2io Traditions of the Tinguian 



all people in town. Slaughter is so great the father swims in blood, but 

 son stands on it. Both return home and hold a great celebration over 

 the heads. 



The father's spittle is lapped up by a frog which becomes pregnant. 

 Frog gives birth to baby girl which is carried away by anitos. Girl 

 is taught to make dawak (the duties of a medium). Her half brother 

 hears her, changes self into a bird and visits her in the sky. Is hidden 

 in a caldron to keep anitos from eating him. Tries to persuade sister to 

 return with him. She promises to go when their father celebrates 

 balaua. The ceremony is held and girl attends. Is so beautiful all 

 young men try to obtain her. They are so persistent that brother 

 returns her to sky where she still lives and aids women who make dawak. 



14 



Aponltolau and his wife plant sugar cane, and by use of magic cause 

 it to grow rapidly. The daughter of the big star sees the cane and 

 desires to chew it. She goes with her companions and steals some of 

 the cane, which they chew in the field. Aponltolau hides near by and 

 sees stars fall into the cane patch. He observes one take off her dress 

 and become a beautiful woman. He sits on her garment and refuses to 

 give it up until they chew betel-nut together. The star girl falls in 

 love with him and compels him to return with her to the sky. Five 

 months later she has a child which comes out from space between her 

 last two fingers. Aponltolau persuades her to allow him to visit the 

 earth. He fails to return at agreed time, and stars are sent to fetch 

 him. He returns to the sky, but visits the earth again, eight months 

 later. Earth wife bears him a child and they celebrate Sayang. Sky 

 child attends and later marries an earth maiden. 



15 



The wife of Aponltolau refuses to comb his hair; so he has another 

 woman do it. She, in turn, refuses to cut betel-nut for him to chew. 

 While doing it for himself he is cut on his headaxe. The blood flows up 

 into the air, and does not cease until he vanishes. Ceremonies made 

 for him are without avail. 



Aponltolau finds himself up in the air country. He meets maiden 

 who is real cause of his plight. They live together and have a child 

 which grows every time it is bathed. Aponltolau takes boy down to 

 earth to visit his half brother. While there the tears of the mother 

 above fall on her son and hurt him. They celebrate Sayang and the 

 sky mother attends. After it is over the half brothers marry earth 

 girls. 



