Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens
Music: Lynn Ahrens/Stephen Flaherty
STORYTELLERS
The story begin on the night of a flood .
many huts washed away，many peasants drowned by Agwe’s angry water,
but one small girl was spared.
AGWE
An orphan,locked from the flood by Agwe.
ASAKA
Sheltered in a tree by Asaka .
ERZULIE
And sent on a journey by the gods. A journey that’ll test the strength of love.
PAPA GE
Against the power of death.
STORYTELLERS
On this island,of two different world.The story of Ti Moune!
STORYTELLERS
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
STORYTELLERS(Spoken in rhythm)
At last the storm subsided.
And the morning sun glowed.
And two old peasants，
came cautiously down the road.
TONTON JULIAN
Mama Euralie!
MAMA EURALIE
Tonton Julian!
MAMA(spoken)
Asaka is smiling again, Julian.
TONTON
This morning she smiles. Last night she tried to blow our heads off.
MAMA
Ah, Julian, just listen to those birds.
BIRDS
Coo coo coo coo cooCoo coo coo coo coo
LITTLE TI MOUNE
Aaaahh!
TONTON
What kind of bird is that?
MAMA
Look! There!
MAMA
One small face，two small knees
TONTON
Why are you up there?
MAMA
What is your name?
MAMA
The girl can't speak
TONTON(Gesturing up)
And they're to blame，
Agwe probably meant to kill her
MAMA(spoken in rhythm)
The she'd be dead
TONTON
It's possible he forgot
MAMA
The gods don't forget
TONTON
Then they had some reason to spare her life
BOTH
It's best that we don't know what.
One small girl...Better not.
TONTON(spoken)
But we are too old for children
MAMA
We have no room, and no food...
ERZULIE
And not knowing why, they followed their hearts back to the tree, gently lifted the terrified child down...
LITTLE TI MOUNE
No!!!
ERZULIE
And discovered that she could speak after all.
MEN
One small girl
WOMEN
In the way
MAMA
Constantly hungry
TONTON
Learning too quick
ALL(but little Ti Moune)
One small girl ，hard at play
TONTON
She makes me smile
MAMA
She scares me sick!
ERZULIE
And they scolded and teased
And held her，and mended the clothes she tore
ALL(but Mama, Tonton and Little Ti Moune)
And the hut was crowded
and food was scarce，and somehow, their lives held more
One small girl
To live for.
A STORYTELLER
They named her Desiree Dieu-Donne orGod-Given Desire. But in their affection, they
called simply her Ti Moune.
LITTLE TI MOUNE
What does Ti Moune mean, Mama?
MAMA
It means little orphan. Your are our sweet little orphan,we found you and now your life is forever in our care.
LITTLE TI MOUNE
Why?
TONTON
Because the god’s will did.
LITTLE TI MOUNE
Why?
MAMA
Perhaps they saved you for something special!
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 TI MOUNE
Someday I'm going to ask them, Mama!
MAMA
Foolish girl,run and hide!
ALL(but Mama, Tonton and Little Ti Moune)
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
MAMA
Not so small
TONTON
Lost in those daydreams
MAMA
Day after day
TONTON
Call her name
MAMA
No, don't call
BOTH
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
BOTH
And my arms can't hold her and keep her small.But all that my heart can see...
MAMA, TONTON
It’s s one small Girl
One small Girl
One small Girl
MEN
One small Girl ,One small Girl ,One small Girl
WOMEN
One small Girl ,One small Girl ,One small Girl
MAMA, TONTON
In a tree
ALL
Ooh, ooh way ooh.Ooh, ooh way ooh...