Ang Buta ug Ang Buktot

(The Blind Man and the Hunchback[i])

Once upon a time, there was a blind man and a hunchback, who lived in a place called Kalubihan. The blind man, Buta, and the hunchback, Buktot were the best of friends. One hot afternoon, while walking, Buta and Buktot came across a tall coconut tree.

Buktot suddenly had a craving for coconut. He thought of climbing the coconut tree. He said to Buta, “I’ll climb up the coconut tree. You count aloud the number of fruits you hear falling to the ground. After I get them all, we will gather them and share.”

Buta agreed, and waited at the base of the tree. Buktot climbed up the tree, but the hump on his shoulders weighed him down, and halfway up the coconut tree he lost his grip and fell.

Buta thought it was a coconut fruit that he heard hit the ground, and shouted, “One!”

Buktot was displeased but did not complain. He was determined to get some coconuts for himself and his best friend. He climbed up the coconut tree again, but the same thing happened.

Buta shouted, “Two!”

Buktot was getting frustrated. He craved the fruit and was not going to leave until he could get at least one. He could not deceive his best friend, so he really needed to get a coconut to prove that he was doing what he said he would do, and also satisfy his craving. So he climbed the tree a third time, with the same result.

Buta, delighted with his friend's progress, called out, “Three!”

He decided Buktot had picked enough fruit for one day and said, “Let’s come back here tomorrow.”

Buktot, finally getting angry, complained, “Couldn't you tell that was me falling out of the tree? I haven't gotten any coconut fruits!”

“You fell out of the tree three times?” Buta asked. “Was it your hump that made you fall?”
“What else?” Buktot screamed.

Buta felt sorry for his best friend. They walked up the mountain in silence, but Buta prayed for Buktot's hump to go away, so that the next time Buktot wanted to climb a tree, it would be easy for him.

At the same time, Buktot prayed that Buta to get his sight back. Neither was aware that the other was praying for him.

The next morning, Buta was amazed to discover that he could see. He saw how beautiful Kalubihan was. In his joy, he ran to Buktot’s house, eager to tell him about this miracle. When he got there, he could not believe what he saw. Buktot’s hump was gone. They were both happy. When they realized what had happened, they gave thanks to God, not only for answering their prayers but for creating the problem with the coconut tree that had led them to offer their prayers.

A Tagalog traditional Folktale

The Blind Man and the Hunchback. 30 Nov. 2008.

Philsites 2002

/stories/laughter4.html >.

*Thanks to my personal editor K.O.R.S.