The tales give constant sanction for the marriage of near
relatives. Dumanau, we are told, marries his cousin, [19] while we
frequently meet with such statements as, "We are relatives and it is
good for us to be married," or "They saw that they were related and
that both possessed magical power, so they were married (p. 35)." It
appears that a man may live with his sweetheart and have children
by her, yet leave her, and, without reproach, marry another better
fitted to be his wife (p. 54). He may also accept payment for a wife
who has deserted him, apparently without loss of prestige (p. 64). No
objection seems to be raised to a man having two wives so long as
one of these is an inhabitant of the upper world (p. 111), but we
find Kanag telling his former sweetheart that he cannot marry her
since he is now married to another (p. 138). Again, when two women
lay claim to Aponitolau, as their husband, they undergo a test and
the loser returns to her former home (p. 94). However, this rule does
not prevent a man from having several concubines (p., 120). Gawigawen,
we are told, is accompanied to a pakalon by eighteen young girls who
are his concubines (p. 59).

Divorce is twice mentioned, but it seems to call out protest only
from the cast off wife (pp. 63, 149).

Closely associated with the celebration of a marriage seems to be a
ceremony known as Sayang, during the progress of which a number of
small structures--the largest known as balaua--are built. Judging by
their names and descriptions, we are justified in considering them
"spirit houses" as they are to-day.

The details of the extended Sayang ceremony are nowhere given, but
so much is made plain:--At its beginning many people pound rice,