At last the father went home alone, and he and the boy’s mother were filled with grief that they had lost their son.
Some time after this, Aponitolau prepared to go out to fight. He took his spear and shield and head-ax and started early one morning, but when he reached the gate of the town, Kanag flew over him, giving him a bad sign, so he turned back. The next morning he started again, and this time the little bird gave him a good sign, and knowing that nothing would injure him, he went on.
After a long journey he reached a hostile town where the people said they were glad to see him, and added that because he was the first of his people who had dared to enter their town they intended to keep him there.
“Oh,” said Aponitolau, “if you say that I cannot return home, call all your people together and we will fight.”
“You are very brave,” answered his enemies, “if you wish to fight us all.”
And when the people had gathered together they laughed at him and said, “Why, one of our fingers would fight you.”
Nevertheless, Aponitolau prepared to fight, and when the bravest of the enemy threw his spear and head-ax at him he jumped and escaped. They noticed that he jumped very high, so they all ran at him, throwing their spears and trying to kill him.
But Aponitolau caught all their weapons, and then while they were unarmed he threw his own spear, and it flew about among them until it had killed them all. Then he sent his head-ax, and it cut off all the heads of the enemy; and he used magical power so that these heads went to his home in Kadalayapan.
After that Aponitolau sat down by the gate of the town to rest, and the little bird, flying over his head, called down:
“The sign that I gave you was good, Father, and you have killed all your enemies.”
“Yes,” said the man, and as he started on the home-ward journey the little bird always flew near him. When he reached home, he stuck the heads around the town, [63] and commanded the people to go out all over the world and invite everyone and especially the pretty girls to come to a party in celebration of his victory.
The people came from all parts of the world, and while they played on the gongs and danced, Aponitolau called to Kanag and said:
“Come down, my son; do not stay always in the tops of the trees. Come and see the pretty girls and see which one you want to marry. Get the golden cup and give them basi to drink.”
But Kanag answered, “I would rather stay in the tops of the trees and give the signs when anyone goes to fight.”
Then the father and mother pleaded with him to become a boy once more, begging his forgiveness and promising never again to send him to guard the rice. But he would not listen to them, and only flew away.
Finding that they could not win him that way, Aponitolau and Aponibolinayen called the spirit servants, and commanded them to follow Kanag wherever he went, and to find a girl whom he would want to marry. So the spirit servants went after him, and wherever he went they followed.