The sons of Lumáwig went hunting. In all the world there were
no mountains, for the world was flat, and it was impossible to
catch the wild pigs and the deer. Then said the elder brother:
"Let us flood the world so that mountains may rise up." Then they
went to inundate at Mabúd-bodóbud. Then the world was flooded. Then
said the elder brother: "Let us go and set a trap." They used as
a trap the head-basket at Mabúd-bodóbud. Then they raised the
head-basket and there was much booty: wild pigs and deer and
people--for all the people had perished. There were alive only
a brother and sister on Mt. Pókis. Then Lumáwig looked down on
Pókis and saw that it was the only place not reached by the water,
and that it was the abode of the solitary brother and sister. Then
Lumáwig descended and said: "Oh, you are here!" And the man said:
"We are here, and here we freeze!" Then Lumáwig sent his dog and
his deer to Kalauwítan to get fire. They swam to Kalauwítan,
the dog and the deer, and they got the fire. Lumáwig awaited
them. He said: "How long they are coming!" Then he went to
Kalauwítan and said to his dog and the deer: "Why do you delay
in bringing the fire? Get ready! Take the fire to Pókis; let me
watch you!" Then they went into the middle of the flood, and the
fire which they had brought from Kalauwítan was put out! Then
said Lumáwig: "Why do you delay the taking? Again you must bring
fire; let me watch you!" Then they brought fire again, and he
observed that that which the deer was carrying was extinguished,
and he said: "That which the dog has yonder will surely also be
extinguished." Then Lumáwig swam and arrived and quickly took the
fire which his dog had brought. He took it back to Pókis and he
built a fire and warmed the brother and sister. Then said Lumáwig:
"You must marry, you brother and sister!" Then said the woman:
"That is possible; but it is abominable, because we are brother
and sister!" Then Lumáwig united them, and the woman became
pregnant. They had many children * * * and Lumáwig continued
marrying them. Two went to Maligkong and had offspring there;
two went to Gináang and had offspring there; and the people
kept multiplying, and they are the inhabitants of the earth *
* *. Moreover, there are the Mayinit-men, the Baliwang-men, the
Tukúkan-men, the Kaniú-men, the Barlig-men, etc. Thus the world is
distributed among the people, and the people are very many! * * *
Another story runs as follows:
The brother-in-law of Lumáwig said to him: "Create water, because
the sun is very hot, and all the people are thirsty!" Then said
Lumáwig: "Why do you ask so much for water? Let us go on," he
continued, "I shall soon create water." Then they went on, and at
last his brother-in-law said again: "Well, why do you not create
water? It should be easy, if you are really Lumáwig!" Then said
Lumáwig: "Why do you shame me in public?" And then they quarreled,
the brothers-in-law. Then they climbed on up the mountain, and
at last the brother-in-law said again: "Why do you care nothing
because the people are thirsty, and you do not create water?" Then
said Lumáwig: "Let us sit down, people, and rest." Then he struck
the rock with his spear, and water sprang out. Then he said to
the people: "Come and drink!" And his brother-in-law stepped
forth to drink, but Lumáwig restrained him, saying: "Do not
drink! Let the people drink first, so that we shall be the last
to drink." And when the people had finished drinking, Lumáwig
drank. Then he said to his brother-in-law: "Come and drink." Then
the brother-in-law stooped to drink, and Lumáwig pushed him into
the rock. Water gushed out from his body. Then said Lumáwig:
"Stay thou here because of thy annoying me!" Then they named that
spot ad Isik. [27] Then the people went home; and the sister
of Lumáwig said to him: "Why did you push your brother-in-law
into the rock?" Then said Lumáwig: "Surely, because he angered
me!" Then the people prayed and performed sacrifices. * * *
In the above stories we see the recurrence of the flood myth and the
origin of fire, or rather the manner in which men received it. The
story of bringing water out of a rock is interesting, and occurs again
in Ifugao mythology in a slightly different form. It is possible,
of course, that this is a biblical story which was brought in by some
wandering Christians several generations past; but the flood legend
is certainly native, and I see no good reason why the story of the
miraculous drawing of water from a rock should not also be a native
development in spite of its similarity to the Hebrew myth.
The Bontoks have hundreds of myths and stories about Lumáwig, who
corresponds to the Ifugao Líddum, who is the good god who gave men
fire, animals, plants, and all the useful and necessary articles of
daily life. These myths are of great value, and it is to be hoped
that a full collection of them will some day be made.
The Bontok religion is, on the whole, somewhat less developed than
that of the Igorots and Ifugaos. The same general beliefs are held,
however, and the ceremonial life is similar. Priests are the rule,
rather than priestesses; and the same sacred animals are used, as in
the other areas. In the social organization, the clan system is in
a more perfect state of development than among any other people in
the Philippines.
I shall now take up the last religion to be discussed, and the one
which is at the same time the most highly developed: