BeakSpeak 3: Day of the Dead

By Peggy Marceaux

Shocked to see the ranch-hand’s face painted to look like a skull, the BeakSpeak chickens race to school to ask why. That’s when Ms. Goldspeak guides them through an exciting adventure learning about Dia de los Muertos, the Mexican celebration.

Their reward is a cultural journey marked by Spanish phrases, cemeteries, spirits of their ancestors, confused terror and overwhelming joy. They learn to be brave, to rejoice in each other’s growth and dreams, and to believe miracles can happen when the stars align.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erin Go Bragh Publishing
• Release date: Feb 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005923785

Book preview

BeakSpeak 3

Day of the

Dead

~ Dia De Los Muertos ~

By: Peggy Marceaux

© Copyright © 2021 BeakSpeak by Peggy Marceaux

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-941345-63-4 PB

ISBN: 978-1-005923-78-5 SW

ASIN: B08XDTMQP2

Erin Go Bragh Publishing

Canyon Lake, TX

Manufactured in the United States of America

Printed and Bound by Ingram

Book Design by Kathleen’s Graphics

The text of the book is Amarante & Calibri

Illustrations by Mike Forshay

Original Character Designs by Debbie Marceaux in 2009

Dedication

BeakSpeak 3, The Day of the Dead

is dedicated to

Pascual Ponce Ramirez

Acknowledgments

A special thank you goes out to a dear friend, Estela Vela Getzen, the Spanish teacher who taught across the hall from me at Smithson Valley High School. This book wouldn’t exist without her, and the pure fact that it does exist has gifted us both with reconnecting.

I also want to thank my dear friend, Jo Beth McElrath, who, once again, has given up a good deal of her quilting time to edit my manuscript.

Finally, I would be remiss not to thank my friend, publisher, and role model, Kathleen J. Shields, who freely shares her professional advice, personal support and encouragement. You are my inspiration and my rock, Kathleen.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Chicken Swap

Chapter 2 Why We Don’t Have Relatives

Chapter 3 Making Family

Chapter 4 How to Celebrate Day of the Dead

Chapter 5 What the Items Mean

Chapter 6 Working on the Projects

Chapter 7 Calling Up the Spirits

Chapter 8 Chase Faces his Fears

Chapter 9 Who Is Sean?

Chapter 10 Learning Spanish

Chapter 11 Exploring Sean’s Interests

Chapter 12 Cell Phones and Scope

Chapter 13 Chuck

Chapter 14 Thanking Pascual

Chapter 15 Astronomy

Chapter 16 Teaching Adjustments

Chapter 17 Orion, Planets, Red Worms and Crickets

Chapter 18 Shooting Stars and Falliing Feathers

Chapter 19 Walt’s Invention and the Test

Chapter 20 Heavenly Bodies and Raining Fire

About the Author Peggy Marceaux

Chapter 1

Chicken Swap

As the morning sun rose over the horizon, and the first ray peeked into the Double Bar M roost, Walt stretched his neck, leaned his head back, and belted out a strong Cock-a-doodle-do.

Soon after, Chanticleer’s quieter cock-a-doodle-do was heard in the distance from the farm to the West.

Walt rubbed his eyes as daylight and a cool breeze slowly crept into the coop. Soon, the beautiful, white-feathered Matilda, with black neck and tail, hopped down from her roost. She yawned and stepped out into the fenced, coop yard. Walt flew down to join her, his tail feathers stirring in the chilly breeze.

Morning, Matilda, he greeted with a smile. Every morning I get to crow and see you here, I still can’t believe George and Mary Ann traded you for Chanticleer and Chuck. Walt winked at her and cocked his head to the side.

Well, Matilda smiled back, and then put her wing around Sue as she entered the coop yard. I guess they realized, after letting me come to Ms. Goldspeak’s class for two months, I was really happier here. I’m so much closer to all of you than I was with their chickens. Matilda stepped up to the fence and looked toward her old farm where Chuck now lived. We do get to go visit Chuck and Chanticleer whenever we want, so it’s not like we had to lose touch. She turned back to Walt and Sue. They’re just a farm away, she added, smiling and pointing her wing thumb back over her shoulder.

I don’t know if they really wanted that old geezer, Chanticleer, Walt added, leaning back on the hen-house post, his wings and feet crossed, but I don’t think he was happy here anymore, which was just fine with me. After that evil joke he pulled on us last year, making us run away, he can crow for them now. Walt grinned and pushed off from the post. I’ve always wanted to be the top rooster and crow for our flock, anyway. He looked down. I do miss Chuck, though, but I know he wanted to live in a house with people. George and Mary Ann have good-natured dogs and cats inside, so it’s just what Chuck wanted. He looked up at Matilda. Like you said, we can go over there and visit him whenever we want.

It was then that the owner, Peggy, walked up to unlock the coop gate. Some of the older flock had come out into the coop yard, all missing most of their feathers. Walt remembered last year when the chickens lost their feathers like this. It seemed natural to them. A few stayed in the roosting area to eat and drink. No one went into the laying section to lay an egg, because, as Walt noticed, as well, when they lose their feathers, hens don’t lay. He decided then and there to ask Ms. Goldspeak why this happened to them. When the coop door had opened, the rest spilled out into the chicken yard, where the kickball field was, and then moved off into the pasture to scratch for bugs. Three student hens stopped at the kickball field to talk.

Sue, Renee and Jayne had been noticing the older chickens losing their feathers since the days were getting shorter. Though this happened last spring, too, the students were still horrified. Ms. Goldspeak didn't think a thing about it. They noticed she didn’t lose but just a few of her own feathers.

Why do you think they get sick? Renee asked her friends.

I don’t know, but all Peggy does about it is put out some wonderful, new food. That medicine in it gives me lots of energy and makes my feathers shine, Sue answered.

Let’s steer clear of them, anyway. I don’t want to catch it, Jayne urged.

Walt always felt that what was happening to the hens was too personal about which to even ask Matilda. Maybe it was a hen thing, he thought, since only he, Sean and Chase were roosters in this flock, and they didn’t know anything about it. Still, he decided to ask Ms. Goldspeak that morning. He found her in the classroom.

Hi, Ms. Goldspeak.

You’re early to be in here right now, Walt.

I just wanted to ask you why all these hens in the flock keep losing their feathers at times.

Oh, Walt, I thought I had already discussed the molt with your class last spring, she said. I’ll do it today.

Thank you, he responded. Well now, at least, he had a name for it. The molt, he thought to himself.

As Peggy was rearranging the coop lock, a male voice hollered, Buenos dÍas, Peggy. Feliz DÍa de los Muertos.

Peggy whirled back toward the wooden fence that surrounded her house, the workman’s quarters and the wood shed. She saw her fence builder, Pascual, coming through the gate. His face was painted white like a skeleton, and he was carrying his fencing tools down the foot path toward the hay field.

Peggy cracked up laughing. Buenos dÍas, Pascual. Feliz DÍa de los Muertos a ti tambieÍn.

Pascual raised his arm in a wave, smiled broadly then continued to walk toward the back acres. Still laughing, Peggy headed for the horses’ pen to let them out to pasture. Sue, Renee, Jayne, Walt and Sean looked at one another. Chase kept staring at Pascual with wide eyes. He had flashes of Chanticleer’s ghost stories last year.

What did they say, and what’s with the skeleton face? Sue asked, searching her friends’ faces for answers.

They said good morning to one another and Happy Day of the Dead, Matilda answered, smiling at them. They all quickly cut their eyes to her. It must be Halloween, she observed. DÍa de los Muertos starts today and ends on November 2nd.

Why was Ms. Peggy, uh, laughing if he was wearing a skeleton face? Isn’t that, you know, scary? Halloween is scary, isn’t it? Chase hugged his wings, remembering Chanticleer scaring him last year, telling them about spirits coming out of the graveyard to kill chickens.

Pascual is Mexican, Matilda answered, smiling at him. Mexicans celebrate the spirits of their dead. They aren’t afraid of them. They decorate their tomb stones, build altars to them and bake cookies for them during DÍa de los Muertos.

Chase wondered if Pascual painted his face so the spirits wouldn’t kill him.

How did you learn to speak Mexican, and how do you know about their traditions? Walt asked, looking at Matilda with an open beak, like he never really knew her before.

Matilda turned to him. The language itself is called Spanish, not Mexican, Walt. Pascual comes from Mexico, so he is Mexican, but he speaks Spanish. Someone else may come from El Salvador in Central America, and another person may come from Argentina in South America, yet they all speak Spanish. However, to answer your question, my Great-Grandmother Waltzing Matilda taught my grandmother, who taught my mother, who taught me how to speak Spanish. They were all amazing teachers and dancers. My mother even learned to dance to Mariachi bands from Mexico City. She learned the various dances to all Hispanic music.

Walt was overwhelmed with respect for Matilda. His heart filled with warmth and love for her.

Mother just loved learning about different cultures and their dances. Matilda’s eyes closed, and her head lowered as her heart flooded with both joy and sadness for the beautiful memories.

The characters stood there, staring at her. All had their beaks hanging open, except Sean, who couldn’t with a crooked beak. It was at that moment that five of the chickens knew what they wanted to do for the next three days, so they raced over to Ms. Goldspeak to beg her to prepare them for it. Chase and Matilda were confused, but followed them all the same.

It had been almost a year since Walt, Sean, Sue, Jayne and Renee had escaped the nets of truckers, run away from the Double Bar M and become lost. When they finally made their way back home, they learned Ms. Goldspeak was trying to surprise them with a trip to a company that prepared chickens to visit elementary schools. They didn’t realize why they were being rounded up to go there. After finding out why, the characters learned to trust the Double Bar M, listen more carefully to Ms. Goldspeak and not at all to Chanticleer, the head rooster.

Since then, Walt has grown into a dashing, full-fledged, Production Red rooster with teal, tail feathers. His bright red waddle and comb are larger; his leg spurs are longer, too. By now, a new, graceful, arching, proud feather has grown to replace the one he’d lost to a coyote last year. As far as his speaking problems are concerned, Walt has learned to catch himself before slipping back into the bad habit of using street talk – well, at least, for the most part.

As for Sue, her feathers are now totally flecked with earth tones, as many Aracauna hens’ are. She still has the Breed’s trade-mark, feather tufts under her ears. By now, she has added many small-to-medium sized, green eggs to the owner’s household. She is also less selfish and a bit kinder to her friends. Ms. Goldspeak helped her language skills improve enough that she now tries to think matters through carefully and to say exactly what she means rather than reacting impulsively. It works most of the time, anyway. So, Nothing-New Sue is, indeed, challenging herself not to fall back on explaining herself in general terms.

The Australorp, Renee, turned out to be a beautiful, large hen with deep-black feathers. As always, a green sheen glances off of her feathers when the sun shines brightly. She remains a friendly chicken and lays dark-brown eggs. Since Renee is still a young chicken, like the rest of them, her eggs are a medium size, at their largest. She has about out grown repeating herself, though the habit is hard for her to break at times.

All-the-Same Jayne, the very large, striped, Barred Rock hen, corrected her thinking errors long before her classmates corrected most of their language problems. Even before Ms. Goldspeak picked her as a pen pal, Jayne had begun to question why she put everyone into categories. Certainly, what was left of her tendency to judge others fell away when Ms. Goldspeak worked with her one-on-one. Now, along with willingly supporting her friends, she is laying the largest of the young hens’ medium-size eggs, and they are a beautiful, light brown.

The Bantam, Chase, is still very small for a near, full-grown rooster. He has impressive multi-colored feathers, even on the tops of his feet. He also has a middle-size waddle and comb, curved spurs and a strong desire to be recognized as an important rooster in the flock. Chase’s size, however, makes that impossible, which keeps him frustrated and insecure. His insecurity continues to cause him to pause when he speaks, using uhs, ers, and you knows to get him through his sentences. His frustrations cause him to develop a tendency toward moodiness.

Sean is, well, Sean. A still growing, Rhode Island Red rooster, he has a bit larger waddle and comb, longer spurs, and, of course, he still can’t speak because of his crooked beak. He isn’t as anti-social as he was before he and his friends were lost last year, but only because he had grown closer to Walt. He and Walt still pal around at times even now, but at other times, when Walt wants to be with Matilda, Sean wanders off alone to play with his old, cell phone that has no service. He still feels isolated, since he can’t talk with anyone. Last year, when Chase had returned to the Double Bar M from the surprise trip with Chuck and Ms. Goldspeak, he found Sean’s scratched up phone, half hidden in the sand, while pecking around the horses’, round pen. After Sean returned home to the farm, Chase gave it back to him. Sean’s’ eyes had lit up. He never dreamed he’d ever see it again after that trucker’s net batted it away while trying to nab him. You’d think he couldn’t be happier now, but you’d be wrong.

Matilda is a pretty, white Lakenvelder hen that George and Mary Ann traded to Peggy. She is white with black neck tail feathers. She is broad minded, understanding and patient. She likes everyone and everyone likes her. Matilda loves learning. She has a wealth of knowledge that spans just about every subject. Ms. Goldspeak would often bring her up to the front of the class and have her add to what was being taught that day. Matilda is about the same age as her classmates, and she lays medium-size, white eggs.

Chapter 2

Why We Don’t Have Relatives

Ms. Goldspeak, the large, white, Brahma teacher, with black trim around the cape of her neck, and missing a few tail feathers, heard the stomping of feet as she wrote on her white board in her classroom. She turned her head toward the door. Suddenly, her students stumbled in like a bunch of clowns.

Get outta my way, Sean, huffed Sue, pushing her way into the class room.

Hurry, Jayne! Walt grunted, as he barged through the door.

Stop shoving me! groaned Renee, tripping over Sean.

Sean was pushed, head first, over a desk seat.

Argg, he gargled. Walt pulled him up by the back of his shirt.

Chase and Matilda stepped in behind them.

What on earth . . . ? Ms. Goldspeak mumbled. She put her black marker back in the tray of her white board and turned to face them. I didn’t hear Walt crow to start class, she said, leaning her head to the side and crossing her wings in confusion. What’s going on?

Oh, Ms. Goldspeak . . . , Sue spouted, her eyes wide with excitement as she jumped around in circles.

Renee finished for her.