world, but were dispossessed by two human beings, Toglai and Toglibon,
from whom all the people of the world are descended. After their death a
great drought caused the people to disperse and seek out new homes in
other parts. They journeyed in pairs and because of the objects which
they carried with them, they are now known by certain names. One couple,
for instance, carried with them a small basket called _bira-an_, and for
this reason their children are known as Bira-an (Bila-an). From the time
of the dispersion until the arrival of the Spaniards we learn that
certain mythical heroes performed wonderful feats, in some cases being
closely identified with the spirits themselves, in others making use of
magic, the knowledge of which seems to have been common in those times.

The two following tales are typical of those commonly heard in a Bagobo
gathering. The first was told by Urbano Eli, a Bagobo of Malilla.

"After the people were created a man named LumabEt was born. He could
talk when he was one day old and the people said he was sent by Manama.
He lived ninety seasons and when still a young man he had a hunting dog
which he took to hunt on the mountain. The dog started up a white deer
and LumabEt and his companions followed until they had gone about the
world nine times when they finally caught it. At the time they caught
the deer LumabEt's hair was grey and he was an old man. All the time he
was gone he had only one banana and one camote with him for food. When
night came he planted the skin of the banana and in the morning he had
ripe bananas to eat, and the camotes came the same way. When he had
caught the deer LumabEt called the people to see him and he told them to
kill his father. They obeyed him and then LumabEt took off his headband
and waved it in the air over the dead man, and he at once was alive
again. He did this eight times and at the eighth time his father was
small like a little boy, for every time the people cut him in two the