From Cuentos Populares en Chile (Chilean Folktales) – by Ramón A. Laval
Part 1 – Magnificent Stories, Stories of Animals, Anecdotes (Cuentos maravillosos, Cuentos de animales, Anécdotas)
011. Pinky (El Miñique)
(Referred to by 14-year old Mannel Oporto, of Temuco, which he heard told in Santiago in 1911)
Know so one can tell, and tell so one can learn. There was a very poor and very miserable old couple. The husband worked as a water carrier and the wife as a laundress; but no matter how hard they worked, the money they received was barely enough to keep them from starving to death.
One night when they were talking about their poverty and loneliness, the old woman said:
If only we have a son, even if he’s just a tiny little boy, he would have helped us get through these bleak days and we would have someone to talk to at night, and someone to care for us when we are sick.
That’s right! -replied the water carrier- ; but what do we get from talking about these things?
You will have the son that you wanted -said a voice which came from above.
The old couple fearfully looked at one another; and as it was late, they went to bed and fell fast asleep.
The next day they rose at dawn as they had always done before; the old man went to transport water for his regular patrons, and his wife began to launder clothes.
She had barely started her laundry when she felt something crawling between her right arm and the sleeve of her shirt, and believing it to be a small lizard or some type of bug, she became afraid and began shaking her arm. She felt something fell on the trough, and although she did not see anything, she heard a little flute-like voice, which said:
Mamita, get me out of the water, for I am drowning in it. -The old woman searched and searched, and after looking closely she discovered a child so small that she barely saw him, and the child was moving his feet and arms in the soap water, as if he was swimming [in a lake].
The old couple raised him with all their love and attention and as he was very small, they called him Pinky, a name that suited him very well, because, in truth, the child was never bigger than the smallest of the fingers on one’s hand.
The only things that Pinky grew in was his strength, which he ended up having a superhuman quantity; and in a voice that, when he cried out, was louder than any man might possess.
The old couple managed to hide the existence of the child, so that no one even suspected that he had been around. He was so cute that they feared people would steal him from them, and talking to and entertaining themselves with him was the only consolation that they had.
Seven years went by and the old couple became so sickly that they could not work anymore, and their money began to run out.
They had no more than thirty cents left in their possession when the old laundress said to Pinky:
My son, take these ten cents and go to the butcher shop and buy meat for us.
Pinky went to the butcher shop and knocked on the counter. The butcher looked around and as he did not see anyone, he said:
Who just knocked?
It is I, Pinky -the child replied in a booming voice that scared the butcher: –please sell me ten cents worth of meat.
The butcher leaned over the counter, and after some effort he managed to see a little figure who was barely ten centimeters tall.
And where are you going to get the strength to carry the ten cents worth of meat? The piece that I will give you is [definitely] too heavy for you.
Sir, why do you want to make fun of me? If you give me a whole ox, I am [more than] capable of carrying it away!
Very well, -replied the butcher; –give me your ten cents and you can take that ox hanging on the door over there.
When Pinky heard this, he threw the ox over his shoulder and began to run home with his goods. The bewildered butcher looked on with mouth wide-opened, being unable to move nor guess what was happening; and all the pedestrians were making signs of the cross, as they could not explain how a carved up animal with all its legs pointing upward was able to run on the street; this was all because of Pinky, as he was very tiny and was underneath the animal, so that no one could see him.
The old couple was very happy with what Pinky brought back, and they asked him to go buy five cents worth of bread.
Pinky went running to the bakery and began to knock on the counter. The baker heard the knocks, but he did not see anyone.
Who knocked? -he asked.
It is I, Pinky -the child replied, with a formidable voice. –Please give me five cents worth of bread.
The baker leaned over the counter and, frightened to see the tiny little child, he said to him:
And how are you to carry five cents worth of bread back, being so tiny that you are?
You ask how I will carry them back? Well, the same as how other buyers carry them back. If you give me enough bread to fill that large basket on the counter over there, you will see how good I am in carry things.
Give me the five cents and you can take that basket of bread.
Here are five cents, and put the basket over my shoulder, please.
The baker took the money, and fearing that the weight of the basket would crush Pinky, he very carefully placed in on top of him.
As soon as Pinky felt that the basket was on his shoulders, he began to run home as if the load he was carrying were as light as a feather; and in doing so he earned the admiration of the baker and the amazement of all passersby on the street, who saw how a basket quickly moved along without anyone pushing or carrying it.
The old couple was full of joy when they welcomed Pinky back; and very soon they sat down to eat a delicious roast. The old man said:
We’ll set aside enough meat for two days, and the rest we’ll make jerky tomorrow so that we’ll have plenty of time to finish them all.
They continued to converse merrily. At night, the old woman said:
Who wouldn’t want a matecito right now!
Mamita, -said the child- give me ten cents and I’ll bring back five cents worth of sugar and another five of herbs.
Here you have it, my son.
Pinky then left the house and headed for the corner store.
Who knocked? -asked the shopkeeper.
It is I, Pinky, -replied the child.- Please give me five cents worth of sugar and five of herbs.
The shopkeeper leaned over the counter and when he saw Pinky, he said:
But child, how are you going to carry back the sugar and the herb? They are too much for you.
Don’t you worry, sir, even if you give me a crate of sugar for five cents and a barrel of herbs for another five cents, I myself will still carry them away without asking for help from anyone.
Very well, give me the ten cents and you can take that crate and barrel with you.
Here are the ten cents; but please help fasten the barrel on top of the crate and then put them on my back, then you’ll see what I can do. You don’t know how strong I really am.
The shopkeeper laughed at what Pinky said, believing they were pure jokes; however, he did as the child had asked, and as he loaded the enormous cargo on the tiny child’s back, he said:
Be careful, my child, so you won’t get crushed!
Don’t you worry, just place them on my back.
When Pinky felt the cargo was on his back, he grasped the rope and began to run home, leaving the shopkeeper dumbfounded.
You can imagine the pleasure of Pinky’s parents when they saw him came back with the valuable cargo. They would no longer starve: they now had enough meat, bread, sugar and herbs. What more could they want? They drank their mate and went to bed; and the next day the old man jerked the meat of the ox.
Once the jerky was made, the old woman said:
Who wouldn’t want a couple of onions to make a valdiviano!
You still have five cents left right, mamita? Give them to me and I will bring back onions for you.
The old woman gave him the five cents, and when the child went on the street he found one of those little penknives that someone used to use as a pendant. He picked it up, put it in his pocket and continued on his way.
A short time later he met the onion seller, who carried his merchandise in two large panniers which hung on either sides of the horse that he was riding on.
Listen, friend -shouted Pinky- please sell me five cents worth of onions.
The onion seller looked everywhere, but he did not see the buyer, who was hidden in the grass that grew at the edge of the sidewalk.
Please sell me five cents worth of onions, I tell you! -repeated Pinky.
But he barely finished speaking these words when a cow came down the same street and ate the grass which grew by the edge of the sidewalk, swallowing a handful of the grass together with Pinky in the process. Pinky continued to shout from inside the animal’s stomach:
Sell me five cents worth of onions later on! My mamita is waiting for me at home!
The onion seller nearly went crazy searching for the one who was speaking to him, but he was not able to find him. How was he to figure out that the voice came from within the cow?
Only after having been swallowed for some time did Pinky realize where he was, but as he was of determined spirit, he was not afraid. Rather, he took out his penknife from the pocket and little by little cut open a gash in the animal’s belly and exited out from there. In truth, he was neither clean nor smelling good, but was in safe and sound condition. The animal fell dead in a short instance, and Pinky picked it up by its tail and dragged it to his house, where they also made jerky out of it.
Immediately after leaving the [carcass of the] cow to his parents’ care, they washed him and changed his clothes, then Pinky went back to the onion seller, and when he caught up to him, he shouted out:
What happened, my friend? Are you going to sell me five cents worth of onions or not?
But child -replied the onion seller,- how are you able to carry half a dozen of large onions? One alone would be too heavy for you.
What have you been imagining, Mr. Onion Seller? If you give me both of those panniers with onions in them for five cents, you will see that I can carry them away by myself, without needing to ask anyone for help.
In that case, I will give you both of the panniers with onions in them for five cents -the onion seller said to him, thinking that these were empty boasts from the child:- give me the five cents and here you shall have the two panniers -he added while lowering them [from the horse].
Pinky handed him the money and picked the panniers up from where they were joined together, then he began to run with such speed, dragging them behind him, that in a moment he had disappeared from sight, leaving the onion seller flabbergasted.
With these deeds, Pinky’s fame spread throughout the kingdom and the King expressed his desire to meet him.
As the capital was far away, Pinky wanted to travel by horseback, and so he caught a little mouse which he easily tamed. From a hairpin he made bridles and stirrups; from a piece of kidskin (e.g. young goat skin) from an old glove, he made the saddle; and from a shoelace he made the reins and harnesses; he hung the small penknife with its open blade on his waist, just like one would a sword, and jumping on his mount he headed toward the capital of the kingdom.
He was received with awe by everyone upon arriving at the palace: the King, the Queen, the Princes, the Princesses, the lords and ladies of the Court, they all welcomed him with great enthusiasm, not knowing what to admire more in him, his tiny size or his tremendous strength, or his good looks or booming voice. He was taken to be the first wonder of the kingdom, and the King wanted to keep him by his side. But when the monarch informed him of his decision, Pinky respectfully replied that he could not abandon his parents, being old, frail, and wretched that they were, and having him as their sole support; if he were to leave them, the poor old couple would die.
The King was very pleased with Pinky for being considerate to his parents, so he bade them to come to the palace, gave them a room to stay in and provided them with everything that they might need.
Pinky served the King in the most extraordinary way in a war which was provoked by their enemies; he alone was enough to move all the artillery, on those occasions in which all the horses were needed for other purposes; and he too, with his booming voice, transmitted orders from the general-in-chief [to the common troops]. For his services he was decorated and promoted to captain on the field of battle; and he lived the rest of his days much loved and honored by all.
—– VOCABULARY —–
Aguador – (occupation) water carrier, water seller
Lavandera – (occupation) washerwoman, laundress; (animal) wagtail (passerine birds)
Chiquito – (little) tiny, small, teeny
Escaceses – scarcities, shortages, deficiencies
Acarrear – (to transport) to carry, to cart, to lug; (to move using a vehicle) to transport, to carry, to haul; (to cause) to give rise to, to lead to, to result in
Parroquiano – (religious) parishioner; (frequent customer) customer, regular customer, regular patron
Manga – (part of garment) sleeve; (large hose) hosepipe
Bicho – (insect) bug; (animal) beast, creature, critter
Sacudir – (to move) to shake, to shake out; (to smack) to beat; (to shock) to shake
Artesa – (culinary) kneading trough; (container) trough
Atiplado – flutelike; shrill; high-pitched
Fijarse – (to concentrate) to pay attention; (to become aware of) to notice
Venir – (to be convenient; used with “bien” or “mal”) to be, to work for, to suit
En voz – (used to refer to someone’s way of speaking) in a … voice; (grammar) in the … voice
Recio – (gritty and determined) tough, hard; (physically strong) robust, sturdy; (firm and durable) solid, strong, tough; (difficult) tough, hard, intense
Achacoso – (frail) sickly, ailing; (in bad condition) dilapidated
Concluirse – (to finish) to end
Mostrador – (furniture) counter, desk, bar
Vozarrón – booming voice, loud voice
Trozo – (a portion) piece, bit, slice (of food), fragment, passage (of music or literature)
Alelado – (foolish) stupid; (dazed) spellbound, bewildered
Transitar – (to travel on foot) to walk, to go, to go along; (to circulate) to travel, to go
Despostado – carved; cut up
Canasto – basket, hamper
Aplastar – (to smash) to crush, to squash; (to defeat) to crush, to quash
Charqui – (culinary) (South America) beef jerky, jerked beef, jerky
Matecito – coca tea; mate;
Almacén – (storage facility) warehouse, storehouse, storeroom; (commerce) store, shop
Esquina – corner
Despachero – shopkeeper, storekeeper
Pergenio – bright boy; clever kid
Barril – (container) barrel, cask (of wood), keg (of metal)
Solito – (unaccompanied) alone; (lonesome) lonely
Amarrar – (to fasten) to tie, to tie up, to moor; (to secure) (Latin America) to clinch
Bromas – (teasing) joking, banter, kidding; broma – (farce) joke, prank, practical joke
Bulto – (receptacle for transporting things) bag, piece of luggage, bundle, package; (protuberance) bulge; (medicine) lump, bulge; (volume) space, bulk
Asir – (to seize) to grab, to take hold of, to grasp
Cebolla – (vegetable) onion; (tulip) bulb
Valdiviano – Valdivian
Cortaplumas – penknife
Soler – to use to, to tend to, usually, to be in the habit of
Dije – (jewelry) charm, locket
Faltriquera – pocket; small pouch
Cebollero – onion seller
Árganas – wicker baskets; panniers carried by horse
Pender – (to be suspended) to hang; (to loom; used with “sobre”) to hang over; (to be dependent on; used with “de”) to depend on; (legal) to be pending
Orilla – (geography) shore (of a lake or ocean), bank (of a river); (border) edge, hem (of a garment); (pedestrian road) sidewalk
Acera – (paved footway) sidewalk, pavement, footpath; (neighboring homes) side of the street
Esforzado – (zealous) hardworking
Tajo – (wound) cut, slash (long and thin); (geography) steep cliff, sheer drop
Guata – (stomach) belly, paunch
Arrastrar – (to move along the ground) to drag, to sweep (clothing); to brush (clothing); (to pull) to sweep away (a river), to carry out (the ocean), to blow along (wind)
Bravata – (intention to inflict damage) threat; (bravado) boast, big talk
Chiquitín – (used to indicate size) tiny, teeny, small; (used to indicate age) very young
Apretar – (to apply pressure) to press, to pull, to squeeze, to step on (accelerator); (to compress) to squeeze, to clutch, to clench (fist), to grit (teeth), to crush, to grip; (to adjust) to tighten
Laucha – mouse
Horquilla – (hair accessory) hairpin, bobby pin, hairgrip, hairclip; (agriculture) pitchfork
Frenos – (orthodontics) braces; freno – (mechanics) brake; (horse riding) bit; (restraint) check, brake
Estribo – (equestrianism) stirrup; (step in vehicle) running board, footrest (in motorcycles)
Cabritilla – (material) kidskin (e.g. young goat), kid leather, kid
Guante – (clothing) glove; (sports) mitt
Cordón – (string) cord; (footwear) shoelace, lace
Rienda – (bridle) rein
Arreos – (horseback riding) tack, harness
Cintura – (anatomy) waist
Cuchillo – (tableware) knife; (animal anatomy) tusk; (sewing) gore; (architecture) support
Acoger – (to welcome) to receive; (to provide refuge for) to take in; (to react to) to receive, to take
Estentóreo – very loud; stentorian (literary); loud
Achacoso – (frail) sickly, ailing; (in bad condition) dilapidated, clapped out
Sostén – (clothing) bra; (help) support
Escaso – (insufficient) scarce, limited, scant, short; (just) mere, barely; (miserly) stingy
Condecorar – to decorate
Ascender – (to increase) to rise, to go up; (to clamber) to climb; (to move upwards) to rise, to ascend (formal)
Agasajado – guest of honor
Agasajar – (to celebrate or treat) to fete, to honor; (to indulge) to lavish attention on