Alberto’s many-headed captors

Overview

Three many-headed monsters hold the daughters of King Luis in Pacita Cordero’s Tagalog tale, learned from her nurse and printed by Fansler in 1921. A violent wind carries the sisters away while they are in an orchard. Alberto finds each in a palace reached through an enormous rock. Their captors have seven, ten and twelve heads respectively. The story does not identify them as dragons or give a shared species name.

Alberto obtains a travelling boot, a rock-opening key and an invisibility hat by tricking people who quarrel over them. At the first palace the princess shows him the monster’s sword, which he cannot lift until he drinks the creature’s water. One pail makes him strong enough to break an iron chair by sitting on it. Invisible, he cuts off successive heads as the monster searches for the human presence it smells, then kills it by removing the last head.

The second encounter requires two pails of water and breaks an iron bed. The final one requires three pails; after cutting off eleven heads, Alberto reveals himself. The twelve-headed monster cannot find its sword because Alberto already holds it, and dies when its last head is severed. Alberto returns all three sisters to their father within the promised time and arranges to marry the youngest. The escalating heads and strength tests belong to this complete witness; no regeneration or fire-breathing is stated.

Origins & earliest records

Philippines; Pacita Cordero of Pagsanjan, Laguna; heard from her nurse in childhood

Records & interpretation

Complete tale and shared comparative notes read in the retained 1921-edition transcription.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Filipino Popular Tales

   Dean S. Fansler, collector and editor; source: Pacita Cordero of Pagsanjan, Laguna; heard from her nurse in childhood · 1921

   Tale 39, Alberto and the Monsters, pp. 291–295, including notes; American Folk-Lore Society

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Primary records and illustrations

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Historical collected folktaleFansler, tale 39, Alberto and the MonstersResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.