THE STORY OF THE GUCHIG OR DOLPHIN MAIDENS

IN THE OLDEN DAYS, AT THE DANCE PLACE (MALAL) OF A CERTAIN
NORTHERN YAPESE VILLAGE, DANCES WERE HELD FROM SUNSET TO SUNRISE. AMONG THE VILLAGERS AND OTHERS WHO CAME TO WATCH THE DANCES WERE TWO
BEAUTIFUL BUT UNKNOWN MAIDENS. EACH NIGHT THEY WERE SEEN SITTING IN THE
DARKNESS AT THE EDGE OF THE FIRELIGHT AND BEFORE DAWN THEY WOULD LEAVE. WHO THEY WERE AND FROM WHERE THEY CAME, NO ONE KNEW.
ALL WHO CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF THEIR BEAUTY BECAME CURIOUS ABOUT THE
MAIDENS. ONE YOUNG MAN WAS VERY INTERESTED IN THEM AND LONGED TO HAVE ONE OF THEM TO WIFE.

ONE EVENING, JUST AFTER SUNSET, THIS YOUNG MAN WAS AT THE SHORE
CHECKING ON HIS TUBA-PRODUCING COCONUT TREES (ACHIF). THE GUCHIG CAME CLOSER UNTIL THE WATER WAS TOO SHALLOW FOR THEM TO SWIM. THE MAN WATCHED,
ASTOUNDED, AS THE GUCHIG
MATERIALIZED INTO THE TWO MAIDENS WHO VISITED NIGHTLY IN HIS
VILLAGE. QUICKLY, HE SCURRIED UP THE TREE. FROM THERE, CONCEALED IN THE LEAVES, HE WATCHED AS THE DOLPHIN-MAIDENS SLIPPED OFF THEIR TAILS (THOLON), BURIED THEM IN THE SAND, AND APPROACHED TO RECOVER TWO GRASS SKIRTS (ONG) HIDDEN IN A BUSH UNDERNEATH HIS COCONUT TREE. THEY DONNED THEIR ONG AND LEFT
FOR THE VILLAGE MALAL.

AHA, HE HAD DISCOVERED THE SECRET OF THE STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL
MAIDENS. AND HE KNEW NOW HOW HE COULD FINALLY HAVE ONE OF THEM TO WIFE. QUICKLY, HE SLID DOWN THE COCONUT TREE AND WENT TO WHERE THE THOLON WERE BURIED. HE DUG ONE UP AND TOOK IT, LEAVING ONLY ONE TAIL IN THE SAND.

WE WILL TAKE A BETELNUT BREAK HERE AND THEN CONTINUE

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JEANNE