cuentos de barro - DSpace Universidad Don Bosco

Una guitarra escondida roía el sueño
de la noche. Venía saliendo la luna
con una fogarada platera que daba
gusto. La luz chele y tristona se tendía
en los playones bocabajo, alagartada
entre los troncos torcidos, chafando
las trompas de los cayucos varados en
seco. Los jocotes botaban sus frutas
de rato en rato, en el blando estiércol
espolvoreado. Iban los primeros
temblores de luz, estremeciendo a lo
ancho el agua friolenta.
* * *
Con un trágico sonar de cartucheras
y caitazos, el rancho de Miguel se vio
rodiado por la escolta guarera. Sobre
la puerta, de cuyas rendijas manaba
resplandor de alma, el cabo Remigio
López dio tres fierrazos con la cruz de
su daga. De dentro naide respondió
y la luz se apagó, dejando más en
luna la entrada. A una seña del cabo,
los chicheros empezaron a culatiar
la puerta, hasta que de golpe se jue
en blanco. La ventana trasera estaba
cuidada por tres hombres y cuando se
abrió fue como la boca de una trampa.
Hubo una refriega que atrajo algunos
curiosos; y pronto los cuatro sacadores
cogidos, salían del caserío con las ollas
y los telengues al hombro.
103. Jocote: Spondias purpurea. Spanish plum.
104. In this case: the sound of the boots.
105. Guaro made out of sugar cane; Chicha made out of fermented fruits.
52
A hidden guitar gnawed at the night’s
sleep. The moon was coming out with a
silver bonfire that was a pleasure to the
eye. Its light, white and sad, was laid
out face down on the beach, hiding like
an alligator among the crooked trunks,
and seemed to flatten out the small
fishing boats in dry dock. Every once
in a while the jocote 103 trees dropped
their fruit, over the soft dusty dung.
The first tremors of light were shivering
throughout the chilly waters.
* * *
With a tragic sound of rifles being
loaded and the trotting of caites 104 ,
Miguel’s shack was surrounded by the
Moonshine 105 police force. The cracks
around the door of the house radiated
a splendor of its soul. Corporal Remigio
López knocked three times with the
cross-like hilt of his dagger. Nobody
answered from the inside, and the light
went out, only the light of the moon
shone on the door. At the the corporal’s
signal, the squad, using the butts of
their rifles, bashed in the door. Three
men were ordered to guard the back
window, and when it opened it was
like the mouth of a trap. The skirmish
attracted some gawkers. Soon, the four
moonshiners were caught. They left the
hamlet carrying all of their equipment
on their shoulders.