Legends
Listed are stories told from different sources as I came across them over the years. You may notice some retellings have more information than others, some stories longer or shorter, and some with different "endings". Within reading variations of the same story over time through different narration, I have begun to retell the stories in my own voice. One way is through my ceramics, but I soon hope through my own writing from memory and adding them to this list. I am honored to have been gifted with the passion of preserving these stories, embodying them into my own retellings, and evolving the narration.
The Palauan Handicraft Guidebook and 30 Storyboard stories
* NGIBTAL - BREADFRUIT TREE
A female demigod, Dirachedebsungel, was rewarded for teaching Palauans how to grow taro by the gift of a magic breadfruit tree. The tree had a hollow trunk and a broken limb through which each ocean swell forced numbers of fish into her yard. Neighbors became jealous of her constant fish supply and cut down the tree, causing the entire island to be flooded. The woman demigod was the only one saved from the flood.. She moved on, married, and raised four sons who founded the villages of Melekeok, Koror, Aireliik, and Ngeremlengui.
*DEMEI OF AIRAI - REAR ATTACK OF THE CROCODILE
This is the true story of an incident that happened around 1940. Damei of Airai was attending to his "natural functions” outside of a bai (meeting house) when a crocodile crept up behind him and bit poor Demei on the rump! The man survived the attack through care given in the Japanese hospital in Koror. (The storyboard depicts the attack of the crocodile upon the man’s posterior).
*Kerul Ngirakerenguang- The Secret Potion
The wife of Ngirakerenguang was raped, as she took an evening bath. The only description she could give her husband of her assailant was that he had an unusually large penis. The enraged husband swore revenge and made a plan.
At the next men’s gathering, he volunteered to mix a large container of coconut drink into which he slipped an aphrodisiac. As the man drank, he watched the bulges in their loincloths to determine the overly-endowed man and spotted the culprit. The man soon slipped away from the group with Ngirakerenguang following closely behind.
The wife was out working in her taro patch and as the man started toward her, it was clear that the first attack was about to be repeated. Ngirakerenguang sprang from behind, swiftly beheaded the man; thus saving his wife and satisfying his revenge.
*EGGLAYING CYCLE OF THE TURTLE
A young man from Peleliu and a maiden from Ngerkebesang once fell in love. Because of the great distance between their homes, they decided to meet in the time of the new moon on Ngemelis Island, between their islands.
They met as planned and talked far into the night. In the morning, the girl found that her grass skirt was missing and a long fruitless search followed. She fashioned another skirt and the two parted with promises to meet again in 15 days (the time of the full moon).
The next meeting time came and the two were talking on the beach when a turtle came crawling toward them. In its flipper was tangled, the lost skirt! Thus,it was learned that turtles lay their eggs and return to the site 15 days later.
* MONEY STORY
The country of Yap has a traditional style of money as "fey". In years long past, Yapese men braved the long trip in frail canoes to chip large flat circles from the limestone in the Rock Islands of Palau. A hole was made in the center of each rock piece so that it could be threaded on bamboo poles for carrying. The extremely hazardous journey and tremendous physical labor involved in the acquisition gave the money its value.
A European, Captain O'Keefe, once sailed to the Islands and gathered some of the money in his large sailing vessel. That money was considered of little or no value due to the ease of its being taken and the Yapese returned to their traditional method.
* NGIRAiLEMESANG OF NGARAARD - THE SPEARED FOOT
Ngirailemesang was such a poor warrior that his comrades wouldn't allow him to join them in battles. Fathers, feeling that he could offer no protection to their daughters, made it impossible for him to find a wife, which the man wanted, needed, and at the age, was expected to have.
The night before a planned raid by his village on the village of Ngiwal, he slipped over and met with Ngiwal's finest warrior. Through bribery, the man was persuaded to allow him to spear one of his foot in the next day’s battle.
The following morning, Ngirailemesang secretly joined the battle, speared the foot and became a big hero. As such, he was awarded the wife of his choice and to marry at last!
* THE AIMELIIK SNAKE
A huge man-eating snake once lived on Aimeliik mountain. When he smelled cooking food, his hunger drew him down to the village where he ate the cooks. The terrified villagers moved to a new place but a woman and her young boy stayed behind.
They survived for a time by eating only raw food but an idea came to the boy. He started a cooking fire under several large rocks and soon the hungry snake came with open mouth The brave boy, using a wood sling, hurled red hot rocks into the mouth, killing the snake.
The two sent it’s heart to their old neighbors to announce that they could safely return. The grateful villagers provided all of the needs of the pair for the rest of their lives.
FIRST NATURAL CHILDBIRTH
A human spider from Ngerish village on Peleliu Island, came to Ngiwal where he fell in love and married a lovely young girl, Turang. When Turang was expecting their first child, her husband first learned that the birth process of that time was to slit the mother’s abdomen with sharp bamboo knives and remove the baby. The man was horrified to hear that his lovely young wife would be sure to die giving birth and he rushed home for the advice of his mother. The wife was in labor when he returned just in time to deliver the baby and to save the mother as well. Midwives watched in apprehensive curiosity, but were amazed at the success. Thus, natural childbirth was first learned in Palau and practiced from then to this day.
NGKEKLAU - THE UPSIDE-DOWN SHARK
Ngirabiluk suspected that his wife was unfaithful but had no proof of the affair nor the idea as to the identity of the lover. He was out fishing in his canoe one day when a shark swam close upside-down! Taking this as a sign that his suspicions were bounded, he quickly paddled toward his village of Ngkeklau.
Nearing the Dock, he saw a group of men who did not fish that day, waiting to count the catches of those that had gone out. He raised his spear and shouted his intention of killing his wife’s lover. The guilty man identified himself by bolting from the group. Instantly, the spear was thrown and the husband fulfilled his oath.
Dugong - MAIDEN OF THE SEA
The Mother of a young unmarried girl was extremely embarrassed when her daughter became pregnant. To minimize the social disgrace, she continually watched and nagged the daughter about following every custom concerning a pregnancy, especially about food, taboos. This nagging even continued after the birth of the baby. One day, the mother returned from the garden to find the girl eating forbidden nuts. The annoyed mother severely scolded the girl who fled to the ocean and swam far out to sea. The repentant mother begged her to return but was forced to helplessly watch as her daughter turned into a large fish. To ease her grief and guilt, the mother pledged that the fish would be called "Dugong" and forever be given high status which it has to this day.
STORY OF UAB
In the beginning, Palau was only two islands, Angaur and Peleliu. A baby boy, Uab, was born to an Angaur Woman, Latmikaik. The baby grew at an alarming rate and began to eat everything he could find. Finally, the embarrassed mother told her neighbors that they could kill the giant before he devastated the entire village. The people gathered, firewood around the giant's feet and set it on fire, when Uab fell, his body came apart and formed the many other islands of today's Palau. The mother asked that her child's body be covered with a mat but all of the available mats and branches could only cover half of the body. That's why the Palau Islands are half forest, half plains.
Surech and Tulei: The Tragic Love Story of the Woman Who Sacrificed Herself
Surech, a stunningly beautiful maiden from the village of Ngiwal, had many admirers from all over Palau. But Tulei, the tall young warrior of Ngkeklau, loved her the most. He often came to the beach where she lived just to catch a glimpse of her and even gaze admiringly at her footprints in the sand. After bringing her gifts and professing his deep love for her, she agreed to meet him secretly in the forest between their villages. These lovers soon became known to others, even to Mad ra Ngebuked, the powerful chief of Ngaraard. One day he sent a messenger to Tulei, to appear before him. The chief had heard much about Surech, the famous beauty. The chief requested that Tulei permit him to see her face. Tulei was devastated, knowing that if the chief saw her, he would take Surech for himself. Tulei met Surech that evening and told her about the chief's request. She cried that she would rather be dead than leave Tulei. She wove him a basket from the leaves of the betel nut palm and, closing her eyes, placed her fate in his hands. In less than a moment, the lovely head resting on his knees rolled off with a blow of his adze. A tearful Tulei put her head in the basket and carried it to the house of the chief. Tulei announced to the chief, "I have brought her as you commanded so you can see her face. The chief looked, then stood up trembling. Angry and shocked, he shouted to kill Tulei at once. Tulei leaped out of the house into the darkness and was never heard of again.
NGERUBESANG
Fishermen of Melekeok were on a tidal flat one day using a net of coconut fronds. Suddenly, a war party appeared in a canoe and one Melekeok man was speared. The men fled for their lives, but one had the presence of mind to run for help. In his fright, the man forgot to let loose of the coconut fronds which he still carried as he ran through the village shouting for help.
Warriors were quickly rallied and the attack thwarted but the enemy was able to escape with the slain man's head. However, the humorous vision of the frightened man running for help with the coconut fronds streaming behind is the essential point of the tale.
THE GIGANTIC PENIS- STORY OF MELECHOTCHACHAU
A widow and her two sons once lived in Palau. Although the woman wanted to marry again, she couldn’t find a husband with a penis large enough to satisfy her! She heard there was such a man in Ngerekabesang Island, near Koror, and the three set out to find him.
They found the man, Melechotchachau, sitting on the beach, making coconut fiber rope and using the base of his penis as a winding post! When asked if he wanted to marry the mother, he said he did but first they must row to the end of his penis.
They found the end half way to Peleliu and the excited mother jumped astride. This action caused the organ to swell, raising the woman high into the air. The explosion of the ejaculation killed her immediately and blew her body across the high mountains toward Peleliu Island where it fell into the sea. To this day, one of the rocks near Peleliu resembles a human shape and is said to be the satisfied woman.
THE GIGANTIC PENIS- STORY OF MELECHOTCHACHAU
A widow and her two sons once lived in Palau. Although the woman wanted to marry again, she couldn’t find a husband with a penis large enough to satisfy her! She heard there was such a man in Ngerekabesang Island, near Koror, and the three set out to find him.
They found the man, Melechotchachau, sitting on the beach, making coconut fiber rope and using the base of his penis as a winding post! When asked if he wanted to marry the mother, he said he did but first they must row to the end of his penis.
They found the end half way to Peleliu and the excited mother jumped astride. This action caused the organ to swell, raising the woman high into the air. The explosion of the ejaculation killed her immediately and blew her body across the high mountains toward Peleliu Island where it fell into the sea. To this day, one of the rocks near Peleliu resembles a human shape and is said to be the satisfied woman.
From East-West Center Storyboards of Palau Gallery Oct.29 2023-Jan. 7, 2024
Tkud me a Bechil: Tkud and his Wife
The moon plays a significant role in Palauan culture. Ancient legends explain what the images are on the moon and tell us that Palauans were the first people to go to the moon. Tkud and his wife Remesei who, along with their ever-crying child and their favorite lime tree, live on the moon. You will see the moon appearing on many storyboards, often inlaid with glowing mother-of-pearl.
The Republic of Palau's light blue flag with a large yellow disk represents the ocean and the moon. Paluans consider the full moon to be the optimal time for events. It is also considered a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility. Fishing and farming cycles revolve around the moon cycles. The connection of the moon to daily life is significant, as it relates to the tides and the lives of the fish, crabs, and clams, the food sources. The flag was adopted in October 1980 when the islands became internally self-governing and proclaimed Republic in 1981. Full independence was not achieved by Palau until October 1994.
Uab, the Greedy Giant
Long ago when Palau was made up of only one small island, there was
a child who was always hungry. It took the entire village to feed him as he could eat piles of fish and taro every day. The villagers were running out of food, and the child was growing into a giant. They built a special house for him, to hold his immense body. When there was no more food, and his feet were falling off the end of the island, they realized they had to get rid of him. They built a huge fire under him while he was sleeping and lit the fire in the middle of the night. He woke and stood up like a tall tower of fire, while the island trembled. He fell with a crash to the north and his body formed the many islands of Palau. His head became Kayangel, his body, Babeldaob, and his legs, Peleliu. The traits of the villagers from each part of Palau are related to the parts of Uab's body.
Ngerchemai: The Indecisive Fisherman Who Lost It All
There was a man from Ngerchemai hamlet of Koror who went out turtle hunting one day. Just as he arrived at his favorite spot and was about to anchor his canoe, he noticed a large hawksbill turtle, prized for its shell, from which special Palauan "women's money" is made. He knew that if he brought back a turtle of this size he would be the big man of the village.
In his excitement, he dove after the turtle, without first dropping the canoe's anchor. After a great deal of effort, he surfaced with the turtle but turned and saw his canoe floating away in the swift current. As he struggled toward the canoe holding the turtle, the canoe only drifted farther away. Finally, he let go of the turtle, but by then his canoe was so far away that the humiliated fisherman had to swim back to his village with neither turtle nor canoe.
Ngerielb: The Girl Who Turned into a Dugong
There was once a poor woman and her daughter who lived by the sea in Ngerielb, Koror. The daughter became pregnant and in Palau, a pregnant woman follows many traditional rules and restrictions. The mother cautioned her daughter to observe traditional food restrictions to ensure that the mother and baby would be strong and healthy.
When the time came, the girl delivered a beautiful baby girl. But the girlnfound that there were still more restrictions for a new mother who had just given birth. The girl was tired of all the rules and hungry for her favorite food, keam (Tahitian chestnut).
One day when her mother was in the taro patch, the girl gave into temptation and started to cut open the keam nut. The mother had forgotten her garden tools, so came back to the house early and saw her daughter about to eat the forbidden food. The girl was so startled and afraid of her mother, that she ran to the sea, jumped in, and swam away. The mother pleaded for her to return but she swam farther out and slowly turned into a dugong, a rare sea mammal still found today in Palau's waters.
Ngemelis: Discovery of the Egg Laying Cycle of the Sea Turtle
A young man and woman who lived on two different islands fell in love. They would meet in secret on Ngemelis, a beautiful beach-lined island fringed with coconut trees that lies midway between the islands where they lived. They met on the night of a new moon and stayed there overnight. The next morning they found the girl's back skirt was missing. They searched the island but found only footprints of a turtle. The girl made a new skirt from coconut leaves before she paddled home in her canoe.
They met again on the night of the full moon fifteen days later. To their surprise, they saw a turtle crawling towards them with the girl's skirt entangled in its fins. They then realized that it was the turtle who had come to lay its eggs two weeks earlier and had accidentally carried away her skirt. From this incident, people came to know that the turtles lay their eggs according to the stages of the moon.
Ngkeklau: The Unfaithful Wife (Upside-down shark)
When Ngirabiluk of Ngkeklau and his younger brother Ngirarisong went fishing off the east coast of Babeldaob they saw a shark swimming upside down near their canoe. Ngirabiluk interpreted this as a sign confirming his suspicions of his wife having an affair with one of the men in the village.
The two brothers hurriedly sailed back home. As they approached the dock, the people who did not go out fishing that day, were waiting to see their catch. Ngirabiluk knew that one of the men at the dock had to be his wife's lover. As they neared the dock, Ngirabiluk raised his spear and yelled, "Run for your life, I know who you are." The wife's lover, thinking his identity was known, jumped up to run but was instantly hit with the spear and killed. The guilty man had needlessly given himself up.
The village chief pardoned Ngirabiluk and praised his clever way of finding out who his rival was.
Meduuribtal: The Magical Fish-Bearing Breadfruit Tree
A small island called Ngibtal lies outside the reef near Ngiwal village. Mild, the demigoddess, lived there and an unusual tree grew right in front of her house. The tree was gifted to her by the gods in return for her having taught the people how to grow taro. The people of Ngibtal used to pass by the home of the old woman as they returned from fishing to look at the strange tree, but they never offered her any of their catch.
Milad had a son named Mangidabrutkoel who was often away traveling to other villages. One day, her son came home to visit and she told him that she never had any fresh fish. He listened to his mother's complaint and, before setting out on his next trip, chopped off one of the branches of the breadfruit tree. Water immediately flowed from the branch so that she was always provided with fresh fish.
This tree became the envy of the other villagers. Finally, not being able to contain their jealousy, the people went over to Milad's house and cut the whole tree down. Sea water suddenly gushed out of the tree trunk until the entire island began to be inundated with water. During the night, the water kept rising until the whole island was flooded.
The gods, however, had warned Milad that a flood was coming. So on the night of the full moon, she and her son prepared a large raft. She then climbed aboard with her son. The great flood came and the raft was swept away. As the water rose, Milad's hair was caught on a tree and she drowned. The gods rushed to her and stroked her with ti leaves, which brought her back to life.
This story is part of a much longer epic with Milad experiencing many adventures. The legend is central to the oral history of Palau. Milad survived and after the flood, it is said she gave birth to 4 children, the villages of Palau that today are considered the foundation of Palau: Ngeremlengui, Koror, Melekeok, and Aimeliik. The children of Milad form the four corner posts of Palauan society.
To this day, the small island of Ngibtal with its stone pathways and platforms can be seen from the water's surface just off the shore of Ngiwal. It is remembered as the place where the first breadfruit tree grew.
Mengernger me a Katuu: The Sea Snake and the Cat
In the village of Ngaraard there lived a couple who did not have any children. Every day they wished and dreamed of having a child. One day the woman found she was pregnant. She delivered a baby but instead of a human baby, it was a striped sea snake. She cared for it tenderly, fed it every day and took it to the beach for a swim. It grew into a strong male sea snake.
After a while she became pregnant again, but this time she gave birth to a cat. She took care of the newborn cat and took it to visit its
brother, the snake. The two creature-siblings became close. Although the woman loved her animal children she was sad that she would have no one to take care of her when she got old. The children knew that they were not useful to her, so they decided to leave home. The cat got on the snake's back and they swam away from home.
They met a man along the way who wanted to keep the cat as his pet. The snake was sad to part from his sister, but he gave her some advice: First, never eat bananas. Second, if the man treats you well, return his kindness. If not, act the opposite. He reminded the cat to treat others as you would like to be treated. And to this day, you will notice, cats never eat bananas.
Sechou me a Deroech: The Wise Reef Heron and the Greedy Pied Cormorant
One morning the long-necked Sechou (heron) was perched in his favorite tree in Aimeliik village when he saw the Deroech (cormorant) trying hard to catch a fish. Sechou asked, "Why are you catching fish this early?"
Deroech replied that he was hungry, so Sechou said, "Why don't you let me show you a place with many fish where you can eat as much as you like without diving for it.
"Let's do it," replied Deroech.
The next morning Sechou told him that there would be a lot of fish, but warned that they should only take what they need. Sechou explained, "If you take too much, you will have a problem." Sechou flew ahead to show the way. They sat on a rock and waited for the tide to go down. But Deroech could not wait and started diving for the fish. Sechou told him that if they just sat down and relaxed for a moment, they could simply walk on the exposed reef and pick up the fish.
Deroech ate and ate until fishtails were sticking out of his mouth. Finally, Sechou was ready to leave but Deroech found he was too heavy to fly. Sechou got home and perched on his favorite branch. Finally, Deroech returned and as soon as he perched beside his friend he got sick and threw up all of the fish. Soon, he was hungry again because his stomach was empty. The lesson is to control yourself and just take what you need. Despite the riches available, greed will result in the exploitation of resources, and leave you hungry in the end.
Sekos me a Chum: The Race between the Needlefish and the Hermit Crab
Long ago on the island of Babeldaob, a Sekos (needlefish) challenged a Chum (hermit crab) to a race around the island. The hermit crab, knowing he had no chance against the needlefish, thought of a trick to win the race. He called on all
his brother and sister hermit crabs and instructed them to shout, "Here I am right in front of you," whenever they saw the needlefish coming.
So the race was held and the needlefish began swimming as fast as he could. But every time he looked up, he saw a crab ahead of him, shouting, "Here I am right in front of you."
The needlefish thought it was the same crab with whom he was racing. When he got near the hamlet of Choll on the northern coast of Babeldaob, he still saw the crab racing ahead of him. He began to worry that he might lose the race. The needlefish decided to take a shortcut by jumping to the other side of the island to get ahead. As the needlefish leaped out of the ocean, he hit face first into a pandanus tree and got stuck, with its long pointed nose embedded in the tree. So in the end, the slow but clever hermit crab won the race. People say that the hole in the pandanus tree is still there to this day.
Osilek er a Ulong: The Wealthy Chief Osilek
Chief Osilek was known for his fast fleet of canoes, his servants, and the biggest fish net in all of Palau. He was the most eligible bachelor in the islands. There was one girl that Osilek desired above all others. Her name was Oreng but she was already in love with a young man named Ngiramariar, a poor boy from her village.
Oreng's family insisted that she forget her boyfriend and marry Chief Osilek so that the family could gain some of his riches. Oreng did as she was told but her heart was broken as was Ngiramariar's. One day as the sad Oreng was walking on the beach at long, she saw a coconut shell floating filled with coconut oil and knew it was an omen that something was wrong. She hurried home to see what had happened and found that her boyfriend, Ngiramariar, had died of a broken heart and they were in the middle of having the funeral.
Oreng was so struck with grief that she rushed to Ngiramariar's body and embraced him. The relatives could not make her let go and realized that she had suddenly died with him. So the two were buried together. Bonds of love cannot be broken and no amount of wealth can steal a heart.
Tebang: The Canoe Builder Who Realized the Importance of Caring for One's Parents
Tebang grew up happy and comfortable in Ngerngesang village, being well cared for by his devoted parents. Tebang grew up, married, and became a chief. He was very busy and focused on his own family so after his mother passed away, he asked his father, Rekesiuang, to leave the house and go back to his birth village of Ngiwal. His father sadly left only to find all his relatives had passed away and he was alone.
In the meantime, Tebang decided to go into the forest to select a tree to build a canoe. They cut down an Ukall (acacia tree) and began dragging the large tree trunk to the shore where Tebang planned to build his canoe. As they pulled it along, the tree trunk slid into a swampy taro patch, where it stuck and could not be pulled out, even by fifty men.
Tebang's misfortune with the canoe puzzled him, so he had an expert consult an oracle to discover the cause. He learned that his aging father, Rekesiuang, was alone, hungry, and upset at being abandoned by his son. So Tebang immediately sailed to his father's village, realized what he had done, apologized, and brought him back to Ngerngesang to care for him.
Sometime later, he went back to the forest again to try to pull the tree trunk out of the taro swamp with the help of a few villagers. The log slipped out easily onto the shoreline ready to be carved into a canoe.
Surech and Tulei: The Tragic Love Story of the Woman Who Sacrificed Herself
Surech, a stunningly beautiful maiden from the village of Ngiwal, had many admirers from all over Palau. But Tulei, the tall young warrior of Ngkeklau, loved her the most. He often came to the beach where she lived just to catch a glimpse of her and even gaze admiringly at her footprints in the sand. After bringing her gifts and professing his deep love for her, she agreed to meet him secretly in the forest between their villages.
These lovers soon became known to others, even to Mad ra Ngebuked, the powerful chief of Ngaraard. One day he sent a messenger to Tulei, to appear before him. The chief had heard much about Surech, the famous beauty. The chief requested that Tulei permit him to see her face. Tulei was devastated, knowing that if the chief saw her, he would take Surech for himself.
Tulei met Surech that evening and told her about the chiefs request. She cried that she would rather be dead than leave Tulei. She wove him a basket from the leaves of the betel nut palm and, closing her eyes, placed her fate in his hands. In less than a moment, the lovely head resting on his knees rolled off
with a blow of his adze. A tearful Tulei put her head in the basket and carried it to the house of the chief. Tulei announced to the chief, "I have brought her as you commanded so you can see her face.
The chief looked, then stood up trembling. Angry and shocked, he shouted to kill Tulei at once. Tulei leaped out of the house into the darkness and was never heard of again.
Persoech er a Chelechui: The Monster Snake Who Terrorized the Villagers
A man-eating snake in Chelechui, Aimelik village was attracted to any house where people were cooking their meals. The snake would smell the fire, and come, attack, then eat the people. Everyone fled the village except an old woman. She lived in a cave in fear of the snake: she never built a fire so as not to give herself away.
One day she discovered that she was pregnant, and bore a son who grew up to be strong and intelligent. He asked his mother why she never built a fire to cook their food. She told him about the snake and he immediately decided he had to do something
about this. He began to build a fire, despite his mother's protest. He added stones to the fire, and soon the snake appeared. As the snake opened his mouth to eat him, the young man used tongs to pick up the fiery stones and threw them down the snake's throat.
The youth cut open the dead snake and put its entrails on a tray. He put the tray into the ocean and told the intestines to search for the villagers and tell them, "These are the guts of the snake that I killed. You may return home safely now." The tray drifted to an area where the people were fishing. They immediately
recognized what it was and where it had come from and knew the monster had been slain. The villagers returned to Chelechui and the young hero demanded a reward for killing the snake. They offered him the best plot of land for taro growing and to
this day, the chief has the right to bring his child to meetings. In honor of the bravery of the old woman's son, the child is allowed to choose the best of the food there.
Ngerubesang: A Fishing Trip Interrupted by Surprise Attack
Long ago, the people living in the hamlet of Ngerubesang in Melekeok village often had skirmishes with the people of Ngersuul in Ngchesar. One day, a group of men from Ngerubesang were fishing on the tidal flats. They were using a handmade coconut-front net to catch the fish. While fishing, two war canoes from Ngersuul suddenly appeared, and the enemy speared one of Ngerubesang's men. Taken completely by surprise the fishermen fled in their canoes.
Only one of the men had the presence of mind to run to Ngerubesang to get help, calling: "We are being attacked." But he was so rattled that he forgot to let go of the coconut-frond net which trailed after him as he ran through the village shouting for help. The chief of the village rallied warriors who chased the Ngersuul war canoe, but it was too late to catch them, as they had already escaped.
Later in recalling the event the chief chuckled at the image of the fisherman running back to the village while still hanging onto the coconut-frond fish net. He chuckled, "We greatly appreciate your news but your net must be a very valuable one.”
Medechiibelau and Itungelbai: Trickery and Competition among the Gods
Medechibelau of Airai Village was a trickster god, very quick and clever. He was good friends with another god, Itungelbai from Aimeliik, a village across the island. One day, Medechibelau visited Itungelbai, who was tending his huge school of Meas, or rabbitfish, a small delicious lagoon fish. The trickster asked his friend if he could take the school of fish around the island of Babeldaob just for fun and come back. Trusting his friend, he let him go but advised him to return the fish right away.
But as soon as the trickster had control of the fish, he herded them toward his home in Airai. Realizing his friends' treachery, Itungelbai became angry and began throwing sea shells after Medechiibelau. The trickster had already reached Airai and his friend could not throw the shells that far so they landed nearby in Aimelilk.
This explains why, about three times a year, the rabbitfish appear in large numbers off Airaï's coast and the people celebrate the event with a huge feast. Also because of this, even today, you can find an abundance of seashells off the coast of Aimeliik. Who is the luckier?
Demei me a lus: The True Story of the Man Who Was Bitten by a Crocodile
Sometime during the 1920s, when Palau was under the Japanese colonial administration (1919-45), a man named Demei from Airai village was walking home enjoying the sunset. He stopped momentarily near a mangrove swamp to "obey the call of nature." While squatting on the roots of the mangrove trees, a crocodile suddenly stuck its ugly head out of the water and bit him on the rear end. Demei let out a scream.
The people of the village hurried to the scene. They took Demei to the Japanese Naval Hospital on Koror. The next day they erected poles and a large net and the crocodile was cornered where it was stabbed to death. The crocodile was then put aboard a long war canoe and carried triumphantly to Koror and presented to the authorities. It was then stuffed and hung as an exhibit in the Koror Bai where it remained until World War Il commenced.
Demei recuperated from his injuries and returned to his native village of Airai. He passed away in 1932 at the age of fifty.
The Clam of Lukes
Long, long time ago there was no human being. The sea was empty so the chief-god saw it and said, “Let there be land.” When the land began, the deep became shallow so a clam grew in it. Latmikaik.
The clam grew bigger in Lukes. In a clam there is a shrimp type which was called Latmikaik. Latmikaik grew bigger and became pregnant. She didn’t give birth when it was time for delivery.
The chief-god saw it and said, “Let there be a storm with currents.” Latmikaik delivered during the storm. Because of that Palauans speak of the water that contains the baby before birth as the tide of the sea. It refers to Latmikaik when she was delivering at Lukes.
Latmikaik started delivering fish. There is always a storm when fish breed just like Latkikait’s situation. Her children were both human and fish. They were human beings on land and fish in the sea. Eventually Latmikaik had a lot of children so “Mekaeb” became crowded.
“Form the land by making a pile with the bottom of the sea so you can live on it,” she said to her children. Angaur has no shallow place around it because the bottom was piled up to form the island.
Children of Latmikaik
After Latmikaik bore some children, she also gave birth to Uab, Uchererak and Tellebuu, their sister. Uchererak went to heaven. Uab and Tellebuu were tossed by the waves to the community house (Abai) of Ngebeanged. And then they went to Ngetelkou where they live and were fed.
As Uab was feb at Ngetelkou, he grew up fast and became tall. He grew so tall that the people couldn’t reach him. They made ladders to reach him and they even became short so they used long poles to reach him. When the long poles got shorter, they piled up stones. Everything got shorter so they said to each other, “Let’s buy soil from the chief-god and make a pile to reach him.” That too became shorter.
The people no longer could feed Uab so they got together and said, “Let’s burn him up.” When they started gathering firewood, Uab inquired, “What are these for?”
“Just for cooking,” The people answered. They surrounded him with the firewood and set them on fire. Uab got burned and fell to form an Island. Palau (Chochalechutem/ Babeldaob)
When Uab fell, the stones and the soil they piled to reach him scattered along with him. The rock islands from Peleliu to Oikull are the stones and the soil is from Oikull to Ollei.
Uab fell down facing west.
Airai si Uab’s bottom; Bkulrengel, his knees; Ngeruudes, his navel; Bkulachelid, his head; and Beriber of Ngerchelong, his rolled hair in a ball. The east side of Babeldaod is his back and the west, his front.
This place is called Palai because of the parabolic saying about the burning of Uab. Babeldaob is Chochalechutem (bought land) because it was bought from heaven. Oikull is oikull because it is Uab’s grave and the end of Bebeldaob (Chochalechutem).
Tellebuu
When Uab was burned, Tellebuu fled to live in a cave. The cave was called the “Cave of Lebuu.” Tellebuu lived in that cave and bore children. Her first Born was a son, named Seked. Dedaes and Kebliil were her daughters. There were only three.
Council
The population grew on Anguar. People became fierce and wicked. The chief-god saw it and said to himself, “It is fatal is there is no council to control affairs in the community.” He then declared, “Let there be a council!”
This time the people were able to live both in the sea and on land because they were both human and fish.
The first council of Anguar has only five members. Ucherkemil Reked was the top man and the following after him in lines as they were- Ucherkemul Bebael, Ucherkemul Chais, Ucherkemul Chedend, and Ucherkemul Lulebangel. Ucherkemul Lulebangel became human but his intestine could still be seen.
Angaur got crowded so the people looked for other places to live. That began their journey to Palau. The first journey came to Peleliu, rock islands, Koror, and then Babeldaob (Chochalechutem).
Chochalechutem got crowded too. It was necessary to set up chiefs in every village. The villagers which had chiefs were: Ngerechol of Peleliu, Ngermid of Koror, Ngerusay of Airai, Imul of Aimelik, Ngereuikil of Ngchesar, Ulimang of Ngeraard, and Mengelland of Ngerchelong. These were called Children of Uab. Megellang was like the head that controlled.