Tales of the Mythical Period 137 



the water, even if it feels bad, you call him and let him go in." So they 

 went and when they arrived at the well the serpent went into the water, 

 and the serpent's skin began to crack and fall off and he became a boy 

 again. 



Not long after they went back to the house of Langa-ayan. As 

 soon as they arrived there the boy went to the balaua and did not follow 

 Langa-ayan to the house. Do-ansowan saw that he was a handsome 

 young boy. As soon as Langa-ayan had finished cooking they called 

 him to come and eat and he said to them, "I do not wish to eat if there 

 are no girls to eat with me." "We are afraid if you do not eat, for you 

 did not eat for a long time, while you were a serpent." The boy said, 

 "Even though I did not eat while I was a serpent I will follow my custom, 

 for I do not eat unless a pretty young girl who never goes outdoors eats 

 with me." When they could not persuade him Do-ansowan said to his 

 wife, "Go and call our daughter Amau." Not long after she went to 

 call her. When she arrived where they had put her she said, "Come 

 and eat with the rich young man." "How can I go? I do not know 

 how to walk." "Take the big gold basket and hold on to it while 

 you walk." Not long after she arrived where the food was, and Langa- 

 ayan and Do-ansowan said to the boy who was still in the balaua, "Come 

 and eat now, nephew, with our daughter who never goes outdoors." So 

 the boy went quickly, and when he reached the place where the girl 

 was, they ate. When they had finished eating he said that he was sick, 

 but he was not. So they went to fix a place for him to lie and he said, 

 "Perhaps I am sick because of the spirit of the young girl." So they 

 went to call their daughter, for Kanag wanted her to touch him, and he 

 wanted to see her. The girl went to touch his body and he was all right, 

 for he wished her to touch him, and he said, "Now, my uncle and aunt, 

 if you wish me for a son-in-law I wish to marry Amau. I will not go 

 any further to find a wife." The father and mother of the girl agreed 

 to what Kanag said, for the girl wanted to marry him, so they were mar- 

 ried. 



"Now, Kanag, we are going to make Sayang and invite your mother 

 and father so that they can see that you are a young man again," said 

 his father-in-law and mother-in-law. They made Sayang and they 

 sent someone to invite their relatives, and someone went to Asimbayan 

 of Hang and told her that Kanag Kabagbagowan, who lived in Kalas- 

 kigan, and his wife Amau were making Sayang. Some of the betel-nuts 

 which they sent arrived in Kadalayapan where Aponitolau and Aponi- 

 bolinayen lived and they said, "Good morning," to Aponitolau who 

 was lying down in the balaua. He felt badly because Kanag was a ser- 

 pent and he said to the betel-nut, "Good morning." Come to Kalas- 



