Baswit

A bird which lived in the beginning of time. It was sent out by Melú to fetch earth, the fruit of the rattan and of trees. When it returned with the items, Melú beat the earth the same as a woman beats pots until he had made the land, then he planted the seeds in it and they grew.

In a variation of the story, the bird belonged to Lakarol and Mastafī, who send him on a long journey. When he returned, he brought with him a piece of earth and the fruit of a pandag tree.

References

Source

  • Cole, Fay-Cooper. (1913). The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History, p. 137.