For other noodle stories of the Filipinos, see our [No. 9] and JAFL 20 : 104–106.
[1] Bayluhan (from the Spanish baile), “a dancing-party.” Katapusan (Tag.; from tapus, “end, finish”), a fiesta given nine days after the death of an adult, or three days after the death of a child.
[2] Silong, the ground floor of a Filipino house. Usually it has only a dirt floor, and is not finished off.
[3] The narrator has probably made the original episode a little more delicate here. There are inconsistencies in the present form of the story: a lizard would feel cold, not hot; besides, it would hardly remain clinging to Juan’s coat as he rushed through the forest. Clearly, something other than a lizard fell on Juan.
[4] Tuntung is the earthen cover of an earthen pot. The verb derived from it, tuntungan, has two meanings: one is “to cover something,” the other is: to step on or over something.” Hence Juan’s mistake.
Juan and his Painted Hat.
Narrated by Adolfo Scheerer, a Tagalog from Manila, who heard the story from their native servant some fifteen years ago.
There once lived a man by the name of Juan, who did nothing but fool people all the time. Once, when he had only seventy pesos left in his pockets, he determined to resort to the following scheme: he bought a balangut hat (a very cheap straw), and painted it five different colors. In the town where Juan was to operate, there were only three stores. He went to each one of them and deposited twenty pesos, saying to the owner of each, “I will deposit twenty pesos in your store, and to-morrow afternoon I will bring some friends here with me. We will perhaps take some refreshments or buy some goods, but in any case I will see to it that the total amount of the things we take is not over the twenty pesos. Then, when we leave, do not ask me to pay you for the things. I will simply make you a bow with my hat, and your attendants should thank me with much courtesy. That mere bow with my hat is to be the payment. You may keep the twenty pesos, but you must also keep this little plan a secret.” The owners of the three stores promised.
The next day Juan was walking in the street with his painted hat on, when one of his friends met him. “Halloo, Juan!” exclaimed his friend, “where did you get that funny hat?”