Complete Text of Lam-ang (an Iloko epic) - Page 3 of 16
(English version)
He took his shield
And put it near his side
He then planted his spear
Near where his feet were.
He took his campilan [13]
From its sheathe,
Then soon was asleep
The brave man Lam-ang.
Then here appeared
The vision of his father
And then a voice said
In the dream of Lam-ang:Ay my friend Lam-ang,
Hurry and go
They are presently feasting
On the skull of your father.
Lam-ang suddenly awakened
He then gathered his weapons
And started on his way
And walked on and on.
And when he reached
The blackest mountain
In the towns of Mamdili and Dagman
He went straight to the gathering
There he saw
The skull of his father
That was placed on a stick
And made to face the feast.
And Lam-ang said:Ay tattoed Igorots
Could I ask
What the fault was
Of my father beholden?
You must pay for this!
Thus replied the tattoed Igorot:Ay our friend Lam-ang,
You had better return
To the house you came from
Or you will join
This former man, your father.
Retorted thus Lam-ang:Ay tattoed Igorot,
I will not be content
With only you as adversary,
You Igorot chief.
You, Bumacas, be responsible
Summon everybody
All your people
So they will come as one
Those of Dardarat and Padang
Those in the houses in Nuevan
In Dogodog and Tapaan
In Momoocan and Cawayan
In Amangabon and Gamban
Here in Lipay and Capariaan
There in Sumadag and Lucutan
In Tupinaw and Bandan
In Sambangki and Loy-a
In Bacong and Saraba
In Tebteb and Bacayawan. [14]
And when all were summoned
All towns and nooks
Then all were gathered
Like flocks of chickens
These tattoed Igorots.
Oh, so many were they
Nobody could count how many!
Lam-ang then went and stroked
His lawlawigan stone:
At one bound
The man Lam-ang
Was in the field
And started sounding
His armpits and groins
Flapping his legs against each other
Also the left and right arms
Of the man Lam-ang.
When they surrounded him
As close as a table's width
The man Lam-ang
When they completely surrounded him
Then they began
To fight.
Like the rain in the evening
The spears fell
The man Lam-ang
Embraced them all at once
He caught them like beetle chew
The spears that fell from all sides.
[13] campilan = Double-edged broad sword.
[14] Those of Dardarat and Padang
Those in the houses in Nuevan
In Dogodog and Tapaan
In Momoocan and Cawayan
In Amangabon and Gamban
Here in Lipay and Capariaan
There in Sumadag and Lucutan
In Tupinaw and Bandan
In Sambangki and Loy-a
In Bacong and Saraba
In Tebteb and Bacayawan = Names of Igorot villages. It is interesting to note that those still existing are now in La Union. This lends credence to the belief that the Igorots were pushed up the mountains by the lowlanders.