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

Overview

In Paulo Macasaet’s tale, Lucas encounters a boa-constrictor identified in the text as sawang bitin. Its strength is located in a horny appendage at the end of its tail. Wanting the influence enjoyed by strong men in his village, Lucas bites off the tail-tip and runs away. The snake pursues him but cannot catch him: the narrative attributes this both to Lucas’s speed and to the snake’s lost strength. Lucas subsequently becomes the village’s strongest man. No death of the serpent or later recovery of its charm is stated.

Fansler’s comparative note reports a separate belief concerning a small tail bone used as a strength talisman. That contextual report is not substituted for the main tale’s biting episode, and neither is biological evidence or a practical recommendation. The historical label “boa-constrictor” is retained as the narrator’s identification without assigning a modern species.

Strength situated in a tail-tip charmPursues the human who takes itLoses strength after the theft
01

Origins & earliest records

Philippines; Paulo Macasaet, a Tagalog, from an unnamed Tagalog farmer

02

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; Paulo Macasaet, a Tagalog, from an unnamed Tagalog farmer · 1921

    Tale 11a, Lucas The Strong, pp. 89–92; serpent episode p. 90; shared notes pp. 114–116; all shared notes and footnotes inspected

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

Complete main account, all shared comparative notes and ten attached footnotes read

Dean S. Fansler, Filipino Popular Tales (1921)

Tale 11a, Lucas The Strong. pp. 89–92; serpent episode p. 90; shared notes pp. 114–116

Cache fansler-11.txt. Paulo Macasaet, a Tagalog, from an unnamed Tagalog farmer. Source-specific identity and ending retained; comparative theory not asserted as proven transmission.

Inspect the digitized plate · Source collection manifest

References

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

  1. Historical collected narrative or identified corrido paraphraseFansler, tale 11a: Lucas The StrongResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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

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