ObraRivera 12 ‘Kwento ni Lola Basyang’

“Lola Basyang” is the pen name of Severino Reyes, founder and editor of the Tagalog magazine Liwayway. From 1925, Reyes wrote a series of stories for children under the title Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (The Stories of Grandmother Basyang). The original magazine stories have been adapted for comics (komiks), television, the cinema, and published in book form.

In 1997, Tahanan Books published a collection of twelve Lola Basyang tales. Poet and literary critic Bienvenido Lumbera sifted through hundred of manuscripts to select the best of Reyes’ tales. Author and publisher Gilda Cordero-Fernando delivered the original English translation and children’s book illustrator Albert Gamosrendered over 30 illustrations. The books won the Gintong Aklat (Golden Book) for Children’s Literature and the National Book Award for Best Anthology.

In 2006, Anvil Publishing, Inc. relaunched Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang a series of picture books based on the tales written by Severino and retold by Christine Bellen.

The 10 picture books are:

• Ang Alamat ng Lamok,” (The Legend of the Mosquito, which was originally entitled Ang Parusa ng Higante, The Giant’s Curse)
• Mahiwagang Biyulin” (Magical Violin”)
• Parusa ng Duwende ( The Dwarf’s Curse)
• Plautin ni Periking
• Rosa Mistica (Mystical Rose)
• Ang Binibining Tumalo sa Hari (The Maiden Who Defeated a King)
• Ang Prinsipe ng mga Ibon (Prince of Birds)
• Ang Prinsipeng Duwag (The Cowardly Prince)
• Si Pandakotyong
• Ang Prinsipeng Mahaba ang Ilong (The Prince with the Long Nose)

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