A Cuckoo s feathers are ashen gray, But they were not always that way. In ancient times they were a colorful array Until one fateful, frightening day.

Transcription

1 33 NARRATOR 1: A Cuckoo s ears are ashen gray, But y were not always that way. In ancient times y were a colorul array Until one ateul, rightening day. (Over introduction, Birds enter stage area, singing and lapping ir colorul wings. The Cuckoo, wearing ears o many colors, proudly lies among ors, singing and vocalizing like an opera star.)

2 34 16 m was Mé Lis ji ten co now as we land tell o our plen sto ty, ry, ields how were ull cuck o oo grains got and her ruit. call. 20 Ev ry year How oth be er ore birds would grow laugh ing sea son birds and tease her, till would she help saved new m, seeds one take and root. all. 24 Y de cu en to. up on a time in Mé ji co. Y de cu en to. up on a time. time Y de cu en to. 41 up on a time in Mé ji co. Y de cu en to. 45 up on a time. up on a time. Copyright 2010 by Alred Music Publishing Co., Inc. NOTE: The purchase o this book carries with it right to photocopy this page.

3 35 NARRATOR 2: NARRATOR 3: Mexico was land o birds, Bold and bright, great and small. But, as our story goes, The Cuckoo was most beautiul o all. Her ears were o many colors, Some said like a rainbow s hues. She simply liked to ly and sing, Preening and boasting, with nothing to lose.

4 36 21 mo sa. Can t you see? her mo sa. 25 to spread Cuck Cuck oo oo liked liked to sing ly and and play, sing, rom her wings morn and till ly eve all day, ning. 29 m Bo cir cling like That, to her, a was great ev bal let ry thing un un derneath derneath sun. sun. 34 ni ta, mag ni i ca, her m Bo ni ta, mag ni i ca, Copyright 2010 by Alred Music Publishing Co., Inc. NOTE: The purchase o this book carries with it right to photocopy this page.

5 37 38 mo sa. Yes, that s me. Bo her mo sa. 42 ni ta, mag ni i ca, her Bo ni ta, mag ni i ca, 46 mo sa. Can t you see? A her mo sa. A 50 cresc. cuck cresc. oo s lie is be lla!* Yes, in deed! cuck oo s lie is be lla!* Yes, in deed! * Behyah (beautiul)! Copyright 2010 by Alred Music Publishing Co., Inc. NOTE: The purchase o this book carries with it right to photocopy this page.

6 38 (Chac and El dios del Fuego* enter rom stage R, looking over situation and checking out ields.) NARRATOR 4: NARRATOR 5: CHAC: Many gods ruled over this land. They always had upper hand. For each year, as crops turned brown, The gods would arrange to burn m down. It was ir way to clear ields, So land would create larger yields. They counted on birds, you see, to gar seed irst. This was key. They call me Chac, god o rain. I m also in charge o harvest and grain. (talking to birds) First thing tomorrow, as morning appears, The seeds must be collected or coming years. FUEGO: (introducing himsel with a lourish) El dios del Fuego, god o ire. I ll light lames tomorrow, when I desire. The time o spring planting is almost here. The ground must be ready. The ields must be clear. (As Chac and Fuego exit stage R, Búho,* owl, takes charge, calling to or birds.) BÚHO: Whooo! Whooo! You know we ll need quite a crew! Calling birds, one and all, Young and old, great and small. Who will gar seeds beore lames? Now, please respond while I check o your names. (Búho has a clipboard, a checklist, and a pencil. During song, he records which birds volunteer to help collect seeds in morning.) *Chac Chahk El dios del Fuego Ehl deeyohs dehl FWEHgoh ( god o ire) Búho BOOhoh ( owl)

7 39 BÚHO (OWL) BIRDS With a rhythmic pulse (q = ca. 112) 3. TELL ME WHO? (Búho, Birds, Cuckoo) Tell me 5 who Words and Music by SALLY K. ALBRECHT and JAY ALTHOUSE will help us 6 through? SOLO 1 I will. SOLO 2 I will, too. Tell me who will get this done? SOLO 3 I will. SOLO 4 I m one. ALL The Then irst a thing ter to mor row i re, at when Fu break e o go s day, done, we we must will gath plant er seeds those seeds and and Copyright 2010 by Alred Music Publishing Co., Inc. NOTE: The purchase o this book carries with it right to photocopy this page.

8 put wait m or all rain a way. and sun. Tell me who will help us through? GROUP 1 GROUP 2 We will. We will, too! too! 28 CUCKOO pre pared. Cuck oo, what a bout you? I m scared. I m not 32 BÚHO ALL We will help you through! We will help you through! We will help you through! Copyright 2010 by Alred Music Publishing Co., Inc. NOTE: The purchase o this book carries with it right to photocopy this page.

9 41 BÚHO: Whooo! Whooo! Thank you all or coming through. Now go, rest well, lie down, sleep tight. I ll wake you up in morning s light. (The Birds settle down or a good night s sleep while Búho stands tall, watching over all. During Narrator 6, Búho gets sleepy and nods o. Fuego enters with torch. Act out ollowing narration with Fuego, Cuckoo, Conejo, and Topo.* Students wave red and gold streamers around stage as ire gets thicker.) NARRATOR 6: CUCKOO: An hour beore dawn, Cuckoo awoke. She elt such heat and saw such smoke. For Fuego was running with torch in hand, Making his way across land. I must be quick. I must be brave. I must collect seeds and save Those who love me, those who care, My riends, owl, mole, hare. (Fuego exits stage R as Conejo and Topo run in and take ir places downstage L. As Cuckoo lies around stage, her colorul ears disappear, a ew at a time.) NARRATOR 7: CONEJO/TOPO: NARRATOR 7: The Cuckoo dipped and swirled and dove Into ields, n out to grove, Where Conejo, rabbit, and Topo, mole, said... Drop seeds here, into one o our holes! We ll keep m sae and away rom ire. So Cuckoo dropped down, n lew away again... higher! (Cuckoo collects and drops seeds down to Conejo and Topo. They may be holding baskets. Or birds awaken and gar in groups, watching daring Cuckoo, but not recognizing her.) NARRATOR 8: BIRDS: But each time she dove urr into lame, She lost more colored ears rom her slender rame. By this time, ors were all awake. They saw brave bird. How much more could she take? Who is that bird with ears o gray? Who is that out re, saving day? *Conejo KohnEHhoh ( rabbit), Topo TOHpoh ( mole)

10 42 4. HURRY, HURRY! (Birds) Words and Music by SALLY K. ALBRECHT and JAY ALTHOUSE Fast and urious, like wind (q = ca. 116) BIRDS 5 m Hur ry, hur ry, hur ry, hur ry, dar se 8 pri sa.* Who is that, qui én es e lla, in i re s din? 13 Hur ry, hur ry, hur ry, hur ry, dar se pri sa. Vue le co mo el vi en to. Fly like wind. Watch out, watch out! 23 watch out Ten ga cu i da do.* Watch out, as you re gath er ing * PRONUNCIATION: Dahrseh preesah. (Hurry up.) Keeehn ehs ehyah? (Who is she?) Vwehleh kohmoh ehl veeehntoh. (Fly like wind.) Tehngah kooeedahdoh. (Watch out.) Copyright 2010 by Alred Music Publishing Co., Inc. NOTE: The purchase o this book carries with it right to photocopy this page.

11 seed. watch out! Watch out, Re ú na la se mi lla.* 33 watch out Watch out, as you gath er all we need. 41 m Hur ry, hur ry, hur ry, hur ry, dar se pri sa. Who is that, qui én es e lla, in i re s din? Hur ry, hur ry, hur ry, hur ry, 51 dar se pri sa. Vue le co mo el vi en to. Fly like wind. 57 Hur ry, hur ry, dar se pri sa. Hur ry, hur ry, dar se pri sa. 63 Fly like wind! Fly like wind! * PRONUNCIATION: Rehoonah lah sehmeeyah. (Gar seed.) Copyright 2010 by Alred Music Publishing Co., Inc. NOTE: The purchase o this book carries with it right to photocopy this page.

12 44 (Cuckoo and or characters act out ollowing narration.) NARRATOR 9: NARRATOR 10: CUCKOO: BÚHO: CONEJO: The ire was burning, air was so hot. The or birds wanted to help, but could not. The mysterious bird, now color o gray, Finally lew, quite exhausted, into a shallow bay. She cooled o her ears, and tried hard to sing, But her throat was so parched, only two notes would ring. (singing sotly, haltingly) Cuckoo, cuckoo. What bird is that? The robin? The thrush? The swallow? The parrot? A bird rom brush? Alas, it s cuckoo, o that re s no doubt. TOPO: Though illed with ear, she lew all about,... CONEJO:... losing her ears,... TOPO: BIRDS:... but saving our seed. How can we thank her or such a brave deed?

13 45 11 dar ing. The lames rose, but you lew right through You saved all seeds meant or shar ing. 20 And in re turn, we ll take care o you. From 25 this day on we ll take care o your chil dren, and ir chil dren, too. Copyright 2010 by Alred Music Publishing Co., Inc. NOTE: The purchase o this book carries with it right to photocopy this page.

14 m In i re It s least we can do. In i re you were brave and 35 I was scared, but dar ing. The lames rose, dar ing. The lames rose, but you lew right but I lew right through. I saved all seeds meant or through. You saved all seeds meant or 43 shar ing. In re turn. shar ing. And in re turn, we ll take care o Copyright 2010 by Alred Music Publishing Co., Inc. NOTE: The purchase o this book carries with it right to photocopy this page.

15 47 NARRATOR 11: NARRATOR 12: So that is why, to this very day, Cuckoos wear only ears o gray. They lay ir eggs in nests o ors, Where ir young are raised, like sisters and brors. And simple song coming out o ir throats Is limited to just two notes. Now that s ending o our touching story, The cuckoo s tale o ame and glory. BÚHO: And inal moral, we propose,... ALL:... is not to judge ors by ir ears, or clos!

16 48 ALL Brightly (q = ca. 138) 6. ONCE UPON A TIME: FINALE/BOWS (All) 5 Words and Music by SALLY K. ALBRECHT and JAY ALTHOUSE Y de cu en to. up on a 8 time in Mé ji co. Y time. de cu en to. Cast members take bows rom measure 1623 up on a Y de cu en to. up on a time in Mé ji co. Y de cu en to. up on a time. 35 Y de cu en to. up on a time in Mé ji co. 39 Y de cu en to. up on a time. 43 up on a time. Copyright 2010 by Alred Music Publishing Co., Inc. NOTE: The purchase o this book carries with it right to photocopy this page.