O piollo y a pulga
There are different versions of this song in different languages.
O piollo y a pulga
The Louse and The Flea
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Galician)
(English)
O piollo y a pulga querían casar
non tiñan panciño para encomenzar
Saiu a formiga da sua graneira
e dí: –Corra a boda qu'eu son panadeira
–¡Ay! miña vidiña, panciño xa temos;
pro fáltamos viño ¿onde o buscaremos?
E vén o mosquito dicindo lixeiro:
–O viño non falta qu'eu son arrieiro
–¡Ay! miña vidiña, viñiño xá temos;
manteses nos faltan ¿onde os buscaremos?
E saiu a araña da sua arañeira:
E dí: –Corra a boda qu'eu son tecedeira.
–¡Ay! miña vidiña, manteses xá temos,
pro falta gaiteiro ¿onde o buscaremos?
E o grilo cantou dende o seu buxeiro:
–Por eso non quede qu'eu son o gaiteiro.
–¡Ay! miña vidiña, gaitero xá temos,
pro faltan danzantes ¿onde os buscaremos?
E salen dous sapos por moi arrogantes:
–Avisen en tempo, seremos danzantes.
–¡Ay! miña vidiña, danzantes xá temos
pro falta a madrina ¿onde a buscaremos?
E saiu a rán da poza veciña,
e dí: –Corra a boda qu'eu vou de madrina.
–¡Ay! miña vidiña, madrina xá temos,
pro falta o padrino ¿onde o buscaremos?
E saiu o rato do seu buratiño
E dí: –Corra a boda qu'eu son o padrino.
Mais cando pra boda se puna en camino,
o gato atisbouno e caza ô padrino.
1. The louse and the flea wanted to get married
They had no bread to begin with
The ant came out of its barn
And said, "Set up the wedding, I am a baker."
2. "Oh my love! We now have bread;
But we're missing wine, where will we look for it?"
And the mosquito comes saying quietly:
"Wine isn't missing, I'm carrying some."
3. "Oh my love! We now have wine;
We're missing tablecloths, where will we look for them?"
And the spider came out of its spider web:
And said, "Set up the wedding, I'm a weaver."
4. "Oh my love! We now have tablecloths,
But we're missing a bagpiper, where will we look for him?
And the cricket sang from its hole:
"Don't stop for that, I'm the bagpiper."
5. "Oh my love! We now have a bagpiper,
But we're missing dancers, where will we look for them?
And two very arrogant frogs come out:
"Let us know in time, we'll be dancing."
"Oh my love! We now have dancers
But we're missing the godmother, where will we look for her?
And the frog came out of the neighboring pond,
And said, "Set up the wedding, I'll be the godmother."
"Oh my love! We now have the godmother,
But we're missing the godfather, where will we look for him?
And the mouse came out of its little hole
And said, "Set up the wedding, I'm the godfather."
But when on its way to the wedding,
The cat caught a glimpse of him and chased the godfather away.
Notes
"Miña vidiña" (my love, sweetheart, beloved…) literally translates to "my little life".
"Buxeiro" is literally a hub.
*****
Another Version
(Each line is sung twice)
O piollo e a pulga querían casar.
Non tiñan panciño para "escomenzar".
Saíu a formiga do seu formigueiro:
–"Mandaime" recado que eu son panadeiro.
– ¡Ai, miña vidiña, panciño xa temos!
Fáltanos carniña. ¿Onde a atoparemos?
E saíu o lobo detrás dun outeiro:
–"Mandaime" recado que eu son carniceiro.
– ¡Ai, miña vidiña, carniña xa temos!
Fáltannos manteis. ¿Onde atoparemos?
E saíu a araña da súa arañeira:
–Sígase esa voda que eu son tecedeira.
-¡Ai, miña vidiña, manteis xa temos!
Fáltanos gaiteiro. ¿Onde o atoparemos?
E saíu o grilo dende o seu "buxeiro"
– Por iso non quede, que eu son o gaiteiro.
-¡Ai, miña vidiña, gaiteiro xa temos!
Fáltanos madriña. ¿Onde a atoparemos?
E saíu a ra da poza veciña:
– Sígase esa voda que eu son a madriña.
-¡Ai, miña vidiña, madriña xa temos!
– Fáltanos padriño. ¿Onde o atoparemos?
E saíu o rato do seu buraquiño:
– Se prenden o gato, eu serei padriño
No medio da voda, con tanto ruído
espertou o gato e comeu o padriño.
English Translation
The louse and the flea wanted to get married.
They had no bread to start.
The ant came out of its anthill:
"Send me a message, I'm a baker."
"Oh, my love, we now have bread!"
We lack meat. Where will we find it?
And the wolf came out from behind a hill:
"Send me a message, I'm a butcher."
"Oh, my love, we now have meat!
We lack tablecloths. Where will we find them?
And the spider came out of its spider web:
"Let this wedding go on, I'm a weaver."
"Oh, my love, we now have tablecloths!
We lack a bagpiper. Where will we find him?
And the cricket came out of its hole
"Don't stop for that, I'm the bagpiper.
"Oh, my love, we now have a bagpiper!
We lack a godmother. Where will we find her?
And the frog came out of the neighboring pond:
"Let this wedding go on, I'm the godmother.
"Oh, my love, we now have a godmother!"
We lack a godfather. Where will we find him?
And the mouse came out of its hole:
"If you catch the cat, I'll be the godfather."
In the middle of the wedding, with so much noise,
The cat woke up and ate the godfather.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translated by Monique Palomares with Lisa Yannucci. Illustration by Monique.
