Biag ni Lam-Ang

In Nalbuan, somewhere in the Valley off Naguilian River in La Union lived Don Juan Panganiban and his
wife Namongan. At the time Namongan was getting ready to give birth to her first born, Don Juan
Panganiban had to go to the mountains to punish an Igorot band. While the husband was away, Namongan
gave birth to a baby boy with both the power of speech and an unusual physical form. He told his mother
that he should be named Lam-Ang.

The boy asked his mother where his father was. Lam-Ang learned his father has gone to fight the Igorots.
When Lam-ang was nine months old his father has not yet returned; armed with charms and powers, Lam-
ang left his mother to look after his father. From a dream, he learned that his father was killed by the Igorots.
Later, Lam-ang found the Igorots in a sagang, a feast celebrating a successful head hunting expedition. He
found the Igorots still feasting around the severed head of his father. Lam-ang slew them all, except one
whom he tortured first before releasing.

Upon returning home, ninety-nine maidens gave him a bath in the Amburayan River. For his shampoo, he
burned so much straw that the communities near the river were alarmed by the smoke. From the dirt of his
hair and foul odor of his body, the water turned black and all the fish in the river died.

***

Lam-ang heard about the beautiful maiden named Ines Kannoyan, daughter of the richest man of the town of
Kalanutian. He told his mother of his desire to court the maiden. Although his mother tried to discourage
him, nevertheless, he took a white rooster and a dog with him as he went forth to court Ines.

On his way to Kalanutian, he met his rival named Sumarang. They quarreled violently and hurled nine hills
away. Later, Sarindang tried to seduce him but Lam-ang rejected her advances. Reaching Kalanutian, Lam-ang
found a crowd of rivals for the hand of Ines Kannoyan. He impressed everyone with his magic. He made his
white roster crow mightily and immediately, the small house in the neighborhood collapsed, the people
shouted with surprise and fear.

Hearing the noise, Ines looked out her window. To impress Ines Kannoyan, he made his dog growl and the
house that collapsed erected again as if nothing had happened. Duly impressed, Ines and her parents came
down and invited Lam-ang. The rooster acted as the spokeperson of Lam-ang. From the rooster, Ines and
her parents learned the true intentions of Lam-ang.

The Parents of Ines Kannoyan asked for a bride price. They said they will bestow the hands of Ines to Lam-
ang if he could equal their wealth consisting of lands and golds. Lam-ang went home and prepared for his
wedding. With the help of his mother Namongan and transfolk, he was able to bring gold more than the
match of the wealth of the Kannoyans. He married Ines and there was great celebration.

After sometime, the headman of the town reminded Lam-ang of their tradition where Lam-ang had to catch
rarang. Lam-ang told Ines he had a premonition that he would be bitten by a giant fish called berkakan.

Inspite of this, Lam-ang was not discouraged to comply with what the tradition dictates him to do. Just as he
had dreamt so, Lam-ang was swallowed by the giant fish.
Ines became very sad and lonely but the white rooster told her that if the bones of Lam-ang could be
recovered, he might be revived. With the help of the diver named Marcos, all the bonesof Lam-ang were
collected. Ines was instructed to put her apron over the bones of Lam-ang. The rooster crowed, and the hen
flapped her wings. The dog growled twice, running and pawing the bones, life began to stir in the assembled
bones of Lam-ang. Because of this, Lam-ang rewarded the diver, then the couple lived happily ever after with
their pets.