Balayan, Batangas: Historical Data Part 3
PART III
[p. 15]
Riddles
| 1. | I come from the sea. On cloudy days, I ascend heaven. When I wish to drop down on plants, the farmers like me very much. Unless I fall, plants die and farmers worry. I'm the rain. |
| 2. | I'm in black and I'm in white. During school days, I am very busy. Children would carry me to school. Most peple are fond of me for I give them knowledge. I hate those children who do not take care of me. I would be stored away without anyone holding me during vacation. I am a book. |
| 3. | I cannot work without water. It is not the water for drinking that I need. It is either blue, black, red, or green. People cannot write letters to their friends without me. I'm almost found everywhere. It is not difficult to find me in any store. I'm a fountain pen. |
| 4. | I may be small or spacious. Children and teachers come to me during school days. They enjoy the shelter under my roof. Children clean me every day. They make me attractive as possible. I am a schoolhouse. |
| 5. | I am invisible but people feel me. I am found everywhere. When I am sober, I am quiet and peaceful. When I am angry, I am very powerful. Nobody can stop me. I destroy plants, trees, houses, and even telephone wires. I usually get mad during the months of August, September, and October. I am the wind. |
| 6. | He teaches me to read and write. He acts as a father to me. If I do not know my lessons, he helps me, but sometimes he scolds me. Most often he is kind. Without him, I can't make myself a better boy. He looks after my conduct and when I do wrong, he corrects me. He is my teacher. |
| 7. | It has a big body. It is the chief helper of the farmers. Without it they are helpless. They cannot plow their fields. They depend entirely upon its service. It is the carabao. |
| 8. | It is called the "ship of the desert." It carries passengers as well as baggage and heavy loads. It does its work patiently with much endurance. It does not mind the burning heat of the sun or the scorching sand. It is the camel. |
| 9. | It is a powerful instrument. It has aided scientists to discover microbes and other tiny organizms. Without it, germs that cause dreadful diseases could not have been discovered. This great invention is called the microscope. |
| 10. | I am neither a man, a woman, a boy, nor a girl. I have no tongue but I have a mouth. I can talk and I can sing. When people hear me, they feel happy. Sometimes, I would cause them to dance. I give comfort to the lonely hearts. Have you ever seen me? I was made by a great inventor. I am the radio. |
[p. 16]
| 11. | A plate of corn brightens every town. Stars in heaven. |
| 12. | It looks at me, but I can't look at it. Sun |
| 13. | The first is fifty, the second is zero, the third is five, and the last is a vowel. Love |
| 14. | Three negroes always ready for service. Stove |
| 15. | House of St. Anne, surrounded with spear. Pineapple |
| 16. | What is it that you have but is always used by others and seldom by you? Name |
| 17. | Once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years. Letter M |
| 18. | There, then, you say but you cannot see it. Wind |
| 19. | There is one word which contains five letters, if I take out one, how many letters remain? Money |
| 20. | It is neither a human being nor an animal, but it possesses a face and two dims. Watch |
| 21. | Two parties on each side of a mountain. but cannot see each other. Eyes |
| 22. | You can carry me, I can carry you. What am I? Shoes |
| 23. | It has a tongue, but it cannot talk. Shoes |
| 24. | It has no feet but it walks, it has no eyes but it weeps. Foundatain pen |
| 25. | The balls of thread can reach the sky. Eyes |
| 26. | I am afraid of one but not of two. Bamboo |
| 27. | I killed the mother because I love the daughter. Banana |
| 28. | When I am small, I have a dress, when I am big I have no dress at all. Bamboo |
| 29. | When the king is passing, two soldiers are bowing. Railroad crossing |
[p. 17]
| 30. | A beautiful lady eating her body Candle |
| 31 | Who is your uncle's brother, who is not your uncle?Father |
| 32 | A piece of iron that can guard like a lion Key |
| 33 | That has a had that cannot think Cabbage. |
| 34 | Water in Camiling cannot be blown by the wind Water of young coconut. |
| 35 | What plant is busy melting during hot days? Ice plant |
| 36 | A beautiful queen sitting on a throneKasoy |
| 37 | The hair of Adam cannot be counted Rain |
| 38 | Fire over, fire under, good food in the middle Bibingka |
| 39 | What makes the oil boil? Letter b |
| 40 | Spell hard water in three letters Ice |
| 41 | Who is the man who cannot tell a lie? The dead man |
| 42 | What is the country that can be eaten? Turkey |
| 43 | What is [it] that everybody has seen but will not see again? Yesterday |
| 44 | I have two boxes which open without noise Eyes |
| 45 | A beautiful lady, no one can marry Doll |
| 46 | If you are really an egg seller, tell us what egg has a tail Lice |
| 47 | In what month of the year do you eat the least? February |
| 48 | I am sitting when walking How is that? Bicycle riding |
| 49 | When do we close a door? When it is open |
| 50 | Wherever I go, I carry my own radio Mouth |
[p. 18]
STRANGE BELIEFS
Our people had many strange beliefs. They believed in omens. If men or women started to go anywhere and a rat or a snake crossed their paths, they returned home at once. That was a bad omen, they said. If they met a man who sneezed, that was also a bad omen, and if they went on, something evil would happen to them.
They also believed in charms. They thought that these charms would protect them. They called them anting-anting. Sometimes, a man wore a crocodile’s tooth or a wild hog’s tooth about his neck. When he had this charm on, he believed that he would not be killed while hunting. In battle, he thought that the enemy’s arrows would not hit him.
They believed in witches, too. The witch was usually an ugly old woman. People believed that if she looked with angry eyes at a boy or girl, the child would get very sick. A little black twig was then put between the child’s fingers. The twig, they said, was charmed and would make the witch come to the house where the child laid. When the people saw the witch, the child would get well.
PUZZLES
1. Below are 10 coconuts. Plant them in such a way that there will be five lines and each line shall have 4 coconuts.
2. Below are sticks which count four. Rearrange the sticks in such a way that they count ten.
3. Here are sticks that count five. Rearrange them in such a way that they count four.
4. See what figures you can form in planting ten young coconut plants with the five places already given. Each place represents a row. In each row, there must be planted four coconut plants.
5. Below are 16 holes and a figure A. From the squares with holes cut out a figure as big as figure A, without enclosing a hole in the figure cut.
[p. 19]
OTHER INFORMATION
Other information on books and documents treating of the Philippines are found in Mr. Ceferino D. Deguito’s library. The following books and documents are at present accessible for information purposes.
1. 300 Years History of Balayan
2. Panunumpa sa Katapatan – 1901
3. Balayan Provincia del Mismo – 1779
(Certificate of Gov. Basilio Sancho de S. S. Justa y Rufina)
4. Clippings Covering Philippine History about Different Matters Beginning with Stone Age
5. Novena ng Catamis-tamisang Ngalan ni Jesus – 1848
6. Spanish Circulars from Spain for the Filipinos
(3 Boletin Eclesiastico – 1884, 1886, 1889)
7. Breviarum Romanum- 1862
(Books that were used by priests in saying mass)
8. 4,000 years of Pharmacy
(An Outline History of Pharmacy and the Allied Sciences by Charles Wall, 1927)
The local authors residing in the community wrote dramas, essays, and poetry, either in printed or manuscript form. Such Tagalog works of Mr. Ceferino Deguito, the local postmaster, which are available in his library are as follows:
1. Mga Talang Pinaghahanap – Essay
2. Bulaan – Essay
3. Tau-tauhan – poetry
4. Sa Pamamayan ng Tula
5. Tulisan
Dramas
1. Si Karayap na Mahiwaga
2. Mga Tulang Pinaghahanap
3. Ang Madugong Birang
4. Kubo ni Baro
5. Juan de la Cruz
6. Ang Tatay ng Juez
7. Pangarap na Natupad
8. Koronel Isagani
[p. 20]
9. Mayroon Akong Hinahanap
10. Binili ni Rizal
11. Kahatulang nasa Birang
12. At sa Wakas ay Nagkatapos din
13. Noli Me Tangere
14. Maria Makiling
15. Ako ang Maysala
16. God Repays Good Deed
17. Lola Basiang
18. Ang Buhay
19. Papasko
20. Masagana’t Walang Ligamgam
21. Pitong Kasalanan
22. Mga Uhaw na Puso
Another outstanding short story writer is Mr. Casiano T. Calalang, at present director of the Balayan Institute. Aside from short stories, he also wrote plays and inspiring articles. The titles and the corresponding papers and books where they were published are as follows:
Short Stories
1. Chaff (Phil. Herald, 1926)
2. Keeping the Peace (Phil. Herald, 1926)
3. The Pie (Phil. Herald, 1926)
4. Soft Clay (Phil. Herald, 1926; Filipino Love Stories by Paz Marquez-Benitez; Literary Apprentice, Tenth Anniversary Number; ALPHA, U. P. Annual for 1928)
5. Let’s Elope (Phil. Herald, 1927)
6. Under the Street Lamp (Phil. Herald, 1927)
7. The Fallen Idol (Phil. Herald, 1927)
8. Spurts of Blood (Phil. Herald, 1927)
9. The Barrio Teacher (Literary Apprentice, 1928)
10. Drums of Recollection (Phil. Herald, 1928)
11. Hard Clay (Free Press, 1927)
12. The Descent (Phil. Herald, 1928)
[p. 21]
13. Supremo Andres (Phil. Herald, 1927; Best Filipino Short Stories, O. O. Santa Romana, editor, 1938)
14. The Difference (Phil. Herald, 1928)
15. House of Dirt (Phil. Herald, 1929)
16. Slave of the Sea (Graphic, 1931; Phil. Prose and Poetry, Vol. III)
17. Two Windows (Phil. Herald, 1930)
18. Prelude to Revolution (National Review, 1936)
19. Ang Bukid ay Naghihintay (Ilang-ilang, 1948; Diwang Ginto, Ikalawang Aklat)
Plays
1. The Home Breaker (Won first prize in the U.P. College of Liberal Arts Playwriting contest, 1926; Sunday Tribune, 1926)
2. The Doubting Tomases (Phil. Herald, 1926)
Articles
1. How Shall We Write? (Phil. Herald, 1926)
2. Ilang Pansin sa Dulang Tagalog (Taliba, 1926)
3. On Story Settings (Phil. Herald, 1928)
4. The Challenge to Masons (Cabletow, 1952)
5. Don Sixto Lopez, Democrat and Patriot (Mimeographed, 1947)