

VIII, D, 2 Beyer: Myths Aviong Mountain Peoples 99 



lower face of each of them is of a smooth bkie stone called 

 ini'ding.^^ The layer on which we live is called the Earth World 

 (Luta). The four layers above us constitute the Sky World 

 (Daya), and are called, in order from the top down, Hudog, 

 Luktag, Hubulan, and Kabunian. The last is the layer im- 

 mediately above the Earth World, and it is the blue-stone under- 

 facing of this layer that we call the "sky." The Under World 

 (Dalom) consists of an unknown number of layers beneath the 

 one on which we live. All of the layers meet in the farthest 

 horizon,''^ where lie the mythical regions of the East (Lagud) 

 and other places. 



Some of the Kiangan priests seem to have developed the 

 further idea that this Dawi, or farthest horizon, is in the form 

 of a great celestial globe that surrounds the universe, forming 

 its boundary, the inside face of which can be distinguished in 

 the hazy distance where the deep blue of the sky fades into a 

 very light blue or whitish color.^^ The Earth World, or layer on 

 which we live, lies approximately at the center of the universe. 

 It is therefore the largest layer, and the layers of the Sky World 

 and Under World grow successively smaller as they approach the 

 zenith and nadir of the celestial globe, the boundary of the 

 universe.^* 



The inhabitants of the universe consist chiefly of an incalcul- 

 able number of greater and lesser deities and spirits.^^ In ad- 

 dition to these, there are the souls of men, animals, and plants. 



"Or buling (?). 



''Bavn (?). 



" It can only be seen at this point for the reason that the earth 

 beneath and the blue-stone underfacing of Kabunian immediately above 

 cut off the view. Ifugao astronomical knowledge, plus the circular 

 nature of the horizon and the apparent slope of the whitish band above it, 

 has doubtless given rise to this belief in a celestial globe surrounding 

 the universe. 



** The Ifugaos have no belief, that I have ever been able to discover, 

 as to the origin of the universe. To their minds it has always existed 

 and will always continue to exist. 



°° In the three previously mentioned manuscripts on the Ifugao religion, 

 between two and three thousand deities are spoken of by name, and 

 this is only a fraction of the number known to the Ifugaos. Of course, 

 only a few of them are really great deities, but even such may be counted 

 by hundreds. Of the very diverse and all-inclusive character of these 

 deities, no accurate idea can be given within the brief limits of this 

 paper. Suffice it to say there are gods of war, of industry (such as 

 weaving, metal-working, etc.), and of beauty and love; nature-gods, 

 cannibalistic gods, evil deities, mythical monsters, messenger spirits, guard- 

 ian spirits; and hosts of mischievous elves and fairies. 



