The Legend of the Poinsettia

By Carol Viescas

© 2005 by Carol Viescas

Characters

Guadalupe (Lupita), 10-12 years old

Esperanza (Espy), Lupita’s best friend

Mama, Lupita’s mother

Maestra, Lupita’s teacher

Dr. Delgado (can double with)

Padre, the priest at the church

Angel, Lupita’s classmate

Juan/Juana, Angel’s friend and classmate

Mario/Maria, Angel’s friends and classmate

Antonio/Antonia, Angel’s friend and classmate

Patricio/Patricia, Angel’s friend and classmate

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 2

A village in 19th century Mexico, shortly before Christmas

Scene 1. The schoolyard outside the church school

(We hear children singing.)

Come they told me

pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see,
pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring
pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King
pa rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum

So to honor Him
pa rum pum pum pum,
when we come.

El camino que lleva a Belén 

baja hasta el valle que la nieve cubrió,  
los pastorcillos quieren ver a su Rey
le tra en regalos en su humilde zurrón.
Al Redentor, al Redentor.

Ha nacido en un portal de Belén

el Niño Dios.

The song ends and we hear the children making fun of Lupita.

SCHOOLCHILDREN & ANGEL: Lupita, con los pepitos, sin los zapatos! Lupita,
con los pepitos, sin los zapatos! Lupita, con los pepitos, sin los zapatos!

LUPITA: (Covering her ears) Stop! STOP!

ESPY: Don’t make fun of Lupita, Angel! It’s not nice!

ANGEL: (Making fun of her) Poor Lupita! So poor she can’t even afford a pair of
shoes. So she walks her dirty, filthy feet into school and even church! Qué
bárbaro!

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 3

JUAN/JUANA:: Don’t you think that offends God?

ANGEL: How can it not! Would you want those feet in your house?

MARIO/MARIA: Of course not!

ESPY: It is you who offends God, Angel, with that rude mouth of yours.
Especially when the day of Christ’s birth is not very far away.

ANGEL: You’re just as bad as that disgusting Lupita, Esperanza.

LUPITA: You are the disgusting one, Angel. I may have dirty feet, but at least I
don’t make fun of others.

ANGEL: Let’s see who makes fun when we present our gifts to the Christ Child in
el nacimiento, the manger scene, at the Christmas Eve service? I’ll bet no gift
matches mine!

ANTONIO/ANTONIA: What are you bringing, Angel?

ANGEL: My papa has bought a beautiful brass bowl. And my mama is filling it
with fresh flowers from her garden.

PATRICIO/PATRICIA: That will be beautiful!

ANGEL: Of course, it will. The bowl was very expensive.

ESPY: But the “beautiful” flowers will wilt in a few days.

ANGEL: Maybe so. But the Child and the church will still have the expensive
bowl.

LUPITA: Ay, Angel, is that all you can think about? The price of a gift? A gift
should come from the heart, not the pocketbook.

ANGEL: That shows how stupid you are, Lupita con las pepitas, sin los zapatos.
Money means everything. That is why my father is mayor and the most important
man in the village.

ESPY: (Sighing) So you keep reminding us, Angel.

JUAN/JUANA: Come on, Angel. Let’s get away from these two.

MARIO/MARIA: They are not worth our time.

ANGEL: You are so right, my friends.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 4

MAESTRA: (Entering) Come now, children. Playtime is over. We must get back
to work on our lessons. Andale! Let’s go!

ANGEL: Oh we’ll go in all right (He shoves Lupita and says low enough that the
teacher won’t hear) But Lupita con los pepitos, sin los zapatos should stay out
here. We don’t want her inside.

JUAN/JUANA: God doesn’t want her inside!

ESPY: Unless we have a math test. Then you want her sitting next to you so you
can copy.

ANGEL: I do not!

ESPY: (Laughing) I’ve seen you Angel. You eyes stray so much they practically
pop out of your head. So do yours Juan/Juana.

JUAN/JUANA: (Hotly, but embarrassed because Espy has said the truth.) I would
never copy! I don’t need too!

MAESTRA: Come on, children! Stop dawdling. I am going in and if everybody is

not inside in one minute you will all have extra homework. (She goes inside. As
soon as she does, the taunting starts again.)

ANGEL: Let’s go. We don’t need these two.

ANGEL and STUDENTS: Lupita, con los pepitos, sin los zapatos! Lupita, con los
pepitos, sin los zapatos! Lupita, con los pepitos, sin los zapatos! (They laugh and
head inside the school.)

LUPITA: Stop it! Stop it! (At their repeated taunts, Lupita sobs and runs off,
followed by Espy.)

ESPY: Lupita! Wait! Esperate! Don’t listen to them. (She catches up to Lupita.)

LUPITA: It’s hard not to, Espy. Why do they have to be so mean?

ESPY: I don’t know? Why is the sun in the sky?

LUPITA: I can’t help it if I am poor and cannot afford shoes. I sell pepitas to help
support mama and myself.

ESPY: I know that. But Angel and his friends don’t understand. Angel gets
everything he wants.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 5

LUPITA: (Sighing) Lucky Angel.

ESPY: Maybe, maybe not. He’s not nearly as smart as you. And I bet Angel’s
mother doesn’t love him nearly as much as yours does.

LUPITA: (laughing) You are probably right. (Throwing her arm around her friend)
And I know he doesn’t have a friend as good and loyal as you, Espy.

ESPY: (laughing with her) Now there I know you are right. Come on, we’d better
get inside. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want any more homework.

LUPITA: I don’t know. It might be worth it just to make Angel do it, too.

ESPY: (Shaking her head) Ay, Espy! That would make him hate you even more
than he does now. Let’s go. (They go in)

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 6

Scene 2. Outside Pepita’s home. The girls are walking toward the door. Her
mother is pulling weeds in the vegetable patch.

ESPY: Did you get that math problem the maestra showed us this afternoon? I
didn’t get it – percentages and how they are like fractions.

LUPITA: It really is pretty easy, Espy. I can show you.

ESPY: What was funnier was watching Angel trying to copy your work. He may
have money, but he doesn’t have brains.

LUPITA: I loved just turning my work so he couldn’t see it.

ESPY: Yes, you are only useful to him when he can copy your work. The rest of
the time he makes fun of you.

LUPITA: That is why I hid my paper from him. But not from you, mi amiga. If you
want, come in and I’ll show you how to do it.

ESPY: No, I have too many chores to get done at home before it gets dark…I
didn’t do any this morning.

LUPITA: Ay, Espy, you always leave things to the last minute.

ESPY: That’s me! I admit it.

LUPITA: (Laughing) But I love you anyway.

ESPY: You just keep me around to make you laugh, that’s all.

LUPITA: (Hugging Espy and laughing.) That’s true! I’ll see you in the morning,
Espy.

ESPY: Hasta mañana, Lupita. (She goes, laughing.)

LUPITA: Ay, Espy. I wish you could make me laugh all my problems and hurts
away. (She sighs, then sees her mother. She runs up to her and hugs her.) I’m
home, mama.

MAMA: Well, what’s this big abrazo all about? (Looking at Lupita) Lupita?
What’s wrong?

LUPITA: (Avoiding her eyes) Nothing.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 7

MAMA: Mmm. That’s an awfully big nothing. Did something happen at school
today? Come on, Tell, mama.

LUPITA: Ay, mama, it’s that stupid Angel. He makes me so mad.

MAMA: It’s not nice to call anyone stupid, Lupita.

LUPITA: But mama! He and his friends call me names and make fun of me. They
make fun of our poverty, teasing me about having no shoes and having to sell
pepitas. Then he brags about the fancy gift he will bring the Christ Child at the
Christmas Eve service.

MAMA: (Sighs) I admit that’s not very nice of Angel. (Laughs) Angel. He certainly
does not live up to his name, does he, mi’ja?

LUPITA: (Laughing with her) No, he doesn’t. Diablo would be better. And a stupid
one at that!

MAMA: Ay, Lupita, you must be more forgiving. He’s only showing his ignorance,
mi’ja, not stupidity. He doesn’t know how hard life can be when you have no
money.

LUPITA: That we certainly know about.

MAMA: But hard work never killed anyone, mi’ja.

LUPITA: No, but it makes you very tired. I wish you didn’t have to work so hard,
mama.

MAMA: Yo tambien, mi’ja. Me, too. But if I don’t get back working on these
weeds, they will choke all our calabasas, our pumpkins, and we won’t have any
more pepitas.

LUPITA: It just doesn’t seem fair.

MAMA: Life is not fair, mi’ja. I wish your father were still here. But he died right
after you were born. I had to go to work to support us. So now, I do other
people’s laundry and ironing. I sew. I even grow our own vegetables…

LUPITA: …including the pumpkins.

MAMA: We use every bit of the pumpkin. Even the pepitas. It helps bring in a
little money. Some of which I will need to buy the cloth to finish making the cover
for you to take as a gift to the Christ Child.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 8

LUPITA: (Hugging her mama) And I grumble about selling them. I’m sorry I
complained, mama. If you can work so hard for us, I can take a little teasing.

MAMA: Believe me, the Christ Child will appreciate the cover more on a cold
night that a fancy bowl with flowers. And it will last Him a lot longer.

LUPITA: (laughing) Of course, you are right, mama. At least my gift will keep Him
warm.

MAMA: Ay, that reminds me. I left a kettle of water on the fire warming so I could
do Señora Rodriguez’s washing. I better take it off before it boils away.

LUPITA: Let me come help you, mama.

MAMA: No, mi’ja. It’s much too heavy. If you want to help, start pulling weeds.

LUPITA: Yes, mama.

MAMA: (She cups Lupita’s face in her hands.) You are a good girl, Lupita. I am
proud of you. (She leaves)

LUPITA: (She watches her leave, then starts to pull weeds) Yes, sooo good.
That’s why, as I pull these weeds, I imagine I am pulling Angel’s hairs out of his
head one (she pulls a weed) by (She pulls another) one. (She gives another a big
yank.) Ha! Take that, Angel! How would you like it if you were the poor one
instead of me? That would be something to see.

(We “see” Lupita’s imagination. In it, Angel is dressed in rags, with no shoes)

JUAN/JUANA: Angelito, pobrecito, sin zapatos.

ALL CHILDREN: Angelito, pobrecito, sin zapatos. Angelito, pobrecito, sin

zapatos.

ANGEL: Stop picking on me!

LUPITA: (walking into her daydream) Pobrecito angelito. Poor little Angel. Not
much fun, is it, when others are making fun of you. It serves you right.

ANGEL: Shut up, Lupita. All of you, shut up!

ANTONIA/ANTONIO: (Shoving Angel) Why should we? Look at you. Dressed in

rags and no shoes.

MARIO/MARIA: We don’t want you playing with us,

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 9

PATRICIO/PATRICIA: Go away! We don’t want you here.

ANGEL: But I’m Angel, the mayor’s son!

JUAN/JUANA: Mayor of what? The trash dump? (All the children laugh at him)

ANGEL: That’s not fair! You are not being nice!

LUPITA: (Grabbing him by his hair.) Since when have you been nice, pobrecito
Angelito. You deserve all you are getting.

ANTONIA/ANTONIO: Come on Lupita, come with us and leave pobrecito

Angelito behind.

MARIO/MARIA: Yes, come. I need you to help me with mathematics. You are so
good and smart at that.

LUPITA: Yes, well…

PATRICIA/PATRICIO: And you can help me with my science project.

MAESTRA: Come on in children, playtime is over. We must get back to our

lessons.

LUPITA: All right, maestra, just let me go get my books. (She whispers to Angel,
like he did to her.) You can go now, pobrecito Angelito. (She starts walking back
out of her daydream.)

JUAN/JUANA: We’ll be waiting for you inside, Lupita.

ANTONIO/ANTONIA: Move aside, Angel. (Pushes Angel away.)

MARIO/MARIA: Yeah, move.

PATRICIO/PATRICIA: You are in our way.

LUPITA: (Now back at her weed patch) That’s the way it should be – Pobrecito
(she pulls another weed.) Angelito. (She pulls a big bunch. All of a sudden, a
huge scream comes from within the house. Lupita comes out of her reverie and
jumps up) Mama! Mama!(She runs into the house.)

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 10

Scene 3. Inside Pepita’s home. A short while later. Mama is in bed.

DOCTOR: You are a lucky woman, señora. The burns could have been much
worse from the scalding water.

MAMA: Lucky? How will I do my work? How will I earn money?

DOCTOR: You won’t for a few days. You must give those burns on your arms
and hands time to heal. If you do not, they will get infected.

MAMA: And if they get infected, I could lose them or die. I know. I know. I will be
careful.

DOCTOR: (Turning to Lupita) And you, young lady, must take care of your
mother and make sure she doesn’t try to do any work for the next few days.

LUPITA: Yes, Doctor Delgado. I will.

MAMA: Thank you, doctor. I know I am not a good patient, but I do appreciate
your time. Especially because I do not have much to offer you to pay you for your
help.

DOCTOR: Do not worry about that, señora. When you get better, perhaps you
can do some laundry for me. You just get better, eh? I must go now. I have other
patients to see.

LUPITA: I will walk you to do the door, doctor.

DOCTOR: That is not necessary, Lupita. You just take care of your mother.

LUPITA: Thank you, Doctor, I will. (He leaves.)

MAMA: (Sighs) I am sorry, Lupita.

LUPITA: Sorry for what, mama?

MAMA: Sorry that I will not be able to finish your gift to take to the Christ Child at
the manger scene in church.

LUPITA: Ay, I had forgotten all about that.

MAMA: Well, I haven’t. I cannot sew anything with these burned hands.

LUPITA: (No really meaning it.) The gift is not important, mama.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 11

MAMA: Of course it is important. Every child is supposed to bring something.
Now you have nothing to give.

LUPITA: I will think of something else, mama. Don’t worry.

MAMA: It makes me so mad. I was so stupid.

LUPITA: It wasn’t your fault, mama. Accidents happen.

MAMA: I should have let you help me. But no, I am so independent and will not
accept help.

LUPITA: You had to be independent, mama, in order to take care of me when I

was little. But now, for a while, as your burns heal, you must accept help from
me. I am going to stay home and take care of you.

MAMA: And not go to school? Oh no, Lupita. You must go to school. You must
have education so you do not end up like me. I don’t want you missing even a
day.

LUPITA: But the doctor said you are not to get up, mama. Besides…I feel guilty.

MAMA: Guilty? I am the one who should feel guilty. I was the one who was so
stubborn and wouldn’t let you help me.

LUPITA: It’s just…just before you were burned, I was having very evil thoughts.

MAMA: About what?

LUPITA: Not about what, about who.

MAMA: (Understanding) Ahh, Angel.

LUPITA: How did you know?

MAMA: Because you were so upset about him earlier.

LUPITA: He just makes me so mad. He is so cruel.

MAMA: But he is just showing…

LUPITA: Showing his ignorance. I know. I know. My head hears that, but my
heart doesn’t. I was imagining all sorts of evil things.

MAMA: Like what?

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 12

LUPITA: That he was the one who was poor and all his friends – and me – were
picking on him, calling him pobrecito Angelito.

MAMA: And what else?

LUPITA: And I grabbed him by his hair and pulled it – hard – just like I was
pulling the weeds out in the garden.

MAMA: Ay, m’ija (She tries to take her into her arms.) Ay, that hurts like the devil.

LUPITA: No, like Angel.

MAMA: (Laughing, despite her pain.) Ay, mi’ja.

LUPITA: And that is why I must stay home with you. My evil thoughts brought on
your bad luck. I must pay my penance.

MAMA: No, only my carelessness brought on my bad luck. You must not stay.
You have to go to school.

LUPITA: But who will take care of you if I don’t stay home?

MAMA: I can take care of myself.

LUPITA: With those burned arms and hands? How?

MAMA: I will be fine. I don’t need much. You can fix me a good breakfast. Then
just leave some tortillas and some water by the bed (She laughs) and a chamber
pot. I will be just fine, Lupita.

LUPITA: But you will get bored lying here by yourself.

MAMA: Then ask Señora Garcia to come by every once in a while to check on
me. She loves to talk.

LUPITA: (Laughing) That’s is true. And you will learn everything that is going on
in the village.

MAMA: (Trying to sit up, but it hurts) Ay! That hurts!

LUPITA: Mama, be careful. See, this is why I must stay home. You can’t even sit
up without it hurting your hands.

MAMA: No, Lupita. I will stay still. I promise. But you promise me you will go to
school. Promise!

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 13

LUPITA: (Sighing) I promise, mama. But then you must promise to rest as the
doctor ordered. No getting out of bed!

MAMA: All right, I will. (She lays back.)

LUPITA: Now, I will go fix dinner.

MAMA: The beans! You will find them…

LUPITA: I know where the beans are, mama. Just rest!

(We hear children’s voices singing.)

Little Baby
pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too,
pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring
pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give our King
pa rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum
 
Shall I play for you!
pa rum pum pum
on my drum.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 14

Scene 4. In the church, two mornings later. The school children are getting
in order to practice for the Christmas Eve service. Lupita and Espy are
separate from the others.

ESPY: You came, Lupita? I thought you’d be at home with your mother again.

LUPITA: She would not hear of it. She said school was more important than
caring for her. She said she didn’t need any help.

ESPY: Ay, Lupita. You come by your stubbornness naturally.

LUPITA: I don’t know what I am going to do Espy. Even with Mrs. Garcia
stopping by, my mother continues to get up. She will get her burns infected.

ESPY: Your mother has worked so hard most of her life, she doesn’t know how
to sit still, much less lie still.

LUPITA: That’s so true. But that doesn’t solve my problem.

ESPY: And what about Christmas Eve? Wasn’t your mother sewing a little cover
to place over the Christ Child in the manger scene?

LUPITA: Yes, but she cannot finish it. I tried to sew on it, but I only made a mess
of it. I am hopeless with a needle. I will just have to find something else. I just
can’t think of what, right now.

ESPY: I will think about it also. We will come up with something, don’t worry.

ANGEL: (Coming over to the girls.) What’s the matter Lupita con los pepitas sin
los zapatos? Why the unhappy face?

ESPY: Have you no feelings, Angel? You know very well Lupita’s mother was
badly burned in an accident.

PADRE: Come on children. Gather together. You need to practice your songs for
the service tomorrow night.

MAESTRA: Yes, you want God to appreciate the gift of your voices as well as
you gifts to the Christ Child.

PADRE: I want you to begin with my favorite villancico, Los Peces en el Rio, the
Fishes in the River.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 15

MAESTRA: Ah yes, it is a wonderful story, Padre. The fishes are so excited
about the birth of the Christ Child, while the Virgin Mary enjoys the simple chores
of daily life.

PADRE: Come now, children, get in your places. We are wasting time. (He helps
the last couple in place.)

MAESTRA: Everyone face me. At this tempo. One and two and one and ...

ALL CHILDREN:
La Virgen se está peinando
entre cortina y cortina.
Los cabellos son de oro
y el peine de plata fina

CHORUS: Pero mira cómo beben

los peces en el río.
Pero mira cómo beben
por ver a Dios nacido.
Beben y beben
y vuelven a beber.
Los peces en el río
por ver a Dios nacer.

The Virgin Mary combs her precious hair

as she gives thanks for her baby.
Even she cannot understand why
God chose her to be a mother.

CHORUS:
But fishes in the river,
they are so delighted.
The fishes in the river,
to see the birth of God.
See how they swim and swim
and then they swim some more.
The fishes in the river,
to see the Savior born.

La Virgen lava pañales

y los tiende en el romero,
los pajarillos cantando,
y el romero floreciendo.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 16

CHORUS:
Pero mira cómo beben
los peces en el río.
Pero mira cómo beben
por ver a Dios nacido.
Beben y beben
y vuelven a beber.
Los peces en el río
por ver a Dios nacer.

PADRE: Ay, muchachas, que bonita. That was beautiful.

MAESTRA: Much better. If you sing like that tomorrow, you will be fine. (Children
ad lib their pleasure at the compliment.)

PADRE: Can we hear another, señora?

MAESTRA: Of course, padre! They can always use the practice. What would
you like to hear?

LUPITA: Could we do…

ANGEL: (Cutting her off) How about Noche de Paz – Silent Night, padre?

PADRE: Excellent choice, Angel. Another favorite. (Angel’s friends congratulate

him while Espy rolls her eyes.)

MAESTRA: All right, children, quiet! Watch me. One, two three, one, two, ...

CHILDREN:
Noche de paz, noche de amor,
Todo duerme en derredor
Entre sus astros que esparcen su luz
Bella anunciando al niñinto Jesús.
Brilla la estrella de paz,
Brilla la estrella de paz.

Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright
Round your Virgin mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace sleep in heavenly peace

(Fade to Black.)

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 17

Scene 5. Outside Lupita’s house. Christmas Eve.

ESPY: Lupita, how is your mother?

LUPITA: She has a bad fever. I think her hands are infected. Doctor Delgado is
in there with her now.

ESPY: Oh, no!

LUPITA: I told her to stay in bed. I got Señora Garcia to stop by and keep her
company. But it wasn’t enough. She got up and tried to work…she tried to sew
the blanket…

ESPY: She didn’t!

LUPITA: Yes, but her blistered hands couldn’t hold the needle long. Then she
tried pulling these stupid weeds. I told her I would finish it when I got home from
school today. But she couldn’t wait.

ESPY: The blisters broke?

LUPITA: Yes, and now her hands are all red and swollen and infected.

DOCTOR: (In the doorway) Guadalupe.

LUPITA: Sí, doctor.

DOCTOR: (Sighing) I will be honest with you. It is not good. The infection has
started up the arms. I have put a salve on it. All we can do now is pray for the
best.

LUPITA: I will stay with her all night, if need be, doctor.

DOCTOR: No, Lupita. That is my job. I will know what to do if it gets worse.

LUPITA: You will take her arms? She will die without them!

DOCTOR: Yes, but if it gets worse, she may die if I don’t. Don’t worry. Lupita, I
hope it will not come to that. You should go to church. Don’t you and your
classmates have to sing in church tonight?

LUPITA: But I should stay with mama! Maestra and padre will understand if I do
not come. I need to be with my mother.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 18

ESPY: Lupita, the doctor is right. You cannot do anything here. Perhaps it is best
if we go to church and pray.

DOCTOR: Esperanza is right, Guadalupe. Let me take care of your mother. You
go and pray for her. Now I must get back. (He turns and goes in.)

LUPITA: I cannot leave Espy!

ESPY: Come, let us go and pray to the Christ Child in el nacimiento. He will help
your mother.

LUPITA: How will He help when I don’t even have a gift to bring him!

ESPY: He will not care. All He wants is your love and prayers, not fancy gifts.

LUPITA: But Angel and his friends will make fun of me for not bringing anything.

ESPY: Gift or no gift, they will make fun of you.

LUPITA: (She smiles weakly.) That is true. You are so practical, Espy. But I
should take something. (She looks around at the garden.) We have nothing
growing except the stupid weeds. (She thinks a moment.) That’s it! I’ll pick some
weeds. (She does so.)

ESPY: Weeds? Weeds as a gift for the Christ Child?

LUPITA: Yes, they are the one thing we have that shows how hard mother
works. Perhaps the Christ Child will understand and appreciate it.

ESPY: (Thinks about it and laughs.) You know, you are probably right. Come on
Lupita, let’s go to church.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 19

Scene 6. In the church a short while later.

ANGEL: (Surrounded by his friends, showing off his brass bowl) It is beautiful,
que no?

JUAN/JUANA: Much better than my basket of vegetables.

MARIO/MARIA: Or my bag of chile.

ANTONIO/ANTONIA: It will look wonderful next to the nacimiento.

PATRICIO/PATRICIA: It will be the best of all the gifts, Angel.

ANGEL: (As Lupita and Espy enter) Look, here comes Lupita con los pepitos, sin
los zapatos and her shadow, Espy.

JUAN/JUANA: I’ll bet they don’t have any gift to compare to yours, Angel.

ANGEL: (Laughing) I bet Lupita has nothing, period.

MARIO/MARIA: (Laughing with him, as do the rest) I bet you’re right, Angel!

PATRICIO/PATRICIA: At least nothing worthwhile!

LUPITA: (to Espy) Why do I have a feeling they are laughing at us, Espy?

ESPY: Because they probably are. But who cares? They are not worth worrying
about .

LUPITA: I know what you are saying is right, Espy. But I know they will be
laughing at me for sure when they see these weeds.

ESPY: So what? They’ll laugh at me when they see my stack or tortillas. As

usual, I waited until the last minute. I barely had time – or flour – to make this
small stack.

LUPITA: And we must keep telling ourselves it is not their opinion that counts.

ESPY: That’s right. It is the Christ Child who matters. The Christ Child will
appreciate any gift given in love.

LUPITA: (Looking around nervously.) I hope that we start soon. I want to get
back to mama.

ESPY: Here comes the padre and maestra.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 20

ANGEL: Padre, maestra, here is the bowl, as I promised.

PADRE: That’s very nice, Angel. I’m sure He will appreciate it. (Angel looks
smugly around at all the other children.)

MAESTRA: But now we must get ready. Your families and the rest of the village
will be here soon. Come, leave your presents and come for one final practice.

PADRE: Which villancico will you start with, señora?

MAESTRA: Venid Fieles Todos, Oh, Come All Ye Faithful. We will even do it in
the original Latin.

PADRE: That is wonderful!

MAESTRA: Settle children! Come one now, settle down! Eyes front. One, two,
three, four, one, two, three…

Adeste, fideles,
Laeti triumphantes,
Venite, venite in Bethlehem.
Natum videte
Regem angelorum
Venite adoremus, Venite adoremus, Venite adoremus,
Dominum.

Venid, fieles todos

A Belén marchemos,
Gozosos, triunfantes y llenos de amor.
Cristo ha nacido,
Cristo el rey Divino.
Venid, adoremos, venid, adoremos. venid,adoremos
A nuestro señor.

O come all ye faithful,

Joyful, and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye
To Bethlehem!
Come and behold Him
Born the King of angels!
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord!

MAESTRA: That was very nice children. I think you are ready.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 21

PADRE: Now, let us do the gifts to the Christ Child. Go get your gifts and line up
to present them.

ANGEL: Can’t we wait for the audience, er, our families and the rest of the
congregation to get here before we present our gifts, padre?

PADRE: No, no! If we wait until everyone is here, we will be here all night. Mass
is long enough without parents applauding their children every few seconds.
Besides, then it will not be the solemn ceremony it needs to be. No, present the
gifts now.

MAESTRA: Line up, children. Quickly. We only have little time before everyone
arrives for mass. Besides everyone can admire your gifts when they get here and
after the service.

ANGEL: Me first! Mine is the best. (Angel shoves everyone aside and walks up to
the nativity scene to present is bowl. Everyone oohs and ahs appreciatively. The
other students, one after another, take their gifts and lay them before the manger
scene, with Espy and Lupita the last two to present their gifts. Lupita tries to
present her gift of weeds as quickly and unobtrusively as possible – but Angel
will not let her.)

ANGEL: What kind of gift is that, Lupita? A plant of some sort? It looks like…
could it be…weeds? (He starts laughing.) Is that all you could bring – weeds? (All
his friends join him in laughter. In the ensuing dialogue, the children move to
stand in front of the nativity scene, effectively blocking the change of the weeds
into the Poinsettia.)

PADRE: Now, now, children, quiet! Silencio!

MAESTRA: (Overlapping the padre) Silencio! Settle down!

ESPY: (Overlapping the padre) Your mother is not lying very ill, either, Angel.
Lupita did the best she could.

LUPITA: (Red with embarrassment, but bravely answers.) You do not have to
defend me, Espy. I know my gift is poor. But it is what I have. The Christ Child
will understand.

ANGEL: He will understand that you are a fool. (His friends agree with him.)

MARIO/MARIA: It is a silly, stupid gift.

ANTONIO/ANTONIA: Only you would do such an idiotic thing, Lupita.

PATRICIO/PATRICIO: Your gift offends us all!

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 22

ANGEL: Weeds to the Christ Child, Lupita? How dare you show Him such a lack
of respect!

LUPITA: I meant no disrespect! I only meant to honor him!

JUAN/JUANA: (the first to see the change, grabs Angel’s arm) Angel, look!

ANGEL: Hush, Juan/Juana. Let go of me!

JUAN/JUANA: But look! Look padre, maestra! Look at the weeds! (At this the
children back up to reveal a huge Poinsettia where once were Lupita’s weeds.)

ESPY: (grabbing Lupita’s arm.) Lupita, your gift…

LUPITA: They are so beautiful! Such beautiful red flowers!

MAESTRA: I have never seen such a thing!

PADRE: (Awestruck, as are all, at the beautiful flowers) Dios! Es un milagro. It is

a miracle. (The padre goes down on his knees and makes the sign of the cross.
One by one the maestra and children, and, finally, even Angel follow his lead.
They start to sing…)

Mary nodded
pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time
pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him
pa rum pum pum
I played my best for Him
pa rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum

Then He smiled at me
pa rum pum pum pum
me and my drum.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 23

Scene 7. Lupita’s home. A short while later. Lupita and Espy enter the
house.

LUPITA: Mama? (She looks and sees her mother lying silent) Mama! (She and
Espy rush over.) MAMA! (She shakes her.)

MAMA: (Coming slowly out of sleep) Lupita? And Espy.

LUPITA: (Hugging her) Mama! Are you all right?

MAMA: Yes, I am fine. What time is it? Have you been to church?

LUPITA: We just got back, mama.

ESPY: Where is the doctor?

MAMA: He left just a bit ago. He said my fever had broken and my burns were
healing well. He said all I needed was sleep, then he left to get some himself.

LUPITA: Mama! Let me see your hands. (She does.) The redness – the infection
is gone!

MAMA: Yes, and I am feeling much better.

LUPITA: Thank God! (She hugs her again) I thought I might lose you!

MAMA: Not me. I’m too tough. Though, I must admit, an hour ago, I might not
have said the same. I felt horrible. My hands hurt like the devil. Then, all of a
sudden, the pain went away. It was a miracle!

ESPY: (Looking at Lupita) A miracle?

LUPITA: (Looking back) About an hour ago? Do you think?…

MAMA: (Breaking the long silence.) How was the service, girls?

ESPY: Ay, it was incredible, Señora!

MAMA: (Realizing) Lupita! I just remembered. Your gift. What did you take?

LUPITA: Well… (Espy cuts her off)

ESPY: That was what was so amazing. Lupita picked some of the weeds out of
your garden and took them. She said, “They are the one thing we have that

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 24

shows how hard mother works. Perhaps the Christ Child will understand and
appreciate it.” And he did!

MAMA: Weeds from my garden?

LUPITA: Yes, mama. I put them up on the nativity scene.

ESPY: (Cutting her off again) Then Angel started teasing her about her poor gift
compared to his bee-u-tee-ful copper bowl. And all his friends joined in, as usual.

MAMA: Oh! I am so sorry, Lupita!

LUPITA: Oh, don’t be, mama, because when we looked back at the nativity
scene … and the weeds had turned into these beautiful, red, star-shaped
flowers.

MAMA: No! My weeds had turned into flowers?!

ESPY: Si. The padre called it a milagro, a miracle!

LUPITA: I couldn’t believe it! The flowers were so beautiful!

ESPY: (laughing) Better yet was the look on Angel’s face. He was totally shocked
and stunned! You had outdone him!

LUPITA: Now, Espy, it isn’t nice to make fun of Angel. We don’t want to be as
bad as he is.

ESPY: True. But you have to admit the look on his face was priceless.

LUPITA: (Smiling despite herself) True.

MAMA: So you had the best gift after all.

LUPITA: Sí, mama.

MAMA: You gave the Christ Child, the most important gift, the gift of love. He
recognized that and He turned the weeds into something beautiful, una flor...una
flor de noche Buena, a flower for the Holy Night.

LUPITA: The flowers were beautiful, mama. But they were not His most
important gift.

MAMA: No? What was?

LUPITA: He gave me you. (She hugs her.)

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 25

MAMA: Ay, Lupita. (She hugs her back.)

ESPY: (Runs to the door.) Listen! The children’s choir is coming toward the
house. (We hear them singing Joy to the World.)

MAMA: Ay, que maravilloso, how marvelous! Let’s go join them. (Lupita helps
mama up.)

LUPITA: Careful, mama! (They can join in the song.)

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Felicidad, felicidad, ya reina el Nuevo Rey.

Y dulces voces le glorifican,
Alabemos al Nuevo Rey, Alabemos al Nuevo Rey,
Alabemos al nueva Rey, al santo Rey.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

(Espy and Lupita applaud their efforts. Since mama cannot clap, she just beams
and yells, Bravo!)

PADRE: The children were so moved by your gift Esperanza, they wanted to
come to your house and sing.

MAESTRA: And we knew your mother could not come to church and hear the
music, so we decided we could also bring the songs to her.

PADRE: But I see your mother is better, God be praised.

MAMA: Yes, I am feeling much better, thank you, padre.

ANGEL: (Struggling, but penitent.) I am glad your burns are healing, señora.

MAMA: Thank you, Angel, I…(looking at the girls) we all appreciate it.

ESPY: Can we sing another villancico?

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 26

PADRE: Of course! Another!

LUPITA: How about….

ANGEL: (Cutting in as always) Fum! Fum! Fum! (Then realizing what he has
done…) I am sorry, Lupita…

LUPITA: (Generously) I think Fum, Fum, Fum, is a wonderful choice, Angel.

MAESTRA: Then Fum, Fum, Fum it will be. One, two, one,…

(All start to sing: Fum, Fum, Fum)

Veintecinco de diciembre,
Fum, fum, fum!
Veinticinco de diciembre,
Fum, fum, fum!
Nacido ha por nuestro amor,
El Nino Dios,
Hoy de la virgen Maria
En esta noche tan fria,
Fum, fum, fum!

On December five and twenty,

Foom, foom, foom!
On December five and twenty,
Foom, foom, foom!
For the love of us is giv'n The holy Infant,
Son of Heav'n,
Of the Virgin, Joseph's bride,
To all the earth good will be tiding,
Foom, foom, foom!

Pajaritos del los bosques,

Fum, fum, fum!
Pajaritos de los bosques,
Fum, fum, fum!
Vuestros hijos de coral
Abandonad, abandonad,
Y formad un muelle nido
A Jesus recien nacido,
Fum, fum, fum!

FADE TO BLACK

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 27

Speech to begin the play:

Chamizal National Memorial was established to commemorate the treaty that

resulted in the peaceful settlement of a century-long boundary dispute between
the United States and our neighboring country, Mexico. As a result, the park and
its staff have always fostered the spirit of understanding and goodwill between
two nations that share one border. It also promotes the use cooperation,
diplomacy and cultural values as a basic means to conflict resolution.

The Legend of the Poinsettia, based on a traditional Mexican folk tale, not only
highlights the culture of our neighbor to the south, but it also shows how the
tenacity and strength of one young girl can build bridges of understanding. As
you watch the show, see how our main character, Lupita, faces the challenges of
her life and, with the help of her friend, Espy, turns what seem to be hopeless
situations into moments of hope and tolerance that result in more than one
Christmas miracle.

© 2005 by Carol Viescas 28