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(an Ibaloi Folktale)
There was once a large man in the barrio of Benengbeng. His name was Abadugan. He was wery tall. When he stood on the ground, he could reach the top of a pine tree. He had four blankets sewed together for his kubal. It was necessary for him to sleep on the ground every night because he was so large that he could not fit in a house. when he talked it was like the noise of a strong wind.
In one day, he would eat a large hog, ten bundles of rice and five baskets of dokto. He could drink ten jars of tapuy at one time. If the people would not give him enough food and tapuy, he would eat their children.
People of Banengbeng tried to kill him with spears but his skin was so thick that the spears would not penetrate it. He took the people and threw them on high, and they died.
When he had eaten all the pigs, nuwang, rice, and dokto of Banengbeng, he went to the other barrios . The people of the other barrios were afraid of him so they always gave him food.
One day he came to Papa. there was a little man in Papa. He was as high as the knee of another Igorot. His name was Kaotekan.
He met Abadugan at the river.
“Abadugan, where are you going?” Kaotekan said.
“I am going to Papa because there is no more food in Banengbeng,” Abadugan answered.
“You cannot go to Papa because there is not enough food for us,” Kaotekan said.
“Get out of my way. If you do not obey me, I will throw you on high,” Abadugan threatened.
“If you throw me on high, I will kill you,” Kaotekan said.
Abadugan laughed and it was like the thunder.
He tried to take hold of Kaotekan but Kaotekan changed to a deer and ran away. Abadugan pursued the deer but did not catch it until it arrived at a cliff. Abadugan was tired but he caught the deer and threw it on high.
While the deer was falling, it changed to a monkey and fell on the shoulders of Abadugan. It bit his cheek so he got angry. He threw the monkey on high. While the monkey was on high, it changed to a wild cat. The wild cat fell on the shoulders of Abadugan. It bit the mouth and ears of Abadugan. Abadugan threw it on high.
While the wild cat was on high, it changed to a large hawk. The hawk flew to the shoulders of Abadugan and put out his eyes. Abadugan became angry and tried to take hold of the hawk but he could not see.
The hawk then changed to a dog. The dog bit the legs of Abadugan. He tried to kick the dog but he fell from the cliff. He rolled down the river.
The dog changed back to Kaotekan. He went to the river and saw that he was really dead. He knew that Abadugan would not eat the children of Papa.
The people could not bury the body of Abadugan because he was so large. The crows could not eat him because his skin was so thick. his body changed to a large rock which is now called Abadugan.
Abadugan or Kabadegan - means “the biggest”
Kaotekan - means “the smallest”
dokto - sweet potatoes or camote
tapuy or tapey - rice wine
kubal - breechclout
nuwang - carabao or water buffalo
( from Filipinos Writing: Philippine Literature from the Regions, Bienvenido Lumbera - General Editor, p. 32)
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