cuentos de barro - DSpace Universidad Don Bosco

la HoNra
Había amanecido nortiando; la Juanita
limpia lagua helada; el viento llevaba
zopes34 y olores. Atravesó el llano. La
nagua se le amelcochaba y se le hacía
calzones. El pelo le hacía alacranes
negros en la cara. La Juana iba bien
contenta, chapudita35 y apagándole
los ojos al viento. Los árboles venían
corriendo. En medio del llano la
cogió un tumbo de norte. La Juanita
llenó el frasco de su alegría y lo tapó
con un grito; luego salió corriendo y
enredándose en su risa. La chucha36 iba
ladrando a su lado, queriendo alcanzar
las hojas secas que pajareaban.
El ojo diagua estaba en el fondo
de una barranca, sombreado por
quequeishques38 39 y palmitos.
26
THe HoNor
It had been windy well before dawn;
Juana37 was clean; the water was cold;
the wind carried vultures and scents
across the plain. Her skirt whirled
around her so that it became one with
her body. Her hair was lashing into her
face like black scorpions. Juana walked
with a happy bounce in her step. Her
blushing cheeks caused the wind to
close its eyes. The trees seemed to
be running towards her, while in the
middle of the valley she was caught by
the northern gale. Juana filled up the
bottle with her happiness and covered
it with a cry; then, running and being
swaddled in her laughter, she left. Her
dog was barking by her side trying to
catch the dry leaves that were flying
like birds.
The spring was at the end of a ravine,
shaded by quequeishque40 41 vines and
small palms.
34. RAE: nahua “tzopílotl”; Campbell: pipil “sope, kusma”.
35. Con mejillas rosadas.
36. “Perra” en español salvadoreño.
37. Salarrué uses proper names and their diminutive as well; however this technique does not work in
English as it tends to confuse the reader who thinks that “Juana” and “Juanita” are two different characters.
This is also applicable to later stories.
38. Xanthosoma mexicanum. Es una planta trepadora, no hay que confundirla con la raíz “quequisque”
39. Ramírez-Sosa: Aroid (Xanthosoma mexicanum, Araceae). Una planta herbácea con hojas en forma
de corazón, que se encuentra comúnmente donde los suelos están saturados de agua. Su inflorescencia
blanca atrae a los escarabajos que son sus polinizadores.
40. Aroid. An herbaceous plant with heart-shaped leaves, which is commonly found where soils are
saturated with water. Its white inflorescence attracts beetles for pollination.
41. According to THESAURUS Tomo II. Núm. 3 (1946). Enrique D. TOVAR Y R. quequeishque, quequeshque
and other names are given to taro or tato of Oceania, or Colocasia esulenta. It is an ornamental plant
found in gardens. It is very rich in starch. de los jardines, muy rica en fécula. See Xantosoma violaceum,
edible, grown in rivers. Malaret adds la aroidea Arum sagittaíum.