UTTLE-FISH AND SQUIDS PRODUCE A BLACK LIQUID.

Narrated by Victoria Ciudadano of Batangas. She says she heard the
story from an old woman. It is known by both the Tagalogs and the
Visayans.

A long time ago, after Bathala [108] had created the fishes, he
assigned a certain day for all of them to meet in the Dark Sea. The
object of this convention was to appoint some officers. Early in the
morning of the day designated, the fishes were to be seen hurrying to
the meeting. When they reached the assembly hall, they found Bathala
sitting on a beautiful stone, waiting for them. He called the roll
when it seemed that all of the fishes were present. It was found
that the cuttle-fish and squid were absent, so they waited for them
a half-hour; but still they did not come. At last Bathala arose,
and said, "The meeting will come to order." After the fishes had
taken their proper positions, Bathala continued, "The object of this
meeting is to appoint some officers and to issue their appointments."

At once all the fishes became very quiet and respectful, for all
were anxious to know what offices each was going to hold. Bathala
appointed the sting-ray sergeant-at-arms: hence all sting-rays now have
whip-like tails. The crocodile was appointed cadaver-carrier: so now
all its children have a coffin-like skin on their backs. The crab was
made a soldier: so to-day all its descendants have large and strong
fore-legs. Bathala had not finished giving out his appointments when
the two missing members came. They at once interrupted the meeting
by asking what it was all about. Bathala became very angry at the
interruption, so he scolded the sting-ray and the squid severely. The
rebuke humiliated them so, that they agreed between themselves to
go get mud and throw it on the official appointments. When they
had gotten the mud, they came back and asked Bathala to give them
something to do; but, instead of appointing them to some work, he only
scolded them for being late. Angered, they now threw mud on all the
appointments that had already been drawn up. This insulting act of
the cuttle-fish and the squid so enraged Bathala, that he stood up,
and said in thundering tones, "Now I shall punish you. From this time
on, you and your descendants shall carry pouches of mud with you all
the time. Besides, you shall be very slow in moving because of your
heavy loads." The squid tried to make excuses, but Bathala became
angrier than ever, and said, "