Mañanaland

Buelo and Max settle in for an evening of storytelling. Max tells the story he made up about a giant, indecisive serpent who made the winding river in Santa Maria. Buelo tells the story of “The Secret Bridge and the Guardabarrera,” asking Max to help him tell it. Buelo tells this story to Max often. It’s about a secret bridge just beyond The Bridge of a Thousand Mallards. At the secret bridge there is a strange gatekeeper, or guardabarrera, named Yadra. The people say Yadra is a troll, or a river witch. The guardabarrera collects lost things in her cavern, including “answers to perplexing questions” (46). Buelo shares instructions for finding Yadra, including greeting her at the door with the code: “I am a pilgrim, true of heart” (47). Buelo tells Max that if he is brave enough to find her, Yadra might take Max on the river where he can “hold tomorrow in the palm of [his] hand” (47). Buelo says he has visited Yadra many times over the years and has even held tomorrow, though of course it’s just a story.