"Seen this way, casually, the village was no different from many others." "However, to Daniel "The Owl", that valley meant a lot." "He was born here, and he never crossed the chain of mountains." "He liked the smell of the grass, or listening to the gloomy murmur of river waters... that ran with the strength of a cataract among the stones." "His was a small village, withdrawn and coarse,... but for Daniel "The Owl" his village was very different from any others." "But don't you see?" "All this is premature,... and a boy in the city costs money, as I told you." "It's a decided matter, don't make me talk further about this." "After the day of the Virgin, he'll march to the city to start the school term." "What I could never be I want my son to have at his feet." "But we can't be apart from him, he's our only child,... and my belly is dry." "You know that." "Don Ricardo said the last time, I was left sterile after my miscarriage." "Leave it, it can't be helped." "Don't dig into things which have no remedy." "If only we'd had a girl!" "Father, Caganera is a bit depressed, she won't sing." "Leave the birds alone." "Don't you have enough by them having spread on you the hairless spots?" "They're going to infect the little hair you still have." "God, what a punishment!" "Come on, go to Quino's for half a liter of red wine." "And don't dawdle." "Carmen, wait." "Are you going to Pipi's store?" "If you hurry..." "Here, go play." "Hello, Owl." "Going to Quino's?" "~ Yes." "~ I'm going with you." "Look." "~ Bah, it's just a greenfinch." "~ It's a goldfinch!" "~ Come on." "~ Is it that Uca's expecting you, idiot?" "~ Uca, Uca!" "~ Shut up." "~ Calm down." "~ What do you want from Uca, lads?" "Here, take a sip of cider, if you fancy." "Touch it, touch it, if you want." "The woodcutter was about to swing his axe, I raised my hand to give a warning, and chomp!" "And the hand landed four meters away." "Yes, yes, it jumped like a splinter." "And the hand just stood there?" "What, man?" "I went to pick it up myself." "It was still hot." "You know?" "And fingers twisted themselves up like the tail of a lizard." "Will you let me have another drink, Quino?" "Drink, that's going to fix your bald spots." "Uca, give the wine to Tiñoso." "I'm going to feed the rabbits." "Has the doe delivered yet?" "~ Eight." "~ I'm going with you to see them." "Why look at me like that, Uca?" "Do I have monkeys on my face?" "No." "Owl, is it true that you're moving to the city?" "~ Yes." "~ Why?" "Because my father wants me to progress." "Owl, what does he mean by progress?" "How should I know?" "I think making more money than your father by working, at least." "That is progress." "~ And do you want to?" "~ What?" "~ To progress." "~ No." "You want some, Uca?" "Curate, I say that if you want, I could carry the Virgin around town." "But it must be under one condition: that they leave me alone." "Son, I appreciate your will and don't doubt your strength, but the image weighs over 200 kilos." "I could handle 100 kilos extra, Father." "It wouldn't be the first time." "~ So, a swallow?" "~ Thank you." "~ Good morning, Don José." "~ Good morning, girls." "Beauteous!" "Hello,... is Moñigo at home?" "He's there inside, fighting with his sister." "If I don't take a sip, the forge will not make the carbide into the iron." "Stop." "So, Owl?" "When do you leave for the city to study?" "I don't want to study." "Now that's good." "What do you want?" "To be strong like you." "And your father, what does he say?" "I'll go see Roque." "Animal, worse than an animal, you were an animal even before you were born." "I've already apologized, Sara." "What more do you want?" "You're grounded, rascal!" "Moñigo!" "Moñigo!" "Who yells that gross name?" "In this house everyone has a Christian name." "So fuck off!" ""When my feet, losing their movement, warn me that my stay..." ""in this world is coming to an end..."" "Merciful Jesús, have mercy on me." ""When my eyes glazed and bulged with horror..." ""of an imminent death stare at you their languid and dying looks..."" "Merciful Jesús, have mercy on me." "Well!" ""When by the loss of my senses the world slips out of my sight..." ""and I groan in anguished at the last agony... ~ "and the embrace of death..." ~ "And the embrace of death..." Merciful Jesús, have mercy on me." "Are you finished or not?" "~ Have you repented?" "~ No." "~ Then I won't open up." "~ Open it, or I'll knock down the door!" "The punishment is over." "You got me less afraid than on other days." "Shut up, rascal, or one day I'll kill you, since I don't know what else to do with you!" "~ Are you coming, Moñigo?" "~ Sure." "And the Tiñoso, isn't he?" "He's waiting for us in Indiana's field." "Did you hear Sara?" "She actually believes she scares me with that nonsense." "She scared me, anyway." "Bah, don't listen!" "All that glazed eyes and feet that don't move's just nonsense." "My father says that when you die you don't even notice." "And how would your father know?" "How the hell should I know?" "Maybe my Mom told him when she died." "With reading with confidence, writing to be understood, to know the four rules, sand all the rest." "And 14 years of studying, you realize." "It's what I say: is there anything so difficult that it takes 14 years to study?" "And after so much study, the gentlemen of the city can't distinguish a jay from a goldfinch." "And dung from manure." "Step back, Moñigo." "I'd like to go to town, too." "Does your father want you progress, too?" "My father?" "My father said that no progress can be made when you have nine siblings." "Hey, you, you're going to hit Mica's car!" "It's convertible." "It's a Ford." "Is it true that the Indian, in Mexico, has three coastal steamers?" "How should I know?" "Why do they call the daughter of the Indian Mica?" "Ask her." "Mica's coming down." "And Indiano." "How fat he is!" "The lassies of the city have skin that looks like silk." "That's called skin, they have skin." "In metropolis, there are many women who have that." "In villages, not so much, because the sun burns their skin." "That's not why." "I know why it's like that." "The lassies treat themselves with creams and potions." "And I know even more." "Do you know why Mica's skin won't wrinkle, and why it's so delicate?" "Tell us, if you know so much." "Because she gets an enema every night before bed." "That's what all movie stars do, says my father,... and Don Ricardo, the doctor, has told him that may be true,... because old-looking comes from having dirty guts." "~ Come on, Tiñoso." "~ Right." "Come in." "Father, Guindilla wants to talk to you,... she says it's urgent." "Arsene, how many times must I tell you not to call people by their nicknames?" "Go, on, bring her in." "Good evening, Father." "Be seated." "Oh, Don José!" "What is it, child?" "Has something happened to your sister?" "What could possibly happen to her?" "With Don Dimas, the officer of the bank, she's plenty." "Why, then, these nerves?" "Don José, I think I'm a heretic." "But how could you have thought of such nonsense?" "Yesterday I read a book about religion in England." "It turns out that heretics are a clear majority there." "I don't see the connection, daughter." "Do you think that if I had been born in England, I would be a heretic?" "It wouldn't surprise me." "Don't you see, Father?" "Then I blame myself, I would be a heretic if I'd been born in England." "Lola, for God's sake!" "Go on!" "I have another doubt, Father." "If the apostles fell asleep and Jesús was left alone, praying,..." "How would we know, and through whom, then, that the Redeemer sweated blood?" "Do you think I can receive communion, with this failure of faith?" "Daughter, those things we know by revelation." "Go on, go on." "So can I trust you, Irene?" "It seems you have some doubts." "I worry you might be swayed by your sister." "She'll find out once it's out of her hands." "That will end her misgivings." "Don't you think?" "Make sure." "Won't you back down?" "No, Dimas." "~ Gang way!" "~ Careful." "Good morning." "Goodbye." "Yuck, my God, such flies!" "You bet, especially how many dead flies!" "~ You're talking about me?" "~ For who else?" "Does it look decent in broad daylight, flirting with that...?" "Sister, I don't know where your animosity toward Dimas comes from." "He's the best man I've ever known." "Today I spoke about our money and he quickly explained how to invest it safely." "And you've also told him that money doesn't even amount to 10,000 pesetas?" "No, of course not, I haven't mentioned the sum." "You know what I mean?" "That man is a crook who's making fun of you." "Don't you realize that you're the talk of the town?" "I think there's nothing special about a man and a woman getting along." "Give me a break." "It's just that all you women of the town are envious of me." "That's all that's happening." "Starting with you." "Me?" "Me, jealous of you?" "But do you know what you're saying?" "San Antonio help us!" "What do you want?" "A bottle of wine vinegar." "~ You don't know what you're saying." "~ Me?" "~ Look, a stork." "~ I don't see it." "Where's it going?" "Surely it's the one the teacher from Cullera is expecting." "Why would a teacher expect a stork?" "So can you walk yet?" "What brings new kids, then?" "~ Birth." "~ Birth?" "Yes, birth." "Have you ever seen a rabbit give birth?" "~ Yes." "~ There you are, then!" "It's just the same, just that instead of a rabbit it's a woman, the mother of yours." "You know, I always had my doubts about the stork story." "Why on Earth would mother have ten visits from the stork, and the neighboring Chata, none at all?" "And you're sure that's true, Moñigo?" "It hurts like hell, you know?" "How do you know these things, Moñigo?" "Any Christian knows that except you, because you're perpetual fools." "My mother died from the pain when I was born." "She wasn't sick or anything, she just died of pain." "Later they get sick, right?" "They get sick when they see the child." "Children are born with the body covered with hair, and no eyes, no ears,... or noses, they just have a big mouth to suck with." "After they're born, they grow the eyes, ears, and noses, and everything." "A water dodo bird!" "He who doesn't catch him is a faggot!" "My turn, Moñigo." "Let me see it." "Owl!" "Eh, Owl!" "Now you will be ashamed of being seen in the buff?" "See if it gets away from you." "Nah, look, look, she slipped!" "The telegram said he'd arrive today." "Did you lose something, Don Dimas?" "Nothing, Cuco, no, thanks." "Go on, go ahead and cross." "I'm scared, Dimas." "You see how silly I am." "I will make you a fine lady, I promise." "How good you are, Dimas!" "Come on, come on." "Lepórida?" "Yes, I'm Cuco." "Up you go." "Hurry." "~ The Guindilla has escaped." "~ Good God!" "Yes, she's gone." "Well, see you later, Chata." "CLOSED OUT OF DISGRACE" "That cow's here again." "By God, Arsene!" "Can't speak about others with a little more love?" "Oh, Don José, what a disgrace!" "Calm down, dear." "~ But..." "~ Yes, I know." "Cuco told me everything." "I have a horrible doubt, Father,... a doubt gnawing in my gut." "Irene, my sister, is she a prostitute?" "Silence, daughter, by God!" "Don't talk nonsense." "The woman who gives herself to a man in love is not a prostitute, no." "Father, anyway what Irene has done is a great sin,... a disgusting sin." "Isn't it?" "Yes, daughter, but not irreparable." "I know Don Dimas and he doesn't seem like a cad." "They'll get married." "And don't forget, when talking about your sister, what the Gospel says:" "Judge not lest ye be judged." "But there's something else, Father:... my sister has succumbed to the heat of blood." "It's her blood that has sinned." "Don't you understand, Don José?" "I have the same blood!" "I could have done the same thing!" "I confess, I confess, Father, with all my heart!" "Go, daughter, go to your house and calm yourself, you bear no fault in this." "We'll fix things for Irene in due time." "You don't have any guilt." "~ Go on now." "~ Thanks, José." "Go on." "~ Are you scared?" "~ Kind of." "And what if Pascualón hears us?" "He must be in Chano's tavern, playing card games." "Come on!" "~ Is it OK to steal apples?" "~ Didn't you ask the priest?" "~ Yes, like the Guindilla." "~ And what did he tell you?" "That if the theft is from someone very rich, very rich, and the thief steals an apple to keep from starving... then God will forgive him." "And isn't Indiano a rich, very rich, and you, a starveling?" "Owl, you gather up what I shake down." "Hurry!" "My shirt's already filled." "Hey, you guys, Mica's car has arrived!" "What do we do now?" "Get down quick, before you're seen." "Come on down, Moñigo, we have enough apples!" "~ I'm coming." "~ Out the back way, Tiñoso!" "Shit!" "The first one to jump the wall is a faggot!" "Where are you going, running like that?" "So it's you who've been stealing the apples." "And you've taken quite enough." "I guess you like them." "Yes." "All right, so you three are just common thieves." "Come on, don't be afraid." "I won't do anything to you this time." "I'll let you go." "But you must promise me that from now on, when you want apples, you'll just ask me,... and no more leaping over the wall like you were robbers." "Now you may go, and take what you're hiding." "Come on, Little Owl, you're as bewitched." "You can come back whenever you want." "One." "Two." "Oh, María Uca Uca, daughter!" "~ You'll want a little cereal, right?" "~ OK." "~ María Uca, daughter, who washes your clothes?" "~ My father." "~ And who makes your food?" "~ My father." "~ And who washes your face and ears?" "~ Nobody." "~ You like it?" "~ Yes." "~ Do you have enough sugar?" "~ Yes." "Ow!" "Did that hurt, daughter?" "No, it's just that I'd rather comb it myself." "Owl." "Oh, Mariuca!" "Come here." "There we are." "Go." "This way you look more interesting." "Owl, I know where there's a nest of jays, with feathered chickens." "~ Tell me where it is." "~ Come with me and I'll show you." "Where do you say the nest is?" "There." "~ Uca, Uca, why are you always staring at me?" "~ I like looking at you." "Well, knock it off." "You hear me?" "I told you not stare." "Didn't you hear me?" "Owl, is it true that you like Mica?" "It's none of your business whether I like the Mica or not." "She's older than you, by at least 10 years." "~ Look, there's a star out already." "~ Where?" "There." "Don't you see it?" "Owl, is it possible that if a star falls, it never hits the bottom?" "I don't know what you mean." "~ The stars are in the sky, eh?" "~ Yes, that's what the teacher says." "Well, that's what I'm saying:" "if a star falls and doesn't hit the ground or grinds against another star,... doesn't it ever get to the bottom?" "Does the air never end?" "Don't ask me these questions, Moñigo, I get dizzy." "Dizzy, or you get scared?" "Maybe both." "~ I'm going to tell you something." "~ What?" "I'm afraid of the stars, too, and all those things that never end,... but don't tell anyone --- you know --- if Sara finds out, I'll get into a fist." "Bring the grasshopper." "Wow, it flew!" "You call yourselves Christians,... but it's really a shame how you abuse the Lord's Day." "God Himself created the world in six days and rested on the seventh." "And He was God, and as God, in fact, He wasn't tired,... and yet He rested." "He rested to teach men... that Sunday was to be a day of rest." "Yet what do you do?" "Young couples traipse the meadows and forests." "To sanctify the Lord?" "In fact, quite the opposite." "And others, to get drunk, and bet their dough at the tavern." "You come together just to sin." "Even if not to sin, you still ignore the existence of others." "I assure you that in reality, come doomsday,... there will be very few people at the right hand of our Lord... if current practices are not radically amended." "However, I have hope for your consciences to speak out... for the salvation of your souls." "Because in reality, this, my children..." "There's still time." "Not more than 14, actually." "Fine." "~ Go on." "~ Come on, speak up." "~ You go on." "~ Yeah." "Priest, is it in our power to amend these corrupt customs?" "What can we do, Father?" "Tell us, Don José." "Tell us." "My daughters, it is in your hands if you're well prepared." "I had thought of organizing a center... where youths could be diverted without offending the Lord." "At six, we could show movies on Sundays and holidays." "Films, Don José?" "Sure!" "That films will reflect only strict Catholic morality." "We can do this at Pancho's place." "The godless wretch won't lend us his farmhouse, Father,... he'd die before lending us the farmhouse for so holy a goal." "Don't make rash judgments, daughter." "Pancho, basically, isn't evil." "Father, can you be good without believing in God?" "Of course, daughter, of course." "Goodness doesn't pertain to anyone in particular." "Well, never mind." "Pancho, just to earn a penny, would dare sell his soul to the devil." "Daughters, remember what I said in the sermon?" "That we must love our neighbor." "And the neighbor is in this case is Pancho, even if he says he doesn't believe in God." "Poor soul!" "Is this clear?" "Sure, one is not going to be able to open her mouth even in one's own home." "Well, let's get to the point, daughters." "You, Lola, you speak to Pancho about the farmhouse." "I'll look into a projector in the city next week." "And now let's go, because I haven't had breakfast yet." "Next to this tree a dead man is buried, since war." "~ No way!" "~ That's what people say." "Where can it be?" "He should already be ashes, not even bones should remain." "Bring the knife." "Do you think that when she dies, Mica will smell bad, like the others, and will waste away to dust?" "Mica will never smell bad, not even when she dies." "This kid is stupid!" "Mica, when she dies, will smell like hell just like every common people." "The express!" "Let's dare it in the tunnel!" "Last week we did it three times." "But it wasn't steam, it was electric." "This will scare us more." "Furthermore, today we're going to dare it while having a dump." "Come on." "We shit as they pass." "Whoever doesn't is a faggot." "And what about if someone doesn't feel the need to go?" "He'll get the need as soon as he hears the train getting close." "Hurry, it seems to be getting closer." "Are you already?" "~ Yes." "~ Hold on to your knees." "~ This time it was worth it." "~ Be careful not to walk in it." "~ What about my pants?" "I don't see them." "~ They have to be here." "Did you do it?" "~ Yes." "~ Me too." "Eh!" "~ It's a piece of my pants." "~ Really?" "So torn up they are!" "Nobody would dare wear them." "I won't go back to town looking like this." "We can't stay here for the rest of our lives." "ENTERTAINMENT FILM" "I'll show you, take that!" "According to the law, smoking is punishable under the penalty of 10 pesetas." "Decoroso, have you already determined where we'll have the intermission?" "With a single machine, we'll take a few breaks along the way." "Great." "THE MIRACLE OF FÁTIMA" "This cinema business will bring a lot of culture to the town, you'll see." ""The Bell of Huesca." ""King Ramiro issued a parliament gathering in Huesca." ""Once gathered he said that he had the weird intention..." ""to craft a bell to be heard in all areas of his kingdom." ""The king, the next day, he gathered at his palace all those he wanted to punish,..." ""and sending people he could trust to key locations..." ""he made all of them prisoners while directing that the executioner cut off their heads,..." ""and with them he formed a circle like a bell,..." ""and in the center of it, and hanging from a rope,..." ""way...way...of clapper...clapper..." ""he placed above all the most powerful and disruptive of all,..." ""the story goes that it was that of a bishop." ""Once done he opened the doors..."" "Roque!" "~ It wasn't me, Don Moses." "~ Me neither, Don Moses." "I know nothing, Don Moses." "Hold out your hand, to see if you can learn civility." "On your knees!" "And with the sacred history." "And do you know what this means?" "Forgotten how to talk?" "On your knees." "~ With the sacred history?" "~ You shut up, loser!" "You'll hold the sacred history for a week." "Go on." "Now." "Sit down." "Moving on." "Let's see, you." "What's a right angle?" "A right angle is a polygon with 100 sides." "He hit me harder than ever." "It's all because he's chafed because Lepórida gave him pumpkins." "My father says Lepórida gave him pumpkins because in order to kiss him in the mouth she had to kiss him in the ear." "~ Where are you going, Owl?" "~ Damn!" "Are you coming?" "~ What's the matter, Owl?" "~ Nothing, Uca, she wants to know everything." "Hey, Moñigo, why not marry off Sara to the teacher?" "For two to get married it's enough for them to agree on just one thing, right?" "Because Sara and Don Moses are alike in that neither of them can bear us at all." "Besides, the teacher would always give me some consideration for being his brother-in-law." "even to you, for being my best friends." "The matter is for them to get to want to get married." "And why wouldn't they?" "Don Moses needs a woman,... and Sara is in great need." "My father says that she needs a male." "Come on, Uca already passed by." "The downside is that Sara isn't pretty." "So what?" "Lepórida's ugly, and the teacher, nothing more need be said." "Is your sister choosy?" "Nah!" "If you drop a fly into milk, she laughs and says: "Get ready, you've got a journey ahead."" "Then she drinks it with the milk, without hesitating at all." "We have to make them notice each other." "Two reales worth of crackers." "No, not those, the ones the cat was at." "If you like those better..." "And watch out, don't do anything nasty." "Us, Doña Lola?" "We'll write a note to Don Moses as if it was from Sara." "My sister goes every evening to the door of the house to watch people pass by,... we'll tell him that she's really waiting for him, and when he goes to see her, he'll believe that he was really expected." "~ And if Don Moses recognizes the handwriting?" "~ We'll disguise it." "~ And if he shows the letter to Sara?" "~ We'll tell him he should burn it before going to see her." "~ This will be miraculous?" "~ I have my doubts." "This is going to be fun." "You'll see." ""Don Moses, if you need a woman, I need a man." ""I'll wait at seven in the door of my house." ""Never speak of this letter and burn it." ""Otherwise, I would die of shame and wouldn't look you in the face." ""Encounter me as if by chance." ""Sara"" ""...casting on you their languishing and dying looks..."" "Merciful Jesús, have mercy on me." "Hello, Sara." "Forgive Moñigo, he won't do it again." "How do you know what he did, rascal?" "You'd never punish him for no reason." "You're good, Sara." "Wait a minute." ""When, once lost the use of the senses, the whole world passes out of my sight,..." ""and I groan between the anguish of the last agony and the eagerness for death..."" "Merciful Jesús, have mercy on me." "Have you finished, Sara?" "~ Yes." "~ Go on, open up." "~ Have you repented?" "~ Yes, Sara, you scared me a lot today." "~ Be warned, don't do anything naughty to me." "~ Don't worry, Sara." "Go on, come on!" "~ Has she gone out already?" "~ Yeah, now she's sitting down." "The teacher's there already." "~ Hello, Teacher." "~ Hello." "Hello." "Good afternoon, Mr. Moses." "How are things?" "I'm here, dear." "I didn't let you down, did I?" "I won't say a word about the other thing, don't worry." "Has something happened to you today, Mr. Moses?" "What I admire in women is sincerity, Sara." "Thank you." "Neither you nor I need to engage in trick or dissimulation." "By God, Don Moses, they can see us!" "She's turned the corner." "~ Would you like me to help sew the garment?" "~ No!" "It's her panties!" "Sky's eyes." "What ways you have, Don Moses!" "So beautiful your eyes are, like two stars." "Take it from me." "Your eyes aren't ugly, Don Moses." "Do you like them?" "Why, dear?" "Well, because...because... your eyes are glazed and haggard, Don Moses." "Your sister is a donkey, Moñigo." "~ I'm going to hit her head straight on with a brick." "~ Shut up and listen." "I love you, you know, Sara?" "I'll come and see you every day at the same hour, and you, you..." "Tell me, dear, will you love me forever?" "I'll love you, Don Moses, until I lose the use of my senses... the world fades out of my sight,... and I groan between the anguish of my last agony and the eagerness for death." "Right, right!" "I like that." "Hey, the 113 just left for there." "Lepórida." "Lepórida's back?" "Yes, she's back, yes." "No, no, not him." "Alone, of course." "Don't tell me." "One moment, please, right now." "But are you sure it's her?" "~ Number, please?" "~ The Guindilla is back." "~ Go ahead." "~ Then I phoned you." "Yes, yes, don't worry." "No, man, you just buy some salt, and that's all." "I'll go see." "~ Then I'll tell you." "~ Hello?" "~ Guindilla is back." "~ Wow, Jesús!" "It's me, Lola, don't be surprised." "Although drenched in sin and all, I'm back." "Do you forgive me?" "Forever and ever." "Let's go to the back room, so nobody sees you." "You, beat it." "You know what you did, Irene?" "Shut up, please." "Who the hell's coming in right now?" "What do you, Catalina?" "A measure of salt, Lola." "~ Do you have anyone here, Lola?" "~ No." "Why?" "~ Because it seems I heard a noise from inside." "~ That'll be the cat." "~ No, Lola, there are footsteps." "~ Cats know how to walk." "Understand me, Lola, they're footsteps of a person." "They can be thieves, right?" "Here's your salt." "Go!" "~ Lola, I keep hearing footsteps." "~ All right, go with God!" "~ Irene, have you..." "~ Yes, Lola." "My God!" "~ He deceived me." "~ Did he deceive you or did you deceive yourself?" "Whatever, sister." "Was he your husband when...?" "No." "Nor is he now." "God, what shame!" "Irene, are you pregnant?" "No... don't worry about that." "~ He told me..." "~ What?" "I can't have children,... and neither can you." "You know what you did, right?" "You've trashed our honor, your own, mine, and the blessed memory of our parents." "No, Lola, ugly women have no honor." "Don't kid yourself." "That's what he said." "The reputation of a woman is more precious than life." "Didn't you know?" "I know, Lola." "I'll do whatever you say." "~ Are you ready?" "~ I'm ready." "You'll dress in mourning the rest of your life, and you won't venture outside for five years." "Those are my terms." "Do you agree?" "I accept them." "Go on upstairs, then." "You can water the geraniums in the gallery,... like you always did before this disaster." "I'll see what the hell that lady wants now." "~ Two measures of salt, Lola." "~ Didn't you get some yesterday?" "Could be." "I want some more." "I mean, I've seen the light in the back room." "Won't you be running the counter?" "~ Are you going to pay for it?" "~ Me?" "Not on my life." "Then let it ride." "Two measures of salt, Lola." "A measure of salt." "Today I won't have enough salt for everybody." "~ Irene." "~ What, Lola?" "Tomorrow you go to confession with Don José." "You have to cleanse your stained soul as soon as possible." "~ I'm very ashamed." "~ Do you still have any shame left?" "You should be ashamed of running away with a man you scarcely knew." "Long live the prodigal sister!" "Long live the woman's thighs and a chest as flat as a table!" "Who stole your heart?" "Dimas, the good thief." "Sister, drive that man away from here." "His voice drives me crazy." "Now you'll see." "Long live the...!" "Wow, Paco!" "Hurry home, it's pouring again." "Oh!" "Hey, such a stomp on me, buddy, and you made me bite the dust!" "Didn't I tell you not to recycle cigarette butts here?" "Leave him be, everyone makes a living as best he can." "Bring this child a latte." "~ Your name is Don Segundo López." "~ How did you know?" "Because I'm reading it from this paper." "~ Can you write?" "~ Yes, sir." "Here, let me see it." "Girl, look at the screen." "What horror!" "I mean, you don't know the worst, Father." "Not even I, married with nine children, dare tell you." "You see." "Fine, but what happened?" "Speak up, daughters." "I mean..." "I can't say." "Let Doña Lola speak, since she's more eloquent than me." "Go on, Lola, speak your piece." "Well, on Sunday. the lights in the theater came up when nobody expected it,... and Pascualón, the miller...his girlfriend was sitting on his lap." "What do you think of that?" "And Chato, that of the shop, was kissing the sister of this lady." "And your brother, what was your brother doing?" "Why not relate that, too?" "Fine, daughters, enough." "We really haven't made any progress." "And if that were not enough, at the Pope's Palace, they don't know of any other purely Catholic films." "I have a solution, Don José." "I declare that there is no solution." "The whole village is in mortal sin." "~ Everyone, the whole village." "~ Oh, God!" "Let's see, Lola, explain." "We can keep the lights in the room during the screening." "That, that, that's very well thought out." "And we censor these movies ourselves, hard." "No, not into this one either." "No way, today you don't have crusts in your eyes, Moñigo." "Tiñoso!" "Hey, Tiñoso, see if you can light a cigarette with your magnifying glass." "Go on, smoke it, I'll drink some water." "Wow, what a cigarette!" "You're smoking already?" "No coughing, Owl!" "Eh!" "You, I knew it had to be you!" "You've burned the cat, but you're going to remember me!" "Bandits!" "I told Doña Lola that you'll be punished for a full month." "Hello, brother-in-law." "Mistreatment of animals and plants is typical of uneducated beings." "~ Got it?" "~ Yes, sir." "Ready the fourth reel." "Yes?" "Yes, yes, yes." "Right." "Wait." "Ma'am, a woman wants to talk with you urgently." "With me?" "Yes?" "Yes!" "Yes, but I don't know her." "In my view, this slut shows too much skin, Don José." "I felt the same." "Quino!" "Either you stop looking like that, or you'll be off the Censorship Board." "Good God, how upset they've got by the light bulbs thing!" "This rumba dance about to appear will take them down." "~ Is it the next scene?" "~ Didn't I just tell you that?" "Out!" "Immoral, that's what you are,... you have sold your souls to the devil!" "Barbarians!" "Stop the machine, Decoroso." "Stop it." "Those people are going to hear from me." "Martyrs, martyrs, we're martyrs!" "I say the cure is worse than the disease, Don José." "It's shameful, that's what it is." "Pascualón from the mill told me to my face:..." ""Look, Doña Lola, as far as I'm concerned, if you remove the legs and kisses, movies are over for me."" "Have you ever seen it?" "That's nothing." "A bunch of kids threatened me." "Me!" "Go on, go on." "They came and spat in my face: "Give us films uncut or we return to the forest."" "~ Shameful!" "~ Pigs, immoral!" "I say the cure is worse than the disease." "I've never seen such dishonest people." "If the reason behind this is over, everything's over." "I propose to the Commission to offer the projector... to the surrounding municipalities." "And sell off the proximate occasion of sin, Don José?" "So...we'll burn it." "I say the cure is worse than the disease." "Fire purifies everything." "Selling the projector would be trading with sin." "Don José, since the boys and girls of the village have feeble consciences,..." "I will supply the voice of conscience." "Child, think about what you do, we shouldn't butt into other people's lives." "I will continue to preach morality and will not rest until it rules over the village." "I know how to do that." "Did you hear something?" "Pascualón, Elena, you're in mortal sin." "What a jerk this bitch is!" "Rosino, Callista, you're in mortal sin." "The fucking saint-eater witch again!" "Placido, Gregoria, you're in mortal sin." "Just wait until a real man touches you, with your mortal sin." "And this has been going on for three Sundays!" "No, no, no, I'm just doing this for your own good." "What do we do, pound her or just tie her to a tree?" "~ Into the river!" "~ Strip her, strip her." "~ Into the river naked, to see if she struggles." "~ All you are is envious!" "Undressing, and water." "~ Saints-eater!" "~ Come on, don't be afraid." "~ Strip her now." "~ No, not naked, without undressing!" "Get up, phony." "Come here you old cow, what did you think, you?" "Are you afraid that we'll see your old bones?" "Hypocrite, don't play the martyr now!" "In she goes!" "Well, what are we waiting for?" "Have you no shame, all of you against a single woman?" "~ That's our business, Quino." "~ Stay out of what you don't care about." "You don't know what the bitch has been doing." "That's not the point." "Whatever she does, that's not a proper gentlemanly behavior." "Don't you see that she's more dead than alive?" "She had enough punishment from the scare." "Off you go." "If you go back to your old ways, Guindilla, the next time you won't get off so easily." "Go on, go home, and don't stick your nose in matters that don't concern you." "Let that be a lesson, Lola." "Holy Mother." "Conceived without sin." "Father, I accuse myself." "I confess to having kissed a man in the dark of night." "Praise the Lord!" "Tell me, daughter." "Don José, is it a sin to want to faint in the arms of a man?" "It depends on your intention." "Without further intention than to pass out, Father." "But, child, at your age?" "What do you want, Father?" "None knows when the time will come." "Love and death, hit you from behind." "And if it's a sin to want to kiss a man on the mouth... and we shiver in his arms with enough force to destroy us,... my life is cursed, Don José." "I warn you, I'm beyond redemption." "This desire is stronger than I am." "~ It's Quino, right, daughter?" "~ Yes, father." "He's a good man." "You must get married." "~ Hey, Shrimp, you going to church?" "~ Yes." "~ You want a lift?" "It's late." "~ Good." "So, who are you son of?" "~ I'm from...the cheesemonger." "~ Salvador's?" "Yes." "Will you bring me two tubs of cream cheese then, this afternoon?" "Yes." "Goodbye and thank you." "Again, from "Moaning implores"." "¤ Moaning implores,... ¤ listen, lady," "¤ to its ardent cry. ¤" "You can leave, Roque." "When did your voice change?" "How should I know?" "My father says that since birth I've been bawling like a man." "Hush, hush, we'll go again." "¤ Divine shepherdess, I will follow you... ¤ by valleys and hillocks towards your footprints. ¤" "Germán, you can leave, too." "You have no ear." "And you, Ramón, just the same." "Also your voice is too deep, and this is a treble-only choir." "Daniel, you, keep still." "Now just pure voices remain." "Let's start with "Your flock."" "Have you understood?" "Begin." "¤ Your helpless flock wailing to you implores... ¤" "Daniel, stop the gargling voice or I'll give you a slap." "Don't you see that we're very close to the day of the Virgin?" "Finally!" "Pure voices, faggots!" "Hey!" "~ How much?" "~ 120." "~ What's your name?" "~ Daniel." "~ And are you still going to school?" "~ Yes." "~ Do you have any friends?" "~ Yes." "And what are they called?" "Moñ..." "Moñigo and Tiñoso." "What names --- so ugly!" "Why do you call your friends such ugly names?" "Go on, take this inside and get paid." "Owl!" "Owl!" "Why did it take so long to get the cheese to Mica?" "Are you going to leave me alone for once, brat?" "Why are you wearing a tie to tote cheese?" "Keep your nose out of my business." "Got that?" "Do you fancy Mica over me?" "Hey, Mica's the prettiest girl in the valley and has a fine complexion." "A what?" "Complexion." "And you're as ugly as a glowworm and have a face full of freckles." "And don't come back." "~ Why not let him be cheesemonger like you?" "~ No, the kid will be something else." "I don't feel like having him to spend his life chained to work like a slave." "Well, like a slave, or like me." "Yes, but Daniel..." "No "Poor Daniel" speech can change my mind." "It's decided." "Maybe the kid isn't good at studying." "And a school in the city costs money." "Ramón, the apothecary, can afford that, or the judge, but not us." "~ We don't have much money." "~ So what?" "That's my problem." "As to whether or not the kid is good at studying,... depends on having money or not, like anything else." "If not, why do the children of the rich study?" "Tell me that." "No, you'll see!" "And you, what are you doing, why aren't you eating?" "Go on, off to bed!" "Don't you know how to say good night?" "Good night." "¤ Divine shepherdess, I will follow you,... ¤ through valleys and hillocks after your footprints." "¤ Your helpless flock wailing implores to you." "¤ Listen, lady, to their ardent cry. ¤" "In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." "Children, in fact we all have a set path in life." "We must always follow our path without deviating from it." "Some will think that this makes it easy, but that's not always the case,... because sometimes the path that the Lord dictates is hard and rough." "To drift away from him, due to ambition or sensuality... is actually the cause of much human misery." "Some in pursuit of ambition, lose the happiness that God has assigned... to a simpler way." "Happiness is not found at the top, or the biggest, or the most exalted." "Happiness is in accommodating our steps to the path that the Lord has destined us on Earth,... however humble." "Look, it' Mica's boyfriend." "~ Wow, it's her boyfriend!" "~ Well, he's a bit handsome." "You've sung very well, Owl, very well." "~ What do you think?" "~ Charming, totally charming." "¤ Divine shepherdess, I will follow you... ¤" "Why don't you wear skirts to have the purest voice?" "~ Let's go to the greased pole." "~ Yeah, let's." "That's four." "~ There are no real boys in the village." "~ You got that right." "Girl, faggot!" "Holy shit, that's five, just like you said!" "Moñigo, take my jacket." "~ I'm going up." "~ You're not man." "Don't, Owl, you could kill yourself." "Hey, what do you think, you're going to go up?" "You're going to see who's the faggot here." "Come on." "Wait while I stash this." "Keep going, Owl." "Keep going!" "A little more." "Go on!" "Great, Owl!" "I'll climb, too." "Come on, I'll tie your shoe." "~ Sorry, it was a joke, Owl." "~ Don't worry." "Your father can say what he likes, but the partridges, when they fly, they go "brrr" and not "prrr"." "And I say they do go "prrr"." "Don't you think so?" "Can it be that there are leeches there?" "Wait, Tiñoso." "~ I bet I can jump that far." "~ Owl!" "Owl!" "Run!" "Moñigo, grab him!" "Tiñoso!" "~ Tiñoso!" "~ Grab him!" "Let's get him." "Hurry." "Quickly." "He's hurt." "~ Is he dead?" "~ No, he's alive." "Help put him on me." "Run ahead, and sound the alert." "~ Where are you going, Owl?" "~ It's Tiñoso, hurry!" "What's wrong?" "Owl, wait!" "~ Where was the fall?" "~ If I don't know..." "I think it was in the river." "There's a fracture at the base of the skull." "It's very serious." "Call the city for an ambulance." "Praise God!" "And here, the fewer people the better." "~ Help me." "I'm putting him into the bed." "~ Yes." "Come along, Moñigo." "Careful, children, careful." "Son!" "Father, Tiñoso has died." "~ How did it happen?" "~ At the English pool, he tried to jump, and..." "Men are raised,... mountains are already made." "~ What do you mean, Father?" "~ You drink!" "So you see what results from all the mischief." "Drink, son." "One thing has nothing to do with the other." "You can buy a wreath, between the two of you." "I'm going." "A little bird." "It's for my friend Tiñoso." "It's a thrush." "God reward you, children." "Come on, Rita, daughter." "Come on." "What a disgrace, Lord!" "As good as he was!" "He had to go, my angel!" "Yesterday he brought me bread." "He was the kindest of all, the best." "What a misfortune, my God!" "Now everyone loves Tiñoso." "Before they couldn't bear him." "~ Are you coming?" "~ No." "I'll stay a while." "Sorry, Tiñoso." "~ And mother, where is she?" "~ In the alcove." "Mother." "Mother!" "~ Mother." "~ Tomás, son!" "How have you been?" "Your brother is dead." "Germán." "God wanted it that way." "God?" "God?" "They say that God wanted it that way." "Tell him no, Germán, tell him no." "God can't want these things." "Who came up with the idea of writing Tiñoso?" "Pigs' nickname!" "~ Where's father?" "~ Out there, son." "It's a thrush, Tiñoso." "You were right: the partridges, when they fly, go "brrr" and not "prrr"." "Guindilla has said it's a punishment from God,... but Quino says we mustn't pay attention to her... and all speak well of you." "That towel on your head..." "I think it's so they won't see your bald spots." "You look like a Moor, but never mind." "What... ~ Hey, come!" "~ What?" "How did this get here?" "How did a thrush get there?" "I don't know, he was very fond of birds." "Birds have wanted to die with him." "That's a miracle." "A miracle!" "It's a miracle!" "Call Don José, it's a miracle!" "Call Don José!" "It's a miracle, a thrush has appeared here on his little arm." "It's a miracle, a miracle!" "Come here, come on, come on, Don José!" "Come in, come in, Don José, come on." "Come in, please." "It's a miracle!" "Come on, Don José, come on." "~ Come, Father." "~ A miracle!" "It's a miracle." "Or is it a miracle, Father?" "It's weird, indeed, all this!" "~ Nobody put that bird there?" "~ No, no." "It's a miracle." "Or is it a miracle?" "I can't make such a pronouncement." "Actually, it's very possible that someone, as a joke,... or with good intentions, has put the thrush into the coffin... and dare not declare that now for fear of your wrath." "Anyway, I'll inform to the Order of what has happened here,... but I repeat, don't get your hopes up." "Actually, there are many seemingly miraculous appearances... which prove to be no more than that of a miracle: the appearance." "I'll be back at five for the burial." "It's a miracle." "~ Was it really a miracle, Don José?" "~ You can't affirm those things." "Such a mess you've made, son, such a mess you've made." "~ Don José, is it known whether it was miracle?" "~ Not at all, not at all." "Nothing, daughter, nothing is known." "Goodbye, Tiñoso." "Come on, son." "And forgive me for the thrush." "Will you let me walk with you?" "Yes, I'll let you." "~ Goodbye, Father." "~ Good afternoon." "~ Hey, Owl, when's your trip?" "~ Tomorrow, God willing." "You'll come back a minister, and then we'll put your name on a village street." "There'll be a huge drinks party that day!" "Take example of me, I've come out of nowhere." "Well, well, Owl!" "You'll surely you come back a man." "My son won't stay here forever, like me." "Is it true that your father's going to marry Guindilla?" "So they say." "Says who?" "Them." "And you, what do you say?" "Nothing." "What about your father?" "He's marrying so I can have a mother." "I'd never want a mother like Guindilla." "My father says that she'll wash my face and comb my braids." "It's spoiled, this cider." "~ Uca, how soon is the wedding?" "~ September." "Guindilla says your father'll take you to the city tomorrow." "~ It's true." "~ And you, what do you say?" "Me?" "Nothing." "Guindilla also says that when she's my mother, she'll take me to the city to remove my freckles." "~ Is that what you want?" "~ Sure." "Uca, can I touch you freckles?" "Yes." "My father always kisses my freckles." "~ You would like to study?" "~ No." "Me neither." "All your clothing is marked with your initials." "At school there'll be many guys, and otherwise you might lose stuff." "Take care, son." "Your father wants you to be something big in life." "So no to blame ourselves if you don't." "Write us every week, son." "Owl!" "Hello." "Owl, you know?" "Right now I'm going to Cullera for some milk... and I won't be able to say goodbye at the station." "Goodbye, Uca Uca." "Owl, will you remember me?" "Uca Uca, don't let Guindilla take off your freckles." "Yes."