Fay-Cooper Cole

“ When Aponītolau urged her a long time she took the betel-nut and they chewed. “Since you are the lady who lives here, it is best that you tell your name first,” said Aponītolau. “No it is not good for a woman to tell her name first, so you must tell your name,” said Asībowan. Not long after, “My name is Aponītolau of Kadalayapan who is the son of Langa-an and Pagatipánan, who goes to find a pretty girl who has power like me,” said Aponītolau. “My name is Asībowan of Gᴇgᴇnawan, who lives alone in the field, who has no neighbors for this is my fortune,” said Asībowan. ”

“ But before anything is eaten, the medium places prepared betel-nuts before the stones, mixes blood with rice, and scatters it broadcast, meanwhile calling the spirits from near and far to come and eat, and to go with her to the village, where she is to continue the ceremony. As the company approaches the balaua, the musicians begin to beat on their gongs, while women in the yard pound rice in ceremonial fashion. When they have finished, the family goes up into the balaua and dances to the music of the gongs until the medium bids them stop. ”

“ Boys go to fight and kill many people at the spring. They challenge a ten-headed giant. He is unable to injure them, but their weapons kill him and his neighbors. Heads of the victors take themselves to homes of the boys. A storm transports the giant's house. Boys trample on town of the enemy and it becomes like the ocean. They use magic and reach home in an instant. Hold celebration over the heads. Some guests bring beautiful girls hidden in their belts. Alan tell history of lads and restore them to their people. One of boys falls in love and his parents negotiate match for him. ”

“ Public opinion is sufficient to prevent most crimes; the fear of offending the spirits is a further deterrent; while the final bar is the drastic punishment meted out by the datu. Theft is punished by the levying of a fine if the culprit is able to pay, or by a term of servitude if he has no property. If a husband finds that his wife has been unfaithful, he should kill both her and her admirer, but the spear with which he avenges his wrongs should be left in the body of one of the victims, as a sign that the murder was provoked by the fault. ”

“ When the spirit messengers arrived by the balaua where Aponītolau of Kadalayapan was lying down, “Good morning,” they said. “How are you,” said Aponītolau. “I came here because Ilwīsan of Dagápan sent me to get you, for they make a big party, for they have returned from fighting.” “This is the first time I have heard of a town called Dagápan,” said Aponītolau. “You people who live with me, come with me and we all will go to Dagápan, because Ilwīsan will make a big party, for he has returned from fighting; all you ladies who stay in the house come also.” ”

“ Late in the afternoon, all the spirits are remembered in a great offering of food. A framework is constructed in the yard,38 and on it are placed eggs, meat, fish, rice cakes, sugar, betel-nut, tobacco, basi, and rice mixed with blood. After allowing the superior beings a few moments to finish their repast, the viands are removed, and from then until sunset all the guests dance tadek. As darkness comes, a great fire is lighted in the yard, and within the circle of its light the company gathers, while the more important men sing daleng. ”

“ A raid is made only when the moon is full. A dish of red rice is decorated with red flowers and is placed in the center of the room. Around it the warriors stick their spears and then one of the oldest of the company takes up a handful of the food and offers it to the spirit, saying: "Mandalangan come and eat, for we are ready to fight; go with us and help us." As he finishes his prayer each warrior takes a portion of the rice and throws it out of doors, for "they are not yet worthy to eat what Mandalangan has left." Returning to the room they all eat of white rice and are ready for the raid. ”

“ 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. ”

“ It is hard to imagine a more beautiful sight than to look down on these fields, which rise in wave above wave of brilliant green, until at last they give way to the yellower billows of cogon grass which cover the mountain slopes. ”

“ Aponītolau went to lie down in their balaua and Aponībolinayen laid down in the house and their hair grew long along the floor, they laid so long.
Not long after Kanag awoke and he saw that he was in the middle of a field so wide that he could not see the edges of it. “How bad my father is to me, for he sent me here,” he said. “The best thing for me to do is to create people so that I will have neighbors. I will use magic so that many betel-nut trees will grow in the middle of the field.” Not long after the betel-nut trees bore fruit which was covered with gold. ”

“ A slight variation was noticed after the rice planting at Padada, when all the workers placed their planting sticks on an offering of rice and then poured water over them "so as to cause an abundance of rain." Another difference is noticed following the death of a warrior. His knife lies in its sheath beside the body for seven days and during that time can only be drawn if it is to be used in sacrificing a slave. If such an offering is made it is carried out in much the same way as the Bagobo sacrifice, except that the bereaved father, son, or brother cuts the body in halves. ”

“ Magic and Omens.—The folk-tales are filled with accounts of magical acts, performed by “the people of the first times.” They annihilated time and space, commanded inanimate objects to do their will, created human beings from pieces of betel-nut, and caused the magical increase of food and drink. Those days have passed, yet magical acts still pervade all the ceremonies; nature is overcome, while the power to work evil by other than human means is a recognized fact of daily life. ”

“ The betel-nut which played such a momentous part in the old times still holds its place in the rituals of the many ceremonies, although it is not now much used in daily life. The magic of to-day is less powerful than formerly, but is still a tremendous force. The communication of the ancient people with other members of the animate world, as well as with the inanimate and spiritual, and their metamorphosis into animals and the like, offers nothing strange or inconsistent to the people of to-day. ”

“ None of our animals are left alive,” said Pagbokásan. “Why did you search for me? I told Sinogyaman and Sinagayan that I was going to fight. Did they not tell you?” said Aponītolau. “We thought that you encountered our old, dangerous enemies, for you have been away many months. Why do you have a daughter who is a young girl?” “Yes, Binaklingan who is here is my daughter, and her mother Asībowan with whom I lived for a long time did not want to come here to Kadalyapan, for she said I must find a girl suitable for me to marry and then we must make balaua so that she will come to our town.” ”

“ The feast which they hold before the sowing is a criminal and repugnant trago-comedy. The tragical part is the first thing that is done. When they have assembled in the middle of the woods * * * they tightly bind the slave whom they are going to sacrifice. All armed with sharp knives, leap and jump about their victim striking him, one after the other, or several at one time, amid infernal cries and shouts, until the body of the victim sacrificed has been cut to bits. ”