Maricar C.

Bebanco BSEd II-A

B. Folk Tales

Ever since, the Philippines has been blessed with a wealth of folk tales.
Because folk tales have been passed on by word of mouth it is difficult to trace their
origins. Contemporary writers build their stories from old folk tales or from the products
of their imaginations.

Folk tales are made up of stories about life, adventure, love, horror, and humor
where one can derive lessons about life. These are useful to us because they help us
appreciate our environment, evaluate our personalities and improve our perspectives in
life.

Example:
THE MOON AND THE SUN
( Tingguian folk tale)

C. The Epic Age

Epics are long narrative poems in which a series of heroic achievements or

events, usually of a hero, are dealt with at length. Nobody can determine which epics are
the oldest because in their translations from other languages, even in English and
Spanish. We can only determine their origins from the time mentioned in the said epic.

The HUDHOD and the ALIM of the Ifugaos may have happened during the
Stone Age when iron was still unknown. The Darangan of the Moros may have started
during the period of the kingdom of the Bumbaran thar sank in the Pacific Ocean during
the Deluge. It is clear that MARAGTAS was written during the period of Christ and the
IBALON of Bicol which dealt with the early people of Bicol is believed to have
happened before the Deluge.

Aside from the aforementioned epics, there are still other epics that can be read
and studied like the following epics.

a. Bidasari – Moro epic

b. Biag ni Lam-ang – Ilokano epic
c. Maragtas – Visayan epic
d. Haraya – Visayan epic
e. Lagda – Visayan epic
f. Hari sa Bukid – Visayan epic
g. Kumintang – Tagalog epic
h. Parang Sabir – Moro epic
i. “Dagoy” at “Sudsod” – Tagbanua epic
j. Tatuaang – Bagobo epic
k. Indarapatra at Sulayman
l. Bantugan
m. Daramoke-A-Babay – Moro epic in “Darangan”