CHAPTER II – Rhyme, Repetition, Tone

and Mood

1
LESSON
Rhyme and Repetition in Poetry

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Scan poetic lines to identify repeated

sounds and words.

Discuss how rhyming and repetition of sounds,

words, and phrases affect the feeling of the poem.

BEFORE READING

A Poem by Jose Rizal (translated by Mauro Mendez)

ABOUT THE POEM

The poem is an expression of one’s sense of nation. It speaks of the Filipino youth
as the hope of his motherland.

MAKE CONNECTIONS

Have you ever done something that made a change in your school or community?
How would you describe the experience?

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ANALYZE LITERATURE: Rhyme and Repetition

Poems have a musicality to them. They are meant to be

read aloud to hear the sound, the rhythm, and the rhyme.
Repetition in poetry can refer to the repetition of syllables,
sounds, words, or phrases. Repetition in sounds, such as rhyming
and in syllables, such as rhythm, help to create a flow throughout
the poem. Repetition of words and phrases helps the poet to
emphasize an important aspect of the poem. Often times, when
phrases are repeated, it creates a more emotional experience for
the reader.

Repetition of Single Sounds

 Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sounds at the

beginning of words near each other.
E.g. “Sleep gently my dear Amira
Sleep snugly in your crib
Grow gently
Into the raging rains
Mind not the rushing of my tears”—Mae Monteclaro Roca,
“Lullaby for Amira”

 Assonance is the repetition of the same vowel sound in words near each
other.
E.g. “I never meant the words I said,
So trouble not your honest head.”—Angela Manalang-Gloria, “Words”

 Consonance is the repetition of the same consonant sounds typically

within or at the end of words.
E.g. “Huwag kang iibig nang dahil sa pilak pilak ay may pakpak
dagling lumilipad pag iniwan ka na, ikaw’y maghihirap.”—Jose
Corazon de Jesus,
“Sa Pamilihan Ng Puso”

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  Rhyme is the repetition of similar sounds in two or more words. It can
occur at the end of a line, called end rhyme, or it can occur in the middle of
the line, called internal rhyme. Rhyme Scheme is the pattern of rhyme
form that ends a stanza or a poem. The rhyme scheme is designated by the
assignment of a different letter of the alphabet to each new rhyme

E.g. “Ikaw baga’y daing ng nakaligtaan? - a

Ikaw baga’y hibik ng pinagtaksilan? - a
Matutulog ako sa gabing kadimlan - a
ay umuukilkil hanggang panagimpan.”- a
—Jose Corazon de Jesus, “May Mga Tugtuging Hindi Ko Malimot”

“I never meant the words I said - a So

trouble not your honest head - a And never
mean the words I write - b
But come and kiss me now goodnight”- b
—Angela Manalang-Gloria, “Words”

Repetition of Words

“Don’t Mr. Jacobson,

Don’t say you’ve found
Paradise in my country,”— Romulo P. Baquiran, Jr.,
“My Country’s No Paradise, Mr. Jacobson

“Huwag kang iibig nang dahil sa pilak pilak

ay may pakpak
dagling lumilipad”—Jose Corazon de Jesus, “Sa Pamilihan Ng Puso”

Repetition of Sentences or Phrases

“It was not love-why should I love you?-

It was not folly, for I was wise,
Yet when you looked at me, your looking
Opened a kingdom to my eyes,

It was not love, it was not folly,

I have no name to know it by,
I only know one shining instant
You held my earth, you held my sky.”—Angela Manalang-Gloria,
“To Don Juan”

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USE READING SKILLS: Scan for Repetition

When you scan a text, you quickly move your eyes over a page or section to find
words, patterns, or information. Before reading, scan the poem for repeated
sounds, words and phrases. Complete the Repetition Chart below with the word
and phrase and where it appears in the line or stanza. After reading, fill in the
third column with the effect that the repetition has on the meaning of the poem.
An example is provided.

Repetition Chart
Repeated Sound, Where it Appears Effect/ Possible
Word, or Phrase Meaning

Youth In the title, at the

beginning of the first
stanza, and in the third
line of the third stanza.

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 DURING READING

A
Poem
by Jose Rizal (translated by Mauro Mendez)

1
Raise, Youth, that brow profounda, _____ Note the Facts
2
This day, and proudly stand, _____ Read lines 1-4. To whom is
the speaker of the poem
3
Resplendentb and unboundc, ______ talking?
4
Hope of my Motherland! _____ __________________________________
_Analyze literature

5
Fly, genius unconfined, _____ Alliteration and Assonance
Read lines 1-4, then
6
Wind-borne to peaks supremed; _____ underline the words that
contain similar initial
7
Unleash on wings of dream _____ consonant sounds. Read
8
lines 5-8, then underline the
Thoughts of your noblee mind. _____ words that contain similar
vowel sounds.

9 Analyze literature
Descendf with light of truth _____
10
Rhyme and Repetition
With gloriousg Science, Art, _____ Give the rhyme scheme of
11 the poem using the letters
And lift the chains, O Youth, _____
of the alphabet. Write your
12
That would oppressh your heart. _____ label on the space provided
after each of the lines.

a
Use Reading Skills
profound (adj.): having or showing great
knowledge or insight.
b
resplendent (adj.): attractive and impressive c Scan the poem to identify
unbound (adj.): not tied up; not confined d supreme
words that contain repeated
sounds. Put them in the Scan
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Chart. Then Philippines
why you1
think the author repeated
these details.
(adj.): highest e noble (adj.): superior; righteous f descend (verb): move downward g glorious
(adj.): wonderful; famous; worthy of admiration h oppress (verb): to burden by abuse of power;
to deprive
of freedom

AFTER READING

Name: ____________________________ Subject:____________________

Yr/Cr/Sec:_______________________ Date:_______________________

READING CHECK

Grasp the poem’s full implications and suggestions to answer the following
questions.

1. In the first stanza, what does the speaker tell the Youth to encourage them?
Give words or details to support your answer.

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2. What does the line “Hope of my Motherland!” imply?

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3. For what does “wings of dream” stand?

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4. In the second stanza, to whom is the speaker of the poem talking? What does
he ask them to do? Provide details from the poem to support your answer.

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5. To whom is the speaker talking in the third stanza? What does he ask them to
do?

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6. What does the imagery created by the line “lift the chains… that would oppress
your heart connote?

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7. What particular feeling or emotion is created by the repetition of sounds such

as “profound, unbound, unconfined, mind, dream, supreme” in the poem?

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8. What do the lines “Fly, genius unconfined, descend with light of truth” mean?
How do the contrasting images created by these lines bring out the main
purpose of the poem?

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9. How would you describe the “Youth” based on the positive imagery created by
the words “profound, resplendent, noble, etc.”?

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THINK AND REFLECT

Is the Filipino youth of today still the hope of the Motherland that Rizal
envisioned? Explain your answer.

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ANALYZE LITERATURE: Rhyme and Repetition

Think about the rhyme scheme, alliteration, and assonance you noticed while
reading the poem. How does the author’s use of these affect the feeling of the
poem? Do you think the author’s method is effective? Why?

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USE READING SKILLS: Scan for Repetition

Underline the end rhyme/s, and give the rhyme scheme of the stanzas or lines
using the letters of the alphabet. Write your label on the space provided after
each line. Determine also the feeling that is conveyed in each stanza or poem. A
sample has been done for you.

1. “I had fun when I was a child ______ I’d go crazy

and I’d go really wild_____
Thought that childhood was for eternity______
And this wouldn’t be my destiny”______
—Jaime Rivera, “Set Me Free” Feeling: Nostalgia

2. “Shall I compare you to a rainbowed

shower________ Drawing to earth the very arc of
dream,________
Or shall I say you are an orchid flower_________
That fevers men beside a jungle stream?”________
—Angela Manalang-Gloria, “To Lovely Woman” Feeling: _______________

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3. “Bituin sa langit at rosas sa hardin,________
parang nagtipanan at naghalikan din;________
nang di na mangyaring sa umaga gawin,_______
ginanap sa gabi’y lalo pang napansin.”__________
—Jose Corazon de Jesus, “Ang Posporo Ng Diyos” Feeling: _______________

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 LESSON 2

Tone and Mood in Poetry

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Identify details or lines that set the speaker’s tone

and the mood of the poem.
Analyze the connotative meaning of lines that reveal
the speaker’s attitude or tone.
Discuss how tone and mood bring out the main idea
of the poem.

BEFORE
READING

He Who Sleeps On My Lap

A Poem by Ronald Baytan

ABOUT THE POEM

The poem speaks of one’s dilemma whether to confess to his

male friend his love for him. It is a lyric poem that explores
the interconnection between personal feelings, societal norms,
and decisions.

MAKE CONNECTIONS

Is telling someone you have feelings for them worth it, even
if they tell you that they don’t feel the same?

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ANALYZE LITERATURE: Tone and Mood

Elements of a poem such as its setting, tone, mood and theme evoke certain feelings
and emotions in readers. These elements are created by the writer using specific
setting, structure and diction. This style contributes to the overall impact of the poem.
In poetry, concepts of tone and mood are related notions.
Tone is the feeling displayed by the author toward the subject of the poem. Though
tone may be conveyed and expressed in a variety of ways, it is generally either through
the attitude of the narrator or writer, subject matter, characters or events. The tone
comes through from the poem’s structure and vocabulary and helps evoke the mood or
establish the atmosphere of the poem. In other words, the poem’s tone evokes a certain
mood in the reader.
Mood refers to the atmosphere that is prevalent in the poem. It is the feeling created
by the poet for the reader through the use of various elements of a poem such as its
setting, tone, voice and theme. A poem generally has one overall mood, but the types
of mood that poetry may exhibit vary greatly. Some poems have atmospheres of peace
and chaos, while others evoke feelings of doom, fear, jealousy, love and pride.

Describing Tone and Mood

The tone of a poem may be described using a variety of words such as serious, playful,
humorous, formal, informal, angry, satirical, ironical or sad, or any other kind of
appropriate adjective. The mood of the poem may be described as idealistic, romantic,
realistic, optimistic, pessimistic, gloomy, imaginary, mournful, etc.

The tone might be described

Example:
as optimistic. The words
“Shall I compare you to a rainbowed shower
used in the stanza give clues
Drawing to earth the very arc of dream,
as to how the author feels
Or shall I say you are an orchid flower
about women. Words like:
That fevers men beside a jungle stream?”
rainbowed shower, dream,
—Angela Manalang-Gloria, “To Lovely Woman”
orchid flower, jungle stream
show that the author or poet
looks at its subject in a
positive way.
Based on the tone, the mood
could be described as
romantic. The positive
description of love and
beauty of a woman creates
this romantic atmosphere of
the poem.

The tone might be described as

cynical.ofThe
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the Philippines 1 the
lines give clues as to how the
author feels about how
foreigners perceived our
“Don’t Mr. Jacobson,
Don’t say you’ve found
Paradise in my country,
Because behind the scent of women
That put leis ’round your neck,
The stinking smell of estuaries
Suffocate the people of Tondo;”
—Romulo P. Baquiran, Jr.,
“My Country’s No Paradise, Mr. Jacobson”

The poem’s tone creates an atmosphere or

feeling of disgust. The strong contrast of the
good and the bad, the exposed and the
hidden as revealed by the words in the lines
creates this negative kind of mood.

USE READING SKILLS: Understand Literary Elements

Tone is the feeling displayed by the author toward the subject of the poem
while mood the atmosphere that is prevalent in the poem. The author creates the mood
in the following poem by describing details of setting (time and place), characters, and
events. Complete the chart below with details from the poem that convey the tone and
that set the mood for each of the three categories. An example has been done for you.

Category Details Tone Mood

Setting:
chilly night sad The speaker feels
dejected as his male
friend sleeps on his
lap.
Characters:

Event

DURING
READING CASS-DELL |Literature of the Philippines 1
 He Who Sleeps On My Lap
A Poem by Ronald Baytan
1
My friend
2
Note the Facts
who sleeps on my lap
3
loves Who issomeone
the speaker in the poem? else.
4
He says he is a man
5
and a man ______________________________
needs a woman
6
and I disagree.
____
7
We argue Analyze
until Literature he grows
8
tired of talking
9
and sleeps Tone and
on Mood my lap
What atmosphere is created by the
10
On this words disagreechillyand argue in the firstnight.
11
And stanza? I sigh,
12
knowing he loves
13 ______________________________
someone else
14
but still sleeps
15
gently Analyze Literature
on my lap,
16
innocent, not knowing
17
Tone and Mood
that I am here
18
What does the word sigh in line 11
slaughtering
19
one suggest?wicked wish
20
that when he wakes
_____________________________ up
21
I shall be his dream.
_____________________________
Analyze
Tone Literature
and Mood
How does the repetition of the line
(he) sleeps on my lap add to the tone
and mood of the poem?
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AFTER READING ____________________________

Name: _____________________________
Subject:____________________
Yr/Cr/Sec:________________________
Date:_______________________

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READING CHECK

Grasp the poem’s full implications and suggestions to answer the following questions.

1. How would you characterize or describe the male friend of the speaker based on
lines 1-5?

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2. What do the lines “We argue until he grow/ tired of talking/ and sleeps on my lap”
imply?

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3. What mood or atmosphere is created by the images in lines 10-15?

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4. In the second stanza, what do the words “slaughtering”, and “wicked wish”
suggest? Explain your answer.

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5. For what does the line “his dream” stand? Explain your answer.

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6. How does the speaker feel for his male friend? Provide words or lines to support
your answer.

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7. Why is the speaker hesitant to tell his male friend about what he feels for him?

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8. How does the repetition of the line “sleeps gently on my lap” affect the mood of
the poem?

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9. What is the main idea that is brought out by the tone and mood of the poem?
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10. What larger/social issue is explored in the poem?

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THINK AND REFLECT

1. When is the right time to tell someone you really like or love them? Explain your
answer.

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2. What happens if you hold in your emotions?

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3. How does society influence self-expression?

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ANALYZE LITERATURE: Tone and Mood
A. Read each mood below. Decide whether the mood is positive or negative. Write a P
on the space if it is positive and an N if it is negative. Use your dictionary or context
clue skills if you come across a word you are unsure of. The first one is done for you.
_____1. Hopeful _____6. Reassured _____11. Composed
_____2. Lonely _____7. Heartbroken _____12. Restless
_____3. Embarrassed _____8. Blissful _____13. Glorious
_____4. Passionate _____9. Excited _____14.
Triumphant
_____5. Dissatisfied _____10. Oscillating _____15. Somber

B. Read the poems and answer the questions that follow.

Ermita in the Rain

Angela Manalang-Gloria

It is not the rain that wanly

Sobs its tale across the bay,
Not the sobs of lone acacias
Trembling darkly in the gray,

Not the groans of harried breakers

Flinging tatters on the shore,
But the phantom of your voice that
Stays me dreaming at my door.

1. Which word best describes the tone of this poem?

A. Somber C. Frustrated
B. Inspired D. Bored

2. Which word best describes the mood of this poem?

A. Romantic C. Dissatisfied
B. Nostalgic D. Restless

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 Florante at Laura (an excerpt)
Francisco Baltazar
Kung ang isalubong sa iyong pagdating
Ay masayang mukha’t may pakitang giliw
Lalong pag-ingata’t kaaway na lihim
Siyang isaisip na kakabakahin.

1. Which word best describes the tone of this poem?

A. Somber C. Angry
B. Cynical D. Sad

2. Which word best describes the atmosphere of the poem?

A. Pessimistic C. Cheerful
B. Fearsome D. Confusing

3
LESSON

Figures of Speech

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Identify the figurative language used in poetic

lines.

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 Determine how figures of speech set tone and
mood of the poem.

Compare and contrast things or ideas using

figurative language.

The poem speaks of its persona’s desire to

have a romantic episode with the one he is
talking to. This beautiful poem in Cebuano
language creates a vivid imagery of a
budding romance set in the milieu of riding a
habal-habal, a common form of
transportation in the countryside.

MAKE CONNECTIONS

Have you tried riding on a habal-habal? Describe your experience.

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ANALYZE LITERATURE: Figures of Speech

Elements of poetry can be defined as a set of instruments used to create a poem.

One of these is figurative language which helps bring imagery and emotion to a
poem.

A figure of speech is a word or phrase that is used in a non-literal way to create

an effect. This intentional deviation from the literal or common usage aims to
emphasize, clarify, or embellish both written and spoken language.

Types of Figures of Speech

 Simile (Pagtutulad) is comparison of two dissimilar objects or concepts

using the words like or as.
o “I wandered lonely as a cloud.” (William Wordsworth, Daffodils)
In this example, the speaker (I) in the poem compares his loneliness with a cloud
using the word as.
o “Life is like writing with a pen. You can cross out your past but you
can't erase it.” (E.B. White)
o “Love is like the wild rose-briar.” (Emily Bronte)

Note: Not every statement or comparison that contains like or as is a simile.

“Maria is as pretty as Mirasol” is not a simile because those who were described
in the sentence are both people.

 Metaphor (Pagwawangis) is direct comparison of two unlike things without

using the words like or as.
o “And, if you were poor, suffering was your currency.” (Khaled
Hosseini, And the Mountains Echoed) o “To him strawberries were a
holy mystery… deep red gems, sweet orbs, succulent rubies.” (David
Guterson, Snow Falling on Cedars)
o “Or shall I say you are an orchid flower
That fevers men beside a jungle stream?” (Angela Manalang-Gloria, To
Lovely Woman)
Note: Metaphor usually contains “be” verbs: am, is, are, was, were. Comparison
should be obvious or explained, and can be changed into a simile by including
“like” or “as”. The statement “Dad is a boat.” is not a metaphor (Although Dad and
a boar are dissimilar, there is no clear reason for the comparison, so it doesn’t
make sense as a metaphor).

 Personification (Pagtatao) is giving humanly attributes/characteristics to

an abstract idea, animals or inanimate objects.
o “His alarm clock yells at him every morning.” o “Opportunity knocks
only once.”

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 o “Her own heart would devour her.” (David Guterson, Snow Falling on
Cedars)

Note: The human quality must be completely unique to humans. Thus the
statement, “The pink flowers swayed in the April breeze.” is not an example of
personification (Although humans can sway, flowers can sway too. This
characteristic is not unique to humans).

 Hyperbole (Pagmamalabis) is an exaggeration that cannot be possibly true.

It is used for emphasis or comic effect. o
“She is as skinny as a toothpick.”
o “We are going to pull off the true crime of the century. We are going to
steal the moon!” (Despicable Me)
o “Susungkitin mga bituin para lang makahiling, na sana’y maging akin
puso mo’t damdamin.” (Kung Aking Ang Mundo)

Note: The statement “She is as skinny as a fashion model” is not an example of

hyperbole (since a girl could be as thin as a model, this isn’t a hyperbole.) If it
could happen in real life, then it is not a hyperbole.

 Synecdoche (Pagpapalit-saklaw) is a figure of speech in which a part of

something is used to signify the whole, or vice-versa.
o “Those wheels are awesome!” (wheels signifies a vehicle/car) o “The
company needs to hire ten new hands.” (hands signifies people/new
employees)
o “Gusto nang hingiin ni Leon ang kamay ni Leah sa kaniyang mga
magulang.” (hand signifies the whole person)

 Metonymy (Pagpapalit-tawag) is replacing the name of a thing with the

name of something else with which it is closely associated.
o “Married men should stop chasing skirts.”
Skirts is metonymy for women.
o “The pen is mightier than the sword.”( Edward Bulwer-Lytton)
Pen is metonymy for communication (writing) and sword is metonymy for
direct violence)

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 o
“Elias needs to decide if he will go Greek in college next year.
Greek is metonymy for sorority or fraternity membership.

Note: Metonymy is often confused with synecdoche. These literary devices are
similar but can be differentiated. Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part
of something is used to signify the whole. For example, a common synecdoche
for marriage proposal is to ask for someone’s “hand” in marriage. The “hand” in
this case is just the part that signifies the whole person who is receiving the
proposal. Metonymy is a figure of speech in which one word is used to replace
another to which it is closely linked. However, unlike synecdoche, it is not a part
of the word or idea it represents. For example, the “hand” in the sentence, “Let
me give you a hand” is metonymy for help (hand is closely linked to helping other
people).

 Irony (Balintuna) is contrast between what is said and what is meant, or

between appearance and reality (used as a technique for humor, satire, or
contrast). Irony often stems from an unanticipated response (verbal irony) or
an unexpected outcome (situational irony).
o Telling someone who has a bad haircut, “Ang ganda naman ng gupit
mo. Sino’ng barbero, halika patayin natin.” (verbal)
o Entering a child’s messy room and saying “Nice place you have here.”
(verbal) o The thieves robbed the police station. (situational) o The
Titanic was said to be unsinkable but sank on its first voyage.
(situational) o The witch, who intended to eat Hansel and Gretel, is
trapped by the children in her own oven. (from Hansel and Gretel (Grimm
fairy tale); situational)

 Litotes (Pagtanggi) is using double negatives to express a positive idea or

statement.
o Your comments on politics are not useless. o He is hardly
unattractive.
o Your effort has not gone unnoticed.

 Oxymoron (Pahidwa) is pairing two words together that are opposing

and/or contradictory.
o The contractor was asked to give the exact estimate of the project. o
Our past relationship had a lot of bittersweet memories.
o “Vidia was complicated, two fairies in one, a loyal traitor.” (Gail
Carson Levine)

 Paradox (Paradoha) is self-contradictory statement or proposition that

when investigated or explained may prove to be well-founded or true.

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 o
o “We must destroy in order to build.”
“If you don’t risk anything, you risk everything.” o “Life is a
preparation for the future; and the best preparation for the future is to
live as if there were none.” (Albert Einstein)

 Apostrophe (Pagtawag) is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker,

speaks directly to someone who is not present or is dead, or speaks to an
abstract idea inanimate object.
o “Hello Darkness, my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again.”
(Sound of Silence)
In this song, the persona is talking to darkness, an abstract idea. o
“Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are.” (The Star) In
this nursery rhyme, a child speaks to a star, an inanimate object .
o “Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? *thee-means you (referring to the dagger)
Come, let me clutch thee!
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.” (William Shakespeare,
Macbeth)
In his mental conflict before murdering King Duncan, Macbeth has a
strange vision of a dagger and talks to it as if it were a person.

 Antonomasia (Antonomasiya) is the substitution of an epithet or title for a

proper name; a descriptive phrase replacing a person’s name.
o Pacman is one of the greatest boxers in the world. (Pacman is used as
a substitute for Manny Pacquiao.)
o The Flying A for Johnny Abarrientos o Makata ng mga Mangagawa
(Poet of the Laborers) for Amado V.
Hernandez o The Bard of Avon for
William Shakespeare

 Allusion (Alusyon) is reference to some historical, biblical, sociopolitical

and literary event, place or person that has striking resemblance to the
subject under discussion.
o His smile is like kryptonite to me. (signifies ultimate weakness; From
Superman’s weakness) o Is there an Einstein in your physics class?
(genius like Albert Einstein) o “After beating dozens of challengers, the
champion finally met his
Waterloo.” (signifies final defeat or setback; From the Battle of
Waterloo, where Napoleon Bonaparte was finally defeated.)

CASS-DELL |Literature of the Philippines 1

 o
 Alliteration (Aliterasyon) is repetition of same initial consonant sound in
two or more neighboring words.
o “Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.”
o Walter wondered where Winnie was.
Sleep gently my dear Amira
Sleep snugly in your crib
Grow gently
Into the raging rains
Mind not the rushing of my tears.” (Mae Monteclaro Roca, Lullaby for
Amira)

 Assonance (Asonans) is the repetition of similar vowel sounds in words that

are close together.
o “For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore.” o
“Fire at the private eye hired to pry in my business.” (Eminem) o “I
never meant the words I said,
So trouble not your honest head.”(Angela Manalang-Gloria, Words)

 Onomatopoeia (Paghihimig) is a word that sounds like what it is

describing. It creates a sound effect that mimics the thing described, making
the description more expressive and interesting.
o “The door slowly creaked open and then slammed shut.” (creak and
slam imitate sounds)
o The rustling leaves kept me awake. (rustling imitates sound) o “Ikaw
baga’y daing ng nakaligtaan?
Ikaw baga’y hibik ng pinagtaksilan? (Jose Corazon de Jesus, May Mga
Tugtuging Hindi Ko Malimot)
Hibik imitates sound of sobbing or crying.

Note: Onomatopoeia includes animal noises such as moo, meow, his, quack, and
oink.

 Anaphora (Anapora) is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning

of successive sentences, phrases, or clauses. o “Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.” o “Ikaw baga’y daing ng nakaligtaan?
Ikaw baga’y hibik ng pinagtaksilan? Matutulog
ako sa gabing kadimlan
ay umuukilkil hanggang panagimpan.” (Jose Corazon de Jesus, May
Mga Tugtuging Hindi Ko Malimot) o “At ngayon,
'di pa rin alam kung ba't tayo nandito Pwede bang
itigil muna ang pag-ikot ng mundo?

CASS-DELL |Literature of the Philippines 1

o
Pwede bang itigil muna ang pag-ikot ng mundo?
Pwede bang itigil muna ang pag-ikot ng mundo?” (Eraserheads,
Spoliarium)

CASS-DELL |Literature of the Philippines 1

USE READING SKILLS: Identify Figures of Speech

Read the poem Balaki ko ‘Day Samtang Gasakay Ta’g Habalhabal and
identify the figurative language used in the lines/verses. Determine also
the kinds of tones and moods that are created by the use of these
figures of speech. An example has bbeen done for you.
Line/s Figure of Tone Mood
Speech

1. hinagubtob onomatopoeia passionate romantic

Sa imong kasingkasing
2. Gaksa ko paghugot
Sama sa lastikong
Mipungpong sa imong buhok
3. Ang mga balili unya
Nga naghalok sa ‘tong batiis
4. Isipon tang kaugaligong
mga dila

A Poem by Adonis Durado

1
Balakia ko day Recite to me, day
2
Samtang gasakay ta’g habalhabal. A poem while we ride a habalhabal.
3
Idat-ol og samut Stick your chest closer
4
Kanang imong dughan b

5
Nganhi sa akong bukobukoc Here on my back
6
Aron mas mabatyagan ko ang hinagubtob So that I can feel better the
beatings
7
Sa imong kasingkasing. Of your heart.
8
Sa mga libaong nga atong malabyan.
d
With the potholes that dot our
way
9
Gaksa ko paghugot Embrace me tightly
10
Sama sa lastikong Like the rubber bands

26
 11
Mipungpong sa imong buhok. That you use to tie your hair. 12Ug sa
kainit sa imong ginhawa And with the warmth of your breaths
13
Gitikae kining akong dughan. Tickle this heart of mine.
14
Ang mga balilif unya And the amorseco
15
Nga naghalok sa ‘tong batiis That kiss our legs
16
Isipon tang kaugaligong mga dila. Let’s think of them as our own
tongues.
17
Dayon samtang nagakatulin Then while we’re speeding up

CASS-DELL | Literature of the 7

Philippines

18
Kining atong dagan, Our ride
19
Mamiyong tag maghangad Let’s close our eyes and
face
20
Ngadto sa kawanangan The wide sky
21
Aron sugaton ang taligsikg To meet the drizzle
22
Sa uwan, dahon, ug bulak. Of rain, leaves, and
flowers.

a
balak-poem egitika-tickle bdughan-breast
f
balili-grass
c
bukobuko-back g
taligsik-drizzle, shower dlibaong-
holes

AFTER READING

Name: _____________________________ Subject:____________________

Yr/Cr/Sec:________________________ Date:_______________________

READING CHECK

Grasp the poem’s full implications and suggestions to answer the

following questions.

1. Who is the speaker/persona in the poem? Describe him.

27
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
________.

2. To whom are the lines addressed? Provide words or lines to support

your answer.

__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________.

3. What is the situation referred to in the poem?

__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____.

4. Do the speaker and addressee know each other? Explain your

answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________
__________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________

28
___________________________________________________________________________________
____.

5. How does the persona in the poem feel towards the one he is talking
to? Provide words or lines to support your answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________
__________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________
___________________________________________________________________________________
_____.

6. What does the proximity (distance/physical closeness) between the

persona and the addressee in the poem suggest?

__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______.

7. How is love described or expressed in the poem? Explain your

answer by providing evidences from the poem.

__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______.

29
8. How does the habal-habal ride differ from other modes of
transportation?
Make a comparison using figures of speech.

a.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__.

b.________________________________________________________________________________
_____.

c.________________________________________________________________________________
_____.

THINK AND REFLECT

How do romantic relationships develop? In the context of the poem,

how does the habal-habal ride dramatize the blossoming/progression
of love/intimacy?

__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________

30
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
___________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____.

ANALYZE LITERATURE: Figures of Speech

Read the following lines/ statements and identify the figurative

language used. Write your answer on the space provided before each
item.

______________1. You are the sultan of my heart, the sultan of my heart.

______________2. The night is starry and the blue stars shiver in the
distance.

______________3. Oh, Sleep! You are indeed the prisoner’s release!

______________4. She listened to the click-clack of his heels.

______________5. The little horse must think it queer to stop without a

farmhouse near.

______________6. Paid volunteers were working for the company.

______________7. Be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.

______________8. She was like a modest flower blown in sunny June and
warm as sun at noon’s high hour.

______________9. Love is a guest that comes, unbidden, / But, having come,

asserts his right.

31
_____________10. Chris won’t drive her home because she lives on the
other side of the universe.

32
THE DEITIES AND

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Discuss Philippine mythology highlighting the different
deities and creation myths

Identify recurring mythological themes and

archetypes in
various Philippine creation myths.

INTRODUCTION

The Philippines has developed a mixed culture from the

blending of foreign influences with several indigenous elements. The
religious beliefs are as varied as the
people, with about sixty different
ethnic groups inhabiting the
archipelago. The majority of the
Filipinos are Christians, but there are
still some followers of older beliefs
(Sherman, 2008).

As quipped by Demetrio (2001), a

mythologically instructed
community allows the young to pit
their own personal and collective

33
 subconscious experience with those of the dramatis personae in the
myths, and thereby learn not only how to adjust themselves to the
nature of the society into which they are born, but also to match their
own growing pains and conflicts with those of the heroes narrated in
these stories, and thus gain guidance and eventually wisdom.

CONTENT

The Deities

The Philippines is blessed with rich traditional beliefs, customs, and

tales. In our culture, myths and folklore have been passed through
generations by word of mouth. A few of the more important deities are
listed below, as are some of the supernatural beings that are related to
Filipino mythic beliefs

Tagalog Deities in Ancient Philippine Mythology

First Generation Gods:

1. Bathala (Abba) highest-ranking deity described as “may kapal sa

lahat,” or the creator of everything. His origin is unknown but his
name suggests Hindu influences (Sanskrit bhattara which means
“noble lord.”)

2. Amanikable could either be the ancient Tagalog patron of hunters

or god of the sea. He is identified as the Tagalog anito of hunters
who rewarded his worshipers with a good game; described as the
husky, ill-tempered ruler of the sea,” whose
hatred towards mankind started when a beautiful
mortal woman, aptly named Maganda, rejected
his love.

3. Idiyanale is the Tagalog goddess of labor and

good deeds. Natives used to call for her guidance

34
 in order to make their works successful. She married Dimangan and
had two offspring.

4. Ikapati is the goddess of cultivated land. She was the most

understanding and kind among the deities of Bathala. Her gift to
man was agriculture.

5. Lakapati is often confused with Ikapati from variant Tagalog

pantheons. She was a major fertility deity. During sacrifices made in
a new field, the farmer would hold up a child and say, “Lakapati,
pakanin mo yaring alipin mo; huwag mong gutumin [Lakapati, feed
this thy slave; let him not hunger]” (San Buenaventura 1613).
Lakapati, fittingly represented by a hermaphrodite image with both
male and female parts, was worshiped in the fields at planting time.

6. Mapulon is the god of seasons and husband of Ikapati of whom

they had a daughter.
Second Generation Gods:

1. Mayari is the goddess of the moon and one of the three daughters
of Bathala by a mortal woman. She was the most charming of all the
goddesses. She had two sisters, Tala and Hanan.

2. Tala is the goddess of the stars; sister of Mayari and Hanan and one
of the three daughters of Bathala by a mortal woman.

3. Hanan is the goddess of morning; sister of Mayari and Tala and one
of the three daughters of Bathala by a mortal woman.

4. Dumakulem is the strong, agile guardian of mountains and the son

of Idiyanale and Dimangan. His sister was Anitun Tabu. He later
married Anagolay.

5. Anitun Tabu is the fickle-minded goddess of wind and rain. She

was the daughter of Idiyanale and Dimangan and the sister of
Dumakulem.

35
6. Anagolay is the goddess of lost things and the only offspring of
Ikapati and Mapulon. She was married to Dumakulem.

Third Generation Gods:

1. Apolaki is the god of sun and the chief patron of warriors. He was
the son of Anagolay and Dumakulem.

2. Diyan Masalanta is the goddess of love, conception and childbirth

and the protector of lovers. She was the youngest of all the deities.

Ancient Visayan Deities in Philippine Mythology

First Generation Gods:

1. Kaptan (Captan) is the supreme god who

dwells in the sky. He is the Ancient Visayan
counterpart of Bathala. Of all the supreme
deities in the Visayas, he is the most
worshipped by the natives. He had a son
named Lihangin.
2. Maguayan/Magwayan is the goddess of the
sea and death. She had a daughter named

36
 Lidagat who died and after that, she ferried the souls of the dead to
the underworld, Sulad.

Second Generation Gods:

1. Lihangin is the god of the wind and the son of Kaptan. He later
married Lidagat and had four children.

2. Lidagat is the goddess of the sea, daughter of Maguayan. She later

married Lihangin and had four children.

Third Generation Gods:

1. Likabutan is the god of the world and the eldest child of Lihangin
and Lidagat.

2. Liadlaw is the god of the sun and the second child of Lihangin ang
Lidagat.

3. Libulan is the god of the moon and the third child of Lihangin and
Lidagat.

4. Lisuga is the goddess of the stars. She was the youngest child of
Lihangin and Lidagat. The deity in which Silalak and Sibabay came
from.

(Adopted from https://www.aswangproject.com/ancient-tagalog-

deities-inphilippine-mythology/;
https://www.aswangproject.com/ancient-visayan-deitiesin-philippine-
mythology/)

37
Other Mythic and Folkloric Beings in Philippine Mythology

There are a number of helpful, or at least harmless, beings in Filipino

mythology. These include the following.

1. Agta is a small black, solitary being that is generally helpful to

fishermen and likes to smoke cigars.

2. Bagat is a large harmless dog that can be seen on the night of a full
moon or after a rain.

3. Diwatas are the tree or nature spirits that bless those who help the
forest but curse those who harm it.

4. Dwendes are small beings that might be related to European folk

beings; they are very similar to the helpful house spirits of Europe.

There are also malicious creatures in Filipino mythology, and some

of which are deadly to humans.

1. Aswang is a ghoul that disguises itself as a harmless animal during

the day and becomes a gaunt monster searching for human prey at
night.

2. Boroka is a hybrid monster with head of a woman, the body of a

horse, and the wings of an eagle; preys on children.

3. Manananggal is a vampire that looks like a wide-eyed woman who

can split herself during a full moon.

38
Creation Myth

Philippines mythology contains the same elements found in most other

myths: creation, monsters, and beliefs. Though the Philippines is largely
—if not wholly—Westernized and Christianized, there are still
superstitions that most Filipinos have not relinquished. Certainly, most
of the monsters are still used as fairy tale fodder to scare the children
(and in some cases, to make adults wary of their surroundings).
Because of the numerous amounts of islands, the Philippines consists of
diverse myths from each province.

How the World Came to Be (an ancient Visayan myth)

In the beginning, there was only water and sky. The Water Kingdom
belonged to the god Maguayan, who had a daughter named Lidagat.
The Sky Kingdom belonged

to Captan, who had a son named Lihangin. To bring peace about their
domains, Captan and Maguayan proposed that their children marry. So
this was done.
Lidagat and Lihangin had four children: 3 sons (Licalibutan, Liadlao, and
Libulan) and a daughter (Lisuga). Licalibutan had the body of hard rock,
and he was strong and brave; Liadlao was made of gold and was always

39
so cheerful; Libulan had a copper body and was weak and timid; Lisuga
was made of pure silver and had a sweet and gentle disposition.

It came to be that the aging Lihangin and Lidagat soon passed away.
Before he died, Lihangin gave his eldest son Licalibutan control of the
winds. But a long time had passed in peace, and Licalibutan became
greedy. He wanted more than just the
winds at his beck and call. So he plotted against Captan, ruler of the Sky.
After forcing his brothers to join in the plot, Licalibutan stormed at the
gates of
Captan’s realm and attempted to invade. Almighty Captan, infuriated at
this betrayal, summoned the forces of nature and struck each of the
brothers in turn. All

of them tried to run, but to no avail, they were destroyed. Licalibutan’s

rock body shattered into pieces of varied size. The pieces fell into the
water, and it later became known as land.
Missing her brothers, kind and gentle Lisuga headed towards the
heavens, only to be attacked by a rampaging Captan, who also struck her
dead. When the deed was done, the King of the Sky confronted
Maguayan about this attack. The Sea God was more patient and logical,
and eased Captan’s mind. Soon both gods began to
despair at the loss of their grandchildren.
In honor of their grandchildren’s destruction, Maguayan and Captan set
parts of their bodies into the sky. Liadlao became what was now the
sun, Libulan the moon,
and Lisuga shone brightly as the stars. Only the greedy Licalibutan
remained where he was, for his wicked deeds deserved no honor.
Instead, it was decided that his
body would become the support for Captan and Maguayan’s new
offspring.
And in so doing, the two gods planted on the land a bamboo tree.
From this tree’s hollow branch emerged the first man (Sicalac) and the
first woman (Sicabay). The two married and in turn had many offspring.

(Adopted from https://sites.google.com/site/philmyths/lesson-1)

40
Malakas and Maganda (an ancient Tagalog myth)

When the world first began there was no land; there was only the Sea
and the Sky, and between them flew a huge, beautiful Kite (a bird
similar to a hawk).
One day, the bird, which had nowhere to land and rest, grew tired of
flying about, and in frustration stirred up the Sky in a quarrel
against the Sea. The Sky threw

rain, thunder, and lightning that reached the Sea, who in turn rose
up and hurled
waves and hurricanes that reached the Sky.
In order to restrain its fury, the Sky showered a multitude of
massive boulders down upon the Sea, which became the islands that
formed the Philippines. These islands prevented the waters from
rising any more -
instead causing them to flow back and forth, and thereby creating the
tides.
Afterwards, the Sky then ordered the Kite to light on one of the
newly-formed

islands to build her nest, and to leave the Sea and the Sky in peace.
Now at this same time the Land Breeze and the Sea Breeze were
married, and they had a child which they named Bamboo. One day,
when Bamboo was
floating against the sea, it struck the feet of the Kite. Shocked, hurt, and
angered that anything should strike it, the bird furiously pecked at
the bamboo until it
split in half. Out of one section came a golden-bronze colored man,
named Malakas (Strong One) and from the other half came a
similarly hued
woman,named Maganda (BeautifulOne).
The earthquake then called on all the birds of the sky and the fish
of the sea to see what should be done with these two, and the
animals decided that they should marry each other. Together,
Malakas and Maganda had many children, and from them
eventually came all the different races of people.

41
 After a while the parents grew very tired of having so many idle
and useless children around. They wished to be rid of them, but
they knew of no other place to send them off to. Time went on and
the children became even more numerous that the parents could
no longer enjoy any peace. One day, in an act of pure irritation and
desperation, Malakas seized a stick and began beating them on all
sides.
This so frightened the children that they all fled in different
directions; seeking some place to hide both within and outside the
house. Some of the children ran into hidden rooms in the house,
several concealed themselves within the actual walls, while others
hid in the fireplace. Some ran outside and the rest fled out to the
sea.

Now it happened that those who went into the hidden rooms of
the house later became the chiefs of the islands (Maharlikas); and
those who concealed themselves in the walls became slaves
(Alipins). Those who hid in the fireplace became the Negritos and
the Aetas; and those who ran outside turned into free men
(Timawas). As for those who fled to the Sea; they were gone many
years, and when their children eventually came back, they had
become the white foreigners.

(Adopted from http://bakitwhy.com/articles/ancient-philippine-

creation-myth-
malakas-and-maganda)

References

[1] Demetrio,F. (1991). Encyclopedia of Philippine Folk Beliefs and Customs (Vol. 1 &
2) CDO, Philippines: Xavier University

[2] Mercado, L. (1974). Philippine Studies: Notes on the Filipino Philosophy of Work
and Leisure. Quezon City, Philippines: Ateneo de Manila University
http://www.philippinestuides.net

[3] Sherman, J. (2008). Storytelling: An Encyclopedia of Mythology and Folklore

(Vol.1, 2, 3). New York: Sharpe Reference

[4] http://bakitwhy.com/articles/ancient-philippine-creation-myth-malakas-and-
maganda)

42
[5] https://sites.google.com/site/philmyths/lesson-1)

[6]https://www.aswangproject.com/ancient-tagalog-deities-in-philippine-
mythology/

[7] https://www.aswangproject.com/ancient-visayan-deities-in-philippine-
mythology/

43
SA PULA , S
A Comedy of the Cockpit
SA PUTI By Francisco Rodrigo

CHARACTERS: Kulas, an out-and-out sabungero, or cockfighting addict

Celing, wife of Kulas
Sioning, friend of Celing
Castor, a middleman in the cockpit
Teban, an old manservant of Kulas and Celing

KULAS: Ahem! Er…nice morning, isn’t it, Celing? How are you?
CELING: (dryly). Oh fine. I feel very fine. Thanks for thinking of me.
KULAS: Oh, come, Celing, that’s not a nice way to say it.
CELING: Well, you certainly take a lot of interest in me these days. Usually, your first
thought is for your fighting cocks and your last one is for your wife.
KULAS: come, come, Celing. You have first place in my heart. I know how to appreciate a
wife like you.
CELING: Really? But when I see you fondle your cocks, I feel envious, if not jealous.
KULAS: but Celing, you know that I only cherish my fighting cocks for our own good.
CELING: What good are you talking about? If it’s not stewed chicken you’re after, I can get
good, fat hens in the market any time. We don’t have to get a rooster killed in the
cockpit and lose money in the process. I can do the killing myself right here for
nothing.
KULAS: Come now, Celing. I don’t expect to lose all the time. Look at this cock for
example… why it is sure winner—its scales are perfect.
CELING: That’s the same thing you said about the unbeatable cock you bet ten pesos on
last week. Did you like the way I cooked it?
KULAS: Oh, but that was an accident. Everybody was betting two to one that that cock
would win. And anyway, I’m getting more experience all the time. I know how to
choose cocks now. I assure you, Celing, if only you’ll give me ten pesos now, I’ll
get that money back. Come here, Celing, I’ll tell you a secret. Last night I dreamt
that I was being chased y a white carabao—a white one.
CELING: What if it was white?

44
KULAS: Why, that means silver, and it was chasing me—that means money is coming to
me. I can’t lose this time, Celing. I assure you I can’t lose.
CELING: Ha. Quite interesting.
KULAS: Look here, Celing, don’t tell that dream to anybody. You know that if you tell
anybody else about your dreams they never come true.
CELING: But you told me.

KULAS: Oh, well, you are my wife. (Angrily) Who cares for dreams anyway? I want some
money, Celing. Do you hear me? I want some money. This cock is a sure winner.
It can’t lose.
CELING: But we have no more money now. There’s no more silver.
KULAS: Oh yes, we have. It’s just put away. Give me five pesos and we’ll surely double it.
My dream cannot fail.
CELING: But Kulas, last month you dreamt about a snake that coiled itself into a figure
eight. The cockfight was on the eighth of February, and you said you were surely
going to win, but instead, you lost eight whole pesos!
KULAS: Well, I made a mistake in selecting that match I should bet in. I should have et in
the eighth match.
CELING: And did you make a mistake, too, when you dreamt about the red cat? You bet on
the red rooster and lost ten pesos. And now you talk about your white carabaos.
KULAS: Oh, well… but this time I’m not banking on dreams alone. I’ve studied the scales
and the ears of the cock. It’s a sure winner, Celing. I tell you, we are going to win
this time.
CELING: Kulas, do you remember how sure you were two Sundays ago about that other
cock? And what happened?

(Shouts are heard from the cockpit. Kulas becomes uneasy.)

KULAS: Come on, Celing, just this once. If this cock loses, I will never, never go to the
cockpit again.
CELING: Really?
KULAS: Really and truly. Come on, hurry up! They have already started the fights. Come
on, I have a et in the next match. I will be disgraced if I don’t show up.

(Celing shakes her head, realizing the futility of further discussion. She takes five
pesos from her pocket.)

CELING: Well, here, take this. After all, it’s your money. I am only being careful. Don’t
blame me if we land in the poorhouse someday.
KULAS: (taking the money) Don’t worry, Celing. In a few minutes this money will be

45
 doubled. You bet your life. See you later. (On his way out, Kulas almost umps
Sioning, who enters, an empty basket on her arm).
SIONING: Hello, Kulas.
KULAS: (in a hurry). Hello…er…eh, excuse me, Sioning. I’m in a hurry. Er, er… There’s
Celing. Celing! Here’s Sioning. Well, so long. (exits).
SIONING: What’s the matter with you husband, Celing? He acts as if his feet are on fire.
CELING: Worse than that, Sioning, our money is on fire—he is going to the cockpit again.
SIONING: Celing, again! Is he really—
CELING: Just a moment, Sioning. (Shouts toward the kitchen) Teban! Teban! Teban!
TEAN: (obedient but slow-witted, entering). Yes, ma’am? What is it, ma’am?
CELING: (taking five pesos from her pocket and giving it to Teban). Here, Teban. Five pesos.
You know what to do.
TEBAN: (unsure). Uh…eh…?
CELING: (exasperated at his stupidity; explaining as if to a child) Your master is back in the
cockpit. Quick make a bet with this. Hurry! You may be too late!
TEBAN: (as light dawns and Celing pushes him out). Yes, ma’am. Yes ma’am.
SIONING: Betting five pesos! What’s this, Celing? Are you becoming a cockfighter?
CELING: (surprised) My dear Sioning, I’m not a cockfighter, but whenever Kulas goes to
the cockpit, I bet also.
SIONING: Ah… you are not a cockfighter, but you just bet in the cockfights. Are you trying to
kid me, Celing?
CELING: No. I’ll explain it to you. But promise you won’t tell anyone.
SIONING: I promise. Don’t worry.
CELING: You see, Sioning. I bet in the cockfight in order not to lose.
SIONING: Oh…You bet in the cockfights in order not to lose. Celing, you are making fun of
me.
CELING: Of course not, Sioning. You know, we are losing a lot of money on account of
Kulas’s gambling. I’m sure someday we’ll be eating just rice and salt. I tried my
best to keep him away from the cockpit, but we just quarrel about it. And in
order to avoid quarrels and to prevent our money from melting away entirely, I
thought of a plan. For the last month I have always sent Teban to the cockpit to
bet on the side oppiste Kulas.
SIONING: (confused) Why?
CELING: Well, if Kulas’s cock loses, I win, and if I lose Kulas wins. So, whatever happens,
we don’t lose any money.
SIONING: Oh, I see. Why, yes, of course! Celing, you are clever. (shouts from the cockpit)
CELING: There they go. The match is on. Dear me, the shouts make my head ache.
SIONING: Well, it is your fault… no one told you to choose a house near the cockpit.
CELING: Don’t think I chose it. Kulas did the choosing. I wanted a house near the church,
but Kulas wanted one near the cockpit.

46
 (louder shouts from the cockpit.)

SIONING: Have you done marketing yet? How about coming along with me? Let’s go.

(The shouts grow louder, and suddenly stop.)

CELING: Yes, Sioning—but wait for a while—the match is over. Let’s wait for Teban. After
all, the market is near (looks out the window) Oh, here’s Tean. He’s actually
running.
TEBAN: (enters out of breath, with two five peso bills, and smiling broadly) We won, we
won, ma’am, we won! (gives Celing the money, which she pockets immediately).
CELING: Very good, Teban. Now hurry back to the kitchen. Kulas might catch on
SIONING: Well, let’s go, Celing. (Celing gets her tapis from a chair, puts it on, and picks up her
basket. Kulas enters, crestfallen).

CELING: What now, Kulas? Didn’t the white carabao catch up with you?
KULAS: (sore) Don’t joke about that now. My, but what rotten luck—Celing, imagine, my
cock was winning right up to the last minute. Yes, up to the last seconds. It was a
freak fight that only happens once in a hundred times. I never saw anyone have
such bad luck as I do!
CELING: That’s the trouble with gambling. Kulas,--you depend on nothing but luck.
KULAS: Cockfighting is really no good! Curse it! I don’t want to see even the shadow of
the cockpit again. I give up cockfighting. I tell you, never again! (The two women
steal amused glances at each other). You won’t see me going over there anymore.
CELING: Here’s hoping you mean that.
KULAS: I do. I promise you I will never gamble again.
CELING: Well, sit down and cool off. Sioning and I are going to market. See you later,
Kulas.

(Celing and Sioning leaves. Kulas lights a cigarette, takes a puff, throws it down on
the floor and steps on it. He slumps into a chair, downhearted. Castor comes in. He
is another sabungero—a little older than Kulas.)

CASTOR: Hello, Kulas.

KULAS: (gloomy). Hi.
CASTOR: What’s the matter? Why do you wear a funeral parlor on your face? Did your wife
make adobo out of your roster?
KULAS: Oh, Castor. There’s no one as neglected y luck as I am. I’m through with cocks and
the cockpit for good.
CASTOR: Oh, so your cock lost again.
KULAS: Yes, Castor. You cannot imagine how unlucky I am. Can you believe that this is

47
 the third time in a row that I lost? Come, let me tell you about it (The following is
all accompanied with gestures and grimaces). The moment the cocks were put
down, they charged at each other. My cock jumped in the air. The other cock
jumped under. My cock struck a backward rabbit punch which grazes the other
at the back. Both whirled around, and faced each other like boxers. Suddenly,
they both charged at each other at the same time. They were both up in the air.
Feathers flew around like a whirlwind. My cock kept striking at the other—
right, left, right, left. The other one was often hit, but not seriously. I was
bleeding but was still on its feet. The battle continued furiously. It was like a
hurricane. I could not see what was going on because it was so fast, and feathers
were flying around. All of a sudden, I saw the other cock fall on its ack. I jumped
for joy. “Kwarta na”. My cock was on its feet. It jumped on the other cock to give
it a final blow. But Castor, do you where my cock landed?

CASTOR: (who has been listening with great absorption, visualizing it all throughout, and
saying “Oh” and “Ah” at appropriate intervals) Where?
KULAS: Smack on the other cock’s blade. (pause) Castor… Castor… I abhor gambling… It
is disgusting…Never again, I tell you.
CASTOR: Do not talk like that. After all, you haven’t lost much yet.

48
KULAS:
Not much! Why, Castor, if you only knew how dangerously near I am to eating
camote.
CASTOR: Granted. But you are wrong in deciding not to go to the cockpit any more.
KULAS: How can I be wrong?
CASTOR: If you don’t go to the cockpit anymore, then what you lost is lost forever—but if
you go back and try again, you may recover your losses.
KULAS: Oh, no. I’ll only lose the more. Celing is right. Gambling is nothing but luck, and
mine is terrible.
CASTOR: What do you mean nothing but luck? That is not true. Look at me, Kulas, I never
lose in a cockfight.
KULAS: What about those dead heads that you carry home with heads dangling?
CASTOR: Oh, my—you certainly don’t know much about gambling. It’s true my cocks lose,
but I win.
KULAS: Really? How can that be?
CASTOR: Oh, what a man! You certainly are a greenhorn. I bet on the other cock, of course.
KULAS: You bet on… the…other…But—but, suppose your cock wins?
CASTOR: My cock can never win. I see to that! I do some tricks to make it lose.
KULAS: Come, come, Castor, stop kidding me. My head is boiling hot, and I am in no mood
for clowning.
CASTOR: Who’s clowning? It’s the truth. And if you were not my friend I would not tell you
this precious secret.
KULAS: But, Castor, how can you make a rooster lose?
CASTOR: It’s easy… But why should I tell you? You do not appreciate what I am doing. You
are even sore at me.
KULAS: Oh, come on, Castor. Don’t be touchy. You only caught me in a bad mood. Come
on, be a good friend and tell me, ha?
CASTOR: Do you really want to know?
KULAS: Sure, sure.
CASTOR: Well, get one of your cocks and I’ll show you.
KULAS: Any of my cocks?
CASTOR: Sure, any cock. It doesn’t matter. (Kulas exits to the kitchen. He returns with a
cock.)
KULAS: (giving Castor the cock) Here, Castor, here’s the cock.
CASTOR: Now get me a needle.
KULAS: A needle?
CASTOR: Yes, a needle. That thing that your wife uses for sewing.
KULAS: Ah…yes…a needle… (goes to Celing’s sewing o and gets a needle) Here’s a needle.
CASTOR: (holding the cock in his left hand and needle in his right). Now come here and
observe what I’ll do. Every cock has ligament in the leg. Once you prick it, the leg
will be weak. Look here (Castor pricks the cock’s leg). There. No one will notice

49
KULAS:
what we did, but that leg is weak now and the cock can no longer strike with it.
KULAS: Then, the cock cannot win anymore. It surely is going to lose.
CASTOR: Exactly. Now all you have to do is to go to the cockpit, arrange a match for that
cock, and bet secretly on the other side.

Super! That certainly is a wonderful trick!

CASTOR: See? The trouble with you is you don’t use your coconut (indicating the head).
KULAS: (troubled) But Castor, isn’t that cheating?
CASTOR: Of course, it is cheating! But heavens! show me the gambler who ever made
money without cheating. And besides, you have already lost plenty of money.
You will use this trick just to get it back. What is bad in that?
KULAS: You are right, Castor. I’ve really lost a great deal.
CASTOR: And you do not suppose that when you lost, they did not cheat you?
KULAS: (thinking) Er…uh…Why, I do presume they did.
CASTOR: See? You will not be cheating, Kulas. You will just be getting back at them.
KULAS: Sure enough, you are right.
CASTOR: Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s go.
KULAS: Well…er, I’ll have to wait for Celing, my wife.
CASTOR: Why, what for?
KULAS: Well…you see… She holds the purse strings in the house.
CASTOR: Oh! What a man. A slave to roosters and pecked by a hen. Well, wait for her, bbut
get plenty of money, huh?—so we can make more.
KULAS: Okay…er…Castor.
CASTOR: Yes?
KULAS: Er…Celing is probably on her way home now. You see, I don’t want her to see
you here. She doesn’t like to see me with cockfighters you know. Don’t take
offense, please… but I’d rather you’d run along now.
CASTOR: (laughs) Poor Kulas. Sure, I’ll go now. I’ll arrange a good match for your cock
immediately. Follow soon, ha. You’ll have a match ready as soon as you get there.
KULAS: Okay, I’ll see you there.
CASTOR: See you later. Squeeze all you can from the wife, pal . This cannot miss!

(Castor exits. Kulas smiles, pats his rooster and admires the trick done on its leg.
Sioning and Celing enter.)

CELING: (upon seeing the cok) Kulas, are you at it again? I thought you had sworn off the
cockpit.
KULAS: Celing, just this once. I am sure we can recover what we lost.
CELING: My, my, this Kulas of mine, just like the price of sugar: changes every minute.

50
KULAS:
KULAS: Celing, really and truly, just this once. If I lose now you can butcher all my other
cocks. I promise, I swear!
CELING: Another promise to be broken. Kulas, I think you should be a politician.
KULAS: Celing, quit joking. I am serious. Look… here is Sioning. She is the witness to y
pledge.
SIONING: (winks at Celing) That is right, Celing. I am the witness. You might as well give
him what he asks for. Go ahead.
KULAS: Sioning is right. Thank you, Sioning.
CELING: What is this, a conspiracy? Okay, all right. But remember, this is the last time.

Sure, by all that’s holy. Strike it on a rock.

CELING: Well, how much?
KULAS: Er… just twenty pesos!
CELING: Twenty pesos!
SIONING: Susmaryosep!
KULAS: Yes, Celing. Twenty pesos so that we will win back our losses. (Celing hesitates.)
CELING: But—
SIONING: Go ahead, Celing. After all this will be the last time. Sige na!
CELING: All right, there is no use arguing, I guess. Here. (She gives Kulas twenty pesos.)
KULAS: (taking the money) Oh thank you, Celing. You will not regret this. I’ll see you both
later. (Kulas leaves hurriedly with his cock.)
CELING: (follows Kulas with her eyes) Teban! Teban!
SIONING: Teban, hurry, Teban! (Teban comes from the kitchen.)
TEBAN: Yes, ma’am?
CELING: Take this money. Your master is in the cockpit again.
SIONING: Hurry, Teban. Bet that on the other side.
TEBAN: (surprised at the amount of money) Twenty pesos! This is twenty pesos, ma’am.
CELING: Yes, twenty pesos, go on hurry!
TEBAN: (confused) Shall I bet all of this, ma’am?
SIONING: Yes, all of it.
TEBAN: Yes, ma’am. Wow, this is big money!
CELING: And now, Sioning, why did you agree with Kulas (imitates Sioning) What was
that idea of yours? Sige na.
SIONING: Well… you are sure you won’t lose. So there’s no harm done.
CELING: You’re right… but it is not only the money that I’m worried about.
SIONING: What else?
CELING: The other ad consequences of gambling. Sioning dear, you know that gambling
leads to other evils. It often leads to cheating, stealing…and…well…women.
SIONING: But Kulas promised this will be his last fight.

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KULAS:
CELING: Indeed, he promised. But you may just as well write that promise on water. (The
shouts grow louder.)
SIONING: Well, the trouble with you is you don’t have enough courage, like ,e. let me tell
you what I did when Siso, that husband of mine, could not be kept away from
“monte”. I went to the club one day and insulted him from head to foot. From
that moment on, Celing, he never showed up in the club again.
CELING: But to do you how, after that, you had yourself in the house for a week, ecause
you had two black eyes?

SIONING: Of course, but that was only temporary. After that, everything was all right again.
CELING: I don’t think I can do that. I prefer to suffer things as they are. (The shouts
suddenly subside.)
SIONING: The match must be over. I wonder who won.

52
KULAS:

CELING: We will know then when Teban arrives. He has to rush back home immediately,
so Kulas won’t see him.
SIONING: Celing, if I were you, I wouldn’t trust Teban too much with money.
CELING: Don’t worry about Teban. He can be trusted.
SIONING: Maye you’re right, bbut you know how people can succumb to temptation.
CELING: Don’t worry. (Teban ccomes in.)
TEBAN: We lost, ma’am.
CELING: Oh, we lost? Well… never mind. After all, Kulas won. Teban, better go back to the
kitchen before your master returns. (Teban exits.)
SIONING: You really have a sure way of not losing, Celing.
CELING: (sad) Of course.
SIONING: Why are you so sad, Celing?
CELING: Because Kulas won.
SIONING: And what if he did? Whether he wins or you win, you lose no money. So, what’s
the difference?
CELING: A lot. You see, now that Kulas has won, he will stick to the cockpit more than
ever. (Kulas comes in sad).
KULAS: This is really the end. Nothing can change my ad luck. They will never see me in
the cockpit again.
CELING: What?
SIONING: What did you say?
KULAS: Why did I ever listen to that sneaking Castor?
CELING: But Kulas, didn’t you win?
KULAS: No, I lost again.
CELING: (in a very suspicious tone) Kulas, don’t fool me. I know you won.
KULAS: Who told you that I won? Oh, curses on that Castor.
CELING: Kulas, I will not fall for any acting. Give me your winnings.
KULAS: Good Lord! There aren’t any. Nothing is left. All gone.
CELING: (more suspicious) Wait… Aha… Maye you have a kulasisi… and you gave the
money to her!
KULAS: Oh Celing, what crazy things are you talking about? I lost! There can be no two
ways about it. Whoever gave you the idea that I won?
CELING: Teban said so. He came from the cockpit.
KULAS: Teban?
SIONING: (getting an idea) Aba… Wait, Celing. I have a hunch Teban pocketed the money…
just as I thought would happen.
KULAS: Huh? What money?
CELING: Hey…Maybe you are right, Sioning.
SIONING: I told you not to be too trusting. (Celing goes to the kitchen.)
KULAS: Hey, what’s all this?
CELING: Teban! Teban! (Teban enters.)
TEBAN: Yes, ma’am?
CELING: Teban give me back my money.
TEBAN: What money, ma’am?
KULAS: Yes, what money?
CELING: The twenty pesos you took to the cockpit a while ago.
But we
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KULAS:

TEBAN: lost, ma’am. Money… no more.

CELING: Liar! What do you mean we lost? If you lost, Kulas must have won.
But Kulas lost, so you must have won.
TEBAN: (confused) Eh? What’s that, ma’am? If I lost… he…
KULAS: What?! This is becoming very complicated. Teban, were you in the cockpit a
while ago?
TEBAN: Yes, Sir.
KULAS: Ah, you bet! Where did you steal the money?
TEBAN: From ma’am, sir.
KULAS: What? You stole from my wife?
TEBAN: Er… no sir. Ma’am ordered me to be on the cockfight, sir.
KULAS: (to Celing) Ah! So you’re preventing me from cockfighting but you are betting
secretly, eh?
SIONING: No, Kulas. Celing just bet on your cock’s opponent.
KULAS: (to Celing) Ah, and you even go against me, eh?
CELING: Don’t get mad, Kulas. I just bet on the other cock so that even if you lose, we
won’t lose anything.
SIONING: Yes, Kulas. It is a wonderful idea. You bet on your cock. Celing bets on the other
cock. If you lose, Celing wins. Simple,isn’t it?
KULAS: Ypu mean, even if my cock wins, we really don’t win anything?
SIONING: Of course, and vice versa. Very clever!
KULAS: So I have been wasting gargled water and smoke and a lot of fondling on my
cocks. I was like a fool who—
CELING: Wait a minute. Let’s find out first what happened to our twenty pesos. Teban,
where did you put the money?
TEBAN: Well, er…
KULAS: Wait a minute, Celing. Teban really lost.
CELING: And your cock won?
KULAS: Yes.
CELING: Then give me the money!
KULAS: No, Celing. I lost, too.
CELING: You won, but you lost?
KULAS: Yes. You see I also bet on the other cock.
SIONING: Dear me, what a confusing mess!
CELING: (to Kulas) You put your bet on your opponent?
KULAS: Yes. You see, I made sure that my cock had no chance of winning. Then I bet on
the other rooster. But the moment I put down my cock, the other cock ran away!
So my cock won by default and I—well, I lost.
CELING: Ah, so you wanted to cheat, eh? Well, you certainly hit your own head with a
stone…
(She laughs.)
KULAS: Hey… What’s so funny?
SIONING: Really, Celing, why are you laughing?
CELING: Because I am very happy. Er…Sioning, I invite you to eat with us tonight. And
invite Aling Kikay and our other friends. I am going to give you all a blowout.
SIONING: Sure!
CELING: Teban, prepare our pots, and borrow Ate Nena’s casserole.
Yes,
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KULAS:

TEBAN: ma’am. (exits to kitchen)

KULAS: But how are we going to give a blowout? We lost more than forty pesos today.
CELING: Never mind. I want to celebrate your last farewell to the cockpit.
KULAS: Last farewell?
CELING: Yes, because you promised me, and I have a witness (indicating Sioning). Besides,
we don’t need to bbbuy any meat.

KULAS: Why?
CELING: You still have si fighting cocks in the coop. Three will be made into adobo and
the other three will be cooked into broth. (Sioning and Celing laugh. Kulas does
not catch on until a little later. Shouts begin in the cockpit.)
KULAS: Adobo… (starts with a mirthless laugh) Hehe…Hahaha!

(Laughter becomes sincere. He approaches Celing with a look of approval.)

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KULAS:

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