WEEK 9: READING NOTES: Filipino Tales

The Enchanted Prince, written by: by Dean S. Fansler (Web Link), Filipino Tales Unit 

The Monkey Prince

The Enchanted Prince tells the story of a young handsome prince and his complicated love with his father's worst enemy's daughter, a witch. He and the young witch loved each other very much, but he was so fearful of telling his own father. It was time for the prince to be married soon and his father requested he find the most beautiful woman in the city to marry. He couldn't find a woman to suit her, because deep down he knew he still loved the witch's daughter. So, the father took responsibility into his own hands and found a woman for his son to marry and out of fear he agreed to marry here. The witch heard the news and out of anger and betrayal turned the young prince into a monkey. She turned his kingdom into a forest and even turned some of his staff into animals. Out of spite, the witch told him her would be a monkey for five centuries until a young woman falls in love with him. There was a church built right next to the prince's tree, there he would sit and look for women to pursue. Most women were struck with fear and ran from the monkey prince, however one day there was a beautiful young lady sitting alone outside the church. She was just getting over a heartbreak and was very depressed. The monkey prince saw her in despair and climbed down and took her to the top. The girl trusted him after looking into his eyes. She lived off of fruits and grew to love him more and more everyday. Eventually the girl opened her eyes to handsome young prince in the castle, she thought it was all a dream. The prince told her the history of her life and she knew it was real, they got married and lived happily ever after.