Morning in Nagrebcan

Morning in Nagrebcan

By: Manuel E. Arguilla

Manuel Estabilla Arguilla was an Ilokano writer in English, patriot, and martyr. He is known for his widely anthologized short story "How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife," the main story in the collection "How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife and Other Short Stories" which won first prize in the Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940.

Most of Arguilla's stories depict scenes in Barrio Nagrebcan, Bauang, La Union where he was born. His bond with his birthplace, forged by his dealings with the peasant folk of Ilocos, remained strong even after he moved to Manila where he studied at the University of the Philippines where he finished BS Education in 1933 and where he became a member and later the president of the U.P. Writer's Club and editor of the university's Literary Apprentice. He became a creative writing teacher at the University of Manila and later worked at the Bureau of Public Welfare as managing editor of the bureau's publication Welfare Advocate until 1943. He was later appointed to the Board of Censors. He secretly organized a guerrilla intelligence unit against the Japanese. On August 5, 1944, he was captured and tortured by the Japanese army at Fort Santiago.

Morning in Nagrebcan is a story by Manuel E. Arguilla. This story is about the life of boy in the Philippine countryside. His dog had puppies that he loved, cared for and protected. He and his younger brother got into a fight over the puppies. The younger brother had snatched a puppy out of the older brother's arms. While they were tussling they both fell on the puppy and it died. The children's father beat the younger brother very badly. In the end, the two brothers buried the puppy and life went on as usual.