Legends and rum
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Chapter IX: The girl and the mango tree
Historical Center, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
“Grandfather, did you know about the poor little girl and what happened to her in this mango tree?” I just had to ask when I saw him arrive.
“Manuela, now my dear sweet Manuela, how can you be telling the child these stories? Shame on you! She has such a terrible imagination. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has nightmares tonight.”
Then turning to me he said, “Honey chile, now you wait here; allow me fix myself a nice rum and ice drink. Then, I’ll come right back, and I’ll tell you this story about the headless rider that rode through the streets in León, during the moonless nights.”
Upon hearing him, Grandmother immediately complained, scolding him for wanting to scare me uselessly. Grandfather walked over to her. Hugging her affectionately, he spoke to her in a sweet and gentle tone. “Of course Manuela, if anybody is going to scare the daylights of that child, I can tell you, it will be me!”
Grandfather followed his remark with one of his scary faces while he grunted at us. Of course, he was so ridiculous that both Grandmother and I began to laugh. And that is how Grandfather chased away dark clouds from my childhood skies, once more!
In the land of volcanoes’ Chapters Purchase the book