Chapter 35: - Page 5 of 6

Comments

(English version of “Noli Me Tangere”)

My son won’t be a doctor but a carter, nothing more! Now there won’t be any school!

Who says there won’t be any school? asked a rough and robust countryman with wide cheeks and a narrow head.

I do! The white padres have called Don Crisostomo plibastiero. [2] Now there won’t be any school.

All stood looking questioningly at each other; that was a new term to them.

And is that a bad name? the rough countryman made bold to ask.

The worst thing that one Christian can say to another!

Worse than tarantado and sarayate? [3]

If it were only that! I’ve been called those names several times and they didn’t even give me a bellyache.

Well, it can’t be worse than ‘indio,’ as the alferez says.

The man who was to have a carter for a son became gloomier, while the other scratched his head in thought.

Then it must be like the betelapora[4] that the alferez’s old woman says. Worse than that is to spit on the Host.

[2] For filibustero.

[3] Tarantado is a Spanish vulgarism meaning blunderhead, bungler. Saragate (or zaragate) is a Mexican provincialism meaning disturber, mischief-maker.TR.

[4] Vete á la porra is a vulgarism almost the same in meaning and use as the English slang, Tell it to the policeman, porra being the Spanish term for the policeman’s billy.TR.

Learn this Filipino word:

haligi ng táhanan