01-061 [Family]
1882.12.30 Madrid
From: José Rizal
To: Josefa Rizal
Asks his sisters to write him often — Will wear Filipino costume at the carnival —Regrets not having brought with him his nito salacot.
* * *
[Madrid, 30 December 1882)
MISS JOSEFA RIZAL
DEAR PANGOY,
Yesterday I received your letter together with that of Sra. María. So that you may not say that I don’t answer you, I’m now going to write you, although it seems I shall lack time. I have already finished fourteen letters and yours is the shortest, because I have run out of things to say. I’m waiting to receive some guava jelly, which I guess is made by Father or Sra. Neneng, because someone here has asked me for it. Don’t put me to shame. At the forthcoming carnival I’ll wear my gauze shirt. If my salacot made of horn were here, I think it will attract attention. What a pity I didn’t order it!
Trining doesn’t write me. I don’t mind Choleng, because she is not at home; maybe they wouldn’t let her write or she is not ordered to write. At any rate, all of you or you alone write me often, so that you’ll get used to it. Put together all your letters in one envelope and weigh them; if they are less than 15 grams, then they will not require more than one stamp. I say this because it seems that you are afraid the letter would become heavy. I said the same thing to Sra. Sisa.
I suppose that you are very noisy when the little ones go there. You can’t understand one another across the ipil[1] dining table. I should like to see you through a cosmorama. Don’t expect me to become white and look like a Spaniard.
Is Sra. Ipia there already? Do her eyes still become small when she laughs? Regards to Trining.
Your brother,
J. RIZAL
[1] Ipil (Instia) is a Philippine hardwood.
Translated from the Tagalog by Encernación Alzona, 23 July 1950.