ENGLISH VER

Jose was a frail, sickly and undersized child so he was given the most tender loving care by his parents.
Among his childhood memories were the following:

1. At the age of three, he learned the alphabet from his mother. The extensive library of the family
with more than 1,000 books helped him kindle his interests in reading and literature. As a boy,
he also manifested his skills in painting, sketching, and sculpture. As his first teacher, Dona
Teodora encouraged him to express his ideas and sentiments in verses.
2. When he was four years old, his sister Concepcion, the eighth child in the family, died at the age
of three. It was on this occasion that Rizal shed real tear for the first time.
3. Between 1865 and 1867, his mother taught him how to read and write. His father hired Leon
Monroy for five months to teach Rizal the rudiments of Latin. At about this time, his mother's
cousin frequented Calamba. Uncle Manuel, seeing Rizal's frail body taught him love for the open
air and developed in him a great admiration for the beauty of nature. He encouraged him to
learn swimming fencing, wrestling and other sports. Uncle Gregorio, a scholar, instilled in his
mind love for education. Thus, he advised Rizal "Work hard and perform every task very
carefully; learn to be swift as well as thorough; be independent in thinking and make visual
pictures of everything" while his other uncle, Uncle Jose who was educated at Calcutta, India
encouraged him to paint, sketch and sculpture.
4. On June 6, 1868, together with his father, Rizal made a pilgrimage to Antipolo to fulfill a vow
made by his mother to take him as child to the Shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo should she and
her then newborn survive the ordeal of delivery which nearly caused her life. From there, they
proceeded to Manila and visited his sister Saturnina who was at the time studying in the La
Concordia College in Sta. Ana.
5. One of his profound memories was a tale his mother related to him. The fable "Story of the
Moth" was about the mother moth warning its offspring of the danger of fluttering too close to
the flame. The little moth did not heed the advice and was then burned by the flame. Rizal
would not forget this tale because it gave him the moral lesson that if one must succeed, he
must take risks and prepare for the worst consequences. Without courage, there will be no
glory.
6. When Rizal was 10 years old, his mother was sent to jail on malicious charge that she and her
brother Jose Alberto tried to poison the latter's wife. She was kept in prison for two-and-a-half
years, an innocent victim of a frame-up concocted by her sister-in- law in connivance with the
Spanish Lieutenant of the Guardia Civil in Calamba. Doña Teodora was forced to walk the
distance of 50 kilometers from Calamba to Sta. Cruz where the provincial jail was located. She
was, however, subsequently acquitted by the Manila Royal Audencia.
7. At the age of eight, he wrote his first poem entitled "Sa Aking mga Kababata." The poem was
written in Tagalog and had for its theme "Love of One's Language".
8. Rizal was almost 11 years old when the unfortunate and extremely mournful execution of
GOMBURZA happened. His brother, Paciano, related to him the story of the martyrdom of the
three priests. Rizal understood that their made trial was clearly and flagrantly a violation of
 human rights and dignity. Rizal at an early age was awakened and he consequently consecrated
his life to combatting evil forces during his time at any cost. In memory of Fr. Burgos, he wrote
"He awakened my intellect and made me understand goodness and justice. His farewell words I
shall remember, I have tried to pass on to you what I received from my teachers. Do the same
for those who came after you."

FILIPINO VER

Si Jose ay isang mahina, may sakit at maliit na bata kaya binigyan siya ng pinakamagiliw na
pangangalaga ng kanyang mga magulang. Kabilang sa kanyang mga alaala sa pagkabata ay ang
mga sumusunod:

1. Sa edad na tatlo, natutunan niya ang alpabeto mula sa kanyang ina. Ang malawak na aklatan ng
pamilya na may higit sa 1,000 mga libro ay nakatulong sa kanya na pasiglahin ang kanyang mga
interes sa pagbabasa at panitikan. Bilang isang bata, ipinakita rin niya ang kanyang mga
kasanayan sa pagpipinta, sketching, at iskultura. Bilang kanyang unang guro, hinimok siya ni
Dona Teodora na ipahayag ang kanyang mga ideya at damdamin sa mga taludtod.

2. Noong apat na taong gulang siya, namatay ang kanyang kapatid na si Concepcion, ang ikawalong
anak sa pamilya, sa edad na tatlo. Sa pagkakataong ito ay lumuha si Rizal sa unang pagkakataon.

3. Sa pagitan ng 1865 at 1867, tinuruan siya ng kanyang ina kung paano bumasa at sumulat. Kinuha
ng kanyang ama si Leon Monroy sa loob ng limang buwan upang ituro kay Rizal ang mga
simulain ng Latin. Sa mga oras na ito, ang pinsan ng kanyang ina ay madalas na pumunta sa
Calamba. Si tiyo Manuel, nang makita niya ang mahinang katawan ni Rizal ay nagturo sa kanya
ng pagmamahal sa bukas na hangin at nabuo sa kanya ang isang malaking paghanga sa
kagandahan ng kalikasan. Hinimok niya siya na matuto ng swimming fencing, wrestling at iba
pang sports. Si Tiyo Gregorio, isang iskolar, ay nagtanim sa kanyang isipan ng pagmamahal sa
edukasyon. Kaya, pinayuhan niya si Rizal na "Magsumikap at gampanan ang bawat gawain nang
maingat; matutong maging matulin at masinsinan; maging malaya sa pag-iisip at gumawa ng
mga larawan ng lahat ng bagay" habang ang isa pa niyang tiyuhin, si Uncle Jose na nag-aral sa
Calcutta, India ay hinimok. siya para magpinta, mag-sketch at mag-sculpture.

4. Noong Hunyo 6, 1868, kasama ang kanyang ama, si Rizal ay naglakbay sa Antipolo upang tuparin
ang isang panata ng kanyang ina na dalhin siya bilang anak sa Dambana ng Birhen ng Antipolo
sakaling siya at ang kanyang bagong panganak ay makaligtas sa pagsubok ng paghahatid na
halos naging sanhi ng kanyang buhay. Mula roon, tumuloy sila sa Maynila at binisita ang kanyang
kapatid na si Saturnina na noon ay nag-aaral sa La Concordia College sa Sta. Ana.

5. Ang isa sa kanyang malalim na alaala ay ang isang kuwentong iniugnay sa kanya ng kanyang ina.
Ang pabula na "Kuwento ng Gamu-gamo" ay tungkol sa inang gamu-gamo na nagbabala sa mga
supling nito sa panganib ng pag-fluttering malapit sa apoy. Hindi pinakinggan ng munting gamu-
 gamo ang payo at pagkatapos ay sinunog ng apoy. Hindi malilimutan ni Rizal ang kuwentong ito
dahil nagbigay ito sa kanya ng moral na aral na kung dapat magtagumpay ang isang tao, dapat
siyang makipagsapalaran at maghanda para sa pinakamasamang kahihinatnan. Kung walang
katapangan, walang kaluwalhatian.

6. Noong 10 taong gulang si Rizal, ipinakulong ang kanyang ina sa malisyosong paratang na
sinubukan nilang lasunin ng kanyang kapatid na si Jose Alberto ang asawa ng huli. Siya ay
pinanatili sa bilangguan sa loob ng dalawa at kalahating taon, isang inosenteng biktima ng isang
frame-up na ginawa ng kanyang hipag sa pakikipagsabwatan sa Spanish Tenyente ng Guardia
Civil sa Calamba. Napilitang maglakad si Doña Teodora sa layong 50 kilometro mula Calamba
hanggang Sta. Cruz kung saan matatagpuan ang provincial jail. Gayunpaman, siya ay pinawalang-
sala ng Manila Royal Audencia.

7. Sa edad na walo, naisulat niya ang kanyang unang tula na pinamagatang "Sa Aking mga
Kababata." Ang tula ay isinulat sa Tagalog at may temang "Pagmamahal sa Wika".

8. Rizal was almost 11 years old when the unfortunate and extremely mournful execution of
GOMBURZA happened. His brother, Paciano, related to him the story of the martyrdom of the
three priests. Rizal understood that their made trial was clearly and flagrantly a violation of
human rights and dignity. Rizal at an early age was awakened and he consequently consecrated
his life to combatting evil forces during his time at any cost. In memory of Fr. Burgos, he wrote
"He awakened my intellect and made me understand goodness and justice. His farewell words I
shall remember, I have tried to pass on to you what I received from my teachers. Do the same
for those who came after you."