The Queen of Water
Pg.1
As a little girl what did Virginia not know that she was descendant of?
She did not know she was a descendant of Inca
What is Inca?
The most powerful ancient civilization of South America
What are two different kinds of people that emerged in Ecuador?
Mestizos and indígenas
What did the mestizos think they were?
Were as white and precious and delicate as fresh bread, they spoke Spanish
and had fancy last names like Palacios and Cevallos. They were doctors and
dentists and teachers and bankers and landowner. They claimed they had
no Indian blood.
Why did mestizos keep out of the sun?
So they wouldn’t grow dark like Indians
Pg. 2
What was Virginia’s description of the indígenas?
Skin as rough and ruddy as freshly dug potatoes, cheeks chapped raw by
the sun and wind
What did the mestizos nickname the indígenas?
Longos; stupid, dirty, poor Indians
What did the grandparents of indígenas do for the mestizos?
They sold their land and then paid the mestizos half their harvest to rent
what was once theirs.
What age was Virginia when she left her world?
Seven
What was the name of Virginia’s village?
Yana Urku
Pg.3
Before dawn when Virginia was in her village, what did Virginia wake up to?
To the sound of creatures scurrying inside the wall near her head
According to Virginia, what is her house like in her village?
Her house is dark as a cave except for bits of blue lights coming through
the holes in the wall
Why does Virginia like her spot next to the wall in her village?
Her spot is cozy; she gets to lick honey in secret
What is in the crack of the wall next to where Virginia sleeps in her village?
Honey, black bees live in it; that sting terribly and make the best honey in
the world
What can Virginia see from her sleeping on the floor in her village?
She can see every corner of the house
What kind of blanket do Virginia’s parents sleep under?
Wool (Wool blanket on a bed frame made of scrap wood)
What does Virginia’s mother wake up in?
A white blouse that hands midway down her thighs
Pg. 4
What is Virginia’s mother routine when she walks up?
She would stand up and stretch then wrap a long dark anaco down her
waist, golden beads around her neck, and red beads around her wrists.
Then she would open the door so the morning light could come through.
Then light the cooking fire and the family would slurp steamy potato soup.
What kind of dreams did Virginia have in the village?
She always climb her favorite tree and shouts to the sheep, “I’m traveling
far from here,” and then her tree turns into a truck and she rides off to a
place where she can eat rice and meat and watermelon every day.
Pg. 5
What do the indígenas call the mestizos?
Mishus
Which mishus were at Virginia’s house, that Hermelinda informed Virginia of?
Alfonso and his wife & two others
What age was Zoyla & Gregoria when they were taken away from their homes?
Seven years old
What did Virginia & Zoyla used to do together?
Used to play market together while they pastured the animals
What fields did Virginia have to pass in order for her house to come into view?
The corn & potato fields
How did Virginia’s muscles tense when she saw the mishus sitting on the dirt
patio?
The way they do when I see dogs in the distance and I’m not quite sure if
they they’re nice or mean
Pg. 6
Explain the vicious dog situation Virginia experienced with Cheetah?
A vicious dog tried to attack Virginia; Cheetah hurled herself in front of
her and rose to her hind feet, bellowing “Maah maaah”
How did Virginia describe the mestiza’s that she would work for?
A thin mestizo man, and a fat mestiza woman with short hair and a polka
dot dress
What does Virginia throw on the floor, when she tells her mother she is not
going with the mishus?
She threw a stick on the floor
How does Virginia’s mother react when her daughter tells her she is not going
with the mishus?
She spits on her finger and rubs at the reddish brown spot-dried blood
from flea bite Virginia scratches too much- on Virginia that speckles the
sleeves of Virginia’s white blouse.
Pg. 7
What did Virginia have on her waist that her mother adjusted?
Faded purple faja; in frustration unwrapped the entire ribbon resulting in
the amaco, thick dark cotton, falling to the ground since the faja was no
longer holding it up.
Who were the people that were taking Virginia? Why were they taking Virginia?
Alfonso’s son and daughter-in-law; the need someone to take care of their
baby.
How much were Alfonso’s son and daughter-in-law going to pay Virginia’s
parents if she came to work for them?
They would pay a thousand sucres a month
Pg. 8
Where is Matilde?
In Quito (two hours away), working as a maid for mestizos
When does Matilde come to visit? When does Virginia prefer Matilde come?
She visits home once a month; Virginia would be happy if she came once a
year
What does Virginia’s mother give Matilde every time she comes to visit?
Mamita gives her the biggest potato from the soup (And goes on and on
how beautiful and plump and fair-skinned she is).
What did Mamita say to convince Virginia to want to work for the mestizos?
That they have a lot of fruit: mangoes, pineapples, and bananas
pg. 9
When is Virginia an expert at making deals to get what she wants?
When it comes to her goat, warm rolls, and purple lollipops
What words did Mamita say that stayed in Virginia’s head like rocks too heavy to
move out?
When her mother threw her arms up in anger and snapped, “Virginia, I'd
be happy if one day you left and never came back.”
pg.10
After Virginia’s parents made the deal for Virginia to go with Doctorita & Nino
Carlitos, what did they do?
Mamita goes inside to heat up soup for lunch, Papito heads for potato fields
After Virginia's parents finalized the deal for Virginia to leave, what did they
agree to?
The next day, Virginia would go to Alfonso's hacienda, and then leave with
his son & daughter-in-law for the half day truck ride to their town
pg.11
While in the mishus's truck what did Virginia have to whenever another truck
passed?
She would wind up the window fast so that the baby wouldn't breathe in
the clouds of dust. (Truck bounced over rocks all afternoon)
What career is Doctorita?
She is a dentist and a teacher
What do indigenas call their mestizo bosses?
Amo, or Patroncito
pg. 12
When did Virginia hear about what happened to her cousins, Zoyla & Gregoria?
She overheard her aunt and uncle talking about it when liquor had made
their faces red and damp and their tongues loose
When Virginia’s uncle was discussing about what happened to his daughters
what did he spit?
A glob of yellow phlegm
What does Misha copetona mean?
A mestiza lady with the ridiculous bun
When Virginia's aunt asked the mishus what happened to their daughter's what
did they reply?
That their girls don't care about their poor families and their filthy homes
anymore
Why doesn't Papito yell at Alfonso & Mariana?
Because that's where their money comes from
pg. 13
Name of the town that Doctorita lives in?
Kunu Yaku
How does Virginia describe Doctorita's apartment?
When you walk inside, red velvet fills the apartment, spilling over two fat
sofas, and two big armchairs. High up are two long windows. Cross stitched
roses in plastic frames hang from the walls, and crocheted doilies are
draped over every surface. A fern sits in the corner, and more plants dangle
from the ceiling. The apartment is one room, with a giant wooden
wardrobe dividing the living room from the bedroom.
What kind of blanket covers Doctorita's bed?
A fluffy icing-pink blanket with a white llama design, and two poufy
pillows, all facing a glorious TV
Where does Doctorita tell Virginia she will sleep and put her clothes?
Virginia was told to sleep on the gray sheepskin rug, and put her stuff into
a cardboard box with a folded up blanket inside.
Describe the blanket that Virginia received from Doctorita?
The blanket is orange and turquoise, crocheted in a zigzag pattern
pg. 14
Why did Marta want Virginia?
She wanted a little girl as a travel companion
What kind of business lady has Virginia always dreamed of becoming?
Like Marta, one who wears finely embroidered, shiny white blouses tucked
into soft black anacos hemmed with silvery trim, and thick gold beaded
necklaces. One who travels off to far off-lands, selling clothes and crafts to
foreigners and tourists.
The day that Mamita brought Virginia to Marta's house what did Marta feed
them?
Juicy meat
When Virginia first watched Marta's TV what was on it?
A skinny rabbit that was tall and gray, and used his paws as hands to hold a
carrot that talked and munched his carrot. With huge feet and long ears,
who put his hands on his hips and stuck out his bottom, which made
Virginia giggle.
pg. 15
What was Virginia in the middle of when somebody knocked on the door the
second day she was at Maria's?
She was In the middle of sipping sugary coffee and chewing delicious
bread
Who knocked on the door the second at day Virginia was at Maria's?
Mamita
Pg. 16
What was Mamita's reply to Virginia, when she asked why she didn't let her stay
at Maria's?
“You're my daughter. How could you think I'd send you away?”
pg.17
The second day Virginia was in Doctorita’s house, what was Doctorita blending
together in the mixer?
Blending together bananas and sugar and milk
How much water does Doctorita want Virginia to put in her husband’s rice?
Two jiggles
What does Doctorita’s family use to eat? What does Virginia use to eat?
White china plates rimmed with little red flowers. Carve vines weave up
the handles of their silverware. And Virginia eats out of a gray metal plate
and cup and a dented spoon
What is Virginia supposed to do when it comes to dinner?
She is supposed to make sure the family has everything they need, and then
she may sit down. If their glasses are low with juice, she is supposed to hop
up and ask if they want more.
What does Nino Carlitos call Doctorita the first time Virginia eats dinner with
them?
La Negra, the Black Woman
What does Doctorita eat after Nino Carlitos called her a Black Woman?
She drinks two more glasses of sugary banana milk and eats three sweet
rolls
Pg. 18
Where is Virginia supposed to wash the dishes? How is she supposed to wash the
dishes?
On a cement patio, there is a concrete sink. Adding three soap powder to
add and three cupful’s of water to use for rinsing.
How many times is Virginia told to fold back the sheet when making the bed?
Three