Chapter 9

They started and the betel-nut led them. "Where is Dona?" they said to the betel-nut. "Dona is somewhere. Follow me. You must step on the big dishes where I step." Not long after they arrived in the place where Balbalaoga lived and were surprised at the big golden house, and Balbalaoga and Aponibolinayen were watching them from the window, and they went to the yard of the house. Ebang and Pagbokásan did not believe that Balbalaoga was their son, so they chewed betel-nut. As soon as they chewed they found out that he was the after-birth of Awig. So Balbalaoga took them into his house.

Not long after Balbalaoga said to them, "Wait for me for awhile, for I am going to hunt deer." So he called his dogs who talked with the thunder, they were so big and also powerful. Not long after he went to the wood and the dogs caught three deer. He cut up the deer and took them back home.

Not long after Aponitolau heard that Aponibolinayen was with her brother in Dona. He went to follow her, for he intended to live with her again. Ebang and Pagbokásan took Balbalaoga and Aponibolinayen to Kaodanan, and they used their power so that all the things which the _alan_ had given to Balbalaoga went to Kaodanan. Not long after the house and the other things which the _alan_ had given went to Kaodanan, all the _alan_ flew away. Not long after they made _balaua_ in Kaodanan, and they called all their relatives in the other towns and all of the _alan_ who cared for Balbalaoga of Dona. After that all the people went to attend their _balaua_. In that time Balbalaoga was married and Aponitolau was very sorry, because he could not remarry Aponibolinayen, and he went to the _balaua_ even though he was not invited. As soon as the _balaua_ was over, all the people went back home, but Balbalaoga did not go back to Dona. The _alan_ flew away after he was married.

(Told by Magwati of Lagangilang).

9

Ayo went to the spring. When she went she met Dagdagalisit, 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. [188] "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 built _balaua_, 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 Dagdagalisit whom they had not invited. As soon as the betel-nut arrived at the place where Dagdagalisit lived "Dagdagalisit came to Natpangan for Awig makes _balaua_," 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, Dagdagalisit 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 Aponibolinayen," he said. Then he sent Aponibolinayen away, and he made her carry the poor house box that they used to put the fish in which Dagdagalisit caught in the river. "You carry the female pig so that you have something to eat by the river," said Awig to Dagdagalisit. So they went; Aponibolinayen 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 Dagdagalisit, which was Kabenbenlan, 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 Dagdagalisit. They were still walking and Ayo followed him. As soon as they arrived at the ladder Dagdagalisit went upstairs and Ayo did not because she thought that Dagdagalisit did not own that house, and Dagdagalisit made her go up, and she did. As soon as she arrived above Dagdagalisit 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 Ligi, [189] so 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 Dagdagalisit, 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 make _balaua_ so that we invite all our relatives in the different towns, and we also shall invite Awig and Aponigonay," 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 Kabenbenlan 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 Aponigonay started to go. "Ala, Aponigonay, take rice so that we may cook it in Kabenbenlan, because Aponibolinayen and Dagdagalisit have no rice to cook. What will Dagdagalisit use for his _balaua?_ 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 attend _balaua_. You take food with you for Aponibolinayen and Dagdagalisit make _balaua_." Not long after they went, and when they arrived in the place where the spring is in Kabenbenlan 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 through them. "I do not think that Dagdagalisit 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 Aponibolnay. As they walked they saw that the men and women who were making _alawig_ [190] were the companions of Aponibolinayen. Awig said, "That is the man who used to put the clout of banana leaves on him." As soon as Aponitolau [191] and Aponibolinayen finished dancing they went to take the hands of Awig and Aponibolay, and Aponitolau commanded the people who lived with them to bring golden seats. After that Aponitolau 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 Aponitolau went to cut off Awig's head. Not long after the women who never go outdoors [192] went to bring Awig to life. As soon as they made him alive again, Aponitolau gave the marriage price. It was nine times full, the _balaua_, and when Aponibolnay raised up her elbow half of it vanished, which was in the _balaua_. And Aponibolinayen used her power and the _balaua_ was full again.

Not long after they chewed betel-nut and the quid of Langa-an and Pagatipánan and the quids of Dagdagalisit went together, and the quid of Pagbokásan and Ebang went to the quid of Aponibolinayen and Awig, and Langa-an and Pagatipánan changed the name of Dagdagalisit to Ligi. "Ala, now mother old _alan_ do not feel sorry, for we take Aponitolau to Kadalayapan," said Langa-an. "Ala, yes, you take them, take all my valuable things. If it were not for me, Aponitolau 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 Aponitolau and his wife may own them." Not long after they went home and Awig took all the payment for Aponibolinayen and all the _alan_ flew away. So Awig and Aponitolau went to their towns.

10

Aponibalagen went to put Aponibolinayen 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 Aponibalagen 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 called _pagatpat_ and _kodla_, 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, Aponibalagen left an old woman with Aponibolinayen 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 Kabilabilan 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 Aponibolinayen, but she had him go up the ladder. The old woman who took care of them asked why she did not tell her and Aponibolinayen. 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 Kabilabilan." "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 outdoors [193] ate with him. "Alama-an is the girl who never goes outdoors," said 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, Aponibolinayen 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. [194] When 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 Aponibolinayen 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 no place 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 Aponibolinayen 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 of _alan_, of Kabilabilan, who did not find a way to go home, but who found you." "My name is Aponibolinayen, who is the sister of Aponibalagen 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 Aponibolinayen, for that is why we are here, so no one can see her. I do not know why the alligators did not see him." Aponibolinayen 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 Aponibolinayen and we will eat." The three girls went to the room of Aponibolinayen, but Ingiwan disappeared and they only saw Aponibolinayen. So they all went to eat and Ingiwan was not hungry, for Aponibolinayen used magic, so that rice and meat went to where he was hiding.

When they had lived together a long time Aponibolinayen 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 Aponibalagen went to wash his hair, and he went to the place where Aponibolinayen and the other girls were living. The three girls and the old woman agreed not to tell that a man had been there. As soon as Aponibalagen 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 Aponibolinayen was, so all of them might louse him. While Aponibolinayen was lousing her brother the milk from her breasts dropped on his legs, and Aponibalagen was surprised, and he said, "What have you done, Aponibolinayen." 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 Aponibolinayen had a little baby, for she had pricked her little finger and the baby had come out. [195] "When the girls were lousing me the milk from Aponibolinayen'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."

Aponibalagen 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." Aponibalagen 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. Aponibalagen 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 made _balaua_ in order to find out who was the father of the boy. The boy grew one span every time they bathed him, [196] for they used their power. In a few days they built their _balaua_ and the _liblibayan_ [197] got 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 Kabilabilan, they said, "Good morning, Kagkagákag," [198] to the man who was lying in his _balaua_ covered with mud. "We came to invite you to the _balaua_ of Aponibalagen." "I do not wish to go, for I have no clothes and am ashamed. I do not know the man who is going to make _balaua_." "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 Aponibalagen 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 Aponibalagen gave the boy to him and all the people were surprised that Aponibolinayen had wanted him. Not long after they danced, and when they had finished Aponibalagen said to Aponibolinayen, "Take off all your things and go to Kagkagákag." Aponibolinayen 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 Aponibolinayen 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." Aponibolinayen did not believe him, but when they arrived at the spring of Kabilabilan 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 the _alan_ who cared for Ingiwan was glad to see them.

Not long after they made _balaua_, for they wished to call Aponibalagen 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, Aponibolinayen and Kagkagákag want you to attend their _Sayang_." Aponibalagen laughed and said, "Yes," and he called all the people and told them to prepare to go to the _balaua_.

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 Aponibalagen 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 Aponibolinayen 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 people dancing in the yard and Aponibalagen shook their hands. "Kagkagákag, if you had come as you are now to my _balaua_ I would not have been bad to my sister." Kagkagákag laughed at them and they all chewed betel-nut.