X 6 Traditions of the Tinguian 



stances this hero and his son Kanag converse with thunder and light- 

 ning, which appear at times not unlike human beings (p. ioo) ; but in the 

 eighth relation the two kinds of lightning are pictured as dogs who guard 

 the town of Dona. 



These people enjoy unusual relations with inanimate things, and we 

 find them conversing with spears and with jars© In one case the latter 

 appear to be pastured like animals, and surround Aponltolau when he 

 goes to feed them with lawed 2 leaves and salt (p. 51). Weapons weep 

 blood and oil when taken down for the purpose of injuring certain per- 

 sons (p. 43). A nose flute, when played by a youth, tells him of his 

 mother's plight (p. 152), while a bamboo Jew's harp summons the broth- 

 ers of its owner (p. 162). Animals and birds are frequently in communi- 

 cation with them: The hawk flies away and spreads the news of the 

 fight at Adasin' (p. 90); at the bidding of Dalonagan a spider spins a 

 web about the town (p. 124); and Aponltolau is enabled to fulfill the 

 labors assigned him by the ten-headed giant only through the aid of 

 spiders, ants, and flies (p. 101). 4 During certain dances the water from 

 the river flows over the town and fish come up and bite the feet of the 

 dancers (p. 59) . Crocodiles are left to guard the sister of Aponibalagen, 

 and when they fail to explain their negligence they are whipped and sent 

 away by their master (p. 87). A great bird is pleased with Aponltolau 

 and carries him away 6 to its home, where itTorces him to marry a woman 

 it had previously captured (p. 92). In one instance an animal gives 

 birth to a human child; a frog laps up the spittle of Aponltolau, and as 

 a result becomes pregnant 6 and gives birth to a maiden who is taken 

 away by the spirits (p. 105). Another account states that the three 

 sons of Aponltolau and Aponibolinayen are born as pigs, but later 

 assume human form (p. 116). Kanag becomes a snake when he tries to 

 secure the perfume of Baliwan, but is restored to human form when he 



0)The Dusun of Borneo have tales of talking jars. Evans, Journal Royal 

 Anthro. Inst., Vol. XLIII, 1913, PP- 426-427. See also Cole and Laufer, Chinese 

 Pottery in the Philippines {Pub. Field Museum of Nat. Hist., Vol. XII, No. 1, p. II ri., 

 1912). 



2 Piper sp. 



» Bagobo tales relate that in the beginning plants, animals and rocks could talk 

 with mortals. See Benedict, Journal American Folklore, Vol. XXVI, 1913. p. «. 



* Tales of animals who assist mortals are found in all lands; perhaps the best 

 known to European readers is that of the ants which sorted the grain 1 for . CmdweUa. 

 See also Evans, Jour. Royal Anthro. Inst., Vol. XLIII, 1913.P-.467, «* Borneo, 

 Tawney's Katha Sarit Sagara, pp. 361 ff., Calcutta, 1880, for India. 



« Fabulous birds of gigantic size, often known under the Indian term garuda, 

 play an important part in the beliefs of the Peninsular Malays. 



• A similiar incident is cited by Bezemer (Volksdichtung aus Indonesian). See also 

 the Bagobo tale of the Kingfisher (Benedict, Jour. American Folklore, Vol. XAVi, 

 1913. P- 53)- 



