Chapter 24

A man named Tagápen, of Ilocos Norte, with his wife and child goes up the Abra river on a raft. They stop at various towns and Tagápen goes up to each while his wife comforts the child. They finally reached Patok where they go to live in the _balaua_. They remain there teaching the people many songs.

III

77

A turtle and a monkey go to plant bananas. The turtle places his in the ground, but the monkey hangs his in a tree. Soon the tree of the turtle has ripe fruit, but the monkey has none. Turtle asks monkey to climb and secure the fruit. Monkey eats all but one banana, then sleeps in the tree. Turtle plants sharp shells around the tree and then frightens monkey which falls and is killed. Turtle sells his flesh to other monkey and then chides them because they eat their kind. Monkeys catch turtle and threaten first to cut and then to burn him. He deceives them by showing them marks on his body. They tie weight to him and throw him into the water. He reappears with a fish. Monkeys try to imitate him and are drowned.

78

A turtle and lizard go to steal ginger. The lizard talks so loudly he attracts the attention of the owner. The turtle hides, but the lizard runs and is pursued by the man. The turtle enters the house and hides under a coconut shell. When the man sits on the shell the turtle calls. He cannot discover source of noise and thinks it comes from his testicles. He strikes these with a stone and dies. The turtle and the lizard see a bees' nest. The lizard hastens to get it and is stung. They see a bird snare and turtle claims it as the necklace of his father. Lizard runs to get it but is caught and killed.

79

A little bird calls many times for a boy to catch it. He snares it and places it in a jar. Lad's grandmother eats the bird. He discovers the theft, leaves home and gets a big stone to swallow him. The grandmother gets horses to kick the stone, carabao to hook it, and chickens to peck it, but without result. When thunder and her friends also fail, she goes home without her grandson.

80

A frog, which is attached to a hook, lures a fish so that it is caught.

81

The five fingers are brothers. The thumb goes to get bamboo. He tries to kiss the bamboo and his nose sticks. One by one the others go in search of the missing but are captured in the same manner. The little finger, which alone remains free, releases the others.

82

A carabao and a shell agree to race along the river. The carabao runs swiftly, then pauses to call "shell." Another shell replies and the carabao continues running. This is repeated many times until at last the carabao falls dead.

83

A crab and a shell go to get wood. The crab pulls the rope on his load so tightly that he breaks his big legs and dies. The shell finds his friend dead and cries until he belches his own body out of the shell and he dies.

84

A mosquito tells a man he would eat him were it not for his ears.

85

A messenger goes to negotiate a marriage. When he arrives he sees the people nodding their heads as they suck meat out of shells. He returns home without stating his mission, but reports an acceptance. Girl's people are surprised when people come for _pakálon_.

86

A man sees people eating bamboo shoots, and is told they are eating _pagaldanen_. He understands them to say _aldan_--"ladder," so he goes home and cooks his bamboo ladder. Is ridiculed by his friends.

87

A man with heavily laden horse asks the length of a certain trip. Boy replies, "If you go slowly, very soon; if you go fast, all day." The man hurries so that coconuts keep falling off the load and have to be replaced. It is dark when he arrives.

88

A woman eats the fruit belonging to crocodile and throws away the rind. Crocodile sees her tooth marks and recognizes the offender. He demands that she be given him to eat. Her people agree, but first feed him a hot iron. He swallows it and dies.

89

A lazy man goes to cut bamboo, and a cat steals his cooked rice. He catches the cat in a trap and takes it home. It becomes a fighting cock. The man starts for a cock fight, and on the way is joined by a crocodile, a deer, a mound of earth and a monkey. The rooster kills all the other birds at the fight, then the crocodile wins a diving contest, the deer a race, the mound of earth a wrestling match, and the monkey excels all in climbing. The man wins much money in wagers and buys a good house.

90

A spirit lets a man take his _poncho_ which makes him invisible. He goes to his wife who recognizes his voice and thinks him dead. He takes off _poncho_ and appears before her.

91

A fisherman is seized by a big bird which carries him to its nest. The small birds try to eat him, but he seizes one in each hand and jumps from the tree. He reaches the ground unhurt and returns home.

NOTES

[1] Men or women through whom the superior beings talk to mortals. During ceremonies the spirits possess their bodies and govern their language and actions. When not engaged in their calling, the mediums take part in the daily activities of the village.

[2] See page 29.

[3] The initial portion of some of these names is derived from the respectful term _apo_--"sir," and the attributive copulate _ni_; thus the original form of Aponitolau probably was Apo ni Tolau, literally "Sir, who is Tolau." However, the story-tellers do not now appear to divide the names into their component parts, and they frequently corrected the writer when he did so; for this reason such names appear in the text as single words. Following this explanation it is possible that the name Aponibolinayen may be derived from Apo ni bolan yan, literally "Sir (mistress) who is place where the moon"; but _bolan_ generally refers to the space of time between the phases of the moon rather than to the moon itself. The proper term for moon is _sinag_, which we have seen is the mother of Gaygayóma--a star,--and is clearly differentiated from Aponibolinayen.

[4] [male]--male. [female]--female.

[5] Occasionally the storytellers become confused and give Pagbokásan as the father of Aponitolau.

[6] The town of Natpangán is several times mentioned as though it was the same as Kaodanan.

[7] Only the most important references found in the texts are given here. For a fuller list see the index.

[8] The only possible exception to this statement is the mention of a carabao sled on p. 150, and of Aponitolau and Aponibolinayen riding on a carabao p. 51.

[9] A term applied to any of the wilder head-hunting tribes.

[10] Ladders are placed on each side of the town gate and are inclined toward one another until they meet at the top. Returning warriors enter the village by climbing up the one and descending the other, never through the gate.

[11] Copper gongs.

[12] Sharpened bamboo poles which pass through the foramen magnum.

[13] This poison is placed in the food or drink. The use of poisoned darts or arrows seems never to have been known to this people.

[14] A similar custom is found among the Kayan of Borneo. See _Hose_ and _McDougall_, Pagan Tribes of Borneo, Vol. II, p. 171 (London, 1912).

[15] In this dance a man and a woman enter the circle, each holding a cloth. Keeping time to the music, they approach each other with almost imperceptible movements of feet and toes, and a bending at the knees, meanwhile changing the position of the cloths. This is varied from time to time by a few quick, high steps. For fuller description see article by author in _Philippine Journal of Science_, Vol. III, No. 4, 1908, p. 208.

[16] The custom was formerly practised by the Ilocano. See _Reyes_, Folklore Filipino, p. 126 (Manila, 1899).

[17] See _Philippine Journal of Science_, Vol. III, No. 4, 1908, pp. 206, ff.

[18] The Tinguian do not have a classificatory system of relationship terms. The term _kasinsin_ is applied alike to the children of mother's and father's brothers and sisters.

[19] A sacred dance in which a number of men and women take part. It takes place only at night and is accompanied by the singing of the participants.

[20] The night preceding the greatest day of the _Sayang_ ceremony.

[21] Runo, a reed.

[22] See p. 11, note 3.

[23] A short ceremony held for the cure of fever and minor ills. It also forms a part of the more extensive rites.

[24] A sugar-cane rum.

[25] See p. 10, note 1.

[26] Lesser spirits.

[27] Like ideas occur in the folktales of British North Borneo. See _Evans_, _Journal Royal Anthro. Inst_., Vol. XLIII, 1913, p. 444.

[28] In various guises the same conception is found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Malaysia. See Cox, An Introduction to Folklore, p. 121 (London, 1904).--In an Igorot tale the owner captures and marries the star maiden, who is stealing his rice. _Seidenadel_, The Language of the Bontoc Igorot, p. 491 ff. (Chicago, 1909).

[29] The Dusun of Borneo have tales of talking jars. _Evans_, _Journal Royal Anthro. Inst_., Vol. XLIII, 1913, pp. 426-427. See also _Cole_ and _Laufer_, Chinese Pottery in the Philippines (_Pub. Field Museum of Nat. Hist_., Vol. XII, No. 1, p. 11 ff., 1912).

[30] _Piper sp_.

[31] Bagobo tales relate that in the beginning plants, animals, and rocks could talk with mortals. See _Benedict_, _Journal American Folklore_, Vol. XXVI, 1913, p. 21.

[32] Tales of animals who assist mortals are found in all lands; perhaps the best known to European readers is that of the ants which sorted the grain for Cinderella. See also _Evans_, _Jour. Royal Anthro. Inst.,_ Vol. XLIII, 1913, p. 467, for Borneo; _Tawney's_ Kathá Sarit Ságara, pp. 361 ff., Calcutta, 1880, for India.

[33] Fabulous birds of gigantic size, often known under the Indian term _garuda_, play an important part in the beliefs of the Peninsular Malays.

[34] A similiar incident is cited by _Bezemer_ (Volksdichtung aus Indonesien). See also the Bagobo tale of the Kingfisher (_Benedict_, _Jour. American Folklore_, Vol. XXVI, 1913, p. 53).

[35] The magic flight has been encountered in the most widely separated parts of the globe, as, for instance, India and America. See _Tawney_, Kathá Sarit Ságara, pp. 361, 367 ff. and notes, (Calcutta, 1880); _Waterman_, _Jour. American Folklore,_ Vol. XXVII, 1914, p. 46; _Reinhold Köhler_, Kleinere Schriften, Vol. I, pp. 171, 388.

[36] In the Dayak legend of Limbang, a tree springs from the head of a dead giant; its flowers turn to beads; its leaves to cloth; the ripe fruit to jars. See _H. Ling Roth_, The Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo, Vol. I, p. 372.

[37] Similar incidents are to be found among the Ilocano and Igorot; in Borneo; in Java and India. See _Reyes_, Folklore Filipino, p. 34, (Manila, 1889); _Jenks_, The Bontoc Igorot, p. 202, (Manila, 1905); _Seidenadel_, The Language of the Bontoc Igorot, p. 491, 541, ff, (Chicago, 1909); _Evans_, _Journal Royal Anthro. Inst_., Vol. XLIII, 1913, p. 462; _Ling Roth_, Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo, Vol. I, p. 319; _Tawney_, Kathá Sarit Ságara, Vol. II, p. 3, (Calcutta, 1880); _Bezemer_, Volksdichtung aus Indonesien, p. 49, (Haag, 1904).

[38] This peculiar expression while frequently used is not fully understood by the story tellers who in place of the word "whip" occasionally use "make." In one text which describes the _Sayang_ ceremony, I find the following sentence, which may help us to understand the foregoing: "We go to make perfume at the edge of the town, and the things which we take, which are our perfume, are the leaves of trees and some others; it is the perfume for the people, which we give to them, which we go to break off the trees at the edge of the town." Again in tale 20, Kanag breaks the perfume of Baliwán off a tree.--The use of sweetly scented oil, in raising the dead, is found in Dayak legends. See _Ling Roth_, The Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo, Vol. I, p. 314.

[39] According to a Jakun legend, the first children were produced out of the calves of their mothers' legs. _Skeat_ and _Blagden_, Pagan Races of the Malay Peninsula, Vol. II, p. 185.--A creation tale from Mangaia relates that the boy Rongo came from a boil on his mother's arm when it was pressed. _Gill_, Myths and Songs of the South Pacific, p. 10 (London, 1876).

[40] This power of transforming themselves into animals and the like is a common possession among the heroes of Dayak and Malay tales. See _Ling Roth_, The Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo, Vol. I, p. 312; _Perham_, _Journal Straits Branch R., Asiatic Society_, No. 16, 1886; _Wilkinson_, Malay Beliefs, pp. 32, 59 (London, 1906).

[41] The present day Tinguian attach much importance to these omens. The gall and liver of the slaughtered animal are carefully examined. If the fluid in the gall sack is exceedingly bitter, the inquirer is certain to be successful; if it is mild he had best defer his project. Certain lines and spots found on the liver foretell disaster, while a normal organ assures success. See also _Hose_ and _McDougall_, Pagan Tribes of Borneo, Vol. II, p. 60 ff.

[42] See p. 24, note 1.

[43] The present capital of Ilocos Sur.

[44] See p. 10, note 1.

[45] _Barrows_, Census of the Philippine Islands, Vol. I, pp. 456 ff., 1903.

[46] Paul P. de La Gironiere, who visited the Tinguian in the early part of the nineteenth century, describes these ornaments as follows: "Their heads were ornamented with pearls, coral beads, and pieces of gold twisted among their hair; the upper parts of the hands were painted blue; wrists adorned with interwoven bracelets, spangled with glass beads; these bracelets reached the elbow and formed a kind of half-plaited sleeve." _La Gironiere_, Twenty Years in the Philippines, pp. 108 ff.

[47] See _Cole_ and _Laufer_, Chinese Pottery in the Philippines (_Pub. Field Museum of Natural History_, Vol. XII, No. 1).

[48] This is entirely in agreement with Chinese records. The Islands always appeared to the Chinese as an Eldorado desirable for its gold and pearls.

[49] See p. 21, note 1.

[50] See p. 10, note 1.

[51] A bamboo pole, about ten feet long, one end of which is slit into several strips; these are forced apart and are interwoven with other strips, thus forming a sort of basket.

[52] See _Cole_, Distribution of the Non-Christian Tribes of Northwestern Luzon (_American Anthropologist_, Vol. II, No. 3, 1909, pp. 340, 341).

[53] See p. 12.

[54] See p. 13, note 5.

[55] Among the Ifugao, the lowest of the four layers or strata which overhang the earth is known as Kabuniyan. See _Beyer_, _Philippine Journal of Science_, Vol. VIII, 1913, No. 2, p. 98.

[56] See p. 11.

[57] An Ifugao myth gives sanction to the marriage of brother and sister under certain circumstances, although it is prohibited in every day life. _Beyer_, _Philippine Journal of Science_, Vol. VIII, 1913, No. 2, pp. 100 ff.

[58] As opposed to the spirit mate of Aponitolau.

[59] According to _Ling Roth_, the Malanaus of Borneo bury small boats near the graves of the deceased, for the use of the departed spirits. It was formerly the custom to put jars, weapons, clothes, food, and in some cases a female slave aboard a raft, and send it out to sea on the ebb tide "in order that the deceased might meet with these necessaries in his upward flight." Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo, Vol. I, p. 145, (London, 1896). For notes on the funeral boat of the Kayan, see _Hose_ and _McDougall_, Pagan Tribes of Borneo, Vol. II, p. 35.--Among the Kulaman of southern Mindanao an important man is sometimes placed in a coffin resembling a small boat, which is then fastened on high poles near to the beach. _Cole_, Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao (_Pub. Field Museum of Natural History_, Vol. XII, No. 2, 1913).--The supreme being, Lumawig, of the Bontoc Igorot is said to have placed his living wife and children in a log coffin; at one end he tied a dog, at the other a cock, and set them adrift on the river. See _Jenks_, The Bontoc Igorot, p. 203, (Manila, 1905); _Seidenadel_, The Language of the Bontoc Igorot, p. 502 ff., (Chicago, 1909).

[60] For similar omens observed by the Ifugao of Northern Luzon, see _Beyer_, Origin Myths of the Mountain peoples of the Philippines (_Philippine Journal of Science_, Vol. VIII, 1913, No. 2, p. 103).

[61] Page 6, note 3.

[62] See tale 22.

[63] For a discussion of this class of myths, see _Waterman_, _Jour. Am. Folklore_, Vol. XXVII, 1914, p. 13 ff.; _Lowie_, _ibid._, Vol. XXI, p. 101 ff., 1908; P.W. _Schmidt_, Grundlinien einer Vergleichung der Religionen und Mythologien der austronesischen Völker, (Wien, 1910).

[64] See p. 13, note 5.

[65] The _Pala-an_ is third in importance among Tinguian ceremonies.

[66] Tale 58.

[67] This is offered only as a possible explanation, for little is known of the beliefs of this group of Igorot.

[68] See p. 14, note 2.

[69] Tale 68.

[70] _Hose_ and _McDougall_, The Pagan Tribes of Borneo, Vol. II, p. 148, (London, 1912).

[71] _Bezemer_, Volksdichtung aus Indonesien, p. 304, Haag, 1904. For the Tagalog version of this tale see _Bayliss_, (_Jour. Am. Folk-lore_, Vol. XXI, 1908, p. 46).

[72] _Evans_, Folk Stories of British North Borneo. (_Journal Royal Anthropological Institute_, Vol. XLIII, 1913, p. 475).

[73] Folk Stories of British North Borneo (_Journal Royal Anthropological Institute_, Vol. XLIII, p. 447, 1913).

[74] Tale No. 89.

[75] _Hose_ and _McDougall_, The Pagan Tribes of Borneo, Vol. II, pp. 144-146.

[76] Tale 91. The cloak which causes invisibility is found in Grimm's tale of the raven. See _Grimm's_ Fairy Tales, Columbus Series, p. 30. In a Pampanga tale the possessor of a magic stone becomes invisible when squeezes it. See _Bayliss_, (_Jour. Am. Folk-Lore_, Vol. XXI, 1908, p. 48).

[77] _Ratzel_, History of Mankind, Vol. I, Book II. _Graebner_, Methode der Ethnologie, Heidelberg, 1911; Die melanesische Bogenkultur und ihre Verwandten (_Anthropos_, Vol. IV, pp. 726, 998, 1909).

[78] See _Waterman_, _Journal American Folklore_, Vol. XXVII, 1914, pp. 45-46.

[79] Stories of magic growth are frequently found in North America. See _Kroeber_, Gross Ventre Myths and Tales (_Anthropological Papers of the Am. Mus. of Nat. Hist._, Vol. I, p. 82); also _Lowie_, The Assiniboin (_ibid._, Vol. IV, Pt. 1, p. 136).

[80] Other examples of equally widespread tales are noted by _Boas_, Indianische Sagen, p. 852, (Berlin, 1895); L. _Roth_, Custom and Myth, pp. 87 ff., (New York, 1885); and others. A discussion of the spread of similar material will be found in _Graebner_, Methode der Ethnologie, p. 115; _Ehrenreich_, Mythen und Legenden der südamerikanischen Urvölker, pp. 77 ff.; _Ehrenreich_, Die allgemeine Mythologie und ihre ethnologischen Grundlagen, p. 270.

[81] _Cole_ and _Laufer_, Chinese Pottery in the Philippines (_Publication Field Museum of Natural History, Anthropological Series_, Vol. XII, No. 1, Chicago, 1913).

[82] _Nieuwenhuis_, Kunstperlen und ihre kulturelle Bedeutung (_Int. Arch, für Ethnographie_, Vol. XVI, 1903, pp. 136-154).

[83] _Philippine Journal of Science_, Vol. III, No. 4, 1908, pp. 197-211.

[84] A vine the new leaves of which are used for greens.

[85] _Antidesma ghesaembilla_ Gaertn.

[86] Rare beads.

[87] Larger beads than _oday_.

[88] Shallow wells are dug in the sands, near to the river.

[89] See p. 17, note 3.

[90] It was so long that it dragged.

[91] i.e., it was so small. The idea that roosters produce unusually small eggs is still held. The same conception is found in Javanese folk-lore. Here the "rooster's egg" or its substitute--the _Kemiri_ nut--is placed in the granary to cause an increase in the supply of rice. _Bezemer_, Volksdichtung aus Indonesien, p. 29, (Haag, 1904).

[92] See p. 17, note 3, for similar incidents in other Philippine tales, also from Borneo and India.

[93] The illuminating power of beauty receives frequent mention. Similiar references are met with in Malay legends and Indian tales. See _Tawney_, Kathá Sarit Ságara, p. 121 ff. (Calcutta, 1880.)

[94] The meaning of this passage is not clear.

[95] See p. 17, note 3.

[96] See p. 10, note 1.

[97] See p. 9.

[98] See p. 18, note 2, for similar incidents.

[99] This would have been a sign that the child wished to go to its father.

[100] See. p. 11 ff.

[101] Certain varieties of bamboo and reeds.

[102] See p. 13.

[103] See p. 13, note 1.

[104] The rice used in this ceremony is pounded in a certain manner, by many women who sing as they work.

[105] See p. 18.

[106] See p. 13, note 2.

[107] See p. 12.

[108] Like presents, or others of equal value, are generally given in return.

[109] A dance held at the gate of the town, on the great day of this ceremony. During the dance rice and water are thrown on the visitors.

[110] This was a sign that they were related. In this case the quids of the young people went to those of their fathers.

[111] They had not yet paid the customary marriage price for the girl.

[112] See p. 6.

[113] Copper gong.

[114] A white and a black strip of cloth which the dancers carry in their hands. When the cloth is given to a person he is thus invited to dance.

[115] Kanag was the baby born from Aponibolinayen's finger. Mentioned earlier in story.

[116] Names of different kinds of jars.

[117] Poles on which the heads of enemies are displayed.

[118] The _alan_ are lesser spirits. See p. 14.

[119] See p. 18, note 1.

[120] See pp. 12-13.

[121] A powerful spirit.

[122] The head man of a Tinguian village.

[123] See p. 14.

[124] Algaba is renamed Aponitolau.

[125] See p. 11.

[126] A big bird.

[127] A bad sign. See p. 19, note 1 for omens.

[128] Sugar cane rum.

[129] The groom's gift.

[130] Lesser spirits.

[131] See p. 35, note 1.

[132] See p. 42, note 1.

[133] _Piper sp_.

[134] See p. 18, note 1.

[135] See p. 17, note 3.

[136] A powerful spirit.

[137] See p. 30, note 3.

[138] See p. 12.

[139] See p. 7, note 1.

[140] The story tellers explain the very frequent mention of "girls who always stay in the house" or "who never go out of doors" by saying that in former times the prettiest girls were always protected from the sunlight in order that their skin might be of light color. These girls were called _lala-am_--those within. It is not thought they remained constantly within doors.

[141] See p. 11.

[142] See p. 12.

[143] See p. 13, note 1.

[144] See p. 14, note 2.

[145] See p. 13, note 2.

[146] Small covered benches built during the _Sayang_ ceremony for the use of spirits and mortals.

[147] See p. 11.

[148] See p. 17.

[149] See p. 11.

[150] Each type of jar has its special name.

[151] See p. 12.

[152] This was the _tadek_. See p. 11, note 3.

[153] Similiar ideas appear in tales from Borneo. See p. 15, note 1.

[154] _Ilangilang_.

[155] It is still considered a bad sign if anything falls or breaks at a wedding.

[156] Apparently Gawigawen had not been present at the _pakálon_. Such a condition frequently exists nowadays.

[157] See pp. 12, 128.

[158] A minor spirit.

[159] King or ruler.

[160] This seems to be a late unconnected, intrusion into the tale. The _ati_ and soldiers are entirely foreign to the Tinguian.

[161] See p. 12.

[162] This incident is frequently found in these tales. It also occurs in Javanese literature. See _Bezemer_, Volksdichtung aus Indonesien, p. 47. (Haag, 1904).

[163] See p. 15.

[164] Kadayadawan is re-named Aponitolau by his new-found parents.

[165] A powerful spirit.

[166] See p. 54, note 2.

[167] The story teller paused here to explain that his mother did not know that she was pregnant, and that a miscarriage had occurred.

[168] See p. 63, note 1.

[169] Head man.

[170] The term used is _alopogán_, which means "she who covers her face." For lack of a better designation we shall call her a medium. See p. 23.

[171] See p. 41, note 2.

[172] A bird.

[173] Copper gong.

[174] See p. 59, note 1.

[175] It is the custom to distribute a part of the marriage price among the relatives of the bride.

[176] The groom's gift.

[177] See p. 11, note 5.