2.

-2-

MEN: Manuel Domingo......

WOMEN: Jose Maria......

MEN: Brothers......

WOMEN: Del Prado......

ALL: Oracion.

TACOS MAN: Tacos! Tengo tacos! Tacos! Tacos!

MANUEL: La venganza!

En sangre se lo pago—

El que le mato—

Que mato a mi hermano!

Seguro que me pago—

A mi—Manuel Domingo del Prado!

Manuel Domingo del Prado Oracion.

3. TACOS MAN:

Tacos! Tengo tacos!

(THE TWO COMRADES ENTER DOWN STAGE LEFT TO RIGHT, THEN CROSS TO UPSTAGE LEFT LISTENING INTENTLY TO THE TACOS MEMORIES OF THE TACOS VENDOR)

4.

From my hands they bought these tacos,

These two brothers—

Jose Maria, Manuel Domingo—

Los hermanos Oracion.

Growing, growing,

Dancing, growing.

Boys, then young men eyeing women,

In this plaza Saturday evening.

In this plaza, Ay, the women!

(THE TOY VENDOR ENTERS. A MOMBO DANCER DANCES AS THE TACO VENDOR'S SONG FAD'S INTO THE MUSIC OF A NIGHT OF FIESTA)

5.

Las mujeres en fiesta......

In this plaza in fiesta,

Men and women in fiesta.

10

-4-

TACOS VENDOR: Two brothers!

TENOR: DOS HERMANOS!

TACOS VENDOR: One——tall and slender

TENOR: LIKE A STALK OF CANE.

TACOS VENDOR: One——short and stocky

TENOR: LIKE A STRONG YOUNG TREE.

(A SOPRANO JOINS THEM)

TENOR AND SOPRANO: NEVER COULD TWO BROTHERS CLOSER BE.

MELODIER MEEM!

TENOR: LIKE A STALK OF CANE,

SOPRANO: LIKE A STRONG YOUNG TREE!

TRIO: MANUEL DOMINGO LIKE A STRONG YOUNG TREE,
JOSE MARIA DEL PRADO LIKE A STALK OF CANE,
TWO BROTHERS CLOSER, CLOSER,
YOU WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN.

TACOS VENDOR: They bought my tacos,
These tacos from me——
LONG AGO AS CHILDREN, MANUEL DOMINGO
WITH JOSE MARIA BY THE HAND.
MANUEL WAS A LITTLE OLDER,
THE FIRST TO BE A MAN.
JOSE MARIA LOVED HIM,
FOLLOWED HIM WITH PRIDE.
MANUEL DOMINGO——
JOSE MARIA BY HIS SIDE——
BROTHERS, BROTHERS, BROTHERS
SIDE BY SIDE.

(THE GUITAR PLAYER COMES DOWNSTAGE
LEFT PLAYING TENUOUSLY TO SIT
OPPOSITE MANUEL. SLOWLY THE GIRL
BEGINS TO DANCE ALONE ON THE BALCONY)

*6*

MEN:
OH, WHAT A BITTER HARVEST
ONLY BLOOD CAN YIELD------
JOSE MARIA DEL PRADO
CUT DOWN IN THE FIELD!

(HERE ANGRY VOICES INTERRUPT THE SONG)
A BITTER, BITTER HARVEST.....

SPOKEN: What kind of machete?

MEN: ONLY BLOOD CAN YIELD.....

SPOKEN: Whose the ugly hand?

MEN: JOSÉ MARIA DEL PRADO......

SPOKEN: What kind of machete

MEN: CUT DOWN IN THE FIELD!

SPOKEN: Cut down such a man?

MEN: Bitter, bitter harvest!

WOMEN: GONE!.....GONE! GONE!

GIRL: AY----YYYY----YYY----YY----Y........

WOMEN: GONE!.....GONE!.....

MEN: JOSÉ MARIA DEL PRADO,

ALL: DEL PRADO ORACION!

SPOKEN: José María del Prado Oración!

(QUIET. SPOTLIGHT GENTERS DOWNSTAGE OFF INTO THE
MM ORCHESTRA)

II-----SEQUENCE LIKE A DREAM

11.

BOM

(OUT OF THE QUIET RISES THE SUDDEN SWEETNESS
OF A GUITAR, LYRIC AND SOFT AS THE BREEZE IN
A CANE FIELD. WITH HIS BACK TO THE AUDIENCE,
FROM THE ORCHESTRA PIT COMES THE YOUNG MAN,
JOSE MARIA. THE GUITARIST, ON STAGE LEFT,
SPEAKS FOR HIM AS HE PROGRESSES)

GUITARIST: When I was a boy, I loved my brother best......

(JOSE MARIA DANCES, THEN CONTINUES TOWARD
THE GIRL ON THE BALCONY)

Then I loved you---but not as much as I loved another......

- 7 -

(THE GIRL DESCENDS FORM THE BALCONY AND DANCES WITH JOSE MARIA. NOW AND THEN THE MOMBO DANCER JOINS THEM, ALSO THE TWO COMRADES. THE GIRL RETURNS TO THE BALCONY. JOSE MARIA TURNS TO HIS WIFE, AND THEY REMEMBER THEIR FIRST MEETING AT THE WELL)

It is my wife that I love more than any—even now. JUANA,

12.

(AT HIS EMPHASIS ON "EVEN NOW" THERE IS A SLIGHT RUSTLE OF ANTICIPATION AND UNEASINESS AMONG THE SPECTATORS. THE WIFE MOVES FOR THE FIRST TIME. ILLUMINATION OF THE TWO AT THE WELL. A DANCE OF COURTSHIP AND LOVE, LEADING INTO THE WEDDING)

### III—SEQUENCE BORN OF LOVE AND JOY

13.

(THE SETTING BECOMES THAT OF A GAY COUNTRY WEDDING AS THE WELL IS COVERED AND BECOMES A PLATFORM FOR DANCING. THE GUITAR PLAYER TURNS INWARD TOWARD THE WEDDING SCENE AS THE MOTHER, RELATIVES, AND VARIOUS GUESTS ENTER.)

THE MOTHER PLACES A VEIL ON THE WIFE AND GIVES OUT COLORED STREAMERS.

THE SCENE GROWS TO COUNTRY FESTIVITIES, DRINKING, DRUM PLAYING, PEASANT DANCING.

MANUEL RISES AND MOVES INTO THE SCENE, HIS EYES ON HIS BROTHER'S WIFE. THE GIRL ON THE BALCONY SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY ONE WHO NOTICES MANUEL'S INTEREST IN JOSE'S WIFE.

MANUEL DRAWS CLOSER TO JUANA. AS JOSE MARIA DANCES WITH THE TWO COMRADES AND THE MOMBO DANCER, MANUEL AND JUANA DANCE TOGETHER, CHIEFLY ON THE CONFINED AREA OF THE COVERED WELL. AS THE OTHERS DANCE IN SIMPLE GAIETY, THEIR DANCE BECOMES A MAGNET OF PASSION.

14. JULY 13.

SUDDENLY THE GIRL ON THE BALCONY ENDOURS THEM BREAKS THE FESTIVITIES BY A CRY TO JOSE MARIA ASKING HIM IF FOR THIS HE HAS RETURNED)

GIRL: ES por eso tu has regresado de la muerte?

the land of the gone

GUITARIST: NO, I did not come back from MIMI, MIMI for this. I came back to speak about this morning.

15.

### IV—SEQUENCE BORN OF PAIN AND DEATH

(TO THE ACCOMPANIMENT OF A SLOW DRUM BEAT, THE SCENE CHANGES AND BECOMES AS IT WAS BEFORE THE WEDDING. THROUGH THE GUITARIST, JOSE MARIA MAKES HIS STATEMENT)

-10-

THE MOTHER DROPS FROM JOSE'S
HAND AS HE FALLS MURDERED ON
THE GROUND.

THE MOTHER SHRINKS AS SHE GROPS
TOWARD THE EDGE OF THE WELL.

JUANA RUSHES TOWARD MANUEL AND
THROWS HERSELF AT HIS FEET.

LEANING ON THE WELL, THE MOTHER
LOOKS FIRST AT ONE SON, THEN
THE OTHER—JOSÉ MARIA, THEN
MANUEL DOMINGO)

18. MOTHER:

MY SON!......

MY SON!......

MY SONS!

MY BOY!

MY BOY!

I BORN YOU IN TEARS,
AND I RAISED YOU IN JOY,
EACH ONE, MY SON!
EACH ONE, MY BOY!
SORROW!......SORROW!
SORROW ON MY HEAD!
MY FIRST BORN IS LIVING.
MY YOUNG ONE IS DEAD.
WHAT CAN I CALL THIS SORROW?
WHAT WORDS FOR MY CRY?

(HER OPENING ARMS FROM A DISTANCE
EMBRACE THEM BOTH)

(SHE LEANS TOWARD JOSE MARIA
WITH TENDerness)

(AND TO MANUEL DOMINGO WITH
PITY)

(TO BOTH SHE SINGS IN
ANGUISH)

From the Ballet
TWO BROTHERS
DOS HUMANOS

18.

MOTHER'S SONG

MY SON! MY SON! MY SON!

MY BOY! MY BOY!

I BORROW YOU IN YEARS,

AND I RAISED YOU IN JOY—

EACH ONE, MY SON!

EACH ONE, MY BOY!

SORROW!...SORROW!

SORROW ON MY HEAD!

MY FIRST BORN IS LIVING.

MY YOUNG ONE IS DEAD.

MY BOY!

WHAT CAN I CALL THIS SORROW?

WHAT WORDS FOR MY CRY?

AT THE HANDS OF A BROTHER

HIS BROTHER MUST DIE!

SORROW! SORROW! SORROW!

SORROW ON MY HEAD!

DEATH COMES TO GRADLE

MY LITTLE ONE'S HEAD.