Chapter 4:

Cabesang Tales

(The Summary of “El Filibusterismo”)

Cabesang Tales with his family and father cultivate a piece of land.  From the hardship the experience and sickness they experience, Tales's wife and eldest daughter die.  When he is about to harvest his crops, a religious order lays claim to the land and demands an annual rent.  Tales eventually agrees to the arrangement, but every year the rent keeps going up until he has had enough.  He goes to the courts and demands that the religious order present some proof of their ownership of the land.  After a long and expensive litigation, Tales loses the case.  He is unfortunately abducted by bandits demanding ransom.  Not enough money is raised for the ransom, so Juli, the daughter of Cabesang Tales, borrows money from Hermana Penchang.  To pay the debt, Juli agrees to work for the Hermana as a servant.

Learn this Filipino word:

buntót