But Parotpot thought that he might succeed better with a fish-trap, like his friend Camanla’s.  When he had finished it, he sent it to the river, saying:  “My taon, pot, go now to the river, pot, and catch many fishes, pot, for my dinner, pot.”  The taon went.  It was Sunday and the people of the town were killing cattle for their Sunday dinner, and throwing the waste into the river.  All this filth floated into the taon and filled it.  Then it ran back home.  While the taon had been gone, Parotpot had been making preparations for a great dinner.  He cooked the rice and washed the dishes, and then invited his friends to come to his house and share his excellent dinner.  When he saw the taon coming, he said:  “My taon, pot, is coming now, pot, to bring me many fine fish, pot, for my dinner, pot.”  When his neighbors saw what was in the taon, they laughed, and Parotpot said:  “I can never be as happy as my friend Camanla.”  Then he took the taon and threw it into the fire.

CHAPTER 4

Juan, the Student.

There was once a poor couple who lived happily in a quiet place.  They had one son, named Juan, whom at first they loved very much; but afterwards, either because their extreme poverty made it difficult for them to support him, or because of his wickedness and waywardness, they began to hate him, and made plans to kill him.

In order to carry out this purpose, the father called his son to him one evening, and said:  “My son, to-morrow we will go to the mountain to get some lumber with which to repair our house.  I want you to prepare our breakfast very early, so that we may set out before the sun rises.”

On the next morning they arose very early and ate their breakfast.  As it consisted only of rice and a few small fishes, it was soon finished, and they set out for the mountain.  When they had arrived at a lonely spot, the man seized his son and fastened him to a large tree.  Then he took his bolo and cut down the tree in such a way as to cause it to fall on the boy and kill him.  Then he returned home, thinking that he should have no more trouble on account of his son.

Early the next morning, the man heard a noise as of some one approaching the house.  On opening a window he perceived his son, whom he supposed he had killed on the previous day, coming towards the house and bearing a heavy load of wood.  When the boy had come near he asked where he should put the wood.  At first the father was too much frightened to reply, but at last he told his son to put the wood down near the house.