people knelt on the ground when they saw him
coming. The priest walked among them chanting a prayer and sprinkling
drops of holy water over the animals and over the people too. Of course
the people behaved very well, but I am sorry to have to tell you that
when he felt the drops of water fall on the rag that his head was tied
up in, the turkey gobbled just exactly as if it were Tita--or Dona
Teresa--instead of the priest!

And the cat stuck up her tail and arched her back, in a most impolite
way. Perhaps that was not to be wondered at, because we all know that
cats can never bear water, not even holy water.

But when Tonto, who should have known better, and who was used to being
out in the rain even, stuck his nose up in the air and let out a
"hee-haw, hee-haw" that set every other donkey in the crowd hee-hawing
too, Dona Teresa felt as if she should die of mortification.

Only the red rooster, the little white hen, the goat, and the Twins
behaved as if they had had any bringing up at all! However, the priest
didn't seem to mind it. He went in and out among the people, sprinkling
the water and chanting his prayer until the basin was empty. Then he
pronounced the blessing.

VI

When he had finished, the people drove their creatures back to their
homes, or to the fields.

Pancho came riding along and took Tita and the white hen up on Pinto's
back with him. Tonio rode Tonto and carried the rooster. Tita had to put
the cat down to get up on the horse, and when Tonio's dog saw her he
barked at her, and she ran just as fast as she could and got to the
cabin and up on the roof out of reach.

Dona Teresa walked along with Dona Josefa, and talked with her about her
rheumatism and about how badly the animals behaved, and how handsome
Dona Josefa's purple geese were, until she turned in at their own gate.

When she was in their own yard once more, she set the turkey down and
untied his head. Tonio let the rooster go, and Tita set the little white
hen free, and they all three ran under Tonto's shed as if they were
afraid they might get blessed again if they stayed where they could
easily be caught. And they never came out until they had torn the tissue
paper all to pieces and left it lying on the ground.

[Illustration]

Tonio got the goat back to pasture by walking in front of her, holding
a carrot just out of reach, and Pancho took Pinto and the donkey down to
the river for a drink, while Tita and her mother went in