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“I am going to wash my hair. Give me the rice straw, which has been inherited nine times,” said Aponītolau to his mother Langa-an. Page 48So Langa-an gave him some and he went to the river to wash. As soon as he arrived at the well he saw the pretty girl who was washing her hair. He went and sat down on her skirt and the pretty girl told him not to cut her in many places so she would not need to doctor the wounds. “If I were an old enemy I would have killed you at the first. It is bad for us to talk when we do not know each other's names. Let us chew betel-nut,” said Aponītolau. “No, for it is not my custom,” said the girl. But Aponītolau compelled her to chew betel-nut with him. “You tell your name first,” he said to her. “No, it is not good for me to tell my name first, for I am a woman. You are a man. You tell your name first.” So Aponītolau said, “My name is Aponītolau of Kadalayapan who am the son of Langa-an and Pagatipánan, who came here to wash my hair. It is good fortune for me that I met you here washing your hair.” “My name is Gimbangonan of Natpangan, who am the daughter of It-tonagan, who is the sister of Aldasan.” As soon as she told her name she disappeared and went to hide among the betel nuts on the branch of a tree. So Aponītolau was very sorry and he went back home without washing his hair. As soon as he arrived where Langa-an was sitting he said to her “Mother, when I arrived at the well by the river I met a pretty girl whose name was Gimbangonan, the daughter of It-tonagan of Natpangan. We chewed betel-nuts and told our names, but as soon as she told her name she disappeared and I could not see her. She said that she lived in Natpangan. I want to marry her. Will you go and arrange the pakálon?”[42] So Langa-an went at once and got her hat which was as large as the salakasak[43] for she saw that Aponītolau was sorrowful.
When she took her hat it clucked.[44] “Why does my hat cluck when I take it down? I think they do not like you, Aponītolau,” said Langa-an. “No, you go and try.” So Langa-an went again to get her hat and again it clucked, but nevertheless she took it and went. When she was in the middle of the way the head of the hat which was like a bird swung and made Langa-an turn her head and it clucked again. Langa-an sat down by the trail and wondered what would happen. Not long after she went on again and she met Asindamáyan near the ford. She asked where the ford was and when Asindamáyan told her, she spread her belt on the water and it ferried her across. Not long after she reached the other side of the river, and she inquired for the house of Gimbangonan. Asindamáyan answered, “You look for the house where many people are putting props under the house. That is the house of Gimbangonan. Her porch has many holes in it.” Page 49
When Langa-an arrived at the house she said, “Good afternoon.” And It-tonagan and Gimbangonan answered, “Good afternoon.” They invited her to go up into the house and she went. “Why do you come here, Aunt?” said Gimbangonan. “I came to arrange for you to marry Aponītolau, for he wants to marry you and has sent me to talk about the pakálon.” Gimbangonan was very happy and said to her mother, “You tell him yes, for I wish to marry Aponītolau.” So It-tonagan agreed to the marriage and Langa-an asked how much the marriage price would be. “The regular custom of the people with magical power which is the balaua nine times full,” said Aldasan, because It-tonagan was always restless and was walking outside the house. So Langa-an left a little jar and agate bead, as a sign of the engagement, for Gimbangonan. Not long after she went back home to Kadalayapan. When she arrived where Aponītolau was lying down she said, “Wes” for she was tired and Aponītolau heard her and he went and inquired what was the matter. His mother answered that they had agreed on the marriage and the next day he could go and marry Gimbangonan.
As soon as the next day came they prepared jars of basi,[45] and pigs to be carried to Natpangan, and Aponītolau carried one large empty jar.[46] So they went. As soon as they arrived Aponītolau asked where Gimbangonan was, and the people said, “Look at the big woman.” He looked and saw that she was a very big woman and Aponītolau cried, for she was not the girl he had seen before, and he bent his head. While the old men were talking to each other Gimbangonan said to Aponītolau, “Come here, Aponītolau. Be very happy. Why do you bend your head?” Aponītolau did not listen, and he did not go. Not long after Langa-an and the others went back home and left Aponītolau to be joined to Gimbangonan. Aponītolau was afraid to go to Gimbangonan, for she was a very big woman. She called to him all the time, but he did not go to her. It-tonagan was restless and did not stay in the house even in the night, and they could not sleep.
After ten days Aponītolau said, “I am going to Kadalayapan for a little while. I will return soon.” “If you go to Kadalayapan I will go with you,” she said. “Do not go this time and I will take you next time,” he said, and he went. When he was near the gate of the town of Kadalayapan he hung his head until he reached his house. His mother asked why he hung his head. “I do not wish to marry Gimbangonan for she is not the woman I met by the river.” “Do not be angry with me for I did what you wished. I would not have engaged you to Gimbangonan Page 50if you had not sent me.” They sent their liblibayan[47] to go and get betel-nuts which were covered with gold, for they intended to make Sayang, so that they could find out who the woman was who had been by the river. Soon the liblibayan returned and they said, “We did not get the betel-nuts which you desired for we found a pretty toy among the branches of the tree.” Aponītolau took the branch of the tree which shone as if covered with fire and he put a blanket on it and many pillows around it. As soon as they had again commanded the liblibayan to get the betel-nuts they went and soon they arrived with the fruit. They oiled the betel-nuts and sent them to every place in the world and if anyone refused to come they were to grow on their knees. Not long after the betel-nuts went to the different towns and invited all the people.
When they arrived they danced and Aponītolau looked at them to see if the woman he met at the river was there, but she was not among them, and he wondered what had become of the woman, for the betel-nuts had gone to all parts of the world. Aponītolau went into the house for he was sorrowful, and he laid down near the blankets and he noticed that the blankets appeared as if on fire and he was frightened.[48] He got up and unwrapped the blankets and he saw a pretty girl. “I did not think you were here. I have been engaged. You said your name was Gimbangonan, and I sent my mother to engage me to you, but when I saw Gimbangonan she was a big woman so I left her and came here to make balaua so I might find you. You cannot escape from me now for I shall hold your hand. Let us chew betel-nut.” So they chewed and Aponītolau said, “My name is Aponītolau of Kadalayapan who is the son of Langa-an and Pagbokásan to whom you told a lie for you said you were Gimbangonan, and now I want to know your real name.” “My name is Aponībolinayen of Natpangan who is the daughter of Ebang and Pagatipánan.” When they had told their names they saw that they were related and that they both possessed magical power, so they were married.
After three days, Aponītolau said to Aponībolinayen, “Wait for me in the house. Do not be lonesome, for our mother is here. I am going to see my pasture.” “Do not stay long,” said Aponībolinayen. “If anyone comes you hide in the house,” said Aponītolau. Not long after he went and when he arrived in the pasture all the jars went around him and all the jars stuck out their tongues for they were very hungry for they had not been fed for a long time. The jars were somadag, ginlasan, malayo, and tadogan, and other kinds also.[49] When Aponītolau thought Page 51that all the jars had arrived where he was he fed them with betel-nut, first covered with lawed[50] leaves. As soon as he had fed them he gave them some salt. Not long after he went back home and he rode on a carabao.
When he arrived at their house he called to Aponībolinayen, but no one answered him and he was surprised. So he hurried to the house and he saw that Aponībolinayen was dead and he was grieved. He took her in his lap and while her body was in his lap it began to sweat. He used his power so that when he whipped[51] his perfume banawᴇs she said, “Wes.” When he whipped his perfume dagīmonau she awoke. When he whipped his perfume alīkadakad she stood up and said, “I told you not to go, Aponītolau, but you went anyway. A big woman came here and stole all my things and killed me. I don't know who she was.” Aponītolau called his mother and asked who it was and his mother replied that it was Gimbangonan. So Aponītolau went to Natpangan. “Why did you go to kill Aponībolinayen?” “I went to kill her for you do not care for me any more.” “I do not like you, for you are a very big woman. Every time you step the floor is broken. If you come again to Kadalayapan I will cut your head off. Do not come again to harm Aponībolinayen.” He went home to Kadalayapan and he divorced Gimbangonan.
Not long after they went to the pasture and they rode on the back of a carabao. As soon as they arrived, all the jars rolled around them and stuck out their tongues and Aponībolinayen was afraid, for she feared the jars would eat them. The wide field was full of jars. Aponītolau gave them betel-nut and lawed vine and salt. As soon as they fed them they went back home. Not long after Aponībolinayen said to Aponītolau, “We are going to Natpangan to visit my father and mother,” so they went. As soon as they arrived there Aponībolinayen told her father and mother that Aponītolau had a pasture filled with many different kinds of jars, in the place of Kabinalan. When they had been in Natpangan ten days they returned home and Aponībolinayen's father and mother went with them and saw the jars. When they reached the field where the jars were they were afraid that the jars would eat them, but Aponītolau fed them. The father and mother of Aponībolinayen were surprised for there were many valuable jars which filled the wide field of Kabinalan. Not long after they went back home to Natpangan.