Example of a Legend: A Lesson in Philippine Literature

1. THE LEGEND OF THE
FIRST FIREFLY

2. In the local dialect (Tagalog),fireflies are
called "alitaptap". You can see a lot of them
flickering their tail-lights in the suburbs of
Los Banos, Laguna (A town soutn of Luzon,
Philippines). Apart from us, human beings,
they are about the only creatures that used
fire. Let us learn about the legend of how
fireflies came to use fire.

3. In the beginning, fireflies were just
insects, small and ordinary. They do not
have that special fire that kindles light at
night. The first generation of fireflies
come out only during the day. Like any
other creatures, they rest under the
leaves and flowers of plants that they
come across as soon as the shade of
darkness cover the land. So generally
speaking, fireflies are scared of the night
except for a full moon that brings out a
gentle glow in the middle of darkness"

4. One early evening, they spotted a bush of
sampaguita to stop for the night. All of
the fireflies sought for their own solace.
Some of them hid under the sampaguita's
leaves, others under the flower buds,
while others hid under its petals.
The pretty sampaguita wondered and
asked "But why are you hiding?"
"Why do all of you seem so frightened?
Are you afraid of the dark?"

5. "No, we are not afraid of the dark," the
insects answered.
"Then tell me why are you so afraid?"
asked the sampaguita.
"We are afraid of the fruit bats." the
fireflies answered.
"Why are you afraid of the fruit bat?" asked
the sampaguita.

6. "It's because they eat us up," said the insects. "If
they see us they would catch us, and if we are
caught that would mean the end of our lives."
"Well, it's really very cruel of the fruit bat to be
doing this to you," the sampaguita said.
"Can you imagine just how many fruit bats there
are?" complained one of the insects. "That's why
were getting fewer and fewer in number."

7. "Well, if that's the way things are, you'll be
finished before time," said sampaguita. "How
much I pity all of you."
"We don't even know what is best to do to
protect ourselves," said the insects.
"But, I was wondering why is it that you
don't come and hide in my tree when the
moon is bright?" asked sampaguita.

8. "Well, if the moon is bright, it is difficult
for the bat to catch us," spoke one of the
fireflies. "They get blinded by the light
that a full moon brings," followed by
another of the fireflies.
"Well, that's it. It cannot see the light,"
reasoned the sampaguita. "I've got an
idea. I will tell you just what you should
do."

9. "The idea is for each of you to carry a torch of
fire," said the sampaguita. " Then go in groups
when you go out in the night. The fruit bat would
be afraid of you. He wouldn't try to get close to
you without getting burned."
"That's very true, that's it!" exclaimed the
fireflies altogether.
"Guess that's the best thing for us to do, isn't it?"
asked one of the younger fireflies.

10. That was what the fireflies
did. One dark evening, each
of them carried a small torch
of fire to their tails and then
they came out together. They
were like high flying embers
altogether. And the fruit bat
did not dare get near them at
all.
The fireflies were
jubilant. They flew
around and around
the sampaguita tree.
"Thank you,
sampaguita. We are
now free!" shouted
the fireflies.

11. From then on, every time the
fireflies wanted to go out during
the dark night they would each
bring with them these small
torches of fire then come out
together to roam leisurely around
the bushes, fluttering from one
sampaguita plant to another.
That was how and why the
fireflies today have light at the
end of their tails.