156 Traditions of the Tinguian 



of the poison tree. As soon as he secured it he split some bamboo for 

 his torch, as he went to the celebration of the alzados. As soon as he 

 arrived there he said, "Good evening." "Good evening," they an- 

 swered. He laid down the torch by the fire of the alzados, who thought 

 him a companion. "Where did you come from? It has taken you so 

 long to arrive we thought that you were dead. We did not meet you, 

 but we found one lady who never goes out of the house, who is very 

 beautiful, that is why we celebrate." " I took long because I was in the 

 middle of the wood, for I wanted to get a head. I was ashamed to go 

 back home without a head, but I did not meet anyone, so I did not secure 

 one, for I had a bad sign. That is why I did not reach the town where 

 I wanted to go and fight," he said. "Ala, make him sit down," said the 

 bravest. "Yes," said alzados and they made him sit, and they danced 

 again. "Ala, you give him a coconut shell filled with basi, then he 

 must dance, when he finishes to drink," said the bravest again. Awig 

 stood up. "Ala, I ask that if it is possible I take the coconut shell, 

 for I am the one who must give the people to drink, and when I have 

 made all drink, then I will dance. I will make kanyau 1 so that next 

 time I may be successful," he said. "Ala, you give the golden cup to 

 him, and let him serve us drink. As soon as he will make us drink we 

 will make him dance." "Yes," they said. Not long after he took the 

 cup and he used his power so that though he drank the basi the poison 

 which he put in the big jar would not kill him, and he drank first. As 

 soon as he drank he made the bravest drink. Not long after he made all 

 of them drink, and the alzados all died, for he used magic so that when 

 they had all drunk then they all died. He put a basket on his back, and 

 he went to put the head of his daughter in the basket. He took the head 

 into the middle of the circle, and he took all the valuable things which 

 the alzados had put on her. As soon as he got all the things he went 

 home. 



When he was in the middle of the field he turned back his face and 

 saw four young alzados who followed him through the cogon grass, and 

 he used magic so that the flame of the fire was so hot that the alzados 

 who followed could not reach him. 2 When the flame of the fire was over 

 he turned his face again when he reached the middle of the next field. 

 He used his magic again so that the flame was so high there that the 

 alzados, who always followed, could not reach him. As soon as the flame 

 was gone they followed again, and Awig shouted. The alzados were 

 frightened and were afraid to follow him for they were then near to 



1 The word is probably used in the Igorot sense as "celebration." In the Tin- 

 ginan dialects kanyau means "taboo." 



2 See p. 17, note I. 



