Juan Osong Play
JUAN OSONG (Bicol Literature – Folktale)
The mayor of the town where Juan Osong lived once ordered the town crier to announce a new ordinance that no one should be found walking in the street by ten o’clock at night. But as Juan was still in the street by ten o’clock, he crawled. He was seen by the policeman who asked him, “Why are you still here? Don’t you know that it is prohibited for townspeople to walk down these streets after ten? “
Juan answered, “Yes sir, I know, but as you can see, I am not walking, I am crawling.”
One day, Juan passed by the military headquarters. When one passes by the headquarters, he is expected to remove his hat and salute the flag. When Juan was hailed by the guard and asked why he did not remove his hat, Juan said, “Sir, if I remove my hat, my head will be exposed to the sun”.
The soldier said, “If that is your reason, do not set foot on this place again”.
Since it was necessary for Juan to pass by the municipal building every day on his way to the market, Juan decided to dig some soil from his farm and place it in the cart. He had his carabao pull the cart as he went past the municipal building.
The soldier who accosted him the day before saw him and said, “Didn’t I tell you not to set foot on this place again? “
Juan answered, ”Yes, but it is my own piece of land that I am standing on.”
Juan had an older brother named Pedro. One day, when they were about to leave their house, Pedro told Juan to lock the door. What Juan did was to bring the door along instead. When Pedro asked him why he did so, Juan reasoned that it was better not to leave it behind so nobody could enter it.
Juan also brought along an axe for the brothers were to chop wood in the forest. When they got to the forest, they found a shady tree which they decided to climb to rest for a while. As they were up in the tree a band of robbers arrived and rested in the shade. Soon they started to open their sacks to divide their loot. Juan was about to make a noise,
The mayor of the town where Juan Osong lived once ordered the town crier to announce a new ordinance that no one should be found walking in the street by ten o’clock at night. But as Juan was still in the street by ten o’clock, he crawled. He was seen by the policeman who asked him, “Why are you still here? Don’t you know that it is prohibited for townspeople to walk down these streets after ten? “
Juan answered, “Yes sir, I know, but as you can see, I am not walking, I am crawling.”
One day, Juan passed by the military headquarters. When one passes by the headquarters, he is expected to remove his hat and salute the flag. When Juan was hailed by the guard and asked why he did not remove his hat, Juan said, “Sir, if I remove my hat, my head will be exposed to the sun”.
The soldier said, “If that is your reason, do not set foot on this place again”.
Since it was necessary for Juan to pass by the municipal building every day on his way to the market, Juan decided to dig some soil from his farm and place it in the cart. He had his carabao pull the cart as he went past the municipal building.
The soldier who accosted him the day before saw him and said, “Didn’t I tell you not to set foot on this place again? “
Juan answered, ”Yes, but it is my own piece of land that I am standing on.”
Juan had an older brother named Pedro. One day, when they were about to leave their house, Pedro told Juan to lock the door. What Juan did was to bring the door along instead. When Pedro asked him why he did so, Juan reasoned that it was better not to leave it behind so nobody could enter it.
Juan also brought along an axe for the brothers were to chop wood in the forest. When they got to the forest, they found a shady tree which they decided to climb to rest for a while. As they were up in the tree a band of robbers arrived and rested in the shade. Soon they started to open their sacks to divide their loot. Juan was about to make a noise,