Midsummer is one of Manuel Arguillas’ many descriptive works. It tells of the shy interaction between a peasant boy and a peasant girl at an isolated village well.
One hot day in summer, a young man drove his cart and bull, and headed towards a nearby village well. He stopped midway as he sees a young woman whose grace and looks immediately caught his fancy. Thinking that the girl didn't notice him, the man hesitated to talk to her and waited for his turn. Only after the girl got her second pail of water did the two manage to strike up a conversation. The story ends with the girl inviting the guy to stop by her house.
What I like about this 1933 story is that it portrayed a wonderful picture of the simplicity and honesty of the rural folk life. It was able to note that although the youthfulness and vibrancy of the two main characters and the seemingly deathly barrenness of the story’s setting are somewhat in contrast, these elements work well together and are able to complement each other successfully.
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