TUDTUDLAN SA MAGUINDANAO (FOLK TALES)
Maguindanao tudtul (folktales) are short stories involving
simple events. Two examples are presented.
LAGYA KUDARAT
The “Lagya Kudarat” tells the adventures of the two children of
Lagya (rajah) Mampalai of Lum who are blown away after
Mampalai laments the lack of viable partners for his children.
These two children are Lagya Kudarat and Puteli (princess)
Sittie Kumala.
Puteli Kumala is blown to a forest where she meets a kabayan
(in all Maguindanao stories, this character is associated with an
old unmarried woman). The kabayan adopts her, as she earlier
did the prince named Sumedsen sa Alungan.
Although Kumala and Sumedsen live in the same house, they
never speak to each other. Later, because of peeping toms,
Kumala leaves and Sumedsen goes with her. They find their
way to Lum, where a happy reunion takes place. Sumedsen
eventually marries Kumala.
Meanwhile, Lagya Kudarat is blown to Kabulawanan. There he
meets another kabayan who allows him to live with her. One
day while hunting, Kudarat hears the game of sipa (rattan ball
kicked with the ankle) being played. He proceeds to the
direction of the game and is invited to play.
Not knowing how to play, he accidentally causes the sipa to fall
in front of the princess who is sitting beside the window. She
throws him her ring and handkerchief. The marriage between
the princess and Kudarat is then arranged.
After the wedding, Kudarat feels homesick; his wife then
suggests that they go back to Lum. There is a happy reunion. A
week later, Kudarat and his wife returns to Kabulawanan to live
with his in-laws (Notre Dame Journal 1980:3-6).
PAT I MATA
“Pat-I-Mata” narrates the story of two brothers — Pat-I-Mata
and Datu sa Pulu. The former rules Kabalukan while the latter
reigns over Reina Regente. Pat-I-Mata
is so-called because he has four eyes; when his two eyes
sleep, his other two are awake.
He is also known for his cruelty to women, marrying them when
they are beautiful and returning them after they have gone ugly.
Because of this, the people of Kabalukan can no longer tolerate
Pat-I-Mata’s cruelty. They approach his brother and ask for his
help.
The Datu sa Pulu tries to advise his brother but to no avail. He
then decides to kill Pat-I-Mata. So he builds a cage. Seeing the
cage, Pat-I-Mata asks what it is for.
The Datu replies that it is constructed to protect them from an
incoming storm. Being greedy, Pat-I-Mata asks for the cage
saying that the Datu can make his own anytime. The Datu
pretends to hesitate but later accommodates his brother’s
wishes. When Pat-I-Mata and his followers enter the cage, the
Datu orders the door shut.
Realizing that he is tricked, he says before being thrown into
the river: “Never mind, my brother. We would always be
enemies — and we will never be reconciled till eternity. I would
die but I pray that whenever you go riding on a boat in the river,
my spirit will capsize it” (Notre Dame Journal 1980:7-8)
