In the Beginning

_Bilaan_ (_Mindanao_)

In the beginning there were four beings, [131] and they lived on an

island no larger than a hat. On this island there were no trees or

grass or any other living thing besides these four people and one

bird. [132] One day they sent this bird out across the waters to

see what he could find, and when he returned he brought some earth,

a piece of rattan, and some fruit.

Melu, the greatest of the four, took the soil and shaped it and beat

it with a paddle in the same manner in which a woman shapes pots of

clay, and when he finished he had made the earth. Then he planted

the seeds from the fruit, and they grew until there was much rattan

and many trees bearing fruit.

The four beings watched the growth for a long time and were well

pleased with the work, but finally Melu said:

"Of what use is this earth and all the rattan and fruit if there are

no people?"

And the others replied, "Let us make some people out of wax."

So they took some wax and worked long, fashioning it into forms,

but when they brought them to the fire the wax melted, and they saw

that men could not be made in that way.

Next they decided to try to use dirt in making people, and Melu and

one of his companions began working on that. All went well till they

were ready to make the noses. The companion, who was working on that

part, put them on upside down. Melu told him that the people would

drown if he left them that way, but he refused to change them.

When his back was turned, however, Melu seized the noses, one by one,

and turned them as they now are. But he was in such a hurry that he

pressed his finger at the root, and it left a mark in the soft clay

which you can still see on the faces of people.

The Story of the Creation

_Bilaan_ (_Mindanao_)

In the very beginning there lived a being so large that he can not

be compared with any known thing. His name was Melu, [129] and when

he sat on the clouds, which were his home, he occupied all the space

above. His teeth were pure gold, and because he was very cleanly

and continually rubbed himself with his hands, his skin became pure

white. The dead skin which he rubbed off his body [130] was placed

on one side in a pile, and by and by this pile became so large that

he was annoyed and set himself to consider what he could do with it.

Finally Melu decided to make the earth; so he worked very hard in

putting the dead skin into shape, and when it was finished he was so

pleased with it that he determined to make two beings like himself,

though smaller, to live on it.

Taking the remnants of the material left after making the earth he

fashioned two men but just as they were all finished except their

noses, Tau Tana from below the earth appeared and wanted to help him.

Melu did not wish any assistance, and a great argument ensued. Tau

Tana finally won his point and made the noses which he placed on the

people upside down. When all was finished, Melu and Tau Tana whipped

the forms until they moved. Then Melu went to his home above the

clouds, and Tau Tana returned to his place below the earth.

All went well until one day a great rain came, and the people on the

earth nearly drowned from the water which ran off their heads into

their noses. Melu, from his place on the clouds, saw their danger,

and he came quickly to earth and saved their lives by turning their

noses the other side up.

The people were very grateful to him, and promised to do anything

he should ask of them. Before he left for the sky, they told him

that they were very unhappy living on the great earth all alone, so

he told them to save all the hair from their heads and the dry skin

from their bodies and the next time he came he would make them some

companions. And in this way there came to be a great many people on

the earth.