May Day Eve May Day Eve

Nick Joaquin
e a e a
Nick Joaquin Nick Joaquin
Joaqun was born in Paco, Manila, one of
ten children of Leocadio Joaqun, a colonel
under General Emilio Aguinaldo in the 1896
Revolution, and Salome Mrquez, a
teacher of English and Spanish. After being
read poems and stories by his mother, the
boy Joaqun read widely in his father's
library and at the National Library of the
Philippines. By then, his father had become
a successful lawyer after the revolution.
From reading, From reading, Joaqun Joaqun became interested became interested
in writing. in writing.
At age 17, Joaqun had his first piece
published, in the literary section of the pre-
World War II Tribune, where he worked as a
proofreader. It was accepted by the writer
and editor Serafn Lanot. After Joaqun won
a nationwide essay competition to
honor La Naval de Manila, sponsored by
the Dominican Order, the University of
Santo Tomas awarded him an honorary
Associate in Arts (A.A.). They also awarded
him a scholarship to St. Albert's Convent,
the Dominican monastery in Hong Kong.
Nicomedes Mrquez Joaqun (May
4, 1917April 29, 2004) was
a Filipino writer, historian and
journalist, best known for his short
stories and novels in the English
language. He also wrote using the
pen name Quijano de Manila.
Joaquin was conferred the rank and
title of National Artist of the
Philippines for Literature.
He is considered the most important
Filipino writer in English, and the third
most important overall, after Jos
Rizal and Claro M. Recto.
Te f. ae Jaq ped Te f. ae Jaq ped
Prose and Poems (1952) Prose and Poems (1952)
The Woman Who Had Two Navels (1961) The Woman Who Had Two Navels (1961)
Selected Stories (1962) Selected Stories (1962)
La Naval de Manila and Other Essays (1964) La Naval de Manila and Other Essays (1964)
The Portrait of the Artist as Filipino (1966) The Portrait of the Artist as Filipino (1966)
Tropical Gothic (1972) Tropical Gothic (1972)
The Complete Poems and Plays of Jose Rizal (1976) The Complete Poems and Plays of Jose Rizal (1976)
Reportage on Crime (1977) Reportage on Crime (1977)
Reportage on Lovers (1977) Reportage on Lovers (1977)
Nora Nora Aunor Aunor and Other Profiles (1977) and Other Profiles (1977)
Ronnie Poe and Other Silhouettes (1977) Ronnie Poe and Other Silhouettes (1977)
Amalia Amalia Fuentes and Other Etchings (1977) Fuentes and Other Etchings (1977)
Gloria Diaz and Other Delineations (1977) Gloria Diaz and Other Delineations (1977)
Doveglion Doveglion and Other Cameos (1977) and Other Cameos (1977)
A Question of Heroes (1977) A Question of Heroes (1977)
Stories for Groovy Kids (1979) Stories for Groovy Kids (1979)
Almanac for Almanac for Manileos Manileos (1979) (1979)
Manila: Sin City and Other Chronicles (1980) Manila: Sin City and Other Chronicles (1980)
Language of the Street and Other Essays (1980) Language of the Street and Other Essays (1980)
Reportage on the Reportage on the Marcoses Marcoses (1979, 1981) (1979, 1981)
Te aad ad pe e a eceved cde Te aad ad pe e a eceved cde
Republic Cultural Heritage Award (1961); Republic Cultural Heritage Award (1961);
Stonehill Stonehill Award for the Novel (1960); Award for the Novel (1960);
First prize, First prize, Philippines Free Press Philippines Free Press Short Story Contest Short Story Contest
(1949); (1949);
First prize, First prize, Palance Palance Memorial Award (1957 Memorial Award (1957- -58); 58);
Jose Garcia Villa's Honor Roll (1940); Jose Garcia Villa's Honor Roll (1940);
and the National Artist Award (1976). and the National Artist Award (1976).
The Story The Story
A MIRROR IS THE LIE BY WHICH WE SEE THE TRUTH
May Day Eve May Day Eve
The major characters
Badoy,
Agueda,
Anastasia (old gypsy)
Agueda's daughter, and
Voltaire (Badoy's grandson)
May Day Eve May Day Eve
Nick Joaquin
The old people had ordered that the dancing The old people had ordered that the dancing
should stop at ten o clock but it was almost should stop at ten o clock but it was almost
midnight before the carriages came filling up to midnight before the carriages came filling up to
the front door, the servants running to and from the front door, the servants running to and from
with torches to light the departing guests, while with torches to light the departing guests, while
the girls who were staying promptly herded the girls who were staying promptly herded
upstairs at the bedrooms, the young men upstairs at the bedrooms, the young men
gathering to wish them a good night and gathering to wish them a good night and
lamenting their ascent with mock sighs and lamenting their ascent with mock sighs and
moaning, proclaiming themselves disconsolate moaning, proclaiming themselves disconsolate
but straightway going off to finish the punch and but straightway going off to finish the punch and
the brandy though they were quite drunk the brandy though they were quite drunk
already, for they were young bucks newly arrived already, for they were young bucks newly arrived
from Europe. from Europe.
Guardia sereno-o-o!
A las doce han
dado-o-o!
And it was May again, said the old And it was May again, said the old Anastacia Anastacia. It . It
was the first day of May and witches were was the first day of May and witches were
abroad in the night; she said abroad in the night; she said for it was a night of for it was a night of
divination, a night of lovers, and those who cared divination, a night of lovers, and those who cared
might peer in a mirror and would there behold might peer in a mirror and would there behold
the face of whoever it was they were fated to the face of whoever it was they were fated to
marry, said the old marry, said the old Anastacia Anastacia. While the girls . While the girls
climbing into the four climbing into the four- -great great- -poster poster- -beds that the beds that the
room began shrieking with terror, scrambling over room began shrieking with terror, scrambling over
each other and imploring the old woman opt to each other and imploring the old woman opt to
frighten them. frighten them.
Enough, enough, Anastacia! We want
to sleep! Go scare the boys instead!
Let her prophesy, let her prophesy! Whom
will I marry, old gypsy? Come, tell me
You may learn in a mirror, if you are not afraid.
You must take a candle, she instructed. And go into a room that is dark
and that has a mirror in it and you must be alone in the room. Go up to
the mirror and close your eyes and say:
Mirror, mirror,
show to me,
him whose woman
I will be.
If all goes right, just above your left shoulder will
appear the face of the man you will marry.
But But Agueda Agueda had already slipped outside; was had already slipped outside; was
already tiptoeing across the hall, her feet bare already tiptoeing across the hall, her feet bare
and her dark hair falling down her shoulders and and her dark hair falling down her shoulders and
shimmering in the wind as she fled down the stairs, shimmering in the wind as she fled down the stairs,
the lighted candle sputtering in one hand while the lighted candle sputtering in one hand while
the other she pulled up her white gown from her the other she pulled up her white gown from her
ankles. ankles.
The mirror hung on the wall, before her; a big The mirror hung on the wall, before her; a big
antique mirror with a gold frame carved into antique mirror with a gold frame carved into
leaves and flowers and mysterious leaves and flowers and mysterious curticues curticues. She . She
saw herself approaching fearfully in it: a small saw herself approaching fearfully in it: a small
white ghost at the darkness bodied forth white ghost at the darkness bodied forth
approaching in the mirror seemed only a mask approaching in the mirror seemed only a mask
that floated forward. that floated forward.
She closed her eyes and whispered the She closed her eyes and whispered the
incantation. When she had finished such a terror incantation. When she had finished such a terror
look hold of her that she felt unable to move, look hold of her that she felt unable to move,
unable to open her eyes, and thought she would unable to open her eyes, and thought she would
stand there forever, enchanted. But she heard a stand there forever, enchanted. But she heard a
step behind her, a smothered giggle, and step behind her, a smothered giggle, and
instantly opened her eyes. instantly opened her eyes.
AND WHAT DID YOU SEE, MAMA? OH, WHAT IS AND WHAT DID YOU SEE, MAMA? OH, WHAT IS
WAS IT? WAS IT?
It was the same room, and the same mirror but It was the same room, and the same mirror but
the face she now saw in it was an old face the face she now saw in it was an old face a a
hard, bitter, vengeful face, framed in hard, bitter, vengeful face, framed in greying greying
mask, that fresh young face like a pure mask that mask, that fresh young face like a pure mask that
she had brought before this mirror one wild May she had brought before this mirror one wild May
Day midnight years and years ago Day midnight years and years ago
The devil, Mama? Oh oh!
Yes, my love. I opened my eyes and there in the mirror, smiling at me,
over my left shoulder, was the face of the devil.
Oh, my poor little Mama! And were you very frightened?
But the devil, Mama what did he look like?
Well, let me see he has curly hair and a
scar on his cheek
Well, yes. But this of the devil was a scar of sin, while that of your Papa
is a scar of honor. Or so he says.
Go on about the devil.
Like the scar of Papa?
Well, he had mustaches.
Like those of Papa?
Oh, no. Those of your Papa are dirty and graying and smell horribly of
tobacco, while these of the devil were very black and elegantoh,
how elegant!
And did he speak to you, Mama?
Yes Yes, he spoke to me, said Dona Agueda. And bowing her
graying head; she wept.
Charms like your have no need for a candle, fair one, he
had said, smiling at her in the mirror and stepping back to
give her a low mocking bow.
But clearly you do not despise yourself, senyorita.
You come to admire your charms in the mirror even
in the middle of the night!
I was not admiring myself, sir!
You were admiring the moon perhaps?
Oh! she gasped, and burst into tears. The candle dropped from her
hand and she covered her face and sobbed piteously. The candle had
gone out and they stood in darkness, and young Badoy was
conscience-stricken.
Oh, do not cry, little one! Oh, please forgive me! Please do not cry!
But what a brute I am! I was drunk, little one, I was drunk and knew not
what I said. He groped and found her hand and touched it to his lips.
She shuddered in her white gown. Let me go,
she moaned, and tugged feebly.
No. Say you forgive me first. Say you forgive me, Agueda.
But instead she pulled his hand to her mouth and But instead she pulled his hand to her mouth and
bit it bit it - - bit so sharply in the knuckles that he cried bit so sharply in the knuckles that he cried
with pain and lashed cut with his other hand with pain and lashed cut with his other hand
lashed out and hit the air, for she was gone, she lashed out and hit the air, for she was gone, she
had fled, and he heard the rustling of her skirts up had fled, and he heard the rustling of her skirts up
the stairs as he furiously sucked his bleeding fingers. the stairs as he furiously sucked his bleeding fingers.
Oh, he would have his revenge, he would make Oh, he would have his revenge, he would make
her pay, that little harlot! She should suffer for this, her pay, that little harlot! She should suffer for this,
he thought greedily, licking his bleeding knuckles. he thought greedily, licking his bleeding knuckles.
But But Judas! He remembered her bare shoulders: Judas! He remembered her bare shoulders:
gold in her candlelight and delicately furred. He gold in her candlelight and delicately furred. He
saw the mobile insolence of her neck, and her taut saw the mobile insolence of her neck, and her taut
breasts steady in the fluid gown. Son of a Turk, but breasts steady in the fluid gown. Son of a Turk, but
she was quite enchanting! How could she think she she was quite enchanting! How could she think she
had no fire or grace? And no salt? An arroba she had no fire or grace? And no salt? An arroba she
had of it! had of it!
No lack of salt in the chrism No lack of salt in the chrism
At the moment of thy baptism! At the moment of thy baptism!
He sang aloud in the dark room and He sang aloud in the dark room and
suddenly realized that he had fallen suddenly realized that he had fallen
madly in love with her. He ached madly in love with her. He ached
intensely to see her again intensely to see her again at once! at once! to to
touch her hands and her hair; to hear her touch her hands and her hair; to hear her
harsh voice. harsh voice.
But, alas, the heart forgets; the heart is But, alas, the heart forgets; the heart is
distracted; and May time passes; summer distracted; and May time passes; summer
lends; the storms break over the rot lends; the storms break over the rot- -tipe tipe
orchards and the heart grows old; while orchards and the heart grows old; while
the hours, the days, the months, and the the hours, the days, the months, and the
years pile up and pile up, till the mind years pile up and pile up, till the mind
becomes too crowded, too confused: becomes too crowded, too confused:
dust gathers in it; cobwebs multiply; the dust gathers in it; cobwebs multiply; the
walls darken and fall into ruin and decay; walls darken and fall into ruin and decay;
the memory perished the memory perished
Mine. The boys at school said I would see her if I looked in a mirror
tonight and said:
Mirror, mirror,
show to me,
her whose lover
I will be.
Well, the boys did warn me I might see a witch instead.
Exactly! A witch so horrible you may die of fright. And she will be
witch you, she will torture you, she will eat your heart and drink
your blood!
Oh, come now Grandpa. This is 1890.
There are no witches anymore.
Oh-ho, my young Voltaire! And what if I tell you that I myself
have seen a witch. Right in this room land right in that mirror,
said the old man, and his playful voice had turned savage.
She bewitched me and she tortured me. She bewitched me and she tortured me.
She ate my heart and drank my blood. She ate my heart and drank my blood.
said the old man bitterly.
The witch?
She bewitch you, Grandpa!
Don Don Badoy Badoy started. For a moment he had started. For a moment he had
forgotten that she was dead, that she had forgotten that she was dead, that she had
perished perishedthe poor the poor Agueda Agueda; that they were at ; that they were at
peace at last, the two of them, her tired body at peace at last, the two of them, her tired body at
rest; her broken body set free at last from the rest; her broken body set free at last from the
brutal pranks of the earth brutal pranks of the earth from the trap of a from the trap of a
May night; from the snare of summer. May night; from the snare of summer.
And remembering how she had sobbed And remembering how she had sobbed
so piteously; remembering how she had so piteously; remembering how she had
bitten his hand and fled and how he had bitten his hand and fled and how he had
sung aloud in the dark room and sung aloud in the dark room and
surprised his heart in the instant of falling surprised his heart in the instant of falling
in love. in love.
wafting unbearable the window; the wafting unbearable the window; the
bowed old man sobbing so bitterly at the bowed old man sobbing so bitterly at the
window; the tears streaming down his window; the tears streaming down his
cheeks and the wind in his hair and one cheeks and the wind in his hair and one
hand pressed to his mouth hand pressed to his mouth while from while from
up the street came the up the street came the clackety clackety- -clack of clack of
the watchmans boots on the cobbles, the watchmans boots on the cobbles,
and the clang and the clang- -clang of his lantern clang of his lantern
against his knee, and the mighty roll of his against his knee, and the mighty roll of his
voice booming through the night: voice booming through the night:
Guardia Guardia sereno sereno- -oo- -o! o!
A A las las doce doce han han
dado dado- -oo- -o! o!
Say
f e Sy
As Don Badoy visited his old home at Intramuros, Manila,
memories of his youth came back. He recalled how he fell in
love with Agueda, a young woman who resisted his
advances. Agueda learned that she would be able to know
her future husband by reciting an incantation in front of a
mirror. As she recited the words: Mirror, mirror, show to me him
whose woman I will be, Agueda saw Badoy. Badoy and
Agueda got married. However, Don Badoy learned from his
grandson that he was described by Doa Agueda (through
their daughter) as a "devil". In return, Don Badoy told his
grandson that every time he looks at the mirror, he only sees a
"witch" (Agueda). Don Badoy ponders on love that had
dissipated. The truth was revealed, Badoy and Agueda had a
bitter marriage, which began in the past, during one
evening in the month of May in 1847 evening in the month of May in 1847. The tragedy of the story
is Badoys heart forgot how he loved Agueda in the past. They
were not able to mend their broken marriage because their
love was a raging passion and nothing more.
As Don Badoy visited his old home at Intramuros, Manila,
memories of his youth came back. He recalled how he fell in
love with Agueda, a young woman who resisted his
advances. Agueda learned that she would be able to know
her future husband by reciting an incantation in front of a
mirror. As she recited the words: Mirror, mirror, show to me him
whose woman I will be, Agueda saw Badoy. Badoy and
Agueda got married. However, Don Badoy learned from his
grandson that he was described by Doa Agueda (through
their daughter) as a "devil". In return, Don Badoy told his
grandson that every time he looks at the mirror, he only sees a
"witch" (Agueda). Don Badoy ponders on love that had
dissipated. The truth was revealed, Badoy and Agueda had a
bitter marriage, which began in the past, during one
evening in the month of May in 1847 evening in the month of May in 1847. The tragedy of the story
is Badoys heart forgot how he loved Agueda in the past. They
were not able to mend their broken marriage because their
love was a raging passion and nothing more.
The play tells a story of a family where love and bitterness is
passed on by Agueda and Badoy's encounter one May eve in
front of the mirror. There they saw their future spouses in the
form of a witch and a devil by means of a ritual; their hearts their hearts
were eaten and their blood, drank were eaten and their blood, drank. They fell in love but their
love never met. That is the curse they brought to the
generations after them: to fall in love yet live in bitterness. to fall in love yet live in bitterness.
The play tells a story of a family where love and bitterness is
passed on by Agueda and Badoy's encounter one May eve in
front of the mirror. There they saw their future spouses in the
form of a witch and a devil by means of a ritual; their hearts their hearts
were eaten and their blood, drank were eaten and their blood, drank. They fell in love but their
love never met. That is the curse they brought to the
generations after them: to fall in love yet live in bitterness. to fall in love yet live in bitterness.
daya daya, Jeca S. , Jeca S.
Pe Dea 2 Pe Dea 2
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!