Nakuntento sa Ngiti was among the paintings made by Jose John Santos III for the children’s book Si Lupito at ang Barrio Sirkero (Lupito and the Circus Village), published in 2008. The story was originally written in Filipino by Rowald Almazar, translated into English, and edited by John Jack Wigley and Jose Wendell Capili.
\nSi Lupito at ang Barrio Sirkero tells of the story of Lupito, a traveling merchant selling various merchandise, such as brooms, rags, kitchenware, clothing, and canes, who made his way to Barrio Sirkero, a village “where everyone had an extraordinary talent”; there were singers and dancers but the most admired were the circus performers who can skillfully balance atop paper-thin wires, lie down on a bed of nails, and swallow fire, swords, and various types of iron materials.
\nTata Ador, one of the best circus performers in Barrio Sirkero, is its chieftain who lives in the center of the village together with his firewalking wife Marcia and only daughter, the enchanting Sela who can move and influence things by the sheer power of her mind. Numerous men had attempted to charm and court Sela but every single one failed to win the heart of the dalaga.
\nEnter Lupito, who had previously reached Barrio Sirkero to sell his goods. Lupito’s merchandise was a certified blockbuster among the villagers, not realizing that dusk had already fallen in. Tata Ador then offered Lupito to spend the night at his house.
\nBy the moment Lupito stepped inside Tata Ador’s home, he instantly gazed his eyes upon Sela, captivated by her alluring beauty. He immediately decided to pursue the woman with whom he saw his future. Unbeknownst to Lupito, Sela also felt the same towards him.
\nThe next morning, Lupito formally asked Tata Ador for permission to court Sela, whose subtle richness in her smile let the patriarch agree.
\nFor the next three days, Tata Ador would challenge Lupito to different tasks of varying difficulties, including running errands and serving Sela’s family, as is customary in their village. Within that period, Lupito and Sela did not talk, in accordance with their courting tradition. All they had was their sweet exchange of smiles—nakuntento sa ngiti, which Jose John Santos III depicts in the works at hand.
\nBy the fourth day, Tata Ador challenged Lupito to prove his circus skills. In succession, he would triumphantly cross a twenty-foot tightrope, acrobatically swing on ropes tied to trees, walk on red-hot coals, capture a wild horse, and knock down the village’s most vigorous men. The villagers excitedly cheered, except for Tata Selo who knew that Lupito was able to come out victorious due to Sela’s supernatural intervention.
\nTata Selo confronted his daughter, who willfully admitted to her doings all in the name of her love for the outsider. Tata Ador then assured Sela that he would give the man another chance, but only if she promised never to cross the line and help Lupito again.
\nMarcia would announce the next day that Lupito’s challenges had been postponed for ten days, as he had already returned to his own village, and Tata Ador had become ill.
\nA bolder and stronger Lupito surprisingly returned to Barrio Sirkero after ten days, entering the village while riding a magnificent, white horse. He then went all over the challenges he had previously hurdled, this time successfully conquering all tests without Sela’s power. Unexpectedly, the past ten days were allotted by Lupito to intensive training to better himself at circus performing and prove himself worthy of Sela’s love and acceptance.
\nAfter all the “easier” challenges, Tata Ador announced that Lupito would now face the ultimate test—juggling.
\nLupito skillfully juggled all that was thrown to him by Tata Ador: a small ball, a folded newspaper, a walking stick, a coconut, a fan, a plate, a wooden spoon, a pineapple, a piggy bank, all in quick succession. For his final trial, Tata Ador threw his favorite chair at the now-wearied Lupito. In ten seconds, Lupito juggled the heavy chair with the other stuff he had been repeatedly throwing in the air. In the end, an exhausted Lupito emerged triumphant.
\nLupito and Sela were immediately married that night, following their traditions. Finally, Lupito was now among Barrio Sirkero’s most respected and beloved circus performers; he was now their own family
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