Back when I was still a little shoot of bambooSwinging in the breeze by a moving river
With the fish nipping at my roots below the water
I would see the campesino come up to the banks and cut some cañas
He would cut strips out of them and make things
But the birds looked sad
Other times he made traps to catch little rabbits and take them away
They didn't look happy to be taken from their homes either
Once in a while he made kites for his kids which were used in the windy days
And then forgotten when the wind died
Other times he made little traps to catch the fish biting my roots
Then one day he came to cut me
And I wondered what I was going to be
I didn't want to catch little rabbits,
Or hold pretty, sad birds
Or even catch the little fish swimming below
No, instead he handed the strips of cane to his wife and kids
And they shaped me an tied me together with little strings
Then, when I was beginning to take shape,
They pasted newspaper strips wet with flour and water
on my shape and I started to look like a big doll
The mom and kids pasted frilly yellow curly paper and then painted on a happy face
I was happy, too
I wasn't hurting birds, or catching fish or snaring rabbits
I was making the children happy
"Mira, mama, que bonita esta!," they yelled.
And I was happy, too
But one day some people from the city came to the farm in a big car
To buy some souvenirs, and saw me
And the two kids jumped and cried for their parents to buy me
and take me with them
The father paid the campesino and the mom
And she told the kids they could go get some candy with the money
And they were happy, too
After we left, we traveled for a long time before we got to their house
That weekend, the little girl Teresita had her birthday and everybody was running around getting ready for her fiesta.
The father took a long rope and tied it to the ring at the top of my head
But before that, he cut a big square in my back and put bags of candy, toys and even some money inside me and then closed it again. I was full.
For a long time, the people and kids ate and sang and I was hanging from the ope that the father looped over a branch of a tree near the house
I watched and wondered what was going to happen
Then, after they ate food and had cake, they brought out a stick decorated with paper of the same color I was and a yellow handkerchief
I was looking at the bunch of children looking up at me
There was a boy the other children called Tomas who I saw being mean to Timmy, in his wheelchair. Timmy couldn't run and play with the other kids and he looked a little sad. Tomas never stood still running and running around the yard.
I was looking at the bunch of children looking up at me
There was a boy the other children called Tomas who I saw being mean to Timmy, in his wheelchair. Timmy couldn't run and play with the other kids and he looked a little sad. Tomas never stood still running and running around the yard.
The one they called Johnny was real shy and his sister Teresa looked pretty in her birthday dress.
Then they tied the cloth tp cover Tomas' eyes and he came at me with the stick while the dad pulled on the rope and made him miss.
When he saw that Tomas was getting tired and mad, he let him hit me and I was surprised that nothing hurt. That made Tomas happy and he let the other kids take their turn.
"I really hit it, and almost broke it," Tomas told the other kids.
I could hear the goodies bouncing around inside me and so could they and they wanted some.
I looked down and saw many candies and even a few pieces of my yellow paper on the ground. Some kids picked up the pieces and put them in their bags to take them home.
"I want to take him home," cried Timmy, and his mother rolled him over and took the rope off my head and gave it to him in his chair.
"He's mine," said Timmy. He hugged my head and his mother took us home.
Now I am a big happy pinata because I didn't catch small animals. I wasn't a cage to trap pretty birds or to bring my fish friends out of their home in the water. The kids will remember this fiesta forever and I will make Timmy happy.
"I so glad that I am a happy, yellow pinata."
"I really hit it, and almost broke it," Tomas told the other kids.
I could hear the goodies bouncing around inside me and so could they and they wanted some.
Teresita was next and her dad let her hit me two or three times and she was happy.
"Papi, le pegue. Le pegue!"
Some other kids took a turn and then it was Timmy's turn. He was surprised and happy he was getting a chance to swing the stick like the other kids to get at the candy.
The man didn't pull the rope and Timmy took some hard swings and finally broke the cane strips inside and out came the candy and the other goodies and they all jumped and crawled on the ground to get some.
"Papi, le pegue. Le pegue!"
Some other kids took a turn and then it was Timmy's turn. He was surprised and happy he was getting a chance to swing the stick like the other kids to get at the candy.
The man didn't pull the rope and Timmy took some hard swings and finally broke the cane strips inside and out came the candy and the other goodies and they all jumped and crawled on the ground to get some.
I looked down and saw many candies and even a few pieces of my yellow paper on the ground. Some kids picked up the pieces and put them in their bags to take them home.
"I want to take him home," cried Timmy, and his mother rolled him over and took the rope off my head and gave it to him in his chair.
"He's mine," said Timmy. He hugged my head and his mother took us home.
Now I am a big happy pinata because I didn't catch small animals. I wasn't a cage to trap pretty birds or to bring my fish friends out of their home in the water. The kids will remember this fiesta forever and I will make Timmy happy.
"I so glad that I am a happy, yellow pinata."
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