old man gave him the hat, and Juan put it on and said, "Hat,

if this be thy nature, carry me across the mountains to the king's

palace." And the hat carried him immediately into the presence of

the king. Then the aderna bird began to sing, and after a time Juan

married the princess, and all went well for the rest of their lives.

How Jackyo Became Rich

A long time ago there was a young man whose name was Jackyo. He was

very poor, and by his daily labor could earn barely enough for his

food and nothing at all for his clothes. He had a little farm at some

distance from the village in which he lived, and on it raised a few

poor crops.

One pleasant afternoon Jackyo started off to visit his farm. It was

late when he reached it, and after he had finished inspecting his

crops, he turned back homewards. But the bright day had gone and the

sun had set. Night came on quickly, and the way was dark and lonely.

At last he could no longer see the road. Not a star was to be seen,

and the only sounds he heard were the sad twitterings of the birds

and soft rustling of the leaves as they were moved by the wind.

At last he entered a thick forest where the trees were very big. "What

if I should meet some wild beast," thought Jackyo; but he added half

aloud, "I must learn to be brave and face every danger."

It was not long before he was very sure that he could hear a deep

roar. His heart beat fast, but he walked steadily forward, and soon

the roar was repeated, this time nearer and more distinctly, and he

saw in the dim light a great wild ox coming towards him.

He found a large hole in the trunk of a huge tree. "I will pass the

night here in this tree," he said to himself.

In a little while an old man appeared. His body was covered with coarse

hair and he was very ugly. He looked fiercely at Jackyo from head to

foot and said: "What are you thinking of to come in here? Do you not

know that this is the royal castle of the king of evil spirits?"

Jackyo became more frightened than before and for a long time he

could not speak, but at last he stammered: "Excuse me, sir, but I

cannot go home on account of the dark night. I pray you to let me

rest here for a short time."

"I cannot let you stay here, because our king is not willing to help

any one who does not belong to his kingdom. If he did so, his kingdom

would be lost. But what is your name? Do you know how to sing?" said

the old man.

"My name is Jackyo, and I know a little bit about singing," replied

Jackyo.

"Well," said the old man, "if you know any song, sing for me." Now

Jackyo knew but one song, and that was about the names of the days of

the week except Sunday. He did not like to sing it, but the old man

urged him, saying: "If you do not sing, I will cut your head off." So

Jackyo began to sing.

It happened that the king [5] of the evil spirits, whose name was

Mensaya, heard Jackyo's song and was very much interested in it. He

called a servant, named Macquil, and said: "Macquil, go downstairs and

see who is singing down there, and when you find him, bring him to me."

Jackyo went before the king, bowed to the floor, touching the carpet

with his forehead, and stood humbly before the king.

"Let me hear your song," said the king. So Jackyo, with great respect,

sang the only song he knew. Here it is:

    Mon-day, Tues-day, Wednesday, Thurs-day, Fri-day, Sat-ur-day.

While he was singing, all the evil spirits in the cave gathered around

him to hear his song, and Mensaya asked him to sing it over and over

again. They were all so pleased with it that Mensaya ordered Macquil

to give Jackyo a large quantity of gold and silver as a reward for

his beautiful song.

When the morning came Jackyo returned home, full of joy, and became

known as the richest man in the village.