Once there was a child who was different from other children.  She was very quiet and patient, and never spoke unless she was spoken to.  Her mother used to urge her to play in the streets with the other children, but she always preferred to sit in the corner quietly and without trouble to any one.  When the time came for the child to enter school, she begged her mother to get her a book of doctrines and let her learn at home.  So her mother got a book of doctrines for her, and she was able to read at once without being taught.  Day after day she sat in the corner reading her books and meditating.

When she became a little larger she asked to have a little room built away from the house, where she might remain free from the intrusion of any earthly thought.

Her mother had this done, and there in the tight little room with no one to see her she sat.  She never tasted the food or drink placed at her door, and finally her mother, becoming alarmed, made a tiny hole and peeped through the wall.  There sat the child reading her book, with a huge man standing beside her, and all manner of beasts and serpents filling the little room.

More frightened than ever, the mother ran to the priest, who told her that those were devils tempting the child, but not to fear, for she would certainly become a saint.  And it was so, for afterwards the evil shapes were gone.  Then the priest and the people built a costly shrine and placed her in it, and there the people used to go and ask her to intercede for them.  But at last the shrine was found empty, and surely she was taken alive into heaven and is now a saint.

CHAPTER 20

Tagalog Babes in the Woods.

Once upon a time there was a cruel father who hated his twin children, Juan and Maria, and drove them from the house on every occasion.

The children used to live on the grains of rice that fell through the bamboo floor, and such food as their mother could smuggle to them.

At last, when they were about six years old, their father took them off into the forest and left them without food or drink.  They wandered for three days, being preserved by such fruits and leaves as they could gather.

Finally poor Maria said she could go no farther, but that she would die.  Juan cut a mountain bamboo and from its hollow joints gave Maria a refreshing drink.  Then he climbed a tree and in the distance saw a house.  After much exertion they reached it and called out, “Tauo po.” [19] A voice from within said, “Come in, children.”  They went in and found a table set, but no one was there, though the same voice said, “Eat and drink all you want.”  They did so, and after saying, “Thank you, good-by,” they started to go away, but again they were bidden to stay.  So they stayed on for a long time until Juan was a young man and Maria a young woman.  From a great chest that stood in the corner they took out new clothing as their old wore out, and the chest was never empty, and there was always food in the magic dishes on the table.