Treasure of the Haunted Hacienda
El Tesoro de la Hacienda Embrujada
by
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From then on they used the hacienda ruins as their own world. Every day they added to the story they wove around themselves from the family legends. The boys became the young owners and equestrians while Juanita and Luis played the many supporting parts. The day always ended with the battle and betrayal of the young brothers, and the fighting extended all over the ruins.
“Where do you think they died?” was asked every day. “And how did they get from the big house to the smithy?” They measured and ran but couldn't see how the brothers had managed to get to blacksmith's shop without running into the bandits.
“The narrow street that divided the cliff from the mountain must have been mobbed with bandits,” Pedro reasoned. “And what happened to the gold?” That was always the most interesting question.
Their battles always ended in the smithy and they would crawl into the coal storage space to cool off. By pushing the smaller rocks around, they had a table and chairs to sit on; a perfect hideout.
One afternoon Juanita was pretending to be the lady of the house, managing a large force of chambermaids and cooks. She went into the kitchen ruins talking to Luis who was then pretending to be the head of the kitchen gardeners. “We will be having 30 people for dinner,” she ordered, “so be sure the vegetables are fresh. Put them in the cold room right away while I choose the wines.”
Bajaron por las angostas escaleras empinadas hacia el cuarto abandonado; sus húmedas paredes cortadas en la falda de la montaña detrás de el área de la cocina.
–Ten cuidado, –dijo regresando a la realidad. –No entiendo cómo alguien pudo subir y bajar estos escalones llevando una charola de algo.
En eso oyeron a Pedro y Rafael gritando. – ¿Dónde están?
–Rápido, vamos a escondernos, –dijo Luis olvidándose del juego, –nunca nos encontrarán aquí. –Corrieron al sitio más profundo del cuarto y se escondieron atrás de un montón de escombros y entrepaños rotos. –Qué frío hace aquí y ¡qué obscuro! Quizá no debamos estar aquí.
Juanita pensó lo mismo. – ¡Aquí estamos! –gritó, –En el cuarto frío. –Trató de levantarse rápidamente pero se resbaló hacia un lado. – ¡Ay! Mi pie se quedó atrapado en un hoyo.
Pedro y Rafael bajaron corriendo. – ¿Qué pasa?
–Me resbalé cuando traté de levantarme y toda mi pierna entró por un hoyo, no la puedo sacar y se siente muchísimo frío aquí.
–A lo mejor es el hoyo de una gran serpiente, –dijo Luis.
Los chicos siempre cargaban con velas y cerillos y rápidamente sacaron unas y las prendieron.
– ¡Esto no es piedra, es madera! –exclamó Pedro. –Además está bastante podrida. Pienso que podríamos romperla. –Empezó a golpear a un lado de la viga. –No quiero acercarme demasiado y lastimarte.
– ¡Nada mas apúrense! –Juanita podía imaginar a una gran víbora reptando por el túnel hacia su pie.
They walked down the steep narrow steps into the deserted room, its humid walls cut deep in the sides of the mountain behind the kitchen area.
“Be careful, I don't see how anyone could climb
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About the Book
THE TREASURE OF THE HAUNTED HACIENDA, THE FIRST PALO ALTO ADVENTURE
The books in the Palo Alto adventure series are written in two languages, (not translated but written by the author, B. Palma in both languages) to help the children of two adjacent cultures understand their differences and so that students can read them in the desired language. On the odd pages the story is written in Spanish and on the even ones in English.
Haunted Hacienda is a mystery with historic basis in fact and describes children whose families lived tragic periods of upheaval and revolution. Children whose bravery, curiosity and imagination led them to stumble upon the secret of the ancient tragedy that changed their families'' futures and placed both families in their current financial difficulties.
Eleven-year-old Juanita Reyes returns to the Mexican countryside to help her sick grandmother and is reunited with Pedro, her cousin''s stepson. They are joined by the son of the nearby hacienda''s owner who dreams of the past generations of his family and the former grandeur of Hacienda Palo Alto. A beautiful Spanish stallion and a tiny colt also figure in the mystery.
The massive ruins of the great hacienda overshadow the outbuildings that have been her family''s home for centuries. The lives of the two families had intertwined during generations and the destruction of the hacienda struck both families with equal pain and disaster. The mystery and tragedy of the ancient hacienda attracts the children and leads them to discovering the secret the old walls had held for almost a century.
EL TESORO DE LA HACIENDA EMBRUJADA LA PRIMERA AVENTURA DE LA PANDILLA PALO ALTO
Los libros de la serie Palo Alto están escritos en dos idiomas (no traducidos pero escritos por la autora, B. Palma en los dos idiomas) para ayudar a los niños de dos culturas de entender sus diferencias y para que los estudiantes puedan leerlo en el idioma deseado. En todas las páginas nones el cuento está escrito en Español y en las páginas pares están escrito en Inglés.
La Hacienda Embrujada es un misterio con base en hechos históricos y los protagonistas son niños cuyas familias vivieron períodos de disturbios y revolución. Niños cuyo valor, curiosidad e imaginación los llevó a encontrar el antiguo secreto que cambió las vidas de sus familias y las pusieron en las dificultades financieros en las que actualmente se encuentran.
Juanita Reyes de once años se regresa al campo Michoacano para ayudar a su abuela enferma y se encuentra con su amigo Pedro, hijastro de su primo. Se unen con el hijo del dueño del casco quién sueña con las generaciones pasadas de su familia Palma y la grandeza anterior de la Hacienda Palo Alto. Un hermoso garañón Española y un pequeño potro también entran en el misterio.
Las enormes ruinas de la gran hacienda echan sombra sobre la ranchería donde la familia Reyes han vivido desde siglos. Las vidas de las dos familias se habían entrelazado durante generaciones y la destrucción de la hacienda había golpeado a las dos familias con igual dolor y desastre. El misterio y la tragedia de la antigua hacienda atraen a los niños y los llevan a descubrir el secreto que los antiguos muros habían escondido por casi un siglo.
About the Author
B. Palma has enjoyed horseback riding all her life, especially in her youth in the State of Michoacan, Mexico, and show jumping in Mexico City with her husband. His true tales of growing up on his family’s sixteen haciendas and those of her adventurous youth in the Mexican countryside are woven into all of the Palo Alto adventures. Their lifetime love of horses is reflected by their years of equestrian show jumping. They now live in Mexico City and still ride every day.
Ms. Palma is the owner/director of two Montessori schools in Mexico City. She has a degree in Psychology, Summa Cum Laude, and a Masters in Education, specializing in Montessori Integrated Education.
She recently had an eight-page article published in the March centennial issue of the Montessori Life magazine.
A similar article will be published in the Alpha Delta Kappa International Teacher's Sorority's biannual journal; The Kappan
Recently she was awarded the Mexican National Press Circle's Special Award for Educational Merit, 2008
Her Elementary School has been officially acknowledged as a model school for the State of Mexico
Her next book, And Then, takes the young adventurers of her books forward ten years where their childhood friendships grow into the beginnings of lifetime relationships.
See ad in the New York Times.