When the Rainbow Goddess WeptSet against the backdrop of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941, Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's brilliant novel weaves myth and legend together with the suffering and tragedies of the Filipino people. When nine-year-old Yvonne flees with her family into the jungle to join the resistance effort, she witnesses death and destruction on an almost unimaginable scale. In the face of terror and despair, she finds comfort in the stories her people have passed down over generations. In particular, the legends of Bongkatolan, the Woman Warrior, and the merciful rainbow goddess offer her strength and hope. Yvonne becomes determined to preserve these ancient legends and to give voice to the epic she herself is living. When the Rainbow Goddess Wept is an exploration of the collective wounding of the Filipino people and their heroic response. It shows us the Philippines through an insider's eyes and brings to American audiences an unusual reading experience about a world that is utterly foreign and a child who is touchingly universal. Cecilia Manguerra Brainard was born in Cebu City, Philippines. Her published works include Woman with Horns and Other Stories and Philippine Woman in America. She is also the editor of the anthology Fiction by Filipinos in America and teaches creative writing at the Writers' Program of UCLA Extension. |
Contents
Rumblings of War | 3 |
First Casualties | 15 |
The Visitor | 25 |
The Decision | 33 |
The Trip | 41 |
Baby Brother | 50 |
Doc Menez | 58 |
Women Warriors | 64 |
Fears | 107 |
Bitong | 115 |
Deathless Man | 122 |
Docs Crucifixion | 127 |
The Alvarezes | 139 |
Men from the Sky | 148 |
Martin Lewis | 156 |
Deception | 166 |
Weeping | 74 |
The Prisoner | 80 |
Old Flame | 84 |
Death of an Epic Singer | 91 |
The Move | 98 |
19431944 | 105 |
Waiting | 176 |
The Ring | 184 |
The Funeral | 195 |
Liberation | 200 |
Goodbye Laydan | 210 |
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Common terms and phrases
Agyu Americans Angeling arms asked baby bamboo Banna became began betel betel nut Bitong blood Bolak Sonday Buhong Sky called chicken child coconut continued Cris crying Datu dead Deathless Doc Meņez Doc's epic Esperanza eyes face father feel felt Filipinos fish front Giant Gil Alvarez girls goddesses golden rice Grandfather guerrilla guerrilleros hair hands happened hate head heard husband Ilianons Inuk Isiong jackfruit Japanese killed kitchen knew Lam-ang laughed Laydan leche flan lived Lola Beatrize Lolo Peping looked Lourdes MacArthur Magindanaos Maiden Mama Mama's Martin Lewis Meding Mindanao Mother Ignacia mountain Nando never Nida Nida's once Papa prayed pulled replied rice river rooster Sanny shook shouted smiled soldier stared stopped story Sumi sungka talked Taytayan tell things thought told turned turtle Tuwaang Ubec Ubec's USAFFE voice walked wanted watched woman women Yoshida Yvonne