4 Traditions of the Tinguian 



would be of greatest value, but unfortunately very little material for 

 such a study is available. Under the circumstances it has seemed best 

 to defer the attempt and to call attention in the footnotes to striking 

 similarities with other fields. 



In the main these tales are so closely associated with the religious 

 beliefs of the present day that it is unlikely they will be found, in any- 

 thing approaching their present form, outside the districts dominated 

 by this tribe. Nevertheless, isolated incidents corresponding to those 

 of neighboring peoples or even of distant lands occur several times. 



Observation has led me to the belief that the religious organization 

 and ceremonies of the Tinguian have reached a higher development than 

 is found among the neighboring tribes, and that this complexity decreases 

 as we penetrate toward the interior or to the south. If this be true, it 

 seems evident that the tales based on or associated with them must 

 likewise grow weaker as we go from Abra. 



I wish here to acknowledge my indebtedness to Dr. Franz Boas 

 and Dr. Berthold Laufer, whose interest and suggestions have been of 

 greatest value in the preparation of the material for publication; also to 

 express my gratitude to the late Robert F. Cummings, under whose 

 liberal endowment the field work was carried on. His constant interest 

 made possible the gathering of the extensive Philippine collections now 

 in the Museum, and it is a matter of deep regret that he did not live 

 to see all the results of his generosity made available to the reading 



public. 



Fay-Cooper Cole, 



Assistant Curator of Malayan Ethnology. 

 Chicago, January, 1915. 



