Rizal Legend

       When the Germans heard of the death of their beloved emperor Frederick Barbarossa, they could not believe that he was really dead. The legend that grew up around this hero reflected the prevailing hope for his return. According to one legend, the emperor was sleeping in a cave in a mountain in Thuringia, and when the ravens no longer flew around the summit of the mountain, he would awake and restore the golden age.

       It is interesting to know that a similar legend has already grown up in connection with Rizal.

       When Rizal was still living, most of the ignorant people believed that, as he was a very wise man, he would perform superhuman feats. This belief was prevalent throughout the Philippines. The Spaniards, especially the friars, envied and feared him on account of his supernatural skill, so they sought a pretext to kill him. They accused him of being one of the supporters of the revolutionary movement.

       The soldiers and the detectives tried to capture him. But whenever they took hold of Rizal, he would disappear, and everytime, his captors would find in his place the trunk of a banana plant. Becoming tired of this, he delivered himself up and was consequently put into prison.Oftentimes the guard of the prison would find him gone, and in his place find the trunk of a banana plant.

       When the day of the execution came, he willingly gladly went to meet his fate. When he was standing firm, waiting to be shot, lightning flashed and the place became dark. When brightness again prevailed, the soldiers shot him. He fell to the ground dead and was put in a coffin and buried. The next day, the governor-general ordered the coffin to be opened and to be searched for a certain paper supposed to be on Rizal's body. But to their surprise, they did not find Rizal but a banana trunk instead.

       The people believe that Rizal is still alive, that he is now in a foreign country and will soon return to the Philippines to free his people from foreign control.