48 Traditions of the Tinguian 



So 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 Aponltolau. "No, for it is not my custom," said the girl. But 

 Aponitolau 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 Aponltolau said, "My name is Aponitolau of Kadalayapan who am 

 the son of Langa-an and Pagatipanan, 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 Aponltolau 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 pakdlon?" 1 So Langa-an went at once and got her hat which was as 

 large as the salakasak 2 for she saw that Aponltolau was sorrowful. 

 When she took her hat it clucked. 3 "Why does my hat cluck when 

 Itakeit down? I think they do not like you, Aponltolau," 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 Asindamayan near the ford. She asked where the 

 ford was and when Asindamayan 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. Asin- 

 damayan 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." 



1 See p. ii. 



1 A big bird. 



1 A bad sign. See p. 19, note 1 for omens. 



