The Ceremonies 339 



first to come was MamabEyan, an Igorot spirit for whom the people 

 showed the utmost contempt. They guyed him, threw dirty water on 

 his body, and in other ways insulted him, until in his fury he tried to 

 climb the house posts to punish a group of girls, the worst offenders, 

 but men and women rushed up with sticks and clubs, and drove him 

 back. After a time he calmed down, and going to a bound pig, he 

 addressed it as "a pretty lady," and tried to caress it. 



While this clown spirit was amusing the crowd, a second medium 

 brought out ten coconut shells, one of which was filled with blood and 

 rice. These she placed on a winnower, which in turn was set on a rice- 

 mortar. Soon the spirit Ilongbosan entered her body, and commanded 

 the son of the patient to take some of the blood and rice from the one 

 dish, place it in all the others, and then put it back again, "for when the 

 spirits make a man sick, they take part of his life, and when they make 

 him well, they put it back. So the boy takes a part of the blood and 

 rice away, and gives it to the spirits, then puts it back." The spirit was 

 followed by Gilen, who bade the lad take hold of one side of the 

 winnower, while he held the other. Raising it in the air, they danced 

 half way round the mortar, then retraced their steps. "This is because 

 the spirits only partially took the life away. Now they put it back." 

 As they finished dancing, Gilen struck his spear against the boy's 

 head-axe and departed. 



The medium, now with her own personality, leaned a shield against 

 the rice-mortar, and in the A thus formed she hung a small bundle 

 of rice and a burning cord, while over the whole she spread a fish 

 net. Scarcely had she completed this task, when she was possessed by 

 the spirit of Kibayen, this being walked round and round the net, seek- 

 ing for an opening, but without success. Later the medium explained, 

 "The rice and fire represent the woman's life, which the spirit wishes 

 to take ; but she cannot, since she is unable to pass through the fish 

 net." 



The next visitor was Yangayang, who began to boast of his power 

 to make persons ill. Suddenly the medium fell to the ground in 

 convulsions, and then stretched out in a dead faint. The writer 

 examined her closely, but could not detect her breathing. After a 

 moment, the second medium seized a rooster and waved it over the 

 prostrate form, while an old man gave a sharp stroke on a gong close to 

 her head. The medium awoke from her faint and thus "the death 

 was frightened away." 



Mamonglo, who had been present during the morning, returned for 

 a moment to again rub the family and guests with his lead sinker. 



