Chapter 4 - Indian Literature in the Philippines

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Bangsa Chara (and Raga Padmi) show that the heroes are sent
to their death because of the instigators' desire to pos-
sess their (the heroes') wives. The Phil. Tomarind tale
shows the same cause for sending the hero to his death
(which however is not accomplished). In the Balinese
Baboso and Sasak Dara Kembar tales, jealousy on the part of
the stepmothers causes them to send the rivals of their
sons to death, which in both cases, the heroes escape from
the intended death.
While the Phil. metrical romance shows the first oc-
casion under which the hero has to be punished, it presents
a rather peculiar turn. There are two distinct impressions
that may be drawn from the instigation of punishment. To
the King, it was to punish the general for having had illi-
cit relations with his sister. To Don Rubio, it was, but
unknown to the King, vengeance upon his rival for the love
of the princess. This is parallel to that which occurs in
the locus classicus. Although, a third person is found (in
the Phil. tale) to instigate the act of vengeance, there is
another (a fourth) who executes the sentence.
It is interesting to note the letter espect of the
Tomarind tale. The letter carried by Tomarind was not
necessarily the death warrant, but was only an inducement
to the passage within which he is intended to be crushed to