The Story of Juan del Mundo de Austria and the Princess Maria.

There was once a king who had three very beautiful daughters, Princess

Clara, Princess Catalina, and Princess Maria.

This king was sick for a long time with a dreadful disease, and

although he spent much money on medicines and doctors he was only

worse instead of better.

At last he sent word to all his people proclaiming that whoever would

cure him might have one of the princesses to marry.

After several days one of the heralds returned, saying he had met

a snake who inquired if the king would give his daughter to a snake

to wife if he were cured. The king called his daughters and asked if

they would be willing to marry a snake.

Said Princess Clara, "I will be stung by a snake till I am dead before

I give my virginity to a snake." Said Princess Catalina, "I may be

beaten to death with sticks, but I will not give my virginity to a

snake." Said Princess Maria, "Father, so you be but well, I care

not what becomes of me. If a snake can cure you, I am willing to

marry him."

So the king's message was carried to the snake, and the king was made

well. The snake and the princess were married, and set off through

the forest together. After a long journey they came to a house in the

forest, and there the snake and the beautiful Maria lived together

many days. But the snake, being very wise, saw that the princess ate

little and cried very much, and asked her why it was so. She told

him that it was hard for her to live with a snake. "Very well," said

the snake, and went into a house near by; after a little there came

out a handsome man with silken clothes, and rings on his fingers,

who told her that he was her husband, that he was known among men as

Don Juan del Mundo de Austria, and that he was king of all the beasts,

being able to take the form of any of them at will.

They passed many happy days together till the time came for the great

feast at the court of Princess Maria's father. Don Juan told her that

she might go, but that she must on no account tell his name or rank,

otherwise when she came to their trysting-place by the seashore she

would not find him. He gave her a magic ring by means of which she

might obtain anything she wanted, and left her close to her own city.

When she arrived at home her sisters were greatly surprised to see

her looking well, happy, and much more finely dressed than when she

went away, but her father was very glad to see her. The elder sisters

often asked her the secret of her husband's identity, but her answer

was always the same, "Did you not both see that I married a snake? Who

else could it be." The wicked women then determined to make her tell,

whether she wished or not, and so they asked her to walk with them

in a secluded garden.

Then they took sticks and set upon her, beating her and telling her

that she must tell who her husband was. The poor little princess

defended herself a long time, saying that if she told she would never

see him again, but finally, when she was nearly dead from beating,

she told them that her husband was Don Juan de Austria. Then she was

beaten for not telling the truth, but her tormentors finally desisted

and she went to her father and told him all.

He did not wish her to return to the forest and begged her to remain

with him, but she insisted.

When she arrived at the trysting-place, Don Juan was not there, but

she set out bravely, asking of her ring whatever she needed for food,

drink, and clothing. Wherever she went she inquired of the beasts

and birds the whereabouts of her husband, Don Juan de Austria, and,

when they knew who she was, they worshipped her and did all that

was required.

After many days of wandering she came to a place where there was a

giant, who was about to eat her, but when he knew her for Don Juan's

wife he worshipped her and sent her on her way. Soon she was found by

a young giantess who, too, was about to eat her, but when she learned

that Maria was the wife of Don Juan she carried her to her own house

and hid her, saying that she must be cared for a while until her

parents should return, for they might eat her without asking who she

was. When the old giant and his wife came back, they told her that

she must stay with them for a while, until they could find out about

the whereabouts of Don Juan, when they would help her further.

They were very good to her, for, said they, "Don Juan is not only

king of the animals but of the giants and monsters of every kind."

Then the giants took her to Don Juan's city and found her a place in

the house of an old childless couple, and there she made her home. But

Don Juan had taken another wife, the Lady Loriana, and the new wife saw

the old and desired her for a servant. So the Princess Maria became

a servant of her rival, and often sat in old rags under the stairs

at her work, while her faithless husband passed her without seeing her.

The poor girl was torn with jealousy and spent much time thinking

about how she might win her husband again. So she asked the ring for

a toy in the form of a beautiful little chick, just from the egg.

The Lady Loriana saw the pretty toy and begged for it. "No," said

Maria, "unless you grant me a little favor, that I may sleep on the

floor to-night in your room." So Loriana, suspecting no deceit, agreed.

That night Maria wished on her ring that Loriana might be overcome with

sleep, and again that her own rags might be transformed into royal

raiment and that her tiara should glitter on her forehead. Then she

went to the head of the bed and called Don Juan. At first he would

not answer, then, without turning to look at the speaker, he bade

her go away, as his wife would be angry. "But that is not your wife,

Don Juan," said Maria; "I am your true wife, Maria. Look at my dress

and the jewels on my forehead--my face, the ring on my finger." And

Don Juan saw that she was indeed the deserted wife, and after he had

heard the sad story of her wanderings he loved her afresh. The next day

at noon-time Maria was not to be found, although Dona Loriana looked

everywhere. At last she looked into Don Juan's room, and there, locked

in each other's arms fast asleep, were Don Juan and Princess Maria.

Loriana aroused them, angrily saying to Maria, "Why do you wish

to steal my husband? You must leave this house at once." But Maria

resisted saying, "No, he is not your husband but mine, and I will

not give him up." And so they quarrelled long and bitterly, but at

last agreed to be judged by the council.

There each told her story, and Maria showed Don Juan's enchanted ring,

which worked its wonders for her but would not obey the Lady Loriana.

When the matter was decided, it was the judgment of all, including

the Archbishop, that Maria was the lawful wife, but that she and Don

Juan must go away and never return.

So Don Juan and the Princess Maria went away and lived long and

happily.

Catalina of Dumaguete

This is a legend of Dumaguete, the capital of the province of Negros

Occidental. From this town can be seen five islands, viz., Negros,

Cebu, Bohol, Mindanao, and Siquijor.

There is no one on the great island of Negros who does not love the

name of Catalina. Even the wild mountain men speak it with respect,

and down in the coast towns at night, when the typhoon is lashing the

waters of Tan Strait, and the rain and wind make the nipa leaves

on the roofs dance and rattle, the older people gather their little

black-eyed grandchildren around the shell of burning cocoanut oil

and tell them her story.

Many years ago there lived in Dumaguete a poor tuba seller named Banog,

who made his daily rounds to the houses just as the milkman does in

far-off America. But instead of a rattling wagon he had only a long

bamboo from which he poured the drink, and in place of sweet milk he

left the sap of the cocoanut tree.

The bad custom of mixing tuud, a kind of red bark, with the sap,

and thus making of it a strong liquor, had not yet been known, so

Banog, though poor, was respected, and the people tried in every way

to help him and his daughter Catalina.

Catalina was a beautiful girl of sixteen and very good and industrious,

but with many strange ways. She scarcely ever spoke a word and spent

most of her time in looking out over the sea. Sometimes she would

suddenly stand erect and, clasping her hands, would remain for a long

time looking up at the sky as if she saw something that no one else

could see. On account of these strange manners the people thought

her a wonderful girl and she was supposed to have mysterious powers.

One day many ships came up from the island of Mindanao and hundreds

of fierce Moros landed. Shouting and waving their terrible knives,

they fell upon the peaceful people and killed many, among them poor

Banog. Then they robbed and burned the houses and, seizing all the

women they could find, set sail for their great southern island. Among

the prisoners was Catalina. With her eyes fixed on the sky she sat

very quiet and still in the bow of one of the boats, and though her

companions spoke often to her she made no reply.

Suddenly she sprang into the water and a wonderful thing occurred,

for, instead of sinking, she walked lightly over the waves toward the

distant shore. The Moros were so astonished that they did not try to

stop her and she reached the land safely.

Many people who had hidden in the forests ran out to meet her but she

spoke to no one. With her eyes still fixed above she walked through

the burning town and along the road to Dalugdug, the Thunder mountain,

that lies behind Dumaguete.

On Dalugdug there lived a terrible Sigbin. Its body was like that of

a monstrous crow, but just under its neck were two long legs like

those of a grasshopper, which enabled it to leap great distances

without using its wings. It ate any one who came near its home,

so when the people saw Catalina start to climb the mountain they

begged her to come back. She paid no heed to their cries, however,

but went up higher and higher, till her white dress seemed merely a

speck on the mountain side.

All at once she seemed to stop and raise her hands. Then a fearful

shriek was heard, and the fierce Sigbin came rushing down the

mountain. It appeared to be greatly frightened, for it took tremendous

leaps and screamed as if in terror. Over the heads of the people

it jumped, and, reaching the shore, cleared the narrow channel and

disappeared among the mountains of the island of Cebu.

When the people saw that the Sigbin had gone they ran up the mountain

and searched everywhere for Catalina, but they could find no trace of

her. Sorrowfully they returned to their homes and busied themselves

in building new houses and in making their town beautiful once more.

Several years passed in peace and then again the Moro boats came up

from Mindanao. The men hurriedly gathered on the beach to meet them,

and the women and children hid in the cocoanut groves.

This time the Moros had no quick and easy victory, for the Visayans,

armed with bolos and remembering their lost wives and sisters, fought

furiously, and for a time drove the enemy before them. But more Moro

boats arrived and numbers told against the defenders. Slowly but

surely they fell fighting until but a few remained.

Suddenly a bridge of clouds unfolded from Dalugdug to the town, and

across it came the lost Catalina holding a beehive in her hands. Then

she spoke and thousands of bees flew from the hive to the ground. Again

she spoke and waved her hand, and the bees changed into little black

men with long sharp spears, who charged the Moros and killed every

one of them.

Then Catalina, the hive still in her hand, went back over the bridge

and disappeared once more in the mountain.

The people came out of their hiding places, crowding around the little

black men and questioning them, but they received no answer. Instead

the little warriors gathered together and ran into the forest and up

the mountain side, where they were soon lost to view.

Such is the story of Catalina, Since that time Dumaguete has been safe

from the Moros. The Sigbin has never returned to Negros. It still

lives in the mountains of Cebu and the people are so afraid of it

that they lock themselves in their houses after dark and can hardly

be induced to come out. Up in the mountains of Negros live the little

black men. They are called Negritos and are very savage and wild.

The savior of Dumaguete still lives in Dalugdug and is worshiped by the

people. And in the town, now grown into a big busy city, the old people

for years to come will tell their grandchildren the story of Catalina.