^ Ode to a painting - Take Me Back to the Country

 Ode to a painting

Take Me Back to the Country

Happy Childhood in the Country

“Joyful moments of childhood are most precious, ephemeral yet eternal. The child in each one of us lives on to the golden years of life.” avr

Painting and Poem by Dr Abe V Rotor

Happy Childhood in the Country, acrylic on canvas (58” x 33”)

AVRotor 2019

Take me back to the country far away from the city,

where sound is music, nature's canvas the landscape,

where the mountains, meadows and rivers are green;

where there are no walls, roofs, and bars to escape.

Take me back to the country far away from the crowd,

where I'm not just a part, where I am myself again;

where there is no high rise, where the cottage reigns,

where home is nature as I open the window pane.

Take me back to the country far away from forgetting,

the cheerful child in me many, many years back;

flying kites at harvest time, fishing in the summer,

where school is far, yet learning is not what I lack.

Take me back to the country far away from the town,

where cars can't follow, where affluence has no place;

where commerce is simple, where wealth is not gold,

where living is not a show, where every meal a grace.

Take me back to the country far away from the race,

where I can compete best with myself, not with others;

where I can learn more the ways of nature, not of men;

where civilization begins once more at its borders. ~

----------------

AI Overview

“Take Me Back to the Country”

Dr. Abe V. Rotor’s “Take Me Back to the Country” expresses a longing for rural life, using both painting and poetry to celebrate nature, simplicity, and the emotional pull of one’s hometown.

Who Dr. Abe V. Rotor Is
Dr. Abe V. Rotor is a Filipino poet, painter, biologist, environmentalist, and educator known for works that blend science, rural culture, and environmental advocacy. His writings often highlight:

• The beauty of Philippine countryside life
• The need to preserve nature
• Nostalgia for childhood and tradition
• The spiritual and emotional value of simple living

Themes Behind “Take Me Back to the Country”

Although the specific text and image are not in the supplied results, the title and Rotor’s body of work strongly indicate several recurring themes:

• Nostalgia and homecoming — a desire to return to one’s roots, often tied to childhood memories, family, and community.
• Environmental appreciation — Rotor frequently writes about rivers, farms, trees, birds, and rural landscapes.
• Contrast between rural and urban life — the countryside symbolizes peace, authenticity, and harmony, while the city represents noise, stress, and disconnection.
• Cultural identity — rural life is portrayed as the keeper of Filipino traditions, values, and spirituality.

The Painting: Visual Context

• Rotor’s paintings typically depict:Rice fields, carabaos, mountains, and rural homes
• Scenes of daily farm life
• Warm, earthy colors that evoke calmness and belonging
• A painting titled “Take Me Back to the Country” would likely show a pastoral landscape, inviting the viewer to imagine returning to a simpler, more grounded life.

The Poem: Literary Context
Rotor’s poems often mirror the imagery in his paintings. A poem with this title would likely include:

• Evocations of nature (wind, fields, rivers, birds)
• Reflections on aging or life transitions
• A yearning to reconnect with one’s origins
• A gentle critique of modernity
• The poem and painting together form a paired expression: one visual, one verbal, both reinforcing the emotional pull of rural life.

Cultural Resonance

For readers in rural regions like Ilocos, the work resonates strongly because it reflects:

• The deep Filipino connection to land and family
• The experience of migration and returning home
• The pride in agricultural heritage
• The emotional comfort of familiar landscapes

Why Rotor Created Works Like This

Rotor’s background as an environmentalist and rural advocate shapes his art. His works often serve as:

• Reminders to protect nature
• Tributes to rural communities
• Personal reflections on his own upbringing 

"Take me back to the country far away from the crowd,

  where I'm not just a part, where I am myself again." - avr

Kids' World of Nature - Where childhood is forever (In celebration of UN Children's Month, November 2026)

Kids' World of Nature -

Where childhood is forever

"Fleeting moments are most precious,

ephemeral yet eternal.  The child in you 

lives to the golden years of your life."

Dr Abe V Rotor 

The 34th National Children's Month in the Philippines this November 2026 carries the theme "Manindigan, Tumugon at Kumalinga sa Batang Handa" (or “Sa Batang Handa, Mas Ligtas ang Bansa”), focusing on disaster resilience, safety, and emergency preparedness for children.

 Catching land crabs with a bamboo trap. Palauig, Zambales 

How I love to catch gammarong (Ilk) crab 
when I was like my son Leo Carlo;
he learned the skill early from me, passed on
by old folks by the sea; Leo in turn 
shall teach others before the art is lost,
as  treasured trade and  tradition.  
   

 Building sandcastles.  Morong, Rizal 

Building sandcastles, building dreams,
on waking up are gone, but they return  
as sandcastles and dreams again 
throughout  youth, higher and bigger,
 crumbling leaving ruins of memories, 
ruins where castles once stood proud,
uniting reality and fantasy into a happy,
wonderful and fulfilled life.    

Summer fun on the beach.  San Juan, Ilocos Sur

Frolic in company with the waves and tides, 

when the sea is as blue as the sky, and wish

boyhood is forever and never dies;

or you'll always tarry in later years  if you don't;

for fleeting moments are most precious,

ephemeral yet eternal in that child in you 

who lives into the golden years of life.  

    

 Christmas for under-the-bridge children.  Pasay MM

The bells of Christmas sound louder among the poor;
the Bethlehem star shines brighter, too.  
The angels come earlier in their homes without door.
 in exchange of a simple lantern or two.  

 Instant swimming pool from busted pipe.  Sta. Mesa, MM

A swimming pool in the middle of a street,
a busted pipe blessing to a dozen kids 
in the neighborhood in frolic and laughter;
like a Riviera or Thoreau's Walden;    

it's a children's world, a corner of Eden. 

   

Mushrooms growing on a tree stump. UP Diliman QC 

Mushrooms on a stump, home of the dwarfs:

red, yellow, white, or in disguise,

each color a character, a foe or a friend,

to find where the pot of gold lies.

Nipa Hut by the river, Tagbilaran, Bohol

Frolicking - game of the vibrant and the young,

recreating a primordial social bond;

where innocence means freedom and adventure, 

In sweet abandon, here and beyond. ~

^ BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS - A Revival in Our Postmodern World in 10 Parts (In Recognition of Global and National Book Celebrations)

BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS 

- A Revival in Our Postmodern World in 10 Parts

                      In celebration of 

Book Week February 23 – Printed Book Day
March 2 – UNESCO World Book Day
March 2 – UK World Book Day
March 28 – Children’s Picture Book Day
April 2 – International Children’s Book Day
April 23 - World Book Day (Also, Copyright Day and International Book Day)
October - National Book Month (National Book Foundation)
November - National Reading Month in the Philippines 

November 27, 2026 - National Reading Day 

November 24–30, 2026 - National Book Week in the Philippines - 

The 92nd National Book Week in the Philippines is November 24–30, 2026, as designated by Presidential Proclamation No. 109, s. 1936.

Author inspects award winning books on display at the Yuchengco Museum Makati, during the awarding ceremonies of National Book Awardees, 2012.

                                               

                                                Dr Abe V Rotor

Living with Nature - School on Blog

Please visit avrotor.blogspot.com  and Naturalism - the Eighth Sense

"Books, the greatest treasure of mankind, its collective attributes as humanity, the very stimulus of man's rationality to rise above other creatures - and himself." - avr

Part 1 - Books - the Greatest Treasure of Mankind

Part 2 - Books Written by Dr Abe V Rotor

Part 3 - "The Reasons I Write.." - avr

Part 4 -  Build Your Home Library 

Part 5 - 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written

Part 6 - Four Books by Early Naturalists

Part 7 - Aesop Fables in Our Times

Part 8 - Proper Maintenance of Books - 12 Ways

Part 9 - Designing a Book Cover - PHILIPPINE LITERATURE TODAY 

Annex A - Blogs hailed as agents of change, relevance, hope

Annex B- AI Overview: Meaning of “Book Revival in Our Postmodern World”

                     in Dr. Abercio V. Rotor’s Writings

Part 1 - Books - the Greatest Treasure of Mankind

Dr Abe V Rotor

Books, once the privilege of a few in pre-printing machine era, each page painstakingly handwritten, each book a well-kept treasure.

Books, the authority, the final say, unquestioned, un-refuted, else any one rising contrary faces punishment, including death or damnation.

Books, the diary, the ledger, the document of conquest and discovery, of battles fought, often in favor of the writer and party.

Books, the novels that carry the greatest stories of all times are called classics, for which they are regarded timeless for their universal values.

Books, the epics of Homer, stories of the Grimm Brothers distilled from oral literature passed through generations to the present.

Books, written ahead of their time - Galileo's astronomy, Darwin's evolution, Martin Luther's Protestantism ignited dis-pleasured of the Church.

Books, bedtime stories, baby's introduction to the world, legends and fantasies that take young ones to the land of make believe.

Books, the record of ultimate scholarship, are the epitome of the greatest minds in

thesis and dissertation, theories and principles.

Books, the precursor of the Internet, the framework of the i-Pod, Tablet, Galaxy, and other gadgets that man becomes a walking encyclopedia.

Books, the progeny of the earliest forms of writing like the cuneiform, hieroglyphics, caves drawings, etchings, scrolls of the Dead Sea.

Books, that gave the idea and structure of the Wonders of the Ancient World, and the significance and belief for which they were built.

Books, that grew with knowledge, brought new schools and movements in arts and philosophy, in unending search for truth.

Books, the most widely read, the Bible; the shortest, Albert Einstein’s e=mc2, and book-to-cinema versions of Spielberg, Lucas, Cecile de Mills et al.

Books, the greatest treasure of mankind, its collective attributes as humanity, the very stimulus of man's rationality to rise above other creatures - and himself.

Books, that brought about man's disobedience to his creator, playing god, and questioning if god made man, or that man made god.

Books that enlighten man to care for the environment, guide the young and future generations to a better future, and lead man to save his own species from extinction.
-----------------
Author's Note: Herein below is one of the lists of top 100 books of the world. There is no standard for comparison, only preferences by different sources. However, there are books that consistently appear in many lists.                 

Author inspects books for his home library in San Vicente, Ilocos Sur.

 

Author's Note: Expand your home library by linking it with online libraries here and abroad. A simplified digital system would make access easier and wider, and for purposes of saving old books electronically, among other advantages. Create a conducive-to-learn  "library" ambiance with properly arranged and catalogued materials. (Internet photos) ~

*Also celebrated on World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day or International Day of the Book, an annual event organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright. April 23, 2023. Each year, on 23 April, celebrations take place all over the world to recognize the scope of books - a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations and across cultures.~

 Part 2 - Books Written by Dr Abe V Rotor

avrotor@gmail.com

Winner of National Book Award 2007, Living with Nature in Our Times, 

a sequel to The Living with Nature Handbook [Winner of Gintong Aklat 

 (Golden Book) Award 2003]

Philippine Literature Today: A Travelogue Approach (co-authors Abercio V Rotor and Kristine Molina-Doria, C and E Publishing Co.) aims at guiding students, in the light of present day trends, to trace back the foundation of literature’s basic tenets and principles and preserve its integrity and true essence.  Four pillars of Philippine literature stand sentinel to help the students answer the question “Quo vadis?” To where are we heading for? 

Four great Filipinos are acclaimed vanguards of Philippine Literature. The cover of the book, conceptualized and made by artist Leo Carlo R Rotor, depicts the theme of the book - travelogue in literature with these heroes.   Jose Rizal on politico-socio-cultural subjects, including ecological, Rizal being an environmentalist while in exile in Dapitan, Misamis Oriental, Mindanao; Francisco Baltazar or Balagtas on drama and performing arts in general, fiction novels and plays, evolving into stage show and cinema; Severino Reyes or Lola Basyang on mythology, children’s stories, komiks, and a wealth of cartoons and other animations and Leona Florentino, the Philippines’ Elizabeth Browning, Ella Wilcox, Emily Bronte et al, epitomize the enduring classical literature. 

 

"The humanities hold the greatest treasure of mankind."  Co-authored with Dr Kristine Molina-Doria, the book, in summary, makes Humanities, a basic 3-unit subject in college, interesting and attractive to students. The book is distinct from conventional textbooks by being experiential in approach - meaning, on-site, hands-on, and encompassing of the various schools of art - old, new and postmodern.  Learning is further enhanced by viewing an accompanying compact disc (CD), and by having easy access to a wide range of references principally from the authors' works on Facebook and Blog. [avrotor.blogspot.com] It is a publication of C&E, one of the country's biggest publishers and distributors of books. Launched in February this year it is now adapted by several colleges and universities.

" 'Do unto the land as you would the land do unto you. Treat the land with request, if not with reverence.' xxx The tree is taken to represent the environment. Each poem and each painting is like a leaf of a tree each revealing a little of the many marvels of this unique creation. Each poem and each painting is a plea on behalf of this new vision and of this new ethics." (Excerpt from the Message by Dr. Armando F. De Jesus, Ph.D. former Dean, Faculty of Arts and Letters, UST 2010)

"What makes this poetry collection specially significant is its ecological slant which gives it an added dimension rarely attributed to other poetry collections. xxx to “get out of the house” and bond with nature. It is a departure from the usual stale air of solitariness and narcissism which permeates most poetry today. Every poem indeed becomes a “flower in disguise” using the poet’s own words." (Excerpt from the Foreword by the late Ophelia A. Dimalanta, Ph.D. Director, Center for Creative Writing and Studies, UST). 

The book contains 170 poems and verses with accompanying photographs and images, 190 pp, in easy reading font, Times New Roman, bold type. Published by University of Santo Tomas, launched 2008 Manila International Book Fair, SMX Mall of Asia, 220 pp. 

"The book is a compendium of indigenous technical knowledge complemented with modern scientific thinking. The narratives offer an exploration into the world of ethno-science covering a wide range of practical interest from climate to agriculture; medicine to food and nutrition..: (Excerpt of Foreword by Dr Lilian J Sison, dean UST Graduate School).

" For the science educator and communicator, here is a handy volume to help you reach the popular consciousness. You will find here more than ample number of examples for making connections between lived experience and scientific information." (Dr Florentino H Hornedo, UNESCO Commissioner)

 

Winner of the Gintong Aklat Award 2003 by the Book Publishers Association of the Philippines. The book has 30 chapters (189 pp),divided into four parts, a practical guide on how one can get closer to nature, the key to a healthy and happy life. Second printing, 2008.

"Once upon a time, nature was pristine, undefiled, and unspoiled. We used to live in a dreamlike world of tropical virgin forests, and purer hidden springs, calm ponds, and serene lakes with majestic purple mountains, crowned with canopied trees. That was when people took only what they needed, caught only what they ate, and lived only in constant touch with a provident earth." (excerpt from the Introduction by Dr Anselmo Set Cabigan, professor, St Paul University QC and former director of the National Food Authority)

 

A Sequel to the Living with Nature Handbook (312 pp), it was launched at the Philippine International Book Fair. It won the 2006 National Book Award by the National Book Development Board jointly with The Manila Book Circle and the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts. Published by UST Publishing House, the book has 35 chapters divided into four parts. The book can be aptly described in this verse.

"Nature shares her bounty in many ways:

He who works or he who prays,

Who patiently waits or gleefully plays;

He's worthy of the same grace."

The principal author is Dr. Belen L Tangco who wrote the verses and prayers. Each verse or prayer is accompanied by an appropriate painting by AV Rotor. Full color and handy, it is useful as a prayer book and reference in the Humanities.

"Indeed, God speaks to us in the little details of nature - through the trees and the flowers, in the drip of rain, in the blow of the wind. He speaks to us in all of His Creation..." (Excerpt from the Foreword by Fr Tamelane R Lana, UST Rector

A coffee table book, full color, published by Megabooks in 1995. It was dedicated and presented to the Holy Father, John Paul II, on his visit to the Philippines by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, Sister Teresita Bayona SPC, and Fr. James B Reuter, SJ.

" Doctor A.V. Rotor is an extraordinary man - scientist, painter, musician, photographer, poet. With these verses he becomes something more than an artist. He is an apostle - trying, in his own gentle way, to bring man to God. and God to man, through beauty." (Message by Fr James B Reuter, SJ in his own handwriting)

A collection of 18 essays about life and living, 216 pages. Published by UST in 2000 with the Preface written by Fr. Jose Antonio Aureada, regent of the Graduate School.

"What is considered a religion of disconnection betrays man's inability to see sensuality through divinity and divinity through sensuality... It was Victor Frankl, a Jewish psychotherapist-philosopher, who popularized logotherapy, a word of Greek origin which literally means healing through meaning. Dr Abe. the poet-musician-painter-scientist rolled into one, reminds us of the Franklian inspired principle: The unheard cry for meaning if only well-heeded in all aspects of life - from the least significant to the extremely necessary, from the most commonplace to the phenomenally sublime - can only restore authenticity back to living life beautifully."

The book is in full color, 75 pages, written by a very young student of then St Paul College QC. In the words of Sr Mary Sarah Manapol in the Foreword, "Viva is a youthful poetess who thinks and writes about pain and loss, friendship, joy and love, music and the arts, nature, math and literature, war and piece - these belie her age of 17 summers."

Dr AV Rotor as co-author, provided the photographs and paintings that fit harmoniously with the poems. More than this, he encouraged the young poetess to write her first book which was launched on her debut. Here is a verse from an anonymous admirer.

"After reading Light of Dawn, 

How can I live without poetry and art?

From the love that I shall find, 

Shall not my heart depart."

Poems, poems, poems, 72 pages, a handy book, colored and black and white, published by Megabooks 2000. The late secretary of justice Sedfrey A Ordonez wrote in the Foreword "... it is inescapable that after reading his poetry and after examining his paintings which accompany his verses one is led to the conclusion that the man who created the multi-disciplinary tour de force is a Renaissance man, one who reveals his reverence for nature by means of music, verse, and painting."

The authors have embarked on this task of providing people with more information about the many uses of some plants. While herbal plants have long been recognized because of their nutritional and medicinal qualities, their other uses are not fully exploited... May we continue to promote alternative medicine... The prices of medicine and health products remain unaffordable to most of our countrymen and herbal plants are the best alternative as most of these have been proven to be effective." (Excerpt from the message of Dr Juan M Flavier, former senator and secretary of health)

A Giraffe Book, it contains 72 verses, mainly four-liners, each verse  accompanied by a photograph or painting. Most of the photos were taken by students in the Humanities at then St Paul College QC. The school president wrote the Foreword, an excerpt of which reads as follows:

"It takes deep reflection to arouse one's inner child to take notice of the undistinguished buds, hyacinth, date palms... and it takes a trusting, affirming, and enlightened teacher-artist to lead and inspire..." 

Peacemaking in Asia (350 pp), contains papers presented in the 7th General Assembly of different religions in Asia held at UST in 2008. The proceedings were compiled, edited and published into a book by AVRotor, now in circulation among participating religions.  Copies were made available at the Interfaith Center, TARC Building, UST. 

Celebrating the Gospel of Life - Basic issues in Bioethics - editor and contributor (Anthropological Perspective of Environmental Ethics: Human Life and the Environment.)

Other books and manuals written by Dr Rotor

• Farm Marketing in Asia and the Pacific, Asian Productivity Organization Tokyo Contributor and book editor, 1992
• Our Generous Fragile Earth. Mimeographed 1991
• Economic Entomology Manual, De La Salle University (Araneta) 1965
• Plant Morphology and Physiology, De La Salle University (Araneta) 1965
• Farmers' Digest (publisher and editor 1963-66)

AVR receives first copy of Don't Cut the Trees, Don't
from UST Fr Vice-Rector, and Secretary General

     Philippine literature greats, (L to R) Sedfrey Ordoñez, Ophelia

Dimalanta, Hortencia Santos Sankore, Larry Francisco,

and Jose Garcia Villa

AVR (center) with Ka Melly C Tenorio (seated) co-host of Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid, co-authors Dr Felipe Briana and Dr Kristine Molina Doria, and

Mrs Cecille Rotor (in yellow) at DZRB radio station.

AVR with veteran journalist Larry Henares, and Mrs Cecille Rotor 

 AVR with the late Fr James Reuter SJ, author, dramatist, 

spiritual adviser, at age 94.

With Senator Edgardo Angara, author of National Book Development Board,

sponsor of the annual National Book Awards. AVR won the National

Book Award for Science for 2007

 

AVR with Dr Alfredo Co., internationally acclaimed author, and the late

Dr Micheline Manalastas, former director of the UST Publishing House

          

                    With nationally famous authors Abdon Balde (left), and Isagani Cruz, 

                                      National Book Awards 2008
1 comment: Ariel Sotelo Tabag said... Nagadu gayamen a libroyo, Manong! Lugay, lugay! June 28, 2011 8:30 AM 

                             Part 3 - "The Reasons I Write." 

Dr Abe V. Rotor

"I write to rediscover indigenous knowledge and folk wisdom which enlarges and enhances our sense of history and tradition..." -avr

Published by University of Santo Tomas, launched 2008 Manila International Book Fair, SMX Mall of Asia, 220 pp. "The book is a compendium of indigenous technical knowledge complemented with modern scientific thinking. The narratives offer an exploration into the world of ethno-science covering a wide range of practical interest from climate to agriculture; medicine to food and nutrition..: (Excerpt of Foreword by Dr Lilian J Sison, dean UST Graduate School).

" For the science educator and communicator, here is a handy volume to help you reach the popular consciousness. You will find here more than ample number of examples for making connections between lived experience and scientific information." (Dr Florentino H Hornedo, UNESCO Commissioner)

My friends would exclaim and even if they don’t, I could read their eyes. “Why you are still alive!” And I would return a wide grim. And we rejoice. There are many things in this world to be happy about and rejoice. 

Twenty-two years ago today I was dying in a hospital. After two major operations, I left everything to Providence. I was supposed to deliver a response being an author of a book published by UST, Light from the Old Arch. My daughter Anna stood before the audience on that occasion and gave the response on my behalf. It could not have been any better if I did. She is a brave daughter, and I believed she was guided by the Light I saw and wrote about – Light from the Old Arch. 

And so, since that day and everyday thereafter I would rise before the sun does, and write my thoughts in the creeping light of dawn. Thoughts come beautifully in the morning of a new day, which I simply call a “bonus” – a term I couldn’t define, much less understand. Every morning is a beautiful morning, and there is nothing more beautiful than it because it is a bonus of an extended life. It is an extension of a breathing, thinking and feeling soul. Above all it is a bonus of thanksgiving. 

It was only then that I began to understand who and what is a writer, but why should one write remained elusive, beyond my understanding. I have read about Scheherazade the story teller of "a thousand and one nights," I have read a part of the book Walden Pond of Henry David Thoreau who wrote it far away from society. Or the Brownings in their exchange of romantic feelings in classical poetry. How powerful are the themes of Ernest Hemingway, and I did not expect how his life was ended had I not read what Van Gogh did when he had painted everything, except death. Hellen Keller wrote in the light of darkness because she was blind. So with John Milton who wrote Paradise Lost, and later Paradise Regained when he was already blind. How could Rachel Carson had written if she didn’t see Nature like a woman being raped and trampled? 

Before I simply wrote. I looked on all sides for what every event or action there was. Until I saw a dim light coming from the window of an old house. I traced it. It was far and dim yet penetrating in the mist of time, and obscured by the passing views of change. 

But it is almost magic. It’s a miracle, if I would say so, because I am still alive today. Thought after thought, page after page, chapter after chapter I was able to write a book, and another. And another that my alma mater, and the UST Publishing House are launching with other new books. 

I write because I believe in Robert Ruark’s Something of Value .  He said

“If a man does away with his traditional way of living and throws away his good customs, he had better first make certain that he has something of value to replace them.”

· I write because I believe in Lola Basiang relating folklore to children. We imagine a campfire, around it our ancestors exchanged knowledge and recounted experiences, with spices of imagination and superstition. It was a prototype open university. Throughout the ages and countless generations a wealth of native knowledge and folk wisdom accumulated but not much of it has survived. 

. I write because I believe in Homer’s epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which in the same way as Aesop’s fables, survived after two or three thousand years.

Homer and His Guide, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905), portraying Homer on Mount Ida, beset by dogs and guided by the goatherder Glaucus (as told in Pseudo-Herodotus)

· I write because I would not look farther than the timelessness of Christ lessons in parables? The Sermon on the Mount, The Prodigal Son, the Sower, The Good Samaritan - these and many more, continue to live in the home, school, pulpit as it had persisted in the catacombs in the beginnings of Christianity. 

· I write because Homer, Socrates, Aesop, Buddha, Christ and other early authors did not write. I am the lesser teacher so that I will enshrine the teachings of these great teachers. I am aware that it is through oral history, in spite of its limitations and informal nature that these masterpieces were preserved and transcended to us - thanks to our ancestors, and to tradition itself. 

· I write because I am one of those who inherited and benefit today of the valuable basic scientific knowledge such as the Pythagorean Theorem (all philosophies are resolved into the relations of numbers), the Law of Buoyancy from Archimedes, the Ptolemaic concept of the universe (although it was later corrected with the Copernican model), Natural Philosophy of Aristotle (Natural History), not to mention the Hippocratic Oath, the ethics that guide those in the practice of medicine which our modern doctors adhere to this day. 

· I write about Tradition and Heritage. Just as the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans – and even the remote and lesser ancient civilizations like the Aztecs and the Mayas had their own cultural heritage, so have we in our humble ways. Panday Pira attests to early warfare technology, the Code of Kalantiao, an early codification of law and order, the Herbolario, who to the present is looked upon with authority as the village doctor. And of course, we should not fail to mention the greatest manifestation of our architectural genius and grandiose aesthetic sense – the Banawe Rice Terraces. (photo)

. I write for adventure because I was a boy once upon a time, and the Little Prince in me refuses to grow old. On my part, like other boys in my time, boyhood could not have been spent in any better way without the science fictions of Jules Vernes – Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Eighty Days Around the World – and the adventures of Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. It is the universality of human thoughts and values that is the key to the timelessness of tradition – indeed the classical test of true masterpieces.

· I write about children’s stories. I can only wonder with awe at the determination of the Grimm Brothers roaming the villages of Europe soon after the Dark Ages began to end, and the light of learning began to dawn again, the two scholars retrieving the fragments and remnants of stories surviving the darkest period of history of mankind. And what do we know? These stories, together with the stories from the 1001 Arabian Nights, and Hans Christian Anderson have kept the flame of human hope and joy alive in cradles, around the hearth, at the bedside – even as the world was uncertain and unkind. 

. I write because I often ask myself if it is only truth that can withstand the test of time. Or, if only events that really happened constitute history. And if there were any tinge that these stories were based on the culture of a people in their own time, would we not find them, we who live on the other side of the globe and in another time? 

· I write to explore and retrieve traditional knowledge from records of the past, archaeology, and testimonies of old folks. It is indeed an enormous task not only what but how we can gather the fragments of knowledge, distinguish facts from myths, reality from imagination, and draw out the threads of wisdom and weave them into a fabric we call science. Today with modern science and technology, we create virtual reality scenarios on the screen and in dioramas, reliving the past and deliver them right in the living room and in the school. 

· I write to rediscover indigenous knowledge and folk wisdom which enlarges and enhances our history and tradition. Even beliefs and practices, which we may not be able to explain scientifically, can be potential materials for research. And if in our judgment they fail to meet such test, still they are valuable to us because they are part of our culture and they contribute immensely to the quaintness of living. 

· I write because I am inspired by the beautiful novel Swiss Family Robinson written by Johann Wyss nearly two centuries ago. It is about a family stranded in an unknown island somewhere near New Guinea and during the many years they lived in the island, they learned to adapt to a life entirely disconnected from society and devoid of the amenities of modern living. When finally they were rescued, the family chose to stay in the island – except one son who wanted to study, promising that he would return to the island. 

· I write because of similar stories of the same plot such as Robinson Crusoe, a classic novel by Daniel Defoe, and recently, Castaway, a modern version of a lone survivor shown on the screen. We can only imagine what we could have done if we were the survivors ourselves. 

· I write to challenge the young generation if such stories have lost their appeal, more so of their relevance. It is as if we have outlived tradition in such a manner that anything which is not modern does not apply any longer. What aggravates it is that as we move in to cities we lose our home base and leave behind much of our native culture. 

· I write because I hope to help hold the tide of exodus of people moving into cities, whether in ones own country or abroad, and the lure is so great nearly half of the world’s population is now living in urban centers. Ironically the present population explosion is not being absorbed by the rural areas but by cities, bloating them into megapolises where millions of people as precariously ensconced. And now globalization is bringing us all to one village linked in cyberspace and shrunk in distance by modern transportation. We have indeed entered the age of global homogenization and worldwide acculturation.

· I write to take a good look and compare ourselves with our ancestors from the viewpoint of how life is well lived. Were our ancestors a happier lot? Did they have more time for themselves and their family, and more things to share with their community? Did they live healthier lives? Were they endowed - more than we are - with the good life brought about by the bounty and beauty of nature?

· I write to raise these questions that analyze ten major concerns about living. In the midst of socio-cultural and economic transformation from traditional to modern to globalization - an experience that is sweeping all over the world today - these concerns serve as parameters to know how well we are living with life. 

· I write to raise the consciousness of the reader as he goes over the various topics in this book and help him relate these with his own knowledge and experiences, and they way he lives. 

· Simple lifestyle 

· Environment-friendly 

· Peace of mind 

· Functional literacy

· Good health and longer active life

· Family and community commitment 

· Self-managed time 

· Self-employment

· Cooperation (bayanihan) and unity

· Sustainable development 

· Thirty years ago I began to gather and put into writing many things about living. Primarily these are ethnic or indigenous, and certainly there are commonalities with those in other countries, particularly in Asia, albeit of their local versions and adaptations. It leads us to appreciate with wonder the vast richness of cultures shared between and among peoples and countries even in very early times. Ironically modern times have overshadowed tradition, and many of these beliefs and practices have been either lost or forgotten, and even those that have survived are facing endangerment and the possibility of extinction. It is a rare opportunity and privilege to gather and analyze traditional beliefs and practices. 

I write for the old folks to whom we owe much gratitude and respect because they are our living link with the past. They are the Homer of Iliad and Odyssey of our times, so to speak. They are the Disciples of Christ’s parables, the Fabulists of Aesop. They are the likes of a certain Ilocano farmer by the name of Juan Magana who recited Biag ni Lam-ang from memory, Mang Vicente Cruz, an herbolario of Bolinao Pangasinan, whom I interviewed about the effectiveness of herbal medicine. It is to people who, in spite of genetic engineering, would still prefer the taste of native chicken and upland rice varieties. It is to these people, and to you in this hall, that this little piece of work is sincerely dedicated. 

I would like to read the excerpts of the writings of the critics about my new book. 

“Very common people, in very common settings, with very simple objects, now tell us how to keep in touch with nature. For instance we rejoice in the bounty of leafy vegetables growing on discarded tires, sustained with compost from a city dump. We also find relief from a burning fever through a cup of lagundi tea, or savor broiled catfish fattened at a backyard pond. Sometimes, we painfully ponder the fate of a dog headed for slaughter, or grieve at the gnarled skeleton of a dead tree, or awe in at the metamorphosis of a cicada, or immersed in the lilting laughter of children at play.”

Anselmo S. Cabigan, Ph.D.

“Cultural anthropologists affirm culture as the soul of civilization where people attain their identity, value orientation and aesthetic sense. Culture gives the people their perceptual apparatus and orientation of understanding. It is the reservoir of life-wisdom of the people. Today, the concept of integral sustainable development includes cultural progress which starts from a positive social self-definition and identity. Hence, local history and cultures provide a glimpse of the indigenous wisdom of the people that speaks of their religious worldview and deep connection with the Earth.”

Professor Ronel P. dela Cruz, Ph.D.

Professor, St. Paul University Quezon City

I thank all of you most sincerely for being part of this memorable occasion.

Part 4 - Build Your Home Library
"Nurture knowledge to grow into wisdom." - avr
On display at the Living with Nature Center
San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

Collection of Dr Abe V Rotor 

"Books are the greatest treasure of mankind, its collective attributes as humanity, the very stimulus of man's rationality to rise above other creatures - and himself." - AV Rotor

"Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. 

It should be offered as a gift." – Kate DiCamillo

"Books are the novels that carry the greatest stories of all times called classics, for which they are regarded timeless for their universal values." - AV Rotor

"Books are the epics of Homer, stories of the Grimm Brothers distilled from oral literature passed through generations to the present." - AVR

"I think books are like people, in the sense that they’ll turn up 

in your life when you most need them." – Emma Thompson

"Books are the record of ultimate scholarship, the epitome of the greatest minds in thesis and dissertation, theories and principles." - AV Rotor

"A room without books is like a body without a soul.”

 ― Marcus Tullius Cicero

"Books are the precursor of the Internet, the framework of the i-Pod, Tablet, Galaxy, and other gadgets that man becomes a walking encyclopedia." - AV Rotor

"Books are a uniquely portable magic." – Stephen King

"Books grow with knowledge, bring new schools and movements in arts and philosophy, in unending search for truth." - AV Rotor

"Books are mirrors: You only see in them what you already 

have inside you." – Carlos Ruiz Zafón

"Books are the progeny of the earliest forms of writing like the cuneiform, hieroglyphics, caves drawings, etchings, scrolls 

of the Dead Sea." - AV Rotor

  

"Many books have been written ahead of their time - Galileo's astronomy, Darwin's evolution, Martin Luther's Protestantism ignited dis-pleasured of the Church." - AV Rotor

 

"Books are about bedtime stories, baby's introduction to the world, legends and fantasies that take young ones to the land of make believe." - AV Rotor

"Books gives the idea and structure of the Wonders of the Ancient World, and the significance and belief for which they were built." - AV Rotor

"Books are the most widely read, the Bible; the shortest, Albert Einstein’s e=mc2, and book-to-cinema versions of Spielberg, Lucas, Cecile de Mills et al." - AV Rotor

"Books that enlighten man to care for the environment, guide the young and future generations to a better future, and lead man to save his own species from extinction." - AV Rotor ~

Rare books  on display at the Living with Nature 

Home of the author in San Vicente, Ilocos Sur. Collections include books, 

magazines, other reading materials, including electronic publications.  

   
    
   
    
    
      

 

"Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new after all.” “The man who does not read good books is no better than the man who can't.” “Show me a family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world.” 

“I guess there are never enough books.” Mar 1, 2021 From the Internet             

A.  Are fables still relevant in our times?  

Aesop's Fables have been told and re-told, then written and re-written countless times as a form of entertainment and education. Anecdotal and comic sketches were everyday forms of amusement in ancient Athens and Delphi. Today these works envelop many realms of life including psychology, politics, spirituality, education, health and well-being. Whether the man himself or Aesop the modern construct of scholars, his influence and commentary on human behavior has been firmly established. (C.D. Merriman) 

 Aesop did not write down his fables. He told many people the stories and they remembered them. It was nearly two hundred years before the stories were collected together and published. The fables were not published in English until the 15th century, but since then they have been read by people all over the world. Their moral lessons are as true today as they were 2,500 years ago when Aesop was alive.

Childhood Lessons from Fables
The first lessons I learned from my father came from Aesop’s fables. Quite a number of them are still fresh in my mind nearly fifty years after. Fable or fibula in Latin is a story or tale, especially a short story, often with animals or inanimate objects as speakers or actors, devised to convey a moral. So simple and universal are fables that no one could possibly miss the lesson of each story.

Before I proceed let me say a few words about the genius behind this ancient art of storytelling. Aesop, the founder of fables, was a native of old Greece, a former slave who earned his freedom out of his genius and wit, a master in allegorical philosophy. It is for this natural gift that he also gained fame – and ironically, it is also for this that he met a lamentable end in the hands of enemies whom his fables created.

Aesop is the greatest fabulist of all time, and if there are other prominent fabulists after him and at present, there is likely a trace of Aesop in their stories. Even modern fables like the movie Babes, about the pig that gained its right to live by learning to be a"sheep dog," reminds us of Aesop. Or take the case of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, a story about man’s folly and greed for power and wealth and lavish living.

But little can we perceive the original morals of Aesop in most of today’s animations. There is simply too much fantasy that masks the lesson, especially so with the versatility of technology that emphasizes scenarios that heighten the plot as if fables are running entertainment stories. What technology misses is that it fails to capture the refinement of presentation and the purposeful message that lingers in afterthought. Aesop has a unique way of making his reader to first look within himself before casting judgment upon others. Like many philosophers in his time, he believed that change is basically internal and often, discreetly self-atonement and non-effacing. Aesop is Aesop for such extraordinary character as can be gleamed from records about the man. To wit -.

“It is probable that he was of a low and diminutive stature, though agreeable in his complexion, and polite in his manners. It is however, certain that he had a great soul, and was endowed with extraordinary mental qualification; his moral character approached to a degree of perfection to which very few have attained. He appears to have had a true sense of morality and a just discernment of right and wrong; his perceptions and feelings of truth were scrupulously nice, and the smallest deviation from rectitude impressed his mind with the greatest antipathy.

“No considerations of private interest could warp his inclinations to as to seduce him from the path of virtue; his principles are steadfast and determined, and truly habitual. He never employed his great wisdom to serve the purposes of cunning; but, with an uncommon exactness, made his understanding a servant of truth.” (Oliver Goldsmith, Life of Aesop)
While we recognize Aesop as the father of the fable, there were fabulists ahead of him like Archilochus who wrote fables one hundred years before. But it is certain that Aesop was the first that brought that species of teaching into reputation, building upon the style of using animals and inanimate objects to describe the manners and characters of men, communicating instructions without seeming to assume authority of a master or a pedagogue.

Here is a story from which we can gleam the Aesop’s indomitable reputation. He adopted a unique strategy to reconcile his master and his estranged wife who had left him. It is said that Aesop, then a slave of Xanthus, went to the market and brought a great quantity of the best provisions, which he publicly declared were intended for the marriage of his master with a new spouse. This report had its desired effect, and the matter was amicably settled. And at a feast to celebrate the return of his master’s wife he is said to have served the guests with several courses of tongues, by which he intended to give a moral to his master and wife, who had by too liberal use of their tongue almost caused their permanent separation.

In another occasion, Aesop astounded the sages of Greece. An ambitious king having one day shown his vast riches and magnificence, and the glory and splendor of his court, asked them the question, whom they thought was the happiest man. After several different answers given by all the wise men present, it came at last to Aesop to make his reply. He said: “That Croesus was as much happier than other men as the fullness of the sea was superior to the rivers in his kingdom.”

If we were to base Aesop’s sagacity and severe morality his answer would rather be one of sarcasm rather than compliment, but he was undoubtedly understood by the king to be a great compliment, that in his vanity exclaimed, “The Phrygian had hit the mark.” Afterward, alone with a friend, Aesop commented, “Either we must not speak to Kings, or we must say what will please them.”

While he was living at the court of King Croesus, now a free man, celebrated and famous, he was sent on a journey to the temple of Apollo at Delphi. There he was accused by the Delphians of sacrilege, and he was convicted by an act of the greatest villainy. They concealed among his baggage, at his departure, some golden vessels consecrated to Apollo, and then dispatched messengers to search his baggage. Upon this he was accused of theft and sacrilege, and condemned to die. The angry Dephians pushed him over a steep cliff to his death.

Aesop’s ironic death is not the first among respected citizens of Greece, paradoxically when Greece was at its peak of power, as we can only imagine with this aphorism “the glory that was Greece.” Not far after Aesop’s time, Socrates, the greatest philosopher of Athens in his time and one of the greatest minds the world has ever known, was condemned to die by drinking poison hemlock for “corrupting the minds of the youth.” Socrates opened the gate of enlightenment; the concept of the Lyceum or university.
I have selected a number of Aesop fable to suit the purpose of conveying important messages related to contemporary issues in a manner that they can be understood at the grassroots. This is the purpose of Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (school-on-the air) to impart functional literacy to the masses. It is not the intention of the lessons to impose moral authority, much less to proselytize our society of its failures and weaknesses. It merely seeks to elevate awareness for change, in the humblest manner we may find ways to reform, through the lessons in the fables Aesop related more than two thousand five hundred years ago.

Here are some of the popular fables of Aesop with the morals they convey.
 

 Popular Aesop Fables
1. The fox without a tail – Wise people are not easily fooled
2. The shepherd boy and the wolf – If we tell lies, no one will believe us when we speak the truth.
3. The boastful traveler – People who boast are soon found out.
4. The crow and the fox – Beware of people who say nice things they do not mean.
5. Who will bell the cat – Some things are more easily said than done.

6. The crow and the swan – Think well before you copy other people.
7. The wolf and the lamb – People who want to do something bad can always
find an excuse.

Fox and the Rooster 

8. The lion and the hare – It is sometimes wiser to be content with what you have.
9. Brother and sister – It is better to be good than to be just good looking.
10. The goose that laid the golden eggs - A greedy man can lose all he has.

11. The wind and the sun– Kindness often gets things done more quickly than force.
12. The trees and the axe – Be careful when you give way over small things,
or you may have to give way over big ones.
13. The dog and his reflection – If you want more because you are greedy, in the end
you might find you have less.
14. The fir tree and the bramble – People who are too proud may be sorry later.
15. The ant and the dove – No one is too little to be helpful.

16. The boys and the frogs – Do not do things to other people that you would not
like to be done to you.
17. The raven and the jug – If you try hard enough, you may find you can do something
that at first seems very difficult.
18. The dog in the manger – Do not stop others having what you don’t need.
19. The fox and the grapes – It is silly to say that you do not want something just
because you cannot have it. (idiomatic expression: sour grapes)
20. The wolves and the dog – Those who cannot be trusted deserve to be treated badly.

21. The fox and the lion – Things are not always what they seem to be at first.
22. The bear and the travelers - A real friend will not leave you to face trouble alone.
23. The fox and the stork – If you play mean tricks on other people, they might do
the same to you.
24. The man and the partridge – No one loves a traitor.

Versions and Interpretations of Aesop’s Fables
The interpretation of an Aesop fable may vary. For example, The Fir tree and the Bramble, has this earlier interpretation, from Oliver Goldsmith, citing Bewick’s version.
Poverty secures a man from many dangers; whereas the rich and the mighty are the mark of malice and cross fortune; and still the higher they are, the nearer the thunder.
To have a better view of the moral, let me cite the fable from Bewick’s. The fable starts with a verse, as follows:

Minions of fortune, pillars of the state, Round your exalted heads that tempest low’r! While peace secure, and soft contentment wait On the calm mansions of the humble poor.

So the story goes like this. “My head, says the boasting Fir-tree to the humble Bramble, is advanced among the stars; I furnish beams for palaces, and masts for shipping; the very sweat of my body is a sovereign remedy for the sick and wounded: whereas thou, O rascally Bramble, runnest creeping in the dirt, and art good for nothing in the world but mischief. I pretend not to vie with thee, said the Bramble, in the points that gloriest in. But, not to insist upon it, that He who made thee lofty Fir, could have made thee an humble Bramble, I pray thee tell me, when the Carpenter comes next with the axe into the wood, to fell timber, whether that hadst not rather be a Bramble than a Fir-tree?”

Compare the same fable with this simplified version for children. Here it goes.

One day, on a hill top, a fir tree said to a bramble bush. “Look at me. I am tall, strong, graceful and very beautiful. What good are you? You are small, ugly and untidy.”
This made the bramble bush very unhappy because it knew the fir tree was right. But next day some men carrying axes came up the hill. They started to chop down the fir tree. They wanted to use it to make a new house.

”Oh dear!” cried the fir tree, as it started to fall. “I wish I were a bramble bush, then the men would not have cut me down.” x x x

B. The Little Red Hen – A Modern Fable

Once upon a time there was a little red hen that lived in a farmyard, and one day found some grains of wheat which she took to the other animals in the farmyard – cat, rat, pig. He asked who of them can help her plant the grains of wheat. None wanted to, so the little red hen planted the grains, and the plants grew tall and strong until it was time to harvest them.

Again he asked her companions if they are willing to help. Just like before, none of them was. So the little red hen did the harvesting. And she did all the work – brought the grains to the miller and to the baker, and when the bread was baked he asked her friends,

 
“Who will help me eat the bread?”
“I will,” said the cat.
“I will,” said the rat.
“I will,” said the pig.
“No you will not,” intoned the little red hen.
“I shall eat it myself.” 

So she did.

The Little Red Hen and the Grains of Wheat is a modern fable which evolved into philosophy that touches sensitive issues of modern living such as capitalism and socialism. Animal Farm by George Orwell may be different in presentation and philosophical connotation, from the traditional style of a fable. It is a socio-economic and political thesis in the guise of animals acting like humans do under a system which they themselves created.

Even as Aesop fables are taking a new dimension as viewed in a changing world, the essence is as fresh as ever. All one needs to realize them as relevant as they were in Aesop’s time is simply to reflect on them himself. For human character and behavior have not really changed since then.x x x

References: Goldsmith O (1973) - Treasury of Aesop’s Fables Avenel Books, NY 139 pp
Stuart M (1974) A First Book of Aesop’s Fables (Vol 1 and 2) Ladybird Books

-----------------------------------------

ANNEX - AI Overview 

 “Book Revival in Our Postmodern World” 

Living with Nature - School on Blog by Dr. Abercio V. Rotor.

In Dr. Abercio V. Rotor’s blog, the phrase “book revival in our postmodern world” refers to the intentional re‑engagement with, and re‑publication or re‑reading of, works—especially those rooted in indigenous knowledge, folk wisdom, and local cultural heritage—in a context where modernity and globalization have often marginalized such traditions..

Context in Rotor’s work

Rotor’s writings emphasize rediscovering and revitalizing indigenous technical knowledge and folk traditions that connect people to their history, environment, and identity. In his “Living with Nature” series, he frames books as vehicles for this revival, blending ethno‑science with modern scientific thinking to make traditional wisdom relevant to contemporary life. This is not just about reprinting old texts, but about reviving their influence and application in today’s world.

Why “postmodern world”?

In a postmodern context, Rotor likely means a society marked by:

• Fragmentation of knowledge — where traditional and modern systems are often seen as separate.
• Globalization and homogenization — which can erode local cultural identities.
• Loss of oral and community-based knowledge — replaced by mass-produced, standardized information.

In such a world, a “book revival” is an act of cultural reclamation: bringing back to public attention works that embody local values, ecological wisdom, and historical continuity, and showing how they can be integrated into modern discourse. 

How this appears in his articles

• Content focus: His books and articles often combine indigenous practices (e.g., traditional agriculture, medicine, crafts) with scientific validation, making them accessible to a broad audience.
• Purpose: To reconnect people with their roots and to offer alternative, sustainable ways of living that counteract the alienation and environmental degradation of modern life.
• Method: Through publications, lectures, and media appearances, Rotor promotes these works as living resources, not just historical artifacts. 

In essence

For Rotor, “book revival in our postmodern world” means using the power of published works to re‑ignite interest in and use of indigenous and folk knowledge, thereby restoring cultural identity, ecological balance, and a sense of historical continuity in a fragmented, globalized age. It is both a cultural preservation effort and a practical guide for sustainable living in the present. ~