The Carabao-Turtle Race and Other Classic Philippine Animal Folk Tales

Excerpt from the Introduction: The eight animal stories in this book are retellings of selections from Filipino Popular Tales, collected by the eminent American folklorist Dean S. Fansler. The originals appeared in print for the first time in 1921, when the American Folk-Lore society published the anthology...The ultimate value of these classic animal tales is threefold. First, they make Filipino children aware of their cultural heritage. Second, they mirror the problems, imperfections, and foibles of human beings who must devise strategies for self-preservation and the improvement of their lot. Third, their diversity of animals who play their roles in these miniature dramas reminds us that the animal kingdom is a vast kingdom and that humanity is only a very small part of it. - Sylvia Mendez Ventura