me hungry; so Carancal, their captain, ordered one of
them to climb a tall tree and see if any house was nigh. Bugtongpalasan
did so, and he saw a big house near the edge of the forest. They all
went to the house to see if they might not beg some food.

It was a very large house; but all the windows were closed, and
it seemed to be uninhabited. They knocked at the door, but no one
answered. Then they went in, and found a table covered with delicious
food; and as they were almost famished, they lost no time in devouring
what seemed to have been prepared for them. After all had eaten,
three of them went hunting, leaving Bugtongpalasan behind to cook
more food for them against their return.

While Bugtongpalasan was cooking, he felt the earth tremble, and in
a short time he saw a big giant ascending the stairs of the house,
saying, "Ho, bajo tao cainco," [15] which means "I smell a man whom
I will eat." Bugtongpalasan faced him, but what could a man do to
a big giant? The monster pulled a hair out of his head and tied
Bugtongpalasan to a post. Then he cooked his own meal. After eating,
he went away, leaving his prisoner in the house.

When the three arrived, they were very angry with Bugtongpalasan
because no food had been prepared for them; but they untied him,
and made him get the meal. Tunkodbola was the next one left behind
as cook while the others went hunting, but he had the same experience
as Bugtongpalasan. Then Macabuhalbundok; but the same thing happened
to him too.

It was now the turn of Carancal to try his wit, strength, and
luck. Before the three left, he had them shave his head. When the
giant came and saw that Carancal's head was white, he laughed. "It
is a very fine thing to have a white head," said the giant. "Make my
head white, too."

"Your head must be shaved to be white," said Carancal, "and it is a
very difficult thing to shave a head."

"Never mind that! I want to have my head shaved," said the giant
impatiently.

Carancal then got some ropes and wax. He tied the giant tightly to
a post, and then smeared his body with wax. He next took a match and
set the giant's body on fire. Thus the giant was destroyed, and the
four lived in the house as if it were their own.

Not long afterwards a rumor reached their ears. It was to this effect:
that in a certain kingdom on the other side of the sea lived a king who
wanted to have a huge stone removed from its place. This stone was so
big that it cove