compilation of stories

7/30/2019 Compilation of Stories

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Table of Contents:

Short stories pages 02 - 13

Poems pages 14 - 17

Legends pages 18 - 22

Myths pages 23 - 27

Folktales pages 28 - 35

Folk songs pages 36 - 39

Proverbs pages 40 - 41

Biography pages 42 - 50


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High and Lifted Up

B : Mike Krath


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High and Lifted Up

Mike Krath

It was a windy day.

The mailman barely made it to the front door. When the door opened, Mrs. Pennington said,"hello", but, before she had a real chance to say "thank you", the mail blew out of the mailman's

hands, into the house and the front door slammed in his face. Mrs. Pennington ran to pick up the

mail.

"Oh my," she said.

Tommy was watching the shutters open and then shut, open and then shut.

"Mom," he said, "may I go outside?"

"Be careful," she said. "It's so windy today."

Tommy crawled down from the window-seat and ran to the door. He opened it with a bang.The wind blew fiercely and snatched the newly recovered mail from Mrs. Pennington's hands

and blew it even further into the house.

"Oh my," she said again. Tommy ran outside and the door slammed shut.

Outside, yellow, gold, and red leaves were leaping from swaying trees, landing on the roof,

jumping off the roof, and then chasing one another down the street in tiny whirlwinds ofmerriment.

Tommy watched in fascination.

"If I was a leaf, I would fly clear across the world," Tommy thought and then ran out into the

yard among the swirl of colors.

Mrs. Pennington came to the front porch.

"Tommy, I have your jacket. Please put it on."

However, there was no Tommy in the front yard.

"Tommy?"

Tommy was a leaf. He was blowing down the street with the rest of his play-mates.

A maple leaf came close-by, touched him and moved ahead. Tommy met him shortly,brushed against him, and moved further ahead. They swirled around and around, hit cars and

poles, flew up into the air and then down again.

"This is fun," Tommy thought.

The maple leaf blew in front of him. It was bright red with well-defined veins. The sun-lightshone through it giving it a brilliance never before seen by a little boy's eyes.

"Where do you think we are going?" Tommy asked the leaf.

"Does it matter?" the leaf replied. "Have fun. Life is short."

"I beg to differ," an older leaf said suddenly coming beside them. "The journey may be short,

but the end is the beginning."


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Tommy pondered the best a leaf could ponder.

"Where do we end up?"

"If the wind blows you in that direction," the old leaf said, "you will end up in the city dump."

"I don't want that," Tommy said.

"If you are blown in that direction, you will fly high into the air and see things that no leaf has

seen before."

"Follow me to the city dump," the maple leaf said. "Most of my friends are there."

The wind blew Tommy and the maple leaf along. Tommy thought of his choices. He wanted

to continue to play.

"Okay," Tommy said, "I will go with you to the dump."

The winds shifted and Tommy and the leaf were blown in the direction of the city dump.

The old leaf didn't follow. He was blown further down the block and suddenly lifted up highinto the air.

"Hey," he called out, "the sights up here. They are spectacular. Come and see."

Tommy and the maple leaf ignored him.

"I see something. I see the dump." The old leaf cried out. "I see smoke. Come up here. I see

fire."

"I see nothing," the maple leaf said.

Tommy saw the fence that surrounded the city dump. He was happy to be with his friend.They would have fun in the dump.

Suddenly, a car pulled up. It was Tommy's mom. Mrs. Pennington wasn't about to let her littleboy run into the city dump.

"Not so fast," she said getting out of the car. "You are not allowed to play in there. Don't yousee the smoke?"

Tommy watched the maple leaf blow against the wall and struggle to get over. He ran over toget it but was unable to reach it.

Mrs. Pennington walked over and took the leaf. She put it in her pocket.

"There," she said, "it will be safe until we get home."

Tommy smiled, ran to the car and got in. He rolled down the back window and looked up into

the sky. He wondered where the old leaf had gone. Perhaps one day he would see what the old

leaf had seen - perhaps.


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Rapunzel

Brothers Grimm

There were once a man and a woman who had long, in vain, wished for a child. At length it

appeared that God was about to grant their desire.

These people had a little window at the back of their house from which a splendid garden

could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful flowers and herbs. It was, however,surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to go into it because it belonged to an enchantress,who had great power and was dreaded by all the world.

One day the woman was standing by this window and looking down into the garden, when

she saw a bed which was planted with the most beautiful rampion, and it looked so fresh and

green that she longed for it. She quite pined away, and began to look pale and miserable.

Her husband was alarmed, and asked: 'What ails you, dear wife?'

'Ah,' she replied, 'if I can't eat some of the rampion, which is in the garden behind our house, I

shall die.'

The man, who loved her, thought: 'Sooner than let your wife die, bring her some of the

rampion yourself, let it cost what it will.'

At twilight, he clambered down over the wall into the garden of the enchantress, hastilyclutched a handful of rampion, and took it to his wife. She at once made herself a salad of it, and

ate it greedily. It tasted so good to her - so very good, that the next day she longed for it threetimes as much as before.

If he was to have any rest, her husband knew he must once more descend into the garden.

Therefore, in the gloom of evening, he let himself down again; but when he had clambered downthe wall he was terribly afraid, for he saw the enchantress standing before him.

'How can you dare,' said she with angry look, 'descend into my garden and steal my rampionlike a thief? You shall suffer for it!'

'Ah,' answered he, 'let mercy take the place of justice, I only made up my mind to do it out of

necessity. My wife saw your rampion from the window, and felt such a longing for it that shewould have died if she had not got some to eat.'

The enchantress allowed her anger to be softened, and said to him: 'If the case be as you say, I

will allow you to take away with you as much rampion as you will, only I make one condition,you must give me the child which your wife will bring into the world; it shall be well treated, and

I will care for it like a mother.'

The man in his terror consented to everything.

When the woman was brought to bed, the enchantress appeared at once, gave the child the

name of Rapunzel, and took it away with her.

Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child under the sun. When she was twelve years old,

the enchantress shut her into a tower in the middle of a forest. The tower had neither stairs nor

door, but near the top was a little window. When the enchantress wanted to go in, she placedherself beneath it and cried:


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'Rapunzel, Rapunzel,

Let down your hair to me.'

Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold, and when she heard the voice of the

enchantress, she unfastened her braided tresses, wound them round one of the hooks of thewindow above, and then the hair fell twenty ells down, and the enchantress climbed up by it.

After a year or two, it came to pass that the king's son rode through the forest and passed by

the tower. Then he heard a song, which was so charming that he stood still and listened. It was

Rapunzel, who in her solitude passed her time in letting her sweet voice resound. The king's son

wanted to climb up to her, and looked for the door of the tower, but none was to be found. Herode home, but the singing had so deeply touched his heart, that every day he went out into the

forest and listened to it.

Once when he was thus standing behind a tree, he saw that an enchantress came there, and he

heard how she cried:



Then Rapunzel let down the braids of her hair, and the enchantress climbed up to her.

'If that is the ladder by which one mounts, I too will try my fortune,' said he, and the next day

when it began to grow dark, he went to the tower and cried:



Immediately the hair fell down and the king's son climbed up.

At first Rapunzel was terribly frightened when a man, such as her eyes had never yet beheld,came to her; but the king's son began to talk to her quite like a friend, and told her that his heart

had been so stirred that it had let him have no rest, and he had been forced to see her. Then

Rapunzel lost her fear, and when he asked her if she would take him for her husband, and shesaw that he was young and handsome, she thought: 'He will love me more than old Dame Gothel

does'; and she said yes, and laid her hand in his.

She said: 'I will willingly go away with you, but I do not know how to get down. Bring with

you a skein of silk every time that you come, and I will weave a ladder with it, and when that isready I will descend, and you will take me on your horse.'

They agreed that until that time he should come to her every evening, for the old woman

came by day. The enchantress remarked nothing of this, until once Rapunzel said to her: 'Tellme, Dame Gothel, how it happens that you are so much heavier for me to draw up than the

young king's son - he is with me in a moment.'

'Ah! you wicked child,' cried the enchantress. 'What do I hear you say! I thought I had separated

you from all the world, and yet you have deceived me!'

In her anger she clutched Rapunzel's beautiful tresses, wrapped them twice round her left

hand, seized a pair of scissors with the right, and snip, snap, they were cut off, and the lovely


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braids lay on the ground. And she was so pitiless that she took poor Rapunzel into a desert where

she had to live in great grief and misery.

On the same day that she cast out Rapunzel, however, the enchantress fastened the braids of

hair, which she had cut off, to the hook of the window, and when the king's son came and cried:

'Rapunzel, Rapunzel,Let down your hair to me.'

she let the hair down. The king's son ascended, but instead of finding his dearest Rapunzel, hefound the enchantress, who gazed at him with wicked and venomous looks.

'Aha!' she cried mockingly, 'you would fetch your dearest, but the beautiful bird sits no longer

singing in the nest; the cat has got it, and will scratch out your eyes as well. Rapunzel is lost toyou; you will never see her again.'

The king's son was beside himself with pain, and in his despair he leapt down from the tower.

He escaped with his life, but the thorns into which he fell pierced his eyes.

He wandered quite blind about the forest, ate nothing but roots and berries, and did naught but

lament and weep over the loss of his dearest wife. Thus he roamed about in misery for someyears, and at length came to the desert where Rapunzel, with the twins to which she had given

birth, a boy and a girl, lived in wretchedness. He heard a voice, and it seemed so familiar to him

that he went towards it, and when he approached, Rapunzel knew him and fell on his neck and

wept. Two of her tears wetted his eyes and they grew clear again, and he could see with them asbefore. He led her to his kingdom where he was joyfully received, and they lived for a long time

afterwards, happy and contented.


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The Frog Prince

Brothers Grimm

One fine evening a young princess put on her bonnet and clogs, and went out to take a walk by

herself in a wood; and when she came to a cool spring of water with a rose in the middle of it,she sat herself down to rest a while. Now she had a golden ball in her hand, which was her

favorite plaything; and she was always tossing it up into the air, and catching it again as it fell.

After a time she threw it up so high that she missed catching it as it fell; and the ball bouncedaway, and rolled along on the ground, until at last it fell down into the spring. The princess

looked into the spring after her ball, but it was very deep, so deep that she could not see thebottom of it. She began to cry, and said, 'Alas! If I could only get my ball again, I would give all

my fine clothes and jewels, and everything that I have in the world.'

Whilst she was speaking, a frog put its head out of the water, and said, 'Princess, why do you

weep so bitterly?'

'Alas!' said she, 'what can you do for me, you nasty frog? My golden ball has fallen into the

spring.'

The frog said, 'I do not want your pearls, and jewels, and fine clothes; but if you will love me,

and let me live with you and eat from off your golden plate, and sleep on your bed, I will bringyou your ball again.'

'What nonsense,' thought the princess, 'this silly frog is talking! He can never even get out ofthe spring to visit me, though he may be able to get my ball for me, and therefore I will tell him

he shall have what he asks.'

So she said to the frog, 'Well, if you will bring me my ball, I will do all you ask.'

Then the frog put his head down, and dived deep under the water; and after a little while he

came up again, with the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the edge of the spring.

As soon as the young princess saw her ball, she ran to pick it up; and she was so overjoyed to

have it in her hand again, that she never thought of the frog, but ran home with it as fast as she

could.

The frog called after her, 'Stay, princess, and take me with you as you said,'

But she did not stop to hear a word.

The next day, just as the princess had sat down to dinner, she heard a strange noise - tap, tap -

plash, plash - as if something was coming up the marble staircase, and soon afterwards there wasa gentle knock at the door, and a little voice cried out and said:

'Open the door, my princess dear,

Open the door to thy true love here!And mind the words that thou and I said

By the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade.'

Then the princess ran to the door and opened it, and there she saw the frog, whom she had

quite forgotten. At this sight she was sadly frightened, and shutting the door as fast as she could

came back to her seat.


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The king, her father, seeing that something had frightened her, asked her what was the matter.

'There is a nasty frog,' said she, 'at the door, that lifted my ball for me out of the spring this

morning. I told him that he should live with me here, thinking that he could never get out of the

spring; but there he is at the door, and he wants to come in.'

While she was speaking the frog knocked again at the door, and said:


Open the door to thy true love here!

And mind the words that thou and I said

By the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade.'

Then the king said to the young princess, 'As you have given your word you must keep it; sogo and let him in.'

She did so, and the frog hopped into the room, and then straight on - tap, tap - plash, plash -

from the bottom of the room to the top, till he came up close to the table where the princess sat.

'Pray lift me upon chair,' said he to the princess, 'and let me sit next to you.'

As soon as she had done this, the frog said, 'Put your plate nearer to me, that I may eat out of

it.'

This she did, and when he had eaten as much as he could, he said, 'Now I am tired; carry meupstairs, and put me into your bed.' And the princess, though very unwilling, took him up in her

hand, and put him upon the pillow of her own bed, where he slept all night long.

As soon as it was light the frog jumped up, hopped downstairs, and went out of the house.

'Now, then,' thought the princess, 'at last he is gone, and I shall be troubled with him no more.'

But she was mistaken; for when night came again she heard the same tapping at the door; and

the frog came once more, and said:


Open the door to thy true love here!

And mind the words that thou and I saidBy the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade.'

And when the princess opened the door the frog came in, and slept upon her pillow as before,till the morning broke. And the third night he did the same. But when the princess awoke on the

following morning she was astonished to see, instead of the frog, a handsome prince, gazing on

her with the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen and standing at the head of her bed.

He told her that he had been enchanted by a spiteful fairy, who had changed him into a frog; and

that he had been fated so to abide till some princess should take him out of the spring, and lethim eat from her plate, and sleep upon her bed for three nights.

'You,' said the prince, 'have broken his cruel charm, and now I have nothing to wish for but

that you should go with me into my father's kingdom, where I will marry you, and love you as

long as you live.'


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The young princess, you may be sure, was not long in saying 'Yes' to all this; and as they

spoke a brightly colored coach drove up, with eight beautiful horses, decked with plumes offeathers and a golden harness; and behind the coach rode the prince's servant, faithful Heinrich,

who had bewailed the misfortunes of his dear master during his enchantment so long and so

bitterly, that his heart had well-nigh burst.

They then took leave of the king, and got into the coach with eight horses, and all set out, full

of joy and merriment, for the prince's kingdom, which they reached safely; and there they livedhappily a great many years.


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Rising in the Morning

Hugh Rhodes

A plant without moisture sweetCan bring forth no good flower;

If in youth ye lack virtue,In age ye shall want honour.

First dread you God, and fly from sin,

Earthly things are mortal;Be thou not haughty in thy looks

For pride will have a fall.Rise you early in the morning,

For it hath properties three:

Holiness, health, and happy wealth,

As my father taught me.

At six of the clock, without delay,Accustom thee to rise,

And give God thanks for thy good rest

When thou openest thine eyes.

Pray Him also to prosper theeAnd thine affairs in deed:

All the day after, assure thyself,The better shalt thou speed.


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The First Tooth

Charles and Mary Lamb

Through the house what busy joy,

Just because the infant boyHas a tiny tooth to show!

I have got a double row,

All as white, and all as small;

Yet no one cares for mine at all.He can say but half a word,

Yet that single sound's preferred

To all the words that I can sayIn the longest summer day.

He cannot walk, yet if he put

With mimic motion out his foot,As if he thought he were advancing,

It's prized more than my best dancing.


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Above the Bright Blue Sky

Albert Midlane

There's a Friend for little children

Above the bright blue sky,A Friend who never changes

Whose love will never die;

Our earthly friends may fail us,

And change with changing years,This Friend is always worthy

Of that dear name he bears.

There's a home for little children

Above the bright blue sky,

Where Jesus reigns in glory,A home of peace and joy;

No home on earth is like it,

Nor can with it compare;

And everyone is happy,

Nor could be happier there.


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The Legend of Makahiya

Once there lived a rich couple, Mang Dondong and Aling Iska who had a twelve-year-old

daughter named Maria. Being dutiful, obedient, and kind, Maria was loved by everyone. But

shyness was one of her distinct features, due to which she avoided interacting with people and

used to lock herself in her room. Maria had a beautiful flower garden which was well-known all

over town. She took care of her plants tenderly and patiently as the plants were her source of

happiness and enjoyment.

One day a group of bandits raided the village and killed every man they found for money. When

Mang Dondong noticed the arrival of the bandits, fearing his daughter's safety, he decided to

hide Maria in the garden. Aling Iska hid herself in the house. She trembled with fear and prayed,

"Oh my God! Save my daughter." Then suddenly the door opened and the bandits entered the

house. They hit Mang Dondong on the head due to which he lost consciousness and fell to theground. Aling Iska tried to escape but was also hit by them on the head. The bandits pillaged the

house and took away the money and jewelry. The bandits left the house to plunder some other

village.

When Mang Dondong and Aling Iska regained consciousness they ran to the garden to look for

Maria but she was not there. They searched again and again but Maria could not be found. Then

suddenly something pricked Mang Dondong's feet and he saw a tiny plant closing its leaves.

Both Mang Dondong and Aling Iska knelt at their knees and took a closer look at the plant. After

looking at the plant for a long time, they realized that the plant was their daughter Maria. Indeed,

to save her from the bandits God transformed her into a plant. Aling Iska wept uncontrollablyand to their surprise, every tear was transformed into a small flower of the new plant that they

found in the garden.

After that Mang Dondong and Aling Iska tended to the plant with immense care, as they knew

that in reality the plant was their child Maria. The plant was as shy as Maria and so they named it

'Makahiya', which in Tagalog means shyness.


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The Legend of Dama de Noche

Many years ago, there was a rich Maharlika or nobleman who spent his bachelor days wining

and dining in the company of nobility. He drank the finest wines, ate the most delicious food,and enjoyed the company of the most beautiful and bejeweled women of the noble class. After

spending this kind of life for many years, he decided to settle down and get married to a woman

of his choice. "But whom to marry?" he asked himself, "All the women I know are gorgeous and

charming, but I am tired of the glitter of their jewels and the elegance of their clothes!" Finally,

he found himself a simple, charming girl whose name was Dama.

They got married and lived happily. She loved and pampered him with the most delectable

dishes and kept his home and clothes in order. But soon he got bored and began to long for his

friends' company. He looked at his wife and thought, she is not beautiful and doesn't have the air

of nobility and wisdom in her that I am so used to. And so he returned to his world of glitter and

pleasure. He started to spend his evenings sitting around with his friends, drinking, and talking

till the next morning.

Seeing this Dama felt that she was losing her husband. She wept and prayed, "Oh God! Help me.

Give me a magic charm that would make my husband come home again and never leave my

side, forever!" At midnight he came home, opened the door of their bedroom, and called for

Dama to tell her to prepare his nightclothes. He shouted for her and searched the whole house,

but he could not find his wife. Finally he returned to their bedroom and when he opened the

door, he stopped. A sweet and fragrant scent that he had never smelled before drifted to him. Hewent straight to the window from where it seemed to be coming. He was amazed to see a strange

bush growing outside his window. The bush had thousands of tiny star-like white flowers, from

which the heavenly and enchanting scent was coming.

He stood there, completely enthralled by the glorious smell. "Dama..." he whispered softly,

wondering, could this be Dama? The noble man sat by the window and waited for his loving,

simple wife to return. But she did not come back. Only the fragrance of the flowers stayed with

him, casting a spell over his entire life.

In the moonlight, Dama of the night, or Dama de Noche would be in full bloom, capturing therich Maharlika and ensuring that he never leave her side again.


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Why the Lanzones Are Sweet?

Today the lanzones are among the sweetest fruits in our country. Because of their rare sweetness,

they are called the "Queen of Philippine Fruits."

Long, long ago, however, the lanzones were not sweet, as they are today. In fact, they were verysour, like vinegar. During those early years they grew in wild abundance in our town and in othertowns in the Baybay region. Nobody cared to gather them, much less eat them because of their

sour taste. Even the pigs, carabaos, and birds refused to eat them.

One sunny morning a beautiful lady arrived in Pagsanjan. She rested at a little tienda (sari-saristore) near the western entrance of the town. Seeing numerous ripe lanzones hanging from the

branch of trees growing around the store, she asked the old woman who was the store owner:

"What is the name of those beautiful fruits? They must be nice to eat."

"Lanzones po, seora," replied the old woman, "but they are not good to eat. Nobody eats them."

"Why?"

"Because they are sour."

"That cannot be true," answered the beautiful lady. "With such pretty skin with the color of gold,

they must be delicious."

"My dear lady," said the woman, "if you doubt my word, eat them yourself."

During the conversation between the beautiful lady and the store owner, many curious

spectators, men, women, and children, came to the store. They were attracted by the beauty ofthe mysterious lady. They all laughed when they heard the lady said that the lanzones must be

delicious to eat. The beautiful lady approached the nearest tree and plucked a bunch of ripe

lanzones. She took out one fruit, pinched it, removed its skin, and ate it. Smilingly, she turned tothe crowd at the store saying: "Very delicious." She continued eating, to the great amazement of

the gaping people who expected her to throw away the sour fruits.

After getting more bunches of lanzones, the beautiful lady said good-bye to the surprised peopleand merrily continued walking towards the town of Lumban. The Pagsanjeos were spellbound.

They could hardly believe what they had seen and heard.

No sooner had the strange lady gone away than they rushed to the lanzones tree. They ate thefruits and lo! The lanzones tasted very sweet. The lady was right. "But how come that the sour

lanzones suddenly became sweet?" they asked each other. A young woman, the prettiest belle ofthe town, happened to examine the sweet lanzones she was eating and cried in great joy: "Look!

Look at the lanzones! There's an imprint of the lady's finger-mark in them!"

The people pursued the lady to thank her for the miracle. They ran up to the town of Lumban,but saw no trace of the beautiful lady. They asked an old boatman who was sitting at the river

bank if he had seen a beautiful lady. "What beautiful lady?" he answered. "I've been sitting here

all morning. The only woman who crossed the river was my termagant wife. And she's neitherbeautiful nor a lady."

The Pagsanjeos returned to their town very much mystified. They asked every one they met in

town: "Who was that beautiful lady who miraculously made the lanzones sweet? And why didshe disappear before we can thank her?" Suddenly, a little girl twelve years old jumped in

joyous excitement, screaming: "Yes, I know. She's Our Lady of Guadalupe! I remember now she

looks exactly like our beautiful patroness."

"Yes," everybody said in unison. "She must be our miraculous Virgin of Guadalupe!"


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Thus it came to pass that by pinching the sour lanzones and leaving her fingerprint on them, theVirgin had transformed the sour lanzones into one of the sweetest fruits of the Philippines .


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Creation Myth form Luzon

When the world first began there was no land, but only the sea and the sky, and between them

was a kite (a bird something like a hawk). One day the bird which had nowhere to light grewtired of flying about, so she stirred up the sea until it threw its waters against the sky. The sky, in

order to restrain the sea, showered upon it many islands until it could no longer rise, but ran back

and forth. Then the sky ordered the kite to light on one of the islands to build her nest, and to

leave the sea and the sky in peace. Now at this time the land breeze and the sea breeze were

married, and they had a child which was a bamboo.

One day when this bamboo was floating about on the water, it struck the feet of the kite which

was on the beach. The bird, angry that anything should strike it, pecked at the bamboo, and out

of one section came a man and from the other a woman. Then the earthquake called on all the

birds and fish to see what should be done with these two, and it was decided that they shouldmarry. Many children were born to the couple, and from them came all the different races of

people. After a while the parents grew very tired of having so many idle and useless children

around, and they wished to be rid of them, but they knew of no place to send them to. Time went

on and the children became so numerous that the parents enjoyed no peace.

One day, in desperation, the father seized a stick and began beating them on all sides. This so

frightened the children that they flee in different directions, seeking hidden rooms in the house --

some concealed themselves in the walls, some ran outside, while others hid in the fireplace, and

several fled to the sea. Now it happened that those who went into the hidden rooms of the house

later became the chiefs of the islands; and those who concealed themselves in the walls becameslaves. Those who ran outside were free men; and those who hid in the fireplace became

Negroes; while those who fled to the sea were gone many years, and when their children came

back they were the white people.


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Creation Myth from Visayas

Thousands of years ago, there was no land, sun, moon, or stars, and the world was only a great

sea of water, above which stretched the sky. The water was the kingdom of the god Maguayan,and the sky was ruled by the great god, Kaptan.

Maguayan had a daughter called Lidagat, the sea, and Kaptan had a son known as Lihangin, the

wind. The gods agreed to the marriage of their children, so the sea became the bride of the wind.

A daughter and three sons were born to them. The sons were called Likalibutan, Liadlao, and

Libulan, and the daughter received the name of Lisuga.

Likalibutan had a body of rock and was strong and brave; Liadlao was formed of gold and was

always happy; Libulan was made of copper and was weak and timid; and the beautiful Lisuga

had a body of pure silver and was sweet and gentle. Their parents were very fond of them, and

nothing was wanting to make them happy.

After a time Lihangin died and left the control of the winds to his eldest son Likalibutan. The

faithful wife Lidagat soon followed her husband, and the children, now grown up, were left

without father or mother. However, their grandfathers, Kaptan and Maguayan, took care of them

and guarded them from all evil.

After some time, Likalibutan, proud of his power over the winds, resolved to gain more power,

and asked his brothers to join him in an attack on Kaptan in the sky above. They refused at first,

but when Likalibutan became angry with them, the amiable Liadlao, not wishing to offend hisbrother, agreed to help. Then together they induced the timid Libulan to join in the plan.

When all was ready, the three brothers rushed at the sky, but they could not beat down the gates

of steel that guarded the entrance. Likalibutan let loose the strongest winds and blew the bars in

every direction. The brothers rushed into the opening, but were met by the angry god Kaptan. So

terrible did he look that they turned and ran in terror, but Kaptan, furious at the destruction of his

gates, sent three bolts of lightning after them.

The first struck the copper Libulan and melted him into a ball. The second struck the golden

Liadlao and he too was melted. The third bolt struck Likalibutan and his rocky body broke intomany pieces and fell into the sea. So huge was he that parts of his body stuck out above the water

and became what is known as land.

In the meantime the gentle Lisuga had missed her brothers and started to look for them. She went

toward the sky, but as she approached the broken gates, Kaptan, blind with anger, struck her too

with lightning, and her silver body broke into thousands of pieces.

Kaptan then came down from the sky and tore the sea apart, calling on Maguayan to come to him

and accusing him of ordering the attack on the sky. Soon Maguayan appeared and answered that

he knew nothing of the plot as he had been asleep deep in the sea. After some time, he succeeded

in calming the angry Kaptan. Together they wept at the loss of their grandchildren, especially the

gentle and beautiful Lisuga, but even with their powers, they could not restore the dead back to

life. However, they gave to each body a beautiful light that will shine forever.

And so it was the golden Liadlao who became the sun and the copper Libulan, the moon, while

Lisuga's pieces of silver were turned into the stars of heaven. To wicked Likalibutan, the gods

gave no light, but resolved to make his body support a new race of people. So Kaptan gave

Maguayan a seed and he planted it on one of the islands.


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Soon a bamboo tree grew up, and from the hollow of one of its branches, a man and a woman

came out. The man's name was Sikalak and the woman was called Sikabay. They were the

parents of the human race. Their first child was a son whom they called Libo; afterwards they

had a daughter who was known as Saman.

Pandaguan, the youngest son, was very clever and invented a trap to catch fish. The very firstthing he caught was a huge shark. When he brought it to land, it looked so great and fierce that

he thought it was surely a god, and he at once ordered his people to worship it. Soon all gathered

around and began to sing and pray to the shark. Suddenly the sky and sea opened, and the gods

came out and ordered Pandaguan to throw the shark back into the sea and to worship none, but

them.

All were afraid except Pandaguan. He grew very bold and answered that the shark was as big as

the gods, and that since he had been able to overpower it he would also be able to conquer the

gods. Then Kaptan, hearing this, struck Pandaguan with a small lightning bolt, for he did not

wish to kill him but merely to teach him a lesson. Then he and Maguayan decided to punishthese people by scattering them over the earth, so they carried some to one land and some to

another. Many children were afterwards born, and thus the earth became inhabited in all parts.

Pandaguan did not die. After lying on the ground for thirty days he regained his strength, but his

body was blackened from the lightning, and his descendants became the dark-skinned tribe, the

Negritos.

As punishment, his eldest son, Aryon, was taken north where the cold took away his senses.

While Libo and Saman were carried south, where the hot sun scorched their bodies. A son of

Saman and a daughter of Sikalak were carried east, where the land at first was so lacking in foodthat they were compelled to eat clay.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negritoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negritos


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The Story of Bathala

In the beginning of time there were three powerful gods who lived in the universe. Bathala was

the caretaker of the earth, Ulilang Kaluluwa (lit. Orphaned Spirit), a huge serpent who lived inthe clouds, and Galang Kaluluwa (lit. Wandering spirit), the winged god who loves to travel.

These three gods did not know each other.

Bathala often dreamt of creating mortals but the empty earth stops him from doing so. Ulilang

Kaluluwa who was equally lonely as Bathala, liked to visit places and the earth was his favorite.

One day the two gods met. Ulilang Kaluluwa, seeing another god rivalling him, was not pleased.He challenged Bathala to a fight to decide who would be the ruler of the universe. After three

days and three nights, Ulilang Kaluluwa was slain by Bathala. Instead of giving him a proper

burial, Bathala burned the snake's remains. A few years later the third god, Galang Kaluluwa,wandered into Bathala's home. He welcomed the winged god with much kindness and even

invited him to live in his kingdom. They became true friends and were very happy for manyyears.

Galang Kaluluwa became very ill. Before he died he instructed Bathala to bury him on the spot

where Ulilang Kaluluwas body was burned. Bathala did exactly as he was told. Out of the grave

of the two dead gods grew a tall tree with a big round nut, which is the coconut tree. Bathala tookthe nut and husked it. He noticed that the inner skin was hard. The nut itself reminded him of

Galang Kaluluwas head. It had two eyes, a flat nose, and a round mouth. Its leaves looked so

much like the wings of his dear winged friend. But the trunk was hard and ugly, like the body ofhis enemy, the snake Ulilang Kaluluwa.

Bathala realized that he was ready to create the creatures he wanted with him on earth. Hecreated the vegetation, animals, and the first man and woman. Bathala built a house for them out

of the trunk and leaves of the coconut' trees. For food, they drank the coconut juice and ate its

delicious white meat. Its leaves, they discovered, were great for making mats, hats, and brooms.Its fiber could be used for rope and many other things.


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Why the Sea is Salt? (A folktale form Karelia)

Long ago, there lived two brothers. The older brother was rich and successful, but mean and

arrogant. The younger brother was very poor, but kind and generous.

One day the poor brother and his wife found that they had nothing to eat in their house. They had

no money either, and nothing that they could sell. To make matters worse, the next day was aholiday, a day of celebration.

'Where are we going to get something to eat? Tomorrow is a holiday. How will we celebrate?'asked the poor brother's wife in tears.

The poor brother was in a fix. He did not know what to do.

'Go to your brother and ask for his help,' suggested the poor man's wife. 'He killed a cowyesterday - I saw him. Surely he will not grudge us a little meat for the holiday?'

The poor man sighed. He did not like to ask his brother for help, for he knew how mean and

selfish his brother was. But the next day was a holiday, and he really could not think how else toget something to eat.

So the poor man put on his ragged cloak and walked to his rich brother's house.

'What do you want?' asked the rich brother as soon as he saw the poor man.

'Why do you come here?' cried the rich man's wife. 'Tomorrow is a holiday, and we are busypreparing the feast. Go away, we have no time for you!'

'Brother,' said the poor man, 'We have nothing to eat in the house, no food to celebrate theholiday. Lend me a little meat, so that I and my wife may also celebrate.'

'I knew it!' shrieked the rich man's wife at her husband. 'I knew your brother would comebegging one day. Throw him out!'

The poor man ignored his brother's wife. 'Please, brother,' he said, looking at the rich man.

'Oh very well,' grumbled the rich man. 'Take this - and go to Hiysi!' And he threw a cow's hoof atthe poor man.

The poor man thanked his brother, and wrapping the cow's hoof in his tattered cloak beganwalking back to his house. As he walked he thought, 'My brother did not give me the cow's hoof.

He has told me to take it to Hiysi. So this piece of meat is not mine to eat, but Hiysi's. I must take

it to Hiysi.'

Hiysi the Wood-Goblin lived deep in the forest. So the poor man turned around and started

walking towards the forest. The forest was dark and gloomy, but the poor man was determined to

deliver the cow's hoof to Hiysi. So he walked and he walked through the trees.

After a while he met some woodcutters.

'Where are you going, so deep in the forest?' asked the woodcutters.

'To Hiysi the Wood-Goblin's,' replied the poor man. 'I have this cow's hoof for him. Can you tell

me how to find his hut?'


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'Keep walking straight ahead,' said the woodcutters. 'Turn neither left nor right, and soon you

will be at Hiysi's hut. But listen carefully. Hiysi loves meat. He will offer you silver and gold andprecious stones in gratitude. Don't accept any of those. Ask instead for his millstone. If he tries to

offer you something else, refuse. Ask only for his millstone.'

The poor man thanked the woodcutters, and walked on. Very soon he saw a hut. He went inside,and there sat Hiysi, the Wood-Goblin himself.

'Why have you come here?' asked Hiysi.

'I have brought you a gift,' said the poor man. 'A cow's hoof.' And he held out the piece of meat

to Hiysi.

'Meat!' cried Hiysi in delight. 'Quick, give it to me! I haven't eaten meat for thirty years!' Hiysi

grabbed the hoof and ate it.

'Now I shall give you a gift in return,' said the Wood-Goblin. 'Here, take some silver,' he said,pulling out a handful of silver coins.

'No, I don't want any silver,' said the poor man.

'Gold, then?' offered Hiysi, pulling out two handfuls of gold coins.

'No. I don't want gold either,' said the poor man.

'How about some precious stones?' asked Hiysi. 'Diamonds, rubies, sapphires?'

'No, thank you, I don't want any of those either,' said the poor man.

'Well, what do you want then?' asked Hiysi.

'I want your millstone,' replied the poor man.

'My millstone!' exclaimed Hiysi. 'No, you can't have that. But I can give you anything else you

like.'

'That's very kind of you,' said the poor man, 'but I only want your millstone.'

Hiysi did not know what to do. He had eaten the cow's hoof, and could not let the poor man gowithout a gift in return.

'Oh well,' he said at last. 'I suppose I must let you have my millstone. Take it. But do you know

how to use it?'

'No,' said the poor man. 'Tell me.'

'Well,' explained Hiysi, 'this is a magic millstone. It will give you whatever you wish for. Just

make your wish and say Grind, my millstone! When you have enough and want the millstone tostop, just say Enough and have done! And it will stop. Now go!'

The poor man thanked Hiysi, and wrapping the magic millstone in his tattered cloak, beganwalking back towards his home.

He walked and he walked and he walked, and at last reached his home. His wife was weeping,having given him up for dead. 'Where have you been?' she cried. 'I thought I'd never see you

again!'

The poor man told his wife the tale of his adventures. Then, setting the magic millstone on to the

table, he said, 'Grind, my millstone! Give us a feast fit for a king.'


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The millstone began to grind, and there on the table poured the most wonderful dishes ever. The

poor man and his wife ate and ate till they could eat no more.

'Enough and have done!' commanded the poor man, and the millstone stopped grinding.

The next day the poor man and his wife celebrated the holiday happily. There was enough to eat,and new clothes to wear. From then on they never lacked for anything. The millstone gave them

a fine new house, green fields full of crops, horses and cattle, and enough food to eat and clothesto wear. Soon they had so much that they did not really need to use the millstone any more.

The rich brother heard of the poor man's change of fortune. 'How could my brother have become

rich so suddenly?' he wondered. 'I must find out.' So the rich brother went to the poor brother's

house.

'How have you become rich so quickly?' he asked.

The poor brother told him everything - about Hiysi and his gift of the magic millstones. 'I mustget that millstone for myself,' thought the rich brother. 'Show me the millstone,' he demanded.

The poor brother, not suspecting his brother of any wickedness, did so. He put the millstone on

the table and said, 'Grind, my millstone! Give us good things to eat.' At once the millstone began

turning and out poured the most delicious pies and cakes and breads on the table.

The rich brother could not believe his eyes. 'Sell me your millstone!' he begged of the poor

brother.

'No,' said the poor man. 'The millstone is not for sale.'

'Well then, lend it to me for a bit,' said the rich brother. 'After all, it was I who gave you the

cow's hoof to carry to Hiysi!'

The poor brother thought for a bit. What harm could there be in letting his brother have the

millstone for a while?

'Very well, you may borrow it for a day,' said the poor man.

The rich brother was delighted. He grabbed the millstone and ran off with it, without asking how

to make it stop. He put the millstone into a boat, and rowed out to sea with it, where the

fishermen were hauling in their catch of fish.

'The fishermen are salting the fish right now,' he thought. 'They will pay well for fine salt.' Hewas far out to sea by now, far away from any land. There was no one to hear him as he said

'Grind, my millstone! Give me salt, as much as you can!'

The millstone began to turn and out poured the finest, whitest salt imaginable. Soon the boat was

full. The rich man decided to stop the millstone. But he did not know how. 'Stop, my millstone!'

he cried. 'Stop grinding. I don't want any more salt.' But the millstone kept turning, pouring outthe finest whitest salt.

The rich man begged and pleaded with the millstone to stop. But he did not know the magicwords. So the millstone kept turning and pouring out salt and more salt. The rich brother tried to

throw the millstone overboard, but he couldn't lift it. The boat was now so full of salt that it

began sinking.

'Help!' cried the rich man. But there was no one there to hear him.

The millstone kept turning, pouring out salt, and the boat kept sinking till it sank to the bottom of

the sea with the rich man and the millstone.


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The rich man drowned for his greed.

But the magic millstone kept turning, even at the bottom of the sea, pouring out the finest whitest

salt. It is turning there to this very day, making more and more salt.

And that, believe it or not, is why the sea is salt.


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Why the Sky is so High (A folktale from Bengal)

Long ago, the Sky was quite low. If you stood on a stool and stretched your hands up as high as

they would go, you could touch the Sky.

At that time, far on the Horizon, where the Sky was always especially low, there was a village. In

that village, in a little mud hut thatched with straw, there lived a bent Old Woman.

This bent Old Woman was the oldest woman in that village, possibly the oldest woman in the

world. She was so old she no longer remembered any other way of being. She lived all alone inher little mud hut, for she had neither friend nor family left in this world. She had nowhere to goand no one to talk to. So all day long, she would potter round her hut, first cleaning this corner,

now dusting that, now scrubbing this bit of floor, now sweeping that. The bent Old Woman

thought of nothing else any more, except more and more ways of sweeping and scrubbing herlittle mud hut.

One hot summer, the land was dry with thirst. There was dust everywhere - on the trees, on theroofs of huts and houses, in people's throats and eyes, even in the air. All over the village people

were coughing and sneezing and choking with the dust. Even the poor old Sky was not spared - it

was so close to the ground that the slightest bit of wind would set it coughing with the dust that

rose from the parched land.

The bent Old Woman's hut too was covered with dust. The old woman swept and swept andswept the little hut with her broom. She swept the inside of her hut, she swept the outside of her

hut, she swept the front step and she swept the front yard. But the dust rose all around her in

great brown clouds - the more she swept and plied her broom, the more the dust that rose from

the earth.

The poor Sky began to choke with all the dust that the bent Old Woman was raising with herbroom. The dust got into its throat and tickled its nose and made it sneeze - a great big sneeze

that shook the world with its thunder. People covered their heads and ran indoors in fright. But

the bent Old Woman barely noticed - she kept on sweeping with her broom.

The Sky sneezed again - the dust was becoming unbearable. It got into its eyes and made them

water - so that great heavy drops of rain began falling into the dry dust below. The bent OldWoman barely noticed - till finally a big splodgy raindrop fell right on to the patch she had just

swept.

The bent Old Woman glared at the Sky and scrubbed the splodgy raindrop away. But then

another raindrop fell, and another, till her swept and scrubbed front step was blotchy with

raindrops.

This was more than the bent Old Woman could bear. She stood up as straight as she could with

her bent old back and shook her fist at the Sky yelling at it to stop raining on her nice clean front

step. She cursed the Sky and threatened it, but the poor old Sky couldn't stop raining - its eyeswere still so full of dust with all her sweeping.

At last, the bent Old Woman was so angry, that she picked up her broom, and thwacked the Skywith it.


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The Sky gave another great sneeze and jumped out of her way. But the bent Old Woman kept

thwacking it with her broom, again and again and again.

Finally the Sky could take it no more - the dust, the Old Woman's cursing, and especially her

broom, thwacking it again and again and again. Sneezing and coughing, thundering and raining,

the Sky flew up, up and away - out of reach of the Old Woman's broom and swore never to comedown again.

So that is why the Sky is so high. Even on the Horizon, where it seems to be touching the earth,

it really isn't any more.


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How the Old Man Got her Wish (A folktale from India)

Once there lived a blind old woman with her son and her son's wife. They were very poor.

The old woman used to pray to Ganesh every day. Every day Ganesh would appear before her

and say, 'Old woman, I am moved by your devotion. I will grant you one desire. So ask me for

something, tell me what you want.'

The old woman would reply, 'I don't know what to ask for. There is nothing that I want.'

Ganesh would say, 'Then ask your son and your daughter-in-law for advice - they may be able totell you what to ask for.' But the old woman wouldn't.

This went on for a long time. One day the old woman gave in and agreed to do as Ganesh

suggested and ask her son and her daughter-in-law for advice.

When she asked her son, the son replied, 'Ma, ask for wealth.'

When she asked her daughter-in-law, the daughter-in-law replied, 'Mother-in-law, ask for a

grandson.'

The old woman considered their advice and said to herself, 'They have told me what they want,

not what I want. So let me ask my neighbour. Let me see what she will say.'

So the old woman went to her neighbour and said, 'Ganeshji has told me to ask him for

something. What do you think I should ask him for?'

The neighbour replied, 'Why should you ask for wealth or for a grandson? You still have a few

more years to live. So ask for sight, so that you can see.'

The old woman returned home and thought to herself, 'To keep my son and daughter-in-law

happy, I should ask Ganeshji for what they want. To make myself happy, I should ask him forwhat I want. So what should I ask for - wealth, a grandson, or my sight?'

The next day, Ganesh appeared again, and as usual, said, 'Ask me for something, old woman, tellme what you want.'

The old woman had made up her mind. She knew exactly what she wanted. She replied, 'I wantto see my grandson drinking milk from a golden bowl. Give me that.'

Ganesh laughed and replied, 'Old woman, you have tricked me! You have asked me for

everything! But a promise is a promise and you shall have what you want.'

Ganesh gave her what she wanted - and the desires of all three, the old woman, her son, and her

daughter-in-law, were fulfilled.


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Atin Cu Pung Singsing

Atin ku pung singsing

Metung yang timpukan

Amana ke iti

King indung ibatan.

Sangkan keng sininup

King metung a kabanMewala ya iti,

E ku kamalayan.

Ing sukal ning lub ku

Susukdul king banwa

Pikurus kung gamat

Babo ning lamesa.

Ninu mang manakit

King singsing kung manaKalulung pusu ku

Manginu ya keya.


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Dandansoy

dandansoy, bayaan ta ikaw

pauli ako sa payag

ugaling kung ikaw hidlawon

ang payag imo lang lantawon.

dandansoy, kung imo apason

bisan tubig di magbalon

ugaling kung ikaw uhawon

sa dalan magbubon-bubon.

kumbento, diin ang cura?

munisipyo, diin justicia?

yari si dansoy makiha.

makiha sa pag-higugma

Ang panyo mo kag panyo ko

dal-a diri kay tambihon ko

ugaling kung magkasilobana ta ikaw, asawa mo ako.


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Sarung-Banggi

Sarung BanggiSa Higdaan

Nakadangog ako

Nin huni nin sarong gamgam

Sa luba ko katurugan,

Bako kundi

Simong boses, Iyo palan

Dagos ako bangon

Si sakuyang mata iminuklat

Kadtung kadikluman

Ako ay nangalagkalag

Kasu ihiling ko si sakuyang mata sa itaas

Simong lawog nahiling ko, maliwanag

Kadtung kadikluman, Kan mahiling taka

Namundo kong puso, tulos naugma

Minsan di nahaloy, idtong napagmasdan

Sagkod Nuarin pa man,Dai ko malilingawan

Magpoon na ika sakuyang namutan

Ako nakamate nin kaginhawahan

Pati an puso kong tagub kapungawan

Ngunyan burabod na nin tunay na kaogmahan


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1) Don't plan anything that will hurt your neighbor; he lives beside you, trusting you.

(Prov. 3:29)

2) The road the righteous travel is like the sunrise, getting brighter and brighter until

daylight has come.The road of the wicked, however, is dark as night. They fall, but cannot see what they

have stumbled over. (Prov. 4:18-19)

3) Lazy people should learn a lesson from the way ants live. They have no leader, no

chief, no ruler, but they store up their food during the summer, getting ready for

winter. (Prov. 6:6-8)

4) Righteous people will always have security, but the wicked will not survive in the

land. (Prov. 10:30)

5) If you are good, you are guided by honesty. People who can't be trusted are

destroyed by their own dishonesty. (Prov. 11:5)

6) Honest people will treat you fairly; the wicked only want to deceive you. (Prov.

12:5)

7) The more easily you get your wealth, the sooner you will lose it. (Prov. 13:11a)

8) A fool will believe anything; smart people watch their step. (Prov. 14:15)

9) A king's greatness depends on how many people he rules; without them he is

nothing. (Prov. 14:28)

10) If you stay calm, you are wise, but if you have a hot temper, you only show how

stupid you are. (Prov. 14:29)


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Biography of President Noynoy Aquino

Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Cojuangco Aquino III (born February 8, 1960) is a Senator of the

Philippines and a candidate for President of the Philippines in the 2010 election, as the standard-bearer of the Liberal Party. He is the only son of former President Corazon Aquino and

former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr.

A graduate of Ateneo de Manila University, he was seriously wounded by rebel soldiers in a

failed coup attempt during his mother's presidency. In 1989, he was elected to the House of

Representatives as Representative of the 2nd district of Tarlac province in the 11th Congress of

the Philippines. In 2007, he was elected to the Senate of the 14th Congress of the Philippines.

He is also the brother of TV host and actress Kris Aquino.

Early life and education

Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Cojuangco Aquino III was born on February 8, 1960. He is the third

of the of five children of Benigno Aquino, Jr., who was then Vice Governor of Tarlac province,

and Corazon Aquino. He has three sisters, Maria Elena ("Ballsy"), Aurora Corazon ("Pinky"),

Victoria Eliza ("Viel"), and Kristina Bernadette ("Kris").

Aquino studied in Ateneo de Manila University for his elementary, high school, and college

education, graduating in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. After college, he

joined his family in Boston in exile.

In 1983, shortly after the murder of his father, Noynoy had a short tenure as a member of thePhilippine Business for Social Progress. From 1985 to 1986, he was retail sales supervisor and

youth promotions assistant for Nike Philippines and later an assistant for advertising and

promotion for Mondragon Philippines. In 1986, he joined Intra-Strata Assurance Corp. as vice-

president of the family-owned corporation.

On August 28, 1987, eighteen months into the presidency of Aquino's mother, rebel soldiers led

by Gregorio Honasan staged an unsuccessful coup attempt, attempting to siege Malacaang

Palace. Aquino was two blocks from the palace when he came under fire. Three of his four

security escorts were killed, and the last was wounded protecting him. Aquino himself was hit by

five bullets, one of which is still embedded in his neck.

From 1986 to 1993, Aquino was vice president and treasurer for Best Security Agency

Corporation, a firm owned by his uncle Antolin Oreta. He went to work for the Central

Azucarera de Tarlac in 1993, the sugar refinery owned by the Cojuangco clan. He started out as

an executive assistant for administration, before becoming field services manager in

1996.[citation needed]

Political life

Aquino is a leading member of the Liberal Party. He currently holds the position of Vice

Chairman of the Liberal Party, having assumed the post on 17 March 2006. He was previouslySecretary General of the party (1999-2002), Vice-President of the Luzon Liberal Party (2002-

2004), and Secretary General of the party (2004-16 March 2006).

Aquino is associated with a faction of the Liberal Party which opposes the government of

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, citing alleged human rights violations.

House of Representatives
http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/


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On September 9, 2009, 40 days after the death of his mother, Aquino officially announced his

bid for the Presidency in a press conference at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City,

which also served as the site of his mother's Presidential Inauguration in February 1986.

Criticism

While Aquino currently enjoys considerable support, those who stand to lose from his victory in

the presidential race claim that this can only be attributed to both his parents' successes and not

his own. However, months after the death of his mother, his popularity remains strong and

analysts say that his lead is a sure sign of victory, unless he is cheated or blunders heavily. In 11

years in government, critics have said that Aquino has not made any significant contributions to

legislation. But various documents have been released showing that he has accomplished much

in his three years in the Senate.

On a similar note, Noynoy's detractors have also pointed out that, at almost 50 years old he has

neither a wife nor any children. Aquino had lived with his mother, the former president, until herdeath, and has said if he becomes president, he would choose to live in his modest ancestral

home than in the presidential palace.

Another issue is Noynoy's stake in his family's 7,500 hectare estate, Hacienda Luisita. His

mother, the former president Corazon Aquino, was also criticized on these grounds, especially in

failing to push for land redistribution reforms given their alleged conflict of interest. But the

stock distribution option was ratified three times by a referanda by the farmer beneficiaries. In

2004, a clash with government troops and farms led to the massacre of 12 picketing farmers and

2 children and the injury of hundreds of other protesters. Aquino's side of the family, which

owns a miniscule percentage, have met to deliberate how to turn over the land to farmers fairlywhile giving the farmers job security at such a timeframe that the farmers will not absorb the

land's many debts.

Personal life

Aquino is a shooting and billiards enthusiast. He is also an audiophile, and enjoys listening to

jazz, bossa nova, and OPM (Original Pilipino Music). One of Noynoy's favorite Filipino artists is

singer/composer Noel Cabangon.
http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/http://www.noynoy-aquino.com/


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Biography of Saint Pedro Calungsod

The Filipinos are not only mirrors of gallantry, love and compassion. They are likely to be

regarded as genial breed of the Malayan Race with a distinctive characteristic of nobility and

the highest plane of spirituality. Yes, this article pays holy homage to the Second Filipino

Saint, in the person of Pedro Calungsod. Who is this Filipino martyr? The humble Pedro

Calungsod was a devout Catholic, who had served as a catechist. He suffered unbearable

persecution which paved the way for him to become a martyr, while doing his selfless mission

for God and mankind in Guam, sometime in 1672. This 2012, Pedro Calungsod will be officially

proclaimed as a saint.

His Beatification, Intercession And Unconditional Love For Christ

On the 5th day of March 2000, he wasbeatified by Pope John Paul II, at the Saint Peters Square

in Rome. In addition, the much deserved beatification had transpired when Pedro Calungsod had

willingly surrendered himself to Christ and responded to the divine calling of the Almighty,

without any reservation. As far as the intercessory mission of the second Filipino saint, he

mainly intercedes for the youths around the world. According to the homily message of the late

Pope John Paul II, our youths of today and of the future must emulate the prolific spiritual values

of Calungsod.

Pedro Calungsod who loved the Lord Jesus so much had dedicated his colorful teenage years in

teaching the Catholic faith as a catechist. To know more about inner depths of the soon to be

Second Filipino Saint, let this spiritually and enlightening article, take you down to his

remarkable past and how he fell in love with the grace of the Lord, during his challenging but

blissful journey here on earth.


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Pedro Calungsod: His Life And His Early Missionary Works

Pedro Calungsod was born in 1654, and was said to be a native of four quiet and prosperous

villages, in the Visayan region namely: Ginatilan, Tuburan in the province of Cebu, Loboc in

Cebu and Leon in Iloilo. Meanwhile, the ancestral family of Calungsod from Leon believed that

an ancient ancestor of theirs had joined a group of Jesuit missionaries, who had generously

labored on Hawaiian islands.

The life story of Calungsod had only a few details. However, no matter how scanty they were,

they are still worth knowing, arent they? Some of the salient details of his holy life were:

1. He went to Cebu to preach the Christian faith through the use of the Spanish

missionary text, Doctrina Christiana, that was propagated by the Dominicans

2.

He studied in Loboc, a noted town of the Jesuits

3. He went to Guam, after he had completed his studies

4. His basic education was successfully completed in the exclusive boarding house for

boys. From then on, he had learned to master with excellence, the skills of

communication using two languages: Spanish and Chamorro

5. Aside from being religious, he had also exhibited his other extraordinary talents in

drawing, painting, acting, singing and carpentry

6. His love for God and the characteristic of untainted and pure spirituality was very

much evident, as he served the Holy Mass in accordance to the Holy Rite of

Tridentine.


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7. In the year 1668, Pedro Calungsod along with the other Jesuit missionaries went to the

Marianas Island, which was named after the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Regent

Queen of Spain, Maria Ana Austria who acted as their voyagers benefactor

His Death And Exemplary Martyrdom

A Chinese merchant had began spreading malicious rumors that the holy water used by Pedro

Calungsod and his group were poisonous. Accidentally, some of the Chamorro eventually died,

after they had received the Holy Sacrament of Baptism. Choco, the Chinese businessman who

had spreaded the rumors were already supported by various kinds of people including the

medicine man ormancajas, the young males or umitaos, who had blatantly hated the

missionaries.

Despite of those negative publicities, Calungsod and San Vitores continued with their godly

mission. They proceeded to baptize the baby daughter of Chief Matapang who had strongly

declined the said holy sacrament. Calungsods call of death came when a group led by

Matapang and Chief Hurao, made a hot pursuit plan that had led to the capture of Calungsod

and San Vitores. Pedro Calungsod was killed by a spear, while his companion was finished off

with a bolo. On the other hand, the merciless killers of Calungsod and San Vitores were not yet

satisfied with what they did to the apostles of Christ, the demonic killers had stripped off the

clothes of the two missionaries, and then butchered their holy bodies with a sword, tied them to

big boulders of rocks and then the bodies of Calungsod and San Vitores were thrown in the deep

blue sea.

The martyrdom of Pedro Calungsod had shown us a perfect example of FAITH, LOVE AND

COURAGE in fulfillment of Christs commandments, without any question at all.


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Biography of Jose Rizal

JOSE RIZAL, the national hero of the Philippines and pride of the Malayan race, was born on

June 19, 1861, in the town of Calamba, Laguna. He was the seventh child in a family of 11children (2 boys and 9 girls). Both his parents were educated and belonged to distinguished

families.

His father, Francisco Mercado Rizal, an industrious farmer whom Rizal called "a model of

fathers," came from Bian, Laguna; while his mother, Teodora Alonzo y Quintos, a highly

cultured and accomplished woman whom Rizal called "loving and prudent mother," was born inMeisic, Sta. Cruz, Manila. At the age of 3, he learned the alphabet from his mother; at 5, whilelearning to read and write, he already showed inclinations to be an artist. He astounded his

family and relatives by his pencil drawings and sketches and by his moldings of clay. At the age

8, he wrote a Tagalog poem, "Sa Aking Mga Kabata," the theme of which revolves on the love of

ones language. In 1877, at the age of16, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree with an

average of "excellent" from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. In the same year, he enrolled in

Philosophy and Letters at the University of Santo Tomas, while at the same time took courses

leading to the degree of surveyor and expert assessor at the Ateneo. He finished the latter course

on March 21, 1877 and passed the Surveyors examination on May 21, 1878; but because of hisage, 17, he was not granted license to practice the profession until December 30, 1881. In 1878,

he enrolled in medicine at the University of Santo Tomas but had to stop in his studies when hefelt that the Filipino students were being discriminated upon by their Dominican tutors. On May

3, 1882, he sailed for Spain where he continued his studies at the Universidad Central de Madrid.

On June 21, 1884, at the age of 23, he was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine and onJune 19,1885, at the age of 24, he finished his course in Philosophy and Letters with a grade of

"excellent."

Having traveled extensively in Europe, America and Asia, he mastered 22 languages. These

include Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese,

Latin, Malayan, Portuguese, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other native dialects. Aversatile genius, he was an architect, artists, businessman, cartoonist, educator, economist,

ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist, musician, mythologist,

nationalist, naturalist, novelist, opthalmic surgeon, poet, propagandist, psychologist, scientist,

sculptor, sociologist, and theologian.

He was an expert swordsman and a good shot. In the hope of securing political and socialreforms for his country and at the same time educate his countrymen, Rizal, the greatest apostle

of Filipino nationalism, published, while in Europe, several works with highly nationalistic andrevolutionary tendencies. In March 1887, his daring book, NOLI ME TANGERE, a satirical

novel exposing the arrogance and despotism of the Spanish clergy, was published in Berlin; in

1890 he reprinted in Paris, Morgas SUCCESSOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS with hisannotations to prove that the Filipinos had a civilization worthy to be proud of even long before

the Spaniards set foot on Philippine soil; on September 18, 1891, EL FILIBUSTERISMO, hissecond novel and a sequel to the NOLI and more revolutionary and tragic than the latter, was

printed in Ghent. Because of his fearless exposures of the injustices committed by the civil and

clerical officials, Rizal provoked the animosity of those in power. This led himself, his relativesand countrymen into trouble with the Spanish officials of the country. As a consequence, he andthose who had contacts with him, were shadowed; the authorities were not only finding faults but

even fabricating charges to pin him down. Thus, he was imprisoned in Fort Santiago from July 6,1892 to July 15, 1892 on a charge that anti-friar pamphlets were found in the luggage of his

sister Lucia who arrive with him from Hong Kong. While a political exile in Dapitan, he engagedin agriculture, fishing and business; he maintained and operated a hospital; he conducted classes-

taught his pupils the English and Spanish languages, the arts.

The sciences, vocational courses including agriculture, surveying, sculpturing, and painting, as

well as the art of self defense; he did some researches and collected specimens; he entered intocorrespondence with renowned men of letters and sciences abroad; and with the help of his


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pupils, he constructed water dam and a relief map of Mindanao - both considered remarkable

engineering feats. His sincerity and friendliness won for him the trust and confidence of eventhose assigned to guard him; his good manners and warm personality were found irresistible by

women of all races with whom he had personal contacts; his intelligence and humility gained for

him the respect and admiration of prominent men of other nations; while his undaunted courage

and determination to uplift the welfare of his people were feared by his enemies.

When the Philippine Revolution started on August 26, 1896, his enemies lost no time in pressinghim down. They were able to enlist witnesses that linked him with the revolt and these were

never allowed to be confronted by him. Thus, from November 3, 1986, to the date of his

execution, he was again committed to Fort Santiago. In his prison cell, he wrote an untitledpoem, now known as "Ultimo Adios" which is considered a masterpiece and a living document

expressing not only the heros great love of country but also that of all Filipinos. After a mocktrial, he was convicted of rebellion, sedition and of forming illegal association. In the coldmorning of December 30, 1896, Rizal, a man whose 35 years of life had been packed with varied

activities which proved that the Filipino has capacity to equal if not excel even those who treat

him as a slave, was shot at Bagumbayan Field.

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