Because," said the mosquito, "Juan put up his mosquito-net, and
there was nobody for me to sting except the firefly (alipatpat.)"

"Why, Juan," said the pugu, "did you put up your mosquito-net? The
mosquito could not sting you, and tried to harm the firefly; the
firefly brought fire; the turtle was frightened, and carried his
house with him; the cock crowed when he saw the turtle; the horse
was startled when he heard the cock, and broke my eggs."

"Because," said Juan, "I did not care to lose any blood."

Why Mosquitoes Hum and Try to get into the Holes of our Ears.

Narrated by Fermin Torralba, a Visayan from Tagbilaran, Bohol.
He heard the story from an old man of his province.

A long time ago, when the world was much quieter and younger than it
is now, people told and believed many strange stories about wonderful
things which none of us have ever seen. In those very early times,
in the province of Bohol, there lived a creature called Mangla;
[101] he was king of the crabs.

One night, as he was very tired and sleepy, Mangla ordered his old
sheriff, Cagang, [102] leader of the small land-crabs, to call his
followers, Bataktak, [103] before him. Although the sheriff was old,
yet he brought them all in in a very short time. Then Mangla said
to the Bataktak, "You must all watch my house while I am sleeping;
but do not make any noise that will waken me." The Bataktak said,
"We are always ready to obey you." So Mangla went to sleep.

While he was snoring, it began to rain so hard that the guards could
not help laughing. The king awoke very angry; but, as he was still
very tired and sleepy, he did not immediately ask the Bataktak why
they laughed. He waited till morning came. So, as soon as the sun
shone, he called the Bataktak, and said to them, "Why did you laugh
last night? Did I not tell you not to make any noise?"

The Bataktak answered softly, "We could not help laughing, because
last night we saw our old friend Hu-man [104] carrying his house
on his shoulder." On account of this reasonable reply, the king
pardoned the Bataktak. Then he called his sheriff, and told him to
summon Hu-man. In a short time he came. The king at once said to him,
"What did you do last night?"

"Sir," replied Hu-man humbly, "I was carrying my house, because
Aninipot [105] was bringing fire, and I was afraid that my only
dwelling would be burned." This answer seemed reasonable to the king,
so he pardoned Hu-man. Then he told hi