Arizona republican., 1901-09-06
SOME FILIPINO MYTHS.

Whatever the difference of externa,
 civilization all primitive races have
 had a tendency to soften facts into | symbols-to personify. The Fllipinos | are no exception 10 this rule.
 The following, according to q recent l traveller in the islands, are some of
 th5 many animal myths prevalent
 among them. Here Is their version of
 Noah and the flood. q tradition, by the
 way, which in some form or other is found in every part of the world: When Noah, his family and a pair of
 every species of animal were safe in
 their box, a great rain came on and
 speedily covered the earth. All low life
 was destroyed. Of all the human race,
 those who sought to escape drowning
 by fleeing to the mountain tops were
 changed into monkeys. while those who
 in despair threw themselves into the
 sea became fish.
 Another myth is reading of Darwin
 backward. It credits the monkey with once having been Q man. The special
 man who caused the transformation
 happened to be very lazy, while hls mate was extremely industrious. As
 he sat on; day with his face in his hands idly watching .cr plant rice, she became angry. and catching up a cud- gel threw 1t at him. Though he ran quickly away, it struck him, entered his spine and became his tail; result.
 monkey.
 The dove Is credited with understand ing human speech According to tra- dition, his bird was once child, who. angry because its mother refused to give it some rice she was pounding for panapig, ran from the house, and gathering two nepa leaves fastened them upon its shoulders as wings. It then flew into a tree being transformed during its flight from a child to dove. The dove still cries for panaplg. I
 The Filipinos have many animal gods. but the one they particularly fear Is Calapuitan, king of bats. In exploring caves where bats are likely to congre- gate the natives speak in most respect ful terms of this deity. They believe that he can hear them and will whip their eyes out with his leathern wings should their speech offend him.
 But probably their most interesting | legend is that regarding the bankiva. |
 
 derstand human speech. as the dove, | but has a power over human kind ex- rcised by no other animal. Once a | year the spirits grant it this power of | charming, in order that the spirits and | birds may be revenged on men, their | constant enemies. On that day the | Luzon mothers gather their little ones about them, for young ears heed the strange, sweet music of the fowls voice. The grown people cannot hear t The bankivas choose the largest | and handsomest among them to lead he march. On the outskirts of the vll- age they give their song, and the chil- iren. forgetting their mothers warn ngs, run to listen. They find the cankivas in a little ring, dancing and singing in harmony. The little ones llso dance and sing. as the birds lead hem deeper and deepsr into the forest Night falls and with a harsh cry the 1ankivas fly away. The children awake IS from sleep They know not where hey are. Darkness and danger are on very side. At home their mothers are weeping. Sometimes, but rarely, few nen and women of great age wander Iack to their native village. They are ;ure they have only left it the night be- ore. They remember nothing. except hat the bankivas sang so sweetly and hey followed the lovely music as the hildren of Hamelin fo.lwed the Pied Piper.