THE MONKEY AND THE TURTLE

BILAAN

Bilaan Comes from “BILA” means HOUSE and the Suffix AN that means people .. so that the term may be taken to mean “people living in the House”

Other terms that have been used to refer to this group are Blaan, Bira-an , Baraan, Vilanes, Bilanes. Names such as Tagalagad, Tagakogon, and Buluan have also been used; however, these denote the kind of site where some Bilaan groups were located. The Bilaan inhabit the southern part of South Cotabato and southeastern part of Davao del Sur, as well as the areas around Buluan Lake in North Cotabato. Other Bilaan groups on this island have been referred to as Balud or Tumanao. The Bilaan share similarities in culture and physical features with the neighboring Tagacaolo and the Tagabawa. As of 1988, the Bilaan numbered some

HistoryIn the 19th century, the Bilaan inhabited the hilly region behind the west coast of Davao Gulf. Their territory extended all the way into Bagobo country to the north and westward into the Davao-Cotabato watershed. Culturally, the Bilaan are related to the Bagobo and the Mandaya as evidenced by pronounced similarities in architecture, clothing, ornamentation, and socioreligious practices

. By 1910, the estimated Bilaan population was about 10,000, of whom some 1,500 lived on Sarangani. Because of the mountainous terrain and environment, there was practically no local group organization; houses were separated by long stretches. Whenever there was a neighborhood, the number of houses was small. Over the years, settlers from the Visayan islands came to Mindanao and occupied the coastal plains and foothills on the western coast of the Davao Gulf, which was traditionally part of Bilaan country. Gradually, the Bilaan were pushed deeper back into the interior, without much resistance on their part. In the distant past, the Bilaan were actively engaged in warfare. Along with the Manobo, Mandaya, Bagobo, and Tagacaolo, they had at one time or another reduced their neighbors in southwester Mindanao to the status of tribute-paying “colonies” (Casal 1986:55).EconomySwidden farming is the main agricultural method used by the Bilaan. In their rather small clearings, they grow rice, corn, millet, sweet potato, sugarcane, banana, papaya, pineapple, vegetables, tobacco, and abaca. What is left after domestic consumption is brought to the market to be sold. The last two commodities are produced as barter items, for which they get the food articles, utensils, and tools they need. The domestic animals include a few chickens, dogs, cats, and occasional fish .

Setting: IN THE FOREST

Summary:One morning,a monkey and a turtle who were close friends talked about their situation after a while the monkey said,lets’go to the forest and make a trap for a wild pigs. ” the turtle agreed .when they came upon a dakit tree,they saw the tracks of wild pigs.”lets make a trap here ,said the turtle,pointing to a base of the tree.No let’s make one trap up the tree because pigs go there and gather fruits said the monkeyThe two friends are not agree to each other idea’s…So they make their own trap.The two friends went their separate ways .After setting their traps the monkey said that they return after two days but the day after the traps are laid, the monkey went back in Dakit tree by himself . The turtle trap has a wild pig but the monkey has a bird , to save his face to the turtle, the monkey change the turtle trap into a bird and brought the wild pig in his trap on his way home , he met the turtle and he asked “where have you been”? I went to the river to take a bath he replied . As agreed on that day the two friends are went back to the Dakit tree the turtle was surprised to find a pig up the tree and bird in his trap which was set on the ground.He knew that the monkey trick him without saying a word the two friends went home with the pig and bird. When they came near at the monkey house ,they decided to fight it out wait the monkey said’ Ill build myself a fort he proceeded to make a fort out of a banana leaves .He believed them impregnable.

The turtle said, shoot first if it.where true that my trap caught a bird, pray that I will be killed at once .The monkey hit the turtle, the monkey rejoiced . The turtle cried “you hit my back but im protected by my shell. They fight and fight until the monkey wife and children has shoot by turtle arrow and then died.The monkey shout .Why don’t we become friends again and I`ll tell you the truth that your trap caught a pig . If the monkey did not reconciled to the turtle.The turtle would have killed him too,they sealed they friendship by partaking of nama from the monkey`s chew box.Sometimes later the monkey felt lonely because his wife and children was dead. “please keep me company the monkey pleaded we can go to the river and fish .They left the river to fish at the river bank they saw a banana stalk lets cut it in two the monkey suggestedi`ll take the upper half because the leaf and the fruit are too heavy for you .the two friends went to their respective kaingin and planted their parts.the next visit the turtle saw his plant heavy with fruit and the monkey plant had wilted.The monkey volunteered to get the fruit from the turtle kaingin he didn’t care to go down anymore and he ate everything. His made the turtle very mad.silently while the monkey was slept He planted a bamboo stakes around the banana stalk when the monkey turn on his side .He fell and agonizingly died. The turtle feasted on the monkey .on his way home he met a group of monkey ,they saw the turtle ‘s black teeth and asked for a nama after chewing some nama many throw up;others felt weak and drop dead those who didn’t partake of nama realized that their chew was a monkey ,they decided to run after the turtle and kill him the monkey found the monkey at the river bank each monkey bit him with a stone the turtle enjoy it.continue beating me so I’ll turn wide and flat and then I will be able to lick you

*all with my tail ,the monkey decided to throw him to the river haha don’t you know that I can live with water,the monkey were very mad they ask to the deer to drink all the water their sow they could get to the turtle .the deer ask them to put a stopper in his anus they use a corncob to close the orifice .whe the monkey make it to the turtle , tabkuko(bird)pecked on the corn cob and out went the water again.thrice the deer drew the water,thrice the tabkuko remove the corn cob.three monkeys drowned . They seized the bird and twisted its neck but the tabkuko didn’t died and he said that if u want o kill me ,pull the feathers and leave me on that stone near the river.in a week ‘s time you will see worms feasting on my body . The monkey do what the tabkuko said and they saw a worms all over the tabkuko body. But the turtle did not go unpunished,when he went out to the water, he met ared-tailed lizard.the lizard offered t o bring him up to the tree.so up the tree they went.the turtle held on to the lizard tail as hard as he could,but he slipped! Down he felwith aloud crash. The turtle shell was broken into pieces.And while the sun hid behind the tree, THE TURTLE DIED.

CHARACTER:*THE MONKEY *THE TURTLE*TABKUKO(BIRD)*DEER *GROUP OF MONKEY

THEME; GREEDINESS

ANALYSIS:*BE CONTENTED OF WHAT YOU HAVE*DON’T BE GREEDY *YOU SHOULD TREASURE YOUR FRIEND *DON’T TRICK SOMEONE MUCH MORE YOUR FRIEND.