Sandaang Salaysay

The Light of the Fly

Today’s podcast story is called “The Light of The Fly”, obtained from the book, Philippine Folklore Stories by John Maurice Miller, and read by Frederick V. Tomas.

Today’s podcast story is called “The Light of The Fly”, obtained from the book, Philippine Folklore Stories by John Maurice Miller, and read by Frederick V. Tomas.

Listen to the story here or on Spotify.

Learning Guide

Prepared by Kristine Anne P. Valdellon.

A. Discussion Questions
Explain the meaning of the last three lines of the poem:

“And from him this lesson may learn:

To keep your eyes open and see the least thing,

And Fortune will come in its turn.

What are small things in life that we may not always pay attention to?
Why is it important to pay attention to small things?

B. Learning Activity
In literature, light is usually a metaphor for clarity, truth, or enlightenment in one’s life.

Who are the guides or lights in your life? Draw a small figure of yourself and Identify these people who are lights in your life by drawing them like fireflies. You can make a crayon etching of them by following the directions below:

Get a piece of thick white paper similar to a poster board.
Color the top half with blue crayon.
Color the bottom half with yellow crayon.
Then color over the blue and yellow parts with black crayon entirely.
With a toothpick, scratch out the black crayon to draw the details of the night sky and the fireflies flying around. Don’t forget to write the names of the fireflies who guide you in your life.

Source: John Maurice Miller, Philippine Folklore Stories. 1904. Project Gutenberg. Re-released by Global Grey Books 2018

Current Stories in the Series

English

The Monkey and The Turtle

Sun and Moon

Sagacious Marcela

The Story of Our Fingers

Why the Cow’s Skin is Loose on the Neck

The Lost Necklace

The Light of The Fly

The Snail and The Deer

Filipino

Ang Pagong at ang Matsing

Ang mga Paglalakbay ni Juan

Ang Pinagmulan ng Daigdig (Si Malakas at si Maganda)

Ang Unang Unggoy

Ang Alamat ng Palay

Ang Pinagmulan ng Lamok

Kung Paano Yumaman si Jackyo

Ang Gamugamo at ang Liwanag

Ang Anting-anting ni Manuelito

Stay in tune for other stories in this podcast series!

Sandaang Salaysay

Sandaang Salaysay is a podcast series featuring Filipino folktales and short stories for the younger generation, co-created by Areté and Ateneo de Manila Basic Education. This collection of audio episodes aims to cultivate cultural appreciation and literary exploration among the youth.