Filipino Popular Tales, by Dean S. Fansler

Is He the Crafty Ulysses?

Narrated by Lorenzo Licup, a Pampango from Angeles, Pampanga.

Balbino and Alaga had only one child, a son named Suguid, who was at

first greatly beloved by them. The couple was very rich, and therefore

the boy wanted nothing that was not granted by his parents. Now,

the son was a voracious eater. While still a baby, he used to pull

up the nails from the floor and eat them, when his mother had no

more milk to give him. When all the nails were exhausted, he ate the

cotton with which the pillows were stuffed. Thus his parents used to

compare him to a mill which consumes sugarcane incessantly. It was

not many years before the wealth of the couple had become greatly

diminished by the lavish expenditure they had to make for Suguid's

food. So Suguid became more and more intolerable every day. At last

his parents decided to cast him away into a place from which he might

not be able to find his way home again.

One day they led him to a dense forest, and there abandoned

him. Luckily for Suguid, a merchant soon passed by that place. The

merchant heard him crying, and looked for him. He found the boy, and,

being a good-natured man, he took the boy home with him. It was not

long before the merchant realized that Suguid was a youth of talent,

and he put him in school. In a few weeks the boy showed his superiority

over his classmates. In time he beat even the master in points of

learning. And so it was that after only five months of studying he left

the school, because he found it too small for his expanding intellect.

By some mathematical calculation, so the tradition says, or by certain

mysterious combinations of characters that he wrote on paper, Suguid

discovered one day that a certain princess was hidden somewhere. She

had been concealed in such a way that her existence might not be known

other than by her parents and the courtiers. Suguid immediately went

to the palace of the king, and posted a paper on the palace-door. The

paper read as follows: "Your Majesty cannot deny me the fact that he

has a daughter secluded somewhere. Your humble servant, Suguid Bociu."

When the king read this note, he became very angry, as he could

now no longer keep the secret of his daughter's existence. He

immediately despatched his soldiers to look for the presumptuous

Suguid. The soldiers found the boy without much difficulty, and

brought him before the king. Bursting with anger, the king said,

"Are you the one who was bold enough to post this paper?"

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Can you prove what you have stated?"

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Very well," said the king; "if you can, I will give you my daughter

for your bride. If within three days you fail to produce her before

me, however, you shall be unconditionally executed."

"I will not fail to fulfil my promise, your Majesty," said Suguid.

After this brief interview, Suguid went directly home.     He told the

merchant all about his plan to marry the princess.

"Why did you dare tell the king that you know where his daughter is,"

said the merchant, "when there is no certainty at all of your finding

her or of gaining her consent?"

"Oh, do not be afraid, father!" said Suguid. "If you will but

provide me with twelve of the best goldsmiths that can be found in

the whole city, I have no doubt of finding and captivating the fair

princess." As the merchant was a rich man, and influential too, he

summoned in an hour all the good goldsmiths that could be found in

the city. When all the goldsmiths were assembled, Suguid ordered them

to make a purlon. This purlon was made of gold, silver, and precious

stones. It was oblong in shape, and hollow inside, being five feet

high, three feet deep, and four feet long. Inside it were placed a

chair and a lamp. By means of a certain device a person inside the

purlon could breathe. Altogether its construction was so beautiful,

that it seemed as if it were intended for the sight of the gods alone.

When all was ready, Suguid entered the purlon, taking with him all

the necessary provisions,--food, fine clothes, a poniard, and a

guitar. Every part of the purlon was so well joined, that no opening

whatever could be detected. Before going into the purlon, Suguid

told the merchant to take the goldsmiths home, and not to allow

them to leave the house for three days, lest they should reveal the

secret. Suguid then ordered five men to carry the purlon towards the

king's palace. In the mean time he was playing the sweetest piece of

music that mortal ears had ever heard. When the purlon was near the

palace, the king was so charmed by the melodious music, that he asked

the master of the carriers to halt for a moment. "Pray," he said,

"are you the owner of that thing?"

"No, sir! a certain man in our district owns it," said the carrier.

"Who gave him this divine gift?"

"Your Majesty, this purlon, as it is called, is of a rather mysterious

origin. The owner of this (pointing to the purlon) was a religious

man. He was formerly very wealthy; but because he gave much alms to

the poor and the needy, his riches soon came to an end. He is now

so poor, that his silken clothes have all been exchanged for ragged

cotton ones. Early one morning, when he was about to go to the church,

he was surprised to find this purlon at his door, giving out music

as you hear it now."

The king turned to the queen, who was sitting beside him, and said,

"Oh, how happy our daughter would be if she should hear this enchanting

piece of music!--Sir, if you will lend me this purlon, you may ask

of me as a compensation any favor that you may want."

"Your Majesty, I will lend it to you with all my heart, but on

condition that it be returned within two days, lest the owner scold

me for having given it up."

"Yes," answered the king, "I will give it back as soon as my daughter

has seen it." The king and queen then immediately ordered that the

purlon be carried before the princess. The princess's joy need not

be described if we only think how happy we should be if we were in

the same situation as she. She was so bewitched by the music, that

she told her father never to take it away from her.

"O daughter!" said the king, "we have just borrowed this purlon,

and we promised to return it as soon as you had seen it. However,

you may have it the whole night."

The king and the queen, convinced that their daughter was quite happy,

soon bade her good-by. Before leaving, the king said, "You must not

spend the whole night in listening to the sweet music."

"Have no fear, father! I will go to sleep early."

Suguid, who was inside the purlon, listened very carefully to the

retreating footsteps of the king and queen. As soon as he thought

they were too far away to hear their daughter in case she should cry

out, he came out from the purlon, poniard in hand. The princess,

of course, was very much frightened when she saw Suguid kneeling

before her, and saying, "Fair princess, let not my presence cause any

fear! In coming here, I had no other purpose than to reveal to you

a secret that I have long cherished in my heart. It is universally

acknowledged that you are the most beautiful, the most virtuous,

the most accomplished living mortal on earth, and as such you have

awakened in me an intense love. So, taking no heed of the danger

that I might encounter on the way, I ventured to search for you,

Lily of the Valley and Rose of the Town--to love you, to adore you as

a living saint. Your ring, my adored princess, will give me life or

death,--life, because I shall be spared from being beheaded; death,

for I have promised your father to present your ring to him within

three days as a token of your acceptance of my suit. Therefore, Queen

of Beauty, choose, your ring, or my death. I have my poniard ready,

and I prefer a hundred times to die--nay, die smiling--at your hands."

The princess was so moved by this passionate speech, that she was mute

for some time. After a difficult struggle within herself, she said,

"Seeing your intense love and devotion for me, I cannot but consent

to your proposal. Were not the matter pressing, however, I should not

give my consent in so short a time. Here is the ring, if pleasure it

will give you."

Suguid took the ring courteously, and said, "How can I paint in

words my pleasure and gratitude! As it were, you have snatched me

from the cold hands of Death. You have saved me from the fury of your

father. You have given me a heaven of joy. Oh, how shall I describe

it! I thank you very much. But now I must leave you and go into the

purlon,--the blessed purlon,--as it is almost morning. Your father

will soon come and take this purlon away. But I must let you know

this one fact: as soon as I have presented this ring to the king,

you will be taken away from here. You will be made my beloved wife."

"Yes, I have no objection to that," said the princess. Suguid, being

thus assured of his success, entered the purlon again.

Morning came, and the king and queen went to the princess's palace at

ten o'clock. They talked a while with their daughter, who assured them

of her great satisfaction with the purlon. Then they bade her good-by,

as there was important business to be transacted that day. They took

the purlon with them, and returned it to the agent.

On the appointed day Suguid appeared at the king's palace, carrying

with him the emblem of his victory,--the ring. On seeing Suguid

approaching so cheerfully, the king knew that he was lost. He therefore

swooned, but on recovering he realized that he had to abide by his

promise. He reluctantly caused the princess to be summoned from her

palace, and she and Suguid were married together; and it was not long

before the king and queen began to appreciate the talent of their

humble and lowly son-in-law. By Suguid's wise policy the kingdom

prospered, and for the first time learned what peace really meant.