[AGWÉ] (spoken)
The story begins on the night of a flood. Many huts washed away, many peasants drowned by Agwé's angry waters. But one small girl was spared. An orphan plucked from the flood by Agwé—
[ASAKA]
Sheltered in a tree by Asaka—
[ERZULIE]
And sent on a journey by the gods. A journey that would test the strength of love—
[PAPA GE]
Against the power of death—
[GODS]
On this island of two different worlds!
[ALL (except TI MOUNE)]
The story of Ti Moune!
[ERZULIE, PAPA GE, ASAKA, AGWÉ, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, MAMA EURALIE, ARMAND, & MEN)] (sung)
ONE SMALL GIRL IN A TREE
TORN FROM HER MOTHER
CRYING IN FRIGHT
ONE SMALL GIRL TOSSED BY SEA
AND LEFT TO FACE
THE STORMY NIGHT
ONE SMALL GIRL
HOLDING TIGHT
[GODS]
AT LAST, THE STORM SUBSIDED
AND THE MORNING SUN GLOWED
AND TWO OLD PEASANTS
CAME CAUTIOUSLY DOWN THE ROAD
[TONTON JULIAN]
MAMA EURALIE.
[MAMA]
TONTON JULIAN
[MAMA] (spoken)
Asaka is smiling again, Julian.
[TONTON]
This morning, she smiles. Last night, she tried to blow our heads off!
[MAMA]
Hahahaha! Ah, Julian, just listen to those birds!
[STORYTELLER (WOMAN 1)] (sung)
COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO
[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, & WOMEN)]
COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO
[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)] (spoken)
Waah!
[TONTON]
What kind of bird is that?
[MAMA]
Look! There!
[MAMA] (sung)
ONE SMALL FACE, TWO SMALL KNEES
[TONTON] (spoken)
Why are you up there?
[MAMA]
What is your name?
[MAMA] (sung)
THE GIRL CAN'T SPEAK
[TONTON]
AND THEY'RE TO BLAME
AGWÉ PROBABLY MEANT TO KILL HER!
[MAMA] (spoken)
Then she'd be dead.
[TONTON] (sung)
IT'S POSSIBLE HE FORGOT
[MAMA] (spoken)
Shh! The gods don't forget!
[TONTON] (sung)
THEN THEY HAD SOME REASON TO SPARE HER LIFE
[MAMA, & TONTON]
IT'S BEST THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT
ONE SMALL GIRL...
[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, & MAN 1)]
ONE SMALL GIRL...
[MAMA, & TONTON]
BETTER NOT
[TONTON] (spoken)
But we're too old for children.
[MAMA]
And we have no room and no food.
[ERZULIE]
And not knowing quite why, they followed their hearts back to the tree, gently lifted the terrified child down...
[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)]
No!
[ERZULIE]
And discovered she could speak after all.
[TONTON, STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, & ARMAND)] (sung)
ONE SMALL GIRL
[MAMA]
IN THE WAY
CONSTANTLY HUNGRY
[TONTON]
LEARNING TOO QUICK!
[MAMA, TONTON, STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, & ARMAND)]
ONE SMALL GIRL HARD AT PLAY
[TONTON]
SHE MAKES ME SMILE
[MAMA]
AH, SHE SCARES ME SICK!
[ERZULIE]
AND THEY SCOLDED AND TEASED AND HELD HER
AND MENDED THE CLOTHES SHE TORE
[ERZULIE, PAPA GE, ASAKA, AGWÉ, STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND, MEN, & WOMEN)]
AND THE HUT WAS CROWDED AND FOOD WAS SCARCE
AND SOMEHOW, THEIR LIVES HELD MORE
[MAMA, TONTON, STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND, & WOMEN)]
ONE SMALL GIRL
TO LIVE FOR
[ERZULIE] (spoken)
They named her "Desirée Dieu-Donné," or "God-Given Desire." But in their affection, they called her simply—
[ALL (except TI MOUNE)]
Ti Moune.
[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)]
What does "Ti Moune" mean, Mama?
[MAMA]
It means "Little Orphan." You're our sweet little orphan. We found you, and now your life is forever in our care.
[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)]
Why?
[TONTON]
Because the gods willed it.
[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)]
Why?
[MAMA]
Perhaps they saved you for something special.
[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)]
What is it?
[MAMA]
Ti Moune, if we knew why the gods did the things they do, we would be gods ourselves!
[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)]
Someday I'm going to ask them, Mama!
[MAMA]
Foolish girl! Run and hide!
[MAMA, TONTON, ASAKA, AGWÉ, PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, & WOMEN)] (sung)
SWEET AS A EUCALYPTUS
AND TERRIBLE AS A TEMPEST
BANGING A DRUM
AND HUMMING A TUNE
TI MOUNE FALLING
AND RUNNING AND CALLING AND GROWING
AND GROWING AND GROWING AND GROWING
UP TOO SOON
[TONTON]
ONE SMALL GIRL—
[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, ARMAND, MEN, & WOMEN)]
ONE
[MAMA]
NOT SO SMALL
[TONTON]
LOST IN THOSE DAYDREAMS
[MAMA]
DAY AFTER DAY
[TONTON]
CALL HER NAME
[MAMA]
NO, DON'T CALL
[MAMA, & TONTON]
HER EARS DON'T HEAR
SHE'S FAR AWAY
[TONTON]
AND I KNOW THAT SHE'S GETTING OLDER
[MAMA]
I KNOW THAT IT'S MEANT TO BE
[MAMA, & TONTON]
AND MY ARMS CAN'T HOLD HER AND KEEP HER SMALL
BUT ALL THAT MY HEART CAN SEE
IS ONE SMALL GIRL
[ERZULIE, ASAKA, AGWÉ, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, ARMAND, & MEN)]
ONE SMALL GIRL
[PAPA GE, & STORYTELLERS (WOMEN)]
ONE SMALL GIRL
[MAMA, & TONTON]
ONE SMALL GIRL
[ERZULIE, ASAKA, AGWÉ, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, ARMAND, & MAN 2)]
ONE SMALL GIRL
[PAPA GE, & STORYTELLERS (WOMEN)]
ONE SMALL GIRL
[MAMA, TONTON, PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (ARMAND, MEN, & WOMEN)]
ONE SMALL GIRL
[MAMA, & TONTON]
IN A TREE
[ALL (except TI MOUNE, & DANIEL)]
OOH, OOH WAY OOH OOH, OOH WAY OOH
