ONCE ON

THIS ISLAND
BOOK AND LYRICS
LYNN AHRENS
MUSIC
STEPHEN FLAHERTY
BASD UPON THE NOVEL
“MY LOVE, MY LOVE” BY ROSA GUY

1
 STORYTELLER 1
There is an island where river runs deep.
STORYTELLER 2
Where the sea sparkling in the sun earns it name “jewel of the Antilles”
STORYTELLER 3
An island where the poorest of peasants’ labor-
STORYTELLER 4
And the wealthiest of grands hommes plays.
STORYTELLER 1
Two different worlds on one island.
STORYTELLER 2
The grands homme, owner of the land and master of their fates.
STORYTELLER 3
And the peasants, eternally at the mercy of wind and the sea who constantly
prays to the Gods.

ASAKA
ASAKA, mother of earth.
AGWE
AGWE, God of water.
ERZULIE
ERZULIE, beautiful goddess of love.
PAPA GE
And PAPA GE, sly demon of death.

PROLOGUE/ WE DANCE

2
 [STORYTELLERS (ERZULIE, ANDREA, MAMA, WOMEN)]
Asaka, grow me a garden

[STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND, ASAKA, TONTON, MAN 1)]

Please, Agwe, don't flood my garden

[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, MAMA, WOMEN)]

Erzulie, who will my love be?

[ALL STORYTELLERS]
Papa Ge, don't come around me
Please, Agwe, don't flood my garden
Asaka, grow me a garden...

[STORYTELLERS (ASAKA, TONTON, AGWE, WOMEN, MEN)]

Erzulie, Asaka
Agwe, Papa Ge!

[STORYTELLERS (ERZULIE, ANDREA, MAMA, PAPA GE, ASAKA, WOMAN 1)]

We dance—

[STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND, TONTON, AGWE, MEN)]

We dance—

[ALL STORYTELLERS]
To the music of the gods
The music of the breezes through the green plantain
The murmur of the river and the roar of rain
And if the gods decide to send a hurricane

[STORYTELLERS (ERZULIE, ANDREA, MAMA, PAPA GE, ASAKA)]

We dance—

[MAN 1, TONTON, AGWE]

We dance—

[STORYTELLERS (ERZULIE, ANDREA, MAMA, PAPA GE, ASAKA, TONTON, AGWE, MAN 1)]
To their everchanging moods

[STORYTELLER (ASAKA)]
We know the gods are happy when the green things grow
3
 [STORYTELLER (AGWE)]
They’re angry when the river starts to overflow

[ALL STORYTELLERS]
And since we never know
Which way their winds will blow
We dance to the earth
We dance to the water
The gods awake and we take no chance
Our hearts hear the song
Our feet move along
And to the music of the gods
We dance!

[STORYTELLER (ERZULIE), spoken]

On the other side of this island, safe behind high walls and iron gates,
the grands hommes dance to a different tune. 

[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, DANIEL, ARMAND, MEN, WOMEN)]

La la la la la la la la!

[STORYTELLER (AGWE), spoken]

They drink champagne, entertain tourists at their fine hotels, and tell
their servants:

[STORYTELLER (DANIEL), spoken]

“Polish up the Mercedes!”

[STORYTELLERS (MAMA, TONTON, MEN, WOMEN)]

La la la la la la la la!

[STORYTELLER (PAPA GE), spoken]

Two different worlds, never meant to meet. 

[STORYTELLERS (PAPA GE, MAN 2), spoken]

The peasants labor—

[STORYTELLERS (PAPA GE, WOMAN 1), spoken]

The grands hommes eat!

[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, DANIEL, ARMAND, WOMEN, MAN)]

How fine our clothes are!
How fast we drive!
We dance at parties
4
 [STORYTELLERS (MAMA, PAPA GE, TONTON, AGWE, MEN)]
We dance
We dance

[STORYTELLERS (MAMA, PAPA GE, ASAKA, TONTON, AGWE, MEN, WOMAN)]

While we are dancing just to stay alive!

[STORYTELLERS (ERZULIE, ANDREA, MAMA, PAPA GE, ASAKA)]

We dance—
What else is there to do

[STORYTELLERS (MEN)]
We dance—
What else is there to do

[STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND, TONTON, AGWE, MEN)]

But plant the seed
And pull the weed
And chop the cane

[STORYTELLERS (ERZULIE, ANDREA, MAMA, ASAKA, WOMEN)]

And bear the child
And bear the load
And bear the pain

[ALL STORYTELLERS]
And as the rich go racing
To their own refrain
We dance to the earth
We dance to the water
The gods awake and we take no chance
Our hearts hear the song
Our feet move along
And to the music of the gods
We dance to the earth
We dance to the water
The gods awake and we take no chance...

[STORYTELLER (TONTON), spoken]

Two different worlds—
(Ooh la!)
Never meant to meet—
(Ooh la!)

5
 [STORYTELLER (MAMA), spoken]
But if the gods move our feet...

[ALL STORYTELLERS]
We dance!
We dance!
We dance!

ONE SMALL GIRL

[AGWE, spoken]
The story begins on the night of a flood. Many huts washed away, many
peasants drowned by Agwe’s angry waters. But one small girl was spared. An
orphan plucked from the flood by Agwe—

[ASAKA, spoken]
Sheltered in a tree by Asaka—

[ERZULIE, spoken]
And sent on a journey by the gods. A journey that would test the strength
of love—

[PAPA GE, spoken]

Against the power of death—

[GODS, spoken]
On this island of two different worlds!

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE), spoken]

The story of Ti Moune!

[ERZULIE, ANDREA, MAMA, PAPA GE, ARMAND, ASAKA, AGWE, MEN]

One small girl in a tree
Torn from her mother
Crying in fright
One small girl
Tossed by sea
And left to face
The stormy night
One small girl
Holding tight

[GODS]
At last, the storm subsided
And the morning sun glowed
6
 And two old peasants
Came cautiously down the road

[TONTON JULIAN]
Mama Euralie. 

[MAMA EURALIE]
Tonton Julian

(spoken)
Asaka is smiling again, Julian. 

[TONTON, spoken]
This morning, she smiles. Last night, she tried to blow our heads off!

[MAMA, spoken]
Hahahaha! Ah, Julian, just listen to those birds!

[STORYTELLER (WOMAN 1)]

Coo coo coo coo coo coo coo coo coo coo

[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, WOMEN)]

Coo coo coo coo coo coo coo coo coo coo

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]

Waah!

[TONTON, spoken]
What kind of bird is that?

[MAMA, spoken]
Look! There!

(sung)
One small face, two small knees

[TONTON, spoken]
Why are you up there?

[MAMA, spoken]
What is your name?

(sung)
The girl can’t speak

[TONTON]
And they’re to blame
Agwe probably meant to kill her!
7
 [MAMA, spoken]
Then she’d be dead. 

[TONTON]
It’s possible he forgot

[MAMA]
Shh! The gods don’t forget

[TONTON]
Then they had some reason to spare her life

[MAMA, TONTON]
It’s best that we don’t know what
One small girl...

[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, MAN 1)]

One small girl...

[MAMA, TONTON]
Better not

[TONTON, spoken]
But we’re too old for children. 

[MAMA, spoken]
And we have no room and no food. 

[ERZULIE, spoken]
And not knowing quite why, they followed their hearts back to the tree,
gently lifted the terrified child down...

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]

No!

[ERZULIE, spoken]
And discovered she could speak after all. 

[STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND, TONTON)]

One small girl

[MAMA]
In the way

8
 Constantly hungry

[TONTON]
Learning too quick!

[MAMA, TONTON, STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND)]

One small girl hard at play

[TONTON]
She makes me smile

[MAMA]
Ah, she scares me sick!

[ERZULIE]
And they scolded and teased and held her
And mended the clothes she tore

[ERZULIE, PAPA GE, ASAKA, AGWE, STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND, MEN, WOMEN)]
And the hut was crowded
And food was scarce
And somehow, their lives held more

[MAMA, TONTON, STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND, WOMEN)]

One small girl
To live for

[ERZULIE, spoken]
They named her "Desirée Dieu-Donné," or "God-Given Desire." But in their
affection, they called her simply—

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE)]

Ti Moune

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]

What does "Ti Moune" mean, Mama?

[MAMA, spoken]
It means "Little Orphan." You’re our sweet little orphan. We found you, and
now your life is forever in our care. 

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]

Why?

[TONTON, spoken]
9
 Because the gods willed it. 

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]

Why?

[MAMA, spoken]
Perhaps they saved you for something special. 

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]

What is it?

[MAMA, spoken]
Ti Moune, if we knew why the gods did the things they do, we would be gods
ourselves!

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]

Someday I’m going to ask them, Mama!

[MAMA, spoken]
Foolish girl! Run and hide!

[MAMA, TONTON, ASAKA, AGWE, PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, WOMEN)]

Sweet as a eucalyptus
And terrible as a tempest

[MAMA, PAPA GE, ASAKA, TONTON, AGWE STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, WOMAN)]

Banging a drum
And humming a tune
Ti Moune falling
And running and calling and growing
And growing and growing and growing
Up too soon

[TONTON]
One small girl—

[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, ARMAND, MEN, WOMEN)]

One

[MAMA]
Not so small

[TONTON]
Lost in those daydreams
10
 [MAMA]
Day after day

[TONTON]
Call her name

[MAMA]
No, don’t call

[MAMA, TONTON]
Her ears don’t hear
She’s far away

[TONTON]
And I know that she’s getting older

[MAMA]
I know that it's meant to be

[MAMA, TONTON]
And my arms can't hold her and keep her small
But all that my heart can see
Is one small girl

[ERZULIE, ASAKA, AGWE, ANDREA, ARMAND, STORYTELLERS (MEN)]

One small girl

[PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (WOMEN)]

One small girl

[MAMA, TONTON]
One small girl

[ERZULIE, ASAKA, AGWE, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, ARMAND, MAN 2)]

One small girl

[PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (WOMEN)]

One small girl

[MAMA, TONTON PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (ARMAND, MEN, WOMAN)]

One small girl

[MAMA, TONTON]
11
 In a tree

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]

Ooh, ooh way ooh ooh, ooh way ooh

WAITING FOR LIFE

[TI MOUNE]
A stranger in white in a car
Going somewhere
Going far

How it must feel to go racing wherever you please

Flying as free as a bird with his tail in the breeze
Even the fish in the sea must be longing to fly
Catching a glimpse of a stranger in white racing by

Oh, gods
Oh, gods
Are you there?
What can I do
To get you to look down and give in?
Oh, gods
Oh, gods
Hear my prayer
I’m here in the field
With my feet on the ground
And my fate in the air
Waiting for life to begin!

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]

Oo la, oo la, oo la, oo la
Oo la, oo la, oo la, oo la

[TI MOUNE]
Mama's contented and Tonton accepts what he gets

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]

Oo la, oo la, oo la, oo la

[TI MOUNE]
Happy for tea in their cups and no holes in their nets

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]

Oo la, oo la, oo la, ooh

12
 [TI MOUNE]
Happy to have what they have and to stay where they are

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]

Oo la, oo la, oo la, oo la

[TI MOUNE]
They never even look up at the sound of a car

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]

Oo la, oo la, oo la

[TI MOUNE]
A stranger
Racing down the beach
Racing to places
I was meant to reach!
My stranger!
One day you’ll arrive
Your car will stop
And in I’ll hop
And off we’ll drive
We’ll drive!

Oh, gods
Oh, gods
Please be there
Don’t you remember your little Ti Moune from the tree?
Wake up!
Look down!
Hear my prayer!
Don’t single me out
And then forget me!

Oh, gods
Oh, gods
Let me fly!
Send me to places where no one before me has been
You spared my life; show me why
You get me to rise like a fish to the bait
Then tell me to wait
Well, I’m waiting
Waiting for life to begin!
Waiting for life to begin!

13
 [ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]
One small girl
One small girl

[TI MOUNE, spoken]

I must go to him! His heart beats for me like a drum. The gods are dancing
for me, Mama! Please, Mama. Please, Tonton. Give me your blessing and let
me go. I will go!

[MAMA]
What can I say to stop you now
Now that you’ve heard your drums
And seen your dancers
Now that you think your heart
Has all the answers?
Who knows how high
Those mountains climb?
Who knows how deep those rivers flow?
Who knows how wrong a dream can go
Ti Moune?

[TONTON]
I won’t be there to guide your way —

[MAMA]
To braid your hair or dry your tears —

[TONTON, MAMA]
— As we have done these many years, Ti Moune
Ti Moune...

[TONTON]
What you are, we made you
What we gave, you took
Now you run without one backward look

[MAMA]
You’ll find some other boy to save
Some other life that you can share
Your heart is young
New dreams are everywhere
14
 Choose your dreams with care
Ti Moune

[TI MOUNE, spoken]

But I have chosen. And my dreams are there, down that road!

[TONTON, spoken]
You’re a child, Ti Moune! The road is hard and dangerous. The city is miles
away. And even if you get there, even if you get to the Hotel Beauxhomme,
you will never get through the gate!

[TI MOUNE, spoken]

I will get there, Tonton. I will get through the gate. I’m not a child any
longer

[TI MOUNE]
What I am, you made me
What you gave, I owe
But if I look back, I’ll never go
Who knows how high
Those mountains climb?

[MAMA, TONTON]
Who knows how high those mountains climb?

[TI MOUNE]
Who knows how deep those rivers flow?

[MAMA, TONTON]
Who knows how deep those rivers flow?

[TI MOUNE]
I know he’s there
That’s all I need to know...

[TONTON]
Go and find your love

[MAMA]
Go and swim the sea

[TONTON, MAMA]
15
 You know where we’ll be...

[TI MOUNE]
Always there with me...

[TI MOUNE, TONTON, MAMA]

Ti Moune

MAMA WILL PROVIDE

[STORYTELLER (WOMAN 1), spoken]
But on this island, the earth sings
As soon as the storm ends

[STORYTELLER (MAN 2), spoken]

And as Ti Moune set out
She realized
She was walking with old friends

[STORYTELLER (ANDREA), spoken]

The birds...

[STORYTELLERS (WOMEN, EXCEPT TI MOUNE, PAPA GE)]

Coo coo, coo coo, coo coo coo — coo coo, coo coo, coo coo coo —

[STORYTELLERS (PAPA GE, DANIEL, ARMAND, MEN)]

Sha sha sha — aah!

[STORYTELLER (MAN 2), spoken]

The trees...

[STORYTELLERS (PAPA GE, DANIEL, ARMAND, MEN)]

Sha sha sha — aah!

[STORYTELLERS (TONTON, AGWE, MEN)]

Bum bum bum!

[STORYTELLER (ARMAND), spoken]

The frogs...

[STORYTELLERS (TONTON, AGWE, MEN)]

Bah - um bum bum!

[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, WOMEN), spoken]

16
 And the breezes...

[MAMA, WOMEN (as birds)]

Coo coo, coo coo, coo coo, coo! Coo coo, coo coo, coo coo, coo! Coo coo,
coo coo, coo coo, coo! Coo coo, coo coo, coo coo, coo!

[ERZULIE, ANDREA (as breezes)]

Hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo

[STORYTELLER (PAPA GE), spoken]

Ti Moune lost all her fear. She knew Asaka was near!

[ASAKA, spoken]
You’ve never been away from the sea, child. You’re gonna need a helping
hand
A fish has got to learn to swim on land!

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]

Huh!

[ASAKA]
Walk with me, little girl
Don’t you be afraid
Follow me, little girl
Let me be your guide
A pretty thing like you will need a thing or two
And whatever you need
Mama will provide
Oh...

Down the road, little girl

You may lose your way
All alone in a world
That may seem too wide
But sit on mama’s lap
And I will draw a map
And whatever you need
Mama will provide!

I’ll provide you:

[ANDREA]
Moss!

[ASAKA]
To soften the road!

17
 [WOMAN 2]
Rocks!

[ASAKA]
To sit on!

[MAN 1]
Trees!

[ASAKA]
To sleep underneath!

[MAN 2]
Sand!

[ASAKA]
Fun for your toes!

[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, PAPA GE, ARMAND, TONTON, AGWE, MAN 2)]

Plantain!

[ASAKA]
To fill up your belly

[ARMAND]
Breeze!

[ASAKA]
To fan your face!

[WOMAN 1]
Grass!

[ASAKA]
For making your bed!

[TI MOUNE]
Mosquitoes?

[ASAKA]
Ha!
Bugs will bite, little girl
And the night will fall

18
 All alone in the dark
You’ll be terrified
But you will make it through
‘Cause I am liking you!
And whatever
You need
Mama will provide!

[ALL (EXCEPT ASAKA, TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]

Mama will provide...
Mama will provide...
Mama will provide...

[ASAKA]
Oh...
Walk with me, little girl
I’ll take you far
‘Round each bend, little friend
I’ll be by your side
That’s what a mama’s worth
To give her child the earth
And whatever
You need, mama will...

[ALL (EXCEPT ASAKA, TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]

Mama will
Mama will
Mama will oh!
Mama will

[ASAKA]
Provide!!!

STORYTELLER 1
At last, Ti Moune arrive at gate of the hotel beauxhomme.
STORYTELLER 2
But TI Moune smiled her beautiful smile, and Erzulie must touched the
shoulder of the fierce god on the shoulder, for he nodded. the gate swung
open, and Ti Moune entered and went in search for Daniel.

19
 THE HUMAN HEART

[ERZULIE]
Ooh, ooh

The courage of a dreamer

The innocence of youth
The failures and the foolishness
That lead us to the truth

The hopes that make us happy

The hopes that don’t come true
And all the love there ever was:
I see this all in you

You are part

Part of the human heart
Part of the human heart
You are part

[AGWE]
You are part

[ERZULIE]
Of all who took the journey
And managed to endure
The ones who knew such tenderness
The ones who felt so sure

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]

The ones who
Came before you
The others yet to come

And those who you will teach it to

And those you learned it from

[ERZULIE, MAMA, ASAKA, AGWE, STORYTELLERS (WOMEN, MEN)]

You are part
Part of the human heart

[ERZULIE]
You are part--
20
 This is the gift I give
Through your love
You’ll live forever...

Forever...

Forever...
You are part

Tonight
Tonight
Part of the human

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]

Heart

*ANDREA ENTERS*
[ANDREA]
Well, it’s very clear
She’s in love with you
Daniel, if you care
If you care at all, you must tell her...

[TI MOUNE, spoken]

What is it?

[ANDREA]
My dear Mademoiselle
I have something to say
Something I fear was left unsaid...
Many thanks for all you’ve given Daniel
But do not be misled
My dear Mademoiselle
You dance so very well...
I pray you’ll dance for Daniel
And for me
When we are wed
Ti Moune, Daniel and I...

[DANIEL, spoken]
Andrea and I have been promised to each other since we were children. This
is how things are done, Ti Moune. It’s expected

21
 [TI MOUNE, spoken]
Daniel, please...

[DANIEL, spoken]
There will always be a place for you here

[TI MOUNE]
We'll race away in a car —

[DANIEL, spoken]
I can’t change who I am or where I’m from

[TI MOUNE]
— As silver as the moon...

[DANIEL, spoken]
I wish it could be so

[TI MOUNE]
We will live beside the sea
We’ll have children
A garden
And a tree...

[DANIEL, spoken]
I thought you understood. We could never marry

[TI MOUNE]
Oh, gods...
Oh, gods...
Are you there?
Are you there...?

STORY TELLER 3
And Ti Moune cast out of the hotel beauxhomme and the gates slammed shut
behind her.
STORYTELLER 4
And for two weeks, Ti Moune did wait at the gate, not eating, not sleeping.
Only waiting, just watching as the grounds of hotel beauxhomme made even
more lovely, in preparation for the wedding of Daniel and Andrea.
22
 PART OF US

[MAMA]
Oh, Ti Moune...
Oh, Ti Moune...
You will always be a part of us
Oh, Ti Moune...

[LITTLE GIRL]
Oh, Ti Moune...

[MAMA, LITTLE GIRL]

Oh, Ti Moune...

[TONTON, MAMA, LITTLE GIRL]

You will always be a part of us
Oh, Ti Moune...
Oh, Ti Moune...
Oh, Ti Moune...

[LITTLE GIRL, ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE)]

You will always be a part of us
Oh, Ti Moune...

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE)]

Oooh...

[ERZULIE, spoken]
And the gods began to cry tears of compassion for the orphan Ti Moune...

[AGWE, spoken]
Who proved that love could withstand the storm...

23
 [ASAKA, spoken]
And cross the earth...

[PAPA GE, spoken]

And survive even in the face of death

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, GODS)]

Erzulie took her by the hand
And led her to the sea
Where Agwe wrapped her in a wave
And laid her to her rest
And Papa Ge was gentle
As he carried her to shore
And Asaka accepted her
And held her to her breast
Held her to her breast
Oh, Ti Moune...

[MAMA, spoken]
And then, the gods blessed her, and transformed her into...

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE)]

A tree!

WHY WE TELL A STORY

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE)]

Ooo – ooo huh hoo...

24
 [ASAKA, spoken]
A tree that sprang up and cracked the walls of the Hotel Beauxhomme, so
that its gates could never close again

[AGWE, spoken]
A tree that lived forever, sheltering peasants and grands hommes alike

[PAPA GE, spoken]

A tree that watched over Daniel for his lifetime

[DANIEL, spoken]
A tree in which his children played

[ANDREA, spoken]
And one day, as Daniel’s young son sat in the shade of the tree, he noticed
a beautiful young peasant girl high in its branches, looking out at the
world

[ERZULIE, spoken]
And the spirit of Ti Moune touched their hearts and set them free...

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE), spoken]

...to love!

[ASAKA]
And she stands against the lightning and the thunder

[AGWE]
And she shelters and protects us from above

25
 [ERZULIE, PAPA GE]
And she fills us with the power and the wonder

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE)]

Of her love...
And this is why we tell the story
Why we tell the story
Why (why)
We tell the story, (we tell the story)
Why we tell the story

[MAMA]
If you listen very hard you’ll hear her call us

[TONTON]
To come share with her our laughter and our tears

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, AGWE, MEN)]

And as mysteries and miracles befall us

[ERZULIE, ANDREA, DANIEL, ARMAND, ASAKA, TONTON, MEN, WOMEN]

Through the years

[LITTLE GIRL, ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE)]

We tell the story!

[LITTLE GIRL, MEN]

26
 We tell the story!

[WOMEN (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, ASAKA)]

Life is why —

[LITTLE GIRL, MEN]

We tell the story

[WOMEN (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, ASAKA)]

Pain is why —

[LITTLE GIRL, MEN]

We tell the story!

[WOMEN (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, ASAKA)]

Love is why —

[LITTLE GIRL, MEN]

We tell the story!

[WOMEN (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, ASAKA)]

Grief is why —

[LITTLE GIRL, MEN]

We tell the story!

[WOMEN (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, ASAKA)]

Hope is why —

27
 [LITTLE GIRL, MEN]
We tell the story!

[WOMEN (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, ASAKA)]

Faith is why —

[LITTLE GIRL, MEN]

We tell the story!

[LITTLE GIRL, ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE)]

You are why —
Why we tell the story
Why we tell the story
Why we tell the story
Why we tell the story

[ERZULIE, ANDREA, ASAKA, WOMEN]

So I hope that you will tell this tale tomorrow

[DANIEL, ARMAND, TONTON, MEN]

It will help your heart remember and relive

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE)]

It will help you feel the anger and the sorrow

[TI MOUNE]
And forgive...

[ALL]

28
 For out of what we live and we believe
Our lives become
The stories that we weave

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]

There is an island where rivers run deep... Where the sea sparkling in the
sun earns it the name “Jewel of the Antilles”...
An island where the poorest of peasants labor... And the wealthiest of
Grands Hommes play. And on this island, we tell the story!

[ALL (EXCEPT LITTLE GIRL)]

We tell the story...

END

29