VIII, D, 2 Beyer: Myths Among Mountain Peoples 101 



spring (or fountain) at the foot of a large tree. Immediately Kabigat 

 returned to Hudog, bringing with him the captured quarry. When he 

 had dressed and eaten the savory game, Kabigat said to his father Wigan 

 that he had seen on the Earth World a spring and very good and beau- 

 tiful trees for timber with which to make houses, and that accordingly 

 he was desirous of going down to live at such a delightful place. His 

 father answered him that if he so desired he might do so. 



Some time after Kabigat had departed, and after he had cut excellent 

 timber wherewith to build a house, Wigan said to his daughter Bugan: 

 "Look, daughter! Thy brother Kabigat is down in Kai-ang building 

 a house. I think that it would behoove thee to look after his meals." 

 Biigan volunteered to descend with such a design. This intention having 

 been carried out, she lodged herself in the upper part of the house, and 

 her brother dwelt in the lower part. 



In the meantime, Kabigat, reflecting on his solitude and want of 

 company, and, seeing that the domestic chickens, even though related 

 among themselves, produced other roosters and hens, resolved to know 

 carnally his sister Bugan, during her sleep. Some time having expired, 

 the sister noted that she had fruit in her womb. * * * g^ch was 

 the sadness and melancholy that came upon her, that she did nothing 

 else but to weep and bewail herself, and to seek by some means alleviation 

 for her sorrow through a violent death. She pretended to her brother 

 that she was going to look for isda,"" but what she did was to follow the 

 course of the river until she arrived at its mouth in Lagud (the Eastern 

 World). Upon arriving at the shore of the sea, she remained there 

 weeping and waiting for someone to take away her life in a violent way. 

 Soon her brother Kabigat (who had followed her) appeared there, and 

 Biigan, upon discerning him, cast herself into the depths; but, instead 

 of going to the bottom, she stopped at the rice granary of Ngilin Mafigo- 

 ngol. The brother, who witnessed the tragedy, did not stop at trifles 

 but at once cast himself after her into the depths of the ocean, stopping, 

 by a strange coincidence, at the very same rice granary as his fugitive 

 sister and spouse. She continued there, bemoaning her misfortune, when, 

 behold! IfJgilin, hearing her plaint, approached and inquired the cause 

 of her affliction. She related to him her trouble, how she had conceived 

 by her carnal brother when she was asleep, IJjgilin soothed her as 

 follows: "Do not be afflicted, daughter, by that. Are not the fowls of 

 Kai-ang related among themselves, and yet they beget just like those 

 that are not so?" The maiden became somewhat calm, but still, out of 

 shame for what had happened, she refused to eat what Ngilin offered her. 

 Then he said to her: "In order that thou mayst further assure thyself 

 of what I tell thee, and in order that thou mayst quiet thyself, let us 

 go and consult my elder brother Ambiimabbakal." And so they did. 

 Ambiimabbakal, having been informed of the circumstances, burst out 

 laughing and said to them: "Peradventure have ye not done well and 

 righteously, there not being in existence any others but yourselves to 

 procreate? However, for greater assurance, let us all go together to 



" Shellfish, greens, fruits, meats, or fish that constitute the savory part 

 of the meal, as contrasted with kdnon which refers only to staple foods 

 such as rice, sweet potatoes, etc. 



