Filipino Popular Tales, by Dean S. Fansler

Sagacious Marcela

Narrated by Lorenzo Licup, a Pampangan.

Long, long before the Spaniards came, there lived a man who had a

beautiful, virtuous, and, above all, clever daughter. He was a servant

of the king. Marcela, the daughter, loved her father devotedly, and

always helped him with his work. From childhood she had manifested a

keen wit and undaunted spirit. She would even refuse to obey unjust

orders from the king. No question was too hard for her to answer,

and the king was constantly being surprised at her sagacity.

One day the king conceived a plan by which he might test the ingenious

Marcela. He bade his servants procure a tiny bird and carry it to her

house. "Tell her," said the king, "to make twelve dishes out of that

one bird."

The servants found Marcela sewing. They told her of the order of the

king. After thinking for five minutes, she took one of her pins, and

said to the servants, "If the king can make twelve spoons out of this

pin, I can also make twelve dishes out of that bird." On receiving

the answer, the king realized that the wise Marcela had gotten the

better of him; and he began to think of another plan to puzzle her.

Again he bade his servants carry a sheep to Marcela's house. "Tell

her," he said, "to sell the sheep for six reales, and with the money

this very same sheep must come back to me alive."

At first Marcela could not make out what the king meant for her to

do. Then she thought of selling the wool only, and not the whole

sheep. So she cut off the wool and sold it for six reales, and sent

the money with the live sheep back to the king. Thus she was again

relieved from a difficulty.

The king by this time realized that he could not beat Marcela in

points of subtlety. However, to amuse himself, he finally thought of

one more scheme to test her sagacity. It took him two weeks to think

it out. Summoning a messenger, he said to him, "Go to Marcela, and

tell her that I am not well, and that my physician has advised me to

drink a cup of bull's milk. Therefore she must get me this medicine,

or her father will lose his place in the palace." The king also issued

an order that no one was to bathe or to wash anything in the river,

for he was going to take a bath the next morning.

As soon as Marcela had received the command of the king and had

heard of his second order, she said, "How easy it will be for me to

answer this silly order of the king!" That night she and her father

killed a pig, and smeared its blood over the sleeping-mat, blanket,

and pillows. When morning came, Marcela took the stained bed-clothing

to the source of the river, where the king was bathing. As soon as

the king caught sight of her, he said in a voice of thunder, "Why do

you wash your stuff in the river when you know I ordered that nobody

should use the river to-day but me?"

Marcela replied, "It is the custom, my lord, in our country, to wash

the mat, pillows, and other things stained with blood, immediately

after a person has given birth to a child. As my father gave birth to

a child last night, custom forces me to disobey your order, although

I do it much against my will."

"Nonsense!" said the king. "The idea of a man giving birth to a

child! Absurd! Ridiculous!"

"My lord," said Marcela, "it would be just as absurd to think of

getting milk from a bull."

Then the king, recollecting his order, said, "Marcela, as you are so

witty, clever, and virtuous, I will give you my son for your husband."