Los Peces En El Río
Traditional tune, played on guitar and sung in Spanish by Patricia Cummings
translated by Pat
photo by James Cummings, as published in The Quilter magazine, Sept. 2007
Hear other Spanish songs by clicking here
This song is an example of a "villancico," or "Christmas carol." In 1972, as I traveled through the city of Granada, Spain, by myself, on Christmas Day, I was delighted to hear the gypsies singing this song and playing their guitars, in the streets.
Please note: The pronunciation heard in this song is more typical of Andalucía where I first heard this being played. In attempting to recreate their accent, however, in places, I have not been consistent in dropping the final "s" sound, as in the verb "es." I have this song on a CD from Argentina where the children singing it use other verses and also, a more typical Spanish pronunciation. There is quite a lot of variety in accents, although one would not think that possible as all vowels are consistently pronounced in the same manner each time. A Puerto Rican does not sound like a Mexican, a Mexican does not sound like a Spaniard, etc. Enjoy! This is one of my favorite songs!
Los Peces en El Río
La Virgen está peinando
Y no piensa en ropero
Los pajaritos cantaban
Y pasa el viento.
Pero, mira como beben los peces en el río.
Pero mira como beben por ver a Dios nacido.
Beben y beben y vuelven a beber,
Los peces en el río, por ver a Dios nacer.
La Virgen va caminando
va caminando solita
Y no lleva la compañia
La niña es tan bonita.
Pero, mira como cantan los pájaros al niño.
Pero mira como cantan por ver a Dios nacido.
Cantan y cantan y vuelven a cantar
Los pájaros contentos de ver la madrugada.
The Fish in the River
translated by Patricia Cummings
The Virgin is combing her hair
and is not thinking of her wardrobe
The birds were singing
and the wind passes.
But look at how the fish drink in the river.
They drink for seeing God born.
They drink and they drink and they return to drink,
the fish in the river, in seeing God born.
The Virgin is going walking
she is walking alone.
She does not have company with her.
The (girl) child is so pretty.
But look at how the birds are singing to the (Christ) child.
Look at how they sing to see God born.
They sing and they sing, and they return to sing
The content birds, in seeing the dawn.