You must give a bridge built of stone to cross the great river,"
said one.

And another: "A ship of stone you must give, and you must change into
gold all the cocoanuts and leaves in the Sultan's grove."

"All this can be done," said Balatama. "My uncles will give all save
the statue of gold, and that I shall give myself. But first I must
go to my father's town to secure it."

At this they were angry and declared that he had made sport of them
and unless he produced the statue at once they would kill him.

"If I give you the statue now," said he, "there will come dreadful
storms, rain, and darkness."

But they only laughed at him and insisted on having the statue,
so he reached in his helmet and drew it forth.

Immediately the earth began to quake. A great storm arose, and stones
as large as houses rained until the Sultan called to Balatama to put
back the statue lest they all be killed.

"You would not believe what I told you," said the boy; "and now I am
going to let the storm continue."

But the Sultan begged him and promised that Bantugan might marry his
daughter with no other gifts at all save the statue of gold. Balatama
put back the statue into his helmet, and the air became calm again
to the great relief of the Sultan and his courtiers. Then Balatama
prepared to return home, promising that Bantugan would come in three
months for the wedding.

All went well with the boy on the way home until he came to the fence
surrounding the stone in the form of a man, and there he was detained
and compelled to remain four months.

Now about this time a Spanish general heard that Bantugan was preparing
to marry the Sultan's daughter, whom he determined to wed himself. A
great expedition was prepared, and he with all his brothers embarked on
his large warship which was followed by ten thousand other ships. They
went to the Sultan's city, and their number was so great that they
filled the harbor, frightening the people greatly.

Then the General's brother disembarked and came to the house of the
Sultan. He demanded the Princess for the General, saying that if the
request were refused, the fleet would destroy the city and all its
people. The Sultan and his courtiers were so frightened that they
decided to give his daughter to the General, the next full moon being
the date set for the wedding.

In the meantime Bantugan had been preparing everything for the
marriage which he expected to take place at the appointed ti