Little Red Riding Hood
(a tale from America)

Little red riding hood`s grandma was sick, so her mother asked her to bring her some medicine. She also was asked to NOT STRAY FROM THE PATH OR TALK TO STRANGERS!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, so much for that. She had not been gone THREE LOUSY MINUTES when she met a "kind stranger who had lost his way. He looked like a wolf but could never be bad because he was so terribly nice. He probably just needed to shave" Right! So, the two of them had a very, very,very very,very interesting conversation about where lil` missy was going, and why she was going there.
So, she ended up spilling the beans and telling him EVERYTHING! The wolf broke up the conversation and went on ahead to do something. (of course all of the people who know the silly story know what our "fine gentleman" is going to do!) When Little Red Riding arrived, she saw her "grandma" sitting in her bed. Red riding hood exclaimed "What terribly long and unflossed teeth you happen to have! (her father was a dentist.) Then the wolf sprang up out of the bed and devoured her, as well as her Grandma. Suddenly, a woodcutter sprang into the room and killed the wolf, and then saved the girl and her grandma from inside the wolf.
They all lived HAPPILY EVER AFTER!

Drawings: Nina, Jana (Russia), Ana Leon (Mexico)
narration by Ryan

Love Date
(Mexican legend)

At end of nineteen century a legend started circulating about a date of love.
She was a angelical girl of large and beautiful pigtails. Her name was Mariana. He, Alonso, was a handsome boy and a good worker in the labors of field. They were totally in love and they wished to get married. Every afternoon she waited in a little restaurant that was near her beautiful and colorful garden. When Alonso finished his labors he ran to see Mariana and talked about plans for their wedding. But, they didn't set them to soon; because of lacked of enough money to marry and having to make her a little house.
Shortly the civil war broke out in the country and Alonso went to war. Mariana still waited for him.
After many years and hardships he finally came home. He found Mariana in the little restaurant near her garden with a smile on her face still waiting for him. They finally married.

The Legend of the Volcanos
(Aztec Legend )
Recording in Spanish

Xochiquetzal professed eternal love to the most handsome and noble warrior. He was the best of the mexica army who were leaving to war against the zapotecas. It was going to be a war with no time limit or final battle that they must faced to make the empire bigger. Xochiquetzal beautiful and heartbroken waited for the final victory and the return of her loved one.
There was no news about the defeat of the enemy because of the distance of the zapoteca region. The bitter battle and the brave defense only made Xochiquetzal sad. She still had many young warriors that would look for her, specially one young tlaxcalteca man who had come to help because all the warriors were off at war.
It was this same young man who brought her the news that her noble warrior had died. After hearing the news she was very sad. She did not want to live any longer. When after a time this same young man asked for her hand in marriage, she did not care and said yes. After the wedding ceremony she did not smile again.
The Aztecs warriors returned home defeated and in shame….all except one who still walked down the center of the street with his dignity.
The women of the village hid in shame so their sons could not see them cry. Xochiquetzal was watching the returning men when she saw the noble warrior. She wanted to die; this was the man she had professed eternal love too.
Furious and full of hate for her husband, the tlaxcalteca, she accused him of lying and inventing the death of her loved one. She fled to the lake of Texcoco with her husband following. The warrior followed them and caught up with the husband. After fighting the tlaxcalteca man fled back to his own tribe.
After the battle he searched for his love and found her dead. He did not want to live anymore. He cried and cried. He went and cut flowers and covered her body with them and burned incense. The Zenzontle, a bird that has over four hundred voices, cried. That was when Tlahuelpoch appeared, he was the messenger of death. The land trembled violently, the clouds filled the sky and fear reigned in the town of Anahuac .
The following morning there were two white capped volcanos. One with the shape of a woman lying down covered with flowers known as Iztaccíhuatl. T he other a tall and regal mountain like a warrior kneeling at her feet known as Popocatepetl.
It is said that the Tlaxcelteca man died near his country. He was transformed into a volcano called Poyautecalt, which means the hill of the star. His punishment is to observe from afar the lovers whom he will never separate.
The Popocatepelt volcano belongs to a range of volcanos that cross Mexico from the Pacific to the Atlantic . It is still active today.

drawings: Marina (Russia)
recording: Alejandra