1. Slide 1
La Cucarachita Martina Gets Married
A Tale from Cuba
Imagine that you are a character in a story and you want to get married. How would you find someone to marry?
Once upon a time, there was an attractive and clean cockroach known as La Cucarachita Martina. One day La Cucarachita Martina decided it was time to be married.
Now Martina had many suitors. “But how can I tell which one will make the best husband?” she wondered as she swept her porch. Then she had an idea.
“I will sit right here on my porch and when my suitors arrive I will ask each one to sing for me. That way I will know who my husband should be.”
So La Cucarachita Martina put on her prettiest dress and sat on her porch to wait.

2. Slide 2
La Cucarachita Martina Gets Married
A Tale from Cuba (Cont.)
Soon, Señor Cat passed by. “How beautiful you look today, Cucarachita Martina! Will you marry me?”
Martina said, “Come onto my porch and show how you will sing to me if I marry you.”
Señor Cat leaped onto the porch, and bowed low. Then he meowed, “Meow, meow, meow, meeeeoooowwww!”
“Oh, no!” said Martina. “Your meowing will frighten me. I cannot marry you.”
Señor Cat was broken-hearted as he departed.
Next came Señor Rooster. “How beautiful you look today, Cucarachita Martina! You are the most beautiful cucarachita in the world. Will you marry me?
Martina said. “Surely you exaggerate about my beauty. But come onto my porch and show how you will sing to me if I marry you.”
Señor Rooster strutted onto the porch and bowed low.
He crowed, “Cock-a-doodle-dooooooo!”
“Oh, no!” said Martina. “Your crowing is too loud for me. I cannot marry you.”
Señor Rooster’s eyes filled with tears as he departed.

3. Slide 3
La Cucarachita Martina Gets Married
A Tale from Cuba (Cont.)
In a while, Señor Dog passed by. “How beautiful you look today! Will you marry me?”
“Come onto my porch and show how you will you sing to me if I marry you.”
Señor Dog jumped onto the porch and bowed low. He barked, “Bow-wow, bow-wow, bow-woooooow!”
As he sang, he gestured by pointing to his heart and then to Martina’s.
“Oh, no!” said Martina. “Your barking will keep me awake. I cannot marry you.”
Señor Dog sobbed quietly as he departed.
Not much later came Señor Frog. “How beautiful you look today, Cucarachita Martina! Will you marry me?”
Martina said, “Hop onto my porch and show how you will sing to me if I marry you.”
Señor Frog bowed low. He croaked,“Gribbit, griiiibbbbiiit!”
“Oh, no!” said Martina. “Your croaking hurts my ears. I cannot marry you.”
Señor Frog left with a heavy heart.

4. Slide 4
La Cucarachita Martina Gets Married
A Tale from Cuba (Cont.)
By now it was getting late, and Martina was about to go inside. Just then, Señor Pérez the Mouse passed by. Señor Pérez was a kind and sweet little mouse. He smiled at Martina and said in his most soothing voice, “How beautiful you look today, Cucarachita Martina! Will you marry me?”
Martina said, “Come onto the porch and show how you will sing to me if I marry you.”
Señor Pérez came onto the porch and bowed low. He sang in his soft, melodious voice, “Chu-ee, chu-ee, chu-ee!”
“Oh, what a soothing voice you have, Señor Pérez!” said Martina. “It sounds like music to me. Yes, I will marry you!”
La Cucarachita Martina and Señor Pérez the Mouse were married the very next day. Señor Pérez sang to Martina every day after that—chu-ee, chu-ee, chu-ee. Martina listened to his soothing voice, which sounded like music to her. And the two of them lived happily ever after.
Unit 3, Week 2
1. What animals do you think are attractive? Why?
2. Where do you go when you depart from school?
3. How could you exaggerate when telling about a trip to the zoo?
4. What gesture might you use to show you like someone?
5. Which can leap higher, a grasshopper or a cat?
6. Which sounds melodious, an orchestra playing or cars honking their horns?
7. Would you sob if you were very happy or very sad?
8. What is soothing for you?
9. If someone struts, are they showing off or shy?
10. What does the suitor of a woman hope for?