Early Harvestby Bienvenido Santos

CharactersJapanese soldiersSelmoCarioSelmo's fatherSelmo's mothermaid

NenaNonoyMartaBundioTiong MatiasFather JulianCelo

PlotThe story took place in a time where Japanese invaded the country, Philippines. Albay is a province in Philippines and the life there was not what it really was when the Japanese came. Cario is a man from a family who was featured in this story. He was never home because he went out to fight the Japanese. That made their Mother, Father and his wife, Nena sad. Nena's grief had made her grown pale.

PlotLife was so different for Selmo (Cario's brother) when the Japanese came. Market was full of people selling all kinds of stuffs, people walking around and buying something and when Christmas season came, how they prepare for the decorations and practice Christmas songs. There's not much fun any more. All they experience then was shooting in the town and cruelties of the Japanese. The Japanese is quite a bad news to the people, they kill people and took away their harvest and left them with nothing.

PlotSelmo hated Japanese for it was because of them that he could not be in school anymore, read books and sing sweet songs. It was always a bad dream to him as he wake up crying and running to his mother.

PlotTheir little barrio became quite different when Father Julian who was an American priest came. Days rose in hopes as he said mass to the people, lots were baptized, there were confessions going on, he gave words of wisdom when the people don't know what to do anymore... He was like a saint in the barrio. The people was always good to him, they gave him food which was not even enough from them and protected him from the enemy. Father Julian felt great love from the people. From those deeds, he knew God will reward these people.

PlotCario left home and never came back and stayed there like he lived there but he comes home every now and then. He would sneak into the house at night and would leave that night too. Cario is a leader of men, fighting the Japanese bringing on killing & bloodshed made them worried about Cario. His mother didn't want this for him but that's the only way. They had to fight for their fellowmen.

PlotTheir little barrio became quite different when Father Julian who was an American priest came. Days rose in hopes as he said mass to the people, lots were baptized, there were confessions going on, he gave words of wisdom when the people don't know what to do anymore... He was like a saint in the barrio. The people was always good to him, they gave him food which was not even enough from them and protected him from the enemy. Father Julian felt great love from the people. From those deeds, he knew God will reward these people.

PlotCario left home and never came back and stayed there like he lived there but he comes home every now and then. He would sneak into the house at night and would leave that night too. Cario is a leader of men, fighting the Japanese bringing on killing & bloodshed made them worried about Cario. His mother didn't want this for him but that's the only way. They had to fight for their fellowmen.

PlotThere was that time when the people lost hope and had not planting anything on the fields but Father Julian encouraged them. So they planted. The Japanese would come every now and then to check on the crops. People knew they would come back and get their harvest. So they mentioned that the Wednesday was the harvest day.

PlotThe people had a plan. They harvested before the said date and rain came after. They knew that the Japanese would come to get their harvest so they were so worried of what might the Japanese do to them when they see the harvest was gone. Father Julian was there to help the people spiritually, prayers are always a great help. Indeed. people prayed. The Japanese didn't came back. That's good news to them. Good thing it kept on raining after the harvest day, they could say that flood just swept it away. That made everyone so happy. They feel like they won over the Japanese.

Moral LessonIn times of despair and situations when you couldn't handle the problems, never lose hope because God will never leave us, he is always there to help us. Sometimes faith would be a great weapon when theres nothing left to do, prayer is powerful. The faith within you gives you hope and courage to face any problem that comes along.