k. Tomarind will be my successor."

In the morning Nebucheba's subjects took him to the well and lowered
him slowly into it. When he reached the bottom, Tomarind threw big
stones down on him, and Nebucheba was crushed to death. The people
never saw him again. Tomarind became datu, and he ruled his subjects
with justice and equity for many years.

Note.

I know of no variants of this tale, which pretty evidently represents
old tribal Pampangan tradition. The device by which Tomarind lures
the wicked datu to his death is not unlike incident J in our No. 20
(see notes), but there is clearly no other connection between the
two stories.

PART II

FABLES AND ANIMAL STORIES.

TALE 55

THE TURTLE AND THE MONKEY.

Narrated by Eutiquiano Garcia of Mexico, Pampanga.

It was mid-day. The blinding heat of the sun forced all the
water-loving animals--such as pigs, carabaos, and turtles--to go to
the river-banks and there seek to cool themselves in the water. On
that part of the bank where a big shady tree stood, a monkey and a
turtle were having a good time, discussing the past, present, and
future. Just then they saw a banana-stalk floating by.

"Don't you think that it would be a wise thing for us to get that
banana-stalk and plant it?" said the monkey.

"Can you swim?" replied the turtle.

"No, I can't, but you can," said the monkey.

"I will get the banana-tree," said the turtle, "on condition that
we divide it. You must allow me to have the upper part, where the
leaves are." The monkey agreed; but when the stalk was brought to
shore, the monkey took the leaves himself, and gave the turtle only
the roots. As the humble turtle was unable to fight the monkey, all
he could do was to pick up his share and take it to the woods and
plant it. It was not strange that the monkey's part died, while that
of the turtle brought forth clusters of ripe bananas in time.

When the monkey learned that the bananas were ripe, he went to visit
his friend the turtle. "I will give you half the bananas," said the
turtle, "if you will only climb the stalk and get the fruit for me."

"With great pleasure," replied the monkey. In less than a minute he
was at the top of the tree. There he took his time, eating all he
could, and stopping now and then to throw a banana-peeling down to
his friend below. What could the poor turtle do? It was impossible
for him to climb.

"I know what I'll do!" he said to himself. He gathe