Ayo went to the spring. When she went she met Dagdagalīsit, who was fishing in the river. When she reached him she became pregnant. Not long after she went home. When she arrived in her house the space between the little finger and the next itched. “Bolinayen, you stick the needle in my finger where it itches. I do not know what makes it itch so,” she said. As soon as Bolinayen stuck the needle the little baby popped out.105“What shall we name the baby?” “Dagoláyan will be his name.” The baby shook his head, so they gave him the name Kanag.
Awig went to wash his hair in the spring. When he finished washing his hair he went home. When he reached his house he made Ayo louse him. While Ayo was lousing him the milk from her breasts dropped on Awig's legs. “Why, Ayo, does the milk from your breasts drop on my legs?” he asked. He sat up and asked them many times until they brought the baby. When they brought the baby, “We are going home to Natpangan now, because it does not do me any good to try and hide you.” He took them home and soon he made a bamboo bench by the gate of the town where the people passed when they went to the well, and he placed the baby on it. Then they builtbalaua, for he wanted to see the father of the baby. Not long after he commanded some one to go and get betel-nuts and he oiled them. He sent them to go and invite all the people in the world. When they arrived none of them wanted the baby to recognize them. When the baby did not go to any of them, he sent someone to get a betel-nut to send to Dagdagalīsit whom they had not invited. As soon as the betel-nut arrived at the place where Dagdagalīsit lived “Dagdagalīsit came to Natpangan for Awig makesbalaua,” it said. “I cannot go, for I am ashamed, because I have no good clothes,” he said, for his clout was the dried bark of a banana tree. “If you do not come I will grow on your big pig,” it said, and the betel-nut jumped on the back of the big pig, and it began to squeal. When his big pig began squealing loudly, because the tree grew on his back, Dagdagalīsit said, “I come now.” Not long after he went. When he came walking up the trail from the spring the baby saw him, and went to him, and Awig saw him carrying the baby. “I did not think it would happen this way to Aponībolinayen,” he said. Then he sent Aponībolinayen away, and he made her carry the poor house box that they used to put the fish in which Dagdagalīsit caught in the river. “You carry the female pig so that you have something to eat by the river,” said Awig toPage 82Dagdagalīsit. So they went; Aponībolinayen carried the poor box and Awig took her beads and clothes off from her, and he gave her old clothes to use, and so they went.
When they were near the spring they threw away the things they carried, the female pig and poor box. While they were walking near the town of Dagdagalīsit, which was Kabᴇnbᴇnlan, Ayo saw the golden house. “We must not walk by the side of the golden house, for I am ashamed before the man who owns it,” said Ayo to Dagdagalīsit. They were still walking and Ayo followed him. As soon as they arrived at the ladder Dagdagalīsit went upstairs and Ayo did not because she thought that Dagdagalīsit did not own that house, and Dagdagalīsit made her go up, and she did. As soon as she arrived above Dagdagalīsit went to get rice to give Ayo to cook. “Cook this, Ayo, while I go to catch fish for us to eat,” he said, and he went. As soon as he caught two fish he went home, and he left the dry bark of the banana, which he used as a clout, by the river, and he became Līgī,106so he went home. As soon as he arrived he made Ayo wake up, when he finished cooking the fish, and the baby went to him to be carried. He called Ayo and she did not go. “I wait for my husband, we will both eat at one time, bye and bye,” she said, and she took the baby which he carried, for she was ashamed. “No, I was Dagdagalīsit, but used the bark of the banana tree for a clout, because I changed my form. Let us eat.” So they ate. As soon as they finished eating, “We shall makebalauaso that we invite all our relatives in the different towns, and we also shall invite Awig and Aponīgonay,” he said. Not long after he went and took the betel-nuts which he cut. When he had cut them all he oiled them and sent them to the different towns.
When the people from the different towns arrived by the spring in Kabᴇnbᴇnlan they were surprised because all the stones of the spring were of gold. Not long after they went up to the town. Next day Awig and Aponīgonay started to go. “Ala, Aponīgonay, take rice so that we may cook it in Kabᴇnbᴇnlan, because Aponībolinayen and Dagdagalīsit have no rice to cook. What will Dagdagalīsit use for hisbalaua?He ties a banana bark clout on his body. I do not think he has rice, so we will take some for us to eat. You people who live in the same town we go to attendbalaua. You take food with you for Aponībolinayen and Dagdagalīsit makebalaua.” Not long after they went, and when they arrived in the place where the spring is in Kabᴇnbᴇnlan they saw the beautiful spring whose stones were all gold. The gravel which they used to wash the pottery with was all agates which have no holes throughPage 83them. “I do not think that Dagdagalīsit has a spring like this, for his clout is only the dry bark of the banana, but it is best for us to go and see in the town.” They went, and when they had almost reached the town the golden house twinkled. “We must not walk by the golden house,” said Awig. “We must not walk by that golden house, you say, but that is where the people are dancing,” said Aponībolnay. As they walked they saw that the men and women who were makingalawig107were the companions of Aponībolinayen. Awig said, “That is the man who used to put the clout of banana leaves on him.” As soon as Aponītolau108and Aponībolinayen finished dancing they went to take the hands of Awig and Aponībolay, and Aponītolau commanded the people who lived with them to bring golden seats. After that Aponītolau went to make Awig sit down. “You sit down, brother-in-law, and we will forget the things which have passed.” Then he made him sit down and soon Awig and Asigtánan danced. While they were dancing Aponītolau went to cut off Awig's head. Not long after the women who never go outdoors109went to bring Awig to life. As soon as they made him alive again, Aponītolau gave the marriage price. It was nine times full, thebalaua, and when Aponībolnay raised up her elbow half of it vanished, which was in thebalaua. And Aponībolinayen used her power and thebalauawas full again.
Not long after they chewed betel-nut and the quid of Langa-an and Pagatipánan and the quids of Dagdagalīsit went together, and the quid of Pagbokásan and Ebang went to the quid of Aponībolinayen and Awig, and Langa-an and Pagatipánan changed the name of Dagdagalīsit to Līgī. “Ala, now mother oldalando not feel sorry, for we take Aponītolau108to Kadalayapan,” said Langa-an. “Ala, yes, you take them, take all my valuable things. If it were not for me, Aponītolau would not be alive, for you Langa-an had a miscarriage and lost him, when you went to wash your hair, so I picked him up, because I had no one to inherit my possessions. Take all my things, so that Aponītolau and his wife may own them.” Not long after they went home and Awig took all the payment for Aponībolinayen and all thealanflew away. So Awig and Aponītolau went to their towns.Page 84
Aponībalagen went to put Aponībolinayen in Kabwa-an, where no one could see her. As soon as they arrived at the ocean they rode on the crocodiles to Kabwa-an. When they arrived there Aponībalagen used magic so that a big golden house stood in the middle of a wide plain. In the yard were many betel-nut trees and a spring below the trees. The gravel where the stream flowed was beads calledpagatpatandkodla, and the leaves and grass used to rub the inside of the jars was a necklace of golden wire.
When the golden house, and betel-nuts, and spring had appeared, Aponībalagen left an old woman with Aponībolinayen and Alama-an, and Sinogyaman and Indiápan, and he went back home, and he said to them, “Do not be afraid to stay, for no one can see you here, where I have put you, and if anyone tries to come here the crocodiles will eat them. You have everything you need.” So he went home.
Ingiwan who lived in Kabilabīlan went to take a walk. As soon as he arrived at the ocean he wondered how he could get across. Not long after he put his headaxe on the water and he rode on it, for he used magic, and his headaxe floated and went to the other side of the ocean. As soon as he reached the other side he took a walk and he saw the big golden house in the middle of the wide plain. He was surprised, and he went to see it, and the crocodiles all slept while he crossed the ocean. When he reached the spring he said, “How pretty the well is. I think the girl who owns this well has magical power, and that she is pretty also.” So he went to the house and said, “Good afternoon.” Alama-an was cooking, and she said, “Good afternoon.” She looked at him from the window, and she saw that he was a fine looking man. She did not tell Aponībolinayen, but she had him go up the ladder. The old woman who took care of them asked why she did not tell her and Aponībolinayen. Alama-an said she did not know what she was doing when she had him go up. So the old woman went to ask him what he came for. He said, “I just took a walk and I did not know how to get home, for there was a very high bank in the way, so I came across the ocean to learn the other way back home. While I was still on the ocean I saw this big golden house. I came here, for I was very tired, for it is more than one month since I left Kabilabīlan.” “Ala, you Alama-an go and cook some food for this young man,” said the old woman, and Alama-an went truly, and when she finished cooking, the old woman called him to eat. The young man said he did not wish to eat unless one of the ladies who never went outdoors110ate with him. “Alama-an is the girl who never goes outdoors,”Page 85said the old woman, but he did not believe her, and so he did not go. When he would not eat she called Sinogyaman to go and eat, but the young man said, “I do not wish to eat with anyone except the pretty girl who never goes outdoors.” So the old woman called Indiápan. As soon as she went outdoors to the place where the young man was, “No, that is not the girl I want. There is one prettier still. I will not go to eat.” The old woman became angry and said, “If you are not hungry and do not wish to eat that is all right. I have offered three young girls to eat with you, but if you do not wish to eat with them I do not care.” When the old woman and the three girls had eaten they gave him a place to sleep, and they slept also.
While the others were talking to the young man, Aponībolinayen was looking through a crack of the house, and she liked him very much. She wished to go outdoors and talk to him, but she was afraid because the old woman had said there were only the three young girls whom she called. As soon as they had finished talking, they went to bed.
In the middle of the night Ingiwan said to himself, “I believe there are other young girls here prettier than the last one she showed me. I will use my power and will become a firefly, and I will fly to all parts of the house, and see if there is a prettier one there.” So he used his power and he became a firefly and he flew.111When he was in the room where the old woman was, he left, and went where Alama-an was, and he went on to Sinogyaman. When he did not like her he went to Indiápan. “This is the last girl she showed me and I like her, but I believe that there is another prettier.” So he went to the next room, but no one slept there, and so he went on to the ninth room. He heard the sound of the pan pipe in the ninth room, and he was very glad. He flew over the head of the woman who was playing, and she stopped playing and struck at him. “How did the firefly get in here? I do not think there are any cracks in here.” The firefly said, “Do not strike at me, for I fear you will hit my headaxe and be cut.” So he became a man and sat down beside her, and Aponībolinayen saw that it was the man who had talked with the old woman and the girls, and she loved him, but she said, “Go outdoors, do not come here. I am afraid that the old woman who cares for us will see us. If you want something wait until morning and we will talk with her.” Ingiwan did not get up and he would not go outdoors, and he said, “The best thing for us to do is to chew betel-nut, so we will know each other. Do not be afraid for I would not have come here if it was not my fortune to marry you, for I was taking a walk and intended to go back home, but I met a high bank in the way, and there was noPage 86place to go except the ocean, so I came across the ocean. As soon as I reached the field I saw your house and I was surprised to see the golden house in the middle of the field. I spoke to the young girl who was cooking and she asked me to come up, and the old woman hated her. They asked me to eat, but I would not unless a pretty girl ate with me. So the old woman called two other pretty girls, but I did not want them, for they are not so pretty as you. I thought there were others prettier than the last one she showed me, so I became a firefly. It is my fortune to marry you.” So he cut the betel-nut, but Aponībolinayen did not want to chew. When he talked to her so she could not sleep she took the betel-nut, and when they chewed they saw that they both had magical power and that it was good for them to marry. Ingiwan said, “You are the woman who lives here and you must tell your name first.” “No, it is not good for a woman to tell her name first. You tell your name.” Not long after, “My name is Ingiwan, the son ofalan, of Kabilabīlan, who did not find a way to go home, but who found you.” “My name is Aponībolinayen, who is the sister of Aponībalagen of Natpangan, who put me here so no one might see me. It is bad that you have come.”
When the daylight came Alama-an went to cook and when she finished the old woman said to her, “Go and call the man and see if he wishes to eat with the girls. You call them, but do not call Aponībolinayen, for that is why we are here, so no one can see her. I do not know why the alligators did not see him.” Aponībolinayen and Ingiwan heard what she said and they laughed. So Alama-an went to call him, but he was not in the room. She went to tell the old woman that he was not there, and they were surprised, for they thought he had gone home, for all the other rooms were locked. “If he is not there you go and call Aponībolinayen and we will eat.” The three girls went to the room of Aponībolinayen, but Ingiwan disappeared and they only saw Aponībolinayen. So they all went to eat and Ingiwan was not hungry, for Aponībolinayen used magic, so that rice and meat went to where he was hiding.
When they had lived together a long time Aponībolinayen said to him, “You better go home now, for it is time for my brother to visit us. If you wish to marry me you must arrange with him and my father.” So Ingiwan went back home and the crocodiles only watched him, but did not try to eat him. He rode on his headaxe, and when he reached the other side of the ocean he saw that the high bank had disappeared and he found the way home.
Not long after Aponībalagen went to wash his hair, and he went to the place where Aponībolinayen and the other girls were living. The three girls and the old woman agreed not to tell that a man had beenPage 87there. As soon as Aponībalagen arrived in Kabwa-an he asked the old woman if anyone had been there, and she replied, “No.” He called Alama-an and the other girls to the place where Aponībolinayen was, so all of them might louse him. While Aponībolinayen was lousing her brother the milk from her breasts dropped on his legs, and Aponībalagen was surprised, and he said, “What have you done, Aponībolinayen.” She tried to rub it off from his leg. “No, do not rub it off; what is that?” “I do not know, brother. I guess I am sweating, for I am hot.” “No, I do not believe you, I think someone has been here.” He called the old woman and asked her. “You, grandmother, did you see a man who came here? Do not tell a lie.” “Why?” asked the old woman. But she knew that Aponībolinayen had a little baby, for she had pricked her little finger and the baby had come out.112“When the girls were lousing me the milk from Aponībolinayen's breast dropped on my legs. I think you know the man who has been here.” “I do not believe anyone came here, for we are on this side of the ocean, and the crocodiles protect us.”
Aponībalagen called all the crocodiles to the side of the house, and he whipped all the crocodiles, and he asked them why they did not eat the man who went to Kabwa-an. As soon as he whipped them one of them said, “We did not see any man come here, but we were all very sleepy one day a long time ago. We would have eaten the man if we had seen him.” Aponībalagen whipped all of them again. “I put you here to prevent anyone from coming here, and you did not watch. Go away.” The crocodiles were afraid and they said, “If that is what you say we will go.” So they went. Aponībalagen went back to the house and whipped the girls. “We will go back now to Kaodanan. I thought it was good for you to be here, but you have done wrong.” So he took them back to Kaodanan and they madebalauain order to find out who was the father of the boy. The boy grew one span every time they bathed him,113for they used their power. In a few days they built theirbalauaand theliblibayan114got betel-nuts which were covered with gold, and they oiled them and sent them to invite the people in all parts of the world. So the betel-nuts went.
As soon as the betel-nuts arrived in Kabilabīlan, they said, “Good morning, Kagkagákag,”115to the man who was lying in hisbalauacovered with mud. “We came to invite you to thebalauaof Aponībalagen.” “I do not wish to go, for I have no clothes and am ashamed. I do not knowPage 88the man who is going to makebalaua.” “If you do not go I will grow on your knee,” said one of the betel-nuts. “Do as you wish.” So the betel-nut grew on his knee. When it grew big he became tired and he said, “Get off from me now and I will go.” So they went. All the people from the other towns had arrived and Aponībalagen carried the baby, to see whom the baby would want to go to, but the baby did not want any of them. When the betel-nut and Kagkagákag appeared the baby was happy and wanted to go to him. So Aponībalagen gave the boy to him and all the people were surprised that Aponībolinayen had wanted him. Not long after they danced, and when they had finished Aponībalagen said to Aponībolinayen, “Take off all your things and go to Kagkagákag.” Aponībolinayen did not wish to go, for he was not the same man she was with before, but her brother made her go, and he said, “Kagkagákag, take her to your town.” So he took her to his town, and when they reached the gate Aponībolinayen was crying, but he said to her, “Do not feel bad, I am the man who came to Kabwa-an. That is why the boy wants me, for I am his father.” Aponībolinayen did not believe him, but when they arrived at the spring of Kabilabīlan she was surprised to see that the stones were of gold, and the fruits of the trees were of gold and were beads, and she said to Kagkagákag, “Why do we come here? It is shameful for us to be seen by the man who owns this.” Kagkagákag laughed at her. “If you do not believe that I am your husband, you watch.” And he went to take a bath, and the mud all washed off, and she saw that he was the man who was with her before in Kabwa-an. So they went up to the town, and thealanwho cared for Ingiwan was glad to see them.
Not long after they madebalaua, for they wished to call Aponībalagen so that he would not always feel badly about them. Not long after they sent the betel-nuts to summon their relatives. As soon as the betel-nut arrived in Kaodanan, “Good afternoon, Aponībolinayen and Kagkagákag want you to attend theirSayang.” Aponībalagen laughed and said, “Yes,” and he called all the people and told them to prepare to go to thebalaua.
When they arrived at the spring everyone was astonished, for all the fruit of the trees was of gold, and all the places they walked were covered with plates. And Aponībalagen said, “I do not think this is the spring of Kagkagákag. I think someone else owns it. We will go up to the house where he lives.” When they reached the gate of the town they asked the young girl who was going to the spring where Aponībolinayen and Kagkagákag slept, and the woman said, “You follow these plates, for they go to the ladder of Kagkagákag's house.” So they went and they always walked on the plates. When they arrived they saw many peoplePage 89dancing in the yard and Aponībalagen shook their hands. “Kagkagákag, if you had come as you are now to mybalauaI would not have been bad to my sister.” Kagkagákag laughed at them and they all chewed betel-nut.
While they were chewing Langa-an and Pagatipánan went to them and they said, “We came to chew betel-nut also to see if we are related to you.” Kagkagákag gave them betel-nut, and when they chewed they found out that they were relatives and they called Kagkagákag, Aponītolau, and he paid the marriage price for Aponībolinayen. Aponīgawanī said to him, “I thought I had no brother. I do not know what my father and mother did with you.” Thealanwho cared for Aponītolau said, “He was by the road where Langa-an had dropped him on her way to Nagbotobotán, so I picked him up, for I have no children.” As soon as Aponītolau paid the marriage price they danced again, and thealangave all her things to Aponītolau, for Langa-an and Pagatipánan took them home. Not long after Aponībalagen married Aponīgawanī, and he paid the same as Aponītolau had paid for Aponībolinayen.
(Told by Madomar, a woman of Riang barrio Patok.)
“I go to visit my cousin Gawigawen of Adasin,” said Aponītolau. He pushed his raft until he reached Pangasinan. At the spring he asked the women if his cousin Aponībolinayen was there. “She is not, because she went to celebrateSayang.116Did you not get the invitation of Gawigawen of Adasin?” “No,” said Aponītolau.
Aponībolinayen went to have Lisnaya fix her upper arm beads and they sat in the shade of thepamlo-ongentree, and Aponībolinayen dropped her switch.
“I wish to visit my relatives, but am ashamed because the invitation did not reach me,” said Aponītolau. So he went to rest in the shade of thepamlo-ongentree, and he saw there the switch which was spread out, and there was none like it.
The women who had been at the spring said, “Why did you not invite Aponītolau? Whenever we have trouble, it is he and his cousin that we call.”
“Ala, we go down to the river to see.” They went to get Aponītolau and when they arrived at the spring he was there in the shade of the tree. “Ala, forgive us because the invitation did not reach you and come up to theSayang” “Yes, but if the old enemy is there, when I go, thePage 90dance circle will be disturbed, if we fight.” They still requested him, and he went up to the place where they danced during the two months.
Dalinmanok of Dalinapōyan said, “Long ago, when my grandfather was young, the town of Kadalayapan became wooded.” (He meant that his grandfather had destroyed the town in which Aponītolau's ancestors lived.) “My grandfather Dagoláyen long ago said, ‘Dalinapóyan, Dagala, and also Dagopan became wooded.’” Then Dalinmanok became angry; he looked like a courting cock and seized Aponītolau by the hair. “It is as I predicted, Cousin Gawigawen; the circle is now broken.” They parted the fighters, but the hawk hastened to the town of Kadalayapan to tell Aponīgawanī.
“Cousin Dumalágan, Cousin Agyokan; the enemy—the old one—has killed my brother Aponītolau at theSayangof Gawigawen of Adasin, so says the hawk.” After that they started and soon arrived in Adasin. They began at the south end of the town and killed so many it looked as though they were cutting down banana trees. “Look down, Aponītolau, and see if you know the men who are destroying the town.” Aponītolau truly looked. “Why, Cousin Dumalágan and Cousin Agyokan, do you destroy the town?” “Because the hawk reported to Aponīgawanī that you had been killed by the old enemy in the town of Adasin, and she has thrown away her upper arm beads117by the gate of Kadalayapan.”
“Ala! you stop. Ala! You who live, join their heads and their bodies; you join all,” he said. “I will spit once and they will appear as if they were not cut at all. I will whip my perfume which isbanowᴇs, they quickly breathe. I whip my perfume which isalikadakad(clatter), and they quickly stand up. I whip my perfume which isdagimonau (monau—just awakened) and they quickly recover.”118“Oh, how long we have slept,” they said. “How long we have slept, you say, and you have been dead.” “Oh, how powerful are the people of Kadalayapan! Even if we die, we may hope to live again at once,” they said, and all went up to the house of Gawigawen.
“Now Dalinmanok of Dalinapōyan, Dumpoga of Dagala, Līgī of Madagītan and Līgī of Dagopan, expect me in two months' time, for I shall come to fight you.” After that they agreed and everybody went home. When they arrived at Kadalayapan there were no upper arm beads on Aponīgawanī, for she believed the hawk when it told her Aponītolau was dead. “No, I am not dead, but when two months have passed I shall go to fight Dalinmanok and his companions.”Page 91
“When you went to sail, did you not find the switch which belongs to Aponībolinayen? They are now making a ceremony to find it.” “It is here, that which I picked up in the shade of thepamlo-ongentree, and I will take it back when I go to fight.”
Not long after that, according to the custom of the story, the second month came. “Old men who know the signs and very old women, come and see the liver and gall sack, because I go to fight.” After that they all gathered, they caught the pig and cut it in large pieces. “Ala, old men who know the signs and very old women, come and see the gall, for I go to fight.”119“This is better than your grandfather had when he consulted the gall. How fearful you will be to the town which you go to fight!” “Cousin Agyokan, go and tell all our cousins that we start when morning comes.” When early morning came—as goes in a story—they arrived. Aponītolau played his Jew's harp at the spring of the town, and it sounded like the song of a bird and the people smelt the odor ofalangigan(Ilangilang) which is only possessed by the people of Kadalayapan. “Ala, it is Aponītolau,” said Dalinmanok. “Go and tell our companions that we go to fight him at the river, for we do not wish them to come on shore in our town.” When it was day, they met at the river and they fought until afternoon; and when Aponītolau was thirsty his headaxe turned slantwise and water blue as indigo flowed off it freely.
“Dumpoga of Dagala, Līgī of Madagītan, Līgī of Dagopan, Masilnag of Kaskasilnagan, I come to teach you because you do not know how to kill. When one tries to kill your left side, receive the blow with your right, and when they try to kill the right side, receive it with the left. Ala! you that are left alive, it is better that I spare you and that you marry the wives of your companions. I will spare you if you will all agree to give me one hundred jars which areginlasan, summadag, andtadogan.” They agreed. They rolled the jars which they took down to the river and there were among themdoldolīandginaang,120and the jars were glad, for they had formerly belonged to Dagoláyen, the grandfather of Aponītolau, but had been stolen. After that Aponītolau said, “Give me your betel-nut with magic power. You jars and all you heads of dead persons which are cut off, go first to Kadalayapan.” After that they went and Aponītolau followed. After they arrived they danced with the heads and in a short time put them on thesagang.121
“Now, Aponīgawanī, bring me the switch of Aponībolinayen, for IPage 92go to take it to her.” He took the switch and used the power of the betel-nut, so that he went as quickly as a person can point to the place of many betel-nuts. In a short time, as the story goes, they arrived. “Good evening,” said Aponītolau, but Aponībolinayen thought him to be an enemy. “Does the old enemy bring greetings?” asked Aponītolau. Then they went up into the house and he leaned against the corner pole. Aponībolinayen looked at Aponītolau and his good looks seemed to climb the corner pole. “It is better for us to tell our names,” said Aponītolau, “for it is difficult to talk when we do not know each other's names.” After that he took out, from his little sack, nuts whose husks were of gold. He cut a nut and when he gave the half to Aponībolinayen their golden finger rings exchanged themselves. “Give back my ring,” she said. “Our relationship is the reason they change,” said Aponītolau. Then they chewed and laid the quids on the headaxe and they became agate beads which looked like honey, and laid in parallel lines. “We are relatives,” they said, and in a short time they told their names. When it became time to eat, Aponībolinayen said, “What do we eat?” He took the boiling stick and broke it into pieces, and it became a fish which they ate,122and Aponītolau took the bone out of the fish which Aponībolinayen ate. When they finished eating she spread the mat and the blanket which they kept in the box. “I do not like a blanket which is kept in a box, for it smells likekimi,”123said Aponītolau. “Why do you not like it? It is what we keep for company and is easy to use,” said Aponībolinayen. “The end of my clout is enough for my blanket,” said Aponītolau. Then Aponībolinayen used the power of the betel-nut and vanished. “Why is there no one here?” said Aponītolau. “I use your power betel-nut, so that I may become the insect which belongs to Kaodanan (i.e., the firefly).”
After that he flew and arrived in the ninth room and sailed back and forth near Aponībolinayen who was playing a pan-pipe. He touched her body and she struck him away. “You must not strike me away, for you hit my headaxe.” After that Aponītolau sat down. “How did you pass in here?” she asked. “I passed through the crack in the wall,” said Aponītolau; and after that they laid together. When it was early morning Aponībolinayen sent him away, for she feared her brother might come.
As Aponītolau went quickly to his raft, he was seen by Balau of Baboyan, a great bird. “How fine is Aponītolau, Ala! I shall takePage 93him to marry Gintᴇban.”124Then he was seized by Balau and was carried to Baboyan. “Now Aponītolau, you must marry Gintᴇban who lived in Baygan, for this place is surrounded with water blue as indigo and many crocodiles lie in that water.”
In a little while, as the story goes, Aponībolinayen gave birth to a child.
“Ala! grandmother, prick my little finger, for it itches.” She truly opened it and the baby popped out like popped rice.125After that they bathed it and called him Balokanag, for that is a name of the people of Kadalayapan. Soon the child was large and asked for a clout, then he asked the name of his father, but they told him falsely that it was Dumanagan. “Ala! get me a top so that I can play with the others,” he said. Then his mother gave him the top which was his father's when he was a little boy. After that he went to play with it. When it was late afternoon, the old woman Alokotán went to feed the pigs, but Kanag threw his top and it broke her jar. “Pa-ya,” said the old woman, “the son is brave; when you go to rescue your father who Balau captured, it will not be my pot toward which you act brave.” Kanag cried, “You said, mother, that Dumanagan is my father, but there is another who is my father—Aponītolau whom Balau stole.” Then Aponībolinayen cried, “How bad you are, old woman! We should have exchanged for your jar if you had not told him of his father.”
“You must make me sweets, for I go to get my father,” he said. “If he was seized, you who are little will be also,” said his mother, but he insisted. Then she used magic and secured for him the headaxe used by his father when he was a little boy, and she made him sweets. He started and went, and his mother planted alawedvine by their hearth.126“Your power betel-nut, so that I go as quickly as pointing to Baboyan,” said Kanag. Soon he arrived there, and he saw the crocodiles lying in the water. “You power betel-nut that I may walk on the crocodiles. Make them all sleep so that they do not feel me.” He reached the home of Balau, where he saw great snakes hanging in the trees. He climbed the trees, he cut them so that they fell down, he cast them down—those big snakes—then he cut off the head of Balau, and the earth trembled. After that he went to find his father who was in the place of many betel-nuts.
“I am Balokanag whom Aponībolinayen desired, whom you left,” he said. “Now I take you home to Kadalayapan.” After that hePage 94truly took home Aponītolau, and Gintᴇban, who lived in Baygan. In a short time they arrived in Kadalayapan and Kanag's mother was there, because Aponīgawanī had taken her home. “Now we are married forever, Aponītolau,” said Gintᴇban who lived in Baygan. “No, for Aponībolinayen is his wife,” replied Aponīgawanī. “Ala! you chance it and the one who loses is not the one who is married. Put clay dishes in line, which you are to step on. The one who breaks them loses.” Aponībolinayen stepped first and there was nothing broken. Gintᴇban followed and all those clay dishes which she stepped on were broken. Then she went home to Baygan and after that Aponītolau and Aponībolinayen were married.
“I am anxious to eat the fruit of thebolnaytree127of Matawītáwen,” said Aponībolinayen. “What is that?” said Līgī. “I am anxious to eat fish roe, I said.” “Bring me a fish net and I will go and get some,” said Līgī. So she went to get the fish net and gave it to him. Not long after he went to the river and he used magic so that all the fish in the river were caught, so truly all the fish were in the net. He caught one of them and cut it open and took out the roe. As soon as he secured the roe he let the fish all go out of the net and he went back home. Not long after he reached the yard of their house. “Aponībolinayen, come and get the fish roe which you desire,” he said. She went to get it from him. She did not cook it, but put it on the bamboo hanger above the fire. Līgī went to thebalauaand when Aponībolinayen thought he was in thebalauashe threw away the roe and the dogs went to eat it, and they snarled and barked beneath the kitchen. “What are the dogs fighting about, Aponībolinayen? I think you threw away the fish roe,” he said to her. “I dropped one of them.”
Aponībolinayen went again to the room and she said again that she wished to eat the fruit of Matawītáwen, and Līgī asked what she said. “I am anxious for the liver of a deer, I said.” So Līgī went to the woods to hunt deer. As soon as he reached the woods he sent his dogs and he said to them, “You, my black dog, do not catch deer except in the low grass, and you, my striped dog, do not touch any deer unless they have large horns.” Not long after his dogs caught some deer, and he took their livers and he let them go again. Not long after he arrived at his house and he called Aponībolinayen, “Come and get the liver,Page 95which you wish to eat.” Aponībolinayen said to him, “Put it in the rattan hanger.” Līgī went back to thebalaua, and Aponībolinayen used magic so that Līgī slept. While he was asleep she went to the kitchen to throw away the livers of the deer, and the dogs went to eat and made such a great disturbance that Līgī awoke and asked Aponībolinayen what was the matter. “One small piece of liver which I did not eat.” She went again to the room and laid down, and Līgī used magic and became an ant, and he went to the crack of the floor, for he wanted to know what Aponībolinayen was saying, for he suspected that she was not telling him the truth. As soon as he arrived in the crack Aponībolinayen repeated her wish to eat thebolnayfruit of Matawītáwen, and Līgī became a man again and appeared to her. “Why did you not tell the truth, Aponībolinayen?” he said and she answered, “I did not, because Matawītáwen is very far and I am afraid that you will be lost.” “No, give me a sack,” he said to her. So he went and he used magic so that he arrived at the tree at once.
Not long after he arrived truly at the place and he secured the fruit and put it in the sack. As soon as the sack was filled he took some of the fruit to hold in his other hand and he went. Not long after he reached the spring in Kadalayapan and his sweethearts were at the spring. “Līgī, how many and how pretty thebolnayfruit are. Your sack is filled and you have some in your hands. Will you give us some of it to eat?” So Līgī gave them all the fruit in the sack and all he held in his hand. “Do not give everything to Aponībolinayen, but give to us also.” So he gave them all he had. “The baby inside of Aponībolinayen, which desires thebolnay, is not your child, but is the child of Maōbágan,” said his sweethearts, and when they had eaten all of the fruit Līgī went home with nothing but the sack. He gave the sack to Aponībolinayen. As soon as she received it she looked to see what was inside and she found one little piece of the fruit which the women had overlooked, and she ate it. As soon as she ate it: “I am anxious to eat more if there are more. My headache is gone.” “What is that?” said Līgī, angrily. “You get ready for I will put you in the place where the tree is if you want more.” Aponībolinayen said to him, “Because I said that I wanted more you want to put me by the tree.” Līgī was angry and he seized her by the arm and dragged her to the tree. As soon as they arrived at thebolnaytree, he dug a hole about neck deep and he put her in it. As soon as he put her in the hole he went back home.
Soon Aponībolinayen was ready to give birth. “What can I do?” she said to the spirit Ayo. Ayo said, “The best thing for us to do is to prick your little finger.” Not long after the little baby popped out ofPage 96her finger.128“What shall we call him?” they said. “We will call him Kanag, for it is the name of the people who live in Kadalayapan.” Every time they gave him a bath the baby always grew, for they used magic.129Not long after the baby became a boy, and he wanted them to get out of the hole. “No, we do not get out, for I am afraid your father is watching us.” The little boy got out even though his mother was afraid.
As soon as the boy got out of the hole he listened to hear where many children were playing. So he walked to where the sounds came from. As soon as he arrived at the place where the boys were swimming Dagoláyan saw him. “Who is that boy?” he said to his companions, and the little boy went near to them. “Why, this boy looks like my uncle in Kadalayapan,” said Dagoláyan to his companions, and he asked him who his father was, and the boy said he was the son of analanof Matawītáwen. Not long after they agreed that they would go to fight. So Kanag agreed with them and they decided on a day and Dagoláyan told him that he would go to his home. “If that is what you say, it is all right,” said Kanag, and they all went home. As soon as he arrived at the hole by thebolnaytree: “Why, we are cousins,” said the other boy to me. And Aponībolinayen said, “Perhaps it is the boy from Kaodanan.” “We agreed to go to fight, day after tomorrow. Make cakes for me to take with me.” “No, do not go, for I fear that your father will meet you.” “No, I am going. I will plant thelawedvine by the stove, and if it wilts I am dead,”130he said.
Not long after Aponībolinayen went to make cakes for his provisions, and Dagoláyan started early in the morning to go to see Kanag, and it seemed as if a thousand men struck their shields. Kanag heard the sound of the shield. “Who are the boys with Dagoláyan who go with us to fight?” As soon as Kanag met Dagoláyan they went, and they both struck their shields, and Līgī heard them and he was surprised for it sounded like two thousand people. So Līgī thought that Dagoláyan had many companions. As soon as they arrived where Līgī was waiting for them, “Where did you get the other boy who is with you?” he said to Dagoláyan. He answered that he met him where they were swimming, and that they agreed to go to fight together. Līgī wanted to kill him, and he said, “I want to kill.” “No, do not kill him,” said Dagoláyan.Page 97Not long after they went. As soon as they arrived where there were no houses, Kanag used his power so that it rained very hard and they had nothing to cook. Not long after it rained and Līgī and Dagoláyan did not cook anything, for everything was damp. The spirit helpers of Aponībolinayen always fed Kanag, and Līgī and Dagoláyan ate with him. “What is the matter of this boy who is the son ofalan? He has something to eat. I do not believe that his motheralanknows how to prepare good food,” said Līgī, angrily.
After they had finished eating they went, and after a while they wished to fight. “The best for us to do is to stand in different places and ambush the people,” said Līgī. “The best for you, son ofalan, is to stay at the place where the carabao pass by.” And Līgī went to hide where the people passed by on the way to the spring, and Dagoláyan staid on the other side. A young pretty girl passed by the place where Kanag was hiding, so he cut off her head and he shouted, for he was very happy. “Why did the son ofalankill someone before us?” said Līgī. Not long after an old woman and an old man passed by where Līgī and Dagoláyan were hiding, and they killed them. Not long after they saw the head which Kanag had taken, and Kanag saw the heads which Līgī and Dagoláyan had taken were those of an old man and old woman. Dagoláyan said to him, “What did you say when you killed that pretty girl? I think I heard you say, ‘Your father does not like you.’ I did not hear very well so I ask for sure.” “‘The son ofalanof Matawītáwen kills the pretty girl is what I said.’” “No, that is not what you said. You said you were the son of a man who lives in Kadalayapan.” Not long after, when Dagoláyan could not make Kanag repeat what he had said, they all went back to Kadalayapan where Līgī lived.
When they arrived in Kadalayapan they played thegansaand danced, and Aponībolinayen heard the sound of thegansa, and she was anxious to go, but her spirit companion would not let her go. They saw that thelawedvine was green. Not long after they made Kanag dance, and when his body trembled, while he danced, the whole town of Kadalayapan trembled also; and when he moved his feet the fish were around his feet and they went to lap his feet, because the water came up into the town. When he stamped his feet the coconuts fell from the trees, and Līgī was very angry, and he went to sharpen his headaxe. As soon as he had sharpened his headaxe he went to where Kanag was dancing and he cut off his head. When Aponībolinayen looked at thelawedvine each leaf was wilted. “Grandmother, thelawedvine which Kanag planted is wilted,” said Aponībolinayen. “I am going to get him.” So she went and as she approached the place where Līgī used toPage 98live he saw her. “How angry you were, Līgī; you killed your son,” said Aponībolinayen, and Līgī bent his head, for he did not know it was his son. “I will use magic so that when I whip my perfumealikadakadhe will stand up.”131So the little boy stood up at once. Not long after she used her power again, and whipped her perfumedagimonauso that her son awoke. He woke up and said, “How long my sleep is!” “No, do not say that; your father killed you.” She wanted to take him back to Matawītáwen, but Līgī prevented them and he begged them to forgive him, and Aponībolinayen said, “No, we will go back, for you did not want us and you put us there.” So they went to Matawītáwen and Līgī followed them. As soon as they arrived at the spring of Matawītáwen Aponībolinayen used her power. “I use my power so that Līgī cannot see us, and the trail will become filled with thorns.”132Not long after Līgī could not walk in the trail and he could not see them, and he was very sorry. He laid down, because he could not follow them and his hair grew like vines along the ground; and he did not eat, for he was always sorry about the things he had done to his wife and son. Not long after they forgave him and went to get him, and they all went back to Kadalayapan. Līgī commanded his spirit attendants to take his sweethearts and kill them, for they told falsehoods about Aponībolinayen, so that he did not want her any more. This is all.
(Told by Magwati of Lagangilang.)