The polo[4] said to a boy named Ilonen, “Tik-tik-loden, come and catch me,” many times. Then the boy answered, “I am making a snare for you.” The bird called again, “Tik-tik-loden.” “I am almost finished,” said Ilonen. Then the bird called again and the boy came and put the snare over the bird and caught it. He took it home and put it in a jar and then went with the other boys to swim. While he was gone, his grandmother ate the bird. Ilonen came back and went to the jar to see the bird, but no bird. “Where is my bird?” he said. “I do not know,” said his grandmother. “Let me see your anus,” said the boy. Then he saw his grandmother's anus and he saw feathers there and was very angry. “It is better I get lost,” he said and went away. He came to a big stone called balintogan and said, “Stone, open your mouth and eat me.” Then the stone opened his mouth and swallowed the boy. His grandmother went to find him and looked very much. When she came to the stone, it said, “Here is.” She called the horses to come to the stone. They kicked it, but could not break. She called the carabao and they hooked it, but only broke their horns; then she called the chickens and they pecked it, but could not open. Then she called thunder, but it could not help. Then her friends came to open the stone, but could not, so she went home without the boy.
80
A frog was fastened to a fish hook in the water. A fish came and said, “What are you doing?” “I am swinging,” said the frog, “come and try if you wish.” But the fish was angry with the frog. “You can not catch me,” said the frog. Then the fish jumped up to catch him, but the frog pushed his anus upon the stick and left the hook so the fish was caught.
81
The five fingers were brothers. The other four sent the little thumb to get posel.[5] He went to get, but when he got there, the posel said, “Kiss me, for I have a good odor to you.” So the thumb kissed him, and his nose stuck to the bamboo. The others could not wait so long, so they sent the first finger to get. When he got there, he saw the thumb, and said, “What are you doing?” “I am smelling this posel, for it has a good smell.” Then the first finger smelled and his nose was caught. The others could not wait, so they sent the second Page 198finger and it happened the same. Also the third, and he also became fast. Then little finger went and when he saw the others, he said, “You are very crazy,” and he cut them loose.
82[6]
Carabao met loson[7] in the river. “You are very slow,” said the carabao. “No, I can beat you in a race,” said loson. “Let us try,” said the carabao. So they started to run. When the carabao reached a long distance, he called, “Shell,” and another shell lying by the river answered, “Yes.” He ran again and again, and every time he stopped to call, another shell answered. At least the carabao ran until he died.