THREE KAPRE VERSUS FIVE AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN CABATUAN
DURING THE AMERICAN OCCUPATION

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door ; he had heard the floor creak a minute before, and felt sure it was a kapre. He lay still. The door opened, and the kapre entered. Though the operator had a revolver at his side, he was too scared to use it. The kapre looked at him, placed his two hands upon the man's cheeks, and moved the head from

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they went out walking, returning at about half-past eight. As they were about to climb the ladder, a kapre appeared, fire flashing from his eyes, from his nostrils, and from his mouth. He rushed towards them below the ladder, and they, fearing to mount, ran screaming away. When the older people appeared

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If you go to an hacienda where kapre live, at any of these times, you are likely to encounter him and suffer from his tricks. My father's assistant, usually wakes at four in the morning and goes to " light the boiler." One day he went to do it as usual and fell asleep. The kapre lifted him and put him up on the roof of the camarin. When my father came, he was much surprised not to find the boiler lighted and asked an explanation. He

THREE KAPRE VERSUS FIVE AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN CABATUAN
DURING THE AMERICAN OCCUPATION

       In Cabatuan is a house known as "the stone house." It is built entirely of brick, even the roof. It is reputed to be haunted. The site it occupies used to be a sink-hole. This was repeatedly filled with earth and stones simply to be found open the next morning. A friar with a considerable family was the owner. He finally filled up the hole, covered it with a firm flooring of cement, and built "the stone house" on it. The family lived upstairs, while downstairs there was a Chinese baker. he used to arise at four to do his work. On one occasion he rose as usual to do his work and tried to light a candle. It was repeatedly blown out by a kapre. The Chinese fought him, but was at last crowded into his own oven by the kapre and left there.

       --- The friar had several grandchildren, who were Confesor's friends. They told him that one fine moonlit night they went out walking, returning at about half-past eight. As they were about to climb the ladder, a kapre appeared, fire flashing from his eyes, from his nostrils, and from his mouth. He rushed towards them below the ladder, and they, fearing to mount, ran screaming away. When the older people appeared at the door with a light, he disappeared, and the children climbed up.

       --- At the time of the American occupation four soldiers and a cook were in this house. They constructed a corral behind it, in which were more than a hundred horses and mules. When the cook was lighting his candle one morning, it was blown out by a kapre, A struggle ensued ; the soldiers came to his aid. Three kapre were involved against five Americans, but the kapre gained the victory and threw them out. The trouble continued for several days. Shots were fired, with no result. Eventually the Americans abandoned the house. For a week after their arrival, there was no trouble in the corral. Then, one morning, four animals were found dead, their necks wrung. This happened repeatedly, and popular belief attributed the killing to kapre. At last the animals were removed to the village plaza, where a long rope was stretched to which the halters of the animals were tied. The trouble then ceased.