, and the sexton was ringing the bells to call
the people to mass. As soon as the old man and woman heard the bells
they thought the people there had been notified of their escape,
and that they, too, were trying to catch them. So they turned and
started home again.

As they reached their house, the three sons came home with their one
horse and tied it to the trunk of the caramay tree. Presently the
bells began to ring again, for it was twelve o'clock at noon. Not
thinking what time of day it was, the old man and woman ran out
of doors in terror, and seeing the horse jumped on its back with
the intention of riding to the next town before anyone could catch
them. When they had mounted they began to whip the horse. In their
haste, they had forgotten to untie the rope which was around the
trunk of the caramay tree. As the horse pulled at the rope fruit fell
from the tree upon the old man and woman. Believing they were shot,
they were so frightened that they died. [150]

The Presidente who had Horns

_Ilocano_

Once there was a presidente [151] who was very unjust to his people,
and one day he became so angry that he wished he had horns so that
he might frighten them. No sooner had he made this rash wish, than
horns began to grow on his head.

He sent for a barber who came to his house to cut his hair, and as
he worked the presidente asked:

"What do you see on my head?"

"I see nothing," answered the barber; for although he could see the
horns plainly, he was afraid to say so.

Soon, however, the presidente put up his hands and felt the horns, and
then when he inquired again the barber told him that he had two horns.

"If you tell anyone what you have seen, you shall be hanged," said the
presidente as the barber started away, and he was greatly frightened.

When he reached home, the barber did not intend to tell anyone, for
he was afraid; but as he thought of his secret more and more, the
desire to tell someone became so strong that he knew he could not keep
it. Finally he went to the field and dug a hole under some bamboo,
and when the hole was large enough he crawled in and whispered that
the presidente had horns. He then climbed out, filled up the hole,
and went home.

By and by some people came along the road on their way to market,
and as they passed the bamboo they stopped in amazement, for surely
a voice came from the trees, and it said that the presidente had
horns. These people hastened to ma