Original subtitles

It is the 16th century.

From all over Europe, great ships sail west to conquer the new world, the

Americas. The men eager to seek their fortune, to find new adventures in new

lands. They long to cross uncharted seas and discover unknown countries, to find

secret gold on a mountain trail high in the Andes.

They dream of following the path of the setting sun that leads to El Dorado.

And the mysterious cities of gold.

Children of the sun. See your time has just begun.

Searching for your ways.

Through adventures every day. Every day and night.

With the...

With all your friends in tow, you search for the cities of gold.

Ah, wishing for the cities of

gold.

Ah,

something we will find, the cities of gold.

Father Rodriguez, who looked after Esteban since he was a baby, tells him a

great secret on his deathbed.

Somewhere his father may still be alive.

So Esteban decides to begin his search in the new world. With the help of

Mendoza, a mysterious man who claims to have rescued him as a baby, Esteban

hides at the stowaway aboard the Esperanza.

As they are about to set sail, he meets a young Inca girl, Zia.

may never see barcelona again not for months and months it's the city festival

today yes i'd like to have stayed

Esperanza's leaving Barcelona.

Look, the cathedral's getting smaller and smaller.

Watch out, Esteban.

Oops. Oh, you're right. I forgot I was supposed to wait for Mendoza's signal

before I came out.

on the side of the ship.

Huh?

If a storm hits us, we could be in for trouble.

Know what, Zia? I'll bet no one on the whole ship knows we're here.

Wait a second. Where did you get that medallion?

Look. It's just like mine.

See this?

I've had it since I was a baby. It was around my neck when they found me.

They're exactly alike, but yours doesn't have the bit in the middle, the sun.

Mendoza has it. He took it when I was a baby, when he saved me from drowning.

I don't like Mendoza. He's a wicked man.

He's not as bad as all that.

After all, he saved my life and arranged for me to hide aboard this ship to make

the crossing. Maybe, but he's the man who kidnapped me so he could steal the

treasure from my people.

What?

He's like all the Spaniards. All Mendoza cares about is his gold.

when I said that.

Anyway, you're not really Spanish.

From now on, I'm here and I'll protect you. We'll always be together, all

Good grief, the ship's timbers are rotten.

Mendoza!

Mendoza! Mendoza!

You never told us what you're going to do with Esteban, huh?

Nothing. Nothing for the moment. But we must make sure that he is not

discovered. It would only make trouble for us.

Don't you feel well?

No, I feel awful. Pain in my chest.

You're seasick. You need fresh air. It'll make you feel better.

Here, come with me.

Oh!

Hey, where did you two come from? Too late.

The captain of the guard has spotted them.

You young scoundrels, don't you realize we're out in the middle of the ocean?

Don't keep shaking me like that.

Shake, eh?

Everything's spinning around.

Where's he taking them? What'll he do to them?

Knowing Captain Gaspar, he's quite capable of throwing them overboard.

But then we would never find the cities of gold.

These two children are the result of ten long years of research.

I won't let Gaspar take them away. Come on, throw this.

Captain Perez!

Stop it! You're hurting me! Let me go, you big old... Hey!

Come on, DeGomez. Look, I found these two stowaways that were hiding down in

hold. I don't feel so good.

Listen, Perez, I told you to put the girl on board, but can you explain the

presence of this boy on ship? I don't understand your excellency. Mendoza was

told to take only the girl Zia.

This could be a very awkward situation.

I didn't mean to let Gaspar in on all of this. You know that.

Captain Perez, just what is going on? I don't know what plot you are brewing on

this ship, but one thing is sure. Neither of these children is supposed to

aboard the Esperanza. You, come here!

I'm waiting for an explanation.

The voyage to the new world will take us five months. It's not going to be easy.

Food rations are calculated very closely, and I do not intend to give any

to useless mouths.

Sir, being captain to Governor Pizarro does not entitle you to speak to me in

that tone. I protest, sir. It is quite intolerable.

And yet, Captain, sooner or later, you too will have to make a full accounting

to Governor Pizarro. Will you stay still for two seconds?

I'm strongly tempted to throw the two of them overboard.

Unless, of course, you are willing to give up your own rations for them.

That's enough. I am commander on this ship, the only master aboard. And

of the army or not, you have to bow to my authority.

Well, if you say so.

The stowaways. I'll throw overboard sooner or later. This way, little ones.

Help! Help!

Help!

Please, help!

Don't! Please!

What is this? Who dares asking you alive?

Captain Gaspar, these children are under my protection on board, and I request

that in future you do them no harm. What's that? What's he going on about?

I'm going to cut you into little pieces.

I am Mendoza, the fleet navigator, and I am the only man aboard who knows how to

pilot the Esperanza through the dreaded straits across the south tip of the new

continent. Well, now, that's splendid.

Are you a sailor? You know the custom. It'll give me great pleasure to watch

toss these two into the drink.

Otherwise... They are not stowaways.

This young girl is known to Senor Gomez.

Isn't that right?

And to you too, Captain Perez.

And this boy is Esteban, the boy who can command the sun.

Everyone in Barcelona knows his great power and you want to throw him

Very well,

that's enough, Captain Gaspar. Put up your sword. You heard him, Captain. His

Excellency orders you to leave these children alone.

Obey him.

We'll meet again, Mendoza. One day I'll make you pay for this.

All the rest of you, heave through! Back to work!

Mendoza, all that I asked you to do was arrange for the girl Zia. You very

nearly ruined our entire venture.

I thought I was doing the right thing, sir. You must be aware of the terrible

state of the ship.

Yes, of course. When the crew discovers what a state the masts and sails and

ropes are in, how will they react? What do you think, Captain?

Answer him, Captain.

Well, uh... It's too late to turn back now.

Isn't it, Captain?

The crew knows that Esteban, the child of the sun, is here with us. They will

feel safer in the storms. Even in an old wreck like this, they won't be afraid.

I think in my place, you might have done the same thing.

Uh...

Well, yes, quite so.

Well, Mendoza, you are satisfied now, are you not?

Then I believe there is nothing more to be said.

Senor Gomez, may I ask you what arrangements are to be made about the

Well, let us say that they are your responsibility until we arrive.

Thank you, sir. Thank you, Captain Perez.

Esteban, Zia, follow me.

A clever fellow, your navigator, my dear Perez. He's a bit too clever for my

liking. There is always the chance that once we're in sight of the city of Lima,

he may have had the bad luck to fall overboard.

Yes.

God, Esteban, it'll be all right.

On my first voyage, it took me three days to get used to the sea rolling.

days? Oh, I didn't know it would be as bad as that.

Esteban, where are you going? Stay here.

Leave me alone.

Don't keep talking to me. I want to be alone.

You're not being very kind to me. You told me that we would never be

Oh, that's better. If I'd known what traveling on a ship would be like, I'm

sure I would have come.

Well, Captain Gaspar, now you know the reason why the governor ordered me to

bring him the girl Zia.

Yes, yes, the cities of gold.

I've heard of them. But is there really a mountain of gold? You'll receive your

share.

But you must promise me not to harm those children. As for Mendoza, there

be time enough for you to take your revenge.

Once we have arrived in Lima, we shall no longer require his services. Then you

may dispose of Mendoza as you wish. Very well. I'll obey your orders, but it

means that I must put up with him on board the ship for another five months.

cannot hide the fact explicitly that would be painful.

Without Mendoza, Captain Perez would be quite unable to take the ship through

the Straits of Magellan. So I must ask you, my dear captain, to be patient.

revenge will only be the sweeter.

Oh, oh, the monsters. I must go and warn Mendoza.

So, they won't try anything as long as they need me to sail the ship through

straits. I also heard that they're expecting Zia to show them the way to

mysterious cities of gold.

I will never show them the way. I will never betray my people.

Don't go too far away. As long as I am here, you're safe.

And Gaspar will never disobey Gomez.

For how long?

It is going to seem a long, long time before we get to Lima.

Try to amuse yourselves.

Whoa!

This is really high!

Best of our child of the sun is dizzy.

Ha ha ha ha.

Wait there.

Look, Gaspar, those are Inca signs.

I am beaten.

Then the next gentleman. Whose turn is it next?

Then attack me all together.

You cowards.

Mendoza, you must be bored looking after your charges. What do you say to a

little fencing lesson, eh? A few parries and thrusts? Thank you, but I have no

time now. I'm teaching Zia and Esteban the finer points of navigation.

So you won't fight?

He should teach them how to use a sword for self -protection. You don't only use

a sword to protect yourself.

You have to learn how to use your head. But I'm afraid that may never have

occurred to you, Gaspar.

What's that?

Come here and repeat that, you scurvy dog.

Captain Gaspar.

Watch

out,

Esteban. You could fall in the water.

Yes. Hey, the water, the water's all yellow.

The ocean is all yellow.

Oh, fantastic.

That means we are nearing the new world.

That means we are nearing the new world.

Golden butterflies, that's a good sign.

Soon we'll be entering the straits. The straits Majoran found?

Yes.

Tomorrow I will have to take the wheel and steer the ship for four days and

nights on end.

What? Four days and nights at the wheel and no sleep?

Yes, the straits are full of dangers. The navigator has to stay alert all the

time. Oh, can't someone else take your place?

I don't want a quick death, at least not yet.

Are the straits really that dangerous?

It is very dangerous. You see where they lie, the Great Atlantic and the Greater

Pacific meet there.

On this side of the strait is the Atlantic, where we are.

And there is the Pacific.

The depths of the two oceans are not the same.

The water isn't the same height. It depends on the current. Sometimes the

push towards the Atlantic, then they change and push towards the Pacific.

And all the time a strong wind blows from the north. So the sea is full of

triangular waves.

If a ship is struck by the full force of one of these waves, it can be smashed

to pieces.

But don't worry.

This is my third time through the straits, and I know how to sail those

The sea is running high, but it's only the start.

I must try to get some sleep now.

Captain,

we're getting close to the straits. The winds and the currents are so strong, I

can't hold the one wheel.

You, go and find Mendoza in his cabin. Hurry.

Hey, Mendoza, come up quick. We're heading into the straits. Come on.

Now it's my turn.

We'll go with you.

No, this ship is going to bob around like a cork. Stay here. You'll be safer.

It's like the end of the world!

After having crossed the Atlantic, the Esperanza is sailing into the Straits of

Magellan, near the southern tip of South America.

A fearful place with treacherous seas and storm -force winds.

How will Esteban and his friends manage in these dangerous waters?

Find out in the next episode of The Mysterious Cities of Gold.

The Esperanza has sailed across the Atlantic.

The very first Spanish ships that sailed across that ocean were in search of a

new rich trade route for the spice trade.

In those days, spices, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, were as valuable as oil as

today, and Europeans had to send all the way to India and the East to get them.

The ancient spice route across the land was expensive and getting dangerous, so

every big European country was looking for a new trade route to India by sea.

The Portuguese sailed all around Africa and then east to India. The Spanish

traders were jealous.

Then came Christopher Columbus and Spanish success.

He was sure the Earth was a globe and set out to be the first to find a new

route to India by going around the other way.

His little ship, which can still be seen in Barcelona Harbor, was called the

Santa Maria.

Two other ships, just as small, joined him on his historic voyage.

They sailed west.

It was a gamble. They would either find the riches of the East or, like others

before them, be lost at sea.

Two and a half months later, they found land at last.

Some islands off the coast of America, but Columbus called it West India.

And ever since, the native inhabitants of the Americas have been known as

Indians.

Columbus always insisted he had discovered a new sea route to India, the

land of spices, as he had hoped to do. And to him, anything else would have

failure. Now it seems absurd that that historic meeting of Europeans and the

vast new world of America was at the time only an accident, even a mistake,

cutthroat trade war between the rich spice merchants of Spain and Portugal.

Children of the sun, see your time has just begun.

Searching for your ways through adventures every day, every day and

a condor in flight, with all your friends in tow, you search for the

the moon.

I wish you for the sea.

Bye. Bye.

Bye.