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Spanish Tales for Beginners

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SPANISH TALES FOR BEGINNERS

*EDITED WITH NOTES AND VOCABULARY* BY ELIJAH CLARENCE HILLS, PH.D., LITT.D. PROFESSOR OF ROMANCE LANGUAGES IN INDIANA UNIVERSITY

*REVISED EDITION WITH DIRECT METHOD EXERCISES*

NEW YORK HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY

New York, Henry Holt and Company.

Copyright, 1909, 1919, BY HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY

\[Please note that Spanish orthography has changed slightly since this book was written. The words á and é are no longer accented. (Note of etext transcriber)\]

PREFACE

IN selecting these *Spanish Tales for Beginners*, three objects have been kept in view: (1) that they be good literature, (2) that they portray modern Spanish life, and (3) that they be interesting and not too difficult in language and thought. Some of the stories do not conform to all three rules,—the first two, for instance, do not portray modern Spanish life; but I hope that most of them will be found to conform fully. A few short lyric poems have also been included, since poetry forms an integral part of literature. Verse, moreover, is better for oral work and memorizing than prose.

Spain has a rich and varied literature, from which other nations have freely drawn,—a literature that gives true expression to the life and aspirations of the Spanish people. The selections in this volume are taken from literary works that have been written in the past fifty or sixty years, and although they are inferior in some respects to the great master-pieces of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, I believe that they have literary excellence, and they have, besides, the advantage of being written in the language of today and of describing present-day life.

It is my greatest wish that this volume may awaken the students' interest in the civilization of Spain, and that it may serve as an introduction to the study of Spanish literature.

The integrity of the texts has been preserved so far as the exigencies of a beginners' book permit, but the following changes have been made: (1) Some words or passages have been omitted, chiefly in the earlier stories. The parts thus omitted are, for the most part, digressions or uninteresting descriptive passages. Omissions have generally been marked by four suspensive points, or by three at the beginning of a story. Except at the beginning of a story, three suspensive points form a part of the punctuation of the several authors. (2) The orthography has been made to conform to that now prescribed by the Royal Spanish Academy. (3) In the earlier stories, *le* has been substituted for the feminine indirect object-pronoun *la*, and *los* for the masculine plural direct object-pronoun *les*. (4) And in the earlier stories, the conjunctive personal pronoun-object has been placed before the indicative verb: e.g., *se tornó* for *tornóse*, p. 11, l. 4. (5) The conjunction *y* has been added a few times to bridge over an omission: e.g., p. 2, l. 3. (6) In a few cases one word has been substituted for another: *vieron* for *se apercibieron de que*, p. 22, l. 11; *la niña* for *la del rojo balandrán*, p. 47, l. 13; *Rogó* for *De esto á rogar*, p. 48, l. 9; *ese dinero* for *esos monises*, p. 57, l. 31; *cochero* for *auriga*, p. 58, l. 4; *reloj* for *calderómetro*, p. 101, l. 7; *otro pájaro* for *la escula-mata*, p. 116, l. 9; *madre* for *escula-mata*, p. 116, l. 11.

In the notes the difficulties have been explained, so far as possible, by reference to the vocabulary, or by rearranging the words; but it has often been necessary to translate into English. Perhaps the criticism will be made that the notes to the first few pages are too numerous and too simple; but many of these notes, and especially those that explain elementary rules of Spanish grammar, are given for the benefit of students who begin to read almost from the first. In the notes to the lyrics, no attempt has been made to treat Spanish prosody fully; only a few rules are given, and these in the simplest language.

The vocabulary has been made as complete as possible. It contains many facts, such as descriptions of places and biographies of noted men, that are usually not given in vocabularies. It contains also all irregular verb-forms that occur in the first fifty pages of the texts.

The vocabulary has been made as complete as possible. It contains many facts, such as descriptions of places and biographies of noted men, that are usually not given in vocabularies. It also contains all irregular verb-forms that occur in the first fifty pages of the texts.

I have pleasure in acknowledging my indebtedness to many of my colleagues for advice and helpful suggestions, and I am especially indebted to Dr. S. Griswold Morley for help in reading the proofs.

E. C. H.

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.

COLORADO SPRINGS, C OLO.

CONTENTS

SPANISH TALES

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LOS CONSEJOS DE UN PADRE

EL LEÓN, el rey de las selvas, agonizaba en el hueco de su caverna....

T he LION, the king of the jungles, was dying in the hollow of his cave....

Á su lado estaba su hijo, el *nuevo león*, el rey futuro de todos los animales.

Beside him was his son, the *new lion*, the future king of all animals.

El monarca moribundo le daba penosamente el último consejo, el más importante.

The dying monarch painfully gave him the last piece of advice, the most important.

—Huye del hombre—le decía:—huye siempre; no pretendas luchar con él.

"Flee from man," I said, "always flee; do not pretend to fight with him."

Eres señor absoluto de los demás animales, no los temas; domínalos, castígalos, devóralos si tienes hambre.

You are absolute lord of the other animals, do not fear them; dominate them, punish them, devour them if you are hungry.

Con todos puedes luchar, á todos puedes vencer; pero no pretendas luchar con el hombre: te daría muerte y sin piedad, porque es cruel, más cruel que nosotros.

With everyone you can fight, with everyone you can win; but do not pretend to fight with man: he would kill you and without mercy, because he is cruel, crueler than us.

—¿Tan fuerte es el hombre?—preguntó el hijo.

"Is the man so strong?" the son asked.

—No es fuerte, no—replicó el padre.—Y continuó diciendo:—De un latigazo de tu cola le podrías lanzar por los aires como al más miserable animalejo.

"He's not strong, no," replied the father. "And he continued saying," From a whiplash of your tail you could throw him in the air like the most miserable beast. "

—¿Sus dientes, sus colmillos, son poderosos?

"Are his teeth, his fangs, powerful?"

—Son despreciables y ridículos: valen menos que los de un ratoncillo.

"They are despicable and ridiculous: they are worth less than those of a little mouse."

—¿Sus uñas, son tan potentes como mis zarpas?

"Are your nails as powerful as my paws?"

—Son mezquinas y á veces las lleva sucias; no, por las zarpas no conseguiría vencerte.

"They are petty and sometimes he wears them dirty; no, because of the paws he would not be able to beat you."

—¿Tendrá melenas como éstas, que nosotros sacudimos orgullosos?

"Will he have manes like these, which we shake proudly?"

—No las tiene, y algunos son calvos.

"He doesn't have them, and some are bald."

Aquí el león moribundo abrió enormemente la espantosa boca..., y lanzó el último rugido.

Here the dying lion opened his dreadful mouth enormously…, and let out the last roar.

Después sólo pronunció estas palabras:

Then he just said these words:

—Mi consejo, mi último consejo; no luches con el hombre... huye... huye del hombre....

"My advice, my last advice; don't fight with the man... run away... run away from the man....

Se estremeció su cuerpo; dobló majestuosamente la cabeza, y murió el león padre.

His body shook; he bowed his head majestically, and the father lion died.

Empezó el reinado del león hijo.

The reign of the lion son began.

Cuando éste comprendió que su padre había muerto, no lloró, porque los leones no lloran; pero se tendió junto á él, acercó su cabeza enorme á la enorme cabeza del león difunto, y así se quedó un rato. Los dos hocicos se unieron: el ardiente y el helado. Las dos melenas se mezclaron....

When he realized that his father had died, he did not weep, because lions do not weep; but he lay down beside him, put his huge head close to the huge head of the deceased lion, and so he stayed for a while. The two snouts came together: the burning one and the ice cream. The two mane were mixed....

Al fin el hijo se levantó: sacudió cola y melenas y rugió....

At last the son got up: he wagged his tail and manes and roared....

Salió de la caverna: á zarpazos hizo rodar unos cuantos pedruscos, hasta cerrar completamente la entrada. El león muerto tenía ya su tumba, ni más ni menos que un faraón.

He came out of the cave: with paws he rolled a few boulders, until the entrance was completely closed. The dead lion already had his tomb, no more and no less than a pharaoh.

El león vivo se alejó por el monte y trompeteó el nuevo reinado con tres poderosos rugidos; pero aquella noche no devoró á ningún animal: no tenía hambre. Durmió poco y lo poco que durmió fué soñando con el último consejo de su padre. ¡El hombre! ¡El hombre! ¿Por qué? ¿Sería el hombre tan temible?

The living lion walked away on the mountain and trumpeted the new reign with three mighty roars; but that night he did not devour any animal: he was not hungry. He slept little and the little he slept was dreaming of his father's last advice. The man! The man! Why? Would the man be so fearsome?

Á la mañana siguiente despertó y se echó por el mundo....

The next morning he woke up and threw himself around the world....

De pronto sonó algo estrepitoso y terrible: algo á modo de rugido. Debía de ser el hombre que rugía.

Suddenly something loud and terrible sounded: something like a roar. He must have been the man who roared.

Pero no: era un borrico que rebuznaba con rebuznos formidables.

But no: he was a braying donkey with formidable bravado.

El león, por impulso que no pudo contener, acometió al borrico, le derribó y le sujetó con sus poderosas garras.

The lion, by an impulse that he could not contain, attacked the donkey, knocked him down and held him with his powerful claws.

—¿Eres el hombre?—le preguntó.

"Are you the man?" he asked.

—No—contestó el pobre animal.—No soy el hombre, ¡aunque he oído decir que algunos se parecen á mí! Es un burro, es un borrico, se dice de muchos....

-The poor animal did not answer. -I am not the man, although I have heard that some look like me! He is a donkey, he is a donkey, it is said of many...

—¿Dónde encontraré al hombre?

"Where will I find the man?"

—Sigue este valle, salva esa montaña y quizá lo encuentres al otro lado.

"Follow this valley, save that mountain and maybe you'll find it on the other side."

El león soltó al borrico y siguió su camino.

The lion let go of the donkey and went on his way.

De pronto, algo se le enredó á una pierna; era una serpiente. Con violenta sacudida la arrojó á distancia; dió un salto y la sujetó con la pata.

Suddenly, something got tangled in his leg; it was a snake. With a violent jolt he threw her away; he jumped and held her with his paw.

—¿Eres el hombre?—le preguntó.

"Are you the man?" he asked.

—No soy el hombre; soy la serpiente.

"I'm not the man; I'm the snake."

—¿Se parece á ti?

"Doeshe look like you?"

—Algunos á mí se parecen; como yo, se arrastran; y como yo, son venenosos.

"Some resemble me; like me, they creep; and like me, they are poisonous."

—¿Dónde encontraré al hombre?

"Where will I find the man?"

—Sigue por la montaña.... Pero déjame, que pesas mucho.

"Keep going up the mountain... But leave me alone, you weigh a lot."

Y forcejeó la serpiente y quiso morderle.

And the snake struggled and wanted to bite him.

—Eres un animal muy feo—dijo el león....

"You are a very ugly animal," said the lion.

Y aplastó y desgarró al reptil.

And crushed and tore the reptile.

Continuando su camino pasó la cresta de la montaña y empezó á bajar.

Continuing on his way, he passed the crest of the mountain and began to descend.

De pronto vió un animal que corría, y saltando sobre él, sin esfuerzo alguno lo sujetó, porque era pequeño y poco robusto.

Suddenly he saw an animal running, and jumping on it, without any effort he held it, because it was small and not very robust.

—¿Quién eres? ¿Acaso eres el hombre?

"Who are you? Are you the man?"

—Soy el zorro—dijo el animalejo,—y valgo tanto como el hombre por mi travesura; entro en sus corrales y me como sus gallinas, y él sólo aprovecha las que yo le dejo.

"I am the fox," said the animal, "and I am worth as much as the man for my mischief; I enter his pens and eat his chickens, and he only takes advantage of the ones I leave him."

—¿Pero le conoces?

"Butdo you know him?"

—Mucho.

Plenty.

—Pues, ven conmigo.

"Well, come with me."

Y el león y el zorro penetraron en el bosque.

And the lion and the fox entered the forest.

En esto saltó un mono, se subió á un árbol y desde arriba hizo gestos burlescos á su dueño y señor, el rey de las selvas....

In this a monkey jumped, climbed a tree and from above made burlesque gestures to its owner and lord, the king of the jungles...

—¿Qué animal es ése?—preguntó el león al zorro;—¿es acaso el hombre?

"What animal is that?" the lion asked the fox;"is it man?"

—No es el hombre; pero se le parece mucho. Algunos suponen que son hermanos, ó, por lo menos, primos....

"He's not the man; but he looks a lot like him." Some assume that they are brothers, or, at least, cousins....

—¡Adelante! ¡Á buscar al hombre!... Un ser que se parece al borrico por el entendimiento, á la serpiente por lo rastrero y venenoso, al mono por la figura, y á quien el zorro le come las gallinas! ¡Á él! ¡Á él!—rugió el león con poderosos rugidos.

"Go ahead! Go look for the man!"... A being that resembles the donkey by understanding, the snake by the creeping and poisonous, the monkey by the figure, and to whom the fox eats the chickens! To him! To him!"the lion roared with powerful roars.

Otro animal le cerró el paso; le desafió valiente; le ladró furioso.

Another animal blocked his way; he bravely challenged him; he barked furiously at him.

—No hables mal del hombre, animal, bárbaro y salvaje. El hombre es bueno, es noble, es mi compañero: parte conmigo su pan, duermo á los pies de su cama. Si le ofendes, me ofendes á mí: si luchas con él, lucharé á su lado; mi cuerpo será escudo que pare tus zarpazos.

"Do not speak ill of man, animal, barbarian and savage." The man is good, he is noble, he is my companion: he breaks his bread with me, I sleep at the foot of his bed. If you offend him, you offend me: if you fight with him, I will fight beside him; my body will be a shield to stop your claws.

—Eres valiente—dijo el león.—Quien cuenta con tan buen amigo, algo bueno tendrá.

"You are brave," said the lion. "Whoever has such a good friend, will have something good."

—El hombre no tiene nada bueno, como no sean sus gallineros—refunfuñó el zorro.

"The man has nothing good, except his chicken coops," the fox grumbled.

Pero un águila real llegó desde un picacho y tomó parte en la discusión.

But a golden eagle came from a woodpecker and took part in the discussion.

—Calla, animalejo ruin: el hombre es un animal de cuenta: lo digo yo, que miro las cosas desde arriba....

"Shut up, you mean animal: man is a beast of account: I say so, I look at things from above..."

El león levantó la cabeza, y preguntó:

The lion lifted his head, and asked:

—¿El hombre vuela como tú?

"Does the man fly like you?"

—Él no vuela: pero en su cabeza, como en jaula misteriosa, lleva una ave que vuela más que yo y que sube más alto.

"He doesn't fly: but in his head, as in a mysterious cage, he carries a bird that flies more than me and climbs higher."

—¿Cómo se llama?

“What’s it called?”

—El pensamiento.

el pensamiento.

—No le conozco.

I didn't know him.

—Tampoco yo.

"Neither do I."

El león se quedó pensativo. ¿Qué sería el hombre? Los borricos hablaban de él con desprecio, las serpientes con envidia, los zorros con burla, los monos le imitaban; pero el perro le defendía y el águila le respetaba, y su padre, el más poderoso león de los bosques, mostró temor al hablar del hombre.

The lion was thoughtful. What would the man be? The donkeys spoke of him with contempt, the snakes with envy, the foxes with mockery, the monkeys imitated him; but the dog defended him and the eagle respected him, and his father, the most powerful lion in the forests, showed fear when speaking of man.

¿Qué debería hacer? ¿Respetar la última voluntad del león moribundo ó buscar resuelto y domar valeroso al que pretendía ser rey de la creación?

What should I do? Respect the dying lion's last will or seek resolutely and courageously tame the one who claimed to be king of creation?

Vaciló, pero el zorro le dijo:

He hesitated, but the fox said to him:

—Eres el animal más fuerte que existe: eres nuestro soberano, ¿y vas á huir cobardemente ante el hombre, de quien me burlo yo así todos los días y todas las noches?...

"You are the strongest animal that exists: you are our sovereign, and you are going to cowardly flee before man, whom I mock like that every day and every night?...

—¿Y el consejo de mi padre? ¿Y su memoria que yo respeto? ¿Y su experiencia?

"And my father's advice?" And his memory that I respect? What about your experience?

—Tu padre estaba chocho: los años apagaron su entendimiento y gastaron su fuerza.

"Your father was shocked: the years extinguished his understanding and spent his strength.

El león se decidió á buscar al hombre y á combatir con él.

The lion decided to look for the man and fight with him.

Continuó caminando por el bosque con el zorro al lado, el perro delante, el mono de árbol en árbol y el águila por los aires.

He continued walking through the forest with the fox next to him, the dog in front, the monkey from tree to tree and the eagle in the air.

Al fin, el zorro le dijo:—Mira, allí está. Aquel que va á caballo con arco y flechas, aquél es el hombre.

At last, the fox said to him, “Look, there he is. He who rides on horseback with bow and arrows, that is the man.

You are currently reading…

Spanish Tales for Beginners

A book by

SPANISH TALES <span class="small">FOR BEGINNERS</span>

<span id="8519467600672384476_36805-h-0.htm.xhtml#PREFACE"></span>PREFACE

<span id="8519467600672384476_36805-h-0.htm.xhtml#CONTENTS"></span>CONTENTS

<span id="8519467600672384476_36805-h-0.htm.xhtml#SPANISH_TALES"></span>SPANISH TALES

<span id="8519467600672384476_36805-h-0.htm.xhtml#LOS_CONSEJOS_DE_UN_PADRE"></span>LOS CONSEJOS DE UN PADRE

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