How the First Head was Taken [105]

_Igorot_

One day the Moon, who was a woman named Kabigat, sat out in the yard

making a large copper pot. The copper was still soft and pliable like

clay, and the woman squatted on the ground with the heavy pot against

her knees while she patted and shaped it. [106]

Now while she was working a son of Chal-chal, the Sun, came by and

stopped to watch her mould the form. Against the inside of the jar she

pressed a stone, while on the outside with a wooden paddle dripping

with water she pounded and slapped until she had worked down the

bulges and formed a smooth surface.

The boy was greatly interested in seeing the jar grow larger, more

beautiful, and smoother with each stroke, and he stood still for some

time. Suddenly the Moon looked up and saw him watching her. Instantly

she struck him with her paddle, cutting off his head.

Now the Sun was not near, but he knew as soon as the Moon had cut off

his son's head. And hurrying to the spot, he put the boy's head back

on, and he was alive again.

Then the Sun said to the Moon, "You cut off my son's head, and because

you did this ever after on the earth people will cut off each other's

heads."

Philippine Folk Tales · 第 47 / 92 题