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“Día de Los Muertos has begun!” Abuelita announced, opening the gates to the family’s home and courtyard. Toddlers [1] scattered marigold petals along the ground.
“No, no, no, no, no,” Miguel’s mother said to the children. “We have to make a clear path.These petals guide our ancestors home. We don’t want them to get lost. We want them to come and enjoy all the food and drinks on the ofrenda, sí?”
The children nodded. As she helped them create a path of marigold petals from the ofrenda room to the front gate, Miguel and Dante scurried [2] across the roof and dropped to the sidewalk outside the family home. Miguel clutched [3] his homemade guitar.In just a few more steps, he wouldn’t have to hide! Suddenly, Tío Berto and Miguel’s father rounded the corner, carrying a small table.
With his heart pounding [4] , Miguel backed up toward the hacienda [5] to avoid the adults,only to f ind his abuelita shaking out a rug behind him. He and Dante ducked [6] into a corner.
“In the courtyard, m’ijos,” she said to Papá and Tío Berto.
“You want it down by the kitchen?” Papá asked.
“Sí. Eh ... next to the other one,” she answered.
Miguel and Dante disappeared into the ofrenda room before anyone spotted them.Mamá Coco was inside, resting.
“Get under, get under!” Miguel urged Dante, quickly stashing [7] the dog and the guitar beneath the altar table just as Miguel’s parents and Abuelita entered.
“Miguel!” Abuelita exclaimed.
“Nothing!” Miguel said, turning to face her. “Mamá, Papá, I—”
“Miguel,” said his papá. “Your abuelita had the most wonderful idea! We’ve all decided it’s time you joined us in the workshop!” He pulled out a leather apron [8] and dropped it on Miguel’s shoulders.
“What!” exclaimed Miguel.
“No more shining shoes. You will be MAKING them! Every day after school!”
Abuelita squeezed Miguel’s cheeks.“Oh, our Miguelito carrying on the family tradition! And on Día de los Muertos! Your ancestors will be so proud!” She gestured to the shoes adorning [9] the ofrenda. “You’ll craft huaraches [10] , just like your Tía Victoria.”
“And wingtips [11] like your Papá Julio,” said Miguel’s father.
Miguel stepped away from the ofrenda.“But what if I’m no good at making shoes?”
“Ah, Miguel!” Papá said. “You have your family here to guide you. You are a Rivera.And a Rivera is—”
“A shoemaker. Through and through,”Miguelf inished in a monotone [12] voice.
Papá swelled with pride. “That’s my boy!Ha, ha! Berto, break out the good stuff; I wanna make a toast!”
Abuelita smothered [13] Miguel with kisses as the adults exited. Miguel stole a look at the ofrenda, where Dante and his guitar were hidden. Miguel was shocked to see Dante eating the ofrenda oferings!
“No, Dante—stop!”
As Miguel pulled the dog away from the ofrenda, the table shook, and the frame holding Mamá Imelda’s old photo swayed back and forth. Miguel watched in horror as the frame toppled [14] over and hit the f loor with a sickening [15] crack. Miguel rushed to pick it up,but it fell apart, leaving him holding only the photo of Mamá Imelda and Coco. “No, no,no!” he moaned [16] .
Miguel studied the photo and noticed that another part of it had been folded back and hidden. He unfolded it and saw the body of a man who could only be his great-great-grandfather, standing next to Mamá Imelda,holding a skull guitar. The man’s face had been torn [17] from the photo. Miguel couldn’t believe the coincidence. The guitar was just like Ernesto de la Cruz’s!
Miguel gasped. “Ernesto’s guitar?”
Just then, Mamá Coco stirred [18] awake.“Papá?” she said. Mamá Coco pointed a crooked [19] f inger at the picture in his hand.
“Papá?”
Miguel’s eyes widened. He stepped closer to her. “Mamá Coco, is your papá Ernesto de la Cruz?”
“Papá! Papá!” she called louder now.
Miguel rushed to his rooftop hideout. He grabbed Ernesto de la Cruz’s album from his ofrenda. He examined the guitar on the album cover and compared it to the guitar in Mamá Imelda’s photo. It was an exact match! Could it be true?
“Ha, ha!” Miguel exclaimed. He ran to the edge of the roof and proudly hoisted [20] the picture and album cover. “Papá! Papá!” Miguel yelled to his dad in the courtyard below. His parents looked up at him. “It’s him! I know who my great-great-grandfather was!”
Miguel’s mom gave him a stern look.“Miguel! Get down from there!”
“Mamá Coco’s father was Ernesto de la Cruz!”
“What are you talking about?” Miguel’s father asked.
Miguel whipped off
his shoemaker’s apron and struck a pose
. “I’m gonna be a musician!”
[1] toddler n. 学步的儿童
[2] scurry v. 急匆匆地走
[3] clutch v. 紧握
[4] pound v. （心脏）怦怦跳
[5] hacienda n. （讲西班牙语国家的）大庄园
[6] duck v. 闪躲
[7] stash v. 隐藏
[8] apron n. 围裙
[9] adorn v. 装饰
[10] huarache n. 平底皮凉鞋
[11] wingtip n. 男式皮鞋
[12] monotone adj. 单调的；无变化的
[13] smother v. 使透不过气
[14] topple v. 摇摇欲坠；倾倒
[15] sickening adj. 令人恐惧的
[16] moan v. 呻吟；呜咽
[17] tear v. 撕掉；扯下
[18] stir v. 移动
[19] crooked adj. 弯曲的
[20] hoist v. 举起