1. THE MONKEY AND THE TURTLE
BILAAN

2. Bilaan
Comes from “BILA” means HOUSE and the Suffix AN that
means people .. so that the term may be taken to mean
“people living in the House”
Other terms that have been used to refer to this group are Blaan, Bira-an ,
Baraan, Vilanes, Bilanes. Names such as Tagalagad, Tagakogon, and
Buluan have also
been used; however, these denote the kind of site where some Bilaan
groups were
located. The Bilaan inhabit the southern part of South Cotabato and
southeastern part
of Davao del Sur, as well as the areas around Buluan Lake in North
Cotabato. Other Bilaan groups on this island have been referred to as
Balud or Tumanao. The Bilaan share similarities in culture and physical
features with
the neighboring Tagacaolo and the Tagabawa. As of 1988, the Bilaan
numbered some

3. History
In the 19th century, the Bilaan inhabited the hilly region behind the west coast of Davao
Gulf. Their territory extended all the way into Bagobo country to the north and
westward into the Davao-Cotabato watershed. Culturally, the Bilaan are related to the
Bagobo and the Mandaya as evidenced by pronounced similarities in architecture,
clothing, ornamentation, and socioreligious practices
. By 1910, the estimated Bilaan population was about 10,000, of whom some 1,500 lived
on Sarangani. Because of the mountainous terrain and environment, there was practically
no local group organization; houses were separated by long stretches. Whenever there
was a neighborhood, the number of houses was small. Over the years, settlers from the
Visayan islands came to Mindanao and occupied the coastal plains and foothills on the
western coast of the Davao Gulf, which was traditionally part of Bilaan country. Gradually,
the Bilaan were pushed deeper back into the interior, without much resistance on their
part. In the distant past, the Bilaan were actively engaged in warfare. Along with the
Manobo, Mandaya, Bagobo, and Tagacaolo, they had at one time or another reduced their
neighbors in southwester Mindanao to the status of tribute-paying “colonies” (Casal
1986:55).
Economy
Swidden farming is the main agricultural method used by the Bilaan. In their rather
small clearings, they grow rice, corn, millet, sweet potato, sugarcane, banana, papaya,
pineapple, vegetables, tobacco, and abaca. What is left after domestic consumption is
brought to the market to be sold. The last two commodities are produced as barter
items, for which they get the food articles, utensils, and tools they need. The domestic
animals include a few chickens, dogs, cats, and occasional fish .

4. Setting:
IN THE FOREST
Summary:One morning,a monkey and a turtle who were close friends talked about their
situation after a while the monkey said,lets’go to the forest and make a trap for a wild pigs. ”
the turtle agreed .when they came upon a dakit tree,they saw the tracks of wild pigs.”lets
make a trap here ,said the turtle,pointing to a base of the tree.
No let’s make one trap up the tree because pigs go there and gather fruits said the monkey
The two friends are not agree to each other idea’s…
So they make their own trap.The two friends went their separate ways .After setting their
traps the monkey said that they return after two days but the day after the traps are laid,
the monkey went back in Dakit tree by himself . The turtle trap has a wild pig but the
monkey has a bird , to save his face to the turtle, the monkey change the turtle trap into a
bird and brought the wild pig in his trap on his way home , he met the turtle and he asked
“where have you been”? I went to the river to take a bath he replied . As agreed on that day
the two friends are went back to the Dakit tree the turtle was surprised to find a pig up the
tree and bird in his trap which was set on the ground.He knew that the monkey trick him
without saying a word the two friends went home with the pig and bird. When they came
near at the monkey house ,they decided to fight it out wait the monkey said’ Ill build
myself a fort he proceeded to make a fort out of a banana leaves .He believed them
impregnable.

5. The turtle said, shoot first if it.where true that my trap caught a bird, pray that I will
be killed at once .The monkey hit the turtle, the monkey rejoiced . The turtle cried
“you hit my back but im protected by my shell. They fight and fight until the
monkey wife and children has shoot by turtle arrow and then died.The monkey
shout .Why don’t we become friends again and I`ll tell you the truth that your trap
caught a pig . If the monkey did not reconciled to the turtle.The turtle would have
killed him too,they sealed they friendship by partaking of nama from the monkey`s
chew box.Sometimes later the monkey felt lonely because his wife and children was
dead. “please keep me company the monkey pleaded we can go to the river and fish
.They left the river to fish at the river bank they saw a banana stalk lets cut it in two
the monkey suggested
i`ll take the upper half because the leaf and the fruit are too heavy for you .the two
friends went to their respective kaingin and planted their parts.the next visit the
turtle saw his plant heavy with fruit and the monkey plant had wilted.The monkey
volunteered to get the fruit from the turtle kaingin he didn’t care to go down
anymore and he ate everything. His made the turtle very mad.silently while the
monkey was slept He planted a bamboo stakes around the banana stalk when the
monkey turn on his side .He fell and agonizingly died. The turtle feasted on the
monkey .on his way home he met a group of monkey ,they saw the turtle ‘s black
teeth and asked for a nama after chewing some nama many throw up;others felt
weak and drop dead those who didn’t partake of nama realized that their chew was
a monkey ,they decided to run after the turtle and kill him the monkey found the
monkey at the river bank each monkey bit him with a stone the turtle enjoy
it.continue beating me so I’ll turn wide and flat and then I will be able to lick you

6. *all with my tail ,the monkey decided to throw him to the river haha don’t you
know that I can live with water,the monkey were very mad they ask to the deer
to drink all the water their sow they could get to the turtle .the deer ask them to
put a stopper in his anus they use a corncob to close the orifice .whe the
monkey make it to the turtle , tabkuko(bird)pecked on the corn cob and out
went the water again.thrice the deer drew the water,thrice the tabkuko remove
the corn cob.three monkeys drowned . They seized the bird and twisted its
neck but the tabkuko didn’t died and he said that if u want o kill me ,pull the
feathers and leave me on that stone near the river.in a week ‘s time you will see
worms feasting on my body . The monkey do what the tabkuko said and they
saw a worms all over the tabkuko body. But the turtle did not go
unpunished,when he went out to the water, he met ared-tailed lizard.the lizard
offered t o bring him up to the tree.so up the tree they went.the turtle held on
to the lizard tail as hard as he could,but he slipped! Down he felwith aloud
crash. The turtle shell was broken into pieces.And while the sun hid behind the
tree, THE TURTLE DIED.

7. CHARACTER:
*THE MONKEY
*THE TURTLE
*TABKUKO(BIRD)
*DEER
*GROUP OF MONKEY
THEME;
GREEDINESS

8. ANALYSIS:
*BE CONTENTED OF WHAT YOU
HAVE
*DON’T BE GREEDY
*YOU SHOULD TREASURE YOUR
FRIEND
*DON’T TRICK SOMEONE MUCH
MORE YOUR FRIEND.