You know, there are lots of superstitions, legends and such here in the Philippines. Some of them may have some basis in fact, but to me, most are so outrageous that I don’t even consider them a possibility! Let me tell you two related stories and see what you think.
For many years, I have known about the legend of “Robinson’s Snake Boy.” I think I may have written about this on this site before, but something came up the other day that reminded me more about the Snake Boy. As the legend goes, if you go to a Robinson’s Store (a department store here in the Philippines) and try on any clothes in the dressing room (I believe that according to the legend, this applies only to the Women’s dressing room, although I might be wrong on that), you just might be a victim of the Snake Boy. You see, it is said that the floor in the Robinson’s dressing room is actually a trap door, and sometimes they release it and you fall through to the basement. Underneath the dressing room floor is the legendary Robinson’s Snake Boy! This creature is half snake and half human boy. It eats people! If the trap door is sprung while you are trying on clothing, you just became dinner!
As the legend of Snake Boy goes, this creature is transported from one Robinson’s store to another (after all, it’s a chain of stores that is nationwide), and you never know which Robinson’s store that it is in. This is all legend, and of course, it is fiction, but a lot of people believe that it is true! I actually know people who will not shop at Robinson’s, because they worry about the Snake Boy!
Now, a few days ago, LiP reader Paul e-mailed me to tell me about a story that he read in the Manila Times Online. Let me say, the Manila Times is not some wild tabloid that is into sensationalism and such, it is an upstanding newspaper! However, they had a story about a woman in the Philippines having given birth to twins, and one of the twins was a Python! The story started out like this:
TABACO CITY: This story may sound incredible, but it’s true. Maricel Berzosa-Bellen, 24, of Sto. Cristo gave birth to twins, one a healthy baby girl, the other a seven-inch python.
Come on! A respectable paper says that the story is true? In the first sentence they specifically say “it’s true.” Talk about sensationalism!
The mother told about the incident:
“I was shocked and frightened when I saw the python come out of my womb. My husband Gil took the baby snake and placed it in a bottle of Ginebra San Miguel. A day after, I gave birth to a healthy baby girl at the Ziga Memorial Hospital, “ she said.
A python came from her womb? If I was the husband, I’d be very careful about any future “baby making expeditions.” That could be a dangerous adventure!
Anyway, the article is absolutely hilarious, go read it if you have a chance.
What do you think about legends like this? To me, these are just funny, because they are so implausible.
Just out of curiosity, do any LiP readers have any “snake children?”
Update: I have sad news to report, the “snake twin” has died! Don’t miss the (hilarious) article about the death of the snake, which you will find here.
Bob its true ! I was at Robinson's and they sprung the trap while I was in the changing room, luckily the trap door is filipino size and I was too fat to fall through.
Talk about a close shave, I am not going to shop there again I am going to take my custom elsewhere.
We must not laugh at these beliefs …
Scott
This is true .. one of the actress (Alice Dixon) got almost killed by that Robinson (Snake man) and it was held inside the fitting room while the actress was inside as well ..
Hi Scott – Was that you that got caught in the trap door? It was on the news, you know? 😆
hi im 26 f phils u know thats true
Hi Bob –
After having my "kano" chuckle over these articles, I discussed them (and the Robinson's snake boy) with relatives. No one would state 100% belief or disbelief. Guess there's a little "just in case" in all of us regardless of our origins. 😉
One family member proposed something that I now believe might be the "story behind the story"! Seems that the mid-wife had predicted twins weeks before the birth. Now, in the Phils, a mid-wife is a respected and trusted member of society. Some are school trained and certified/licensed.
While the one involved here may not have credentials much more than her tales of experience, still she would be trusted. Making such a prediction (of twins) would be a trusted diagnosis. Her livelihood as a mid-wife could be severely curtailed if such trust was violated. Being proved wrong "by nature" would certainly impair her rice bowl, so steps may have been taken to insure a true diagnosis. 🙄
Note that the snake-twin was delivered at home by the mid-wife, while the twin sister was delivered in the hospital the next day. 😉
So, a lot of faces could have been saved (the mid-wife, a father-to-be bragging of twins, etc.) by the appearance of a python twin! 😆
Hi Paul – Yeah, I can see how your theory could be correct on that… the thing that is way over the top, though, is that the newspaper went out of it's way to ensure readers that the story was true! 😆
At least they had the decency to give to ole snake a bit of the snake that bit him !!! Now …I wonder if I should check each bottle of that fine brew for any snakes in the future……
Happy St. Pattys day: an irish toast,.."May you be in heaven for 10 minutes before the devil knows your dead !! Cheers !"
bob my wife would not let me go to bobinsons because of that story. she was scaired because of that storey. and she was shureof that trap door that was used to feed that snake. who knows . the story was told to me by enoughf people that i lost my intrest to go there.
bob , what does your wife think? so sorry to put you guys on the spot but i blieve that your wife has a good explanation that can ease everyones mind.
Bob, it's amazing and quite hilarious how you have the Robinson's snake story down pat! I first heard it as a high school student back in the late 80s and I admit that spooked us enough to actually avoid the store! Must have boosted Henry Sy's SM stores. There are more of these crazy stories that abound and it makes for a more interesting Philippines, does it not? 😉
TOO FUNNY! ROTFL! hehehehhe!
I cannot believe a newspaper would printy such utter nonsense, LOL LOL LOL! 😆
Oh well since it's gonna be holy week better not take a bath on Friday, hehehehe according to our nanny the "mangkukulams" pour vile potions into the water to make you sick on Black Friday whatever that day is called. hahahahahahahaha!
Bob- Dont foget to tie a knot in the grass before you enter the jungle, as you will not be able to find your way out. Then the only way to get out will be to put your clothes on inside out, and then you will be o.k. 😀
Ah, the snake! We had one in the "Otis" store in Butuan, and tinderas were regularly consumed when using the employee service elevator, daw. It seems there are many rumors of this kind, especially if the store owner is Chinese. Somehow this validates the concept. Supposedly the snake is worshipped in the basement and is responsible for the comparative wealth of the Chinese. Of course, it couldn't be wise financial practices.
When we were newly arrived in Butuan there was a story in a reputable newspaper about a woman who had given birth to a fish! They put it into an aquarium, gave it a long name, like Leonardo 'goldfish' Ubalde Goa, and charged admission for any who wished to see such a rare sight. Several days later a column on the front page informed us of the demise of the fish, an event which was made sadder by an interference with the corpse by a local dog.
An American friend an I were having fun talking about these articles, which we had xeroxed and passed around to friends. My friend's helper came in and and we asked her if she thought people believed this story. She paused, thought about it and said, "My sister-in-law's cousin gave birth to a snake…" Oh. Well. I guess we will just laugh about this sort of thing among ourselves!
But there are actually a lot of stories of women who give birth to a snake 'twin' who slithers off into the underbrush right after birth. This snake is said to hang around the house to be near its twin, so they don't kill any snakes in those neighborhoods.
Hi Bob,
I've heard a similar story to Robinson's, except this one hits closer to home – that there is a python being kept at NCCC – of course, for good luck! Bob, better be careful, I know you frequent NCCC. 😆 Oh, I heard this legend over 20 years ago so I don't know if the snake is still around, started a family or has passed on… Who knows? 😆
I'm sure all the witch doctors, albularyos, mananambals will have a field day this Good Friday as it also happens to be the Full Moon. Watch out, people! You'll see a lot of strange sights that night! There are a lot of stories/superstitions too long to write on a comment. I just find all of these very amusing. Only in da Pilipins!!! 😆
i can say its true, my brother twin also snake.
Hi Bob
I bet Shoemart or another started this……………"snakes" 😀
Hi Brian
I have seen this Pattys day before somewhere but I can't remember where. What is it?
Or is it mistaken for Paddy's day (after St. Patrick, patron Saint of Ireland). Ireland's national day 17th March
We celebrate St pattys day here….great for the local irish pubs.
Hi brian – Thanks for the St. Patrick's greeting! I am Irish, and my sister was born on St. Patrick's Day!
Hi jerry smith – My wife doesn't believe in the tale, thinks that it is just an old superstition.
Hi mia – Yep, I really know the story! It is a funny one too!
Hi Cheryll Ann – Thanks for the additional Holy Week tips! Luckily, the department stores will close for the Holy Week, so we can avoid the snake-boys!
Hi Anthony – I haven't heard the one about tying a knot in the grass, it's new for me! Thanks for the warning! 😆
Hi AmericanLola – So you have experience with somebody who also gave birth to a snake! Amazing how common that is here! 😉
Hi Tina – If the story was that long ago, that's the OLD NCCC in Uyangaren… I never go there! Thankfully, I haven't seen any snakes in the NCCC Mall!
Hi Jack – I was thinking the same thing – some other merchant probably started that story about Robinson's so that they cold get a leg up!
Oh, but Bob, didn't you know that these pythons take human form? 😈 Be careful who you talk to next time you are at NCCC! Who knows, maybe these pythons have relocated and have a condo unit at the mall! 😛
Okay, gotta go, you got me started on this silliness… 😆
Hi Tina – Yikes! I often get my hair cut at NCCC. You mean to tell me it might have been a snake doing the cut all along? Oh my! 😮
HAHAHAHAHA!!!! did you know how rich is Mr,. GOkongwei the owner of ROBINSONs?
he dont need to have this trap door if he want to feed that snake boy…. Can you imagine a multi Billionaire and a Great business Tycoons will used that Chip Traps??? HAAHHAAH =)))))
If im a Multi Billionaire i will Used a Better WAY! This proves that this stroy is only a joke!!
HAHAAHH!!!!!
why believe in this immature stories…those are just haka-haka…..no one really prove this stories…or maybe no one dared to>>>!!!
I’ve heard about this story long time ago and dismissed is as a folklore. Can’t believe they still talks about it. Its really funny. My mom is very superstitious but I lived abroad half my life now that those belief kind of rubbed off me… For sure I will avoid that Robinson trap door since the story seems to still circulate just in case they sprang the trap.. I am a pilipina size, can easily fit on that trap door… lol
My mom told me that my older sister was born with a twin snake, but somehow it got away cuz she and the midwife got shocked from what they saw. Will have to ask her again!
that’s awesome! I have heard tales of women giving birth to snakes… and I believe that those with snake twins have special abilities, nothing super like flying or telepathy or things we see in the movies, my grandmother once told me she was helped by the sister of a snake. there was fish bone stuck in her throat and even though it didn’t hurt, the girl massaged her neck a bit to position the bone to go safely down her throat…
thing is i’ve also had masseuse (i’m not sure of the spelling) who would remove certain aches in my body i didn’t even know of ever since i was a little girl…she would feel my back and cry out “oh no, you have something here.” and when she touched it i felt the weird aches. then she would massage it and it would go away.
and though I’m a Science major, i can’t deny the fact that these people did incredible things in the simple ways…I may not have seen them born with snake twins but I think it’s a mystery I don’t mind having around for a long while
Bob,it is true??story of snake boy?
It is true that this story is well known in the Philippines, but of course the snake boy itself is not true.