Cuento #1. The man who resucitate three times.
Cuento #2. Francisca and the Death.
THE MAN WHO RESUSCITATE THREE TIMES
Tale # 1.
Anonymous author.
General Direction of Popular Cultures from Mexico.
There was a man in Tapotzingo town that people say he was very bad in life. Therefore, he was since was single until their age. He began to get sick and did not take too much time to die.
- When the people began to change his clothes in order to take him to the funerals, they noticed that he moved. He resuscitated and later he died again, and again he moved and resuscitated. He came to resuscitate three times.
- Then, he starts to count what he saw in the sky. He saw a woman that was washing dirty clothes with excrement. They said this woman washed clothes on Sundays because she did not respected those days. She always worked. It passes to the women that they do not keep those days. So, they are punished.
- In addition, he saw a man inside a blaze, into the fire. They said, it what happen to the men that never do a favor, to which they never give charities in the church. Than, he return and count his friends this he saw, that the people have to hear that it is not good live with wickedness in this world.
- Later, the man died again and no longer resuscitated again. He resuscitated in order to fulfill what God had ordered him, to count what he saw in the sky.
-
He finally died. The people put him in their coffin; they veiled him during the night until the next day he was buried.
FRANCISCA AND THE DEATH
Tale # 2.
Cuban story.
General Direction of Popular Cultures from Mexico..
- - Saints and good day- said the Death, and any of the present could not recognize her. ! Of course! The Death came with her braid under the hat and her yellow hand in the pocket.
- - If not annoying -said the Death-, I want to know where lives Mrs. Francisca.
- - Well- they responded her, and showing out the door, a man pointed out with their rude finger of farmer:
- - There, where are the heaths that the wind is moving, can you see? There is a road that goes up the hill. You will find the house.
- "Fact is," the death thought, and thanking start to walk for the road that morning, in fact, there were few clouds in the sky and the whole blue glowed from light.
- Walking for the field, the Death looked the hour, its seven o’clock. One and fifteen, in the afternoon Mrs. Francisca will be already in her fulfilled list.
- "Less wrong, little work; a single case," the Death was thinking, satisfied of not getting, looking for her on the road of plants and dew.
- Indeed, it was the month of May and with the rain there was not any seed or bud that stay low earth.
The sprouts of the “ceiba” are pure mahogany. The trunk of the guava loosed the bark allowing seeing the clean meat of the wood. The reeds did not have a single yellow leaf. Green was everything from the floor to the air; and a scent to life going up from the flowers.
- Natural that the Death is covered her nose. Logical also that she not even look at so much branch full of nests, neither so much bee in the flowers. But, what she can do? The Death is just passing here, out from her Kingdom.
- Therefore, she was continuous walking on the road until she arrive at Francisca's home:
- - Please, with “Panchita”- flatter the Death.
- - Grandmother left the home early in the morning- answered a granddaughter.
She was a little fearful, although, the Death continued with her braid under the hat and the hand in the pocket.
- - When she will come? -She asked.
- - Who knows! -The mother’s child answered. Depend on the chore; she is working on the field.
- The Death bit her lips. She was annoyed to continue on this pretty world.
- - There is too much sun. Could I wait for her? The Death asked.
- - Fill like in your home. But maybe she will not return until the evening.
- "Demons"! The Death thought, "I will lost the train of five o’clock. Not; I am going to look for her."
- And the Death said:
- - Where can find her now?
- - Early in the morning, she went to get milk. Maybe she is sowing corn.
- - Where is the place? Asked the Death.
- - Follow the fence and you will see the plowed field behind.
- - Thank you- the Death said and started to walk again.
- But she looked for all extensive plowed field and there was anyone in there. The Death looses her braid and made a tantrum:
- " Old woman, where you are!" She spit and continued looking for Francisca. An hour later she had her braid burned for the sun and the nose annoyed for so much scent from the plants.
- The Death met with a walker:
- - Mr., can you told me where is Francisca?
- - You are lucky- the farmer said, half an hour she takes at home of the Noriega family. The boy is sick and she went to prepare something to help his stomach.
- - Thank you- the Death said, and she pressed the step.
- Hard and troublesome it was the road. Now, she had to walk on a new plowed land and we known how is this uncomfortable sit down the foot on the irregular and so spongy floor.
- o, therefore, the Death arrived at home of the Noriega family:
- - With Francisca, please.
- - She already left the house, a woman answered.
- - But! How! Did she leave the house, so suddenly?
- - Why so suddenly? – The woman asked. She only came to help us with the boy. What it is the surprise?
- - Well... you see. - The Death said surprised, everybody always makes the dinner in everything, I say.
- - Then, you do not know Francisca.
- - I have their signs- she said bureaucratically.
- - Tell me one- the woman asks. And the Death said:
- - She has wrinkles; certainly, she is already sixty years old.
- - And what more?
- - You will see. Her hair is white. Almost, she does not have teeth.
- - What more?
- - Thin nose.
- - That is all?
- - Well. Besides name and two last name.
- - But you do not talk about her eyes.
- - Well, cloudy. Yes, cloudy they are supposed to be.
- - You do not know her - the woman answered. All that you mentioned is all right, but not the eyes. The woman that you are looking for is not Francisca.
- The Death let the place and was again on the road. She was indignant without worrying for her hand and her braid that half appeared under the hat.
- - She walked and walked. At home of the Gonzalez family, somebody tell her Francisca was near from there, cutting pasture for the cow of the grandsons. She only saw the pasture newly cut and nothing about Francisca, not even the small print of her step.
- Then the Death with her feet inflated and the dirty shirt looked her clock and consulted the hour:
- " God! The four and half! Impossible! I will loose the train!" and the Death returns to her kingdom.
- While, two kilometers from there, Francisca is working in the garden of the school. An old man well known passed with his horse and, smiling to her, he said his affectionate greeting:
- -Francisca, when are you going to die?-
- She incorporated from the roses and returned to him the cheerful greeting:
-
- Never- she said-, always there is something to make
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