Dan Drey B.

Dela Cruz
7-Paleontologists

Why the Sky is High (Tagalog Version)

In the early days, when the sky was still low, two brothers named Ingat and Daskol lived with their
parents on Earth.

As their names indicate, Ingat was careful in everything he did and was, therefore, his father's right hand
man. He was always helping with the work in the field, and his parents were very pleased with him.

On the other hand, Daskol did his work sloppily. In the absence of a daughter in the family, the house
work came to be Daskol's responsibility. He fetched water, cleaned the house, and did the cooking. He
also pounded the palay that his father and Ingat harvested. Even in pounding, Daskol lived up to his
name. Half of the grain he pounded scattered and fell to the ground. Being naturally lazy and
impatient, he did not like the work of pounding rice.

One day, Daskol had to pound a greater quantity of palay than usual. He was irritated because, every
time he raised the pestle, it would hit the sky. His anger added to his strength and desire to finish the
work quickly. So he raised the pestle higher, and every time it hit the sky, the sky would be raised. In
his hurry, Daskol did not notice that the sky was rising. When he finished pounding rice, he looked up
and discovered that the sky had risen, and that is why it is where it is today.

Why the Sky is High (Iloko Version)

In the olden days the Earth is covered with darkness and the sky was still low that you could
have reached it. In this version of why the sky is high a man brought a venison on their home. They want
to eat the marrow but it was too big to eat them so they pounded it into smaller pieces. The girl hung
her necklace and comb. She was pounding the marrow and she noticed that the pestle hit the sky so she
asked the sky to rose higher. The necklace became the stars and the comb became the moon. So, it is
clearly said that the sky rose higher it’s because of the pestle who hit the sky. There are some
advantages if the sky is low like, it is easier for you to reach, touch and feel the fresh air in the sky but it
has also a disadvantage like, you can be harm by the thunder and the ultraviolet rays (UV rays) of the
sun it’s because the sky is so low.

Therefore, God made the sky even more higher compared to the olden days. God loves us so
much and he don’t want us to be harm that’s why he made the sky even more higher for where it is
found and can be seen today.
 Why the Sky is High (Hiligaynon Version)

In the olden days the sky was so low-so low that it could be reached by a stick of ordinary length. The
people in those days said that God had created the sky in such a way that he could hear his people when
they called to him. In turn, God could send his blessings to earth as soon as men needed them. Because
of this close connection between God and his subjects, the people were provided for, and they did not
need to work.

Whenever they wanted to eat, they could simply call God. Before their request was made, almost, the
food would be on the table; but after the expulsion of Adam and Eve, God made men work for their own
living. With this change in their condition came the custom of holding feasts, when the men would rest
from their labors.

One day one of the chiefs, Abing by name, held a feast. Many people came to enjoy it. A sayao, or native
war-dance, was given in honor of the men belonging to the chief, and it was acted by men brandishing
spears. While acting, one of the actors, who was drunk, tried to show his skill, but he forgot that the sky
was so low. When he darted his spear, he happened to pierce the sky, and one of the gods was
wounded. This angered God the Father: so he raised the sky as we have it today far from the earth.