MAYDAY EVE
The Moral lesson of May Day Eve is considered by most that marriage should be the result of love. The story shows and demonstrates that love is different from lust. It takes a lot of maturity to know the difference between the two.
It again showed that marriage is not easy and it should be thought through before taking place. Love is a decision. When you love based on what you feel at the moment, it can be temporary. Feelings come and go but true loving is deciding to love the person even when you don’t feel the sparks anymore. That is i think one of the reason why marriage last. Deciding and forgiving.
As the young generation, we should always be careful in choosing the person we will be with in the future because just like the characters in the story, they wasted their years in bitter marriage regreting their decisions and knowing that they were not really in love in the first place.
And one thing that is important in a relationship or union is communication. There should be a good and clear communication between the wife and husband.
How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife
Sacrifice. When you love someone, you should know how to sacrifice. That is the lesson that I learned from reading this story. We can easily relate to this story.
I like how the main characters Maria and Leon, loved each other. They proved that love conquers all and that if you truly love each other, nothing can hinder that love, especially not social status. Maria is rich girl and she knows that they do not have the same status in life, but it was never a problem to her. She was willing to leave the glamorous life, cars, beautiful house, the people she knew in exchange with the simple life Leon has. The character of Maria is so impressive and inspiring and that qualities are so rare in a person. She showed true unconditional love. Nowadays, people demand a lot from people.Sometimes, We can no longer see genuine love between two people in a relationship because they focus on what they can take rather on what they can give.
Maria showed the true dalagang Filipina character, where she was hopeful that she get to win Leon’s family. Its sad to think that we get to read or hear stories like this in a book and rare in real life. We, people, has a mindset that rich people are for rich people and poor people are for poor people.
The lesson i learned is when you love a person, you should be proud of him/her no matter what and never let the status in your life make any barriers in your love story.
Like the Molave
Like the molave is about how is about how the people of the Philippines must work to make the nation stronger. That’s why in the first verse, it was said that Rizal cannot yet rest because there is still so much things to do.
For me, the poem also highlights patriotism and how critical and important the younger generation in nation building. The author talks about of being united and and inspiring the readers to join the heroes of our nation on the quest to make the Philippines a more prosperous place. Through this, it will grant the nation freedom, and we will no longer be dependent on other nations.
For me, the poet has good intentions on delivering what he wants for our nation to be. But honestly, based on the Philippine’s situation now, the country is still not ready to be on its on. We are continually dependent on other nation and cannot be self sufficient.We still need a lot to learn. But I think slowly we are achieving that freedom, step by step. If we continually support our leaders, be united with our fellowmen and contribute much efforts for the progress and development of the nation.
MOTHER’S BREAK
REFLECTION:
Mothers Break
This poem depicts our mother’s sacrifices for us. When i was young, I somehow took granted of my mom. She was the most hardworking, selfless person I know. She was also busy with her work while still balancing to give much attention to our family and for me, i thought then that mothers were made that way. I thought, that its okay and natural for moms to be tired always, to be the one who attend to our needs, because they’re mothers. But have we stopped for a minute and look at our moms?
I remember one day, when I was in highschool, my mom came home happily and smiling while holding her “pasalubongs” for us. It was a normal day for a life of a normal mom. Little did I know, by midnight. I came down from my room to get some water, I heard my mom crying while having a heart to heart talk with my dad. I heard her pour out her emotions. It was because of how stressed she was throughout the day and wasn’t able handle the situation she is facing in her work life at that time. I wouldnt have known that she was really upset or stressed if i havent came down from my room and heard her cry.
What reminded me of the poem was that mothers are considered the strongest persons you will ever meet. It makes me appreciate more of my mom and the things she did for us, especially now that I’m studying college and I am now away from them. I only get to see her on vacations.
We have to show our love for them and make them feel that their efforts are seen and appreciated. Help them in everything and sometimes let them experience a well deserve break from all the busy things they are going through.
Footnote to Youth
The sun was salmon and hazy in the west. Dodong thought to himself he would tell his father about Teang when he got home, after he had unhitched the carabao from the plow, and let it to its shed and fed it. He was hesitant about saying it, but he wanted his father to know. What he had to say was of serious import as it would mark a climacteric in his life. Dodong finally decided to tell it, at a thought came to him his father might refuse to consider it. His father was silent hard-working farmer who chewed areca nut, which he had learned to do from his mother, Dodong’s grandmother.
I will tell it to him. I will tell it to him.
The ground was broken up into many fresh wounds and fragrant with a sweetish earthy smell. Many slender soft worms emerged from the furrows and then burrowed again deeper into the soil. A short colorless worm marched blindly to Dodong’s foot and crawled calmly over it. Dodong go tickled and jerked his foot, flinging the worm into the air. Dodong did not bother to look where it fell, but thought of his age, seventeen, and he said to himself he was not young any more.
Dodong unhitched the carabao leisurely and gave it a healthy tap on the hip. The beast turned its head to look at him with dumb faithful eyes. Dodong gave it a slight push and the animal walked alongside him to its shed. He placed bundles of grass before it land the carabao began to eat. Dodong looked at it without interests.
Dodong started homeward, thinking how he would break his news to his father. He wanted to marry, Dodong did. He was seventeen, he had pimples on his face, the down on his upper lip already was dark–these meant he was no longer a boy. He was growing into a man–he was a man. Dodong felt insolent and big at the thought of it although he was by nature low in statue. Thinking himself a man grown, Dodong felt he could do anything.
He walked faster, prodded by the thought of his virility. A small angled stone bled his foot, but he dismissed it cursorily. He lifted his leg and looked at the hurt toe and then went on walking. In the cool sundown he thought wild you dreams of himself and Teang. Teang, his girl. She had a small brown face and small black eyes and straight glossy hair. How desirable she was to him. She made him dream even during the day.
Dodong tensed with desire and looked at the muscles of his arms. Dirty. This field
work was healthy, invigorating but it begrimed you, smudged you terribly. He turned back the way he had come, then he marched obliquely to a creek.
Dodong stripped himself and laid his clothes, a gray undershirt and red kundiman shorts, on the grass. The he went into the water, wet his body over, and rubbed at it vigorously. He was not long in bathing, then he marched homeward again. The bath made him feel cool.
It was dusk when he reached home. The petroleum lamp on the ceiling already was lighted and the low unvarnished square table was set for supper. His parents and he sat down on the floor around the table to eat. They had fried fresh-water fish, rice, bananas, and caked sugar.
Dodong ate fish and rice, but did not partake of the fruit. The bananas were overripe and when one held them they felt more fluid than solid. Dodong broke off a piece of the cakes sugar, dipped it in his glass of water and ate it. He got another piece and wanted some more, but he thought of leaving the remainder for his parents.
Dodong’s mother removed the dishes when they were through and went out to the batalan to wash them. She walked with slow careful steps and Dodong wanted to help her carry the dishes out, but he was tired and now felt lazy. He wished as he looked at her that he had a sister who could help his mother in the housework. He pitied her, doing all the housework alone.
His father remained in the room, sucking a diseased tooth. It was paining him again, Dodong knew. Dodong had told him often and again to let the town dentist pull it out, but he was afraid, his father was. He did not tell that to Dodong, but Dodong guessed it. Afterward Dodong himself thought that if he had a decayed tooth he would be afraid to go to the dentist; he would not be any bolder than his father.
Dodong said while his mother was out that he was going to marry Teang. There it was out, what he had to say, and over which he had done so much thinking. He had said it without any effort at all and without self-consciousness. Dodong felt relieved and looked at his father expectantly. A decrescent moon outside shed its feeble light into the window, graying the still black temples of his father. His father looked old now.
“I am going to marry Teang,” Dodong said.
His father looked at him silently and stopped sucking the broken tooth. The silence became intense and cruel, and Dodong wished his father would suck that troublous tooth again. Dodong was uncomfortable and then became angry because his father kept looking at him without uttering anything.
“I will marry Teang,” Dodong repeated. “I will marry Teang.”
His father kept gazing at him in inflexible silence and Dodong fidgeted on his seat.
“I asked her last night to marry me and she said…yes. I want your permission. I… want… it….” There was impatient clamor in his voice, an exacting protest at this coldness, this indifference. Dodong looked at his father sourly. He cracked his knuckles one by one, and the little sounds it made broke dully the night stillness.
“Must you marry, Dodong?”
Dodong resented his father’s questions; his father himself had married. Dodong made a quick impassioned easy in his mind about selfishness, but later he got confused.
“You are very young, Dodong.”
“I’m… seventeen.”
“That’s very young to get married at.”
“I… I want to marry…Teang’s a good girl.”
“Tell your mother,” his father said.
“You tell her, tatay.”
“Dodong, you tell your inay.”
“You tell her.”
“All right, Dodong.”
“You will let me marry Teang?”
“Son, if that is your wish… of course…” There was a strange helpless light in his father’s eyes. Dodong did not read it, so absorbed was he in himself.
Dodong was immensely glad he had asserted himself. He lost his resentment for his father. For a while he even felt sorry for him about the diseased tooth. Then he confined his mind to dreaming of Teang and himself. Sweet young dream….
——————————————-
Dodong stood in the sweltering noon heat, sweating profusely, so that his camiseta was damp. He was still as a tree and his thoughts were confused. His mother had told him not to leave the house, but he had left. He had wanted to get out of it without clear reason at all. He was afraid, he felt. Afraid of the house. It had seemed to cage him, to compares his thoughts with severe tyranny. Afraid also of Teang. Teang was giving birth in the house; she gave screams that chilled his blood. He did not want her to scream like that, he seemed to be rebuking him. He began to wonder madly if the process of childbirth was really painful. Some women, when they gave birth, did not cry.
In a few moments he would be a father. “Father, father,” he whispered the word with awe, with strangeness. He was young, he realized now, contradicting himself of nine months comfortable… “Your son,” people would soon be telling him. “Your son, Dodong.”
Dodong felt tired standing. He sat down on a saw-horse with his feet close together. He looked at his callused toes. Suppose he had ten children… What made him think that? What was the matter with him? God!
He heard his mother’s voice from the house:
“Come up, Dodong. It is over.”
Suddenly he felt terribly embarrassed as he looked at her. Somehow he was ashamed to his mother of his youthful paternity. It made him feel guilty, as if he had taken something no properly his. He dropped his eyes and pretended to dust dirt off his kundiman shorts.
“Dodong,” his mother called again. “Dodong.”
He turned to look again and this time saw his father beside his mother.
“It is a boy,” his father said. He beckoned Dodong to come up.
Dodong felt more embarrassed and did not move. What a moment for him. His parents’ eyes seemed to pierce him through and he felt limp.
He wanted to hide from them, to run away.
“Dodong, you come up. You come up,” he mother said.
Dodong did not want to come up and stayed in the sun.
“Dodong. Dodong.”
“I’ll… come up.”
Dodong traced tremulous steps on the dry parched yard. He ascended the bamboo steps slowly. His heart pounded mercilessly in him. Within, he avoided his parents eyes. He walked ahead of them so that they should not see his face. He felt guilty and untrue. He felt like crying. His eyes smarted and his chest wanted to burst. He wanted to turn back, to go back to the yard. He wanted somebody to punish him.
His father thrust his hand in his and gripped it gently.
“Son,” his father said.
And his mother: “Dodong…”
How kind were their voices. They flowed into him, making him strong.
“Teang?” Dodong said.
“She’s sleeping. But you go on…”
His father led him into the small sawali room. Dodong saw Teang, his girl-wife, asleep on the papag with her black hair soft around her face. He did not want her to look that pale.
Dodong wanted to touch her, to push away that stray wisp of hair that touched her lips, but again that feeling of embarrassment came over him and before his parents he did not want to be demonstrative.
The hilot was wrapping the child, Dodong heard it cry. The thin voice pierced him queerly. He could not control the swelling of happiness in him.
“You give him to me. You give him to me,” Dodong said.
——————————————-
Blas was not Dodong’s only child. Many more children came. For six successive years a new child came along. Dodong did not want any more children, but they came. It seemed the coming of children could not be helped. Dodong got angry with himself sometimes.
Teang did not complain, but the bearing of children told on her. She was shapeless and thin now, even if she was young. There was interminable work to be done. Cooking. Laundering. The house. The children. She cried sometimes, wishing she had not married. She did not tell Dodong this, not wishing him to dislike her. Yet she wished she had not married. Not even Dodong, whom she loved. There has been another suitor, Lucio, older than Dodong by nine years, and that was why she had chosen Dodong. Young Dodong. Seventeen. Lucio had married another after her marriage to Dodong, but he was childless until now. She wondered if she had married Lucio, would she have borne him children. Maybe not, either. That was a better lot. But she loved Dodong…
Dodong whom life had made ugly.
One night, as he lay beside his wife, he rose and went out of the house. He stood in the moonlight, tired and querulous. He wanted to ask questions and somebody to answer him. He w anted to be wise about many things.
One of them was why life did not fulfill all of Youth’s dreams. Why it must be so. Why one was forsaken… after Love.
Dodong would not find the answer. Maybe the question was not to be answered. It must be so to make youth Youth. Youth must be dreamfully sweet. Dreamfully sweet. Dodong returned to the house humiliated by himself. He had wanted to know a little wisdom but was denied it.
When Blas was eighteen he came home one night very flustered and happy. It was late at night and Teang and the other children were asleep. Dodong heard Blas’s steps, for he could not sleep well of nights. He watched Blas undress in the dark and lie down softly. Blas was restless on his mat and could not sleep. Dodong called him name and asked why he did not sleep. Blas said he could not sleep.
“You better go to sleep. It is late,” Dodong said.
Blas raised himself on his elbow and muttered something in a low fluttering voice.
Dodong did not answer and tried to sleep.
“Itay …,” Blas called softly.
Dodong stirred and asked him what it was.
“I am going to marry Tona. She accepted me tonight.”
Dodong lay on the red pillow without moving.
“Itay, you think it over.”
Dodong lay silent.
“I love Tona and… I want her.”
Dodong rose from his mat and told Blas to follow him. They descended to the yard, where everything was still and quiet. The moonlight was cold and white.
“You want to marry Tona,” Dodong said. He did not want Blas to marry yet. Blas was very young. The life that would follow marriage would be hard…
“Yes.”
“Must you marry?”
Blas’s voice stilled with resentment. “I will marry Tona.”
Dodong kept silent, hurt.
“You have objections, Itay?” Blas asked acridly.
“Son… n-none…” (But truly, God, I don’t want Blas to marry yet… not yet. I don’t want Blas to marry yet….)
But he was helpless. He could not do anything. Youth must triumph… now. Love must triumph… now. Afterwards… it will be life.
As long ago Youth and Love did triumph for Dodong… and then Life.
Dodong looked wistfully at his young son in the moonlight. He felt extremely sad and sorry for him.
REFLECTION:
What I learned from reading the “Footnote to Youth” is that things take time. We, the youth are sometimes impulsive in making major decisions. Sometimes we decide or choose based on what we are feeling in the moment.
One of the decisions that we should be careful in making is marriage. Marriage is something taken seriously. Personally, my parents taught me that we should not rush things like marriage. We should be ready emotionally, financially, and spiritually and with the right person. Marriage comes with a lot of responsibilities and obligations and we need to be prepared to face that. Sometimes, we youth tend to be so caught up in the moment that we don’t think of the consequences that comes with our decisions. We have to always be guided by our parents so we will be in the right direction.
I also learned to trust our parents. Parents know best. They just want the best for us. In making major decisions in our life, we should always ask for their guidance because they have a lot of wisdom more than us. That’s why they always say. “Papunta palang kayo, pabalik na kami.” And in my 19 years of existence, I have proven that trusting and obeying my parents has always put me in the right and I am forever thankful for them.
MAGNIFICENCE
Magnificence by Estrella Alfon
The story of Magnificence by Estrella Alfon took place at the house of the two children. The characters of the story are primarily Vicente the bus conductor, the mother, Oscar the little boy and the little girl.
The story started with a man named Vicente coming to the house of the two children to tutor them with their school works. The family, especially the mother trusted Vicente whole-heartedly for they think that the man was always so gentle, so kind, and there was nothing to fear with when he is around. When Vicente came earlier than usual one evening, the children immediately put their lesson down sharing stories to him about his classmates being envy with the pencils he gave them. The children wanted Vicente to buy them more pencils. Then, Oscar was asked by Vicente to get a glass of water. Vicente held the little girl up lightly in his arms and held her to sit down on his lap. The little girl felt uncomfortable and kept squirming. Vicente’s face was wet with sweat and his eyes looked strange. The girl jumped away from Vicente. The mother saw what has happened. He slapped Vicente and threw him out of the house.
REFLECTION
I believe that the author gave the title “Magnificence” for the character of the mother. After reading this short story, I was moved after what the mother did for her children. Mothers will do everything for their children to protect them from very harm that can come to them. It showed us the great love of mothers. The story speaks also of gender equality, how the mother handled the situation and Vicente showed us that we women are not inferior to men. Both men and women enjoy the same opportunities, rights, obligations in all spheres of life. Women should not let men make them inferior. The mother showed her magnificence throughout the story.
It is also a reminder and awareness for us that every day, there are percent of kids, teenagers, young adults that are molested, sexually harassed and abused. It is scary to think that this happens every day and to think that it’s a normal thing in the society. Any abuse, May it be physical, verbal or sexual is not okay and we need to report it to the authorities. We should always stand for our power and rights. Spreading awareness also for this topic can help a lot of people who are experiencing these things to speak and be heard.
“Trust is not inherited, it is earned.”
My Father Goes to Court
Summary
The story is set in a city in the Philippines. The young narrator begins by describing his large family. Though they are poor they are full of mischief and laughter. The children are all strong and healthy even though they often go hungry. In contrast, their rich neighbor’s children are thin and sickly although they are given plenty of good food, which their impoverished neighbors enjoy smelling over the fence. Consequently, the rich man brings a charge against the narrator’s family for stealing the spirit of his family’s food. The absurd case goes to court, and the narrator’s father agrees to pay back the rich neighbor. He does this by collecting coins from all his friends present in his hat, then shaking the hat full of coins. Being charged to pay for the spirit of food which his family supposedly got from its smell, he maintains that the jingling of the coins is a fair equivalent. The judge rules in the poor father’s favor, and the rich man is forced to depart with no other payment than the “spirit” of the money the poor man collected.
Reaction:
What I learned from reading this story is that, poverty is not a hindrance to having a healthy and happy family. It taught me that we should enjoy life as it is even though there are a lot of hardships on the way. It reminded me also that you cannot rely your happiness on material things. Like the character of the rich man, he may have everything but in the end, he can’t find any contentment resulting that He became sick. (I think it also shows how the rich man became depressed through time that’s why he and his family became so sick.) The rich man in the story is very selfish that he did not want to socialize with other people and he only cared about his wealth and his riches. We have to see that riches and wealth are temporary, and learn that we need to value our relationships with our family, friends, and other people which can last a lifetime.
It teaches us also to find humor in simple things. There is also an old saying that says happy people live life longer and I believe that is true. If we just enjoy things, whatever situation we are in, it may be difficult or easy but having a positive mind and a happy perspective will change things a lot. 🙂
Ibalon
Ibalon (Three Heroes of the Bicol Epic)
When the hero Baltog came to the rich land of Ibalon, many monsters still roamed around in its very dark forest. Baltog, born in Baltavara to the brave clan of Lipod, was the first to cultivate the fields in the rich land of Ibalon.
2 Then the Tandayag attacked and destroyed Baltog‘s fields and crops. The Tandayag was a monstrous wild boar but the hero Baltog was not afraid. One night, he waited for the Tandayag and wrestled with it with all his might. The Tandayag had very long fangs. The earth shook at the Tandayag‘s step. But Baltog was strong and brave. He was able to pin down the monstrous wild boar and tear out its mouth.
3 Baltog carried the Tandayag and hung it on a talisay tree in front of his house in Tondol. The people celebrated when they learned of the victory of their king Baltog. The clans of Panicuason and Asog came over to marvel at the monstrous wild boar in Ibalon.
4 At that time the hero Handiong came with a band of warriors to the land of Ibalon. Handiong and his men had to fight thousands of battles, and face many dangers to defeat the monsters. They first fought the one-eyed giants in the land of Ponon. They fought without rest for ten months until all the one-eyed giants were killed.
5 They went to the lair of the giant flying fishes called Tiburon which had slimy, scaly, and hardy flesh and sawlike teeth that could crush rocks. Handiong and his men did not stop until they vanquished every Tiburon.
6 They tamed the fierce tamaraws. They drove away the giant Sarimaw which was larger than an elephant and very fierce. They used their spears and arrows to kill all the crocodiles which were bigger than boats. The savage monkeys were frightened and hid when they
saw the rivers and swamps of Ibalon turn red with blood.
7 Oriol was the hardest to kill. A serpent with a beautiful voice, Oriol could change its image to deceive enemies. Oriol had escaped every trap and disappeared.
8 All by himself, Handiong looked for Oriol in the heart of the forest. He followed the beautiful voice and was almost enchanted by it in his pursuit. It is said that Oriol admired Handiong‘s bravery and gallantry. Thus, the serpent taught the hero how to conquer the monsters until peace came to the whole Ibalon.
9 Handiong built a town in Isarog and a season of progress followed. Under Handiong‘s leadership, the people planted rice which they named after him. He built the first boat to ride the waves of Ibalon seas. Because of his good example, inventors came forth from his people. Ginantong made the plow, harrow, and other farming tools. Hablom invented the first loom for weaving abaca clothes. Dinahon, an Aeta, created the stove, cooking pot, earthen jar, and other kitchen utensils. The brilliant Sural thought of the alphabet and started to write on white rock. It was a golden period in Ibalon when even slaves were respected under the laws of Handiong.
10 But there came the big flood freed by Unos, with earthquakes and the eruption of the volcanoes of Hantik, Kolasi, and Isarog. Rivers dried up and the seas receded. The earth parted, mountains sank, and many towns in Ibalon were destroyed.
11 Then appeared the giant Rabot, half-man half-beast, with terrible powers.
Bantong, Handiong‘s good friend, was ordered to kill the new monster in Ibalon. He took with him a thousand warriors to attack Rabot‘s den. Bantong used his wisdom against Rabot. He did not attack the giant‘s den right away but instead observed Rabot‘s ways. He saw many rocks around the den. They were people turned into rock by Rabot.
13 He also learned that Rabot loved to sleep. When Rabot slept very soundly, Bantong was able to go near him. The giant died with a single stab by the brave and wise Bantong. Ibalon was at peace once more.
REACTION:
After reading this summary of Ibalon, it again showed me the admirable qualities the characters have especially with regards to leadership skills. A leader must always be ready in what He will face everyday and he must take a lot of courage of leading a place. He must also be ready to impose change, empower his people and also be an inspiration to them that will lead them to be a better person.
This selection also speaks of bravery. It taught me that we should see ourselves brave even though were not, at least we are being positive towards the future and not being afraid of taking leap towards the unknown. We should not let fear rule over us, because if we do nothing will happen. We should always be brave of what challenges we face everyday.
Indarapatra and Sulayman
INDARAPATRA AT SULAYMAN
A long, long time ago Mindanao was covered with water, and the sea
extended over all the lowlands so that nothing could be seen but
mountains. Then there were many people living in the country, and all
the highlands were dotted with villages and settlements. For many years
the people prospered, living in peace and contentment. Suddenly there
appeared in the land four horrible monsters which, in a short time,
had devoured every human being they could find.
Kurita, a terrible creature with many limbs, lived partly on land and
partly in the sea, but its favorite haunt was the mountain where the
rattan grew; and here it brought utter destruction on every living
thing. The second monster, Tarabusaw, an ugly creature in the form
of a man, lived on Mt. Matutun, and far and wide from that place he
devoured the people, laying waste the land. The third, an enormous
bird called Pah, [142] was so large that when on the wing it covered
the sun and brought darkness to the earth. Its egg was as large as a
house. Mt. Bita was its haunt, and there the only people who escaped
its voracity were those who hid in caves in the mountains. The fourth
monster was a dreadful bird also, having seven heads and the power
to see in all directions at the same time. Mt. Gurayn was its home
and like the others it wrought havoc in its region.
So great was the death and destruction caused by these terrible animals
that at length the news spread even to the most distant lands, and
all nations were grieved to hear of the sad fate of Mindanao.
Now far across the sea in the land of the golden sunset was a city
so great that to look at its many people would injure the eyes of
man. When tidings of these great disasters reached this distant city,
the heart of the king Indarapatra [143] was filled with compassion,
and he called his brother, Sulayman, [144] begging him to save the
land of Mindanao from the monsters.
Sulayman listened to the story, and as he heard he was moved with pity.
“I will go,” said he, zeal and enthusiasm adding to his strength,
“and the land shall be avenged.”
King Indarapatra, proud of his brother’s courage, gave him a ring and
a sword as he wished him success and safety. Then he placed a young
sapling by his window [145] and said to Sulayman:
“By this tree I shall know your fate from the time you depart from
here, for if you live, it will live; but if you die, it will die also.”
So Sulayman departed for Mindanao, and he neither walked nor used a
boat, but he went through the air and landed on the mountain where
the rattan grew. There he stood on the summit and gazed about on all
sides. He looked on the land and the villages, but he could see no
living thing. And he was very sorrowful and cried out:
“Alas, how pitiful and dreadful is this devastation!”
No sooner had Sulayman uttered these words than the whole mountain
began to move, and then shook. Suddenly out of the ground came the
horrible creature, Kurita. It sprang at the man and sank its claws
into his flesh. But Sulayman, knowing at once that this was the
scourge of the land, drew his sword and cut the Kurita to pieces.
Encouraged by his first success, Sulayman went on to Mt. Matutun
where conditions were even worse. As he stood on the heights viewing
the great devastation there was a noise in the forest and a movement
in the trees. With a loud yell, forth leaped Tarabusaw. For a moment
they looked at each other, neither showing any fear. Then Tarabusaw
threatened to devour the man, and Sulayman declared that he would kill
the monster. At that the animal broke large branches off the trees
and began striking at Sulayman who, in turn, fought back. For a long
time the battle continued until at last the monster fell exhausted
to the ground and then Sulayman killed him with his sword.
The next place visited by Sulayman was Mt. Bita. Here havoc was present
everywhere, and though he passed by many homes, not a single soul
was left. As he walked along, growing sadder at each moment, a sudden
darkness which startled him fell over the land. As he looked toward
the sky he beheld a great bird descending upon him. Immediately he
struck at it, cutting off its wing with his sword, and the bird fell
dead at his feet; but the wing fell on Sulayman, and he was crushed.
Now at this very time King Indarapatra was sitting at his window,
and looking out he saw the little tree wither and dry up.
“Alas!” he cried, “my brother is dead”; and he wept bitterly.
Then although he was very sad, he was filled with a desire for revenge,
and putting on his sword and belt he started for Mindanao in search
of his brother.
He, too, traveled through the air with great speed until he came to
the mountain where the rattan grew. There he looked about, awed at
the great destruction, and when he saw the bones of Kurita he knew
that his brother had been there and gone. He went on till he came to
Matutun, and when he saw the bones of Tarabusaw he knew that this,
too, was the work of Sulayman.
Still searching for his brother, he arrived at Mt. Bita where the
dead bird lay on the ground, and as he lifted the severed wing he
beheld the bones of Sulayman with his sword by his side. His grief
now so overwhelmed Indarapatra that he wept for some time. Upon
looking up he beheld a small jar of water by his side. This he knew
had been sent from heaven, and he poured the water over the bones,
and Sulayman came to life again. They greeted each other and talked
long together. Sulayman declared that he had not been dead but asleep,
and their hearts were full of joy.
After some time Sulayman returned to his distant home, but Indarapatra
continued his journey to Mt. Gurayn where he killed the dreadful bird
with the seven heads. After these monsters had all been destroyed
and peace and safety had been restored to the land, Indarapatra began
searching everywhere to see if some of the people might not be hidden
in the earth still alive.
One day during his search he caught sight of a beautiful woman at a
distance. When he hastened toward her she disappeared through a hole
in the ground where she was standing. Disappointed and tired, he sat
down on a rock to rest, when, looking about, he saw near him a pot
of uncooked rice with a big fire on the ground in front of it. This
revived him and he proceeded to cook the rice. As he did so, however,
he heard someone laugh near by, and turning he beheld an old woman
watching him. As he greeted her, she drew near and talked with him
while he ate the rice.
Of all the people in the land, the old woman told him, only a very
few were still alive, and they hid in a cave in the ground from whence
they never ventured. As for herself and her old husband, she went on,
they had hidden in a hollow tree, and this they had never dared leave
until after Sulayman killed the voracious bird, Pah.
At Indarapatra’s earnest request, the old woman led him to the cave
where he found the headman with his family and some of his people. They
all gathered about the stranger, asking many questions, for this
was the first they had heard about the death of the monsters. When
they found what Indarapatra had done for them, they were filled
with gratitude, and to show their appreciation the headman gave his
daughter to him in marriage, and she proved to be the beautiful girl
whom Indarapatra had seen at the mouth of the cave.
Then the people all came out of their hiding-place and returned to
their homes where they lived in peace and happiness. And the sea
withdrew from the land and gave the lowlands to the people.
REACTION:
3 THINGS THAT ARE SHOWED IN THIS SELECTION
The story showed the certain qualities a leader must possess and that is bravery, the love for his people, a humble heart, impressive fighting skills, willingness to sacrifice his life just to save his people. This qualities shows a true leader. We can see in the character of Indarapatra and Sulayman a role model in them.
The story showed the pain of King Indarapatra when he was informed through the tree that Sulayman, his brother, was dead. We may think that some people that are ahead of us, or people who are now successful don’t have any struggles at all but the reality is we all experience it the same. Each one of us fight different battles everyday. Just like Indaraptra,We see him as a King or a person with a high position, who doesn’t have any struggles and problems at all yet he experience a lot of pain. It reminded me that before we bash our government leaders, teachers or professors, or just even persons who are above us, we should know that each one of us has a battle to face everyday in the different aspects of life. And instead of bringing down each other, we must be compassionate and be an encouragement to other people.
The love of family
The story also showed the love of king Indarapatra to his brother. It makes me more appreciative of my sister and brother and that they will always have a special place in my heart. Families are not perfect, but they will have your back to support and guide you throughout the way. 🙂
readandreflect 