Tales of the Mythical Period hi 



to go with her, but she threatened to feed me to the stars who were her 

 companions. So I was afraid, and I went with her, for she is a spirit." 



When the day came on which Aponltolau and Gaygay6ma had agreed 

 for his return up, Aponltolau failed to go, because Aponibolinayen would 

 not let him go. In the evening many stars came to the yard of their 

 house and some of them went to the windows and some of them went 

 beside the wall of the house, and they were very bright and the house 

 looked as though it was burning. The stars said, "We smell the odor 

 of the Ipogau and we are anxious to eat." Aponltolau said, " Hide me, 

 Aponibolinayen, for those stars have come to eat me, because you 

 would not let me go back to Gaygay6ma. I told you that if I did not 

 go back to her she would send the stars to eat me, and now truly they 

 have come. I told you I would come back, but you would not let me 

 go." Not long after the stars went inside of the house where they 

 were, and they said to Aponltolau, " Do not hide from us, Aponltolau. 

 We know where you are. You are in the corner of the house." "Come 

 out of there or we will eat you," said Bagbagak. Soon he appeared to 

 them and they said to him, "Do you not wish to come back up with 

 us?" "I will go with you," he answered, for he was afraid. So they 

 did not eat him, for Gaygay6ma had told them not to eat him if he was 

 willing to follow them. Not long after they flew away with him and 

 Aponibolinayen cried. When they arrived up Gaygayoma said, "Why, 

 Aponitolau, did you lie to me and not return? You were fortunate when 

 you followed the stars, for if you had not they would have eaten you." 

 " I did not return because Aponibolinayen would not let me. You and 

 she are my wives. Do not blame me," said Aponltolau. 



After he had lived with her eight months he said, "Now, I am going 

 to leave you, for our son Tabyayen is large. If you will not let me take 

 our son Tabyayen down, he can stay up here with you." "You may go 

 now, but you cannot take our son. You will return here," said Gay- 

 gayoma. "Yes," said Aponitolau. So they went down again in the 

 galong-galong. Aponitolau wanted to take them to Kadalayapan, 

 but they would not go with him. "No, do not take us, for it is not our 

 custom to stay down here; we are always above," they said. So they 

 went up and Aponitolau went to Kadalayapan. Not long after he said, 

 " Wes " at the yard of the house, and Aponibolinayen went to see who it 

 was. She saw that it was Aponitolau, and she was very glad. 



After one year with Aponibolinayen he said, "Command someone 

 to pound rice, for we are going to make balaua, and I am going to call 

 our son Tabyayen from above." Aponibolinayen had also given birth 

 five days after Gaygay6ma had given birth, and they called the boy 

 Kanag. 



