Note 163 — 16

Not long after Aponītolau said to Aponībolinayen, “We are going to make balaua, so that we can invite all our relations in the other towns, especially Alokotán.” Aponībolinayen used magic, so that when she put a grain of rice in each of twelve big jars they were filled.163 Not long after Aponītolau commanded his spirit helpers to go and get betel-nuts, to send to the relatives who lived in other places, to invite them. As soon as one of the betel-nuts arrived in Nagbotobotán it said, “Good afternoon, old woman Alokotán. I cannot stay long. Aponībolinayen and Aponītolau sent me to invite you to attend their Sayang”. “I cannot go, for I am searching for my three sons.” “If you do not come I will grow on your knee.” “You go first and I will follow, but I cannot stay there long.” Not long after all the people from the other towns arrived and they danced until the old woman Alokotán arrived. The three young boys went to hide when Alokotán arrived. Not long after when the batana was nearly finished, “I cannot wait until your balaua is finished, for I am searching for my three boys.” “Do not go home yet, for we will see if they will come here to see the young girls. Perhaps they are near here,” said Aponītolau. Not long after the three boys appeared to her and Alokotán was glad to see them. “Where have you been, my sons?” “We came to this town and we intended to go back to Nagbotobotán, but our mother Aponībolinayen saw us and she detained us, for she was sure that we are her sons. She pressed her breasts and the milk came into our mouths.” The old woman Alokotán was surprised and she went to Aponībolinayen and Aponītolau and talked with them. “Are you sure those boys are your sons? They are my sons. They grew up with me.” “Yes, we are sure that they are my sons, for the milk from my breasts went to their mouths. I am surprised that they have become men, for they were three pigs. I searched for them a long time. That is why I was surprised Page 120when I saw them, so I pressed my breasts.” “Why were you searching for them? Did someone else hang them in the tree?” said Alokotán. Aponībolinayen was surprised and she asked Aponītolau if he saw someone hang the little pigs in the tree while she was washing her hair. Aponītolau laughed, “I did not see anyone get them.” One of the women had seen Aponītolau hang them in the tree and she told Alokotán that Aponītolau had hung them up. Alokotán hated Aponītolau and she asked why he had hung them in the tree. “I went to hang them up for I was ashamed, because they were not men but pigs.” “That is why you hung them up. You have power. If you did not want them to be pigs you could change them to men. If I had not found them, perhaps they would have died.” Not long after the balaua was finished, and the people went home, and the old woman Alokotán went home after the others. She gave all her things to the three boys. This is all.