ngle himself, and
(G1) returns home to live with his parents, either for good or for
only a short time.

These incidents are distributed among the different versions thus:--

No. 3 AB1B3C1C2DD1EF1F2F3GG1
Version a AB1B5D
Version b C1DD1EF3F4F5GG1
Version c AB5B1B4C1C2C4
Version d AB1B2C1C3DE1F6
Version e AB1B3C1C2DG1
Version f AB4B1C1C4
Version g AB1B2C1C3DD1EF4G
Version h AB1B2C1C3DD1

Up to the point where the hero leaves home, these various Filipino
stories agree in the main: i.e., the hero is a dwarf of superhuman
strength and extraordinary eating-capacity; his parents (or guardian)
are driven by poverty to attempt to kill him (usually twice, sometimes
thrice), but their efforts are vain; he finally determines to leave
home, often taking with him some mighty weapon. From this point on,
the narratives differ widely. All are alike in this respect, however:
the hero never marries. Obviously this group of stories is connected
with two well-known European cycles of folk-tales,--"Strong Hans"
and "John the Bear." The points of resemblance will be indicated
below in an analysis of the incidents found in the members of our
group. (Variants are referred to by italicized lower-case letters thus:
a [Pusong], b [Cabagboc], etc. No. 3 refers to our complete story of
"Carancal.")

A Hero is born as result of childless couple's unceasing petitions
to Heaven (3, a, f, g), and is only a span in length when born (c,
d, g). Three of the tales do not mention anything definite about the
hero's birth (b, e, h). In all, however, his name is significant,
indicating the fact that he is either a dwarf, or wonderfully strong,
or a glutton (3 Carancal, from Tag. dangkal, "a palm;" [a] Pusong,
from Vis. puso, "paunch, belly;" [b] Cabagboc, from Bicol, "strong;"
[c] Sandapal, from Tag. dapal, "a span;" [d] Sandangcal, from Pampangan
dangkal = Tag.; [f] Tapon, Ilocano for "short;" [g] and [h] Tangarangan
and Dangandangan, from Ilocano dangan, "a span"). a describes the
hero as having "a big head and large stomach," but as being "very,
very strong, he ate a sack of corn or rice every day." In b the hero
"had great strength even when an infant." Sandangcal (d) required
a carabao-liver every meal. In e the hero's voracious appetite is
mentioned. The hero in c "would eat everything in the house, leaving
no food for his parents." Juan Tapon (