Tales of the Mythical Period 109 



I want to go and watch our sugar cane; someone has gone and spoiled 

 it. They have also spoiled our beans which we planted." So Aponl- 

 bolinayen cooked even though it was not time. As soon as she finished 

 cooking she called Aponltolau and they ate. When they had eaten he 

 went and he hid a little distance from the sugar cane. 



In the middle of the night there were many stars falling down into 

 the sugar cane field and Aponltolau heard the cane being broken. Soon 

 he saw the biggest of them which looked like a big flame of fire fall into 

 the field. Not long after he saw one of the other stars at the edge of 

 the fence take off her dress, which was like a star, and he saw that she 

 looked like the half of the rainbow, and the stars which followed her got 

 the sugar cane which they wished. They chewed it by the fence and 

 they watched to see if anyone was coming. Aponltolau said, "What shall 

 I do, because of those companions of the beautiful woman? If I do 

 not frighten them they will eat me. The best thing for me to do is to 

 frighten them. I will go and sit on the star's dress." 1 He frightened 

 them. The stars flew up and Aponltolau went and sat on the star 

 dress. 



Not long after the pretty girl came from the middle of the field 

 to get her star dress; she saw Aponltolau sitting on it. "You, Ipogau, 2 

 you must pardon us ; for we came to steal your sugar cane, for we were 

 anxious to chew it." "If you came to get some of my sugar cane it is 

 all right. The best thing for you to do is to sit down, for I wish to know 

 your name, for we Ipogau have the custom to tell our names. It is 

 bad for us if we do not know each others' names when we talk." Not 

 long after he gave her betel-nut and the woman chewed it. As soon as 

 they chewed, "Now that we have chewed according to our custom we 

 will tell our names." "Yes, if that is what you say, but you must tell 

 your name first," said the woman. "My name is Aponltolau who am 

 the husband of Aponibolinayen of Kadalayapan." "My name is 

 Gaygay6ma who am the daughter of Bagbagak and Slnag, 3 up in the 

 air," said the woman. "Ala, now you, Aponltolau, even though you 

 have a wife I am going to take you up, for I wish to marry you. If 

 you do not wish to come I will call my companion stars, and give you 

 to them to eat." Aponltolau was frightened, for he knew that the 

 woman who was talking was a spirit. " If that is what you say, and you 

 do not wish me to go and see Aponibolinayen and you wish to be married 

 to me, it is all right," said Aponltolau to her. Not long after the stars 



1 See p. 15, note 2. 



* The spirits' name for mortals. 



3 The moon. 



