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

[ASAKA, spoken]
Sheltered in a tree by Asaka—

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

[PAPA GE, spoken]
Against the power of death—

[GODS, spoken]
On this island of two different worlds!

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE), spoken]
The story of Ti Moune!

[ERZULIE, ANDREA, MAMA, PAPA GE, ARMAND, ASAKA, AGWE, MEN]
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 EURALIE]
Tonton Julian

(spoken)
Asaka is smiling again, Julian. 

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

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

[STORYTELLER (WOMAN 1)]
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, spoken]
Waah!

[TONTON, spoken]
What kind of bird is that?

[MAMA, spoken]
Look! There!

(sung)
One small face, two small knees

[TONTON, spoken]
Why are you up there?

[MAMA, spoken]
What is your name?

(sung)
The girl can’t speak

[TONTON]
And they’re to blame
Agwe probably meant to kill her!

[MAMA, spoken]
Then she’d be dead. 
[TONTON]
It’s possible he forgot

[MAMA]
Shh! The gods don’t forget

[TONTON]
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, spoken]
And we have no room and no food. 

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

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]
No!

[ERZULIE, spoken]
And discovered she could speak after all. 

[STORYTELLERS (DANIEL, ARMAND, TONTON)]
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, AGWE, 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, spoken]
What does "Ti Moune" mean, Mama?

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

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]
Why?

[TONTON, spoken]
Because the gods willed it. 

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]
Why?

[MAMA, spoken]
Perhaps they saved you for something special. 

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]
What is it?

[MAMA, spoken]
Ti Moune, if we knew why the gods did the things they do, we would be gods ourselves!

[LITTLE GIRL, spoken]
Someday I’m going to ask them, Mama!

[MAMA, spoken]
Foolish girl! Run and hide!

[MAMA, TONTON, ASAKA, AGWE, PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, WOMEN)]
Sweet as a eucalyptus
And terrible as a tempest

[MAMA, PAPA GE, ASAKA, TONTON, AGWE STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, WOMAN)]
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, AGWE, ANDREA, ARMAND, STORYTELLERS (MEN)]
One small girl

[PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (WOMEN)]
One small girl

[MAMA, TONTON]
One small girl

[ERZULIE, ASAKA, AGWE, STORYTELLERS (ANDREA, ARMAND, MAN 2)]
One small girl

[PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (WOMEN)]
One small girl

[MAMA, TONTON PAPA GE, STORYTELLERS (ARMAND, MEN, WOMAN)]
One small girl

[MAMA, TONTON]
In a tree

[ALL (EXCEPT TI MOUNE, DANIEL)]
Ooh, ooh way ooh ooh, ooh way ooh