Summary of "Noli Me Tangere · 21of64 · Story of a Mother"

Summary of the Episode

This episode of Noli Me Tangere centers on Cisa, a desperate mother tormented by fear for her two sons, Basilio and Crispen. The story vividly captures her emotional turmoil as she rushes home only to find soldiers lurking near her hut. Known for their cruelty, the soldiers’ presence fills her with dread, fearing they have arrested her boys.

Though relieved when they only seize her cherished hen, her relief is short-lived as the soldiers soon accuse her sons of theft and demand money, threatening to arrest her as well.

Cisa’s pleas of innocence and poverty fall on deaf ears. Despite her willingness to have her home searched, the soldiers force her to accompany them to town, parading her through the streets amid whispers, scorn, and public humiliation. The shame and helplessness she experiences are palpable, especially when a woman—likely a soldier’s mistress—mockingly calls out to her.

At the barracks, Cisa is ignored and ridiculed, but eventually released when an officer dismisses the accusations as baseless. Yet her ordeal is far from over. Returning home, she calls out for her sons in vain, only to find a blood-stained piece of Basilio’s torn clothing hidden in her hut’s bamboo wall. Horror and despair overwhelm her as she realizes the grim fate that may have befallen her children.

The episode closes with Cisa wandering outside at night, her grief driving her to near madness. Yet at dawn, she finds a fragile moment of peace, singing a haunting melody that seems both a plea for mercy and a solace to her shattered soul.