coming here for? you say. I come because I wish
to see you." Not long after he went to get _basi_, and he had made her
drink. When they had drunk, she said, "The other reason I came here,
Nephew Aponibalagen, is that Aponitolau sent me, for he wishes to
marry your sister." "I have no sister. I do not know what my mother
did with her," he replied. "We have no daughter. Aponibalagen is our
only child," said Ebang. While they were still talking they kept on
drinking the _basi_. When the old woman Langa-an became drunk she
told them that Aponibolinayen was in Kadalayapan, and Aponibalagen
was surprised and his heart jumped. "I went to hide Aponibolinayen
in Lisnayan so that no one would see her, but now someone has found
her." So Langa-an gave them the engagement present [141] and she
asked how much they must pay as the marriage price. "You must fill the
_balaua_ nine times," they answered. So Langa-an filled the _balaua_
nine times with different kinds of valuable things. As soon as she
had paid the marriage price she went back home. When she arrived in
Kadalayapan and reached the top of the ladder of the house she laid
down and slept, for she was drunk. "How strange you act, mother. Why
don't you tell us the news before you sleep?" said Aponitolau, and
she said, "The engagement and marriage gifts were accepted."

In the afternoon they began to make _Sayang_. [142] Not long after the
old woman Alokotan, who conducted the _Sayang_ and made them dance
_Da-eng_, [143] arrived and she began to perform the ceremony. When
it became morning, "You people who live with us, come and pound
rice," said Aponibolinayen. So the people gathered and pounded rice
for them. As soon as they finished pounding rice she commanded her
_liblibayan_ [144] to go and get betel-nuts. When they arrived with
the betel-nuts, "You betel-nuts come and oil yourselves and go to
invite all our relatives, for we are making _Sayang_. Invite all the
people except the old enemies," she said and when it became evening
they made _Libon_ [145]

Asibowan was anxious to chew betel-nut and she went to search for
one in the corner of her house and she found an oiled nut which was
covered with gold. When she tried to cut it in two it said to her. "Do
not cut me, for I came to invite people to attend the _Sayang_ of
Aponitolau and Aponibolinayen." And Asibowan said, "I cannot go." "If
you do not come I will grow on your knee," said the betel-nut. "No,
go on my big pig."