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There was a husband and wife who were Aponītolau and Aponībolinayen. Aponītolau laid down in their balaua and Aponībolinayen was in the house and she had a headache. “I am anxious to eat the fruit of the orange tree which belongs to Gawīgawen of Adasen,” said Aponībolinayen. Aponītolau heard her. “What is that?” he said to her. “I am anxious to eat the biw[133] of Matawītáwen.” “Give me a sack and I will go to get it,” said Aponītolau, and he went. As soon as Aponītolau filled the sack with biw he went back home. As soon as he arrived in their house, “Here is the fruit you wished, Aponībolinayen. Come and get.” “Put it on the bamboo hanger above the fire, and I will go and get some to eat when my head does not feel so badly, for I cannot get up yet.” So Aponītolau went to put the fruit on the hanger above the fire and he laid down again in the balaua.
As soon as Aponītolau laid down in the balaua, Aponībolinayen went to the kitchen and peeled one of the biw fruit and she ate it truly. As Page 99soon as she ate she vomited and so she threw them away. “What is the matter, Aponībolinayen; I think you threw away the fruit.” “One of them I dropped.” She went into the room and she said again, “I am anxious to eat the oranges of Gawīgawen of Adasen.” “What is that?” said Aponītolau. “I am anxious to eat fish roe,” said Aponībolinayen. So Aponītolau went to get his fish net and he fished in the river. As soon as he arrived at the river he threw his net and secured a fish with fish roe. He cut open the fish and took out the roe. When he had taken out the roe he spat on the place where he had cut the fish and it became alive again and swam in the river. After that he went back home. As soon as he arrived at their house he gave the fish to Aponībolinayen, and he laid down in the balaua again, and Aponībolinayen went to the kitchen and she toasted the roe. When she finished she tasted it, and she vomited, so she threw it away also. “What is the matter, Aponībolinayen? Why are the dogs barking?” “I dropped some of the roe.” She went again to the room of the house. “I am anxious to eat the oranges which belong to Gawīgawen of Adasen.” “What is that, Aponībolinayen,” said Aponītolau. “I am anxious to eat a deer's liver, I said.” So Aponītolau called his dogs and he went to hunt deer. As soon as he arrived on the mountain, “Ala, my black dog, do not catch a deer unless it is in the low grass. Ala, my dog Bōkō, do not catch deer unless it is in a level field.” Not long after his dogs caught deer, and he took out their livers. As soon as he took out the liver he spat on the places he had cut, and the deer ran away again. Not long after he went back home. As soon as he arrived, “Here is the liver which you wanted. Come and take it.” “Put it in the kitchen. I will go and fix it when my head does not hurt.” Aponītolau put it in the kitchen and he went to the balaua again. When Aponītolau was in the balaua, Aponībolinayen went to the kitchen and cooked the liver and she tried to eat, but she vomited again, so she threw it away, and the dogs all barked. “What is the matter? Why do the dogs bark? I think you threw away the livers.” Aponībolinayen said, “I threw away what I did not eat, for I did not eat all of it.” “Do not throw them away, for bye and bye I will eat, for it is hard to go and get them.”
Not long after she went again to the room, and Aponītolau thought that Aponībolinayen did not tell the truth, so he used his power. “I use my power so that I will become a centipede.” So he became a centipede and he went in the crack of the floor where Aponībolinayen was lying. Not long after Aponībolinayen said again, “I am anxious to eat the oranges which belong to Gawīgawen of Adasen.” “I know now what you want; why did you not tell the truth at first? That is Page 100why you threw away all the things I went to get for you,” said Aponītolau, and he became a man and appeared to her. “I did not tell the truth for I feared you would not return, for no one who has gone there has returned, so I am patient about my headache.”
“Ala, go and get rice straw, and I will wash my hair.” Not long after he went to wash his hair. When he finished washing his hair he went to get one lawed vine, and he went back home. He planted the vine by the hearth. “Make some cakes for my provision on the journey.” “No, do not go, Aponītolau,” said Aponībolinayen. “Make some, for if you do not I will go without provisions.” Not long after Aponībolinayen went to cook cakes. As soon as she finished, “Ala, you come and oil my hair.” As soon as she oiled his hair, “Go and get my dark clout and my belt and my headband.” So Aponībolinayen went to get them. As soon as he dressed he took his spear and headaxe and he told Aponībolinayen that if the lawed leaves wilted he was dead.[134] So he went.
As soon as he arrived at the well of Gimbangonan all the betel-nut trees bowed, and Gimbangonan shouted and all the world trembled. “How strange that all the world trembles when that lady shouts.” So Aponītolau took a walk. Not long after the old woman Alokotán saw him and she sent her little dog to bite his leg, and it took out part of his leg. “Do not proceed, for you have a bad sign. If you go, you cannot return to your town,” said the old woman Alokotán. “No, I can go back.” So he went. As soon as he arrived at the home of the lightning, “Where are you going?” said the lightning. “I am going to get the oranges from Gawīgawen of Adasen. Go and stand on the high stone and I will see what your sign is.” So he went and stood on the high stone and the lightning made a light and Aponītolau dodged. “Do not go, for you have a bad sign, and Gawīgawen will secure you.” “No, I am going.” So he went. As soon as he arrived at the place of Silīt[135] it said to him, “Where are you going, Aponītolau?” “I am going to get the oranges of Gawīgawen of Adasen.” “Stand on top of that high stone so I can see if you have a good sign.” So he went and Silīt made a great noise. As soon as he made the great noise he jumped. “Go back, Aponītolau, and start another time, for you have a bad sign.”[136] “No, I go.”
He arrived at the ocean and he used magic. “I use my power so that you, my headaxe, sail as fast as you can when I stand on you.” Page 101As soon as he stood on it it sailed very fast. Not long after he was across the ocean and he was at the other edge of the ocean and he walked again. Not long after he arrived at the spring where the women went to get water. “Good morning, you women who are dipping water from the spring.” “Good morning. If you are an enemy cut us in only one place so we will not need to cure so much.” “If I was an enemy I would have killed all of you when I arrived here.” After that he asked them, “Is this the spring of Gawīgawen of Adasen?” “Yes, it is,” said the women. So he sent the women to the town to tell Gawīgawen, and the women did not tell him for he was asleep. So he went up to the town, but did not go inside, because the bank reached almost up to the sky, and he could not get in. He was sorrowful and bent his head.
Soon the chief of the spiders went to him: “What are you feeling sorry about, Aponītolau?” “I feel sorry because I cannot climb up the bank and go into the town.” “Do not feel sorry. You wait for me while I go up and put some thread which you can hold,” said the chief of the spiders.[137] So Aponītolau waited for him. Not long after the spider said, “Now you can climb;” so Aponītolau climbed on the thread. After he got inside of the town of Gawīgawen he went directly to the house of Gawīgawen. When he arrived there Gawīgawen was still asleep in his balaua. As soon as he woke up and saw Aponītolau sitting by his balaua he stood and ran to his house and got his headaxe and spear. Aponītolau said to him, “Good morning, Cousin Gawīgawen. Do not be angry with me. I came here to buy your oranges for my wife. Aponībolinayen wishes to eat one, for she always has a headache, because she has nothing she can eat.” Gawīgawen took him to his house, and he fed him one carabao. “If you cannot eat all of the carabao which I give you, you cannot have the oranges which your wife wishes to eat.” Aponītolau was sorrowful, for he thought he could not eat all of the carabao and he bent his head. Not long after the chiefs of the ants and flies went to him. “What makes you feel so badly, Aponītolau?” they said to him. “I am sorrowful, for I cannot get the oranges which Aponībolinayen wishes to eat until I eat this carabao which Gawīgawen feeds to me.” “Do not be sorrowful,” said the chiefs of the ants and flies. So they called all the ants and flies to go and eat all the meat and rice. Not long after the flies and ants finished eating the meat and rice, and Aponītolau was very glad and he went to Gawīgawen and said to him, “I have finished eating the food which you gave me.” Gawīgawen was surprised. “What did you do?” “I ate all of it.”
Gawīgawen took him where the oranges were and Aponītolau saw Page 102that the branches of the tree were sharp knives. Gawīgawen said to him, “Go and climb the tree and get all you want.” He went to climb. When he got two of the oranges he stepped on one of the knives and he was cut. So he fastened the fruit to his spear and it flew back to Kadalayapan. Not long after the fruit dropped on the floor in the kitchen and Aponībolinayen heard it, and she went into the kitchen. As soon as she got there she saw the fruit and she ate it at once, and the spear said to her, “Aponītolau is in Adasen. He sent me first to bring you the oranges which you wished.” As soon as she ate the oranges she went to look at the lawed vine by the stove and it was wilted, and she knew that Aponītolau was dead.
Not long after Aponībolinayen gave birth and every time they bathed the baby it grew one span and soon it was large.[138] He often went to play with the other children and his mother gave him a golden top which had belonged to his father when he was a little boy. When he struck the tops of the other children they were broken at once. Not long after he struck the garbage pot of the old woman, and she was angry and said, “If you are a brave boy, you go and get your father whom Gawīgawen of Adasen has inherited.” And Kanag went back to their house crying. “I did not have a father, you said, mother, but the old woman said he was inherited by Gawīgawen, when he went to get the orange fruit. Now prepare provisions for me to take, for I am going to get my father.” Aponībolinayen said to him, “Do not go or Gawīgawen will get you as he did your father.” But Kanag said, “If you do not let me go and do not give me food, I will go without anything.” Not long after Aponībolinayen cooked food for him and Kanag was ready to go, and he took his headaxe which was one span long and his spear. Not long after he went.
As soon as he got to the gate of the town he struck his shield and it sounded like one thousand people, and everyone was surprised. “How brave that boy is! We think he is braver than his father. He can strike his shield and it sounds like one thousand.” When he arrived at the spring of Gimbangonan he was still striking his shield, and when Gimbangonan heard she said, “Someone is going to fight.” He shouted, for he was very happy and the world trembled and Kanag looked like a flitting bird, for he was always moving.
As soon as he arrived at the place where Alokotán lived she sent her dog against him, and the dog ran at him, and Kanag cut off its head. “How brave you are, little boy! Where are you going?” “Where are you going, you say, I am going to Adasen to follow my father.” “Your Page 103father is dead. I hope you secure him, for you have a good sign,” said Alokotán. So Kanag went on in a hurry. Not long after he arrived at the place where the thunder was and it said, “Where are you going, little boy?” “I am going to follow my father in Adasen.” “Go and stand on the high stone and see what your sign is.” So he went. As soon as he stood on the high stone the thunder rolled, but Kanag did not move and the thunder was surprised. “Go at once; I think you can get your father whom Gawīgawen inherits.” So Kanag went. Not long after he arrived at the place of the lightning, and he made him stand on the high stone. As soon as he stood on it the lightning made a big noise and flash, but he did not move. So the boy went at once, for he had a good sign.
Kanag struck his shield until it sounded like a thousand people, and all the women who were dipping water at the spring of Gawīgawen were surprised, for they saw only a little boy, who struck his shield, approaching them, and it sounded like a thousand. As soon as he arrived at the spring, “Good morning, women who are dipping water. Go and tell Gawīgawen of Adasen that he must prepare for I am going to fight with him.” So all the women ran to the town and told Gawīgawen that a strange boy was at the spring. Gawīgawen said to the women, “Go and tell him that if it is true that he is brave he will come into the town if he can.” So one of the women went to tell him and he went.
When he arrived at the bank which reached to the sky Kanag used his power and he jumped like the flitting bird, and he entered the town and went directly to the balaua and house of Gawīgawen of Adasen. Not long after he had arrived he saw that the roof of his house and balaua was of hair and around his town were heads, and Kanag said, “This is why my father did not return. It is true that Gawīgawen is a brave man, but I think I can kill him.”
As soon as Gawīgawen saw Kanag in the yard of his house he said, “How brave you are, little boy! Why did you come here?” “I came to get my father, for you secured him when he came to get the oranges which my mother wanted. If you do not wish to give my father to me I will kill you.” And Gawīgawen laughed at him and said, “One of my fingers will fight you. You will not go back to your town. You will be like your father.” Kanag said, “We shall see. Go and get your arms and we will fight here in the yard of your house.” Gawīgawen became angry and he went to get his headaxe, which was as big as half of the sky, and his spear. As soon as he returned to the place where Kanag was waiting he said, “Can you see my headaxe, little boy? If I put this on you you cannot get it off. So you throw first so you can show how brave you are.” Kanag said to him, “No, you must be first, Page 104so you will know that I am a brave boy.” Gawīgawen tried to put his headaxe on him and the boy used his power and he became a small ant and Gawīgawen laughed at him and said, “Now, the little boy is gone.” Not long after the little boy stood on his headaxe and he was surprised. “Little boy, you are the first who has done this. Your father did not do this. It is true that you are brave; if you can dodge my spear I am sure you will get your father.” So he threw his spear at him and Kanag used his power and he disappeared and Gawīgawen was surprised. “You are the next.” Then Kanag used magic so that when he threw his spear against him it would go directly to the body of Gawīgawen. As soon as he threw Gawīgawen laid down. Kanag ran to him and cut off his five heads and there was one left, and Gawīgawen said to him, “Do not cut off my last head and I will go and show you where your father is.” So Kanag did not cut off the last head, and they went to see his father. The skin of his father had been used to cover a drum, and his hair was used to decorate the house, and his head was placed by the gate of the town, and the body was put below the house.
As soon as Kanag had gathered together the body of his father he used his power and he said, “I whip my perfume banawᴇs and directly he will say Wes.”[139] His father said, “Wes.” Not long after he said, “I whip my perfume alakadakad and directly he will stand up.” So his father stood beside him. After that he whipped his perfume dagīmonau and his father woke up and he was surprised to see the little boy by him and he said, “Who are you? How long I slept.” “I am your son. ‘How long I slept,’ you said. You were dead and Gawīgawen inherited you. Take my headaxe and cut off the remaining head of Gawīgawen.” So he took the headaxe of Kanag and went to the place where Gawīgawen stood. When he struck the headaxe against Gawīgawen it did not hurt him and Aponītolau slipped, and his son laughed at him. “What is the matter with you, father? Gawīgawen looks as if he were dead, for he has only one head left.” He took the headaxe from his father and he went to Gawīgawen and he cut off the remaining head. Not long after they used magic so that the headaxes and spears went to kill all the people in the town. So the spears and headaxes went among the people and killed all of them, and Aponītolau swam in the blood and his son stood on the blood. “What is the matter with you, father, that you swim in the blood? Can't you use your power so you don't have to swim?” Then he took hold of him and lifted him up. As soon as all the people were killed they used their power so that all the heads and valuable things went to Kadalayapan. Page 105
Aponībolinayen went to look at the lawed vine behind the stove and it looked like a jungle it was so green, so she believed that her son was alive. Not long after all the heads arrived in Kadalayapan and Aponībolinayen was surprised. Not long after she saw her husband and her son and she shouted and the world smiled. Not long after they went up into their house and summoned all the people and told them to invite all the people in other towns for Kanag had returned from fighting, and had his father. So the people went to invite their relatives. Not long after the people from other towns arrived and they danced. They were all glad that Aponītolau was alive again, and they went to see the heads of Gawīgawen who killed Aponītolau.
As soon as the people returned to their towns, when the party was over, Aponītolau went to take a walk. When he reached the brook he sat down on a stone and the big frog went to lap up his spittle. Not long after the big frog had a little baby.[140] Not long after she gave birth, and the anitos[141] went to get the little baby and flew away with it. They used their power so that the baby grew fast and it was a girl, and they taught her how to make dawak.[142] Not long after the girl knew how to make dawak, and every time she rang the dish to summon the spirits.
Kanag went to follow his father, but he did not find him where he had been sitting by the brook, and Kanag heard the sound of the ringing which sounded like the bananâyo.[143] As soon as he heard it he stood still and listened. Not long after he used his power so that he became a bird and he flew. As soon as he arrived at the place where the girl was making dawak she said to him, “You are the only person who has come here. If you are an enemy cut me in only one place so I will not have so much to heal.” “I am not an enemy; I came here for I heard what you were doing; so I became a bird and flew.” Kanag gave betel-nut to her and they chewed. Their quids looked like the beads pinogalan, so they knew that they were brother and sister. The girl said to him, “Go inside of the big iron caldron so that the anitos who care for me will not eat you.” So Kanag went inside of the big iron caldron. When the anitos did not arrive at the accustomed time Kanag went out of the caldron and said to his sister, “Now, my sister, I will take you to Kadalayapan. Our father and mother do not know that I have a sister. Do not stay always with the anitos” His sister replied, “I Page 106cannot go to Sudīpan[144] when no one is making balaua, for I always make dawak as the anitos taught me. If I come in Sudīpan when no one is making balaua it would make all of the people very ill.” So Kanag went home.
As soon as he arrived he told his father and mother to make balaua for he wanted his sister to see them. “We just made balaua. How can we make balaua again?” said his father and mother. “I want you to see my sister whom I found up in the air, where the anitos took her.” “You are crazy, Kanag; you have no sisters or brothers; you are the only child we have.” Kanag said to them, “It is sure that I have a sister. I don't know why you did not know about her. The anitos took her when she was a little baby and they taught her how to make dawak, and she always makes dawak. I wanted to bring her when I came back, but she said she could not come to Sudīpan when no one makes balaua, for she is always making dawak. She said if she came to Sudīpan and did not make dawak everyone would be ill, so I did not bring her. If you wish to see your daughter, father, make balaua at once.” So they made balaua, for they wished to see their daughter.
They sent messengers to go and get betel-nuts which were covered with gold, and when they had secured the betel-nuts they oiled them and sent them to the different towns where their relatives lived, and they sent one into the air to go and get their daughter Agten-ngaᴇyan. So all the betel-nuts went and invited the people to the balaua. As soon as the betel-nut went up into the air it arrived where Agten-ngaᴇyan was making dawak. When she saw the betel-nut beside her she was startled, for it was covered with gold. She tried to cut it up, for she wished to chew it, and the betel-nut said, “Do not cut me, for your brother and father in Kadalayapan sent me to summon you to their balaua, for they are anxious to see you.” So Agten-ngaᴇyan told the anitos that a betel-nut which was covered with gold had come to take her to Aponītolau who was making Sayang, and they wished to see her. The anitos let her go, but they advised her to return. So she went.
When they arrived in Kadalayapan the people from the other towns were dancing and she went below the talagan,[145] and Kanag went to see what it was that looked like a flame beneath the talagan. When he reached her he saw it was his sister and he tried to take her away from the talagan, and she said to him, “I cannot get off from here, for the anitos who care for me told me to stay here until someone comes to make dawak with me.” So they sent the old woman Alokotán to Page 107make dawak with her. All the people were surprised, for she made a pleasanter sound when she rang and they thought she was a bananáyo[146]. The young men who went to attend the balaua loved her, for she was pretty and knew very well how to sing the dawak. As soon as they finished the dawak she was free to leave the talagan, so her brother Kanag took her and put her in his belt[147] and he put her in the high house[148] so the young men could not reach her.
As soon as the balaua was over the people went home, but the young men still remained below the house watching her, and the ground below became muddy, for they always remained there.
When Kanag saw the young men below the house fighting about her, he took her again into the air so that the young men could not see her. As soon as they arrived in the air they met the anitos, and Kanag said to them, “I intended to keep my sister in Sudīpan, for I had made a little golden house for her to live in, but I have brought her back, for all the young men are fighting about her.” The anitos were glad that she was back with them and they gave Kanag more power, so that when he should go to war he would always destroy his opponents. Agten-ngaᴇyan used to go and teach the women how to make dawak when anyone made balaua, so that she taught them very well how to make dawak. This is all.
(Told by a medium named Magwati of Lagangilang.)