Navia, Hanna C.

| MA ESL

CHUNKS OF MEAT FROM THE BOY HUNTER AND VLADMIR PROPPS’ AUTOPSY
OF FILIPINO FOLK TALE

Introduction
Vladmir Propps (1895-1970) became the father of folk tale morphology as he examined the
common theme of his country’s folktales through 31 morphemes or “chunks analysis.” Every
single detail of each folktale created a pattern similar to the rest. This challenges scholarly literature
to produce more investigations rather than information about these folk tales through having
framework analysis. Do these folk tales have one place of origin long before the Pangean continent
drifted into pieces? Propps seemed like dissecting stories piece by piece. Somewhat related to the
autopsy procedures taken on our dying folktales when technology era continuously emerge.
Nowadays, people less appreciate reading traditional literary genres like folktales because science
fiction are becoming more possible compared to fictional epic heroes. Furthermore, as teachers of
literature, it is not only part of our job to teach and let the children appreciate literary genres but
to catch deeper analysis regarding their origins.
The analyzed Filipino folktale came from book compilation of Mabel Cook Cole (1880-1970). She
was a foreign writer and anthropologist who took value on the richness of Filipino literature.
Meanwhile, in our country there were only few Filipino folk tale researchers. The story was
originated in Zamboanga Peninsula in the groups of lumads or non-Muslim indigenous community
called Subanen. Similar to the chunks of folk tale meat served by Propps through his morphology
of folktale analysis, the Subanen people dearly hunt meat as part of their everyday survival. Thus,
the story evolve in the main character’s hunting.

Summary of the Folktale

There once lived a widow and his only son on a tiny house near edge of the village. They were
happy and their source of living were planting rice fields and hunting wild pigs. One night, the
meat supply was short so the son decided to hunt with his dog for meat in daylight.
Before the sun came, the boy went on his way to hunt. The dog barked at the black bodied pig with
white four legs. The boy chased the pig until he killed it in captivity. However, the pig owner’s
servant saw how the boy killed his master’s pig and he was invited to the pig owner’s place.
They reached a stone with a huge room inside where the master dwell. The boy explained that it
was never his intention to kill a pig owned by someone. Nevertheless, it was his usual routine of
hunting wild pigs. The master did not get mad at him instead, he treated him like especial guest
and they had a feast for seven days. Until such time, the boy realized that it was time to go home
because his mother might be long worried on his absence.
 Navia, Hanna C. | MA ESL

While on his way home, he encountered seven blood thirsty armed men who wish to kill him. The
boy heard a spirit to fight them. Instantly, he was equipped with his weapons and urge to defeat
all of them after seven days. Hence, when the battle was over, the boy decided not to go home
anymore and began to quench his thirst for more battles. He searched for enemies until he
discovered the house of a great giant and challenged it to defeat him.
The giant became furious and fight the boy. After three days of brawls, the giant fell on his
wounded waist. Again the spirit appeared, and it said: "The seven men whom you killed were sent
to kill you by the spirit of the great stone, for he looked in your hand and saw that you were to
marry the orphan girl whom he himself wished to wed. But you have conquered. Your enemies
are dead. Go home now and prepare a great quantity of wine, for I shall bring your enemies to life
again, and you will all live in peace."
The boy went home and he was welcomed with a heroic feast. Everybody on the village was
lavished with wine. That night there was a great feast, and the spirit of the great stone, his seven
warriors, the friendly spirit, and the giant all came. The widow's son married the orphan girl, while
another beautiful woman became the wife of the spirit of the stone.

Presentation of the Analysis using Propp's Framework

1st Sphere: Introduction Supporting Lines Taken From The Actual
Steps 1 to 7 introduces the situation and most Folk Tale Not The Summary
of the main characters, setting the scene for
subsequent adventure.
“…and the boy remained seven days in the
1. Absentation: Someone goes missing stone. At the end of that time, he said that he
must return to his mother who would be
worried about him. In the early morning he left
the strange house and started for home.”

- The boy, who also the main character,

2. Interdiction: Hero is warned
went missing for seven days away from
home.
“We are warriors,” replied the man in red.
“And we go up and down the world killing
whatever we see that has life. Now that we
have met you, we must kill you also.”
The boy, startled by this strange speech, was
about to answer when he heard a voice near
him say: “Fight, for they will try to kill you,”

- There was a voice who warned the boy

to fight unless they will kill him.

3. Violation of interdiction
4. Reconnaissance: Villain seeks something
5. Delivery: The villain gains information
6. Trickery: Villain attempts to deceive victim
7. Complicity: Unwitting helping of the
enemy
2nd Sphere: The Body of the story
The main story starts here and extends to the
departure of the hero on the main quest.
8. Villainy and lack: The need is identified
9. Mediation: Hero discovers the lack
Navia, Hanna C. | MA ESL
Not applicable. The main character heed the
warning of the voice and fight for his life.
Not applicable. The great spirit of stone never
hostage the orphan girl in the story.
"The seven men whom you killed were sent to
kill you by the spirit of the great stone, for he
looked in your hand and saw that you were to
marry the orphan girl whom he himself wished
to wed.”
- The antagonist discovered something
about the main character but it was
only revealed in the latter part of the
story.
“The master did not blame the boy for killing
the pig, and declared that he wished to make a
brother of him.”
- The master in the stone house was the
great spirit of stone whom sent enemies
to kill the boy. Despite of it, he showed
up like a big brother to the boy during
his stay at the stone house.
Not applicable. The boy conquered all the
villains in the story.
“One evening when their supply of meat was
low.”
- The meat shortage was the reason of
the boy’s quest. Unfortunately, it
happened naturally without the
villain’s actions.
“....the boy said:
‘Mother, I am going to hunt pig in the morning,
and I wish you would prepare rice for me
before daylight.’ ”

10. Counteraction: Hero chooses positive “So the widow rose early and cooked the rice,
action
11. Departure: Hero leave on mission
3rd Sphere: The Donor Sequence
In the third sphere, the hero goes in search of
a method by which the solution may be
reached, gaining the magical agent from the
Donor. Note that this in itself may be a
complete story.
12. Testing: Hero is challenged to prove
heroic qualities
13. Reaction: Hero responds to test
14. Acquisition: Hero gains magical item
Navia, Hanna C. | MA ESL
- Once the boy discovered their need for
meat he urgently respond it with a
plan.
and at dawn the boy started out with his spear
and dog.”
- The boy put his plan into action.
“Some distance from the village, he entered the
thick forest.”
- The boy left the village and entered to
the woods in search for food.
“When they were all killed, the widow’s son
was so crazed with fighting that he thought no
longer of returning home, but started out to
find more to slay.”
- The boy was determined to chase after
the enemies and kill them in a mighty
battle. Just like a hero, who hunts for
the villains that may cause harm.
“Then he knew that the command came from a
spirit, so he took his weapons and began to
fight. For three days and nights they
contended, and never before had the seven
seen one man so brave. On the fourth day the
leader was wounded and fell dead, and then,
one by one, the other six fell.”
- When the good spirit whispered at him
to fight unless he will die, he responded
to the challenge and killed all the
enemies.
“’Fight, for they will try to kill you,” and upon
looking up he saw his spear, shield, and sword
which he had left at home.”

15. Guidance: Hero reaches destination
16. Struggle: Hero and villain do battle
17. Branding: Hero is branded
18. Victory: Villain is defeated
19. Resolution: Initial misfortune or lack is
resolved
4th Sphere: The Hero’s return
In the final (and often optional) phase of the
storyline, the hero returns home, hopefully
uneventfully and to a hero's welcome, although
this may not always be the case.
20. Return: Hero sets out for home
21. Pursuit: Hero is chased
Navia, Hanna C. | MA ESL
- The good spirit gave the boy weapons
which he left at home during the battle.
“In his wanderings he came to the home of a
great giant whose house was already full of the
men he had conquered in battle.”
- The boy being starve to battle searched
for enemies and he saw the giant’s
house whom he challenged for a fight.
“The boy did not stop to answer, but rushed at
the giant with his knife; and for three days and
nights they struggled, till the giant fell,
wounded at the waist.”
- The giant accepted the challenge to
have a duel with the boy.
“Go home now and prepare a great quantity of
wine.”
- The boy came back home in
celebration like a hero
“But you have conquered. Your enemies are
dead.”
- The spirit confirmed the boy’s victory.
“…for I shall bring your enemies to life again,
and you will all live in peace.”
- Peace was assured by the powerful
entity in the story which means all the
problems are solved.
“So the widow’s son went home, and his
mother, who had believed him dead, was filled
with joy at his coming, and all the people in the
town came out to welcome him.”
- The boy was welcomed as a hero
Not applicable. At the end, the good spirit
made all villains to be allies.
 Navia, Hanna C. | MA ESL

22. Rescue: pursuit ends Not applicable

23. Arrival: Hero arrives unrecognized Not applicable

24. Claim: False hero makes unfounded Not applicable

claims
25. Task: Difficult task proposed to the hero
26. Solution: Task is resolved
27. Recognition: Hero is recognised
Not applicable
“…But you have conquered. Your enemies are
dead.”
“When he had told them his story, they
hastened to get wine, and all day they bore
jarsful to the widow’s house.”

- The boy was considered as a hero when

the townsman heard his stories of
triumphs over the villains.
28. Exposure: False hero is exposed Not applicable
29. Transfiguration: Hero is given a new Not applicable
appearance
30. Punishment: Villain is punished Not applicable

31. Wedding: Hero marries and ascends the The widow’s son married the orphan girl,
while another beautiful woman became the
throne
wife of the spirit of the stone.

- The boy married the orphan girl but

never ascended the throne because the
story does not involve royalties.

Conclusion
Only 7 out of 31 morphemes don’t exactly fit with the chosen Filipino folk tale. Likewise, we can
say that our folktale has a slight different structure compared to Propp’s country folk tales. Yet,
majority of the structure has a strong resemblance as evidently shown in the story. We may now
assume that folktales, regardless of their country origin, have significant connections or similarities
to each other.
 Navia, Hanna C. | MA ESL

References:
https://www.worldoftales.com/Asian_folktales/Filipino_folktale_42.html
https://monoskop.org/images/f/f3/Propp_Vladimir_Morphology_of_the_Folktale_2nd_ed.pdf
http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/propp/propp.htm
http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/2016/03/21/the-subanen-people-of-mindanao/
http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/pft/pft45.htm