La sirena y el capitán ~ Maria Elena Walsh

The mermaid and the captain

Once upon a time there was a mermaid who lived in the Paraná River. She had a little hut
made with camalote leaves where she spent the days combing her very long ebony hair,
where she spent the nights singing, because it was her duty.

During full moon nights

by the Paraná River
a mermaid singing goes by.
Over here, over there,
the water cold it is.
Juncal and sand of Paraná,
a mermaid singing goes by.

Her name was Alahí, and as she was a kind of magic, she knew how to govern her camalote
to go against the flow of the river. Sometimes she went to the Iguazú waterfalls to take a
long fresh shower full of foam.

Then she sunbathed by the shore while talking with the many friends she had by the water,
the sky and the earth.

No one hurt her. Even those who seemed to be evil like the caimans and snakes
approached her in a cuddly way.

Sometimes a whole row of butterflies held her hair and the birds came together in chorus to
lull her to sleep.

This happened many years ago. America was still indian/aboriginal and the spaniards had
not yet come with their boats and beards. The few people who thought to have seen Alahí
believed it was a dream and so they ran to rub their eyes with ointment to scare off the vision
of that beautiful creature half a girl half a fish.

THE MERMAID AND THE CAPTAIN by María Elena Walsh

Once upon a time a mermaid that lived in the Paraná river. She had a little ranch of leaves
on a lily pad and there she spent the days, brushing her long ebony hair, and she spent the
nights singing, because that was her trade.

During the full moon nights

by the river Paraná
a singing mermaid was passing by.
Over here and over there,
cold the waters were,
 Parana’s reed bed and sand
a singing mermaid was passing by.

Alahí was her name, and as she was a kind of magician, she knew how to control her lily
pad and how to ride it upstream. Sometimes she went to the Cataratas del Iguazú to give
herself a long and fresh bath with foamy water.

After that, she sunbathed on the riverside and talked with the many friends she had in the
water, in the sky and on the earth.

None of them hurt her. Even those which seemed so mean, like the caimans or the snakes,
got close to her lovingly.

Sometimes a whole line of butterflies held her hair and a choir of birds lull her.

This happened many years ago. America was still India, and there were no Spanish people
with their beard and their ships.

The few who once glimpsed Alahí, thought she was a dream, and went to rub their eyes with
unguent to shoo away the vision of that beautiful creature half girl and half fish.

Translation by me
The Mermaid and The captain by María Elena walsh
Once upon a time there was a mermaid who lived by the Paraná
River. She had a small shack made of leaves, on a Water hyacinth
and there she spent her days combing her long ebony hair, and
she spent the nights singing because her job was to sing.

On full moon nights

by the Paraná river a mermaid singing goes.

Over here, over there, the water is cold.

Rushes and sand of the Paraná, a mermaid singing goes.

The mermaid was called Alahí, and as she was a kind of wizard,
she knew how to steer her Water hyacinth and ride it upstream.
Sometimes, she would go to the Iguazú Falls to take a long cool
shower full of foam.

Then she would sunbathe on the shore and talk to the many
friends she had in the water, in the sky and in the land.

None of them hurt her. Even those that seemed the wickedest,
like alligators and snakes, cuddled up to her.

Sometimes, a whole line of butterflies would hold her hair and the
birds would sing in chorus to lull her (to) a nap.

Many years ago. America was still Indian and the Spaniards had
not arrived yet, with their beards and their ships.

The few people who had ever seen Alahi believed it was a dream
and they ran to rub ointment on their eyes to frighten away the
vision of that beautiful half-girl, half-fish creature.