Ritualistic and Explanatory Myths 173 



with the heads," said the people who live in the same town, "because 

 they make a celebration, those who went to kill." "When the sun 

 goes down, you come to join us," said the mother and baby (to her hus- 

 band who goes to the celebration) . After that the sun truly went down ; 

 she went truly to join her husband; after that they were not (there), 

 the mother and the baby (i.e., when the father arrived where they had 

 agreed to meet, the mother and child were not there). 



He saw their hats lying on the ground. He looked down; the 

 mother and the baby were in (the ground), which ground swallowed 

 them. "Why (are) the mother and the baby in the ground? How can 

 I get them?" When he raises the mother and the baby, they go (back) 

 into the ground. After that Kabonlyan above, looking down (said), 

 "What can you do? The spirits of Ibal in DaEm are the cause of their 

 trouble. It is better that you go to the home of your parents-in-law, 

 and you go and prepare the things needed in Ibal 1 ," said Kabonlyan. 



They went truly and prepared; after that they brought (the things) 

 to the gate. After that the mother and child came out of the ground. 

 "After this when there is a happening like this, of which you Ipogau 

 are in danger, you do like this (i.e., make the Ibal ceremony) and I 

 alone, Kabonlyan, am the one you summon," said Kabonlyan. 



After that they got well because they came up — the mother and 

 the baby. 



36 s 



There is a very old woman in the sea who says to her spirits — 

 Dapeg (a spirit which kills people) and Balingenngen (a spirit which 

 causes bad dreams) and Benisalsal (a spirit which throws things and is 

 unpleasant), "Go beyond the sea and spread your sicknesses." The 

 spirits are going. They arrive and begin their work, and if the people 

 do not make Sangdsang many will die. Now it is morning and the spirits 

 are going to the river to see what the people have offered to the old 

 woman, who is Inawen (mother). If they do not find anything, they 

 will say, "All the people in this town shall die," and then they will go 

 on to another place. 



Inawen, who is waiting, sends Kideng (a servant) to search for the 

 spirits who are killing people, to tell them to return. Dapeg leaves 

 the first town. He goes to another and the dogs bark so that the 

 people cannot sleep. A man opens the door, to learn the cause of the 

 barking, and he sees a man, fat and tall, with nine heads and he carries 

 many kinds of cakes. The man says, "Now take these cakes, and if 



1 The ceremony. 



1 Diam recited during the Sangdsang ceremony in the town of Lumaba. 



