Baldo! Get two or three burning coals and bring them home on the rice straw.
Do not wave thestraw in the wind. If you do, it will catch fire before you get home
It was sunrise at Nagrebcan.Roosters crowed and strutted on the ground while hens hesitated on theirperches among the branches of the camanchile trees. Stray goats nibbled the weeds on the sides of theroad, and the bull carabaos tugged restively against their stakes.
Baldo descended the ladder, leaning heavily on the single bamboo railing that served as a banister. Hesat on the lowest step of the ladder, yawning and rubbing his eyes one after the other. Bending down, hereached between his legs for the black-spotted puppy. He held it to him, stroking its soft, warm body. Heblew on its nose. The puppy stuck out a small red tongue, lapping the air. It whined eagerly. Baldo laughed– a low gurgle.
You puppy. You puppy
My puppy. My puppy
Nana Elang, the mother of Baldo, now appeared in the doorway with a handful of rice straw. She called Baldo and told him to get some live coals from their neighbor.
There were already many people going out. Women carrying big empty baskets were going to the tobacco fields. They walked fast, talking among themselves. Each woman had gathered the loose folds of her skirt in front and, twisting the end two or three times, passed it between her legs, pulling it up at the back, and slipping it inside her waist.
Baldo went to play with the puppies. He sat on the bridge and took them on his lap one by one. He searched for fleas which he crushed between his thumbnails.