Shadow of a Bull

by Maia Wojciechowska

  “Give them a great faena,” Emilio said patting him on the back.

  I’ll do a series of naturales and derechasos, Manolo thought, just those, nothing more, and I’ll do them well. But his knees were no longer strong; they seemed to buckle under him as he ran out. He was remembering the problems he had had with the muleta. The passes were so difficult. He had never been pleased with them. Never in all those nights. This then would be the time when he would know. And it would be as he had decided, when he was in there with Castillo. If he did well, he would be a bullfighter; not because they wanted it but because he wanted it. But if he knew, knew as he fought the bull, that this was not what he wanted, then he would tell them so. He would not be pushed into what he did not want. No one could say that he had not tried. And he, himself, would know that he was brave.

  “Ehe toro!” He meant to shout it, but it came out as a whisper. “Ehe toro!” He repeated it again louder, but not the same as the first joyful cry, the cry with the cape.

  As the bull moved, Manolo tried to change his hands; it would be better not to try it with his left, but to do it with his right. He needed more distance, he thought; but the animal was almost upon him. He jumped back without having made a pass and was surprised to see that the muleta was no longer in his hand but on the bull’s tossing head. Emilio Juarez ran out, lifted the cloth off the horns, and shouted to Manolo.

  It is no use, Manolo thought, concentrating all his will power on making his tired legs move toward Emilio. From now on it would be cheating them. He could see that. He had proved to himself that he could do it, but he was not good enough for the faena; and he did not want to be. When the bull rushed toward him, he kept his ground but the pass, a derechaso, was made jerkily, far too short. The bull recharged very fast, and Manolo was not yet ready for him. All he managed this time was an inept movement of the hand that brought the bull’s neck in a punishing twist toward the ground.

  It was time to make a decision. Either he went on cheating them, and himself, or he did the thing he knew now he must do. He was right below the seats. He looked up at the Count and then at Castillo, and it was to Castillo that he spoke:

  “I will not fight this brave bull.” The voice, strong and loud, sounded unfamiliar to Manolo. “I am not like my father. I do not want to become a bullfighter.”

  “But, Manolo!” It was the Count. “You were magnificent with the cape. Perhaps you need a little work with the muleta, but that can be done. Go on, boy. You will be very good.”

  “No.” Manolo was very sure now. “If I were to become a bullfighter, I would be like ‘El Magnifico’; but at least he has afición. I do not. It is because I do not want to cheat you that I will not continue. You came to see a bullfighter born. There is a boy here who could be as great as my father was. His name is also Juan.”

  He did not ask the Count’s permission but walked a few steps toward Juan.

  “This is your bull, Juan.”

  “But, Manolo …” the Count protested. Then looking at Castillo and again at Manolo, he said stiffly, “All right, let the boy fight.”

  As he jumped into the ring, tears ran down Juan’s cheeks. His face looked quite blurred to Manolo, because he, too, had tears in his eyes.

  As he turned, he looked up at the six men, expecting to see anger and disappointment written plainly on their faces. But if it had been there, it was gone. For Juan was in the ring and the men were watching breathlessly as he took the bull in a brilliant series of naturales. They, and everyone else, were on their feet. Shouts of Olé echoed through the enclosure.

  Manolo walked slowly to the empty seats. The old doctor motioned for him to sit down.

  “Now,” said the doctor gruffly, “you will have time to come to my clinic after school. I need help there.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “You didn’t fool me,” the doctor said. And for the first time a smile lit up his wrinkled face. “I knew you were no bullfighter. But I did think, after seeing you just that once, that you might make a fine doctor. You think that, too, don’t you? And you know that I intend to help you.”

  “Yes, sir,” For the first time, in what seemed like a long time, Manolo smiled, too.

  “Don’t think you’ll become a doctor without cleaning floors and washing bedpans. That’s what you’ll be doing, at first. The learning will take time. And hard work.”

  “I know.”

  Then in silence he and the doctor watched Juan García, fourteen, and the bull “Castalon the Second,” make bullfighting history. As he watched them, there was a sadness in Manolo, but no jealousy. Sadness, for there was much beauty in the sight on the yellow sand and he was not part of that beauty. But there was no jealousy because he was sure what it was he wanted to do with his life. And his father’s life, bullfighting, would stay a part of him, as it always had been, but in a different way than anyone had planned.

  Glossary of Bullfighting Terms

  Afición (ah-fee-see-own), love for bullfighting; also refers to a group of people who are familiar with bullfighting; bullfight fans.

  Aficionado (ah-fee-see-own-ah-doh), dedicated fan of the art of bullfighting, also amateur bullfighter.

  Alguacil (ahl-wah-ceel), mounted constable who opens the bullfight by riding ahead of the bullfighters and who relays the orders of the president of the bull ring to the bullfighters. He is always dressed in a Philip II costume.

  Alternativa (ahl-ter-nah-tee-vah), ceremony in which a novillero becomes a matador de toros.

  Banderillas (bahn-dah-reel-yahs), steel-barbed wooden shafts, about 28 inches long, decorated with paper. These are placed in the bull’s withers after the picadors have retired and before the bullfighter begins working with the muleta. Banderillas are placed in pairs, six in all, either by the bullfighter himself or one of his banderilleros.

  Banderillero (bahn-dah-reel-yero), one whose duty it is to place banderillas. Each bullfighter, during a formal corrida, has three banderilleros who also assist the bullfighter in testing out the bull’s charges.

  Barrera (bah-re-rah), wooden fence around the arena; also first row of stands or seats running around the bull ring.

  Burladero (boor-lah-they-roh), narrow opening into the arena with wooden shield in front. This acts as protection for the men who can enter and leave from the sides. It stands about a foot away from the fence and several of these are found long the circular fence that encloses the bull ring.

  Callejón (cahl-eh-hone), passageway between the barrera and the stands. This is where the bullfighter’s cuadrilla, if not inside the ring or behind the burladero, is found. Some members of the press, especially the photographers, are usually allowed inside the passageway which is otherwise reserved only for bullfighters, their helpers and the bull breeder.

  Capea (cah-pay-ah), informal bullfight in small villages where there are no bull rings in which amateurs and aspirant bullfighters take part without the benefit of picadors. These events are usually held during local fiestas and the bulls used have more often than not been fought at other capeas.

  Chicuelina (cheek-well-ee-nah), cape pass invented by the bullfighter Chicuelo in which the bull passes by the man’s side and not in front of him. The man offers the cape to the bull and as the bull charges, the man makes a pirouette in which the cape wraps itself around his body. At the end of the turn the man faces the bull to make another chicuelina.

  Corrida de toros (cor-ree-da deh tor-rohs), or simply corrida, literally a running of the bulls; a bullfight. One may say, I am going to una corrida; or a los toros.

  Cuadrilla (cwa-dreel-yah), the matador’s helpers, his banderilleros, picadors and sword handler (mozo de estoque).

  Derechaso (deh-re-chah-soh), see natural.

  Faena (fah-eh-nah), the last and the most important part of a bullfight when the muleta is used.

  Fiesta (fee-yes-tah), feast day, holiday, a saint’s name day.

  Fiesta Brava (fee-yes-tah, brah-vah), literally, the brave spectacle; a bullfight.r />
  Fiesta de los Toros (fee-yes-tah-day loss tor-rohs), literally, the feast of the bulls; a bullfight.

  Ganadería (gahn-nah-deh-ree-ah), ranch where the fighting bulls are raised. Also the particular strain of brave bulls.

  Ganadero (gahn-nah-deh-roh), a breeder of brave bulls.

  Gaonera (gah-oh-neh-rah), a cape pass named after its inventor, the Mexican bullfighter, Gaona. It is done during the quite by holding the cape behind the man’s body and luring the bull past the man’s chest.

  Lidia (lee-dee-ah), combat; bullfight; also used in “toros de lidia” meaning fighting bulls.

  Mandar (mahn-dahr), literally, to send on; to control. It means to excert mastery over the bull and not let the animal dominate but rather make it obey the cloth, either the cape or the muleta.

  Mantilla (mahn-tee-ah), lace head covering used in Spain by the women. While women wear almost always a black mantilla, young girls often wear white. In Andalusia during fiestas the women wear mantillas over large combs and the lace falls over their hair like veils.

  Manzanilla (man-zah-nee-yea), light, dry sherry wine, drunk in Andalusia by everyone associated with bullfighting.

  Mariposa (mah-ree-poh-zah), literally, butterfly, a pass with the cape held over the shoulders, the man facing the bull. The man zig-zags slowly backwards luring the bull with one, then the other side of the cape. Invented by Marcial Lalanda, it is used during the quites.

  Matador (mah-tah-dohr), killer; killer of bulls; a bullfighter who has received his alternativa.

  Media-veronica (meh-d-ya veh-roh-nee-kah), half-veronica. After a series of veronicas the man gathers the cape to one side of his body and the bull is made to take a very sharp turn following the cape and has to pause from the exertion of turning his neck at a sharp angle.

  Monosabios (moh-noh-sah-bee-yos), literally, wise monkeys; the ring attendants whose chief function is to help the picadors to maneuver into position.

  Montera (mohn-teh-rah), the black hat worn by bullfighters.

  Muleta (moo-leh-tah), red flannel cape used in the last part of the bullfight. It is heart-shaped and draped over a wooden stick. The muleta may be held in the right hand, over the sword, and passes made thus are called derechasos. Or it may be held in the left hand; these are the most dangerous of passes, since the distance between bull and bullfighter is considerably reduced; these left-handed passes are called naturales.

  Natural (nah-too-rahl), see above. The classic pass with the muleta in which the bull follows the palm of the bullfighter’s hand. Fundamental pass of bullfighting, the most emotional of all and most dangerous when done with the left hand. (Some people call passes done with the right hand natural con la derecha but derechasos is the more commonly used name.)

  Novillada (noh-veel-yah-dah), bullfight with bulls under four years of age.

  Novillero (noh-veel-yeh-roh), a bullfighter before he takes his alternativa; one who fights novillos.

  Novillo (noh-veel-oh), a bull under four years of age.

  Número Uno (noo-meh-roh oo-noh), literally, number one, or the best; the champion.

  Olé (oh-lay), roughly “bravo”; shout of approval heard at bullfights and also during performance of flamenco dancing and singing.

  Parar (pah-rahr), literally, to stand one’s ground; to keep the feet from moving away from the bull’s charge.

  Pase de pecho (pah-seh deh pe-choh), chest pass made with the muleta held in the left hand at the finish of a series of naturales. The bull charges by the man’s chest and is sent away with a forward sweep of the muleta.

  Paso-doble (pah-soh doh-bleh), music played at bullfights. When played during the faena it is as homage to a great fight. Many paso-dobles were written in honor or memory of great bullfighters. Also a two-step music which can be danced to.

  Picador (pee-cah-dorr), a mounted man whose mission it is to slow down the bull’s charges and abate his energy by wounding him in the withers with the pura, a pick to which an iron shaft is attached. Strict rules govern the picking of the bulls, but unfortunately they are not always observed in spite of the fact that over-picking is punishable by fines and the ire of the crowd.

  Plaza (plah-zah), usually the main square of the town; plaza de toros means bull ring.

  Pundonor (poon-doh-norr), honor, a most precious quality to a Spaniard, a sense of obligation to do one’s best at all times which honorable bullfighters feel and dishonorable ones lack.

  Querencia (kway-rain-see-ah), bull’s arbitrary refuge inside the arena; literally, beloved spot. Bulls which are not particularly brave always chose a spot inside the bull ring to which they return or sometimes do not want to leave at all. Their charges, when lured away from the querencia, can be extremely dangerous because they are on the defensive; but as they head back to their querencia, they are not at all dangerous and the bullfighter is said to have a “free tip” on such a pass. Not only cowardly bulls search out and find their “beloved spot,” brave bulls also do this; such spots are often in the place where the horse has stood or the bull’s blood had been spilled.

  Quite (kee-tay), the act of taking the bull away from the horse or from a man who is in danger or has been gored. The passes used in taking the bull away from the picador are the fancy passes such as mariposas, gaoneras, chicuelinas. When a quite is made to save a bullfighter, it is merely a movement of the cape to distract the bull’s attention.

  Rebolera (ray-boh-lay-rah), a cape pass which ends a series of quites or veronicas in which the man swirls the cape in a circle around himself as he stands still and brings the bull to a sharp stop.

  Templar (tem-plah-rr), to adopt the movement of the lure to the speed of the charging bull. It is the aim of the bullfighter to make the passes as slowly as the bull will allow without hooking into the lure. It is, of course, up to the bullfighter to try to impose the desired speed on the animal. Unfortunately those who are not able to mandar and parar can never hope to be able to templar.

  Tienta (tee-yen-tah), testing of the young bulls and heifers. The bulls are tested only with picadors to determine their bravery in receiving punishment. The pic used is much smaller than that used during bullfights. The cows are tested both on foot and by picadors. The ganadero observes these testings most carefully to determine how the animals will be mated, and whether or not the bulls are to be sent to bullfights as novillos or full-grown.

  Toreo (toh-ray-oh), the art of bullfighting.

  Toreristas (tohr-ray-ree-stahs), fans of the bullfighters as opposed to those who give their preference to the bulls and admire the animals more than they do the men who fight them.

  Torero (tohr-ray-roh), bullfighter; this term also includes banderilleros, picadors and matadors as novilleros. But to say: “he is a great torero” is to refer only to the matador.

  Toril (tohr-reel), the gate through which the bull comes into the arena; commonly known as the gate of fears.

  Toristas (tohr-ree-stahs), those who admire the bulls and know more about them than they care to know about the toreros.

  Toro de bandera (tohr-roh deh bahn-deh-rah), a bull superior in bravery.

  Traje de luces (trah-hee deh loo-cez), suit of lights, formal bullfighter’s dress worn at all professional bullfights except benefit fights and capeas.

  Veronica (vay-roh-nee-kah), the most classic of all cape passes, one which proves or disproves, depending on how it is done, the bullfighter’s real art with the cape. It is done by holding the cape with both hands and moving it smoothly in front of the bull and alongside the man’s body. Because when the cape is offered to the bull it looks like the handkerchief St. Veronica offered to Christ, it has been named in honor of that saint.

  Maia Wojciechouska’s family fled Poland during World War II and emigrated to the United States after the war. She worked as an undercover detective, a motorcycle racer, a translator for Radio Free Europe, and a bullfighter before turning to writing. She was a friend of Ernest Hemingway, who said she knew more about bullfighting than any other woman. />