Note 52 — Legend Concerning Ban͠ggílît of Hinagán͠gan, and the Jars that He Brought from the Village of Souls68
Reading edition
The Ifugao version of the story states that the sky was so low that it interfered with the plying of the spear, while the Manóbo story relates that the rice pestle would strike against it. It is possible that this myth dates back to cave-dwelling ancestors—for the low roof of a cave would be an inconvenience of the same character as that which is here ascribed to the sky.
A further proof of this is the following Tagálog myth furnished me by Mr. Roberto Laperal: “In former times the sky was very low and could be touched with the hand; when men were playing, they would strike their heads against it whenever they jumped upward. This made them impatient, and one day they began to throw stones at the sky. The great god Bathala was very angry and removed the sky to its present position.” ↑