Table of Contents

RIZAL’S “HYMN TO LABOR”

Words by José Rizal

(Arranged from Chas. Derbyshire’s translation; lines in different order.)

Tune of “The Wearing of the Green”

 

Musical score with lyrics.

 

RIZAL’S “MARIA CLARA’S LULLABY”

Words by José Rizal

(Chas. Derbyshire’s translation)

Music by Juan Hernandez

 

Musical score with lyrics.

 

 

THE AUTHOR AT 14

THE AUTHOR AT 14

 

 

Original titlepage.

 

RIZAL’S OWN STORY OF HIS LIFE

“IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND THERE ARE NAMES WHICH OF THEMSELVES SIGNIFY ACHIEVEMENTS. THEY CALL FORTH REVERENCE AND REMIND US OF GREATNESS.”

Signature: José Rizal

SIGNATURE ON THE MANUSCRIPT OF THE NOVEL “EL FILIBUSTERISMO”

Rizal’s Painting of his Sister Saturnina

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Dr. W. W. Marquardt suggested this book.

Miss Josephine Craig advised and assisted in the selections.

Hon. C. E. Yeater read and criticised the original manuscript.

Miss M. W. Sproull revised the translations.

Dean Francisco Benitez acted as pedagogical adviser.

Miss Gertrude McVenn simplified the language for primary school use.

Mr. John C. Howe adapted and arranged the music.

Mr. Frederic H. Stevens planned the make-up and, in spite of wartime difficulties, provided the materials needed.

Mr. Chas. A. Kvist supervised the production.

Mr. C. H. Noronha, who, in 1897, in his Hongkong magazine Odds and Ends, first published Rizal’s farewell poem “My Last Thought”, was the careful and obliging proofreader.

Assistant Insular Architect Juan Arellano, a colleague of the editor on the Dapitan Rizal national park committee, designed the sampaguita decorations.

Mr. A. Garcia achieved creditable illustrations out of poorly preserved photographs whose historical accuracy has not been impaired by the slightest embellishment.

And the entire establishment of Messrs. E.C. McCullough & Company—printers, pressmen and bookbinders—labored zealously and enthusiastically to do credit to the imprint: “Made in Manila—The Work of Filipinos”.

The Memory of Rizal is kept alive in many ways:

1. A province near Manila bears his name.

2. The anniversary of his death is a public holiday.

3. A memorial school has been built by the Insular Government in his native town.

4. His home in exile has been made a national park.

5. The first destroyer of the future Philippine navy is named “Rizal”.

6. Rizal’s portrait appears on the two-peso bill.

7. Rizal’s portrait appears on the two-centavo postage stamp.

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A 2-centavo postage stamp

A two-peso bill

A 2-centavo stamped envelope

A Philippine post card

 

ILLUSTRATIONS

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

Rizal’s pencil sketch of himself        1

Rizal at 14        4

Rizal’s painting of his sister Saturnina        6

Rizal’s portrait on Philippine postage and money        8

Rizal’s home, Kalamba        12

Rizal’s mother and two of his sisters        16

Clay model of dog and cayman combat        17

Where Rizal went to school in Biñan        18

Rizal monument, Biñan        24

Santa Rosa Gate, on Biñan-Kalamba road        26

Model of a Dapitan woman at work        28

Rizal’s uncle        29

Rizal’s uncle’s home in Biñan        30

Guardia Civil soldier        31

Rizal’s mother        33

Rizal’s father        34

One of Rizal’s teachers, Terracotta bust by Rizal        36

Padre Sanchez, Rizal’s favorite teacher in the Ateneo        37

Carving of the Sacred Heart, made by Rizal in the Ateneo        44

Wooden bust of Rizal’s father        45

Rizal at 18        48

Rizal’s sacrifice of his life        57

Professor Burgos        58

The lake shore at Kalamba        60

A Manila school girl, drawn by Rizal        62

Rizal in Paris        64

Rizal at 30        66

Crayon portrait of Rizal’s cousin Leonore        70

Dapitan plaza and townhall        80

Wooden medallion of Mrs. José Rizal        84

Chalk pipehead, Rizal’s last modeling        86

Rizal at 27        90

Manila skyline, sketched by Rizal        92

Rizal at 22        104

Rizal at 24        106

Rizal at 26        108

Rizal at 28, from a group picture        110

Rizal at 28, profile        114

Rizal Mausoleum, Luneta, Manila        118

Noli Me Tangere manuscript-cover design, by Rizal        120

El Filibusterismo manuscript-cover, lettered by Rizal        121

Portrait of Rizal at time of finishing El Filibusterismo        121

Los Baños house where El Filibusterismo was begun, drawn by Rizal        121

Diploma of Merit awarded Rizal for allegory “The Council of the Gods”        123

Silver pen prize won by Rizal for poem “To Philippine Youth”        125

Alcohol lamp in which Rizal hid poem “My Last Thought”        125

 

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

 

Handwritten quote: It is commonly said that the life of a good writer is best read in his works.

—Autographic quotation from Rizal.

 

Page

Rizal’s Song “Hymn to Labor”        2

Rizal’s Song “Maria Clara’s Lullaby”        3

My Boyhood        13

My First Reading Lesson        49

My Childhood Impressions        59

The Spanish Schools of My Boyhood        61

The Turkey that Caused the Kalamba Land Trouble        65

From Japan to England Across America        69

My Deportation to Dapitan        73

Advice to a Nephew        81

Filipino Proverbs        83

Filipino Puzzles        84

Rizal’s “Don’ts”        85

Poem: Hymn to Labor        87

Memory Gems from Rizal’s Writings        91

Mariang Makiling        93

 

NOT BY RIZAL

The Memory of Rizal        8

Rizal Chronology        101

A Reading List        119

Philippine National Hymn (by José Palma)        126

Song: Hail, Philippines (by H. C. Theobald)        128

 

 

Rizal-Mercado home, Kalamba. Here José Rizal was born. The family lost this building, along with most of their other property, in the land troubles. Governor-General Weyler sent soldiers to drive them out, though the first court had decided in their favor and an appeal to the Supreme Court had not yet been heard. Later, the upper part of the building was rebuilt.

Rizal-Mercado home, Kalamba. Here José Rizal was born. The family lost this building, along with most of their other property, in the land troubles. Governor-General Weyler sent soldiers to drive them out, though the first court had decided in their favor and an appeal to the Supreme Court had not yet been heard. Later, the upper part of the building was rebuilt.

 

RIZAL’S OWN STORY

RIZAL’S OWN STORY

MY BOYHOOD

José Rizal wrote the first three chapters in 1878. He was seventeen years old at that time.

CHAPTER I

My Birth and Earliest Years in Kalamba

I was born on Wednesday, the nineteenth of June, 1861. It was a few days before the full of the moon. I found myself in a village. I had some slight notions of the morning sun and of my parents. That is as much as I can recall of my baby days.

The training which I received from my earliest infancy is perhaps what formed my habits. I can recall clearly my first gloomy nights, passed on the azotea of our house. They seem as yesterday! They were nights filled with the poetry of sadness and seem near now because at present my days are so sad. On moonlight nights, I took my supper on the azotea. My nurse, who was very fond of me, used to threaten to leave me to a terrible but imaginary being like the bogey of the Europeans if I did not eat.

I had nine sisters and a brother. Our father was a model parent. He gave us the education which was suitable in a family neither rich nor poor. He was thrifty. By careful saving, he was able to build a stone house. He also bought another house; and he put up a nipa cottage on our plot of irrigated ground. The cottage was shaded by bananas and trees.