Aponibalagen called all the crocodiles to the side of the house, and he whipped all the crocodiles, and he asked them why they did not eat the man who went to Kabwa-an. As soon as he whipped them one of them said, "We did not see any man come here, but we were all very sleepy one day a long time ago. We would have eaten the man if we had seen him." Aponibalagen whipped all of them again. "I put you here to prevent anyone from coming here, and you did not watch. Go away." The crocodiles were afraid and they said, "If that is what you say we will go." So they went. Aponibalagen went back to the house and whipped the girls. "We will go back now to Kaodanan. I thought it was good for you to be here, but you have done wrong." So he took them back to Kaodanan and they made _balaua_ in order to find out who was the father of the boy. The boy grew one span every time they bathed him, [196] for they used their power. In a few days they built their _balaua_ and the _liblibayan_ [197] got betel-nuts which were covered with gold, and they oiled them and sent them to invite the people in all parts of the world. So the betel-nuts went.

As soon as the betel-nuts arrived in Kabilabilan, they said, "Good morning, Kagkagákag," [198] to the man who was lying in his _balaua_ covered with mud. "We came to invite you to the _balaua_ of Aponibalagen." "I do not wish to go, for I have no clothes and am ashamed. I do not know the man who is going to make _balaua_." "If you do not go I will grow on your knee," said one of the betel-nuts. "Do as you wish." So the betel-nut grew on his knee. When it grew big he became tired and he said, "Get off from me now and I will go." So they went. All the people from the other towns had arrived and Aponibalagen carried the baby, to see whom the baby would want to go to, but the baby did not want any of them. When the betel-nut and Kagkagákag appeared the baby was happy and wanted to go to him. So Aponibalagen gave the boy to him and all the people were surprised that Aponibolinayen had wanted him. Not long after they danced, and when they had finished Aponibalagen said to Aponibolinayen, "Take off all your things and go to Kagkagákag." Aponibolinayen did not wish to go, for he was not the same man she was with before, but her brother made her go, and he said, "Kagkagákag, take her to your town." So he took her to his town, and when they reached the gate Aponibolinayen was crying, but he said to her, "Do not feel bad, I am the man who came to Kabwa-an. That is why the boy wants me, for I am his father." Aponibolinayen did not believe him, but when they arrived at the spring of Kabilabilan she was surprised to see that the stones were of gold, and the fruits of the trees were of gold and were beads, and she said to Kagkagákag, "Why do we come here? It is shameful for us to be seen by the man who owns this." Kagkagákag laughed at her. "If you do not believe that I am your husband, you watch." And he went to take a bath, and the mud all washed off, and she saw that he was the man who was with her before in Kabwa-an. So they went up to the town, and the _alan_ who cared for Ingiwan was glad to see them.

Traditions of the Tinguian: A Study in Philippine Folk-Lore — Part 74