Traditions of the Tinguian: a Study in Philippine Folk-Lore

Chapter 10

Chapter 104,493 wordsPublic domain

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, Aponitolau, and he paid the marriage price for Aponibolinayen. Aponigawani said to him, "I thought I had no brother. I do not know what my father and mother did with you." The _alan_ who cared for Aponitolau 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 Aponitolau paid the marriage price they danced again, and the _alan_ gave all her things to Aponitolau, for Langa-an and Pagatipánan took them home. Not long after Aponibalagen married Aponigawani, and he paid the same as Aponitolau had paid for Aponibolinayen.

(Told by Madomar, a woman of Riang barrio Patok.)

11

"I go to visit my cousin Gawigawen of Adasin," said Aponitolau. He pushed his raft until he reached Pangasinan. At the spring he asked the women if his cousin Aponibolinayen was there. "She is not, because she went to celebrate _Sayang._ [199] Did you not get the invitation of Gawigawen of Adasin?" "No," said Aponitolau.

Aponibolinayen went to have Lisnaya fix her upper arm beads and they sat in the shade of the _pamlo-ongen_ tree, and Aponibolinayen dropped her switch.

"I wish to visit my relatives, but am ashamed because the invitation did not reach me," said Aponitolau. So he went to rest in the shade of the _pamlo-ongen_ tree, 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 Aponitolau? 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 Aponitolau 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 the _Sayang_" "Yes, but if the old enemy is there, when I go, the dance 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 Dalinapoyan 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 Aponitolau'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 Aponitolau 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 Aponigawani.

"Cousin Dumalágan, Cousin Agyokan; the enemy--the old one--has killed my brother Aponitolau at the _Sayang_ of 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, Aponitolau, and see if you know the men who are destroying the town." Aponitolau truly looked. "Why, Cousin Dumalágan and Cousin Agyokan, do you destroy the town?" "Because the hawk reported to Aponigawani that you had been killed by the old enemy in the town of Adasin, and she has thrown away her upper arm beads [200] by 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 is _banowes_, they quickly breathe. I whip my perfume which is _alikadakad_ (clatter), and they quickly stand up. I whip my perfume which is _dagimonau (monau_--just awakened) and they quickly recover." [201] "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 Dalinapoyan, Dumpoga of Dagala, Ligi of Madagitan and Ligi 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 Aponigawani, for she believed the hawk when it told her Aponitolau was dead. "No, I am not dead, but when two months have passed I shall go to fight Dalinmanok and his companions."

"When you went to sail, did you not find the switch which belongs to Aponibolinayen? They are now making a ceremony to find it." "It is here, that which I picked up in the shade of the _pamlo-ongen_ tree, 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." [202] "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. Aponitolau 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 of _alangigan (Ilangilang)_ which is only possessed by the people of Kadalayapan. "Ala, it is Aponitolau," 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 Aponitolau was thirsty his headaxe turned slantwise and water blue as indigo flowed off it freely.

"Dumpoga of Dagala, Ligi of Madagitan, Ligi 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 are _ginlasan, summadag_, and _tadogan_." They agreed. They rolled the jars which they took down to the river and there were among them _doldoli_ and _ginaang_, [203] and the jars were glad, for they had formerly belonged to Dagoláyen, the grandfather of Aponitolau, but had been stolen. After that Aponitolau 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 Aponitolau followed. After they arrived they danced with the heads and in a short time put them on the _sagang._ [204]

"Now, Aponigawani, bring me the switch of Aponibolinayen, for I go 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 Aponitolau, but Aponibolinayen thought him to be an enemy. "Does the old enemy bring greetings?" asked Aponitolau. Then they went up into the house and he leaned against the corner pole. Aponibolinayen looked at Aponitolau and his good looks seemed to climb the corner pole. "It is better for us to tell our names," said Aponitolau, "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 Aponibolinayen their golden finger rings exchanged themselves. "Give back my ring," she said. "Our relationship is the reason they change," said Aponitolau. 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, Aponibolinayen said, "What do we eat?" He took the boiling stick and broke it into pieces, and it became a fish which they ate, [205] and Aponitolau took the bone out of the fish which Aponibolinayen 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 like _kimi_," [206] said Aponitolau. "Why do you not like it? It is what we keep for company and is easy to use," said Aponibolinayen. "The end of my clout is enough for my blanket," said Aponitolau. Then Aponibolinayen used the power of the betel-nut and vanished. "Why is there no one here?" said Aponitolau. "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 Aponibolinayen 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 Aponitolau sat down. "How did you pass in here?" she asked. "I passed through the crack in the wall," said Aponitolau; and after that they laid together. When it was early morning Aponibolinayen sent him away, for she feared her brother might come.

As Aponitolau went quickly to his raft, he was seen by Balau of Baboyan, a great bird. "How fine is Aponitolau, Ala! I shall take him to marry Ginteban." [207] Then he was seized by Balau and was carried to Baboyan. "Now Aponitolau, you must marry Ginteban 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, Aponibolinayen 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. [208] After 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--Aponitolau whom Balau stole." Then Aponibolinayen 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 a _lawed_ vine by their hearth. [209] "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 Aponibolinayen desired, whom you left," he said. "Now I take you home to Kadalayapan." After that he truly took home Aponitolau, and Ginteban, who lived in Baygan. In a short time they arrived in Kadalayapan and Kanag's mother was there, because Aponigawani had taken her home. "Now we are married forever, Aponitolau," said Ginteban who lived in Baygan. "No, for Aponibolinayen is his wife," replied Aponigawani. "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." Aponibolinayen stepped first and there was nothing broken. Ginteban followed and all those clay dishes which she stepped on were broken. Then she went home to Baygan and after that Aponitolau and Aponibolinayen were married.

12

"I am anxious to eat the fruit of the _bolnay_ tree [210] of Matawitáwen," said Aponibolinayen. "What is that?" said Ligi. "I am anxious to eat fish roe, I said." "Bring me a fish net and I will go and get some," said Ligi. 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. "Aponibolinayen, 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. Ligi went to the _balaua_ and when Aponibolinayen thought he was in the _balaua_ she 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, Aponibolinayen? I think you threw away the fish roe," he said to her. "I dropped one of them."

Aponibolinayen went again to the room and she said again that she wished to eat the fruit of Matawitáwen, and Ligi asked what she said. "I am anxious for the liver of a deer, I said." So Ligi 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 Aponibolinayen, "Come and get the liver, which you wish to eat." Aponibolinayen said to him, "Put it in the rattan hanger." Ligi went back to the _balaua_, and Aponibolinayen used magic so that Ligi 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 Ligi awoke and asked Aponibolinayen what was the matter. "One small piece of liver which I did not eat." She went again to the room and laid down, and Ligi used magic and became an ant, and he went to the crack of the floor, for he wanted to know what Aponibolinayen was saying, for he suspected that she was not telling him the truth. As soon as he arrived in the crack Aponibolinayen repeated her wish to eat the _bolnay_ fruit of Matawitáwen, and Ligi became a man again and appeared to her. "Why did you not tell the truth, Aponibolinayen?" he said and she answered, "I did not, because Matawitáwen 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. "Ligi, how many and how pretty the _bolnay_ fruit are. Your sack is filled and you have some in your hands. Will you give us some of it to eat?" So Ligi gave them all the fruit in the sack and all he held in his hand. "Do not give everything to Aponibolinayen, but give to us also." So he gave them all he had. "The baby inside of Aponibolinayen, which desires the _bolnay_, is not your child, but is the child of Maobágan," said his sweethearts, and when they had eaten all of the fruit Ligi went home with nothing but the sack. He gave the sack to Aponibolinayen. 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 Ligi, angrily. "You get ready for I will put you in the place where the tree is if you want more." Aponibolinayen said to him, "Because I said that I wanted more you want to put me by the tree." Ligi was angry and he seized her by the arm and dragged her to the tree. As soon as they arrived at the _bolnay_ tree, 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 Aponibolinayen 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 of her finger. [211] "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. [212] Not 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 an _alan_ of Matawitáwen. 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 the _bolnay_ tree: "Why, we are cousins," said the other boy to me. And Aponibolinayen 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 the _lawed_ vine by the stove, and if it wilts I am dead," [213] he said.

Not long after Aponibolinayen 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 Ligi heard them and he was surprised for it sounded like two thousand people. So Ligi thought that Dagoláyan had many companions. As soon as they arrived where Ligi 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. Ligi wanted to kill him, and he said, "I want to kill." "No, do not kill him," said Dagoláyan. Not 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 Ligi and Dagoláyan did not cook anything, for everything was damp. The spirit helpers of Aponibolinayen always fed Kanag, and Ligi and Dagoláyan ate with him. "What is the matter of this boy who is the son of _alan_? He has something to eat. I do not believe that his mother _alan_ knows how to prepare good food," said Ligi, 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 Ligi. "The best for you, son of _alan_, is to stay at the place where the carabao pass by." And Ligi 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 of _alan_ kill someone before us?" said Ligi. Not long after an old woman and an old man passed by where Ligi 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 Ligi 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 of _alan_ of Matawitáwen 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 Ligi lived.

When they arrived in Kadalayapan they played the _gansa_ and danced, and Aponibolinayen heard the sound of the _gansa_, and she was anxious to go, but her spirit companion would not let her go. They saw that the _lawed_ vine 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 Ligi 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 Aponibolinayen looked at the _lawed_ vine each leaf was wilted. "Grandmother, the _lawed_ vine which Kanag planted is wilted," said Aponibolinayen. "I am going to get him." So she went and as she approached the place where Ligi used to live he saw her. "How angry you were, Ligi; you killed your son," said Aponibolinayen, and Ligi bent his head, for he did not know it was his son. "I will use magic so that when I whip my perfume _alikadakad_ he will stand up." [214] So the little boy stood up at once. Not long after she used her power again, and whipped her perfume _dagimonau_ so 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 Matawitáwen, but Ligi prevented them and he begged them to forgive him, and Aponibolinayen said, "No, we will go back, for you did not want us and you put us there." So they went to Matawitáwen and Ligi followed them. As soon as they arrived at the spring of Matawitáwen Aponibolinayen used her power. "I use my power so that Ligi cannot see us, and the trail will become filled with thorns." [215] Not long after Ligi 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. Ligi commanded his spirit attendants to take his sweethearts and kill them, for they told falsehoods about Aponibolinayen, so that he did not want her any more. This is all.