“Ho, you mosquitoes! what are you doing there?” asked the chief of the outlaws as he looked up at the ceiling.
“Aha, you rascals! we are going to eat you all,” answered the blind man in the loudest voice he could muster.
“What’s that you say?” returned the chief.
“Why, we have been looking for you, for we intend to eat you all up,” replied Juan; “and to show you what kind of animals we are, here is one of my teeth,” and Juan threw down the rusted axe. “Look at one of my hairs!” continued Juan, as he threw down the rope.
The outlaws were so frightened that they were almost ready to run away. The chief could not say a single word.
“Now listen, you ants, to my whistle!” said Juan, and he blew the horn. “And to show you how big our stomachs are, hear us beat them!” and he beat the drum. The outlaws were so frightened that they ran away. Some of them even jumped out of the windows.
When the robbers were all gone, Juan and Justo went down to divide the money; but the lame man tried to cheat the blind man, and they had a quarrel over the division. Justo struck Juan in the eyes with the palm of his hand, and the blind man’s eyes were opened so that he could see. Juan kicked Justo so hard, that the lame man rolled toward one corner of the house and struck a post. His lameness was cured, so that he could stand and walk.
When they saw that each had done the other a great service, they divided the money fairly, and lived ever after together as close friends.
Teofilo the Hunchback, and the Giant.
Narrated by Loreta Benavides, a Bicol student, who heard the story from her aunt.