Mga Kuwentong Bayan retells three precolonial folk tales. "A Creation Story" begins with a world of sky and water and tells how the first humans, male and female, emerged from a bamboo reed."The Monkey and the Turtle," like animal stories worldwide, teaches lessons about human behavior through animals who embody traits like selfishness, trickery and wisdom. "Aponitolau and the Star Maiden," a love story that connects earth and sky, provides glimpses into traditional Filipino rural life. An important book for young Filipino Americans, helping to connect them with their language and culture and expose them to traditional island music.

Included is an introductory essay exploring the cultural significance of folk tales and an essay examining the history of written Tagalog with a glossary.

On the audiocassettes, the three folk tales are told by a professional actor in both English and Tagalog, accompanied by music performed on traditional Filipino instruments.

How This Book Came About

This book was published as part of the New Faces of Liberty project, funded by the Zellerbach Family Fund, and directed by Alice Lucas. The tales were collected by Carl Angel, who also illustrated the book.

About the Artists and Designers

Alice Lucas, Editor: A former public school teacher in San Francisco, Alice Lucas directed the New Faces of Liberty project, under which this book was published. Lucas has had a long interest in developing curriculum materials for immigrant students.

Carl Angel, Illustrator: A Hawaii-born Filipino and now a Study Center designer and artist, Angel's first solo exhibition was a series of 10 paintings based on the mythology and folklore of the Philippines. In this book he explores the connection between symbolism and storytelling.

Lenny Limjoco, Designer: A photographer, journalist and Study Center art director, Limjoco was born in the Philippines. He returned there to document the country's turmoil before, during and after the fall of the Marcos regime. His powerful photo book Kasama is a result of that journey. In Mga Kuwentong Bayan he calls on his skills as a photographer to create evocative duotones of Carl Angel's sophisticated art work.

Wilma Consul, Translator: Journalist and the former editor of Filipinas Magazine. She now lives in the Philippines.

Alex Torres, Narrator: An actor, musician and graphic designer, Torres recorded both the English and Tagalog tracks on the audiocassettes.

Mahal: Using traditional Filipino instruments, Deo and Evelie Arellano recorded the music that can heard on the audiocassettes.

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