Noli Me Tangere

Jose P. Rizal, Leon Ma. Guerrero

• Publisher: Anvil Publishing, Inc.
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN: 9789712736698
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Classics
• Index: Literature

A cleverly indicting portrayal of the injustices that Filipinos suffered at the hands of Spanish priests and statesmen in 19th century Philippines. Fresh from a European education, the young intellectual Crisostomo Ibarra returns to the town of San Diego to start a school for young boys and marry his childhood sweetheart, the beautiful Maria Clara. However, he is opposed at every turn by the priests Damaso and Salvi for his subversive ideas. When Ibarra becomes implicated in a fake insurrection and is forced to leave town, he begins to question whether or not his dream of a more progressive Philippines can be achieved through peaceful reforms or bloody revolution. Through Ibarra's struggle to uplift his countrymen, Jose Rizal reveals the sufferings of Filipinos against the oppressive hand of the Spanish regime—which ultimately led to Rizal's execution and the birth of the Philippine nation.

A Fishing Expedition

The stars were still shining in the blue dome of heaven, the birds still asleep in the trees, when a merry party walked through the streets of the town by the festive light of pitch torches, heading for the lake.

In the carriage were five light-footed girls, hand in hand or with arms about each other’s waists, followed by a number of elderly ladies and by serving maids carrying on their heads baskets full of provisions, plates, and kitchen utensils. Their faces gay with youth and alight with expectation, their abundant black hair and the wide folds of their dresses streaming in the wind, they might have been divinities of the night fleeing the light of day; they were in fact María Clara with four friends, her cousin the jolly Sinang, grave Victoria, lovely Iday, and the pensive Nenang, a shy and modest beauty, all chattering away now, giggling, pinching each other, whispering, breaking into peals of laughter.

“Hush, most people are still in bed—you’ll wake them up,” Aunt Isabel reprimanded them. “We weren’t half as noisy when we were young.”

“Then you weren’t up as early as we are,” retorted little Sinang, “or maybe old people weren’t such slugabeds.”

Nevertheless they stopped their chatter, but only for a moment; they lowered their voices but soon forgot and were off again, their fresh young voices and their laughter echoing down the street.

“Make believe you’re offended and don’t speak to him,” Sinang advised María Clara. “Pick a quarrel with him so he won’t take you for granted.”

“Don’t be so exacting,” said Iday.

“Go on and be exacting; don’t be foolish. Man should obey woman before marriage; after marriage he will be doing whatever he pleases,” little Sinang counselled.

“What do you know about such things?” her cousin Victoria rebuked her.

“Shh! They’re coming!”

True enough, a group of young men was approaching, carrying great bamboo torches and walking quite sedately to the strumming of a guitar.

“Sounds like a beggar’s guitar, doesn’t it?” Sinang laughed. But when the two groups met, it was the girls who assumed a grave and proper demeanour, and looked as if they did not know what it was to laugh. On the other hand the young men talked, bowed, smiled, and asked six questions to get half an answer. “Is the lake calm? Do you think we shall have good weather?” asked the mothers.

“Now don’t you ladies worry; I’m a very good swimmer,” answered a tall thin young man, Albino by name.

“We should have gone to hear mass first,” sighed Aunt Isabel, clasping her hands.

“It’s not too late, ma’am,” suggested another young blood. “Albino here studied in a seminary and can say mass aboard.”

The latter thereupon slyly made a sanctimonious face like Father Salví’s.

Ibarra, without losing his dignity, joined in the merriment.

When they reached the shore the women cried out at a happy surprise. They saw two large boats joined together and picturesquely decorated with garlands of flowers and varicolored embossed cloths. From the makeshift awnings hung tiny paper lanterns among roses and carnations, and pineapples, kasuy, bananas, guavas, lanzones, and other fruits. Ibarra had brought carpets, rugs, and cushions, and fashioned them into comfortable seats for the women. Even the paddles and the punting poles were decorated. In the more lavishly accoutred boat were a harp, guitars, accordions, and a carabao horn trumpet; the other had native earthen stoves in full blast, brewing tea, coffee, and ginger tea for breakfast.

“All the women here, all the men there,” commanded the older ladies as they embarked. “Be still there, girls, don’t move around so much or we’ll capsize.”

“First make the sign of the cross,” said Aunt Isabel, promptly doing so.

“Are we going to be here by ourselves,” pouted Sinang. “All by ourselves—ouch!”

The “ouch” was due to a timely pinch administered by her mother.

The boats were slowly drawing away from the beach, the light of their paper lanterns glimmering reflected in the mirror-like surface of the lake. The east was beginning to glow with the dawn.

The party was rather subdued; the young people seemed to be brooding on the separation of the sexes decreed by the mothers.

“Look out,” said Albino the seminarian in a loud voice to another young man. “Better be sure you keep your feet on that plug.”

“Why?”

“It’s liable to come out and let the water in. This boat is full of holes, you know.”

“We’re sinking!” shrieked the women.

“Have no fear, ladies,” the seminarian reassured them. “The boat is quite safe, there are only five holes in it, and not very big ones either.”

“Five holes! ¡Jésus! Do you want us all to drown?” exclaimed the women in a fright.

“Only five, ladies, and only this big,” said the seminarian, making a circle with his thumb and forefinger. “Just make sure you keep your feet firmly on the plugs and keep them down.”

“My God! Most Holy Mary! The water is coming in already,” cried an old lady who was quite sure she was getting wet.

There was a little panic, some of the ladies were screaming, others seemed about ready to take to the lake.

“Keep your feet on the plugs there,” continued Albino, pointing to the place where the girls were.

“Where? Where did you say? We haven’t the faintest idea . . . Oh do please come and show us where,” begged the frightened women.

Five young men had perforce to transfer to the other boat in order to reassure the frightened mothers. By an...

Table of contents

• DedicationTo My Country
• IntroductionTwo Novels That Made A Revolution
• A New IntroductionCorruption in the Convent
• Note On The Translation
• A Noli And Fili Reader
• A Party
• Crisóstomo Ibarra
• At DinnerWhen “No” Means “Yes”
• A Subversive Heretic
• Star In The Night
• Capitán TiagoThy Will Be Done On Earth...
• Love On A BalconyThe Song Of Songs
• Memories
• Local Goings-On
• The Town Of San Diego
• The BossesDivide And Rule (The New Machiavelli)
• All Saints’ Day
• Storm Signals
• Tasio
• The Bell-Ringers
• Sisa
• BasilioLife Is But A Dream
• The Faithful Departed
• Adventures Of A Schoolmaster
• The Town Meeting
• A Mother’s Story
• Lights And Shadows
• A Fishing Expedition
• In The Wood
• Elías And Salomé
• In The Scholar's House
• The Eve Of The Fiesta
• At Nightfall
• LettersEveryone Speaks Of The Fair As He Fared In It
• The Day Of The Fiesta
• In Church
• The Sermon
• The Derrick
• Free Thought
• The Banquet
• Reactions
• First Effects
• His Excellency
• The Procession
• Doña Consolación
• Right And Might
• Two Callers
• The Espadañas
• Plans
• An Examination Of Conscience
• The Oppressed
• The Cockpit
• Two Ladies
• A Puzzle
• Spokesman Of The Oppressed
• The Story Of Elías
• Changes
• The Lucky Card
• A Good Day Can Be Foretold By The Morning
• The Conspiracy
• Ruin
• Rumors
• Woe To The VanquishedMy Joys Fell Down The Well.
• The One To Blame
• Patriotism And Self-Interest
• A Wedding For María Clara
• The Chase On The Lake
• Father Dámaso Explains Himself
• Christmas Eve
• Epilogue