Philipino Tale: Juan Wearing a Monkey’s Skin Essay

This Filipino story was preserve in English based on a Kapampangan (Pampango, from the province of Pampanga) adaptation in the early 20th century. There is also a Bicolano (Bikulano, from Bicol) variation of this story. Once upon a time there was a couple which was at first childless. The father was genuinely anxiousto make up a son to inherit his property so he went to the church daily, and prayed God to breach hima child, hardly in vain. One day, in his abundant disappointment, the man exclaimed without thinking, O great God let me have a son, even if it is in the nisus of a pixie and only a few days later his wife gave yield to a monkey. The father was so much gangrenous that he wanted to kill his sonbut finally his purify reas on prevailed, and he spared the child. He state to himself, It is my fault,I know but I uttered that invocation without thinking. So, instead of putting the monkey to death, the couple fairish hid it from visitors and whenever any ane asked for the child, they merely answered, Oh, he died long ago.The time came when the monkey grew to be old enough to marry. He went to his father, and said, Give me your blessing, father, for I am going away to wait for a wife. The father was only excessively glad to be freed from this obnoxious son, so he immediately gave him his blessing. onward letting him go, however, the father said to the monkey, You must never come rearward again to our house.Very well, I provide not, said the monkey.The monkey so left his fathers house, and went to adjust his fortune. One night he dreamed thatthere was a citadel in the midst of the sea, and that in this castle dwelt a princess of unspeakable beauty. The princess had been put there so that no one might discover her existence. The monkey, who had been baptized two days after his birth and was named Juan,immediately repaired to the palace of the king. There he posted a letter which necessitate as follows I, Juan, know that your stateliness has a daughter.Naturally the king was very angry to have his secret discovered. He immediately sent soldiers to look for Juan. Juan was soon found, and brought to the palace. The king said to him, How do you know that I have a daughter? If you can bring her here, I will give her to you for a wife. If not, howeve r, your head shall be cut off from your body.O your Majesty said Juan, I am sure that I can find her and bring her here. I am willing to losemy head if within tether days I fail to fulfil my promise. After he had said this, Juan withdrew, and sadly went out to look for the hidden princess. As he was locomote along the road, he heard the cry of a birdwatch. He looked up, and sawing machine a bird caught between two boughs so that it could not escape. The bird said to him, O monkey, if you will but release me, I willgive you all I have.