Page 36

Inside the graveyard, voices echoed the song.

Leaning against the graveyard walls, some with guitars in their hands or bottles, were the men of the village.

"Cuevos de los Muertos--" sang the faraway voice.

"Cuevos de los Muertos," sang the men in the shadows inside the gate.

"Skulls," translated Tom. "The skulls of the dead."

"Skulls, sweet sugar skulls, sweet candy skulls, the skulls of the dead ones," sang the voice, coming close now.

And down the hill, treading softly in shadow, came a hunchbacked Vendor of Skulls.

"No, not hunched--" said Tom, half aloud.

"A whole load of skulls on his back," cried Ralph.

"Sweet skulls, sweet white crystal sugar candy skulls," sang the Vendor, his face hidden under a vast sombrero. But it was Moundshroud's voice that sweetly piped.

And carried from a long bamboo over his shoulder hung on black threads were dozens and scores of sugar skulls as big as their own heads. And each skull was inscribed.

"Names! Names!" sang the old Vendor. "Tell me your name, I give you your skull!"

"Tom," said Tom.

The old man plucked forth a skull. On it, in huge letters was written: TOM.

Tom took and held his own name, his own sweet edible skull, in his fingers.

"Ralph."

And a skull with the name RALPH written on it was tossed forth. Ralph caught it, laughing.

In a swift game, the bony hand plucked, tossed white skull after skull, sweetly on the cool air: HENRY-HANK! FRED! GEORGE! HACKLES! J.J.! WALLY!

The boys, bombarded, squealed and danced about, pelted with their own skulls and their own proud names sugar encrusted upon each white brow of those skulls. They caught and almost dropped this splendid bombardment.

They stood, mouths wide open, staring at the sugary death-sweets in their gummy hands.

And from within the graveyard, way-high male-soprano voices sang:

"Roberto...Maria...Conchita...Tomas.

Calavera, Calavera, sweet candy bones to eat!

Your name on the snow white sweet skull

You hurry down the street.

You buy from the piled high white

Hills in the square. Buy and eat!

Chew your name! What a treat!"

The boys lifted the sweet skulls in their fingers.

"Bite the T and the O and the M. Tom!