Part One, Section 4 (through page 32) Summary and Analysis

Ernie and his cousins begin the day as usual. Coronel, proud and confident, watches over the corral and his hens. The boys finish their morning chores and return to the corral to lead Coronel and the hens out to the street. As Ernie watches, Coronel jumps on the back of one of the hens in an attempt to mate. Ernie, not understanding the situation, is alarmed. When he calls for his aunt, she advises him to leave the rooster alone. Ernie's surprise at the rooster's action indicates that this is his perhaps his first perception of masculinity and sexuality. The incident ends quickly.

Later, the hens are in the street picking among the garbage. Nearby, a buzzard, or zopilote, is intently chewing on some piece of waste. One of the hens, curious, moves...