Dahong Palay (Literary Review)

     Dahong Palay could be a knife used by the farmers for field works, or the palay itself. But in Doctor Arturo B. Rotor’s short story entitled, “Dahong Palay,” it referred to the venomous snake that almost killed Sebio, the main character of the story.

     “The big ax sang its way through the large arc and then came down on the block of wood with a mighty crash. It neatly cleaved into two formidable mass, the pieces flying for a long distance in opposite directions… Small were his muscles and flat and flabby when relaxed. But how hard and powerful they became when he tensed them!”

     The story began by introducing the main character and his work in the rice fields. He was described as a young man who had a splendid toughness with a twist – he had small muscles that did not seem fit for this kind of task. Despite of his “not so impressive” physical appearance, he was capable of doing intense work like this.

     “How deceptive his figure was, Sebio thought! No wonder those who knew him called him Sebiong Pasmado because of his slight figure, his spindle-shanks, his timidity. None of them could believe that he could lift two Socony cans full of water with either hand and raise them shoulderhigh, or that he could carry three sacks of rice on those narrow shoulders… If he could only summon such strength in those foolish games of strength and skill! He had always failed there, miserably. Somehow his courage always ran out before a noisy, bantering crowd.”

     In some parts at the exposition of the story, it is mentioned that Sebio was perpetually teased by his neighbors for his lack of vigor – he looks physically weak. He had that “Sebiong Pasmado” (Sebio the weakling) identity because of his slight figure – his chest was flat, his neck was long and his legs were thin. He always failed to win these “foolish games of strength and skill” in front of an earsplitting crowd. Because of these failures, he lacked self-confidence. But on his own, he had an impressive and exceptional strength that even his relatives did not know.

     On the succeeding part of the story, Sebio’s mother instructed him to go to his Tia Binay’s house to work and give the whetstone which his aunt wanted to borrow. When he reached his aunt’s place, Serbio greeted Tia Binay and all the workers there a good evening. Tia Binay is described in the story as an old woman with failing eyes unable to see well even during daytime. And so, she peered at Sebio. When the young man told his name to her, she still couldn’t recognize him, until one cruel joker shouted “Sebiong Pasmado!” Sebio, with blazing eyes, turned his face to the working men. But then, he ignored them when he just saw “sneering faces.” He just gave the whetstone to his Tia Binay and thanked her for the herbs she gave for his uncle’s rheumatism. After this, he found a seat in a darkest and farthest corner, and there he took a rest.

     “After a while, so lost was he in his thoughts that he did not see a package done up in a banana leaf which a small white hand held out to him – not until a voice spoke. “Here, Serbio, never mind those people. They are idlers. Try my suman. I made it myself.” Not until she spoke did he recognize Merci… Slowly he became his old self again.”

     The lady was Merci, the girl whom Sebio was attracted to. Because of Merci and the good-tasting suman that she made, Sebio recovered his self-control and became his likeable self again. This was how this beautiful lady affects this young man.

     “He became aware that the workers were being changed. The second shift was ready. He got up… Tia Binay was assigning each to his place… Merci was with them to complete the group of three. For a moment he could hardly contain his joy, and then he remembered that he was also with Pacio, the bully, the braggart. Bog-bog-bog! Every pestle fell with a dull thud each time… Merci, conscious of the strain under which Sebio had begun to labor, endeavored to relieve it, “This morning we chased a big snake across the yard, but it escaped.” “They say that nothing can prevent from the bite of some snakes.” “If you are bitten on the arm, you may have to cut it off.” “Or burn it,” volunteered Pacio sneeringly… He tossed up the heavy pestle, causing it to describe the figure “8” in mid-air… “Wonderful,” said everyone. Sebio felt himself growing hot all over. Pabio had challenged him… “See how industriously Sebio works. He does not even see us. Tia Binay, you really ought to consider him for a son-in-law.” The taunt was flung by a heartless rival.”

     In the rising action of the story, the discussion, that was supposedly about the “big snake,” turned into a competition between Pabio and Sebio – to win Merci’s heart. Once again, another set of “games of strength and skill” was conducted during their time of work. In this part, Merci told the noisy workers that her “nanay” did not need any son-in-law, for she was strong enough to work. Pacio confidently asked Tia Binay what her son-in-law must be like, but she refrained from answering – until everybody in the place answered for her. Exasperated Merci disagreed to all their responses and said that Tia Binay’s son-in-law must first be her husband.

     “…Pabio stood up. He stepped up to one of the mortars and took from it a horseshoe that was nailed for good luck. He seized each end and gripped hard. In the light no one could see Pacio very well, and they felt rather than saw the bulging lines of his muscles as he strained them convulsively. What they actually saw was the curved piece of iron being slowly straightened out by Pacio’s hands. A murmur of admiration rose from the crowd… “Try that Milio. But don’t crack it!” and Pacio laughingly tossed the piece of iron to him. “No thanks. Suppose I vomit blood!” And Milio tossed it to Sebio… He could feel the heat mounting to his cheeks as he gripped the two ends and strained… He thought he felt the iron give away, and he opened his eyes. He saw that it had bent only a little… Shamed face, Sebio retired to a corner.”

     Just like what happened in all his “games of strength,” he lost. What made him feel more shameful was that, Merci, the lady he tried to impress, was watching him. However, Merci was very understanding. In the story, she actually approached Sebio in a very nice way, as if nothing happened. She asked the young man to help her get some hay for them to roast some corn to eat. Expectedly, Sebio eagerly followed Merci. Finally, there was someone who understood him. His disgust at himself rose, caused him to kick the pile of hay. The lady sympathized Sebio, this eased his emotions somehow.

     “They dropped their burden at the center of the clearing. And then as he turned away a blood-curdling scream from Merci pierced the noise being made by the merry-makers. He turned around to see what had frightened the girl. From the bundle that Merci dropped, had emerged, rearing its head like some fantastic toy, its slender, green body poised to strike, - a snake! There’s no time to plan what to do… Instinctively, however, he made a move to place himself between the girl and the danger… He fell on his face and before he could recover the serpent had bitten him on the calf of the leg, and then was gone.”

     The serpent described in the climax of the story was the “Dahong Palay.” This was what might have bitten Merci, if Sebio didn’t made a move to save her. This snake gives off poisonous venom to the bitten victim that if not treated immediately, it may cause death. In the story, Sebio felt the “searing course” of the deadly poison from his leg up to his fast-beating heart. He could see only hazy faces. He became too pale. Fortunately, the loud voices of those people who surrounded him kept him conscious.

     “It was Merci… It was she who tore a piece of her skirt and bound up his leg tightly above the wound… “A knife, for the love of Christ!” Sebio again muttered convulsively… Then a large knife was handed to him.”

     In the falling action, Sebio had taken the sharp knife and slashed across the two pin pricks. Dark blood came out slowly from his bitten leg. And then, he took the red-hot iron and thrust it into the wound. He treated himself in a way that showed how unbelievably strong he is to the horrified crowd.

     Sebio gained the respect of the people around him after showing his bravery. The crowd told him that he would never be called “Sebiong Pasmado” again. This was how the story ended up.

 *I wrote this literary review a year ago (2015). This was actually one of the requirements in our Journalism subject for the third quarter. I was about to delete this article in my PC, but I thought that this article was informative. So, I posted this in my blog.