Kabesang Tales

-Telesforo Juan de Dios

-son of Tandang Selo

-Cabeza de Barangay

-the father of Lucia, Tano and Juli

-cultivates a piece of land with his father and his family

-grew rich through hard work and perseverance

-prominent

-the friars taxed Cabesang Tales and kept raising the tax rate

-courts still ruled in favor of the friars

-Tano, was drafted into the army, Tales did not ransom his son (Instead, he spent the money on lawyers
in hopes that he would win the land case. Besides, if Tales did not win the case, then he felt that he won’t
need his son anyway)

-Tales built a fence around his property and patrolled it

-known for his skill in marksmanship — a formidable sharpshooter

-armed bandits kidnapped him and demanded ransom; 500 pesos

-Juli agreed to work for the Hermana Penchang as a servant; for the deficit of 250 pesos

-Her first day of work was to commence on Christmas Day

-joined tulisanes as Luzon bandit (Matanglawin)

-murders the friar-administrator and new tenants of his land

Symbolism:

-A representation of Filipino farmers oppressed and exploited by those from above

Impact to the Novel:

-it showed how Rizal creates a rebel despite being weak and powerless but still challenged those from
above

Relevance:

-his rebellion or revenge which influence those who seek justice and fairness
Some Notes
* Maria Clara (in the Noli Me Tangere) became a nun after she was not allowed to marry Ibarra. She gave
a locket to a leper who later gave it to Basilio after he treated the leper. Basilio, in turn, offered the locket
to his sweetheart, Juli (Juliana).

Questions and Answers

1. Why was it hard to be a cabeza de barangay in the past? He was in charge of collecting taxes. If
someone in the barangay could not pay, the cabeza had to advance the tax.

2. Why did Cabesang Tales say that we are like the land and that we were unclothed when we were
born? He meant that we should not fear death because death comes to everyone. We should also not
fear poverty because we were born poor: without clothes, without anything.

3. What law upheld the friars in their bid to own the land of Cabesang Tales? Nothing but the Law of
Self-Preservation (of the court scribes who feared the frailocracy). Although the Spanish laws were good,
it was the implementors who did the wrong things. Hence, some Filipinos did not want to work hard lest
the fruits of their labors be easily taken away by others.

4. Why did Old Man Selo refuse to speak to his son, Cabesang Tales, for quite some time? He was
mad at Tales for allowing Tano (son of Tales) to be drafted into the Spanish guardia civil, instead of
paying the fee which waived drafting.

5. Why did Cabesang Tales say that if he lost the court case, he will not have any need for his
children? He felt that losing the case would mean he had nothing left to leave to his children. That’s why
he had to do everything to win the case, in order to bequeath the land to his children.

6. To what did people liken the case of Cabesang Tales? They said it was like a pot of clay banging
against a pot of iron; or like an ant that bites the heel, knowing it will just be crushed.

7. Why was Cabesang Tales kidnapped by bandits just when he no longer had any more money? It
was only at that time when Cabesang Tales no longer carried a shotgun or a bolo, but was only armed
with an axe (definitely no match against the guns of the bandits).

8. What did Juli do which the author, Jose Rizal, criticized? Rizal criticized Juli’s reliance on miracles.
Juli placed the money she raised at the feet of the image of the Virgin Mary hoping it would double the
following day. The friars had conditioned the Filipinos to just rely on miracles instead of on their own
perseverance and effort.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Question: Why is it difficult to be the cabeza de barangay during those days?
Answer: The cabeza de barangay does nothing but endure the tedious and rather perilous task of
collecting taxes.

Question: What does Cabesang Tales mean when he says "To the earth we shall return, and truly we
were naked upon birth"?
Answer: He means to say that we must not fear death for we all shall die, and we must not fear poverty
either for we all were born poor -- without clothes.

Question: Why does Cabesang Tales say that if he loses the case then he will have no need for
children?
Answer: Losing the case would mean losing the land -- the only inheritance he can leave his children.