Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

Traditions of the Tinguian: a Study in Philippine Folk-Lore by Fay-Cooper Cole
page 12 of 359 (03%)
excitement (p. 80). When night comes on, if it be in the dry season,
bonfires spring up in different parts of the village, and about them
the girls and women gather to spin. Here also come the men and boys,
to lounge and talk (p. 117). A considerable portion of the man's time
is taken up in preparation for or actual participation in warfare
(p. 74). We have already seen that the constant danger of enemies
makes it advisable for the women to go in parties, even to the village
spring. One tale informs us of a girl who is left alone to guard the
rice field and is promptly killed by the _alzado;_ [9] another states
that "all the tattooed Igorot are enemies" (pp. 43, 155, 161).

Revenge for the loss of relations or townspeople is a potent cause
of hostile raids; old feuds may be revived by taunts; but the chief
incentive appears to be the desire for renown, to be known as "a man
who goes to fight in the enemies' towns" (pp. 90, 59).

Warriors sometimes go in parties, sometimes alone, but generally in
couples (p. 67). At times they lie in ambush and kill young girls
who go for water, or old men and women who pass their hiding place
(p. 97). Again they go out boldly, armed with shield, spear, and
headaxe; they strike their shields as they go and announce their
presence to the enemy (p. 103). In five of the tales the heroes
challenge their opponents and then refuse to be the first to use their
weapons. It is only when their foes have tried in vain to injure them
that they enter the conflict. In such cases whole towns are wiped out
of existence and a great number of heads and a quantity of jars and
other booty is sent back to the towns of the victors (p. 104). Peace
is restored in one instance by the payment of a number of valuable jars
(p. 91).

DigitalOcean Referral Badge