Tales of the Mythical Period 43 



who were dipping water from the well. Not long after they spread then- 

 belt on the water and they rode across. When they arrived on the other 

 side of the river they took a bath. As soon as they finished bathing they 

 went on top of a high stone and dried their bodies. The water which 

 dropped from their bodies became agates which have no holes through 

 them, and the women who were dipping water saw the agates which 

 dropped from their bodies and they touched each other and said, "Look 

 at that." When they put their clouts on they asked the women, "Where 

 is the road to the house of Algaba of Dagala?" "You follow the sagang; 1 

 they lead to his house and his balaua," said the women who were dip- 

 ping water from the well. "Will one of you guide us to the house of our 

 cousin Algaba?" they said. "No, because no one comes to get water 

 unless all are together," said the women. Not long after Dalonagan and 

 his companion went up to the town and the defensive fence, which was 

 made of boa constrictors, did not notice them for the snakes slept. 

 Not long after they arrived at the balaua. " Wes, " they said, and the old 

 woman alan 2 came to look at them through the window. "How are 

 you?" she said. "Do not go to the balaua, because Algaba can see 

 you, " said the alan. 



Algaba was playing with his sweetheart in the other house, when 

 his sweetheart arrived from the well. "Your big snakes, which make 

 the fence, did not see the enemies who came inside of the town." 

 Then Algaba ran to his house and he was very angry when he saw the 

 two men. He went to get his headaxe and spear and when he took them 

 down the weapons shed tears which were of oil. "What is the matter 

 with my weapons that they weep oil? Perhaps these men are my rela- 

 tives," said the angry man. He dropped them and when he took another 

 set they shed bloody tears. 



The two men went up into the kitchen of the house, and Algaba 

 went there. "How do you do now?" he said, still angry. "What do 

 you want here?" "What are you here for, you ask, and we came to 

 buy the mango fruit for Aponibolinayen who is nearly dead." "It is 

 good that you came here," said Algaba, but he was angry and the 

 two men were frightened, and they did not eat much. As soon as 

 they finished eating, "What do you want to pay?" said Algaba. They 

 let him see the one earring of Aponibolinayen. "I don't like that; look 

 at the yard of my house. All the stones are gold," said Algaba. When 

 he did not want the earring, they let him see the belt, and Algaba 

 smiled. "How pretty it is! I think the lady who owns this is much pret- 



1 Poles on which the heads of enemies are displayed. 

 1 The alan are lesser spirits. See p. 14. 



