King Cicada And King Lion.

One afternoon, King Cicada was trilling happily

when along came King Lion.

King Lion ran so fast that he stepped on King

Cicada. King Cicada complained, but King Lion only

laughed at him. King Lion said that he was the

strongest creature in the world and could do what he

wanted.

King Cicada then challenged King Lion and both

agreed to call a war between their followers. King

Cicada would lead the birds and the insects and King

Lion would lead the animals of the land.

On the third day, according to the agreement,

King Lion marched to the big clearing with his

followers. Behind him were the Tiger, the Horse, the

Bear, the Cow, the Carabao, the Wolf, the Pig, the

Dog, the Cat, the Rabbit, the Rat and others.

Then King Cicada flew in with his followers.

Behind him were the Birds, the Bees and other

insects.

Who won that day? Was it the big animals that

kicked, clawed and stamped, or the small insects and

the birds that buzzed, pecked, and stang?

At last when the land animals got tired of kicking

the air, the birds and insects attacked. King Cicada

told them to stop only when King Lion and his

followers cried out in pain and begged them to stop.

Thus, the birds and insects won and the war

ended. King Lion promised that all insects and birds

could have the plants and sweet flowers of the land

while his followers would be content with left-overs.

All the birds and insects went home and had a

great party, to the music of the mosquitoes and the

beetles.

Erlinda Kintanar-Alburo
Cebuano Folktales 1
University of San Carlos (1977)