Filipino Popular Tales, by Dean S. Fansler

Juan Sadut

Narrated by Nicolas Zafra, an Ilocano from San Fernando, La Union. The

story is very popular among the country people about San Fernando,

he reports.

Many years ago there lived a certain old couple who had an only

son. Juan, for that was the boy's name, was known throughout the

village as an idler, and for this reason he was called Juan Sadut. He

had no liking for any kind of work; in fact, his contempt for all

work was so great, that he never even helped his father or mother.

One day his father took him to the fields to have him help harvest

their crops; but, instead of going to work, Juan betook himself to

a shady spot on the edge of the field, and fell asleep.

His father, who was very much enraged by this conduct of his son,

determined then and there to dispose of him. He carried the sleeping

boy to another part of the field, and laid him down just beside a large

snake-hole. He expected that the snake, when it came out of its hole,

would sting the sleeping idler, who would thus be disposed of quietly.

When Juan awoke, he found a large snake coiled near him. In his fright,

he sprang to his feet to run away; but the snake looked up at him

sympathetically, and then began to speak: "Why do you fear me? Don't

you know that I am the king of the snakes? I am going to give you

a wonderful gift that will make you happy forever;" and having said

this, it dropped a gold ring on the ground, and bade Juan pick it up

and wear it on his finger. The ring was of pure gold, and it had on it

initials that Juan could not understand. "Keep that ring carefully,

for it will be of great use to you," said the snake. "Consult it for

anything you want, and it will advise you how to proceed to obtain

the object of your desire."

After thanking the snake for its gift, Juan set out on his travels. He

never worried about his food from day to day, for from his magic ring

he could get anything he needed.

In his wanderings, word reached Juan's ears that the king of that

country would give his beautiful daughter to any one who could fulfil

three conditions. Juan was thrilled with joy on hearing this news,

for he was sure that he would be the successful competitor for the

hand of the princess. When he presented himself before the court,

his slovenly appearance and awkward movements only excited laughter

and mirth among the nobles. "What chance have you of winning the

prize?" they asked him in derision.

"Let me know the conditions, and time will show," said Juan. "You must

fulfil three conditions before I give my daughter to you," said the

king. "First, you must fight with my tiger, and kill it if you can;

second, you must go get and bring back to me the burning stone that

the dragon in the mountains has in its possession; third, you must

answer correctly a question that I shall ask you."

"Very well," said Juan as he turned to go, "I will do all you require

of me." Now, many a young man had risked his life for the hand of the

beautiful princess; but no one had yet succeeded in winning even the

first contest. The king's tiger was ferocious and strong, and as agile

as a mouse. Then there was the formidable dragon in the mountains,

whose breath alone was deadly poisonous. This dragon lived in a

cave the entrance to which was guarded by poisonous serpents. Every

morning it would come out of its cave to play with its wonderful stone

by tossing it up into the air and catching it in its mouth when it

fell. Hence it was difficult, if not impossible, to succeed in these

undertakings. The young men who had been stirred by their intense

love for the princess had bartered away their lives for her hand.

When Juan arrived home, he took up his little ring, and said to it,

"Advise me as to how I may overcome the king's tiger."

"Get a handful of sand," replied the ring, "and mix with it an equal

quantity of red pepper. Take the mixture with you into the arena,

and when the tiger comes near you, fling the sand into its eyes."

Juan prepared the sand and pepper as he had been advised. The next

day he stepped into the arena amid the shouts and cheers of the

spectators. He looked, as usual, to be an idle, slow-moving fellow,

who would have no chance at all against the wild beast. The tiger soon

appeared at the opposite end of the arena, and advanced rapidly towards

Juan. When the animal was about three yards from him, he flung the

mixture of sand and pepper into its eyes. The tiger was blinded. Juan

then drew his dagger and buried it deep into the animal's heart.

The next task he had to perform was to obtain the dragon's fiery

stone. The ring advised him thus: "Go to the cave, and, in order to

gain admittance, show me to the serpents. I am sacred to them, and

they will fulfil whatever commands my possessor gives them." Juan

proceeded to the cave in the mountains. He had no sooner entered it

than hissing serpents came towards him in threatening attitudes. Juan,

however, showed them the signet ring; and they at once became tame,

and showed him that they were glad to obey whatever he should command

them to do. "Go and get the dragon's stone," he ordered, and soon

they came back with the much-coveted treasure.

When the king saw that Juan had fulfilled two of the hardest

conditions, he became alarmed because the new bridegroom was to be a

person of very low birth: so he devised the most difficult question

possible, with the view of preventing Juan from winning his daughter

the princess.

Juan now presented himself before the king and his court to perform the

third and last task. "What am I thinking about now?" asked the king.

Juan appeared to hesitate a moment, but he was really consulting

his ring. The ring said to him, "The king has in mind the assurance

that you will not be able to answer his question." Then looking up,

Juan answered the king's question in the precise words of the ring,

and thus answered it correctly.

Astonished at the wonderful power of Juan, the king gave his daughter

to him; and when he died, the young couple inherited the crown of

the kingdom.