Not long after Kanag thought he would go to the river where the people took their baths. So he went. Not long after Langa-ayan was anxious to wash her hair, so she went to the river and washed it, and Do-ansowan washed his hair first and Langa-ayan helped him, for he was her husband. As soon as she had washed his hair, he said to her, “I am going to the town.” So he went and left Langa-ayan alone by the river washing her hair. When she had washed her hair she washed her arm beads. While she was washing her upper arm beads she heard a great commotion in the river, and soon after a big serpent appeared on the other bank. Langa-ayan saw that it was a big serpent and she was so frightened that she started to run, but the serpent said to her, “Do not run, my aunt, I am not a real serpent, for I was a young boy before.” So Langa-ayan stopped and asked him why he had become a great serpent. “Because I went to Ilang to see the pretty girl, and she told me that if I could get the perfume of Baliwán she would do whatever I asked, so I went. I did not want to go, for I was not sure that she told the truth, but she gave me her left bracelet, so I went. When I was still far away from Baliwán I could smell the perfume, and when I reached the tree I climbed it and I tried to break the stem which held the perfume, and my companion saw that I was changing to a serpent and he ran away. I truly became a serpent and now I have come here and have met you. If you do not believe that I was truly a boy, I will show you the arm beads.” So he lifted his head and Langa-ayan truly saw the arm beads around his neck. “My aunt, will you find out how I may become a man again?” She said, “If what you have said is true you follow me.” So they went up to the town.
Do-ansowan said to his wife, “How long you have staid at the river, my wife.” “I was there a long time, for I met a big serpent. If you wish to see it, it is in the yard. He says he was a young boy and he showed me the arm beads of a young girl, which he has about his neck. I believe that he is a young boy who has become a serpent. When he broke the stem of the perfume which the girl wanted he became a serpent. He wants to know how he can again become a boy.” “Ala, if that is what he wants, you go and take him to my Uncle Ma-obagan.” So they went and when they arrived where Ma-obagan lived she said, “Good morning, uncle.” “Good morning,” he answered. “The reason I came is because a young boy who became a big snake is here. Will you please put him in your magic well which changes everything which goes in it and make him a young boy again?” “If he will go into Page 137the water, even if it feels bad, you call him and let him go in.” So they went and when they arrived at the well the serpent went into the water, and the serpent's skin began to crack and fall off and he became a boy again.
Not long after they went back to the house of Langa-ayan. As soon as they arrived there the boy went to the balaua and did not follow Langa-ayan to the house. Do-ansowan saw that he was a handsome young boy. As soon as Langa-ayan had finished cooking they called him to come and eat and he said to them, “I do not wish to eat if there are no girls to eat with me.” “We are afraid if you do not eat, for you did not eat for a long time, while you were a serpent.” The boy said, “Even though I did not eat while I was a serpent I will follow my custom, for I do not eat unless a pretty young girl who never goes outdoors eats with me.” When they could not persuade him Do-ansowan said to his wife, “Go and call our daughter Amau.” Not long after she went to call her. When she arrived where they had put her she said, “Come and eat with the rich young man.” “How can I go? I do not know how to walk.” “Take the big gold basket and hold on to it while you walk.” Not long after she arrived where the food was, and Langa-ayan and Do-ansowan said to the boy who was still in the balaua, “Come and eat now, nephew, with our daughter who never goes outdoors.” So the boy went quickly, and when he reached the place where the girl was, they ate. When they had finished eating he said that he was sick, but he was not. So they went to fix a place for him to lie and he said, “Perhaps I am sick because of the spirit of the young girl.” So they went to call their daughter, for Kanag wanted her to touch him, and he wanted to see her. The girl went to touch his body and he was all right, for he wished her to touch him, and he said, “Now, my uncle and aunt, if you wish me for a son-in-law I wish to marry Amau. I will not go any further to find a wife.” The father and mother of the girl agreed to what Kanag said, for the girl wanted to marry him, so they were married.
“Now, Kanag, we are going to make Sayang and invite your mother and father so that they can see that you are a young man again,” said his father-in-law and mother-in-law. They made Sayang and they sent someone to invite their relatives, and someone went to Asimbáyan of Ilang and told her that Kanag Kabagbagowan, who lived in Kalaskigan, and his wife Amau were making Sayang. Some of the betel-nuts which they sent arrived in Kadalayapan where Aponītolau and Aponībolinayen lived and they said, “Good morning,” to Aponītolau who was lying down in the balaua. He felt badly because Kanag was a serpent and he said to the betel-nut, “Good morning. Come to Kalaskigan, Page 138for Kanag and Amau are making Sayang and they want you to come.” So Aponītolau got up quickly and told Aponībolinayen who was lying down in the house that Kanag and his wife were making Sayang, and they were happy because Kanag was a boy again. They told all the people to prepare to go to the Sayang of Kanag and his wife. So they went, and when they arrived they saw that Kanag was handsomer than before, and Asimbáyan went also, for they had invited her. Asimbáyan saw that Kanag was the boy who had taken her bracelet and had gone to get the perfume for her, and while she was watching him Kanag went to talk with her. He told her what had happened when he went to get the perfume for her, and he told her how he had become a snake and his mother-in-law had met him by the river and had taken him to the old man who changed him again to a boy, and he had married the daughter of Do-ansowan and Langa-ayan. Kanag said, “Now, I cannot marry you, so I will give back your bracelet.” So he gave it back.
Not long after Aponītolau and Aponībolinayen asked how much they must pay for the wife of Kanag, and Langa-ayan and Do-ansowan said, “Fill our balaua nine times with valuable things.” When they had paid all, they said, “Now we are going to take them to Kadalayapan, for we have paid all you asked.” “No, do not take them. They are going to stay here,” said Do-ansowan and Langa-ayan. “They will come there bye and bye.” “Ala, if that is what you say they must come and visit us, even if they stay here.” Not long after Kanag and his wife went to Kadalayapan to visit his father and they staid there three months. Then Do-ansowan and his wife were anxious for them to return. When Kanag and his wife returned to Kalaskigan they said, “Why did you stay so long? We thought you were going to live in Kadalayapan and we intended to follow you.” “We staid a long time, for my father and mother would not let us return when we wished,” said Kanag.
(Told by Angtan of Lagangilang.)
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“Goto watch our langpadan,[184] Kanag, because the wild pigs spoil it.” Kanag went. When he arrived at the field he went around it and it was not injured, so he went to the little watch house and he was sorrowful, and he always hung his head. Not long after Aponītolau said to Aponībolinayen, “Cook some rice and meat for I am going to our field and carry the food to Kanag.” So Aponībolinayen went to cook. As soon as she finished cooking they ate first. As soon as they finished eating Page 139Aponītolau took the rice and meat and started for the field where their son was. When Aponītolau appeared Kanag took his līpī nuts and he played, and the mountain rice which he went to watch was not injured. As soon as Aponītolau arrived to the place where he was playing, “Come to eat, Kanag,” and Kanag said, “I am not hungry yet. Put the food in the house. I will play awhile first.” When Aponītolau could not make him eat he put the provisions in the house, and he went home and left the boy. Kanag did not go and eat. The next morning Aponītolau went to take him food again and as soon as Kanag saw him he took his game and went to play. When Aponītolau arrived he called him to go and eat, but he did not go for he wished to play, and he asked his father to put the rice and meat in the house. Aponītolau was surprised, because he did not eat, and the provisions for the first day were still untouched. He asked, “Why do you not like to eat?” and he said, “I am not hungry yet.” When Aponītolau could not make him eat he went home again, and Kanag used magic and he became a labᴇg.[185]
Aponītolau said to Aponībolinayen, “I wonder why Kanag does not like to eat.” “I think he is sorrowful, because he was sent to watch the mountain rice.” “What is the reason that you sent him to the field when the fences are strong and no wild pigs can get in,” said Aponībolinayen. “You must cook and we will eat, and then I will go and get him.” Aponībolinayen went to cook. As soon as she finished cooking they ate and after that Aponītolau took some rice and meat for Kanag to eat. Aponībolinayen said to him, “As soon as he finishes eating bring him home. Do not let him stay there alone. That is why he does not wish to eat.” Aponītolau said, “Yes,” and so he went. When he arrived at the field he could not see Kanag any more. He called to him, and the little boy answered him from the top of the bamboo tree. His father felt very sorry that he had become a little bird. “Why did you become a little bird, Kanag? Come and eat. I will not send you here any more.” Kanag said, “I do not wish to eat and I would rather be a bird and carry the signs to everyone.” So his father went back home and he was sorrowful. As soon as Aponītolau arrived in Kadalayapan he said to Aponībolinayen, “Kanag has become a bird. Perhaps he felt sorry because we sent him to watch the rice. He said that when I am going to war he will fly over me, and he will give me the good and bad signs.”[186]