Macho Caballo #2 prolog.
Work continues slowly on part two of 'Macho Caballo', where Ramon is searching for his sister rumored living with the Apaches in northern Mexico.
Several names for Part #2 have come to mind. The working title is 'The Quest of Macho Caballo,' but I'm leaning toward another choice -- 'Looking for Lucha,' since 'Lucha' could mean struggle, hard work or just plain trouble. Being as it is that she is Ramon's sister, we can count on the last definition.
The original prolog and lead-in for this part has been scrapped. You know how it is, one of those efforts that you look back upon and shudder. In its place, let's extend a scene from the first book and update it. It is now weeks later, Grampaw has come to visit with his grandchildren again, and....
“Did you see that monster bird?”
“That was an eagle, Thomas!”
Thomas looks at his sister Raimunda skeptically, then turns to Grampaw.
“Is she telling the truth, Abuelito? It was too big to be an eagle!”
Abuelito diplomatically refrains from answering. Instead, he busies himself with retying the lacing on his new boots.
“I wish Mama had seen it!” pipes Raimunda, watching the sky. “Mama had to go off to the mines to talk to the workers there. She said she had to have guards to chaperon her, because it wasn’t proper to walk among working men all by herself.”
Thomas droops, his bright mood vanished like the morning mists. “I wish Mama would stay home,” he says.
They turn with surprise as the door opens.
“Mama!” shout Thomas and Raimunda together. Although Thomas might have been a little faster.
Mama kneels to hug them both. “Good morning, my precious ones!" she says, "Oh, I was hoping I would see you, Papa! I’m glad my consultations finished early.”
"I am happy as well, Patricia. Rosa told me you would be delayed."
"The miners wanted concessions and the owners… oh, we shouldn't discuss business while we can be with the little ones. How is Abuelita?"
"In the kitchen." Abuelito smiles as he nods toward the patio doors. "She was determined to make ice sherbet for Thomas."
"I love it too!"
Abuelito laughs aloud. "And Raimunda, as well!"
"Today we are going to hear about Ramon's search for his sister!"
"Is this true?" Mama smiles at Thomas, but as she takes Abuelito aside she is frowning. "Is this wise, Papa?"
"They hear the tales. Perhaps they ought to hear what really happened before they find compelling nonsense and lies."
"I know, but…."
Abuelito smiles as he guides her gently to the shade of the arbor. "They will hear and they will see, and they will understand all too soon that the world is harsher than what they've seen here at the rancho. They are very clever, Patricia, more than you know. Already, you must shepherd them in what they say about your politics."
"Papa, you have already said you know nothing about politics."
"And I prefer it that way. Besides, what difference does it make who searches for legends in the hills?"
Mama Patricia returns his gentle hug and they look out upon the children playing tag. "And I am trying to protect you even as you protect them."
Abuelito coughs, clearing his throat. "I have my… protectors, Hija. I only want the children to know what the true legends are before they are dazzled by what the schools will try to teach."
"Oh, yes. The legends. I think they have ears like the foxes - here they come to hear you."
"Abuelito! The ice cream will take ages to make, and Aunt Rosa says I'm too young to turn the crank!"
"Too small, too," says Raimunda, who stands four inches taller than her brother. "Abuelito, tell us some more!"
"Ah, well. If I must." Abuelito sighs noisily, like a stubborn donkey, but there is a twinkle in his eye. "Will you sit with us, Mamacita?"
"I've seen and heard too much of it already," says Mama Patricia. "I'm going to help Abuelita and Rosa."
"There's going to be real wild Indians in this one, isn't there?" Thomas is fairly dancing with eagerness. "And more horses!"
"I already know there's going to be dashing cabaleros and beautiful princesses in it," sniffs Raimunda. "Because there's a sister, and she's a princess!"
"I didn't hear that she was a princess! Make her tell the truth, Abuelito!"
"You must listen very closely," says Grampaw. He brushes off the bench on both sides so they can sit as they listen. "You already know all about how Ramon got his… ability, so I'm going to skip over that part and take you weeks after the big fight with the evil sorcerer and his warriors."
"You could tell that part again," hints Thomas. "I wouldn't mind."
"Hush," says Raimunda and sets him an example by sitting primly.
Several names for Part #2 have come to mind. The working title is 'The Quest of Macho Caballo,' but I'm leaning toward another choice -- 'Looking for Lucha,' since 'Lucha' could mean struggle, hard work or just plain trouble. Being as it is that she is Ramon's sister, we can count on the last definition.
The original prolog and lead-in for this part has been scrapped. You know how it is, one of those efforts that you look back upon and shudder. In its place, let's extend a scene from the first book and update it. It is now weeks later, Grampaw has come to visit with his grandchildren again, and....
“Did you see that monster bird?”
“That was an eagle, Thomas!”
Thomas looks at his sister Raimunda skeptically, then turns to Grampaw.
“Is she telling the truth, Abuelito? It was too big to be an eagle!”
Abuelito diplomatically refrains from answering. Instead, he busies himself with retying the lacing on his new boots.
“I wish Mama had seen it!” pipes Raimunda, watching the sky. “Mama had to go off to the mines to talk to the workers there. She said she had to have guards to chaperon her, because it wasn’t proper to walk among working men all by herself.”
Thomas droops, his bright mood vanished like the morning mists. “I wish Mama would stay home,” he says.
They turn with surprise as the door opens.
“Mama!” shout Thomas and Raimunda together. Although Thomas might have been a little faster.
Mama kneels to hug them both. “Good morning, my precious ones!" she says, "Oh, I was hoping I would see you, Papa! I’m glad my consultations finished early.”
"I am happy as well, Patricia. Rosa told me you would be delayed."
"The miners wanted concessions and the owners… oh, we shouldn't discuss business while we can be with the little ones. How is Abuelita?"
"In the kitchen." Abuelito smiles as he nods toward the patio doors. "She was determined to make ice sherbet for Thomas."
"I love it too!"
Abuelito laughs aloud. "And Raimunda, as well!"
"Today we are going to hear about Ramon's search for his sister!"
"Is this true?" Mama smiles at Thomas, but as she takes Abuelito aside she is frowning. "Is this wise, Papa?"
"They hear the tales. Perhaps they ought to hear what really happened before they find compelling nonsense and lies."
"I know, but…."
Abuelito smiles as he guides her gently to the shade of the arbor. "They will hear and they will see, and they will understand all too soon that the world is harsher than what they've seen here at the rancho. They are very clever, Patricia, more than you know. Already, you must shepherd them in what they say about your politics."
"Papa, you have already said you know nothing about politics."
"And I prefer it that way. Besides, what difference does it make who searches for legends in the hills?"
Mama Patricia returns his gentle hug and they look out upon the children playing tag. "And I am trying to protect you even as you protect them."
Abuelito coughs, clearing his throat. "I have my… protectors, Hija. I only want the children to know what the true legends are before they are dazzled by what the schools will try to teach."
"Oh, yes. The legends. I think they have ears like the foxes - here they come to hear you."
"Abuelito! The ice cream will take ages to make, and Aunt Rosa says I'm too young to turn the crank!"
"Too small, too," says Raimunda, who stands four inches taller than her brother. "Abuelito, tell us some more!"
"Ah, well. If I must." Abuelito sighs noisily, like a stubborn donkey, but there is a twinkle in his eye. "Will you sit with us, Mamacita?"
"I've seen and heard too much of it already," says Mama Patricia. "I'm going to help Abuelita and Rosa."
"There's going to be real wild Indians in this one, isn't there?" Thomas is fairly dancing with eagerness. "And more horses!"
"I already know there's going to be dashing cabaleros and beautiful princesses in it," sniffs Raimunda. "Because there's a sister, and she's a princess!"
"I didn't hear that she was a princess! Make her tell the truth, Abuelito!"
"You must listen very closely," says Grampaw. He brushes off the bench on both sides so they can sit as they listen. "You already know all about how Ramon got his… ability, so I'm going to skip over that part and take you weeks after the big fight with the evil sorcerer and his warriors."
"You could tell that part again," hints Thomas. "I wouldn't mind."
"Hush," says Raimunda and sets him an example by sitting primly.