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An Integrated Unit on Classic Philippine Folk Tales About Fruits |
| Legends | WHY THE PINA (PEEN-YA) HAS A HUNDRED EYES. The Story The First Pineapple | THE BURIED ARM. The Story Of The First Banana | AGANHON, THE BEAUTIFUL. Why The Mango Is Shaped Like A Heart. | THE TREE OF LIFE. The Story Of The First Coconut Tree (Nee-Yog) | ||
| Linking Past To Present | Discuss about possibility/impossibility of a curse. | Study how a plant grow and learn other methods of growing plants (grafting & from seedlings) | Learn the meaning of words "broken heart." Is it possible to die of a broken heart? | Learn meaning. Compare/contrast religion. | ||
| Language/ Science | Find as many words and syllables as possible from the word pineapple. | Study parts of pineapple. | Compare/contrast banana clusters with arm& hands. | Learn that banana plant dies after it bear fruits. | Compare/Contrast Pilipino names and pronunciation with their names. | List all the things that can be made and used from the coconut tree. Learn where most coconut trees grow. |
| Arts/ Cooking | Make a pineapple and peanut butter sandwich. Use stencil to sponge paint. | Make Binay-an (see recipe). Fingerpaint using yellow. | Make mango cake/ juice. Compare/contrast mango and pineapple skins. | Make coconut juice. Draw different size coconut trees. | ||
| Math/ Music | Counting the "eyes." Trace shape. Identify shapes of pineapple. | Counting by 2's. Trace and identify shapes. | Use Raffi's song "Down by the Bay" to make rhymes. | Patterning. Trace shape. | Compare/contrast shapes. Listen to music Chicka Chicks Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. |
Rationale: I selected these folk tales because of the existence of physical objects in the form and appearance described in each story -- in this instance, the Philippine fruits themselves. Also, I hope that upon hearing these tales the children will have more awareness and keeness in observing fruits and other objects---their shapes and how each might have a special story.
Aling Rosa(Mrs. Rose ), a widow, had a daughter named Pinang (Peenang ). Pinang was a 10-year old with a mind of her own. She was headstrong, and preferred playing than helping her mother with the housework.
When Aling Rosa got sick one day, Pinang had no choice but do some of the chores which included preparing food for both of them. Since Pinang had not had any experience working in the kitchen, she woke up her mother continuously to ask for directions, even help her look for things.
Aling Rosa still could not get up, so she relied more and more on Pinang. Her daughter, on the other hand would still ask Aling Rosa for kitchen utensils. Because of this, Aling Rosa got so frustrated she uttered impatiently,"Why don't you look with your eyes, not with your mouth. I wish you had many pairs of eyes to help you see what exactly you are looking for!"
Pinang did not answer. Aling Rosa had never seen her again, although neighbors and everyone in town helped her look for Pinang. With the disappearance of Pinang, a strange looking plant began to grow under the house, right by the front steps.
Aling Rosa moved the plant to where it could grow tall and enjoy the sunlight. She took very good care of it just like she would with Pinang. It bore a strange-looking fruit. Aling Rosa and her neighbors thought it looked like a person's head with many "eyes" marked with specks all over in a regular pattern.
Aling Rosa thought of Pinang and what she had said to her. She wept all over again until her tears were dry. She realized that the words she had spoken were really a curse on Pinang.
She began calling the plant Pinang. As the years passed, people began to call it "pinya," a word in Filipino which means the juicy, edible tropical fruit we all know as pineapple.
Juana (Who-wa-na )was a very beautiful maiden whose parents were fiercely protective of her to the point that she can not make friends with men. But Juana fell in love with a farmer named Aging ( Ageeng ). They found ways to meet every chance they got near the well.
One day, knowing that Juana was alone, Aging went to see her. Juana's father, who was working in the fields happened to come home early that day. In a burst of fury Juana's father swung his bolo (butcher knife) to scare Aging. To protect himself Aging raised his arm but it was too late. He did not see the knife came down hard on his arm. Aging ran out of the house leaving part of his arm and hand. He was never seen again.
On the spot where Juana buried Aging's arm and hand, a plant grew. Its stalk was tall with branches and green leaves like open arms. Its yellow fruits were like clusters of fingers. The memory of Aging's love lives in this plant the Filipinos called Saging ( Sageeng).
Beautiful and kind Aganhon was the daughter of Daegdog and Mabuot. Daegdog had an explosive temper while Mabuot, his wife was kind and understanding.
Many young men courted Aganhon, but her father chose Maeopig (May-o-pig), a man who seemed like a younger version of Daegdog. Maeopig celebrated his triumph over all the other suitors.
Meanwhile Aganhon wept in misery. She could not bear the thought of spending the rest of her life with a man she did not love. Aganhon made herself a prisoner in her own room from the day her father sealed her fate.
On the day of the wedding, Aganhon disappeared. They found her dead by the little spring that flowed in the back of their house. She died of a broken heart.
Daegdog cried and blamed himself for not listening to her daughter but it was too late. One night, Aganhon appeared in her father's dream. She said that she had forgiven him. She told him to go to the spring. There, he found a tree with thick, sturdy branches and within its many green leaves were hundreds of heart-shaped fruits. The fruits were as sweet as Aganhon's skin. Most of them were hard and green. But the softer, riper ones had turned golden yellow.
The townspeople came to call the fruit "mango," meaning heart- shaped. Parents who eat mangoes are reminded never to break their children's hearts.
In the beginning of time there were three gods who lived in the universe. Bathala was the ruler of the earth, Ulilangkalulua, a large snake was the ruler of the kingdom of the white clouds, and Galangkalulua, the god with the winged head. These three gods did not know each other.
Bathala often dreamt of creating mortals but the empty earth stops him from doing so. Ulilangkalulua, who was equally lonely as Bathala liked to visit places and the earth was his favorite.
One day the two gods met. Ulilangkalulua was not pleased. He challenged Bathala to a fight to decide who would be the ruler of the universe. After three days and three nights, Ulilangkalulua was slain by Bathala. Instead of giving him a proper burial, Bathala burned the snake's remains.
A few years later the third god, Galangkalulua, wandered into Bathala's home. He welcomed the winged god with much kindness and even invited Galangkalulua to live in his kingdom. They became true friends and were very happy for many years.
Galangkalulua became very ill. Before he died he instructed Bathala to bury him on the spot where Ulilangkalulua's body was burned. Bathala did exactly as he was told. Out of the grave of the two dead gods grew a tall tree with a big round nut.
Bathala took the nut and husked it. He noticed that the inner skin was hard. The nut itself reminded him of Galangkalulua's head. It had two eyes, a flat nose, and a round mouth. Its leaves looked so much like the wings of his dear winged friend. But the trunk was hard and ugly, like the body of his enemy, the snake Ulilangkalulua.
Bathala realized that he was ready to create the creatures he wanted with him on earth. He created the first man and woman. Bathala built a house for them out of the trunk and leaves of the coconut trees. For food, they drank the coconut juice and ate its delicious white meat. Its leaves, they discovered, were great for making mats, hats, and brooms. Its fiber could be used for rope and many other things.
That is why today the coconut is called the Tree of Life. It gave life to the first man and woman, and to this day continues to provide for many of our needs.
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