Tagalog Texts with Grammatical Analysis

22. Three souls who called upon Saint Peter.

Juan was a gay bachelor. But when he reached the age of twenty-two he fell very sick and it was not long before he died. His soul went to Heaven and knocked at its gate.

Saint Peter answered his knock and asked: “Who are you? What brings you here?”

Juan’s soul answered: “I am Juan’s soul. Open the door, for I want to come in.”

The door-keeper opened the gate, but before he allowed Juan’s soul to enter, he questioned him as follows: “Why have you come here? What acts of piety have you performed on earth that you think you are entitled to the joys of Heaven? Have you left a wife behind you?”

Juan’s soul said: “When I was still on earth I often went to church, prayed, and gave alms, but I did not have the good fortune to get married.”

The door-keeper answered: “You are not fit to partake of the joys of Heaven.”

And when he had said this he closed the door. Juan’s soul was not able to enter Heaven.

When Juan had gone away, another soul arrived.

“Who are you? And why do you wish to come into Heaven? Did you get married when you were still on earth?” asked the door-keeper.

The soul answered: “I am the soul of Andrés. I took a wife when I was yet on earth. Open the gate for I want to come in.”

At once Saint Peter opened the gate of Heaven, and when he saw the soul of Andrés he said: “Oh, pitiable soul! For such as you the joys of Heaven are reserved and fitting. Enter!”

The soul of Andrés was overjoyed and entered the abode of bliss.

When the door was closed there was another knock.

“Who are you?” the keeper asked again.

“I am the soul of Mariano,” answered the one who had knocked.

“Why have you come here? Why do you think that you deserve to partake of Heaven? Did you get married when you were still on earth?”

To these questions the soul of Mariano answered: “When I was still on earth I often had masses said. Half of my wealth I gave to the Church for the saying of masses and the ringing of bells. The candles I offered up could not be drawn by three carabao, and as to getting married,” continued the soul, “I was married twice. I became a widower and married again.”

“I am very sorry that I am not able to let you in. There is no place for madmen like you in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

And he closed the door.

23. Juan the canoer.

One day a Spaniard was having Juan ferry him across the river in his canoe. The Spaniard, Juan’s fare, was able to speak Tagalog. Accordingly, while they were still far from shore, he began a conversation with Juan.

This Spaniard was a learned man, no doubt a famous scholar in Spain, and this showed itself in his discourse to Juan regarding geography, arithmetic, and various languages of Europe.

When his discourse was ended, he asked Juan: “Have you studied geography?”

“No, sir,” answered Juan,—and in truth, Juan had no education, for he had grown up in poverty, so that his life at all times was nothing but ceaseless work.

The Spaniard was astonished at Juan’s answer and said at once: “I am sorry, friend, that you do not know geography, for in consequence half your life, as it were, is lost.”

Juan did not utter a word, and kept on paddling.

It was not long before the Spaniard again asked: “Have you studied arithmetic?”

“No, sir,” answered Juan.

“If that is the case, friend, a fourth of your life is lost to you, as it were.”

Juan became a little frightened, for he could not make out what the Spaniard was trying to say.

He said to himself: “You poor fellow, Juan, only a fourth of your life is left now.”

When their canoe had got to a deep part of the river, and while the Spaniard was reflecting upon the great ignorance of the working people in the Philippines, Juan asked his passenger this question: “Do you know how to swim, sir?”

“No,” answered the Spaniard at once.

“In that case,” answered Juan, “you have lost your whole life, not only as it were, but you have lost it in all truth.”

And while he spoke these words he tipped over the canoe they were riding in. Juan swam to the shore, but the Spaniard was carried away by the stream.

24. Kindness to animals.

One dark night Juan was walking in some forests far from any towns. He was on his way to his home town. Before he could arrive there, he had to pass through some uncanny places. One night, when he was walking in such a place, he was suddenly startled by the arrival of a black cat which purred and scratched at his leg. What he did was to kick the cat with all his might, and it was tossed a good distance. He kept on walking, but it was not long before the cat came back to him. His anger greatly increased, and he kicked the cat again. He thought that this cat was the plaything of some goblin or vampire. He kept on walking. It was not long before the black cat again came back to him. This time, instead of kicking the cat, he took hold of it, lifted it up on his arm, stroked it and patted it, and said to it: “Good little cat, what do you want? Are you going to come along with me on my journey?” and he continued walking.

After a while he was attacked by sleepiness. He saw a house by the way, but the people in his town believed that this house was enchanted. However, Juan had no other place to sleep, so he entered the house to sleep there.

He fell sound asleep, but at midnight he was awakened by the pattering of rats. He set about kicking and striking at the rats to kill them or drive them away. But the rats became more and more numerous until the room became full and they bit him and gnawed at him.

It was then that Juan took his black cat and told it to kill the rats. The cat miewed and began to chase the rats. Great fear seized the rats, and those that were not killed by the cat ran to their holes. When Juan saw that there were no rats left except only a single pair, he stopped the cat. He caught the two rats and petted them and decided to take them along on his journey, just like the cat.

On the next day he continued his journey. He was overtaken by night in a place where there were no houses, so he walked on toward a house owned by a certain old man. Now it happened that this old man was an enchanter. He took Juan in and gave him an alcove to sleep in. Juan went to sleep without suspecting anything.

However, when he woke up on the next day, he was surprised and frightened when he saw that he was locked up in a box without any opening. He kicked at the walls of the box, but was not able to do anything: he could not open it. Great was his despair, and he did not know what to do, when he remembered that he had a cat and two rats with him in his prison. He took the two rats, petted them, and told them to make a hole in the box in which they were confined. The rats began to gnaw at the boards, and gradually they succeeded in making a hole in the thick board, until it was pierced through. When they had pierced it, they returned to Juan, and Juan had them again pierce the wall of the prison. When they had made holes again and again, they finally succeeded in making a large opening, and Juan was able to escape.

Juan looked for the old man, but did not find him anywhere. So he continued on his way home, and when he arrived there, he told of the great service which had been done him by his three friends, a cat and two rats.

25. Juan the sculptor.

I once read, in a Spanish novel entitled La tumba de hierro, the following story:

Juan was a child of five years, the son of a workman of the wealthy Andrés. Juan was dumb from birth, but not deaf. Moreover, his dumbness was not complete, for often he was able to cry out, though his voice was not like that of a normal child.

One evening Andrés visited the house of his workman, Juan’s father, and on this visit he brought along his daughter, who also was five years old. In spite of his dumbness, Juan made friends with his master’s child, and the two played together while their fathers were discussing matters of farming. He showed Maria (this was the name of his playmate) his toys, which he had made by his own hand and skill.

His toys were all kinds of faces of people which he had made, and they were made of clay. There were also many whole figures of people in all kinds of positions. Some were planting, some were dancing, some were lying down, and there were also some wrestling, running, and in many other positions. He also had animals; some were made of clay and others were made of wood.

The two children became good friends and were engrossed in play. When their fathers had finished their conversation, Andrés called Maria to go home, but Maria first asked her father to come to where Juan’s toys were, so that he might see them. When Andrés beheld the toys, he was astonished at the great ability shown by the one who had shaped these manikins. Andrés told Juan’s father that Juan was gifted and ought to be sent to school. But Juan’s father answered that he had no money with which to let Juan study.

“In that case,” said Andrés, “I will pay the teacher. Tomorrow Maria’s teacher is coming to our house. I shall have him go on here to you, to begin the teaching of Juan and the opening up of his mind.”

Juan’s father thanked him profusely, and they parted. Juan was very sorry when his playmate left.

From that day on Maria’s father often sent for Juan that he might play with Maria there in his house.

One afternoon when the two were playing in the garden in the wide grounds of Andrés, a butterfly came flying past the two children. They ran after it. Maria ran ahead and Juan followed. As they were running, Maria fell into a shallow pool which Andrés used as a fishpond. Juan gave a loud cry, and, as he cried out, a muscle in his throat broke and his mouth bled. He paid no attention to this and jumped into the pool to save Maria from drowning. As the pool was shallow, the two children did not drown, only Maria was filled with great fear, which caused her to faint while still in the water. So what Juan did was to take hold of Maria by her back and lift her up, so that she should not swallow any water,—he himself meanwhile being immersed. They were in this position when a servant of Andrés came upon them and rescued them from the pool.

Great was the surprise of Andrés and great was the joy which came to Juan’s father, when they heard Juan talk and tell them what had happened. What with Juan’s talking, his progress in his studies became much greater and his friendship with Maria grew much stronger.

There came the day when his teacher said that he ought to go to another town to continue his studies, for he could teach him nothing more. He told this also to Andrés. Andrés sent Juan to a school for sculptors, and there he studied for about six years.

Juan and Maria grew up and their friendship turned into love. Every vacation Juan went home to their house on Andrés’ estate, and there he passed the days at Maria’s side.

There came a day for the exhibition of the sculptures of the artists, and Juan had planned a design which he was going to carry out for that day. The victor among the contestants was to be given a prize that was to be accompanied by much money, in addition to a celebration in honor of the winner. For about a year Juan worked at his composition.

The day for presenting the statues arrived. Juan, his father, Andrés, and Maria went to the building where the statues were. Many people were there, but they were all crowding round Juan’s statue. Andrés did not know what to say in his admiration. The hour came when the judges announced who was the winner, and Juan’s statue was that named as having won the prize.

It was a group with a standing woman. Her left hand held a torch and her right a crown of leaves. At the right of the woman and under the crown of olive a youth was kneeling on his right foot. In his left hand he was holding a book, and in his right a hammer. At their feet lay scattered various implements of a student.

On the way home the two lovers revealed their secret to their parents. Juan’s father was merely grieved, for he knew that the marriage of the two was not possible, for their position was like that of a slave or thrall and a lord or king. When Andrés learned of the matter, he was filled with great anger. He had Juan called to him and scolded him. He told him he was shameless and did not know how to appreciate favors,—did not know how to repay the man who had given him his education, and told him that he could not marry Maria. Accordingly Juan at once went away without anyone’s knowing his destination.

Five or six years passed, and Juan at his sculpture did not forget Maria.

Maria passed these six years in her house. She was sunk at all times in a deep grief, and it was always Juan of whom she was thinking. Maria fell seriously ill and was near to death.

Her physician advised Andrés that, if he wanted to save his daughter, he would have to follow her desire regarding marriage to Juan. But when Andrés consented, it was already too late. Maria’s sickness went from bad to worse, and he did not even know where Juan was. He sent many messengers to the large towns to look for Juan, but even when many days had passed, not one of them had succeeded in finding Juan.

At last one of them came upon him in the town of Kamalig in his workshop. When he was told that he was being sent for by Andrés that he and Maria might be married, his joy was very great. But he was also much afraid that he might not find his loved one alive. He went home with all possible speed, and when he arrived at the house of Andrés, he found there the body of Maria, mere bone and skin, stretched out on her couch. That very moment Andrés sent for a priest, and Juan and Maria were married. While the marriage-ceremony was being performed by the priest, Maria’s breath ceased. When they were married, Juan had but time to kiss his wife before her breath left her, her face glad and her mouth smiling.

26. Marquita.

Marquita was a good and beautiful young woman, but poor. She was betrothed to a man who also was poor, but had a position with the Government in Manila and received good pay.

Marquita had a rich neighbor. His house was of wood, with an iron roof, and his estate was large. This neighbor had a great liking for Marquita, but we cannot say whether his love was true, for he had a screw loose. He paid every attention to Marquita, but Marquita was not a girl of fickle heart and paid no heed to all his attentions.

So great was the desire of this suitor to win Marquita that he decided to employ force. One afternoon he went into the yard of Marquita’s family and hid in a banana-tree. It happened that on this afternoon Marquita’s yard was dirty. Accordingly she went and swept the yard. When she came near the banana-tree in which the man was hiding, he suddenly dropped down, seized her by the hand and kissed her.

As you know, among reputable people in our country a single kiss is a great stain on a girl’s honor. Therefore, when Marquita came into the house weeping and her parents found out that she had been roughly handled or kissed by this man, they decided that there was no other way of covering up this disgrace than marrying their daughter Marquita to this man. No matter how much Marquita objected, and although they knew that she had a sweetheart, they nevertheless prepared for the marriage.

Marquita was a daughter very obedient to her parents, so she could not actually disobey them now. All she did was to write her betrothed what had happened and what was going to happen and to tell him that her coming marriage was only an act of obedience to her parents, and that she loved only him. To her parents Marquita said that they would get no joy from her, for her marriage to the man whom she abhorred would soon be the death of her.

They were married. It was not long before Marquita was stricken with fever. From the day of her marriage she was not able to eat anything, and she shed tears day and night. The skilful physicians of the town, all the wealth of her husband, and all the prayers of her parents, failed to save her from death. Seven days after her wedding she died. This caused much grief to her former betrothed and contributed to his misfortune in his later life.