01

'Anna Felicia Sanchez’

Click to edit Master title style
02
And so the story continues with Richard and his
cousin, Totoy, driving a “grimy” owner-type jeep
on the way to an isolated forest – which was
once a village – in the jungles of Batangas.
Richard, who was a 25-year-old corporate
speech trainer suffering from a quarter-life crisis
– after being told a “lousy” motivational speaker
by his boss for the fifth time. Because of this, he
hoped to seek comfort of the countryside view
of Batangas and after Totoy promised him that
Martinés – their destination – would change his
life forever.

4
Click to edit Master title style
03
But rather the trip seemed to have
worsened his emotional state by the
bumpy ride and the nuisance of his
cousin’s company. The awful journey had
put him to sleep in which he dreams of a
myth where a mysterious stranger in his
father’s once infertile village appeared.
The stranger blessed the lands with
bountiful nature that fulfilled the village.
Because of the miracles brought by the
stranger, the villagers begged her to stay
but she could not for she has other
villages to visit.
5
Click to edit Master title style
04
So instead, she made them sign a contract
with a condition of remembering so that the
village would continue to flourish. The head of
the village worried that what if they could not
remember? The stranger then answered that
their offspring should be told… and if they
forget, then “they shall be reminded.” The
stranger dispersed into a thousand birds and
flew down the edge of the village where grew
a young acacia tree.

6
Click to edit Master title style
05
Richard was awakened when his
cousin parked the jeep. He
accompanied Totoy to catch a live
monitor lizard to offer to Martinés. He
was distracted with the appearance of
a black bird with a crest on its head.
Totoy rather continued telling Richard
a trivia about him being the oldest in
their generation next to Tata Onsing –
their great grandfather – who was
dying.
7
Click to edit Master title style
06
The next scene reveals the sequel to Richard’s
dream where the leader of the village died.
The villagers turned to the oldest of the
youngest of the members of his family who
could remember that must take the
ancestor’s place as keeper of the burden of
remembering. The village lived in abundance
until one day, the last person who could
remember died. Everyone came to forget
until no one could take up the burden. When
they could not fulfill the contract, tragedy
began to torment the village so strong that
the waters colored the rocks with blood.
8
Click to edit Master title style
07

The stranger returned and bestowed her

final gift. She called to one of the black birds
in the acacia, snipped its tongue and
declared that this is how they shall be
reminded. If the contract is broken once
again, the stranger promised to come back
to drain the land.

9
 08
► The mystery unfolds as Richard and Totoy
draw deeper into the forest. As they wander
along the forest, Totoy keeps stating that
Richard doesn’t know anything. Richard’s
perplexity about the place and his family
history alters as he comes to realize the
disturbing darkness of the forest when they
approached a large acacia tree where dwell
the thousand black birds.
Click to edit Master title style
09

Totoy explains that these birds are called “Martinés”.

When they are young, people can teach them to speak
by snipping their tongues bit by bit. The details of the
place and the myth – the red rocks, the acacia tree, the
martinés, “the oldest of the youngest must take up the
burden”, “memory is a fragile thing” unlocked the
horrifying mystery of his destiny.

11
Click to edit Master title style
10

Richard was about to run away when Totoy hit him with a
steel knocking him unconscious. Later, he wakes up in
the darkness with his arms and feet bounded. He asked
Totoy for light and then he saw the remains of the lizard
fed by the martinés and Tata Onsing, moaning in pain,
welcoming his death.
Totoy left the place leaving Richard behind. The bird fed
on his knees making him cry in pain causing him to open
his mouth and the bird snipped his tongue. The martinés
bent to his ear and spoke of the secret memory.
12
Click to edit Master title style

Guide Questions

13
1.
Click to edit Master title style

What aspect of the

story did you find
the most horrifying?
Why?

14
2.
Click to edit Master title style

What did you think

of the stranger? Is
she similar to any
other character in
Filipino Folklore or
superstition?

15
3.
Click to edit Master title style

What is the
importance of
Richard’s family to
the village?

16
4.
Click to edit Master title style

Do you think
Richard, as a
character, no longer
values his
hometown and its
values? Which part
of the story state it?

17
5.
Click to edit Master title style

What did Totoy

mean, when he said
that Richard did not
know anything?

18
6.
Click to edit Master title style

Why is it significant
that Richard is a
motivational speaker
fluent in English?
Why is it significant
that Richard is
irritated with Totoy’s
English?

19
7.
Click to edit Master title style

What is the irony of

this story? What
does it say about the
English language
and memory?

20
8.
Click to edit Master title style

What does Martines

symbolize?

21
9.
Click to edit Master title style

What do you think are

the insights of the story
about the old country, or
the province? What are
its insights about
modern Filipinos? Do
you agree or disagree?

22
10.
Click to edit Master title style

Totoy seems to be
the foil of Richard.
Do you agree?
Explain your answer.

23
Click to edit Master title style

Thank you!

24