MUNICIPAL DISTRICT OF BOKOD, Historical Data

These collections of Historical facts, legends, traditional rites and customs, were taken from aged men of the respective places such as Bokod Central, Daklan and Karao. These informers could not remember dates and names because they could not write. The collectors exerted their efforts to interpret them in [the] English language to the best of their knowledge in the English language. Some of the native words could hardly be interpreted in the English language.

However, the committee has tried to stick to the point of the informers' narrations. The committee did not make any exaggeration.

EMILIO G. BALAWAN
LOUIS W. ANGEL	FLORENCIO BANGSOYAO

I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX

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History of Bokod How Bokod Got Its Name The Mummy Cave of Bokod The Origin of Dengdeng or Abu-man The Reunion of the Rich and Poor at Deg-gew The Asal The Origin of Kosdey "Kosdey" A Benguet Cañao The Thunder

1. Emilio G. Balawan 2. Louis W. Angel 3. Florencio Bangsoyao 4. Domingo Bakay 5. Belario Piok 6. Moreno Molintas

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Chairman Member Member Member Member Member

The official name of Bokod [was] derived from the name of the first settler. (See "How Bokod Got Its Name") Bokod [is] composed of six barrios, namely: Bokod Central, Daklan, Kurus, Ambuclao, Tibay, and Wawal.

From the year 1870 to 1900, the Spanish Government established its authority in some remote places in Benguet. The first Spaniard came to the place now called Bokod Central and inquired about the name of the place. The inquirer did not catch the sound of t at the end of the name "Bokot" and noted "Bokod," instead.

The Spanish government was established in the three barrios: Ambuclao, Bokod, and Daklao. Officials of these three seats of the local government were appointed by the Spanish representative who came to organize them. The appointed officials, in succession, were as follows:

Cabesa for Ambuclao	-	Tayumbong and Doma-ang
Cabesa for Bokod	-	Balictad Okian, Sapcha, Ramon Villasi, and Ebban
Cabesa for Daklan	-	Catarino,Domires, and Pokol Denden

There were two central governments: one in La Trinidad and another in Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya. The appointed officials were to hold office for life. Bokod officials were to report to Kayapa and the officials of Daklan and Ambuclao to La Trinidad. These officials were used to collect tributes in kind such as rice and animals for the Spaniards. Many years after, the people got tired of collecting. Balictad, Sepcha, Villasi and Ebban were called to Kayapa for investigation. As a result, Balictad and Sepcha were imprisoned and died.

After some years, the central government of La Trinidad succeeded in merging Bokod from Kayapa to La Trinidad. A Catholic school was established in Daklan to teach Christianity using the cartilla method. This was discontinued due to the coming of the Katipunan Forces. The Katipunan established its own government, which lasted for three months. The American forces drove them to Kayapa.

In 1900, the American government was formally established in Bokod Central. The following were appointed as Presidents;

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28.

Gamino Pialet Doma-ang Kiwa Kodiase Francisco Velasco Bayong Colili Ramon Villasi Kosalan Francisco Velasco Wero Canto Francisco Velasco Lakias Cabanos Francisco Velasco Besaya Tinoy-an Egme Lamsis Mateog Solano G. Billy Lamsis Tiapong Apilas Pascual Apawen Bongsio Wagne Ngaly Galasgas Dibean Diwas Egaly Galasgas Domase Galasgas Jose Piok Ricardo Topeng Ricardo Topeng Jose Piok Donato Ignacio

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1900 - 1903 1903 - 1904 1904 - 1905 1905 - 1906 1906 - 1907 1907 - 1909 1909 - 1911 1911 - 1913 1913 - 1913 - 1915 1915 - 1915 - 1917 1917 - 1919 1919 - 1921 1921 - 1922 1922 - 1924 1924 - 1927 1927 - 1930 1930 - 1933 1933 - 1936 1936 - 1939 1939 - 1942 1942 - 1943 1943 - 1944 1945 - 1946 1946 - 1949 1949 - 1952 1953 -

In the ancient times, the inhabitants of the Mountain Province were continuously moving from place to place. They were the nomads of the mountains. These ancient inhabitants were looking for better places to live in. So, they had to wander to locate a good place for them. The nothern people of the Mountain Province were moving southward.

There was, then, a family which was believed to have come from Andimay, a place somewhere in northern Benguet, that came to settle in a deep and narrow valley in Central Benguet now known as Bokod Central. The head of the family was Bokot. When he arrived at this place, he found no inhabitants. He found out that this place was favorable for his family to be settled. He cultivated the nearby places. He made ricefields and raised animals.

After some years of hard work, he prospered; but he was lonely because he had no neighbors. He wanted to make friends with the people of the neighboring sitios. In order to begin friendships, he bethrothed his eldest son to a girl of a rich family in Daklan. When his son was at the [right] age, the wedding was celebrated.

Bokot was then becoming richer and richer, so he planned to celebrate a feast to entertain his friends and to give thanks to God for his prosperity. When he was ready, he sent his son to invite his friends in Daklan. To come to his settlement from Daklan was to descend the high mountain that was overlooking his place, as Daklan was located on a plateau. When his friends arrived, the celebration commenced. Pigs were caught and bound by the legs and were laid in front of the house. Rice wine (tapoy) was served. They drank to their satisfaction that they sang their native songs (badeow) and danced around the bound pigs. The people appreciated his hospitality that one of the good singers composed mentally a new song and sang it. His song was for appreciation of Bokot's hospitality.

Badeow of Appreciation	Translation
Siya noman si Bokot Kembaloy shee Gusaran En enapolbaran Chiyos sa Kabonian Jet enem pemanoday noman E mol-mol tod boday Mang-kataben nampanaynay Kano pani enan-ay Je en on nay-nay Eyay ja a-adebay En nowan made-ngay Si Bokot she Gusaran Ja nan se-mot nowan.	Bokot is really very good He lives in Gusaran Blest and approved By Heavenly God That now his pigs Are lying on his yard All fat and big. If it could be possible That this could last forever This occasion very enjoyable We shall come again To Bokot's place Happier than before.
* This web site's confidence in the above transcription of the Ilocano version is low.

* Gusaran - a level place where a descending trail terminates.

Some years later, in order to establish a name for the settlement of Bokot and in memory of the first settler, the people named the place Bokot. So, in the native singing concerning the place now known as Bokod Central, whenever there is an occasion where tapoy is served and the old men drink, the poetical name used is "Shee Bokot Shee Gusaran?"

When a Spanish inquirer asked for the name of the place, he (the inquirer) missed to catch the final letter t at the [end] of the name Bokot, instead he used d making Bokod, now the official name of the place.

1. Andres Albarez 2. Libag

3. Crispin Bangayao

In the ancient times, the inhabitants of the Mountain Province engaged in hunting and little farming. In one barrio called Pito, at the boundary between Benguet and Nueva Vizcaya, there lived a famous hunter whose name was Dacbongan. He had a famous dog hunter that he named Bengnged.

One day, he and his neighbor decided to hunt in the mountain called Abatan, a mountain overlooking the present poblacion of Bokod. Hunting those days was by the use of spears, dogs and nets. They prepared and started for the mountain. Upon arriving at the mountain, Bengnged, his favorite dog, was jumping. He loosened him and, to their joy, the dog scared out a big wild boar (male pig). Their hunting net was misplaced that the wild pig was missed. The dog was always tracing and chasing him while the men were left far behind. They lost the trace of Bengnged. These men were hungry and thirsty, so they had to look for water. At last, they came to a brook where water could be found, and [they] ate their camotes. While they were eating, Dacbongan, whose ears were so keen, seemed to hear the bark of his dog. After eating, they went to look for the place where the barks came from.

Once more, the barks seemed to be more distinct, but it seemed to come from a cave. So, they searched the rocky places. At last, they found the dog sitting at the foot of a big rock. They thought that he was just resting there. When they came to him, they saw the narrow opening.

Dacbongan understood his dog and knew that the wild pig must have been inside. He had his companion place the net at the opening of the cave and let the dog chase out the wild pig.

After sometime, the pig ran out and was caught. Pito is a half day's hike from the poblacion, so that they could go home that same evening. They then had time to scrutinize the cave. It was quite roomy inside, although the opening was narrow. It was about seven feet square and six feet high. In the next morning, they started for Pito and arrived there in the afternoon of the same day.

Upon arrival, Dacbongan gathered all his neighbors to feast on their hunt. His neighbors were very happy and enjoyed festation [feasting]. He told his children and neighbors that when he died, they should bury him in the cave that he discovered in Bokod Central.

Many years after, at old age, he died. At the time of his burial, the remains were wrapped in a blanket, hands over his breast and knees bent. The corpse was well-bundled with a G-string. When they were about two hundred meters away from the cave, they stopped because they had to cross the Bokod River. They rested at the bank of the river and placed the corpse on the flat stone. One of them noticed that there was disorder in the corpse, so they unwrapped it. They were very much troubled because they foudn out that the left hand was hooked in the mouth and the other hand was hooked in the rectum.

The oldest men among them concluded that the dead was craving for a carabao. So, they turned with the corpse to a sitio called Ambayeck. They secured a carabao that they butchered for the dead. The people of Ambayeck and Bokod Central were invited to the celebration and then helped bury the dead in the cave. This was how the people of Central Bokod came to know of the cave, and they themselves used it as their burial place until the time when the Catholic Church came into existence and provided a cemetery for the people of Bokod Central.

1. Libag	2. Macey Beng-eg
3. Crispin Bagoayao

Respectfully submitted:

LOUIS W. ANGEL
Collector

Many years ago, the people in Kara were living here and there because of the topographical condition. Among these people, there was a group composed of four to six families from the north. These people were more aggressive than the people originally living in the place, as they experienced troubles and hardships from their travels in the north. They were seeking lands to cultivate in Bokod and in Karao. They decided to settle down, and in the sitio of Karao, as this was offered by the Bokod residents so that theywould be protected from danger bosol [curious word] and thieves.

To promote better relationships between them and the people they had reached in the place, they celebrated a cañao. They invited their neighbors and had heart to heart talks among themselves. The celebration and informal meeting used to be held in the leaders' residences by turns. They talked about the traditional customs with regards to [the] celebration of cañaos, things prohibited in the community, protection from enemies, and discipline. In short, it was during the gatherings that rules and regulations were suggested and approved verbally by elders and leaders.

Later on, they found it necessary to construct a house or a sort of shelter for the purpose of gathering at any time there arose a community problem to be settled. This house was popularly known as Dongdong or Abu-nan. As years went by, the importance of this building became more or less like our barrio school. It was in this house where young men were taught and trained to discipline and discharge his duties as a familied man according to traditional customs and beliefs. Family moral obligation is required.

When a man was married, he goes to the Dongdong very early in the morning to build or keep [a] fire burning. When breakfast was ready for him in the house, the wife called him. After breakfast was ready over, he went to the farm to work. In the evening after work, he stayed there again until he was called for [a] meal and [at] night stayed at home.

This was done by young men until they had one or two children. Of course, young men were allowed to go to earn money after marriage. When eating in this Dongdong, newly-married men were not allowed to take meat soup for the reason that the men would be weak mentally and physically. Staying with the wife at home similarly affected the mental and physical condition of the man; besides, they believed that it was unbecoming of any man to stay at home with his wife doing nothing.

In the Dongdong or Abu-nan, the old men and [the] young men had fixed seats. Unmarried young men and boys from fourteen years [and] up had [a] separate dining place in the Abu-nan.

Meetings in the house were called at any time by the old men when there were dangers, cañao celebrations, and other cases affecting public welfare. Before going to hunt or to a far place, a cañao was celebrated to ascertain safety and good luck. If the location of the liver of the animal feasted upon, to the belief of the old men, was not favorable, then starting time was postponed.

The meat from individual family celebrations was brought to the Dongdong to be cooked. Only the males ate there. Whatever was not eaten was distributed to the people in the community. Some of the teachings of [the] Dongdong system are being enforced. Some are being changed due to modern teachings.

Each sitio in this barrio has a Dong-dong or Abu-nan. If the group is big or purok with Abu-nan each. The small grouping facilitates [the] easy distribution of meat and [unreadable word] work for leaders and Dacays. Meeting and communal work are easily called and performed.

The disadvantages of this Dongdong as young people are respectful and obedient. They are cooperative. They are kept busy in earning money for cañao and family. Only those unable to work are staying in the barrio after the working season.

On the other hand, the people are kept poor because of [the holding of] cañao from time to time. The Dongdong must be visited often by old men on account of the meat from [the] cañao. Many parents cannot let their children continue their studies because of the effect of the Dongdong system.

1. Dalmacio Bayeng

2. Toking Tongpalan

[A] Long time ago, there lived a man in Deg-gew, Acnal, Daklan, named Debia. He was the richest man of the locality. Through his wealth, he was a famous [unsure transcription] leader of the place. Oftentimes, he celebrated a big feast called pes-set. During his time, the rich secluded the poor. They did not care for them. Whenever he celebrated pes-set, no one dared to work because all the guests belonged to the family. Therefore, they used the legs of carabaos for [a] stove. Instead of ropes to tie the pigs, they used new G-strings. For laying the meat, they used a costly blanket. They had no firewood, so they used the fat for fuel.

But when they would cook the meat, it was tasteless, especially the broth. One time, during a cañao, a poor man named Adaget happened to sit opposite some rich men. In so doing, he outweighed the rich people like a see-saw. Then, they said, if you are really stronger than us, go and catch that wild carabao in Abiang. Abiang is a pastural land and along a brook where this fierce animal lived. Without answering, he went to Abiang with only his bolo. First, he selected a tree which had hollow roots. When he found a good trap for the wild beast, he shouted to attract the angry carabao.

The carabao, upon sensing him, rushed to the man. At the point of its anger, it inserted its head to cruch the man. By that way, the horn was stuck to the tree. Then, Adgat came out of the other side and butchered the carabao. He got the tail and went back to the cañao. He threw the tail in front of the rich people in the cañao and that was the beginning of the reunion of the rich and the poor. The rich were surprised and they came to realize that the poor man could be of great service to them.

One time, a poor man named Balong also held a feast for the poor. Everything was well-done cooperatively. They used firewood for fuel and stone for the stove. When it was cooked, the rich people said, "Let us taste it." The broth was appetizing as well as the meat. From that time, they declared that the poor and rich should work together mutually.

1. Almisa Baon 3. Minos Apsan

2. Sinas Evancy 4. Molintas Ogues

Asal is a local dialect which includes the corpse together with a wooden chair where the deceased is made to sit before interment. This was much practiced by our foremost ancestors but now it has disappeared.

In the olden days, when the inhabitants among the mountains were uncivilized, they lived on the slopes of the mountains. The people lived mostly on wild fruits and root crops. They made kaingins where they raised camote. Rice was unknown to them until lately when it was introduced to them by the civilized group of people. The most important work of men was building and repairing fences of the kaingin to keep away wild animals from eating their camote.

There was a man among the mountain inhabitants who thought it best to make his kaingin near the thick forest so that he could easily gather materials for his fence. He was very happy because he had enough camote to support his family. Some years after, that happiness was turned into a gloomy one. Why? His kaingin was infested with some wild animals so that sometimes, he ran short of food. This troubled him very much. He tried to find out what animals these were but he could not because they usually came by at night.

One day, when he was repairing his fence, a company of monkeys came toward him. He was caught with great fear; he could not run because he was being plainly seen by those terrible beasts. He knew that monkeys at that time could subdue [a] a man. Though he was surrounded with fear, he did not lose his common sense. He used his trick and, instead, he played a trick. He at once pretended to be dead so that when these monkeys came to him, they found him dead. Instead of digging camote, they carried him to their home. The man was aware of everything that the monkeys were doing. He was peeping through his eyelids to see his chance to catch enough breath whenever the monkeys were not eyeing him. When the monkeys arrived home, they laid him down. He wanted to escape but could not because if he ever tried, he knew that the monkeys would surely tear him to pieces. He was, then, in a critical situation because he was between life and death. He did not lose hope. He waited for a better chance to elude the beasts.

The bronze gong and the long tube drums (solibao) were brought out. He was in suspense for he suspected that me might be used for the cañao. The presentation of the instruments made his heart beat faster and his breath heavier, for he knew that the instruments were used exclusively for cañaos. But because he was always peeping through his eyelids, he noticed that the two drums were being set up. Later, the gong was placed on top of the two drums and two poles were put up on one side. The finished work was a seat in front of an armchair. Then, they lifted him, seated him and fastened his arms, breasts, and head to the constructed seat. After seating him, they built fire a little farther away in front of him. Then, the female monkeys as he noticed them gathered around his seat and all at the same time crying aloud mourning songs. The males, in turn, played their mourning through their improvised bamboo flute. (locally known as cola-sing)

The next thing that he noted was that they put up three stones over which was placed a big flat vat filled with water and built a fire under it. When the water was about to boil, the leader appointed the smallest monkey to guard the dead. He was instructed to keep close watch on the dead man's eyes. After giving the instruction, the leader, with the rest, started for the brook to catch crabs for the burial ceremony. When the man detected that they were far away, he opened his eyes to see if they were all gone and how many of them were left. As per instruction to keep close watch on his eyes, the guard shouted after the other monkeys. "His eyes are winking," but they answered him back, "If he opened his eyes, you shall be killed." They did not mind his complaint.

When the man thought that they were already in the brook catching crabs, he was sure of the good chance to escape. He jumped up from his seat, clubbed the guard, and put it into the boiling vat. He got the gong used as his seat and headed for the mountain to his home. When the monkeys caught enough crabs, they were very happy. They came home heavily loaded with crabs for the celebration. As they were getting near home, they noticed that the man was gone.

The guard was not there, [and they were] thinking thinking that the man escaped with it. They looked around and found that the guard was already boiled in the vat. They went to see the seat and found out that there was no more gong, because he was gone with it.

They followed him, tracing his footsteps up to the mountain. On the way up the mountain, the man's footprints could not longer be traced. The monkeys searched here and there but in vain. At last, they came to a cave. They were pretty sure that the man must be in the cave, but there was cobweb at the opening of the cave. Some of them could not believe that he was inside. Some of them insisted that they should enter the cave. It was very dark inside that they hesitated to enter. At last, the leader, who was the bravest of them, extended its front limb inside the cave to feel if someone was inside. Whenever it extended its limb, the man, who was really inside the cave, always gave a terrible pinch that made the leader withdraw its limb. He announced after many trials that the spider was terrible as its bites were terribly painful. He confirmed that the man could not be inside because if ever he was there, he would have been bitten by the spider, and should have broken the spider's web. So, they went home.

When the man was sure that the monkeys were all gone, he also started for his home with a gong. When he arrived, he called for his wife, children, and neighbors and related his experience. They came to conclude that the monkeys' way of mourning for the dead was really superior to their ways. They agreed to adopt the monkeys' practices. Many years after, the man's wife died and the widower performed what the monkeys did when he pretended to be dead. His neighbors appreciated it very much so that he ordered them and his children to do the same when he died.

From [that] time one, this was adopted among the Benguets and even up to the present time, it is being performed by the pagan inhabitants of Benguet, except the Asal which is entirely eradicated.

1. BENJAMIN PAHONI

2. DALMACIO BAYENG

Kosdey is a cañao of Thanksgiving among the eastern Benguets along the Agno River. The origin of it according to a legend runs like this.

[A] Long time ago, a woman went to dig camote in her kaingin. While she was digging camote, she accidentaly dropped her crobar inside a hollow crack about two meters deep. She stepped inside tne crack to pick up her tool. Whenever she tried to reach her tool, it sank a little deeper until she was many miles under the earth, When she looked up, she could see many fruits of her camote plants hanging overhead. She knew how why her camote plants were fruitless.

Under the earth, she found a house occupied by a couple called "ADAN." She found the Adan's wife in the house. The Adan told her to pick up some of her lice. She was surprised to find big caterpillars instead of lice. Although she was told to crush the lice with her teeth, she used to throw them away.

When she was trying to leave, the Adan told her to wait for dinner. The Adan said that her husband went to hunt and catch fish. When the husband arrived, he let her wife cook what he brought home. In a short time, table was ready.

While they were eating, the woman was scared of what she saw in the dishes. Some of them were big fishes, and there were hands of human beings cooked with fish. She could not refuse to eat, so she pretended to be eating. After eating, they sent her to go and fetch water with a basket for a container. She did not ask how she could put the water in the basket, but she proceeded to the well thinking of how she could escape. As soon as she was out of sight, she threw the basket and ran away. She followed the steps made from the roots of a big balete tree that had grown in the outside world. Whenever she passed a pair of roots, she cut them in order that the approaching Adans would not catch her.

The couple of Adans could not make their way to the outside world because the roots which they usually followed were destroyed by the woman. Since that time sickness, was believed to have lessened.

When the woman told her story to the old folks, they decided to celebrate a cañao called Kosdey. They believed that they should sacrifice pigs for those who were getting the fruits of thelr crops under the earth and for those who were hunting human beings.

It was handed down from generation to generation until the present.

1. Marcelo Biadno 3. Eduardo Sumali

2. Crispin Bagayao 4. Libag

The people of the Mountain Province have many kinds of beliefs, traditions, and customs; and in connection with these, they celebrated many kinds of cañaos (sacrifices).

In eastern Benguet, along the Agno River, the people believed that there was a God, the Creator, who [was] then called Chiyos or Kabunian. Besides Him, they also believed that there were other gods such as the sun, [which] they called Bogan or Kabigat; the earth, [which] they worshipped as Apo Chaga; and others that they feared and worshipped as having powers over man. They believed that any hardship or misfortune that they encountered in life were caused by the dissatisfaction of God, devils, and other things that they feared and worshipped. In order to satisfy all of them, they must offer sacrifices.

These sacrifices were called cañaos. To regain a good harvest whenever there was famine, they had to celebrate Kosdey. Kosdey was a sacrifice offered so that either God or others would bless their lives and work. To celebrate Kosdey, every family must have a pig, tapuey (jars of rice wine), besides rice, camote and gabi to be used for the Kosdey.

Those who could not afford pigs were shared with uncooked meat by those who had the biggest pig. They cook this meat in their houses. Of course, with other necessities, preparations [were] as if they had pigs also.

When everything was ready, a mass meeting was called by the prominent men of the barrio to designate the evening to begin and select one family as head of the celebration. At the designated evening, the announcer blows the horn as a signal for the people to put out entirely their fires, leaving no embers in the hearth. Prior to this evening, every family must clean the house and every house must be free of any skin or hides of large animals, especially cows and horses. After the fires had been put out, all the family heads gather in the house of the chosen head for the celebration and start a new fire by friction using dried bamboo splints. When they succeeded in starting a fire, they build bonfires in front of the master of ceremonies while the rest get their shares of the new fire.

On one's way to his home, he shouts once in a while, new fire, new fire or badon apoy, badon apoy. Fire of God. After everyone has built his fire at home, pigs are gathered at the house of the headman of the celebration to be blessed. Pigs are gathered at the house of the headman of the celebration to be blessed. Pigs are leg-bound and poles are placed between their legs lengthwise, just like the story of "How the father and his son carried the horse across the bridge." The tied pigs are placed in the yard altogether while they are being blessed by a native priest. All the pigs must be carried from house to house with the native priest blessing in every house.

Sometimes, the offering lasted for the whole night or day because of the distances of the houses. Carriers would get hungry, tired or sleepy that those who could not endure slept on the way with their load. After getting through all the houses, all pigs were returned to the master of ceremonies' house for the final offering, after which everyone took his own pig home to be butchered. But before butchering [the pig], the native priest took another round to the houses praying [for?] every pig in the houses. When a pigs was butchered, the native priest got solid blood and marked every member of the family.

When the meat was cooked, the native priest went around the houses and said his last prayers. The people would not commence eating until the native priest reached the house where he began his prayers and a signal of commence eating was heard. After eating, all the extra meat was collected [and brought?] to the master of ceremonies' house for final distribution to nearby neighbors.

No one is allowed to go out to the field to work, not until the ninth day. After going to the farm on the ninth day, they would all come home early and meet in the house of the master of ceremonies and told their luck on their way and vice-versa. That was the end of the celebration.

1. Libag	2. Macay
3. Sumali

Louis W. Angel
(Collector)

[A] Long time ago, there was a man named Cante [unsure, blurred] who lived in Karada, Daklan with his wife Mitana. They were very poor and had but one son named Maligakat. Maligkat [the "a" was also omitted in the original document] was very sickly during his childhood. When he was ten years old, his father died of a lingering sickness. He was then raised [unsure word, blurred] and brought up by his mother.

After a lapse of six years, his mother died. Maligkat was then left alone in the house. He then had to make his own living. One day, he planted a field of his own with gabi. The next morning, he noticed that his gabi plants were uprooted. For many times, he replanted them, but they were always uprooted and they were left floating.

Maligkat then made up his mind to find out the cause. So, one bright moonlit night, he hid himself among the banana plants. At about ten o'clock that night, he saw two beautiful girls swimming in the field.

He made up his mind to marry one of them. He crept to the edge of the field and hid one of the wings of the maidens. It was dawn and the girls were now going home after their bath. They both went to get their wings, but the younger girl couldn't find hers. So, the two sisters bid goodbye and flew away.

Day came and Maligkat came out from his hiding place. With his words, he married the girl. They lived happily together. At last, a baby boy was born. They loved their child so dearly.

One day, when the child was playing with his neighbors, he found the wings of his mother in one corner of the yard. How happy his mother felt. That same moment, the father came from the field and saw his wife brushing her wings, and you could imagine how he felt. He tried his best to get back the wings but all in vain.

The question now laid on the child. With their arrangement, they divided the child into two. One half was taken by the woman and the other half was given to the man. Before the woman ascended to Heaven, she told her husband to make the half shout as she would do with the other half. Then, she flew up.

By and by, there was really a very loud and frightening noise heard from above. The woman had been waiting and waiting for the man's share to sound also, but there was none. On the third day, she descended and came to get the remaining half and made it shout, but it was not so loud and frightful as the first one. The first one was so fresh, and so it was very loud and dangerous. While the latter was beginning to rot, hence, it was not very loud.

When the people of today hear the strong thunder, they are reminded of the woman's share. The man lived sadly alone and, with his sadness, he passed away after two years.

Respectfully submitted by:

(SGD.) Florencio [unreadable]

(SGD.) 1. Daniel Awili
(SGD.) 2. Monte Panay

Transcribed from:

History and Cultural Life of the Municipal District of Bokod, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections. The pagination in this transcription is as they appear in the original document.