TAPENG (Cave of)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A possibly fabulous cave associated with the legendary bat Tapeng, a notorious trickster, is mentioned in the legend of Yapom and Abo-Tani (Apa Tani?) as told by the Allong people of Don (note 1) in Subansiri district. CULTURAL HISTORY - cave legend: At the very beginning Sichi-Chitu-Tuni gave birth to two brothers, Yapom the elder and Abo-Tani the younger. The brothers lived near each other on the spur of the great hill … [but came into conflict and decided to move to different places]. When they divided the land, they killed a mithun [note 2] and shared the meet between them. Yapom carried his share away but it was too heavy for Abo-Tani. He was wondering what to do, when Tapeng the bat came out from beneath a stone. Abo-Tani asked him to be his porter, but Tapeng took the meet to his own cave. He also took the mithun horns and set them over the door. When Abo-Tani realised that he had been tricked, he went to find Tapeng. He reached the cave and recognised the horns above the door.He caught hold of them and Tapeng flew out. Abo-Tani seized him and was about to kill him with his dao [note 3]. But Tapeng persuaded him to tie bits of wood to his wings and set fire to them. This is why the bat is black. But Tapeng did not die. He flew to Yapom's village and burnt his house and granaries, and his wives and children perished in the flames. Yapom and his clan began to fight with Abo-Tani (ELWIN, V 1958 / 1999: 162).He caught hold of them and Tapeng flew out. Abo-Tani seized him and was about to kill him with his dao [note 3]. But Tapeng persuaded him to tie bits of wood to his wings and set fire to them. This is why the bat is black. But Tapeng did not die. He flew to Yapom's village and burnt his house and granaries, and his wives and children perished in the flames. Yapom and his clan began to fight with Abo-Tani (ELWIN, V 1958 / 1999: 162).