cuentos de barro - DSpace Universidad Don Bosco
cuentos de barro - DSpace Universidad Don Bosco
cuentos de barro - DSpace Universidad Don Bosco
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con los gatos. La chorrentera 286<br />
interminable les había tapado las<br />
bocas con una mano terca, <strong>de</strong> ruido.<br />
Un remolino, projundo como el umbligo<br />
<strong>de</strong>l Diablo, caminaba por lo largo <strong>de</strong><br />
la poza hasta meterse en las cuevas<br />
<strong>de</strong>l pa<strong>de</strong>rón, para salir otra vez, como<br />
<strong>de</strong>bajo diagua, en el mismo lugar.<br />
Con un bramido <strong>de</strong> perolón, que llevaba<br />
por <strong>de</strong>ntro gritos <strong>de</strong> cipote, risas<br />
<strong>de</strong> vieja, serruchos y martillos, trenes,<br />
lloridos y uyasón <strong>de</strong> chuchos, la chorrera<br />
caiba <strong>de</strong>n<strong>de</strong> bien alto, en gra das <strong>de</strong><br />
vidrio, hasta lo más encuevado <strong>de</strong> la<br />
poza. Llovía eterno, sobre las gran<strong>de</strong>s<br />
hojas <strong>de</strong> los quequeishques y sobre el<br />
talpetatal picado <strong>de</strong> virue la, on<strong>de</strong> cada<br />
juraco era un espejito diacuis287 .<br />
Los raizales formaban tra mazones,<br />
<strong>de</strong>bajo <strong>de</strong> las cuales el agua aletiaba<br />
como murciégalo morigundo.<br />
Saltando <strong>de</strong> piedra en piedra, a guiños<br />
<strong>de</strong> ráiz y trepazón <strong>de</strong> breñales, los<br />
seis soldados llegaron a un <strong>de</strong>svío<br />
cortado a pico, en una escurana jría que<br />
<strong>de</strong>sembocaba en el río. Con una seña,<br />
el sargento los enzanjó289 por aquella<br />
traga<strong>de</strong>ra <strong>de</strong>l infierno.<br />
Caminaban en blando, sobre<br />
arenita fina. Arriba, el cielo<br />
286. Torrentera, cauce <strong>de</strong> un torrente.<br />
287. Cuartillo, moneda <strong>de</strong> 1/4 <strong>de</strong> real (Este último vale 12 1/2 centavos).<br />
288. Spanish “cuis”: coin that was used in Spain in the 18th Century. It was the size of a U.S. nickel or<br />
€0.10.<br />
289. La palabra proviene <strong>de</strong> “zanjar”, excavar.<br />
150<br />
ball flexing their biceps. The noise of a<br />
never-ending torrent in effect covered<br />
the soldiers’ mouths like a stubborn<br />
hand. A whirlwind, <strong>de</strong>ep like the <strong>de</strong>vil’s<br />
bellybutton, walked wan<strong>de</strong>ring around<br />
the pond until it found the caves in the<br />
wall. It arose once again in the same<br />
place as if emerging from un<strong>de</strong>r water.<br />
With a roar of a huge saucepan<br />
that contained the cries of children,<br />
laughs of old women, handsaws and<br />
hammers, trains, sobs and the howling<br />
of dogs, the torrent <strong>de</strong>scen<strong>de</strong>d from<br />
up above, on glass stairs, all the way to<br />
the most hid<strong>de</strong>n places of the pond.<br />
The storm poured over the big leaves<br />
of quequeshque trees and over volcanic<br />
tuff that looked like it had measles.<br />
Every hole was a mirror the size of a<br />
nickel. 288<br />
The roots of the mangrove looked like<br />
fallen trees un<strong>de</strong>r which the water<br />
flapped its wings like a dying bat.<br />
Jumping from rock to rock, the six<br />
soldiers used the gaps between the<br />
roots and branches like a lad<strong>de</strong>r. They<br />
arrived at a hand-ma<strong>de</strong> <strong>de</strong>tour in the<br />
midst of a cold darkness that flows into<br />
the river. With a signal, the sergeant sent<br />
them through that hell of an abyss.<br />
They walked over fine soft sand.<br />
Up above, the sky showed its