112 The Philippine Journal of Science ww 



which were much easier to catch than those of the present day. The 

 rice grains of that time were larger and more satisfying, and a handful 

 of them was sufficient to feed a large family. 



But this Golden Age, like others, was not destined to last. 



II 



The flood, and the origin of the mountains. — One year when the rainy 

 season should have come it did not. Month after month passed by and 

 no rain fell. The river grew smaller and smaller day by day until at 

 last it disappeared entirely. The people began to die, and at last the 

 old men said: "If we do not soon get water, we shall all die. Let us 

 dig down into the grave of the river, for the river is dead and has sunk 

 into his grave, and perhaps we may find the soul of the river and it 

 will save us from dying." So they began to dig, and they dug for three 

 days. On the third day the hole was very large, and suddenly they 

 struck a great spring and the water gushed forth. It came so fast that 1 



some of them were drowned before they could get out of the pit. j 



Then the people were happy, for there was plenty of water; and they 

 brought much food and made a great feast. But while they were feasting 

 it grew dark and began to rain. The river also kept rising until at 

 last it overflowed its bank. Then the people became frightened and 

 they tried to stop up the spring in the river, but they could not do so. 

 Then the old men said: "We must flee to the mountains, for the river 

 gods are angi-y and we shall all be drowned." So the people fled toward 

 the mountains and all but two of them were overtaken by the water 

 and drowned. The two who escaped were a brother and sister named 

 Wigan and Biigan — Wigan on Mt. Amiiyao and Biigan on Kalauitan. 

 And the water continued to rise until all the Earth World was covered 

 excepting only the peaks of these two mountains. 



The water remained on the earth for a whole season or from rice 

 planting to rice harvest." During that time Wigan and Biigan lived 

 on fruits and nuts from the forests that covered the tops of the two 

 mountains. Bugan had fire which at night lit up the peak of Kalauitan, 

 and Wigan knew that there was someone else alive besides himself. He 

 had no fire, and suffered much from the cold. 



At last the waters receded from the earth and left it covered with 

 the rugged mountains and deep valleys that exist to-day; and the solitary 

 brother and sister, looking down from their respective peaks, were filled 

 with wonder at the sight. 



Ill 



The repopulation of the Earth World. — As soon as the earth was dry, 

 Wigan journeyed to Kalauitan where he found his sister Biigan, and 

 their reunion was most joyous. They descended the mountain and 

 wandered about until they came to the beautiful valley that is to-day 

 the dwelling place of the Banauol clan — and here Wigan built a house. 

 When the house was finished, Biigan dwelt in the upper part and Wigan 

 slept beneath. 



• Having provided for the comfort of his sister, Wigan started out to 

 find if there were not other people left alive in the Earth World. He 



"About six months. The duration of the flood varies greatly in the 

 different versions of this myth. 



