the story is
Malayan: it is found from one end of the Archipelago to the other, and
the wild tribes have versions as well as the civilized. In addition
to our one Tagalog and two Pampangan versions, five other Philippine
forms already exist in print, and may be cited for comparison. These
are the following:--

(d) Bagobo, "The Monkey and the Tortoise" (JAFL 26 : 58).
(e) Visayan, "Ca Matsin and Ca Boo-ug" (JAFL 20 : 316).
(f) Tagalog, "The Monkey and the Turtle" (JAFL 21 : 46).
(g) Tinguian, "The Turtle and the Monkey" (Cole, 195, No. 77).
(k) Tagalog, Rizal's "Monkey and the Turtle." [100]

Before discussing the origin of the story, we may examine the different
incidents found in the Philippine versions. That they vary considerably
may be seen from the following list:--

A The division of the banana-stalk: monkey takes top; and turtle,
roots. Monkey's share dies, turtle's grows, or (A1) monkey and turtle
together find banana-tree growing; turtle unable to climb, but monkey
easily gets at the fruit.

B Monkey steals turtle's bananas and will not give him any, or (B1)
sticks banana up his anus and throws it to turtle, or (B2) drops his
excrement into turtle's mouth.

C Turtle, in revenge, plants sharp stakes (or thorns) around base of
the banana-tree; and when monkey descends, he is severely injured,
or (C1) he is killed.

D Turtle sells monkey-flesh to other monkeys; either his trick is
discovered accidentally by the monkeys, or (D1) the turtle jeers them
for eating of their kind.

E Turtle is sentenced to death. He says, "You may burn me or pound me,
but for pity's sake don't drown me!" The monkeys "drown" the turtle,
and he escapes.

F The monkeys attempt to drink all the water in the lake, so as to
reach the turtle: they burst themselves and perish. Or (F1) they
get a fish to drain the pond dry; fish is punctured by a bird, water
rushes out, and monkeys are drowned. Or (F2) monkeys summon all the
other animals to help them drink the lake dry. The animals put leaves
over the ends of their urethras, so that the water will not flow out;
but a bird pecks the leaves away, and the monkeys turn to revenge
themselves on the bird. (F3) They catch him and pluck out all his
feathers; but the bird recovers, and revenges himself as below (G).

G Monkeys and other animals are enticed to a fruit-tree in a meadow,
and are burned to death in a jungle fire kindled by the turtle and
his friend the