Acosta, Jezwill Noreal C.

Chalimeg, Denver P.
Fang, Christian Jay G.
Pablo, Jared Darius A.
Tango, Audrey John G.

The Monkey and the Turtle : An Analysis

We’ve read several versions about this crafty rivalry between the turtle and the
monkey. The original version of this folktale was written and illustrated by Dr. Jose
Rizal while he was in Paris during the 1880’s. But, the folktale that we will try to
analyze was written by Mabel Cook Cole, an American writer who wrote a more
detailed version of the tale based on Ilocano origin. Though almost the same, the main
difference between the two versions is that Cole emphasizes the reason why monkeys
do not eat meat. The monkey also died in Cole’s version.

The folktale speaks about the revenge of the clever turtle who was tricked by the
cunning monkey. The monkey took advantage of the kindness of the turtle for his own
good. With anger, the turtle flipped the table around by outsmarting the selfish
monkey. The turtle exclaimed, “Crocodile is coming!”, which was the reason why the
monkey was startled and fell from the banana plant. He was then impaled by the sharp
bamboo that the turtle stuck all around the plant which resulted to his death. The turtle
then cut the monkey into pieces , put salt into it, and dried it. The next day, he went to
the mountains and sold the meat to the other monkeys and received a squash in return.
As he was leaving, he mocked the monkeys by saying that they are stupid, lazy, and
they’re eating their own body. Because of this, the monkeys caught him and tried to
kill the turtle. But instead of dread, the turtle laughed at the stupid monkeys as he flex
his invincible shell. It was then decided that he shall be thrown into the water to
drown and sank to the bottom. The monkeys were surprised when he came up with a
lobster. The monkeys then begged him to teach them on how to catch lobsters. The
turtle once again used his dire situation to outwit the ignorant monkeys. He tricked
them by giving bogus information where the monkeys tied string to themselves and a
stone to make them sink. The monkeys plunged into the water and never to come up
again. And to this day, monkeys do not like to eat meat because they remember the
ancient story.
 The story is packed with moral lessons for everyone. It taught us not to be selfish
because it is better to give than to receive. We need to share our blessings especially
to those who is in need of our help. Treating our friends with utmost kindness was
also emphasized. Contentment was also highlighted in the story where we should be
satisfied on the things that we have.

In the story, the turtle displayed much impressive sagacity and cunning over the
monkey, punishing those monkeys with it. The lesson is that, the weak but cunning
can be a lot stronger than the strong but stupid. One shouldn’t be daunted by the
apparent strength of a stronger foe, and instead, use one’s intellect.

The story also utilizes a variety of symbols. The turtle itself is a clear
representation of those weak yet cunning and hardworking individuals in our society.
The monkey, on the other hand, represents those who have power to abuse and
torment the weak people. The crocodile may represent our fear to God or our
inferiority to those in higher authorities than us. The banana plant symbolizes the
abundance of resources. Of course, it is not an unlimited supply so we proper
conservation and utilization is needed for future use. The other monkeys represent
those who are lazy and easily manipulated by sweet words. The string and stone
proves us that being ignorant can be deadly. In this modern world, knowledge itself is
a powerful weapon. So just by being illiterate may mean digging your own grave. The
shell of the turtle represents the tenacity of the weak people.

In the folktale, the author used Allegory - a type of narrative that uses characters
and plot to exemplify abstract ideas and themes. The monkey and the turtle is more
than just about a turtle and a monkey. It also aims to teach the lesson: the weak but
cunning can be a lot stronger than the strong but stupid. The events and the characters
tend to represent more than they appear on the surface.

Generally, the story embraces the unique and vivid culture of the Ilocanos. It
enlightens our comprehension to our folklore which was not evident on the other
versions of the story. Although it is not original, the values and ideals were further
emphasized because it contains more details. Folktales like this are usually
unappreciated because some may consider it as childish, but we can fish values in this
ocean of moral values that we can use in our daily lives.
 The Monkey and the Turtle
by Mabel Cook Cole

A monkey, looking very sad and dejected, was walking along the bank of the
river one day when he met a turtle. "How are you?" asked the turtle, noticing that he
looked sad. The monkey replied, "Oh, my friend, I am very hungry. The squash of Mr.
Farmer were all taken by the other monkeys, and now I am about to die from want of
food." "Do not be discouraged," said the turtle; "take a bolo and follow me and we
will steal some banana plants."

So they walked along together until they found some nice plants which they dug
up, and then they looked for a place to set them. Finally the monkey climbed a tree
and planted his in it, but as the turtle could not climb he dug a hole in the ground and
set his there. When their work was finished they went away, planning what they
should do with their crop. The monkey said: "When my tree bears fruit, I shall sell it
and have a great deal of money." And the turtle said: "When my tree bears fruit, I
shall sell it and buy three varas of cloth to wear in place of this cracked shell."

A few weeks later they went back to the place to see their plants and found that
that of the monkey was dead, for its roots had had no soil in the tree, but that of the
turtle was tall and bearing fruit. "I will climb to the top so that we can get the fruit,"
said the monkey. And he sprang up the tree, leaving the poor turtle on the ground
alone. "Please give me some to eat," called the turtle, but the monkey threw him only
a green one and ate all the ripe ones himself.

When he had eaten all the good bananas, the monkey stretched his arms around
the tree and went to sleep. The turtle, seeing this, was very angry and considered how
he might punish the thief. Having decided on a scheme, he gathered some sharp
bamboo which he stuck all around under the tree, and then he exclaimed: "Crocodile
is coming! Crocodile is coming!"

The monkey was so startled at the cry that he fell upon the sharp bamboo and was
killed. Then the turtle cut the dead monkey into pieces, put salt on it, and dried it in
the sun. The next day, he went to the mountains and sold his meat to other monkeys
who gladly gave him squash in return. As he was leaving them he called back: "Lazy
fellows, you are now eating your own body; you are now eating your own body."
Then the monkeys ran and caught him and carried him to their own home. "Let us
take a hatchet," said one old monkey, "and cut him into very small pieces."

But the turtle laughed and said: "That is just what I like, I have been struck with a
hatchet many times. Do you not see the black scars on my shell?" Then one of the
other monkeys said: "Let us throw him into the water," At this the turtle cried and
begged them to spare his life, but they paid no heed to his pleadings and threw him
into the water. He sank to the bottom, but very soon came up with a lobster. The
monkeys were greatly surprised at this and begged him to tell them how to catch
lobsters.

"I tied one end of a string around my waist," said the turtle. "To the other end of
the string I tied a stone so that I would sink." The monkeys immediately tied strings
around themselves as the turtle said, and when all was ready they plunged into the
water never to come up again.

And to this day monkeys do not like to eat meat, because they remember the
ancient story.
 Ni sung-go ken ni pag-ong

by Mabel Cook Cole ( translated into Ilokano)

Iti maysa nga aldaw, naliday ni sunggo nga magmagna iddiay abay ti karayan idi
nakita na ni pag-ong. “Kamusta ka? Apay a naliday ka?” dinamag ni pag-ong. “Ay
gayyem, mabisin nak la unay. Diaay karabasa a mula ni manong a mannalon ket
innaka ket dagidyay padak a sunggo”. Sungbat ni sunggo. “Dika maawanan ni
namnama gayyem. Mangala ka ti kayo sanak suruten ta inta agtakaw iti mula a saba”.
Kinuna ni pag-ong
 Nagkuyog da ngarod nga nagna agginga a nakakita da ti nalalapsat a mula sada
ginabot sada nangsarak ti napintas a pagmulaan. Diay sunggo ket immuli idiay kayo
sana immula idiay. Ngem gapo ta saan a maka uli ni pag-ong ket nagaramid latta
sunan ti abot sana inmula idiay. Idi nalpas dyay ubradan ket timmalaw da. Pinanunot
da nu ana ti pamay-an da ken diay mula da. Ingbaga ni sunggo : “Intub agbungan tu
diay mulak ket ilakok to tapno maaddaan nak ti kwarta.” Kinuna met ni pag-ong,
“Intun agbungan tu diay mulak ket ilakok to sanak to gumatang ti tallo nga nalalapsat
nga bado nga usarek ta haan la nga etuy nagalas nga balay cas ti leddeg ko.”

Makalibas iti mano a lawas ket nagsubli da diay lugar nga nagmulaan da.
Nakigtot da idi nakita da diay mula ni sunggo ket natay ta awan met ngamin ti daga
idiay kayo. Ngem diay bagi ni pag-ong ket nagdakkel ken adu ti bunga nan. “Umuli
ak idiay ngato tapno maka ala ta diay bunga na” kinuna ni sunggo. Inuli sigud ni
sunggo jay kayon, nabati met nga agmeymeysa ni pag-ong jay baba. “Ikkan nak met ti
kanek a gayyem” kiniddaw ni pag-ong, ngem ti metlang inted ni sunggo ket maysa
nga saba sapaylang dipay naluuman ata kinnan na met amin nga naluumen.

Idi nakan na dyay naimas a saban, inyunnat ni sunggo diag ima na idyay kayo
santo naturog. Nagpungtot ni pag-ong a nakakita ken daytoy ken nagpanunuten nu
kasano na nga dusaen ni sunggo a birkog. Napanunutan na ngarod nga nagala ti
natatadem a kayo sana pinalawlawan idiay pagbabaan ni sunggo, sana ingpukkaw:
“Umay ni buwaya’n! Umay ni buwaya’n!”

Permi nga nakigtut ni sunggo kadijay pukkaw ni pag-ong nga isut gapo na nga
natnag isuna ken natudok pay kadagiti natadem nga kawayan jay siruk ti saba nga isut
gapu iti nakatayan na.

Iniwiwa ni pag-ong jay natay nga sunggo, inasinan na, sakbay na nga ing bilag
jay siruk ni Apo Init. Kinabigatan na, nagsubli isuna jay bantay tapno ilako jay karne
ni sunggo kadagijay pada na metlang nga sunggo . Naragsakan kadijay karne nga
immay inglako ni pag-ong isu nga inikkan da met iti karabasa ni pag-ong. Idi adda na
idyay dalanen, ing pukkaw na: “Nasasadut nga sunggo, pada yo metlang nga sunggo
deta kankanen yo, pada yo metlang nga sunggo deta.” Kinamat dagijay sunggo ni
pag-ong sada ginammatan sakbay da nga nagawid idyay balay da. “Alaen yo man jay
wasay ta tabba-tabbaten tay man isuna.” kuna jay lakay nga ssunggo. Ngem
ingkatawa laeng ni pag-ong santo kinuna na : “ Dayta man ti pagayat ko, Namin ado
ak nga natagba-tagbaten. Apay madi yo makita dagituy peklat ti sugat dituy balay
cas ti leddeg ko?” Santo imbaga jay maysa kadagiti sunggo : “ Ipurwak tayo isuna
ijay danom”

Gapu ta kastuy met ti kasasaad ti pag-ong , awan mabalinan nan nu di ket lang
agluwasit ken ag pakpakaasi kadagijay sunggo. Ngem anyan a ranggas ket dida latta
pinatpati daytuy pag-ong ken intultuloy da latta tay dakes nga impaay iti panunot da.
Limned ni pag-ong aginggana nga natukod na iti kakaadaleman nga disso iti danum.
Ngem anyan aya iti gasat ta haan met nga nalmes nu diket pay nakatiliw iti kampa
kalpasan nga timmakdang. Permi iti siddaaw dagituy naluluko nga sunggo.
Agsingsingpet met dagituy kenni pag-ong tapnu maamwan da nu kasano nga
nakatiliw isuna iti kampa.

“Ay ta ket nalaka lang, igalut ko daytuy tali ayan tuy sibet ko. Kalpasan ket
ingsilpok jay udi ti tali iti maysa nga nadagsen a bato tapnu lumned nak iti danum.”
Anyan a ragsak ken panagyaman dagiti sunggo. Inubra da met nu ana dyay inbaga ni
pag-ong. Alas, nagpaspas iti karma. Ni kararwa, anges, puot, ken pamakawan, awan
pulos nakapuot.

Kalpasan iti mano a tawen ken didigra, madi a puloskayat iti sunggo iti mangan
karne ta malaglagip da pelang iti amak ken bangungot jay napalabas.