8
Reading edition
When he was in the middle of the way he became very tired, for it was far. So he used magic and he said, “I use my power so that I will arrive at once at the town of To-ōdan of Kalaskīgan.” Soon after he arrived in Kalaskīgan. When he arrived at the yard beside the balaua99 the old man was lying down. The old man saw him and said, “Eb, I have a man to eat.” And Aponītolau said, “You will never eat me. Go and get your headaxe and spear, for you must fight with me. I will take your head before I make Sayang.” The old man was angry and he stood up and went to get his headaxe and spear. “You are the only person who ever came in my town. Go on, and throw your spear, if you are brave,” said To-ōdan. “If I am the first to throw my spear you will never have a chance to throw yours, for I will kill you at once. You better throw yours first,” said Aponītolau. The old man was angry, and he threw his spear. But his spear glanced off from the body of Aponītolau, for he used his power so that everything glanced away from his body. The old man To-ōdan ran toward him and tried to cut off his head, but the headaxe could not cut Aponītolau, and the old man To-ōdan Page 77said to him, “You, truly, are a brave man, that was why you came to my town. Try and throw your spear at me, for if you can hit me it is all right, for I have killed many people.” Aponītolau threw his spear at his side, and it went clear through his body and To-ōdan laid down. Aponītolau cut off his head.
Not long after Aponītolau shouted near to the town and he did not hear Aponībolinayen answer. As soon as he reached the gate of the town he shouted again, and she did not answer, for Don Carlos was with her. Not long after Don Carlos went home and Aponībolinayen saw his belt Page 78which he had left, for he was in a hurry. So she ran and got the ladder to the rice granary, and she hid the belt. Aponītolau met Don Carlos at the gate of the town and he asked him why he had gone into the town, and he answered, “I want to sell something.” Not long after Aponītolau went to their house and asked Aponībolinayen why she did not reply to him when he shouted two times. “I did not answer, for I have a headache.” “Why is the fastening on the door different from before?” “I don't know. No one came in.” Not long after Aponītolau went up into the house. “Now, Aponībolinayen, I have taken the head of the old man To-ōdan of Kalaskīgan. You command the people to begin to pound rice, for we will make Sayang”
Not long after Aponītolau saw a flame of fire in the rice granary and he said, “Why is there a fire in the rice granary?” So he ran to see. Not long after he went inside of the granary and he saw what it was. As soon as he saw that it was a golden belt he said, “I think this is the belt of the man who came here while I was gone.” So he took it and hid it and did not let Aponībolinayen see it. Not long after they commanded the people to go and get betel-nuts. When they arrived with the fruit they oiled them and Aponītolau said, “Tell me whom we shall invite beside our relatives in the other towns.” And Aponībolinayen told him to invite Don Carlos of Kabaiganan, for she wished always to see him. So they sent a betel-nut to go and get Don Carlos, and they sent one to the old woman Alokotán of Nagbotobotán and Awig of Natpangan and other towns.
Not long after the betel-nut reached the place where Don Carlos lived and it met his spirit helpers. As soon as the betel-nut reached Don Carlos, “Aponītolau and Aponībolinayen are making Sayang, and I came to invite you.” “All right, you go first. I will dress and go after you,” he said. Not long after he dressed up and went to follow the betel-nuts. Not long after all the other people from the other towns arrived where they were making Sayang and Aponītolau tried to put the belt on each person to see if it fitted and no one was the right size. As soon as Don Carlos arrived Aponītolau tried the belt on him and it was all right. So Aponītolau gave him the belt and he got a golden chair and he put it in the middle of the party and made Don Carlos sit on it. All of the people were dancing and Aponītolau went and sharpened his headaxe. Not long after, “Ala, you Aponībolinayen take Kanag and Alama-an with you and dance with Don Carlos.” Not long after they danced. While they were dancing Aponītolau cut off the head of Don Carlos. The head sprang up and went to the breast of Aponībolinayen, and Aponībolinayen and Kanag and Alama-an ran away, and their clothes were torn, for they ran through many thorns. Page 79
As soon as the betel-nut arrived in Kaodanan it said to Pagbokásan and Ebang, “Good morning. I came here for Balbalaōga, and his sister sent me to come and get you.” So Ebang and Pagbokásan were surprised, because Aponībolinayen had another brother. So they called Awig and said to him, “Here is a betel-nut from Dona which Aponībolinayen and Balbalaōga sent, for they want to see us.” Awig said to them, “I don't believe that Aponībolinayen is still alive, for we have searched for her a very long time, and I never heard of a place called Dona, and I have been all over the world.”
They started and the betel-nut led them. “Where is Dona?” they said to the betel-nut. “Dona is somewhere. Follow me. You must step on the big dishes where I step.” Not long after they arrived in the place where Balbalaōga lived and were surprised at the big golden house, and Balbalaōga and Aponībolinayen were watching them from the window, and they went to the yard of the house. Ebang and Pagbokásan did not believe that Balbalaōga was their son, so they chewed betel-nut. As soon as they chewed they found out that he was the after-birth of Awig. So Balbalaōga took them into his house.
Not long after Balbalaōga said to them, “Wait for me for awhile, for I am going to hunt deer.” So he called his dogs who talked with the thunder, they were so big and also powerful. Not long after he went to the wood and the dogs caught three deer. He cut up the deer and took them back home.
Not long after Aponītolau heard that Aponībolinayen was with her brother in Dona. He went to follow her, for he intended to live with her again. Ebang and Pagbokásan took Balbalaōga and Aponībolinayen to Kaodanan, and they used their power so that all the things which the alan had given to Balbalaōga went to Kaodanan. Not long after the house and the other things which the alan had given went to Kaodanan, all the alan flew away. Not long after they made balaua in Kaodanan, and they called all their relatives in the other towns and all of the alan who cared for Balbalaōga of Dona. After that all the people went to attend their balaua. In that time Balbalaōga was married and Aponītolau was very sorry, because he could not remarry Aponībolinayen, and he went to the balaua even though he was not invited. As soon as the balaua was over, all the people went back home, but Balbalaōga did not go back to Dona. The alan flew away after he was married.
(Told by Magwati of Lagangilang). Page 81