The Great Flood

Aponi-tolau, hero of the Ttinggian, descended to the lowlands from his home in the mountains of Abra one day. On reaching the seashore, he was so beguiled by the calm blue seas that he built a rattan raft and sailed on.

Aponi-tolau reached the end of the world in the course of his journey, and there found the home of Tau-mari-u, Lord of the Seas. The towering rock was guarded by nine beautiful daughters of the seaweeds.

Aponi-tolau gathered his courage and inquired from the maidens what place it was. They, however, made sport of him, which angered the young man. He lashed at the maidens with his magic hook and caught the youngest and most beautiful of the guards, Humitau, and took off with her.

When he learned of the abduction, the furious Tau-mari-u sent the sea waves and the tunas to return the interloper and Humitau. As they raced to the shore, Aponi-tolau begged his mother, Lang-an of Kadalayapan who was goddess of the rain and winds, to help them.

The goddess thus commanded the wind to bring her son and his captive to safety. Tau-mari-u was enraged when he found out that Aponi-tolau has escaped his wrath. So he let loose the sea on the plains.

On the advise of his mother, Aponi-taloa and his household retreated to the mountain top. The maiden had grown to love Aponi-tolau and had, in fact, taken his hand in marriage. She had also eaten the mountain food of her husband which stripped her of her sea powers.

Tau-mari-u taking pity on his beloved Humitau, finally relented. When the waters subsided, Aponi-tolau and Humitau went back to lowlands and settled in peace, and from them came the people of the world .