A Tinguian Folktale

One day a little boy named Elonen sat out in the yard making a bird snare, and as he worked, a little bird called to him:

“Tik-tik-lo-den” (come and catch me).

An Excerpt from the original Filipino text of the Ibong Adarna corrido By Anonymous CORRIDO AT BUHAY NA PINAGDAANAN NANG TATLONG PRINCIPENG MAGCACAPATID NA ANAC NANG HARING FERNANDO AT NANG REINA VALERIANA SA CAHARIANG BERBANIA Virgeng Ináng mariquit Emperadora sa Langit, tulungan po yaring isip matutong macapagsulit. Sa aua mo po’t, talaga Vírgeng ualang macapára, [...]

If you can answer the following ten questions correctly, then your love affair with our very own language is confirmed. Go on, dive into it.

ni Bryan Mari Argos Mabuhinan na ang akon tinig-ang Bisan ang talagbasan. Ang sud-an nga duha ka pantat Mangin isa na lamang bisan Naga-surong sang semilya Ang aton pantatan. Ano abi, kay tuyo mo nga paawason Ang aton talagbasan, kag ang pantatan Himuon nga bangrusan, Gani, ginpili mo nga manyaga Sa malayo nga lamesa, kun [...]

One day a man who had been to gather his coconuts loaded his horse heavily with the fruit. On the way home he met a boy whom he asked how long it would take to reach the house.

One day the Moon, who was a woman named Kabigat, sat out in the yard making a large copper pot. The copper was still soft and pliable like clay, and the woman squatted on the ground with the heavy pot against her knees while she patted and shaped it.

Itong Katagalugan na pinamamahalaan ng unang panahon ng ating tunay na mga kababayan niyaong hindi pa tumutungtong sa mga lupaing ito ang mga kastila ay nabubuhay sa lubos na kasaganaan, at kaguinhawahan.

The guavas were ripe, and Juan’s father sent him to gather enough for the family and for the neighbors who came to visit them. Juan went to the guava bushes and ate all that he could hold. Then he began to look around for mischief. He soon found a wasp nest and managed to get [...]

On a time there lived in a village a poor man and his wife, who had a son named Benito. The one ambition of the lad from his earliest youth was that he might be a help to the family in their struggle for a living.