(iguana)
The Iguana and the Turtle
Narrated by Sixto Guico of Binalonan, Pangasinan, who says that the story is fairly common among the Pangasinanes.
Once upon a time there lived two good friends — an iguana and a turtle. They always went fishing together. One day the turtle invited the iguana to go catch fish in a certain pond that he knew of.
After they had been there about two hours, the old man who owned the pond came along. The iguana escaped, but the turtle was caught. The old man took the turtle home, tied a string around its neck, and fastened it under the house.
Early in the morning the iguana went to look for his friend the turtle. The iguana wandered everywhere looking for him, and finally he found him under the old man’s house, tied to a post.
“What are you doing here, my friend?” said the iguana.
“That old man wants me to marry his daughter, but I do not want to marry her,” said the turtle.
Now, the iguana very much wanted a wife, and he was delighted at this chance. So he asked the turtle to be allowed to take his place. The turtle consented. So the iguana released the turtle and was tied up in his place. Then the turtle made off as fast as he could.
When the old man woke up, he heard someone saying over and over again, “I want to marry your daughter.” He became angry and went down under the house to see who was talking. There he found the iguana saying, “I want to marry your daughter.” The old man picked up a big stick to beat its head, but the iguana cut the string and ran away.
On his way he came across the turtle again, who was listening to the sound produced by the rubbing of two bamboos when the wind blew. “What! Are you here again?” said the iguana.
“Be quiet!” said the turtle. “I am listening to the pipe of my grandfather up there. Don’t you hear it?”
The iguana wanted to see the turtle’s grandfather, so he climbed up the tree and put his mouth between the two bamboos that were rubbing together. His mouth was badly pinched, and he fell down to the ground. The turtle meanwhile had disappeared.
MORAL: This teaches that the one who believes foolishly will be injured.
Next: Why Mosquitoes Hum
(400 words)
