by June Toretta-Fuentes
illustrated by Mikki Machlin
illustrated by Mikki Machlin
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00Maria's Secret.
00:12By June Toretta Fuentes.
00:15Illustrated by Mickey Macklin.
00:18To Noel and Antonio.
00:20It was almost Mamacita's birthday.
00:24Everyone in the small village of San Pedro knew it because there were no secrets among
00:29them.
00:30No secrets.
00:31Well, just two.
00:34One was the surprise party for Mamacita that the villagers were preparing.
00:40In fact everyone in San Pedro felt the first secret didn't count since all but Mamacita
00:46knew about it.
00:48The second secret belonged to Mamacita's seven-year-old great-great-granddaughter Maria.
00:54I've got a secret.
00:56I've got a secret Maria sang as she skipped a stone down the narrow cobblestone street
01:01her long black hair flying behind her.
01:05Juan the fisherman smiled at Maria as he mended his net.
01:10Will you tell me your secret, he coaxed.
01:14Maria shook her head from side to side.
01:17Not even if I give you a nice bag fish for your dinner.
01:20No, not even the Maria who liked fish very much replied.
01:25Adios Juan.
01:27Goodbye.
01:29See you later Maria called as she skipped the stone she had thrown before down the rough
01:34and narrow street.
01:36Angelita the baker was flushed from the heat of her own as she placed her goods in the
01:40bakery window for all to see.
01:43I've got a secret.
01:45I've got a secret Maria sang as she hopped and skipped her way into Angelita's bake
01:50shop.
01:51A loaf of bread poor favor, which means please in Spanish, said Maria, who was a very polite
01:57little girl as she plunked her paseta down on the counter.
02:02Will you tell me your secret?
02:05Angelita asked.
02:07No nodded Maria.
02:09Not even if I give you this pastry all filled with whipped cream.
02:14Maria's eyes looked longingly at the cream puff.
02:17No, not even then she smiled and skipped off the loaf of bread tucked under one arm.
02:23I've got a secret.
02:25I've got a secret Maria sang as she danced her way up the step and into old Juanita's
02:30house.
02:31Juanita the seamstress was busy sewing a pretty little dress.
02:36Come in chiquita my little girl.
02:39She chirped.
02:41Your papa's shirt is ready.
02:43I've got a secret.
02:45I've got a secret Maria sang as she made her way around the scraps of material on the
02:50floor until she reached old Juanita's chair.
02:54Juanita reached to the table beside her and plucked a nicely wrapped package from among
02:58the many bundles and gave it to Maria.
03:02Paps says he'll bring you the chicken in payment on Saturday.
03:06Bueno piqueneta bueno replied old Juanita.
03:12Fine little one fine, but did I you say you have a secret?
03:17Will you tell it to me?
03:19No I can't said Maria as she shook her head.
03:23Not even if I make you a pretty little dress, like the one in my lap.
03:27No, not even then said Maria looking sadly at the dress.
03:33Then Maria.
03:34With the loaf of bread under one arm and the shirt under the other smiled again and went
03:39off singing.
03:40I've got a secret I've got a secret.
03:44Soon the whole village knew Marie's had a secret, but no one knew what it was not even
03:49little Raymond, her best friend who had promised her a ride on his donkey man well, Maria's
03:55second best friend if she would tell.
03:58But Maria would not.
04:01Soon however, all the people in the village forgot about Maria's secret.
04:06The white stucco houses were humming with comings and goings and goings and comings
04:12all day long just like the beehives kept by Paco the farmer.
04:17Everyone was doing something special to celebrate Mamakita's birthday everyone it seemed except
04:22Maria who kept disappearing into Mamakita's house every afternoon.
04:28The secret preparations were to honor Mamakita as the village's oldest member almost as old
04:33as the bell Padre Francisco rang to call everyone to church on Sunday mornings.
04:40The bell was 101 years old and Mamakita was going on 100.
04:46The village might have forgotten about Maria's secret, but Maria did not.
04:52She hummed her song under her breath as she made her way to Mamakita's house waving and
04:57smiling to her busy friends as she passed.
05:01Everyone was salting three fish as his present to Mamakita.
05:06Angelita was baking a threated birthday cake with pretty colored flowers and fluted edgings
05:11for the occasion.
05:13Old Juanita was tatting a beautiful black lace mantilla for Mamakita to wear to church
05:18on Sundays.
05:21Padre Francisco was going to say special prayers and give Mamakita a new prayer book for her
05:26birthday even though her eyes were falling and she could not see very well.
05:32Little Raymond was going to pick a bushel of oranges from the trees in his backyard
05:37as Mamakita's present.
05:40Even Manuel was going to give a present, the old flowered straw hat that rested between
05:45the ears of his fuzzy head.
05:48The hat made him the most beautiful donkey in the whole village but his sacrifice did
05:53not bother him for it was not every day that someone reached a hundredth birthday.
05:58The big day arrived.
06:01The sun was shining brightly on the white houses as the procession of villagers climbed
06:06the sleep cobblestone street all of them, holding their presents up up to the house
06:11where Mamakita lived.
06:14Mamakita in her best black dress was sitting in her rocking chair not feeling any different
06:19now that she was 100 years old.
06:22She could hear the church bell chiming and was counting to herself each stroke to see
06:27if it would reach 100 as Padre Francisco had promised when he stopped by that morning
06:33to wish her a happy birthday.
06:35Into the house came Juan with his fish old Juanita with the beautiful black lace mantilla.
06:42Angelita carefully carrying the threated birthday cake with the many colored flowers and the
06:48fluted edgings.
06:50Raymond came into the room with Manuel and lifted down the bushel of oranges topped with
06:55the little donkey's flowered straw hat.
06:58Soon the room was crowded with villagers and gifts.
07:02Mamakita stopped counting for the bell had reached 100.
07:07Soon Padre Francisco came puffing into the room.
07:11He was out of breath from having climbed the hill so fast in order to give the blessing
07:16so the celebration could begin.
07:19Everyone was laughing and eating and drinking the wine made by Pepito the vineyard keeper.
07:26After everyone was full, Mamakita in her crackly old voice said, Muchas gracias that is many
07:32thanks to all the people for coming and for their gifts and she even kissed Manuel on
07:37his soft velvety nose.
07:40It was then that the villagers realized that they all had given Mamakita a present all
07:45that is except Maria.
07:48Where is your present Maria?
07:50Raymond asked.
07:52Maria hopped up on the four-legged milking stool so that everyone could see her and she
07:58could see everyone.
08:00I don't have a present because I was busy doing something else she began.
08:06Mamakita knew that you were going to celebrate her birthday.
08:10How I'll never tell and hear Maria winked at her great great grandmother.
08:15She wanted to do something to thank you.
08:18Maria continued but she couldn't do it alone so I helped her.
08:24Every afternoon we took away the soft shells from the almonds I gathered from the trees
08:28for Mamakita.
08:30Then we dipped them into vanilla flavored sugar to coat them.
08:36Next we wrapped 10 almendras carapinedas for that is what they are called in Spanish into
08:42a pretty paper napkin and tied it with a ribbon.
08:45We made a package for each one of you.
08:49With that, Maria hopped off the stool went to the cupboard and took out a great big box.
08:55She and Mamakita gave a small colorful beribond package to everyone even Manuel who immediately
09:01ate his ribbon and all and then trumpeted his appreciation of the tasty sweets.
09:08This was a wonderful surprise.
09:10CONGRATULATE THE VILLAGERS!
09:12We're glad you didn't tell us your secret Maria Correstone Angelita Old Juanita and
09:18Little Raymond all together.
09:21Manuel brayed as if to say, yes I am glad too.
09:25Everyone laughed and went home happy.
09:28There were no more secrets in the village.
09:31THE END