Music Welcome to Snewscast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us on snewscast.com and follow us on Instagram at snewscast to find behind the scenes content. If you enjoy our show, please write a review on the podcast app. Also, shares with a friend. snoozecast is intended to be listened to one episode at a time, rather than through continuous play. The episodes get softer as they get to the end and we don't want you to be welcome back up. Most podcast players default to playing continuously, but there's usually an option to use a sleep timer. You can also simply listen directly through our website, snoozecast.com where it will only play one episode at a time. If you'd like to get an email once a week with upcoming sleep stories and other news, subscribe to this newsletter at snoozecast.com. This episode is brought to you by our Patreon supporters and by the heavens above. Tonight, we'll read a folktale called, Aponi Bolinayan and the Sun. the book Philippine Folktales, published in 1916, compiled by anthropologist Mabel Cook-Kohl. This story comes from the Tingyan or Iteneg people who live in a mountainous region in the Philippines. The Itenegs believe in the existence of numerous supernatural powerful beings. They believe in spirits and deities, the greatest of which they believe to be Kedaklan, who lives up in the sky and who created the earth, the moon, the stars and the sun. Tonight we'll read about the sun in particular and how we came to be married to a special mortal woman with magical powers. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softness of your bed. Now, take a few deep breaths. One day, a pony boolean again, and her sister-in-law went out to gather greens and herbs for a salad. They walked to the woods to the place where the six-six-lot grew. For the tender leaves of this vine are very good to eat. While searching about in the underbrush, a pony-bullenaean suddenly cried out with joy. for she had found the vine, and she started to pick the leaves. Pull as hard as she would, however, the leaves did not come loose, and all at once the vine wound itself around her body and began carrying her upward. Far up through the air she went, crashing through the canopy of tree tops until she reached the open sky.

And there, the vine set her down under a sky tree. A pony-bellinean was so surprised to find herself in the sky that for some time she just sat and looked around and then hearing a rooster crow. She arose to see if she could find it. far from where she had sat was a beautiful spring of gurgling clear water surrounded by tall beetle nut trees whose tops were pure gold. The soft sandy shore of the spring was actually made of rare and sparkling beads. In the place where women would traditionally set their carrying vessels when they came to dip water from the spring, there was a large golden plate. The a pony-ballina yen stood admiring all the beauties of this spring, she beheld a little cottage nearby. She grew concerned, Lest the owner should find her there. Since she knew, she was a stranger in this sky-world. She looked about for some means of escape and finally climbed to the top of a beetle nut tree and hid. Now, the owner of this house was any in it, also known as the son. He was never at home in the daylight, for it was his duty to shine in the sky and give light to all the world. At the close of the day, when the big star took his place in the sky to shine through the night, and he in it returned to his cottage. But early the next morning, he was always off again. From her place in the top of the beetle nut tray, a pony Nebelineyan saw the sun when he came home at evening time. And again the next morning she saw him leave. When she was sure that he was out of sight she climbed down and entered his dwelling. For she was very hungry. She cooked up a nice pot of fluffy rice on the stove. The stove consisting of a bed of ashes in which three stones were sunk.

And on these, the pots were placed.

Next. in which three stones were sunk, and on these the pots were placed next into a pot of boiling water. She dropped a stick, for there was nothing else to cook. The stick immediately turned into fish, so that she had all she wished to eat. When she was

no longer hungry, she lay down on the bed to sleep. Now, late in the afternoon, any in it returned from his work after welcoming the big star back for his shift, and he went to fish in the spring near his house where he caught a big fish. While he sat on the bank with the sand made of rare beads and the golden beetle nut trees shading him, he cleaned his catch. In it happened to look up toward his house and was startled to see that it appeared to be on fire. He hurried home, but when he reached the house, he saw that it was not burning at all. And he entered. It was a mirage, caused by the great beauty within. On his bed, he beheld what looked like a flame of fire. But upon going closer, he found that it was this beautiful woman fast asleep. In it stood for some time wondering what he should do. And then he decided to cook some food and invite this lovely lady to eat with him for he so rarely had company. He put rice over the fire to boil and cut into pieces the fish he had caught. The noise of this awakened a pony booleanian and she quietly slipped out of the house and back to the top of the beetle nut tree. the sun did not see her leave, and when the food was prepared, he called to her, but the bed was empty. He had to eat all alone. That night, in it could not sleep well. For all the time he wondered who the beautiful, strange woman could be. The next morning, however, he rose as usual and set forth to shine in the sky for that was his work. That day a pony-belina yand stole again to the house of the sun and cooked food. And when she returned to the beetle nut tree, she left rice and fish ready for the sun when he came home. Late in the afternoon, any in it went into his home. And when he found pots of hot rice and fish over the fire, he was greatly troubled. After he had eaten, he walked a long time in the fresh sky air. Perhaps it is done by the lovely woman who looks like a flame of fire. He said, if she comes again, I will try to catch her. The next day, the sun shown in the sky as before.

And when the afternoon grew late, he called to the big star to hurry to take his place for he was impatient to reach home. As he drew near the house, he saw that it again looked as if it was on fire. He crept quietly up the ladder. And when he had reached the top, he sprang in and shut the door behind him. A pony boolean again, who was cooking rice over the fire, was surprised and angry that she had been caught. the sun gave her some of his golden beetle nuts,

and they chewed together

and told each other their names.

Now, the beetle nut is the nut of a type of palm tree. It is prepared for chewing by being cut into quarters. Each piece being wrapped in beetle leaf spread with lime. Significance is given to the chewing of beetle nuts before names are

told or introductions given, and it appears to have been possible to foretell events and establish relationships simply based off of the beetle nut chewing process. So, after they finished their beetle nut chewing, a pony booleanian turned to the rice and fish she had cooked, and served both of them gracefully. As they ate, they talked together and became acquainted. After some time, a pony-ballina' again and the sun were married. Every morning, the sun went to shine in the sky, and upon his return at night, he found his supper ready for him. However, he began to be troubled to know where the food came from. For though he brought home a fine fish every night, for some reason, a pony boolee n always refused to cook it. One night, he watched her prepare their meal, and he saw that instead of using the nice fish he had brought, she only dropped a stick into the pot of boiling water. Why do you try to cook a stick? Asked any in it in surprise? So that we can have fish to eat, answered his wife. If you cook that stick for a month, it will not be soft. Said any in it, take this real fish that I caught in the net, for it will be delicious. But a pony-belly-nihan only laughed, and when they were ready to eat, she took the lid off the pot and told any in it to come take a look. He saw that there were plenty of tender, fresh fish cooking in the pot. The next night and the next, a pony-blingian cooked the stick, and any in it became perplexed. He saw that though the stick always supplied them with fish, it never grew smaller. Finally, he asked a pony-blinga again why it was that she cooked this stick instead of the

fish he brought. She said, having you heard of the woman down on earth who has magical powers and can change things? Yes, answered the sun. and now I know that you have great power. Well, then, said his wife, to not ask again why I cook the stick. And they ate their supper of rice and the fish, which the stick made.

One night, not long after this, a pony-bullinean told her husband that she wanted to go with him the next day when he made light in the sky. Oh no, you can't do that. Said the sun. For it's very hot up there, you cannot stand that kind of heat. We'll take lots of blankets and pillows. Said the woman. And when the heat becomes really too much, I'll hide under them. Again and again, ine in it begged her not to go, but as often as she again insisted on accompanying him, so early in the morning they set out, carrying with them piles of blankets and pillows. First, they went to the east, and as soon as they arrived, the sun began to shine, and a pony bullenian was by his side. They traveled toward the west, but when morning had passed into noon time and they had reached the middle of the sky, a pony-ballina yen was so hot that she melted and became oil. Any in it wasn't sure what to do with this precious oil, so we put her into a bottle, wrapped her in the blankets and pillows, and dropped her down to earth. Now, at this moment, one of the women of a pony-bullenae in town was at the spring, dipping water into her vessel. When she heard something fall from the sky near her, and land on the sand with a soft thump, turning to look, she beheld a bundle of beautiful blankets and pillows which she began to

enroll. And inside she found the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. startled by her discovery? The woman ran as fast as she could to the town, where she called the people together and told them to come at once to the spring. They all hastened to the spot and there they found a pony booleanian, for whom they had been searching everywhere. Where have you been? Asked her father. been searching all over the world and we could not find you. I've come from the neighboring town of Pindayan, Answered a Ponybulina Yen Slyly. Enemies of our tribe took me and I made my escape while they were asleep at night.

All were filled with joy that the lost one had returned and they decided that at the next moon,

since they had no calendar except tracking the cycle of the moon. They would perform a ceremony for the spirits and invite all the relatives who were mourning for a pony boolean-ian.

So they began to prepare for the ceremony. And while they were pounding rice, a pony boolean-ian asked her mother to prick her finger where it itched. And as she did so, a beautiful baby boy popped out from the drop of blood. The people were very much surprised at this, and they noticed that every time he was bathed, the baby grew very fast so that in a short time he was able to walk. Then they were anxious to know who was the husband of a pony bullenian, but she would not tell them, and they decided to invite everyone in the world to the ceremony that they might not overlook him. In ripe, the beetle nut is covered with a golden husk. So they sent for the beetle nuts that were covered with gold, as they said. And when they had oiled them as customary, they commanded the beetle nuts to go to all the towns and compel the people to come to the ceremony. If anyone refuses to come, grow on his knee, said the people to these beetle nuts, and the beetle nuts departed to do as they were bitten. the guests began to arrive. the people watched carefully for one who might be the husband of a pony-ballinayan, but none appeared and they were greatly troubled. Finally, they went to the old woman who was able to talk with the spirits and begged her to find what town had not been visited by the beetle nuts which had been sent to invite everyone. After she had consulted the spirits, the old woman said, you have invited all the people except any in it who lives up above. Now you must send a beetle nut to summon him. It may be that he is the husband of a pony bullina yen. For the six-cycloat vine carried her up when she went to gather greens. So a beetle nut was called and bid in to summon any in it. The beetle nut went up to the sun who was in his house and said, Good morning, son. I have come to summon you to a ceremony which the father and mother of a pony-ballenaean are making for the spirits. If you do not want to go, I will grow on your head. Grow on my head then, said the sun, I don't

wish to go. So the beetle nut jumped upon his head and grew until it became so tall that the sun was not able to carry it, and he was in great pain.

Oh. tall that the sun was not able to carry it and he was in great pain.

How, grow on my pig, beg the sun, so the beetle nut jumped upon the pig's head and grew, But it was so heavy that the pig could not carry it and squealed all the time. At last the sun saw that he would have to obey the summons and he said to the beetle knight, get off my pig and I'll go. So, any in it came to the ceremony, and as soon as a pony bullina yen and the baby saw him, they were very happy and ran to meet him. Then the people knew that this was the husband of a pony boolean and they waited eagerly for him to come up to them. As he drew near, however, they saw that he did not walk for he was round and then they perceived that he did not walk, for he was round, and then they perceived that he was not a man, but a large stone. All her relatives were very angry to find that a pony bully-na-n had married a stone stone and they compelled her to take off her beads and her good clothes for they said she must now dress in old clothes and go live with the stone. So a pony booleanayan put on the rags that they brought her and at once set out with the stone for his home. No sooner had they arrived there, however, then he became a handsome man and they were very happy.

Now... Then he became a handsome man, and they were very happy. Now, it was their people's custom to make numerous ceremonies for the spirits. During this period, animals, small houses are built, and mediums deliver messages from the spirits. There is much feasting and dancing. The sun said, in one moon, we will make a ceremony for the spirits, and I will pay your father and mother the marriage

price for you. This pleased Aponi Bollini Anne very much, and they used magic so that they had many neighbors who came to pound rice for them and to build a large spirit house. Then, they sent oiled beetle nuts to summon their relatives to the ceremony. The father of a pony boolean a.n. did not want to go, but the beetle not threatened to grow on his knee if he did not. So instead he commanded all the people in town to wash their hair and clothes. And when all was ready, they set out.

When they reached the town, they were surprised

...