Nachttänze der Indianer

On a scorching November afternoon the solitary narrator sits outside his jungle hut, reading, when a neighboring Indian rides up and invites him to an evening celebration. The visitor, proud of his newly learned guitar skills, promises music, dancing, and a simple meal, insisting that the only thing missing is a cook’s wage. Though the narrator has grown accustomed to the quiet of the forest, he feels a sudden surge of curiosity and agrees to join the gathering before night falls.

The clearing soon fills with the rustle of palms and the arrival of families on horses, mules and donkeys, each bringing children, tortillas and the scent of fresh coffee. Women in modest, hand‑stitched dresses and colorful shawls prepare themselves, while the men, in worn shirts and straw hats, warm themselves with blankets as the full moon rises. As the first chords are struck on the guitar, the community begins to sway, and the listener can already sense the rhythm of a night that will last until dawn.