“On my life!” exclaimed old Julian one day to his grandson Antonio, who was clinging fast to his elbows and bothering him, [258]as usual, “you will soon become insane with stories. Now, I will tell you a story on this condition: you must answer the question I shall put at the end of the narrative¹. If you give the correct answer, then I will tell you some more tales; if not, why, you must be unfortunate.” Antonio nodded, and said, “Very well!” as he leaned on the table to listen to his grandfather. Then the old man began:—

 

“There was once a young man who had completed his course of study and was to be ordained² a priest. Now, whenever a man was about to be entrusted³ with the duty of being a minister of God, and Christ’s representative on earth, it was the custom to trace his ancestry⁴ back as far as possible, to see that there was no bad member on any branch of his family tree. Inquiries⁵ were made and information was sought regarding the young man’s relatives. Unfortunately his mother’s brother was an insurrecto. But the boy wanted very much to become a priest, so he set out for Mount Banahaw to look for his uncle.

 

“As he was walking along the mountain road, he came across his uncle, but neither knew the other. The uncle had a long bolo in his hand. ‘Hold!’ shouted the old man as the boy came in sight. ‘Hands up!’

 

“?‘Mercy!’ entreated⁶ the young man. ‘I am a friend, not an enemy.’

 

“?‘What are you doing in this part of the country, then? Have you come to spy?’

 

“?‘No,’ said the youth. ‘I have come in search of my uncle named Paulino, general of the Patriots⁷ of Banahaw.’

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