85.—[85-1]No digo que no, 'I do not say that you did not' (lit., 'I do not say [that] no').
[85-18]habrá extrañado, fut. perf. of conjecture or probability:lo que acabas de ver y oiris the subject ofhabrá extrañado.
[85-21]que deseo conozcas, 'which I desire you to know.' Thequeis omitted beforeconozcasto avoid repetition.
[85-25]por la que, 'for whom,' or 'for whose sake.'
86.—[86-11]al saber, 'upon hearing of.'
[86-19]me había educado, 'I had been brought up.'
[86-21]al que, 'whom,' is the direct object, andocupacionesthe subject, ofretenían.
87.—[87-1]á la que no veía desde niño, 'whom I had not seen since [I was] a child.'
[87-2]por más que: see undermás, in Vocab. This conjunction takes the subjunctive.
[87-15]para que no hubiera observado, 'that I did not observe.'
[87-26]sin que mi tía lo advirtiese, 'without my aunt's noticing it.'
[87-27]acabamos por, 'we ended by,' or we came finally to.'
[87-30]acaecida hacía cuatro años, 'which had occurred four years before.'
88.—[88-1]ello es, 'the fact is.'
[88-2]amenazándome con hacerme marchar, 'threatening to make me go away.'
[88-3]después de escribírselo todo, 'after writing all about it.'
[88-13]mi tíais subject ofno pudiendo oponerse: note again that the subject of a participle regularly follows the participle.
[88-21]se iba apoderando=iba apoderándose. See note, page 70, l. 17.
[88-22]era mi mismo mal el que la devoraba=el [mal] que la devoraba era mi mismo mal.
[88-25]tanto, 'so often.'
89.—[89-7]iba siendo peor, 'kept getting worse,' or 'became worse and worse.' See note, page 70, l. 17.
[89-11]á, 'in.'
[89-13]te lo juro: do not translatete. Notete lo diré, 'I shall tell you,' etc.
[89-14]serán de: seesoy de, underser, in Vocab.
[89-15]Eso lo, 'that.' Note the expletivelo, which is used here becauseesoprecedes the verb.
[89-16]de la mujer á quien ames, 'of any woman that you may love.' The subjunctive indicates that the antecedent ofqueis indefinite.
[89-19]lo que yo: seelo que, underque, in Vocab.
[89-28]plazois the subject ofcumplirse.
90.—[90-2]la desgracia hizo que, 'adversity brought it about that.'
[90-3]enlaceis the subject ofverificarse.
[90-9]Temo que no, 'I fear not.' Cf.digo que no,creo que no, etc.
[90-10]su recuerdo=el recuerdo de ella.]
[90-15]sea: a verb ofbelieving,saying, etc., when negative or interrogative, may become a verb ofdoubtingand require the subjunctive.
[90-16]es: note the indicative here after¿crees?to indicate that this, and not the other, is probably his belief.
[90-20]me hice conducir, 'I had myself taken' (lit., 'I made [some one] take me').
91.—[91-8]llegada ya la hora=habiendo llegado ya la hora.
[91-10]sentándonos todos=y nos sentamos(pret.)todos.
[91-18]¿Á qué?'what... for.' Note that 'why?' or 'what ... for?' may be expressed by¿por qué?,¿para qué?, or¿á qué?, according to the meaning to be conveyed.
[91-20]Á, 'for' (see¿Á qué?above). The ringing of the church bell at this time announces that some one is in 'the death struggle' (agonía), that is to say, 'is dying.'
92.—[92-1]hermoso,florido: see these words in Vocab.
[92-4]el calor que... hacía: seehace calor, in Vocab.
[92-11]Una... así, 'such a.'
[92-20]todos nos despedimos, 'we all took leave of one another,' or 'bade one another good-night.'
[92-25]Otro=otro rato.
[92-27]en la[alcoba]de Fernando.
[92-28]oí abrir, 'I heard [some one] open,' or 'I heard... opened.'
93.—[93-10]No debiste nunca volver, 'you should never have returned.'
[93-13]queríashas here nearly the force ofquisieras('should you wish me to be married').
[93-15]En buen horais also sometimes writtenen buena hora. In colloquial language the finalaofbuena,mala,una, etc., may fall before a noun beginning with a vowel.
[93-17]Una vez sola=una sola vez.
[93-18]permite que me case con, 'permits me to marry.'
[93-20]como hace diez años, 'as [it was] ten years ago.']
[93-21]me marcho=me marcharé. The present tense makes the action less remote and more positive.
[93-24]sean, 'be.' The independent subjunctive usually has the force of an imperative.
[93-25]por haberlo visto por la tarde: the first por means 'on account of,' or 'from'; the second, 'in.'
[93-31]clara y distintamente: see note, page 56, l. 20.
94.—[94-12]Estamos los dos, 'we are both of us.'
[94-27]muriese, subjunctive after a relative with indefinite antecedent.
95.—[95-2]me pareció, 'I seemed' (lit., 'it seemed to me').
[95-5]tenía que ser así, 'it had to be.'
[95-6]ya voy, 'I am coming.'
[95-21]cúmplase la voluntad de Dios, 'God's will be done.'
[95-30]alabado sea el Señor, 'the Lord be praised.'
LAS NOCHES LARGAS DE CÓRDOBA
Narciso Campillo, b. 1838 in Seville, d. 1900. Campillo is chiefly known as a poet; his verse is delightful. He is also the author of a few volumes of short stories, which have a light and graceful humor that is peculiarly Andalusian. Works: in verse,Á Murillo,Á los españoles en 1859,La playa de Sanlúcar,Á Rosa,El ángel caído,El pescador,Nuevas poesías; in prose,Una docena de cuentos,Cuentos nuevos.
96.—[96-12]poco después de obscurecido, 'a little after dark.'
97.—[97-5]Es que, 'the fact is that.'
[97-8]para en ella padecer hambre=para padecer hambre en ella.—No ha oído V. hablar, 'have you not heard (tell).'
[97-10]sucederá, fut. of probability.
[97-12]esto lo saben=saben esto.
[97-17]por mí, 'for my part,' 'as far as I am concerned.'
[97-19]en metiéndome:en, with a pres. part., is best translated by 'after.']
[97-21]pues, 'since' (in line 17 above,pues='well').
[97-25]tenía destinadais not quite equivalent tohabía destinado, asteníaretains the meaning of 'holding' or 'keeping.' See alsotenía preparadobelow.
98.—[98-5]que pase V., 'may you pass,' or 'may you have.'—felices noches('pleasant night') is by analogy tobuenas noches, 'good night';buenos días, 'good day' or 'good morning'; andbuenas tardes, 'good afternoon' or 'good evening.'
[98-8]Á los pocos minutos, 'in a few minutes.'
[98-13]La de que se trataba debía de gustarle, 'the one (joke) that they were planning must have pleased him.'
[98-18]Razón tenía el señor Frutos al ponderar=el señor Frutos tenía razónal ponderar('when he emphasized').
[98-24]¿qué había de ver?'what should he see?;había de veris nearly equivalent tovería. See page 99, l. 15,por qué había de enfermar=(nearly)por qué enfermaría.
99.—[99-13]¿Qué manda su merced?'what are your orders, sir?' Comparesu merced(lit., 'your grace') with the weakerusted, which is an abbreviated form ofvuestra merced.
[99-28]El tuno del criado: translatedelby 'of a.'
100.—[100-2]por estar cerrados..., 'on account of... being closed.'Corredorandhabitacionesare the subjects ofestar.
[100-7]era menester, etc.,=para escalarlo era menester subirse.
[100-9]más bien, etc.,=quedó amodorrado más bien que dormido. Seemás bien, underbien, in Vocab.
[100-12]Será;habrá;estará: fut. of probability or conjecture.
[100-23]llevo, 'I have passed.'
[100-24]Si: note again this exclamatorysi, 'why' or 'indeed.'
[100-26]Dióle agua el criado=el criado le dió agua.
[100-28]aguardando á que amanezca, 'waiting for dawn' (lit., 'waiting that it should dawn').—todavía debe de tardar un poquillo, 'there must still be some time [before dawn].'
101.—[101-8]faltan dos horas, etc.,=dos horas y media faltan todavíapara amanecer('before dawn').—si es que alguna vez amanece, 'if it ever does dawn.']
[101-12]será, fut. of probability.
[101-14]se oye el, etc.,=el [reloj] de la iglesia se oye.
[101-15]que está al paso, 'which I happened to pass' (lit., 'which is on the way').
[101-16]faltará, fut. of probability. Note how common this future is in colloquial language, when the speaker is not, or wishes not to appear, positive.
[101-23]¿Quería V. que la pasaran...?'did you expect them to pass it...?'
102.—[102-1]que me llamesandque me avisesare somewhat more emphatic thanllámameandavísame.
[102-3]Descuide su merced=descuide usted.
[102-10]por, 'on.'
[102-12]por, 'to.'
[102-13]que de tal, etc.,=que alcanzaría de tal tráfico.
[102-22]de puro aburrido y hambriento, 'purely from being bored and hungry.'
103.—[103-2]en, 'by.'
[103-3]¡Que yo me divierto!'amuse myself!' Thequeintroduces a repetition of what the first speaker said, as if it were:¡dices que yo me divierto!
[103-10]no tiene cuerda para un trimestre, 'it can not be wound up to run three months.' See alsocuerda, in Vocab.
[103-15]Abre tú, 'youopen [it].' Note the subject pronoun used with the imperative, for emphasis.—lo que haya, 'what there is.'
[103-16]¿Qué ha de haber?'what can there be?' Note thatha de haberis nearly equivalent tohabráused as fut. of probability or conjecture. See origin of Spanish fut. and cond. in the Hills-FordSpanish Grammar, § 71, note 1.
[103-18]puertas de madera: note that there is an inner door of wood,—probably a folding door,—and an outer window of glass. Both usually come to the floor and turn on hinges, so that when they are open one may step out onto the balcony. In rooms that do not open onto a balcony the windows do not come to the floor.]
[103-27]que: this and the followingqueare usually considered expletive, and are therefore not translated; but they may be rendered freely as follows:¡que es de noche!'if it isn't night!';¡que si esto sigue!'why, if this continues!'
104.—[104-5]y cerrada, etc.,=y la despensa está cerrada.—en el armario, etc.,=la llave suele quedar puesta('is usually left')en el armario del comedor.
[104-30]Mientras llegaba[la luz del día].
[104-31]si es que, 'if indeed' (lit., 'if it is that').
105.—[105-2]como de: see undercomo, in Vocab.
[105-29]Así: seeasí+past subj., in Vocab.
106.—[106-7]sea como fuese, 'whatever it was' (lit., 'let it be as it might be').
[106-15]aurora: note the Spanish words for 'dawn':alba, 'dawn';albor, 'light of dawn';alborada, 'dawn' or 'light of dawn' (these words come from the Latin adjectivealbus, 'white');aurora, 'rosy light of dawn';madrugada, 'dawn' or 'early morning';el amanecer, 'the dawn' or 'the dawning.'
[106-31]habría, cond. of probability or conjecture.
107.—[107-13]¡Pues vaya!: see underir, in Vocab.
[107-19]lo que es á: see underque, in Vocab.
[107-23]Quiere decir, 'that is to say.'
[107-27]he mandado traer..., 'I have had... brought [here]' (lit., 'I have ordered to bring').
[107-29]á no ser que: see underser, in Vocab.
108.—[108-1]ocho,quince: see Vocab.
[108-6]Queso('cheese') andTieso('firm,' 'valiant') are meant forCreso: see Vocab.Frutosis a shrewd, practical farmer, but unlettered.
[108-7]que dicen que: do not translate the secondque.
[108-10]ó fuera de, 'or out of.'
[108-15]con tal de que: see undertal, in Vocab.]
[108-17]ó una, 'or a whole one.'
[108-19]tendrá usted aunque, 'you shall have [what you want] even if.'
[108-20]rellena, 'stuffed.' Note the intensive particlesreandrete:rebueno, 'very good,'retebueno, 'very, very good.'—¡Bonito soy yo para que nadie pase!'I should be a fine fellow to let any one suffer.'
[108-24]en ver devorar á su amigo y huésped:amigoandhuéspedare subjects ofdevorar, as well as objects of ver.
[108-25]de á media libra: see underlibra, in Vocab. Cf.un billete de á cien pesetas, 'a hundred-pesetabank-note.'
109.—[109-6]escribir, 'writing.'
[109-11]caminantesis the subject ofsaludarse: theseofsaludarseis reciprocal ('one another').—aún cuando, see undercuando, in Vocab.
[109-13]capital: seeCórdoba, in Vocab.
CUADROS DE COSTUMBRES
Fernán Caballero(her real name was Cecilia Böhl de Faber), b. 1796 in Switzerland, d. 1877. She went to Spain (to Andalusia) at an early age, and became one of the most Spanish of Spanish women. In her writings she used the pseudonym of Fernán Caballero. The novels and tales of Fernán Caballero have always been popular in Spain. They abound in charming descriptions of the home life of the common people and of nature; but they contain many digressions that are personal or didactic, they usually end with a crime, and often they have an air of evident unreality. Works:La gaviota,La familia de Alvareda,Elia,Deudas pagadas,Relaciones,Cuadros de costumbres,Un servilón y un liberalito, et al.
110.—[110-6]puertos: at the mouth of the river.
[110-8]que no, 'than.' This expletivenoafter a comparative can not be expressed in English.
111.—[111-13]veredais subject ofparte.
[111-15]capital: seeSevilla, in Vocab.
[111-25]de no ir=á fin de no ir.
112.—[112-1]trayendo... la imaginación, 'bringing... one's imagination back.'
[112-5]se vuelva: fromvolverse, 'to turn into';te, 'for you' (ethical dative).
[112-13]ahora es la nuestra, 'it's our turn now,' or 'this hour is ours.'
[112-16]mes de las flores: cf. the English saying: "April showers bring May flowers."
[112-28]Simón Verdeis a humble workman, who is noted for kindliness and generosity.
113.—[113-4]por hacerlo necesario el declive=porque el declive lo hacía necesario.
[113-5]pretilis the subject ofsosteníalo.
[113-10]de por sí: see under reflexivesí, in Vocab.
114.—[114-20]entre sí, 'one from another.'
[114-22]machacando,etc., refers to the clatter the stork makes with his beak.
[114-28]la rana al rano, 'the mamma frog to the papa frog.'—Picuaque,Ranoqueandreniquicuaqueare meaningless words that imitate the croaking of frogs.
115.—[115-3]queis expletive: do not translate.
[115-5]Uds.: note here the hesitancy betweenustedesand the forms that correspond tovosotros. In Cuban and Mexican Spanish, both largely Andalusian dialects,vosotrosis rare.
[115-10]pongo: seeponer á que, underponer, in Vocab.
[115-13]y si no, 'and if you don't believe it.'
[115-15]Á que: see under the conjunctionque, in Vocab.
[115-16]carrillo: it rattles boisterously as it goes down without a load, and creaks and shrieks when it rises loaded.
[115-17]¿lo que es?'what this is?'
[115-28]el vino: seepredicador, in Vocab.
116.—[116-22]de que abriese... la zorra, 'when the fox opened...'
[116-23]¡[come] á otro; que('for')no [me comerás] á mí!
117.—[117-2]Berbería('Barbary') is often used in southern Spain to denote the land of the Moors, who are the traditional enemies of the Spaniards.
[117-14]que le desis nearly equivalent toda. (imperative).
[117-15]eso no: the English word order would beno eso.
[117-18]ora por obis, a child's mispronunciation ofora pro nobis, 'pray for us.'
118.—[118-11]Pueda... la luna, 'may the moon..."—perdonárselo, 'pardon them for doing so' (lit., 'pardon it to them').
[118-13]Nosotros no nos sentimos con, 'we do not feel that we have.'
[118-19]Vese=se ve.—que es de=que es una de.
[118-27]de Melgarejo, Melgarejo's.
119.—[119-3]por los años de mil trescientos y tantos, 'about the year thirteen hundred' (lit., 'about the years thirteen hundred odd').
[119-12]esclavo: at this time the Spanish peninsula was divided between Moors and Spaniards, and each nation made slaves of those that were captured from the other nation.
[119-22]que, 'when,' as often after an expression of time.
[119-26]la cristiana:huesteis understood.
[119-29]por lo que: see underque, in Vocab.
[119-31]por el que, 'over which.'
120.—[120-3]se extraña: translateseby the indefinite pronoun 'one.'
[120-7]se mueven, etc.,=los trabajadores mueven, como hormigas en un esqueleto.
121.—[121-15]Viernes Santo: see underViernes, in Vocab.
[121-28]mas que no sea: see undermas, in Vocab.]
122.—[122-7]rosario: see Vocab.
[122-20]El interior lo formaba=formaba el interior: the subject offormabaispieza.
123.—[123-6]como lo era: do not translatelo, which stands fordoméstica y tranquila.
[123-8]les, 'in them.'
[123-23]por traerle=porque le traían('kept').
124.—[124-7]¡Qué será de ti!: see underser, in Vocab.
[124-17]Más Honor que Honores='honor is better than honors.'
LA AJORCA DE ORO
Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, b. 1836 in Seville, d. 1870,—journalist, writer of short stories and poet. His tales are mostly legendary, and are imbued with a morbid mysticism. Bécquer is primarily a poet, for even his prose has the poetic fancy and, to a large extent, the music of verse. His lyric verse is perhaps the most finished that was written in Spain during the nineteenth century. Bécquer left only three volumes of prose and verse.
125.—[125-3]en nada, 'in any respect.'
[125-16]que los vió nacer, 'where they were born' (lit., 'that saw them [to be] born.')
126.—[126-20]templohere refers to the cathedral of the archbishopric of Toledo, although any church may be calledtemplo.—la fiesta de la Virgenrefers to some one of several church festivals in honor of the Virgin Mary.
[126-25]Salve, Regina("Hail, Queen"), the opening words of a Latin hymn to the Virgin.
[126-29]digo mal, en la imagen no, 'no, not on the image either' (lit., 'I speak incorrectly, not on the image').
127.—[127-21]no lo será nunca:lostands fortuya.
[127-22]aquí,en la cabeza.]
[127-31]La [Virgen] del Sagrario, one of many images of the Virgin in the cathedral. This image is held in especial veneration, and it is adorned with many precious stones. SeeSagrario, in Vocab.
128.—[128-5]otra Virgen: although there is only one Virgin Mary worshiped by Christians, certain images of the Virgin are believed to have more efficacy than others, and there is often much rivalry and jealousy between the adherents of and another image.
[128-19]La catedral de Toledo: this vast Roman Catholic cathedral was begun in the thirteenth century and finished (or nearly finished) in the fifteenth.
129.—[129-12]si grande, etc.,=si('although')la catedral se presenta grande é imponente.
[129-30]el último:díais understood.
130.—[130-10]permitía distinguir, 'permitted one to distinguish.'
[130-13]que sólo el concebirla, 'the mere conception of which' (lit., 'that only the conceiving it').
[130-15]saberse: translate into the English passive voice.
131.—[131-10]el suelo, etc.,=formaban el suelo de la capilla. The subject follows.
[131-17]el templo todo=todo el templo.
[131-25]la Reina de los cielos=la Virgen.
[131-29]tranquilizara=tranquilizó. This use of the imperfect subjunctive in-ra, with the force of a pluperfect or preterite indicative, is not uncommon in Spanish. See the Hills-FordSpanish Grammar, § 99, note 2.
[131-30]que el:temoris understood.
132.—[132-10]demonios: thesedemonios,endriagos, etc., within and without the medieval churches,—usually placed high on cornice or roof,—gave concrete expression to thebelief that demons were hovering about ready to pounce down upon the wicked.
[132-18]no vistos: no may perhaps be best expressed by 'never before.'
[132-22]se rodeaban y confundían, 'were moving about one another and were intermingling.'
[132-30]todo un mundo de, etc., is the subject ofpululaban.
133.—[133-9]¡Suya!=¡es de ella (de María Antúnez)!
POESÍAS
In Spanish poetry the verse-line must contain some definite number of syllables, as in the following six-syllabled lines:
In the syllabic division of words, a single consonant, or any group of consonants that may begin a word,[A]goes with the following vowel.
[A] These arebl,br,cl,cr,dr,fl,fr,gl,gr,pl,pr, andtr. Note also thatch,ll,ñ, andrrare considered single consonants. But a prepositional prefix, except befores+consonant, forms a separate syllable:des|a|gra|da|ble,in|a|ni|ma|do, butcons|tan|te.
The final vowel of one word, and the initial vowel of the next word in the same line, usually form one syllable:
A verse-line contains one or more rhythmic stresses. By rhythmic stress is meant the more important metrical accentthat falls (1) always upon the last accented syllable of a line, and (2) near the middle of a line of ten or more syllables. In the following line there are eight syllables and one rhythmic stress:
The following line has eleven syllables and two rhythmic stresses:
The strongly marked rhythmic beat of English and German verse occurs rarely in Spanish. The syllables of a verse-line should be read evenly, with the exception of a slight emphasis and rest upon the word that bears the rhythmic stress.
Verse may be blank (unrhymed) or rhymed. If it is rhymed, the rhyme may be (1) both vocalic and consonantal (viveza,tristeza,pureza, orhonor,volador,olor, etc.), or (2) it may be merely vocalic (assonance), in which the vowels alone are rhymed (perros,conejo,compañero,esto, ormuchacho,árbol, etc.).
LOS DOS CONEJOS
Tomás de Iriarte y Oropesa, b. 1750, d. 1791,—known chiefly for his fables (Fábulas literarias).
135.—Los dos conejoshas 6 syllables to the verse-line, as follows:
Each verse-line contains one rhythmic stress. The rhyme is assonance, the rhyme-vowels beingé-oin the 2d, 4th, 6th, etc., line throughout the poem.
[135-9]¿Qué ha de ser?'what must it be?'
[135-18]como mi abuelo, 'as sure as fate' (lit., 'like my grandfather.' Cf.Éste tan muerto está como mi abuelo, in Samaniego'sLos dos amigos y el oso).
[135-20]vistos los tengo=los he visto. Note that the participle agrees with the object when the auxiliary istener.
136.—[136-2]Que: do not translate. The expression is elliptic:digomay be understood (digo que no...).
[136-4]que: do not translate. Afterque,sonmay be understood.
EL PATO Y LA SERPIENTE
Iriarte: see note, page 135.
137.—El pato y la serpientehas 7 syllables to the line:
Each line has one rhythmic stress. The rhyme is assonance, the rhyme-vowels beingá-oin every second line.
[137-13]No hay que, 'you needn't.'
[137-14]ni anda=usted ni anda.
[137-17]tenga sabido, 'know' (imperative).
EL JABALÍ Y LA ZORRA
Félix María de Samaniego, b. 1745, d. 1801,—known chiefly for his fables, most of which are imitations or renderings of those of Phaedrus or La Fontaine.
138.—El jabalí y la zorrahas 11 or 7 syllables to the line:
Each line of 11 syllables has 2 rhythmic stresses, and each line of 7 syllables has 1.
The rhyme-scheme isa,b,b,a;c,d,d,c;e,f,f,e.
[138-4se miraba, 'happened to be' (lit., 'saw herself').
138.5.Extraño el verte, 'I am surprised to see' (do not translatete). Note that the infinitive is modified by the definite article.
[138-9]Tenga entendido, 'please understand' (lit., 'have [it] understood').
[138-12]vale por dos, 'is worth two.'
Á TODO HAY QUIEN GANE
Felipe Pérez y González, b. in Seville,—journalist, novelist and playwright,—writing at times under the pseudonym of Tello Téllez. Works:El libro malo,Tajos y reveses,El nuevo sistema tétrico, and many light comedies.
[139].—Á Todo Hay Quien Gane(lit., 'there is some one who will get the better of every one'), 'Every One Is Sometimes Worsted.'
Á todo hay quien ganehas 8 syllables to the line:
The line has one rhythmic stress. The rhyme-scheme isa,b,b,a, etc.
[139-10]ha de, 'must.'
EL PERAL
Juan Eugenio Hartzenbusch, b. 1806 in Madrid, of a German father and a Spanish mother, d. 1880,—a literary critic, and a romantic poet and dramatist. Works:Amantes de Teruel,La ley de raza,Vida por honra,Un sí y un no,Cuentos y fábulas, et al.
140.—El peralhas 7 or 5 syllables, and 1 rhythmic stress to the line:
The rhyme is assonance, the rhyme-vowels beingá-oin the 2d and 4th lines, andó-ein the 5th and 7th lines. This kind of metrical composition is calledseguidilla.
[140-1]Á un Peral... muchacho=un muchacho tiró una piedra á un peral.
[140-4]Soltóle=le('for him')soltó.
EL GLOBITO AZUL
Juan Antonio Cavestany, b. 1861 at Seville,—playwright and poet. Works:El esclavo de su culpa,Grandezas humanas,El casino,Salirse de su esfera,Sobre quien viene su castigo,La noche antes, et al.
141.—El globito azulhas 8 syllables, and 1 rhythmic stress, to the line:
These stanzas arequintillas. There are two rhymes in each stanza, and not more than two lines having the same rhyme may stand together.
[141-3]de azul pintado, 'painted blue.'
142.—[142-1]Miraba... tranquilo el niño, 'the child waslooking quietly at...'
[142-8]Ver que...is the subject ofprodujo.
[142-13]que: the secondqueis expletive. Do not translate.
FUSILES Y MUÑECAS
Juan de Dios Peza, b. 1852 in Mexico City,—a distinguished Mexican poet. His verse is written in evident haste and is often published without revision, but it has simplicity and spontaneity. Works:Leyendas de la ciudad de Méjico,Recuerdos y esperanzas,El arpa del amor,Flores del alma,Hogar y patria. Peza died in 1910.
143.—Fusiles y muñecashas 11 syllables, and 2 rhythmic stresses, to the line:
The rhyme-scheme isa,b,a,b; etc.
[143-3]tan humanos, 'so like those of men and women.'
[143-4]parecen personas desde niños, 'they have seemed grown-up people from their very childhood.'
[143-16]orgullois subject ofalienta.
144.—[144-10]sobre, 'in.'
[144-13]de entusiasmo ciego=ciego de entusiasmo.
[144-23]¿Será la que ha, 'can it be that she has?'
145.—[145-1]del dolor al peso=al peso del dolor.
[145-3]Se me cuelga del cuello=se cuelga de mi cuello(meis dative of possession).
[145-4]Se le saltan las lágrimas(leis dative of possession).
[145-11]¡Cómo han de ser..., 'how shall... be.'
CANTOS DE PÁJARO
Antonio de Trueba y Quintana: see note, page 8.
146.—Cantos de pájarohas 7 or 5 syllables, and 1 rhythmic stress, to the line:
There are 5seguidillas: seeEl peral.
[146-14]Lo que[hacen]los pájaros.
[146-18]Cantos: note the double meaning (see Vocab.).
147.—[147-9]poetas y pájaros somos, 'we poets and birds are.'
CANCIÓN
Fernán Caballero: see note, page 110.
148.*—Canciónhas 8 syllables, and 1 rhythmic stress, The line:
The rhyme-scheme is-,a,-,a;-,b,-,b.
[*] A stressed syllable (as inAscensión) at the end of a line counts as two syllables.
¡BELLO ES VIVIR!
José Zorrilla y Moral, b. 1817 at Valladolid, d. 1893,—poet and dramatist. Zorrilla was one of the most popular romantic poets of Spain, and his writings exerted a deepinfluence on his contemporaries in Spain and Spanish America. Much of his work was done hastily and carelessly. Zorrilla is probably at his best in hisLeyendas, which give a somewhat imaginary history of medieval Spain. Works: lyric verse,Soledad del campo,Indecisión,Cantos del trovador, et al.; plays,El zapatero y el rey,Traidor inconfeso y mártir,Don Juan Tenorio, et al.
149.—¡Bello es vivir!(fragmento de Indecisión) has 11 syllables, and 2 rhythmic stresses, to the line:
The rhyme-scheme isa,b,a,b, etc.
[149-9]Se ve... que nace, 'the growing light of early morn is seen upon the horizon.'
[149-12]En el aire flotando=flotando en el aire.
[149-16]desatan su voz, 'burst into song.'
¡EXCELSIOR!
Gaspar Núñez de Arce, b. 1834 at Valladolid, d. 1903. Núñez de Arce was a journalist, lyric poet and playwright. He wrote comparatively little, but he had a great influence in literature and in politics. Works:Gritos del combate,Idilio,Vértigo,La pesca; and the plays,El haz de leña,Quien debe paga,Deudas de la honra, et al.
150.—¡Excelsior!has 11 or 7 syllables, and 2 or 1 rhythmic stresses, to the line:
The rhyme is assonance:í-ein the first stanza,á-ain the second, andé-ain the third.