A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
Tambanokano, named in Cole’s footnote, is the gigantic crab born to the Sun and Moon. Opening and closing his eyes produces lightning. While he occupies his hole in the seabed the tide is high; when he leaves, water rushes into it and the tide falls. His movement also raises waves. Angry with his mother, he sometimes attempts to swallow her, and people frighten him away by shouting and beating gongs. Cole identifies the episode as an explanation of lunar eclipses. This named child of celestial parents is kept distinct from the unnamed crab in her Bukidnon flood story; the account supplies neither a claw count nor a human transformation.
Origins & earliest records
Philippines; Mandaya account as grouped by Cole
Records & interpretation
Complete relevant story, collection preface, regional introduction and attached notes directly read.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Philippine Folk Tales
Mandaya, The Sun and the Moon, pp. 145–146 and notes 23–24
Family, evolution & connections
Sun and Moon’s two children — Cole’s Mandaya account
The two offspring explicitly described on pp. 145–146 in this telling.
Scroll sideways to see all branches. With a keyboard, focus the tree and use the arrow keys.
- Unnamed first star-child
Opening marriage statement followed by first-child and another-child wording; note 23 supplies the crab’s name. The parent node represents the married pair, not a single being. No additional personal name is supplied for the star-child. The divided pieces become stars in the narrative; they are not separately named children. Note 24’s comparative eclipse discussion does not establish shared descent or historical influence across traditions.
First star-child in Cole’s Mandaya account
The crab and the earlier star-child are both children of the Sun and Moon in this telling. They are distinct figures; the crab is not the divided star.
Primary records and illustrations
Mabel Cook Cole, Philippine Folk Tales (Chicago: A. C. McClurg, 1916)
Mandaya section. Mandaya, The Sun and the Moon, pp. 145–146 and notes 23–24
Complete tale and attached notes read. Exact source-specific identities, narrative ending and limits retained. Earlier recordings credited by Cole have not been independently inspected for this entry.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Historical collected narrative and editorial notesCole, Philippine Folk Tales (1916), Mandaya, The Sun and the Moon, pp. 145–146 and notes 23–24Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.