Tales of Long Ago in the Philippines

by Maximo D. Ramos

A collection of 37 Myths, Legends, and Folktales from around the Philippines that showcase the rich and diverse cultural identity throughout the archipelago. The book includes some illustrations, making it a wonderful collection to share with children of Filipino ancestry, or anyone interested in learning about different cultures from around the globe. ORIGIN MYTHS: How the Earth Was Created Why the Sky Rose High How the Sun and the Moon Came to Be Why the Sea Is Salt The First Monkey The Origin of the Owl and Other Creatures Legend of the Black Cat All-Head Juan Why the Snail Tastes Bitter How the Crocodile Learned to Hunt Why the Egret Rides on the Carabao ANIMAL TALES: The Tortoise and the Ban-og The Crocodile and the Monitor Lizard The Monkey, the Tortoise, and the Banana Tree The Guest Who Broke His Promise The Tortoise and the Lizard Bobowaya and Amomo-ay The Lizard's Treachery The Monkey and the Tortoise TALES TO LAUGH OVER: The Foolish Fishermen and the Carabao The Tale of Padol How Monsai Enslaved His Master The Foolish Farmer and His Carabao The Hunter and His Wife The Ginger of Aunt Guinampang ADVENTURE TALES: The Two Neighbors and the Crocodile Tale of the White Squash Datu Omar and the Elf The Woodcutter and the Python Mangosparos and the Monkeys Six Brothers and a Cat The Boy and the Crocodile The Magic Ring Tale of Two Women HERO TALES: The Magic Tree The Love of Rajah Mangandiri The Bird that Stole the Sultan's Beard

Genres: Mythology, Fiction

159 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[The Sapphic Nerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories in this have a similar structure and length as Aesop's Fables. There's a mix of origin stories, stories about animal characters, silly stories, adventures, and hero stories, with an illustration for each story. A peoples' stories will tell you about the people (their values, worldviews, etc), and as a Filipina, I'm curious about the pre-colonial stories of the Philippines. None of the stories are particularly memorable, but it's a quick, easy read for people who enjoy folklore. Unfortunately, some of the illustrations span both pages and are cut off by the margins, making them difficult to see.

[Ashley LaMontagne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to find an original copy from 1953. I was surprised, however, to find that it read more like a children's school book than a typical collection of stories, like I've seen with the others in Ramos's collection. Still, not bad, and I'm glad I found it!

[Nix · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

[alexa · Rating 2 out of 5]

translation isn’t great—it’s giving mother goose. nothing memorable. might return to it as a reference point for future research, we’ll see.

[KuyaRoger · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will be hard pressed to find anything like it! This is a book I think about, talk about, and share with other people. I am planning on re-reading this book soon!