If a chicken is used in this rite it is cooked in the dwelling of the priest and is eaten by the family. If a pig is used the old men of the priest’s ato consume it with him.
The performance of the rite of this last day is a critical half hour for the town. If the gall of the fowl is white or whitish the palay fruitage will be more or less of a failure. The crop last year was such—a whitish gall gave the warning. If a crow flies cawing over the path of the Pa′-tay as he returns to his dwelling, or if the dogs bark at him, many people will die in Bontoc. Three years ago a man was killed by a falling bowlder shortly after noon on this last day’s ceremonial—a flying crow had foretold the disaster. If an eagle flies over the path, many houses will burn. Two years ago an eagle warned the people, and in the middle of the day fifty or more houses burned in Bontoc in the three ato of Pokisan, Luwakan, and Ungkan.
If none of these calamities are foretold, the anito enemies of Bontoc are not revengeful, and the pueblo rests in contentment.
Suwat
This ceremony, performed by Som-kad′ of ato Sipaat, occurs in the first period of the year, I-na-na′. The usual pig or chicken is killed, and the priest says: “Ĭn-fi-kûs′-na ay pa-kü′ to-mo-no′-ka ad chay′-ya.” This is: “Fruit of the palay, grow up tall, even to the sky.”
Keeng
Ke′-ĕng ceremony is for the protection of the palay. Ong-i-yud′, of ato Fatayyan, is the priest for this occasion, and the ceremony occurs when the first fruit heads appear on the growing rice. They claim two good-sized hogs are killed on this day. Then Ong-i-yud′ takes a ki′-lao, the bird-shaped bird scarer, from the pueblo and stealthily ducks along to the sementera where he suddenly erects the scarer. Then he says:
U-mi-chang′-ka Sĭk′-a
Ti-lĭn′ ĭn kad La′-god yad Ap′-lay
Sĭk′-a o′-tot in lo-ko-lo′-ka nan fü-i′-mo.