"THE GOLDEN COCKEREL" "Big, sorrel colored horse, master less, with an S branded on the rump," "lost from Don Secundino Colmenaro's corral," "And whose corral did Don Secundino steal it from?" "The world's full of thieves, count and see." "Chestnut-sorrel horse, 5 years old, false rein, 20 pesos reward and no questions asked." "Is your fever gone, mother?" "The fair has already begun." "If you're feeling well, this afternoon I'll take you to see the clowns." "These beans are good, mother." "Know what?" "I'll have a lot to do at the fair." "I'm going to call out the games." "The bull felling, the cock fights, and all church festivities during the novenary." "At least we'll be able to eat well." "Didn't you hear me, mother?" "Mother?" "Mother?" "That one." "I'll pay you Don Perfecto as soon as I get lucky." "Ten years working as a town crier won't pay this." "Go see Chon the carpenter and ask him for 4 boards." "No... if I can't bury her in the very best," "any sleeping mat will do." "Hey, Bleached," "Show me the golden one, son of Pelona and Virrey." "Bleached ones can't look straight at the sun." "Try your luck with this blonde one." "Very well Don Cundo, my cockerel will fight." "Yaqui, the Virgin doesn't like betting and fighting." "Silence, gentlemen." "San Pedro de la Pasion against Puebla." "A friendly fight!" " A free fight." " Free, the bet's 1000, no confrontation." "It's Gods will, let them fight." "Get out, everybody." "Ready, go to the line and get out again." "Everybody listen, San Pedro de la Pasion wins." "Puebla loses and everybody's happy." "He won, Don Cundo, but just barely." "You're right and what's worse, I'm still in doubt." "Am I raising roosters for the hen-yard?" "This one is badly injured Yaqui." "We'd better put an end to his suffering." "No!" "Golden cockerel..." "lame." "Saved from Don Secundino Colmenero's yard." "I feel you can fight well even if you look dead now." "Don't go to sleep, my rooster." "Don't you sleep." "Look kindly upon life." "Stay well awake, get up my friend." "With that look they won't let you go near the fair." "Get dizzy, my rooster, but don't go to sleep." "You're not mortally wounded, just scratch." "Mind your skin and stretch it, so that you'll be fierce again." "Get well, you coward, rooster from the sacristy." "Get well, cowards like you don't fill mausoleums." "You're just a sleeping and coward rooster." "Get well so I can send you to crow with the hens." "Poor featherless rooster." "If you don't want to live, I'm tired of eating badly." "I'm leaving you alone you silly rooster." "Tonight, in San Pedro de la Pasion, near, the deep field, a Spanish gentlemen was killed." "The widow, Mrs. Cenobia Morales, will reward with 500 pesos." "The gentleman or lady or anybody else, that knows where the criminal murderer is," "500 pesos for the man or woman or whoever else, that knows where the criminal murder is," " Was he badly hurt?" " They took his guts out." "For being mean and misery to the poor, and the hungry." "BIG COOK FIGHTS" "Courage, my cockerel, you're already better." "I can feel you're stronger." "Enough to make the best better rich." "You're breathing in and out the air of revival." "Silence, gentlemen!" "My golden cockerel has just hatched, and none will be better than him in San Juan." "Let's see where we can rest my friend." "There must be many crooks here." " Excuse, sir." " There's room for us all." "Bring one out." "Hey, what's up?" "Put it away now." " Is it yours?" " Yes." "How much do you want for it?" "My rooster is priceless and you can't pay for it." "Let's see, what's so special about it?" "Just look." "But the rooster's lame." "Even so, it'll find a patron." "He's good." "My name's Coyotito and my friend's is Coyote." "He can help you get him in a fight." "You need help, it's not easy to get into a fight." "I only know what my rooster is worth." "That's useless unless you know the right people." "My friend would help you that's sure." "But to back up unknown roosters he won't pay, doesn't matter if it wins or loses." "Think about it and decide tomorrow, if you say no, you'll never get anywhere." "Cockfighting is like that it's all or nothing." "All or nothing..." "You wait here." "Listen, Coyote, shall we start with this one?" "Not a lame one!" "Nobody will bet on him." "That's just it, if he wins we win a lot too." "With luck even Don Lorenzo will fall for it." "Bring him over to try him out." "Give him to me, he's my rooster, I'll do this." " Let's see how he fights." " Does he have a claw set?" " Yes." " Put them on." "Let me pass, my family," "I'm a hen with more feathers than a rooster!" "Stop cackling so much and lay an egg in this nest." "I'll lay a golden one to see if you can bite it." "Why don't you sing Caponera?" "Watch the scales or you won't know why you lost." "Silence... silence." "There's a stranger passing through." "His rooster weighs 2 Kg." "It's the Golden Cockerel of San Pedro de la Pasion." "With 200 or 300 pesos, a black flag," "No protector, gets on well with all, let's start." "I'll take the fight with 300 pesos and 500 more." "Wait, this one will do it with 300 and 1000 more." "Here are 1000 and 500 more." "Up to 3000 with my rooster Bulike." "Think whatever you want I'm backing this rooster." "Let's see if I have more guts than all of you." "Silence gentlemen, we have a fight." "Don Lorenzo Benavides' rooster Bulike, and the golden cockerel of San Pedro de la Pasion." "It's all right, the fight is fair." "Let the roosters loose!" "Silence, close the door." "The brokers may take the bets." " 500 to Bulike..." " 10,000 for Bulike." "I offer this fight to St. Peter, be it as God wills." "Why those nerves?" "Didn't you know what it's like?" "Only as town crier, and this is not the same." " Another 500 hundred here." " 300 for Bulike." " There are 500 more." " A Bulike." "Haw much do you want sir?" "500?" "For the lame one." " How much?" " 3,000 more." "Do you have more money Caponera?" "And more pants than you too, fool." "200, for the golden rooster, come on, bet." "200, 200 to 100" "You bunch of cowards, nothing's free." " 500" "Done." "Order!" "Brokers outside." "Confront your roosters." "Let them go." "Come on, La Caponera is betting on you." "Shake him off, even if he pulls your feathers out." "Come on, my golden one." "I won." "What's your decision, judge?" "Bulike lost gentlemen, The Golden Cockerel won." "How nice God looks dressed up like a Mexican." "This cockerel..." "After what he won for us deserves more than rice." "Come, come, nothing's going to happen to you." "Never heard of Lorenzo Benavides?" "Well, that's me, another fight, with this rooster and you won't go hungry again." "What a debut, he fought well and is famous now." "Don't choke, if you're not used to eating much, too much food can harm you." "Sit down and eat with us." "Go on, sit down." "I know you went for all or nothing." "But don't worry, I play fair." "Here, this is yours." "You won it." "It's not charity, it's justice, take it." "It's for the rooster that helped us win so much." "Thank you for believing in my rooster sir." "How much do you want for your cockerel?" "I don't know, madam." "He's not for sale." "But I'm grateful for the luck your song brought us." "I'll give you 500 pesos for that rooster." "Your famous rooster made bits of Don Lorenzo's." "But even so, we forgive you." "But you bet on my rooster." "One more that got away on you Herod." "Don't be innocent, don't you know any tricks?" "Everything is allowed at cockfighting." "I'll give you 1,000 pesos and 2 roosters like yours." "Thank you for everything but I don't like the deal." " One more." " Sell it." "While you still can, and let yourself be helped, those born in flowers pots will never be runners." "Cockfighter." "He would look better in a pan than in one of those." "You have a long face." "He can't fight here again." "Everybody knows him now." "I'm not doing any more cockfighting here." "I'm leaving for Tlaquepaque tonight." "We'll see each other there, let's see, if that rooster can win over mine there." "Let's go!" "Trust me, my cockerel." "Whenever she sings we'll win, don't worry." "Silence gentlemen, we have a fight." "Don Lorenzo's white tail rooster against, the Golden Cockerel from San Pedro de la Pasion." "Silence, close the doors." "The brokers may take the bets." "Get out, brokers." "Confront the roosters." "Ready." " I won." " Do you agree?" " I lost." " He lost, you won." "Another one." "See what you can do, we don't know if he is dumb." "I'll tell you if he is pretending or not." "Here's your part, sit down and celebrate." "Thank you, but never drink." "Your rooster was great, now we'll go to the Real." ""We" are going?" "We're too many." "Don't be sad any longer that I'm here." "Listen to my advice, you need our protection." "How long will the pesos we won last you alone?" "I'm all right just as I am so I'll stay like that." "Good luck doesn't ride a donkey." "That's why I don't go around with you." "Stop there, cockfighter." "This time I was wrong, your rooster beat mine." "Another one, you already killed two of mine." "What did you do for a living in your village?" "I lived." "Yes, just barely." "I know how to judge someone just by a glance." "And I can see you're like me, you like cockfighting because it's easy." "You may be right, but what's all this for?" "When your rooster dies, you'll have to go back." "But if we're partners we can get far together." "Look at me, I'm rich thank to cockfighting." "No, the truth is..." "He won die if whoever gives him luck is near." "You're mystical aren't you?" "But I cut the saints' wing off, at the cockfights Lorenzo Benavides is God." "What did you think, fool?" "That you could get rich and famous at my expense?" "Well you're wrong, so you'd better choose." "Either you become my partner or you get no more bets." "You'll end up in run-down fairs with your rooster." "That is if don't wring his neck for him before." "Or kill him with a dart, don't get in my way." "Another one." "Look..." "His rooster is still alive." "He must be going to Aguas Calientes." "He's stubborn, he will see the devil yet." "Leave him alone." "What would you do in his place?" "Instead of going to Aguas Calientes..." "I'd get off in Santa Gertrudis, and I'd win Esculapio Virgin's best rooster." "What will you give me if I get you that rooster?" "You name it my Caponera." "When the storm is good even the trunk blossom." "It's me, look at me well." "How many more times have you won with him?" "The truth is he hasn't fought since Tlaquepaque." " Why?" " I was traveling around." "But really I didn't want to let him fight, unless you were there to give him luck." "I thought I would find you at Aguas Calientes." "Don't be silly, with or without me he's pure gold." "But, if you want to be lucky always, why don't you accept Don Lorenzo Benavides' deal?" "Don't you want to have money?" "Isn't there something you want out of life?" "Yes, I didn't bury my mother properly, and I need a good coffin." "I bought these mourning clothes with what I won." "Don't you wish for anything else?" "Yes, but... you can't always get what you want." "Who knows, tell me how you got this rooster?" "Did you work hard to have him ready for the fight?" "Nothing is impossible, but things cost, and love changes, who knows..." "La Caponera does what she wants with her love life." "So... choose." "Or you become a partner of Lorenzo Benavides, and hope to win all his rights and benefits, or you stay as you are and never see me again." "You decide." "Poor animal." "He'll die of cold here, and won't even get water." "The Golden Cocker will sleep with me tonight." "Good evening, partner." "What's done is done, another one." "We're partners, and you won't be sorry." "But first we must talk to avoid misunderstandings." "First, the rooster is still mine." "And how much will I win?" "The rooster is yours and 1/3 of the profits." "And remember, if you have a good protector..." "You'll see this when we win at Santa Gertrudis." "WELCOME TO SANTA GERTRUDIS" "We were not expecting you any longer Lorenzo." "As you know, my sister dona Reglita, lives for her omens and forebodings." "And for a week she has dreamt that this year, you were not coming." "Lorenzo Benavides will never fail you Esculapio." "One more thing." "Your dreams Miss, only incite me." "When you turn up in them, I call them nightmares." "The family has grown, how many do you have now?" "This year I have four new ones." "And 9 more make 13, that's a lucky number." "My hen are good layers." "I see you finally made it with La Caponera." "Your stubbornness makes up for your lack of luck." "One thing for another." " Are those your horses?" " Yes sir." "Let me tell you, they'll eat dust from mine." "And... did you bring any roosters?" "Let it go to see how it struts." "You're like Galvans calendar, promising storms where it only drizzles." "You're going to fight my special cock with that?" "As I said before, you are stubborn." "Each year you put together a fortune, to come and lose it at Santa Gertrudis." "You never learn, but that's your problem." "I have horses for your horses." "And for that sad rooster," "I have 2 or 3 hens that will tear him up." "Don't count your eggs before they're hatched." "He sure knows how to fight." "Stop, so we can measure the time." " Start." " Make him win." "Another one, I still have 2 fresh horses to race." "No, I'm out of luck today with the horses." "But tonight after dinner, I'll have my compensation." " Agreed?" " Agreed." "It's you turn to deal." "New cards." "I'll bet on the horse," "Better said, for de ace, horses are unlucky for me." "All right." "You did well Lorenzo, and very well." "You're taking a fortune with you, a real fortune." "All I've got left is what I'm wearing." "And I won't bet you my sister, because she's a virgin and a saint." " Let's do a return match." " Against what?" "Lets say... against this ranch." "That's your big dream, isn't it?" "Well, yes." "I bet Santa Gertrudis ranch." "But I'll put it up to the roosters." "All right." " See you early tomorrow." " Not tomorrow... now." "Your lame rooster against my special one." "It's a deal." "It's over, we're leaving." "You're not leaving at this hour, what's more... you can stay here as long as you want as my guest." "Thank you, but I won't be a guest in my own house." "Dead people and guests stink after 3 days." "Pack whatever you have to." " Shall I wake everybody?" " Don't bother anybody." "The women and the children will go tomorrow." "If Don Lorenzo allows it." "Please Esculapio, do as you want." "That's all." "And to legalize this property," "I'll give you the documents right now." "Now it really deserves its golden blades." " Thanks to you, madam." " Don't call me madam." "Aren't we already old friends by now?" "Who's happy just looking won't try anything else." "Call me Bernarda, it's the least you can do." "Boys... there you are." "Come on in, cockfighter you're at home." "Excuse me, Don Lorenzo, but my rooster must sleep." "It's all right." "But you must have a drink with us to celebrate." "Thank you, but I never drink." "A man without vices can't be trusted." "Come here, we must change that, don't you think so?" "For the golden cockerel who gave us our dreams." "This is your advance payment of the profits." "Tomorrow you can tell me if you want the rest, or if you staying on as a partner." "We'll see about that tomorrow." "We'd better let him rest, he deserves it." "I was tired of the cockfighting rinks." "I know an easier way to win a lot of money." "And the best of all, you can do it sitting down." "Another thing, learn how to play cards." "Here you can take it easy and learn how to play." "This is life!" "It's good to leave cockfighting." "To make this more interesting..." "Why don't you bet your San Luis home?" "Deal." "What time is it?" " Around three." " Of what day?" " I think Tuesday." " Let it run, Don Lorenzo." "Bernarda..." "Bernarda!" "If you're tired we can continue tomorrow." "Good night." " See you tomorrow." " See you tomorrow." " Excuse me." " Go ahead." "Leave that rooster alone." "You have enough money not to have to do that." "He's putting on weight closed in here." "Just like you, forget it." "Here we're all going to get fat like Esculapio." "Come on, let him be." "He has to do his exercises to get better." "What he needs is a hen." "No cockfighting rooster can go with a hen." "You too, cockfighter?" "Please don't say things like that." "Didn't tell you not to lose your hopes?" "La Caponera keep her promises." " Good morning." " Good morning." " Did you sleep well?" " Not as well as you." "I have fresh cards, you decide." "We'll be right over, Don Lorenzo." "Go order breakfast, our guests are already awake." "Your signatures are good." " Let's continue tomorrow." " All right." "I'll be waiting here for the return match." "That's how I like to see you like a queen." "A golden cage is still a jail." "But this jailer is your king." "You'll be my king when you get me out of here." "Let me win everything off those fools." "Then, the world will be small for you." "The parrot told the bluebird, let's go home." "What are we doing here?" "Come outside, our guests arrived." "Don't be sad." "I'm not sad, only bored which is not the same." "I'm dying here, far from the sun and the light, breathing in smoke and men's smell," "I want the world for my home." "A tree without roots doesn't grow." "Someone else must have taken your place already." "Come, they're waiting for us." "Yes, coming." "Who would have said I'd be stuck with a gambler." "When you wanted to die in the cockfights." "To the King." "Sorry gentlemen." "I try to lose, but I can't." " Your day will come." " Never." "While I have near me my good luck talisman." "Now you sound just like the golden cockerel owner." "That ran away on you all the same." "Some cards." "7, king Sword or cups?" "To the 7" "Deal." "3 of swords, you lose." "Let's go before they clean us out." " How much for the bird?" " He's not on sale." "Let me take him to the fights tomorrow." "I know him, I have already won with him." "No, thank you, but he's not going to fight again." "I'm already fed up of being here." "That's what I had lost." " Luck changed for us." " You're right." "The bill for my house and 150,000 pesos." "If Don Lorenzo doesn't come out," "I'll leave it like that, I got most of it back." " This is your home." " But it has walls." "Stay put, you know we'll never part." " That's the agreement." " Yes I know I'm tired down." "But that doesn't mean I can go without sleep." "Like singer's mothers, at the wrong place." "Your place is here, with me, or do you prefer that miserable cockfighter?" "Maybe, at least I'd live the way I want." "And if we keep on like this, I'll go with him." "I'm not going to lose any more, go back inside." "I'm not going to lose for your fault, witch." "What's more, you are coming back with me." "Will you serve me a drink?" "Yes, my queen." "Fix your face up and follow me back inside." "I don't have any cash left, only these deeds." " Are they good enough?" " Not for me, Lorenzo." "I haven't come only for that." "Yes, I know that." "You've come for the Santa Gertrudis ranch." "But, with the gentlemen's leave." "That's between you and me." "Excuse me a minute please." "I'm sorry Lorenzo, there are enough onlookers." "You're not leaving the room, Don Lorenzo." "You know the rules of the house, return match." "Done." "To get it over with quickly, the highest card." "As you're the offended party, you'll lead." "Take one." "You take it, Reglita, with your innocent hand." "You don't have to leave like that, Lorenzo." "You're among friends, stay until tomorrow." "I'll tell you the same thing you told me once." "I don't want to be a guest in my own house." "But before leaving I'll give you everything." "You didn't bet Bernarda because she's a lady, and a saint?" "Bernarda... the devil has swept us away." "Bernarda?" "Why didn't you tell me?" "Free but alone." "But I'll keep on singing till I die." "It hurts me and that's why I sing." "Life's a sweet potato, if you don't eat, you choke." "Here are backers for the golden cockerel." "1,000 down and another 1,000" "I'll give money and my mother for it." "Don't bet what you don't have." "We raffle it and it will be even again, against any rooster that challenges it." "I have a rooster for that little hen." "Calm down, there's enough for all if you don't grab." " We'll bet all, my rooster." " 2,000 for the Golden one." "I take the 2,000 and pay with legal silver." "I double the bet on the Golden one." "Make heavy bets, there's enough for all." "Another one." "Chinaco I've come to ask you for a favor." " Whatever you want Lorenzo." " Let me loosen your rooster" "You, Lorenzo?" "That's an honor for me." "But you're too good for this golden hen." "I don't know where he got those airs." "Lorenzo Benavides gave them to him, and Lorenzo Benavides will take them away." "This is the moment to bet." "Who offers more?" "Silence, gentlemen!" "We have a special fight among friends." "The great Golden Cockerel of Dionisio Pinzon, against the rooster Giro of Chinaco from Puebla." "To the middle." "Ready." "I don't have a blade." "Put it on." "Ready." " I won." " Have you any objections?" "He lost, and he won." "Thank you, Chinaco." "Another one." "Silence, gentlemen." "The fights are going to begin." "Everybody listen, here in San Pedro de la Pasion and in this year, one by the name of Dionisio Pinzon, went out into the world with his golden cockerel, looking for dreams," "Dionisio Pinzon, looking for what you never had." "Those born in flower pots will never be runners." "The End"