[AGWÉ] (spoken)
The story begins on the night of a flood. Many huts washed away, many peasants drowned by Agwé's angry waters. But one small girl was spared. An orphan plucked from the flood by Agwé—

[ASAKA]
Sheltered in a tree by Asaka—

[ERZULIE]
And sent on a journey by the gods. A journey that would test the strength of love—

[PAPA GE]
Against the power of death—

[GODS]
On this island of two different worlds!

[ALL (except TI MOUNE)]
The story of Ti Moune!

[ERZULIE, PAPA GE, ASAKA, AGWÉ, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, MAMA EURALIE, ARMAND, & MEN)] (sung)
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

[GODS]
AT LAST, THE STORM SUBSIDED
AND THE MORNING SUN GLOWED
AND TWO OLD PEASANTS
CAME CAUTIOUSLY DOWN THE ROAD

[TONTON JULIAN]
MAMA EURALIE.

[MAMA]
TONTON JULIAN

[MAMA] (spoken)
Asaka is smiling again, Julian.

[TONTON]
This morning, she smiles. Last night, she tried to blow our heads off!

[MAMA]
Hahahaha! Ah, Julian, just listen to those birds!

[STORYTELLER (WOMAN 1)] (sung)
COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO
[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, & WOMEN)]
COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO

[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)] (spoken)
Waah!

[TONTON]
What kind of bird is that?

[MAMA]
Look! There!

[MAMA] (sung)
ONE SMALL FACE, TWO SMALL KNEES

[TONTON] (spoken)
Why are you up there?

[MAMA]
What is your name?

[MAMA] (sung)
THE GIRL CAN'T SPEAK

[TONTON]
AND THEY'RE TO BLAME
AGWÉ PROBABLY MEANT TO KILL HER!

[MAMA] (spoken)
Then she'd be dead.

[TONTON] (sung)
IT'S POSSIBLE HE FORGOT

[MAMA] (spoken)
Shh! The gods don't forget!

[TONTON] (sung)
THEN THEY HAD SOME REASON TO SPARE HER LIFE

[MAMA, & TONTON]
IT'S BEST THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT
ONE SMALL GIRL...

[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, & MAN 1)]
ONE SMALL GIRL...

[MAMA, & TONTON]
BETTER NOT

[TONTON] (spoken)
But we're too old for children.

[MAMA]
And we have no room and no food.

[ERZULIE]
And not knowing quite why, they followed their hearts back to the tree, gently lifted the terrified child down...

[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)]
No!

[ERZULIE]
And discovered she could speak after all.

[TONTON, STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, & ARMAND)] (sung)
ONE SMALL GIRL

[MAMA]
IN THE WAY
CONSTANTLY HUNGRY

[TONTON]
LEARNING TOO QUICK!

[MAMA, TONTON, STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, & ARMAND)]
ONE SMALL GIRL HARD AT PLAY

[TONTON]
SHE MAKES ME SMILE

[MAMA]
AH, SHE SCARES ME SICK!

[ERZULIE]
AND THEY SCOLDED AND TEASED AND HELD HER
AND MENDED THE CLOTHES SHE TORE

[ERZULIE, PAPA GE, ASAKA, AGWÉ, STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND, MEN, & WOMEN)]
AND THE HUT WAS CROWDED AND FOOD WAS SCARCE
AND SOMEHOW, THEIR LIVES HELD MORE

[MAMA, TONTON, STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND, & WOMEN)]
ONE SMALL GIRL
TO LIVE FOR

[ERZULIE] (spoken)
They named her "Desirée Dieu-Donné," or "God-Given Desire." But in their affection, they called her simply—

[ALL (except TI MOUNE)]
Ti Moune.

[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)]
What does "Ti Moune" mean, Mama?

[MAMA]
It means "Little Orphan." You're our sweet little orphan. We found you, and now your life is forever in our care.

[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)]
Why?

[TONTON]
Because the gods willed it.

[LITTLE GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)]
Why?

[MAMA]
Perhaps they saved you for something special.

[LITTLE GIRL (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 GIRL (LITTLE TI MOUNE)]
Someday I'm going to ask them, Mama!

[MAMA]
Foolish girl! Run and hide!

[MAMA, TONTON, ASAKA, AGWÉ, PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, & WOMEN)] (sung)
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—

[STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, ARMAND, MEN, & WOMEN)]
ONE

[MAMA]
NOT SO SMALL

[TONTON]
LOST IN THOSE DAYDREAMS

[MAMA]
DAY AFTER DAY

[TONTON]
CALL HER NAME

[MAMA]
NO, DON'T CALL

[MAMA, & TONTON]
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

[MAMA, & TONTON]
AND MY ARMS CAN'T HOLD HER AND KEEP HER SMALL
BUT ALL THAT MY HEART CAN SEE
IS ONE SMALL GIRL

[ERZULIE, ASAKA, AGWÉ, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, ARMAND, & MEN)]
ONE SMALL GIRL

[PAPA GE, & STORYTELLERS (WOMEN)]
ONE SMALL GIRL

[MAMA, & TONTON]
ONE SMALL GIRL

[ERZULIE, ASAKA, AGWÉ, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, ARMAND, & MAN 2)]
ONE SMALL GIRL

[PAPA GE, & STORYTELLERS (WOMEN)]
ONE SMALL GIRL

[MAMA, TONTON, PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (ARMAND, MEN, & WOMEN)]
ONE SMALL GIRL

[MAMA, & TONTON]
IN A TREE

[ALL (except TI MOUNE, & DANIEL)]
OOH, OOH WAY OOH OOH, OOH WAY OOH